Schneizal's eyes fluttered open, the faint light of the room illuminating the wooden beams of the ceiling above him. His body ached, a dull reminder of the brutal clash he had narrowly survived. He groaned softly, attempting to sit up, only to feel the pull of fresh bandages wrapped around his torso.
"Oh, you're finally awake," came a voice, light yet tinged with amusement. Schneizal turned his head sharply, only to see a figure floating mid-air beside him. It was a male sylph, small in stature, with short white hair that seemed to shimmer in the light. The sylph's glowing staff hovered near him, radiating faint magical energy.
Schneizal blinked. "Who… who are you?"
The sylph straightened, puffing out his chest as if to appear larger. "My name is Berdeis," he announced proudly. "I am the Mage of Destruction!"
Schneizal tilted his head, taking in the sylph's childlike features. "Aww, you look so cute," he said with a weak chuckle.
Berdeis bristled, his wings fluttering with irritation. "C-Cute?! I am NOT cute!" he snapped, his voice rising. "Do you have any idea who you're talking to?"
Schneizal managed a small laugh, despite the pain that flared through his chest. But the humor was short-lived. His gaze shifted to his bandaged body, his hands running over the layers of cloth. The memory of his defeat flooded back, and his expression darkened. "Dammit," he muttered under his breath. "I got my ass handed to me again. How many times am I going to be like this?"
Berdeis, though still irritated, hovered closer. "Hey, don't move so much. Your wounds aren't healed yet—not even close to 100%!"
Ignoring the warning, Schneizal swung his legs over the side of the bed, his movements slow and deliberate. He stood, though his legs wobbled beneath him. Limping toward the door, he reached out and pushed it open. Sunlight streamed in, causing him to squint and shield his face with his hand.
"Who are you people?" he murmured, his voice low and hoarse. "And where am I?"
Berdeis floated up behind him, crossing his arms. "We just finished a mission helping villagers relocate before they were invaded by Ketergia," he explained. "That's when we stumbled across you and your group, along with Vriede."
At the mention of Vriede, Schneizal's eyes sharpened. "Vriede? Where is she?"
"Schneizal!" a familiar voice called out. He turned to see Clarence and Sfilt running toward him, relief evident on their faces.
"Clarence! Sfilt!" Schneizal called back, his voice filled with both surprise and gratitude. As they reached him, Clarence placed a steadying hand on his shoulder.
"How are you feeling, Schneizal?" Clarence asked, his tone warm and concerned.
"I'm okay," Schneizal replied, though the strain in his voice betrayed him. "Where are Youth and the others?"
Clarence's expression faltered, and he looked away. Schneizal's heart sank. "They killed him?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper, dread creeping in.
"They took him," a voice answered from behind. Schneizal turned to see Vriede approaching, accompanied by Luidwaar, the warbeast leader of the resistance.
"Vriede…" Schneizal began, his voice trembling. "What do you mean they took him?"
Vriede's expression was grim. "They took Youth and Sequana. We don't know if they're still alive, but I'm going to figure out how to get them back."
Schneizal's fists clenched. "Sequana? They took her too?! We need to get them back!"
Luidwaar stepped forward, her arms crossed. "Calm down, elf. We're not even sure if they're alive. They're probably dead."
"They're alive!" Schneizal shot back, his voice rising. "I know they are!"
Luidwaar snorted. "Still, what do you want us to do?"
Schneizal's eyes burned with determination. "I need your help to get them back."
Luidwaar laughed, a harsh, dismissive sound. "No. I'm not going to risk the lives of my troops for your little rescue mission. Besides, you're in no shape for battle."
Schneizal's anger flared. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
Luidwaar's eyes narrowed. "Who am I? I am the leader of this resistance group. I am Luidwaar! My men and women risk their lives every day to protect the people on the surface from those arrogant bastards above! Show some respect, brat."
"Luidwaar," Vriede interjected, her voice firm yet pleading. "I believe Youth is still alive in Ketergia. You've seen what his eye can do. If they manage to remove it, they could destroy us all with a single strike. I know you're worried about our soldiers, but we need to devise a plan to rescue Youth and Sequana."
Luidwaar sighed heavily, the weight of leadership evident in her weary eyes. "Fine. But first, let's sit and talk this through."
The group made their way into the barracks, where they were served a modest meal. As they ate, Luidwaar turned to Schneizal.
"So, Schneizal," she began. "The self-proclaimed 'Knight of Fracture.' What brings you to fight with us?"
Schneizal hesitated, memories flooding back. "When I was a kid," he began slowly, "I dreamed of becoming a knight who could protect the people on the surface. I just… want to keep everyone safe, I guess."
Luidwaar raised an eyebrow. "That's it? You seem unsure."
Schneizal clenched his fists. "No… it's just… damn it."
Luidwaar nodded, her gaze softening slightly. "You've had a rough journey, haven't you? That's an impressive sword you carry. Where did you get it?"
"A blacksmith from my hometown gave it to me," Schneizal replied.
The conversation continued, with Luidwaar questioning each member of the group. Clarence stammered nervously when asked about his origins, and Vriede had to step in to prevent the interrogation from dragging on too long.
Finally, Luidwaar leaned back in her chair, a contemplative expression on his face. "We're currently 32 soldiers strong," she said, gesturing toward the younger members of the resistance. "And I'm not counting the kids." She pointed to Sfilt, who flushed at the remark.
"If we're going to do this," Luidwaar continued, her tone serious, "we'll need a plan. A damn good one."
Here's the corrected and extended novelized version with the appropriate character details:
Vriede crossed her arms and leaned back scanning the group. "Then, what do you suggest?" she asked, her tone calm yet pressing.
Schneizal ran a hand through his messy blue hair, his brow furrowed in thought. "Wait… you guys remember those two Ketergian knights? The elf one and the red-haired one?"
Clarence's eyes widened slightly. "Oh yeah," he muttered, "the ones you attacked?"
Schneizal shrugged, leaning casually on the massive sword propped against his shoulder. "Yeah, the ones who've been helping Youth."
Luidwaar, who had been pacing in the shadows, stopped abruptly. Her sharp gaze cut through the group, her voice sharp. "What? What do you mean, other knights?"
Schneizal glanced at her. "Two Ketergian knights warned us about the attack on Sylvan Village. They knew Ketergia was planning to siege it before it even happened."
Luidwaar's expression darkened, her tone laced with suspicion. "And you trust them? What's stopping them from being spies, leading us into a trap?"
Vriede sighed, rubbing her temple. "Well, they weren't wrong," she interjected. "Ketergia did attack Sylvan Village, just like they said. That has to count for something."
Schneizal smirked faintly. "Exactly. If we can track them down again, they might help us. It's worth a shot."
Luidwaar's lips curled into a frown, her sharp features set in a scowl. "This puts us at risk. These knights you're talking about—they're Ketergians. They could be playing you for fools. I don't recommend relying on them."
Vriede shook her head. "Luidwaar, we're already at risk. Ketergia is hunting us, our allies are scattered, and we're barely holding ground here on the surface. We can't afford to ignore any potential help, no matter how risky it seems."
Clarence, who had been silent, spoke up hesitantly. "But what if Luidwaar's right? What if this is just another setup? We barely got out of Sylvan Village alive."
Schneizal's smirk faded. He straightened up, his usually cocky demeanor giving way to seriousness. "Look, I get it. Trusting them isn't easy. But their expressions and their tones sound sincere. The red haired one's expression… he had this face on him. Like he wasn't a fan of how Ketergia operates. And the elf? She was sharp, calculated. If they were going to betray us, they could've done it already."
Vriede nodded thoughtfully. "If we do this, we need a backup plan. If we can find those knights, we should test their loyalty before involving them in anything major."
Luidwaar scowled but eventually sighed in defeat. "Fine. But we do this my way. We don't reveal too much, and we keep an escape route open at all times."
Schneizal grinned. "Fine by me."