Part 36 (1/2)
”Speak, Christopher, or must I cut it from you?”
Christopher was dressed as Boyafed, wearing all black, except for a golden s.h.i.+rt. His cape also bore the Order's symbol. His bone-handled dagger was sheathed on his left hip and his blessed long sword hung on his right. His hair was long and pure white, and his eyes looked as if they were made of a fogged crystal with a gray pupil. Christopher's voice was strong, and his skill with the Order's blade was well-respected throughout Boyafed's army.
”A runner has returned from the spot where Dayden was found.” Christopher tossed Boyafed a dagger used by the white army.
Boyafed unsheathed the ivory-handled blade and lifted it to get a closer look. The mark on the blade was the same as the marks on the arrows. Boyafed's scream filled the hall. ”Dowd!”
Christopher waited only a moment. ”What are your orders?”
”Call for the council! I want them to be seated and ready for my arrival by Late Bailem!”
”Will that be all, My Liege?”
Boyafed's eyes sent chills down the future Argont Commander's spine. ”Unless you wish to be offered up to Hosseff, I'd get out of my sight!”
Christopher fled from the room.
Boyafed vanished.
A moment later, Marcus emerged from behind the statue of Hosseff, smiling. ”How interesting. Both councils shall convene tonight.” The Dark Chancellor disappeared.
Just South of Grogger's Swamp The morning had been unkind to the lands surrounding the swamp of Western Luvelles. Pebble-sized hail and earth-scarring strikes of electrical fury had punished the terrain. The forest took the brunt of the storm. The high winds had abused the evergreens, and the weakest of their branches broke and fell to the ground. Countless mud puddles were scattered along the dirt road following the tree line.
Shalee grit her teeth and moaned as she crawled along the road. The wound across her abdomen had left a trail for Kiayasis to follow. The once sporadic, speckled drops of blood were beginning to turn into smaller coin-shaped pools of saturated earth as her escape slowed. She had used her sweater to try to pack the wound, but nothing seemed to help. She was exhausted, and the loss of blood was making her weary. Her desire to live was beginning to be replaced by her desire to end the pain.
Kiayasis grinned as he stalked Shalee from a distance. He knew she was approaching the end of a valiant effort to run. He rubbed his hand across the blood-stained earth. ”You can't flee forever,” he whispered, ”Your life's source gives you away. It didn't have to end this way. I will miss you.” He rubbed the essence of her life between his fingertips and tasted it.
Shalee pulled herself off the road and into the forest. Her forearms were torn from the gravel that was embedded in her skin. Her teeth chattered as her body continued to lose heat. She managed to force herself into an upright position against a large stone.
The Knife of Spirits had made a clean cut. Yet again, she tried to use her magic to cauterize the wound, but failed. Why can't I use my power? Her mind screamed for answers, but none could be found. She closed her eyes and tried to teleport-nothing-there was no escape. I've got to get out of here. He's gonna kill me.
It was not long before Kiayasis stood above Shalee, looking down with eyes full of evil intent. He had changed, and he was now dressed in the Order's armor. ”You betrayed me. You tossed me aside as if I was no better than the slop trudgeboars eat.”
Shalee's voice was weak. ”I'm so sorry, Kiayasis. Please. I beg you to stop. I don't want to perish. What can I do to make you stop?”
”The moments for talking are over. You could've had a wonderful life with me. I was prepared to give up everything for you. I was sent here to end you, but as we traveled, I fell in love with you. I was going to let you live and start a new life together. We could've moved far away from my father's army.”
”I'm sorry, Kiayasis. Please, don't do this to me.”
The dark paladin unsheathed his blessed long sword, and then he lifted it toward the sky. ”Hosseff, accept this sacrifice as a token of my faithful service! My blade shall bathe in her life's source! I am yours, and as your child, I wish only to please you! You are wise and an almighty G.o.d!” He stomped his right foot. ”Blessed are the children of Hosseff!”
As Kiayasis lowered his blade, a voice from the side of the road called out. ”If it's a sacrifice you seek, come claim it!”
Shalee could not believe her ears. She struggled to focus and called out. ”Sam! Oh my goodness, is it really you? Help me!”
The King of Grayham was dressed in leather hunting clothes. He wore no armor, but Kael hung from his hip. His crown was missing and his hair was a mess from the high winds. The front of his s.h.i.+rt was tied halfway up, and his broad shoulders pulled the material apart, exposing his muscular chest.
Kiayasis laughed. ”How poetic! The King of Brandor has come to retrieve his wh.o.r.e! There's much you don't know about your wench! She has been a naughty girl! Do you wish to know-”
Sam spoke over Kiayasis as he entered the trees. ”Why does everyone talk when the moment to fight has come? Ready your weapon, and let's find out how strong the Order actually is!”
”What honor is there in fighting with blessed blades?” Kiayasis responded. Seeing the surprise on Sam's face, the dark paladin added, ”You didn't think I would know of your weapon. I have been informed of your skill. We will fight with daggers ... if you're man enough to accept the challenge.”
As Sam hung Kael on the branch of a nearby tree, Kiayasis lowered his sword to the ground. They each retrieved their daggers and engaged. An exchange of metal clanks and grunt-filled lunges filled the air. It was not long before Kiayasis' fist found its mark, leaving the king's lip split open.
Sam did not allow the punch to faze him. He grabbed the arm that was holding Kiayasis' dagger and then threw the paladin to the ground. Sam followed with a right knee that smashed into the dirt next to Kiayasis' head as the dark warrior narrowly rolled away and jumped to his feet.
Kiayasis nodded. ”Solid moves for a king. I'm going to enjoy this.”
”Again ... more talk,” Sam responded, ” and not enough fighting.”
Shalee managed to shout, ”Sam, he has-”
Kiayasis attacked to keep the king from hearing the rest of his queen's warning. Despite the dark paladin's stab being defended, Kiayasis spun to Sam's right and then buried his fist into Sam's kidney. The blow sent Sam falling forward, but the king regained his balance fast enough to defend a downward strike that was meant for his head.
Sam spun out from under the strike. As he did, he secured Kiayasis' arms and then rolled backward, pulling the paladin with him. He pushed with his legs and threw the dark warrior into the side of a tree. Kiayasis' plate armor made a loud thud against the bark as he fell in an awkward position on his shoulder. The dark warrior dropped his dagger.
Sam rolled to his feet and followed. The king stomped on Kiayasis' blade with his left foot, and then he smashed his right fist against the side of Kiayasis' face. Blood poured from Kiayasis' mouth as two of his upper teeth fell to the forest floor.
Sam grabbed Kiayasis' dagger, stuck it into the side of a tree and pushed sideways to snap the blade. He threw the bone handle to the ground and shouted, ”Get up and fight!”
Kiayasis stood, spit and then wiped the blood from his chin.
Again, Shalee tried to speak, but the dark warrior shouted above her, ”Shut up, woman!”
Kiayasis turned to face Sam. ”Does your queen always run her mouth so?”
Sam ignored Kiayasis' snide remark. The king untied his torn s.h.i.+rt and then took it off. With the garment clenched in one hand and his dagger in the other, he wiped the blood off of his lip as the clouds opened up, and the rain began to fall.
Shalee had never seen her husband look so intimidating. The rain was running down Sam's chest as the king studied Kiayasis' face. A moment later, he threw both his knife and his s.h.i.+rt to the ground. ”Now it's a fair fight,” Sam mocked, and then he cracked his own neck. ”I have no blade and no armor. Perhaps now you'll stand a chance.”
Without waiting for a response, Sam lunged for Kiayasis, motioning as if he was going to bring up his left knee.
The dark warrior reacted by lowering his arms to block the a.s.sault, but quickly realized the king's knee was just a decoy.
Sam pulled back his knee and delivered a right hand that pa.s.sed above the paladin's lowered arms. His knuckles landed flush against the bridge of Kiayasis' nose and sent the dark warrior falling onto the forest floor.
The king stopped his attack and allowed Kiayasis the moments he needed to recover. His voice was cold. ”You're not much of a warrior. I bet Boyafed would be sick to his stomach.”
Kiayasis stood and removed his hands away from his nose. The blood pouring down his face was so severe that every word he uttered was followed with a red spray. ”You don't know me, nor do you know my father!” Kiayasis argued. ”You know nothing of the Order!”
Without speaking another word, the dark paladin lifted his arms. Fire erupted from the palms of his hands, and flames engulfed Sam's body.
For a lengthy period of moments, the king could not be seen, and Sam's screams echoed throughout the forest. But as the flames faded, the king's screams were replaced by hysterical laughter.
Sam pointed at Kiayasis. The heat had not affected him at all, and even the hair that was covering his head remained unharmed.
Kiayasis muttered, ”How?”
Sam rushed in and delivered a series of punches and kicks that Kiayasis struggled to defend. The dark warrior's armor was enc.u.mbering, and the speed of the king was just too much to counter.