Luck Of The Claw - Episode 18.

- Episode 18 -

A strange scene unfolded before Mal and Trinity as they rounded the corner of the farm house. There, facing down a pair of oddly mismatched thugs was Camden and he was fighting for all he was worth. The taller of the two was slamming and swinging a club around savagely while his shorter partner grappled to grab Camden. It was amazing that these two had not yet managed to seize the brave boy who defied them like the swirling wind.

"He can't keep that up forever," Mal remarked, his tone was level and firm. He drew forth his sword and studied the fight before him, measuring for just the right moment. It never paid to charge in blind or you might actually cause more harm than good to who you sought to help. "I'll try to lend him a blade, you see if there is anything you can do as well."

Trinity didn't even get a chance to agree, or ask any number of the questions that leaped to mind at that plan. What was she supposed to do in a fight? But Mal was already stomping his was directly into the melee and she was left to think of something herself. Where Camden had been a whirlwind of instinct and reflex it was obvious that his strength couldn't last. Mal was a stark contrast, his movements were fluid and he parried with a strategic skill. It was like watching a chess master demonstrating himself, he somehow even seemed to be able to predict Camden's almost random movements.

Witnessing Mal in his own element was truly a sight to behold. Trinity had never seen anyone who seemed to be able to fight like that and this old man wore no armor and wielded not one item of magic. How did she know that? The question rang a bell within her mind, it brought her back to her senses and allowed her to focus. Mal had told her that only she could look to the book for help.

And she really could use some help right now. Trinity closed her eyes and seized on that thought riding it down to a calm place inside where she tried to concentrate on it. "Please, I cannot let them take him," she compelled the empty air for aid. "I can't let him be hurt, he's my little brother - he is all I have."

A single tear formed to roll down her cheek as Trinity's mind wrestled to think of anything. While she watched on Camden barely managed to throw his left arm in the way of Cobble's face to stun a desperate charge and halt what would have been a crushing tackle. There was no more thinking about what to do, no more helpless worry left for Trinity. She opened the book and her necessity transformed into action as pages ruffled of their own accord. Words danced to life on the page like leaves falling from trees and caught on a breeze. Trinity could hear them whispered into her ears as she felt them flow out of her carried upon her voice.

It was the most beautiful song she had ever heard, the melody of it lifted her up and washed through her while a single purpose drove her. She could not allow them to hurt her brother or take him from her. Trinity refused to be separated from Camden, it was something she had always feared. The magic had given form to that desire and shaped it into life. Answering to her call was the very wind itself that blasted to life to rush past her as it delighted in her song.

Camden was breathing hard from behind Mal who stood resolute with his guard raised in the boy's defense. Thatch and Cobble were preparing for another assault when a column of air swept around their foes to slam into them. It was like a massive sledge hammer had connected with them square in the chest, driving their breath from them and propelling them backwards. If not for a rather thick trunk of an old tree the two might have been carried far off into the distance. Instead, Trinity could just make out two figures as they struggled against the force of the wind to get to their feet before fleeing.

With the threat to her brother gone she could feel the driving force fueling her song leave her. And as it did a terrible exhaustion rose to grip her turning the world around her into darkness. Relieved, a smile marked her face as Trinity collapsed to the ground still clutching her book. Without her doing so, it had managed to become closed.

Too tired to think Camden let his legs lower him down to the ground. There would be time for someone to explain what had just happened to him later he figured. But for Mal, he now found himself even more worried about the Vault.