“You thought thee could escape me you filthy Shadowkin!? Well, you shalt not harm anyone anymore!”

A short black-haired man with freckles was wielding a warhammer pointing at Navien. He wore silver armor with a white and yellow mantle and pinning it was the ‘Order of Lightway’ insignia. 

The Order of Lightway was a southwestern-based faction of Elgicin that had spread out across the continent. They believed that it was their sole duty as bringers of light to burn away all the monstrous scum of the world and make the canyons safe for society, but their ideals of ‘monstrous scum’ were rather muddled. One of their main targets was who they called, the ‘Shadowkin’. The original denizens of the Deep-under that had lived in the canyons when they were just tunnels underneath the earth. 

Many atrocities by the Order of Lightway had been committed against the Underdwellers in the years after the scorning. including genocides, massacres, invasions, and others. Among these victims were the Chasm Gnomes, the dark dwarves, and the dark elves, like Navien. The Order could get away with many of these atrocities in Tsirern their home kingdom but they still had to obey the law in the other kingdoms, especially Halvala as they were at war with Tsirern.

“Now unhand this poor maiden you foul darkling!” He shouted as he menacingly approached the two.

“I’m afraid there has been a misunderstanding, this here is Navien, a friend of mine. He has not captured or kidnapped me and I am not in distress so you don't need to threaten him,” Lilika explained to the soldier.

“Don’t try to plead for him, he is filth and must be curred,” the soldier sent back.

“Well besides that do you have any real reason to attack him? Because if not, you are wasting our time and breaking Halvala law.” She replied impatiently, she had lost her evening and was now being yelled at by a stranger.

“Being from darkness is reason enough,” The soldier said as he muscled past her and reached out to grab Navien.

A hand sped out and grabbed his arm tightly, almost bruising it. The soldier looked to his side to see Lilika glaring at him with rage, her eyes burning.

“With that reasoning, being from Tsirern is reason enough to kick your ass!” Lilika growled as she wrung his arm.

He flinched from surprise and took a step back as she let go of his arm. Frightened, he shouted back as he walked away,

“Y-yeah well light transcends borders and mortal conflicts! If he continues interfering in the good business of this city he’ll have to deal with me, Damien Havic!” As Damien scampered off back into the main causeway Lilika felt the guilt wash over her.

As the adrenaline from the argument subsided she looked down and frowned. She’d snapped, she should’ve resolved the situation peacefully, sure it worked and sure Damien deserved it but no one liked a foul temper. Navien was probably disgusted by her now.

“Wow, thanks! You managed to scare him off! You’re pretty tough,” Navien observed.

“Oh no, I shouldn’t have snapped like that. He's probably more angry at you now. It was irresponsible of me,” Lilika tried to apologize.

“That’s fine I can be pretty irresponsible too, but if it hadn’t been for you I would probably be beat like dough in some alleyway. If you ever need a favor I’m staying at the Sleepy Lyre Inn!” Navien yelled back as he left.

Lilika sighed and smiled a bit as she headed to the local woods south to pick up her family from their meeting with the carvers guild.