Han lu Urshar

Blood was pounding in my ears so hard, it felt as though there was a god in the sky banging on a drum the size of a house. I didn't hear Cindana calling from behind me. I hardly noticed as Blue and Gildee responded to my signal from the castle entrance and fell in behind me, running for all they were worth, although they were ignorant as to any plan of action. I didn't even have one.

'I'm not losing my mother again.' I chanted in my mind. The setting sun glared angrily over the town in its dying light, matching my emotions perfectly. I felt my mad dash being slowed by my water bag and supplies, so I threw them off in the dirt street of Vos.

When I emerged to the peninsula where the lighthouse was located, I faced five soldiers set to watch for anyone coming from the town. They raised their shields in a wall. "Halt, in the name of the Emperor!"

I darted into the surf to get around the soldiers. They broke their shield wall to try to block me, but they were slowed by heavy armor. There were a number of soldiers coming down a plank from one of the ships on either side of the peninsula. Predicting archers and mages, I cast wards to protect me in every direction, deflecting a couple well aimed arrows and spells as many others streaked past, missing their mark.

There were soldiers ducking inside the lighthouse behind their tower shields, directed by a figure in distinct armor with a helmet that covered his face. He wielded a long Akaviri katana, using it as a wand to direct the troops.

Taking a guess, I charged the man in Blade armor, lowering my spear to impale. "Caius!" I screamed, causing the man to turn just in time to drop his sword and grasp at the spear with both hands. It was far too little far too late. I tipped the spears head upward to slide between the slats of steel that protected his stomach. The tip drove several inches into him and I felt it lodge in the chainmail protecting his back. Caius was driven backwards, holding the spear and trying to keep it from doing further damage. I drove Caius to the ground, withdrawing the spear, and kneeling on top of him. I pulled my stolen sword and placed it to Caius' neck, baring the skin by forcing the humans helmet backwards, against the ground with my free hand.

"Call them off Caius! Call them off and I'll do whatever you want."

The Imperial held his gloved hands over the bleeding wound under his armor, grunting in pain. Soldiers surrounded me and moved to pull me off of Caius. "Get back," I roared. "Get back or he dies!"

I looked back down and Caius hissed through painfully clenched teeth. "I can't. You have to be controlled. You've proven too dangerous to be trusted without extra assurance."

I wasn't about to hear it. "If they hurt her, I'll kill you! Call them off! I'll do what you want!"

Caius took several shallow, pained breaths, careful not to jostle the blade at his throat. "This is the only option you've left to me Han lu. I just hope my replacement can handle the work I'm leaving."

My companions had reached the scene with far less violent intent and stopped at the soldiers shield wall with Telvanni soldiers not far behind. Cindana gazed over the shield wall with ease while Gildee and Blue could only hear what we were saying.

"What's happening," Gildee asked Cindana with worry?

"Han lu is begging their commander to call off the attack at sword point."

My breathing was on the verge of sobs as I prepared to execute the Blades agent and turn on the soldiers until they overwhelmed me. I prepared to drag the edge across Caius' throat when I felt something. My anger seemed to lessen and I paused. Something also softened in Caius' expression. I looked over at my friends and caught a glimpse of Gildee standing stock still with her eyes shut tight in concentration.

"Okay Han lu," Caius yielded, not knowing what had come over him. "Take me to your mother…" he gasped painfully. "And I'll call off the attack. We can negotiate… once I'm sure she won't get away."

I didn't hesitate, praising Gildee with silent lips. I hauled Caius to his feet and he called to one of the bystanders. Another tall agent, covered head to toe in Blade armor to hide his identity, took Caius' by the shoulder and put a potion to his lips. Caius waved it away with a blood soaked hand. "No time. Get us up the stairs. If she leaves, this is all for nothing."

Ignoring the pouring blood from the terrible stab wound, we entered the lighthouse. Under other circumstances, I might have marveled at its beauty and construction. Caius' agent bellowed at the soldiers in the process of invading to move aside, making way for us as the Blade and I practically carried the mortally wounded Caius. At the top, three legion mages dueled with someone completely obscured by smoke and the flashing of different magics.

"Hold your fire," the Blade Master commanded with authority. "We wish to parlay," he called into the smoky room.

I shouted over the roar of unnatural flames and lightning, "Mom, it's me! Don't go!"

The spells ceased and there was an unbearable silence for a moment as the smoke wafted away through the blown out windows. There in the corner, were my mother and Fargoth, searching the room on full alert behind powerful wards. Virisas gaze landed on me and the wards disappeared immediately as she rushed forward and threw her arms around me with a sob.

The tall Blade turned to administer to Caius and one of the legion mages used an ice spell to douse a couple parts of the building that were on fire, but mother and I were oblivious to everything. We wept openly on each others shoulders, collapsing to our knees.

"I thought you were dead," Virisa sobbed.

"I'm here," I comforted. "We're both okay and we don't have to be apart again."

Caius lay numbly on the ground as Tyermailin, the tall Blade, worked the human's armor off to get at the wound and go about doing his work as a healer. Caius marveled at how this had turned out. He uncharacteristically shed a tear with the mother and son despite the significant blood loss. Or perhaps the lightheadedness was what lulled his usual professionalism into brevity. Most of all, he marveled at his own decision to take a chance on trusting Han lu. That didn't seem like him at all.

Eventually, he shrugged, albeit, wincing as the movement pained his stab wound. "All's well that ends well."