by Thomas Green
Miranda smiled. “That’s how things go around here. You work for us and the Order shields you from the rest of the world.”
“But… why?”
“You are at five successes out of five missions, half of which were senior-level.” Miranda pulled a thick cigar from beneath her tunic and reached for a torch to light it up.
Luna’s eyes widened. “How is the Order… better than the Slaver Union?”
“The Order is made of two parts, the military, and the clergy. The latter is the noble part, the one that makes the world a better place while the former, well, that’s us. We don’t bother to pretend we are more worthy than the slavers or anyone else. But, in the wasteland we leave behind, the clergy steps up and changes things for the better.”
Luna shook her head. Should she had been okay with what she had done? To move along as if nothing happened? Because she seemed to be the only person who cared about murdering innocent children.
Miranda sat by the side of the balcony. “Cover me for a bit.” She pulled off her boots, revealing legs wrapped in blood-soaked bandages.
Luna stared as she unwrapped the wet cloth, revealing horribly scarred feet, covered by freshly reopened wounds. “What happened?”
“I thought my rank was high enough to get away with anything.” She smiled painfully as she applied fresh bandages to the bleeding scars. “I was wrong.” She put the boots back on and stood up. “And to be fair, I deserved every lash of the whip I got.”
Luna stared at her, wondering how was she not shouting in pain. I guess she’s tougher than she looks. She measured Miranda with a leer and then forced her eyes away not to stare, leaning onto the balcony.
“Would you please help me a little?” Miranda asked.
Luna turned and saw she removed her tunic, revealing a back covered by bleeding scars.
Miranda gave her a jar with an ointment, accompanying the gesture with the most charming smile Luna had ever seen. “Please rub it into the wounds.”
Enthralled and horrified at the same time, Luna did as Miranda asked, gently applying the greenish cream onto the scars. Since the wounds were evident marks of whipping, Luna couldn’t help herself but ask, “for what were you punished?”
“Insubordination.” Miranda forced out a painful smile. “I thought that even if I were to be punished, my boss wouldn’t have the guts to do it properly. He did.”
This much whipping for so little? Luna gulped, eyes wide. “What’s wrong with this world?”
Miranda dragged from the cigar and blew green smoke from the corner of her mouth. “I’ve seen no other. I heard things were different back when the entire continent belonged to the Old Kingdom. But that might be mere stories. It doesn’t matter though, for this is the only world we know.”
“Then… shouldn’t we try to make it better?”
Miranda kept smoking the cigar. “I’ve tried that. Didn’t go well. But I wonder if I couldn’t have made a difference, couldn’t have used my strength for other things than killing others, than destroying what someone else had built… if I couldn’t have become that someone else, someone better.”
Luna stared at how she suddenly didn’t appear as a veteran soldier, but as a beaten up girl lost in the world she didn’t understand. She was finished with the lotion, so she gently put the tunic back over Miranda’s shoulders.
Miranda continued, “and I wonder, how many of the people who could do what I couldn’t, who would have succeeded where I failed, were among the tens… hundreds of thousands of those who died by my hand or upon my command. Would the world have been a better place if I had never been born? I will never know.” Something caught her eye, and she turned toward the main hall. “Sneaky bastard.” In an instant, the confused girl full of doubt was gone, replaced by the face of the most proficient assassin in the history of the Palai Order.
Luna followed her eyes to look in the same direction. Her vision was shaking and tilting, making her see nothing of interest. Undisturbed, she pretended to be watching something, as if she knew what Miranda was looking at.
“Hold this.” Miranda handed her the cigar.
Luna took the rolled-up leaves and pressed them against her lips. She drew smoke into her lungs but coughed as it entered her throat.
I expected her to laugh. Luna looked at her and saw she stood straight with her hand on the hilt of her sword.
Steps approached them, so Luna turned and realized she knows the man in green-brown robes.
Count Salazar stood before them and was not amused. “I see you have decided to poison my castle’s air.”
Miranda laughed. “Sounds as if you wanted to join us.”
Luna gulped, wondering how embarrassing would leaping off the balcony be. This conversation was a disaster because any wrong word would rob her of the last city where she wouldn’t be hunted after the tournament, so the garden two stories below was an appealing escape route.
The beast scoffed. ‘I won’t let you ruin the night.’ He pushed through her will, entering her body, taking over.
Get out of me! Luna screamed in her mind, but couldn’t do anything. She became a stranger in her own body while the beast stretched, getting accustomed to her form. She cleared her throat. “That would be a waste of a cigar.” She took a demonstrative drag.
Salazar arched an eyebrow. “While I do love the pre-fight banter, I can’t but notice you aren’t quite the person I had invited from your team.”
The beast ruling Luna’s body scoffed. “Raven’s busy preparing to cut your head off.”
Salazar smiled. “I was a bit nervous I would come off as inappropriately intimidating, but I see that is not an issue.”
The beast laughed through her. “If I were you, I would be more worried about that captain girl of yours. She looks tasty.” The beast forced her to lick her lips as he imagined swallowing Katherine’s head. Luna wanted to retch at the image, but could do nothing but see through herself as if she was a puppet controlled by someone else.
“Anyway.” Salazar turned to Miranda. “I am here to inquire about how many people you plan to murder tonight to prepare my guard.”
“None.” Miranda sighed. “I’m here to look pretty next to the archbishop and no, not by choice.”
“Then I wish you a pleasant evening.” Salazar spun on his heel and left, wearing a satisfied smirk.
The beast sneered, shaking her head. “Did he ignore me?”
“Give me that!” Miranda pried the cigar out of Luna’s hand.
Her vision stained with green. All colors turned sharper, all sound became more vivid, and smells more intoxicating. Through her, the beast weaved to grab Miranda from behind and drew in her scent of myrrh.
Miranda softly gripped her hands. “I need to go do my job now, so you stay around and be ready for me when I’m done. Understand?”
‘Shame.’ The beast withdrew, allowing Luna to control her body once more. She hid her rage and disappointment and released Miranda, watching her slide into the hall to join Archbishop Nashimaeal. Her stomach reminded her of its presence, so she sought the food-laden tables. The variety pleased her. She avoided using the silverware made of silver and grabbed the small pieces of meat, eating with bare hands. It earned her a few awkward stares, but a single glance at the silver fork stabbed into nearby steak convinced her they were worth it.
She ignored the staring people and glanced around for something to do or someone to talk with.
Her eyes rested on a blonde girl in a dashing blue dress. Yvonne. This might be fun. Luna glided through the hall, arriving at Yvonne’s side. “Hi.”
She raised an eyebrow and smiled politely. “Do we… know each other?”
“I’m Luna from team Illysaeas.”
“Ah!” Yvonne’s face twisted into an awkward smile. “The monster girl.”
With a sinking heart, Luna watched Yvonne recoil into a defensive posture with crossed arms. “Yes. I’m sorry. I… was just curious why you are doing the tournament?”
<
br /> Yvonne shook her head. “What do you mean?”
“Why would you join a tournament where you fight to the death? You are gorgeous, sing beautifully, and are a skilled aether wielder, so why get killed in the arena?”
Yvonne smiled. “Because of Mark. He quit adventuring in the past, but he had quintuplets and, well, colleges are expensive. He took large loans to get his children into the universities in Xona and couldn’t pay, so when the tournament came up, he reassembled the old team and won the qualifiers.”
Luna stared at her, mouth gaping.
“As for me…” Yvonne looked with glazed eyes across the hall, tracing the movement of the tall adventurer Luna figured was Mark. “… I have been singing in the local opera, but I couldn’t tell him no.”
“Why?” Luna squeezed out of herself.
“He saved me when I was young. My home village was raided and burned down by the slavers. My parents managed to hide me in a barrel before they were killed, but it was Mark who found me and accepted me into his group, who raised me as his own.” She turned back to Luna. “And you? Why are you in the tournament?”
Luna forced an awkward smile. “I worked in the smithy of my father’s friend, but I caused too much trouble so I thought I would start my own life. One where I didn’t destroy the lives of others with my… issues.”
Yvonne smile and not in a mocking way. “That’s nice. How’s Rael, by the way? I made Salazar invite him, but I haven’t seen him anywhere.”
Of course, she knows Raven is Rael. Luna turned her eyes to the ground. “He’s not coming, sorry.”
Yvonne sighed, clearly disappointed. “Why?”
“He doesn’t want to let Salazar get a read on him.”
“He wants to win, doesn’t he?” Yvonne conjured a slight smile. “I hope he will remember me when the tournament ends.”
Luna nodded. “I will make sure to remind him if he doesn’t.”
Yvonne’s face lightened up. “That’s so sweet, thank you.”
“What about the others?” Luna motioned to the two men and women who loitered around Mark.
“Ah, Zacharias, Ludwig, and Linda. Zacharias was in a different adventuring group, but they got captured by demon snakes in the Cotton Woods. We managed to save only him and, well, he’s been with us since then, saying he has to repay his debt to Mark.”
Luna grabbed a glass from a passing waiter and downed its contents.
Yvonne did the same. “Ludwig and Linda are old friends of Mark. They formed our band together when the bird demons of the east leveled their village—”
“And Mark saved them,” Luna interrupted her.
Yvonne nodded. “Plus, their daughter was struck by a rare disease a few years ago, so they have their own pile of debts to pay.”
Luna shook her head. “You must quit the tournament after the Xona round.”
Yvonne stared at her. “Why?”
“Because we fight in Redwall and I really, really don’t want to have to fight your group.”
“We can’t do that since we always finish what we start.”
Luna’s insides tightened, turning her voice desperate. “Seriously, Yvonne, quit the tournament. If it’s about money, I have something, and I will win some more so I can help them, just… please don’t force me to fight you.”
Yvonne shook her head. “You are sweet, but we cannot do that.”
Luna sighed. “Would you please go to our match here in Xona, sit in the first row and watch?”
“Of course, why?”
“I will show you why you have to quit.”
Yvonne smiled. “Sure.”
Luna left the table. Miranda already stood on the balcony, gazing over the city ahead. Luna tried to steel herself to wash away the fear and doubt that crawled up on her, and to clench her stomach to swat the butterflies. She couldn’t, standing petrified and red as an old tomato.
The beast took over, straightened her back and wrapped her arms around Miranda from behind, breathing in the scent of myrrh.
Miranda smiled and relaxed into her embrace. “Let’s dance.”
‘See? This is how it’s done.’ With satisfied laughter, the beast withdrew from her.
They spent the entire night on the dance floor.
Luna barely had the strength to stand when the light of dawn punched through the decorative curtains. Miranda’s emerald eyes framed by her crimson hair filled Luna’s vision while the scent of myrrh blended with Miranda’s sweat was all Luna could smell. As if within a dream, Luna walked outside the palace.
Miranda leaned to Luna to peck a swift kiss on her cheek. “That was fun. See you in two days.”
Luna stood stunned at the square. Miranda slid out of Luna’s arms and disappeared into thin air. More than a minute later did Luna finally realize that Miranda was gone. Not sure if awake or dreaming, she returned to the Alnil temple. She crashed under the chestnut tree and fell asleep, her nose still full of Miranda’s scent, her eyes seeing nothing but Miranda’s face, her mind utterly intoxicated by her touch.
28
Luna
Luna lay on the grass, staring at the clouds dancing upon the sky. The music of chirping birds and buzzing insects stood the perfect background to her thoughts.
Raven entered her view. “Need to go since the match’s coming up.”
I don’t want to fight in some stupid match! Luna rolled to the side, looking away from him. “I’m busy.”
“The sky won't disappear.”
But Miranda could have! Luna had to be ready for the next date, or actually, mission. Definitely a mission. So she couldn’t get torn up in a fight. She lay still, her heart pounding at the thought of Miranda.
“Didn’t think you would quit so easily.” Raven spun on his heel and started walking away.
Wait for a second. I made a promise to Yvonne! Luna leapt up to her feet, put on her brigandine, tied her mud brown hair into a ponytail and followed him. She caught him smirking before his aether covered his face with a shimmer, turning his visage into an image of heavenly beauty.
The city square swarmed with people trying to get to the arena. As they approached, everyone gawked and opened them a path to let them pass.
A murmur passed through the crowd, low at first, but gradually increased. The murmur turned into words, the words into cheers. Raven and Luna entered the complex under thunderous applause. The entire marble building shook as if hit by an earthquake. They could hear the cheering masses even when they reached the preparation room.
The Rapacious Reavers awaited them, their uniforms polished to perfection, their faces wearing relieved smiles.
“Thought we wouldn’t show up?” Raven asked to break the silence.
Finubar chuckled. “Yes, though we found it suspicious that Prince Stallington didn’t seem disturbed when you disappeared from the arena complex.”
“Needed to handle something. For the match, I need to do as little as possible to hide my aether from Salazar. Think you can win without me?”
Finubar shrugged. “Probably. The enemy team is the slavers from Slupsey. They have two somewhat capable spell casters and one large creature. If Luna is up to the task, we should manage.”
Raven poked Luna’s shoulder to wake her up from her daze.
“Sorry, what, where?” she stuttered in confusion.
Raven threw her an amused smile. “Match is about to start.”
“Sure.” Luna walked to the platform leading up to the arena. Raven and the Reavers followed.
The arena was an oval stadium with a river at its midst. Grass covered the ground while trees and stumps stood scattered across the grounds. Only two narrow bridges arched over the twenty-feet-wide river. The entire stadium exploded into thunderous cheers the moment Raven entered, chanting his name.
The announcer tried to calm down the crowd, in vain. He shrugged and sent his assistant to their team to bring them a parchment.
Finubar rolled out the scroll and stood so everyone could gather
to see.
This is so annoying! Luna ignored them, staring at the sky, imagining the clouds form Miranda’s face. With the corner of her eye, she caught the others discussing something.
Across the stadium was the enemy team, whose members were also reading from a parchment. Luna measured them with a quick glance, seeing they consisted of nine people and a demon. The men and women wore matching uniforms of brown and blue while six of them were encased in steel plates and the remaining three in leather tunics.
The creature next to them was a blend of a horse and a man. Four hooved legs supported its massive animal-like body while its human-shaped upper half stood straight, reaching over ten feet into the air. Plates of steel covered its chest while its thick hands held a gargantuan battleaxe.
Luna scoffed and turned her gaze back to the sky. I wonder if a shorter hair wouldn’t suit me better. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed the bright blue dress of Yvonne.
I need to keep my promise! Luna looked around and saw the Reavers were dashing toward the two thin bridges, a proof of the referee already starting the match.
Wolfie, let’s make this a massacre. She invited the beast in, but not fully, not under its true name. Its strength filled her body and intoxicated her mind. Luna took a deep breath and roared. An explosion of sound left her mouth, shaking the entire arena, silencing the crowd if only for an instant. She bolted ahead, straight toward the enemy team’s monster.
She reached the river within but a moment and jumped across as if it were a little forest stream. Her feet dug into the ground when she landed, but the momentum pushed her forward into a roll. Luna didn’t lose her balance, continuing her charge at the massive creature. The demon bolted toward her, battleaxe ready.
Luna sped up. The air whistled by her ears and slashed at her eyes while small flies kept hitting her in the face. The monster swung down the axe. Luna slid beneath the blade, straight under the creature’s body. She caught its left, rear leg and planted her foot into the ground. The sudden break made all her muscles scream with pain. She shifted her weight, channeling the momentum into her upper half and twisted to pull on the leg.
