A Kitsune's Tale

Chapter 6

James flopped back on the bed and sighed.
She really thinks I would try something. Not that she isn't pretty, I'm just not that type of guy.
He stared at the ceiling for a few minutes then sat up and smiled.
"Better get a move on. Elena seemed serious when she said we were leaving soon."
James stumbled around the room collecting his things and shoving them into the bag he had.
"Got this...and...there we go. Oh don't forget that..." He mumbled out loud as he finally finished packing.
He shouldered his bag and, walking out of the room, he headed down to the kitchen.
"I hope there's some food left. Well good at least," He laughed as he continued.
When he got there his face went from smiling to pure sadness. He felt as if be had been hit by a dragon. There was nothing but scraps and old looking foods which seemed to him as if they were picked through. Sighing he went and found a table and sat down, keeping an eye out for Elena.
How do you run a kitchen here and not make....just..., he roared in his mind and the slammed his fist on the table.
Suddenly he felt something touch him but didn't look.
"Yes? What do you want?"
"I see you aren't eating. Is it that you don't have an appetite?" Asked the voice.
"No I would love to eat but the rest is scraps and nasty old food."
He heard a giggle from behind him and then a plate came in to his peripheral vision, it slowly being set in front of him.
"Eat this" the giggly voice said.
James was astonished and speechless at such an offer.
Who would give up their food for a stranger? It was common tradition nowadays to ignore people in need, but this person was giving him food.
"I don't know what to say thank you miss..." He didn't know her name or who she was but he had to so he swiftly turned around and a girl came into view.
His mouth dropped open and and he smiled up at her.
It was Elena. How did he not know by her voice? It was so obvious.
"Elena are you sure?" He asked as he looked down at his lap embarrassed.
She giggled and nodded as she spoke, even though he wasn't looking at her.
"Of course. I've already eaten my fill. I came straight down here and there wasn't much so I grabbed a extra plate just in case you didn't make it in time."
She sat down beside him and patted his knee. "Eat James. We have no time to spare."
James nodded and took his fork and dug into the juicy looking eggs. They were heavenly as they entered his mouth and so was the bacon he tried afterwards. He was thankful she was so caring as thoughtful.
"Thank you so much Elena. I owe you big time."
Her eyebrow raised itself and she beamed at him," oh really?"
He managed to mumble "mmhmm" through his mouthful of bacon and eggs.
"I'll hold you to it champ." She said with a playful tone in her voice.
James continued to ravage his plate, devouring his eggs within the blink of an eye.
His bacon didn't stand a chance either as his hand ripped it up and into his mouth it went noisily.
As he finished he wiped his mouth and Elena patted his back and turned to the door.
"It's time to go. We have a long way to go", she said as she started to walk away to the door.
As James got up, he saw her move through the door and taking a deep breath, also made his way to the outside world.
Suddenly a scream rang out.
That sounded like Elena! He said in his mind. What the.... He took off running and when he appeared outside, he saw Elena surrounded by armed soldiers.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?", Elena asked as she stared at the men.
She caught a glance of James and motioned for him quickly but before he could make it they closed in and proceeded to hit Elena repeatedly, James screaming as he charged.
Elena had fallen to the ground as he made it, finally, to the men.
"STOP IT!!!" he yelled as he swung wildly, connecting with a few jaws before he fell to the ground.
He could feel his warm blood running down his head, puddling on the ground.
"E....Ele.....na", he said as he fell to the ground in pain. Not able to speak another word, some of the men turned and started to mercilessly beat him. He was helpless as Elena continued to be assaulted.
Her groans of pain ringing out loudly. She had no idea why they had come or what possessed them to start beating her mercilessly. She had done nothing at all except be in this town. Screaming out James' name, she looked around for him.
That's when she saw him lying on the ground, bleeding and groaning in pain. How dare they hurt him, he was innocent. All he did was try to help an innocent girl.
Rage started to fill her body, her mind clouding fast.
Suddenly she felt no pain and everything seemed to melt away.
Her eyes closer slowly and a warm engulfed her. A voice came to her mind.
"Do you want to save the boy?"
"Y-yes",she said softly.
"Then you must fight. You must remember who you are. Your true identity will save this boy and this world."
A sudden chill hit her as if she was submerged in ice.
"This world is in a disastrous state, the Elves are in unrest and plan to seize the remaining kingdoms of Sarna. A great evil from the past controls their minds. "
"A great evil.... What are you talking about?"
" The Elemental 5 have returned and must be stopped"
"No....they can't.... They were warriors from the Thousand Years War. That was four thousand years ago and they were sealed away at the final battle."
"The were but a force powerful enough has awaken them. A descendent of the Elemental 5's strongest, Salazar, learned of his bloodline. He searched for them and has returned them to this world."
Her face showed her fear. How did this relate to her. She was just a Kitsune, nothing special.
"Who am i?", she begged.
"You will discover that in time Elena. Take your new power, save the boy and embark on this mythical journey. Things will be revealed in time and maybe the world will learn of things long forgotten."
She shivered and stuttered," Y-y-you don't mean the...."
She waited but no answer came, the voice was gone.
Dammit she thought
Out of nowhere another chill hit her and her eyes shot open.
James watched as she continued to be ganged up on. He had to do something. He groaned in pain and started to crawl toward them but before he made it something hit him, blowing him back against a wall. As he sit there, he looked to the men but they weren't kicking or punching Elena. She seemed to be standing now and the soldiers seemed angry.
One soldier charged and raised his sword and swung but before it made eye contact a voice shouted, " Freezing Breath!" and James saw the soldier fall down frozen.
What's going on? Who did that? He asked himself.
Two more soldiers charged at Elena and he saw Elena bend at the knees,as if squatting, and close her eyes.
Suddenly it was apparent who had spoken earlier.
Elena?!? James shouted in his mind.
"Elena!?!" He screamed out loud but it was as if she didn't hear him at all "Fox Freeze!"
As she finished, a huge wall of ice formed in front of her. Her arm moved back then ahead, the wall shot forward, engulfing three soldier, then disappeared leaving behind their frozen, lifeless bodies.
"Forget this. I'm not dying over some little girl", a soldier yelled as he ran followed by the remaining soldiers.
James followed them with his eyes and then turned back and saw Elena fall to her knees and pant hard.
Could she be? Powers like that haven't been seen since the Thousand Years War.
He slowly stood up and approached her, his head in agonizing pain. As he approached her he knelt down and placed a hand on her back.
"Elena? Are you okay?"
She huffed and puffed.
"What happened? Why are you hurt?" She asked curiously."Where did those guys go?"
James was stunned. Did she not remember anything.
"Elena you drove them away."
"Me??", she asked shocked.
"Yes. They were beating you down and I tried to stop them and got my head bashed in but I'm ok. Next thing I saw you were fighting them off."
She put her finger to her nose," hmm that's weird. All I remember is being mad cause they hurt you and then a voice came and an icy feeling."
"Is that all?"
She nodded.
Why didn't she remember? This was very odd but James shook it off and helped Elena to her feet and supported her. As he looked at her, he noticed her eyes were shining in a way.
"Yes James?" She asked as she smiled, looking back at him.
As she did, the glow faded from her eyes and seemed to returned to normal.
He shook his head and walked them back to the inn and paid for another night.
"You can't travel in this condition. Rest." He said when Elena protested.
He carried her up to her room and laid her down, covering her up.
"Sleep now. We will set out in the morning" he said gently before leaving and going to his own room.
As he went in and laid down, his mind was racing.
What was that and what had caused it? There is something more to her I'm sure of it. Surely she's not a..... No couldn't be. The last ones were said to have died shortly before the Thousand Years War, James thought to himself.
He laughed,rolled over and drifted off to sleep.