5 Will you Rise and Join the Battle? (2/2)

He winced, as if shooting daggers at her with his eyes. Nye looked to him, stroking her thumb along the blood trailing down her face, and licking it with a stern gaze. She held her hand out, casting her aura, with the darkness of the ground. Her twisted aura leapt out around him like fish jumping in and out of water repetitively. He let out a cry of pain, striking away thescreaming faces that bit at him. He looked to Nye coldly, with his uniform torn in places now.

Holy aura emanated from his blade. ”I'll see to it, that both of you are wiped off the face of this planet!” The Templar shouted, casting out a downward spire of golden light.

Miles cowered, as the spell flew their way. Nye took position in front of Miles, arching her sword to take the blow. Her hair and coat tails blew, as the aura faded from the defensive posture. She lowered her blade, looking to the Templar with a smirk.

”You!?” He gasped in surprised anger.

Nye formed her wings, dashing with a vertical strike of her wraith-edge. The Templar countered, with blades clashing. From there, Nye landed behind him, lassoing her chain around the man's arm, to force him her way. With a tug, he was in range, as Nye took the opening to slash his face open. Blood squirted out, as his body collapsed to the ground with a thud. Nye released her sword, letting it fade.

Miles took a breath, sitting to the ground. ”Man... Let's... not do that again...”

Nye looked to the Cyclops child, who was hiding behind a tree, with tears escaping her over-sized eye. Miles glanced over as well.

”You can come out now.” Nye spoke up.

”....” The little girl whimpered, hiding further behind the tree.

Miles got up, walking to Nye's side. ”..I didn't know fiends could be... so little...” He said, glancing to the young child.

The girl cautiously came out from behind the tree, she crept closer, but stopped timidly. She looked to Miles and then to Nye uneasily. ”...Kitty?...”

”Hm?” Nye looked to her in puzzlement, with a raised eyebrow.

Miles' ears went back slightly, looking with an unsure gaze.

”Uh... C-Can I-I... P-p-p-pet him? Please.... I'm... s-s-s-scared...” The cyclops asked shakily.

Nye glances back to Miles from over her shoulder, ”Miles?”

He shrugged, with his ears slated backwards still. ”I... guess...”

The little cyclops expression perked up slightly, as she made her way to Miles. She extended her hand, gently stroking his tail. She looked down to her feet, retreating her hand slowly. ”I want to go home...” She whimpered.

Miles felt bad, glancing to Nye. ”...”

”You want to help her.” Nye stated, her boots crunching along the dirt, as she paced over to them. ”Alright, Well then we should get moving. Seems our quest will have to wait for now.”

”You mean it?” The little girl wiped her eye.

”I wouldn't have said such, I'm not one to jest. Yes, we'll escort you back home. However, in return I have a favor to ask of you. A bit of quid pro quo.” Nye peered to the child.

”Oh.. I don't know... I'm not supposed to talk to strangers...” The girl mentioned softly.

”You must have parents then... Interesting.” Nye stood up straight, looking into the distance.

”I doubt she even knows where this 'secret' place is anyway, Nye.” Miles crossed his arms.

”One can't be too certain. Fiends, much like my kinda, are left to fend for themselves at a younger age. She easily could know the whereabouts of it, or if not her, the parents. It's highly uncommon for any family ties to remain together for long. It's outlawed, remember? So, this has me thinking...” Nye looked to Miles, seriously.

”You mean, like if she is with family...” Miles seemed curious.

”That they have a place secluded, and well hidden from the Templar.” Nye finished his statement.

”But what if it doesn't exist?” Miles scoffed.

”Even so, there is a chance that it does. Your argument is invalid.” Nye kept her sharp eyes placed on Miles.

”....” Miles looked to her nervously with furrowed brows.

The little girl was quietly looking to them, before raising her voice. ”D-Do you mean the Knothole sanctum?...”

Nye and Miles turned their attention to the child. Nye appeared pleased, ”Precisely. You know of it then, I take it?”

”Y-Yes... that's where I live...” The cyclops timidly responded.

”Seems our goals are one in the same. As said, we'll escort you back safely.” Nye replied, confidently.

”O-Okay. It's not too far from here. I was snuck up on by those people, before I could get back home from picking herbs.” The girl explained, leading the way.

Nye and Miles followed the girl, however the leashed turned his attention to his master. He murmured softly her way, ”If she knows the way, then why does she need us? I thought she might have been lost.”

Nye's eyes panned over to Miles. ”Protection obviously.”

”You figured that much?” Miles was astonished.

”Indeed. I've been on my own for some time. I am well aware how things fall into play with my kind, as well as her's. You act as if the child is planning an ambush.” Nye turned her gaze ahead.

”I'm... Just being... careful... okay?” Miles groaned.

They ventured further through the woods, into the marshlands of the bog. It went on, passed the region that Templar would dare venture. It was a bone chilling part of the forest with black trees carrying no leaves. Soon enough the group reached what appeared to be a small hill with moss covering it. Placed in the dirt was a nearly concealed doorway, giving entrance to the underground location.

The cyclops child lead them to it, and opened the wooden door allowing the two to follow her inside. Within the refuge, was a two leveled tavern of sorts. Many fiends and Amygdala alike seemed to be enjoying themselves obnoxiously.

”Molliana, you've returned? I was starting to grow worried.” Spoke an oculus fiend behind the bar table. He was a very tall man, with rather unusual features. His attire was adorned in hand-shaped gear.

”Daddy!” The cyclops exclaimed, rushing to him.

As she reached him, he peered over to Nye and Miles. The entire sanctum of knothole went silent, as their eyes loomed over to them.

”N-Nye?” Miles grew uneasy, keeping close to her.

”Runfaust! That kid you took in, brought back trouble!” Shouted an angry fiend.

”She's got a leashed! That woman must be a Rhyme!” gasped another patron in panic.

”Nye.” Miles whimpered.

The entire tavern began to uproar, withdrawing weapons of all sorts. Nye looked sharply to them, as she remained stationary. Her eyes glowed a bit, as her aura flowed around like a grotesque cloud of whaling faces.

”An erroneous assumption.” Nye stated, her aura simmering down, as the swarm's racket subsided.

”Daddy... she helped me... I brought her here because she was looking for the sanctum...” Molliana spoke timidly.

Runfaust looked from Molliana to Nye. ”...”

”She sought it out!? Not only that, but she's accompanied by a leashed! Just because you're an Amygdala, you think we can trust you?! How do we know she's not working for the Templar!?” One in the back shouted. He was a purple haired fiend with horns on his head.

Nye's eyes panned to him, as the crowd began to grow more agitated once more. Miles took cover in the corner.

”You are rather cantankerous, aren't you?” Nye stated, as she formed her wings. She flew up to the second floor, peering down to them. ”I have reason for seeking this place out, so cool your jets. I do not side with the Templar, on the contrary, I plan to stop them.”

”Who are you to assume you can stop their laws?” Asked one of the crowd.

Nye noticed a painting of Lenault on the wall. ”(So they are loyalists to Lenault. This could work out nicely.)” Her attention looked to the fiend. ”Nyghtmare Ghestro. Your Queen. The 'leashed' over there, is my friend Miles.” She stated.

Murmurs arose in the mob. ”Our Queen? And she's friends with a leashed?””But didn't that one guy claim the same thing before vanishing?””What was his name, Geoffry Ghestro?””He made us promises, but he didn't hold up to them...””Didn't he go missing?””Maybe he's dead?”

”I bet she's lying.” Scoffed the purple haired fiend, as if challenging her. ”If you are who you claim to be, then prove it.”

Nye turns her attention to the fiend once again, she held her hand up, showing the ring.

The others murmured again. ”It's the family crest of the Ghestros.””How did she get that ring.””Maybe she is the queen.””Even if she is, what if she abandons us like the last one?”

”Don't be so quick to trust. It could as easily be a fake, or stolen. Only a true descendant of Lenault Ghestro could summon forth the family weapon.” The purple haired fiend spouted.

Nye sighs, forming her blade. She gained a sound of astonishment from the crowd. ”Then perhaps this will suffice. I wasn't expecting to have to do this so extravagantly, but you have placed me into this position. Yes, I am your queen, appointed by the spirit of Lenault. I have a location, that the templar will never find; hidden far below the surface. The city of the deep, known as Wynorex.”

The room quieted, staring to Nye, with their ears listening to her words.

Her lips began to speak, as she tried to gain their alliance. ”The Templar forces have robbed all of us of those freedoms that they keep for themselves. Living like criminals, we're forced to seclusion. We're left to hide, if we want to live without hindrance or restraint. I refuse to be written off as less than worthless... not anymore. Together we can put an end to their tyranny. Will you stand with me?”