Aralynn Faewind was alive. Bloodied and battered, but alive all the same.
Where am I…? Aralynn's question was swiftly answered as one of the trees next to her abruptly burst into flame, effulgent tongues of fire quickly consuming the green pillar.
Fuck. Aralynn struggled to stand, to fly. One of her wings was completely unresponsive- she couldn't feel it at all. It was dark and late at night, but in the flickering orange glow of the fire she could tell that it was damaged very badly, to say the least.
Her moment of brief silence was quickly shattered as more and more trees burst into flame around her as balls of fire rained down from the sky.
The roar of voices burned Aralynn's ears. I need to move. Now. Where's my squad?
In the searing light, Aralynn could make out a dismembered hand on the ground. Then she felt the warm blood seeping through her specialist ensign's coat.
"...Captain?"
Memories tore through her mind. Their 'special reconnaissance' mission running straight towards the enemies. Her squad, who faithfully followed orders from above. Their deaths, burnt to ashes by hellish artillery or torn apart, overwhelmed, countless to one. Her captain releasing her from duty as life quickly faded from him, his lower half crushed under a stone loosened from a trebuchet. Then… her revolver in its holster of which not a single bullet had been fired as she had been pushed to run and run again for her life. Her rapier, which hadn't been drawn once.
It slowly dawned on her. She… was the only one left.
Burning trees fell around Aralynn, bringing her back to her senses. She forced herself to stand and breathed heavily as her muscles screamed in protest. Her body ached and stung from cuts and bruises all over.
Move. MOVE. "MOVE, GODDAMNIT!" She couldn't. More and more trees fell around her. Then, green words appeared, floating in front of her eyes.
[You have learned the Resurgence skill!]
[Given your current situation, this skill has been used!]
[Resurgence Lv.1 has been activated!]
Strength poured back into Aralynn as a gentle and subtle green glow flowed over her wounds, mending them wherever possible.
What…? Aralynn flexed her hands and wings. They seemed usable now. Some cuts and bruises still remained and her sealed wounds still felt tender, but… it was more than enough. She had no time to ponder what had just happened.
Taking a running start, Aralynn leapt into the air, spreading her once-white wings over the flames, taking to the air. The hot air caught on her wings and lifted her upwards.
The shouts of enemy soldiers racketed through the burning forest. Looking behind her as she flew low in the soot-covered gunmetal sky, she could see more stars of fire thumping into the forest below her. She circled the burning forest, trying to find the remains of anyone from her squad.
Observing the carnage below, Aralynn didn't notice the arrow flying straight for her.
[Dexterity Lv. 18 has been activated!]
Aralynn stared at the new message, uncomprehending as her body twisted middair, avoiding the arrow, almost on its own. What is going on?
[Observant Lv. 4 has been activated!]
A nagging feeling pulled Aralynn to glance at where she assumed the arrow had come from. From its origin, specks of green flew towards her. Quickly, Aralynn realized that they were arrows, covered in a green glow, as if by magic.
[Dexterity Lv. 18 has been activated!]
For a brief instant Aralynn was covered in a dim green glow, something she hadn't noticed before. She flapped her wings and moved erratically with superhuman grace, evading the storm of arrows.
It's too dangerous, Aralynn realized. Turning her back to the burning forest, she quickly started flying back in the direction of their commander's command tent. She soon reached the edges of the barren ground where the two armies fought, the clanging of metal on metal drowning out the cries of pain and cries to rally. Hazy lines of soldiers and knights stretched as far as the eye could see. The scenes of war made Aralynn think, and more memories came back to her.
They sent us, a recon squadron, on a direct assault on enemy forces where they knew there would've been an ambush just to try to clear the area of trees so they could have a flat area to fight. Those sons of bitches.
In that exact moment with context of all the abuse of authority, poor planning, and corrupt officers, Aralynn decided she couldn't return to the army. Deserters would be punished, but her squadron, being a recon squad, wasn't even officially recognized. If she left, no one would miss her and everyone would just assume her death. Not to mention that she wouldn't abide with their decisions a moment longer.
Strings tugged on her heart, and she could almost see the faces of her squadmates, dead, reaching towards her, telling her to flee, to survive. Eve's face burned as tears rolled down her cheeks. Why did I survive? Why did it have to be them and not me? I-
She paused as a ghostly figure appeared before her middair. A figment of her imagination, perhaps, or maybe something more. Her captain, the regal, lofty elf that had led them through thick and thin. He drifted towards Aralynn, gently cupping her face in his gentle hands.
"Run, Aralynn. You should not stay here for a moment longer. Do not dwell on us. We will travel to the underworld and live as we did before. Just know that we are always with you. We will support everything you do, Aralynn." He started fading away, a sad, genuine smile on his face. "Special Ensign Faewind!" Her captain closed his eyes. "As my final order, I release you from duty."
Aralynn wiped her face. She steeled herself and fled, flying far, far, far away with no sense of direction, only stopping to rest her wings. It wasn't like they could catch her anyways- a single day of flight was equal to many, many more on horseback or foot.
Aralynn fled for days on end until eventually she landed in a seemingly unspecial city.
That's where her time as a soldier ended and her time as an adventurer began.