The first enchanted arrow struck Aqua's circlet and shattered.
Then came another. Then blades, hammers, and spells.
Their arrows, blades, and spells died a hair's breadth from Aqua's skin, caught against the stillness of her [Temporal Barrier]. Nothing that touched stopped time could pierce through it.
Aqua was impressed. The woman whose mind she had just invaded was already up and scheming against her and Azure, and if she wasn't an enemy, she would even applaud her.
She left Azure to guard Laura while she dealt with the remaining Thorns. Of course, she was unlikely to kill them, as they could prove useful, but scaring them was on the table.
Aqua smiled, approaching the mob of humans in front of her.
But instead of their fear growing, they seemed to steel themselves, intently following her movement.
She glanced toward Laura.
What could she possibly think of to get out of my grasp? Aqua crossed her arms as she calmly approached the enemy mob.
They were not aiming for her heart, throat, or eyes. They were aiming for the ruby.
Aqua almost laughed. What did they expect to accomplish by targeting a gemstone instead of her throat, heart, or eyes?
Arrow after arrow bounced away from her Barrier. When the barrage stopped, four fighters charged her with blades raised and hammers ready to crush.
As enemies kept attacking, Aqua noticed Azure readying herself for battle before charging in front of her, cutting off the heads of many of them.
"I am fine, Azure. You should keep watch over the trickster over there," Aqua pointed back at the woman as she nonchalantly punched one of the melee attackers, sending him into a nearby tent.
"But, you just stood there taking attacks. I thought you needed support," Azure responded with a worried tone as she slashed another enemy.
"These guys are nothing; you need to make sure our backs are covered. That one is more dangerous than them," Aqua pointed toward Laura.
Azure groaned before answering, "Fine! I will do it, but don't blame me if you get hurt!"
Azure stopped for a moment while looking over the terrified enemy and then over her companion before softly asking her, "If possible, could you please not kill all of them unless necessary? I want to bring at least some of them to be punished according to our laws."
Aqua really enjoyed seeing her companion worry about her, even if it was only because she needed her help to rescue her princess friend, and what intrigued her more than that was that, despite her rank, she seemed so naive, like Aqua herself in her youth before Supreme Deity destroyed everything.
"I promise this will be over quickly, and we can rush to your friend." Aqua smiled as she slowly uncrossed her arms, her presence almost setting the surrounding air on fire.
She enjoyed their fear more than she cared to admit. It was delightful. She could feel it rolling off them, Laura's included, and none of them could hide it from her.
"How does it feel to feel what your victims felt? Every single one of you is a monster that deserves to burn!" she said, wrath twisting her youthful face.
Azure stared at Aqua in silence. For a moment, the woman before her looked less like a rescuer and more like the monster the humans feared.
With each of her steps, the heat rose, and the enemy lost their grip on their weapons, their armor searing their flesh and their clothes burning.
"Maybe, some of you think you are free of sin, but you are surrounded by sinners. In my eyes, all those who are burdened by the divine are guilty!" she shouted, stopping mere steps away from the mob.
"Look at you, not even able to fight for your own pathetic lives," she said, chuckling before the temperature suddenly dropped to normal.
"Alas, your punishment will come at a later date, as per my companion's request," she said, pointing toward Azure before turning her attention back.
"And so, you will lead us to your leader, or else your entire merry band will be burned," she shouted.
"I gathered from your dear strategist's mind that elves are not exactly welcome here. Since your merry band is so well known, you will provide us with an escort to the so-called City of Razul, where the princess was taken."
Aqua spread her arms as she announced the plan.
"As far as the border guard is concerned, we were always part of your little Golden Rose," she said while slowly turning her back toward the now stunned mob before walking to Laura.
"You don't really have a choice. I have already taken everything I need from you anyway."
Aqua grasped Laura's arm and pulled her up.
She still has her wits, even while exposed to my aura. Her mental fortitude is on another level compared to the others. Aqua nodded in a satisfied manner. Not many could withstand her aura, even at this output level.
She turned to her companion to see her as shocked as others. Ah, I never showed her my power, did I?
Aqua wanted to slap herself for not explaining what she planned to do, but alas, it was too late; she turned her head to Azure.
"See, I didn't kill them," she said with a warm smile, contrasting her previous wrath.
"I suppose you didn't. But what exactly is your plan? Entering Red Dawn as a nonhuman is almost impossible without permission from the inquisitors, and even then, it is too risky."
Aqua tilted her head. "Weren't you headed toward its borders? I would have expected you to have arranged it already."
She took a deep breath and shook her head. "The permission letter was destroyed in the ambush. Entering without it would basically be suicide."
Aqua sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "We might not know each other for long, but please trust me, we will enter this damn kingdom and rescue your friend," she let go of Laura as she grabbed both of Azure's hands.
Laura took the opportunity to clean up dirt from her clothes before asking the duo, "Sorry for interrupting the moment, but you have what remains of the Golden Rose in your clutches. What do you plan to do to us?"
Before Aqua could respond, Azure took initiative and stood in front of Laura. "You and your band will stand trial before our king, but if you help us reach the princess you kidnapped, you might be allowed to keep your lives!"
Laura chuckled before answering, "I guess we don't really have a choice, but I have to warn you, even if you have seen my mind, Red Dawn is much more dangerous than you two could comprehend, especially to nonhumans."
"We are aware, but you forced us to take the risk," Azure said with anger in her voice.
Laura shook her head before pointing toward one of the still-standing tents.
"You can pick up some spare uniforms as disguises," Laura pointed two elven women toward one of the tents.
"I am so going to lose my head over this. Fang, please forgive me," Laura muttered. Sneaking nonhumans into Red Dawn would make death the best possible outcome, not only for her, but for the entire Golden Rose.
Most of her men recovered from the heat slowly. Their questions ranged from fearful whispers of, "Not even a Blessed Child should be that scary," to the more direct, "What the fuck was that?"
Laura had asked herself the same question more than once. She deflected as best she could, then ordered everyone to pack up and prepare for Razul.
Laura approached a nearby stump and sat down, her eyes wandering toward the tent.
It was mere minutes before two women exited the tent, wearing Golden Rose uniforms, their elven features completely reshaped into human ones.
Even I would need a double-take if I saw them. Their appearances were similar enough to pass as sisters. Their ears had shortened, their elven features had softened, and their hair had turned pitch black.
Laura was impressed. She could not sense the illusion at all, even though she knew they were the two elven women.
"We should get moving. The faster we reach your princess, the better the chance she is still herself."
"I saw your memories. Slaves, brainwashed until they were nothing but tools," Aqua said, her voice shaking.
Aqua knew they needed to be careful. Not because she feared for herself, but because she did not yet understand what the kingdom was capable of.
I should always assume the unknown is more powerful than me, isn't that right, dear master? she thought to herself as she remembered her deceased teacher and friend.
"Let's get going before we give the disciples of mind time to brainwash your princess. The process usually takes a whole week, but I guess you do not wish to take chances," Laura said with what appeared to be real concern.
Azure gripped her sword until her knuckles paled.
For now, all she could do was trust Aqua.
And pray they were not already too late.