Take My Heart...: Dark Ages - Fantasy (Dark Gods & Tainted Souls Book 3) (23 page)

Chapter Forty One.

She led Minsetta through the dark landscape and then ended up letting her lead. She could see better at night and stepped easily passed branches and stones that she herself only saw at the last minute. They were headed back to their own camp but she’d learned time and time again it paid to be cautious. She’d never once thought she wished she’d been less cautious and careful. They had slipped easily passed two scouts and now crouched on the outside of the camp that was like a ring of firelight. Farirkar stood in the middle pacing back and forth with Flint and Stone next to him. She trusted those two if no other.

“Why do we delay?” Minsetta asked.

“Better safe than sorry,” she whispered back. The army of the Reds was much smaller than she thought, there was only around two hundred of them and almost all were Northmen or dark-skinned desert men and women.

Josette let out a whistle, two short and one long. It was loud enough and they all turned in her direction. Stone shouted out with a grin on his face. “It’s all good.” That was good enough for her. She stood from the darkness and walked with Minsetta towards them.

Skinner had appeared as well. But Flint and Stone grabbed her up, it was something they did every time, she wasn’t that incapable.

“Well met, little sister. You ok?” she struggled free.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“And so am I, thanks,” said Minsetta, she turned to Farirkar and spoke to him. “What’s going on, Josette said some of your men went crazy or something.”

“Don’t ask me. I have no idea, all I know is every Pellosi in the group started acting like the king had died, running riot, thieving, raping, fighting. I had to disband half the troop or end up killing half of them myself,” he spat.

“But you’re ok?” she said.

He laughed. “Do I look like I worship these piss-weak gods?” Now let’s get to business. I’m angry and I want to hurt someone. I’m guessing you’re planning this shit?” he said turning to Josette.

“If that’s ok with you?”

Farirkar laughed again. “Of course, we’ll do it like with Goldie, you give me the plan and if I like it we’ll do it.”

“Most of the force attacks the front, lots of noise, blood, and blunt force. A few of us, sneak over the wall, take out the main temple”

“What’s the point though? I mean I don’t mind killing people for gold but a reason it always nice,” he said.

“The craziness your men had, imagine that across the entire land, every city, every race, everyone,” she said in a low voice.

“Good enough for me,” Farirkar said. “I’ll get my men ready and take the front. I’m not much for sneaking,” he said and walked off yelling at the top of his lungs for the men to rally.

Josette laughed as he walked off yelling, he was in his element again and felt at peace, she liked simple people.

“Now Minsetta you know that place best, what do you think, south wall, where you came over?” she said.

“We need to take out that statue and all the priestess. I got their leader but they will be the best fighters and ones who will fight the hardest” she said.

“How many?” Josette asked.

“Around twenty, I’d say.”

“Well, you, me. Skinner, Flint, and Stone should do it,” she said.

“We have to climb a wall?” Stone asked with a shake of his huge head.

She laughed. “Yes, you do. Now let’s get moving.”

She ran back to Farirkar and spoke to him briefly and rejoined her group of killers.

“We’ll go now, get set and wait for his signal,” she said and started back towards the keep.

“What’s the signal?” asked Stone.

“Lots of yelling, what do you think?” said Skinner as she followed behind.

Soon they were once again crossing through the brush but the other way. The moon was hanging low in the sky and cast only a pale light. She had drawn her bow but didn’t have an arrow to it. She wasn’t looking forward to this. They were just using the very tactics of their enemies against them. Killing holy people. At least, these were well-armed holy people who would fight back. She didn’t know how she would do against a group of unarmed peace lovers. She didn’t want to let herself get that dark and find out she actually didn’t care, she was far enough down the path of darkness and didn’t need to go any further.

In another time, she would have joined with these women. She’d heard Minsetta story of the killing of the innocent men but that tale had left her cold. Sure they may have killed one or maybe a hundred men who didn’t deserve it, but how many did? The entire world was filled with men who thought it was their right to take whatever a woman had.

“Deep thoughts?” whispered Minsetta as they traveled.

“Just thinking I’m going to kill some people I partially agree with,” she said.

Minsetta laughed. “Trying killing people you’re falling in love with,” she said in the darkness.

“Seth?” Josette whispered in shock.

Minsetta laughed. “No, not Seth, that wasn’t love, it was just sweetness and a good dose of lust, anyway we are here,” she said.

They had traveled the few short miles to the camp in what seemed like moments and she realized she must have been making so much noise as her mind was elsewhere and not on the actual task.

The walls were lit and she saw two women on guard walking back and forth in set routes, idiots. They passed her every few minutes to walk the length of the wall and the back again. She would have to wait now for Farirkar. Who had hopefully inspired his remaining mercenaries to give it their all. They had been wandering around for a near a week with no one to fight so it shouldn’t be too hard.

Soon she heard it. The sound was of distant drums. It came closer and closer to her left. She heard the wars yells of the Reds and then the ringing of bells and female shouts joining it. It had begun. One the guards left her position to run to the gate leaving just one, who looked to the gate, the darkness, the gate and decided to stay.

Josette looked at the woman. She was older, around forty and wore a nice leather armor shirt, it looked solid. Reaching behind her she pulled out a long arrow with a huge metal head. It had eight spikes from the point. She attached a thin but strong rope to the end of it and cast the rope on the ground giving it freedom to unravel.

Marking the woman as she walked, Josette let out a low whistle. The woman turned to look into the darkness and she let it go. The arrow flew through the air and darkness and hit her hard in the chest. She flew back off the wall with a look of shock. The rope running out though the night.

She looked back and smiled at her group and handing the rope to Stone got him to pull. Hand over hand he pulled it until they saw it was fixed hard in her body that was trapped against the wall.

“I’ll get up and then put down one that can hold all off you,” she grabbed the rope that swung tight through the air and hand over hand started to climb up it. The rope sagged down but held. Soon she was at the wall around half way up. She felt it start to give and grabbing the stones of the wall pulled herself up.

Stone let it fall and she saw the woman’s body topple back down. Two more guards were running towards her from the courtyard yelling. She looked around her and thankful saw the guards own bow and arrows sitting waiting for her. She grabbed the new weapon up and fired two fast shots at the running women. She took them both down and crouching she looked around. It was all quite except for the sounds of yelling and fighting from the gate.

Grabbing a thick rope from her bag, she fixed the metal hook on the battlements and threw it over into the night.

Chapter Forty Two.

The plan was simple. They had waited until the moon was high in the sky and light was low, now they would attack. Assuming these dog things had the brains he thought they did they would just be expecting the Silver woman and the Wolvern, not him.

“Let’s get this over with,” she said standing up and stretching her glorious body in front of him. They had been laying on the hill for hours.

I don’t like it
the Wolvern spoke and he could feel its disdain at the plan.

“It’s our only choice, now get going and try to stay alive. I’ll wait for you if I can,” Grimm said.

With that, Silver and the Wolvern ran down the hill towards the cave. The entrance was still guarded by a few of the dogs but he knew many, many more were inside. She screamed a shrill war cry as her lean silver body streaked towards the cave. They were like two silver blurs. He saw the first dog fall before it knew what was upon it. Her black sword slashed across its maul and the Wolvern was on the other ripping it apart. They burst into the cave. Grimm started to creep closer to it himself keeping along the outside and low in the darkness. He heard sounds of yelling and animal violence from the inside until he was crouched himself next to the entrance.

Then he saw it. The Wolvern and the silver woman came running out of the cave. They moved slower than he knew they could. At their tail were, at least, twenty of the creatures. They followed his two new friends like a flock of dark birds. They ran as if in fear and the dogs took the bait. Within mere moments, Grimm was alone at the cave entrance. It had worked. Of course, the Wolvern away hated plans where it had to pretend to be scared.

He drew his sword and crouching still walked carefully inside. It was pitch black inside and he had to guide himself by instinct. He had no idea how many if any would be left behind to guard but he needed to find the rift.

He opened himself up and let him feel the emotions. This cave was a pit of fear and anger. He could feel it sucking in all the power like a funnel. He followed the current of it like a bad smell and let himself be guided deeper and deeper into the cave. As he crept he heard it. A faint snarl and claws on stone.

The dog was on him, ripping at his throat, he fell back and let his sword thrust upwards. The creature which could see fine dodged his blow and he felt its teeth ripping at his shoulder as he fell backwards. Its teeth sank deep into him and he screamed. Grimm thrust his sword wildly around in the dark and felt it sink into something solid. He heard it grunt with pain and he pulled his sword violently from side to side. Feeling hot blood pour onto his hands and body. It dropped dead, the huge warm weight of stinking fur on him in the dark. Grimm pushed the animal to the side and stood shakily to his feet.

His shoulder ached and he knew he was bleeding a lot, but he pushed on into the darkness. His feet were shaking and fear was starting to fill him, he couldn’t face many more. As he walked on stumbling feet he thought of Seth and drew strength from it, this was hard but he was harder. He stood tall and walked onwards.

Soon he stopped, the currents had brought him to a room within the cave. It opened up to a massive size and within he saw stone pillars carved into the wall of the room. It was filled with the yellow light of torches and he knew that meant people. He looked hard and slowly his eyes adjusted and he saw two women sitting around a small fire. Next to them stood a large circle of stones, one side was open and the whole thing radiated power. He knew this was the bridge.

He shrugged off the pain, wished for his bow and walked from the darkness.

The women stood as he approached and he’d never seen their like. They were scarred and dressed in armor. Ponytails high on their heads with the sides shaved. They drew their weapons as he approached.

“A man here? Impossible?” one spoke to the other.

Grimm spoke loudly and feigned strength. “I’m crossing over, now step aside”

One of them laughed. “You don’t look so good old man, were not letting you through to her lands.”

“Her lands?” he was surprised, he always thought this was a man they were fighting. “His lands you mean?” he said.

“He doesn’t even know what he’s found?” one said to the other.

Enough talk. Grimm forgot the pain in his shoulder and let his stolen memories came forth.

They were smart and fought together, one engaging him and the other attacking his back, but he was fast now. He met ones blade then spun fast countering the blade that came at his back. His own blade hitting hers hard, he felt the power ring through, shaking their arms. He lost control and let himself slash down at one again and again. She got her own sword up in time but he felt her resolve and strength crumbling. He brought is sword down again and she was smashed aside as it cut deeply into her shoulder and face, the woman fell back dead.

The other had waited and took her time. He felt her blade enter his back deeply and fully. He could almost feel it punch out the other side. Grimm screamed in agony and fell forward, his blade against him. He felt a hand grab his shoulder and turn him over to finish the kill.

“You fucking bastard you killed her,” the woman screamed.

As she turned him, Grimm used the last of his strength and brought his blade straight up into her chest. The woman collapsed to the ground looking at him. She clutched her the bloody wound and looked deeply into his eyes and then her saw the light leave them.

Grimm felt nothing but pain, he sat in a pool of his own blood and looked at the rift. It was right there, he was so close to Seth now.

“Sorry friend. I don’t think I’ll be making it this time,” he whispered as he tried to crawl towards the rift.

From behind him, the saw a flicker of the light and held his blade up to point at the person.

It was Silver. She just shook her head looking at him. “What weak bodies you have. Yours is all filled with holes,” she said.

He laughed and felt such pain that he almost cried. She walked to him and biting her wrist deeply put it to his mouth, he felt the blood fill his mouth and the strength in his body.

“You’re lucky I need you,” she said.