Crossed Sword Ch. 02

Kalvin nocked an arrow and let it fly. It was dodged with ease as his attacker closed in; no attempt was made to catch it. With two swords drawn they closed the distance in a second. Of course Kalvin was used to sparing with Cassandra so he knew exactly how to deal with an excess of speed. Patience was the key, provided he could survive the initial onslaught. As he drew his own short sword and dodged strike after strike he got a better view of them, of her. She was probably the third or fourth most beautiful woman who had ever tried to kill him. She must have been inducted after his departure, she did not seem familiar.

Kalvin cursed, she was too good with those swords, far better than Kalvin could ever beat in a fair fight. And then it happened. He side stepped right into a trap she had laid three strikes before. He saw the delight in her eyes as the sword struck home. Or so she thought. She could see him in a defensive crouch with her sword right through his throat. Only there had been no resistance, it was as though she had thrust her sword through thin air. Before she could recover, she felt the sword pushed through her, the tip protruding from her chest. There was a voice at her ear as she collapsed to her knees.

"You seem surprised. I don't blame you, most people don't get to see me do that. It's a gift I inherited from my father."

Her opponent was now behind her as the other image of him faded. Recognition dawned in her eyes and she turned to see his face. She tried to speak but only managed to splutter blood.

"I see that you've worked it out. Pity you won't be able to warn anyone."

The light faded from her eyes. Kalvin stood while pulling his sword free and turned in time to see a bright flash and Cassandra fall.

Cassandra had not waited for her opponent and sped off to meet them. His swords flashed in the moonlight. She knew those swords. As they clashed she realized that she knew his fighting style. She had sparred with this man before.

"Yes, you know me, don't you, traitor. I know you!"

She could not stop herself from letting the name slip from her lips.

"Del Vargo."

His laugh was cruel. He pulled the hood back from his cloak.

"Yes, Cassandra of Lenvin, oh how the fates are kind to the faithful! This night I will get to kill two birds with one stone."

The physical onslaught that was unleashed upon her was like nothing she had ever felt.

She couldn't even land a blow on him, all she could do was defend and wait for an opening. She didn't need to wait long. His anger had made him rush, he had overextended. She enjoyed the look in his eye as his swords went rattling to the ground. She immediately charged in for the kill. As she thrust the dagger towards his throat there was an explosion of light and her whole body went numb.

She could not move. Worse, she could not breathe. She felt herself fall backwards.

"Do you like my armour, traitor? It was a gift from Drakken himself."

She hit the ground as the blackness took her the only sound was his hideous laughter.

She was on her knees, head in her hands, sobbing. Smoke and flames spiraled around her.

"You did not fail."

Her head snapped up and there, before her, stood the little goblin girl still clutching her doll. Those big eyes framed by the long black hair. She stared into those eyes, the reflected fire dancing in front of her golden irises.

"Yes, I did."

The little girl reached out her tiny hand and touched Cassandra's cheek.

"You stood between me and thirty members of Drakken's Bloodguard. You were beaten down again and again only to rise once more to my defense."

Cassandra shook her head her whole body wracked with sobs.

"It wasn't enough. I wasn't strong enough to save you. They took you."

The child took Cassandra's face in both hands.

"But do you know who it was that took me?"

Cassandra snapped awake. The look of glee on Del Vargo's face turned to horror as Cassandra sprung to her feet.

"Impossible."

He drew two daggers and lunged at her. He watched helplessly as every blow he tried to land was blocked with ease. He began to panic. The shock from striking his Thunder Cloth armour could kill a bull. How was she still alive? How was she still able to fight? He saw the dagger strike coming. He did nothing to stop it; a second shock would surely kill her. There was another flash of light just as Kalvin reached her. Cassandra did not fall. She stood, lightning arcing all around her. Del Vargo's face contorted into a grimace as the dagger's tip slowly plunged into his neck. He fell back as blood erupted from his neck. The look of disbelief never left his eyes.

Kalvin and Cassandra, having dispatched their attackers, turned to see that the old man had apparently not fared as well. He lay, bloodied and battered on the ground. His attacker had thrown open the door of the carriage. Before they could move, the attacker stabbed both swords into the cloaked figure inside. It slumped out of the carriage and fell to the ground. The Bloodguard then turned to the old man, a vicious smile on his lips. The old man was laughing. He sprung to his feet with a speed a man that old should not possess.

"I let you get past me, Faltin. I wanted you to know the level to which you had failed before I dispatched you."

The old man pulled the cloak from the ground, a straw mannequin lay beneath it. With a howl of rage the Bloodguard charged him with his sword raised. The old man then struck his staff to the ground. The flash that followed blinded both Kalvin and Cassandra but they could hear the wet sound of a sword cleaving flesh. When they regained their sight, they saw the guardsman's headless body at the old man's feet.

"There was never anyone else, but I needed you, and especially those who are trying to stop me to think there was."

Fifteen minutes had passed since the battle and Kalvin was pacing with fury. He threw the cloak to the ground.

"So this was a diversion, we were just a diversion?"

The old man looked down and sighed as he retrieved the cloak.

"No, this was bait, you were a trap."

Kalvin was apoplectic, starting and failing to complete a coherent sentence. Cassandra stood with a distant look in her eyes. The old man sighed deeply.

"I owe you my thanks, my apologies, and many answers. Come back to Beleth with me and I can at least answer one."

He turned to Cassandra.

"The one that haunts your sleep."

They rode back to Beleth in silence. Arriving back at the inn the old man lead them to a room on the second floor in silence. Cassandra felt a chill run up her spine as they stepped inside. The slight figure that stepped into the light was draped in a pale traveler's cloak, her face obscured by the hood. She wore a dark tunic, breeches, gloves and high boots, and carried a small satchel across her chest.

"This is my companion, and I'm certain she would like to thank you for your help."

The old man closed the door and moved beside the cloaked woman. Kalvin broke the tension.

"We need a hell of a lot more than thanks. We need answers. Who the Hells are you?"

The old man sighed, looked to his companion who nodded.

"We can tell you everything once we get to Thyrain."

Kalvin was incredulous.

"You expect us to take this girl to Thyrain? To the Thyrain that lies at the heart of Tyrnia? The Tyrnia where we are wanted for treason? And what, by the shades of my ancestors, could you possibly offer us as payment? There isn't enough gold in all of..."

Kalvin's words failed as the woman stepped forward and pulled back the hood of her cloak. His mouth hung open from the unfinished words. Cassandra gasped, her conscious mind not immediately able to process what she was seeing while waves of nausea and chills washed over her. The young woman was beautiful, as had been all of her kind. Her olive skin shone in the torchlight. Small, pointed ears stuck out from a shock of pitch black hair. She looked at Cassandra with large, almond shaped eyes. Cassandra wanted to scream but no sound came. She wanted to run but felt rooted to the ground. She wanted to hide from those eyes with their golden irises. It couldn't be. They were all dead. She had seen the bodies, the fire, the smoke. She saw her taken. The goblin was now standing in front of her as she began to shake uncontrollably. Cassandra watched as she reached into her satchel and brought out a small, familiar rag doll. The goblin smiled as she offered it to Cassandra.

"You see, you did not fail, Cassandra, you inspired. After you fell, another rose in your place to take me, not to kill, but to protect."

Her eyes moved glanced to the old man as she continued, reaching out to catch the tears from Cassandra's cheeks.

"And another stood with him and then another. You not only saved me, but you saved them as well. And so I offer you my thanks."

Kalvin watched the scene play out before him in disbelief, tears streaming down his cheeks. He felt the old man's hand gently come to rest on his shoulder.

"As payment, I can only offer you what she offered us fifteen years ago, a chance for redemption."