get to the gatehouse.
She quickly realized pushing and shoving her way through the thousands of people in the streets was hopeless. She saw an alley that seemed deserted. Endra cut down the dark back street, trying to find a quicker way to Kian.
She had not gotten far when the smell of death filled the air. A woman in a veil stood before her. It was as if an icy hand gripped her spine and fear choked her to silence. Endra could feel the hate and scorn that seeped from the woman. She was evil.
“Your lover might be immune to my charms, but you’re not, are you, my dear girl?” The woman stretched out her hand and Endra’s body lifted into the air. She couldn’t breathe, her sword slid from her hand and she grasped at her throat. The world blurred and began to grow black.
She heard the veiled woman scream and felt herself fall to the ground. Endra blinked her eyes, trying to clear her vision. She saw a shadowy figure holding the veiled woman off the ground by her neck. The shadow was a giant of a man, all she could really tell was he was dressed in dark armor.
He slammed the veiled woman into the wall on one side of the alley, then into the wall on the other side. The evil woman hung limp in his hand. The warrior gazed at the veiled woman a moment, then tossed her down to the far end of the narrow street like a stray cat. The woman awkwardly got to her feet and disappeared. The man turned towards her. His face was covered by a dark helmet. She thought she heard him speak her name before she lost consciousness.
She came to and saw that the veiled woman and the warrior were both gone. Endra blinked her eyes and slowly got to her feet. The sounds of battle still echoed in the night. Kian, she had to get to him.
Endra drew her sword and headed south again. Had she just seen two Gods fighting? The one in the dark armor reminded her of the man who had taken her and destroyed her village all those years ago, but it wasn’t him. She would have known if it was. It was Kian the woman had spoken of. He had angered her somehow. “What enemies have you made now, my love?” She looked to the sky and said a silent prayer to the heavens, then she ran towards the gatehouse.
“Rufio, look.” Cromwell pointed. Greyson Kyle stood beside a man lying on the ground. The turncoat was fighting off some of the people from the city bent on killing the wounded man.
Rufio didn’t hesitate a moment, he charge the man without a word.
“Damn it, Rufio, wait,” Cromwell said as he loped after the Dragitan.
Rufio attacked with fury. Greyson quickly realized who he was fighting and smiled.
The Bandaran was good. Rufio quickly knew he was out classed. Greyson turned aside his every attack. “You’re no match for me in a fair fight Dragitan,” the Bandaran captain said.
Rufio jumped back as Cromwell’s great ax came around and split Greyson Kyle’s head in half. “Then we will cheat you, traitorous bastard.”
Cromwell clapped Rufio on the shoulder. “Dead is dead, it does not matter who deals it. Right?”
“I most definitely agree, my friend. As long as Vandarus is avenged, I have no protest.”
Cromwell looked at the man crawling on the ground. “I know you,” the Toran said as he grabbed the man by the collar of his breast plate and hauled him to his feet. “Look Rufio, it’s that old duke.”
***
Cain dusted himself off and stepped forward as K’xarr looked on. “It seems you have caught me, no matter.” The Prince looked closer. “You are my little sister’s general, are you not?”
K’xarr spit on the ground at Cain’s feet, but said nothing. “Come then, General, let’s see what you’re made of without your demonic swordsman.”
Both men took a battle stance.
“Prince Cain, it is over. You have lost, surrender and stand in the shadow of your sister’s judgment. I will see you come to no harm until then,” Sir Ivan called out.
“Shut up, you Asconan dog, why don’t you go back to Eldon Cross so you can nurse at his teats.”
Sir Ivan’s look turned grim. “If General K’xarr does not kill you, then I will, swine.”
K’xarr and the Prince circled each other once, then both men attacked. Sparks flew from their swords as the battle went back and forth.