[ - ]
Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story
- Text Size +
Rose stood with Nick in a blacksmiths shop they found in the girl's hometown. Neither one spoke a word as they watched the man form a new sword for Nick to use. Every so often Nick would look towards Rose and then, before she could catch him, would look back at the blacksmith.
The man's powerful arms glistened with sweat as he lifted his hammer bringing it down with a powerful force onto the steel he was forming. Nick was in awe at the man's abilities with shaping the metal. He had always admired swords and the artisanship that it took to make them, but never in his life did he actually get to watch a man make one.

A loud hiss arose from the bucket of water that the blacksmith stuck the sword in, completing the task. "Here I finish," He stated, handing the sword over to Nick for examination. He looked closely at the artistry, noting the dragon type design close to the hilt that was the artist's signature.

He laughed to himself at the coincidence, or was it? He started to doubt that anything in his life was merely a coincidence anymore. Cassie talked much about how everyone's lives had a certain path they had to follow, whether they knew it or not. If you fought it, you would only prolong what would eventually happen.

Nick gave a sidelong glace towards Rose who was paying for the sword. He knew his life before he arrived here was what he was supposed to be doing then, but now, he understood his higher purpose.

Feeling eyes on her, Rose turned and caught Nick's eye. A slight smile played on her lips, he certainly reminded her of Dart and his father Zieg. The thought of her two former companions forced her to shake her head and drop her smile. She was tired. From what Albert told her, she should have died with Zieg. She longed for the day when she could be released and allowed to wander the afterlife with her true love.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked noticing her fallen face.

Rose shook her head and made her way out of the shop to where Cassie and Albert were looking at talismans.

"This one here, good to keep you happy." The young woman behind the counter held out a small ring towards Cassie. A smile beamed across Cassie's face, "I don't think that is too much of a problem for me, but thank you." She turned to look at the next booth. She took in everything about the booth, the old crone at the front selling the items and the young woman towards the back of the tent slumped over, unhappy.

Cassie looked at the girl, and then proceeded to look at the wares, apparent that Nick was looking over her shoulder and the woman in the back. He watched her for a few moments noticing a small sparrow crawl out of her shirtsleeve, and then spying him, quickly darted back into the sleeve.

"Girl is demon worker." The old crone piped up. "She not worth you admiration. Only thing good for is make potion to keep you strong."

The young woman looked up at the visitors, aware that they were all looking at her and talking about her. Her dark, almond shaped eyes pleaded towards Nick as she carefully lifted her arms and legs to show her bondage.

Rose and Albert continued purchasing their potions, Cassie had wandered off to buy more arrows, but Nick's eyes never left the young woman. There was something peculiar about her, something that he felt drawn towards. A commotion at the end of the marketplace tore his eyes away from the girl.

Quickly he ran to where he heard the shouts, easily he pushed himself to the front of the crowd. A young man stood in the center glaring at those around him, his blue shirt stained with blood. Next to him, a lynx stood fur on end growling at everyone in the crowd. Nick did not know whether the people were more afraid of the lynx or the boy. He watched as the boy walked towards the crowd, making a move towards the booth that Rose and Albert were still purchasing goods at.

His heart beat quickened as he thought what might happen. Albert and Rose were unaware of what was going on, they shrugged off the crowd noises as typical sounds. Not wanting anything to happen to his companions, Nick moved quickly and stood between the booth and the young man.

"Get out of my way imbecile!" the young man shouted in Nick's face. Then in two quick movements, he was again moving towards the booth, the lynx not far behind. Nick shook his head and jogged to get in front of the youth again.

"Do I speak too clearly for you?" He questioned. "You move!" He shouted in simpler terms, using the accent of the local peoples. Faster then Nick could imagine, the lynx stood growling at his feet, teeth barred and hot breath seething close to Nick's skin. "I have no time for your pettiness." Again, the boy moved towards the booth, but this time, Nick's hand shot out and collided with his chest shoving the startled man backwards.

"May I ask, what you intend to do over there?" Nick asked indicating the booth where his companions stood.

He watched as this young man crumpled to the ground, sobbing reluctantly. Between the sobs, the young man spoke about his intentions. "That girl is my love." He turned to look up at Nick, eyes red and puffy. "I don't know how we got to wherever it is that we are, but when we did, they were frightened of us. The townspeople managed to capture both of us. Katana is so warm and caring; she does not deserve this treatment. They were going to kill us, but they found out she was useful. She made them a potion that treated one of their sick. In return, she was granted her life plus one favor. She chose to have me freed and live her life in bondage." He buried his head in his arms, his chest heaving from his sobs.

Nick glanced from the boy to the lynx. He watched as the lynx walked over to the boy, licking his hand. Confused by the animal's actions, Nick looked awkwardly away, noting the eyes of the townsfolk wandering over to him and the youth.

"Let's move out of view of wandering eyes." Nick grabbed the collar of the young man and pulled him into a standing position, then hauled him behind a nearby building. When they were safely out of the view of others, Nick let him go.

"I feel I need to help you. No person should be forced into anything. I hated seeing her back there. Her eyes were so sad." Nick let his mind wander back to the young woman and her pleading eyes.

"You want to help me?" the young man questioned.

Nick nodded his head. "My name is Nick."

"Addison," he returned. "The girl that I am after is the love of my life, Katana. So how do you intend to help us?" Addison's red eyes seemed less puffy now.

Nick started to talk, stopping when he saw the sudden movement out of the corner of his eye. He noticed the tail of the lynx flicking around the corner and looked back at Addison with a confused look.

"He will not harm you." He automatically said, knowing the reason for the look.

Nick nodded and continued with his conversation. Addison gave Nick all the information he knew about Katana's captors, and where they were holding her. They made an agreement to meet back at the center of town after dusk to begin their plan. The two parted, leaving the area at separate times. Now all Nick had to do was convince Rose, Albert and Cassie to go along with the plan.

Rose felt Nick lean over her pretending to look at the armor in the booth she and Albert had moved to. She knew that he went to see about the commotion, she knew that he talked with the young man. He may not have noticed, but Rose was watching him while they talked in public, noting when they moved behind the wall. She smiled inwardly knowing that Nick had felt compassion for both the young woman and the young man whose plight he felt he needed to help.

"We need some real rest." Albert spoke up. "I think we need to find an Inn or someplace we can get some sleep where a rock isn't our pillow and dirt our blanket."

Rose looked at the dirty blond king and agreed. She scanned the area, spotting a sign waving in the slight breeze indicating an Inn. "There," she pointed. The three headed over towards the location, Cassie spotting them and catching up.

*****

Nick and Albert stayed behind in the bar to talk. Nick thought it best to try to win Albert's approval first, if he couldn't get the girls in on it, then he would have at least one other to help him out. He scanned the room, noting the barkeep and one other patron, an elderly gentleman sitting at the bar.

"What's this about Nick?" Albert questioned as Nick returned to the table with two mugs of ale.

"I need your help with something." He took up his mug and chugged some of the brown ale down. Cringing slightly at the strong taste he was unaccustomed to, very different from the Budweiser he normally drank.

"With what?" Albert questioned wiping his mouth after chugging his own mug to the bottom.

Nick took a deep breath and explained to Albert his plans to help the boy, Addison, free his girlfriend Katana. He explained why she was captive and threw in his own reasons for why nobody had the right to hold her against her will.

Albert sat staring at his mug taking in what Nick was telling him. "So you want to waste a day getting more information about Wulf to save this girl?"

Nick nodded and opened his mouth to continue talking when the old man at the bar started mumbling in their direction.

"You spoke his true name, are you seeking the path of Wulf?" He questioned the two while still looking down at his folded hands.

The two men spun around and looked towards the older gentleman. He sat in dark crimson robes, nothing of any extravagance, just simple dark red robes. He slowly turned his head to meet the gaze of the younger men. His dark hair was speckled with grey and slicked back with some sort of greasy concoction.

"My brotherhood is always seeking those who wish the true path of righteousness." He slowly got off his bar stool and made his way towards Nick and Albert who still sat gawking at the man. "My superior has given me the power to initiate those I see fit into the Priesthood of Wulf."

"What does this priesthood do?" Nick asked perplexed.

"What do we do?" the old man asked in outrage. "We are the power behind the beast that is out to cleanse the land of the impure and unfaithful." His eyes flared as the thought flickered through his head that these young lads were out to make trouble instead of joining the path of Wulf.

Albert nodded his head. "My companion knows of all the power you and yours posses; he was merely testing your faithfulness." Albert shot a quick look at Nick who threw in his own mumbled "yeah".

The man threw back his robes as he took a seat at their table, keeping one leg to the side of the chair, ensuring a quick getaway if necessary.

"Please tell us about your part in the great plan." Nick took a wild guess with what he said. He sure as hell hoped the guy had a part in some higher plan, or his idea was sure to be seen through.

The man scoffed slightly. "I am here to preach to the people of this town. I am here to keep these people on the true path, and when I see fit I will bring the wrath of Wulf." He smirked, "Though I am sure to get advancement soon, possibly become the second in command under Corin."

Albert looked at the man curiously. "You have done something special?"

The man laughed, "I've only done what no other priest in the brotherhood has managed to do yet." Carefully the man reached into his pocket and pulled an object out, opening his palm so the other two could see. "Corin has been searching for these power stones, and I am the first able to find one for him to give him."

Albert's eyes widened as he stared down at the object this man was holding. He looked towards Nick quickly and knew that Nick realized what it was too. In this man's hand was the Blue Sea Dragoon spirit.

The old man smirked as he saw the eyes of the two boys widen. "Impressive isn't it? I can't imagine what kind of powers this thing could hold, but if Corin wants it, Corin will get it."

"Might I hold the stone?" Albert questioned.

A look of confusion crossed the older man's face. "Why would you want to hold it?" He started to look at the two suspiciously.

Anxious to start his other plans, Nick came right out and said what it was Albert was hinting at. "Give us that stone!" He shouted, alarming the barkeep.

The old man glared at Nick. "You are out to win my glory! I will not let you have it." He stood quickly from his spot and pulled out his sword that was hiding underneath his robes. "I am prepared to defend myself, and what do you have?" He swung his sword towards Nick's head causing Nick to pull his head backwards.

Albert was quick to his feet, picking up the chair he was sitting on. Both men had their weapons stored away in the room not thinking they would have any use for them here. Swinging the chair, Albert hit the man on his back, knocking him across Nick's lap. Nick's reaction was to grab the man's crimson robes and push him away, careful of the unsheathed blade he wielded. He picked up his own mug of half-drunk ale and slung the liquid in the priests face.

The man stepped back a few paces and wiped his eyes. Charging towards the two again when he could see. He swung his sword at Albert who blocked it using his plate, forcing the plate to crack in half. Nick charged the man, ramming into him full force, the blue stone falling from the bag it was tucked into before the fight began.

Albert scrambled to reach the stone before the man realized it was missing. Reaching it, he snatched it into his hands with a sigh of relief. Glancing back into the fight he watched as the man overpowered Nick and forced him to the ground. His eyes enlarged as he watched the sword raised above his head getting all his might into one final blow to take Nick out.

Nick paralyzed in fear could not find the strength to move. He watched as the man took hold of his sword intending to end his life with one last blow. He continued staring as the man's body fell atop his own, dead. "It's about time Albert!" His muffled shouts exclaimed.

"That wasn't me." He stammered. He stood staring at Cassie standing on the stairwell her stance proof she had just fired the fatal arrow.

"Leave it to you two boys to get into a fight when we aren't around." The smirk on her face let Albert know that Cassie was relieved they were okay.

****

The four Dragoons sat in their room discussing the events of the afternoon and of that night. After hearing him out, all four agreed that they needed to help Addison and Katana, but they also needed to get out of town as quickly as possible. The reaction from the barkeep after the Priest was killed was one of not plain fear but of sheer terror. He muttered how Corin would come shortly and that Wulf would be called down upon the town in return for the insolence of a few visitors.

It was well past dusk before Nick managed to get the others out of the Inn and to where he and Addison planned to meet. They arrived noting the boy pacing back and forth, the lynx that Nick noticed was always around was watching the boy go back and forth.

"There you are." He said smiling as he saw Nick approach with his companions. "I thought for a moment that you were not a man of his word."

Nick nodded an apology. "I'm sorry I could not get here sooner. We ran into a bit of difficulty at the Inn." No need to explain to the boy the fight with the Priest, the Dragoon spirit that Rose now held on to for protection, or how quickly they would be leaving the town after they accomplished their task.

Addison looked at the group and nodded in understanding. He was just happy they came to help him at all. He silently started towards the house that Katana was kept in, motioning for the others to follow him. When they got close enough he stopped and then pointed out the guards that stood at the door. So far, they had been barring Addison's entrance. The boy was weaponless and even if he had gotten past them, he was sure there would be something else keeping the girl from attempting to escape herself.

This is where Nick agreed to take over with his friends. Cassie and Albert went around back; he and Rose were going to go in through the front, guards or no guards.

"What you do here?" One of the guards asked Nick eyeing his slightly torn clothing, his newly acquired armor and most of all, his sword hilt that peeked up over his shoulder.

"We are here to free the girl." He answered honestly. Rose looked over at him realizing that he wasn't going to go with their original plan. He was just going to fight his way in to get the girl and fight his way back out.

The man laughed at Nick and moved so he was standing in front of him. The sheer size of the guard compared to Nick was astounding; he stood at least half a foot taller then Nick's six-foot frame. The guard's bicep measured in just under the size of Nick's head. Rose watched in awe as Nick stood there staring at the man unflinching.

"You best back up little man," the larger man grunted allowing a few flecks of spit to fall on Nick's face.

Despite his quivering insides, Nick calmly lifted his hand to his face and wiped his face. "I suggest you back up before you get yourself really injured." He replied calmly.

The larger man started laughing, turning back to his companion who started to laugh at Nick as well. He moved to turn his head back around to look at Nick so he could laugh in his face some more, but was rudely startled when Nick's fist collided into his face.

The large man took a few steps backwards and held up the back of his hand to the edge of his mouth feeling something moist there. He pulled his hand away, glanced down at the blood left there by his mouth and glared at Nick. "You pay for this boy."

The other man pulled his arm backwards balling his fist and quickly swung his fist towards Nick's face. Nick, realizing what was coming, moved quicker then the other man expected, the velocity of his swing throwing him a few feet. Seeing his buddy in trouble, the other man moved to attack Nick. Rose was quick to intercept and knocked the other man back unsheathing her blade to hold him at bay.

"Wait your turn," she hissed.

The other man stood back against the building watching helpless as his friend kept charging at Nick and Nick quickly moving away. After several minutes, the other man was tired and Nick looked like he was just getting started. "You are pathetic." Nick scorned the man. "You expected to guard that girl with your weakness?"

Nick laughed, more for himself then at his competitor. "Now I will finish the job." He drew his sword and stood in a stance ready to attack.

The guards looked at each other with a moment of revelation; they both had swords attached to their belts, why had they not thought of using them before. They drew them and stood sword tip to sword tip with the other two.

Addison watched from where he was hiding in awe of these two fighters that volunteered to help him out. They fought with a grace he had never seen sword fighter's use before. The two guards were knocked off their feet and scurried on the ground as quickly as they could to run away from Nick and Rose.

"Let's get her quickly, those two will be back with reinforcements," Nick shouted at Rose. Nick reached for the handle and tugged, he should have known it would be locked. He looked at Rose who shook her head muttering 'No Nick, no fire. No.' He had no intention of repeating the fiasco with the sick house, but Rose insisted upon telling no anyway.

Addison, by this time, found his way over to the others. "The only person with the key is the husband of the woman who you saw in that booth."

Rose looked and the boys and rolled her eyes, only men would need a key, a weapon or fire to enter through a door. She started to kneel next to the door removing something from her hair. She leaned in close but before she could insert the pin the door clicked and swung open. Albert emerged carrying Katana, Cassie close behind, her bow armed with an arrow.

"What kept you two?" Albert asked with a grin on his face. "Let's move," he said quickly after looking at the faces of the three standing on the other side.

Addison looked at Albert then down at Katana moving closer to take her in his arms. "Thank you," he muttered. "I don't know how to repay you."

Nick shook his head, "no need."

Rose nodded her head in agreement; Albert stared off into the distance noticing figures approaching at a quickening speed. "Well how about you point us in the direction of the next town?" He asked Addison.

Addison pointed off into the horizon. "We came from that way originally. There is a city called Priam over there, I think."

"Are you joining us?" Cassie asked Addison, and then watched as he shook his head 'no'. Cassie nodded in understanding. "Well I hope our paths cross again." She shouted as she ran to catch up with the others already heading towards Priam.