Chapter 4 The ghost of the sword

CHAPTER 4



The Lord looked over the weaponsmiths, his mouth had grown dry as the desert is sandy. Felt a chill slither across his soul, his hands grew damp from what he had been told, 'Who had given him the information, he did not mind what he had been told by them. what he would find as being the answer to was the problem. Where had the weapons and armor being worn by someone claiming to be us, gotten them from?'

He drew up his mantle turned to leave the smiths. He was going to have to see that they were told about this matter. He was going to see one of the nobles here. He knew which inn to go to, to meet them. That being said,'Will need something to give me enough courage to tell them this. Damn Shallynne for sending me this way. Only, if the
smithy's told him, Nothing. Then he would not have to worry about this action. Tha.t was before him.'

Walking into the inn, where the aroma of cooked venison filled the air with its tantalizing scent with onions carmelized and spices to intoxicating your taste buds. However, he could not dare to eat with what sat in his gullet. Seeing the others at a table, tearing into the meat with potatoes running free with butter soaked to the skin
with it.It glistened with it.

“What do you mean? Coming here, you... You?” Lady Jody snarled as he came into the inn. She was looking at him as he entered the inn. As she glared at him, she did not look pleased with all with him, wearing a long evening gown with a plunging neckline, white in colour, she had black evening glove on her hands, she had slapped the table with her hand in admonishment of his coming here. Before her was a meal, which she was about to partake. The scents were appetizing as they wafted into the air.

“What the hell are you talking about.” The lord said a he approached her in the busy inn disturbing the others who were busy eating their meals, and conversing good-naturedly. a few of them looked at him as though he had spoiled their meals just by coming inside as if he was carrion and it was in their food.

“Your people have attacked our supply line. Some of your people were slain in the action of the supplies. That is why I have said this?” Jody stated.

“We have not done anything like that.” Lord stated as he looked at her as she wiped her mouth with a napkin, the oil had covered her chin. She looked over at her guards having looked at her. It was as if they could read her mind.

“Than perhaps you would like to look at one of the people who has done this to them,” Jody suggested as she threw down her hand on the table, so forcefully that it shook. The sound boomed in the now, absolute quiet inn.

“Yes,” Lord said as he was trying to see what we have to do to clear up the matter. That was before them. He knew his army was unable to do this, if they suspected that his people were unable to do this, by rallying their forces with them.

“Fine,” she said, ”I will show you.” She allowed one of her guards to remove the chair from her body. She rose from where she sat with the grace f a swan upon the water. Glaring at him, as though she expected him to spout arrows from his hide.

She walked past him, to have him join her on this excursion. To the place where his soldiers died trying to acquire their ill-gotten gain from her kingdom, He did not know of what she was talking about, but he had his suspicions. That was why he had his father send him here.

A few of her guards joined her as she left the inn. Lord knew them to be a formidable group of soldiers, so he took up the rear of these soldiers. He pondered where they were going to? But he knew he would find out the answer to this problem. That was before them.

She mounted a horse, sidesaddle to ride where ever they should go.
Lord mounted his steed to join them in this ride. They were riding towards the river, that served as the boundary to the next kingdom, Lord knew this route, but he had not been here in a long time. The water surged and tore through the ground like a dagger through skin leaving significant depth to the watery passage. Lord knew this river, as it had claimed quite a few of their friends in the past.

people foolish enough to not know what they are doing, in this
water died by being pulled under by the tremendous rip tides
that pulled them under in less than heart beat they died. never to return to the surface, its surface was a frothing mass of white water. It was impossible to cross in some areas, the water seemed deceiving calm in some areas. However, that undertow was there also.

There were areas twenty feet across in this chasm lay a bridge, Made of stone slabs, which-which to traverse the water. No one rightly understood who had laid that bridge across that deathly river. In some places, it was a hundred feet across.

They had ridden there, he wondered where they were going. They had ridden quite a ways into this region and its woods, just before the first bridge. They slowed their horses to stop on the other side of the bridge. The area was hidden behind a vast network of a brush. It was a secluded spot in the wood, as he rode into this area with his horse.

He was astounded at upon seeing the dead who were laying there. It looked like there was a great deal of carnage there. Blood covered the area, the soldiers were killed by people dressed in his countries armor and weaponry. He could understand why she was so, happy to see him her soil. It looked as though they had been planning an invasion of her kingdom.

The soldiers were beaten to a pulp, the dead who were not of their own were wearing the breast plates and the shields of his Lord's own soldiers. However, they did not do look like any of his soldiers, so that was why Jody suspected them of doing this Shallynne also.

The Lord dismounted from his horse to check the bodies. They looked like they had been killed the armored looked though it had been damaged in another area, then where the killing blow had struck them.

It was as if the armor had been used by someone else, after their deaths. The armor he knew had come from his people, but it had not been worn by them at the time of this attack.

He said, “They are not my soldiers the armor is mine, but they are not.” as he looked at Jody as she peered at him there, her face did not show that she believed him. There was a great cancer of doubt before her. In his saying this to her.

She to dismounted from her steed to join him there, and looked at what he was showing her there.Under the cape that this one soldier had been wearing having a mark of a dagger entering the right side of his armor, just below the ribs in the armor. The arrow that slayed him hung from the neck. He should have wore mail under the plate mail. This armor would cut and tear the flesh from his bones. This was something that his soldiers would not have worn unless they had gotten into it due to the premise of battle. No squire would allow his knight to be dressed like this, in any time, he had ever seen a knight dressed like this.
The dagger had tore through kidneys by entering the gap in his armor on the side, having to pry the armor off of the body, there was no indication of it entering his body much less penetrating his armor, the flesh beneath showed no sign of it happening.

“You are right,” she said as she peered at the cut in the armor, she did not know of a dagger durable enough to punch through armor. His head had also been hacked off of his body. As she looked at his dagger had lifted the armor so, she could see the damage that was not done to his body. She did not like the looks of this. Someone was trying to set them up to fight a war, that would deplete their war resources and supply lines.

The others of the unit that he took with him, were busy looking around for answers themselves.

Maes asked as he entered an inn, “Do you have any idea, why someone would want to attack Mesa?”

The inn was busy with the people there, who were eating and drinking. The place was bustling with people who were busy entertaining themselves. The place was huge,
A lean man who was juggling various tools of mayhem gently slowed the pace of the weapons that were flying about, and looked at him, answered, “We have no problem with the community of Mesa. Why do you ask?”

Mass said, “I have heard from a traveler from there, that their community had been some people from around here?"

The room became deathly quiet, a few head turned to face him while he looked at them. You could have heard a knife's blade scrape the meat from a bone. She noticed the quiet that had descended upon them like a murder of crows.

The man who spoke, said, “Where did you hear that from?”

“A man who had come from there told me, on the road from there to here. At least, what he told me about the attack on that community.” , Mass said.

“Who did he say did this?” a robust woman asks, as her hand slipped to the pommel of her war hammer, as she shifted her gaze to her face, the look on her face was grim. As what Mass was saying to them was. She eased herself out of her chair to face Mass.

Mass drew herself backwards from where she was standing to reach the door through which she had come. Having made the decision, that she had made a big mistake by saying this. Maybe it would have been better to have waited until the lord came back with his answers to this problem.

The woman reaching for the hammer drew herself up from where she sat, glaring at Mass the look on her face was not going to be very happy with her. Mass inched her hand to the weapon of choice in the small confined area. The sword rose effortlessly into her hand so a that she could protect herself from the Warhammer in the woman's hand.
The woman began to move toward her with ease of a cobra she moved. The hammer she swung it as though she was to drive a nail into a board. It barely missed Mass's ample breasts, Mass brought up the tip of her sword up to touch the woman' throat, as she grabbed the arm of the woman that swung the hammer at her, so it could not be used again.

“Another move. And you will be dead, I am afraid,” Mass warned as she wanted for the woman to response. The woman dropped the war hammer onto the floor, she brought up her finger to ease the sword from her throat.

She said, “I am sorry, but whoever attacked Mesa was not one of us, as I am one of the people from there.”

“I am sorry, but that is what it has appeared to be. That had attacked the community, were wearing the garb of your community. So, that is why I am wanting to be reassured by your people who have not done this.” Mass said and lowered her sword from where it rested on her throat a droplet of blood been drawn from her neck.

Tike and Meece looked over their shoulders to see the barkeep having brought up a lcrossbow to face them with the weapon. He held it on Tike's chest. Tike dropped his weapon on the floor. Meece nervously looked at where the other voice had come from to see, who said this to them.

The person having spoke was a guard of the community, he released the chains that were attached to the object that served as a weapon. He saw the spiked balls fall into the air, the person lifted the weapon up. The hand that held it began to rise. Meece could approximately figure out what kind of damage it could produce on the human body, it could no doubt break her skin as easy as the wind can blow. Having brought the weapon up to his shoulder to fall upon her flesh.

She jumped into the air to knock the weapon down to fall upon her attacker's shoulder. The weapon tumbled from his hands. Meece kicked him in the head with her knee, as she vaulted over to arrive on her feet behind him. He did not fall from where he stood blood fell from his mouth and nose in a thick stream, to splatter on the armor he wore. He did not look as if he felt it.

He reached down to draw up the weapon he had been able to fight with. He picked it up, and choose to attack the person, taht had hit him. The mace swung and just about took off her feet out from undeher. The weapon caught her on the ankle, tore through her foot.

Meece had fallen onto the ground. Blood ran from the foot, He began to advanced towards her as she lay there. The chains had damaged her foot, the bone now was exposed, the achilles had been torn loose. Meece felt the pain that had actually had taken her interest in anythShans tapped him on his shoulder, he turned. Hammered him with a glass in his face. He step back. Having dropped the mace, to grab her. Shans did a back flip and caught him under the chin. Lifted him from where he stood. There was a cracking sound. He did not move.

Shans landed beside Meece, she picked him up in her arms. Looking around the inn, she smiled at Asha as she followed her inside. Asha said,”I thought you told me. It is a nice and quiet.”

“It is, he did not make a sound. Did he?” Shans said,“No. He did not, I suppose you are right.”

she said, “I guess it is nice and quiet in here.”

They heard the sound of guards headed their way. The guards were not going to be happy.

The bar keep lowered his weapon and waited. Tike walked over to where he was and asked, “Can I have a beer.” As if they had not done anything here, other than entering the inn.

The barkeep looked at the door, as the guards arrived. They looked grim as they came in. Shans handed them the mace into their hands as if she wanted to know what they were going to do here.

“What has happened?” Jala asked

“He came at him with that.” Shans said

“So?” Jala asked.

“I stopped him,” shans said.

“You stopped him."
“Dead in his tracks.” Asha said.

The gaurds had looked at the dead man. “We had to do something, did we not?” Shans said.

“Does anyone here wish to press charges.” the heavy set guard asked.

“All we were doing was trying to relax.” Meece said.

The barkeep smiled meekly, Shook his head spying Asha standing at the door behind the gaurds. The interior was now, as quiet as a grave. Sweat from her fear trickled down her back. She surveyed the area. The guards retreated.
T
hey were safe. Asha said,”We want to have a good time, here. Relax, and nothing more, will happen here.”

The barkeep followed Asha with his eyes and duely noted, that her hands hung closely to the weapons that must have tools of her trade. Asha looked at ease with the situation that was there, she returned his smile with a simplicity gait. He undersstood what she had said, and the imporatnce with which she said, he poured another tankard of ale.

Shans looked over the injury to Mulete's foot. She held a blood filled cloth there, the blood poured. She tore off a portion of her clothes to create a band of cloth, which she knew she would need. The bones looked as though they had been torn loose from the foot.

She winced just from seeing it. Mulete opened his mouth to scream.

A man walked over to them both, he suggested that they had better take care of the foot. He knew were there was a dentist in the place. He would help them look after the wound. Shans looked at him, and smiled easily. The man looked like he was soldier his garb was that of a noble. Shans asked,”How?”

“Can you lay him in the cape,” said as he threw it on the floor.

“Yes.” said Shans,

“I thought, so.”

As she and he put Mulete into the cape, she and the man carried him on the cape like a stretcher to the dentist and surgeon's room. The dentist turned to see them. He looked at the man saying,”Josh, what have you done, now?”

“They had an arguement Tierus. He is no more.” Josh said.

“That bastard is finally gone, that is good.” the surgeon said, then he looked over the wound on Mulete's leg. He was concerned, “It appears, he will have to lose the leg."

“Damn,” Asha said.

“Son, this going to hurt worse, than what you have felt current.” Josh said.

“I know, get on with it.” Mulete said winced.

The surgeon had him drink quite a bit of alcohol to allow him not feel no pain. When Mulete fell asleep. The surgeon brought out a huge axe, to cleave the foot from his body. The axe fell with a sickening blow. Blood poured and gushed from the wound. The foot lay on the floor. The surgeon brought the axe's head to the fire. To Catherize the wound. The blade was white hot, smoke poured off of it. He brought the head down to touch the bleeding foot. The blood stopped runing as Mulete awoke from his nap. To scream in horrid agony. He put on a wooden boot on it secured it to his leg by tieing gauze to it.

“Well, Mulete we won't expect you to run anywhere in a while.”
e
“Thanks,”Mulete said through gritted teeth. He was not in anyway happy. Looking at once was a foot laying there on the floor like a disgarded shoe. It doubled maybe even tripled in size. The skin exploded showering the floor with bone and tissue. Mulete's stomache heaved.

“I thought we were just going to go in and make nice, to gain what we need in conversation.” Meece said

“That was our intent, but the other guy objected to us doing this.”Asha said.

“I wonder, why?” Shans said

“So, do I?” Meece said

As they were discussing this, they saw a rider return from where they had come. The rider was on large war horse. They recognized the face as one of those which Shallynne had told them of. They grew afraid. “What if they had caught wind of us doing this?” said in a whisper.

The knight dismounted and walked calmly through the streets as though he had not a care in the world.

However they knew, he had a care as he returned home without the rest of his people, he had left with, there was something that they did not recognize, until he arrived on the ground, In his hands was a staff with the markings of the people's here religious order.

They knew they would have to find out what he was doing with that. Out on the rode to create a pact with the people who had attacked the community where Shallynne had come.

“We were supposed to do this?” Meece said

“How do we do this now?” Shans asked

“Have not got a clue.” Meece said

“The original suggestion was to find out, I think we can still do it,”Asha said.

“But how?” Mulete asked, as he saw the knight enter a tavern, it looked to be very affluent.

“Ye of little faith, allow me to do this.” Asha suggested as she headed for her room to get herself all dressed up for the occasion, she would have to meet someone from there at the tavern where they usually went to relax. The tavern was upper class.

She waltzed into the establishment, the clothing she wore showed off most of her feminine wares for all to see. It enchanted her hips a might. She carried with her, white set of gloves, that covered her hands, her bosom was extentuated by the cleaving being exposed. As she came inside the place was busy with people bustling about. The air smelled of rich succulent meat, vegatables and licquer there stood a bard singing a ballad to enhance the young lady seated at a table by herself. Her eyes were upon him as he did this. That was until they saw her in this ensemble.Now it was quiet as death is a sleep

She approached the table where a couple of nobles sat, The nobles were looking at her as she came in, before them were cards, and several piles of coin. Having forgotten about the cards they looked at her, Benzit reached for her hand, she pulled it away from him before he could touch it.

She smiled coyly at him, showing him a little more leg, winking at him, “you like what you see?"

He smiled as he noted her appearanace and said,”Where has such a fine lass as this come from. I have not seen your likes about the community before.”

"Perhaps you can take me, to your room, and we can discuss the matter." Asha said.