by Jason Jones
He moved into the streets, quiet in the cover of tall old buildings. He heard her voice, faintly, and the voices of many men. Some were praying in a dark tongue, some chanting infernal songs, and some were quiet, but Lavress could sense them. He peered around a temple wall, and then pulled back with his eyes closed hard and tight.
“What..what is---“ Liogan felt a large kithian hand go over his mouth.
“Ssshhhh.”
Lavress readied his bow and quiver, counted only nine arrows. He looked to Ihros, his quiver had but eight. He looked to the creatures of the forests and the Whitemoon, he saw no bows nor arrows at all. Lavress nodded to the three river elves and they sheathed their blades and took fast knees, then readied their bows. He had counted over one hundred men, surrounding a circle of flame. He had seen horns rising up through it, black horns in the fires.
Lavress had also seen Shinayne, her head was down on a block, and an Armondi soldier stood over her with his scimitar ready. A tear fell to his cheek, then another, he knew there were too many soldiers and not enough arrows. The center of the temples was open, nowhere to hide, he would be running three hundred feet in the open sunlight of afternoon, with no cover.
Liogan peered around Lavress, he waited one second, then two, then fell back quietly. He reached out his hand to Lavress, and took the bow and the quiver.
“That is her, your beloved Shinayne?”
“Yes.” Lavress took a breath, and drew his falcata and kukri.
“She is beautiful beyond words, my friend.”
Liogan knocked an arrow, as did Ihros Seeing-owl. The two minotaurs drew great curved blades, the three hiroon drew scimitars, and the birds and wolves all looked to Lavress.
“Liogan, Ihros, you cannot miss. When I charge, they will see me, and they will take her---“
“I never miss, hunter of the Hedim Anah.” Ihros blinked with his one eye.
“I will not miss, master Lavress, I will not miss.” Liogan nodded, made the sign of the feathered cross, then the sign of love to Seirena, heart to lips, to the sky.
“I vow to you, on my knighthood, my arrows will hit true.”
Lavress nodded to the forest creatures, the silent minotaurs, the river elves, and the hiroon. He heard Shinayne stop her song, the men stopped chanting, and the silence of but flames infernal was deafening. He closed his eyes to pray to Seirena, just for one moment, but it was broken by scream of terror. Shinayne’s scream. Lavress turned the corner and charged the hundred men, headed straight for his beloved.
Curses IV:III
Tower of the Sceptre
Vin Armon
Eleven hours of kneeling prayer, eleven straight it had been. No food, no rest, not even a change in position. Kendari watched as the ceiling had turned to match the floor, circling flames from the netherworld summoned in dark sacrificial rites. He had the chant nearly perfect, memorized now, and the mark upon his chest was burning hot and glowing. The Nadderi swordsman had not found a valid reason for interruption yet, not a word to edge in, nor the opportunity to create one. He had kept his mind clear, waiting for the right moment.
Andora was naked, on the other side of the circle of infernal fires, always watching as she chanted. Kashtamias was massive and dark, his red eyes saw everything, yet now his horned head was melding into the portal above. The horned bat wings spread from twelve feet of chiseled hard flesh, and now a black bone straightblade and matching triangle shield had summoned into his clawed hands. He was nearly through, and preparing to arrive unto his glorious new domain upon the mortal world.
Kendari glanced up, and he saw what was on the other side. He could hear it now, faintly, his elven senses were keen. He heard her song, it was Shinayne T’Sarrin, the highborn elven woman he had thought about for months now, long after their duel in Chazzrynn. Kendari focused, trying to see, but yet keep his false chant sounding real.
The lords and knights of Armondeen were there, the ones he had spied upon with Angeline. They chanted the same words, led by a man in black robes he knew to be Harron. He could see the minotaur, the knight of southwind, and a dead woman beside them in black robes. Kendari recalled them, from the fields of Arouland.
A knight with a scarred face was whispering to Shinayne, men with blades waited to cut and kill, and watched the man kneeling before the flames. The horns appeared, a ripple in the space between here and there waved across both portals, and Kendari heard Shinayne scream as she finally saw what they awaited. He knew there was not much time left before the knight of the hells was through. He had to interrupt, now or never.
“Queen Andora, how many---“
“Quiet, fool of an elf. The ritual is nearly complete, save your breath for after.” Andora whispered in anger, still praying.
“I beg your pardon, but it may be you who are the fool.” Kendari stood, knowing his weapons were outside the door with the deer and three of her demonic guardians.
“Before I have you skinned alive, please do tell---“
“What is this disruption!” Kashtamias, son of Shukuru and knight of the Eighth Hell, roared into Kendari’s face as black smoke misted into the air. He had lowered his head and horns out of the thinning portal, blade to the elf’s neck, and flames trickled from his eyes.
“My great lord, immortal majestic being that you are, I see an error in your arrival, is all.” Kendari showed no fear, even when the blade nicked his chin, a blade of sharpened infernal bone that was as long as he was tall.
“And, before we dishonor you, I suggest we correct it.”
“How so, servant of a servant of my insane uncle, Cancuru? Tell me, in your mortal wisdom, what you see that I do not?” Kashtamias growled, ash fell from his wings, and acid dripped from his fangs and sizzled into the stone floor.
“Your greatness, you have five sacred blades attuned to your sacrifices, five that were blessed in virgin blood and flame, but you have only three offerings that I see.” Kendari pointed with his hand to the view through the flaming portal in the ceiling.
“Harron will offer two of his servants, it is of no concern.” Andora retorted with anger, humiliated that this elf would dare question anything at this point.
“Yet, they may believe that the dead woman there, the one whose blood is trickling into the circle, counts as one. Perhaps they will offer but one servant, and the repurcussions could be---“
“Enough! I will not tolerate this game of yours, Kendari. Harron knows well what to do, he has been trained by me. The circle will be sealed with five offerings once he passes through. We have gone over---“
“But why take a chance at failure, when I have guaranteed success, Queen Andora? Let me bring the virgin deer, the one from Seirena’s grove, and offer it to Kashtamias with a sacred blade. He can take it through, and be assured of a proper offering. And, if Harron does not sacrifice a servant, or if I was incorrect, I give myself, as a final sacrifice. My flesh and blood, for your greater glory. Hail to the eleven.” Kendari bowed to them both, then fell to his knees.
Andora stared with suspicious glances, Kashtamias growled low in ponderous thought, and Kendari remained still. The seconds were as hours, the flames crackled, and the breath of the demon echoed in the chambers in the Tower of the Scepter.
“Bring the deer.” The son of Shukuru ordered with a curling fanged smile.
“Yes, your great infernal majesty.” Kendari got up, taking his chain shirt quickly as the demon turned to Andora, and made for the doors. Touching the crystal around his neck, he walked out, closed the doors slowly behind him, and turned.
Quickly donning his black chain armor, he looked left and right as three scimitars came across his chest. He glared at the hollow eyes of the Nataloni guards, and spoke low with a wicked gleam to his eyes. He could see them fine, with a bit of arcane assistance from the necklace.
“Kashtamias wishes me dressed for battle, as I will be going with to the site of consecration. I am bringing the deer for sacrifice, per his command. Step aside.” He grit
ted his teeth as he reached for his belt and blades.
The deer pulled back from the leather strap holding it in place, it was afraid, and its hooves clacked in terror. The scimitars withdrew, the guards backed up a foot or so, and sheathed their weapons. They made no noise, but watched as the cursed elf took the leash holding the deer.
Kendari picked up the Nadderi longblade, went to place it in his belt, and sighed. He looked confused. He nudged the door with his foot, making sure it was fully closed. His foot stepped in a small puddle, the deer had pissed all over the floor. Kendari smiled, then turned to the guardians.
“Do you happen to have a scabbard for this? I seemed to---“
Slice, slice, shing, slice, slice, slice, shing, slice, hiss…
In seven moves, too fast to see, Kendari slashed the Nadderi blade across the neck of the guardian to his right, then spun left and took the head from the one behind him. He released the leash with the deer, drew Shiver in a reverse grip and cut across the stomach of the third to his front, and then crosscut with the Nadderi blade low above the hips, severing the demonic soldier in two pieces.
He froze in place, so did the deer, as two heads and a torso hit the floor. They smoldered, slowly, black blood pooling with wisps of smoke. Kendari grabbed their weapons quickly, setting them to the ground from disintigrating hands. In moments, just three shadowstains and bone remains were left with their swords and daggers.
Neither of them breathed, just waited, both hoping no one heard it. Three seconds passed, then seven, then ten, and they exhaled slowly. Kendari sheathed his blade, stuck the Nadderi sword in his belt, and took the leash. He put his finger over his mouth, telling the deer to be silent. The deer nodded.
“When we go in there, do not be afraid. You need to struggle with me, cause a distraction if you can. When I let you go, you need to keep the queen busy while I stop this demon from getting through to Shinayne, understand?” Kendari looked into the brown eyes of the deer. It nodded to him.
“Whatever happens, get out fast once it starts. Do not worry about me. Just tell Seirena, when you see her, that she still has my undying hatred. Agreed?”
Kendari rubbed his little horns, saw a little more urine speckle the floor as the deer paced nervously. His mind wandered, drawn to someone, he knew who the deer was. He shook his head as the deer nodded again, letting him know he understood. The cursed elf felt the blade of Cristoff, hoping the holy edge would hurt Kashtamias as it had Nareene.
“No fear now, just follow my lead.” Kendari stood, pushed open the doors, and strode inside.
“Your grace, your mighty lordship infernal, I offer you the virgin of Haven Glen, the blessed deer of Seirena by the name of----“ His bow was most pronounced yet his words were cut off.
“Why are you armed, Kendari of Stillwood?” Andora backed up behind Kashtamias and grabbed her black robes.
“In my six centuries of mortal life, I have always bathed my armor and weapons in the blood of sacrifice. Is that offensive to you, young queen?” Kendari bluffed and stared at Andora.
“I am just over ten thousand years of immortal age, elf, and I have never heard of such a practice. You lie.” Kashtamias grinned at Kendari, smelled the fear on the virgin animal, and stepped forward.
“We are worshippers of darkness, my lord, we all lie.” Kendari bowed, letting the demon knight get closer. He tugged on the leash, hard.
“Shall we?”
“Spill his blood at my feet, now.” The demon roared, black ash fumed from his norstils at Kendari and the deer.
“His sword, the one with the feathered cross, why is it glowing?” Andora walked toward the altar, toward her staff, something was not right.
“Interesting, why do you carry such a blade, Kendari?” Kashtamias leaned over, inches now from the face of the elf. He brought his sword tip close to the elf’s neck.
“I enjoy killing with sacred holy blades, it makes me wonder if the false gods feel the blood I spill.” Kendari smiled, face to face with the towering demon.
“I took this from a priest I killed, one of many.”
“You do not impress me, elf. Tell me, which of the eight hells does Cancuru rule?” Kashtamias drew in even closer, stepping one clawed foot outside the circle.
“The one below your father, Shukuru, of course.” Kendari bluffed, he assumed, he guessed.
“Guards! Nosch Visch Natoor!” Andora felt it, and summoned her Nataloni Nochti, to kill this false being.
“Ha, ha, ha. As I thought, you are fake. Cancuru rules the Abyss, Kaimhet Kah, the prison realm of insanity. He rules no layer of hell. How would you care to die?”
“You are rather clever, I must say.” Kendari smiled. “But you must agree, this ritual was terribly long and boring. If you would like more worshippers, in days to come, try to shorten things up a bit, would you?”
“Your tricks and humor do not fool me, elf. I see through you. You have dishonored me and the Nochtilians, and now I accept your flesh as repayment. Time to meet my father, in hell, Kendari.”
Kashtamias laughed as he forced the doors shut and the flames to rise with his will, a thousand burning demons in laughter echoed from his chest. Then, Kendari laughed with him, hysterically, and the leash fell from his hand.
“Not even close.”
The deer leapt though the fires, past the demonic knight, and slammed into queen Andora, knocking her into the altar. Kendari drew Cristoff’s holy longsword in his right, Shiver backheld in his left, and struck both blades into the fast blocking bone sword of Kashtamias. The sword turned up and aside just enough to step in, and Kendari spun.
Shiver slashed deep into the abdomen, sizzling its heat into demonic flesh. The crossblade cut higher, near the chest, its glowing white edge went through black infernal muscle clean and fast. Two more lightning cuts, both into the left thigh of the demon, sprayed dark blood across the circle, and Kendari rolled back just in time to parry the mighty boneblade with both of his.
Kendari slashed with Shiver, parried by the demon blade. He crosscut fast with his right, met with the bone shield. He ducked the counterattack, sidestepped the shield, and riposted with two quick downward chops into the forearm of the demon. Kashtamias roared, the ground and walls shook, and he charged at the Nadderi, intent on trampling him underfoot. Kendari rolled left, a feint, then rolled right and sprung up onto his feet. He plunged the crossblade up into the ribs, deep, then sliced Shiver across the demon’s hamstrings. Kashtamias fell forward, and the cursed elf did not hesitate.
The Nadderi stepped up fast, between the wings, and plunged the crossblade down hard. Kashtamias rolled over at the last moment, throwing the elf off of him. Kendari rolled through the fires, kept rolling, then sprang up into a charging sprint. He leapt to the air across the face of the demon knight, but his two blades were deflected by the blackbone shield.
“My lord! Go through the portal, I will handle these defilers!” Andora stood up and arced her hand back. She shot it forward at the deer and unleashed black spiraling flames.
The deer leapt over them, bounded off of the toppled altar, and rammed his little horns into her again. She fell backwards, into the flames, and rolled up on the other side of the circle. She threw her smoldering robe off and screamed in disbelief as the deer growled at her and began to run again.
Kashtamias flapped his wings, fires whipping all around, and leapt up through the infernal portal. His wounds were healing with hellish power fast, yet he had his orders from his father to consecrate the once holy site. Just as his head breached all the way through, he heard a sound whip through the air behind him.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh
Slice!
The son of Shukuru looked down and saw a curved elven blade with black vines engraved upon it. He felt it puncture him, thrown by the elf, and he roared in pain. It was through his back and out his chest, right under his chin.
“I do not think we are quite finished.”
Kendari leapt from the ground, grabb
ed onto the Nadderi blade he had thrown, and plunged the blade of Cristoff through the shoulder of the demon.
The wings buffeted him, yet he held on. Pulling the holy blade free, he slashed it across the portal above him, and the view faded as the white light met the infernal flames. The explosion of fire sent them into a spin in the air. The ceiling went solid, back to stone, and Kendari hung on for life on the back of Kashtamias.
Andora screamed in outrage, the doors flung open, and her Nataloni Nochcti guardians ran inside followed by dozens of Armondi soldiers.
“Kill them, the deer, the elf, kill them both!”
The demon flailed, smashed into walls and knocked over unholy statues and tapestries, one of which fell over the queen of Armondeen. Kendari knew it felt the sting of the sacred blade into its flesh, as he roared and crashed out the side of the tower. Kendari held on as stone and glass shattered around him. Its wings caught air, spinning in agony ten stories up, and then it dove toward the south.
“Run, get out!” Kendari yelled to the deer.
Kendari reached out his hand, just as the deer lunged out the broken wall after him, and he caught a hoof. Diving, spiraling, holding the wedged crossblade hilt as tight as he could, the Nadderi held on to the deer with his left hand. They neared the ground, far outside of Arnhast Fortress and the three towers, and then Kendari let go.
The deer rolled across the ground several times, but when Kendari looked back, the deer was on a full run over the hills, chasing the demon he was riding through the air.
The cursed elf smiled, reached for the Nadderi blade, and pulled it free. Suddenly, trees and branches were all around, and the demon crashed through them on his furious flight south, surely to Mooncrest. The cursed longblade of the Nadderi flung end over end, out of his hand. Kendari was dangling, holding on to the hilt of the holy sword now. With all his strength, he pulled himself up as Kashtamias twisted and turned in midair climb. Kendari reached for Shiver, pulled it loose, and looked to the right wing.