As they passed around the area of the band, Viktor barely caught Marialena winking at Fjalda, who rolled her eyes in response, causing the former young woman to burst out in laughter and forget to sing for a while until they had fully passed on to the other side of the inn's deck. When the song stopped, Viktor found himself looking into Fjalda's eyes, almost close enough to brush noses with her and backed up, dripping a river of sweat on the deck. "I wish I didn't feel like I'd just dunked myself into the lake every single time we dance," he stuttered through half of the sentence, avoiding her eyes until he finished. "Well, we did dance through an entire round of Rolling through the Pines and the whole time, you were in a frenzy like I was. Sweat's nothing to worry about. What's more worrisome is your form, which is somewhat lacking," her eyes twinkled, and though her tone seemed to be dry, he knew she was bantering with him. He opened his mouth to respond, then snapped it shut, realizing all was eerily quiet. "It appears we've got some company," the clear, even voice of their elven friend cut across the deck.
Viktor spun and put out an arm in front of Fjalda, his eyes meeting two unfamiliar figures at the top of the stairs leading upward from the forest, the first, an albino skinned elf with purely red eyes, decked out in all black, and the second a raven-haired woman with a long scar across her left cheek and what seemed to be a perpetual sneer on her face. 228Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEL0xNdgFq8
As they moved to walk fully onto the porch, a gruff voice rang out, "this is a private party." Viktor turned towards its source, noticing that everyone else was doing so as well, and saw the salt and pepper hair of Kellen's father, Soren Mitharias, with his uncle Reynar close behind, both with their swords belted on. "Oh, this? This is a party? Excuse us, we're only looking for some undesirables." The woman spoke and her voice sounded like her face looked, sneering and rising and falling a little too much in tone. "Who are you and why are you here in Silverwood? No one knows you here," Viktor gave a start at the swift change in tone in his uncle's voice. 228Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡECrkU3v2G3
"I think you know the answers to all of that, but, of course, you've always been the antagonist Reynar Kyrgan," the ghostly elf rasped as he reached the porch's center with the crowd backing up before him and Reynar stepping out to meet the now five assailants. Undesirables? Who are these people? All in black, led by an elf with blood-colored eyes. Why is all of this scratching at the back of my brain?228Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHjLuHNceu
"Viktor, something's very wrong." A tremor rang out in Fjalda's voice and two blades sang out of their sheaths, followed by four more in succession, and in a moment, the newcomers stood directly across from Kellen's father and Viktor's uncle, everyone on a razor's edge of pouncing upon each other. Behind him, Viktor heard Marialena draw her blade as well. Two more figures ascended the stairs, drawing their swords and placing themselves behind the elf and the woman by his side.
"I think it's time for you to go," Reynar said in a tone like a fire threatening to burst to life. It was time ages ago. It's all going to hell now.228Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28231nU5la
Right on cue, chaos erupted, as Reynar kicked out at the elf's legs in a sweeping motion, catching him by surprise, and causing him to crumple to the boards beneath their feet, landing on top of one of the figures behind him. The scarred woman advanced on Soren Mitharias, immediately swinging her blade downward in a cleaving motion, which he managed to block with his wider blade, albeit less than a hand away from slicing his head in two. Marialena pushed past two shaking townspeople and arrived in time to block the strike of the elf who had gained his footing once again and Viktor swiftly found himself in the thick of the chaos.
If there's someone up there watching, let us live through this night. 228Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡND6ajHH1Bh
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