I aimlessly followed a path incarcerated in my mind. Many times I have traveled the way to the Kishdem castle. The rather small castle began to peer over the horizon beyond a small mote and trees.
What had felt like two days was in actuality a week and a half. Serving off the fruit’s of nature, streams, tree canopies, and caves I had made it. Taking the left over apple I held in my hand, I bit into it; the juice spraying up into my eye.
The granite castle crawled up towards me. This castle wasn’t big at all. Standing at a height of approximately fifty feet high it ruled the marshy scenery. The metal-grid gat lay down into the ground. It was constructed in a square where the sides of the square curved outwards a little, to cover an area of one hundred fifty acres. It stood magnificently above the wet terrain. Archer towers were strategically placed around the sides for intruders and poachers.
Slowly the gate became larger as my feet sunk into the wet dirt and grass. My eyes were flailing across to the towers seeing archer ready for my arrival. A quiver full of arrows lay across thief backs, slung over their left shoulders.
Being active in the Kishdem castle for only a short while, I had realized a few things. One being, that if the archers quiver was over their left shoulder Tarkus, the king of the castle, was present. Another being that Tarkus was greedy for land, wives, and his daughter Sara.
My feet sank into the ground as the gate neared closer yet. One of the archers, off to my left in the tallest tower on the corner, pulled an arrow from his quiver. Not stirring, I pushed myself forward toward the gate as if I hadn’t noticed. I kept my eye upon him though, as he began to place the arrow to his bow.
The crack, when he pulled the arrow back with the taught twine, caught my full alert. Leaping to face the archer, my eyes lit up with a resolve of caution.
“What is your name lone mercenary?” He screamed down at me in a questionable format that could be deciphered to have fear embedded in his voice.
“I shall be Lance; I come from Hallow with utter news.”
“You return without Sara? Was she not there?”
“Yeah she was there.”
“Then, why is it you return without her?”
“That I must speak only to Tarkus, now if you would be so kind to let me in.”
“You shall tell me, now!” He screamed showing the short grudge he held against me.
“Let me in, please,” I spoke calmly.
“Not without Sara,” His face discoloring to a beating heart in a new rage. His anger grew as I placed a foot forward in a continued pace toward the gate.
“Halt!” He billowed. The echo of his voice could’ve been heard for mile yet I stepped forward, keeping an eye upon him.
“Is she…” He began, then caught his cool and refrained.
“That I…” I began, but the full crack of his bow releasing the arrow gained my attention once again.
My foot unearthed a small rock, flipping it up into the air. The arrow blazing through the air aiming at my foot, his aim was severely off. Reaching out into the air, quickly grasping around the rock which poised in my fingers, I held tightly. I took no time in pulling the arm back behind my head taking some aim for the whizzing arrow.
The arrow upon me and my foot, with no more than a few yards of air to travel through had caught a flare upon its tail. I took the rock and hurled it about two feet from my foot at the dusty ground. Amazingly the rock and arrow collided, as a plume of dust rushed up around my body.
The head of the arrow ricocheted off toward my head. Simply tilting my shoulder I last my hand upwards catching the arrowhead in my palm. The adrenaline rushing inside gave immunity to the pain in my palm.
The archer stood there gazing astonished at my recovery, Blinded, he stood there just as I took the arrowhead and threw it faster, yet at him. He must not have caught sight of it until it had hit the stone tower to the left of his shoulder.
Stumbling to the floor he gasped at the very thought of his life closing to an end. He got up to his feet shaking rather slowly, yet still trying to sound strong. He managed to get out, “You could’ve killed me!”
Gaining my composure I took a deep breath at his words. Then I looked up at him with a smile on my face. “I meant to miss you. You would know that how, I assume. Are you going to let me in?”
“Open the gate!” He screamed down at the people below while prying the arrowhead from the stone.
My feet hit the cold stone bear. I shivered as the deep cold crawled up my spine and through my clothing, my wool robe that never buttoned up. My wool pants didn’t get all that cold; my grey pants were only fitting around the waist the rest of the way down grew baggier and baggier. My shirt was of a deep blue dye that seems to press against my body neatly. I wore everything for the deception of my enemies; the baggie pants provoked them as they would slash through them for my flesh.
Walking into the villa four swordsmen walked upon me encircling me. Than the fifth came; he looked more official than the others.
“We’re sorry bout your entrance, sire.” He said while he graveled at my feet upon his single left knee.
I place my right hand upon his left shoulder as I gazed at his head, “At ease, child.”
“Tarkus awaits you. Now if you would follow me.” He said while standing to his feet and turning to walk away.
I followed him through the stone paths and tunnels of granite. He led me through several turn and cathedrals which remained unfinished and small. The housing decorated with governmentally paid stain glass windows. I knew this because of my childhood.
I let my mind wander, knowing he was only trying to rid my sense of direction from my mind. Born on a pastured house in the middle of nowhere, I lived as a child there for a while with my parents. It was required to have the stained glass in your house to be considered a part of the nation. My father no sooner than the widows got put in, died. Mother has never been the same since. In denial she came across to selling me to a training camp that came along.
I grew up in the came alone, at the age of four. He pushed to become the most elite mercenary, Caell we called him. Training everyday till your muscles couldn’t move was only a beginning to our day. He taught me you fight for what your heart believes in and your mind controls your actions in response to your heart.
“…Sir Lance.” The voice jolted me back to realities utter coldness.
“Uh?” I said rather confused looking around at my surroundings. We were confined in a dome like building in which the door led into a house owned by a peasant family.
“Welcome back, my friend. I am Tarkus, the one whom hired you.” A man said, as he placed his arm around my neck, to lie on my shoulder opposite of him, looking at my eyes. “Well how was everything in Hallow? Go alright?”
“Yeah, it went great; they didn’t agree to our treaty, but you won’t have to worry about them anymore.” I said as he walked or guided me to a table full of fruits and meat.
“Great. So you completed your mission?” He asked pushing me down into a chair around the wooden table.
He sat down as I took a drink from an Ivory cup before me. Feeling the cold liquid slide down my throat, I felt it begin to burn. Gataph, a substance devised by a scientist long ago. It had the same taste of liquor without the side effects, and was easier to digest to a human being. Well to say the least in a time of need you could drink the Gataph and it would cut your healing time in half.
“Yeah I complete your mission.” I stated after swallowing the rest of the Gataph. I slammed the cup down to the table; I never liked the stuff, but I drank it only to please Tarkus.
“Grand! I gave you a raise in the job. I give you my thanks.” He said sliding me a leather bag. Stopping it with my hand I knew I got more than normal pay, which to me was approximately two thousand pieces of gold. I took one of the coins out biting it to make sure it was real.
Convinced I got up and began to head for the door when Tarkus questioned, “I take it you brought Sara back, too.”
“That was not part of my mission.” I simply stated halting my present spot.
“What?!” He said infuriated.
“She was killed in combat… I’m sorry.”
“You impudent filth, I hired you for her safety alone!”
“No you hired me to get goods and tax treaties established or force them into the treaty. I did that!”
“Why you…” He started to say. I began to walk toward the door when his rage calmed to an angered king, “I don’t believe you!”
I turned around glaring at Tarkus in the whites of his eyes. “You want proof of her death?! Is this enough for your empty heart?” I said half mad at his distrust in me. I pulled my golden bangs away giving the Silent Raider bandanna light, He gasped at the sight of the bandanna nearly falling out of his chair.
In confusion he looked at me muttering, “You… you killed her.” I could only turn around and began to walk again.
“No, GUARDS ARREST HIM, on the grounds of murdering the princess.”
At his ruthless command two guards carrying a spear in their hands placed the spears in an ‘x’ formation blocking the door partially.
“If that is what you wish to see in this incident than so be it is the truth.” I said this placing the hand from my bangs to the hilt of Rift. I turned to the two guards and began in a full run at them.
They stood there trying to appear confident but you could see the cold rear in their eyes. My feet impounded hard on the rock floor speeding toward them. As I watched their eyes for any last minute motions I saw nothing but their fear stunning them. At my last moment I ripped the Rift up out of its scabbard, kipping the momentum of the blade, I brought it down snapping the spears in half at the same moment.
As it crashed hard into the ground, I rand forward in the radiant light looking for a way out of the castle. The only thing I could see was stone housing and walls, with a few guards spotting me than running in my direction. To the paths at my right and forwards they came in streams.
A hand grabbed my left wrist from behind me. Half scarred I quickly lifted Rift and bashed the hilt into Tarkus’ face, without noticing him before it was too late. His nose cracked loudly, followed by rivers of blood as he fell to the floor.
Without thinking I quickly wheeled to the left and took the only path without people charging at me. I ran confused, the stone walls blaring behind me as I ran through the stoned streets. Quickly I turned my head around to see whom or how many were following me. Seeing nothing I wheeled my heard back around catching the sight of a wall running into it, I thrusted my hands into the stone and pushed myself into a ricochet action to the left.
I brought Rift to my shoulder letting it rest there away from the cratered path it had carved into the stones, and while I ran past markets, storage housing, and shacks. Running out breath my adrenaline screamed to continue but my body differed. I pushed everything I had left in me to get out of this prison.
I caught the sight of an archers’ tower and picked up my pace. In this close range I knew they saw me. Than it happened, arrows rained down upon me. Eyeing the sky I tried to weave through the stone curved sticks.
I found myself running to the back wall of t the castle. I wheeled behind me seeing the people with axes and pitch forks chasing me, now. Big mistake I had taken, one of the arrows dug itself deep into my right shoulder. I found myself grunting in pain than catching myself. I turned back around and ran toward the wall as another arrow ran through my hair. Amidst my run I pulled the arrow from my shoulder sighing as it ripped my flesh open as it left, than I tossed it to the side.
My shoulder ran blood but the wall seemed to be the only thing in my way. Reaching the wall I looked left and right seeing a small crevice between the houses and final back wall. I took the right way as another arrow hit beside my foot. As soon as I hit the crevice and weaved in and through it as the mob of people came to follow me.
Closer than I thought I hear their taunts and degrades. Above me I heard archers running to a wooden ladder I was heading towards. The space tightened around me, forcing me to sheath Rift and hold my scabbard above my head.
The archers reached the ladder before I did, pushing the ladder unto a house preventing me from reaching the outer wall. Taking what I was just given, I leaped up onto the ladder. I stepped up climbing to the first rung when I felt a metal pitch fork braze across my leg.
I felt the immense pain in the back of my mind, looking down at the woman I would have socked her back, but that would have gone against my very virtue. I leaped up the ladder on shaky, wounded feet to reach the top of the house, sighing.
Quickly I looked at my leg seeing the stream of blood coating my foot. In confusion I know I had to halt them somehow. Grasping the ladder I pushed it toward the crevice, watching it fall down between the stone buildings. I saw yet another ladder lying against the wall of a house on down the road.
I bend over quickly pulling few small granite stones from the surface of the ceiling. Than I took off toward the ladder in what was supposed to be a run but was more like a hobble. Limping on the leg I knew I was an easy target for the archers, but why weren’t they firing?
Than I found out why when I turned, looking away form the archers. Dried flax, barley and papyrus were all lined up behind me lying upon the ceilings in piles. I estimated that with the kindling laying there if so much as a spark hit the dried materials there would be a rather large barbeque.
I slowed my pace smirking as I gazed at the archers poised bodies. Taking small aim I threw two rocks in single swift motions; each rock hit an archer which the two stood side by side on the wall. They screamed falling in utter vain, I knew nothing would go to their bravery.
At the two cracks of stone hitting the two arches’ heads, another two in either direction a few feet away grew impatient with me. Another archer looked over the ridge watching his friends fall. Hearing the two echoes of the bodies meet the ground, all three archers glared into my body and grasped unto their bows poising arrows into the wood and string.
I grew a stern expression as I now had just began to understand what I had done and taken from them. I picked my pace back up with only a single rock in my hand. Hobbling toward the ladder, I trailed blood streaks in my wake.
The screams of the mob below me now flourished behind me. Their taunts and murderous comment bruised my ego that had never been big anyway. Gaining on the ladder the mob swarmed behind me, wheeling their feet in a full run.
I glance at the closest of the three archers to the ladder. I took the last rock hurling it at him; this time the granite ricocheted off the bow sending both arrow and bow away from him leaving him in pure shock. I quickly wheeled my heard around to fiercely examine the mob of weaponry and hate.
Keeping on my course I could sense a young man gaining on me. I could smell the sent of his blade colliding with the granite ceiling as he dragged the blade in his own wake. Only a few yards from the ladder, I knew the course in destiny I must take.
Ignoring the young lad and his blade I plowed through what must have been the bakeries ceiling. The flax seed, wheat, flour, and boxes of utensils stood in my way. I grunted as I hobbled over and through the materials; this didn’t seem to stunt the young fellow or the mob as they purged toward me.
The ladder grew closer yet to me as I had begun to judge the distance from me to the ladder. I looked up on the ridge as the weaponless archer began to run shockingly toward the ladder, too.
“Oh no, you don’t!” I screamed, leaping from the edge of the ceiling toward the ladders direction. As my feet cleared the ground I felt the wind rush into my back just as the young child’s blade cracked into my scabbard upon my back. I blazed forward as the momentum of his blade transferred into my body.
I entirely bashed into the wooden ladder in a loud crash. My hands grasped around one of the rungs as my body began to fall downwards unto that ravenous mob. My shoulder blades popped loudly as my descent ended, leaving me dangling by a single rung.
Gasping for the breath I lost at that sudden stop, I brought one foot up on top of a rung beginning my raise to the top. The weight of Rift’s scabbard slowed my pace down immensely; usually I could climb ladders like this easily, but this was different, harder. My mind focused on each rung as I climbed higher away from the mob.
The archer still ran at the ladder even though I edged closer to the top. Catching the sight of the top, the man swung his foot at the side of the ladder trying to topple it over. Luckily he missed just barely though. The ladder wobbled back ‘n forth for a short while. Grabbing the granite edge which the ladder toppled from unto the angered people below, I lay there against the wall and gawked at them vicious scold me.
Quickly I placed my other hand on the ledge and began pulling my body up slowly. Looking up at the man, I saw his anger crash down upon my left hand. I grunted feeling the pressure of his foot engulf my hand.
“I won’t let you leave this castle.” He said with a smile of victory on his face.
Feeling his foot press down on my hand greaten I pulled my self up unto the ledge faster than I’ve ever done before. I ripped my hand from underneath his metal plated boot leaving it beat red from the great amount of friction created. Some spots of my hand were missing skin as if it was burn away by the friction.
Standing there in shook the man locked his eyes upon me. Quickly fading from his shock he rushed at me throwing his open palms at my body. I changed my position after the first palm pummeled into my chest leaving me winded again. With my back to him now, immediately after the first palm, the second palm smashed into my scabbard forcing me to fall face forward into the granite ledge.
His wrist was left dislocated and bruised as I met the ground in a swift thud. My face burned with pain as my hands began to raise me away form the grounded wall’s surface. Than as I was about up unto my knees I felt a foot impact hard against my back forcing me into the grey granite again.
Enraged I gave up trying to e calm and peaceful to everyone around me. My palms thrust unto the rough surface again as drops of blood fell from my nose. I quickly used my wrists as a pivoting area which allowed me to thrust my left foot into the ground diagonally. The momentum created by my foot spun me around in a circle above the granite, while my hands held me up like a balance.
Tilting my body in the motion I caught sight of the man swinging a rather large rock at me. With the last of my momentum I thrusted my right foot into the ankles of the archer. Dropping the rock he began to fall and from his path would land on my feet. Without a single thought more I use my moving right foot to pummel into the granite’s surface and thrust off yet again to give me more momentum. I spun the same way as before, but in a different direction. My hand which was planted in the surface began to feel wet and painful. Ignoring the pain I jut my other hand into the granite abyss. With both hands on the surface I powered my body to flip forwards by thrusting both feet off the surface of the granite wall.
Amidst the flip my feet fell upon the archer’s chest in his fall. I felt him let go of all air he held inside just as the impact with the stone surface. Stumbling forward when my own feet hit the ground, I regained composure glancing at the archer as he lay unconscious.
I ran for the post nearby now. Located on one of the castle’s many corners, it looked down upon a small pond-like body of water and forestry. Running in desperation and exhaustion my eyes caught sight of three more archers also running toward the post but aiming for me. Continuing my path anyway, they rounded the corner and each fired a mixture of two to four arrows in a single fleet.
My eyes burned with confidence as I grabbed the edge of my robe. Purging my mind for every drop of courage and sanity, I threw the end of my robe up into the barrage or arrows. My blue tank top above a black wool sleeved shirt became visible when the arrows burst through the robe sitting in the fabric. Letting to of the robe, the arrows feel tout of the fabric tearing it a little as they made there way to the ground.
Still in a fast pace I headed toward the archer’s position. One managed to get an arrow back into the air without me noticing it; the arrow had cracked on the granite next to my arm, though. Upon them something snapped in my head, I forgot all of I held in my heart or what was burned there by Tarkus. I realized that through our lives we only fight to stay alive.
As my left hand gripped the hilt of my Rift Blade, I didn’t care about their lives or mine anymore. The blade flew from its scabbard without me thinking about it or giving a mental impulse as an order. As it fell to the ground, the wind rushed into my robe letting it billow around me. The archers stepped back, fear now coated over their eyes.
Each refueled their egos placing arrows against the twine, again. Their aims accurate to a fault this time, shot off. One arrow blew over my shoulder, while a second hit my left shoulder digging itself deep in my flesh; meanwhile the third crashed into the plated gauntlet, I wielded on my hands. The arrow which hit my right hand cut deep to the bone than continued behind me.
Chapter Three: Detestable Night
