The three of them stood there for a time. Staring at the young girl and her silver white hair.
"You two get in formation." Veris said.
The two of them moved. Merele stood a little behind and to the left of Veris. She reached and unscheathed the long sword at her waist. It was a normal looking sword nothing special about it.
Nora stood about 10 paces behind both of them. Reaching to her side she unveiled her velvet colored wand. It was a pretty long wand, the base were she held it spiraled around with designs of roses ingraved in the wood and stone.
Veris already had his long dagger out. It was a dagger made from the horn of a demon. The dark wood base, and the glossy black blade were separated by the grey and red fur of a bloodwolf. It was the threes strongest weapon, paired with their strongest member.
The nun just stood there. Her back facing the three. Her hands enclosed, looking up at the stained glass window, The window was a portrait of the Princess Reila, a crimson haired lady with striking pink eyes.
*Still praying.* Veris thought. *Maybe we should use this time to run. I'm not sure how strong this one is but she's a nun, non the less.* He looked back at Merele and Nora both ready for a fight if need be.
"Veris what should we-" Before Merele could continue her sentence she was interrupted.
"You poor souls." The nun said. Her voice just as cold and hollow as before. "Your God abandoned you here with me. It is truly unfortunate...How your God doesn't love like mine.
"Shut your mouth!" Nora snapped.
This shocked both Veris and Merele, causing them to look back at her.
"What do you know of our God?" She questioned.
The nun turned around. She had sparkling purple eyes, that shined in the newly arrived moonlight. Her expression on the other hand was of a dead man.
"I know he is not Reila." She responded, still cold.
Veris stood there. Still thinking how he didn't particularly want to get into a fight with this nun. Everyone knew of the nuns and their power. This could be a weaker one. But on the off chance she's on the stronger end, engaging means suicide.
*At least it's not her.* He thought.
A memory from years ago flashed in his head. But he rid himself of it instantly.
"Look young lady, we were just on our way home. We didn't mean to disturb your praying." Veris said trying to avoid conflict. Not only did he want to live he didn't want to kill a child.
"That's a funny thing to say, seeing as you already drew your weapons. Your friends here didn't try to talk they just attacked. One was crafty though, I'm not sure we're he ran off to." The nun said. Her voice void of almost any emotion.
The trio tensed up at her words. Veris knew he was stronger than any of the 4 on the ground but if she backed Ter'ron into a corner that's a different story.
*Our trio was more viable in a coordinated fight though, so we'd probably have a chance. But the goals to avoid getting an answer to that.* Veris thought.
"Anyways." The nun continued. "I can't let you leave with that thing in there." She pointed at Veris.
Veris glanced over his back, looked at his bag. *Shit they already know* He thought. "Seems you holy people work fast." he said. He scrunched his face eyes glaring.
"Ah that's the face they made as well" The nun said.
Within a second the nun was in his face. A fist coming towards his head from below. He ducked, at the same time slashing at the nuns knees which she avoided with a jump. Merele responded slashing at the nun in the air. The girl reached out a flat palm.
"Rotin." The nun spoke.
The sword hit nothing, staggering for a second. Then the nun flew back in the air, flipping once and landing on her knees.
"Ah basic defense magic." Veris said standing back up. "You'll need more than that to beat us. Nora lend us a hand?"
"Right!" Nora responded.
Then Merele and Veris were moving. Zigzagging between eachother.
Nora began moving her wand. "Oh great Zaldais, please let these two flowers bloom through time."
At that moment a red flower shaped like a clock, bloomed on both Merele and Veris's back. The clock hands started to move faster, at the same time both Merele and Veris started to move faster.
They were on the nun. Merele sent a flurry of slashes at her and Veris backing her up by aiming at the nuns lower half. This new speed didn't seem to phase the nun however, she dodged or blocked with rotin moving through the attacks with relative ease.
"NORA! CAN YOU SPEED US UP ANYMORE!?" Veris called out.
"I think I can!" She said hesitantly. She began moving her wand again and she saw the clock hands spinning faster. "This is draining my mana fast though your gonna want to hurry!"
The speed of the duos attacks become blindingly fast. The nun was barley holding on, relying more on rotin than dodging now. The skill of how she used rotin was amazing for how old she was. Most her age would need their hands to use the spell at all, but she was able to do it anywhere around her body at will. It was a little weaker than it would be with her hand but enough to fend of the attacks. Merele sent an attack for the top of the nuns head that she blocked with rotin. Making her sink down into dirt a little under the pressure of the blindingly fast attacks. Right at that moment out of the corner of her eye, the nun saw the tip of Veris's dagger heading for her neck. She reached out her hand to stop it. at that moment Veris at an insanely fast speed changed the direction of the stab, now aiming for her ribs. He hit them then.
"Wind Point." He said.
A huge piercing wind punctured her ribs. Going all the way through to the other side. Sending The nun flying away and smacking the ground. They could hear a small crunch each time her body hit the ground.
There was dead silence. The flowers on the twos backs dissipated. Both of them were breathing terribly hard. It was the first time they had to push themselves that much in a while.
Veris looked over at Nora and saw her collapse to her knees. He ran over and held her up.
"You okay?" He asked in his soft comforting tone.
"I'm fine just a bit tired." She replied.
She started to stand wobbling a little but got on her feet.
"You must've used a lot of mana." he said.
"Yeah I think I'm done with all of that for a while. But we're alive so it was worth it right?."
"Indeed, Indeed." Merele said walking over then patting Nora on the head.
Nora gently moved Merele's arm and then walked forward.
"What should we do with them?" She asked. Pointing at the four bodies of their comrades.
"Unfortunately I think we'll have to leave them behind. We need to get going. It'd be bad to run into a monster after just using are strength, even worse if it was another nun." Veris said.
"What about Ter'ron?" Merele asked.
"Yeah. The nun said that one slipped away so my cousin must be out there somewhere." Nora added.
"Yes well." Veris said thoughtfully "Knowing Ter'ron he's either already heading back home, or he's hiding somewhere waiting for us. If that's the case he'll find us after we head out."
"Okay." Nora said disappointed. She wanted to see him. She needed the comfort in knowing he's alive.
"It's okay." Merele said grabbing Nora's hand. "He's a crafty man. He's definitely alright."
They made sure they had everything they needed and made their way fast. Not wanting to stay in this place any longer...then they heard a sharp heavy breath.
They turned around and saw the the nun slowly standing back up. Her right arm was twisted around She had blood spilling down from the wound given by Veris. The wind point must've pierced her lungs, explaining why she was struggling with breathing.
"Stay where you are. We don't want to hurt you anymore than we already have. If you focus mana on your wound you might live. Just don't try anything." Veris said.
"I-I was too lenient. I sh-should'nt have wa-w-waited. I thought I wa-was stro-ng enough without it." The nun said. her voice still eerily cold and hollow, for the amount of pain she must be experiencing.
The nun stood straight clasped her hands together and looked into the sky. The trio just stood there, on guard waiting for anything to happen.
"Lord Reila im sorry. I was impudent, I should've just used your gift from the start" The nun said.
A glowing halo appeared above the nun.
"No. They all have something like that?" Veris said with horror in his voice. Remembering the thing he saw all those years ago.
"I shall use your embrace lady Reila." The nun said
The halo started to glow brighter. The nun started to float off the ground.
*No we won. We just won. This can't happen not we we're so close* Veris thought.
The nun floated up a bit more and then, blood. Blood sprayed from all over the nuns body and she fell to the ground. Becoming a grotesque fountain of blood that quickly died down. Now just a puddle of red.
"That was it?" Nora said. Her voice shakey after the horrific scene she just watched.
"It seems so." Merele said.
"I certainly hope s-" Veris got cut off.
"No." The nun said. "My hunt is just starting."
They all looked in horror the nuns body was being held up in the air by four arms of blood. It looked like a horrific spider.
Veris stared at the thing infront of him, with fear in his eyes he took a deep breath. He turned around and faced Nora. Removing his bag and handing it to the girl.
"This is vital to our future." He said. Staring at her intently. "I need you to run with it. Run, run, and keep running."
He heard loud thumping steps slowly approaching behind him.
"No I ca- I can-" Nora said worryingly.
"Shhhh it'll be okay. You just need to run. And eventually Ter'ron will find you. That's the most important part you need to believe he will find you." Veris said. Still looking at her with an intense serious gaze.
Merele looked at Nora tears starting to form in her eyes.
"Oh-okay." Nora said tears flooding her face. She sat her bag down and took Veris's.
"Good." He looked up and over to Merele. "Well Mere wanna help me hold that thing off for this little one?" He said with a smile trying to mask his fear and sadness.
Merele was all teary eyed now too. "I'll try." She said.
Nora looked Merele in the eyes "I'm sorry I should be stronger. If they sent someone more capable we wouldn't be in this situation." Nora wept.
"No you can't blame this on you." Merele said with a crying smile.
Veris stood up and stared down at Nora.
Nora pulled out her wand and pointed it at herself. *I should have just enough mana* she thought
"Zaldais, bloom me time."
Nora turned around a red flower clock sprouting on her back.
Veris took a deep breath "RUN GIRL, RUUUUUUUN!" He screamed out.
Nora was off running through this great forest. The one that's like a maze. With all the animals, insects, and monsters that sing. But she couldn't hear the song anymore all she heard was the scream of Merele in the distance behind her.