Arslan Senki: The Witch

Tactician and Savage

A Lusitanian soldier came from underneath a pile of rocks, a nasty scar pouring blood from down his forehead and down his cheek.

"Lord Silver Mask?! Are you alright?!" He yelled out. He saw him standing atop the rocks, the few surviving soldiers around him amazed that he made it out unscathed.

"So he got away..." a deep, dark voice said.

Lord Silver Mask's eyes twitched for a moment. A black spot appeared on the ground, and slowly started to get bigger as a black hole does.

From the darkness, a pale, bony figure emerged from it. He wore a black cloak that covered his head, and a mask that resembled the one Lord Silver Mask wore, yet creepier. It was made of bone.

He wore gold necklaces and his fingernails were long and sharp, like a cat. But his eyes. His eyes were a startling shade of blue, that glow in the darkness of his masked face.

He had an evil smile admiring his face, and a hand he put across his chest to symbolize a bow to Lord Silver Mask.

He chuckled quite softly at his master's misfortune.

———

The second they dismounted the horse, Alfarīd got off, sat on a rock and cried her heart out.

"I'll kill him the next time I see him. I swear on my life, I will."

Her voice was muffled as she cried into her hands. Narsus was turned around to give her privacy and Zofia was running circled around her back.

"I'm glad you kept your head." Narsus said. "If you had attacked him back there, you'd likely now be buried in rocks along with his men."

"As am I. It wouldn't be good for your clan if you died, would it?" She asked Alfarīd, but she wasn't listening.

"And thank you Zofia. You protected her." Narsus thanked.

"Oh." She said. Never once had anyone thanked her for protecting someone else. Sure, Arslan had always done it, but it felt strangely nice that her actions were being appreciated. "Thank you too, Narsus."

Narsus turned around to smile at her, but quickly frowned when he saw Alfarīd. Sobbing, shoulders shaking and helpless; much too different from the hot-tempered girl they'd first met.

"I-I have to live. I couldn't be able to avenge my father and clan if I die."

"I'm glad you see that."

"...they're gone. All gone."

Zofia rubbed his shoulder in an attempt to comfort Alfarīd. "Hey, I know you might not want to hear this, but I know what you're going through. It's...tough to loose a family member, especially if it's a parent."

"...I bet you've never seen one of the Zot cry. Thank you." She said, voice cracking.

Narsus sat across from them, respecting her space.

"I don't know what you're thanking us for." He said.

"Yes, you do." She claimed. "You both saved my life back there, so...so thank you."

Alfarīd's crying had stopped, and she was taking slow and deep breathes. "You know. You're nicer than I thought." She said to Narsus.

Zofia nearly snorted.

Narsus paid Zofia no mind, but smile at Alfarīd. "That's worth something." He said.

"I just realized I owe you my life and I don't even know your names. What is it?"

"My name is Narsus."

"It's Zofia." She said. But there was something she had to ask.

"Given what happened," Alfarīd cut in. "I can't say it's nice to meet either of you, but I'm Alfarīd."

"Well met."

———

Alfarīd declined Zofia's offer on her horse, and instead opted to ride at Narsus' back.

She found a lost horse, and assuming it belonged to a Lusitanian who was caught in the rubble, she didn't think twice about taking it.

As the three of them rode off, Alfarīd clung tightly to Narsus, and Zofia stayed behind them both. There was an odd feeling surrounding the two, and she couldn't quite place her finger on it.

"It's a lucky thing that rock slide happened earlier when it did. If not for that, I don't know how we would have gotten away."

"That wasn't luck." Narsus said. "It happened, because I made it happen."

"What? How could you cause a rock slide? Magic or something?"

Zofia tensed at the word. Zot members were known to be brutal, to trespassers and magic users. Zofia doubted she would change her whole view on that just because she saved her life.

Narsus was quick to answer. "Making a few rocks fall down a hill? That doesn't require magic. Just a leather thong, a piece of wood, and a little knowledge about levers."

"Levers?"

He rambled on. "Yes. It's simple, really. The force created by the thong applies torc to the piece of wood, then that force-"

"I have no idea what you're saying." She chuckled playfully.

By the time they stopped riding, it was already dark and the stars shine brightly. Alfarīd was first to get off the horse.

"You're a pretty smart man, aren't you? Not bad with a sword either."

But Narsus didn't reply. Instead, he seemed lost in thought, as if recalling something. Maybe his fight with Lord Silver Mask?

"I've been wondering something." Alfarīd said, cutting in again. She picked up a nearby stone.

"Tell me, how old are you?" And with all her strength, she swung her hand back and threw the rock, aiming for the moon.

"26, why?" He said. The question was quite out of the blue.

"Really? Looking at you I wouldn't have guessed it. I thought you were at least a little bit younger."

"Terribly sorry if I've disappointed you." He said smugly.

"No, it's alright. There's exactly 10 years between us. Maybe that's lucky or something. Someone older is probably more dependable."

Narsus' smug smile started to drop, and Zofia -who didn't smile at Alfarīd to begin with- had a frown that only deepened.

What is the point of this topic?

She placed both hands on either sides of his shoulders, catching him by surprise. "Alright, it's settled. I've decided that I'm coming with you."

"There are other members of the Zot Clan who still live. Don't you need to go back?" He said. Whether he was making excuses for her to not come or reasoning with how crazy her idea was, Zofia did not know.

"No." She said simply. "I don't.