The World of Strife

I twirled around, eyes widening in shock at the sight of Camilla clutching her left upper arm with a pained expression. I looked closer and immediately noticed a short arrow that pierced through her arm, still being stuck in the chain armor Camilla wore.

Before I could come to her aid, a goblin jumped in from the side, pushing the distracted girl on the ground. Camilla released a startled cry as she fell on her side. When she looked up, the girl quickly realized what was going on and did her best to back away from the attacker.

I looked left and right, hoping that somebody from the others were near enough to help. I saw one of the dwarf soldiers in a desperate battle with a dark elf, several meters from Camilla. Meanwhile, the other surviving dwarf who, until now, was doing his best to keep away the enemies from simply overrunning me and Camilla. Well, he was currently rushing over to Alita's side, drawing most of the remaining dark elves' attention and leaving us wide open to the enemy.

"Where is that bastard going? Fucking hell!" — I cursed openly. I can't really blame the man for choosing his lady over us, but seriously? Can't he think before acting, I just saved the girl, and now he leaves me to fend for myself?

What made the situation a lot worse was the alarming sight of several more goblins appearing at the other end of the tunnel.

Feeling somewhat wobbly on my feet, I noted the fresh layers of sweat that covered my face. Unleashing that last spell took a lot out of me.

Realizing how dire our situation have became, I looked back to Camilla.

The goblin moved towards her with an excited expression that left little to the imagination about its intentions. Seeing this, I felt a burst of anger overcoming my judgement. I raised my arm and sent out a burst of telekinetic energies similar to the ones I used against Jolga, but this time it was more controlled, focused.

The raw power rippled through the space between me and the goblin, creating a strong wind, picking up stones and dust along the way until it slammed into the unsuspecting beast with the force of an avalanche.

The pitiful creature, for better or worse, was pushed, no, more like thrown aside and slammed against the wall with a resounding crack. It stayed there, squashed against the wall for several seconds. Until the storm of telekinetic energies wore out, letting its body peel off the wall and fell on the ground, where it stayed motionless.

I grinned, feeling exhilarated by the raw destruction my magic unleashed. At the same time, I also felt a wave of tiredness washing over me. Clearly, I have been overdoing my spells, especially with the last two. Now it was coming around to bite me on the butt with a wave of dizziness.

Feeling the unmistakable effects of mana depletion, I clumsily reached for the mana gems hidden in my pocket.

What I didn't expect was the dull hilt of a dagger hitting me in the pit of my stomach. It forcefully pushed most of the air out of my lungs, leaving me breathless and numb. I coughed wetly, my legs buckling under my weight as I fell on my knees. The sounds of battle dulled around me, overcome by the sudden pain and apparent lack of air. I heard an alarmed scream from Camilla calling out my name, but I couldn't make out what she was saying. Then I noticed at the edge of my mind as a bunch of people rushed beside me followed by relative silence.

It was then, when my thoughts gave way to panic.

I couldn't breathe.

I was horrified in the wake of this realization. I tried to suck in air, to force it in my lungs, but there was a lump in my stomach that seemed to oppose it. Terrified by my inability to take in another mouthful of air, desperate tears began to appear in my eyes.

Why couldn't I breathe!?

I fell on my side, too occupied with my attempts to restart my breathing than to care about balancing my body. I tried again to forcefully push some air into my lungs, but it seemed useless. As if my suffering wasn't enough, my vision started swimming all over the place, making me dizzy and sick. I closed my eyes in an attempt to avoid motion sickness.

Then, at last by some small mercy of a god, I finally managed to push some air into my system. I shivered in overjoyed relief when I finally managed to heave some air into my body. It was the tiniest of gulps at first, but that tiny amount of air felt the sweetest I ever tasted.

Not that I could enjoy it for long as a thin but rough hand grasped my face, shaking it forcefully. There was also an unfamiliar weight sitting on my torso, pinning me to the ground with cruel efficiency.

I reluctantly opened my eyes.

The moment my eyelids parted, I saw the blurry image of the dark elf woman from before sitting on top of me. Her eery smile stretched wider the moment she noticed my glance.

In reaction, an icy wave of terror washed over me.

"NO!" — I cried out, my voice filled with so much fear that I could barely recognize it. Still, I instinctively did my best to squirm out of the woman's grasp, but she was already two steps ahead of me. She pressed one of her knees on my left wrist while easily pinning down the other with her left hand. It was plainly obvious that she was stronger. I wasn't a warrior unlike her, not even considering my disadvantaged position.

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She shook my head with her one free hand, turning it left, then right, with a satisfied smile. — "Aren't you a pretty one, hmm?" — She breathed hot air in my face. Then she slowly started to slide her hand down over my neck until it settled atop my left breast. I squirmed under her touch as the woman cupped my breast through the added layers of the coat. All the while watching for my facial expressions with an excited stare. Then she pushed her chilly hand under my coat and grasped my breast hard through the thin layers of my shirt and bra.

My eyes popped out as the pain registered in my brain.

"Ah!" — I cried out, an unfamiliar prickling sensation jolting through my body, numbing my limbs for the briefest of moments.

The woman laughed. — "Not a bad reaction." — She chuckled, showing no signs of remorse as she continued unbuttoning my coat.

"You know, little elf, I think I am going to enjoy this a lot more than I originally expected." — The woman raved on while pulling my coat apart and starting to unbutton my chemise under it. — "I got so used to your kind being these stoic, composed types." — She snorted. — "You, on the other hand, are nothing like that." — She looked at me with these expectant red eyes that sent shivers over my skin. — "You squirm like a human, but are as beautiful as any elf. A rare combination, for sure." — She purred and added in a smaller voice. — "You are making me wet."

I wheezed heavily, my limbs growing weak as the numbing pain left behind her touch echoed through my nerves.

I tried to focus my thoughts on channeling my mana for a spell, but the woman seemed to realize my intentions. Perhaps noting my concentrated expression.

"Oh, no you don't!" — The woman smirked into my face and I felt a stiff hand sneaking its way right under my shirt and into my bra. Feeling the shamelessly intruding hand's bitter touch around my bare nipple, any semblance of my remaining concentration scattered to the wind. My cheeks flushed crimson red in an equal portion of shame and fury.

How dare she? Not even I touched myself like this before!

I glared up at the bitch, momentarily forgetting my situation. The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by my vivid reaction. — "I like that look in your eyes, it means you got a spine after all. Somewhere under all this tender fat and meat."

I struggled to free myself once again, only to fail pathetically, and end up tired to boot.

When my breath hitched, I stopped struggling. Tears of humiliation once again started forming in the corners of my eyes. Then a blinding burst of pain quivered through my left breast, its echoes sending pricking waves through my entire body.

"Aaahh~!" — I cried out, as the woman twisted my nipple with a sadistic expression.

Then she did it again, with even more cruelty. My lips parted in a silent scream. White hot pain burned through my tit while I helplessly squirmed on the ground. This time, I did my best to swallow back my pained cry, which only resulted in gaining an even harsher treatment from the woman on top of me. I eventually couldn't keep a hold of my voice any longer as the elf continued to brutally twist and knead my left breast. — "Um-A-Ah!" — I half moaned, half screamed, causing the elf to finally let my nipple go. Leaving me laying on my back numb, breathless and shaking from the pain and fear that continued to course through my body. I swallowed back a pitiful whimper or at least tried, my breast painfully sensitive by now from the harsh treatment. It still pulsed with pain, even without the woman touching it.

I could see the satisfied grin on the dark elf's face as she leered over me. The woman practically purred drinking in my suffering. — "That's right." — She gently stroked my face. — "I will make you sing with every touch." — She smirked, while my stomach roiled in disgust.

A frustrated thought crossed my mind, faced with my own helplessness. What the hell were the others doing? Why is nobody coming to my help, even when I helped them before?!

Seeing how my struggle became feeble, the woman leaned closer to my face, whispering with an excited expression. — "Oh no, sweetheart, spare your tears. If you already start crying, what will remain for the rest?" — She snorted, seeing my startled look, slowly reached down towards my belt, while holding eye contact, a devilish grin forming on her face. — "We are only starting to get acquainted."

My chaotic and heavy thoughts froze over as a momentary calmness came over my mind, scattering the previous overload of sensations, whatever that was…

Seeing that vile woman unbuckling my belt managed to shake me out of my stupor.

Noting that she was struggling with the belt and the fact that her face was quite close to mine. In a sudden burst of energy, I head-butted the bitch.

I felt as the top of my forehead connected with the woman's cheekbone, hitting her just under her right eye. A burst of pain spiked through the top of my forehead, but based on the startled cry of the woman, she got off worse. In her moment of surprise, the woman loosened her hold on one of my arms and I immediately twisted it out of her grasp.

I shoved my hand into the pocket of my coat that housed the three mana gems, mindlessly grasping the first one that my fingers came across.

In a panicked action, I drained the first gem completely, and now was stuck with the task of channeling the refreshing mana into my core, revitalizing it through the soothing sensation. This being the first time I ever did something similar, got me distracted in the unique sensation and process.

This proved to be a mistake. My momentarily freed hand was grasped and pulled out of my pocket, only to once again end up slammed against the ground with the snarling expression of the elf hovering over me. She ripped the empty green gem out of my palm, looking at it with a confused expression.

"A marble, or a candy perhaps?" — Her shoulders sagged as the woman chuckled in relief. — "What are you, a child?" — She tossed the empty gem into my face. — "Perhaps, a very naughty one." — She shook her head, a dangerous smile stretching across her face once again.

I gulped, but there was a spark of hope igniting in the pit of my stomach. Realizing that the woman didn't recognize the uniquely shaped mana gem for what it truly was. My mana levels were once again filled to the brim, now I only needed to cast a spell successfully.

I needed to concentrate and focus if I wanted to get out of this situation. Something that was easier said than done in these circumstances. I closed my eyes, doing my best to close out everything distracting. I could feel my magic responding to my intent, I just needed to envision the way the ice needed to form.