Crimson Twilight: Dusk

Chapter 43: Festering Hate

Seihanine grabbed her bow the moment she heard the laughter. Trenzein tried to rise again but his wounds kept him to his bed.

"You shouldn't exert yourself, Zein!" Maiha called out. Her voice seemed to come from everywhere at once despite being in a small room. "You'd end up dead before I have the chance to enjoy you!"

Seihanine glanced around the infirmary. There was no place to hide except-

"I'm right outside, baby sister." Maiha said, as if answering her unspoken question. "Why don't we settle our differences right now? I'm sure you're anxious to please me."

Seihanine rushed out the door while Trenzein made another effort to stand. "Sei, wait!" he shouted after her. "Don't face her by yourself!" He got himself off the bed only to end up crashing to the floor. Pain snaked up and down his legs when he forced himself to stand. "Damn it!" he cursed to himself. "She's going to get killed out there!"

Seihanine rushed out into in the pale, morning light. It was still too dark to get a clear impression of her half-sister but the constant, mocking laughter was easy enough to follow. Maiha was leading her somewhere.

"Keep in step now, baby sister!" Maiha taunted. "I don't want you getting lost."

Seihanine shot an arrow at the voice's direction. Her trained hearing picked up the sound of the arrow striking a stone wall. She had missed.

"Shooting in the dark, Sei?" Maiha laughed. "Don't be so hasty! You'll get your chance soon enough!"

Maiha's soft, mocking laughter seemed to flow all around Seihanine now. It came from the right and then subtly shifted to the left. Still, the voice was leading her to one place. "We're here, baby sister." she finally said. "How do you like it?"

Seihanine found herself standing in the middle of a wide open space of an alley. She quickly scanned the area for anything suspicious. To her surprise, there was nothing special about the area. It was just a wide open space that had no clutter whatsoever. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. She had expected Maiha to choose a place with plenty of hiding places and shadows; anything that an assassin could use to gain an advantage over a huntress. The only concealment Maiha could gain here was the early morning fog.

"I see you're already appreciating my little place." Maiha spoke. "Quite appropriate for the situation, don't you think?"

Seihanine shot another arrow at the fog. Once more all she heard was her arrow clattering on the stone pavement. "Show yourself already, Maiha!" she shouted.

Maiha's voice suddenly spoke directly behind Seihanine. "Excited are we?" she said gleefully. "We'll get to that part soon."

Seihanine whirled towards the sound of the voice, jumped back and fired another arrow.

Smiling, Maiha sidestepped the shot. "Why don't we have a little sisterly chat, Sei?" she asked.

Seihanine pulled out another arrow. "You're not my sister." she hissed.

Maiha stepped back into the fog. "Oh but I am, little Sei." she laughed. "I'm a lot of other things too. For example, I'm also the person who opened the western gates!"

Seihanine's eyes widened in fury. "You! You're the reason why-!"

Maiha's voice interrupted Seihanine's. "-Zein nearly died?" she asked. "I wish I was, baby sister, but the honor belongs to you I'm afraid."

Seihanine paused momentarily. "Me?" she asked. "What are you talking about, Maiha?"

Maiha laughed again and began to circle Seihanine. "Why don't you think a bit?" she asked. "You were the one Werewolf was going to slay, right? "

Seihanine looked about to ascertain Maiha's position. She had no intention of keeping this conversation with her deranged half-sister.

"Not talking?" Maiha asked. "Well, I can talk for the both of us, baby sister. You know I'm right."

Maiha's shadow flitted out of the corner of Seihanine's eye. She followed the silhouette and took a shot only to hear the arrow strike stone once again. More soft laughter echoed in the alley.

"I may have been the one who let Werewolf in but you where the one who put Zein in that position." Maiha said. "You put yourself in a situation where Zein had to choose between watching Werewolf pick you apart and doing his little stunt!"

Seihanine froze for another moment as the meaning in Maiha's words settled in. What disturbed her was that the words did make sense. She had stayed by the front lines while the rest of her division backed off. Still, it would have been better than letting Werewolf plow through the wizards behind her. "You're lying!" she answered. "Zein didn't have to do that to himself!"

Maiha's voice dripped amusement like the venom from her daggers. "Oh?" she replied. "And what were his options? Cast a simple spell and hope that it would stop Werewolf? Besides I've seen you do this to other people before."

Seihanine fired another arrow at her half-sister's voice. "Shut up!" she shouted. "What would you know about me, you psychopath?"

The arrow came out of the fog as if someone had tossed it. "I know a lot about you, baby sister." Maiha answered. "Let's mention a few names other than Zein's. How does Kherlen sound to you? Familiar? I bet he is!"

Seihanine concentrated harder on pinpointing the voice while Maiha continued to mock her from the fog. "I still remember that little hunting incident you had with that boy." Maiha said. "So he gets himself mauled by a savage right? And he tried so hard to profess his overwhelming affection for you…so what do you do? That's right; you called him savage-bait. He wasn't too pleased with that remark I believe."

Seihanine shook her head and tried to ignore Maiha's words.

"So he goes off to prove himself to you." Maiha went on. "A savage's mane was all he needed anyway. He just didn't want the beautiful, enchanting and highly-skilled Seihanine Xalascent to think of him as incompetent. How could he have any chance at her affections if she thought he was an idiot? Then he runs into a gullinbursti; what better opportunity to prove himself to the object of his affection! They did manage to bring him home after that little skirmish. The less gooey parts of him at least!"

Seihanine closed her eyes briefly and tried not to remember the unpleasant memory. Kherlen didn't have to prove anything! Even she couldn't have handled a gullinbursti. Savages alone were squat, vicious creatures with sharp tusks. They usually minded their own business but they were foul-tempered and territorial. Gullinbursti were larger versions of savages that were distinguished by their bristling, bright red fur. Unlike savages, gullinbursti were predators and humans were fair game to them.

"So who's the next guy?" Maiha went on. "I forget these things…oh yes! That cousin of ours, Eldrid! Incestuous, little bastard, really…not that I'm saying that incest is such a bad thing."

Seihanine fired two arrows at Maiha's voice. "Enough!" she cried out. "Fight me if that's what you're here for, Maiha! Stop your worthless drivel!"

Maiha continued laughing. "So our dear cousin goes over and "secretly" tells you of his feelings." she said. "What do you do? That's right, you let Reiz into the whole thing. He promptly challenged him in accordance to Xalascent clan law and proceeded to chopping him up. Reiz can be such a hothead as well as a stickler for rules. So that's two victims."

Seihanine's breathing quickened in growing fury. All of it was true. She didn't know what to do back then so she went to her brother for advice. She should have realized that he would react like that. He was always protective of her and sometimes he overdid things when she was involved. "Shut up, damn you!" she shouted. "Eldrid was crazy! You were the one who encouraged him to accept Kreizen's challenge!"

Maiha appeared out of the fog once more. This time, Seihanine's arrow managed to strike her high on the chest. The wound made her smile instead of hindering her. "Crazy?" she asked. "Well I suppose he was...for falling in love with you! You have a habit of getting men killed. And speaking of Reiz, he's had his own share of bad luck from you!" She suddenly vanished back into the fog. "Do you remember that wonderful time we had in Glastheim? I'm sure you do. How much trouble did Reiz get into just so you could take your shot at me? You did leave him in a roomful of raydrics as I recall. Your brother was going to end up dead prematurely and it was all thanks to you!"

Seihanine rushed towards the fog while trying to locate Maiha. "Stop it!"

Maiha suddenly appeared behind Seihanine. Malice sank into the huntress's side before she vanished once again. Seihanine fell to one knee.

"And of course there's Zein." Maiha said softly.

Seihanine clutched her head in an attempt to stop the flood of unwanted memories. "Shut up!" she cried out.

Maiha went on relentlessly. "You really think he developed that spell because he wanted to show the academy up?" she asked. "As I recall your distrust drove him to it! Well, we can see where you're leading him to!"

Seihanine finally caught sight of Maiha flitting about the fog. Two arrows whizzed towards her; burying themselves on her shoulder and arm. "You know nothing!' Seihanine shouted. "Nothing about me and nothing about Zein!"

Maiha pulled the arrows out and watch in amusement as blood spurted from the wounds. "Don't deny it, Sei!" she answered. "He's going to end up dead like the others! It's what happens to those you get close to! Kherlen died because of you! Eldrid did the same! Kreizen's practically dead for you! Clan Xalascent fell thanks to you! And now you have Trenzein following the same path!"

Seihanine's aim faltered."No! Clan Xalascent's fall was because of you!"

Maiha smirked at Seihanine and licked her lips. Any sort of pain she could inflict on her younger, half sister was delicious. It didn't matter if it was physical or emotional so long as there was something. "I may have killed several relatives, including your mother and our father, but you were the one who led the remaining members into a doomed expedition to hunt for me in Glastheim!" she crowed. "Well you had your revenge, Sei! You know the cost, oh yes!"

Seihanine's aim dropped. "I hate you." she said softly.

The assassin leaned forward and smiled. "What's that?" she asked. "You hide a lot of things behind that icy mask, Sei! Why don't you admit it? You don't adhere to clan beliefs and a code of honor like our brother. All you really care about is yourself and the suffering you cause! Why…you're just like me in that sense! Is that why you're trying to kill Zein?"

Seihanine raised her bow again. "I am not like you!" she shouted. "I am…I-!"

Maiha laughed again and vanished. Suddenly, Seihanine heard movement behind her.

"Sei!" someone called out.

Without considering that the voice didn't sound like Maiha, Seihanine turned around and took a shot.

And struck Trenzein on the chest. Seihanine gasped as he fell to the ground with a groan. "Zein!" she cried out. She rushed over the wizard. Her face twisted in regret and worry.

"Damn it, Sei!" Trenzein cursed. "Why did you shoot me?"

Seihanine shook her head in frustration and tried to focus. "Maiha she-damn you, Maiha!"

Maiha appeared in front of them. The morning fog was dissipating. "Well this is a change of pace!" She said. "Shooting him directly now, are we?"

Seihanine fired an arrow at Maiha. The shaft flew true; striking her on the chest. The wound was still not lethal.

"Yes…I think you're ready for this, Sei." Maiha said. "Let's get serious now!"

Maiha crossed the distance between her and her half-sister in less than a second. Malice and Fury cut through the fading, morning fog and into Seihanine's chest.

Seihanine ignored the attack and shot Maiha at pointblank range. The force of the arrow flung her half-sister back for several feet.

"The pain spurs you on don't you think?" Maiha asked as she stood up. Blood spurted from her wounds; staining the concrete she stood on. "You hate me so much now that it's starting to feel…different!"

Seihanine eyed the assassin coldly as she stood up. All traces of the emotions earlier were gone. "Be silent and fight." she hissed. "I murdered you once and I swear I'll do it again."

Maiha's laughter echoed in the alley. "Now here's a fight!" she said excitedly. She disappeared from her position and appeared right above Seihanine. Her daggers whipped about, slashing deep gouges on her half-sister's arms. Bright red blood splattered on the pavement.

Instead of faltering, Seihanine seemed to move faster. She rolled backwards and fired several arrows at Maiha, who dodged the first two arrows and allowed the third one to graze the side of her head.

Trenzein pulled the arrow out of his chest and tried to rise. Something was wrong in this fight. 'She's allowing Maiha to get to her.' he thought. He concentrated on a spell. Any spell that would allow him to help against Maiha. His hand did not crackle with power. He simply did not have the strength. 'I've got to do something! Sei…she's starting to fight like-!' His eyes widened in realization as he watched Seihanine fight. She was wounded in several places but, instead of weakening, she seemed to be fighting harder than ever. 'Damn it, Maiha! What did you tell her?'

Seihanine fired an arrow straight through Maiha's left arm, pinning it to her side. Fury clattered to the ground.

"You've got me good, baby sister!" Maiha taunted. "But I'm far from dead!"

Seihanine fired two more arrows at Maiha. The shafts buried themselves on her legs this time.

"That's right! Shoot! Shoot me more!"

Seihanine panted heavily. Her breathing was ragged and her arms were starting to burn from exertion as she fired. More arrows struck Maiha; on her arms, legs, chest. The feeling was…it was-

"Enough!" Trenzein shouted.

A massive wall of ice emerged between the two. Seihanine turned furiously at whoever cast the spell. How dare him? She was so close! So close to-

"You enjoyed that didn't you?" Maiha spoke. Maiha's voice was soft and affectionate behind the wall of ice. Seihanine's bow clattered on the ground. "I think that's enough for today, Sei."

With those words, Maiha Il-Xalascent was gone. Seihanine rushed towards Trenzein as he fell to his knees.

"Zein, I-"

Trenzein grabbed a hold of Seihanine's collar. "Never take on Maiha alone, Sei!" he rasped. "Never!"

Seihanine lowered her gaze when she noticed the arrow wound on Trenzein's chest. His harsh words added more to the shame she felt. She couldn't believe that she would ever shoot Trenzein. As for Maiha's words, she couldn't imagine herself believing them. However, no matter how insane Maiha was, she couldn't help but wonder.

'Was she right…about me?'