Prologue
The lightening had come first, a chilling omen which signaled the horrific storm that would follow shortly after. Booming thunderclaps rocked the earth while a torrential downpour flowed from the black sky without mercy. The sheet of water made it impossible to see more than a couple feet in front of one's face. The entire city which was normally bustling with life, and activity, was eerily still and quiet, save for the storm. It was as if all life was at a standstill waiting for the dangerous monsoon to pass. The streets were already flooded near half a foot. No soul in their right mind would dare venture out into such a maelstrom. Therefore, it left to question the sanity of the lone hooded figure that was making her way hastily through the streets. She was constantly turning her head to look over her shoulders, searching behind her, all around her, as if she was expecting some sort of attack at any moment. Though she moved with great haste and agility, despite the several inches of water at her feet, she carried herself with a predatory grace and finesse. She appeared to be favoring her left leg slightly, but it did not slow her down. She seemed very driven, but also cautious, for she took great care in staying close to shadows, keeping herself mostly to alleys and backroads.
As she ducked into another alleyway, suddenly a startlingly loud boom of thunder burst in the sky followed by a loud wailing cry which seemed to be coming from the small bundle in her arms. She drew back her hood, her raven-colored hair flowing around her face and shoulders like a silk river, and she gently shushed the frightened babe. It stilled and grew quiet. She smiled lovingly down at it, but suddenly like a great cat of the jungle sensing danger, she peered up through the darkness and quickly stood, running for the next street. She turned another corner and pressed herself flat against the wall, completely hidden in shadow. She waited there patiently, gently bouncing and cradling the precious bundle in her arms. She pressed herself tight against the wall again just before a small group of warriors, adorned head to toe in iron platemail, marched with heavy footsteps past the entrance to the alleyway. She nibble don her lower lip in anxiety, waiting for them to pass before she dared stick her head just outside the wall to watch them pass. Her intense cerulean blue eyes shined like Christmas bulbs from under her hood.
When she was sure the men had fully passed out of range, she raced from the alleyway and took off down the cobbled street at a full pace. She kept glancing behind her. She might have passed them by but these warriors, these world-enders were no ordinary soldiers. She had faced many terrifying and horrific things in her long years, but in her entire life, she had never known fear until these men had come.
Her life was over. She knew that, now. She was spent, done. She accepted it. It would be a good death. She had done everything in her power to save the child's family. To hide them. But in the end, the world-enders had sent one ship that tracked them here. They'd found her. The family she'd sworn to honour and protect had given their lives to save her and the child. Fought to give her the precious time she would need to take the babe and run. They'd given her a chance to escape and she had failed them.
The primary fight had cost her so much. Her injuries dragged her down slowly and the blood loss she had thus far sustained would have brought any normal being to their end hours ago. But it was not her own will that was driving her now, her survival was no longer the concern here. It was keeping Them from getting their hands on the precious bundle in her arms. Hiding him away and making sure she was the one they pursued was all that mattered now.
Her senses warned her of nearing danger, and she glanced behind her before she turned another corner. It was not the most glamorous of places, but her desperation was dire. Therefore, when opportunity arose in the form of a large dumpster a few meters off, she approached it and lifted the lid. The smell of rotting refuse didn't overwhelm her senses and she glanced inside... It appeared as if it had just recently been dumped, most likely before the storm. The closed lid had kept it from flooding as well, though it was still musty and damp. With great care she climbed inside and laid out the blankets she'd used to make a sling for him around her, they were soaked but they made a decent resting place.
The rain pelted against the dumpster walls, but the closed lid served as a sort of muffler to the raging storm going on outside. Gently she placed the child down upon the makeshift bed and the baby whimpered softly and she shushed him tenderly yet again. A drop of water fell on the baby's cheek but it was not rain, for it had come from the woman's eye. She wiped at her nose, sorrow at the past week's events finally crashing down upon her. His eyes had just barely opened for the first time and she hadn't even had time to cut his umbilical cord before she'd had to wrap him and run. She leaned down and kissed his forehead, the babe's small hand reached up and fisted in her wet tresses. She nuzzled his nose and a tear fell from each eye. She closed her eyes and whispered softly, "Please, remember your promise! Please, find me..." She turned from him, pulling her hair from his small hand and climbed out of the dumpster disappearing into the shadows once more.
She crept along the wall as she ran to turn another corner. Seeing the same group of soldiers pass by the other end of the alley she stopped abruptly and made to turn and run the other way when suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, a strong armoured hand tightly grabbed her neck and lifted her from the ground.
She fought against his hand and the man wearing a helmet with black faces molded on each side, made clicking noises with his tongue in reprimand, "For shame, my lady. Have you been fighting and running from us all this time, just to lose now? Pity..."
She spat in his face, and he back handed her, the action effectively slicing open her cheek and splitting her lip. He then threw her roughly to the ground, jostling her aching wounds even more. He approached her slowly and grabbed a large fistful of her hair using his grip to pull her head back painfully to look at him. He nearly spat when he talked, "How could you ever think your pathetic race of so-called warriors could ever defeat Us?"
Her only response was to spit in his face again and he slammed her head into the concrete, causing her vision to darken, and blood to flow into her eyes from a new crack on her forehead. He slowly stood, pulling a cloth from under his armour and he proceeded to wipe his face, though rather pointless for it was still pouring rain. His arrogance was overwhelming. When he spoke again he talked down to her, not even bothering to look at her. He had a very reprimanding yet silky tone to his voice, like a father asking a child where they'd hidden the keys, "Where is the child?"
She didn't answer and he kicked her hard with his iron boots in the ribs. She not only felt but heard a few of her ribs crack, yet she didn't groan or make a sound. She did not survive on her planet as long as she had; she did not suffer the things which she suffered to have some full-of-himself, tyrant-in-the-making think he could break her with a few well placed sucker-punches.
"Why do you fight me? You know I will find him, and I will kill him, then you." He crouched down with his elbows on his thighs and spoke to her directly, "Why do you make it harder on yourself? Why do you fight the inevitable" He pulled her head back again forcing her to look at him. She merely glared murderously before attempting to strike him with her fist. He deftly caught her fist in his palm and crushed her hand, speaking angrily through clenched teeth, "Now, I will ask you once more, then the pain will really start." He pressed his other fist into her broken ribs making her cringe, but barely, "Where... is... the... child?"
When she spoke her teeth were clenched helping her fight the pain, and her voice was strained and harsh, "He will kill you. I promise you that! He will stop you!"
His calm exterior finally broke fully, his face contorted in pure anger and hatred and he once more slammed her head into the ground. He did it again, and again, and again, until she was beyond unconsciousness. He stood slowly wiping the small smear of blood from his glove. He spat on the ground next to her and whispered to her under his breath, "No child will destroy me!"
The storm let up some and his men marched up behind him, "Sir?" One of his soldiers spoke from behind him, one of his lieutenants, and he turned around his calm and collected façade of control was back in place.
"Fan out and find the child! It must be near! Check everywhere!" His men nodded and began filing out searching the area for the baby. As his lieutenant nodded a salute and turned to search himself, the man stopped him, "Lieutenant! When you find the child, bring it to me! I will dispose of it! And I do not think I need remind you of what will happen if you fail me again!"
His lieutenant gave a curt nod of understanding, and then he nodded in the direction of the prone woman on the ground, "And Her, sir?"
The dark man looked down at her again, waiting a long moment, contemplating her fate, "Bring her! An example must be made to those who oppose the Necromonger way!"