The day Katia Managan arrived at the stronghold of count Blackwell, it began to snow; falling in a thick, obscuring mist of flakes, and piling in high drifts along the road, and against the fortress walls. As they drew near to the fort Katia took in the sights, it was a squat hodge-podge of walls and turrets surrounding a centralized hall; the castle its self was build in the inner portion of a curve of river that flowed lazily through the hills, along the road leading to the path was a mid sized village. The area was plastered in red and black banners, and bustled with activity.
The rebel captain who was in charge of keeping an eye on Katia and her close companion, the mercenary Sera Reneer, followed them a few steps behind at all times; he peered at them suspiciously, and in Katia's case, rather harshly, something that was compounded by the large mat of cloth bandages that covered the left side of his head, tending to the wound he had received when Katia kicked his helmet off., due to the bandages and the painful injury they covered, he marched with his mail hood thrown back, and his helmet off; leaving little to the imagination in regards to his feelings on Katia. At the head of the column was the massive knight, Johann Alrich.
"So, how did you deal with the crossbowmen we left in the tree line?" Sera asked dully, seemingly to the group of soldiers in general.
"It was pretty incredible" said one offhandedly
"Meh, maybe for them, but for us, hardly worth even mentioning" tacked on another, neither man really answering the question. As they drew near the keep, the source of the activity became visible, a sizable contingent of men had arrived before them, clad in a mix of leather and plate armor, they carried swords and axes, and many had round wooden shields quartered in white and blue curved Sections of paint. Aside from the knightly helms that many of the men wore, they looked very much like how Katia pictured Nord warriors might.
Three men stood out; a lanky middle aged man with a bald head and grey stubble, dressed in an odd amalgamation of court finery, and a suit of armor, colored with the black and red of the rebels. And two of the men from beneath the blue and white banner. As the returning soldiers arrived before the three, Katia, to her dismay, was thrust forward for examination; all three heads turned to her. Of the unknown pair, one had icy pale blue eyes, the others eyes were a deep gold, with streaks of green; and the rebel, she could tell at once was some form of nobility, as she naturally wanted to shy away.
"Lord Blackwell, I present you. The cat creature of Aranough and Sera Reneer, a black captain" announced Ser Johann. Katia looked to Sera for guidance; hoping that Sera would some how remove her from the presence of the count, but Sera wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were locked on the face of the blue eyed man, her mouth slightly open.
"Very well done Johann, well done indeed. I would like to introduce you to the knights of Haakon" he gestured to the surrounding soldiers "And this is, well, Haakon" he added, indicating the man with the blue eyes.
"Wait, you named your men after yourself?!" Katia blurted, relived to have something, anything, to focus on besides the royalty in front of her
"You insolent little" the count began, before Haakon cut him off, holding his hand up sharply in the counts face, only centimeters from back-handing the hold man, a brazen show before count Blackwell's best men.
"Not quite my little yellow friend" Haakon spoke, in a deep, thickly accented voice "The knights and I, we share a namesake, our homelands god of war, that I am their leader is just…art" he said with a smile that's warmth clashed with the cool nature of his eyes.
"Your kindness is wasted on this monster" shouted one of the soldiers from the battle the night before.
"Who you calling monster?!" the gold eyed man snapped gruffly; eyes flashing dangerously from between his dark hair and beard. Haakon held up his hand
"Varg, now may not be the best time" he said calmly, as he spoke, Uller marched up to the soldier who had spoken out of turn, and struck him across the face, before returning silently to Katia's side.
"You would do well to keep better reign on your men Ser Alrich, it is… unbecoming for one of yours to strike one of mine in defense of a prisoner" Count Blackwell spat through clinched teeth, adding "You're not nearly as irreplaceable as you like to think" the Count turned to tend to other matters, but the knight was not finished with the confrontation
"Neither. Are. You." Johann said slowly, his deep voice muffled slightly by his heavy closed helm. Count Blackwell stopped immediately, and turned to face the knight, a look of disbelief on his quickly reddening face.
"My ears must have deceived me" he said in a deadly flat tone. The knight removed his helm, and handed it to Katia, who was to uncomfortable to move, and simply clutched the cold metal helm with all of her focus. Johann's face represented him, unkempt brown hair that fell a little past the base of his skull, a rough beard grew across his jaw, and deep brown eyes gazed fiercely from under a heavy brow, from the scars that covered the left side of his jaw, it appeared to Katia that his enemies had included beings other than men; but the most notable feature of Johann Alrich's face, was the clear contempt he held for Count Blackwell.
"I believe you heard correctly" Johann said, stepping forward, closing the distance between him and the Count; Johann was an exceedingly tall man, comfortably clearing six feet, Count Blackwell, was on the low end of five foot, resulting in the fact that for whatever came next, Blackwell had to noticeably look up to Johann.
"The men who follow you" Johann said with a sneer, gesturing at the rough group of men in red and black who were gathered in the village "Are nothing but discharges from Veranthine and Magweyn both, men who so low, cowardly, and wretched that neither Prince Balder nor Trask Malavaan wanted them-"
"Those are the men who held this Kingdom together!" Blackwell interrupted, stomping a booted foot
"Well, they've done a fine job at that haven't they" Johann replied sarcastically "Your band of murderers and rapists can't protect you from the fact that the only warriors worth their salt are my vanguards, and we own our loyalty to your son, not to you, Percival" the knight finished, brazenly using the counts first name; Blackwell quivered in a rage, but could not find the correct words, and so turned and stomped off towards the fortifications.
"So… this, er, happen often?" Sera asked wryly, as Katia shivered slightly; the Count was scary indeed
"Not as often as it ought" Johann said sharply "Franz, do we have room for prisoners around here?" he asked the bald soldier, so simply shrugged. Johann cast a frustrated look to Sera and Katia
"Ahem" said Haakon, to draw attention back to himself "I am rather afraid the terms of our deal will need to be altered" he stated plainly, adding "Is there somewhere private?" Johann raised an eyebrow, then gestured for Haakon to follow. Haakon in turn, indicated for Sera and Katia to come as well, before sending Varg back to tend to the soldiers, and setting off after Johann and Uller.
They took a round about route through the village, before leaving it and making for a dumpy building that sat in the tree line, a short distance from the others. They entered, and found a large table pressed into the corner, a layer of dust settled across it. Uller drew a match from under his surcoat, an grabbed a couple candles from a chest in the corner, and Johann moved the table into the center of the room, and moved some crates from the opposite corner for them to sit on; Uller set the candles on the table and lit them, and the group sat around the table.
Haakon began to speak, but Johann held up a hand to quiet him
"John Blackwell will soon be returning from his meeting with Baron Glivkin, tis he with which you wish to speak"
"He'll know to come here" Haakon asked impatiently, Johann nodded
"The young Blackwell is an antsy man, he checks here many time a day to see if we are meeting with new developments, no doubt this will be his first stop, on his way to pace the ramparts that is" Johann explained dryly, from his tone it was difficult for Katia to tell in what regards he held this, other Blackwell, though it was clearly better then that in which he held his father.
Sera cast a reassuring glance at Katia, then her eyes turned to Uller, who had not spoken a word since the battle, not even during it, she noticed even through the dim light that he stared at Katia, a sly smile began to play at her lips
"What's the matter my bald friend, cat got your tongue?" she asked lightly. The flame of the candles jumped slightly, though no one seemed to notice. Haakon covered the lower portion of his face with a gloved and, and the corner of Uller's mouth turned upwards, ever so slightly.
"Wit aside, My friends quiet nature is hardly a topic for jests" Johann said quietly, Uller grabbed one of the candles, holding it near his face, he tilted his head back and drew one finger across his throat, exactly along the jagged scar that marred the skin, stretching from the Adams apple along the left side of his neck to the shoulder. The point was clear, Franz Uller was not the quiet type, but rather a mute instead.
Sera visibly cringed, and began to apologize, but Uller smiled and help up a hand
"Perhaps I ought to explain a bit" Haakon said slowly; Sera's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he spoke "King Alistair has been… interested in seeing one of hos star captains and his… erm, Kawjit? Brought home safely, and I have come here to help him achieve this goal. Evidently, John Blackwell was in need of allies, so, allies we became…" he bowed his head slightly as he finished speaking. Katia rolled her jaw as she thought,
"But aren't you… not…" she began weakly
"From Aranough?" Johann interrupted "Haakon is a Northman, bit and ally of King Alistair nevertheless, just as Franz and I hail from the kingdom of Venkiir, yet we find our selves in the service of a Veranthine lord." Katia rested her chin upon her hands played upon the table, eyes half open
"Is this all that's going to happen, we're just gonna talk?" she said sleepily, hoping it would be so, and she might finally get a good night sleep, for the first time since she had been taken from the Normerian town by the raiders.
"Thinking you'll be in for a boring stay? Not, I'm afraid that your time here will not be as uneventful as your time with the Veranthine men, not with Baron Glivkin involved, You can expect another battle I think" Johann said, a slight grin at his lips oh goody Katia thought, her mind drifting back to the nightmarish experience in the village.
At this time they heard the sound of boots on the hard earth outside the building; Uller and Johann looked at each other, and the door swung inwards. A young man entered, his black hair cut short, and only the slightest ghost of stubble upon his face; his leather garb was relatively simple, yet still of finer make than anything Katia had ever been able to afford; though, the frayed stitching and mud spatters made it clear he had been traveling.
"Good you're here we need…" he began hastily, before trailing off as his ashen eyes found themselves met with the thoroughly unexpected sight of Katia and Sera. "John Torion Blackwell, at your service" he said, bowing
"You seemed to be carrying urgent news?" Haakon asked, John Blackwell frowned, and thought for a moment, then his face popped with expression as he remembered what he had been in such a hurry to share
"Ah yes, we will be need to be ready to make our move tonight-" he began, before disheartened expressions and exasperated cries cut him off, but he simply held up his hand, and took a breath; it was clear he had anticipated the response and had been preparing during his journey
"Baron Glivkin has lent us his army, more than enough men for us to take the fortress from my father. however the Baron had a good point, we need to look to the next step, we need to strike while Veranthine and Magweyn are still at war, and that war draws ever nearer to it's end" he finished at smiled weakly, hoping the other men bought the pitch, Johann huffed and quickly left the building to ready his knights, and Haakon leaned back on his crate, and shook his head.
"Who dares wins" Sera said, Uller nodded approvingly at the remark, and Katia sighed. Even injured, with little sleep and no idea what the plan even was, her friend was ever eager for another chance at excitement.
"What do you need of us?" Haakon said slowly, rising from his seat
"All the knights need to do is pull the lever to open the gate if it closes, and then kill as many of my fathers men as they can" John said in a light tone, as if it was nothing at all that he needed. Haakon nodded slowly, walking toward the door with exaggerated motion. In the door frame he paused
"Your father does not trust you. You know this, nor does he trust Johann nor myself. He expects this, it will be a blood bath for both sides." He stated coldly, exiting before the young man could respond. John looked at Uller as the comment hung in the air; the bald warrior quickly averted his eyes, confirming what the Northman had said. John looked to Sera and Katia then
"What is your aim?" he asked dully
"To see that my friend gets home" Sera replied at once
"I don't have a home" Katia muttered under her breath, but louder than she intended, Sera turned to her instantly, upper lip curled
"Excuse me!, that night you were taken, the Normerians were the first to pursue you, they left their own shops and town to burn to do so! That night who entered the woods with me, a Knight of Aranough, he died because he came to help you, I'm wrapped up in this war to get you somewhere safe, and now King Alistair, a man that you refuse even to meet, has sent his agents and his soldiers out looking for you. So don't give me that self pitying garbage, Aranough is your home.. it just fucking is" she finished shouting, her brow locked. John just looked off away from the two, while Uller quickly got up to leave.
Katia stared for a moment. She was so used to being on her own, that she hadn't really notice the good charity with which she had been treated by the men whose only real affiliation with her was that she had appeared in their borders one day. She had been so caught up in avoiding doing any damage, that she had missed the damage men had done to themselves in an effort to help them that she couldn't understand; all this, coupled with the fact that Sera had never lost her temper like this with her before was too much. She bowed her head, and despite herself, began to cry.
Through her tears she could see Sera's face soften, and the regret in her eyes, but this only made Katia feel worse. She then felt a hand on her shoulder, but, Sera was still standing in front of her, now with a slightly surprised look on her face; Katia turned her head, to see the gloved hand, and mail sleeve of Franz Uller, she looked up and met with a sympathetic face. His jaw worked slightly, and it was clear that he wished he could say something. That was too much. Now a soldier who had been her enemy yesterday felt bad to see her cry; she had to do something, she had been letting her friends down without even knowing it, and she had to make it up, she wiped her eyes and looked up
"What do you need, I will help you if I can" she sniffed, addressing John Blackwell directly
"I need warriors" John said, rather doubtfully
"well, you have one then. I-I have fire magic, and I can make people run away once a day, I… uh… I can think like a, no I am a witch hunter, and I almost didn't lose in a sword fight with Franz here" she said, trying to convince her self of her own prowess as much as John Blackwell.
"Well good then" John said clapping his hands together. He instructed Franz to bring food, bed rolls, and two swords, which he did. He brought back a half wheel of cheese, strips of salted meat, and two jugs of water. He also brought a small wood box, hidden inside which was a chocolate sweet bread. When questioned as to how he had managed to convince he forts cook to allow him to take the latter item, he merely grinned and held on finger to his lips; a charmingly mischievous response, though Katia wondered why John would bother to ask the mute a question like that anyways. When the they had finished eating, John and Franz got two their feet.
"I must see that everything is in place, I suggest you two get some rest, I'll send captain Uller her to wake you when you are needed" John stated plainly. With that he left. After an awkward apology from Sera, the two drifted away. Determined to be ready for the nights adventure.
Katia woke with a start, as shouting and metallic clanging filled the air outside, she looked frantically about the room, she saw Sera already standing, back in her armor from the last battle, she held a long sword; and as someone outside began to pound on the door, she kicked another sword, which slid across the floor to Katia.
Katia grabbed the weapon and climbed to her feet. There was a shrill gurgling cry, and a loud thump, and the pointed tip of a red spattered blade protruded from the door, the weapon was pulled free with a grizzly snick and the door swung open. In the doorway stood a soldier, one of Johann's men, in the same red surcoat and great helm as the last battle. In one hand, a blood covered broad sword, in the other a key.
"I got here as soon as I could, tis a real blasted mess out there." He said. Sera frowned as he spoke, they had been told that Franz Uller would be waking them, but he could not speak, and this man could
"Captain Uller and Ser Alrich have their hands tied dealing with the counts guard, so they sent me" the soldier said hastily, his voice muffled as he turned an looked over his shoulder at the village, which through the night, was visibly aflame. Sera and Katia followed the man back to the edge of the town, and the sounds of fighting grew louder
"The Barons men got in through the gate on the opposite side of the fort, so the good Count ordered his men to destroy the village. Tis here where we come in" the soldier explained. The roars of some great animal split the night and Katia shuttered
"What is that?!" Sera exclaimed.
"The Northman second in command, Varg. the mans a bloody werewolf" the soldier answered quickly
The three reached the edge of the town at which point the soldier and Sera quickly engaged a small group of warriors that were busy setting fire to the houses. Katia caught sight of a bucket full of water; she grabbed it and emptied it onto the flames that clung to a small house before her. The flames burned defiantly. Katia turned defeated, but found that she had, once again, been separated from Sera. Well if I survived against the knights last night, and these men are supposed to be inferior, I should be fine, right? Katia thought nervously, making her way further into the cluster of buildings.
With a howl a man burst from an alley way, a padded gambeson covered hos torso, and a flat steel cap for his head. He hollered and charged at Katia, she swung her sword with both hands, but he parried the blow with his own sword. He collided with her, and forced her up against a wall, she kicked him in the groin and he sunk to his knees, Katia made to stab him, but changed her mind, smashing him in the face with the pommel of her sword instead. He collapsed in a heap, hurt and unconscious.
I didn't cheat or use magic or anything! Katia thought gleefully as she made her way to where she heard more commotion, she found herself faced with a gap between three buildings in which a cluster of men fought; one soldier straddled a warrior, raining blows with his mailed fists, she saw another soldier charging across the clearing, great sword at the ready, only to be struck down by an axe blow to the stomach. One of the counts warriors stabbed one of Johns soldiers in the throat, then caught sight of Katia, and she noticed that in this fight, the soldiers were losing
"Soldiers! Eh, Johann's men, come to me, er, rally over here!" Katia shouted as an idea formed. To her immense surprise, the helmed soldiers did as she asked, shaking off their attackers and backing to the section of the clearing where she stood, until the men were in two loose groups, the soldiers in their surcoats and mail, and the warriors in gambesons and tunics. As soon as most the friendly men were behind her she blasted the group before her with eye of fear. The men cried out and turned to flee, some even dropping their weapons; like a pack of wolves the soldiers sprung upon the retreating men, and the coppery scent of blood strongly filled the air.
"witch hunter come to us!" voice called frantically a short distance away. Katia paused for a moment, they were calling for her? She thought for only a moment, but the cries grew even more frantic, and devolved in to desperate screaming in the short time she did so. So Katia quickly made for the terrible sounds origins.
As she rounded the edge of a building she saw a soldier; he was there, then an orange flash, and he was gone. It took a moment for Katia to realize that the man had been obliterated, leaving only the fragments of a helmet and strips of bloody mail behind. A sick lump formed in Katia's stomach as she realized why the men had called for 'the witch hunter; there in the road, wearing a gilded steel cuirass over tan and black robes. With a closed helm and armored greaves and bracers, was another mage.
Katia's mind raced as she thought of everything she knew about how magic worked in this world; the mage held a sword in his right had, but carried no staff, as she remembered only one kind of mage could use magic with no staff, bit she couldn't think of which one. A bolt of flam shot past her head, and she had a pretty good idea which type he was.
"I can do that two!" she cried hurling a fireball his way, he waved his hand and her attack dissipated in the air, though she did notice a shower of sparks land on his dangerously flammable looking cloth. The mage held his hand out straight towards her, his palm facing out. There was a flash and Katia dove to the side, just barely escaping the line of flame that had rocketed along the way hos hand was pointing.
"unless you got runes to throw everywhere, you aren't gonna win this!" she taunted, dearly hoping that he did not in fact possess such runes, he tilted his hand and released five fire balls in a fan pattern; Katia grabbed a board with telekinesis and shielded herself how do normal people deal with this shit?! She thought. The mage pointed his sword, then skidded across the dirt towards her, he slashed for her head, but she just managed to duck, she saw the two burning skids left by his feet, and realized that this mage may be out of her league.
The mage raised his hand and Katia scurried about the area, as pillars of flame erupted from the ground, always where she had been just a moment before. A soldier interrupted the duel, and swung at the mages legs, the mage parried him, kicked him away, then released a torrent of fire from his hand that engulfed the man. Katia threw another fireball, and the mage ended his flamethrower, and blocked it just like the other. He can use a sword, cast magic, and block. But only one at a time Katia noticed as she hopped around the road, staying barely out of the path of the mages attacks. A woman screamed, and the mage turned his head, a flam dancing in his palm no you do not! Katia thought angrily, leaping at the mage, a ball of flame in her own clenched fist, just as she was about to strike him, he held up another ward, and slashed upwards with his sword. Katia felt a searing pain in her left arm and was thrown back by an explosion from her own hand.
She landed hard on her back, and looked about daze, her arm burning with pain, she patted it with her other hand to put out the flames, but when that only made the pain worse, she looked to see a long gash.; oozing blood onto her fur. She looked frantically to the mage, and saw him picking himself up, his helmet had been knocked free and his armor was now singed and tarnished. He looked up and sneered, he was angry now, and Katia knew she was in even greater peril. The mage drew up to his whole height, and held his sword in both hands before his face, his mouth was locked in a silent cry and his back arched, and much to Katia's horror, the blade of the sword erupted in cloying flames. The air around Katia seemed to crackle and she dove forward, as a wall of fire burst into existence behind her. I have to close the distance Katia thought
The mage was struck from the side, and Katia saw Sera, sword and shield in hand, confronting the mage and his flaming sword. The mage attacked first, swinging downwards, Sera moved to parry, but the incendiary weapon simply cut through the blade of her sword. Sera's eyes widened with shock, and she held her shield up to protect her body. As Katia watched frozen in horror, the mage thrust his sword forwards. It sank into the shield, piercing through it, and stabbing Sera in the shoulder. The warrior cried out in pain and panic and the mage held his balled fist close to Sera's stomach. There was an explosion and Sera was thrown back.
Katia cried out in rage and anguish. She ran forwards sword in hand, the mage turned. Just as she was early to him he began to slash horizontally; Katia darted down to all fours, and as the weapon cleared her back she found herself under his guard. A hate and determination she had never felt before welled with in her, and she drew back her sword
"Murderer!" she cried out as fiercely as she could as she drove the tip of her weapon into the mages gut, just under where his cuirass ended.
Time seemed to stop. The fire on his blade went out at once, and his eyes widened; his mouth hung open slightly and he sank to his knees. Katia let go of the sword and at once felt sick. She looked into his eyes, and leaned over, vomiting onto the ground between them, she fell to her knees and felt hot tears in her eyes. H-he killed Sera I-I had too I had too she looked at him and watched as a stocky man marched up behind the mage and stuck him in the neck with an axe.
"I'll be thankin' ye, not ere day I get to kill me damn mage, a pyromancer to boot" the man said, eyes sparkling over the coarse beard that covered his face.
"Name be Samuel Antony" the man said, as the mages body slumped to the side Katia could see that the man wore peculiar scaled armor. Katia did not speak in return, her tongue felt heavy and her knees felt to weak to stand, and her stomach continued to churn as she wondered which of them had really killed the mage.
"Best be in a hurry, there may be hope for yer friend yet" the man said, gesturing with his axe. A horn blasted through the night, and a man called from the walls
"Lord Blackwell is slain!"
"I be damned if I know whether he means the old one or the young'un" Samuel said cheerfully. Katia sprung to her feet at once, if Sera might still be alive Katia had to see if she could keep her that way. One way or another the battle was over, and Katia couldn't stand losing her friend now. And besides, ghastly or not, she had conquered an obstacle, one that had left an unknown number of more worthy challengers as charred remains. And Sera didn't get to die until Katia told her all about it… and Katia didn't trust anyone else to make her feel better if she broke down over the killing again.
Even as she dreaded what they would find when they reached Sera, and fought off the urge to vomit, Katia felt a spark of satisfaction in her soul. She had defeated a mage. She could now officially call herself a mage hunter, because she was a mage hunter, and she felt like a badass. But why shouldn't she? She was Katia Fucking Managan after all.