Part 13 (1/2)

Behind you, Caela sent. She sounded very pleased about something.

Behind me? Simon thought. The Gate?

A chain-wrapped arm reached out from the Gate and caught the a.s.sa.s.sin's descending claw.

”They spoke to me,” Kai said. He sounded on the verge of tears. ”My lovely little ones. It has been far too long.”

Simon all but collapsed backwards, looking up at Kai. Simon's master looked down at him, his white hair hanging down and concealing his eyes.

Kai smiled. ”They spoke to me again,” he told Simon.

”I'm happy for you, sir,” Simon said. He wasn't sure what else to say. Denner had told him that Kai didn't have the Nye essence, so Simon couldn't see any way for his master to win against the two remaining Gar'rosh.

And yet, the sight of Kai rea.s.sured him. Kai would handle it.

The a.s.sa.s.sin in red was still scrabbling at Kai's hand, trying to break his grip. He slashed at Kai's wrist with his other claw, but for some reason he couldn't penetrate Kai's skin. That was probably one of the Valinhall powers that Simon didn't have, yet.

”Where's Azura?” Kai asked. Simon tried to get to his feet, but a stabbing pain in his calf told him that one of the lizard-men had slashed him in the leg. He didn't remember that.

Simon stayed on the floor, gesturing over to the side where Azura lay on the tiles.

Kai released the a.s.sa.s.sin's wrist, letting it stumble backward. Then he walked over and s.n.a.t.c.hed Azura up from the floor. He ran the palm of his hand carefully up the back of the blade.

”Azura,” Kai sighed. ”How I have missed you, my dear.”

The Gar'rosh in orange ran across the room toward Simon, both of its clawed hands extended. Simon lurched backwards, pus.h.i.+ng himself through the Gate and onto the wooden floor of Valinhall.

Look out, Kai, one of the dolls said. Simon didn't recognize her voice, but she sounded exasperated.

From the other side of the Gate, Simon watched as Azura's gleaming blade reached toward the orange Gar'rosh. The a.s.sa.s.sin twisted to block the strike with its claws, but Kai swung with enough force to toss the lizard to one side.

The Gate had stayed the same size while Simon held Azura, but now that the Dragon's Fang was in Kai's hand, the portal began to shrink. Apparently, only a full Traveler could hold a Valinhall Gate open, and only with his a.s.signed Dragon's Fang. There were so many rules that Simon still didn't know, but he was starting to figure a few out.

Kai strode into view, standing in the dead center of the room. He held Azura in one hand, angled carefully for attack.

”Pay close attention, little mouse,” Kai called to Simon, in his typical singsong voice.

Simon watched through the Gate as one Gar'rosh came at Kai in a blur of red, and the other came from the other side in a blur of orange.

In response, Kai proved exactly how much Simon still had to learn.

Kai met the red lizard's attack with Azura's edge, still managing to sweep one leg to the side and trip the orange-robed Gar'rosh. Then he spun Azura back at the red-robed lizard, driving him back, keeping him on the defensive, twisting back every once in a while to nick the orange-robed Gar'rosh with Azura's edge.

Simon could barely understand what he was seeing. Though both of the Gar'rosh were far faster than Kai, the white-haired swordsman seemed to know exactly where they were going to be and what they would try to do. When they attacked, he dodged, or else met them with Azura's point. He seemed to attack one or the other a.s.sa.s.sin constantly, never allowing both lizard-men a chance to go on the offensive together. With only occasional input from the dolls, Kai remained untouched.

I have a long way to go, Simon thought.

Don't let it bother you, Simon, Caela said. You have time. Besides, at least you're not a creepy hermit.

”I heard that,” Kai sang out. Azura took a slice out of red, pebbled skin.

”You are a murderer yourself,” the red-robed Gar'rosh snarled. ”And you stand in the way of justice!”

”An excellent argument,” Kai said. ”Here's my counterpoint.” He spun around and stabbed the orange Gar'rosh in the throat.

Strangely thick, dark blood gurgled as it flowed from the dead a.s.sa.s.sin's throat. The red-robed Gar'rosh roared, its yellow snake eyes gleaming, and threw itself at Kai.

Calmly, Kai stepped to one side and swept Azura up, from the floor to the ceiling.

The a.s.sa.s.sin fell to the tiles in two pieces.

”Predators from Naraka,” Kai said thoughtfully. ”I haven't seen those in a while. Ah, the beautiful memories of childhood.”

Kai started to walk to the Valinhall Gate, which had shrunk until he would have to duck to walk through it.

Not yet, Lilia said dreamily.

Kai sighed and turned around. Through the Gate, Simon couldn't see much of the room, but he could tell when the black-robed Gar'rosh*which had apparently survived a four-story fall*slipped through the window and threw itself at Kai, snarling.

Kai clubbed it on the skull with Azura's hilt, and it crumpled like a rag doll.

”Put up your toys when playtime is done,” Kai sang out.

What? Simon thought.

Don't ask us, Otoku sent. We don't know either.

Kai reversed Azura, holding it point-down, and then thrust the blade down. The black-robed Gar'rosh twitched once, and then was still.

”That was amazing, sir,” Simon said. ”Thank you.”

Kai waved that away. ”No time for that,” he said. ”We have real work to do. What have I told you about the Incarnations?” He ducked and slipped through the Gate, letting it continue to shrink behind him.

Simon finally managed to stand on his one good leg. ”Practically nothing.”

Kai c.o.c.ked his head for a moment before he nodded. ”Yes, that sounds like me. Have you learned anything on your own?”

In truth, he had tried, but no one seemed to be willing to talk about them. At least, not to him.

”I haven't learned much,” Simon admitted. ”The Grandmasters were talking about them*”

”I should hope they were,” Kai interrupted. ”One of the Incarnations has escaped, and we need to put it down.”

”Which Territory is it from?” Simon asked.

Kai gave him a surprised look. ”Why do you think we have to deal with it? It's from Valinhall. The Valinhall Incarnation has escaped, and it's on a rampage.”