by Billy Wong
"More like, I'd kill you for doing that," she replied with a chuckle, and pulled a blow that would have cut him in half in a real fight.
Ethan tested the balance of the sword in his hand, though he obviously had no idea what he was doing. "Wow, it's heavy."
Rose lowered her sword and told the commander, "Good match. See you tomorrow, okay?" With a glance at Ethan, he left. She walked over to her love's side, smiling. "That sword's way too big for you."
"But I see men my size wielding such things all the time."
"They're your size, but they aren't beginners. You are. Here, take mine." He reached out doubtfully, clearly noticing its even greater size, and she drew it back with a laugh. "Hell no! I was kidding. You'd hurt your shoulder swinging mine, and it's sharp besides. No, the sword you're holding's fine to start with, though it'll take some getting used to. It's not that heavy, really. The length just makes it feel that way."
"I thought so. I've seen rookies training with them, back in Geben."
"So you want to learn to fight? Why?"
"Not much use for my code anymore when most everybody who followed it's dead, and broke it in the end anyway. I guess sometimes, you really do have to fight."
Rose frowned. "The code was a good idea. Better amended to not fighting except when you have to, though."
"I know. So how do you use this thing? Do you whack them like it's a club, but with the sharp side?"
She laughed. "Sometimes. But what's great about a sword is all the things you can do with it. You can stab, slash, bludgeon... and it's probably the best weapon to parry with. Defense is just as important as offense, if you want to survive when you fight."
"That's why you have a shield, right?"
"Yeah, and because I was taught with one. It's nice. It's more than just a blocking tool, if you know what you're doing."
"I've seen that. You almost killed Pierce with the thing."
Rose smiled. Thinking back, she couldn't help being a little impressed with herself—especially after she'd taken that wound. She should've been so dead. "I think I'll just teach you the basics first. Pick up your sword like this, okay?"
"Don't hurt me," Ethan said, and she smiled as he tensed and met her eyes. That was a good start.
#
She was no master at the art of sword instruction, and so couldn't really make a good judgement about his potential as they finished for the night. However, he certainly worked hard and knew how to listen; good traits in learning anything. "You're doing good," she said.
"You think so? I'm pretty clumsy."
"I think most beginners are."
"Were you?"
"Not really, except at the very beginning."
He nodded. "I figured as much. Someday, you're going to be better than all of them. The greatest warrior in the world, and I'm glad she'll be on the good side."
"Greatest in the world? The world's a big place."
"That's true. But you're sixteen years old and already took it to Pierce. He's one of Volston's best, you know, and Volston's not a small place."
"Yeah, but they're barbarians there. I don't think I'll ever do things like what I hear in the stories about Wilner and the like. Turning rivers red with blood and such."
"Don't sell yourself short. Minstrels' tales tend to be exaggerated, anyway."
Rose looked at him. "Why are you suddenly so interested in combat, anyway? You used to hate it so much... I think it was better that way."
"I'm interested because of you. You're a great warrior, and a great person besides. You make me think it isn't always so bad, when the person's fighting for what they believe's right."
"Everybody fights for what they think is right, even men like Pierce. Doesn't make it so."
"But you fight for what is right."
She did believe that—just like everyone else. "But I don't like fighting. I just do it when the alternative would be even worse."
"That's what I plan to do, too."
"I know. It just scares me that you might die."
"You think I don't get scared for you? You got gutted right before my eyes!"
So? Rose was a hypocrite, and would freely admit to it. Just because she insisted on the freedom to charge into battle risking her life, didn't mean she wanted the people she cared about to do the same. "I don't want to see you die."
He gaped at her, clearly startled by the tears in her eyes. "I know I won't ever be as good as you. But I trust you. You'll protect me."
Since when was she capable of protecting anyone? When it came down to it, few people could be. In battle, a warrior always had to focus on surviving herself. It was hard to watch out for someone else. "I'll try. I hope we never have to fight together, though. I'd be too worried for you."
"What if I got better?"
"You're so brave. I love you."
He seemed to see the evasion for what it was, but didn't press it. "Where do you think we should go? We've been here for a while."
"Are Gary and Oliver going to come with us?"
"Gary's decided to stay here and become a soldier again, because of you I suppose. As for Oliver, he's still down, but he said he's going back to Dunwal."
"How about we go with him?"
"I don't know. I don't really want to confront the families of my friends who died."
While she hadn't known them nearly as well as he, she knew that would be depressing to her, too. Of course, it would be infinitely worse for him. "Okay. You can come with me, to meet my parents. I'm sure they'd be happy to see I've found someone to love."
"Why? You shouldn't have any trouble."
Of course he'd say that. She smiled. "You make me so happy, you know."
"I know."
"So you want to go, or not?"
"Sure." They slept happily that night, packed their things, and set out the next morning.
#
"My time's running out," Pierce said as he tried to drag himself out of bed. "I can't fail Anram now, not after he's given me a part of the divine. He wouldn't forgive it."
Conrad pushed him back down. "Your body's been weakened by your wounds, and so has its ability to fight the plague." The big, lightly bearded warrior frowned. "If you don't rest, you'll soon die."
"I'm going to die anyway. I'd be better off giving his gift to however many I can, than letting what's left go to waste."
"If only that stupid girl hadn't ruined everything. I should have killed her that day."
"You tried. You failed."
"I know, and I'm sorry. But she's a strong one, isn't she?"
"Stronger than anyone I've ever faced. A demoness. It'd be no shame to die at her blade."
"My lord?"
"For all my talk of waste, I can't get up. I think I truly am dying."
"No! You can't die. I thought I'd found my kindred soul in Lennox, only for that iron Rose to snatch his life away, and then I came back to my homeland and found you... I won't let her take you, too."
Pierce smiled. "Good man. What is it that makes you think you and I alike?"
"I like to... I like to send souls to Anram's domain."
"Where they belong, eh?"
"Yes. My lord, I wish you wouldn't give up. She survived."
His heart almost stopped right there. "She what?!"
"My spies in Jugeld tell me she left just the other day, with her soft woman-boy of a lover at her side."
"It's impossible. I tore her organs to shreds on my blade."
"But it's true, I'm sure of it. They wouldn't mistake her. She lives."
This was unacceptable. It'd seemed a decent way to die, sharing a fatal battle with a warrior as amazingly determined and unyielding as her. But for her to live and him to die, even when he should have had the fight on skill alone...
"I don't want to die, Conrad. I refuse it! Help me. I want to survive; I will fight!"
The warrior nodded eagerly. "I'll help you any way I can. But how?"
"I don't know. I have to be stronger, I
have to hold this death at bay. Tell me how, Anram. Allow your servant to live another day."
Conrad sat there quietly for a while. Then he suggested, "If we could find a cure for your... illness, you should be able to keep your life."
"A what for my what? This is the blessing of Anram, my ultimate weapon. I can't throw it away."
Conrad seemed to struggle at figuring out what he wanted to say. "My lord, I don't think you're the only one who was given the... blessing. I think many of your men were too."
Pierce was taken aback. But he was the ruler of the Vlin people! How could he be just one bearer of Anram's blessing, and even the one who got sick? "Are you saying I am too weak to carry out his will?"
"N-no! I'm not saying that at all. Maybe... maybe the god's testing you, by making you ill. Seeing if you'll do what's right, for his and everyone's sake."
"And what do you think would be right?"
"For you to be healed, and survive. You'll do more in a long life, than wasting all the years to come by letting yourself die."
He wanted to believe it, but had to ask, "But how do you know there are others who carry the god's blessing? How do I know you're not trying to trick me into betraying my faith?"
"Other men have gotten sick, like you. I'll show you." He exited, and returned shortly with a light-skinned Vlin with a hint of the sharp features common in a Coblander from far to the north. The man's legs were covered in boils, which had begun to spread to his lower belly. "See? He's got it, same as you."
It was true. Though Pierce was relieved he might have a chance to live, the realization he was not so unique irritated him. "Conrad, am I only deluding myself? If other men can enjoy Anram's glory as I, what makes me so worthy of ruling them all?"
Conrad stood there in silence, and Pierce knew he was mentally scrambling for a decent answer. "How long have you lived with this plague, my lord?"
"Half a year. Why?"
"All the others Anram choses die within a month, if not less. But you haven't died. You are strong, my lord, and that is why you rule. No other could have matched the demoness as you did. No one would have survived her dagger to the neck."
Pierce was satisfied. "Conrad... how do you plan on helping me survive? I know no cure for the god's blight."
"There are many relics left in the world from the time when men could do things to rival the power of gods, and among them those which can healed the doomed. I'll go and find one for you, my lord. I swear it."
"Don't swear lightly."
"I don't. But I've failed enough times. I won't do it again."
Pierce hoped not. He really didn't want to die.
#
Rose felt as happy as she could ever remember as she knocked on the door of her own house, a smile on her face. "Don't you have keys?" Ethan asked.
"I lost them, and everything in my belt pouch, when Pierce gutted me. He cut the belt, and I haven't seen anything in it since that day."
"I thought you small-town folk hid keys outside just in case you lost yours."
Hullel wasn't that small a town. More like a small city in her eyes, though the distinction could be tough to make. She certainly didn't know everyone in town by name. "That's a stupid idea. There's only so many places to hide a key outside, and people are going to find it without much trouble."
"Who would want to rob your house here?"
Being used to big, busy Dunwal, he must have found Hullel a quiet, peaceful little place. "You know who Reese Thith was?"
"No, never heard of... him?"
"You guess right. He was a filthy robber and murderer who would steal children from their parents to sell as slaves. A year ago, he showed up quite nearby."
"What happened?"
"I killed him."
He frowned, and they kept waiting for the door to open. A few seconds later, Rose knocked again. "I'm taking a bath!" Lise yelled from inside.
"All right, Mom!" She turned to Ethan, and they had begun to make out when the door burst open and a bathrobe-covered Lise stood with wide eyes in the doorway.
"Who's this?" she asked in a surprised voice.
Flushing, Rose stepped out of his arms. "This is Ethan. I love him."
"And I her," he added proudly.
"I can see that. Where have you been?"
They went inside and talked. Rose reviewed the events of the past few months, trying to skim over the battles as much as she could. Lise wouldn't like hearing about the pincushion incident, nor the gutting. "So you fought Pierce to a stalemate?" Lise asked in an astonished voice.
"I don't know if you could say that; he hurt me a lot more than I hurt him. But I suppose I held my own well enough."
"Might he... come after you?"
Rose hoped not. She didn't need such a powerful leader on her back. "Don't worry, Mom. He's almost dead, anyway. Even if he does hold a grudge, he won't live long with it."
"Oh, yes, the plague. Gods, I hope that doesn't spread here."
"It's far away. Kayland's a big place."
"I don't know, Rose," Ethan put in. "I've heard of disease sweeping entire empires, in older times."
She poked him with an elbow. Geez, he didn't need to be worrying her mom like that! "It's not that bad. Prince Victor will keep it under control."
Lise frowned. "You put too much faith in heroes."
"Why shouldn't I? They're the ones who determine the course of history."
"Sometimes. More often it's the deeds of peaceful men with strong minds who change the world. Warriors just make for better listening, that's why they're talked about so much."
"You're right," Ethan said, "but even men of peace have to know when to fight."
Rose couldn't help smiling. It was still an odd thing to hear from him, but she certainly agreed. "If I were anybody important, I'd like to know just when to talk and when to fight. For others who just want the best for their people, or whatever, I'd rather try and find a compromise. But men whose ways are rooted firmly in evil, I wouldn't spare for the sake of harmful lives."
"I still think anyone can be reformed."
"Maybe you're right. But it's a matter of if it's worth it to take the time, when they might be killing thousands of innocents as you try to talk them into a better life."
"You're right, as always."
Glancing at the silent Lise, Rose saw tears in her eyes. "Mom, what's wrong?"
"You know, we heard terrible things about you when you were away. For a while, we thought you'd be dead, and even when we learned you were alive we worried you would come home a cripple. I'm so glad it was all lies."
The wounds, she realized. Stories must have spread of the mortal wounds she'd taken and survived. She hugged her mother. "It's okay. I'm okay."
"They're making a hero of you," Lise breathed. "They say you're an indestructible demoness, who can't die. I know you're strong, but you mustn't let such things get to your head. I don't know anything about fighting, and even I know overconfidence is a warrior's bane..."
"I won't, Mom." She didn't think she couldn't die. She was just incredibly hard to kill—but that, she definitely kept in mind. It wouldn't do her allies any good if she were to lie down and curl up over any little wound. Of course, that meant she was doomed to many scars, if she lived long enough. She was already marked up pretty bad. "But don't worry, I don't plan to fight for a long time."
"I'm glad. Let me go cook you two some lunch. You look hungry."
"What are we going to do?" Ethan asked as Lise left the table.
"I don't know. Hang around, I guess. Anyplace you've always dreamed of going?"
"I've already been to most of those places."
Rose smiled. "We didn't waste any time starting our lives."
"Nope. What about you? Where do you want to go?"
She thought about it. "I've already been to Dunwal once, but I don't think I stayed long enough for my needs. You?"
"I've been there for quite a bit of time. But I doubt it'd be boring to be back again
."
"Good. Betcha we'll have a good time."
"Rose, where do you think we should settle down?"
She stared at him. "Settle down? I'm sixteen! Give it a few years, will you? I haven't begun to live the adventuring life!"
#
But seeing Lise and Rick's happiness at having Rose back home they decided not to go to Dunwal after all, for the moment anyway. Rose spent much of her time helping Rick in his blacksmith's shop, and to her surprise Ethan seemed somewhat intimidated by her father. Eventually, Rick went out of town to sell his wares, and she was left temporarily in charge of the shop.
Visiting her in the inferno, Ethan said, "So you're a blacksmith too, huh? Must have been good preparation to become a warrior, knowing your way around weapons. Not to mention the strong arms it got you."
"Actually, I was a warrior first and then a blacksmith. Dad never would teach me, until I came back from my stint in RIEL." She looked at him and frowned. "Take off your shirt. You look like you're going to pass out from the heat."
He took it off, and she grinned. His body was lean and athletic, a far cry from her own massive, huge-limbed frame. "You made your own weapons, huh?"
"Of course. How could you tell?"
"They're a lot bigger than what I see on most soldiers. Hey, you think you could make me a sword?"
She considered it happily, and found that she had a better idea. "I'll do you one better. How about we make it together?"
"I don't know a thing about blacksmithing."
"I'll teach you, just like I'm teaching you how to fight."
"Is it hard?"
"It's not so hard. Might take a few tries the first time, but we can live with that." He walked slowly closer, staring at the sparks that flew as she struck the red-hot metal on which she worked. She laughed. "Don't worry. A few little burns never killed anybody."
#
"How's it going?" Rose yelled from inside the house, watching with a smile while Ethan and Ed sparred in the yard under a relentless rain. She took a sip from her bowl of soup, and frowned as Ed tagged her love with a slash at the leg.
"What are we doing out here?" Ethan asked as he swung the sword he'd made with Rose at his tall opponent. "Do we really need to practice fighting in the rain?"
