Rise of humanity: The Saga Of Steel

With his insistence about keeping where he was, Vesryn once again lunged forward with an attack, feigning a frontal attack, before ducking to swipe at his legs.

Arden responded by tackling her, trying to gab her slashing arms so she wouldnt scewer him

Parath growled all of a sudden and stood up. She scented evil in the air and she was alert for any sign of any threat.

Epona gasped as she w the dragon grow intense.

From close by, 13 elves all armored by steel appeared before them. One figure stood in front of them in particular. It was Mandrake. His sky-blue eyes gazed at the fight and his blonde hair flowed in the slight wind. He stared at them, waiting for one or both of them to notice.

Shadow seemed to have vanished

rowan grabbed his staff and stood up seeing the dragon alert he headed outside

Arden upon seeing the armored elves rolled off ves garbing his sword and sheild and getting ready to fight

His tackle was successful in that her attack missed, but it meant they both ended up on the ground, with her weapons being flung across the cave. One barely avoided Ysabel, who looked as if she was ready for a fight herself. "It's a bit too crowded for this, now," Vesryn said, amusement twinkling in her eyes. She didn't notice the other elves until Arden stood, and she quickly got to her feet. Her face heated profusely at both the position they found her in, and her being in her underclothes. S***, s***, s***. "Mandrake," She breathed, searching around to recover her weapons.

Mandrake stood there with a stern-looking posture, but his face was very serious. "Well, this is an unexpected sight, cousin. I came here to talk b if our terms aren't agreeable to you, then we shall fight." he told h honestly. Internally, he was shocked to see her in her underclothes, but he didn't want to let himself appear weirded out by that.

Epona followed Rowan outside.

Vesryn loosed a sigh, regretting removing most of her clothes. "Last time we fought, you ran away like the coward you are. I see now you brought others to cower behind. How wise of you, cousin." It was clear she was done with his s***, but she couldn't fight her cousin with the intent to kill... could she? It was what is necessary, and it would mean she got revenge at what he did to her, but he was her own kind, her own blood. "What is it you wish to discuss?"

(I just realized I typoed my last post >.<')

Mandrake blinked his eyes. "You have been offered forgiveness for your actions, however, in order for you to earn it, you must do something that the higher-ranking have agreed on." he paused before closing his eyes. "You must slaughter everyone here in front of us." he continued coldly, he opened his eyes again and they had grown cold. "Disagree and we shall do your job for you as well as kill you." he finished.

"Big talk from someone who couldnt take me unarmed the knight challenged him with a growl, he had had enough of this fool

The wizard was also ready to face the elves, his staff glowed with energy

Epona stepped forward with her crossbow ready for firing.

Vesryn froze, her mind reeling at this oh, so generous offer. Her gaze flicked towards Arden, then to the others in the cave, before returning to her dear cousin. "Ah, yes, because I single-handedly can take out a warrior, mage and a dragon at the same time," she replied flippantly.

Mandrake narrowed his eyes before he grasped the hilt of his longsword. "Is that a no?" he asked coldly.

Rowan is muttering a magic incantation while ves buys time

"This task is suicidal," She spat. "Even if I were to follow your orders, I would refuse to attempt something so foolish." She narrowed her eyes, yet didn't raise her blades. She couldn't fight them off; save for Mandrake, she recognised a few others he had brought with him. "But I won't fight you. And you do not have the guts to fight, nor kill me."

as about ren guards joined them outside arden raised an eyebrow at the elves (hey let's wait for koyu, eh?)

Mandrake chuckled evilly before he pulled his longsword out. "I'm not the coward I used to be!" he shouted before he charged full-speed at her, his sword's point out in front of her, readied to impale her.

Epona took out the second elf to charge with an arrow to the head.

(Why wait?)

Vesryn raised both blades in front of her to form an X shape, successfully blocking his attack. Her arms ached with the effort, and she quickly took the blades away to make Mandrake lose his balance. She ducked, swinging her leg out in order to trip him and stood with a blade touching his throat when he was down. "Don't make me do this, cousin," She growled.

(I'm gonna do something random maybe)

Epona's eyes widened. "Vesryn! Watch out!" she shouted before she ran towards her, taking an arrow from one of the elves in the arm that was aimed at her head. The impact made her drop her crossbow. She gasped and put her hand on her arm where the arrow entered.

Mandrake reached for his longsword as he dropped it beside him. He wasn't the person she once knew, he was wanting to kill her now, and nothing she said would deter him from trying to do so.

Vesryn's head snapped up at Epona's warning, watching as if in slow motion as the princess took the arrow for the elf. "Go, get out of here before you are killed," She said to the girl, feeling the need to say so after she had saved her from an arrow in the skull. Odd... Vesryn hadn't done anything to elicit such kindness. In fact, she wasn't sure if they had ever held a conversation. This distracted Vesryn from Mandrake.

Mandrake rolled over while avoiding the blade and bumped into her legs to try and set Vesryn off balance.

Epona gripped her wound and nodded. She reached down swiftly, picked u her crossbow, before she ran back inside the cave. "Shadow!" she called out for him, eyes wide as she had no idea where he was.

Parath was distracted by the scent of the princess' blood.

(Now we wait)

Emron had watched the duel between Arden and Vesryn, despite looking quite tired and occasionally coughing. He stood up and unsheathed his shortsword when danger approached them, but he wasn't really able to do anything too much since he was tired, coughing and breathing slowly but heavily, Emron was actually ill.

Javek had followed the others outside to protect the other people, he was ready to act if any of the elves tried to attack the civilians in the cave.

As the other elves (i assume ) rushed forward to join in the battle, but arden rallied the guard and fought back charging their lines just to keep them all from ganging up on ves, he blocked a blow from the nearest elf with his sheild and ran a blade through his throat

Rowan struck one in the face with a bolt of deadly green magic

quietly a duo of elves bringing up the rear were cut down as shadow having scaled the mountain side and gone around the rear while the others were yapping, attacked from behind severing ones head and ramming a knife into another's throat

Vesryn wobbled, but regained her footing and stepped away from her cousin, blades at the ready. "They are not your enemies, Mandrake!" She shouted over the din of clashing blades and her people falling. "And neither am I." She parried any slashes at her from her people, but only killed sparingly and if necessary. She ran a blade through one of the elves' throats, her face distant and unreadable. Her mind, however, was reeling. She was used to seeing people on both sides dying, but that had always seemed for a cause. This was entirely pointless. These humans had no reason to die. They were after her, not them. She turned towards the mouth of the cave, where the majority of the battle raged. She could always... give them what they wanted, in exchange for them to spare the lives of the rest...? Though this didn't guarantee their safety. Her cousin was sly, he could easily lie then kill them after. Although she had worked as an assassin back home, she had only killed those who absolutely deserved it. She had no idea if these elves deserved the same treatment.  They would be low in the ranks, only following the orders of their superior.

(doesnt seem pointless, one side is fighting for survival)

(Edited)