Destiny (27 page)

Iruki was woken by Kayti’s enraged shouts. At first she had no idea where she was or what was going on. Her head hurt so hard she could not think.

“Get your filthy hands off me!” she heard Kayti shout furiously.

Iruki glanced around and saw she was on the ground, surrounded by trees. This seemed strange to her. The last thing she remembered was the fighting… and the two Assassins! She turned round on the ground and saw them. They were tying Kayti’s hands, and she was struggling hard. Iruki tried to get to her feet and go to her aid, but she fell to one side and hit the ground. Her hands were tied behind her.

“Leave her alone!” Iruki cried. She searched for her short sword, saw it leaning against a tree and began to drag herself towards it. One of the Assassins took an inhuman leap with a cartwheel in midair and with amazing agility got in between Iruki and her sword.

“But… how did he do that?” Kayti gasped. “What are they?”

Iruki knew perfectly well what they were. She had known the moment she had set eyes on them. They were unmistakable: that inhuman agility, those unbelievable reflexes, the lethal aura around them… they were Dark Assassins, just like her beloved Yakumo.

“They’re Assassins. They have unbelievable, lethal abilities,” she warned Kayti.

They exchanged glances, and Kayti nodded. They had taken her helmet off, and her long red hair caught something of the intensity of the moment. The sound of battle reached Iruki’s ears, muffled by distance but clearly recognizable. They must be quite near, probably in the woods to the east of the wall, but not too far. The spirit of the wind carried the sound of fighting to the forests, to her, bearing hope. If they managed to escape they could return to their own people. But then her eyes turned to the Dark Assassin looming over her, and all hope evaporated from her soul.

“The White Soul… at last …” came a voice behind Iruki. “Master Isuzeni will be delighted today.”

Not understanding what he meant, the Masig turned and found herself face to face with the powerful Sorcerer. He carried the ominous skull with its ruby eyes under his arm and was pointing his ceremonial axe at Kayti. Iruki looked away and closed her eyes. She could not reach her sword, but there might be some other weapon she could use. She concentrated on trying to cast a spell with the Medallion of Water. With her hands tied and still rather dizzy, she was not sure she could manage it. But she tried anyway.

“Now then, what do you think you are doing?” came the Sorcerer’s outraged voice.

Suddenly Iruki felt an explosion of pain in her mind. Everything went dark.

“Do you really think you are going to conjure in my presence, you clumsy wildling from the steppes?”

Iruki shook her head, but was unable to free herself from the terrible pain, which kept getting worse. She could barely think. There was only pain in her mind.

“It takes years of practice to master the art of conjuring, many more to do it in silence without being detected, and you do not even know the basics of that arcane art.”

“Swine…” was all Iruki could murmur. She opened her eyes dizzily and looked for Kayti beside her.

The redhead was staring at the Sorcerer, whose face was hidden under a grisly purple mask. Her eyes burned with the intensity of volcanic flames.

“Vile servant of a gutless, treacherous master!”

“That is hardly the way to address the High Priest of the Cult of Imork,” said another voice from the path through the trees.

Iruki turned her head round and watched the foreigner arrive, surrounded by soldiers in black with monstrous masks. Immediately she felt her heart sink, such was the power given off by the dark spirit of that man with slanted eyes. Mother Nature herself seemed to repudiate him, since with every step he took everything at his feet wilted and died. Iruki felt she was facing the personification of an evil spirit from the world beyond.

Kayti spat at the newcomer’s feet. “You can rot in hell!” she shouted,

“What a disappointment, such vulgar manners… Allow me to introduce myself. I am Isuzeni, High Priest and Counselor to Empress Yuzumi. And if I have been correctly informed, you are the slippery White Soul… I have been on your trail for a long, long time… Where have you been hiding?”

“I’m not going to say anything, you swine!”

The Sorcerer pointed his silver axe at her. “Shut up, bitch, and show the respect you owe me!”

Isuzeni gave her an ironic smile.

“You have upset Narmos, my good acolyte, and that is not good, young lady… you should control that tongue of yours…” He waved his hand. The Dark Assassin beside Kayti grabbed her, ruthlessly thrust her down and held her face against the ground.

Isuzeni stared at her back.

“Leave her alone!” Iruki shouted. Her head exploded in pain and she almost fainted.

“Shut up, you dirty savage!” Narmos said.

Isuzeni continued his examination of the armor, then suddenly straightened up.

“Aha, the rune of the Soul, on the white armor!” he cried in triumph. “At last! After all this time! In my hands at last! The premonition will not come true!”

“So it really is her, Master?” Narmos asked.

“Yes, Narmos, it is her. You have served me well, you shall be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.”

Narmos bowed before his master and took a step back.

The eyes of the powerful High Priest turned to Iruki.

“I can feel the great power of that medallion around your neck, savage Masig. My lady was right, a great power… very ancient… a power which the Dark Lady wishes to obtain… It will lead her to Glory… and of course her humble servant as well.”

Iruki stared back at Isuzeni, the guards of honor behind him, the two Assassins beside her and Kayti, and Narmos the Sorcerer a couple of paces away. There was no salvation possible. Fear began to weave its web over her soul.

Isuzeni was in high spirits. “A grand day is today!” he cried. “I must communicate the crucial news to the Dark Lady at once. It is time to exterminate the enemy, we have nothing to fear now! Victory is ours! Nothing can stop us now!”

“We’ll see about that!” Iruki said, rising above her pain for a brief moment and drawing on her courage.

Isuzeni eyed her for a moment, then at her medallion. He stepped forward and seized it. But when his gloved fingers closed on the Medallion of Water the jewel flashed intensely, blinding all those present. Isuzeni cried out in pain and immediately released the Ilenian jewel.

He clutched his hand, with agony twisting his face. “It burns…” he murmured under his breath.

“Only the chosen Bearer can hold it,” Iruki said defiantly. There was the trace of a smile on her face.

“We shall see about that,” Isuzeni said. “All magic may be mastered by one who is superior.”

“You won’t be able to, Sorcerer,” Iruki assured him.

“We shall see…” Isuzeni said, lost in thought. “But this is neither the time nor the place for it.”

He turned and started walking down the path. As he passed by his guards he said:

“Cut their heads off and present them on a platter to the Dark Lady. That is her wish. Once the head is severed from the savage’s body, pick up the medallion without touching it and give it to the Empress.”

The Moyuki nodded.

Iruki felt her blood freeze.

Kendas, Aliana, Asti and thirty or so soldiers were running among the ruined houses of the old goldsmiths’ quarter. They were pursuing the Tiger Warriors who had kidnapped Gerart, moving away from the battlefield towards the north-west. Kendas was breathless with anxiety. He was tormented by the fear of losing the King, the last hope for the Rogdonians, imagining what those warriors might do to Gerart.

“Where are they going?” Aliana asked, behind him. She was panting from the effort of running.

“They must be heading for the wall, the point where they came through without being seen,” said Kendas without stopping.

“We must catch up with them before they get there and we lose them,” Aliana said.

Kendas glanced at the Healer, then at the frail Usik and the retinue of soldiers who had come with them.

“Aliana,” he said with concern in his voice, “you and Asti must go back, you can’t risk yourselves this way. You’re too valuable. We can’t afford to lose you. Go back to Haradin.”

“No, Kendas, the King is in danger of dying. How can I go back? Never.”

“It’s folly, Aliana, we’re on our way to confront those tiger warriors. You must go back. I’ll bring him back; it’s my duty, not yours.”

“I won’t abandon the King in this moment of need. Danger doesn’t matter, what matters is that he mustn’t die.”

Kendas knew by the intense gleam in her eyes that nothing would make her change her mind. He would have given anything for the Healer to heed him and turn back. But what she had said was true: without the King they were lost. Asti at least had to go back; she was too fragile to be there at the battlefront taking that kind of risk. He gave her a pleading look.

“I go…” the Usik said, determination written all over her face.

“It’s too dangerous,” Kendas insisted. He was aware that if anything should happen to the delicate Usik girl, his heart would break. He would never forgive himself. His gaze was insistent, but Asti was adamant. She shook her head,

“You go, I go,” she replied, closing the subject.

Kendas felt a pang of warning in his chest. Something terrible would happen, but there was nothing he could do about it. They had to keep moving. They turned between several demolished houses and suddenly found themselves in a square with a fountain in the middle. The fountain was miraculously intact. Half a dozen Tiger Warriors were waiting for them. Behind them a Sorcerer masked in purple was carrying a short axe in one hand and a skull in the other. At his feet, his hands tied: Gerart. A huge Tiger Warrior, surely their leader, was holding the King’s head and pulling it up by the hair. He looked like a broken puppet, with his face covered in blood and bruised from the beating he had been given.

They stopped abruptly and stared at the enemy.

“Let him go!” Kendas demanded.

The sorcerer gave a macabre guffaw.

“Master Isuzeni will be very pleased with Cenem, his humble servant,” he said with a bow. “He ordered me to bring him the King of Rogdon’s head. But today the stars are smiling on Cenem, as I shall be able to present my master with a still greater trophy: two of the Bearers of the medallions of power which the Dark Lady seeks. A glorious day, which will certainly shower me with gold and power.”

“Release the King,” Aliana threatened, “or else the only thing that’ll shower you will be earth when they dig your grave.”

The Sorcerer laughed. “They say Fortune smiles on those who dare. I was going to carry out my mission, kill the King,” ‒ he hit Gerart on the head with the butt of his axe ‒ “and leave this doomed metropolis when I witnessed what you did with that medallion. It takes a great deal of power to overcome my spell. The black well cannot be sealed just like that. Still less by someone who does not understand the ways of magic and has not been trained in them. This medallion is truly Powerful and should not be in your hands, but in those of someone with the necessary knowledge and power. Seeing the chance to seize the medallions for Empress Yuzumi, I could not resist. The temptation was too great.”

“You’ve made a terrible mistake,” Aliana said, “and you’ll pay dearly if you don’t let the King go. Remember, greed can be its own downfall…”

Cenem’s laughter filled the square. He swung the axe above his head.

A sound of footsteps on the rubble made Kendas turn his head. He saw twenty Tiger Warriors coming out from among the ruined buildings where they had been hidden, and were now taking up their positions to close their escape-route.

It was a trap!

Now he understood why the Warriors had fled through the ruined city rather than head for the wall. It was to make their pursuers follow them, then lay an ambush for them. And they had swallowed the bait. A chill ran down his spine.

Kendas pointed his sword at the Sorcerer. There was authority in his voice. “I won’t say it again. Let him go!”

Cenem’s jocular voice came once again from behind his magenta mask.

“This Dark Priest is much more intelligent and cunning than you are. I shall deliver the King’s head and the two medallions hanging from those delicate necks to Master Isuzeni as a gift, and my master will reward me with riches and power.” He made a sign, and the Tiger Warriors lunged into the attack like wild beasts in a lost jungle.

The assault was ruthless. Kendas managed to pierce one of them through the heart with a master–stroke, but two more fell on him at once. Aliana and Asti moved back: their protective spheres activated themselves anew. They tried to avoid the brutal blows that landed on the spheres. The cries of the Rogdonian soldiers fighting against the attackers broke out on all sides. Steel rang on steel with the music of death, and blood soaked the devastated ground. Using his own skill with the sword Kendas managed to inflict a deadly wound on one of the warriors, but the other caught him in the left shoulder. Pain exploded in his mind, and he knew the cut was a deep one. Without cowering, he stepped forward and launched a furious stroke which pierced his opponent in the groin. The enemy sword went straight for his face and Kendas, by pure instinct, dodged it by throwing himself to one side. The Tiger Warrior glanced down at the wound. He knew he was doomed and that he would bleed to death. All the same, he lunged again. Kendas dodged him as best he could until the warrior fell dead. Panting, he looked around. The combat was both desperate and brutal.

“For the King!” Kendas cried.

The soldiers fought with courage, trying to reach their King and free him. But the Tiger Warriors were formidable adversaries. Too formidable. The last of the Rogdonian soldiers fell, four steps away from his king.

Gerart was bleeding from a cut in his head and could barely stay on his knees. “No!” he shouted.

“Keep quiet!” Cenem ordered. He launched a blow at the King’s face and knocked him aside.

Kendas wanted to go and help Gerart. He looked back and saw Asti and Aliana in serious trouble. Both were struggling to hold their own against the Tigers, who were battering their spheres brutally. Aliana had managed to kill two warriors by turning them into rock, but Asti could not manage to conjure anything. Kendas hesitated briefly. He could not leave Asti at the mercy of the Tigers. She was helpless.

Cenem pointed to Gerart. “Cut him,” he told the leader of the Tigers.

The massive Tiger Warrior went up to Gerart and cut him in the thigh with a sure stroke. The King clenched his jaw and muffled a grunt of pain. Kendas knew then that the King was lost. The Sorcerer was amusing himself with Gerart, but he would kill him very soon. Like a bolt of lightning he lunged at the two last warriors who were blocking his way to the King.

“You two, finish off the Lancer,” Cenem ordered. “The others, kill both the women.”

Kendas managed to land a blow in the side of the first Tiger. The warrior turned and launched a fierce backstroke, so that Kendas stepped back a couple of paces. Pain burst out again and he nearly lost his sword. The Tiger delivered a two-handed stroke with a savage grunt. Kendas knew he would not be able to block it. He rolled to one side and the sword whistled by his shoulder, missing him by a finger’s-breadth. He got up and with a quick backstroke cut his enemy’s legs. The man howled with pain and fell to his knees. Kendas swerved just in time to see the second warrior launch a thrust to his stomach. He deflected it at the last instant, but not quickly enough. The sword cut him above the knee and he lost his footing.

Three warriors were battering Aliana’s sphere. She was on her knees, terrified and exhausted. Her protection was weakening, cracking under the pressure, with bits and pieces falling to the ground, so that she felt each blow more intensely on her body. She would soon collapse. But she could not make her medallion obey her. She was too tired, and with the blows on her sphere her mind could not focus. She felt as if she were being beaten with thorny clubs on her mind as well as her body. Her eyes sought Asti, whose situation was little better. A huge Tiger was raining vicious blows on her sphere like one possessed.

Kendas rolled on the ground and evaded the sword. The Warrior roared in fury and gave him a tremendous kick which left him dizzy. The sword rose above him. He tried to block it but could not react swiftly enough.
I’m done for. This is the end.

Asti’s desperate shout was heard throughout the plaza. “Kendas, no!”

The Warrior glanced at her. There was a sinister laugh and the sword began its descent.

Suddenly Asti’s hand burst into flame from sheer impotence.

“No” she yelled and reached out in a vain attempt to prevent Kendas’ death. As she did so, a ball of fire shot out of her burning hand. It sped at the Tiger Warrior and struck him in the chest, then exploded and consumed his head and torso in scorching flames. The Tiger fell backwards, dead almost in the same moment.

Kendas could not believe it, Asti had cast a spell! She had saved him!

Aliana looked at her friend, she needed help so desperately. She was on her knees and could no longer resist.

“I can,” Asti said. She clasped her amulet with both hands and closed her eyes. Suddenly a huge fiery sphere issued from her chest and sped against the three Warriors on top of Aliana. At the sight of it the three of them tried to step back, but it was useless. The sphere reached them and hovered before them. For an instant nothing happened. The Tigers watched the strange ball, unsure what to do. One of them stepped back. And the sphere exploded silently. Scorching flames enveloped the three Warriors, who were instantly burnt to ashes by the intensity of the explosion.

Kendas got to his feet. Limping, bleeding, his strength exhausted, he went to his King. He would save him. Even if it was the last thing he ever did.

The Sorcerer pointed with his silver axe. “Impressive display of courage. Truly impressive. I think it will be best if I put an end to this display of useless heroism.” He swirled the axe and cast a spell.

Aliana was beginning to recover by now. “No!” she shouted.

Gerart looked down at his stomach and Kendas knew that a curse had fallen on him. A shadow appeared on the King’s cuirass, like a black spider with a hairy, translucent body, and began to penetrate it. Gerart moaned and bent forward. In terrible agony he twisted and fell to the ground.

“Gerart!” Aliana cried. She would not let them kill him. She could not, not as long as she lived. She stood up and pulled herself together. Her heart was full of fresh vigor, and she touched the medallion, fully intending to cast a spell on the enemy. She had come to save the King, and nothing would stop her. She took a deep breath and was absolutely calm. Today she was not Aliana the Healer. Today she was Aliana the Earth Mage, and she would put an end to this accursed Sorcerer.

Asti fixed her gentle eyes on the last Tiger, the one who was trying by all means possible to break her sphere of fire and magma.

“I cast spell,” she said menacingly, letting him know he was about to die. The Tiger took a step back in puzzlement. Asti closed her eyes. She clasped the medallion tightly, and the Warrior began to burn with wild flames as if he had made a fiery sacrifice of himself.

Kendas faced the Sorcerer. He had to be stopped. But to his dismay, the leader of the Tigers was in the way.

“It’s useless, Lancer,” Cenem said condescendingly. “Drop your weapon. I promise you will not suffer.”

“I owe myself to my King, to my country. I won’t give myself up. My honor won’t permit me to.”

“Lofty ideals for a simple Lancer. We shall see…” Cenem grabbed Gerart by the hair. He tugged hard, exposing the King’s throat, and pressed the sharp edge of the silver axe against it.

“Try using the medallions. Come on then. I dare you to try, you filthy women.”

Aliana and Asti took a step forward, exchanged glances and stopped.

Kendas looked aside at Asti and shook his head. If she tried to use the medallion, the brute would slit Gerart’s throat.

The last Tiger leader came towards Kendas. He was bigger and stronger than the ones before.
There’s nothing I can do against this one. I have no strength left in me, I’m losing too much blood. But I can’t let my King die. If I give up now everything will be lost and it will be the end of them all. I must save him, I must go on fighting. I won’t yield! Never!
The Warrior’s sword flew at his neck. Kendas blocked it with both hands, but the impact was brutal and he almost fell. The Warrior launched a circular thrust against his side. Kendas blocked it once again, but this time his strength failed him and he fell in agony. He looked down at his left side and saw it soaked in blood from several wounds. It was a miracle that he was still fighting. Despair began to course through his body, and his spirits began to fail him. The Tiger Warrior stood over him and prepared to finish him off. Kendas struggled to his knees and with his strength almost gone, clasped his sword.