They'd been on the road for three days now, and each day was the same. Elise found Sophie to be, interesting, or at least her daily cycle to be. Each day Sophie wrapped herself in her large cloak in the back of the wagon, from dawn till about two or three in the afternoon. She was miserable during these times, and met both Elise and Damian with cold indifference anytime they dared to speak to her.
Elise didn't mind much, she spent most of her time reading John's books, or rather her books now. She did talk to Damian, and asked him about magic, or sometimes he'd tell her one of his many stories.
Once it became later in the day Sophie became her usual sarcastic, intrusive and domineering self. Elise had started to become adjusted to her, but couldn't quite shake the unease she felt when Sophie looked at her. She couldn't place the reason why, but something in that gaze of hers made her want to run far, far away.
And Sophie knew this, she knew Elise was afraid of her. And she liked it, Sophie enjoyed every second of it. Every taste of fear, each drop of anxiety a drug. She wanted to taste more, to drain each drop out of her till nothing remained.
"Elise dear, what are you reading?" Sophie asked, her gaze narrowed onto her. "It's about arcane magic, this chapter is on wizardry." Sophie's foot wagged, her nails tapped against the wood. "So does that mean you're wanting to apprentice as a wizard? It's a difficult undertaking, are you sure you'd be capable?"
Elise gripped the book tighter, and she wanted to hurl the thing at her. "Yes and yes." Elise said with her best attempt to appear uninterested, a coldness in her voice, but her acting skills weren't up to par. "You know, I could teach you about magic. It's not every day that you get to travel with an experienced sorceress."
Elise looked up from her book, meeting that intense stare that burrowed into her soul. She was nearly certain it was a trap, but an alluring one she couldn't resist. "And what would this cost me?" Damian turned his head to Sophie, their eyes met for a moment. The two looked away as Sophie rolled her head to one side, tapping the wagon in mock thought.
"I suppose I could accept a favour in exchange, I'll cash it in at a later date." Sophie curled her face into a smile, Elise wanted to say no but her curiosity wouldn't allow such a thing. "So long as this favour doesn't result in harm towards myself or others, I accept." Sophie nodded, and crawled next to her. Her body pressed against Elise, making the half Elf want to skidder away.
"So, I imagine you know the basics on how spells function. So I won't bother with that, however, do you know how to actually cast a spell?" They looked at each other, Sophie smiled with a lazy grin as her head rested to the side. "I think so, but would you mind explaining?"
Sophie held out her hands, cupping them like she was holding a bowl. "When you want to cast a spell you need to have three things, the first being the will to do so. Your intent."
Sophie brought forth her will, channeling her mana. "Next is envisioning it, giving reality an interpretation of your will." Sophie looked inward, drawing on her own rotten soul. She imagined death's embrace, the coldness of it. Letting life be undone, the rot, the decay and withering of flesh.
Something unnatural took form, peeling away from Sophie's fingers like flaking skin. Necrosis wisps formed into a weave, an orb to undue life.
"When you envision it, it helps to draw on something, for example. Fire spells, imagine the worst heat you've endured and pair it with wild emotions. Frost spells are the chill of a freezing breeze, and then add something akin to contempt. You must give reality your vision, so it may interpret it into the world. Not only the imagine in your mind, but ground it in something real, I use emotion as an example."
Elise leaned in closer to the spell, the smell of rot and death made her retract. "Lastly is the cast itself, sending your will made manifest."
Sophie shunted her hands forward, the ball of decay hurled through the air. It impacted the centre of a large willow oak, the wood screamed as it's very being rotted and died. The bark peeled back well the flesh beneath splintered and chipped, and its massive form succumbed as it toppled to the ground.
"Such power." Elise whispered, the words fell from her lips as she sat awestruck. "Minx, can we not destroy the forest." Damian spat out annoyed, Sophie simply smiled and laughed.
"You see the power of magic little dove, it's a thing to respect and fear, much like myself." Sophie's hand brushed across Elise's chin, caressing her cheek sliding a lock of raven hair behind her ear.
"I could teach you if you'd like, I can teach you many, many things."
Sophie grew closer as one hand stroked her hair well the other gripped her knee. Their eyes met, Elise couldn't move as an oppressive force burned into her.
She couldn't look away, nor run. Her body felt stiff, bound by her gaze. "Just relax." Her voice, those words, echoed. The world ceased, and nothing but those eyes remained. She felt nothing, not even her own heart thumping inside her. Her surroundings faded into a blur, and colour was no more. She could feel that thing getting closer to her, her breath moistening her neck. She couldn't see them, but Sophie's claws and fangs approached, a beast about to devour her whole.
Then the world returned, whatever captivated her now sundered. As her vision cleared she could see Sophie, Damian yanked her back by her cloak to the point of choking her.
"What did I say, Minx." She was laughing, too innocently for whatever she had done to her. "Oh lighten up Wolf, I'm just having fun."
Damian pulled harder, enough that her head hit against the cart. "Cease, you hedonist creature." He let go, she snickered some more rubbing her throat. Sophie looked back to Elise with a wink, making her recoil. "Let me know if you'd like another lesson, little dove."
Elise looked back to her book but she couldn't read the words, all her attention was focused on making her hands stop shaking. She didn't want to show the fear that was overwhelming her, she couldn't lest that, thing, came for her again.
"Did I scare you little dove?" Sophie asked leaning against the cart adjacent from her, and if she wasn't so afraid Elise would smack her for that grin across her mug.
"Of course not." Her voice trembled, Sophie drank up that fear and enjoyed the taste. She clicked her tongue, throwing one leg over the other. "Poor thing."
Damian turned back with a deep sigh. "Minx, quit being a fucking asshole." He cursed, he was angry. Sophie scoffed and turned her head looking off towards the forest, a smirk on her face which aggravated him further.
"Can we please just have a peaceful ride without you trying to give her a heart attack, Lords of Light preserve you." Sophie rolled her eyes, only Elise saw it, but Damian still knew.
There was silence after, only the rocking wheels of the wagon across the ground dared to utter a sound. The world around them was quiet, as if nature was silenced.
"Wolf." Sophie called. "Minx I'm not in the mood for your shit." He stated with a tone as firm as iron. "Damian!" She called standing, her blade leaving its sheath. Damian heaved on the reins bringing Fred the donkey to a halt, he stood with her, drawing his sword and shield.
Elise stumbled to her feet, her head darting around to whatever danger awaited, yet nothing. "What, what's going on?"
The mercenaries were silent and still as the dead, only their eyes moved across the canopy. "Black Orcs." The words fell from his clenched teeth as his grip tightened, pulling his mana into his hands and feet preparing himself.
"At least four of them, maybe five. If you need my support, call for it." Sophie called to which he nodded, and then they waited. The world stood still, not one of them dared to breathe.
Then like beasts, they came, three of them dashing forward. Hulks of muscle clad in scraps of metal and leather, standing nearly seven and half feet tall. Their skin an ashen grey, with dark, wild matted hair. Their veins and eyes an onyx black, the corruption of their Dark God infused within their very blood.
Damian channeled his mana, his blade now sparked with a red hue as he leaped from the wagon. As his feet hit the ground did his blade lash in the air, a crimson arc barreled down like a bird of prey.
It collided with the first Orc, splitting open its flesh as foul blood seeped from the wound. The creature still stood, still charged in the name of murder. It whirled its large falchion before bringing it down upon Damian, the blade crashed against his shield making the mercenary stumble back.
He didn't falter, and he struck the creature. His blade slicing through the thick muscle of its inner thigh as he jumped back, the other two Orcs closing in from each side.
"Take left!" Sophie bellowed as her left hand raised, calling fourth her mana. Elise saw the familiar wisps of necrosis, a power to undue life burst into reality. Sophie targeted the Orc on Damian's right, it wielded a large glaive that it raised in a position to strike. Sophie let loose her spell, the orb of necrotic energy splashed across the beast's left bicep. Its arm withered and rotted, the thing roared in agony as its arm fell to the ground a shriveled husk. It cursed at her in its foul tongue, and charged towards her with a roar.
Damian crossed blades with the third monster, it wielded a massive greatsword that he could hardly close the distance of. Each of his blows was countered or parried, yet he returned the favour in kind. It was a stand still, a brutish dance. Each one waiting for the other to falter, a single mistake could spell death.
Damian couldn't wait, he couldn't entertain this thing. He stepped forward when he shouldn't have, letting the Orcs blade slam into the side of his breastplate. He couldn't feel the pain, not as he drove his blade into his foe's heart. The Orc fell, its hulking form layed low.
Sophie prepared herself for the one armed Orc that sprinted faster than any Human could, it lunged forward in a powerful thrust towards her. The blade scraped across the side of the wagon as Sophie dodged, she jumped off the wagon as her blade swiped at the creature.
The beast managed to parry her blade and countered with a downward arc of its glaive, Sophie hardly dodged as the blade nearly gutted her.
She gained some distance, jumping back as she channeled her mana. Splintering her thoughts into false idols, replicas of herself, like many faces she wore. She tossed her hand down as her spell was casted, now duplicates of herself split from her body.
Sophie now stood against the Orc, along with three mirrors of herself that were indistinguishable from each other. The Orc growled something and cursed again, the creature stepped forward as did Sophie. Her illusionary selves danced around the creature, and the Orc swung and thrust trying to find purchase against her trickery.
The beast's efforts were in vain, as her blade slid between its spine and out through its throat. And Elise watched as this shimmer gained a form, and Sophie returned seemingly from nowhere, her invisibility fading as the creature met its end.
Damian turned back to the injured Orc as it limped forward, blood flowing from its severed artery. The creature still managed to move quickly, making several strikes as Damian played defense.
"Archers!" Sophie's voice. He had to be quick or be dead, his shield raised as a large arrow ricocheted off it. Sophie wasn't so lucky, she dodged but not well enough. The broadhead cut across her left ribs, she hissed, and cursed their forsaken souls.
The two archers stood just inside the edge of the forest, massive crude lowbows with arrows large enough to be javelins. The Orcs prepared another volley well Damian slayed the injured one before him, thrusting his blade into its chest.
"Face me!" Damian roared, his voice quaking the earth. He raised his shield and brought forth his aegis, a protective dome as he advanced. The archers fired, the first arrow bounced off the spell well the second cracked the barrier, yet couldn't penetrate.
Sophie moved forward and fell to one knee, her hand placed upon the soil as she channeled. She envisioned pillars of earth, and focused her mind to be steadfast and unmovable as the planet. She poured her will into the soil, and brought it forth.
Damian charged forward, jumping from one pillar of earth to the other as Sophie raised them into the sky. As he leapt forward he pressed the edge of his blade to his shield, bringing about his own magic. He let his wrath manifest into a raging inferno, letting his hate scorch all that opposed him. Envisioning the sparks of fire and steel off a blade pressed to a grinder, and the heat of a star falling from orbit.
His blade dragged across the steel of his shield, sparks of thermite and flame spat forward. Immolation would have been the creature's fate, but Damian sought to kill it quicker as his blade plunged into the beast. His blade cut and ripped as he reaved it from the corpse, then turned to his final victim as the corpse burned.
The Orc that remained threw down its bow, taking up a club and knife. They charged. Damian channeled again, forming that same crackling energy across his blade that flung outwards in an arc. The spell tore into the Orcs leg, it fell to one knee and threw its knife.
Damian deflected the blade off his shield and stepped in for the kill, his blade aimed for the heart. But the beast grasped the blade, the flesh of its hand a mess but its life spared. The creature swung its mace, it struck his leg knocking him prone.
The Orc felt the sting of steel, Sophie's blade pierced its ribs and out through the other side, yet it lived. With a roar the creature swung again, the mace impacted across her chest knocking the sorceress to the ground.
"DIE!" He screamed pushing himself up, tossing his shield at the creature. It bounced off its jaw splintering teeth, he pounced onto the Orc knocking it to the ground. The beast struck him, its meaty fists colliding with his ribs. He refused to yield, refused to be defeated.
His dagger left the sheath and it plunged into the neck of the Orc. "DIE!" He raised his blade, twice more he stabbed. "DIE YOU BASTARD!" Again and again and again. His blade stabbed the creature, he wouldn't relent, he wouldn't stop till he was certain.
Finally he pulled his blade free and grabbed it tightly with both hands, he raised his arms high and slammed it down into the Orcs skull. It impacted, the bones cracked and gave way, its head now a sack of mushy flesh.
Elise ran to him, her heart pounded into her throat. With each step she saw the carnage, the display of barbarism. As she saw him soaked in it, that putrid black blood, she stepped away. She fell backwards, releasing the contents of her stomach across the grass.
Damian heard her, he saw her puke up her guts. So did Sophie as she stumbled to her feet, her hand grasping her chest. "You ok Minx?" He asked meekly, breathing heavily. Her fist covered her mouth, a low growl escaped her maw.
"I'll be fine, I need a minute." She walked off, away from the blood soaked grass. Damian freed his dagger, a sickening suction noise echoed as the blade came loose. "Elise, are you hurt?"
She didn't respond, she couldn't over her heaving. He picked up his tools and waltzed next to her, she could barely manage to look at him without puking once again. "What the fuck. . . what the fuck are those things?"
He looked back to the corpses. "Black Orcs, servants of The Lord of Onyx and Ebony." He said with malice pouring off his tongue. "The Dark God of strife and barbarism, Lords of Light protect us." Elise managed to utter before spitting some flem to the soil.
"Can you stand?" She nodded, her legs shook but she managed to stand. They walked back to the cart, Damian sheathed his blade and attempted to calm the frightened donkey. Sophie came back, and climbed onto the cart holding her ribs.
"You're hurt, is there something I can do?" Elise asked, reaching for her, her hands were slapped away and Sophie hissed. "I'm fine, leave me be." Elise took her for a frightened animal, the look in Sophie's eyes seemed almost feral.
"Wolf we need to leave before more of those accursed things show up, let's move." Damian nodded and climbed back into the wagon, they continued with haste keeping vigilante.
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They travelled far into the night, far enough that Fred couldn't continue any longer. They set up off the main road and didn't dare light a fire, not with the potential of more Orcs lingering nearby. Elise had to do most of the set up being the only one that could see in the dark, what little work needed to be done anyway. None of them slept well during the night, Elise being the only one that managed to get any sort of sleep.
It was dawn now, and Elise woke to the mercenaries' conversation. "I'd like to make it to Halburg as soon as we can, more Black Orcs are bound to be in the area. Chances are they found the corpses already." Damian said as he struggled to take off his breastplate, he had slept in it despite the discomfort.
"Yes, that's fair, but we can take an hour here. I'd like to fix my clothes at the very least." Sophie said rummaging through her satchel, eventually taking out a small sewing kit. The two of them took notice of Elise waking, as she sat up rubbing her eyes.
Sophie was glaring, and eventually looked away back to Damian. "Can we speak in private, Wolf?" Sophie asked, and he nodded. "Elise we'll be back in a moment, stay here."
Without another word spoken the two left, Elise didn't have time to object even if she wanted to. They left her sight wandering off into a patch of trees, Elise left by her lonesome. "What is going on?" Elise grabbed her waterskin and sipped from it. "What has your life become Elise? Travelling with warrior mages, going to a different country, and the death. . . " Her hand raked through her hair, a sharp exhale escaped her. "By the Gods, is this normal, is this how things are?" She sipped her water once more as she stared off into the horizon, the orange and red sky from the rising sun. Time seemed to stop or fast forward, its meaning felt as lost as her thoughts.
"Elise." That voice calling her name, how she yearned to hear it again. "Elise we're going to take an hour here, try to keep quiet if possible." She nodded to him, then turned back to the sunrise.
For the warning he gave her, Damian wasn't great at following his own ruling. She could hear him struggling with the straps of his armour, the taps and scratches against the steel paired with muffled curses.
"Need some help?" She asked, her head turning towards them. Though she didn't quite hear his response, as her attention focused solely on Sophie. The sorceress was covered only by her cloak, trousers and undergarments. Her shirt was resting in her lap as she sewed shut the tear from the previous day, with remarkable proficiency.
"So were you just being polite?" Damian asked, Elise shook her head and crouched beside him. "No, she was busy gawking." Damian looked up as Elise began to free him from his armour. "You are half naked Minx, not everyone is used to seeing you with your clothes off."
Elise smirked and tried not to laugh.
"You're about to lose half your teeth here in a minute." She hissed, her glare not phasing him. "Better woman than you have tried and failed, but I welcome the challenge." He winked, Sophie mumbled some curses under her breath.
Elise managed to undue the various straps and knots of his armour, and to Damian's relief the breastplate was removed. His undershirt was soaked in sweat, and his unwashed body carried a fierce odour.
Elise however didn't seem to mind, or at least she didn't show it. She especially didn't mind once he removed his shirt, his muscles glistened, oh how she wanted to touch them.
"Nasty bruise." Sophie commented, Elise hadn't even noticed the large purple and black mark across his left ribs. "It hurts worse than it looks, trust me." Damian searched his rucksack acquiring a small clay jar, he cracked the lid and dabbed his fingers inside.
"What's that?" Elise asked, her head tilted to the side. "A healing ointment imbued with magic, it'll help the healing process."
He pressed the cold green ointment to his skin, wincing slightly. "Elise I'm sure he needs some help, be a dear for him would you." Sophie watched with devilish intent, the half Elf now looking expectantly at him with wide eyes.
"Sure. . ." He muttered, his eyes rolling inside his skull. Elise wasted little time, dipping her fingers inside the jar and lathering his ribs. She was thorough, a bit too thorough. Her fingers traced each crease, ridge and bump of muscle that side of his torso, even a bit beyond that too.
Sophie watched on, more than entertained by Elise's enthusiasm. Damian glared back at her with great intention, taking in each smirk and cackle that escaped her feline smile. "You're enjoying this more than her." Damian muttered in the Alenvainian tongue. "And here I thought I was doing you a favour. I thought men liked to be caressed by pretty girls?" Sophie returned back, leaving Elise out of the loop. "Just relax, and enjoy it." Sophie held back her laughter, Damian narrowed his eyes and bit his tongue.
"That should be good." Elise stated, wiping her hands across the grass removing any excess ointment. "I'll get Fred his oats, let me know if you need help with your armour again."
Elise smiled with a warmth he'd yet to see as she walked off to the cart, he watched her walk off to the cart. "You could have her wrapped around your finger, such a sweet girl." Sophie said mockingly as she slipped her clothes back on, he shot an icy glance towards her.
"Wolf." She clicked her tongue. "We both know you like cute girls with pointy ears, don't say you didn't enjoy that at all." Sophie giggled fiendishly, her hand tugged his cheek.
"Hands off me witch." He swatted her away, she laughed again, this time it was genuine. "You're adorable when you're flustered." He scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Bite me." She stood with a toothy grin, she chomped her fangs together before stepping away.
Damian ensured Elise that he didn't require any more help, he didn't feel like being groped anymore then he already had. The women prepared the cart in the meanwhile, Elise fed and watered Fred well Sophie did up the reins. Shortly after that they were on the road, the three of them keeping vigil for any more unwanted visitors. However one thing lurked on Elise's mind as she recanted yesterday's battle.
"Damian." His head turned. "Yesterday you called them Black Orcs, are there other types of them?" He nodded, sighing slightly. "What we fought yesterday were Black Orcs, or Strife Orcs, if you want to use their proper name. . ."
Sophie interrupted. "Marauding savages is their proper name." She said with each word full of hatred, Damian nodded in agreement. "Black Orcs serve The Lord of Onyx and Ebony, god of, well you already know."
Elise nodded, leaning a bit closer to him. "Their just about the worst things you can run into, maybe other than a dragon but even that's debatable."
Elise grabbed his arm, tugging on it till she faced him. "Wait, are dragons actually real?" He looked to her, gently but firmly pushing her back. "Of course dragons are real, as rare as they are anyway. Now quiet down and listen."
She sat back, and obeyed. "Silver Orcs are the opposite, they serve Zharne, The King of Silver. I take it you're familiar?" He asked, she nodded. "The Light God of War and Honour." He nodded to her correct statement. "The two species, much like their Gods, hate each other. Silver Orcs are much preferred to their counterparts, even if they are feared by most."
Elise tucked her knees up, holding them tight to her chest as she pondered the information. "Are they called Black Orcs because they serve The Lord of Onyx and Ebony? And likewise for Silver Orcs?" He smirked. "Not exactly, well at least not for Black Orcs. Silver Orcs yes, their name comes from serving The King of Silver. Black Orcs get their name from their eyes, veins and blood. Dark black, from the corruption of their foul God."
Elise leaned her head back, taking in the clear blue sky. "Hmmm, that's sort of neat I suppose." Damian looked back to her, a scoff escaping his lips. "If you say so."
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Four days had passed since the attack, luckily they had yet to encounter any more Orcs. They had taken to warn every other traveller on the road of what they encountered, even causing some to change direction entirely.
They weren't far from Halburg, perhaps another day or so of travel before they'd reach the town. Each of them looked forward to a bit of civilization, granted for different reasons, but grateful nonetheless.
"Wolf." Sophie called him, her eyes looking west to the lake Halburg rested upon. "What is it?" He asked without looking back. "You stink, I can smell you from here." He turned now, exhaling sharply. "Thank you, for your astute observations."
Her head rolled to face him, her eyes lacking the vigor to taunt him. "I'm not insulting you, I'm stating a fact. And there just so happens to be a lake you could use to bathe." He looked over his shoulder towards the water. "First off, if you want to have a bath, just ask. Secondly, you smell like a corpse. And lastly that water will be colder than hell."
Sophie rolled her eyes, and sighed loud enough that the dead could hear it. "Why? Are you worried your pillar and stones will shirk and wither away? Toughen up would you." Elise held a hand to her lips, despite it a few chuckles escaped her. "Fine, you're welcome to go first then."
Once they got closer to the lake Damian pulled the wagon off to the side of the road, they searched along the lakes coast for a private enough area to bathe. Eventually they did find a small alcove that was mostly out of sight, deep enough to nearly submerge oneself with rocks to sit on.
"I'll be back at the wagon, don't take forever, and Minx behave yourself." Sophie smiled and covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with mischief. "Oh, I'm insulted. Here I thought we'd stay together for safety, or at least give us an audience." Sophie bumped Elise with her hips, the Half Elf blushed turning away from Damian. "You'd like that wouldn't you." Damian shook his head turning on his heel, quickly leaving the two women.
Sophie pouted with hands on her hips, once Damian was out of sight she began to undress. Her various articles of clothing now rested upon the ground, she dipped her foot into the water and nearly shrieked from the cold.
"Gods, that is cold." She mustered her courage and plunged herself into the water, she held firm and waited for her body to adjust. Eventually the shock wore off, and she was able to look to Elise. "Are you shy? Come in."
Elise wobbled and moved in place, her nerves running wild. "Gods." Sophie stood, her bare body chilled in the wind. "I'm not going to play any tricks or molest you, you have my word. I'll even turn around if you like."
Elise stared, all attempts to avert her eyes from Sophie's body were in vain. Her body was worn with scars, small and large covering her figure. Elise could see some burns, as if coals or torches were pressed to her flesh. But it was the brand that she couldn't look away from, the letters 'VI' in a circle, just above her groin.
"Mother of Mercy. . ." Elise said aghast, unable to do anything else. Sophie looked down to her body, clenching her jaw before looking back towards Elise. "It's not pretty, I know." Elise gulped and stepped forward, her feet nearly in the water. "What sort of monster did that to you?"
Those words, it hit her, knotted up her guts to the point she wanted to puke. Sophie's mind flashed, memories beginning to surface that she liked to keep buried. "That's a bit personal don't you think, I'll turn around since you're obviously shy."
She did turn, and Elise realized that her back was worse than her front. Deep scars ran down her flesh, as if she was whipped to near death. Elise felt sick, she couldn't imagine a single person enduring so much pain, so much suffering.
"Hurry up will you?" Sophie said as she sunk back into the water, Elise began to strip her clothing. Once undressed she wasted little time, running in all at once letting the cold strike her. "Seven hells!" She shrieked, wrapping her arms so tight around herself that she may pop. "Yeah and I've been waiting in here for you." Sophie said, turning to face the Half Elf. "Now hurry up and wash so we can leave, I'd rather not freeze my tits off all afternoon."
They cleaned themselves, very, very quickly. Sophie was used to the cold of her homeland to the East, Elise however wasn't. She wanted nothing to do with the cold, and wanted to be free of it as soon as possible.
They didn't stay long in the water, Elise was the first to crawl out just to shiver on the shore. Sophie followed her out, and smirked as the Half Elf covered her sensitive areas as best she could. "You are just adorable aren't you, stay still."
Sophie raised her hand as her mind filled with the warmth of a campfire, she imagined the dry heat caressing her flesh as she brought forth her mana. Elise could feel it, a warmth casting over her, the moisture on her skin fading. She was nearly completely dry, but she patted her skin anyway to be sure.
"Your hair will still be damp, but it works like a charm. Now put your clothes on before you freeze." Elise grabbed her clothes, hurrying quickly to at least have her undergarments on. "Thank you Sophie." She meant those words, despite how uneasy the sorceress made her feel. "You are most welcome little dove."
The two walked back to the wagon, a bit colder than before but smelling a bit better. Sophie was just glad to have the smell of Orc blood off her skin, as it was driving her mad. Once they returned, Damian took his turn. Sophie wasn't exactly wrong, he did smell, especially after covering himself in Orc blood.