Chapter 8

"Vic, I think you are only doing this to torture me." I said as I looked at my outfit and mask.

"Now, would I do that?" Vic laughed and Dison leaned against a tree muttering to himself.

I glared, "Yes you would."

"The outfit makes you look helpless, and the skirt hides your sword."

"The outfit make me look like a half bird hooker!" I said and glared at him again. He only grinned at me.

"We need to get this underway." Dison said, all serious buisness now.

"One thing, what if it fails and we get caught?"

"Dison and I will probably be executed, you... I think you'd be kept alive as one of Vladimir's new toys, now put this on your neck." Vic instructed, handing my a golden collar.

"That doesn't make me feel better." I murmured and looked at the collar, "and this is?"

"The mark of a slave. Wear it and it shows that you are a slave of my house so if anything you'll probably be brought before Vladimir and then sent to my family's mansion in the upper mountains."

"Right..." I muttered and slid the collar onto my neck. Dison and Vic watched me closely, specifically my exposed torso. I cleared my throat and they both looked away.

"Keep the mask on, now run out in front of the gates like you're being pursued."

"Eff you Vic." I muttered and readjusted the mask. I stepped out of the tree line and ran, panting like I had been running for hours. I stopped and turned around wildly. All the while acting.

Several large black beasts leapt at me from the castle wall behind me. I let out a startled scream (not faked) and took several steps back until I fell on the group, tripping on the obnoxious feather skirt Vic made me wear. I stared up at the figures as they leaned down and hoisted me to my feet and began dragging me into the castle. It worked Dad.

I know, stay alert.

They dragged Mr through collidors. I made sure to keep the mask up and not to talk. My voice would give me away.

"What is this?" Vladimir drawled as he looked at me being shoved to my knees.

"We found her in the forest liege." A guard said and kneeled.

Vladimir's gaze hardened and he stood, walking slowly down to where I was.

Get ready. Dad said and my hand moved nearer to the hilt of the blue and silver sword, the only weapon I had brought.

"What is your name?"

I didn't answer except slowly moved my hands to the cut in the list that posed a place for me to draw my sword.

One of the guards brought his foot up to kick me and I sprung. I launched myself forward, sword in hand and blazing with light. Vladimir leapt back as quickly as I lunged and my strike missed but I ended up whipping the blade in a neat ark behind me that beheaded both of the other guards.

Vic and Dison launched into the room, each drawing their weapons. Vladimir looked at Vic with rage filled eyes and spat, "traitor!"

Vic only grinned.

Vladimir turned and fled through a tunnel behind his throne and I launched myself after him. Guards flooded behind me, held back by Vic and Dison.

My feet thudded heavily against the stone as I ran through the winding cave, breathing heavily.

Stay alert Cassandra. Dd reminded me again.

There was a soft noise behind me and I whipped around to no avail.

A cold hand closed around my throat and I felt myself pulled against something cold and hard. I gasped as I felt cold breath on my neck and he raised my chin.

"Clever trick child," Vladimir breathed into my ear, "but not clever enough."

He sank his fangs into my neck but I could only smile.

The sword can kill him Cassandra. It can destroy him. Dad whispered.

I closed my eyes and raised the sword up to my own chest.

"How's this for clever, demon?" I said and drove the sword through my heart and into his.

Vladimir gasped and staggered away from me. The last thing I saw was him clutching his heart where black blood mingled with white flame poured out. I could only smile as I slid slowly to the ground, the pain and weariness of life engulfing my mind.

I'm proud of you sweet heart. Your brother and I will see you soon. I'm so proud.

Vic ran in about five seconds to late. All he saw was Cassandra with her own sword through her heart and Vladimir laying, eyes glazed and a large hole in his heart. Cassandra wasn't breathing and it was too late to turn her. She was dead.

Dison ran in after him and gasped slightly when he saw the scene before him, "she's..."

"Dead." Vic finished coldly. He was already trying to control himself, "we need to take her back to the town. Vladimir won't be getting up, he was stabbed by her sword."

Dison nodded and walked over to her corpse. Her hair splayed around her and her face was a mask of piece while her neck was a mess of blood. Vic leaned over and gently closed her eyes. He then lifted her like she was a sleeping child and started out with Dison behind him.

The reaction from the town was pure sadness and disbelief. Connor had explained how she had come and visited the city often as a child. Many of the people there saw her as their own daughter and he saw her as his sister.

Connor's little sisters cried the most and mainly everyone else was stone faced as they had a miniature funeral procession to the graveyard where her family had been buried.

They laid her to rest next to her father. Her grave stone proclaimed "Of the greatest courage are heroes born. And of the greatest heroes are those who do not fear death, those who fear only that they will fail the people leaning on them for support, those who decide to die instead of allowing the great evil to leave."

No one gave a speech. They all stood in stone cold silence, staring in disbelief at her grave. They all hoped it was only a dream, but it wasn't. As the next morning came not two graves sat on the hill of the city but three. One new one containing the sword of her demise. One for a man killed for his service and one for a man who created as much as he destroyed.