The rode all day down the mountain. Their mood slowly rising as the thicket of trees dissipated. Water ran down a gorge and a few trees were sprinkled around it. But otherwise their path was along a rather thin strip of rough mountainous path with a rock wall to one side and a cliff that fell down hundreds of feet to the other. The sky cleared. The sun shone down on them, warming the armor. Cloaks and scarves were shed and stuffed into packs. Food was brought out as they rested under a willow tree by the stream. The horses waded and cooled themselves. Everyone needed the rest. As a cloud came over the sun Kahlan went to pray by the stream and Rahl went to scout ahead on foot. Asra was left by Tyrose who sat glumly eating his bear meat and cheese.
Asra handed him a sugared peach. He took it like a little child and bit into it. Tentatively he eat the first bite before stuffing the whole fruit in his mouth. He was smiling once again. Why did you not want me to fight him, you didn't want him to touch him. I was trying to protect you mistress, he cried suddenly. Asras heart ached. She could not explain to him.
"I can take care of myself, a warrior must not seem weak". She said trying at a more militaristic approach, something he might understand. "If I had let you fight Rahl then I would have looked week," Asra said. She crossed her legs underneath her her and leaned forward. Do you understand? Yes, he replied. He felt better now that he understood. He smiled and pulled a salted piece of fish from his bag and gave it to Asra. Fish was so rare in the Iron mountains that it was treasured. She took the fish solemnly and bowed her head over it. Together they said the prayer.
"great gods above, you send us this fish from the rivers that were made from your tears. Blessed be to the great gods above that provide, you take and give keeping nature in balance. " as they finished they heard Kahlan chanting the same prayer only in the elven language of her people. Strange and haunting it was more fluid than theirs.
"ahlevante crondoses mia oledeastine mativaules." she finished her voice lilting and pure. It rose above the treetops and flew back to her people, a last reminder of her. While they slept they would remember her, but when they woke she would never have been born. Tyrose took Asras hand and kissed it. Then raised his head to hers, his baby face so startlingly out of place with his battle worn armor.
"my princess, I will follow you to the ends of the earth. Your wish is my command."
Asra smiled but pulled her hand away. She rose and looked down at the young man. I know, she whispered so quietly she could not hear herself. But the look in Tyrose's eyes said he had heard.
Suddenly Rahl appeared in a flash of red flames before them. He was sweating and breathing heavily. "get up, everyone on your horses. A squadron of demons riding oracnose are heading this way." in a second everyone was one their horses, and galloping away. Rahl flashed his hand over the place where their fire had been and it died the coals cooling. Then he too galloped off down the road, his sword drawn. Already the sound off the oracnose's manny legs was heard reverberating off the stone.
At the head of the party was Asra, her giant ax was in her right hand, her reigns in the left. The black horse beneath her galloped with no fear of the tree branches and loose stones. Behind her Kahlan had tied her reins to the saddle and was wrapping her red scarf around her face, leaving slits for her eyes. No one but the priestesses were aloud to see her face. The three people she rode with and Sfan were an exception. From her bag she pulled out a leather strap that made and X over her chest. Thick and padded it covered her organs and had places for all her twenty knives.
Tyrose pulled huge sword that glistened with jewels along its hilt. His father had been a shoe maker and when his son had become a warrior he had given him a sword of great wealth. Trose pulled his chain mail gloves on and pulled a helmet on. He watched with vicious anger, an unpleasant look on his beautiful face, at Rahl. The man acted as if he was impenetrable. He wore little armor, and what he did was made of padded leather. Slowly he turned around and stared at Tyrose with his piercing green and grey eyes. Dog, you are too stupid to understand anything and that is why Asra lies to you, everything she says is to keep from hurting you, he whispered. Tyrose felt as if he had been kicked, the words stung. He looked up the line at Asra, he could not believe the words the mean man had said. I will not listen to him, he thought over and over, I cannot, I will not, if I do his dark magic will corrupt me, I cannot listen.
Listen, listen, that was all Asra could think to herself as the click and clatter of the giant spiders behind her grew to a thunder, there must be as many as twenty she thought. Not that many but to many to fight. As she was thinking this a huge form loomed ahead of her and a spear nearly missed her shoulder. The peacefulness of the mountain side had changed. the thunder of the horses hoofs and they pranced in place, the jingle of armor, the clash of weapons rang. Asra turned in time to see Tyrose charging his horse towards her. The rest of the company did the same thing and they went back to back. Every side was covered. To her right knifesk logged in a demons side and the scream that followed caused his mount to charge of the cliff they were on.
As a demon charged at her, Asra saw her attacker for the first time. Really saw him. He was human but he had a bigger jaw with huge teeth. His flesh was of stone, cracked and veined blue. Instead of fingers he had long claws that awkwardly held his ax. He rode atop a giant spider, saddled and bridled. The demon lunged at her, swinging his ax but Asra blocked it with the wooden handle of hers. From her back she pulled a small knife and threw it. The dagger lodge itself inside the demons shoulder. He screamed and in a last effort threw a smaller ax. A scrapping made her turn, the az grazed her sword arm. No, not now she thought. But before she could think more about the wound another demon lunged at her. His teeth barred, saliva dripping onto his stoney chest he ran shouting at her. The language was foreign to Asra, so different from the language of the earth. All tongues and guttural noises the cries of the demons shook her head. A headache that had been coming on since the stand off with Tyrose and Rahl was flaming to a skull shattering pain.
Most people are taught to feel glory or excitement in battle. But as Asra spun her horse around, her sword and knife flashing, her long hair getting in her mouth she felt only the sense of being interrupted. She was annoyed. Suddenly it broke and she threw her dagger at a creature that looked to be leading the attack. It sank up to the bone hilt. The stone around it shattered, cracks appeared and blue blood seeped through the shards. The demons that saw screamed in anguish and retreated. As they ran some of their backs caught fire, courtesy of Rahl.
But one slow demon shrieked in agony as Kahlan grabbed its arm. Its eyes turned black and then he collapsed. she bent and whispered something to it. The demon nodded and took his knife and slowly cut his throat open. Kahlen wiped a tear from her cheek and gently rested her head against her horses neck. After a while she sat up, sweat soaked through her priestesses dress. Asra did not worry about her though. She had seen Kahlan once before fight, she knew her patterns. Tyrose however rushed to her and pulled her from her saddle. Gently he cradled the thin woman in his lap, pouring water into her parched mouth. Slowly her eyes flickered open and she smiled up at him before closing them again.
"we missed something didn't we." everyone spun around. They had not noticed the two men approaching them on horseback, the sound of the demons still rang in their ears. One was tall and skinny, his face shallow and pale as death. He wore a long black coat that was split down the middle for riding. Chain mail glinted from underneath. A bow hung at his back and a long slim black sword hung by his hip. The other man was well built and muscular. He wore heavy armor, silver and dented. Huge shoulder guards were spiked with metal points and his chest armor had the chest plate was scarred. A huge two handed sword hung across his back. The blade was deep red with silver inlaid in the design of a dragon. The handle was silver and wrapped in old cloth strips, a reminded of years of war. Donte was not the man that had spoken, Lors 'ladner the fairy prince stepped forward. He looked around and nodded grimly. "yes" he said again sternly "we really missed something."
Donte put a hand on his shoulder and Lors become silent. Donte dismounted and knelt before Asra. "Asra, Warrior Princess of the Iron Cavers, defender of the Light I am honored to serve you." he looked up at her and crossed his right arm over his chest. His hand a fist. "Dregan, Vantancry" honor, victory. She did the same, crossing her arm over her chest. She bowed her head. Rise, she told him. Donte I am honored to meet you. Who is your companion? She asked although she already knew.
Lors stayed on his horse but dipped his head. He was a proud man and although his mother had ordered him to, did not particularly want to follow this slip of a girl into battle. "lady, I am honored to serve under you" he intoned. Just yesterday his mother had said the exact same thing, he had had to repeat it until he could not forget it. Until the stupid words were engraved in his mind. Asra paid him him no head and motioned for Donte to mount again.
The turned to the rest of her company and addressed them "we must ride hard and fast, the sooner we are off this mountain the better. We need to be in Tamesworth Village by next evening. And in a week we have to meet up with map maker in Queenstown. I will brief you all about Queenstown later but so you know it is an enemy stronghold. The demons have control of the city, humans still live peacefully with them but mostly the inhabitants are criminals and Necros warriors. Lets ride." The sound of galloping horses filled their ears again, the sound would soon be familiar to them. It was unnerving galloping along the trail, every rock that was kicked up plummeted over the ledge. No One looked down.
Lors did not follow them. He knew where they were going and he had to feast. He dismounted, his horse stayed perfectly still. Sweeping his black robes around him the fairy walked among the dead demons. One of the demons had only bit hit by a blow to the head, no blood had seeped onto the ground yet. Lors bent and leaned over him. Slowly he opened his mouth. His mouth was almost touching the demons mouth as he sucked the life from the body. Slowly the feet turned ghostly white then the legs, the belly and finally the face as the last drop of blood was licked up by Lors. Then he moved on to the next one. Color flooded his cheeks and the throbbing pain in his temples left him. The fairy smiled, his sharp white teeth stained with the blue blood.