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~*~ TDT2: The Blood Debt ~*~

Quick find code: 49-50-222-43530230

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Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Suddenly his feet went out from under him and pain exploded between his eyes. He fell to his knees and rolled, trying to blink away the dizziness. Standing over him was the balding man with the long sword, and after a moment, the warrior pieced together that he had been struck in the back of the head, probably by the pommel that was now smeared with his blood. He raised the mace and barely deflected a stab at his midsection. The momentum of his attack was lost, and he realized he was suddenly struggling to defend himself.
Arwing was distracted fending off a few of the remaining guards, who had advanced so close that she could no longer fire off her arrows. Another four guards and split off and barely managed to beat back the other three warriors. Issavan was edging toward a side door. “Your Highness!” yelled the man Maston was fighting off. “Escape while you can!” There was a clatter as more guards arrived through both doors.
“Get – off – me!” Maston exclaimed, surging upward and striking back each blow that came at him. Then he was back on the offensive, knocking aside weak thrusts and swinging hard at the guardsman’s head and abdomen. They moved down off the steps, away from the King. Maston felt his head beginning to pound. This was wrong – he had to get to the king – why couldn’t he kill this man? Clearly he was no simple soldier, but an officer of some sort.
He ducked Bennett’s blade and spun again, marking the King’s position. The Emperor was almost gone, hindered only by a squirming Emmaris. Maston batted away the sword and threw a hard kick at the commander’s legs, knocking him off his feet. It would have to do. He turned and bolted, vaulting to the dais in one leap, and his long strides carried him toward the King. He was intercepted by two new guards, both of whom he punched aside. He got clear in time to see the side door slam shut. Issavan was gone.

20-Jul-2008 23:46:04

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Maston whirled, finding Arwing barely fending off a pair of guards and choked down his yell, not wanting to distract her. He turned toward the door and back, torn, debating his options. He’d never get her attention in time. He couldn’t lose Issavan! Within seconds he was dashing across the dais toward the side door.
“Maston, wait!” Arwing had broken free and bounded up the steps. “Where are you going?”
“Issavan’s getting away!” he bellowed over the din of the battle. Tremors of rage shook his body. His hate for Issavan was a poison in his veins. It fueled his anger; it made him feel physically sick. It consumed his every being. He had to find the Emperor, and he had to kill him. Before she could respond, he vanished through the door and raced down the hall. It was a small, hidden corridor, narrow and filled with twisting turns. Then, suddenly, he came upon a junction where the hall branched both right and left. He skidded to a halt, head turning from side to side. His chest was heaving and his eyes roved endlessly. He was a hunter, a beast in search of his prey, with nostrils flaring, muscles twitching, his wild, sweat-soaked hair standing out to all sides like a lion’s mane, blue eyes cold as ice.
However, there was no sign of the hunted King. He had disappeared, and Maston’s fury exploded. The mace crashed into the stone floor with bang, and the warrior’s fists clenched. He raised his head and roared, “Come out, Issavan!” His powerful voice resounded deafeningly in the tiny corridor, shaking the very stones. “You can’t run forever! You can’t hide from us! You’ll pay for your crimes, King! I’ll find you, and I’ll kill you!”
Silence followed. Distantly, he could hear the clamor of battle in the throne room, but ahead, where the Emperor must have gone, there was nothing. He quivered, grinding his jaw, before he swept up his mace and dashed down the hall to the right.

27-Jul-2008 19:15:36

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Arwing staggered into the wall when Maston’s voice rolled down the corridor live a tidal wave. Her eyes widened in fear as she recognized the terrible rage in his words. Never had she heard him so angry. She understood; many dark nights they had sat aside as he confided in her, all his fears and thoughts. At the core of it all was simply his sense of right and wrong, and the knowledge that Issavan had committed a terrible injustice. There was his love for Arwing, the knowledge that since they survived, Issavan would never let them walk away and return to their lives, and the fear that he might lose her. There was his anger over the plague, his anger at being betrayed and tricked, the blow to his pride, and his frustration and being a pawn in a much larger game. He had risen to a position of leadership in the group and felt a responsibility to them, a responsibility to follow through and end this terrible nightmare they were all trapped in.
She thought it odd that Kzahar, who had suffered the most in losing Arya, had remained so stable and at times the voice of reason that tempered Maston. Perhaps he was still simply too overcome with grief to feel everything else. She knew he blamed Issavan, but more than anything, he blamed himself. Perhaps he simply kept a better handle on his emotions than Maston. Still, she’d seen him change during their approach to Varrock and the battle. He’d withdrawn into himself, said almost nothing, and there was a new look in his eyes, a dangerous gleam that suggested a thirst for blood. Maybe he had simply awaited his chance for vengeance.

27-Jul-2008 19:16:02

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Well, he’d have to fight Maston for the privilege; that much was clear. Perhaps Krystal, too, although chances were she would arrive too late. They were the most vocal and angry of the group; all three were starving for revenge. The question was, who would reach the fleeing emperor first? Her ears began ringing as the sound of Maston’s bellowed promise faded away. Breathless, she moved forward on jelly-like legs to chase after him.
*~*~*~*
In the throne room, Kzahar watched first Maston, then Arwing disappear through the side door. His head had snapped around as he heard Maston’s words. “Issavan’s getting away!” His heartbeat quickened. Like hell Issavan would get away! Of course Maston could catch him, but Kzahar wasn’t about to be denied his own chance at revenge.
“No!” A hand on his arm jerked him around as he bolted toward the door. He looked down to see slender white fingers that barely encircled his forearm, and wrenched away. *Kzahar, you can’t follow them!”
“Why not?” he snarled at Lil. Then suddenly, *duck!” His sword flashed as she fell to the ground, and the corpse of a guardsman tumbled backwards down the steps.
“We need you here! We can’t hold this place on our own!”
“Then leave it!” What did this room matter? “We came here to kill Issavan!” He parried a blow, stabbed the guard in the chest, while she battled off another.
“We came here to take the castle!” she yelled. “Use your head, Kzahar! Maston and Arwing will catch him! We have to wait here and hold back the guards until Rivera comes!”
“My head?” he exclaimed incredulously. “What about my heart, Lil?” Three guards advanced on them. He dispatched one with a kick, sending him flying backwards, then slashed at the second while Lil knocked the third senseless with her truncheon. The second guard batted the blow aside and swept at Kzah**** knees.

27-Jul-2008 19:16:35

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