"Follow me!" The stranger's voice cried, barely audible above the noise of the blasting in the background.
"No! I have to go back for Lalasa!"
He quickly pulled her in, near his body, as a fire bolt landed where she had just stood. "You always were a stubborn one, weren't you? Kel, Lalasa has been in this palace almost as long as you have, she'll find her way out, she is NOT as stupid girl."
She had to admit he was right, Lalasa was a very good fighter, and probably knew more secret passages than Kel probably knew. So she followed Neal, or was it still the stranger? He hadn't answered her question, or rather to his name, but she followed him, fire and sound trailing them, she followed him into safety.
--------------------------
Dearest Kel,
This isn't just a little skirmish anymore, this is full out, full blown war. You wrote me saying that you are in fact, on post at Corus, but I still worry. Stay safe my little one, and be sure that I will return, because like all people know, a lover will always return to his first love.
Sincerely,
Cleon
Kel folded up and letter, and tucked it back in under her chainmail. The people from the Copper Isles had attacked, with the Carthakians on their side. The West Wing of the palace had crashed to the ground under their attack, but luckily, that was all that had happened at the capital. The worst damage was at the border, where Cleon was. She worried about him, but the letters helped, and she was busy enough as it was, planning for an attack. At least the stranger hadn't come back. After that first (and so far only) blow at the castle, he had left her under a ledge, safe from explosions, but then he had left her, without warning. She still wasn't sure if it was in fact, Neal, though it definetely seemed like it.
Suddenly, sounding just like the blast that had happened a week a go, an explosion rocked the land behind Kel. She turned around, seeing the people running towards her, and the battle that was starting. It was now the Eastern Wing, and she had to go fight. Drawing out her sword, she charged towards the armed men of the Copper Isles, and fought, until the sun had set, and the candle lights grew dim. At last, the men seemed gone, and she and her fellow attackers left the battlefield, for their cots, and warm ale.
-------------------------
The fighting seemed to never cease, everyday, Kel and her men were out there fighting, and the reports she heard from the border were that now the fighting was centered in Corus, and the men from the border were coming in. The worse news was, that at the head of all of this, was the Dark Mage Ganthe, of the Copper Isles. He could simply feed his men with the power of the dead, and of course, he could feed himself that power. After hearing that, the fighting seemed futile, but she knew she had to go on. And she did.
Bolts hit her back with a pain she never felt before. She was fighting off two men, while walking backwards up the steps of the Eastern tower. While one had her sword locked above her head, she swiftly kicked him, Yamani style, so he fell down the stairs. The other man was too clever for that, so they were at it in a sword to sword battle, at the top of the tower. She spun around, trying to get away from the hold the sword had on her, but he pinioned her against the wall, sword to her throat.
"Help!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Somebody help me!"
She thought her screaming wouldn't bring anyone, but she soon heard the footsteps of someone coming up the stairs. A muss of redhair peaked out from behind the wall, and the soldier with the knife to her neck released his hold on her to attack him. It was Cleon, here to save her.
"Kel, I'm coming, hold on!!!!"
She sidestepped away from the soldier, but instead of feeling her feet on the ground, she felt herself step on air, and her body falling. She only responded fast enough for her finger tips to hang on to the stone above her.
"Cleon! Help me!!" she cried.
"I'm here" she heard, but it wasn't only Cleon's voice, it was another voice too. She looked up to see two faces and two arms outstreched towards her. It was Cleon, and it was the Stranger. She had to pick one, she had to pick between solid love, and her gut feeling. She knew the decision should be easy, but it wasn't, and she didn't know why. She raised up her arm, so it was right in between the two, not really ready to make a decision, and suddenly she didn't have to. A force held her two legs, and pulled her down, down into blackness, down into fire, down into despair...
to be continued...
"No! I have to go back for Lalasa!"
He quickly pulled her in, near his body, as a fire bolt landed where she had just stood. "You always were a stubborn one, weren't you? Kel, Lalasa has been in this palace almost as long as you have, she'll find her way out, she is NOT as stupid girl."
She had to admit he was right, Lalasa was a very good fighter, and probably knew more secret passages than Kel probably knew. So she followed Neal, or was it still the stranger? He hadn't answered her question, or rather to his name, but she followed him, fire and sound trailing them, she followed him into safety.
--------------------------
Dearest Kel,
This isn't just a little skirmish anymore, this is full out, full blown war. You wrote me saying that you are in fact, on post at Corus, but I still worry. Stay safe my little one, and be sure that I will return, because like all people know, a lover will always return to his first love.
Sincerely,
Cleon
Kel folded up and letter, and tucked it back in under her chainmail. The people from the Copper Isles had attacked, with the Carthakians on their side. The West Wing of the palace had crashed to the ground under their attack, but luckily, that was all that had happened at the capital. The worst damage was at the border, where Cleon was. She worried about him, but the letters helped, and she was busy enough as it was, planning for an attack. At least the stranger hadn't come back. After that first (and so far only) blow at the castle, he had left her under a ledge, safe from explosions, but then he had left her, without warning. She still wasn't sure if it was in fact, Neal, though it definetely seemed like it.
Suddenly, sounding just like the blast that had happened a week a go, an explosion rocked the land behind Kel. She turned around, seeing the people running towards her, and the battle that was starting. It was now the Eastern Wing, and she had to go fight. Drawing out her sword, she charged towards the armed men of the Copper Isles, and fought, until the sun had set, and the candle lights grew dim. At last, the men seemed gone, and she and her fellow attackers left the battlefield, for their cots, and warm ale.
-------------------------
The fighting seemed to never cease, everyday, Kel and her men were out there fighting, and the reports she heard from the border were that now the fighting was centered in Corus, and the men from the border were coming in. The worse news was, that at the head of all of this, was the Dark Mage Ganthe, of the Copper Isles. He could simply feed his men with the power of the dead, and of course, he could feed himself that power. After hearing that, the fighting seemed futile, but she knew she had to go on. And she did.
Bolts hit her back with a pain she never felt before. She was fighting off two men, while walking backwards up the steps of the Eastern tower. While one had her sword locked above her head, she swiftly kicked him, Yamani style, so he fell down the stairs. The other man was too clever for that, so they were at it in a sword to sword battle, at the top of the tower. She spun around, trying to get away from the hold the sword had on her, but he pinioned her against the wall, sword to her throat.
"Help!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, "Somebody help me!"
She thought her screaming wouldn't bring anyone, but she soon heard the footsteps of someone coming up the stairs. A muss of redhair peaked out from behind the wall, and the soldier with the knife to her neck released his hold on her to attack him. It was Cleon, here to save her.
"Kel, I'm coming, hold on!!!!"
She sidestepped away from the soldier, but instead of feeling her feet on the ground, she felt herself step on air, and her body falling. She only responded fast enough for her finger tips to hang on to the stone above her.
"Cleon! Help me!!" she cried.
"I'm here" she heard, but it wasn't only Cleon's voice, it was another voice too. She looked up to see two faces and two arms outstreched towards her. It was Cleon, and it was the Stranger. She had to pick one, she had to pick between solid love, and her gut feeling. She knew the decision should be easy, but it wasn't, and she didn't know why. She raised up her arm, so it was right in between the two, not really ready to make a decision, and suddenly she didn't have to. A force held her two legs, and pulled her down, down into blackness, down into fire, down into despair...
to be continued...