Iftia: Nix, Dark Alley

• Elianna •

That was so careless of me, to be fooled by glamour magic.

The man who disguised himself as Tristan held her tightly in a choke and covered his hand over her mouth, muffling any sounds that were made. She moved together with her captor, careful with the hand around her neck because a wrong move on her part would most likely cause a deathly snap on her neck. 

They moved down the dark narrow path, between stone walls that stood tight together. Each step they took thudded into loud echoes that ricochetted from one side to the other. Soon, they disappeared from the light and walked into complete darkness. Nothing about the tenebrosity of shadows frightened her, but it was what that awaited her on the other side of this alley that caused her heart to quicken.

She counted the number of steps they took together before they were soon met with a few more men in front of her. Par for the course, she recognised every single one of them. Elizabeth knights. Her eyes went straight towards the one she known as Quinn and began taunting, "Still haven't learnt your lesson?"

"You don't look so good yourself," he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Just don't cry if I get to kick your ass later," she provoked. "Or maybe you won't have time to cry."

Triggered, Quinn leaned forward, wanting to take a swing at her but was stopped by another knight. At this moment, Elizabeth stepped out of the shadows and Elianna's attention directed towards her, unamused.

"We meet again, sister," Elizabeth said, emphasizing on the last word. Elianna remained indifferent, deep down already expecting that other than her, no one would attempt to capture her in Nix.

"You don't look surprise," Elizabeth mentioned with masqueraded disappointment.

"Elizabeth, let's keep this easy for the both of us," Elianna snapped, voice sharp. "Just let me go."

"Why should I?" Elizabeth crossed her arm in front of her chest.

"You really don't know what's Wynston trying to do, do you?" Elianna scorned. "If you'd want to do it this way, then I'm going to count to three. Let me go or I'll let myself go." 

"I dare you to try," Elizabeth seethed.

"Three."

Everyone waited.

"Two."

They remained, having no intentions to let her go. The man impersonating Tristan was smart enough to hold her by her neck but foolish enough to keep her hands free. She reached for her thigh and grabbed onto the hilt of her dagger in a firm hold. Dragging the last count on purpose, she took a deep inhale.

"Elianna!" Tristan had finally caught up to them and while everyone was suddenly distracted by his arrival, she seized the chance to elbow the man behind her and broke away from his hold instantly. Even when she moved swiftly, she clearly heard the knight cursed under his breath.

Once broken free, she moved fast and launched for Quinn first. He had expected her move and whirled around immediately, deflecting her blow with one arm and lifted his leg. She spun to the side and avoided the blow before making a second attempt to attack him. When he was all ready to receive her from the left, she instantly veered to the right at the last moment and appeared behind him. She jumped high and planted a foot in the centre of his back, pushing all her weight on him and causing him to lose balance. Quinn staggered forward and shot his leg out in reflex to steady himself and prevented from falling right into the ground. Definitely, Elianna wasn't going to let these few seconds of vulnerability go to waste because she swung her legs over and brought Quinn right towards the ground. Steadying herself, she sliced her dagger across his neck. 

Everything happened in a blink of an eye and by the time other knights had the chance to process what had happened, Quinn was gone. She let go of his dead body and made a smooth landing on the ground. The heavy thud of Quinn's body and the revolting stench of blood that permeated the air provoked the rest of the knights as they drew their weapons at her.

"Get her!" Elizabeth hissed.

Tristan had already wielded his sword and joined in the fight. He distracted one of the knights while the two other lunged at her. One of the knights swung his sword at her, but she quickly dipped low and swept one foot across the ground. He managed to dodge that blow but little did he expect that it was all part of a trick move. She quickly made a smooth back roll, cocked her arm back and threw her dagger. The sharp end pierced through the air and sunk deep into the knight's chest. A startled look crossed his face as he dropped to the ground. 

Not expecting that Elianna was highly trained and moved faster than any of them, the other knight decided to retreat two steps. At this opportunity, she took a quick glance towards Tristan's side. He was already forced to the ground and had his sword in front of him, struggling to keep his opponent's sword from pushing into him. The knight that fought him was twice his size and Tristan would never be able to hold out any moment longer. She pushed herself forward and the knight who retreated seemed to understand what her plan was because he also ran in the direction towards Tristan.

Just as she was about to reach Tristan, a sudden flash of blinding light shone right in front of her. Damn it! Releasing her shadows, she ran through them but the light pierced through, forcing her to take a step back. When the light finally dissipated, she saw Tristan being held in a chokehold. Then, she froze for a moment and felt a presence behind her. Sidestepping, she avoided a piercing blow. Infuriated by the sudden attempt to ambush her, she released her shadows and they charged at full force towards the knight behind her. 

Those enigmatic entities surrounded the knight, confining him within their darkness before morphing into a million sharp needles and pierced through him. His sickening shriek pierced through the air and when her shadows released him, he dropped dead on the ground. The amber glow in her shadows grew brighter in a manner to express their satisfied bloodlust. She quickly returned them back to her before they went rampant and cause an unnecessary bloodbath.

"Three down." Elianna's tone was ice cold and unforgiving. "Just stop before I kill the fourth one."

She fixed her stare towards the last knight standing and he flinched but remained his firm hold over Tristan. Instead of asking her knight to release Tristan, Elizabeth let out a wicked laugh and pulled another person out into view. The man was terribly frightened and his body trembled uncontrollably when he was being shoved to the ground. Elianna looked at his clothes and her heart nearly stopped.

"Larry?" She recognised this medical official who worked alongside with her in Professor Hamlet's office.

"D-Doctor Everson, please f-forgive m-me! They t-threatened to k-kill my family!" Larry cried, clasping his hands together as he begged.

Elianna gashed her teeth together in rage, not because Larry had betrayed her by spilling information to Elizabeth, but because Elizabeth had harmed the people around her just to get to her. Then, she remembered that Larry just got married last Winter and his wife's almost due in two month's time. Knowing that Elizabeth must've threatened him with his pregnant wife had only fuelled the fury in her even further.

"Let Larry go," Elianna warned. "If your point is to capture me, then come at me only."

"I'll let you choose. You can either give up struggling or I can choose between Tristan or Larry. Who shall die first?" Elizabeth pointed towards both of them, with ruthlessness glinting in her brown eyes.

Torn between her decision, she knew that choosing either would be a hefty price to pay. Going with Elizabeth would meant the inevitable death of her and she can't possibly sacrifice herself just like that, but Tristan and Larry don't deserve to die because of her too.

"I don't have time to wait, sister." Elizabeth's gaze turned cold and murderous. "Let's play your game of counting to three then. We'll start with Larry."

"Three."

"Elianna, don't! Please just let us die!" Tristan shouted, swinging his shoulders violently in an attempt to escape from the knight's hold.

"D-Doctor Everson, p-please—" Larry begged, feared out of his mind.

"Two." Elizabeth continued to count.

Tristan was thrashing violently while shouting towards her while Larry was already on his knees in a sobbing mess.

"On—"

"I'll go with you," Elianna cut in sharply.

Tristan was practically screaming right now and the knight raised his arm and clamped over his mouth in annoyance. 

"Good choice," Elizabeth nodded slightly and moved towards her, she raised her arm and attempted to grab her but she dodged. Then, she cautioned, "Struggle and you'll say goodbye to the both of them."

Elianna bit on her lower lip and stayed still, Elizabeth lifted her arm again and jabbed something into her neck. The needle pierced through her neck painfully and she felt weakness in her body instantly. Her head grew dizzier with each breath she took and from her blurred vision, she saw Elizabeth moved towards Tristan and stabbed his legs with two daggers. Anger brewed in her, but her body had lost all strength to even help anyone. 

The pained howl from Tristan was the last thing she heard before her vision went dark.

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i'm so sorry that i had been slow with updates because things had been really hectic.
stay safe everyone!