Sorceress' Blood

by Carl Purcell

  Then all too soon it happened. Santa Claus was telling Ashley about when he was living in the Tower as a student just like her. Ashley sat listening with so much interest that she didn't hear the footsteps on the stairs. She never heard the door open or the unsheathing of a blade. All she saw was Santa Claus' robes suddenly turn red. His voice choked and he gurgled. His face twisted with agony. Ashley watched Santa Claus drop to the ground. They had come for her. They had come with knives and they were marked by tattoos. She'd seen their bald heads before and recognised the dark clothes, stained and dirty and bearing a red picture. They were Thralls and they had come for her. Santa Claus moved. He tried to push himself up. One of the Thralls pushed him back down on the ground. The one next to him lifted his foot and stomped down on his head. Ashley screamed and looked away but she had already seen his skull break. The third Thrall, the biggest of them all, drew his handgun and levelled it at Ashley.

  “Just go ahead and try something.” His voice sounded the way a snake's would if it could talk. Each word was mean and disgusted. Ashley couldn't talk and she couldn't move. “Get her and let's go.”

  “Where are we going?” Ashley forced the words from her mouth.

  “We're taking you to our home. You're going to meet The Sorceress.”

  “No.”

  “You don't have a choice. We've looked long and hard for the heir and now we've found her. That's the only reason we haven't killed you.” The other two Thralls grabbed Ashley's arms so tight that it hurt. The biggest of them all came closer to her. He trod on Santa Claus' body. He raised his gun. Then everything went dark.

  Chapter 6

  Rebecca's slap barely interrupted Lord Edward's laughter.

  “You did what!” Rebecca demanded.

  “I gave her to the Thralls. They want their Sorceress and now I'm giving her to them. It's over, Rebecca.”

  “You bastard.”

  “Whatever you have to say doesn't matter. You've still lost and now the Sorceress will be reborn with the blood of her heir. Go on. Go chase after Ashley.”

  “I will. I will and you won't stop me.”

  “Why would I want to do that? Now go.” Rebecca didn't waste any more words. She turned from Edward's office and ran. She ran as fast as she could down the stairs and through the corridors. She was almost out the door when she ran into Jin with a group of other knights.

  “Rebecca. Where are you going?”

  “Get out of my way!” Rebecca tried to push him aside but Jin easily, instinctively caught her hands and held her in place.

  “What's wrong?”

  “Edward has given Ashley to the Thralls. I have to go stop them.”

  “What? Why would he do that?”

  “Because she's the Sorceress' heir. They'll use her to bring the Sorceress back.”

  “That can't be. Lord Edward swore to stop the Sorceress from returning.”

  “Well, he changed his mind. Now let me go.”

  “We'll go talk to him. You must have made a mistake.”

  “I've got nothing else to say to you, Lord Edward or any of the Knights or the servants. I've had enough!” Rebecca pulled suddenly with her arms and lifted her knee into Jin's crotch. His hands dropped away from Rebecca and he stood in agony.

  “Alright. Alright. I just wanted to help.”

  “Jin, did you really not know anything about this?”

  “No. I thought we were trying to protect you and Ashley.”

  “Then come with me. Do what you're supposed to do and help me stop the Thralls.”

  “Alright. Just give me a second.” Jin's face was red and he was struggling to stand straight.

  “Now!” Rebecca demanded.

  “Alright, alright.” Rebecca kept running and Jin, in spite of his pain, ran with her.

  Rebecca got out the door and turned towards the village. She ran faster than she even knew she could and pushed herself. There wasn't a second to spare and for all she knew, they were already too late. But she wasn't going to roll over and die and she wasn't going to just accept that she'd lost. Ashley was in danger and there had always been only one person who could protect her. She wasn't going to lose her after coming this far. No way in hell.

  “What is your plan?” Jin asked.

  “I'm going to find whatever they've got at the village and take it. A car, a horse, even a cow if I have to. I'm going to get back to the road and head for the city. I'll hitch hike if I have to.”

  “That's it? That's not a plan.”

  “I don't have time to think of something, Jin. I've got to get to Ashley.”

  “Rebecca, you are not thinking. Do you even speak Chinese? Do you know where they took Ashley? How are you going to follow them?” Rebecca slowed to a stop and turned to Jin. He was right and the truth hurt.

  “Then what am I supposed to do?”

  “Lord Edward may have turned on the order but I haven't. I do not know if anyone else has. We'll use the order.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “We will get back to the city just the same way you got out of it. Where do we go from there?”

  “Edward said they'd taken her back to where it all started. I don't know what he means but I'm guessing it's Scotland. That's where the Sorceress was killed, right?”

  “That makes sense. There are a lot of Thralls in an old castle in Scotland. The remains of the Sorceress are supposed to be there as well.”

  “Then let's go.”

  They started running again and now Jin took the lead. They got to the village and Jin explained to the carriage driver what had happened. The man got an alarmed expression and hurried them into his carriage. As soon as Rebecca had set foot into the carriage it was moving. The driver whipped the horses and got them running as fast as they could. The carriage bumped and the wheels creaked. Rebecca closed her eyes and hoped that they wouldn't fall off.

  “The villagers sent a message to the castle. If there's anyone there who still has any honour then we will get picked up at the road.” Jin explained.

  “If he's not there, then what?”

  “Then we go by horse all the way.”

  “Thank you, Jin.”

  The carriage driver didn't let the horses slow down for even a second. They kept going until they saw first sight of the road. There wasn't a car to be seen in either direction. The carriage driver didn't need any instruction, though, and he kept the horses running alongside the road.

  “What does this mean?” Rebecca asked. Jin only shook his head. Further down the road the driver slowed the horses and began to shout. Rebecca looked down the road and saw a familiar black car speeding towards them. Jin and Rebecca jumped from the carriage and into the car. No one said a word. Everyone understood that there wasn't any time to talk. The car turned around and started back the way it came. If there was a speed limit they were breaking it. Like the carriage's driver, the car's driver didn't slow down as long as he was the only one on the road and for a long time he was. Rebecca wanted to break the silence but she didn't have anything to say. Her mind was on Ashley and what they had to do. I'm not going to lose you, she repeated in her mind. That was all she could do for now.

  When the buildings started showing up and other cars appeared on the road, the driver was forced to slow down. He kept moving as fast as he could and even sped through stops signs and red lights when he could. Jin and he spoke briefly while he was doing it and then laughed.

  “What did he say?” Rebecca asked. Something to lighten the mood seemed like what she needed.

  “I asked him if he was worried about breaking all the road laws. He said that it was okay as long as they did not crash. Lord Edward is the one who has to pay all the fines.” Rebecca smiled faintly for a second and then her fear for Ashley stole it. She wasn't sorry to see it go. She couldn't take her mind off what they were doing and, when she was honest with herself, she found that she didn't want to. I'm not going to lose you.

  Before she knew it they'd arrived at the air
port and the driver stopped their car by the fence on the runway.

  “Shouldn't we park closer?”

  “We're not going through the terminal,” Jin said as he climbed out of the car. What he meant became clear to Rebecca as he climbed over the fence separating them. The driver went over next.

  “You're coming too?” Rebecca started to climb.

  “I can do more than drive, you know.”

  “You're a knight?” Rebecca went clumsily over the top of the fence and started to lower herself.

  “Every man in the order is trained as a knight. Even the ones who drive cars,” Jin explained. Rebecca dropped to the ground. She could see the plane she flew into China on with its engines already started. The door was open and someone was wheeling stairs up to it. Without saying anything else, they started to run for the plane. Security spotted them and called for them to stop. They didn't. Rebecca ran faster and told herself she wouldn't let them stop her if they tried. The security guards came chasing after them. They were fast. They started to gain ground on them. Rebecca didn't look back.

  “Keep running.” Jin told them. Neither Rebecca nor the driver had planned to stop. Jin drew his sword and looked back at the guards. His first shot whizzed by the guards. The second one hit the ground at their feet. The third shot sent the guards running for cover. He sheathed his weapon and kept on running. By the time backup security guards had arrived on the scene Rebecca, Jin and the driver were already kicking the stairs away and closing the door.

  “They are telling us not to leave!” The pilot called back at them.

  “Go anyway.” Jin told them and sat down. The driver started laughing.

  “What's so funny?”

  “I have been driving that car for fifteen years. Finally I get to do something fun.” The plane started moving towards the runway and as soon as it got there it headed for the sky.

  “If we crash, I am blaming all of you!” The pilot called from the cockpit. Rebecca sat and braced herself. If she even got out of China alive, she wouldn't be safe. She was just jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire. But she couldn't let them bring back the Sorceress and she couldn't let them hurt Ashley. Rebecca held tight to her arm rests and shut her eyes. She was frightened but she wasn't going to stop now. When the plane left the ground she tightened her grip and braced for the worst.

  Eventually the plane got into the sky and levelled out. Jin placed his hand on Rebecca's shoulder and told her to relax.

  “We made it. We're on our way now. They can't stop us.” Rebecca breathed a sigh of relief and let her muscles all relax.

  “Good. Then next stop is Scotland, right?”

  “It should be. We might need to stop somewhere to refuel but the pilot gave the airport a false flight schedule. He told them we were going to Egypt.”

  “Then we should be okay until we get to Scotland.” Rebecca sighed again. She was as relaxed as she could be. One more battle she marked as a victory. Now there was just one left. Rebecca looked out her window. She was too exhausted to worry much any more. She didn't think they were going to make it. She had her doubts from the moment she left Edward's office. Now things were looking hopeful but that wasn't saying much considering how hopeless their situation was. But it was enough to let Rebecca close her eyes and rest.

  Rebecca dreamt of her home. She was home and she was eating dinner. It tasted good. The pasta was fresh, the cheese was delicious and the thick, red sauce was perfect. She was enjoying her dinner while she watched TV. Then she looked to her side and lying on the couch next to her was Ashley. She'd fallen asleep watching the TV and hadn't even finished her dinner. Rebecca smiled at her and let her go on sleeping. She turned the TV off and kept on eating. She was happy. Life was good.

  Then she woke up. She was on a plane flying over ocean. Life sucked. Everything was still so uncertain and it turned her stomach in circles but she also felt something new. Rebecca's fear of what could happen and the fear that they were too late was replaced by a determination to win. She was going to stop the Thralls and, if she had to, she'd stop the Sorceress. All this was going to end now, one way or another, and then she and Ashley could go home. That's how it was going to be. That's what was going to happen. Rebecca stood up and stretched. The driver was also asleep in one of the seats down the back of the plane. Rebecca found Jin at the front. He'd had the same idea as her and gone looking for food. Jin handed her a small pile of biscuits.

  “We left in such a hurry they did not have time to load anything good.” He explained.

  “Thank you. What about him?” Rebecca looked over her shoulder to the driver.

  “Let him sleep. He can eat when he wakes up.”

  “Where are we?”

  “I'm not sure. We haven't made our first stop yet. So we must still be over the pacific.”

  “Where are we stopping?”

  “The pilot said we will be stopping in Canada and then in Greenland. From there we go to Scotland.”

  “Isn't that a roundabout way of getting there? Jin, we're in a hurry.”

  “It was the safest way of travelling. No one will expect us to go this way.”

  “Alright. I just hope we're not too late.”

  “If they do revive the Sorceress before we get there, I'm sure we'll know. Her first action will be to destroy the order.”

  “Great.” Rebecca sat down and began to nibble on her biscuits. Jin took one of his and threw it down the plane. The biscuit hit the driver on the head.

  “Pan Wĕi! Wake up!”

  “I thought we were letting him sleep?”

  “He can sleep later. We should plan.”

  Pan Wĕi stirred and rubbed his head. He yawned, stretched and got up. He shouted back at Jin, something in Chinese. He stumbled his way up the aisle and then sat by Jin and Rebecca.

  “What is it?”

  “We need to have a plan. We are going right into the enemy's home,” Jin told him.

  “You could not wait until I'd slept?”

  “No. You can sleep after.”

  “Alright. Well then, what's the plan?”

  “Well, we should probably start by getting help. When we land you should call ahead to the Order in Scotland,” Rebecca suggested. Jin and Pan Wĕi exchanged glances but didn't say anything. “What? What did I say? Don't just look at each other like that and go quiet!”

  “There's no Order in Scotland,” Jin told her.

  “How can there not be an Order in Scotland? That's where the Order started, isn't it? Isn't Scotland where it began?”

  “A hundred years ago the Order was driven out of Scotland by the Thralls. They're strongest there and they keep it that way. Any time the Order tried to get back in they've been killed before they could establish themselves.”

  “Then where's the closest castle?”

  “There's a small group of knights in London. There's no castle and no Halford Lord. The UK is just too dangerous for there to be a lot of knights.”

  “Then call them. They'll meet us at the airport.”

  “I'll call them. But we're not going to the airport.”

  “Why not?”

  “The Thralls will be expecting us. If we go to the airport they'll kill us as soon as we're off the plane.”

  “Then what do we do? Sail in by boat?”

  “We jump.” Pan Wĕi said as if it was the most normal thing in the world. “We fly in low and we jump. That will put us right there where we need to be. Fast and safe.”

  “You think jumping out of a plane is safe?”

  “Safer than fighting out way there through Thralls.”

  “And what about the knights in London?”

  “We just have to wait and see what they say,” Jin answered.

  “Oh great!” Rebecca sat back in her seat and sighed. “Some plan. The three of us jump out of a plane into the heart of enemy territory and go alone against the world's largest army of Thralls with nothing but tooth and nail, I suppose?”

  “That's
not quite what we had in mind.”

  “No? Were you planning to look around for a pointed stick first?”

  “This plane belongs to the Order.” Jin stood up. “I'll show you what I mean.”

  At the back of the little jet, under a seat, was a box. Jin slid the box out from under the seat. Rebecca noticed another just like it under the next seat. Jin slid the top off the box and Rebecca understood what he meant. Fastened in black foam, within the box, were four arming swords just like Jin carried. Jin took two of them and handed one to Rebecca.

  “Pan Wĕi, come and get a sword!”

  “So we go in guns blazing? I guess it's an improvement.”

  “You should not worry so much.” Jin put the box back under the seat and handed the other sword to Pan Wĕi.

  “Why shouldn't she?” Pan Wĕi asked as he inspected his sword. “We're two knights and one untrained women fighting every Thrall in Scotland. We will probably die before we hit the ground.” Jin scolded him in Chinese.

  “No. He's right. You don't need to sugar coat it for me. We've got to try, right? For Ashley and for the world.”

  “Right.” Jin nodded and gave Rebecca a pat on the shoulder. “You sound just like a real knight.” Rebecca didn't say anything. No one said anything. Everyone found their own seats and sat down. Rebecca listened to the sound of the engines and looked down at the first sign of land beneath them. They would make their first stop soon.