Tempest gave Yumi a concerned look "You didn't get hurt too did you?" he asked, wiping his tears away
"How frightening" the shadow woman responded, her spear flew back into her hand "I don't think You will be an issue" she teased, almost daring Erika to attack
“I think I’m okay—wait, I died?!” Dare exclaimed, hugging Tempest back. “Well, thank goodness it didn’t stick.” She let out a series of coughs that shook her whole body and smiled weakly. “See? I’m fine,” she croaked, disguising the guilt that was twisting through her gut.
"Look, I don't know who you are or where I am, but I can assure you that you're underestimating me and my prowess. In what, you may never know," Erika shrugged, twirling her bat idly. Either she was unaware of the situation, or she was playing smart, Erika wasn't frightened.
"You're sick…" Tempest felt her forehead with the back of his hand "you're really cold though…we gotta get you warm." he helped Dare to her feet "You're gonna be okay…you're gonna get to go home…I'll do my best to make that happen you hear?" he gently promised her
“Yeah, I do. Thanks, Tempest,” she said, leaning on him for support. Dare wrapped her arms around herself to protect from the cold, shivering so much that her teeth were chattering. “I know I can count on you, and I’ll do my best to be there for you too,” she said softly.
Tempest quickly got them back close to the river where he started to put medium to large rocks in large circle after clearing the snow in the circle
Dare sat down on one of the stones and tried to clear her head, taking deep, slow breaths. She had made the deal, and it was done. Now, she had to figure out how to keep her end of the bargain and get home alive. Dare wondered when she would begin feeling the effects of Zerack’s ‘gift’, whatever it was. She was so entranced by his charms, she didn’t even think to ask what getting his gift meant.
As she took the breaths, her body seemed to settle in the infection…the cold wasn't as intense and she cuts close. It was healing her at a rapid pace. Tempest on the other hand had managed to start a small fire with pinestraw twigs and a spark of electricity from Tempest's fingertip. He held out a hand to her "Come on you need to warm up
“Thank you,” she said, moving closer to the fire. She felt the wound on her ankle begin to knit together and she let out a little gasp. It felt… amazing. Dare felt like she was buzzing with energy, but did her best to conceal it.
Tempest had other thoughts, like feeling like he wan't going to be enough to protect his friends, and that Maybe if he found his sister then they could overcome any soldiers that came after them since Ember was the better fighter of the two by far "I hope Ember's okay…I think she's fine…heck she's the one that keeps me out of trouble." Tempest muttered with a little smile, trying to keep himself from slipping into self pity for there was no time for that
“Ember… is that your sister?” Dare asked cautiously. “What is she like?” Internally, she cursed at herself. This was no time to try and connect with Tempest. She had a deal to fulfill, and she couldn’t let her emotions get in the way of that.
(I think I'm waiting on Hybrid..? I'm not sure.)
"Yep she's quite a warrior where she comes from" Ember bluffed along with her new ally.
"Oh is that so…well then 'warrior' I'm Ace. What do your people call you where you're from?" The shadow said with a grin
Tempest smiled a bit as he tried to keep himself warm "she's my sister.. yeah. She's the best one someone could ask for." He started "she loves the outdoors, and she's even more protective than me if you can believe that." He chuckles a bit "she's….she's the one that takes care of me since Mom and Dad were killed by Zerack."
Dare froze. “Oh, I’m sorry. You’re really lucky to have her in your corner,” she said lightly. Well, shit. This wasn’t good. Damned emotions, making everything harder! She shoved down her guilt and steeled her resolve. It didn’t matter what had happened to Tempest in the past, all that mattered was living for herself now. If Ember showed up, that would make everything twice as difficult.
"Yeah…I love her even if she's a pain sometimes cause I know I'm an annoying brother to her too…y'know…typical brother-sister relation…what about you? What family do you have?" he gently asked
“Oh, y’know, not much. I live with my uncle, who’s a detective in the police force. He taught me everything he knows, and I’ve assisted him on a case once or twice,” Dare said offhandedly, tapping her fingers rhythmically against her thigh. She seemed to have recovered rather quickly from her earlier ordeal.
"Wow police training? I think Ember may have a gun in our pocket verse st-wait! I wonder if that tool I gave you can…try to change it into a gun. I've never tried it before." He gave her a little grin
“Okay. Let’s see if it works!” Dare picked up her sword and held it in the middle of her open palm. “Gun!” The tool obliged, shifted and pooling together to form a blocky handgun that fit comfortably in her hands. “I’ve used a gun a few times on a shooting range, but never without supervision.” Inside her head, her thoughts were racing. She couldn’t shoot Tempest right now as convenient as that would be; Yumi was too close, and she wasn’t aware enough of the area to know how close she was to the barrier. Dare would have to wait.
"Geeze that's pretty neat! I've always used blades myself though…" Tempest dug in his bag and pulled out a single empty thin vial. "I gotta go do something but I'll be back in a bit. Stay here and keep warm, protect Yumi." Tempest told her as he started to walk off "I won't be far just holler if you need me."
"Got it," Dare said with a nod. As soon as he was far enough away, Dare got up from the stone she was sitting on and began to follow Tempest. What is he doing? I'd better find out. She did her best to avoid dense patches of snow and stayed close to the bushes as she crept along behind him.
Tempest was knelt by the water's edge a ways down from the group and put the vial into the water where some moonlight hit the water. He started to mutter in a language that wasn't familiar to at least Dare. The liquid started to turn into a silver one with a gentle glow. "Better than hyping myself up with caffeine at least." he drank the contents and a warm sensation flowed into his body. He refilled it again and pocketed it this time.
Dare tilted her head in curiosity. "What is that?" she muttered softly to herself. The way Tempest was reacting to it, it seemed like it was giving him some kind of energy, almost like her new gift. She wanted to get her hands on that extra vial, but figured that she couldn't risk it right this moment. Dare remained hidden in the trees, and closed her eyes. "Alright, Zerack, what do you want me to do?" she whispered.
"He's trying to regain strength. You may want to dispatch him sooner than later…but this isn't my job…it's yours Dare. You aren't the normal girl you were before my gift. He's only a year older than you and while he's experienced in fighting for his life…I'm not sure he could overcome his friendship with you…he's blinded by his sense of right and wrong." The Shadow Lord spoke into her mind
"Yes, Zerack, I understand. I'll do my best to foster this friendship further and get him to truly trust and care for me," Dare murmured in return. "Pray tell, what does your gift, actually, you know, do? You were rather light on the details."
"It will adapt the what you are most skilled at and magnify what you usually can do. You can solidify the gift into weapons or protection if you wish. The reason that Haven members have silver tools though is that it's the one physical metal that we cannot heal wounds from rapidly…the enchanted form he just consumed can also be used to rid the body of my gift entirely." Zerack tried to explain
"Interesting…" Dare replied, deep in thought. If she wanted to keep up the illusion of being a normal human, she might have to injure herself with the tool Tempest had given her, and the vial in Tempest's pocket was a solid backup plan in case this deal didn't go her way. But, it was likely she wouldn't need it because of how powerful this new gift seemed to be. "Does the gift allow you to read my thoughts?"
"Yep she's quite a warrior where she comes from" Ember bluffed along with her new ally.
"Oh is that so…well then 'warrior' I'm Ace. What do your people call you where you're from?" The shadow said with a grin.
(Time to come up with random terms! If anyone gets the references, kudos to you!)
"The name's Alice, Whitelighter of Palore. I was stripped of my sword upon coming here–at least I am lucky to have something." Erika talked sternly, putting the barrel of the bat on her foot, holding it only by the palm of her hand. "I'd say it was nice to meet you, but under these circumstances, it is not optimal. I seem to be here instead of fighting for my kingdom, why?"
That's it! That's what I can do!
I can lie and play the part.
How this will get me home, I don't know.
"You are newly infected…I cannot see into your mind yet but it matters not, for this is your way home so I can hardly see trust being a problem."
Tempest then turned and started on his way back to the makeshift camp
Ace took another step forward toward Alice "Then let us see your skills then warrior of Palore." she challenged
"I wouldn't want Madam Alice to tire over such an unworthy opponent such as your self. It would be a real shame." Ember interrupted, aiming another arrow at Ace this time. It was a hint of it'd be best to get back to Alice
“Of course,” Dare said with a nod. “I won’t let you down.” Seeing that Tempest was making his way back to camp, she slipped behind a tree and held her breath. She couldn’t risk Tempest seeing her now, or he might begin to suspect something was going on.
"It's kinda crazy but I think that Dare girl is so neat…brave too." he said to himself as he walked "Quite literally owe her my life." he muttered, remembering back to where she distracted a feral for him. "Not an ounce of magic and yet she still's the person getting me through this right now…" was it weird to talk to himself? Yes. But was it honestly any more unusual than he already was?…No not at all.