Chapter Text
"Ouch, stop throwing pebbles at me Mael!" The man stuffed into a silver armour yells, as gently as he can, although still can't help but to sound annoyed.
"I'm lining the road with the rocks, so we don't get lost." Mael turns to look at the annoyed man, meeting him with a tired smile. "It's the fact that you don't move when I throw them... It's quite silly. "
"I'm just too consumed in the birds singing to pay too much attention to it, and it's the fact that you pick the sharpest, heaviest stones." The grumpy man returns, observing the tall trees around them.
"You make it sound like I'm throwing castles at you!-" The man stops teasing, when the others man hand is put on his shoulder. "Do you hear that?" The blond haired man says in quite a serious tone.
"No, I don-" *Children's laughter begins to ring in his ears and he slowly makes his way, walking to the source*
Old lady searches her basket, playfully pulling out three candies. "Here you go, children." She said in a calm voice lending the rotting tooth sweets to the three excited souls. "Do you want some too, Gentlemans?" *the lady suddenly creepily turns to them with the widest grin*
The kids faces turn with curiosity to see two men, dressed fancy, coming behind the forest trees. "We didn't mean to interrupt." The blonde one apologises before the dark hair one could even open his mouth to get a word in. The kids continued laughing as they swallowed the caramel and sour flavors.
"You must be their mother right?" The knight said, looking for the similarities in the kids and the old ladies faces, finding none.
"The children's mother is away and ask me to take care of them, for the time being."
The knight didn't really seem to be satisfied with that answer, still being uneasy around the old lady, but something broke him out of his train of thoughts.
"We need to continue, Eryas." Said Mael, worriedly gripping the knight arm.
Eryas sigh, "you're right, we need to get going... "
They walked in silence, continuing, throughout the dark woods. "It feels like it will rain or snow soon." Said Eryas trying to fill the empty space between them by this conversation.
He was still looking down at the ground, "I said I think it's going to-." He stopped in his tracks noticing that the other wasn't here.
"Mael?" He called, then called again and again, last time the whole forest could probably hear him. *inside the knight was starting to panic, mix of concern and frustration gave into him and he could only take a deep breath before continuing*
He continued to come back, trying to notice any clues. Until he nearly stumbled over a pebble. *A pebble!*
"Ah-." His cheerful discovery seem to end when he actually stumbles over something and falls into a hole.
"Ouch-." He groans out. Noticing that his heavy Armour did absolutely nothing to soften his fall. After a brief pause of biting his pain, he stands up and calls; "Mael!"
"I'm here." Eryas calmed down upon hearing others voice. He came closer to the voice, noticing the hole (cave) was bigger than he thought. Through the structure traveled wind, making hums.
"There you are." Hissed a female voice.
He quickly turns to the female voice, freezing upon seeing her whole body. Her higher parts were one of a normal woman. And the lower parts was a serpentine tail.
*the nearby village biggest nightmare, thought Eryas, recalling the conversation with the nearby towns folk*
Eryas pulled out his sword, and gripped it's handle tightly. "You must be the... Melusine." Said Eryas eyeing the room for Mael.
"Bingo." Said the snake woman confidently.
His eyes met with Maels, and nodded in sign, 'prepare for the battle' .
*Eryas launch his sword at the lady, but she Dodged smoothly. Only cutting a few of her dark green hair*
"You little-," she seemed to be already annoyed. Scratching my armour with her sharp claw and tried to pull my hair with her other hand, making me almost drop my weapon. When she was distracted, Mael took the chance. And injured her in the stomach. She return that with a heavy hiss.
She slowly makes her way to leave. Still on guard I hear something outside the cave. Children screams were barely noticeable, firstly I thought of their laughter, but the tone was horrifying.
I quickly look at Mael, giving him another signal. He nods and continues to run off after the screams.
The lady seemed to be concerned too, or was it just my imagination? Anyways, I run after her, trying to not stumbling over the tall rocks and vines.