Conquest

Jay gripped Stormstrider tightly in both hands, body trembling from the thrilling rush of power. Jay found that his blade's powers went beyond levitation. He also had enhanced speed, as well as an extra reservoir of energy. He was hardly tired at all. His mind was alert and focused, like an eagle bearing down on its prey. It was amazing.

If only he could get away from the savagery of killing these soldiers. It didn't matter if they were under the Overlord's spell, they were his people. It wasn't right to kill them like this.

The hairs on the back of his neck rose as he looked at Zane, who stood mere feet away from the Overlord. Jay knew he had to save Zane and Cole, but how? He couldn't just fly over there and run his blade through the Overlord's spine...could he?

He is a dark man, Stormstrider shuddered. We do not have the power to defeat him. You have used much of my resources during the course of the day. Such foolishness, levitating an inch from the ground.

"Hold on," Jay said softly. "You mean to tell me that I don't have to float all the time? Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

You are always chastising me for acting like a mother. It seemed wrong to tell you.

"Well thanks for that," Jay said sarcastically. "Now we're almost out of power. And it's the middle of a new moon, so you won't be able to recharge for another week!"

Never mind that, Stormstrider said. Get over there and help Zane. The Black Knight is about to be murdered.

"I hate it when you win arguments," Jay said as he bolted across the green, leaping- or rather, flying- over the corpses. "Hey!" he shouted, anger carrying his voice loud and strong. "Overlord, leave us alone!"

How cliche... Stormstrider sighed.

Overlord looked at Jay and smiled, green eyes alight. He looks a lot like Cole, Jay thought. Short, muscular, with black hair and square jawline. What's with that?

"Jay," Overlord said in a voice that seemed overly kind. "Are you here to die, too?"

Jay stopped. It was the same voice. The voice that had haunted every nightmare since he was a child.

The voice that had possessed General Colvyr and killed his parents.

"N-no," Jay said. Run.

"No?" Overlord raised a thick eyebrow. "Hmm. Then what are you here for, commoner? Is this even your war?"

Jay shot Zane a fearful glance. What should I do? Blow my cover?

"Yes," Jay finally said, mustering every ounce of confidence he had left. Stormstrider gave him some strength, which helped. "Yes, this is my war. And I am here to...to destroy you."

More cliches, Stormstrider sighed. Have you nothing at least halfway original?

"Destroy me?" Overlord's smile grew. He clearly thought that Jay's threats were about as serious as those of a child wielding a wooden sword. "Do you think that your weapon could really kill me?"

Jay took a deep breath and came closer. "Umm...maybe? I don't know. But it's worth a shot."

"Hmm," Overlord grunted again. "I have nothing to lose." He lifted his sword and held it level with his eyes, directed at Jay's heart. "I'll let you have the first move."

"Jay, no!" Zane said breathlessly. "You can't-"

"Oh?" Jay smiled cruelly, eyes glaring down at the Overlord. "I can't, eh?" A low chuckle rippled in the back of his throat. "I see that you disposed of Colvyr's body, Overlord. Let me ask you. How many other bodies have you taken? How many others have you killed?"

With a sudden scream, Jay launched at the Overlord. "And what about Merv? She's probably dead now, isn't she?" He flew about three feet into the air and did a sharp vertical cut, aiming for Overlord's head.

When Overlord ducked the blow, Jay retaliated with a wide downward sweep, clipping the wicked man's shoulder. "These are my people!" Jay shouted, blood hot beneath his skin, making him flush. Zane very wisely backed away, giving the enraged Western lord space to swing his blade.

Overlord stopped, looking shocked as he touched his wound. Blood seeped through his black tunic.

Not enough blood. Jay lunged again.

Overlord recovered from his stupor and leapt into the air. He kicked Jay firmly in the chest, then landed gracefully on the ground, feet barely missing Cole's head.

Jay fell to his knees, all of Stormstrider's powers leaving him in an instant. He gasped and coughed, feeling his ribs with his free hand. Had anything broken?

Before he had a chance to find out, Overlord shoved him onto his back and snatched Stormstrider from his fingers. "Victory," he said, "goes to me. I am the winner. I always win." He held the blade above his Jay's head, then plunged it straight down.

"No!" Several different voices cried out at once. One belonged to Jay, who was too stunned to try and roll out of the way. Another belonged to Zane, who was standing next to Nya and Kai, protecting them from a few stone warriors who were eying the younger sibling with lust from a distance.

And the third voice- Jay could not believe his ears. It was hoarse, weak, and full of wrath.

It was Cole's voice.

Out of nowhere, the Dark Knight lunged at the Overlord, changing the course of the blade at the last second. It landed in the grass next to Jay's ear.

Cole, looking like a sickly spirit straight from the Underworld, kept the Overlord's arms pinned to his sides. "You didn't just try to hurt that thief, did you?" He asked in a low voice. "You'd better not, because I'm the only one who's allowed to pick on him."

Overlord wiggled free and pushed Cole off his body. "Feeling better already?" He reached for his sword. "The White Knight's blade has a very powerful talent."

"Do I look to be in a gaming mood?" Cole snatched up the sword before Overlord's fingers could reach it. "Remember this move?" He pressed the sword to the Overlord's throat. "This happened before, when you killed my sister."

Jay slowly scooted away, ribs too bruised for him to try standing just yet. Cole's sister? He searched his brain for an explanation. Ah, yes. He was part of a family quartet. Or...something.

"I don't care if it means killing my father's body," Cole said. His yellowish-green eyes were moist. Was he crying, or were drops of sweat rolling down his cheeks? "I am done with the pain. Maybe this time, your soul will go to its proper home." he pressed deeper, drawing blood. "Do you have anything to say before I kill you again?"

Overlord sneered at Cole. "I have one question," he said. "Who should I take next? Perhaps I should go for a woman's body this time. That Southern Lady would be perfect. Or maybe Varasach?"

Cole wavered. "No..." he said.

"Oh! Or maybe I could use Kai," Overlord continued. "He is absolutely virile. Deliciously beautiful. Of course, I do have that nasty tattoo on his chest to worry about. But he would be perfect. Imagine how that young body would work with my slaves."

Cole relaxed the blade. His face, still stuck in that animalistic snarl, reflected a slightly different expression: bitterness. "You are a bastard," he whispered at the smug evil spirit. "You are a vile, perverted monster." He slowly, lethargically removed himself from the Overlord's body.

He still have that fever, Jay noted. It's a wonder that he ever found the strength to fight the Overlord like that.

"So you surrender?" Overlord asked, touching the wound on his neck. "That is good. Saves me some time."

"I'm sure it does," Cole said bitterly.

Overlord sat upright, favoring his injured arm. "I might as well tell you this now," he said.

"What?"

Overlord's smile made Jay shiver despite the heat of the air. "Your insubordination will cost you dearly. At dawn- in just over an hour- I am going to have Hagar executed. What method would you choose for your lover and child?"

Cole dropped the blade, hands trembling. He seemed incapable of speech.

Overlord grabbed Cole's chin and forced him to make eye contact. "I asked you a question," he said. "What method will you choose? Chamber Five? Chamber Two? Or do you have another preference?"

Tears dripped from Cole's chin. "Don't," he said brokenly.

"Oh, come now," Overlord cackled. "I was being kind. If you don't choose, I will have you behead them yourself with a sword."

Cole's lip quivered. Jay had never seen this stoic man so emotional before. "I...can't." At a look from Overlord, he closed his eyes and spoke again, voice almost inaudible. "Chamber Three."

"Drowning?" Overlord nodded. "Relatively painless, bloodless, and quick. A typical coward's choice." He picked up his sword and held it to Cole's neck. "What about you, Dark Knight? How will you die?"

Cole did not respond.

Smack! Overlord struck his cheek with the back of his hand. "Answer me!"

Droplets of red shone under Cole's eyes. He was sweating blood. "I will die now," he whispered. "In any way that you choose, so that I will not have to watch Hagar suffer."

Jay noticed Zane, who held his sword in a grip that seemed to indicate...

What did Zane think he was doing?

He crept up behind the Overlord and slammed the pommel of his blade into his skull.

Overlord went limp on the ground, unconscious.

"Are you okay, Cole?" Zane asked as he stepped over the body and dropped his sword. He knelt next to Cole and felt his forehead. "We need to run, before the Overlord wakes up. Can you stand?"

Cole could not speak, or even lift his chin to meet his rescuer's eyes. He fell forward, fainting in Zane's arms.

Zane looked up at Jay, eyes grim. "We must get out of here," he said. "The sooner the better. Cole doesn't have much time left."

Lloyd took Varasach's hand, leading her and Wu away from the battle. He looked over his shoulder, aware of the very real possibility that they could be followed by stone warriors. The one shred of comfort he held was that Pixal's eagle flew overhead, looking confident enough for all four of them combined.

"Where are we going?" Varasach asked.

Lloyd turned his gaze back to the path before him. "We're following the eagle, I guess," he said. "She knows best."

Varasach looked up at the eagle, confused for a moment. Finally, her face relaxed and she nodded. "I see," she said. "The bird is a gurrah-kah."

Lloyd was tempted to smile as he thought of when he'd thought Pixal was one of the stone warrior's gods. "You could say that," he said.

Varasach seemed happy about this. "So it is true," she said softly. "The spirits of pain and destruction are here, for the end of Overlord's reign."

"Sure," Lloyd said. Faint pink light dappled the horizon behind the mountain silhouettes. He was glad; this night had seemed particularly long and intense. With the dawn would come renewed hope and strength.

The eagle landed at Lloyd's feet and chirped insistently.

They stopped and watched as the bird alighted again, then landed again a ways off.

"Pixal," Lloyd said. "Come on, Vara. She's got something important to show us."

Hagar paced back and forth, Chedva asleep in her arms.

Had Cole and the rescue team been caught as they tried to make it to the lake? Had they told Overlord about her plans to escape? That would make sense because her exit was currently being blocked.

She eventually stopped pacing and sat on the table, dizzy. So many questions, so few answers.

The first faint rays of pink sunlight shone through the window. She looked up at the small hole in the wall, about six feet from the concrete floor, and an idea clicked in her head.

With frenetic energy, she stacked a few small crates below the window and climbed up. She poked her head out and checked for guards. Surprisingly, there were none. Did no one think she would try to escape this way...?

Being extra careful to not squish her child or make noise, she wiggled through the window and fell to the ground. Something snapped. Pain flooded her senses. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from crying out as she cradled her probably broken arm. How was she going to travel with that?

"Hokph!"

Hagar leapt to her feet and bolted into the trees. One of the stone men had seen her.

Where do I go? She thought frantically, pain forgotten as she hugged her squirming child close. If her hunch was correct then Zane, Cole, and Kai had been caught. That meant that the lake was no longer safe.

Downstream, then. She would go to Cole's cave and hide there.

With her course decided, she took a sharp turn and bolted in the direction of the river.