9

THE BLOOD OATH

WHEN I WAS A SAFE ENOUGH DISTANCE FROM THE GROUND I LEPT DOWN OFF THE WALL. I surveyed the, once, glorious gardens of the palace. The flowers where only ashes, the fountains, crumbled and completely destroyed. Smoke wafted from the ruins.

I looked down the charred pathway to a door way into the place. I took off at it at a run.

I must have been halfway when I heard this loud CAW! I had just enough time to jump down as something swooped down from above, just missing my back. As soon as it's shadow, illuminated by moonlight, passed over me I looked up.

What the-? Was my first thought when I saw it.

Whatever attacked me had the dark brown feathers over it's body, wings, talons, and head of a falcon, but the body of a man. It wore a golden pectoral, and a golden belt over a loincloth. In each of the hybrid's hands was a curved Flame Tongue.

I pulled out my curved scimitar, only to feel a line of fire down my back, as I was pushed to the stone pathway. I winced as I got to my feet. It was then I saw that there was not one of these falcon creatures, but two of them. Both had two swords to my one scimitar.

Well this just keeps getting better, doesn't it? I thought sarcastically to myself.

Suddenly, Both falcons dived after me, I jumped to the side dodging the blow from the four different swords . Both rose into the air and circled. Eyeing me like I was a mouse to a bird of prey (I suppose in a way I was). This time when they attacked whenI was ready.

I waited for them to dive before I jumped out of the way, and as soon as the Falcon Creatures passed me I jumped on to the back of one.

Well, it was as dangerous as when I jumped on to the back of the Water Serpent, perhaps worse.

The falcon shook me dangerously from side to side as I held on with one hand and stabbed mercilessly with my scimitar in my other hand, it's blood staining my blade. The falcon did a sudden turn and started to dive for the stone wall.

I waited for the right moment, then I leapt off the Falcon Creature's back. I, amazingly, landed on my feet as the Falcon Creature landed against the stone wall of the garden's with a loud WHAM!

I almost winced, if it wasn't for the fact I was worried about other matters.

Suddenly, I felt a claw like grip around my shoulders, and I found myself being launched into the air with a jolt that made me lose grip on my scimitar.

The other falcon creature had grabbed me with it's talons!

I wrestled with it's iron grip, trying to get myself loose.

I peeled its claw-like talons off my shoulders and found myself falling to the gardens. It was quite a fall, so my legs felt a strain when I landed on my feet, I stumbled a bit but I managed to get my footing.

I looked around franticly for my scimitar, knowing that the falcon would circle back for another round.

It was then I spotted it near a crumbled fountain. And just in time too. The Falcon Creature was diving at me. I did a front roll, picking up my scimitar. I swung around as the falcon was drawing in closer, brandishing it's swords.

As soon as it was close I lunged forward with my scimitar dodging the swords of the creature and stabbing it in the heart. Killing the creature on impact

The creature still pushed me to the ground, since it was still diving in mid-flight. I hit the stone pathway with my head, yes, I do admit I saw stars but I still remained conscious. I watched as the Falcon Creature, my scimitar still in it's heart, went careening into the back wall.

I got up and took several deep breaths as I went to the dead Falcon Creature and yanked my bloodyscimitar from it's heart. I turned to the door in to the palace and went to it at a dead run, quickly I went in.

---

The place was even more depressing then the village.

This place that was once a place of deference was now a enflamed and in ruin.

The roof had been either burned off and ripped away (by, no doubt, the falcon creatures) the urns that decorated the halls where smashed, the tapestries where in shreads.

I ran in to the throne room.

What I saw, haunt's me, even today.

The grand rug was in rags, the pillars cracked and broken, and King Urmhet's majestic throne was seeminglyripped in two.

And in the middle of the room was Jesup, battered, bloodied, and bruised. He was kneeling over King Urmhet. My king was coughing up blood, yet no wounds where visible, at least on the outside. He looked more dead than alive.

I knew these symptoms, I had watched my father die of the same, many years ago.

King Urmhet was bleeding from the inside. No help could come to him now.

"Try to stay awake, my king." Jesup said to him, trying to get our king to hold onto this life as long as he could.

"I know," King Urmhet said weakly. "If I close my eyes it will be my end."

He glanced past a broken column to see me.

"Mathayus!" He gasped.

I ran forward and knelt before my dying king and brother.

"Mathayus!" Jesup gasped.

I turned to him to see relief and maybe some sort of joy in his eyes.

"You're alive my brother!" He said, with suchjoy that I envyed him for a short while.

I looked to my king, images of Karatas and the remains of the village I had once called my home fresh in my mind.

"It may have been better if I where not," I replied softly. Racked with the guilt I had, eating my insides like a parasite.

Jesup's smileing face melted into a frown.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, fearful of the answer.

King Urmhet looked to me, and gave me a look of understanding. In a way I could tell thathe knew wellwhat painI was feeling.

"This is not your doing, Mathayus," He said weakly, trying to reassure me. "We where taken by surprise by troops from Khemet."

I shook my head.

"They where not from Khemet my king," I said. "They where sent by a sorcerer called Magus, who set a trap for us. I was betrayed and captured."

I lowed my head, guilt filling me like the bottom of an hourglass.

"I am sorry I did not get here sooner," I said sadly.

"You would have been slain too," King Urmhet said, he was getting even wearier then I would of thought from our strong king, " if you…had…and now-."

King Urmhet stared coughing a considerable amount of blood.

"King Urmhet!" I suddenly found myself saying in alarm. For this short time I felt like I was a child, and losing my father once again.

King Urmhet put on a brave face and set his hand on my shoulder, something he used to do when I was having trouble with my training when I was younger. Or when he told me the story of father's life as a warrior when I doubted my path as a assassin.

"Now, Mathayus…you…must…avenge…us."

And suddenly, his hand grew as cold and as lifeless as a stone, the wisdom of his eyes fell to blankness.

He was dead. I had lost my true king.

Such a rage and pain filled me that I felt as ifI would go insane. But before it could get far worse I could hear running footsteps behind me.

"Magus is too powerful, Akkadian." Spoke a weary voice.

I got up and turned to see Hammet, painting like an old dog who has ran a long awhile. He must of followed me, running the whole way here.

"Even your skills (although considerable I admit) won't defeat him," Hammet said, trying to catch his breath. "He is allied with the Netherworld."

"There must be away to defeat the bastard, old man!" I snapped at him suddenly, my rage getting the better of me. "Now tell me what you know!"

"Magus is protected by the Dark Lords of the Netherworld," Hammet explained. "Only their own power can be used against him."

I shook my head.

"I'm no damned sorcerer, old man!" I snapped bitterly.

"I know," Hammet said. "But have you heard the tale of the Sword of Osiris?"

This caught me of guard. For a while my anger melted away.

"Yes," I replied. "Every child knows about the tale of Osiris and his jealous brother Set, and of how Set killed Osiris with his own sword before Set shoved him in that coffin."

Hammet turned his back to me but I could hear him say:

"This sword has amazing powers. It is the only thing to foil Magus's plans and stop him from causing other's harm."

Hammet turned to me and pointed to me.

"You must find it if you wish to stop Magus," Hammet said.

"How do I find the Sword?" I asked.

"Across the sea to the North, there is a island. Called Crete by it's people, the Minoans. On this island there is a great city, and in this city there is a tomb where legends say the sword is kept, guarded by strange and powerful beasts." Hammet said.

"Once you find the chamber you shall find the Sword."

I took a deep breath.

"Mathayus?" spoke Jesup.

He looked at me, asking a questionwithout voicing it aloud. I looked to my brother without any hesatation,and nodded. He sighed, but gave me a look of understanding.

I looked to the dead body of my king.

He had been my brother in battle, my friend, and my teacher.

I could not deny him his last wish.

I went to my king and knelt before him. I took out one of my knifes from the sheathe I had around my waist. One hand grabbing a hold of it's pommel. I had my other hand grab the blade. I clasped it hard until I could feel my own blood drip from my hand.

I looked to my king.

"As long as this blood is still in my veins, as long as I still breath," I vowed, my crimson blood dripping to the marble floor. "I shall avenge our people, my king."

AN- I'm thinking about making another Scorpion King Story. The Scorpion King in the Sorceress' point of view sinceI can relate to her on so many levels (hince my pen name). Also not many read the book The Scorpion King: The Novel by Max Allan Collins. So I'm thinking about writing her story as a mix between on of my Favorite movies and the book. No only that but it sounds like fun.

Tell me what you think.