by Billy Wong
"What can I say? I was trying to teach those kids how to be proper warriors, and their softness warranted some tough discipline. Though your way worked well enough in retrospect."
"Damn, has it been seven years already? Soon we'll be raising grandchildren in our old age."
Finn looked at her. "Have the years gone by that quickly, in your eyes?"
"Not when we were living them, I suppose. It felt like an eternity sometimes, when things were hard. But now that they've passed..."
"You might be right. We can't remember everything, so our memory feels a lot shorter than when it happened." He touched her cheek, badly scarred like every other part of her. "Though, you have the benefit of practically having a written record of your battles on you to help you recall."
She pictured herself naked in the mirror and shuddered. She'd been pierced in just about every important place, burned all over, suffered many broken bones and taken innumerable cuts. Though she somehow survived, she wondered if even her remarkable constitution would allow her to live a long, full life. "Let's not talk about that. I'm thankful enough to still be alive."
"Alive, and beautiful as always." He kissed her. "Don't worry, Rose. I'll take you over any girl in this life."
She giggled, happy tears forming in her eyes. "You're so good to me, you big old sweetheart."
"Hey, don't call me old."
"Well, you are," she teased.
"Thirty-three isn't that old. Besides, women age faster."
"Can you tell, under all my scars?" He shook his head, and she hugged him. "Love you forever anyway, old man." Rose sobered. "By the way, you don't mind me dragging you along like this, do you?"
"No, what gives you that idea? I always look forward to a good fight."
"I kind of wish we never had to change," she said softly.
"What do you mean, change?"
Even after rediscovering the art of spellcasting, founding a center for magical study, getting married, and having kids, right now their lives didn't feel all that different from the early days. "We might have to someday, and maybe soon. Our kids aren't babes anymore, and we should probably be home for them more. Some people would say we, and especially I, should be there now."
Finn frowned. "Some people like who, Loreen? Hmph. Wouldn't have expected a tough one like her to think like that, but I guess women are different in the end. You needn't worry. We've always figured out a solution, and for bigger challenges than raising our kids."
Rose didn't know about that. Her mother had always told her that child-rearing was the greatest of challenges in a woman's life—then again, mom never fought the dark lords she had. "I hope so. I don't want to lose all my freedom."
"Even after all the suffering your 'free' life has cost you?"
"You've been with me for most of it, and you still love the fight."
He chuckled. "Yeah, but I'm an insensitive brute. I didn't take as much hurt outside or inside."
"And I'm a tough girl. Doesn't matter if I've been hurt, I still want to keep helping people. As for not getting hurt, don't tell you didn't suffer when we were estranged, or when that Lost ran me through and took the life of our babe."
"It hurt, sure. But you're the one who's full of guilt all the time."
"As long the good I do outweighs the bad I feel, I don't mind."
Finn shook his head, smiling. "I love that spirit."
Rose looked around and then at him. "You want to show me your love, while Mick's away?"
"Now?"
"When else? Hope he doesn't come back while we're at it, but I'm sure we'd hear him."
"And this... would be another reason why you're great." He grabbed her roughly, making her squeal in delight. Lying down by the fire, they went to work on each other's clothes.
#
A long time later, Finn rolled out of Rose's arms onto his back, covered in sweat. He couldn't imagine having a better wife. "Okay, that's enough. You win the endurance contest, as always."
She too was covered with sweat, but wore a wide grin on her face. "Come on, just a little more. What do you say?"
"Nah, you've said that three times already. And the last yes I gave, was seriously the last for the night."
"Oh, fine. It is already past dinnertime. I'm hungry."
Finn laughed. "It might be a good thing he's taking so long. I'm not too sure we would have heard him in our passion."
Rose sat up. "Yeah, but now that we're done, I'd like my food. Should we go look for him?"
"If you're so hungry, we could just eat some of our trail rations. A bit silly of him to go hunting just to please us, but it worked out okay."
"He should've come back by now though, even if he didn't catch any game. He can't be planning to stay out the whole night, so I'm starting to worry he might have gotten into trouble."
Though he wasn't as concerned as her, Finn could understand where she was coming from. Rose's luck with regard to encountering danger was pretty bad by any measure, and she'd learned to be prepared for anything, not just for herself but also the people around her. And having been dragged into many a tough spot at her side, he had to agree she had a point. "Okay, let's go. Maybe he could use our help carrying back a deer or something."
"I hope that's all it is."
They headed into the forest where Mick's trail eventually joined up with those of three other people, one of them apparently a huge man close to Finn's size. "He's got company," Finn said. "Think he got kidnapped by bandits?"
Rose frowned at blood on the ground. "Well, at least he was alive and walking when he left here. But he could be hurt, so let's hurry."
They continued after the group, whose tracks soon split into two pairs. Finn sighed. "Dammit, this better not be a trap."
"Are you turning into me, all paranoid?" Rose asked with a grin.
"Eh, they could have split up for any number of reasons. It doesn't have to be a trap. Should we split up too?"
"Two and one is how many each of us will be facing unless they are luring us into an ambush. Not too bad, unless they're a lot better than the usual bandits."
Or usual army captains, for that matter. "Which group do you want to follow?"
"I'll go after Mick and the big guy."
"You always go after big guys."
"You gave me the choice."
They separated, Rose following the trail of the larger man and the bard while Finn went the other way. He had only gone a short distance further when he came before a lean man dressed in flowing green robes among the trees, his exposed skin bearing an olive tone. Stripes of red and black paint covered his face, and dark orbs smothered in slanted eyes. Standing behind the foreigner was Mick's bound form, pale with fright. He wore unfamiliar shoes, which one of his captors must have switched with him to make it look like he'd gone in the other direction.
"Looks like I get the weak husband first," the painted man said in a high, lyrical voice, his words distorted by a accent Finn did not know.
"You call me weak? Who are you, little man?"
"I have several names in my homeland. But you can simply call me the Dream Killer."
"And what dream might you be planning to kill?"
"You and your wife's. You actually drag a bard around with you to sing your praises? That's just ridiculous."
Mick must have mentioned being a bard to him. Finn shook his head. "That's not why he's here... though I wouldn't mind it."
"Self-centered fool. You'll soon learn just how silly you are to overestimate the importance of your pitiful existence." He drew two thin curved swords and smirked. "Now let's see how the giant of the east fares against the Sun's Blades."
Hefting his mace, Finn advanced—and the man took flight. Leaping higher than he had thought possible, the Dream Killer struck down at Finn with both swords, driving him a step back though he blocked with his shield. He was stronger than he looked, and could certainly put some power behind his blows. Landing just in front of Finn, he lashed out with a flurry o
f lightning-fast cuts, sent him backpedaling away.
Finn retaliated by shoving his opponent off balance with a shield rush, then attempted to follow up with his mace. The Dream Killer dodged the swing with a backward somersault, and to his shock pushed off a tree behind him with both feet to rebound like a human dart at Finn's face. He sidestepped, a blade passing inches from his throat, reached out and tried to throw the preternaturally agile warrior to the ground. Spinning in midair, he landed on his feet and laughed. "You're good, for such a big bag of meat. I wouldn't have expected you to dodge that."
"I've fought fast things before."
"So I see. I'm glad I didn't waste the trip here."
"No, but you're going to waste your life."
"Fearless like the rest of your kind. Oh, I know you've taken on 'gods.' Your strength won't save you this time. Don't worry, you won't really die. You're only a part of me, anyway."
The Dream Killer charged before Finn could make sense of the words, his swords darting like snakes at his throat and face. He blocked with his shield and parried with his mace, but could not find an opening to strike back. Hopefully the painted man would slow down before he overwhelmed him. A deep gash opened up on Finn's forearm, and he stumbled back clenching his jaw in pain. His opponent smiled, then stabbed one of his swords into the ground. Huh?
Jumping into the air again, the Dream Killer grabbed the hilt and used it to support him as he swung around in a semicircle, his other blade streaking at Finn's belly. But Finn stepped forward before he could finish his intended arc, putting his shield into the man's path. His sword clanged against the metal and skidded off, and his full weight slamming into the shield after would have taken a normal man off his feet. Finn however was no ordinary man, and with a grunt heaved his opponent away.
Landing in the dirt, the Dream Killer scowled. "Well done. I've yet to meet a better man to fight in the manner of a giant."
Finn put his mace home in the soil where his foe had lain a second ago as he rolled aside. The painted warrior slashed up, seeking to rip open his face. He threw himself back, seeing the point flash by less than an inch from his eye. His mace swept down at the Dream Killer's hip. The man jumped back, smiled, and bent low. He leapt again, sailing high into the air. Finn gauged that he would pass over him, threw himself forward to try and avoid a hit from behind. But he heard the armor over his back scream as it tore, and cried out from a sharp pain.
#
Rose heard Finn's pained bellow echo through the wood and redoubled her efforts against the two warriors she faced. Westerners, she gathered from their complexion and shape of eye. They had tried to ambush her as she followed their trail, but she heard them coming. One, the huge man whose footprints had stood out, wore a tiger's skin for a cape, his bare torso thick and solid like a bear's. The other one was short and unremarkably built, but wielded a long, flexible spear with unusual grace for a polearm.
The bigger man chopped at her shoulder with his wide curved sword, which screeched along her armor as she leaned away. The spear jabbed at her side, and she clove its head off. Its owner tried to use the pole like a club, smacking it across her back, but she ignored it and stepped towards the larger man. He blocked her slash. Locking blades, they strained against one another's strength. The spearman jabbed at her face. She moved her head out of the way and shoved the giant off balance. With a low swing, she took off one of his legs at the knee.
He screamed and fell, slashing wildly one last time. Evading with a hop back, Rose launched an overhead strike at the spearman. He tried to block, only for her blade to shear through the wood and crunch into his skull. Wrenching free the sword buried down to the bridge of his nose, she let the dead body fall away.
The fallen giant, perhaps a brother or just a longtime friend, cried in rage and found the strength to lunge at Rose's legs. She sidestepped, finished him with a quick cut to the neck and ran in the direction of Finn's voice. Coming into view of her husband, she saw him on his knees, bleeding from a deep gash in his back. Before him stood a painted menace with two long, thin swords, smiling triumphantly.
"Impressive that you managed to survive that attack. But now, I'm going to split your skull in half."
The painted man bent tensing his legs and flew into the air, making Rose's eyes bulge at his inhuman athleticism. He flipped over Finn's head, somehow turned in midair to face his back and sliced down. Before he could do exactly what he'd said, Rose's thrown axe caught him in the side, knocking him out of the sky. He landed heavily with a shout of pain. But even wounded, his glare pricked Rose's heart with a dagger of icy fear. Madness resided in those abyssal eyes.
Steadying herself, Rose leveled her sword at the strange man. "Try to take my husband's life, will you? Now you'll pay the price."
Finn staggered to his feet. "Glad to see you're alright, Rose. But I could've taken this guy."
"It didn't look like it. Doesn't matter now, though. Time to die, ugly."
The painted man rose shakily and sneered. "You'll never see me die." He turned, fleeing for the trees. Rose chased after him, but he amazed her again by running up the trunks, jumping from tree to tree, and disappeared into the canopy.
She looked at Finn, knowing she had little chance of catching the foreigner even with the aid of her magic. "Are you alright?"
"Of course, I told you I could have taken him." He winced.
Rose walked behind him to examine his wound. "That looks pretty deep; you're lucky he didn't sever your spine. Hey Mick, you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
She turned back to Finn. "Who was that guy?"
"He called himself the Dream Killer—said he came for us."
"Great, another one?! Wonder what it's for this time, money, vengeance, or fame?"
"No, those would be too comprehensible. He said something about me being a part of him. I don't know what he meant, but I know it's insane."
She nodded and gazed up at the treetops into which the Westerner had disappeared. "At least we know he's here now. We'll deal with him next time."
"He was unbelievable," Mick said, shaking with fright. "He did things I thought no man could. It surprised me Finn survived as long as he did."
"Who, me? Of course I survived. Opponents like that are nothing special, right love?"
"I don't know, he moved pretty scarily. You think he used magic to fly around like that?"
"It wasn't our kind of magic—but might've been some other kind."
"At least I managed to hurt him." Rose smiled. "But I know the two of us together could definitely beat him."
Mick frowned. "Could you beat him alone, though?"
"I haven't seen enough of him to know. But in case he catches me alone, I sure hope so!" She untied the youth, who she found to have a minor wound on the arm, then began to stitch Finn's back.
Chapter 3
A few days of careful travel passed without the Dream Killer making his presence known, and Rose hoped he had been wounded badly enough to give up the chase. Or better yet, died, but she doubted that based on the way he escaped. They reached the town of Culn, where Mick led them through the humble town to the elder's broad house.
A bald old man opened the door. "I see you've brought back help." He had a soft, gentle voice, and wore heavy furs. "But only two warriors?"
"These are Rose and Finn of Kayland," Mick said. "They're great warriors, and their aid will no doubt prove invaluable."
The elder turned to the couple and shook their hands. "You certainly have strong grips. My name's Alan. So you're from Kayland—did Mick go that far to find you?"
Before they could answer, Mick replied, "No, I happened upon them here in Coblan, visiting a friend. So I asked them to come, and they generously agreed."
Rose smiled at his honesty. "So where do these frog-men come from, and what have they done?" Mick had already told them some things, but they could use more details.
"They first emerged from beneath the lake," Alan said, "and beyond that
, we know nothing of their origin. Since their appearance, they've attacked the fishermen whenever they go more than a few yards offshore; a pressing issue, for we need the fish found in the depths to sustain ourselves."
She nodded. "It sounds like they might just be competing with you for the same food supply. Not the most reprehensible motive for attacking, in my estimation."
Finn took on a dubious frown. "What are you thinking, Rose, you want to talk to them? Haven't they already killed men?"
"Even so, it would be good to settle this without any more waste of lives, especially if they're intelligent." Mick stared in surprise, but Alan looked calmly appreciative of her words. "If the creatures refuse to see it that way, though, or can't understand us, we might still have to fight. The town was here first, which I suppose justifies taking their side if push comes to shove." She looked at the elder. "Has anybody tried talking to them?"
"No one thought to try, seeing as they aren't human."
"I guess we'll have to start. Got an extra boat on hand?"
#
Some time later, Rose and Finn dropped a little fishing boat onto the water, stepped in and began to row out onto the lake. "Are you sure us heading out first is a good idea?" Finn asked.
"What else are we going to do, send another fisherman as bait?"
He shrugged, and they kept going. Soon enough, a trio of what looked like rubbery-skinned men with webbed hands and feet burst from the water, holding unexpectedly well-crafted thin metal spears. Rose wondered how their weapons could have been forged underwater, and doubted they were. Finn punched a creature that jumped onto the side of the boat back into the lake, while Rose leaned aside from a thrust at her chest. She grabbed the shaft and kicked its wielder, tearing the weapon from its grasp. "Stop, we don't want to fight!"
No reply came as a third creature stabbed at her side. There was little room to dodge on the small boat, so Rose just swatted the tip aside. Maybe they understood Old Speech? Humans had communicated more with other races in ancient times, and spread knowledge of their language beyond their own kind. Unfortunately, though Rose could read some Old Script, she wasn't confident in her ability to verbalize it. Still, she tried, repeating her words in the elder tongue as Finn batted her attacker's spear away.
