Feet pounded into the ground in urgency, leaving behind large prints in the dirt. "Richard! Slow down!" an old man yelled from behind, desperately trying to keep up.
Richard wheeled around, his face contorted into a mixture of anger and desperation. "Do you think they're slowing down?! No! They're not going to wait for us to catch up and there's no way I'm slowing down so that they can have more time to…" He stopped short, not even wanting to fathom what those men would do to her.
Kahlan. How the hell had he let this happen? His panting echoed in his ears as his mind swam. Nothing was out of the ordinary the previous morning until D'Haran soldiers showed up. He still didn't know how they had found him and his companions. There had to be at least 40 of them. Even Zedd's powers could only defeat so many at one time. Richard dove into the battle, the rage of his sword eager to protect his friends. Zedd had already taken care of 4 men and moved onto the next group. Those trained soldiers had no chance against a wizard, yet they willingly fought him. Normally they would go for the man's hands to stop his magic or run in the opposite direction to try a different tactic later. This was just suicide. It didn't make sense. Then again, they were D'Haran soldiers. Anything Darken Rahl demanded of them they would do. But he still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Richard's sword slid across one man's neck, cutting off another's arm in the process.
He risked a glance over to Kahlan; she was fairing quite well per usual. Her white confessor's dress flowed elegantly with her movements. She looked beautiful even when taking another's life. That was when he saw them coming. From the shadows of the trees emerged four D'Haran soldiers. Their uniforms were a slightly darker shade of red and black. It was obvious these men were a quad. And he knew exactly what quads did to confessors. "KAHLAN!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. She turned towards him. No, look in the opposite direction! "BEHIND YOU!" She spun on her heels as the first man sent a powerful punch to gut. With the wind knocked out of her, Kahlan doubled over. Before she could catch her breath, she found herself eating dirt with a boot pressed firmly into her back. Her lungs tried to force air into her body, only to inhale the grains of sand beneath her. So that was the plan. Send in an army to keep Richard and Zedd busy while the quad snuck in and took out the confessor. The Seeker ignored the soldiers coming at him, swinging his sword only at those that stood between him and Kahlan. His mission turned from murdering Darken Rahl's followers to protecting the one he loved. "NO!" None could hear him over the magical explosions and metal striking against metal.
A member of the quad pulled a dagger from its sheath. While he was temporarily distracted, Kahlan swung her leg out, swiping the man's other leg out from under him. He hit the ground with a loud thud. The pressure lifted off of her back. She rolled to the side up onto the balls of her feet as the other 3 members of the quad immediately dove for the spot she had been stuck in.
Kahlan's eyes swept the ground, looking for a weapon. These men were trained to evade her confessor power. A weapon was more practical in this kind of situation. Her wide eyes darted in every direction. This couldn't be the end, not like this. She was supposed to die in some heroic battle protecting Richard against Darken Rahl, not in a surprise attack by the D'Harans. Her gaze rested upon a sword four feet away. "Don't even think about it mother confessor," a voice laced with malice brought her out of her thoughts. She bit her lip, judging how good her odds were of reaching the sword before she was cut down by another. Unfortunately, they were not in her favor. Her breathing evened out so she could concentrate. Darting off to the side, she curved around a swinging sword, diving under another. She slid towards the hilt on the ground, her fingers within inches of her steel savior. A powerful crunch sounded as a boot slammed down on her hand. She couldn't contain the cry that escaped her lips. Her heel clipped one of the quad members in the back of the knee, forcing him to the ground. He landed within reach. Before his face even touched soil, Kahlan's other hand was around the man's neck. Anticipating this move, another soldier was already bringing his sword down, ready to chop off the confessor's wrist. Her eyes locked on their target. At the last second, she pulled her hand away before the sharp metal became stuck in the dirt in front of her. Thunder without sound echoed through the hills. Her power released as she drew her arm back to her side. She had missed. Dear Spirits, they had actually made her miss. Fatigue immediately overtook her body and soul. "JUST STAY DOWN YOU BITCH!" The words barely registered with her as the dagger was plunged deep into her thigh. She bit her tongue trying to suppress her own scream but to no avail. Her hand instinctively went to reach for the dagger planted in her leg. It was kicked away roughly. Rough fingers scrapped against her scalp as Kahlan was forcefully dragged up by her hair.
Richard broke through the last of the ranks, coming to a screeching halt. His gaze rested on the exhausted woman before him being held by two soldiers, one pressing a dagger firmly into her throat. Blood trickled down over the glistening silver. Fear was clear in her eyes. But it wasn't just fear for herself, it was fear for him. "Let her go," the Seeker growled.
One of the men off to the side reached down and twisted the dagger still sticking out of the confessor's leg. It made a sickening squelching noise as Kahlan gritted her teeth. "I don't think so. This one is ours," a perverted smile etched its way onto the soldier's face.
Richard's own anger became amplified by the sword. He waged his own battle within his mind; he had to save Kahlan but if he even made one step towards her, these men would slice her throat before his foot even hit the ground.
"Watcha gunna do Seeker?" another masculine voice boomed. "It's shame we have to kill such a pretty monster…" he breathed into her ear, loud enough for Richard to hear. A gloved finger traced her lips while he licked his own. She futilely tried to pull away, only to have the knife press deeper into her neck.
The hatred in her eyes was reflected in Richard's. They were tormenting him. They knew he wouldn't risk harm coming to her. He struggled to keep the sword's rage in check. Any wrong move and he would lose the one he loved forever.
A stream of fire scorched a man who was holding a sword above Richard's back. The heat burned the Seeker from behind, momentarily forcing him to turn around. He became so wrapped up in the quad he had forgotten about the rest of the D'Harans. Zedd's outstretched arm switched direction to meet an attacker head on. "RICHARD!" he yelled, pointing with his other hand in the Seeker's general direction. "KAHLAN!" Richard spun on his heel to see the quad retreating into the forest. Stupid! He cursed himself. He had taken his attention off of them for a second, giving them the chance they needed to escape. His feet hit the ground running as fast as he could. He only made it about half a mile before more D'Haran soldiers emerged from their hiding places. They blocked his path. In frustration, he released the rage he had been holding back. The Sword of Truth tore through flesh, hacked off limbs, and defeated weapons. They were no match for him, but they served their purpose; they stalled him, giving the quad more time to escape.
Richard was helpless as he watched Kahlan's figure disappearing in the distance, being dragged across the ground. His sword dove through someone's abdomen, his gaze never leaving the place where she had last been visible.