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~*~ TDT2: The Blood Debt ~*~

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Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Something had to go wrong. =P He's still on their side...he was just conflicted for a while. I was trying to play up his conflicting loyalties, like he's fighting his...indoctrination, I guess. Not quite sure if I got it right.
So, I'm going to New York to look at colleges with my sister this weekend, and I may or may not have wireless. I'll write during the long car drives, or I'll try to anyway. I'll do my best to give you guys some long adds. This is going to get exciting soon, I think. ^_^ I'll be back Sunday and post then.

17-Jul-2008 03:02:17

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Two figures slid along the wall of the dark hallway. As they passed a window, bright gold with the light of the setting sun, their faces were briefly illuminated. One was a man with a craggy, bearded face, long dark hair, clear blue eyes, and a bare torso that rippled with muscles. In his hand, he held outstretched a mace almost the size of his own head. He wielded the massive weapon easily and gracefully as he quickly skirted the light, sliding back into the shadows. In his wake came a woman, with tangled blond hair and similar blue eyes, wearing tattered clothes. Her skin was deeply tanned, though her hair seemed bleached brighter. Her face was lined and drawn, with deep circles under the eyes. She carried before her a crystal bow with an arrow noc*ed in place, and she turned quickly in small half-circles to make sure they were not being followed.
They moved like ghosts through the palace and left no sign of their passing. Guards were avoided and they moved directly toward the audience chamber based on Emmaris’ directions. After letting in Kzahar, Lil, and Adrian, Maston and Arwing had moved off in another direction, taking a separate route so they could surround the chamber. So far they had only encountered one sentry, whom Maston had quickly dispatched with a heavy blow from his mace. The body had then been carefully stashed in a closet, and the pair had hurried on.
The warrior craned his neck around a corner, then slid around it, turning as Arwing followed suit. They shared a look and paused for a moment, leaning against the wall. They were both breathing heavily. Maston unhooked the canteen off his pack and offered it to Arwing. As he held it out, he realized his hands were shaking. Arwing said nothing. They were both tense, every muscle taut and senses alert, and they were beginning to feel the strain. They were tired, emotionally and physically exhausted, and this mission stretched them to their last limits.

20-Jul-2008 23:43:14

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Emotions were raw as well after the events of the past few days. Since the attack on the castle at Lumbridge, they hadn’t really stopped to think. There had been down time in the boat going upriver, but it had been spent plotting and speculating. There had been no time to let anything sink in, or process anything in his mind, and Maston felt like his head was a jumbled mess. There was so much he needed to sort through. The morals of their mission were constantly in question, and having just found out that Bond was still alive…All he wanted to do was sleep for a week, then relax and go over all that had happened and make sense of it. There would be time for that later, he told himself firmly. For now, he needed to get a handle on his thoughts and focus on what needed to be done.
“Reminds me of Ardounge,” Maston grunted at last.
“What?” Arwing whispered.
“This.” He waved a hand, but he could have meant anything. The palace, the mission, the situation they were in, the city, the emotions they were feeling…He hoped she couldn’t hear the tremor in his voice as he struggled for control of his nerves. “Back in Ardounge, I did a stint with the guard. Not for long – the uniforms, the discipline, it just wasn’t really for me, you know?” Arwing smiled, as she always did when he opened up like this. It brightened her whole face. “This one time, thieves had broken into the palace. We were sent to catch them. I was with these two guys, and we were doing just this, the sneaking –“
He was cut off by a sudden rush of noise from down the hall. Shouts echoed down the corridor, and soon he could hear the heavy footfalls of a group of people moving quickly. He looked at his companion; Arwing had gone completely white.
“Quick!” Maston urged, and after yanking open the door to the nearest room, he grabbed her arm and dragged her inside. He was just in time, too, as the source of the commotion rounded the corner.

20-Jul-2008 23:43:32

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Maston watched through the barely-open door as a group of soldiers raced past, while the one in the lead shouted for them to hurry, that the Emperor was in danger. They were fully armored with weapons drawn.
Maston swore. “They’re headed for the audience chamber. We have to beat them there!”
“What do you think happened?” Arwing gasped. “Did they find the body we left?”
“I think Emmaris happened,” snarled Maston. I’d bet anything he sold us out.” His body quivered with suppressed anger. “We have to get there, Arwing, come on!” He burst from the room, caution forgotten, and sprinted away down the hall. Arwing hurried after him. Together they dashed down the rest of the corridor, skidded down a flight of stairs, and hurried through a further maze of corridors until they crossed paths with another unit of guards. Maston jerked back, shaking his head at Arwing.
“We’ll have to fight our way to the doors. I see them up ahead, but they’re all milling about out there. I can hear yelling inside.”
“Any sign of the others?” she asked hopefully.
“None, but they were going to approach from the back.”
“Should we look for them?”
“It’s risky…We’re wasting time. The castle’s in an uproar and I think more guards are coming. We have to act now, and hold out till they arrive.” He chanced another look around the corner. “Arwing! They’ve got Emmaris!” His stomach sank as the scholar was dragged from the chamber, hands shackled in front of him, between two large guards.
Suddenly, one of the guards let out a cry and dropped to his knees, clutching at the arrow protruding from his chest. The other assembled soldiers started in surprise and whirled, unable to find the shooter. The guard to the other side of Emmaris fell as well, gurgling as he collapsed onto his stomach.

20-Jul-2008 23:43:58

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
She fired two more arrows, both finding their mark, before the guards pieced together which direction they had come from. That was when Maston charged. He flew around the corner, swinging his mace into the gut of one soldier, then spinning and sweeping another off his feet. He let out a primitive yell as the battle rush took him over. There was no thinking, only moving, acting instinctively, killing the servants of the man who tried to ruin his life. They had swords and he had no armor, but he moved quickly and gracefully, arching and twisting to avoid their blades. Within minutes, the group lay dead or dying on the floor, felled by arrows or blows from his mace. Maston staggered to the wall, breathing heavily, and scanned the bodies. There were seven total. Seven, killed easily by himself and Arwing, and neither harmed.
“Maston!” Arwing gasped, rushing toward him. She spun him around so his face was to the wall, pressing hard on his shoulders.
*What are you doing?” he exclaimed, writhing away.
“Stay still a second!” she snapped. He felt her smooth fingers running over his skin, then flinched as fire blossomed between his shoulder blades.
“Ow!” Well, maybe not completely unharmed…. “How bad?” he asked through clenched teeth.
“Not deep.” She ripped a scrap from her already-shredded shirt and carefully wiped the wound. “Just a long, shallow cut.” She pressed the cloth to it for a second, then pulled it away. “I can’t really bandage it, but it*s not bleeding badly.”
He shrugged his shoulders. The pain was already fading, so he turned and smiled. “Just leave it. We need to get inside.”
She nodded. “You do the honors.”
Maston’s smile never wavered, but there was no more warmth in it. It was a maniacal and bloodthirsty smile. This was it. They had reached the end of their path, for now at least. Beyond these doors was the Emperor, the man who had sent them to their deaths, who had presumed to play at being one of the gods with their lives.

20-Jul-2008 23:44:20

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
The man who had schemed and plotted and used them to his advantage. The King who had no right to rule this land, who had ravaged it and was responsible for the deathly plague. This was their chance to save the world.
He let out a shaky burst of laughter. Arwing stared. “Did I miss something?”
“I’m just waiting for the trumpets to blow,” he said. “This should be a triumphant moment, right?” Arwing was silent. Shaking his head, he placed his hands on the matching silver handles and yanked. The giant doors swept open, and the pair strode into the chamber. The sight that greeted their eyes made them halt in surprise.
“Stop right there,” hissed Issavan.
Maston gaped. The Emperor’s bulk billowed out around Emmaris’ body. He had one arm around the scholar’s waist, while another held a knife to his throat. Emmaris looked terrified. He had gone a sick ashy color, and his body was trembling. The king was not a particularly athletic or muscular man, but his formidable weight was enough to hold the scholar in an iron grip. Arrayed in a semi-circle before him were a dozen guards, headed by a gray-eyed, balding man wearing a violet surcoat and holding out a three foot long, bloodstained sword.
Maston and Arwing were frozen. They had not been at all prepared for this. Had Emmaris betrayed them, or had the king merely figured it out on his own? What was going on?
“The scholar betrayed you,” Issavan said gleefully. “He couldn’t lie to his king, oh, no. He knew he did*’t have a chance with you.” His laughter was high pitched and crazy. “Is this all you brought back, Emmaris? Did you two really think you could stop me? Especially if you were relying on scum like this one to help you?”
“I did*’t betray you!” Emmaris choked out. “I swear! He saw through –“

20-Jul-2008 23:44:47

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Be silent!” yelled the mad king, and crimson liquid snaked down Emmaris’ throat as the knife dug deeper. “If you try to harm me, he dies.”
Maston felt hot rage seeping through his blood. Emmaris had betrayed them! How could it have been unintentional? Either he told the lie or he did*’t. And yet Issavan expected that to stop him? He barked a harsh, cold laugh. “Big deal,” he growled. “You think I care about the life of a traitor any more than I care about yours?” He twirled the mace in his hands. “You never should have tried to play this game, Issavan. You’re a fool. We never would have harmed you, but you had to go throw our lives away. You had to ruin the kingdom. Did you know that you are responsible for this plague? It’s your fault that everyone is dying. It’s punishment for letting you rule as long as you have!” His voice was thick with venom and contempt. “We’re not alone. And you will die.”
At that moment, the door in the back of the room burst open, and Kzahar, Adrian, and Lil tumbled through. Everyone on the dais turned, and Maston seized his chance. He raced forward, jumping high in the air and hurling his weapon at the nearest guard. The mace crunched into his skull and blood sprayed across Maston’s skin as the man collapsed. Beside him, another slumped to his knees with an arrow in his throat. The warrior sidestepped the body and moved to the next guard, who had drawn his sword and blocked Maston’s blow. He ducked a jab at his head and swept the mace at the man’s knees, but the guard stepped back. Straightening, he spun, momentum carrying him through as he punched the weapon into the guard’s stomach. He flew backwards to land at the Emperor’s feet. Issavan let out a squeal of dismay, much to Maston’s satisfaction.
Kzahar, Lil, and Adrian rushed toward Issavan, having no guards to block their way, but now Maston’s way was clear as well, and he seized his chance. He bounded up the steps toward the terrified monarch.

20-Jul-2008 23:45:03 - Last edited on 20-Jul-2008 23:45:53 by Crystal Smee

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