A/N: Apologies for not updating sooner. There will be an epilogue following this chapter, and then the story is finished. Thanks to Auda for reviewing.
All mistakes are mine.
Chapter 12
Two vermin struggled to carry Kren's limp body back to the camp. Upon Mortaza's orders, they had retrieved her husband from the battlefield so she could give him a proper burial. Both vermin were very uneasy, as their leader was walking alongside them. She was in an unpredictable mood, her eyes filled with a combination of rage and grief at the realization that her beloved husband was dead. Her chest heaved with each breath, and saliva dribbled from her clenched jaws.
Kren's carcass was gently laid on the ground in their tent, Mortaza ordering that nobeast bothered her unless they wanted a swift death. Her already unstable mind balanced perilously on the brink of insanity, and her pupils became dangerous slits as she stared at the body. The once regal green cloak was now stained with crimson blood, and his sightless eyes seemed to stare right at her. For the first time in her life, sadness enveloped Mortaza's heart; she had lost the one creature she truly loved. Kren did not deserve such a cruel death.
Sorrow was temporarily combined with exhaustion as the latter struck her like a great tidal wave approaching the shore, and she figured the best thing to do was rest. Draping a blanket over Kren's body, she plopped herself onto the large bed that occupied the tent and closed her eyes. Darkness immediately engulfed her, and she fell into a deep slumber.
She was standing near the edge of a cliff, the afternoon sun warming her fur. If she looked straight ahead, she could see practically all of Mossflower unravelling before her, its thick canopy sheltering the earth below from most elements. She was confused as to why she was here, but even she had to admit it was a peaceful view.
Some sixth sense told her there was another presence in the vicinity. Thinking it was Kren, she turned around to greet him. The smile that had lingered on her lips swiftly faded as her eyes fell upon the creature and she realized it was not her beloved husband.
Her lip curled scornfully as she stared at her hated foe. "You!"
It was the stoatmaid, the one called Gala. She was not armed, but her eyes blazed with immeasurable fury. "Foolish beast. You should have heeded my warning."
Briefly forgetting her overwhelming grief, Mortaza snarled and spat on the ground near the stoat's footpaws. "And I should have killed you when I had the chance!"
"There is no escaping fate, fisher. You will soon join all the past warlords who have failed miserably at conquering Redwall at the entrance of Hellgates."
Before Mortaza could respond in any manner, the stoat's image faded and another creature took her place. This time it was the mouse warrior, armed with a brilliant sword that shone like fire on ice. His steel glare showed no mercy, and Mortaza's heart began pounding in her chest. A bead of sweat trickled down her temple. Although the unnamed mouse was not moving from his position, it appeared as if he was getting larger with each passing second.
She instinctively took a step backward and caught air. With nothing to grab onto for support, Mortaza fell backwards. She opened her mouth to scream, but no noise issued forward as she tumbled further and further into a black abyss.
The fisher's eyes tore open, and she sat bolt upright in her bed. The nightmare she had just experienced was even more terrifyingly realistic than the last, and she knew it would only get worse. For whatever reason, these creatures who continuously haunted her dreams did not want her to sleep. She could understand the stoat and ottermaid attempting to plant fear into her brain, but why the warrior mouse? He was a part of Redwall, but in what way? Something inside her snapped like a twig, and she suddenly decided to take matters into her own paws.
A hesitant Clawing waddled his way into the tent, intelligent brain attempting to figure out an explanation as to why he had been called in. He bowed his head in respect as he approached Mortaza. "You asked for me, Lady?"
Silence followed this inquiry, and Clawing chanced a look at the fisher. She looked normal enough for a beast who had just suffered a devastating loss, but the raven knew better. One swift glance at her eyes told him all he needed to know: her sanity had finally snapped. He mentally told himself to watch his tongue.
She turned her steel gaze on him, as if just noticing his presence. "Are you loyal to me, Clawing?"
The raven kept his head bowed as he replied, "To the death, my Lady."
"Good." A mad smile crept across her lips, and one of her eyes twitched. "Very good. Excellent, in fact."
Clawing did not know what to say to this, so he remained silent.
A few tense moments passed before Mortaza spoke again. "My beloved Kren has been murdered by that brat, the one who continuously haunts my dreams. If you really are loyal to me, you'll do what I'm about to ask of you."
"Anything, your Majesty."
Without warning he found himself off the ground. Normally this would bother the raven, but this time he was not flying. Mortaza had a clenched paw around his neck, her sharp claws digging into his skin and threatening to slice open his gizzard. She thrust him close to her, rancid breath washing over his face. Clawing forced himself not to wince.
"Tonight you will fly into the Abbey. Break a window, open a locked door, I don't care. Just get in there and steal that sword, the one that big riverdog wields."
Clawing struggled for oxygen, and his eyes began to roll back in their sockets. Mortaza dropped him unceremoniously and shrugged, changing the subject as if totally forgetting she had nearly suffocated the raven. "Oh I know what my army is saying about me. They think I'm weak now that Kren is dead, that I should just leave Mossflower. Ha! I won't leave until Redwall Abbey and this forest is under my command. Those puny woodlanders will be begging for me to slay them on the spot, but I'll ensure their suffering is long and painful after what they did to my Kren. That will show my army that I am still powerful, still in control. Maybe I ought to throw a few of my guards in the slave line. How's that sound to you, Clawing?"
The bemused raven, who had now almost fully recovered from his frightening ordeal, held a wing to his throat as he replied, "A wonderful idea, your Majesty."
"Yes, I think so too. That was an intelligent answer. Had you given me a different one, your head would be on the ground beside your writhing body."
The already-dangerous situation had quickly escalated, and Clawing knew he had to flee from this insane beast. Fertile brain racing feverishly, he simply bowed and made to head outside. "If you'll excuse me, Majesty, I should be leaving now to retrieve that sword." He was about to add that he wouldn't fail her this time, but thought better of it due to her unpredictable mood and fell silent.
Her reply was one of pure terror. "Good, because if you don't I'll pluck your feathers...one by one."
It was a quiet night, and almost all the Redwallers were slumbering in the dormitories. Gala, however, was too restless to even consider sleep. She knew Mortaza was planning something, but what? The stoat was currently sitting in the Kitchen, staring at a half-eaten scone on the large work table that she had not touched for several minutes. An archway stood in front of her, marking the entry point between her location and Great Hall.
A strange noise caused her ears to flick, and she listened carefully. It sounded similar to metal scraping against metal. Gala did not think much about it then, instead choosing to ponder Mortaza's next move.
Upon closing her eyes, the image of a mouse warrior stole across her mind. She immediately recognized him as Martin the Warrior, but something was terribly wrong: he was not carrying his famous sword, and he held out his paws pleadingly.
The vision only lasted a second, but Gala knew what Martin was trying to tell her.
Somebeast was stealing his sword.
Clawing cursed under his breath. The sword was no light thing and he was having a difficult time balancing it in his talons, which were hooked onto the hilt. He had just gotten the weapon off the two silver spikes when he heard something. The raven had enough time to turn halfway before Gala was upon him.
"How dare you!"
The sword made a clattering noise as it fell from Clawing's talons and struck the ancient stone floor. He cawed in pain as Gala's sharp teeth tore out a clump of chest feathers, and he instinctively lashed out with his lethal beak. Gala jerked backwards in a successful attempt to dodge the built-in weapon before biting down on his outstretched wing. Bones snapping echoed through the Hall, and the raven's wing fell limp. Redwallers who had been awoken by the scuffle, watched in horror from the spiral staircase at the end of the room as Gala sunk her teeth into her adversary's throat and, with a sickening twist, broke his neck. A moan registered through the tired inhabitants, and Clawing slid lifeless to the floor.
Gala did not even attempt to face them, for she was afraid the sight of her blood-soaked mouth would frighten them even further. Wiping off the sticky liquid with her tunic, she retrieved Martin's fallen sword and put it back on the twin spikes above his picture. "There ye go, right back where it belongs."
Abbot Torlay ordered that the raven's body be disposed of outside Redwall, as he did not want an evil creature buried in his Abbey. Semser and Emroon took care of this, carrying the grisly carcass out from the main gates and to the nearby ditch. With Emroon keeping watch, her husband dug a shallow unmarked grave for the dead raven. He was nearly finished the task when Emroon tapped her rudder ever so softly on the earth, catching his attention. Semser climbed out from the ditch and saw why she had alerted him.
A clearly insane Mortaza was standing there brazenly on the path at Mossflower's fringe, decked out in full battle armour. She remained totally still, wicked eyes staring at the two otters as if guessing on their next move.
Semser bravely placed himself in front of his wife and glared at the fisher, desperately hoping that somebeast in the Abbey would somehow hear him. "We do not wish for a confrontation."
Mortaza still didn't move as she replied, "I have no need to exchange meaningless words with you, riverdog. You and your wife have no part in this. The only one I wish to speak with is your daughter, murderer of my beloved husband."
"Alert the Abbot. I'll cover ye." Semser whispered softly to Emroon, who nodded silently and kissed his cheek. They moved as one, inching towards the front gate with Mortaza's gaze following their every move. Oddly enough, she made no attempt to stop them.
When Emroon was safely inside, Semser focused his attention back on the fisher. "So, ye want to kill my daughter because she slew yore husband? I would think she did us all a favour."
Mortaza sneered in contempt. "You are either deaf or stupid. I do not wish to speak with the likes of you."
Semser continued as if he had not heard this insult. "Pity she didn't finish the job an' kill ye too. Then Mossflower would be rid of yore wickedness."
Her nostrils flared with anger, which was exactly what he wanted to accomplish. "Shut up or die. It's your choice."
But despite being totally defenceless and unarmed, Semser would not stop. He was hoping that her temper would boil over and she would fight him instead of Culy. "Suppose I'll take the latter option. Although I'm confused as to how ye can fight without yore army to defend ye. Last time we did battle ye fled into Mossflower with yore tail 'twixt yore legs like a scared babe. Yore more cowardly than I initially thought."
Mortaza's left eye twitched, and without warning she unsheathed her sword and charged at the otter. Semser was prepared, and he stood his ground firmly. A perilous glint flickered in his oceanic eyes, and not a single trace of fear was etched on his features.
His adversary grew closer, spittle flying in all directions as she screeched with rage at his blatant impudence. He merely stood there, refusing to move as if he were unafraid of death. This angered her even more, and she increased her speed.
The sword was high above her head, and she brought it down with punishing force.
CLANNNNNNGGGGGG!
Metal crashed upon metal as Mortaza staggered back, her paws reverberating from the sudden contact. She still had a firm grip on her sword, but she found herself being forced back by a fully armoured ottermaid. The fisher instantly recognized her as the one called Culy. At the last possible second she had stepped in front of Semser, bearing a fearsome sword that was now inching closer to her nose.
Culy's eyes blazed with pure hatred. "You wished for me, now I am here!"
With immense power, the young ottermaid pushed Mortaza back even further and the two were temporarily released from their close fighting quarters. The fisher, chest heaving, glared at her sworn enemy. "At least you're not daft like your father. So, you're the maid they call Culy? You are responsible for the murder of my husband Kren."
Her adversary was clearly unimpressed. "You are responsible for the murder of innocent creatures. Looks like we're even now."
Semser, who was still on the path, ran up to where his daughter was standing. "Culy, let me deal with her!"
The stubborn young maid quickly glanced at him. "No Dad, I have to do this myself."
A purely sinister grin spread over Mortaza's lips. "Yes, just as I had hoped for. Go on Daddy, let your daughter fight me. It will give me great pleasure to let you watch her die."
"You want to fight, fisher?" Semser now tried to bargain with Mortaza in a desperate plea to save his daughter. "Leave my daughter out of this and we shall duel."
"Father!" The increase of volume in Culy's voice frightened even Semser. "I must do this. It is my destiny."
Semser opened his mouth to protest yet again, but a strange internal voice made him catch his own. He nodded silently and placed a gentle kiss on Culy's cheek before retreating back inside the Abbey, where he immediately found and comforted a distraught Emroon.
Mortaza seized her opportunity. Swift as a flash, she swung her large sword at the unsuspecting ottermaid. Had she not raised Martin's shield to protect her exposed head, Culy would have certainly been decapitated. The sheer sound of Mortaza's blade striking the shield rang in Culy's mind and was enough to briefly eliminate her hearing. She still had her sight though, and used that to deflect the swings coming from her opponent. Angry that she had missed her chance at slaying the ottermaid, Mortaza increased her assault in an attempt to tire her out. But no matter what she did, Culy turned away the attacks with one swipe of her ancient sword. The fisher had never fought a tough opposition before; usually they were tied up or knew nothing about swordfighting. For the first time in her life, Mortaza found herself bested by another creature.
She faltered for a split second. Culy lashed out with her powerful rudder, catching the fisher on the side of her jaw and sending her backwards. Stars danced in Mortaza's vision, and she groaned in pain from the wicked blow. Now Culy launched her assault, continuously battering away at her enemy with Martin's sword but always striking armour. Their noses were almost touching, and Culy began to taunt the fisher. "Not so easy when your opponent is fighting back, is it?"
Mortaza screamed as the edge of the sword found and raked her flesh. Fresh blood oozed from the wound, and she crashed to the ground as she tripped over her own footpaws.
Culy did not let up her assault. "Up, scum! Get up and face me!"
Mortaza was exhausted but surprised that her enemy allowed her to rise. She was barely on her paws when Culy began hacking away again, the ottermaid's red eyes blazing with raw fury as she yelled in the fisher's face. "No longer will you terrorize Mossflower and murder innocent ones!"
Although she was larger and more powerful, Mortaza knew she did not stand a chance. In a desperate move she lunged forward, bared teeth missing Culy's throat by mere inches. The young ottermaid retaliated by throwing a swift uppercut to her opponent's already sore jaw. Mortaza staggered back, and without the slightest hesitation Culy swung Martin's sword.
From their vantage point atop the battlements, every Redwaller gave a moan as the head of Mortaza the Wicked fell to the ground alongside her body. Culy stared at the carcass, the young ottermaid's heaving chest slowly calming and perspiration dripping from both temples. She fell into a kneeling position, wincing at the pain from the cuts Mortaza had inflicted upon her.
"Culy!"
The young ottermaid felt two pairs of familiar arms wrap around her sore body, and she looked up into the eyes of her parents. Semser and Emroon were both sobbing as they embraced their daughter, holding her tightly.
After several moments, the otter family retreated back into the safety of Redwall Abbey.