The Anari

by Adrianna J Tetnowski

  “Distretia can go fuck herself.”

  And that was all it took to set Kanra roaring.

  55 –

  Ariadna

  If it were not because Preeya was being held captive and ready to be sacrificed, Ariadna would have easily made a joke about the wild party which seemed to be going on down in that cave of horrors. From where the three of them stood at the top of the staircase, leading down into the belly of the castle, they could hear the pounding of drums and people whooping.

  Troian looked down at the floor and let out a quiet gasp. “Look.” he said to the others. The same blue smoke he had seen before, during his dreamlike state, curled around their ankles like it had done to his before and he could feel it tugging at him to make his way down to the cave. Ariadna headed down the stairs first. She guessed there was nowhere else to go but down and her fear of what had already happened to Preeya overshadowed that of what was waiting for them below. Her memories of the place were vague, thanks to whatever drugs Kanra seemed to have given her, and she was glad – the last thing she wanted was to remember any of her time here too clearly. She too felt the blue smoke seep through her leather boots and it was like ice, making her shudder the deeper she and her companions went.

  Troian pressed a hand against the small of her back and when Ariadna looked over at him, he put a finger to his lips and pulled her towards the same boulder he had hidden behind before; making sure Artus had followed them both safely.

  “There are so many of them.” Artus said under his breath.

  Atop the elevated island within the cave, Kanra was finishing his chant. He stood before a heavy stone slab, surrounded by priests in similar robes as him and the trios’ gaze followed his as they looked to a bound Preeya who struggled in the leather cuffs holding her down.

  “Kanra’s mine. You both handle the men, we have no time to think about it.” Ariadna hissed and then she was off, swift like a shadow.

  The priests were the first to notice the uninvited guests, and they spread out like wildfire, hoping to avoid being slaughtered first by the furious assassin and her companions.

  “Ari!” Preeya screamed, once having noticed a blur of silver hair flying up the steps of the island.

  Kanra wasted no more time. He drove his dagger towards Preeya’s belly but, the assassin’s blade caught his own just in time and she parried the blow away. Kanra stumbled at the impact and his feet caught in his thick robes, sending him sprawling after some time.

  “Oh, Ari. Thank the gods!” Preeya sobbed. She writhed in her bonds again, begging to be cut loose. The priestess felt sick; as expected from someone who had nearly been sacrificed to some demonic god. Her cheeks were soaking wet from her tears and she was overcome with relief. But any thoughts of safety came too early as she looked past Ariadna’s shoulder and let out a scream. “Behind you!”

  Ariadna turned, bringing her sword up against Kanra’s as he tried to sneak attack her. She forced her foot into his gut and, in his rage, Kanra so foolishly allowed himself to stumble again.

  “Disgraced whore.” he screamed at her. Kanra pulled his robe off in one sweeping motion, revealing a set of his own fighting leathers. He had really prepared himself for the worst-case scenario. Kanra reached for a sword of his own, which he had kept hanging below the pit still roaring with the great fire his priests had built up for him. How I want to throw her into the fire and burn her alive, he thought to himself. Kanra tugged his sword loose and charged Ariadna before she could cut his priestess loose. “The priestess has already been presented to my gods. I intend to deliver what has been promised.” Kanra spat.

  Ariadna had no interest in his attempts to throw her off her task. She would not let her sister die at the end of his blade.

  Around them both, Troian and Artus had already done a fine job of slaughtering a handful of the Skull Dancers. One of the dark figures, armed with but a drum and a pair of batons, swung at Artus in a furious combination of messy strikes. The young mercenary slid his sword against the dancer’s belly and he flew a few steps back in time to avoid dirtying his boots with the blood pouring from his enemy’s wound. One look at Preeya struggling was enough to send Artus into a fit of rage.

  Ariadna did not think to pay attention to the others. As Kanra’s weapon came down on her, she rushed past his blow and rammed her shoulder into his chest. She sent him stumbling back and away from Preeya.

  The Dictator roared again and raised his sword in the air, cursing at Ariadna as he did. When he swung the blade down at her again, he only grew more furious as Ariadna swept past each blow like a shadow. He was impressed by her speed but, Kanra knew the assassin’s strength was no match to his own.

  Ariadna unsheathed a dagger from her boot and as she dropped to her knees, the cool whooshing of Kanra’s blade just kissing her cheeks as she dodged it, she did not waste time in digging her blade into the dictator’s side.

  Kanra howled at the pain.

  The heat of the fire still blazing was slowly becoming overbearing and Ariadna could feel herself sweating beneath her fighting leathers. But she liked to think if she had managed to kill Kadira, with or without the help of the others, then she could send Kanra to meet the same fate.

  “You will suffer for Kadira’s murder.” the dictator’s words sounded more like a promise than a mere threat. He did not fool around and, whilst Kanra did enjoy taunting his victim for the purpose of his own amusement, he had found nothing more than a true enemy in Ariadna. The wound in his side throbbed but, it only seemed to make him angrier. For someone who enjoyed spilling blood so much, he did not seem able to take losing some of his own in return.

  Now where’s the fun in that? Ariadna thought very briefly to herself. She sent her foot lashing out at Kanra and when she succeeded in hooking it around his ankle, Ariadna gave him a hard tug and he went dropping to the floor again. With the bastard down again, she turned her sights to Preeya and cutting her loose within whatever time she had just bought herself. The assassin kept her sword out; she knew Troian and Artus were doing well for themselves and judging by the sound of drums now dying, the Skull Dancers and their priests were dying one by one at the end of their blades.

  Preeya craned her neck up to watch Ariadna approach and her eyes widened.

  The assassin heard the heavy press of Kanra’s feet before Preeya even had to scream a word. She let out a roar herself and spun around to meet her predator again – Ariadna had had quite enough of this! Yet she knew that as for Kanra, he was only just getting started.

  56 –

  Troian

  The sound of swords clashing against each other rung out into the open space of the cave. Half-dead prisoners still strung up on the walls watched with growing hope that once their captor was dead, they would be set free of their chains and rescued along with the remaining priestess. Some liked to believe it would happen, whilst others did not waste a single thought on such an idea; feeling rather content to just die here.

  As selfish as it may have sounded, Ariadna had not come here for some prisoners. She and the mercenaries had only two objectives on their mind – rescue Preeya and get out of Vhorgo alive. Both of them seemed as difficult as the other.

  “Artus.” Troian called out; his sword was buried deep into the stomach of a Skull Dancer and it took a tremendous amount of effort for Troian to push him off. He ignored the squelching of the man’s flesh as he slid off the blade and dropped to the floor.

  Hearing his name was all Artus needed to know about the sudden change in plans. He had to cut Preeya loose, whilst Troian rushed to the assassin’s aid against Kanra. He flew up the steps of the elevated island, his heart beating fast against his chest. Artus felt sick, like he needed to lie down or else he would faint – but Preeya’s life was in danger and as were theirs, now.

  Ariadna felt her heel catch on a heavy rock which had fallen from the ceiling of the cave and it was her turn to go flying back, hitting the ground hard. As she landed, she looked up in time to find
Kanra bringing his sword down against her. A sword not of her own met the Dictator’s and Troian appeared over her, sending his foot into Kanra’s gut; giving Ariadna enough time to find her feet and launch herself back into the attack.

  Now two versus one, the odds should have been against Kanra but, he fought with inhuman strength and his size did nothing to benefit his opponents.

  Artus was close, his gaze fixed on Preeya as he staggered up the stairs. The fight had already started taking its toll on them all and each participant felt their bodies beginning to sag with exhaustion. A burst of pain shot through Artus’ body long before he had even noticed what had happened. First, he was rushing towards Preeya, next he was crushed beneath the unconscious body of his brother-in-arms. Artus choked on a curse and shoved Troian off him, allowing himself a precious moment to roll his body over and check the mercenary’s pulse.

  Thank the gods, Artus thought once having found Troian was still breathing but, bleeding badly. He pressed his hand against Troian’s head in a poor attempt to stop the wound from gushing out too much blood. Then Artus was on his feet again and running towards his beloved Preeya again.

  Ariadna found her strength fleeing her quickly. With Troian unconscious and Artus desperately trying to free their companion, she was left to face the Dictator alone again. Her sword flashed in the light of the fire and she leapt towards Kanra, her feet barely touching the ground as she moved. She had to be careful with how much energy she spent, for she knew she would not be able to go on alone for much longer.

  “Ari, behind you!” Preeya screamed.

  Ariadna felt a hand take hold of her wrist, her arm held in mid-air, and when she tossed her head to the side, she found one of the priests standing next to her. The fool! Holy person or not, Ariadna did hesitate to pull the man in front of her with the intention of sending her blade into his gut.

  “How dare you defile this place?” came the voice of another priest as he boldly took on Artus. These priests wanted to die, it seemed, and so they would if it meant freeing Preeya. Even Artus was growing tired but, he felt frustration boiling in his blood the most – he did not need any more distractions, not when he was this close to cutting Preeya loose.

  Kanra’s blade tore through the priest struggling in Ariadna’s grip. It was done almost without him knowing and it was only when the priest dropped to his knees before Ariadna that Kanra let out a distraught cry.

  “No! Damn you.” he screamed at the assassin; as though it had been her fault. Kanra took hold of her by the throat and lifted her off the ground, watching as her feet dangled a few inches from the floor. Yet his gaze was not fixed on Ariadna but, on Artus. With one strong sweep of his arm, Kanra threw the assassin, and she went flying towards Artus; her body just missing his as he soared over the slab on which Preeya was still bound to.

  Ariadna’s head met the stone ground and her mind went blank.

  “She belongs to me. You will not defile my offering to the gods.” Kanra hissed at Artus. He held his blade up for the mercenary to see and when he had caught his attention enough, Kanra charged him this time. He would have some fun with all three of the intruders, and with both his comrades unconscious, Kanra figured he would have a chance of killing the mercenary boy and finally sacrificing the priestess bitch who was still breathing.

  Artus readied himself to face his beast of an opponent, all whilst Preeya sobbed behind him and begged him to be careful. Still, he stood his ground. Cold beads of sweat ran down his spine and it made him shudder but, to show he was afraid in front of Preeya, he could not bear to be so selfish like that. He pulled some blonde hair out of his eyes and mustered the courage to meet Kanra halfway. Any distance created between the demon Dictator and Preeya was good enough.

  Kanra’s blade met Artus’ and they stood locked like that for a few agonising seconds. With one swift move, Kanra rammed his shoulder into the mercenary’s chin and they both released each other from their grips, as Artus stumbled and then regained himself without a moment wasted. He slammed his sword against Kanra’s side, wriggling the blade out from his hip with both hands as it caught in his flesh and squelched upon impact. The sound of Kanra roaring was enough for Artus to know his hit had not been but a meagre attempt at inflicting a wound.

  “Artus!” Preeya screamed at him. She writhed in the straps keeping her down and she let out another sob as Artus rushed towards her and retrieved a dagger small enough to cut through the leather of her bounds. The blade ripped through the strap and Preeya let loose a sigh as her sweaty wrist went cold at the sudden introduction of open air against her skin.

  When she looked to the side, her jaw dropped, and she shoved Artus away with her free hand. The sound of Kanra’s sword meeting the edge of the stone slab made Preeya jump, and it sent sparks flying. Preeya screamed at that and went to begin a panicked attempt at undoing the second strap still pinning her other wrist down. There was still the matter of freeing her legs too.

  “Distretia can go fuck herself.” Preeya screamed out again, hoping it would distract the Dictator’s attention away from Artus for as long as he needed. She was right. It took every ounce of bravery within her not to watch as Kanra turned his attention to her and made his move to kill her; all whilst Preeya remained trying to undo the strap around her wrist. Her chest was throbbing from the beating of her heart and she felt ready to gag, her stomach churning from all she had witnessed in this cave of Kanra’s. We’re going to make it out alive. We’re all going to make it out alive, she promised herself over and over again.

  Artus took hold of Kanra’s braid and gave it a hard tug, pulling him away from the priestess. Armed with but his dagger, he sent it towards Kanra’s face. The tip of the blade caught across his cheek and blood spat out of the Dictator’s newly inflicted wound. A little higher and Artus would have blinded the bastard and made him an easier opponent to fight.

  The prisoner’s hanging on the walls (at least the ones bothering to watch the battle) seemed all too eager for Artus to win against their captor, so much so that their screams and weak cheers made it harder for Artus to listen to the pressing of Kanra’s boots or the whooshing of his sword as his vision blurred, and the exhaustion of both the long journey and the battle finally took its toll.

  “Enough.” Kanra roared. He was growing tired of all these interruptions and complications regarding the sacrifice he had promised his goddess; failing to fulfil his oath sworn to Distretia decades ago would damn him for all eternity. The notion only made him grow angrier and his movements more reckless.

  Having retrieved his weapon, Artus raised his sword to his side again, blinking hard as he swayed. The fire, burning just beside him, was swelling his fighting leather and cooking him alive. He could feel every drop of sweat rolling down his body, over his tired, aching muscles. But Preeya? He could not let her die.

  As though sensing the mercenary’s strength faltering, Kanra delivered what he hoped would be his final blow. He tossed his sword into his other hand and curved the blade as he swung it out against Artus; it hit him in the stomach and tore flesh and leather alike. Kanra stepped back as Artus dropped his blade and staggered.

  From where Preeya remained laying, still struggling, even she saw Artus’ innards piling up by his feet, within a puddle of blood. Preeya let out an agonised scream and the strap around her wrist finally came loose.

  “No! No, Artus please. Get up!” she begged him, watching helplessly as the mercenary dropped to his knees and Kanra sent his sword against him one last time.

  Artus’ head went tumbling from his shoulders and blood squirted out of the new opening in all directions. His body slumped to the floor with a dull thump and all Preeya could do was scream and curse Kanra over and over for what he had done.

  “Scream all you want, Priestess.” Kanra breathed. His words came out in a series of painful pants and he too rocked from one side to the other as he walked. Kanra could hear his muscles screaming at him to put an end to this battle; that he was pushing h
imself well and truly past his limits. Not caring about which weapon he used to cut her open, Kanra tightened his grip on his sword and approached Preeya once more. He spat out blood as he walked. “You are nothing more than another lamb for the laughter.” Kanra added in after some time.

  Preeya closed her eyes, hands clutching the stubborn straps across her ankles and when she drew a breath and pressed herself back down onto the slab, she forced herself to ignore the oncoming monster.

  We’re all going to make it out of here alive, she lied to herself once more.

  And then a cold gust of air rushed over her and Kanra was cursing as his body fell to the floor in a heap under the weight of another. Preeya opened her eyes and choked on a tearful sob.

  57 –

  Preeya

  Ariadna let out a hateful scream as she slammed Kanra’s head against the ground, once and then twice. She kept him pinned down with her legs, kneeling on his shoulders to keep him from moving around too much, and the assassin did not hesitate to send a clenched fist to Kanra’s face over and over again. Now was not the time for insults. Now was the time to end him, to spill his blood for good and steal the life from him once and for all.

  Blood gushed from Kanra’s nose and upon the fifth punch, there came a satisfying crunch as Ariadna broke his nose clean. Then she felt herself flying again as Kanra shoved her off him with a forceful push by her knees. Ariadna landed on all fours, panting at her efforts. She was on her feet again before Kanra had even had the time to regain himself properly.

  The Dictator gathered his own sword again, now ignoring Preeya as she managed to undo the first strap around her ankle. He would have killed her as she stood, he decided. Either way, the girl had to die, yet Kanra knew he would not get the chance whilst Ariadna was still breathing.