Lenny swayed before falling off the branch, a knight of Alryne noticed and quickly dove to catch Lenny. The knight manage to cradle Lenny's head with his hand as he winches at the tremendous pain of his body since Lenny fell right on the knight's stomach.
" Duke Lenny!"
The captain of Alryne cried out and came running while signalling the rest of his knight to stay in positions. Alryne's captain carry Lenny off his knight, prompting Lenny against the trunk of the tree and checking him.
" He's alive and there don't seem to be any forms of injuries. It could be a slow moving curse but I'm sure that his Holy Magic would cancel it out, eventually."
Alryne's captain informed. Suddenly the carriage door burst open and out stumbled a figure, hidden under a purple hat and cape.
"The demon stole the Messiah! Quick! After him!!"
He screamed with a pointing finger towards the east. Instantly all the knight surrounding the carriage dashed in that direction. Failing to notice that no knight came out of the carriage and Estrella wasn't following them.
" Oh... That worked like a charm."
Darzirak hummed as he pull off Estrella's hat and unhook her cape.
" And what exactly do you mean?"
A voice mocked behind him.
" Helder!"
Darzirak barked and quickly dove under the carriage just in time to dodge a holy mage staff from bashing him. Estrella fell on her shoulder and pointed the tip of her staff at him.
" Daylight remember its call, speak its true name and behold it's might as it smites, Holy revelation!"
Estrella quickly chanted causing lighting to ripple around her staff before shooting at Darzirak. Darzirak quickly flattened himself on the ground to avoid her attack when he part of his body was book shaped and unable to fully thin itself out.
" There's my book! You dirty thief!"
Estrella growled as she swung her staff under the carriage to hit him. Darzirak pulled himself out from under the carriage and shot himself at Estrella. Wrapping his body around her wrist and neck, choking her. Estrella's free hand grab the part of Darzirak that was around her neck, pulled at his elastic body trying to get him off her. Unfortunately it did nothing to ease the pressure around her neck and wrist.
" For a Holy Asil Luna Mage, you don't dream much do you? Don't you have any ambition? Seeing you awake this quickly, I guess not much..."
Darzirak commented as he turned to check on the other Mage and Lenny, confirming both of them were still asleep and the two knights in the carriage were still knocked out. Estrella twisted her wrist to strike Darzirak with her staff. Darzirak's body instantly split apart to avoid it before letting her go and darting up a tree. Estrella gasped for breath and coughed as she rolled onto her arm and slowly got up.
" Stay down. You have already lost, I already cursed the Messiah by sunset his soul will separate from the body and that would be his end."
Darzirak fibbed before disappearing into the forest, heading east to catch up with the rest of the knight team. Ready to engage in battle and beat them all silly. Estrella hearing the words of the demon, quickly rushed to Lenny's side, shaking him ruthlessly. Lenny was overcomed with sharp dizziness that gotten worse with her shaking.
" What?... What happened?"
Lenny asked as he held his head still in a daze.
" The demon cursed the Messiah! We must go after it!"
Estrella informed with a finger pointing after Darzirak.
" Where's the Messiah? Did the demon take him?!"
Lenny demanded as he stood up and looked around.
" He's asleep in his basket. "
Estrella quickly got up and retrieved the baby from the carriage to show Lenny. Lenny took the basket from her and examined the baby closely.
" He isn't injured in anyway. Maybe we can break the curse on him if we bless him."
Lenny suggested.
" That's right! As long as we know what kind of curse it is. We should be able to break that curse. Mark of Aston! Come to me! Bloodline inheritance!"
Estrella called out with a raised hand. Somewhere within the forest, the book was pulled toward the direction of its owner but Darzirak covered the book more with his grip and eventually the book gave up since Estrella's blood wasn't at it purest Aston form and it could only do that much.
" It ... it isn't coming back...the demon's hold on it is too strong..."
Estrella whimpered.
" You read that book many times. I'm sure you could recite the blessing by heart if you tried."
Lenny encouraged with hopeful eyes.
" I... I don't even know what kind of curse is able to separate the soul from its body at sunset... I never heard of such a thing before. "
Estrella held her head as she crouch down, in fear and anxiety.
"Hey, hey. It's okay if you don't remember, we'll just find that demon and bless the heavens into him. The curse would dissipate and the Messiah would be fine!"
Lenny touched her shoulder as he leaned over her, trying to look at her face.
" Yes... yes ... that's right."
Estrella nodded as she recomposed herself and stood back up to her feet. Lenny nodded at her resolve.
" What should we do about the Messiah? We could wake up one of the knights here and leave him with them."
Lenny suggested as he glanced at the carriage where two knights and a mage lay unconscious.
" Can we truly trust them with our duty? The High Priestess Haldir entrust us with the Messiah. Could we really pass him to humans that are less devoted in this mission than us? What if we come back and they lose the baby to some threat? Their gods wouldn't smite them for losing the baby but Asil Luna would smite us for it. It was our duty to protect the Messiah, we even took a heavenly oath."
Estrella reminded as she took the basket from Lenny.
" Hmmm.... now that you pointed it out... I would rather be present if the Messiah is in danger at least then I have the chance to do something about it. It would truly be my fault if something happened and not the fault of a weak human."
Lenny agreed with a nod.
" I know right? ... We should all go as one party. The more people, the better our chances."
Estrella decided and waved for Lenny to help her wake up whatever that was left of their party. The two knights woke up with ease and was a little daze, Lunaris's mage was much harder to wake up but they eventually managed it. Without any delay, Lenny sat in the driver's box of the carriage and started going after Darzirak. With the help of Estrella's connection with her book, they managed to trace the demon back to it's lair within a catacombs shrouded by mist.
" This feels ominous... maybe we should turn back and look for the rest of the knights."
Lunaris's mage suggestioned as she step off the carriage.
" We went east, the same direction the knights ran off to and yet there was no sight of them."
Alryne's Knight muttered as he starts his detailed reconnaissance of the area.
" Sight? Through this mist, we would be lucky enough to find our nose."
Lunaris's knight mocked as he helped Estrella down from the carriage. Estrella's grip tighten around the basket where the Messiah was all tucked in and sleeping soundly.
" Does any of this seem familiar?"
Lenny turned to Alryne's knight.
" Yes, I been here a few times before. It used to be a famous shortcut to the village Dalelry. That was before this huge mist caused by the chemical dumped into the river. Now it's rumoured to be haunted even though there hasn't been any incidents. The rumour must have started up cause this place looks creepy. The rumour is if you travel too close, the cries of all the dead could be hear on the wind."
Alryne's knight informed.
" Well, looks like it has a new tenant and it's much worse than nonexistent ghost."
Lunaris's knight sighed as he put his hands behind his head and kicked a pebble.
" At least it's one we can defeat. The odds are with us. We have two Holy mages, the best Holy Knight of the century and a knight who knows the layout of this place."
Lunaris's mage chime with much enthusiasm.
" Aren't you forgetting someone?"
Lunaris's knight frowned.
" Well, unless you suddenly become useful in a way that isn't common Knight skills then no. I'm not forgetting anyone."
Lunaris's mage plainly stated as she shook her head and crossed her arms. Lunaris's Knight clenched his heart with a gasp and the painful expression of extrem hurt.
" You wound me, so deeply... I might not even want to share my plan now."
Lunaris's knight childishly stated as he crossed his arms.
" Alright! Alright! I'm sorry! And with our master planner. We will easily defeat the demon. Now please enlighten us with your plan. Oh, great planner."
Lunaris's mage plead.
" Ok, so you know that!"
Lunaris's Knight started.
_________________________________________