Hanna Halfblood: Spirit Warrior

by Robyn Wideman

  “The rest of the guards stay at the mine. Hanna will protect you,” said Esmera.

  Biran sighed in exasperation. “And who is going to protect Hanna? I don’t think you’ve thought this plan through very well, Esmera.”

  Hanna sensed Biran’s frustration. She put her arm out for him to hold. “You aren’t going to let a little demon warrior stop you from taking me for a walk, are you?” Hanna winked. “I promise you won’t be harmed.”

  “Do you not understand what we are dealing with here?” said Biran. His anger showing. “I can’t put you in harm’s way like that.”

  “Biran Nordvik. Shut up!” said Esmera is a stern voice.

  Biran looked at Esmera wide eyed. Shocked that she would reprimand him so.

  “I’m sorry Biran, but you didn’t take the hint. You are too caught up in Hanna’s beauty to listen to what she is telling you. So, shut up, take her arm and take her for a walk.”

  For a second Hanna thought Biran was going to explode, his face and body filled with tension, but then he seemed to relax. He straightened up, gave Esmera a curt nod, and then took Hanna’s arm. “Shall we?”

  They walked in silence for the first few minutes. Hanna tried to enjoy the walk, it was a beautiful day and the mountainside trail, offered a great view of the valley below.

  “It isn’t often that Esmera scolds me like that. I’m just not sure why. Other than her comment about your beauty, I will concede she may have a point there.”

  Hanna smiled. “It’s not your fault. You were doing what you thought was right. But you don’t need to protect me. I’m not the same person who you knew before.”

  “No?” said Biran. “You look the same to me. The outfit is new. But your smile is the same as I remember it. Your eyes are the same, your lips.” Biran paused for a second. “Gods. Listen to me. Esmera just finished scolding me for focusing on your beauty and not your words and here I am fawning over you.”

  “I don’t mind. It’s sweet.”

  “Well, it is true. So, what am I missing? How have you changed?”

  Hanna lifted her necklace, showing it to him. “After I left here last, I went to Creyta, back to my old weapons trainer. He taught me about spirit magic and my connection to Thorodd’s spirit. A demon warrior, like the one who is harassing your village attacked us. The demon warrior critically wounded Anso and would’ve killed me, except Thorodd’s spirit used my body to fight. Thorodd’s spirit killed the demon warrior. Then Anso, added his own blood to the stone before he died of his wounds. I now have Thorodd’s and Anso’s spirits with me when I fight. After Anso’s death I went to Mykoznia. By strange coincidence, one of my men’s wife is related to Katla, the assassin who killed Thorodd. Together, Katla and I destroyed a coven of witches and several demon warriors.”

  Biran looked at Hanna wide-eyed. “You’ve killed several of these demon warriors yourself?”

  Hanna nodded.

  “Gods above. I must’ve sounded like an ass, going on about protecting you. I will have to thank Esmera for shutting me up. I probably would’ve made more of an ass of myself if she hadn’t.”

  “Like I said before. It isn’t your fault, you didn’t know.”

  “Hanna I thank you for your kindness. But it doesn’t excuse the fact that I wasn’t listening. I am now leader of the clan. If I fail to listen it can cost the lives of those people I love. I need to be able take Esmera’s criticism. She was right. I was thinking of you as a beautiful woman and not a warrior. It was a mistake. Hopefully, one I won’t make again.”

  “I don’t know. Being thought of as a woman before a warrior once in a while doesn’t sound so bad to me.” Hanna was glad that Biran could see the error of his ways, yet she wasn’t ready to go back to being just a warrior. She liked the compliments and long looks Biran was giving her.

  The mountain trail dipped down into the forest that nestled the mountainside. Biran stopped and picked up a white wildflower and gave it to her. “To match your outfit.”

  Hanna flipped her hair behind her ear and placed the flower over her ear. “How do I look?” she asked.

  “Like a dream,” said Biran. He stepped closer. “Hanna, I’ve thought of you every night since you left us.”

  “I’ve thought of you too,” Hanna flushed with excitement at Biran’s closeness.

  Biran reached out slowly and put her hand in his, their fingers intertwined. Hanna’s senses seemed heightened. Her skin tingled at his touch. She could smell the light, fresh, green saplings. The lingering smell of wood smoke that wafted into the woods from the village, the floral essence of the honeydew and lilacs and above all she could smell him. The slightly musky smell of sweat and salty skin did not offend her, instead it was intoxicating. The sounds of the forest, birds chirping, the wind teasing and tickling branches and leaves mixed with the sound of her own heart pounding.

  Hanna held her breath as Biran pulled her closer. His lips came to hers, pressing softly against them. She pressed back against him, seeking out more of the gentle yet firm contact. Biran pulled back, staring intently into her eyes, “I’ve wanted to do that for so long. However, we should go. Esmera may know you’ll protect me but others won’t be so trusting. But I had to know if my kiss was welcome.”

  Hanna smiled. For weeks, Biran had been on her mind, not as a focal point, but a lingering thought that wouldn’t go away, but now that they were here standing together she knew that she had been wanting the same thing. “It was definitely welcome.”

  Biran didn’t let go of her hand, he simply pulled her towards the village. Hanna enjoyed the gentle touch and kept her hand in his. They would have to let go before they left the forest, a courtship between them would be the talk of the village and of her army. Not that Hanna cared too much, but it was the timing that mattered. With the demon warrior out there stalking and hunting them, the villagers would want their new leader focused on the problem at hand, not worrying about his own affairs of the heart. Her own crew would be less of a problem. They knew her well enough to know she wouldn’t be distracted in battle.

  Seeing the edge of the forest, Hanna removed her hand from Biran’s.

  He gave her a questioning look, but then nodded as if he was just considering the consequences of his actions for the first time. He sighed, but then increased the distance between them. Whatever was between them would stay a secret for now.

  When they reached the village, Biran took her directly to his mother’s house.

  Gaida Nordvik spotted Hanna and smiled. “Hello Hanna. Esmera just informed me of your arrival. Your men are a welcome sight, as are you. You look absolutely fetching in your armor. Is that troll skin?”

  “Thank you, Gaida. It is good to see you again. Isn’t it lovely? My mother made it for me, yes, it is troll skin.”

  Gaida nodded her approval as she ran her hand down the side of Hanna’s skirt. “Troll skin makes such excellent armor, I never thought to make it into a skirt.”

  Hanna chuckled. “I doubt many others would either. However, my father had a tradition of wearing outlandishly bright and colorful outfits. He used them to distract his opponents. I thought it appropriate to follow in his footsteps.”

  “Well it certainly works. Biran is practically drooling.”

  “Mother,” said Biran in protest.

  Hanna laughed. “I will take drool as a compliment.”

  “As you should my dear, it’s been a long time since men drooled over me. I miss the way men’s brains shut down in the face of beauty. I believe your father was on to something,” said Gaida.

  “I think we’ve discussed bodily functions enough. Mother, it seems that Hanna is the answer to our problem,” said Biran.

  Gaida raised a questioning eyebrow. “How so?”

  Hanna explained everything that had happen since she left the Ayrith valley. She filled in some of the details that Biran hadn’t yet heard. Gaida and Biran were familiar with magic, so Hanna didn’t worry about how they would react to learning about her s
pirit magic.

  “How will you hunt him?” asked Gaida.

  “Do you have more of the ayrithstone?” asked Hanna. The demon warrior wasn’t allowing anyone out of the valley, that meant it was trying to prevent the stones from leaving. She didn’t have to hunt the demon warrior. He would come to her.

  “Yes,” said Biran. “But I wish we didn’t. The stones are more trouble than they are worth.”

  Hanna partially agreed with Biran’s assessment of the stones, but without the stones she would have no connection to Thorodd or Anso. “I will need a couple of the stones. I’ll need them for bait.”

  …

  Walking up the road, Hanna casually flipped one of the stones. There had been disappointment and frustration in Azad’s eyes when she told him of her plan. Azad was a man used to working together. Everything in his training taught him that a well-trained unit working together was stronger than any one individual or collection of individuals. Hanna hadn’t disagreed, but now her unit was one of spirits, not men. When she explained that to him, he accepted it. However, Hanna knew he was still frustrated that she was better off fighting without him.

  It didn’t take long before Hanna was joined by the demon warrior. The man stood in the middle of the road, waiting for her.

  Hanna kept flipping the stone in her hands. She watched the man’s eyes as they followed the stones. Soon those eyes would turn black as the demon took over possession of the warrior’s body. She wondered if the warrior cared that he was being used, or was having the demon’s power within him what drove the warrior to accept the spirit stone.

  Unlike the first warrior who attacked her, this one spoke. “I’ve been waiting for you to show up.”

  “Why?” asked Hanna. “Your master, Loma Fangris is dead.”

  The warrior snorted. “Loma may have given me my powers, but she is not my master. Your killing her means nothing. Quivna has returned, and with her power, the witches will retake their place in this world. Men like me, who serve them will be the only ones to survive unpunished.”

  “You think some old dead witch’s spirit is going to change the world?” Hanna shook her head. She wanted to keep the man talking. Any information that she could get from him might help in the search for Quivna.

  “She is one of the most powerful witches ever, and when she has your stones, she will have the deadliest demons in all the seven hells at her service. The humans that are lucky enough to survive will become slaves,” said the man.

  “I guess I will just have to make sure you don’t get the stones,” said Hanna.

  The man sneered. “You think because you killed Tiran that you can kill me? Tiran was a fool, too weak to host a proper demon. I am Arzhan, and I am host to Kzvnotox. Now you will see how a real demon warrior fights.”

  Calmly, Hanna put the spirit stones in her pocket and pulled her shield and axe from their harnesses. She moved forward, ready for battle.

  Arzhan’s eyes went black, and he drew his sword. “Kzvnotox senses your spirits. Perhaps you are a worthy adversary after all.”

  That Arzhan spoke while the demon was in his body surprised Hanna. Tiran, the first demon warrior she’d fought, and the ones in the witches’ cave, had all seemed like the demon was fully in control of the bodies they possessed. Arzhan was different. Hanna suspected this made him even more dangerous.

  Arzhan attacked. Springing forward with a wicked series of slashing attacks. She’d been correct, Arzhan was different, and definitely more dangerous. With the power and speed of Thorodd and Anso flowing through her, Hanna was able to block and parry the vicious attack.

  Repeatedly, Arzhan pressed the attack. Hanna could tell the man was a skilled swordsman, and combined with a demon he was almost invincible; almost. Hanna felt a tug at her shoulder. Anso’s spirit was pulling at her. The old weapons master saw something in Arzhan’s form. She let Anso move her shoulder, dropping it down. The new position changed the angle of her attack, her axe came lower, slashing at the warrior’s knee instead of his waist as her original attack had been destined.

  Arzhan brought his sword down, slamming Hanna’s axe further down, pinning it to the ground. The warrior then leaned in trying to drive his shoulder into Hanna’s chest. It was a mistake.

  Pulling her elbow down tight to her side, Hanna’s shield whipped around in front of her. Arzhan’s shoulder landed flush on the shield. Perhaps the warrior had assumed that because she was a woman he’d be able to knock her down, or maybe he assumed one demon gave him more strength than two human spirits, either way it was a fatal mistake. Hanna had Stoneblood blood in her veins, her strength was easily the match for most men, and her spirits were a match for the powerful demon Kzvnotox. Instead of Hanna bouncing back, Arzhan crashed heavily into her shield. Now Arzhan was in a compromised position, far too close to her shield.

  Thorodd realizing the situation Anso had baited the warrior into taking took over. A surge of northern battle rage filled Hanna as her grandfather’s spirit pushed her forward. Hanna knew exactly what her grandfather’s spirit intended and she could channel all her energy into the attack.

  Her hips tilted back, and her head dropped, allowing her shield to be angled forward. Driving her hips forward and lifting her shield arm up, Hanna drove the edge of her shield up under Arzhan’s chin. The warrior’s head snapped back as the hit dazed him. As the warrior struggled to regain his balance, Hanna pushed his sword away and brought her axe up in a swift attack that landed between his legs. Hanna’s axe sunk deep into the warrior’s groin.

  Arzhan looked down incredulously at the axe, and then lifted his black as night eyes to stare at Hanna. As the life of Arzhan drained from his body, the demon Kzvnotox let out a blood curling scream as it was forced to retreat through the spirit stone back to whatever region of the seven hells it had come from.

  Hanna stepped away from the dying man and took a knee. She wiped her brow clear of the sweat that was stinging her eyes. She was exhausted, the fight had taken everything she had. She’d defeated the demon warrior, but just barely. She shuddered at the idea of facing a warrior possessed by a stronger demon. She could only imagine how powerful Quivna was.

  After taking a few moments to regain her breath, Hanna started back towards the Nordvik’s village. The Nordvik’s were safe, Biran was safe!

  9

  Katla and Hester on the road

  After leaving the Towers of Gorro, Katla and Hester rode east. Katla wasn’t exactly sure where Hester thought they were going but since she had no ideas about where to find the rest of the Fangris covens, she would let Hester lead the way. But that didn’t mean she was going to trust the gangly apprentice mage without questioning him.

  “Why didn’t you attack the big one?” asked Katla as the rode. It had been a half day since they left the Towers and the question was still bothering her.

  “Pardon me?” said Hester, surprised that she’d finally broken her silence.

  “During your test. You chose only to defend. Why didn’t you attack the big apprentice?’

  “It was a defensive test. I had to stop them from hitting the targets. Why would I attack him?”

  Katla shook her head. He just didn’t get it. “Because if you hesitate like that in the real world, people will get hurt. You knew he was casting a spell to distract you. The right move would be to stop him while you could.”

  “I don’t know, it seems unnecessary to attack in a defensive test.”

  “What if there had been people behind you and not targets? Would you have attacked then?”

  “I think there was a better way, but I just didn’t see it. You don’t need to remind me that I failed today. I am well aware of it,” said Hester as he tapped the sides of his horse’s flanks, encouraging the animal to pull ahead so that he wouldn’t have to talk to Katla anymore.

  The exchange troubled Katla. Why was Hester so hesitant to attack? He was obviously a talented mage. Katla herself had magical skills, a part of her King’s Guard training, but n
othing like the mages of the Towers of Gorro possessed. Was there something in his past that made him want to avoid violence, or was he too meek to understand that he might need to use his magic to harm someone for a greater good? One thing was obvious. Hester was not going to be useful in a fight. Not a good sign when they were going looking for a coven of witches with spirit stones and the ability to use them. Katla sighed. Despite the awkwardness between herself and Hanna Halfblood because of her killing Hanna’s grandfather, they had made a good team. Hanna understood battle, had grown up training and learning from master warriors just like she had. She wished Hanna were here now instead of an apprentice mage who refused to attack even in a simple magical test where no one got hurt.

  They traveled for several miles before Hester slowed his horse so that Katla could ride up beside him.

  “I’m sorry. I was rude earlier. It had been a long day, and I was frustrated. You were correct that I handled the test wrong,” said Hester.

  Perhaps there is hope for him after all, thought Katla.

  “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. My concern is that we are going in search of witches who have spirit stones and may have channeled the spirit of a powerful witch and who knows what other demons.”

  Hester nodded. “And the only thing you know about me is that I’m an apprentice mage who failed his test. Yes, I can see where you might be a touch nervous about this mission.”

  “How about a lot nervous. I’ve seen demon warriors in action. They are dangerous, and the Fangris witches are equally dangerous, and I don’t have any knowledge of them like I did with Loma.”

  “Loma Fangris. You really went into her lair and killed her coven and several demon warriors?” asked Hester.

  “I didn’t do it alone. Hanna killed the demon warriors. I killed the witches. It wasn’t as easy as that sounds, but we were lucky, we caught them off-guard and they used the spirit stones on men that weren’t particularly talented fighters. They weren’t nearly as dangerous as they could’ve been.”