Requiem

Chapter 1

"Richard!" Kahlan screamed her love's name in a futile attempt to distract the men long enough for Richard to escape from his bindings and kill them all. But, as she already knew, it was futile.

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They were setting up camp when they were ambushed. An arrow sailed through the air and tore through the flesh of Kahlan's leg. In the next instant, some sixty to seventy men jumped from the bushes surrounding the clearing, along with ten other Mord-Sith that came from over the hill only minutes later. They sashayed directly over to Zedd and Cara. They had never been ambushed by this many men… or Mord-Sith for that matter. Three of the Mord-Sith incapacitated Zedd by poking him in the back and shoulder as if he were cattle and kept Cara busy with the other seven, as they knew she would be harder to handle. They still got Cara to the ground and away from her weapons; they bound her hands and lay her on her stomach, with Zedd beside her in a similar manner, only his fingers were bound as well.

Richard had continued to fight the men that came at him, his sword ringing in the air as he cut down the men as best he could, but when they charged at him, they knocked his sword from his hand, slicing at his arms with their blades and binding him to the tree that they cornered him against.

Kahlan had tried fighting but it was hard to move with an arrow sticking out of her leg. She tried to kick a solider square in the chest but he caught her leg and twisted her around. He grabbed the end of the arrow and twisted it in her leg. Kahlan let out a cry of agony as the hilt of the bolt broke off in the man's hand. She collapsed onto the ground and the man dropped her leg; then at least ten other men joined the man that incapacitated her and all of them drew their swords… pointed directly at her.

So there she lay, her companions all bound and powerless, she screamed at her love as the blades above her poked at her delicate pale flesh, some drawing blood. She leaned against the log behind her with her arms up in a non-defensive manner. One of the men on her left knelt beside her, laying his sword off to the side; as he reached for her right hand to bind her wrists, she grabbed his fat neck with her left. The soundless thunder-clap of magic boomed around them as she set her powers free. The men stalled for only a moment but then they started to swing their swords at her. One man tried lunging at her, but it was a mistake on his part. She grabbed his scrawny neck and released her powers. Another clap of soundless thunder made everyone still again. Before she had the title Mother Confessor she couldn't Confess one man without her powers completely draining her, now she could Confess three men and only feel a little faint. She used the stall to grab her fallen daggers and, along with her two Confessed, fought her way through the crowd until she was able to get to Richard. She bounded across the clearing over to the big tree his arms were wrapped around; she cut the binding and ran to his side.

She tried to pick him up but he stopped her. "No, Kahlan, go help Zedd and Cara, I'm fine."

"Richard," She started, grabbing his upper arms, mindful of the gashes the men left, but he swatted her hands away.

"Go! I'm fine."

Kahlan looked longingly into his eyes before running over to Cara first. She fought, or at least tried as hard as she could, but when she tried four of them got up from Cara and ran to her. But Cara could take three of them; she bucked them off her and loosened the bindings around her hands enough to pull them off. Kahlan was able to stab one of them in the heart and then slit ones throat before Confessing another. The thunder clapped a third time and the Mord-Sith fell it the ground in tears, she writhed and squirmed until Kahlan leaned over and put her out of her misery. Kahlan charged at the three Mord-Sith surrounding Zedd; she simultaneously stabbed two in the stomach, and then turned around at a sharp pain in her back. The third Mord-Sith had jabbed at her with her Agiel, but was falling over to the side in just as much pain when Cara came up behind her and subjected her to the same treatment before finally stopping her heart. Kahlan leaned over and cut the bindings on Zedd's hands.

With Zedd free, he put out both his hands and knocked all the soldiers back. The few that survived the magic got up but retreated quickly when the Captain yelled at them to fall back. The men ran up over the hill and soon the clanking of their armor could be heard no more.

Richard placed his sword back into his scabbard and walked over to the others. "Well," He stated, "that was something." He noticed Kahlan looking a little faint. He walked over to her and placed his hand on her cheek. "Kahlan?" Worry dripped from his voice as he spoke her name, "Kahlan, are you alright?"

Kahlan looked at his increasingly blurry face and shook her head. She felt the rush of wind through her hair, heard Richard yelling her name and felt him encircling her in his tight grasp before she slipped into blackness.

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Reveiws are welcomed....

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