Rise (War Witch Book 1)

by Cain S. Latrani

  She admired them a moment, her smile growing as she set the tray on the floor quietly. They were both too beautiful together to not be, she decided. Easing out of the room, she closed the door gently, leaning against it for a moment, feeling happy and sad at the same time.

  Chara knew that had things been ever so slightly different, it would've been her holding the warrior now. She wouldn't look as beautiful, perhaps, with her average looks, especially put against the ravishing Elf, but it still would've been good, she believed. That wasn't how things were, though, and she eyed the door across the hall in trepidation.

  No, it wasn't how things were. They were different, and like it or not, she'd made that choice, and now had to live with it, good or bad. She was hoping for good, even as she had a flash of Nerec atop her. Against everything, she hoped for good.

  Stepping into the room, she found Esteban lying across the bed, staring at the ceiling. Seeing her, he sat up quickly, leaving the two simply watching each other for a moment, neither saying anything.

  "I was worried when you didn't come back," he finally said. "Where were you?"

  Chara felt a flare of temper and tried to push it down. "You're the one who walked out. Last thing you said to me sounded like you weren't coming back, too."

  He grimaced and nodded. "You're right, of course. I was just worried for you."

  "Yeah, everybody seems worried for me lately," she sighed, closing the door and leaning against it. "It's getting pretty old, if you must know."

  Esteban hesitated, sitting and watching her with a sad look on his face. He tried desperately to think of something to say, but ended up just looking embarrassed and tired.

  Seeing it, Chara nodded slowly. "I do get it, you know. I want to protect you, too. The thing is, I don't want it at the expense of you being happy."

  Pointing at the sword she now carried, he asked, "This is what will make you happy?"

  "I don't know about happy," she said with a soft laugh. "But I know it's what I want to do, and need to do."

  "I guess that's something I can't understand, then," he replied, looking at the floor. "After what happened at the castle, I want nothing more to do with any of this."

  "Then you and I have a problem," she said.

  He nodded. "I'm aware. Though, I think I could've expressed my desire a little better yesterday."

  She smiled at him. "And I could've reacted with less anger."

  Glancing back up at her, he gave a slight nod. "What I want, beloved, is to know that we're going somewhere. You and I. That we're not simply trailing after Ramora. I do not begrudge her this quest. It’s admirable that she wants to avenge her loved ones, and protect the world. However, I sometimes feel as if we're doing nothing but following her for lack of anything better to do."

  Pushing off from the door, she crossed the room with thoughtful steps, weighing what he'd said as she unbuckled her gun belt and released her sheathe straps, laying her weapons aside.

  "I'm not sure where we're going, Esteban," she finally said. "I've honestly never given it much thought."

  "I see," he replied, voice soft and hurt.

  "No, you really don't," she assured him as she turned, leaning against the dresser. "I haven't because I assume we are going somewhere. I don't know where, but I took it for granted that we were, I suppose, and never considered that you might want to make actual plans for a future."

  "It would be nice," he admitted.

  "I understand that," she acknowledged. "So, let me ask, what do you want for the future?"

  He hesitated, mulling that for a moment before looking up at her with a sheepish grin. "I don't actually know."

  Chara gave a short laugh, running a hand through her hair. "Well, that doesn't help much, now does it?"

  "All of my life," he replied. "I had father there to tell me what to do. With him gone, I feel as if I'm drifting, with no clear purpose in mind. The only constant, the only thing I do know, is you and my desire to be with you. Beyond that, I'm not sure how I even fit into the world, or if there is a place for me."

  "There's a place for everyone," she told him. "Or so I want to believe. I can't say it's true, but I prefer to think it is than consider the alternative."

  "I would like to find mine," he said softly.

  "And I want you to find it," she replied, finally moving to sit next to him. "Esteban, I need you to understand this, though. I've found my place. I know what I want to do with my life. I want you there by my side, for all of it. If that isn't someplace you can be, I need you to tell me so now. We can't go on like this, trying to pull in two different directions. It isn't fair to either of us."

  He eyed her painfully, weighing her words carefully. Rills’ advice came back to him, about loving someone enough, and he chose, in that moment, to lie to her. "I want to be by your side, Chara, no matter what."

  "Okay, then," she smiled, caressing his cheek. "We know what we need to do, don't we?"

  "We do," he smiled.

  He hadn't wanted to lie to her. He'd wanted to tell her the truth. It had been his plan since he'd laid in bed the previous night without her. To simply let her know that as much he loved her, he couldn't face another battle like the one they'd seen. It was too horrific, too devastating, for him to be in the middle of it again.

  He'd wanted to tell her that he wasn't sure he loved her enough for that. Looking into her eyes, though, his resolve melted. He did love her enough. He knew that. More than enough. No matter what he had to face, he wanted to be by her side. So, he lied, and buried the guilt for it deep, where he couldn't feel it, and convinced himself he'd always known it would go this way.

  More than that, however, was his fear of being alone. He'd never had to face that, and it frightened him even more than the idea of being swept up in the war between Heaven and Hell. As ashamed as it made him of himself, he knew, he'd rather face horror at Chara's side, than life alone.

  "A few things we need to agree to, then," she said, reaching out to hold his hand. "I'm not big on possessiveness. I don't need a bodyguard. I'm not a weak little girl, and you, my love, are not a knight in shining armor come to rescue me."

  He grimaced. "I know all this."

  "Good, then you can stop trying to be attached to my hip," she said. "Just because I go somewhere doesn't mean you have to go with me. It's okay for you to go places on your own, too. You also don't have to glare at every single person who so much as looks at me."

  "I don't do that," he muttered.

  "Yeah, you do, and it's annoying," she chided. "I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself. I've got two mystic handguns and a Heavensteel sword now. I'm not going to be kidnapped and hauled off by scary men."

  Esteban tensed a little. "It's not bad to have someone to watch your back."

  Chara cocked an eyebrow. "You're doing it again."

  "Sorry," he mumbled. "I just don't know how else to act."

  "Like you trust me," she suggested.

  "I do trust you," he admitted. "It's everyone else I'm suspicious of."

  Chara had to admit, he really had that backwards. She considered for a moment telling him everything, but seeing the gentle look in his eye, his sincere concern for her, she decided to take Mastiff's advice, and forget it ever happened. To treat the entire thing as if it meant less than nothing. For Esteban’s sake, it was the best thing she could do.

  "No more being clingy," she said.

  He frowned. "I'll do my best."

  "Good," she nodded, squeezing his hand. "Now, I'm freaking starving. How about we go find something to eat, and then take a nice long walk around the city, just the two of us. Okay?"

  "That does sound nice," he admitted.

  "I'll even leave my weapons here," she smiled. "So you can play the dashing hero should the need arise."

  He gave her a slightly sarcastic look. "Thank you. I'm honored."

  "Figured you would be," she smirked.

  As the two rose, hugged, and left the room, Rakiss sighed in relie
f. Whatever Rayne had done, Chara's aura was back to looking mostly normal, and the weaving of her emotions he'd done remained more or less intact. Perhaps he should not have been so harsh with the Half Elf.

  Following them, he paused in the hallway as he spotted a dark-skinned man with a twitching black tail. He knew him, of course. Loril, Ascended of Zastra, attached to the Blessed known only as Zoe.

  The Underworld Goddess' cleaner squad was already aware of Chara. That couldn't be good. Eying the other demigod for a moment, Loril watched the two head down the steps, chewing idly on a toothpick. Rakiss decided it was best not to get too antagonistic with this one. The look the other Ascended tossed him told him he would regret it greatly.

  Tossing the toothpick away, Loril headed down the steps, paying no more mind to Rakiss. Bothered by this, he hesitated. Zastra was already aware of how things stood, otherwise, Zoe wouldn't be watching Chara. Any misstep on his part now could lead to a quick and brutal death for the young woman.

  With events proceeding faster than he'd anticipated, Rakiss decided to simply keep an eye out for Loril and Zoe both. With luck, he could intercept them before they could act.

  "We'll find out soon enough," he mumbled to himself. "Heaven forgive us all when we do."

  Ramora woke to find the afternoon half gone, the sunlight coming through the window dim. Stretching, she yawned and figured it wouldn't hurt anything at this point to simply laze in bed a bit longer. She owed herself that, she thought, after the darkness that had clouded her life recently.

  She was starting to frown a bit, having thought of it all without meaning to, when Izra sauntered out of the bathroom, drying her hair. Spotting the warrior awake, the Elf shot her a warm smile and tossed the towel over a chair.

  "Morning, sunshine," she said, then glanced at the window. "Well, sort of, anyway."

  Chuckling silently, Ramora pulled herself up, leaning against the headboard as Izra moved to sit in her lap, giving her a long kiss. Wrapping her arms around the Elf, she savored it, feeling warmth spread through her as her Rabbit sang a very dirty little ditty.

  "I don't know about you, but I'm starving, and that is cold,” Izra said with a sigh of contentment and a gesture towards the serving platter on the floor by the door when they finally broke from each other. "How about we go get something to eat?"

  With a sly grin, Ramora slid her hands down Izra's back, wiggling her forward.

  Laughing, the Elf half-resisted. "No, goofy, actual food. Seriously, I'm famished, and as good as you taste, you don't fill my belly."

  The warrior feigned indignation, getting another laugh from the Elf, a sound that filled her heart with comfort. Nodding, she gave her another kiss, and got an extra one in return before Izra slid off her, falling across the bed.

  Ramora got a pinch to her posterior before she got very far, and tossed a warning look over her shoulder. Try it again, and you'll be waiting till dinner. Izra read that clear enough and giggled as the warrior headed to the bathroom to clean up.

  She'd been bluffing anyway. She had to pee too bad to do anything.

  By the time she returned, the Elf had recovered her dress from wherever it had ended up, and was searching about under the bed for her shoes. Ramora admired the way the outfit clung to Izra as she grabbed a cotton shirt and leather slacks, then sat to tug her boots on as the Elf found her missing sandal. She couldn't help but laugh at the way the Elf waved it over her head triumphantly.

  Ramora really didn't remember her taking them off last night. Or having them on. Her Rabbit whistled that it wasn't surprised. Her mind had been elsewhere. That only made her flush a bit, which the small spirit found immensely hilarious.

  Wondering if one could cast a silence spell on their own Avatar, Ramora waited for Izra to get her shoes on, smirking at the Elf as she fumbled the laces. Getting a dirty look from her, she lead the way downstairs, where Layrn and Tia greeted them and bustled about fixing them some lunch, grinning to each other as they did.

  Ham sandwiches and fried potato strips before them, Ramora gave Izra a curious look as the Elf all but inhaled her food. Spotting it, she tossed a snide look across the table, claiming it to be all the warrior’s fault she was so hungry. Ramora decided to let that alone, as they were in polite company. Mostly. Spotting the two Halfling women snickering towards them, she sighed and realized they really probably weren't.

  "So," Izra said after her third sandwich. "I've been wondering. Do we have a plan at the moment?"

  Ramora chewed on a potato stick and shrugged a bit. She hadn't had much of a chance since the citadel attack to think on it. With the team gone, and the harbor in ruins, she wasn't entirely sure how to proceed, only that she intended to.

  The Elf nodded slowly, leaning back in her chair. "I'm with you. I assume you know that already, but I wanted to say it. I can't let what's happened pass. I'll be there, to hunt this monster down, and fight him at your side."

  Giving her a soft smile, the warrior admitted she'd already figured the Elf would feel that way, and was glad to have her. She was going to need all the help she could get, since at the moment, it was just the two of them.

  Izra frowned. "Four, you mean. Chara and Esteban will be with us."

  Ramora shook her head, letting the Blessed of Hepheron know they wouldn't be coming. It was too dangerous, and neither of them were seasoned fighters. Taking them along would be taking them to their death.

  "I'm not sure I can agree with that," Izra said. "In case you missed it, or are willfully ignoring it, that citadel likely wouldn't have fallen as quickly as it did without Chara's quick thinking. Leaving them behind isn't the smart tactical move here."

  Shaking her head again, the warrior told her she wasn't going to allow it. Too many had already died, and her friends were too precious to her to risk them. It may not be the smart move, but it was the right one.

  The Deep Elf sighed. "I suppose you have a point there. It's always our fate as Blessed, isn't it? To have to choose between what's right, and what's smart. Pity they never seem to be the same thing."

  Giving a shrug, Ramora admitted that seemed to be the life of a warrior. Walking the tightrope between the lesser of two evils was the very nature of their existence.

  "Gee, now I feel all chipper. Thanks for cheering me up." Izra gave her a sarcastic look as she said it.

  The Blessed of Ramor looked over with a sad expression. They smiled while they could, grasped to life as tightly as they could, and did their best to not drown in their own sorrow, because of that fine line they walked. No one ever promised them it would be easy.

  "Fair enough," the other woman shrugged. "Though, getting back to my original question, since I see you aren't going to budge on this, what do we do now?"

  Settling back to think on that, Ramora's eye caught the man at the next table over as he read through the news, the large folded paper bearing a headline that caught her attention and sent her stomach plummeting. Pushing out of her chair, she walked over, trying to read the rest of the story.

  "Can I help you?" the man asked as she hovered over his shoulder.

  She gave him a smile and pointed at the paper. He gave her an annoyed look and jabbed a finger at the paper stand across the room. Hanging her head, she made a quick bow in apology and went to get one, ignoring the snort he gave her back. Izra stole her fried potatoes, watching with mild curiosity.

  Snagging one, she moved to sit next to the Elf, unfolding the paper so they both could see the story. It only took a moment for Izra to see what had gotten her attention, her own face falling at the sight of it.

  Large and bold on the front page was the black dragon, rearing back, breathing fire, the flag being flown by an armada of Demon Seed ships attacking merchant vessels between Lansing and Ricmar. In just a few days, over a hundred had been raided, and sunk, the Demon Seed navy vanishing without a trace after each attack.

  "This is not a coincidence," Izra muttered, noting that the first attack was on the same day the flying c
itadel had laid siege to Lansing.

  Ramora shook her head, trying to figure it out. If Draco had intended to capture Lansing, why attack and plunder merchant ships? There was no rhyme or reason to this. More disturbing was that Ricmar's potent naval force was having no luck in stopping it, the armada seemingly impossible to track. How did that figure in, and what was the goal of it?

  "How did he even get a navy?" Izra mused. "There wasn't anything about that in the report we got."

  Frustrated, the warrior pointed out that it had said nothing about a flying citadel, either. Yet, somehow, Draco had access to both. It left her to wonder what else he had at his disposal they weren't aware of.

  Izra sighed, slumping in her chair. "It's bothersome to realize how very little we actually know about this guy, and what he can do. We still don't even know which Demon God Blessed him, for crying out loud."

  Much less his goals, Ramora agreed. While the goal of all Dark Blessed was to further the influence of the Demon Gods, Draco moved to a different tune than any Dark Blessed or Demon Seed the world had ever seen. His anonymity alone was enough of a problem, but now, they had to face the question of how vast his military power had gotten. How many ships did he have? How many flying citadels? How many troops? Certainly, his stronghold south of the Eastern Heights wasn't the real bastion of his power. It couldn't be, not with all of this.

  Who was he? How had he grown so powerful? What was he up to? How could they find him? The questions spun around in her mind as she glared at the paper, trying to find some plan, some idea, that would let her locate, and stop, this threat. Nothing coming to her, she sagged, impotent anger burning in her heart.

  She felt Izra's arm slide around her shoulders. "He'll make a mistake. They always do. When he does, we'll be there to take him out."