The encampment of hired brigands was full of strong, capable warriors. Starling, the Griffin Knight, watched them from afar and kept her sharp, green eyes upon their leader. Nara the Blade, though perhaps not in control of her mind at the moment, had led them to this spot in Central Esterlin. It was a large clearing in the middle of the forest, surrounded on one side by a small lake and on another by the vast treeline. The brigands sharpened their weapons as Nara, currently inhabited by The Faceless One, leaned over a wooden table and stared intently at a map of the surrounding kingdoms.

Though she knew Nara was not in control of her body, Starling’s desire for vengeance upon the pirate had grown stronger with each passing day. She found herself taking what she would otherwise have considered a foolhardy approach. Alone, preparing to battle warriors of at great strength, and not even keeping in mind that The Faceless could control the magic of the runes on her helmet and sword...

But a mindless rage overtook Starling and forced her to overlook her rational thoughts and pursue Nara the Blade for her vengeance. What she hadn’t counted on, however, was that she had been followed.

Luna and Mirelle found themselves very concerned about Starling. Her careless actions that led to Luna’s capture, her mindless obsession with both Nara and The Shroud and her vengeance, the worrying, maddened look in her eyes and the rage in her voice... the magic she had tapped into was going to her head. And if either of them could help it, they would do whatever they could to get Starling back to her old self. Even if they had to drag her back to Aurora and get the Thief Witch to fix this.

But she was far too strong, even for decent fighters like the two princesses. Even their combined might with Captain Vera at their side couldn’t hope to compete with Starling’s strength and superhuman speed with the power of the runes. Of course, she would have been a formidable fighter even without them.

Luna held a spyglass to her eye as she watched Starling from deep within the trees. The Griffin Knight stirred slightly, hidden by the lakeside behind a copse of trees, drawing the sword at her side.

“She’s getting ready...” Luna said.

“Just say the world, my ladies, and I will rush to her aid,” Vera said.

“Captain, that won’t be necessary. We are outnumbered,” Mirelle said. “And Starling will doubtless be unhappy to find we have followed her.”

“As you wish,” Vera said. Ever since her capture and subsequent release, Vera had been itching to prove herself again. Though her princess believed in her, having been naught but a helpless damsel for weeks, kept bound and gagged in the brig of Nara’s ship, she had wanted to prove her mettle. It was no secret that Vera was an accomplished swordswoman but her pride hurt at having been held captive for so long.

“If you don’t mind my asking, Princess,” Vera began. “What is the plan?”

“For now we watch. And wait. We must see what Starling does and do what we can to stop that... being. The Faceless is a threat to us all, so long as they are searching for that book.”

“Have we considered just... giving it to them?” Luna asked.

“You heard what they said about the power and how it corrupts,” Mirelle said. “Reunited with the book, The Faceless could wipe us all out with nothing but a thought. And they just might.”

“They did not seem malicious,” Vera said. “After all, they are responsible for freeing me. And Luna.”

“That’s true,” Luna said. “Could be they just want the book and to be done with it.”

“But you saw what the power of the book did to Starling. Imagine what it will do when it is reunited with its creator.”

Luna nodded. “That thought does concern me...”

“Then we need to stop them. Whatever it takes,” Mirelle said.

“I can’t fathom how...” Luna said. “I’ve never seen someone so powerful. Not even Lanala or Jhana.”

Mirelle went silent, still trying to be the eternal optimist, but she couldn’t think of anything good to say. There had to be some way to stop The Faceless. There just had to be...

Luna jumped a bit as a black blur in the distance emerged from the copse of trees and the brigands started getting tossed around. “It’s happening!” she said.

Mirelle and Luna watched eht scene unfold.

The brigands couldn’t do anything. They couldn’t even touch her. The blade sung through the air, clashing with steel and even shattering the axe blades and cutting through the handles of maces, disarming the brigands as Starling tossed them to the ground like nothing.

Vicious punches rattled the thin helmets of two men, who fell to the ground out cold. A rather large woman came at Starling with a heavy flail... only to have the heavy spiked balls lopped off at the chains by the impossible sharp sword. A hefty pommel strike to the woman’s forehead laid her low as well and soon the brigands were not by a writhing mass of injured and moaning people on the ground.

Starling’s cape fluttered in the wind as she approached Nara, still poring over the map on the table in front of her. Her eyes were black, as they were before when The Faceless took over her body, but the big pirate captain stood tall and muscular as ever and remained in place.

“Pirate...” Starling said, the ethereal whispers echoing as she spoke. “You will not escape this time.”

Luna held the spyglass up to her eye when she saw Starling stop behind Nara. “She’s talking... I don’t like where this is going.”

“We have to wait,” Mirelle said. “You saw what The Faceless could do to Starling. If she gets in trouble, we have to help her.”

All eyes were on the two women, one maddened by runic power, the other possessed by a powerful being. Nara didn’t move and the same, variant voice that came from everywhere answered her.

“Remove your helmet,” the voice said.

Though Starling had no intention of following this command, she found herself sheathing her sword and reaching up to her head. She used all her strength to battle against her own involuntary actions and her arms shook as she slowly reached to her head.

“Stop fighting.”

Starling could not fight the command of The Faceless and she removed her helmet without hesitation this time.

“Drop your sword.”

She once again did as commanded, removing the sword from her belt and dropping both it and her helmet on the ground at her feet.

Nara finally turned around and the black eyes bored straight into Starling’s.

“They call you the Griffin Knight, yes?”

Starling found she couldn’t speak. She was frozen in place.

From the distance, the other three women watched. “She’s in trouble,” Luna said.

“Not yet,” Mirelle said. “We need a good plan to save her first.”

“And the brigands are getting up...” Vera added. “Your Grace, I suggest tactical retreat.”

“We can’t leave Starling. We have to help her.”

“Of course, my lady.”

The pirate captain stepped closer to Starling. With a snap of her fingers, the armour on Starling’s body fell away, as did the chainmail, leaving her in nothing but her one-piece, leather undergarment. It looked to their eyes in the style of a swimsuit.

“You will be bound now,” the voice of The Faceless said.

It took only seconds for rope to appear from nowhere and tightly bind Starling’s body. Her legs were tied in seven places, starting at the ankles and running up to the very top of her thighs. Her wrists were folded over each other in a box tie position and tied together while a harness of rope pinned her arms to her sides and framed her ample chest. Adding to that, a thick leather muzzle strapped itself on over Starling’s lower jaw and filled her mouth with something soft. The panel tightly covered her mouth and rendered her silent.

She still stood there, unable to move, while the injured brigands surrounded her. Nara waved her hand and The Faceless spoke.

“Cage her,” the voice said. “And ensure no further interruptions. I am battling the woman inside this mind as I speak. I must find the book.”

The brigands dragged the bound and gagged Griffin Knight off to a wooden cage they had in the centre of their encampment, tossing her inside as she struggled and thrashed against her bonds. Though she quickly found there was no escape from these ropes. They seemed much stronger than they should have been. They were black in colour and Starling couldn’t find any knots. Now locked within the cage, Starling still fought her bonds relentlessly. The redheaded knight’s thirst for vengeance still was not quenched. But now, captured as she was and surrounded by brigands carefully guarding her... there wasn’t much she could do about it.

Luna sighed when she took in the situation. “Well... a plan would be nice to have.”

Mirelle had to think for a moment. “We need help.”

“Help? What kind of help? Are you going to summon your army?”

“Not for this. We need something else.”

“What?”

Mirelle nodded to herself. “That Sixellian caravan we passed. Do you remember it?”

“Yes...” Luna said.

“They carried the sigil of the princess. The knotted rope. That means she’s with them!”

Luna sighed again. “Oh great. The fire witch is back?”

“Luna, please. We could use her help!”

“What could she do that the three of us couldn’t?”

“It’ll be useful to have fire magic on our side. Come on. We need to go and get Elyn. Captain, please lead the way.”

“At once, Your Grace. I remember the caravan’s location. They are camped within the forest. Not far from the witch’s hut, if I’m not mistaken.”

“So... not official business then,” Luna said. “She’s, um... ‘visiting’ someone special.”

“Oh, good!” Mirelle said. “I love seeing the two of them together, don’t you?”

“Yeah sure...” Luna said.

“And I’m sure Aurora’s filled her in on what’s been going on with the book and everything. Let’s get moving!”

Vera led the princesses back through the trees, from the way they had come, toward the halted Sixellian caravan. Their only hope now was that Elyn would be able to do something to help Starling...

...

The attacks kept coming at her. From everywhere within that white void, Nara could not beat them all back. She was growing weary, out of breath, and beginning to feel weak.

Nara had no way of knowing how long she had been in this void, the 'in-between' as The Faceless had called it, but she knew it had been long enough that whatever plans she had in Esterlin would certainly gave ground to a halt. And she was none too pleased. Though the exhaustion was taking its toll…

"Damn… coward…" Nara huffed. "Face me already!"

Whatever had been attacking her had not taken the humanoid form of The Faceless. Her attackers were nigh invisible, coming at her from every angle, and hitting her with small, blunt weapons before retreating.

Nara had fought for control of this place well enough to this point. But whatever The Faceless was attacking her with kept coming forever. And there didn't seem to be an end in sight.

The impasse wouldn't last. Nara knew that. But she fought on anyway, hoping The Faceless wasn't as powerful as they seemed.

Finally, one heavy hit too many collided with her cutlass and sent it spinning out of her hand, clattering to the ground and sliding well out of her reach.

Her pistol was wrenched from her left hand and cast aside as well, forcing her hand up into the air.

At that moment, a rope wound its way tightly around her wrist and jerked it backward, pulling it behind her back.

"Ngghh! No! You won't- aghhh!"

The rope snapped up to her right wrist and pulled it down toward the other, locking them in place behind her back.

"It is over… Your mind belongs to me," The Faceless said.

"N-no!" Nara battled the rope on her wrists but there was nothing she could do. And another was already tightly coiling around her arms and torso.

"Stop!"

No one answered her and the ropes didn't listen. Instead they tied her up more around the ankles and just above the knees. She toppled over, losing her balance, and the ropes pulled up her ankles and connected them to her wrists.

"That's enough!" she said.

Before she could say any more, Nara's mouth was filled with cloth, which in turn was sealed in my another pulled tight between her teeth. Yet another squeezed against her mouth and nose to render her completely silent.

"Mmmph! Nnnmmmpph! Lmmt mm gmmph! Gmmt mmf mmph!"

Helplessly bound and gagged, the pirate captain could do nothing as The Faceless finally took full control of her mind. But she still struggled away.

After all, The Faceless had been a bit desperate themselves in that long fight and it made them careless. Nara noticed her cutlass was still on the ground about 30 feet away. It would be a long, difficult crawl but she could get there. She had nothing but time.

And, unbeknownst to both of them, The Faceless was about to have difficulties of their own…

…

As soon as Mirelle mentioned the book, Elyn's eyes went straight to Aurora's bookshelf across the room. At first, she felt a little annoyed that her bondage time with Aurora had been interrupted but for her friends, and with them being in need to boot, she put that aside. The book, Midanyami, it had worried her from the moment Aurora showed it to her and told her about its power and mysterious origins.

And now Aurora wanted to confront The Faceless.

“I won’t let you do that,” Elyn said. “There has to be something better.”

“Elyn... my sweet... mi amor... someone has to protect you. Not even all four of you could match The Faceless. Neither could I. But if I could distract them long enough, help you free the Griffin Knight, then you’ll be safe. That’s all that matters.”

“Aurora... I have to protect you, too.”

“I know. But something has to be done. If The Faceless is distracted, and I know they will be. They’ll know I have touched the book. But if they’re distracted that gives you time to slip by, deal with whatever brigands you need to deal with, and rescue the Griffin Knight.”

“Is there nothing else?”

Mirelle and Luna looked at each other. Vera just shrugged.

“I can’t think of anything else,” Mirelle said. “And it’s not like we’re going to abandon Aurora. We’ll all make it out. Together.”

“I hope so...” Elyn said. “But this is so dangerous.”

“Is anything we do ever not?” Luna asked.

“Moon Girl... I don’t need your pessimism right now,” Elyn said.

“Just being realistic, Fire Witch.”

“And we don’t need you two bickering,” Mirelle said. “Besides, I know you two really like each other. Deep down...”

“Dig deep enough, maybe,” Luna said.

“I suppose there is... something there,” Elyn agreed.

“Good. It’s settled then?” Mirelle asked.

Elyn sighed. “If there’s nothing else we can do... I guess so.”

“I don’t like it either,” Luna said. “But it’s the best we’ve got.”

“Your will is mine, Your Grace,” Vera added.

“Very Good,” Aurora finished. “Let’s get moving then. There’s no time to waste.”

Taking in a deep breath, the Thief Witch led the remaining four women out from her hut into the forest. Elyn told the caravan to remain behind and the five of them headed back, once again, to the lake and the clearing where Nara and the brigands had made camp.

It didn’t take them long to reach the clearing in the trees once again. When they finally could see through the trees to the camp, Aurora’s eyes fell upon the brigands first.

“Big warriors. No leather armour on them... chainmail and steel only. Tough looking fighters... I think I might have hired them once.”

Elyn furrowed her brow and carefully eyed her girlfriend. “For what?”

“Stuff from the old days... tried to kidnap Artema again.”

Elyn chuckled. “Didn’t work out, did it?”

“They came back looking pretty bruised... like right now. Starling gave them a hell of a fight, by the looks.”

“Sure did,” Luna said. “None of them stood a chance. But I don’t think even the four of us combined are that good. So we’re in trouble if we just rush in.”

“So then... what’s your plan?”

“Elyn is,” Luna said plainly. “You remember, back when we first arrived. We found out we all had something new we could do. Yours... was temperature.”

Aurora raised an eyebrow. “Come again?”

“I can now both literally and figuratively make things hotter, my dear,” Elyn said, casting a sultry glance at her girlfriend. Aurora chuckled.

“I never doubted the second one. But literally?”

“Would you like me to show you?”

Aurora bowed and stepped aside. “Be my guest, dearest Elyn.”

“I’m not sure what the point of it is, though...” Elyn said.

“It’s actually pretty simple,” Mirelle said. “We thought of it on the way, actually. You heat up the area around the lake and make it unbearably hot for all those people in armour. They’ll go into the lake to cool off...”

“Oh! I get it! Then Moon Girl freezes the lake...”

“And traps them,” Luna said.

“And any stragglers?” Elyn asked.

“That’s where Vera and I come in.”

Mirelle drew the sword at her side, letting the blade sing. “You remember my speed ability, right?”

“Ah, overwhelm them with a short burst of magic super speed. Interesting,” Elyn said.

“And with Vera backing me up, we could handle the few that might not get trapped by the ice.”

Elyn nodded. “Doesn’t seem too bad a plan...”

“Assuming it works,” Luna added.

“Ever the glass half full girl, aren’t you?”

“I just know there are always hitches,” Luna said. “Best to be prepared for them and adapt. It’s what Artema would do...”

“True. She would do that. Really wish she was here...” Elyn agreed.

“If you don’t mind,” Aurora said. “I think you should get your plan in action. Our girl in the cage isn’t looking too happy.”

Starling, meanwhile, had not stopped fighting the relentless bonds. Her muscles glistened with sweat, her hair matted and wet, her eyes glassy and tired... but still she struggled, grunting and growling into her gag. Whatever the ropes were that The Faceless had used on her, they were nigh unbreakable and had no give. Worse, there were no knots to pick at so Starling was well and truly stuck in her bonds. It was all she could do to struggle and just hope something came loose on its own, After all, she had come alone and there was no one around to help her. Not that she was aware of, anyway.

As she fought the ropes yet again, she slumped back against the bars of the cage suddenly exhausted and felt herself overheating. The air around her had become unbearably muggy and hot all of a sudden. The sweat just pored from her body now and she was practically soaked through as the sudden heat took its toll and completely exhausted her.

Though apparently, the brigands around her had felt it too as they started stripping off their armour, down to their undergarments, and rushed off to the lake. Only two remained on shore, trying to ignore the heat and determined to watch over their captive.

Starling just let the exhaustion take her for a moment, turning her head to watch the brigands begin filing into the much cooler water of the lake... and jumped in surprise when the water just quickly froze over. She sat up, struggling a bit with her bonds, and watched several shapes emerge from the trees. One of them looked all too familiar and Starling gasped into her gag. The Thief Witch. Had she come with the book?

Her thoughts were far more rational now that she had been separated from her armour. Starling focussed on Aurora and wanted to call out to her. She couldn’t be handing over the book... If she did, there was no telling what The Faceless would do with all that power!

“Mmmrmmrmmm!! Nmmmph! Dmmt! MMMMPPHHH!!”

Her gag stifled her and Starling renewed her struggles, desperate to stop what she thought was Aurora walking toward Nara to hand over Midanyami.

She didn’t see the fight behind her as Vera and Mirelle battled a pair of brigands.

In the fight, Vera proved why she had been made Captain of the Fort Quatran Royal Guard. The brigand rushed at her and he was quite a bit taller than her. But the stout woman simply ducked low and leaned her shoulder into him, planting her feet on the ground.

The man couldn’t stop his momentum and the solid woman in front of him didn’t move as her shoulder caught his stomach and he found himself flipping up and over top of her, falling to the ground hard behind her. The pommel of a sword was the last thing he saw before he blacked out. It had taken less than ten seconds for her to take him out and Mirelle was faring just as well.

A woman roughly her size, though far more muscular than Mirelle, was not fast enough to deal with the whirling dervish of terror before her. She could only block so many strikes from Mirelle’s sword and, already tired and bruised from the fight with Starling, beat a hasty retreat into the woods to hide out until the fierce fighter disappeared.

Sheathing her sword, she whistled into the trees. Elyn and Luna soon joined them and the four of them rushed to the cage to the bound and gagged Starling.

“Don’t worry,” Mirelle said when the Griffin Knight looked up at her and nodded toward Aurora. “She’ll be fine. We need to get you out of here.”

“Nmmm! Shmmph gmmvmmng thmm thm bmmmk! NMMMPPPH! MMMPPHH!”

“Help me carry her. Sorry there’s no time to untie you. We have to get you away first!” Mirelle said. The other three women had to help her lift Starling who, being larger than them, required all four to lift. Her weight was all muscle but Starling was certainly a heavyweight not to be taken lightly. Though the ropes still held her tight.

Eventually, the four women had her back into the cover of the trees leaving Aurora to deal with The Faceless.

As soon as the Thief Witch approached, Nara looked up. The black eyes of The Faceless stared her down and narrowed.

“Midanyami... the book... you have touched it.”

“I have,” Aurora said.

The voice, echoing and filled with rage, screamed its next sentence. “GIVE IT TO ME!”

Hearing this, Elyn turned around and headed back out of the trees. “I can’t leave her alone...”

“Elyn, come back!” Mirelle said. “Help us untie her! Aurora’s fine! Elyn!”

Elyn ignored her friend as the continued trying to slice through the dark ropes, so far to no effect in freeing Starling. Mirelle went out after Elyn.

Aurora, meanwhile, just smirked and folded her arms. “I don’t have it.”

“Yes you do,” The Faceless said. “But it is... not here. Tell me where it is!”

“Or what?”

“You would test me, witch? Thief Witch?”

Aurora chuckled. “You’ve heard of me?”

“I know many things. Some say there are none more powerful than you in Esterlin.”

“Only some? I’m not doing my job then.”

The Faceless, in Nara’s body, stepped closer to Aurora and continued speaking. “The book. Where is it?”

“Like I’d tell you. You think I’m going to let you destroy us all?”

“I only want the book. Nothing more.”

Aurora stared into the black eyes. “Perhaps for now. But you know perhaps better than any what the book does. It corrupts. I have seen its power.”

“You have used it?”

“Of course. But I have seen what it does. You created it. But it will do the same to you.”

The words seemed to bounce off The Faceless. Despite the sense Aurora spoke, they were not interested in sense. “I want. The Book!”

“Well I’m not letting you have it,” Aurora said.

Nara reached forward, her hand held out to Aurora. “Oh I assure you... you will.”

With a snap of her fingers and a wave of her hand, shadows passed from Nara and toward Aurora. She couldn’t do anything to stop the shadows entering her body, her eyes going pale as they did. She stood stock still as Nara collapsed to the ground.

“Aurora!”

Elyn sprinted toward her girlfriend, finally reaching her. “Aurora, what’s happening? What’s wrong?”

After a few moments, Aurora stirred. She moved strangely and stumbled a bit, reaching for her head. The same voice of many tones spoke all around them.

“Ahhh! The witch... has a stronger mind than that... pirate! Stop fighting!”

Aurora’s eyes cleared for a moment and her own voice returned to her. “Get... out!”

“Give me... the book!”

“You’ll have to... take it!” Aurora said.

“I... will... arrange that!” The Faceless replied.

“Oh no...” Elyn said. “Aurora! Fight it! Please...”

Aurora turned around and her eyes were black for the time being. “A hostage! The... lover of this witch? Come here!”

With a snap of her fingers, Elyn was quickly tied up the same way Starling had been with the same strong, black rope and a leather muzzle gag. The straps wrapped around her forehead, under of her chin, around her neck in a collar, and either side of her nose, also pulling the leather panel tight and filling her mouth with something soft.

“Mmph!” Elyn always found herself excited by this possibility but now, with her girlfriend in trouble, she was desperate to escape.

“Elyn!” Mirelle called, finally catching up to her.

Aurora snapped her fingers again, The Faceless seeming to have temporary control, and Elyn was pulled back by an invisible force behind Aurora near the unconscious Nara.

“Stop there, princess of the forest. The princess of fire is my prisoner! Lest you would see her hurt, you will stay back!”

“Don’t do this. You’re better than this!” Mirelle said. “You... you released my friend. My wife...”

“I did. But now you are in my way. I warned you. I seek the book. Nothing will stand between it and me. I will not allow it!”

Mirelle stopped dead in her tracks as Aurora stepped back. A dark, swirling portal appeared behind her and Elyn began floating toward it with her. “That is enough. Your friends will not be returned to you until I find the book. Perhaps their safety shall be enough to sway you to stay away.”

“No... I can’t let you take them! Let them go!”

Aurora swayed for a moment and her own eyes returned to her but the portal did not close.

“Mirelle... run! There’s nothing I can do. They’re too strong! Take the Griffin Knight and get out of here!”

Her eyes went black again as The Faceless took over once again. “Your friend is wise. She knows my power... do not test me as she did, princess of the forest.”

“No...”

“I am leaving this place,” The Faceless said, stepping into the portal with Elyn. “Do not follow!”

The portal closed and sealed again and all went quiet. Mirelle just sunk to her knees as the others finally joined her. They had freed Starling and she had most of her armour on again. Luna held her sword and helmet for the moment to keep her head on straight for the time being.

“Mirelle... I saw...” Luna said, kneeling down with her and holding her close. “We’ll... we’ll save them.”

“Meantime...” Starling said. “What about the pirate?”

“Give us a minute, will you?” Luna said.

Starling stepped away from them and stood over Nara. She jumped when the pirate’s eyes shot open and she jumped to her feet. She saw Starling and took a step back.

“Crap...” she said. “Nothing else for it...”

Nara hated to use it. It had been expensive and it was one use only but the glass orb she carried with her from that sorceress her long ago had to come in handy some time. One use... and it would take her back to her ship. She hadn’t had cause to use it before. But now, trapped, freshly in control of her body... it was her only choice.

“Sorry, Knight. Have to pick this up another day,” she said, taking the thing from her coat pocket and slamming it to the ground. In a huge puff of black smoke, Nara disappeared. Starling rushed into the smoke, looking frantically for her, but she was gone.

“Damn it all! How do they always have so many damn tricks!?” She punched through the table with the map The Faceless had been using, splitting it in two.

She turned back to the princesses and Captain Vera. Nodding to them, she calmed herself. “Apologies. I thank you for the timely rescue. I must repay you. I will do everything in my power to help find and save your friends from that powerful... person.”

Mirelle just nodded back, unable to find any words. Ever since their wedding, it seemed everything had gone wrong. From Vera being kidnapped, to Luna’s kidnap, Starling’s capture, now this... but her nature won out.

Standing tall, her eternally positive nature taking hold, Mirelle managed a smile. “Thank you, Griffin Knight. Let’s go get them.”

Story Thene Song: ITG Studios- Stand Together