Hello All,
Firstly, I apologise you All for delay. I will humbly accept each and every complaint. My excuse is poor.. job, but yeah... not good enough...
Thanks in advance for patience.
I hope you'll enjoy this one, blooooooodyyyyy.
Thanks,
MS
Nessa ran. Before she managed to think, heavy stone door locked, leaving her in complete darkness. Now it was the time for a final duel, ultimate end of the battle. Although her heart urged her to run and finish this all as soon as possible, her assassin instincts ordered her to stop and think. These corridors must be larded with traps. And each wound that she would receive made LaFey gain advantage over her. She stopped and allowed her eyes to adjust to complete darkness. In the distance, at the end of the corridor she saw dim light. She smirked. Even the night didn't favor her self appointed "beloved" child. Which was a great thing, for even partial ability of seeing in darkness would not help her much in this place. Suddenly screeching laughter made her almost cover her ears.
"Welcome to my playground, my dear Princess of Blades. You've kept me waiting, but at the same time you gave me a lot of precious time to prepare for you…. Last time you left me bleeding…. now it's time for payback. And believe me… for every single cut you gave me…. you'll receive two. So I invite you….. come and find your shiny prize…It's just a corridor away…"
Nessa gritted her teeth and strangled the need of lunging the direction the voice came from. She came this far, so the could not let plain anger to win over her common sense. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. She was a hunter, but not thoughtless one. She would not catch this bait. She reached for her sack and pulled out a little bottle. Poison neutralizing elixir. Just in case… She took a little gulp, and almost threw up. It was Forenar's little specialty. He would never tell her where he got it from or what it was made of. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that now… even the basilisk venom would not kill her… immediately. The burning sensation in her veins assured her that no poison, except La Fey' words can truly affect her. She unsheathed her blades and very slowly she started to move forward. Her eyes scanned the space around her in search of any traps. After a few truly long minutes she reached the end. On right hand side her eyes spotted slight contour of the door. She took a step forward, when an awful laughter made her stop again.
"My… my… cautious as always…. But I'm afraid that at this rate, you'll never catch me… and I'm getting a little impatient. I hate rushing things but…. Run for me my dear Princess… for me… or for your life…. The choice is still yours to make….. for now…" The moment after Nessa's ears caught a silent click. Small dart flew merely an inch from her face and plunged into the wall. Another one stabbed her bicep. Wasting no more time Nessa started to the door. She heard the rain of darts following her, some of them falling to he floor, some hardly missing herself. The door started to open. She knew she was running straight to a new trap. But whatever was waiting for her behind them, still bought her priceless time. She was not surprised when she saw her adversary waiting for her, with his hands on his hips. What worried her more was that despite of the potion she drank, her left arm was becoming numb, which remonded her of the dart. Without taking her eyes of LaFey, she tore it off.
"Too easy LaFey…" – she growled slowly moving forward – "You shouldn't have allowed me to get to you that easy…"
"I did want you to find me…. I just thought that we need a bot more privacy to discuss our differences" - With a snarl LaFey slowly unsheathed his blade.
"And so now we have us alone my beautiful enchantress." – La Fey started to move slowly, like hunting tiger – "To my utter disappointment you took your time…." – he paused – "But then I think that my disappointment would be even deeper if you didn't come at all. This would mean that you are not as good as I expected….. But you are and for this I salute you." – the last sentence was spoken in theatrical manner. Nessa did not react. She stayed focused on his blade, and at the same time, she scanned the room for any more surprises. Getting here weakened her, her left arm was half numb. She was luky to have an antidote, but poison seemed to be very strong. La Fey planned it well. He knew she was prepared for surprises. This was his aim, to make her vulnerable. For he desired to make her kneel., and to face defeat consciously. La Fey smirked to himself.
"Searching for surprises?" – he purred narrowing his eyes –" Unfortunately I have no more left. I assumed that what I left in corridors would be enough….To warm you up….for me…. for…." He sighed resting his hand on his chest – " I cannot imagine greater nightmare than cold… lifeless woman….. And that's why my dear rogue….I'm after you…." He finished pointing blade at her. "I love your spirit… your attidute….. I love everything you are. And I wish to make it all mine. ….. "
Nessa watched La Fey's face with growing disgust. His eyes glowed with disturbing light. He was not sane. He definitely was not sane. She felt unpleasant shiver down her spine when she heard him murmur half to himself –" And taming you…." – he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. This was Nessa's chance. She raised her blades and attacked. He blocked her without opening her eyes. When he did… she understood. They were venomous green. He must have taken the mix of elixirs. Her back came in rough contact with the wall as he pushed her away. Now she was desperately fighting for air which escaped from her lungs.
"You didn't think I would host you unprepared…." he laughed coldly as he started his assault. She barely managed to dodge his blow, the end of his blade plunged into the wall, merely inches away from her numb arm.
"I know you will surely consider this little….. support unfair…" – he mocked between the rain of blows – " But take it as a token of respect…" the tip of the blade came dangerously close to Nessa's neck, making the strand of her hair fall down. – "I'm not sure if I would be able to "convince" you to give in using old fashioned means…And since it is the only chance I have….. I do not intend to waste it on thinking whether my victory more or less honorable." – suddenly he stopped half step and crooked his head to the side –"And I have a feeling that you are not surprised." With enormous speed he started to her initializing another sequence of blows theoretically impossible to block.
Nessa was getting more and more tired. Fighting the poison took great part of her strength away. Her left arm was animated by only the power of her will, for the muscles didn't seem to respond to stimuli. She was bruised and exhausted, somewhere deep within, she felt she took too much on her shoulders. That the weight of this revenge was something she couldn't bare. Surrounded by the sound of clinging blades, relying on her intuition she was slowly becoming aware of the fact, that she sprang LaFey's trap gloriously. She did everything he wanted, and now all she could feel was dull pain that his blade was giving her. Her guard has finally become useless. One blade fell out of her hand, second performed weak repulses. She felt her shirt slowly soak through with blood. How she wished to have strength to finish this disgraceful act…. Finally she fell to her knees. She tried to stand up, using her blade as support, but LaFey's leg shot forward and kicked the blade out of her reach. She fell heavily to the side.
So this is how it ends…This is the defeat Rhys warned me about.
"Oh reflexive mood… are we?" – La Fey's cackle seemed to rip the last ounces of her pride apart. She opened her mouth to speak, when one kick sent her 4 feet away. She could almost hear her ribs' moan. She turned to the side, trying to put herself in better position to dodge, or throw a dagger. In an instant he was on her with a dagger pressed to her neck. His knees blocked her arms causing almost unbearable pain. She winced as he reached for daggers hidden in her armor
"Oh no little one. I know you're cunning and I know you're efficient with these …" – he spoke to her cheek, his lips almost touching her skin – "We need to get rid of those, they would only spoil the fun…" he murmured throwing all of her daggers aside. – "Now…where were we…." – he leaned backwards – "Ah…. Yes….Before I will invite you to my private quarters, I need to be sure that where are no more surprises. I do not wish to be disturbed…" – he murmured half to himself reaching for her forearm. "Those hidden blades of yours earned your reputation and therefore…." – he increased the pressure of his knee on muscles – 'They need to come off as well." The moment after one mechanism was thrown aside. Nessa gritted her teeth. Her arm was exploding with pain, but her mind was racing. She refused to give in. She slowly tensed the muscles of other, armed forearm.
This is your one and only chance. Focus….
"You're not speaking to me, are you?" – La Fey mocked locking his gaze upon her bruised face – "Does it hurt that much… to be…In this position?" – he cackled - "Oh don't worry, you will have a lot of time to get used to it. And imagine wonderful nights filled with conversations. Oh… for you will speak to me.. I'm genuine confession collector…" He was broke off by silent groan
"You wish to speak already? …" he groaned – "Sh..sh… We will have a time for this later…". he was about to stand up when a silent plead made him freeze
"Please…don't hurt me anymore…." – Nessa's lips hardly moved weak voice turned to silent whisper
"Did you just say "please"?" La Fey's lips curled into a snarl – "Is Nessa Moonshade begging me for mercy?"- he brought his face closer to hers – "Oh I'm going to hurt you….. badly. For trying to evade your fate…but go on….squirm…. I might always change my mind…" – before he knew what hit him, Nessa's head shot forward and struck the base of his nose. He lost his balance freeing Nessa's arm wearing hidden blade.
"That will earn you few extra hours of pain…." La Fey grunted. The moment after he screamed as Nessa's blade stabbed this thigh.- "ARRGGGH you BITCH!!!!" he rolled off her clutching his wound
As quick as she was able she rolled the opposite direction. The world span around her. Her body was a wound. Never has she been that close to being killed. Even breathing was painful. Very slowly she bend her leg to get up. Breathing heavily she turned her head to locate La Fey. He crawled aside, clutching his thigh. She looked around to find her weapons. She had to be quick, for second assault would surely end up bad for her. Her legs however refused to follow her orders. The sound of torn material told her that she was running out of time. Once La Fey fixes the wound, she's doomed. She decided to crawl, anything was better than giving in without a fight. Once she started, a sack slipped out of her armor. Jon's dreams closed in rubies. She opened it and took one out. The light was dancing in it, the light of Jon's soul. She could not let it fade. A new strength came to her. She focused her eyes on the blade and started to crawl again pressing the stone to her chest. Suddenly she felt La Fey's fingers closing around her ankle.
"Smart….. But not smart enough…." – before she managed to react she was dragged down with a brute force. Her right hand desperately searched for something to grab on, to any sort of weapon she could use against this animal. But there was nothing. She felt as if she was sinking in the ocean of her worst nightmares. She lost her only chance. From now on she found herself on a downward spiral.
La Fey bent down and grabbed fistful of Nessa's hair. He yanked her up to his eye level. Nessa winced as she was now standing on the tips of her toes.
"At first I thought that long foreplay is not necessary…. But you've convinced me that you deserve one….Now what would it be….? – he mused – "Maybe a little story about the art of hanging people….. For you know…. Not that long ago I did it to a terrible coward. True squealer….. What was his name…. Jim? Nooooo… Jon…" – his lips stretched in evil green – "I believe you might have known him. For I believe I owe your visit to him…. Do you want to know how he died? That would be a pleasure for me to share all details with you…. But not now…. Not here. I arranged everything, and I'm convinced that you will not like it… and that's the best part…." – his cold laughter resounded through the room. – "If you had better instinct while choosing your partner, you wouldn't end up here. This one thing I can tell you right now. When dying, people reveal their true selves. Only by taking their lives away, you get a chance to see who they are. Your partner was a dishonorable squirming excuse for a man. Nothing more…."
This was too much for Nessa to take. She knew Jon well enough to know he died laughing into La Fey's face. Hearing this bastard throw insults at Jon, it was something she could not handle. Pure adrenalin that was now running through her veins, must have neutralized numbness in her arm. She was still holding the ruby in her clenched fist. With primal scream that tore out of her lungs she hit LaFey's temple, cutting his skin with sharp edge of the stone down to jaw line. When stunned man stumbled backwards, she tore his sword out of the sheath, and without any hesitation the cut him through abdomen and chest.
FaLey raised his head to look at her. His face expressed boundless astonishment. He blinked and took a step forward
"How….how did you do it…" he gasped – "I had everything prepared…. everything ready… checked down to the smallest detail…" – he kneeled down – "How did you do it?...." Nessa lowered the blade and slurred
"By taking away the last thing I cared for…. you killed my fear, my instinct, everything that should have made your little trap work. It didn't work, because I came to kill you. No plans, no preparations. Just clear glowing objective ahead."
La Fey fell to his side. Still clutching bleeding chest he cackled.
"You're right. I deserved it. But now it all is meaningless. You were my aim, my prize, the main reason for all my recent actions." – he gasped catching the air – "If I can't have you, then I have nothing to live for…" La Fey's eyelids fluttered, his head fell to the side.
Nessa watched him for a moment. She threw his blade aside. Then she looked at the stone, she was still clutching in her hand. It was covered in La Fey's blood. She pressed it to her heard and whispered to herself
"I hope my friend, this will allow you to rest peace"
She looked around in search of her weapons. Once the was bending down to pick up the last item, she staggered. It was when she realized how wounded she truly was. She sat on the ground and searched her sack. She took out a little bottle and took a big gulp. She felt pleasant warmth spreading all over her sore muscles. She intended to take another one when her eyes rested on La Fey. She corked a bottle and slowly got up. Holding a dagger she approached the body and squatted by it. She placed her fingers on man's neck, trying to sense pulse. Her lips curled when she felt weak vibration.
"Well aren't you a persistent bastard?" – she murmured – " Very well… for I'm very eager to know your TRUE self" – she took out rope which she took from Jon's apartment." Now we will see who you really are.." – she purred tying him up.
He could not breathe. Great amount of some unidentified liquid was flowing down his throat, choking him. He tried to move, however something was blocking his moves. He forced his swollen eyelids to go up. Then he fixed his gaze upon his bigger failure, Nessa Moonshade sneering at him. He struggled to break free. He tried to curse, however nothing but gurgling came out of his mouth.
"Oh I bet you are looking for this…" – Nessa approached him holding bloody offal in her fingers – " I've heard enough of filth coming out of your mouth. So I decided that it needs to be tamed." – she dropped the scrap down. LaFey's eyes widened in horror when he realized that it was his tongue. He wanted to yell, but no sound came out. All he could do was to watch Nessa approach him with shiny dagger in her hand.
"I guess you are wondering where we are….. Well… not that it would help you much…but I love the irony of it….. We are in YOUR dungeons MASTER La Fey." – she grabbed his hair and traveled the dagger along his jaw line carving a small red line into his skin – "So silent…." – she whispered – "I bet Alton La Fey is not a squealer. He wouldn't squirm especially in a presence of a woman, would he now?" – the blade travelled up straight towards his eye. LaFey's body went stiff as silent whimper finally managed to escape his lips. Nessa's blade stopped right below lower eyelid..
"Oh…. Yet he would…." - she sighed - "So disappointing…. Well since I know you are little, scared half wit…. ." – she twirled a dagger in her fingers and placed it in his hand – " Nevertheless I will give you a chance to right yourself" – she receded – "I'm giving you a choice… see that rope over there? If you cut it, my daggers will kill you quick.. Can't promise that painlessly… You can also wait…. Perhaps someone will find you here…. But without your tongue and face… I think it might be a bit difficult to prove your identity. I guess the deal is fair." – she started to walk to the door. LaFey struggled fiercely, making furious, screeching noises. Nessa stopped by the door and spoke over her shoulder
"You should have never entered my world LaFey. You should have done everything not to cross me again. Unfortunately, you won't live long enough to realize this lesson…. Farewell."
La Fey struggled a bit longer until he had no strength left. He hanged limp and defeated. He took a deep breath and cut the rope. With closed eyes he waited for the end. But the end didn't come. Instead he felt his ties going loose. He his the ground with a thud. Then he realized the nature of Moonshade's revenge. She wanted him to live as mutilated outcast. Without a chance of regaining what he had. His breath became ragged, his fingers clenched on dagger's handgrip. She won. This thought was the only company LaFey's left when blade pierced his heart.
Nuada paced around the room. Seconds stretched to minutes, minutes to hours. Her prolonging absence was really getting to him. He would never suspect her of doing anything that stupid. So reckless, emotional… This emotional aspect caught his attention. When he first met her, he would not think that she would throw herself into the fire for anyone. And now… now she's probably dead. Or subdued. This way or another he loathed this insecurity. He wished to act. This was his domain, not standing aside and waiting. He twirled around at the sound of stone door opening. The lance was already in his hands, ready to attack. He couldn't help the smirk when he spotted a strand of ruby hair emerging from behind the door. He relaxed his muscles and started to walk her direction. She looked terrible. One side of her head was covered in half dried blood, her face was swollen, it was obvious that moving is painful to her. But her eyes… he knew she accomplished her goal. It was victor's look. She seemed surprised to see him.
"What are you doing here?" – she queried – "You were not waiting for me, were you?"
"No I wasn't" – Nuada stopped in front of her placing his spear on his back – "I was…. curious how it would end… and I was right. Did you?...' he started
"Thank you" – she tried to smile, but the effect was rather poor – "You saved my life. I will never forget that"
"You look terrible" – Nuada blurted out feeling trying to cover the relief – "I will escort you home, you need to get it all fixed.. Come…" – he reached out his arm to provide her with support. Again she tried to smile. She took a step forward. The second later she was lying on the floor. Within a fraction of second Nuada was on his knees, with his arm under her head.
"Human!…. Nessa! Firestorm!.. Wake up.. It's not your time. You should live to taste your victory. You must live…"- he whispered patting her cheeks.
He felt warmth on an arm supporting her back. When he pulled in from under her, his arm was covered with blood. He rolled her over to find that her armor has been cut. She was bleeding severely. He scooped her in his arms and stood up. There was no time to take her to Quirk. She would not make it. He needed to find a heeler here in Amarath, and a place to stay. Not wasting any more time he rushed out of the room Time was his biggest enemy right now.