The Book of Ashe

Chapter 2

We rode into Scorn like the triumphant army we were. Banners flying, drums beating, and young virgins throwing themselves at the younger soldiers. We had met up with Whitecrow and Stormraven's armies about a week ago. We were able to turn the tide of Rider and Weaver's armies, barely. Dragonmoon and Stormraven both took a hell of a beating. Although we won the battle at the Pass of the Star-Eyed, the circle decided we needed to pull back to lick our wounds. The enemy had really blooded our nose, but we gave better then we received. Winddrake and Shadowblade took our positions on the front and pushed Rider and Weaver's forces back to The Ebony Gates, in the southern most part of the Empire. For the moment everything seemed perfect. I knew it couldn't last

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

I was sleeping the sleep of the exhausted when Jayden came to wake me up. I was my normal, cheerful self. Threatening blood feud with anyone who disturbed my dreams. Jayden was patient. He simply rolled his eyes at my grumbling. I wasn't moving fast. I had spent the entire battle by Dragonmoon's side. The sorcery had drained me. When I didn't pick up my speed Jayden became annoyed.
"Look Ashe, don't be such a damn ass about it. No one else wants to be here either, just shut up and get ready. Dragonmoon's Council meets in an hour and he wants you there." I was shocked. Jayden never spoke so bluntly. His reaction only added to my gloomy mood. I continued to grumble but sped up getting ready. Jayden left momentarily, then returned with a bowl of something that passed for food.
"This stuff is terrible!" I exclaimed.
"That's Crossbows rat piss version of corn mush and bacon."
"Gods!"
I fumbled around awhile longer and finally placed my half-eaten breakfast aside and followed Jayden out of the tent. The day was gorgeous! Crossbow was sitting outside my tent cooking more of that vile substance. He didn't look up as I passed. He looked like hell and was bandaged all over.
I weaved and bobbed around tents till Dragonmoon's Command Tent came into view. Raider, Silverwolf and a few others I didn't recognize were standing in the doorway, chattering idly. Raider saw me coming and raised a hand in greeting, then resumed talking to Silverwolf.

"Gentlemen, we have a problem on our hands. The powers of the Black Citadel appear to be shifting to a northern strategy, but they are keeping enough pressure on the south that we dare not weaken our forces here. The Astral Rider has already marched from Exile and has besieged Wisp. Moonraven is defending the city, but The Astral Rider will break through if we don't do something, and soon." Dragonmoon paced the length of his command tent. He was worried. No one offered an opinion. I stood there confused. I had only heard of a handful of the names Dragonmoon had mentioned. Finally he stopped pacing.
"Nightchaser is on the road north as we speak, but she will not make it to Wisp for another week or so. If Wisp falls, nothing will stand between Shekara's forces and The Tri-Cities. We have orders to march to Oak and then turn west, in case Wisp falls. If that happens we will be the only salvation for the Tri-Cities." He pointed out his plan on the map in front of him.
"To your posts men, we march at dawn tomorrow." There was a lot of grumbling, even more cursing, and more grumbling. We had just gotten a rest, now it was back into the action.
"Ashe, Raider. You guys stay here. I have a special assignment for you two."
Great! I thought.

The special assignment turned out in the form of Raider and I remaining behind in Scorn with a small force to keep order and to act as a garrison, while Dragonmoon took the rest of the army north. To me the news couldn't have been sweeter. We were miles behind the front lines and had complete rule of the city. However Crossbow, along with Jayden were not at all happy about just sitting around. I had picked both of them to remain behind with me so they could help keep order. Jayden, I appointed head of the City Guard, who patrols the streets and acts as a police force. Crossbow got to command the battalion of veteran regulars that Dragonmoon had left. Raider's department was reckon and intelligence. His wizardly skill, although weak, was invaluable. Within a few days we had rounded up all the Imperialist that were hiding out in the city. A mass grave on the northern outskirts of the city contained the remains of the Imperial soldiers. They had gone down fighting. Raider, Jayden, Crossbow and I had taken up residence in the Fortress that overlooked Scorn. In the days before the rise of The Queen of Blades the fortress was the seat of a small kingdom, now lost from memory. It remained in good shape and was protected by a forty foot stone wall that circled the entire grounds. I was out walking around, trying to kill time and enjoying the fact that I wasn't having to march and fight. A commotion in a small town square acting as a training ground for new recruits drew my attention. I ambled over to see what was up.
The sight was unsettling. Some men from the Guard were standing at attention to the right and left of a large wooden platform. On the platform were three men tied to wooden posts. Their shirts had been removed and three uniformed guards were whipping them with scourges. Jayden stood at the far left side of the platform simply observing the ordeal. Dumbfounded I stalked up the stairs and went straight for Jayden.
"What the hell is going on?"
"Just corporal punishment." he said almost casually. "They were caught stealing supplies from the garrison."
I turned to watch the whipping. The three guards administering the punishment where large men. They were really putting their backs into it. Two of the three men tied to the posts had already collapsed.
I let it go for about four more seconds, then turned and looked at Jayden again. He looked smug.
"Alright! Enough!" I shouted. The guards stopped and turned, puzzled. They look at Jayden, then back at me.
"What are you doing Ashe?" Jayden squealed!
"Just how many strokes are you going to give them?" I asked, starting to get pissed. During the time I had arrived I had witnessed each getting over ten strokes. Jayden was going to scourge them to death.
His lips went tight and he narrowed his eyes at me.
"They were caught stealing, I ordered twenty-five strokes"
"Twenty five! Are you mad!? These flails aren't normal rods used in cainings! Look!" I grabbed a flail from the nearest guard and held it up. Blood dripped from the rigged pieces of metal attached to the end of each piece leather. "Your going to kill them damnit!"
Jayden eyes became hard, then it seemed that the horror of what he was doing dawned on him. He looked around and then back at me, but said nothing.
"Release them!" I ordered. I walked up right in Jayden's face.
"If you can't do a better job then this, I'll give Raider your position and you can do manual labor." He gave me a hurt look then said "Sorry Ashe, I guess I have been being a little brutal, but damn, it is so boring here. I'm trained to fight, not sit around"
"We are liberators, not dictators! Your acting like something from the Black Citadel! If you want to torture people go join Windrider's army"
He hung his head and stalked down the stairs and off towards the Guard Barracks. I really thought hard about relieving Jayden of his command, but decided better of it. He was a remarkable warrior and strategist, but his brutality couldn't go un-punished. I left the platform, thoroughly disgusted. I headed towards the barracks. While I walked I wondered what to do with Jayden. By the time I located him in his office I had decided. I stomped through the door. He did not look up.
"You've got yourself two weeks of latrine duty!" I said a little harder then I meant to. Jayden still didn't look up. He simply nodded his head. A tear rolled off his cheek and onto the papers on his desk. For a moment I was afraid that I was being to hard on him, but he was out of line.

The next two days passed slowly. Raider and I became accustomed to our little vacation. The towns people were a little unsettled by the scourging, but remained content. Not much choice, it was either us or the Black Citadel, and we were the lesser of two evils.
I was fumbling through paperwork when a very winded, very wounded looking courier came stamping into my room. I looked up startled. He bore the insignia of Flamedancer, One of the druidic generals campaigning in the west.
"Sir!" He said, out of breath.
I jumped up and offered him a chair and a glass of water, which he promptly drained. He took a few moments to compose himself. He seemed scared shitless.
"Sir, Flamedancer and Starhawk are retreating in this direction. We were defeated in the Badlands. We had Darksaber on the run, but he re-joined with another army." He turned white and shaky. "The army came from no where, it's banners indicated. . . " he paused and looked around. "I can't be sure, but, well. . . the banners looked like Shekara's Elite troops. Flamedancer thinks she was with them"
The news hit me with the impact of a mace. The Queen of Blades leading an Army! Never before had Shekara even set foot outside the dark walls of the Black Citadel. It was impossible! I said something intelligent like "gaw" then turned white myself.
"Starhawk is gravely wounded. They should be here within the next five or six days." He was gasping for breath. I nodded and called for a healer. When the courier was out of sight I collapsed into my chair. My thoughts were spinning. They were coming here! They were leading the shadow itself to the gates of my city. I wanted to run. I wanted to run far far away. Shekara is not known for her kindly manners and kissing babies.
I called a meeting that night. Raider, Crossbow, Jayden and a few others were there. I sat at the front of the room behind my desk. I doddled for a moment to get everything straight in my head before speaking.
"We have had new developments in the West. Flamedancer and Starhawk, as you know, have been chasing Darksaber after his defeat." I paused for effect. then continued. "A day or two ago Darksaber stopped retreating and started advancing. He has another army to support him. He has shattered our western armies, who are now falling back to us."
I paused again to let them digest that. They seemed about as happy with the news as I was. I drew in a deep breath to deliver the kicker.
"The bad news is that Flamedancer and Starhawk think that Shekara herself was commanding the new army."
A wave of whispers passed through the crowd. Everyone lost color.
"They will be here in the next few days and to our knowledge Darksaber and the Queen of Blades are still perusing them."
"You mean they are leading them right to us?!" Raider asked, almost frantic. I nodded an affirmative, not trusting my voice.
Silence reigned for a few moments till Crossbow spoke.
"What are our plans?"
"I have no idea, that's why I have called this meeting. We need to decide what were are going to do. Fight or run."
Everyone stated their opinion, and argument ensued.. Everyone but Crossbow and Jayden wanted to leave, the Tarn wanted to stay and fight. I knocked to butt of my dagger on the table to bring order to the room. Everyone stopped talking and stared at me. I knew the next words out of my mouth were going to be critical. My vote would hold sway over the others. I was scared. I wanted to abandon the city, but there was nowhere to go. Dragonmoon was days away from us. On the other hand I wanted to wait for our retreating armies. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I sighed then said. "If we stay here we might be able to crack Darksaber's army, only if Flamedancer and Starhawk make it here before he does and only if Shekara isn't with him. If we leave we need to know where we are going. We can't hope to catch Dragonmoon, he's to far away." I paused and waited for suggestions.
"What about Shadowblade and Winddrake in the south, can we meet up with them?" A man by the name of Warden asked, He was one of the newer recruits and acted as Raider's second.
I thought a moment, then said "Yes, we could possibly meet up with them. The south is pretty much ours, so our traveling should be safe."
"What about the armies coming here? They will expect us to be here waiting for them. Winter isn't far off Ashe, and if Darksaber takes Scorn, while we are in the south, we will be cut off till spring. The roads to Tabmer and Stable are impossible to cross in the winter." Crossbow pointed out.
I had not thought of that. It was true of course. I thought for awhile longer.
"We could leave to meet up with Shadowblade and Winddrake, then return with their armies supporting us, and when Flamedancer and Starhawk arrive we should be able to push Darksaber back, even if Shekara is with him. We will out number them sufficiently in both men and spell casters."
My audience whispered amongst themselves for a bit and finally Raider stood up.
"I think we will stand a better chance with four armies then two. We can send half of our men down south, and have the other half wait here." Everyone seemed to be in agreement. Good old Raider, always able to keep both sides happy.
"Alright we will do it that way then. Who is to lead to force going south?" I asked. Everyone stared at me.
"Oh no! Not me, I'm not a military leader, hell I'm not even much of a fighter."
"Come on Ashe, you are our mapper, you know the south better then anyone. It will be a lot quicker if you go and speed is what we need." Jayden argued.
I grumbled. He had a sound point and everyone knew it. I didn't want to go marching again. I was just fine sitting here on my ass getting spoiled, but it seemed that everyone was in agreement yet again.

We were pulling eighteen hour days on the march. I had roughly three hundred men with me. Thankfully we were all mounted. After four days at a grueling pace, we were on the southern most end of The Pass. I ordered a rest. Both the men and the beasts were worn out. Raider, who had accompanied me, was out scouting with a small band. He came trotting up to fire where I sat. He seemed winded.
"There are fires about twenty miles south on the Guthry Plains. It looks like a sizable force setting up camp."
"So we have found them?"
"I'm not sure, I was sure they would be farther south then this."
"Maybe they have been recalled to the north."
"And leave the south completely unprotected, not bloody likely."
I hadn't considered that. If Shadowblade and Winddrake left, the south would be defenseless.
"What do you think is going on?" I wasn't quite sure what I was asking.
"I don't know Ashe, Maybe we should ride down and take a peek, just to make sure Rider and Weaver haven't pushed back up here"
I groaned and cursed, but he was right it was better to check it out then to have the Imperials come knocking in a few days. I got up and walked over to my horse, mounted it and started trotting south. Raider followed suite, as did a few others.
It was a good ride away. Soon we crested a small hill overlooking a vale. Sure enough you could see pillars of black smoke below. The vale seemed to glimmer as the setting sun touched the metal of armor and weaponry.
"Think we should ride down there?" I asked Raider.
He thought a second before answering.
"We can try, but we need to be careful until we know who's army that is."
I agreed and we started down, trying to keep out of sight, but there wasn't much to hide our approach. After a few minutes I could make out individual soldiers, and a few more minutes and I could see standards. Shadowblade for sure.
We rode down in single file with me at point and Raider behind me. The army was scattered throughout the entire vale. It numbered probably seven thousand. We didn't have to ride much longer till we encountered pickets. They escorted us to a large tent, open on all four sides, at the heart of the camp. A woman in black robes stood at one end. She looked like hell. Her short black hair was dirty and unkempt. She bore no arms, except a thin, long sword in a silver and black scabbard.
"My lady Shadowblade?" the picket sergeant said. "We have messengers from Scorn."
Shadowblade eyed us suspiciously, then extend a hand in greeting. I accepted it. Her gloved hand seemed to shake from weariness.
"Greetings my Lady, I am Ashe, this is Raider. We come from Scorn with most dire news." I explained our predicament to her in detail. After I finished she collapsed into the chair behind her. She closed her eyes and used one of her shaking hands to cover her eyes. After a short, but awkward moment she asked.
"What do you want from me?" Her voice was a whisper, but seemed to come from everywhere.
"We were hoping that you would march back with us, maybe leave Winddrake here to keep things in order."
She half laughed and said. "Winddrake can't keep anything in order. He is dead. Windriders assassins got him shortly after we broke her lines. Stormweaver is no where to be found, but we have been fighting Windrider for the past three days. She is about a days march south of us right now. She is banged up pretty bad, but refuses to stop."
I couldn't speak. Winddrake gone! Windrider marching from the south! Darksaber marching from the west! Was the siege of Wisp a diversion? Did Shekara really tend to strike us here. Cold chills ran down my back. Did Dragonmoon make a mistake leaving?
I opened my mouth to say something but no words came out. Raider stepped in and asked, "Where are you heading now?"
"Well, we were going to meet Dragonmoon at Scorn, but obviously that is out of the question now." She messaged her temples then slammed her fist down on the table in anger. "Damnit!"
I regained my composer.
"Why don't you follow us back, when Flamedancer and Starhawk reach Scorn we will have three armies against two. It's better then waiting here for Rider to come marching over you." I said.
She seemed drained and tired. After a long while she agreed. She gave orders to her captains to get everyone ready for the march.
Raider and I were shown to a supply tent and given food and fodder for our animals. I sat on a box of supplies and ate, lost in thought. Had we walked into a trap? When the hammer fell, we would be fighting two, maybe three different armies, coming from two different directions. We had gone from the frying pan into the fire. I tried to think about my brothers back at Scorn. What was going on there? Had Dancer and Hawk showed up yet? Had Darksaber gotten there first? A million different questions and scenario's went through my mind.

Oily pillars of smoke rose from behind the walls of Scorn. The city was burning in places. The wall surrounding the city had collapsed in the northwest, a small wooden wall had been poorly constructed, spanning the length on the collapsed section. It was a weak attempt to keep Darksaber's forces out. The City was under siege, but the southern most part remained untouched. Scorn sits atop a large hill, the southern end of the hill is the steepest. Darksaber's forces were arrayed in a half circle, spanning from west to east. We were a couple hours ride from the gates. Every so often the crackling of sorcery darted back and forth between the city and the enemy camp.
Behind us, Windrider was half a day away and moving slow. Her men were exhausted. They would arrive in no way fit to fight. A small blessing. I glanced at Raider, riding next to me. His face was as plain as stone. Shadowblade trotted up on my other side. Her eyes seethed with something dark.
"Looks like we're late" She hissed.
I said something like "better late then never" which earned me a truly freighting glare from the old wizard. One thing I found out quickly marching with Shadowblade, is she has no sense of humor. She seems to be in a permanent bad mood. Although she fights to destroy the Queen of Blades, I feel she is as evil as any of her generals.
Our force began advancing towards the besieged city. A lookout on the wall called down to the soldiers below. The southern gate swung open. Darksaber's heavy Calvary came out to harass us as we neared. The city looked like the popular version of hell. Multiple fires burned all around us and dead bodies, both uniformed and civilian, lay scattered along the roads. Raider and I escorted Shadowblade to the Fortress. Though it was still standing, the fortress had suffered a few major hits. Two of it's towers where down and the barracks was still burning. Men were running about everywhere, and the cries of the wounded could be heard over the racket. I pulled my horse in and looked for some familiar face. I quickly located Crossbow. He was forming up a raggedy band of new recruits. I trotted my horse over to him.
"How bad is it? Give it to me straight." I said.
He looked up at me and actually smiled.
"No where near as bad as it looks. Saber wasted time getting here. Guess he thought we would be a push over. Hey I see, you brought reinforcements."
"Yeah, we also brought another enemy army lead by our favorite Citadel Wizard. She's about half a day away. Her forces are exhausted, but coming none the less."
His smile faded quickly.
"You shitting me Ashe? Cause if you are it aint funny."
"No shitting to it Crossbow, where's Dancer and Starhawk?"
"Inside the great hall. Where's Shadowblade and Winddrake?"
I pointed to our malevolent wizard, riding about thirty feet away.
"Shadowblade is there, Winddrake is dead, Windrider's men got him."
Crossbow turned a little paler. He trotted back over to his forming men. His distress shortened his patience, his men were moving out before we entered the Great Hall of the fortress.
Raider and I entered behind Shadowblade, who walked in, looked around, fixed her gaze on Flamedancer, snarled and marched start towards him. Flamedancer and Starhawk were both standing off to the right, arguing about something in front of them on the table. A map I guessed. Flamedancer's head suddenly shot up as Shadowblade approached. His eyes held something resembling half shock and have hatred. Shadowblade stopped about ten feet from him. They're eyes were locked, though either said not a word. Starhawk took turns glancing at each one, unsure about what to do. The tension in the room was near the snapping point. Though they never spoke, it seemed that Blade and Dancer where communicating somehow. After a moment, which seemed like an eternity, Dancer nodded once, sharply, at Blade then let his eyes drop from hers. Blade approached the table as if nothing had happened.
I looked over at Raider.
"What the hell was that all about?" I asked. He knew more of the politics in the Circle then I could ever hope to.
"Flamedancer and Shadowblade have a long history together, none of it good." He whispered.
"I gathered that much. Are they lovers gone sour?" I asked. What irony if that were the case. A scorned woman having to work along side her ex-lover to save a town called Scorn. Ironic indeed.
"Something along those lines. Shadowblade killed Dancer's son in a mage duel. Shadowblade was the boy's teacher. They say she killed him to get vengeance on Dancer for breaking her heart"
"Nice gal!" I remarked sarcastically
"The kind you want to take home to Mom"
The three wizard general's continued debating their strategy, though Shadowblade never spoke to Flamedancer the entire time. After awhile they sent runners to spread the word of their plans.

When night fell Darksaber's forces had been mauled badly, and much of Scorn had been destroyed. I was in my room tinkering with my maps, when an annoyed looking Raider pushed in.
"Your wanted upstairs Ashe." He growled.
I sighed, set my maps aside and looked up at him.
"What about?" I asked. I didn't want to get up. I was still very saddle sore.
"You've been drafted again."
"What!? No! You've got to be kidding me! Am I the only damn person in the army that can do anything?" I grumbled and argued till Raider lost what little patience he had. He moved his fingers in a fluid motion and suddenly my voice lost it's volume. My mouth moved but no noise came out. I gave him a black look and stamped out of the room. I walked to the Great Hall, somewhere between my room and the Hall Raider's spell wore off. I was greeted by three pairs of eyes. Shadowblade, Jayden and Starhawk stood over by one of the large fire places. As I approached I saw two neatly pressed uniforms laying on a table to the side of the fire place. They held the insignia of our dreaded enemy general, Windrider.
I could see that Jayden was nervous Starhawk seemed concerned but lost in thought. He didn't look up when I walked in. Shadowblade never took her eyes off me as I walked up to them. I tried to meet her eyes to see if I could descern anything, but couldn't. They were cold and powerful. I could already tell that someone had thought up a nightmare. I stood beside Starhawk, across from Jayden and as far away from Shadowblade as I could. She gave me the creeps.
I glanced at the table holding the uniforms, then at Jayden, then at Shadowblade and waited for someone to start the conversation. After an uncomfortably long moment Blade said. "We have a mission for you and Jayden."
I could already tell that I wasn't going to like what she was going to say next. A thin smile stretched across her lips as she felt my fear.
"We are going to avenge Winddrake. My scouts have found that Windrider has stopped advancing, and is trying to recover, so she can hit us with full force. She will probably spend tomorrow letting her troops rest before she marches on us. I plan to eliminate her threat before she can arrive. A army is no good without a commander."
I went white. Surly to god, she wasn't implying what it sounded like. My fears were confirmed when she continued.
"We have captured a few of her troops, who after interrogation revealed that she doesn't entirely trust her men. Her bed chamber's are never guarded. We have also acquired these" She said picking up one of the uniforms.
"Jayden, you and a few hand picked troops have been selected to cross over into her camp, find her sleeping quarters, and assassinate her in her sleep. Then you'll sneak back here before the morning."
I was dumbfounded. I glanced at Jayden, who was as shaking so hard I thought that he might be having a seizure. I regained my composure, though I to was shaky.
"Just us?" It was a dumb question but all I could think to ask. I was hoping that she and Hawk would be joining us in case there was trouble. she eyed me suspiciously then said "Yes, Hawk, Dancer and I will remain here. Windrider would detect us if we went with you."
This was crazy! A handful of men take out a member of the Black Citadel! Impossible, we would all die trying. I wanted to protest. I wanted to tell her she was crazy. Instead I just stared blankly.
"You will go in these uniforms, as will Jayden. You and Jayden will be the only ones able to get close enough. We only have the two uniform." She grabbed one of the uniforms and tossed to me, and tossed the other to Jayden.
"Dress quickly! I want to get this over with!"

My nerves had settled as my mind went numb with fear. All I could think about was the task at hand. I crouched behind a large thorny bush and surveyed Windrider's camp. I was close enough to hear the Imperial soldiers talking over their fires. Jayden crouched beside me. He had said nothing the whole trip. His cheeks bore tear streaks still. I pretended not to notice. Shadowblade had given us her sword. We were to strike the final blow on Windrider with it. Blade was sure it would end her story. About sixty feet away a large white tent stood, un guarded. There wasn't a soldier anywhere near it. It made Dargonmoon's Command tent look like a lean-to. A short ways away a rustling and commotion began. That would be the other five men we came with drawing the attention away from our area. At first I thought the soldiers wouldn't buy it, but eventually they got up and went to check it out. Once they were out of sight, Jayden and I eased forward. I carried Shadowblade's sword. Jayden carried a bow and three silver arrows that Starhawk had given him. He said they would render Rider unable to use her spells, but all three had to be sticking out of her to take affect.
We crept up as silent as the death we were about to deliver. As we neared the tent the air seemed to fill with a great dread. A few more feet and we were standing by one of the walls, pressed into the shadows. The fact that we were dressed in a white sir-coat, didn't make it easier to blend. Jayden stepped forward to cut the fabric of the tent. Crack. A stick snapped underfoot made me jump. Jayden flashed a look of terror back at me and stopped. I looked down at his boots, he stood on a half broken stick. I cursed softly. Neither of us moved for awhile. Then I began to ease up beside Jayden. Everything was deadly quiet. I was trembling uncontrollably. The presence of the thing in the tent was overwhelming. An almost unheard hiss passed through the night as Jayden's dagger slid down the tent wall, cutting an opening. I glazed in through the opening. I could see nothing but darkness.
The chatter of voices drew my attention. I looked behind us. Two very drunk soldiers wearing uniforms identical to ours came stumbling up. I slowly grabbed Jayden's shoulder and faded back into the shadows, pulling him with me. My blood was running cold. Jayden's shoulder trembled so hard I couldn't keep hold of it. The soldiers came dangerously close to us. One stopped and slowly began advancing towards us. Shit, he saw us! He had to. He kept advancing on us. I was paralyzed with fear. The soldier stopped about seven inches away from us, lifted his tunic and began fiddling with his trews. My hand gripping Shadowblade's sword became wet. Sweat, no not sweat, urine! I was so relieved. He hadn't seen us, he was just answering the call of nature. . . on my hand. His buddy began singing in a slurred voice and began walking away without him.
I never saw Jayden move. Neither did the drunk soldier. One minute he was pissing on me, the next I had to dodge his bulk as he collapsed without a scream. Jayden slinked over to reclaim his dagger. I caught a glimpse in his eyes that terrified me. A hunger. I slowly rose and moved back to the slit in Rider's tent. I used Shadowblade's now-wet sword to part the fabric. I eased in as quietly as I could. I didn't dare even breath. Jayden came in behind me. We stopped and listened. We could hear the faint sound of someone's slumbering breath coming from the darkness to the left. I took two steps forward and. . . . Crash! My shin exploded in pain as it contacted something hard. I fell to the ground, staggered to get to my feet. That something tumbled over, spilling it's contents, which all seemed to be made of metal, all over the dark floor.
"f***!" Jayden yelled. The tent exploded with a wondrous white light. I was blinded immediately. I heard rustling a thick thud, and a wail of pain. My vision returned in time to see the top of a white boot coming right into my face. It connected with an amazing amount of force. I was throw ass over appetite. I was sure my nose was broken. I opened my eyes. My vision was watery and blurry. I felt myself be lifted off the floor by some unseen force. My legs and arms were bound by inevasible bounds. I became aware of a huge noise rising from outside the tent. Soldiers, and lots of them. My vision began to become clear again. I tried to struggle free, and got a good kick in the ribs for my trouble. The same unknown forces that caused my buoyancy jerked violently and flung me out of the tent. I hit the ground hard. Jayden landed beside me. I struggled to get up once more and made it to my knees before a pair of legs, clothed in fine white leather filled my vision.
I slowly lifted my gaze.
She didn't fit the picture of the Windrider I had in mind. She wore a single color. Pure white. Her face was grossly thin, like a skull with skin stretched over it. Her hair was either white or blonde, I couldn't tell in the shifting light. Her eyes were cold and hard, though they burned with an insane fire that made them impossible to meet. Her ears were somewhat longer then a regular woman's and seemed to come to a point. Other then the white boots and white trews, she wore a coat of white chain mail over a padded white shirt. A long silk cape draped behind her keeping with her color scheme. She bore only a dagger with an ivory handle. She looked at me then at Jayden. A cruel smile tugged at her thin lips. If she wasn't so damn thin she would have been beautiful. I guessed she weighed no more then eighty pounds. She knelt and reached a gloved hand towards me. I winced away. She picked up Shadowblade's fallen sword. Her nosed wrinkled in disgust as she brought the blade closer to examine it. I turned my head to look at Jayden. The terror in his young eyes was all consuming. He was rigid as a rock. I noticed that passed Windrider their seemed to be a company of men, all bristling with weaponry except five, who were bound with rope and wore rebel armor.
She made a gesture with Shadowblades sword. The soldiers baring my brethren came forward with their prisoners. The sorceress looked at me, then Jayden, then our captives.
"Who sent you?" Her voice was cruel and full of venom. I refused to speak, as did Jayden. She drew her dagger and held it to the throat of one of the prisoners, a man I knew was Ricktor. His eyes grew helpless and begged Rider not to deliver him to his fate. A faint whisper passed his lips so quiet I didn't catch it. Rider did and her smile grew more cruel.
"Who sent you rebel?"
I was so afraid I couldn't answer. I wanted to. I wanted to save Ricktor's life. He had talked often of his wife and toddler son back in Thorne.
Rider made a quick movement with her hand and scarlet flowed from Ricktor's throat. He slummed forward gargling something through a throat filled with blood. He fell on Rider's boots, staining them. She simply kicked his body away. She moved to the next man, whom I didn't know. She quickly slit his throat. I was horrified. I expected her to ask her question again before killing him. As she moved to the next man her plan became obvious. She would kill them one by one till one of us answered. I refused to betray my cause. Another man fell under her dagger. She walked to the forth one who, although he was gagged was trying to tell her something. I couldn't make it out, but I guessed he was telling her the whole story. She brought her dagger to hie throat, then looked at us. she seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.
"Shadowblade and Starhawk! Please just stop! Please!"
I shot Jayden a dirty look. He was crying hard and was making no effort to hide the fact. Rider looked at him with amusement. Her dagger moved and the forth man fell. Jayden's tears came harder. She seethed her dagger and approached him. She held Shadowblade's sword up and looked it over. Then laughed.
"You stupid fool." she tossed the sword to a near by soldier, then knelt and whispered something into Jayden's ear. He went hysterical and began thrashing, struggling against our magical bounds. The night filled with our tormentor's laughter. She grabbed a handful of Jayden's blonde hair and pulled slowly till he had to rise. With some trouble he made it to his feet. A crack echoed through the night as she backhanded him. He staggered but managed to stay standing. Two large men stepped forward and grabbed him and began to drag him off. He made then fight for every inch. I was unnaturally calm. Terror had raped my mind of everything. All I could do was watch Jayden be carried away to some uncertain, but not pleasant, fate. Then slowly Rider turned to me. She still wore her smile.
"So your Shadowblade's assassins, eh?" She asked.
I said nothing. I got the treatment Jayden did, before the carried him off. My cheek burned with pain. She was a strong old bitch.
"I have one more throat to cut you know." She said indicating the last remaining man.
"Do I have to do it to make you talk? Or perhaps something more." she paused in thought. "Presuive?"
She said something in a language I didn't understand and raised both hands towards the remaining prisoner. The man howled in agony. In places his flesh began melting into a vile green slime. Large black boils appeared on the bloody tissue remaining under the melted skin. They began to grow, then one at a time the popped, spraying blood everywhere, and still he scream. He withered on the ground unable to do anything. I gagged and throw up what dinner I had before we entered the camp. Rider tortured the man for what seemed like hours to me. Then, knowing I wouldn't talk, reclaimed Shadowblade's sword and with a swift stroke, removed the screaming man's head. It rolled towards me and stopped. The eyes were wide open as was his mouth, still in a silent scream. I felt dizziness and then nothing at all. Darkness closed in.