by Billy Wong
Iron Seeds
by Billy Wong
Iron Seeds
Copyright © 2014 Billy Wong
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission of the Author. Your support of author’s rights is appreciated.
All characters in this compilation are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Credits and author page
Sample of The Red Rider
Chapter 1
Briefly halting her slough through the wet, muddy cave, Amber looked back at her brother lagging behind and demanded, "Sheesh, Jacob, what's up with you? You're moving like a tortoise."
"There could be traps in here. Or worse, monsters."
"If there are, we'll just kill them," she replied casually in a voice slightly higher than her frame would suggest.
Jacob stared at his sister and wished again that he'd inherited the same heroic traits as her. A tall, well-built teenager with a meaty face and long flowing dark hair, Amber looked very much her mother's daughter, while her confidence mirrored that of her father in his youth. Like both of them, she seemed a natural warrior, cool in the face of danger. Their parents, Rose and Finn, were the two greatest warriors of Kayland. They had also brought spellcasting back to the world.
Though they were twins, he often wondered just how he and his sister could be so different both in mind and body. While he dressed much like her in a tan leather vest and gloves over a black undershirt and sturdy breeches, and was nearly her equal as on the practice field at least, the similarities ended there. Shorter, doughy, shy, and easily frightened, he felt hardly suited to treasure hunting in the old lair of the Flying Vipers alongside his adventurous sister. They didn't need more money. But here he was, if only out of fear for what could happen to Amber alone, and hating it.
Walking deeper into the gang's former hideout, the twins saw big, rough wooden double doors with the words "No Trespassers" scrawled in red-brown letters across both of them. Jacob's first reaction was to ask, "Shouldn't we not go in there?"
"There's nobody inside. Mom killed the lot of these outlaws months ago, when they tried to kidnap the king at the Gustrone Great Fair."
That much was true, to the best of his knowledge. But what if all the thieves hadn't taken part and some thus survived, or they had left pets behind? Instead of trying to talk Amber out of her dangerous intentions directly, he said, "If the gang's been out of commission so long, shouldn't any treasure they kept here be long gone by now?"
She didn't have any trouble seeing through his attempt to discourage her, and smiled as she assured, "I'll protect you, Corn Cob." Stupid nickname! He did love the food, but not the moniker his sister had assigned him thanks to it.
Amber fearlessly threw open the doors that led to their possible doom, and they gazed into a dry chamber elevated higher than the rest of the cave. A sizable amount of gold and diverse gems lay scattered over the floor, and forgetting his fears Jacob stepped forward to get a better look.
"Get back!" Amber cried as she grabbed him by the collar and jerked him backwards, right before a large sword slashed through the air where he'd been standing. Falling on his butt after a stumble back, he felt momentarily embarrassed before fear of the tall, lean man who stepped into view before the portal took over. To think, he was supposed to be the cautious one... but now they both had a major problem.
The pointy-jawed man, who he noticed wore mail under his leather jerkin, snapped, "What, more intruders? Young ones, I see. Go on, get out of here and I'll let you live another day."
Jacob breathed a great sigh of relief. But then Amber did something that made his heart nearly leap out his throat. "I bet you're a member of the Flying Vipers, aren't you?" she said with a smile. "You better surrender before I have to take you in by force. I'm Rose Agen's daughter, you know."
What the hell was Amber doing, trying to arrest this surely hardened brigand by themselves?! Jacob now felt really scared. "She didn't mean it, sir, she was kidding! We're leaving now..."
But it proved too late. The annoyance in the man's face had been replaced by pure hatred, as he bared his teeth in a snarl. "Rose's girl? You're going to pay for your mother did to my friends!"
Oh, no. The outlaw's blade flashed down, and Jacob fought not to panic while Amber jumped back and drew her own heavy bastard sword. What was he going to do? He knew he should do something, but was all but paralyzed by fear. Barely did he notice the glare Amber shot him, no doubt at his inaction.
He watched in horror while his sister and her taller, more experienced opponent battled frantically, the man apparently trying to overwhelm her before Jacob mustered enough courage to come to her aid, her just to survive. She might actually have been stronger than her foe, but he had greater skill and reach, and rapidly pushed her back in a desperate retreat. A hard punch to the jaw knocked her off balance, then a bloody line appeared across her arms and chest. She gasped in pain. Slowing down, she began to take more wounds.
A vicious slice at her head that Amber tried to duck grazed her scalp and soaked her hair with blood. She grappled her foe, who slammed his hilt into her forehead, opening up a cut over her eye as she was dropped to the ground. Jacob knew he had to do something, and forced himself into action. But when he finally drew the hand axe at his belt and started forward, the man turned and slashed into his forearm. Feeling a sudden burn, he shrieked and fell, dropping his weapon.
Torchlight glinted off the sword point streaking towards his throat and Jacob closed his eyes, not wanting to see his death. But he didn't feel the mortal pain he expected. Instead he heard a feminine grunt, then a scream of male anguish followed by running footsteps. Slowly he opened his eyes, ready to congratulate Amber on her victory. His words died in his throat as he sat up and saw what'd happened. His sister sat against the wall next to the double doors, her opponent's severed hand limp on the ground—and his sword buried in her middle.
Jacob's mouth went incredibly dry as he took in her terrible wound. The wide blade was stuck fully through her abdomen, its lower half and hilt jutting into the air in front of her body and the tip protruding from her lower back. Though her eyes were still alert and somehow calm, the gravity of her injury was clear, and his stomach rebelled at her dark red blood pouring out around the edges of the hole through her body. As he vomited, she stared at him and gasped, "Help me, Corn Cob. I'm in a lot of pain... maybe you could sew me up like mom taught us?"
The thought of removing the blade from her innards, let alone touching the hideous emissions that would come after, sent another wave of nausea through him. He continued to retch onto the cave floor. "Wait, Amber. I h-have to catch my breath."
Forcing himself to his feet, he stumbled down the curving tunnel that had led them here out of her sight. He leaned against the rocky wall and sucked in breath after deep breath, trying to steady himself to go back and do what he could—which he knew would be nothing more than keeping his sister company at th
e end of her life. It wouldn't be much, but he was supposed to, had to do it. But though he tried several times to start the walk back, he found that he just could not. He couldn't bear to see her die.
His conscience nagged at him as he made his way towards the entrance, but he kept going. He shuddered to think of the pain and fear she must feel right now, and became more aware how much he loved her than he had in a long time, but that love only heightened his terror of seeing her demise. He'd miss her dearly, but if he saw it, he knew he would never be able to get the image of Amber dying out of his head. He mounted his horse and rushed for town, fleeing his fear.
#
Minutes or hours passed; Amber could hardly tell considering each second was a eternity of torture as searing pain wracked her body. But she knew it'd been too long since Jacob left, and concluded he wasn't coming back anytime soon. What was he doing?! Had he gone to get help? But town was over ten miles away! It would've been easier just to take her back with him, except...
Looking down at the sword stuck through her midsection as tears of agony ran down her cheeks, she groaned. She understood why he'd left her. He figured she was going to die, and didn't have the guts to watch! But though she would've thought someone else so wounded to be dying, Amber refused to believe she was. It hurt incredibly, yes, but she was the daughter of the Iron Flower. Her mother had endured many wounds worse than this. Was it so far-fetched she could have inherited enough of that freakish vitality to survive this injury?
Though she'd suggested Jacob stitch her up, removing the sword didn't seem like a good option now that she was alone. She wasn't sure if she could even withstand pulling it out, and if she did, then what? She couldn't sew the back side of her wound up herself, and doubted she could bandage it well either. So grudgingly, though its weight pulled down rather uncomfortably on her insides, she decided the sword would stay for now.
Pushing with her right hand on the floor while she held the blade steady inside her with her left, she made an attempt to stand with the support of the wall. She shrieked in anguish at the movement of her torso. What pain! She slid down gasping against the stone and closed her eyes, senses dimming. But she wouldn't give up. She tried again, this time made it halfway up before collapsing again. No! she thought, fighting back the darkness that closed in. She wouldn't die. On the third grueling attempt, Amber got to her feet. After several ragged breaths, she managed to collect herself enough to stand fairly straight. Now came the hard part. She'd have to walk.
Somehow, using her sword as a crutch, Amber made it outside. She smiled weakly despite her awful predicament. Now all she had to do was survive the ride back to town, and she'd finally be able to get some much-needed help. Looking towards the tree to which she'd tied her horse, she felt fresh tears of frustration and anger well up in her eyes. No! Jacob had taken her mount with him...
#
Oswald screamed as he seared his stump with a burning brand. He began to cry, not so much for the pain or his hand, but something else he'd lost. His priceless ornate sword, which had been his very future! What a fool he was, to run away leaving the beautiful relic in the body of an adversary as good as slain. He'd panicked at the severing of his hand—understandable for a lesser man, but not a master thief like himself!—and retreated without his prize. Now, he was penniless again.
It had been well over a decade since Oswald's brothers in arms under Bladetooth Thomas were slaughtered by the legendary "heroine" Rose Agen, and at last he'd gotten the chance to take revenge. But he wasn't supposed to lose the treasure he'd braved all the traps of the Flying Vipers' lair and their pets for in the process. To overcome all that for nothing? The hilt of that sword, no doubt stolen by the Vipers from someone else, had been covered with the finest gems he'd ever seen. Enough wealth to get him by for the rest of his life, and now it was gone along with his hand.
He had to get it back. Hopefully, upon his sister's death, the boy had removed the blade from her body and left it in the cave. If not, well... Oswald could use his left hand with near equal proficiency to his right, and the male Agen child was much less of a fighter than his sis. It wouldn't be too hard to take back his sword from that soft lad, along with his life.
#
"She's what?" Finn shouted as his son sat shaking before him in the stone-walled tower bedroom adorned with battle trophies, allowing him to wrap his shallow forearm wound. Though Finn was past forty-five years old, he remained huge and incredibly strong, the thick red hair over his wide, squarish face showing just a trace of gray. But he imagined time wouldn't be kind to him much longer; apparently his daughter was dead, and that kind of loss killed a man's will to live. Even he could hardly keep from crying, only consideration for Jacob making him do so.
Even without having seen her body, his heart had all but burst at the news, and for a second he thought he'd die from the sorrow. But it wouldn't be that easy; he was still here, and hurt more by the moment. He had never felt so in all his years of battle, except when he'd thought Rose died. At least he still had his son. He loved him, but right now hated him too. If he'd been a little stronger, he could've saved his sister! But...
"Sorry, Dad," Jacob whispered.
Finn didn't want to give up hope for his child, and asked despite knowing the probable, dreadful outcome, "Are you sure she's dead?"
He sniffed. "She got run through. She has to be by now."
A terrible eventuality invaded Finn's mind. What if Amber still lived, and suffered where Jacob left her? Gut wounds could kill slowly, and she'd been alive when her brother ran from the scene. "Take me to where you left her!"
#
Departing the city, the duo reached the cave within an hour on horseback and Jacob led Finn through the caverns. He shivered imagining the sight of Amber's body. Worse, what if she was still alive, and he had to see her die after all? How would she look at him in her last moments—in anger, with disdain? That would be unbearable. Jacob knew how wrong he'd been to leave his sister behind, dying alone in the darkness once her torch went out. But he had been scared—no, that wasn't an excuse. He was so pathetic...
"Hey, Jacob," Finn interrupted his thoughts, "there's a lot of blood on the floor."
He hadn't even noticed the amount, but explained easily enough. "Our attacker got his hand cut off by Amber after he stabbed her."
"Okay, but there's two trails of blood."
Amber? Could she have found the strength to stand and walk out? How? Looking carefully, he did make out two distinct red trails, and groaned. "I made her suffer even more than she had to before she died. I'm such an ass..."
Finn grabbed his arm and dragged him back towards the outside. To Jacob's shock, the hint of a grin played across his face. "Don't count her out yet. If she's anything like your mom, she isn't nearly done!"
#
Seeing the high walls of Gustrone, the capital of Kayland, Amber managed a slight smile. She was almost there, almost home... Continuing her hunched limp one step at a time, she licked blood off her lips and spared a look for the sword which impaled her. Wow, it was nice! And she'd thought her mother's was fancy. But this... it bore more jewels on its hilt than she expected to wear getting married, if she did. She wasn't sure she'd ever find the right boy...
Okay, this was not the time for such thoughts. Amber turned her gaze back to Gustrone's walls and kept walking. She concentrated so hard on getting there she barely heard the man who called out to her.
"Rose's girl!" a somewhat familiar voice cried behind her. She turned her head to regard the speaker, which hurt in itself, and gasped in shock. The outlaw! There was no mistaking him; he lacked his right hand, a fresh bandage covering the stump. "How the hell are you still moving?"
Really, she could barely move at the moment, but explained, "I am my mom's daughter."
"Looks like you are. You're still going to die. Tough and brave as you might be, you don't have near the skill to beat me."
Defiantly, she spat, "No? I took your hand, bastard.
"
His eyes widened and she dared to think she got to him, but then he smirked and advanced, a longsword rising in his left hand. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't fight like this, couldn't run, could do little but wait for death... Wait. She'd seen the hideous scars on her mother's body, and knew how she always kept fighting after receiving the normally fatal injuries that left them. Was Amber so much more of a wimp than her mom? She resolved she wouldn't be, and trying to keep her arm as steady as she could, raised her own sword.
She was still going to die, she knew. Even healthy, she had been no match for her opponent until Jacob provided a much-needed distraction, and now she was weaker still. But at least she'd go down fighting. Her act of defiance seemed to unnerve the man, though. His steps slowed as he looked into her eyes, searching for something—fear? Weakness? Staring back, she tried to show none. Somehow, to her disbelief, it worked.
"Catch you another time," he said, and dashed away into the bushes.
Would he attack once her back was turned? She didn't know, and decided whatever the case, she had to keep moving. Eventually, she would die from her wound if she just stood here. Keeping a watchful ear out for any sounds behind her, Amber continued her excruciating journey.
She soon realized just how damn slow she was going, but then, she couldn't help it. Most people would've been dead already. Suddenly she felt her foot hit something, tripped and almost fell. Luckily, she saved herself the agony of having the sword jarred inside her by catching her balance in the nick of time, but the sudden fast movement hurt terribly nonetheless. She stood there in the middle of the road with eyes squeezed shut and teeth bared, trying to push aside the pain. But in addition to that, she was so tired, so sleepy... Amber's eyelids snapped open, awareness of death's proximity forcing her to action. It had gotten far too close. She had just resumed her desperate walk when another voice reached her, but unlike the last, this one brought relief and joy to her heart.
"Amber!" her father yelled. "I knew you'd make it, girl!"
