Twisted Destiny

- Back on Haurchefaud some time before-

“Sam, take those devils on the right.” Veanya calls out as she channels one of her big AoE spells. 

“Already on it.” I knock five arrows in quick succession and take out a couple of red devils that are approaching the tree line. The tide of devils is currently being contained by a large group of adventurers from Crystal’s guild while the army sets up defenses nearby. Veanya and I have taken up a position a bit forward, closer to the enemy encampment, covering a bit of a gap in the lines but the two of us are currently holding out pretty well. 

“Have you heard back from Élise after sending her the update?” Veanya asks rather casually while casting another big spell. 

“No…” A couple of flyers come our way but I quickly knock those out of the sky with a chain arrow. “Haven’t received anything yet. Maybe the message didn’t get through?” While I say that, I don’t believe it for a second. Élise asked for updates and she sure as hell wouldn’t be ignoring an alarming message like that about her sister. Even if they were asleep right now, they would still get the message on their console too. 

“Hmm.” Veanya quickly glances in my direction before staring back ahead of herself. She unleashes yet another big blast of fire magic, squashing dozens of the smaller devils in one hit. 

This gives me enough time to check my messaging UI to see if I can send them another message, but what I see surprises me. “Wait, what?”

“What’s wrong?” 

My UI indicates that Hilda, Élise, Nikki, Max and Carol are all online and actively present in Haurchefaud. This definitely wasn’t the case half an hour ago. “All our friends… they are online…” 

As I say this, Veanya stops casting and looks at me. “Really?” 

I nod. Just as I open a chat with Élise, she sends me a message instead. “Sam, we are in the vault. Imagine taking us out.” 

“Oh shit. That’s really clever.” I say out loud. I then look at Veanya who looks semi-confused at me. “They have thought about a way to teleport themselves here without Ami.” 

“I don’t think that’s a great idea, we have discussed this before coming here.” 

“I know, I’ll tell them.” I start typing my reply but before I can finish, Élise sends me another message. 

“And don’t you dare tell me we can’t come over. I know we have talked about this, but if you don’t… I swear.” 

“Élise…” I type back. 

It takes only a couple of seconds before I get another message, this time from Hilda. “Sam, just do it. Otherwise Élise will start to do even riskier things. Riskier and a lot more disturbing.” 

I debate sending a message back but in the end, I just shake my head. I’m not the one who should reply to them that they can’t join us. I insisted too after all. I look at Veanya. “I’m going to get them over here. Can you give me some time?” 

Veanya sighs. “None will get close to you, but don’t take too long.” 

I give her a resolute nod and then get to the business at hand. As Élise and the gang are currently in the vault… I open my arms, slightly unsure of what will happen next and then imagine Élise to be in my arms, just as I would do to summon a bag of money. In an instant, I get knocked down to the floor as I get hit in the chest with a plate of metal. 

“Oof. Nice catch, Sam.” I hear Élise’s voice while I’m practically forced to look up at the sky, being pinned down by her armor. 

“Yeah… don’t worry… but could you please get off me…” 

“Give me a second.” Élise squishes the air out of me as she rolls over on her stomach but luckily for me, that doesn’t last very long. She then offers me a hand and pulls me upright. “I’ll get Max and Nikki, you get Hilda and Carol.” She wastes no time explaining anything. 

“Alright.” I do as she asks and in quick succession I both manage to get Carol in my arms and Hilda at last as well. 

“Thanks, Sam.” Hilda gives me a quick hug. “So, where’s the enemy? We can talk when we have bought a bit of respite.” 

Somewhat befuddled I point in the general direction out of the tree line. “We are currently holding this gap.” 

“Holding… hmph.” Élise swings her sword around and braces her shield. “Let’s push them back. We are not far from that portal, are we?” 

“A couple of kilometers.” 

“Won’t even take me a day.” Élise sets her eyes to the front and just starts running. 

“Wait!” I reach out my hand towards her but she’s already off, almost already sprinting full speed out of the tree line. 

“Élise!” Nikki calls out to her girlfriend and also starts running after her while Hilda, Max and Carol hesitantly start jogging too. 

“Wait, Élise!” I grab my bow and nock a bolas arrow to try and stop her. “Wait, Goddess damn it!”

Before I can lose the arrow and explosion of ice bars Élise’s way. Élise looks back our way, her eyes now filled with anger. She stares at Veanya who still had her staff pointed at her and then looks at me. 

“Don’t stop me, Sam!” She yells out and then turns around again, looking for a way around the block of ice that has formed in the middle of the field. 

“Wait!” I call out again and loose my arrow, deliberately missing her and hitting the block of ice just a meter ahead of her so the arrow sticks out at about head height. 

“Your next arrow better knock me out or today is not going to be your best day, girl.” Élise grits her teeth and puts her furious gaze back on me. 

I nock another arrow, this time with an explosive tip. The rest of the team has stopped running and is exchanging looks between Élise and myself. “I know you want to go get Ami. I do too!” 

“Do you now? Then why are you over here and not at the portal? Weren’t you there when she disappeared?” Élise yells back at me, using one of her skills to amplify her voice. Her comments hit hard. Sprinkling salt in an open wound…  

“Please don’t make me regret getting you over here…” I inhale and lower my bow. “Please…”  

“Hmmm.” Élise bites my comment away and turns face again, slashing my arrow in half. 

This conversation is overwhelming me, faster than I would have expected it to. It has become impossible for me to stop myself from starting to sob. “Amicia…” 

The name of her sister once more brings Élise to a stop. @@novelbin@@

“Amicia needs a family to come back to… When all of this is over… If you think just for a second that I abandoned her…” My sob is starting to turn into full on crying by this point. “If Veanya didn’t pull me back I would probably have died… And if you just run in like that… How is Ami… How is she supposed to get over that? If her sister died trying to save her… If any of you… of us… died?” 

The rest stays silent as I continue my sobbing reply. 

“So please… don’t make me complicit in her despair. Let’s just push on carefully and make sure we are all there… When we get her back…” 

“But…” 

“You know she is right, Élise.” Hilda runs over to me and takes me into a warm embrace. “I know we all want to get to the portal as fast as we can. But we won’t be able to help Amicia if we are dead.” 

Max and Carol run over to me as well and Max takes the word. “Are you alright, Sam?” 

I shake my head. “I want to get Ami back too…” 

“We will. Just like you said.” Carol agrees vehemently. “That’s why we are here.” 

Veanya, who has been casting pretty much continuously after blocking Élise’s path with the explosion of ice, takes a second to speak as well. “I hope you all are aware of what the risks entail.” 

Élise, who has walked over in the meantime, nods and puts her hand on my shoulder. Tears running down her cheeks as she tries to keep a somewhat neutral face. “We have all made that decision, knowing full well what might happen…” She then squeezes my shoulder and takes me in for a big hug. “I’m sorry, Sam… I shouldn’t have yelled at you. I’m scared shitless about losing her.” 

“So am I…” I reciprocate Élise’s hug. 

Nikki comes after to give me a hug as well but she doesn’t linger for too long. “Come, let’s turn this fight around and push the devils back. One foot at a time.” 

Élise replies with a resolute nod. “Let’s show these devils that they fucked with the wrong Amicia.”