The Vordalyn 1

by Michael T Payne

  “I dare say that was a smidge more than seven.” Velen said leaning over and panting. Dracon too, was panting, out of breath, he burst out laughing. Once they had caught their breath, they began to examine the dead.

  “Their army was made up of mostly these creatures, my lord.” Velen pointed out.

  “Yes,” Dracon nodded as he poked around the bodies with his sword and foot, flipping them over one at a time, looking for Terrax, “These men here, created them. Do they look familiar to you?” Dracon used his sword to move the robes of the dead men around, looking for any type of insignia, there was writing, but Dracon didn’t recognize its origin.

  “No. I’ve not seen these men in any battle before today,” Velen answered, “Have you?” Dracon shook his head, no.

  “Maybe they were only at Terrax’s side, his personal guard-,” A loud screech interrupted Dracon. Then, from a darkened corner of the cavern, fell a creature to the ground, in a loud thud and then an eerily human gasp. Dracon and Velen quickly took a defensive posture. They glanced at each other, then began moving toward the area where the creature had fallen. It was behind a cluster of stalagmites. Dracon motioned Velen around one side, while he moved around the other. They were both ready to kill whatever the creature was they came upon. They rounded the edges at the same time and the fallen creature crawled to Dracon, quicker than he could react, grabbing him around his ankles, curling itself around his feet. Dracon raised his sword over his head and before he could bring it down to end the creature’s life, it spoke.

  “Mercy!” It begged. It wasn’t attacking him. It clung to his ankles, begging him in a squeaking, crying voice. “Mercy!” Dracon paused, surprised to hear a voice from the unrecognizable creature.

  “Do it, my lord, quickly! Dracon, kill it!” Velen yelled, readying his own sword to do it if his lord could not.

  “Mercy!” It begged, squeezing Dracon’s leg tighter at Velen’s thirst for its blood. Dracon put his hand out to stop Velen from attacking the creature. It’s cry for mercy touched Dracon, never had he heard such a thing. A strange creature, begging for its life? They both looked down at the humanoid creature that was once some kind of harpy. It was still changing and they both could see it was caught between forms.

  “Kill it, my lord!” Velen pleaded, “Before it finishes changing! Who knows what other creatures those dark servants of Terrax called forth!” Dracon examined it more closely. It cried, weeping like a human, squeezing Dracon’s feet all the tighter, in fear of Velen. The longer he waited, the more human it became, and the less his resolve to do it any harm. Dracon crouched down, and when it was done transforming, it was a young woman, naked, bleeding, a wound on her stomach and begging him for mercy. Velen looked on in awe. He was speechless. The creature, now a young woman, looked up at Dracon, pawing at his leg, trying desperately to grab him with all her might for help. Her hair was thick and black, and her skin was pale, almost like milk.

  “Mercy.” She could only whisper, her strength fading. Dracon sheathed his sword and scooped the near dead woman up, his will to kill her gone completely. Velen followed Dracon, he stopped protesting. His lord had made his decision. They took the creature, now an unconscious woman, back to their camp. When they entered camp, the warriors rushed to Dracon to see what he held in his arms. He set the woman down, bloody and dying.

  “What’s this? What happened?” Satana helped Dracon lay the woman down on some bedding. She looked up at another warrior and ordered him to bring water and her saddle bags.

  “It was Terrax, he did this!” Velen spoke first, “We found them in a cave with this creature, fighting.” Satana stopped what she was doing, then sat back on her heels a minute, eye-balling the naked woman before her.

  “I know you haven’t seen one like this before, Velen, but this is a woman, she just doesn’t have any clothes on. We aren’t creatures when we’re naked, ok?” Satana looked up at Velen smiling, the others began laughing as well. A warrior returned with water and handed Satana her saddle bag. She quickly went to work cleaning the wound. Dracon stood and motioned Velen over to him, then spoke to the group.

  “We came upon Terrax in a cave, I’d wager after that skirmish he’s no longer there.” He said to the group. “I want the rest of you to go pick up his trail, we will be with you shortly.” He grabbed Velen, “Lead them back to the cave, search the area, keep what happened there with her, between us for now.”

  “Yes, my lord,” Velen nodded then commanded, “Alright, let’s move.” They moved out quickly, mounting their horses and rushing off, following Velen to the cave.

  “They aren’t trackers, my lord. You know they won’t find anything without me.” Satana said, tending to the young woman’s wounds.

  “And she’ll die without your help. They’ll stumble upon a trail faster than healing this girl,” Dracon knelt beside them, “How is she? Will she live?”

  “I can’t say, she’s weak. The wound is deep. Her arm is broken, and she is starving to death.” Satana shook her head during her assessment.

  “How can you tell that she’s starving?” Dracon asked inspecting the woman.

  “Look at her, she’s skin and bones. She could probably use as much water as we can force down her throat, too.” Satana pulled a blanket from her saddle bags, “My lord, what were they doing to her?”

  “I don’t know, but she gave as good as she got, I can tell you that much.” Dracon smirked.

  “Well, we can make her comfortable, but we have to leave her,” Satana said standing with her hands on her hips, “She won’t survive being dragged along with us, it’ll rip her open, she’ll die for sure. We’ll leave her food and water, maybe put her closer to the waterfall and give her the best chance to survive out here.” Dracon nodded, then walked to his horse, getting it ready.

  “Mercy,” The woman said as she came to. Satana knelt next to her and started to give her water. The mysterious woman pushed it away spilling it, “Mercy,” she looked around and rolled to her belly, trying to crawl toward Dracon. He hurried over as Satana sought to stop her from ripping off the bandages she applied, “Mercy,” She struggled to say.

  “Try to stay still.” Satana said trying to settle her down. Dracon knelt to the woman.

  “Go get her more water,” Dracon ordered. Satana went to the waterfall to get more water. The woman crawled on Dracon, grabbing his arms for support. “Easy,” he said, “Calm yourself.” Dracon let her climb on him a little, then suddenly, with a quickness and strength she lacked seconds ago, she was on him, like a snake, wrapping her legs around his waist, biting deep into his neck with a supernatural speed. Dracon was instantly incapacitated by her bite. It was painless, euphoric even. His eyes rolled back in his head from the pleasure of it, then suddenly he was far away, home again, in the halls of Urixis, while his mother and Menina were settling petty squabbles among the merchants. He watched as Queen Ayana suddenly screamed out and the palace shook. Time froze for all but Queen Ayana and Dracon watching on. He watched his mother drag King Treska home, washing his body, preparing him for burial, all the while talking to him, professing her undying love for him. Then Queen Ayana looked directly at Dracon and spoke to him, “Do you see? Do you see what it is to be king? The sacrifice you must make for your people?” she said, “In all your might, you could not save my love from death, and because of it, I too am doomed to the same fate,” She cried and put her face in King Treska’s chest. She looked over at her son, “You killed my king! I curse the day you were born!” It was as real to him as if he were there. Dracon suddenly regained consciousness, a sadness returned with him for his mother, and a shame from her words to him that shook him to his core. The woman from the cave was no longer on top of him, biting his neck. His vision slowly cleared, he could hear fighting. It was Satana.

  Satana returned to see the woman latched on Dracon’s neck, while he was unconscious. She drew her blade and attacked, but the woman was no longer wounded, or weak. She evaded each of Satana’s blows wit
h a supernatural speed and skill. Satana knew she was no ordinary woman.

  “What are you?” She asked and lunged forward with her sword in one hand, while her other hand reached at her lower back, retrieving a dagger she then expertly threw at the naked woman. The woman dodged the sword and caught Satana’s dagger by the hilt, which she returned immediately, tossing it at Satana’s feet.

  “I don’t want to hurt you!” She said to Satana as the two women circled each other.

  “It’ll take a lot more than a naked witch to hurt me.” Satana quickly knelt and retrieved her dagger, her sword still aimed at the naked woman. She had no weapon and even though she captured Satana’s dagger, she returned it. It made Satana curious, but still, she had attacked her king and must be killed.

  “I am not a human witch,” She said, “I tell you again, I do not wish you any harm.” Satana spotted Dracon moving around behind the woman.

  “You are the only one who will be hurt!” Satana whirled her sword around her in a display of mastery over her weapon, flashing the side of her blade to catch to sun as she whirled it in circles around her, causing the light to flash in the woman’s eyes. She lunged forward, feigning an attack that caused the woman to step back. Dracon was upon her from behind, before she knew what was happening. He brought her to her knees, with his blade at her throat.

  “What are you?” He growled in her ear.

  “My lord,” She said putting her hands out for him to see she meant no harm, “Have mercy.”

  “I’ve heard that song before, witch! I won’t fall for it a second time!” He readied himself to cut her throat, he held her tightly against him from behind.

  “Please hear me, my lord.” She backed away from the blade, pushing tighter against Dracon.

  “Mercy, you say? no harm, you say? All the while planning your attack on me!” Dracon growled. Satana rushed closer, so that she too was in striking distance of the woman.

  “I gave you a gift. My life is yours, Lord Dracon, my life is yours,” She pleaded, “I give it to you freely. Take it if you must.” Dracon paused looking over at Satana.

  “She was sucking on your neck, when I came back with the water.” Satana snarled.

  “No, I gave you a gift, it was only a gift. It was not an attack, I swear to you!” She pleaded slipping to her knees. Dracon let her go, allowing her to fall to the ground.

  “Tell me, what gift did I receive by your attack? Was it the vision I saw?” Dracon asked walking around to face her, standing next to Satana, who examined Dracon’s neck.

  “There’s no wound, my lord.” Satana pointed out. Dracon grabbed his neck, then looked at his fingers, “You saw a vision?” Satana asked Dracon.

  “No, no, my lord. It was more than just that,” The woman said from her knees. She crawled to Dracon’s feet. He raised his sword again. She knelt up to him, tilted her head back, exposing her neck, “One moment, and if it is not as I say, take my life.” She said tilting her head back further, offering her neck to his sword.

  “What did you do to me?” Dracon lowered his sword and waved Satana off. Satana wasn’t sure what to do. She lowered her sword but was still ready to strike. Dracon however, sheathed his sword, satisfied she was no longer a threat to them.

  The woman looked at Satana, “Try to cut him.” Satana laughed at her request.

  “You want me to do your work for you?” Satana asked laughing and glancing at Dracon and her preposterous request.

  “His hand, try to pierce his skin,” She looked at Dracon still exposing her neck to him, “Please my lord, give me at least one chance to prove myself to you. I would not harm you.”

  “You sure know how to beg, I just don’t know how sincere you are?” Dracon glanced at Satana and gave her a nod, then removed his gauntlet. He held his hand out to Satana, “Go ahead, do it.” He returned his gaze to the woman, meeting her eyes.

  “Really?” Satana took a moment, looking at Dracon, then to the woman, then back to Dracon, who nodded for her to continue. “Ok?” She said then put her dagger in his hand and sliced it across his open palm. She winced as she did it. Dracon made no move whatsoever. His palm was unblemished, uncut. Satana looked at it, then immediately sliced his palm again, even harder. Nothing. Satana flipped the dagger in her hand and stabbed his palm with its point instead. Dracon jerked his hand back.

  “Hey!” he said then looked at his palm, then angrily back at Satana. His palm was unharmed. Satana shrugged with a smirk. “What is this sorcery?” Dracon asked the woman on her knees.

  “A gift my lord, please, continue to show me your mercy, and I will serve you forever,” She threw herself at his feet again, “Please.” She begged. Dracon looked at Satana, who narrowed her eyes back at him, wondering what he intended to do with this beautiful naked woman at his feet. She did, after all, try to kill him, to Satana’s eyes.

  “I suppose… I am not hurt, there’s no reason to kill her,” He reasoned to Satana, she rolled her eyes at him, unhappy with his choice, “Get her something to wear.” Dracon said looking down at the groveling woman, “Get up.” He said. She slowly stood, looking up into his eyes. Dracon looked her over as Satana gathered blankets and loose garments for her to wear. She was beautiful, her form was very attractive to Dracon. She did not cover herself and let him look at her naked body without any shame. She watched his eyes as he examined her body, she could see she was pleasing to him. Satana threw a blanket over her, startling Dracon, causing him to stop ogling her. “Bind her.” He said and Satana wasted no time following his orders, tying her hands in front of her.

  “I will serve you, Lord Dracon.” She said yet again, calmly, still looking at him, with the slightest hint of a smile, satisfied that her form pleased him.

  “Yes, I heard you,” Dracon felt flushed, she was very seductive, “You look… better.” He said looking away from her gaze.

  “Yes, my lord. You healed me.” She said and squatted straight down, taking a seat on the ground at his feet, looking up at him.

  “Is that what your gift cost me?” He asked, looking at her again, she was beautiful. Dracon wondered of this was even her true form, or a defense mechanism to protect herself from him, making herself so attractive to his eyes. In any case he was distracted by her beauty.

  “Yes, my lord. I traded you for my life, a gift. I needed to taste your life to live, to heal myself. In return, I gave you this gift.” She said getting comfortable. Dracon considered what she said, a gift, what was the full extent of this gift and what would it truly cost him? It was unnerving. He could hardly trust her word, a creature one moment, a beautiful woman the next?

  “You killed those men in the cave, you were a creature when we first saw you?” Dracon asked, “What are you, truly?”

  “Yes, my lord, I did, and I was. I can change forms. I am no witch.” She said putting her chin up proudly. It made Dracon smirk and glance at Satana, who also smirked. She was very proud of herself.

  “What are you?” Satana asked.

  “The people of these lands, they call me a Kina, my lord. But the true name of my kind is unknown to me, I just am as I am.” She answered looking back at Dracon.

  “Kina? I’ve never heard that term before.” Dracon said looking at Satana who shrugged.

  “What is a Kina?” Satana asked, getting her attention again.

  “We are a people, not unlike you and yours, my lord.” She said looking away from Satana slowly, back to Dracon, “I had parents once, they died when I was but a child, I hide in caves, like the one you found me in. Humans hunt me, I have to hide from them.”

  “My people cannot change forms, like you can. Nor do we need to suck on another’s neck to heal ourselves. We use bandages and such.” Dracon said motioning to her wound that Satana had tended to, “Well, what am I to do with you, Kina?” He asked, “I am in the middle of something, if you didn’t notice.” Dracon glanced at Satana who was nodding, “Those who you battled in that cave, I hunt them.”

  “I will
serve you. You have healed me. I am your servant, evermore.” She said.

  “What do you want, Kina?” Satana asked pacing anxiously. She wanted to get rid of this ‘Kina’ and be on their way, after Terrax, she was growing tired of this back and forth.

  “My name is Venalina!” She snapped, glaring at Satana.

  “What do you want, Venalina?” Satana asked immediately, in a growl.

  “You saved me, my lord, I promised you, I will serve you for my lifetime.” Venalina said looking back to Dracon.

  “How long does this last?” Dracon asked holding out his arm.

  “As long as you live, my lord.” Venalina bowed her head, “Your armor is no longer necessary.”

  “I think I might keep my own counsel on that, for now.” Dracon smirked. Dracon’s men returned in a loud rush of hoofbeats. Velen dismounted and stood before Dracon. Satana went to Dracon’s side to join them. Velen looked at Venalina a moment, then returned to his task at hand.

  “We have him, my lord. He is on foot and out in the open, he has nowhere to hide.” Velen stood tall, proud he was able to give Lord Dracon the good news.

  “Mount up, we ride!” Dracon made for his horse.

  “My lord, what of… it?” Satana asked pointing at Venalina, making the Kina cringe at Satana calling her an it.

  From atop his horse, Dracon motioned for Satana to cut Venalina free, “I thank you, Kina, and you are welcome. Think fondly on this day, remember Dracon of Ganlin in a favorable light, you are free to go.” Satana untied her, and mounted her own horse, as Dracon sped off. Satana and the Kina, stared at each other, both sizing the other up, then Satana sped off after her king. Venalina watched the squad leave her alone, there in the forest.