by Ben Hale
The charm disintegrated, releasing a plume of steam as it washed into the snow. The Swordsman flicked his sword out and turned to the next threat. While he'd been busy with the first, the other five had gathered for an assault. Their arms extended toward him, releasing jets of super concentrated water.
With the temperature well below freezing, the water would freeze on contact, chilling limbs to the point of frostbite. A blow to the head would be fatal. The Swordsman swerved and ducked, feeling the chill as the water passed inches from his form. Collected in a knot, the entities prevented his getting close, so he chose a different tactic.
Rolling around a jet of water, he curved skyward. Accelerating beyond their reach, he cast a strength charm. Then he braked to a stop and used the momentum to launch his sword spinning earthward. Faster than the pull of gravity, the blade streaked into the gathered entities. They saw it coming but had no chance of avoiding the blow.
The sword entered the center one at the shoulder and seared a line through his foot. Mortally wounded, the entity disintegrated. The others righted themselves just as the Swordsman slammed into the ground between them.
The moment the hilt had left his hand the Swordsman had released his board. Dropping from the sky, he followed his sword down. Snow and lingering water scattered outward from his landing—but he was already on the move. Snatching his sword from where it had embedded into the soil, he dropped his strength and cast speed.
Faster than thought, he weaved between the entities on the right flank, downing them in a flurry of blazing strikes. The entities struggled to retaliate but he was too close, and they were too slow. Two more died in seconds. Dodging the retaliating streams from the remainder, he flew out of range. Then he began to circle.
As if they sensed their predicament, the two stood shoulder to shoulder. The snow around them melted as it was drawn up through their legs and sent blasting toward him. Suddenly angry at the delay, the Swordsman swerved back to the two of them and drew out his crossbow. One handed, he sent three bolts at the pair. Just as they impacted he touched a rune on the side of the stock.
The bolts exploded in a white hot inferno, briefly lighting the region. Trails of steam rose from the injured forms as they struggled to re-engage the Swordsman—but he was no longer in front of them.
Using the attack as a distraction, the Swordsman rocketed straight at the water entities. The fire faded as he closed to five feet. Then he leapt off the board at the same moment he dismissed it. The black air board flowed into the boots as he sailed in a high, arching flip that brought him down behind the entities.
Whipping his sword out, he cleaved from the shoulder of one to the waist of the other. He landed hard and turned toward the entrance. The last of the sentries crumbled into pools of slowly freezing water. Intent on his destination, the Swordsman hoped his victory had been witnessed.
His prey deserved to fear.
Chapter 5: The Swordsman's Wrath
He reached the icy doors and kicked them in. The ice shattered from the magic enhanced blow, its broken shards tumbling down a hallway. Light spilled out onto the Swordsman. He caught a glimpse of the cloaked Harbingers—and darted to the side.
Blasts of fire and gravity passed him by, shredding the sides of the opening. With his strength still active, the Swordsman leapt up and used his shadow hook to swing to the opposite side. Just as he landed a quartet of Harbinger mages stepped out and blasted his former position. Ice cracked, snow burst into steam, and chunks of tundra were sent tumbling away. The crackling fires made it impossible for them to hear the Swordsman.
His jagged blade cut them down before they knew what hit them. The last bore an expression of confusion as his life faded from his eyes. Leaving the bodies behind, the Swordsman stalked down the bright corridor. A moment later he reached the main hall.
Over sixty feet tall, the center of the structure lay open to the base. Circular balconies ringed the space at each floor, allowing the numerous corridors access to the main shaft. Interlaced beams of magically reinforced ice formed the ceiling, their height suggesting the roof to be over twenty feet thick.
Dozens of Harbingers were en route to his position, their black cloaks billowing behind them as they sought the main entrance. Dropping his strength charm, he activated agility and went into motion.
He leapt to the wall and took two steps along its surface. Then he rotated into a sideways flip. The move carried him past the crackling blasts of power. Landing on the balcony railing, he caught a vertical support beam with his free hand and whipped his form closer to the advancing foes.
He brought his sword up, gutting the first and casting him aside. Ducking and spinning, he rotated beneath a reverb curse that would have shattered concrete. Ice exploded behind him at the same time the caster lost his life. Leaving him to fall, the Swordsman closed with the last two. One cast a disease curse, the other attempted to blind him.
The Swordsman counteracted the first with a healing spell of his own. It wasn't as good as a healer mage’s spell, but it would keep him alive. The second he blocked with his sword. The beam of light reflected off his weapon and burned a sizzling hole in the railing. Then the Swordsman was in their midst.
The Swordsman grabbed a fistful of clothing and tossed the first man over the railing. He screamed as he fell five stories. A moment later another followed him down. Chunks of the broken railing rained down in the main shaft, dusting their crumpled forms.
The Swordsman darted to the next group, leading with his sword. The fire of betrayal burned within him, driving him to punish those who had used him. None survived his wrath. Leaving a dozen slain on the top floor, he skipped the stairs and swung to a lower level. His sudden appearance surprised a trio, who never even landed a blow.
Spotting a dark haired man giving orders at the base of the structure, the Swordsman leapt the balcony and dropped. He activated his air board on the way down, and banked toward his unfortunate target. The man's eyes flicked to him too late. The Swordsman caught him by the throat and redirected his hasty attack with his free hand. Dismissing the board, the Swordsman strode to the icy wall and slammed him into it.
"Why?" The Swordsman’s voice carried such venom that the man flinched.
"I will kill you for this." He strained to speak through the Swordsman's grip.
The Swordsman pulled him away from the wall and threw him into the floor so hard that ice and rib cracked in unison. The man cried out and tried to roll away, but the Swordsman drew his sword and sank it into his shoulder. He screamed as the blade pinned him to the icy floor.
—a tornado hex appeared in the Swordsman's peripheral vision. Powerful and accurate, it struck the Swordsman and threw him at the wall. He twisted and managed to get his feet under him. Rebounding off the frozen surface, he rolled to his feet and drew his crossbow. A pair of bolts streaked into the offender, and he dropped without a sound.
"Call them off," the Swordsman barked, and aimed the bow at the pinned leader.
"Do as he says!" the man screamed.
"But Roker—"
"You know what to do!"
The collection of mages that had regrouped reluctantly retreated from view, allowing the Swordsman to return to their leader.
"I have one rule," he said, enunciating every word, "just one. Why contract me for such targets when you could have used any of the other assassins?"
Roker's eyes glowed with hatred, but his voice betrayed his pain. "You are the one known for subtlety."
"Who ordered the contracts?" the Swordsman demanded.
Roker's eyes flicked up the shaft, but the Swordsman put a knee on his chest. The movement caused Roker's body to shift against the blade. He sucked in his breath.
"The Master controls everything," he hissed.
"Who is the Master?"
Roker’s eyes widened, but not in fear. "The Master will punish you for what you have done, Swordsman."
The Swordsman reached down and wrenched the sword free. Jag
ged as it was, it elicited a scream of agony from Roker. The Swordsman flicked the blood free and then activated the searing hex. The edge glowed once more, and he placed the tip on Roker's neck.
"The Master will be dead."
Roker began to laugh as he clutched the seeping wound. The mocking sound did not precede a threat, and instead Roker lurched to his feet. The ice beneath them shattered, forcing the Swordsman back as a giant earth entity climbed out of the floor. Still laughing, Roker leapt into the air as the golem reached for the Swordsman.
The Swordsman swung at its outstretched fingers. His arm shuddered from the blow but the attack sheared its fingers off. The golem groaned and recoiled, giving the Swordsman a chance to dive out of the way. He rolled to his feet and made to leap—but a coil of earth had reached up and wrapped around his foot.
The golem took one step and tilted forward, intent on crushing the Swordsman into oblivion. Out of options, the Swordsman spiked his strength with all his power—and caught the golem. The weight slammed him down to one knee, cracking his kneecap. Gritting his teeth and trembling, the Swordsman shifted the golem to the side.
Its stone arm clipped his skull as it smashed into the floor. Dizzy from the impact, the Swordsman reached down and smashed a gloved fist into the binding. It cracked, and he wasted no time in leaping free. Collecting his sword from the ground, he jumped into the air and summoned his air board. Flicking his sword out, the Swordsman streaked toward his enemy.
His face twisted in a maniacal grin, Roker floated above him, and cast an earth whip. Like a coiled snake, the soil rose up and snapped at him. The Swordsman leaned down and caught the edge of his board. Spiraling over the blow, he closed the gap and cut the Harbinger down. Bound by his will, the earth enchantments crumbled as their caster died.
The Swordsman spun to face the other Harbingers, but they had disappeared. Not one form remained in view. A sense of dread seeped into him as he flew to the upper level. His fears were confirmed when he found the entire entrance closed off. The Harbingers on the other side grinned through the sheet of ice that continued to thicken. Then they turned and rushed away.
A rumbling crack echoed around the Swordsman, drawing his eyes to the walls. As if a stone had struck glass, the cracks expanded around the circumference of the tower. Everywhere they went the ice shifted. He raced around the fortress searching for a point of egress, but there was none. Every corridor had collapsed. He was trapped.
And the interior defenses of the fortress had been activated.
Chapter 6: Caged
The Swordsman searched for a choke point he could retreat to, but there was none. Opting for space, he flew to the center of the shaft on his board and came to a halt. On every level frost wolves pressed out of walls. Clawing their way free, they dropped to the balconies and issued a rising snarl.
Larger than lions, the frost entities were imbued with a single purpose—kill the intruder. Light reflected off their snowy skin, causing it to sparkle like thousands of tiny diamonds. Their breath escaped in puffs of frozen air, and their teeth shined like clear glass.
There were too many, even for him. With no escape and no place to shield his back, they would eventually strike him from behind as he faced the threats from the front. Anger at the invisible Master exploded through him. The Harbinger leader had used him, and he would never get the chance to slit his throat.
His sword in one hand, his crossbow in the other, he waited for the pack to strike. Rotating in a slow circle, he searched for the alpha, the one who would lunge first. He found him on the third level. With his shoulder as tall as a man, the frost wolf had eyes of crystal blue. Their gaze met, and the Swordsman saw the intent. Snapping its jaws, it shredded the railing with a single snapping bite. Then it coiled for the leap.
The Swordsman readied himself for his final battle, his stance poised. His chipped sword glowed with heat, ready to cleave the alpha in two. In the stillness the alpha released a chilling snarl . . . and then lunged.
The Swordsman darted to the side and whipped his sword out—but another figure intercepted the wolf. Burning a steaming hole in the ceiling, a man dropped into the shaft. Wreathed in white flames, the newcomer collided with the alpha and carried him to the floor. The impact and subsequent detonation shredded the giant entity into bits of ice and water. Then the man rose to his feet and looked up at the Swordsman.
"I hope you don't mind," Hawk said.
The Swordsman flashed a grin and dropped to the ground beside him. By unspoken accord they shifted to guard each other's backs. The loss of their leader had caused the remaining frost wolves to hesitate, but now they were prowling again.
"How did you find me?"
Hawk tapped the Swordsman's elbow. The Swordsman felt a pinch, like a needle had been removed, and the chill in his arm evaporated.
"My apologies," Hawk said. "I was curious as to what you would do after we parted."
"You tracked me by heat?" The Swordsman raised an eyebrow. He'd never heard of such a spell.
"You could say that fire is my specialty," Hawk said.
"I'll thank you if we survive," the Swordsman said.
"We will," Hawk replied. The timbre to his voice reverberated with defiance and a rising rage.
The Swordsman threw him a sharp look, but didn't respond. The wolves' snarls had reached a breaking point. Several dropped thirty feet to the floor, undeterred by the fall. Gathering around the pair, they tightened the circle. Their clawed feet scraped the ice, punctuating the snapping of their jaws.
—a wolf darted in.
It streaked toward them, making for the Swordsman's calf. His speed charm active, the Swordsman drifted to the side and split the wolf's flank. Its snarl shifted to a whimper as it skidded away. Then the whole pack attacked.
Wolves leapt from all sides, howling for blood. The Swordsman dodged their attacks with magic infused speed, cutting into their forms. He split the skull of one while targeting two others with his crossbow. One of the bolts imbedded into a wolf's open maw, and it detonated in a ball of fire. Hawk did no less damage.
Fire surged off his frame with brutal force, catching the wolves and slamming them into the ice walls. Like giant fists, the inferno crushed the entities into flurries of snow. One got too close, and the proximity alone caused it to melt. Steam exploded off its back as it limped away. Hawk took it down with a spear of liquid fire.
The Swordsman used all his strength and skill, dropping speed for agility mid leap in order to avoid the incoming jaws. Teeth the size of his thumb came inches from removing his hand. Each time he managed to evade. His clothing cut and his skin flayed from close calls, he poured his fury into combat.
He sidestepped a lunge, and brought his sword across the entity's midsection. Both halves exploded into bursts of snow and drops of water. As they speckled the ground the Swordsman raised his crossbow to a wolf diving from an upper balcony. Three bolts found their mark, and the form crashed into its companions.
Hawk and the Swordsman fought in sync, moving to cover the blind side of each other. Several times Hawk made an opening that the Swordsman took advantage of. A moment later the Swordsman returned the gesture.
Out of the corner of his eye the Swordsman watched Hawk. His sheer power went beyond any he had witnessed from a fire mage, and his spells screamed an innate skill. The Swordsman found himself wondering whether Hawk could have taken the entire fortress single handed. When the last wolf went down under a combined assault from the two of them, the Swordsman rose to face his companion.
His chest heaving from the exertion, he asked, "Who are you?" Curiosity burned in his voice.
"Someone seeking allies," Hawk replied. The fire tracing across his skin sank into his flesh. The room noticeably cooled.
"For what?"
"For the war that will change the face of the Earth."
The Swordsman held his gaze. "The Harbingers?"
Hawk gave a single nod.
The Swordsman blew out his b
reath and sheathed his sword. "You expect to stop it?"
Hawk shook his head. "No, but I will show you who will."
The Swordsman frowned. "Where?"
Hawk lifted a hand and cast a tiny firebird. It flapped into the air and alighted on the Swordsman's shoulder. "It will show you the way. One week." Then he turned to leave.
"What makes you think I'll come?"
Hawk looked back. "Curiosity compels men to action."
The Swordsman shrugged but didn't argue. "I make no promise."
Hawk flashed a faint smile. "It is enough. I'll see you there."
Chapter 7: Oracle
One week later the Swordsman strode down a nondescript street in Richmond, Virginia. The morning light spilled across the cultured lawns and sidewalks. Mothers were pushing strollers and chatting while a man jogged with his dog. Whether it was the sword on his back or something else, they gave the Swordsman a wide berth. Their eyes filled with wariness as they hurried by. He barely noticed.
Spotting Hawk sitting on a park bench, he pulled up short. Instinct drove him to check the surroundings, but the man was alone. Releasing a sigh, the Swordsman moved forward and stopped behind Hawk. The tiny firebird in his pocket darted back to its owner and faded from view.
"I didn't expect to meet in an auren city," the Swordsman said in annoyance.
"My apologies," Hawk said. "I'm grateful you came. I wasn't certain you would."
"I had a debt to pay in the neighborhood," the Swordsman replied, and his thoughts turned to Colonel Allen's widow. He'd deposited the commission for her husband's contract into her account. It couldn't erase what had been done, but at least they would not want for anything.