Siege of Night (21 page)

Morcel seemed a little too grateful for Addel’s healing. It appeared he was having far too much fun as his great axe tore through one enemy after another. Warriors who had dedicated their whole lives to the art of combat were sent to the afterlife as easily as insects by his whirling axe. The man looked crazed, with his animalistic green eyes flashing murder and a huge toothy grin that just wouldn’t leave his face. Compared to the horrors he had faced in the arena, this was nothing more than sport to him now.

Azek’s long-sword flashed like a viper as his smooth dance of death actually began to turn the numbers back in the favor of the Taron soldiers. He did not resemble Morcel, who was nearly cutting soldiers in half with his heavy, sweeping blows, but his quick kills were frighteningly efficient, as he used only enough movement to deflect an axe or sword a little off course, then opened a neck or chest with a lightning-fast counter. Each soul eaten by his blade was accounted for by two strokes or less as the grizzled assassin cut through them like butter.

Although he never even saw the strike, Azek ducked under the heavy axe that would have easily removed his head from his body, then rolled along the ground as another bit hard into the stone floor, missing him by inches. He effortlessly rolled to his feet, remaining in a low, crouched stance with his elbows back and sword pointed toward the latest threat. The giant towered over the spot where Azek once stood, his long, braided beard now frazzled from movement as the monster took several deep breaths.

Azek looked up at Grandling with a sinister grin. “That was your chance, big man. Now you will learn what it takes to become a Taron blade master!” Grandling only smiled back as he approached the much smaller man, twirling each axe in slow, spinning loops around his wrists, each one making a deep whooshing sound with every revolution —a telltale sign of how heavy they actually were, given that he was not moving them that fast.

Grandling charged in with amazing speed for a man his size and lowered a single axe down hard. Azek easily rolled out of the way, slashing quickly at the top of the man’s wrist as he sprung back up a few feet away. The grizzled veteran was still remarkably light on his feet.

The giant ignored the blood running down his arm as he slashed right, then left, then right again. Azek clipped each axe blow with light, precise shots, sending them only slightly off course, enough so he wouldn’t be hit, as opposed to defending himself with a full parry. Each slight deflection was answered with viper-like slashes in turn; one on each arm and a third crossed Grandling’s nose and cheek.

The man howled as he stumbled backward, rubbing the back of his hand across the fresh cut to his face. Azek smiled again as he sunk down once more into that low stance, looking like a coiled snake ready to strike.

The big man was growing desperate now as it became clear that even though Azek was well into his middle years, Grandling had no hopes of matching the blade master’s speed. He reached back and fired one of his axes through the air, followed quickly by the other.

Azek’s eyes grew wide at the surprise tactic. With his sword gripped firmly, he deflected the first to the side, then the other up high as a shower of sparks sprung from the heavy blows, but Grandling had started running at Azek the second he released the missiles, chasing them through the air. When Azek had deflected the last one high, the giant was on him. He pinned Azek’s sword arm behind his back while crushing the lean man in a bear hug with his other arm. The Taron warrior gasped as precious air was driven from his lungs, dropping his sword from a hand now rendered useless. Memories of old flooded through his quickly fading thoughts.

“
Ilirra, will you marry me?”

“
I’m sorry, Azek...I truly love you, but I can’t
.
No one must ever know about us
.”

FLASH

“
Azek, look at her gorgeous eyes. She is so beautiful. I love her with all my heart already. I will name her...Jade.”

FLASH

“
No! I won’t let them take her! Why won’t you stop them? Azek...I hate yoouuu!”

The giant looked hard into Azek’s eyes as he continued to crush the life from the fading assassin. His smile was wide, showing all his teeth to a man who was still just as dangerous as any. It was the worst mistake he ever made. Shattered teeth and blood flew through the air as the grizzled veteran drove his head straight in.

The crushing bear hug loosened instantly as the giant covered his mouth with both hands, stumbling backwards in near shock from the vicious blow. Azek’s bag of tricks was nearly bottomless. He dropped down and delivered a hard elbow to the left knee, then to the right knee, then left again as it crushed under the force. The unorthodox attack brought the giant crumpling to the ground. He slumped there on his knees, breathing shallowly, covered in his own blood.

Azek stalked around the living mountain’s back. He never picked up his sword or any other weapon. He placed his hands on each side of the big monster’s head. In perfect Dronin tongue, he whispered in his ear, “Sleep, my brother.”

CRACK!
The lean man broke the huge warrior’s neck like a twig.

Azek quickly retrieved his sword and whirled about to evaluate the situation. There were still many invaders on the walls, but the thing that bothered him most was looking out into the sea of black leather. Their numbers were still so vast!
Till death, my lady
. He began to charge back into the thick of things when a strong arm grabbed him by the shoulder.

He whirled around with surprise only to see a tall figure in a tan cloak. “Just keep them off of usss. We’ll do the ressst,” came the slow, hissing drawl from under the hood. Azek simply nodded as more of the cloaked figures climbed the stone steps and stood shoulder to shoulder along the wall.

In one clean motion, all the figures threw their arms back at once. Tan cloaks came fluttering down the wall like leaves from a tree. Everyone who was near them, friend or foe, scrambled to get away from the fearsome beings only talked about in stories and legends. They joined hands in groups of five as the lead cryton in each short line began chanting. The others hung their heads, still as statues while they combined their energy. The eyes of those chanting began to take on a yellow glow as they looked to the sky.

A sky that was cloudless only moments ago began to slowly turn black. Frightened men gazed up into the sudden darkness. The blackness began to churn in a giant, spiraling mass while the crytons continued their mindless melody. Small at first, little static flashes of yellow here and there danced between the black clouds. Then it began!

The lead crytons of each line simply pointed to a spot on the battlefield, and large bolts of yellow energy surged directly from the black clouds, bombarding that exact location, sending Dronin warriors flying through the air from the massive impact. Again and again, the simple act of pointing became a weapon of unimaginable strength as thick yellow bolts rained from the sky. One of the siege towers exploded into sparkling white- hot flakes, sending charred warriors tumbling to the ground. The crytons continued to rain death from the sky, proving to all the stories of their supernatural abilities were not exaggerated.

* * *

Athel and her men had moved around to the south wall. Their heads were on swivels as they gazed up at the unnatural energy crackling through the sky. Yellow bolts flashed all round, but mostly seemed directed toward the main forces at the front wall. Athel looked out over the fifty men who would follow her into the depths of hell if necessary.

“Not one of you dies this day!” she said with a stern face and a sweeping finger that crossed them all. “I alone will go in. If I kill this false god or whatever he is, then it is over. No more lives need be taken, and I don’t care what colors they wear. The killing needs to stop!”

The men all cheered, followed shortly by hugs for their leader—their friend. “I would fight beside you men before any soldiers of Dronin!” She looked to the three holding very large black crossbows. “You know what to do.” She began sprinting toward the stone wall.

It took incredible effort to lock in the heavy bolts on these massive weapons. With a loud, snapping
click,
the first was ready. Just as she approached the wall, a thick bolt slammed into the stone several feet above her head, leaving several jagged cracks around its entry point. She ran up the side of the wall as easily as a squirrel and hung from the bolt.

She pumped her legs back and forth until she was swinging freely. Then, gaining more and more momentum, she began to travel in circles clear around the bolt, her iron grip holding fast. Another heavy thud landed above her head and she propelled herself into the air, grabbing hold of the second one.

She repeated the pattern once more as she spun round and round, gaining momentum as she went. Then she hurled herself at the last thud. By this time she was only a few feet from the top, and the short climb was easy for her.

Hanging from the side, she peeked over the edge to make sure the coast was clear. She could see all the fighting on the front wall off to the west, but it seemed no one was nearby. She hopped over the side and now crouched down low on the wall. She looked left then right one last time before running down the walkway. Peeking to her left she could see the white-tiled rooftops of shops and houses. She picked up a little more speed then sprang through the air, landing on one of the roofs in almost complete silence.

She looked up ahead as the yellow flashes continued all around her. There was the palace way off in the distance.
He must be in there
. It was a ways off, and she still didn’t know how she would get in once she got there, but none of that mattered right now. People were dying. If she could kill this deity that caused all this in the first place, no more lives would be lost.

She was about to start sprinting across the rooftops, but only got as far as one step. Athel kept her gaze fixed on the palace while slowly drawing her half-moon blades from her back. A long, slow hiss filled the air as they slid from their sheaths. Eyes ahead, never turning around, she spoke into the wind, “You can’t stop me. I’m going to kill him.”

“I don’t think you will be killing anyone this day,” came the voice from behind her. Athel turned around slowly as her green eyes locked onto crystal-blue orbs. The assassins stalked each other in a wide circle as their faces lit on and off with the yellow flashes illuminating the sky from every direction. “In fact, dare I say, I don’t think you will ever kill anyone again.”

“Look around you!” exclaimed Athel as she continued sidestepping around her prey, her blades flush against her forearms. “If I kill him, then all this death will stop.”

“If you kill him, we are all doomed!” screamed Jade as silver daggers flashed into her hands with a
click
. “He is the only one who can save us. Your people invade our city because your leader was tricked, but don’t blame Eric for that.”

Athel winced a bit. There was no doubt her words rang true. But that didn’t change her reasoning one bit. If she were to kill this “Eric” then the war would end. That alone was worth any amount of risk. “You dare stand in my way? You would die for him?” she asked with a puzzled look.

“A hundred times over!” Jade replied without hesitation as the slow, sweeping circle continued.

Athel stopped her motion and stared into Jade’s eyes. The world seemed to halt as time stood still. As of that moment, they were all that existed in the world. Her wet tongue slid hungrily across her silver teeth. There was hardly any air behind the soft whisper that escaped her lips, but the words echoed as if spoken by a god. “So be it.”

The deadly assassins took flight as they leaped toward one another. Athel’s blades came full force with all her weight behind the thrust. Jade got her daggers across her face just in time as a shower of blue sparks sprayed into the air. She landed on her feet but stumbled back a bit, shaking the numbness from her arms. Athel was certainly muscular for a girl, but even Jade was shocked by the force behind the blow.

She instinctively put her daggers up again as Athel came sailing through the air once more. At the last moment she thought better of it, and she rolled to the side. Athel’s blades bit hard into the tile roof where Jade had just been, sending deep cracks cascading in all directions, like a spider web. But when Athel turned back, Jade was right in her face with an explosion of whirling blades coming right at her. Jade figured out quickly she could not trade blows with this girl, but she might have a speed advantage.

The four blades danced as the ringing of steel on steel filled the air. Showers of blue and orange sparks exploded in all directions as Jade began to really pour it on. A hard, spinning wheel kick fired up, disrupting Jade’s onslaught and missing her nose by inches, but knowing Athel was just trying to create space between them, Jade rushed right back in. She had to put pressure on this incredibly strong girl and keep her movements defensive.

Athel worked her blades in wicked circles, deflecting every slash at the last possible second, never having seen this type of speed from any opponent. Her parries were purely instinctual, as she could hardly even see the whiling blades. She looked desperately for that one single opening she needed when she could split her opponent in two. One of them was going to die this day.