WHAT UP!
So now, the bandits have reached their destination, but they were being followed by an unknown pursuer. Keep those guesses coming, we won't be finding out for at least two more chapters.
HotXbun: Ally was kidnapped in order to start a war between Guilder and Florin. These bandits were hired by someone to do it.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to Austin and Ally or The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Chapter 5
Hello, My Name is Dez Wade…
The small group sailed their ship into an opening in the cliffs, where they found a small area of land to dock their boat. Dez hopped off the boat and onto dry land as he secured it while Chuck and Kellan ushered their captive onto land. Ally didn't put up a fight as she had no way to escape any longer.
After getting to dry land, Dez pulled on rope that seemed to be attached to the top of the cliff while Kellan began putting on a harness that would carry Ally on his back. It took both Chuck and Dez to get Ally settled into the harness and then placed her tied hands around Kellan's neck to secure her. Chuck then secured himself to Kellan as Dez did the same and Kellan began to climb up the cliffs side.
Higher and higher the giant climbed up the rope, completely unaware of what was happening below him. The boat that had been following them docked itself on the small patch of land and a man; all dressed in black, and jumped off the boat. He ran to the cliff, gripped the dangling rope and began to climb behind the group. Dez, still curious about who was following them, looked down and saw the man in black. They may have been fast, but he was even faster.
"He's climbing the rope." Dez said. "And he's gaining on us." Chuck rolled his eyes at his Spanish companion.
"Inconceivable." He said and then looked down at the man below them. His eyes widened a little as he saw just how close he was to them. "FASTER!" He yelled in Kellan's ear.
"I thought I was going faster." He said as he continued to climb. Chuck began to become frustrated as he swung himself into Kellan's face.
"You were supposed to be this colossus, great legendary thing." He said in a harsh tone. "And yet he gains!"
"Well, I'm carrying three people," Kellan began to explain in his defense. "And he's got only himself."
"I do not accept excuses." Chuck said as he began to get even more frustrated. "I'm just going to have to find myself a new giant, that's all."
"Don't say that, Chuck." Kellan said as he continued to climb. Chuck looked beneath them and became beyond irritated when the man in black was almost directly on their tails.
"Did I make it clear that your job is at stake?!" He yelled in Kellan's face as they finally reached the top. Kellan pulled himself and those attached to him over the stony edge and onto the solid ground.
Dez and Chuck detached themselves from Kellan as Dez moved behind him to detached Ally from Kellan's back. She didn't give a struggle as he set her on a nearby rock. Meanwhile, Chuck had set about taking care of their follower. He took a dagger from his belt and began to cut furiously at the rope that was tied to a rock. He sawed and sawed until he finally got cut through the entire rope. What he cut off slid off the edge and down to the bottom. Chuck strained his ears to listen for the thud of the body, but got nothing. Dez moved to the edge and looked over.
"He's got very good arms." He said and he was right. The mystery man had let go of the rope just in time to catch onto the bulging rocks of the cliffs side. Chuck stood next to him, a look of disbelief on his face.
"He didn't fall?" He yelled. "Inconceivable!"
"You keep using that word." Dez said as Chuck continued to stare at the man in black. "I do not think it means what you think it means." Chuck gave him a look until Dez looked back down. "My God, he's climbing!" And Dez was right. The mysterious man had begun to climb up the cliff towards the edge despite not having the rope to help him.
"Whatever he is, he's obviously seen us with the princess and must therefore die." Chuck said as he moved back to Kellan and Ally. He motioned to Kellan to pick Ally up. "You, carry her. We'll head straight for the Guilder frontier." He then turned back to Dez to give further instruction. "Catch up when he's dead. If he falls, fine. It not, the sword." He gave a huff and then walked over to Kellan as he hoisted Ally over his shoulder.
"I'm going to duel him left-handed." Dez said before they could leave. Chuck stopped and turned on the spot to stare hatefully at Dez.
"You know what a hurry we're in!" He shouted. He was right, they had to be at the frontier before nightfall so that the prince could find Ally's dead body. If not then their plan would go to hell in a handbasket.
Dez stepped down from the cliffs edge and gave Chuck an unfazed expression on his face.
"Is the only way I can be satisfied." He began to explain to his overly sensitive boss. "If I use my right, over too quickly." Chuck had opened his mouth to voice his growing frustration, but he quickly realized that there was no talking the Spaniard out of his decision. If it meant that the man in black wouldn't follow them, he would let the swordsmen do as he pleased. He waved Dez off and let him be.
"Oh, have it your way." He said and began moving away from the cliffs edge. Kellan stayed behind for a while to give his friend a little advice.
"You be careful." He said. "People in masks cannot be trusted." Dez gave him a slight shake of the head in agreement.
"I'm waiting!" Chuck yelled and Kellan left with him to where ever they were going. This left Dez to deal with the man in black.
He paced around as he waited for the man to reach the top of the cliff, but without the rope, he seemed to be moving at a slow rate. He leaned over the edge to see how far the man had moved. He hadn't gotten very far as he was still stuck in the same place.
"Hello there." Dez yelled down to him. The man in black gave a small wave as he continued his climb. "Slow going?" He said back, stating the obvious. The man continued climbing as he answered the Spaniard.
"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but this is not as easy as it looks, so I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't distract me." Dez shook his head in agreement as he moved back.
"Sorry." He replied.
"Thank you." He said, a little harsh as he continued his climb.
Dez waited for a little longer as he moved around the top of the cliff. The top had once been a battle fortress for the country of Guilder, but was now reduced to ruins after the war with Florin. The only things that remained of it were white pillars, high platforms and some large white boulders littered around the area. Dez could only imagine what it looked like in its prime, but that was the least of his worries. He looked down to see how the man in black was fairing, but he wasn't doing very well.
"I do not suppose you could-a speed things up?" He suggested. The man gave a disgruntled sigh as he looked up at the persistent man.
"If you're in such a hurry," He said, his breath coming out in short pants as he did. "You could lower a rope or a tree branch or find something useful to do." Dez, thinking on his feet, remembered the rope they had used to climb up and that Chuck had cut that line away. However, there was still some rope that he could use to speed things up.
"I could do that." Dez said. "I've got some rope up here, but I do not think you would accept my help, since I am only waiting around to kill you." The man nodded his head at that statement.
"That does put a damper on our relationship."
"But I promise I will not kill you until you reach the top."
"That's very comforting, but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait." Dez gave a scoff at the man.
"I hate waiting." He said as he began to walk away, but he soon stopped and walked back to the cliff. "I could you my word as a Spaniard?"
The man in black gave a sharp gasp as he lost his footing, but then regained it. He had momentarily lost his focus, what with the Spaniard's constant badgering at him to hurry. He looked up at the man on the ledge.
"No good. I've known too many Spaniards." He thought that would be enough for him to quit, but he was not even close. Dez was a very persistent man and he wanted to make sure that he got a good fight out of his long wait.
"So's there any way you'll trust me?" He yelled down.
"Nothing comes to mind." He yelled back, but there was something in Dez's mind. The only real proof a Spanish man or woman could do to prove their loyalty, something he had been raised to honor.
"I swear, on the soul of my father, Domingo Wade, you will reach the top alive." He said as calm and cool as he could. The man in black looked up at Dez and could tell he was telling the truth. Out of the many Spaniards he had met, he knew that they always honored that one code of honor. If he swore on his father's soul, then he guessed he could trust him for now.
"Throw down the rope!" He yelled up and Dez moved to the rock where the rest of the rope was still tied. He unwound the rest and threw it down to the struggling man. He gripped onto it to steady the rope as the man in black gripped the other end. He began to climb at a faster, steadier pace as he scaled the side. He grabbed Dez's hand to grab more leverage once he reached the top. "Thank you." He said to Dez as he drew his sword from its sheath. However, Dez was not in the mood to duel directly after that.
"W-w-w-w-we'll wait until you're ready." He said through his own gasping breaths. The man in black couldn't argue with that.
"Again, thank you." He said as they both took a seat on nearby boulders.
The man in black proceeded to remove his boots as he emptied them of any rocks that had gotten in. Meanwhile, Dez had taken to staring very closely to the other man's hands. He paid particular attention to the right as he searched for one particular feature. He couldn't really see it though because the man was using that hand to hold and put his boots back on.
"I don't mean to pry," Dez began as the man looked at him. "But you don't by any chance happen to have six fingers on your right hand?" The man in black raised an eyebrow to the Spaniards strange question. What kind of man had six fingers on one of his hands?
"Do you always begin conversations this way?" He asked as he emptied his other boot of rocks. Dez's face turned from questioning into a face of solemn sadness as he explained his reasoning.
"My father was slaughtered by a six fingered man." He explained as he shifted on his rock and stood up. "Was a great sword maker, my father. When the six fingered man appear and request a special sword, my father took the job." He drew the sword at his waist from its sheath to show the other man. The man gazed in awe at the beautiful rapier sword with the golden guard and hilt. "He slave a year before he was done." Dez then handed the sword to the other man to marvel at. The man in black carefully took the sword and examined it up close. It was truly a work of true craftsmanship.
"I've never seen its equal." He said as he handed the sword back to Dez, who continued to admire his father's sword.
"Six fingered man returned and demanded it, but at one-tenth his promised price. My father refuse. Without a word, the six fingered man slash him through the heart." He gave a sad sigh as he sheathed the sword back in its scabbard. Dez moved to lean against the boulder as he continued. "I loved my father, so naturally I challenged his murdered to a duel. I fail. Six fingered man leave me alive. But he gave me these." He pointed to the sides of his face, indicating the long vertical scars on each cheek.
"How old were you?" The man in black asked as he became more engrossed with the tale. It was truly a classic tale of revenge if he ever heard one.
"I was eleven years old." Dez said back. "When I was-a strong enough, I dedicated my life to the study of fencing, so the next time we meet, I will not fail. I will go up to the six fingered man and say, 'Hello, my name is Dezmond Wade. You killed my father. Prepare to die.'" That intrigued the other man as he listened on.
"You've done nothing but study swordplay?" He asked.
"More a pursuit than a study, lately. You see, I cannot find him. It has been twenty years now and I am starting to lose confidence." He gave another depressed sigh as he continued. "I just work for Chuck to pay the bills. It's not a lot of money in revenge." The man in black agreed to that and then figured that they had wasted enough time talking. The man had gotten him up to have a fight, so a fight is what he was going to get.
"Well," He said as he rose up from the boulder he was sitting on. "I certainly hope you find him someday." Dez took the hint and reached his hand to the hilt of his sword.
"You are ready, then?" He asked, despite knowing the obvious.
"Whether I am or not, you've been more than fair." The man said as he pulled his sword from its sheath. Dez gave a smile at his opponent before drawing his own sword.
"You seem like a decent fellow." He said as he pointed the blade at him. "I hate to kill you."
"You seem a decent fellow." The other said as he did the same. "I hate to die." Yet, he had no plans on dying just yet. There was still something he had to do before he ever thought of dying.
The two began circling each other, their swords at the ready, as they waited for the other to say something. They stared each other down when Dez finally gave the signal.
"Begin." He said as he lunged at him opponent. The man in black guarded before he could strike him and then pounced on him. Their swords clanged against each other as blow after blow was struck and blow after blow was guarded against. They were equally matched that was for certain and Dez recognized the style the other was using. The swords clanged against each other as they came to a standstill.
"You are using Bonetti's defense against me, uh?" Dez said as he forced the other man back. The man in black jumped back and ran up a hill, Dez hot on his tail.
"I thought it fitting," He said, a little out of breath. "Considering the rocky terrain." Dez agreed and then struck at him again. The man in black spun to the side as he escaped the attack, hoping to attack underneath, but his attack was stopped by Dez guarding.
"Naturally," He said as he threw the other man back. "You must expect me to attack with Capo Ferro." Their swords hit against each other as they moved back, each taking shot after shot at each other.
"Naturally," The man in black repeated. "But I find that Thibault cancels out Capo Farro, don't you?" And before Dez could answer, the man in black countered his sword, throwing him off guard, and jumped back to the lower part of the area. Dez, regaining his composure, chased after the other and engaged him in combat again.
"Unless the enemy has studied his Agrippa," Dez said as he began advancing on his foe. "Which I have!" He thrust his sword at the man in black, but before he reached him, the other had once again blocked the attack. Dez was truly in awe of this man, who matched his own skills just as well. "You are wonderful!" The man in black nodded his head in agreement.
"Thank you, I've worked hard to become so." He said as he began forcing Dez towards the edge the cliff.
"I admit it, you are better than I am." Dez admitted as he was being pushed further and further back. He could feel the heel of his boot slip off the edge and it looked like he was going to be pushed to his death, but like the man in black, he had no plans to die. He gave a little smile and the other man raised a questioning eyebrow.
"Then why are you smiling?" He asked.
"Because I know something you don't know." Dez answered back.
"And what is that?"
"I'am not left-handed." And with that, Dez traded his sword to his right hand and pushed his opponent back. The man in black's eyes widened at what he had just saw. Now many sword men's, no matter how well trained, could managed being that dexterous so easily.
"You're amazing!" The man in black said to his opponent, Dez simply shrugged as it was nothing new to him.
"I ought to be after twenty years." He then pounced on the other man before he was ready. He managed to block the attack, but the force from the blow had caused him to lose his footing. Dez had begun forcing him to the other edge of the cliff.
"There is something I ought to tell you." The man in black said as they neared the edge. Dez raised his eyebrows as his force began to waver.
"Tell me." He said. The man in black smirked at him as he pushed the other man back and switched his sword to his right hand.
"I'm not left handed either." Catching him off guard, the man in black swung the tip of his sword to knock Dez's from his hand. Dez lunged for the sword that lay on the ground and grasps it again as the other man jumped over him, sword in hand. This man was truly above his own capacity and was certainly a trained sword man's.
"Who are you?" Dez asked.
"No one of consequence." He said, but that didn't stop Dez's persistent in knowing his identity.
"I must know." He pleaded with him, but the man only answered with a simple phrase.
"Get used to disappointment." Dez, knowing he couldn't be pressed farther, simply shrugged his shoulders in compliance.
"Okay." And then he lunged at his opponent again and they continued to fight. The fight ended, however with the man in black knocking Dez's sword far away from his hands. Dez soon realized that he had been defeated fairly and succumbed to the fact that he had been beaten. He sunk to his knees before the man in black.
"Kill me quickly." He said as the man began to circle him slowly. He came to stand behind the kneeling man as he spoke.
"I would as soon destroy a stained-glass window as an artist like yourself. However, since I can't have you following me wither…" He then took the hilt of his sword and struck Dez on the back of the head, knocking him out cold. "Please understand I hold you in the highest respect." And with that he took off after the short man, the giant and the captured princess.
Remember to review, favorite and follow for the next chapter. We're close to finding out the man in black's identity, so keep your guesses coming.
Thanks and remember, stay ROSSOME!