-- Flashback Continued --

A look passes between them, getting the timing right. He lunges forward at the intruder and Naexi shoots another arrow, directed at his head this time. The armor he's wearing makes it difficult for an arrow to pierce it, but it isn't impossible. The arrow narrowly misses his head as he moves out of the way.

“Watch the blade, Erlan!” Naexi shouts to the Elder. The Viking’s poleaxe swings close to his shoulder.

“He is moving faster than I expected, but I can still dodge, keep firing.” His movements are quick and calculated, moving only enough to be out of reach.

“Mom, be careful!” Solvi shouts, trying to get out of her dad’s arms. It was no use though, he held onto her like she was all that mattered right now.

“Sol, be quiet. Your mom can handle this, she’s the strongest elf we know, right? She can beat anyone.” Tagen tries to calm Solvi down and trust in her mom.

“Yea she is, I know she’ll beat him. She has to.” The Elder falls as the Viking pushes him out of the way, charging toward Naexi. Another swing from the poleaxe in the Viking’s hand comes down close to her. The blade catching her right arm, blood races down, dripping off her fingers.

Sliced nerves send pain through the right side of her body, she has to focus on her goal instead of getting caught up in the agony. ‘Fight now, think later.’

Now in close combat, she reaches for the bottom of her bow and takes the sheath off a hidden blade. Tossing it to the side, she takes a step closer to the Viking. Ducking under his huge swinging arc, she dashes under his arm, slicing his side with the blade.

“Agh!” He screams in pain and grabs for his side. The blood is soaking through the leather armor and running down in a bright red streak.

“Leave now, before I kill you,” Her words drip with rage, the message clear.

“I will be back, and I’ll get whatever you’re hidin’. I promise,” he says, backing toward the door.

“You will never get it, we will always be here to stop you.”

“I’ll be seeing you Little Elf, and you too, Pipsqueak.” He looks directly at Solvi and smiles.

The image of that sinister smile and the red mark on his face is permanently seared into Solvi's mind from that moment on.

Shouts and screams fill the village as the fire rages. Naexi runs outside to see how bad things are. She sees her neighbors running around trying to get water to put out the fires, while others are trying to fight off the vikings.

She spots the one that had attacked them and he shouts for the others to follow him back to the ships. The tension slowly released from her shoulders. ‘At least the enemy was leaving, now to deal with the fires.’

Elves run around getting buckets to bring water over from the bay and the river nearby.

Inside again, Naexi runs back to Tagen and Solvi, still hiding in the corner.

“Mom, are you okay?” Her tiny voice squeaks as the question comes out. Her eyes go wide seeing the blood all over her mom’s arm.

“Of course Sol, I’ll always be here to protect you, both of you.” She places a soft kiss on her forehead and kisses Tagen. “The more important question is, are you okay? That must’ve been scary.”

“I’m not scared! If they ever come back, I’ll fight them off myself.” Solvi’s confidence radiates off her and calms her parents' worry. Tagen sets her down and goes into one of the rooms, returning with bandages and an assortment of herbs. Ripping off the sleeve of her shirt, Erlan starts to clean Naexi’s wound.

“That means you need to start training even more. I know you just started with the bow, but I think we should move forward and see how well you can handle faster-paced combat. I think quite a few others in the village should work on combat skills as well. We’ve never needed any sort of defense, but they know where we are now, and they will be coming back. I can start training a small group of warriors to help defend our home next time.”

Overjoyed, Solvi starts jumping up and down, ready to learn to fight. “Let’s go practice now! I’m super excited!”

“Calm down, there’s still quite a bit we need to do before we can start training again. The village comes first.” Erlan finishes wrapping Naexi’s arm in bandages, tucking the end under itself to secure it.

“Alright, you are all fixed up now. Be careful with it, and go see the healer in the morning, she is already busy enough tonight. The wound is not good, but you will be okay until tomorrow.”

“Thank you, Erlan. I don’t think I would have been able to handle him on my own.”

“I will always be here to help my people.”

“Since I have you here. What do you think of having a group of warriors to help defend the village? We could ask our hunters first, they have the most experience with weaponry and some minor combat.”

“I will discuss it with the other Elders, but I believe it would be beneficial to have some defense next time they return.”

“Of course, please take your time. I will help to train and lead them if it might help convince the other Elders.”

“It will. For now, I need to go see what has happened to our village and help those who need it.” As he is leaving, he sees Naexi and Tagen holding each other tightly, with Solvi squished in the middle. Not long after that, they’re all crying. Emotions that they were ignoring, finally resurface and hit all at once.