Chapter Text
It was snowing a lot. It had reached her knees by the time she found a cave. Wouldn't call it a cave though, more like an overhang. The overhang helped very little as the snowstorm was blowing stronger. The storm looked like it wouldn't end for at least a day or two.
Too tired and aching all over to care about cover, she buried herself in the snow. Using her numb fingers, she pulled the bandage on her right arm tighter. After an hour in the storm, the heat from the cuts disappeared, frostbite slowly taking its toll. She curled up into a small, tight ball and tried to stay awake. Sleeping was a straight path to death. She could feel her eyelids slowly closing. In the white distance, she spotted figures. Exhaustion won her over as the figures came closer. She prayed they weren't guards.
"I bet she's dead. She looks dead." A high pitched voice said.
"Tommy, stop saying she's dead. We heard you the first ten times." Another spoke in a scolding tone, not quite but there was definitely a hint of a melody forming.
"You're both idiots. Use your brains. While you're sitting there bickering, she's already memorized and analyzed your voices." A gruff voice said. She could hear that the person was close to adulthood.
"But she's sleeping. How could she hear us-." The young boy said.
I'd say around sixteen, maybe seventeen? She thought.
"Stop pretending you're asleep and wake up already. You’ve fooled my brothers, but you can't fool me." The gruff voice said, picking up what sounded like a bladed weapon. He nudged her gently with the weapon, and she flinched.
She sat up quickly, grimacing. Her body wasn't up to date. The injuries she had previously were bandaged by someone who knew them well. She put her only good hand against her side and glared at the stranger. He stared back. Just barely over 6'1, he wore a white collared shirt tucked into his brown trousers. His face was covered in different sized scars. One reached across the nose and over his eye. She noticed his slight change in weight. He was favoring his left foot.
"Done staring girl?" He said coldly. She knew he was sizing her up. Counting the injuries she had, the scared eye she kept closed.
"Done looking me up and down?" She spat back, taking in her surroundings. The room had a fireplace on one end with a couple chairs and a table near it. The room had a couple of doors, probably leading to other rooms. The house had a crowded yet cozy feeling to it.
The young boy was sitting on the table, also staring at her injuries. She scowled, he scowled back, mimicking her. The other held a guitar and was playing a soft tune that was somewhat familiar. Compared to the first stranger, they both wore simple clothes. The boy wore a white shirt with a piece of red cloth tied to his neck. The other wore a mustard yellow sweater. As for the pants, they both wore a pair of black leggings.
The gruff man scoffed, picked up a red cloak and walked out the door. She narrowed her eyes at the door, counting how many steps it would take her to get out.
"Oh thank lord, Techno's gone. Now he's out of the way, I'm Tommy." The boy said, walking up to her. He stuck out his hand, but she flinched away.
"Tommy, if you can't figure out that our guest doesn't like to be touched. I suggest you leave." The man in the sweater had put down the guitar, and pulled Tommy away.
"Apologies. Wilbur, and you are...?"
"Axria..." she said, hoping they wouldn't notice-
"Axria? Sounds southern. Xenm Kingdom? I presume?" Wilbur guessed, scanning his brain for cities.
"Yes..." Axria replied, hearing someone come to the front door. A man in their mid twenties walked into the room. He wore simple gray robes that looked almost like royalty. His undershirt had a small red heart engraved in the middle.
"You're awake! Do any of your injuries hurt?" He asked, putting something down on a side table.
Axria prepared to hide her flinch as he reached towards her bandages.
"Uh Dad? Our guest doesn't like to be touched..." Wilbur interrupted.
"No, it's fine. I just need a warning when someone's going to touch me." She quickly added. Her injuries stung, especially the one round the neck.
"I see. If you don't mind turning around, I can start with your back." The man said, grabbing a roll of bandage. Axria nodded and turned.
"Do you have a name?" The man asked, undoing the wrap.
She looked at Wilbur if he was willing to talk. He seemed to understand the look in her eyes.
"She said her name was Axria. Came from Xenm." Wilbur spoke, tuning his guitar. Axria felt the man freeze at her home kingdom. A split second later his hands continued, no trace of hesitation seconds before.
"Nice you meet you Axria, I'm Phil." He said, finishing on Axria's back and moving onto her neck.
Axria spoke quickly "I can do that myself, thank you."
Phil looked hurt, but he quickly masked his feelings and just nodded.
"Hey Dad? When is it going to stop snowing? I wanna go outside. I'm bored." Tommy said, using a whiny voice.
"Shut up, Tommy. Why don't you go downstairs and practice? Isn't your test tomorrow with Techno?" Wilbur added, smirking.
"Doesn't matter. I beat him every time anyway." Tommy snapped back, walking away.
"Every week Techno beats Tommy up until he can win. But Tommy won't stop talking to pay any attention." Wilbur added, noting Axria's confused face.
"Done, the bathroom's next to Wil's room if you want to change the bandage around your neck." Phil said, handing the roll to Axria. She nodded and got up.
Wilbur glanced a little too long at Axria's small frame.
"Wil, in the kitchen please." Phil asked, heading towards another door.
Closing the door to the bathroom, Axria sighed. There were too many bandages needed on her body. She knew she healed fast. Her back, arms and ankles would be fine in the morning. A little sore but nothing much.
"Tommy, can you move from the door? I can hear you breathing." Axria said, listening to Tommy shout at Techno.
She heard Techno's muffled voice say "She's good. Tommy, get better. Phil says the shirt on the sink is yours."
Axria looked at the sink and there sat a maroon colored shirt. She checked if the binder was still still tight and slipped on the shirt. It was a bit big, but it felt good to have something covering her chest again. Quickly replacing the bandage on her neck, Axria hesitated as she fingered at the red raw scars. Ignoring her thoughts, she quickly covered them.
You can't ignore me forever. Running from your past, tsk. Run faster little dragon.
Reaching for the door, something shined in the corner of Aria's eye. Her dagger was sitting on the edge. It must have been under the shirt. The weapon itself was only a foot long. A tiger's eye the size of a pebble was the only decorative thing on it. Otherwise, the weapon looked bland.
You know there's something special about it. It's not just about what it looks like.
Grabbing the dagger, Axria toyed with it as she stepped out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. Phil was serving dinner or whatever time it was. It was still snowing, harder than before. Tommy was sitting on the counter and talking to Wilbur with food in his mouth. Techno sipped at a cup of coffee, chatting with Phil. Wilbur nodded at Axria as she walked in. Still toying with the dagger, she threw the dagger in the air and caught it again.
"You found it. Want anything?" Phil said, hearing the whoosh of the blade spin.
"It was under the shirt. Thank you, I'll have a roll." Axria said leaning on the table across from Techno. Phil threw a roll at Axria and she caught it in her mouth.
"That was so COOL!" Tommy shouted, spraying food in Wilbur's face.
"Tommy, I'm going to kill you. But Phil said no, so I'm not going too." Wilbur muttered, wiping his face.
Techno took one glance at the blade and spat out his drink. "YOU FOUND IT?! Phil, do you even know what type of dagger that is?" He blurted.
"No Techno. It was under her clothes when I found her so it belongs to her. No stealing." Phil said, stirring his own coffee.
"That's a Nightstone dagger. Only royal families are allowed to have those.... They're special because-" Techno started.
"Because you can do this with them." Axria interrupted. She left half of her hair hiding her scared eye and twisted the rest into a bun on head. Using the nightstone dagger to hold her hair, she slide it into her bun. "Nightstone daggers a designed to not hurt their owners. So, if the dagger hasn't cut my hair, then the dagger is mine." Axria snapped back, taking another bite of her roll. "What about yours? The Nightstone sword your hiding? You said only royal families are allowed to have them. Unless you happened to steal it." She noted.
"That's classified." Techno hissed, storming out the door.
"Tech's always been touchy about his past. The truth is that everyone here is a runaway. Even me. I just take them in if they want to stay. You have that choice too." Phil explained, drinking from his cup.
"Tommy was hiding a cave. I found him on one of my explorations. I found Wilbur wandering through the woods. He had dozens of arrows in his back and a bloody cut on his forehead." Phil said quietly looking at his sons. Wilbur was laughing at Tommy's joke, oblivious to the conversation about them.
"What about Techno?" Axria asked, careful with the subject.
"He... He came to me to hide. His sword was dripping blood. He was covered in it. It wasn't his, but others. His left foot was badly injured. Like you, he didn't do well with touch, or talking." Phil whispered, looking at Axria. His eyes focused on the covered eye.
"My eye... was taken by my fiancé. They had issues, and I just happened to be in the way." Axria said, touching her hair.
"I HEARD THE WORD ‘FIANCÉ’! WHO'S GETTING MARRIED?!" Tommy shouted at Phil and Axria.
"Not anymore, Tommy. I ran away you idiot." Axria smirked, finishing her roll.
"How old?" Wilbur asked, his eyes narrowing.
"They were nineteen and I was sixteen." She recalled. "Why?"
"Nothing, I remembered something. Excuse me." Wilbur said, getting up from his chair.
"Tommy you better get ready for bed, tomorrow's your test is it not?" Phil asked, leading Tommy to his room.
"Dadddddddddddddd." Tommy groaned.
"Axria, the sofa is yours, or the floor is fine. Just make sure it's not right in the middle of the floor. Techno doesn't care if he steps on anyone or anything." Phil said, walking into Tommy's room and shutting the door.
Axria walked to her corner and laid down. Sleep came easy for once.
Axria heard steps coming towards her. Tensing, she quietly grabbed her dagger from under the sheets. The steps stopped, and a hand reached for her shoulder. Axria threw back her blanket. Her dagger was placed close to the throat and her other hand was holding their arm down.
"Nice to see you too, Tenner Lews." Axria growled, pushing her dagger closer.
"Good to see you've practiced, Aria Verif." Techno gasped.
"Aria, we need to talk, all of us. Kindly take your dagger away from your fiancé's throat." Wilbur spoke softly.
"Why isn't it Wilson Soot himself. And it's Axria, Aria's the name I left behind." She hissed releasing Techno. Getting to her feet, Axria nodded at Wilbur to lead the way. Leaving Techno, the two walked into Wilbur's room and onto the balcony. Techno quickly caught up and sat on the bed, sighing.
"Axria, we're-" Wilbur started.
"Don't. I don't want your empty apologies." Axria snapped, looking out into the night. The snow had died down for a bit, leaving the night sky crystal clear.
"You left me. YOU BOTH LEFT ME! WE PROMISED TO STICK TOGETHER. BUT NO! PRINCE CHARMING CHOSE TO LEAVE THEIR BEST FRIEND WITH THE WOLVES!" She shouted.
"Phil-" Wilbur warned.
"Out. I heard him leave. Tommy doesn't wake up for anything but food." Techno murmured.
"YOU-" Axria shrieked. "You left your kingdom without an heir. Who do you think your parents went after?! TELL ME!"
"You..." Techno faltered, his face going slack. "They wouldn't... They-"
Axria half sobbed, half laughed. "You guys had it easy. We were supposed to protect each other." Her mask of calm and control shattered. She fell to the floor in tears. Wilbur picked Axria up and placed her on the bed.
"Axria... Please hear us out." Wilbur whispered, looking away. "I didn't want to leave. I loved my people... My kingdom, but the role as king took my time away from you. I feared your parents. Your parents wanted you to marry Techno for power. We both knew this, but you were in such pain. I'm- I'm sorry..."
"Techno? What about you?" Axria whispered through her tears.
Techno looked at his shaking hands. "It's obvious is it not? I left because I hurt you... Your eye- I couldn't look at you, it reminded me of the time I was reckless. I couldn't control them. I was used as a toy, a weapon..." He replied, closing his hands into fists.
"Take it off." Axria breathed. "Take off the shirt."
Wilbur knowing better than to question, he silently pulled at the shirt until it came off. Silence entered the room, only Axria's quiet sobbing was heard.
Her small back was covered in bruises and scars that overlapped each other.
"Be a good girl, they said. Listen, they said." Smile they said-." She chanted softly.
"Oh Axria... What did they do to you." Wilbur trembled.
"Nothing I couldn't handle." She replied, rubbing her neck. Techno grabbed her hand.
"If I took off that bandage, tell me I won't find what I think I'll find." He growled, looking at Wilbur. They both had the same cold expression. Without thinking, Axria mindlessly pulled the bandage off. Techno hissed through his teeth. Wilbur just stared.
"I'll be back. I need to go before I rip someone's throat out." Techno forced out, sprinting out of Wilbur's room.
"They chained me, Wil. They chained me like I was some animal." Axria gulped. "Your mother-"
"What about my mother? What did she do to you?" He asked, his body stiff as ice.
"She- Wil... She would throw me to the bottom of the lake- She knew my fears like I knew you."
She choked out.
"Don't hold back. I want to know. Please Axria." Wilbur begged.
"She's the reason why I don't like being touched anymore..." Axria barely managed. "The nights I stayed, she would tie me to the bed. The guards would have their enjoyment for the night. Sometimes, she would put a muzzle on me- it hurt, Wil. It's hurts so much." She whispered, hugging herself.
"Axria... Can I hug you? Please-" Wilbur asked, afraid. Axria nodded. He took her in and didn't let go.
"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry we left you... I should've brought you with me..." Wilbur said, hugging her tighter.
"Wilbur, sleep. It's late." Axria said softly. "I won't leave. I promise."
"You promised...." Wilbur muttered, falling asleep.
They won't be free for long. You won't be free for long. He's coming.
Axria ignored the voice in her head.
Don't ignore me. You know what I say is true. Techno's not going to be able to control those voices for long.
How would you know? Axria thought sleepy.
Because I was one of them. Soon, you won't be able to control me either, little dragon.
"DAD, GUESS WHAT I FOUND THIS MORNING?!" Tommy hurried into the kitchen. Wilbur ran after him, trying to shut his big mouth.
"WILBUR AND AXRIA WERE SLEEPING TOGETHER- MMMFM." Wilbur covered Tommy's mouth a bit too late.
Phil raised an eyebrow at Axria.
"Tommy- I'm going to murder... It's not like that Phil." Axria said, facing Phil while walking towards Tommy and Wilbur.
"Morin' Dad." Techno interrupted, walking through the kitchen door. He grabbed an apple before reaching for Tommy. "Beat him up later. He needs to be in shape for practice."
"Hey Techno, wanna know something-" Tommy chirped, giving Wilbur a gesture.
"No I don't. Especially if it includes something about Wilbur and Axria sleeping together. Then you can keep your mouth shut." Techno said coldly, dragging Tommy down the stairs.
"You too, have a lot to explain. Unless Axria would like to leave right now?" Phil spoke, setting a serious mood.
"Dad!" Techno shouted. "Two words. Childhood friends."
Axria nodded, rubbing her neck.
"We go way back, Dad. Axria and I were catching up and I fell asleep on top of her..." Wilbur added. "Sorry Axria..." He whispered, looking away.
"S'kay Wil." Axria replied. "We, Techno, Wil and I grew up together, and somehow we ended up here together..." She shrugged.
"I see... If Techno says so, I'm fine with it." Phil said, walking out the door. "I usually trust Techno's word anyway..." He muttered, closing the door.
"AXRIA- TECHNO SAYS YOU’RE BETTER THAN HE IS! PROVE IT LADY!" Tommy screamed, scaring Wil and his cup of water.
"I'm going to KILL that child some day..." He grumbled, wiping the water on the floor. "Go ahead, I'll meet you there."
Axria nodded, and headed towards the stairs. Grabbing her dagger from under her shirt.
"GOT YOU- HOW?!" Tommy attacked. She had blocked the swing and had his sword facing the floor.
"I have my reasons. This one happens to be my reflexes." Axria swiped. Tommy quickly dodged and attacked from under.
"Tommy." Techno warned. "Don't do-" Axria took her foot and kicked Tommy square in the chest. "That... I told you how many times?"
"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Techno." Tommy scoffed, dusting off the dirt on his pants.
"Upon request, I brought it out. Techno, you know how much I hate this sword..." Wilbur said. The handle of a familiar sword peeked from his shoulder.
"Keep in practice. You might need it soon. You never know." Techno smirked, noting Wilbur's uncomfort.
“I came down here to watch Axria and you.. Not to practice." Wilbur rolled his eyes.
"I wanna see that happen too! Please?" Tommy whined, almost begging. Axria flinched quietly hoping no one saw it. Only Techno did.
"Fine Tommy, but you won't be able to see any of it. Maybe some, but not all of it." Techno gave in, drawing his sword. Compared to average sized people the sword was huge and too heavy.
But to Techno, it was perfect. It was almost as tall as Tommy, just a few inches off.
"Someone told me you were curious about my eye. Are you not, Tommy?" Axria asked, reaching for her hair.
"YES!" Tommy whooped. Wilbur sat next to Tommy looking grim.
Axria pulled her hair into another bun, but this time, she left her eye uncovered. Scar tissue covered her whole eye but the eye was bright and clear. Tommy stared in awe. Only Axria and Wilbur saw Techno flinch.
"Sorry Tech." Axria whispered. She shifted her stance and waited for the first move.
Minutes passed, and neither Axria or Techno moved.
"Why haven't they moved?" Tommy complained.
"Just wait, Tommy. They’re planning ahead." Wilbur hushed, knowing what was going to happen next. "After the grace period is over, it's going to be a blur. They move too fast for us to see."
"What? I don't-" Tommy asked, eyeing both Axria and Techno at the same time. At Wilbur's exhale, Techno struck. The fight had begun.
"How..." Tommy breathed. "How am I supposed to know who wins?"
Wilbur chuckled. "You don't, not until they come to a complete stop and one's on the ground. Want anything from upstairs? They're going to take at least five minutes."
"Won't they get tired?" Tommy said, following Wilbur upstairs.
"Trust me, Tommy. Axria and Techno don't get "tired". They sleep only when necessary. Compared to some adults, they fight like gods. Remember how I said Techno wasn't trained a warrior but born a Warrior?" Wilbur explained, peeling a banana.
"Yeah... What about it?" Tommy mumbled through an apple.
"The same applies to Axria, but differently. Even though she and Techno grew up together, Axria learned faster. She knows and notices things faster and better than Techno ever can." Wilbur spoke, finished the banana and threw the peel away. "More like learned everything the hard way..." He mumbled.
“Why are we up here then?" Tommy chucked his apple core in the bin.
"You'll see. Warning, don't repeat any of these in front of Dad." Wilbur smirked.
Tommy walked downstairs to find not just the fight continuing but a verbal fight.
"Techno acts like a gentleman but has a dirty mouth. Axria likes to enrage him just to get a fair fight. One of them alone knows twice as much as a traveler. It's funny how polite they can be and there's this side."
"If Dad hears this..." Tommy joked.
"Like I said before, they'll hear him before we do." Wilbur assured Tommy. Axria and Techno had stopped mouthing each other. "See, in seconds less. Dad will walk in and everything will be fine."
"Wil? Tommy? Where are you guys at?" Phil shouted.
"Down here, Dad. We're watching Axria and Techno battle." Tommy said cheerfully.
"Ah... So there is someone out there who can match his speed." Phil commented, coming down the stairs. "How long has it been?"
Wilbur counted."At least seven minutes. There's no sign of slowing or who's winning-"
"WATCH IT-" Axria yelled out, seconds before Techno's sword went flying. Wilbur and Phil pulled Tommy centimeters away from the heavy sword. The sword crashed against the wall.
"Woah..... TECHNO LOST TO A WOMAN!" Tommy exclaimed. "HELL YEAH!"
"Amazing, I never met anyone who could match and beat him. Supposedly being childhood friends evened out your odds." Phil remarked. "I guess I shouldn't tell you to rest, it looks like you don't need it." Axria nodded and helped Techno up.
"You lost your streak. Better practice." She smirked.
Techno rolled his eyes. "Your dagger's getting dull. I'll give you the sharpening stone upstairs." He mentioned, looking at his own blade's edge.
"See you there, Tech." Axria hummed.
That victory won't rest easily in his heart. His voices won't rest until you're defeated. I suggest you be prepared for an attack soon.
Leave me alone. I don't need you speaking to me. I'm happy here and you're ruining it. Axria thought, taking a seat on the couch. Techno threw the stone and she caught it with ease.
"If you two won't eat or rest. Then eat the grapes." Phil insisted.
Techno smiled when he saw Axria pop a grape in her mouth and roll her eyes. Wilbur brought his dinner and sat next to fire, playing a soft tune on his guitar.
"Axria, who taught you to fight like that?" Phil asked, placing Tommy's dinner on the table.
"My father..." Axria replied, unfazed by the question. She saw both Wilbur and Techno stiffen.
"Your father must have been a great teacher then." Phil guessed.
"Yeah... He was..." Axria whispered.
"Tommy, it stopped snowing. Go outside and play." Phil said one afternoon. "Bring Techno and Axria with you. They've been practicing non-stop for the past week."
"OUTSIDE! TECHNO! AXRIA! LET'S GO OUTSIDE!" Tommy yelled.
"Coming! You have two minutes to hide." Axria called back.
"Heheh, you won't be able to find me." Tommy snickered. He grabbed his cloak from the chair and ran out the door.
"Going out Wil?" Phil asked.
"Nah, I have a new song I want to write." Wilbur responded, closing his room door.
"You two better not bring Tommy back home with a bruise." Phil said, his eyes narrowing on Techno's and Axria's weapons.
"We won't. Not unless he started it first. I WON'T PHIL! I WAS JOKING-" Axria laughed. Techno pushed her out the door. "Bye Dad!"
"Those two. Can't have a better pair." Phil smiled, looking out the window. Tommy had hid well, but he didn't bother hiding his tracks. Minutes later, Tommy and Techno went off to go hunt some poor animal, and Axria was in the front yard.
"They seem to like you." Phil called out.
Axria laughed in response as one of Techno's wolves licked her. One of the wolves whined, pawing at Axria's cloak.
"What's wrong girl?" Axria whispered, patting down the wolf. The wolf nosed towards the woods. "Alright, I'll go look. I'll come back. Don't worry." The wolf whined again, following Axria.
"Phil! I'm going to find Tommy and Techno. They’re going to be late for dinner." Axria shouted at the house.
"Be careful, it's getting dark." Phil shouted back.
"I will, I'm bringing one of Techno's wolves." Axria added. "Come on girl. I wonder if you have a name." The wolf shook its head side to side. "No? Did Techno name any of you?" The wolf shook its head again. "Well then. Let's go find Tommy and Techno, Eclipse." The wolf howled and ran ahead.
"TOMMY? TECHNO? WHERE DID YOU GUYS GO? IT'S GETTING DARK!" Axria shouted. The sun was setting, and she and Eclipse were going further into the woods.
"GUYS?! WHERE ARE-" Axria shouted again. Eclipse snarled at something in the distance, an injured figure.
"Tommy...?" Axria squinted. "TOMMY!" She ran towards him. "Tommy, you're hurt. Where are you hurt-" Axria fussed.
"Techno... He- He said something about v-voices... He told me to run home..." Tommy stuttered.
Eclipse tugged at Axria's cloak.
"Tommy, I need you to follow Eclipse. She'll take you home. Once you're home, get Wilbur and the rest of the wolves. Phil mustn't know about this. Promise me." Axria begged, nudging Eclipse home.
"I-I promise... Don't die, sister..." Tommy whispered, running home with Eclipse.
"I won't... Not today, brother..." Axria spoke out loud. Muttering, "Where are you Techno? What do the voices want this time?"
"Blood, they want blood. Specifically YOUR blood." Techno said, appearing on a tree.
Watch it, little dragon. He's not the same person he was this morning. You won't be able to fight him in this state.
Axria growled, brandishing her dagger.
You just picked a losing fight, little dragon.
"If Techno knew what you were going to do, he'd stop this right now." Axria snapped.
"But he's not here. He obeys the voices. The Techno you knew is gone."
"Let him go. I don't want to fight you." Axria crouched.
The voices laughed. "He doesn't want to fight you, but WE do. He will return when you're dead."
"Do your worst, Voices." I'm not scared of you or Techno." Axria roared.
"You chose your own fate, Aria Verif." They smirked.
"WILBUR!" Tommy shouted.
"What is it Tommy, that's so important-" Wilbur dashed out the door. "Please tell me Axria-"
"She told me to get you, not to tell Dad, and bring the wolves with you." Tommy blurted.
"Tommy. What happened to you? And where's Axria and Techno?" Phil appeared at the doorway.
"Tommy, tell him something believable and I'll figure it out when I come back. Don't tell him it was Techno." Wilbur quickly whispered. "I'll go find them, Tommy probably ran ahead, and left them alone." Wilbur laughed nervously.
"Alright... Tommy, hurry up. It's getting cold." Phil hurried.
"Lead me straight to them, Eclipse. Before it's too late." Wilbur murmured, gathering the rest of the wolves. Eclipse howled, and ran into the woods.
"You have a chance to admit defeat, Aria." The Voices hissed.
"Over my dead body." Axria snapped back. You were right... He's too strong for me. I can't even get past him.
Foolish little dragon. The only thing you have on your side is to stall.
"Your death won't be quick. It'll be quite painful. To break and snap every bone in your body, then let you bleed out. Not a pretty sight." The Voices taunted, Techno's sword met at Axria's eye level. "Ready for round two, or do you surrender?"
Axria's body was on fire. Even her hands were numb again. "Like I said, OVER MY DEAD BODY." She screamed, stepping towards Techno.
"Eclipse, hurry!" Wilbur begged. The wolf snarled, stopping in the snow.
"What now-" Wilbur groaned.
"I SAID N- AUGH!"
"AXRIA!" Wilbur yelled. "Eclipse, follow the plan. GO!"
"It's too late, Axria. You're meeting your end. Every critical point on the body has been hit. At least half of your body is shattered. You’re done." The Voices laughed.
Eclipse appeared and crouched in front of Axria. The rest of the pack followed.
"What's this? You're using Techno's pets as a shield. How pathetic." The Voices mocked.
"Techno told me it was for good practice. Guess he was right, but I'm not in the mood. Leave Techno be." Wilbur spoke coldly, his Nightstone sword raised.
The Voices hissed. "Another Royal spawn... If you wish... King." The Voices reluctantly said. "We'll come another time."
Wilbur sighed. Behind him, Axria groaned.
"Wil..." She mumbled.
Wilbur spun around to find Axria laying in a puddle of her own blood. Her clothes and cloak were soaked red.
"Axria- I'm sorry..." Wilbur apologized, a tear sliding down his cheek.
"Don't be... You have Tommy and... Dad." Axria smiled weakly.
"WIlbur. If you stop talking, we can get her home." Techno appeared next to him. Wilbur nodded and let Techno pick Axria up.
"Try not to die on the way, Axria." Techno ordered, running home with the wolves and Wilbur behind him.
"I'll try not to..." Axria coughed.
"It's been days... Dad, Is Axria going to be okay?" Tommy whispered.
Techno and Wilbur had raced home when Axria fell unconscious. They didn't sleep for days, worrying that Axria might die.
"I don't know Tommy. Whatever happened out there, it left her body in a bad state." Phil said, worried for Axria's health. "Her breathing is uneven, and a lot of her bones were broken too." No one told Phil what happened in the woods, and he never bothered asking.
"Dad, what about Eclipse?" Tommy asked, petting the sleeping wolf.
"That's what Axria named her? Good choice. Tommy, I don't know. All we can do is let Axria rest and heal until her body says it's time to wake up. We need to play the waiting game." Phil responded.
"I don't like the waiting game." Tommy grumbled. "I hope she wakes up soon. I called her "sister" when she was fine. I thought I heard her say "brother" back." Tommy walked off to his and slammed the door, stirring Eclipse.
Phil walked over and gave Eclipse a bit of meat. She licked at it twice, before nudging Axria with her nose. Letting out a little sigh, she put her head back down.
"Wil said you called me Dad, It would be nice to have a daughter." Phil sighed, leaning into his chair.
Tommy came out of his room and sat next to Phil, putting his head on Phil's leg.
Rubbing Tommy's head, Phil looked over at Wilbur and Techno. Even when sleeping, it looked like they were protecting Axria. "I really hope she wakes up too, Tommy.”