"We'll come back for you," Vera swore as she was forced to leave with the dark haired stranger, "You and Yoona both! I'll find Master Parnell, and we'll...we'll make them pay! We'll come back...not leaving you both...promise..." Her voice faded as the child was led hastily away by the young man. Vanari's heart lurched in so many painful directions in those scarce, few ticks that she remained frozen in indecision. Should she have gone with Vera? No, then this slave--Yoona--who was currently risking her own life to save the child, would be left for dead. She had to stay. Stay and fight! "He won't hurt her." Ari looked up in surprise at the slave. Where Yoona had managed to pick up an ally and how she knew he was trustworthy the Vantha couldn't even begin to guess. But right now they needed all they help they could get. She wasn't about to argue. The young woman gulped and nodded. Everything had happened so fast, over just the span of a handful of chimes. It wasn't until now that she finally had the chance to unsheathe her Tamos. Vanari was clumsy at best with the daggers, but having some form of weaponry was better than none. It didn't take a trained fighter either to see that the slave wouldn't be able to grapple the man for much longer. Something needed to be done, and fast. Ari swallowed again. Would she be able to kill a man in cold blood right then and there? She was doomed either way, the Vantha knew. If she killed this man, the Stryfe would be on her in ticks. If she didn't, they would still be on her, just further down the line. But not that much further, she realized after another cursory glance over the heads of some worried looking worshippers. And if they didn't get her soon, the blind bounty hunter would. Gods above, why couldn't life ever be easy? And then, like an answer to her pitiful prayers, another ally joined the fray. The red haired, feral looking woman shoved the blind man backwards and snarled, reminding Vanari all too well of her old, Kelvic friend Ardea. The woman also appeared to be about the Vantha's height, but much, much paler and evidently able to handle herself in a fight. A second layer of shock was added when Ari realized both the red haired woman and the slave seemed to know one another, based on their mutually haughty exchange. Who knew a slave could have so many friends to rely upon in their time of need? Not long after, Yoona dropped what appeared to be a very dead bounty hunter onto the ground. She slapped him a few times. No response, to Vanari's immense relief. "Thank Morwen..." she muttered under her breath, daggers still held out defensively before her. There was only one bounty hunter left to deal with. And perhaps, now that Yoona had far more competent aid, she could consider a few ways to avoid the Stryfe once they arrived... Alas, when one problem died, more sprang up in its place. Because now she could see no sign of Parnell at all. Where could he have gone? Did he even know what was happening? Vanari cursed herself over and over. She had failed, having known all along what was likely to happen but being unable to pass the message along in time. She should've thought of something, anything, as a back up plan. But even as she considered this, the Vantha knew it was only wasting her time. What was done was done. It was the now that mattered, the extremely risky and dangerous now that she wasn't all too sure she'd make it out of unscathed. She tightened her grip around the Tamos and prepared for the worst. |