Steel rang on steel, with sparks flashing everywhere. Students of the Xong dojo, the way of the sword, practiced fervently. Tomorrow was the annual tournament of arms held in their village of Zen, sister-city to Horam.
The students were working hard for a good reason. The renowned Meribian Knights sent scouts to the tournament every year to look for new talent. The best fencers were invited to Meribia to try out for the exclusive fighting force in Lunar, the Meribian Knights. Everyone agreed that the best contender in Zen this year was Katiyana Neva.
The young green-eyed beastwoman was a legend with a sword. Presently, she and her 'troops' were locked in a mass match with the other half of the class. Katiyana called out for a small relief force against a pack that had crept up to her left flank. Letting out a battle yell, she led her reinforcements into a charge, smashing through the 'enemy' defenses. The other commander, a skilled fencer named Absalom, looked around wildly.
"Troops, to the right!" he yelled, dark face flushed with nervousness. The students obeyed, but Katiyana had expected this. Her side countered readily, Katiyana coming up to meet Absalom herself, blade at the ready.
"Come on, Abi, let's dance!" she cried out, grinning. Absalom brought up his sword to meet hers, then whipped into a crescent strike. The beastwoman countered quickly, then thrust hard from overhead. Absalom dodged, and Katiyana followed up with a slash from the right. Absalom caught it, and tried a low cut. Katiyana leaped, and slammed her sword near the hilt of her friend's, and it went flying. He stumbled back, and found his friend's sword point at his throat.
"I surrender," he remarked quietly. "The victory is yours." His troops sighed.
Applause rang out. The two instructors, Master Jinlai and Lady Yoshiki, came down to speak to their students.
"Excellent, all of you," Master Jinlai began, "I am pleased with how far you have all come."
"Remember, it is not repeated victories that make a true knight, but the heart. Those who learn from victory and defeat are equal winners," Lady Yoshiki added. "I wish you all the best in tomorrow's tournament, but do not think that a loss is a major setback. Learn, and you shall be better for the next time."
"Go home and rest," Master Jinlai finished. "Be at peace in your heart and soul."
The students bowed to their instructors, and split up to collect their gear. Katiyana wiped her face and the back of her neck with a towel, and grabbed her water bottle. Absalom was a good opponent, and had made her fight hard for victory.
"Good job, Kat," he remarked, seemingly summoned by her thoughts. Taking a sip from his own bottle, he added, "I think you'll make it tomorrow, or the knights aren't as smart as we think."
Katiyana grinned. "I don't know," she replied modestly. "The tournament will be tough, and I'll be one of the youngest competitors."
"Yeah, but Jinlai and Yoshiki tried to get you in last year, even if you were too young," Absalom pointed out. "They have a lot of faith in you, and so do I."
Katiyana blushed. She respected Absalom's judgment and skills, and was close to him. She wished with all her heart that she and Absalom would join the Knights together. "You're pretty amazing, yourself," she pointed out. "You disarmed Master Jinlai just last week, remember?"
Absalom smiled back. "Tomorrow will tell the tale," he declared. "Rest up, Kat. We have to do our best tomorrow." He bent down and kissed Katiyana softly, then left towards home.
Katiyana looked after him, smiling and surprised. They would do it, both of them. She just knew it.
The painting was of a strong woman, kindness shining from her green eyes. Her gold hair was tumbled, as usual, and she smiled bravely. A Knight of Meribia. Above the painting hung her silver sword.
Lord Restar thought of his wife everyday. A tall, well-built man who had just seen thirty, he stared sadly at the portrait with cold gray eyes. Restar was known as one of the best mages in Lunar, and kin to the Ausa family. His domain was the continent on the southwest Minea, and his people were farmers and miners. A quiet life for a quiet noble.
A servant girl entered his study cautiously. "Lord Restar?" she called. "Um, the caravan for the coast leaves soon. If you want to make the tournament on time, you should go."
"Thank you, Pearl," Restar replied, his eyes still on the portrait.
Pearl hesitated, then took a chance. "My lord," she began nervously, "I wish- we all wish that you would smile again. I know that you miss our lady, but you're not alone. We all care about you."
Restar turned and smiled sadly at the girl. "I am sorry, Pearl. Even ten months has not eased the pain of losing my soulmate," he explained. "I... I do not know if any time will."
"We're here for you, milord," Pearl insisted. "Forever."
Restar gave the girl a real smile. "Pearl, you are a beacon of hope in this shadowy place. Never lose your kind heart," he replied. "I'll be by in a minute."
Pearl curtsied and left. Restar sighed and returned to the image of his beloved. He liked to see the new hope of the Knights, even after his wife had been killed by unknown enemies. She had been one of the very best. Restar was not sure what could have defeated her, but he would vanquish it one day.
"I love you, Sharion," he murmured, and turned to go catch the caravan.
Zen was decked out fully for the tournament. Banners bearing the symbols of every dojo competing hung everywhere. Vendors sang out their wares cheerfully, hoping to make a fortune this day. Priests and smiths stood by, waiting to patch up competitors or weapons. Warriors trooped everywhere.
"I can't believe this, Abi!" Katiyana commented to Absalom, as they toured the grounds. "There must be dozens of competitors!"
"Sixty-four, actually," Absalom replied. "We have dojos from Horam, Meribia, Joaquin, Feldspar, and even one from Vane."
Katiyana shook her head. "Yeah, I'm still surprised about that last one," she commented. "But, they're pretty good. I guess you can't define a city by one trade, right?"
"Right," Absalom agreed, smiling.
The two warriors were already warmed up and ready when the giant gong was sounded three times. Spectators flocked the bleachers, and warriors gathered in a group around their dojo leaders. Master Jinlai and Lady Yoshiki were ready with a pep talk.
"Fight fairly and with honor," was all Master Jinlai had to say.
"You must defeat the fears in yourself before you have any hope against an opponent," Lady Yoshiki added. "Remember this."
Two priests came onto the ring, to give a prayer for the well-being of all the competitors. An announcer gave the names of the first two competitors, one from Vane and one from Joaquin. Katiyana figured that the fighter from Joaquin had the advantage, being so near the Illusion Woods. Plenty of battles there.
"Look, there are the Meribian scouts," Absalom pointed to some risers. Two men and a woman sat, watching carefully. Katiyana studied them, seeing the fit bodies and excellent swords within reach.
"Didn't another lady used to be a judge?" Katiyana asked curiously. "A blonde lady with a silver sword, one of the highest ranked knights?"
"That's right," Absalom answered. "Lady Sharion was her name. The youngest Knight Commander, and as natural with a blade as you, Kat. She was killed not too long after the last tournament. Some say it was some kinda monster, but nobody knows for sure. Her body was never found. Her husband never recovered, they say."
Katiyana's heart went out. She looked at her parents, smiling at her from the bleachers. She could never imagine losing one or the other. They were so obviously in love, and each would be devastated to lose the other.
Then her gaze caught that of a sad-eyed man watching carefully. Dressed in a long robe, he had to be a mage. She wondered what interest a mage would have in a tournament of the sword, but shrugged. Katiyana had never pretended to understand mages. He seemed to have a weight on his heart, and she prayed it might be lifted this day.
Restar sat high in the bleachers, watching intently. He had always admired Sharion for her beauty and grace in her sword dances, knowing the work that went into making it seem so effortless.
The first Zen student was called for a match. The lovely beastgirl bowed to her opponent, a young man from Horam, and they began. The girl struck first, with a speed that amazed Restar. He sat forward, impressed.
The boy struck back, and tried a back slash. The girl parried, and cut repeatedly. The boy dodged back, but the last hit met a mark, ripping his sleeve. He struck back angrily, and missed. The girl moved in, and swung her sword in a tight arc. The boy parried, but lost his balance from the force. He hit the ground with a thump, his sword flying. The girl placed her sword tip on his throat.
"The winner- Katiyana Neva!" the announcer called, to loud applause. Restar joined in enthusiastically. As the girl bowed, he noticed that her eyes were the same piercing green as Sharion's. He gasped slightly.
"Something wrong, my lord?" asked the woman sitting next to Restar.
Restar shook his head. "No, thank you," he answered quickly. "That girl... she's very good."
"Katiyana? Yeah, she's the best!" the woman replied. "From the Xong dojo here. She's so good that her instructors tried to talk the judges into letting her compete last year, even though she was a year too young. She'll make the Meribian Knights for sure!"
"Let us hope," Restar remarked. The girl reminded him of Sharion in her movements, too. Could've been her younger sister, except that Katiyana was a beastgirl. He hoped she would do well.
Katiyana cheered wildly as Absalom won his first match, overcoming a boy from Feldspar. Absalom bowed politely, grinning as he joined his fellow students. His was the last match of round one. Out of Zen's competitors, two-thirds remained.
A recess was called to let the thirty-two winners eat and rest up for their matches. Katiyana received congratulations from her parents and friends, and joined the rest of her dojo for a well-earned lunch from one of the vendors.
"Hey, Kat, did you notice that man looking at you during your match?" asked one of the girls, Jasmine.
"What? Who are you talking about?" Absalom asked coolly.
Jasmine giggled at Absalom's protectiveness. "Not like that," she amended. "He was very impressed. I'm talking about that mage, the one with the gray eyes."
"Oh, you mean Lord Restar?" asked one of the guys, Chris. "Yeah, that was kinda weird. Maybe you'll get a boyfriend outta this!"
Katiyana scowled at him, then turned to Jasmine. "He was watching me?" she asked politely, remembering the sad-eyed man.
Jasmine nodded, then peered at her friend. "You know, you DO look kinda like Sharion. I don't know... the eyes, I think," she mused.
"Oh, get off it!" Absalom snapped angrily. "Katiyana is about ten years younger than the guy. Besides, Sharion was full human, and Kat's a beastwoman. And has brown hair."
"Abi," --Katiyana put a gentle hand on his shoulder-- "Jasmine doesn't mean like that. Maybe he thinks I'm good with a sword, and will talk to the scouts or something?"
"Right," Jasmine agreed. "You're good, Kat. Very good. Probably you reminded him of her is my guess."
Katiyana sighed. She wondered about the man. He must have loved his wife very much. But, she wanted a change in subject. "How's Vane doing?" she asked.
"Pretty good," Chris answered. "My next match is with one of them. We'll see how they like a taste of Zen steel!" He grinned menacingly, causing everyone to laugh.
Katiyana laughed along, but she was still thinking of the sad mage. After the tournament, she'd go talk to him, she decided.
Jasmine was scheduled in the first match against a girl from Feldspar. Her specialty was finesse. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. She walked out of the ring with a shrug, but her disappointment shone in her eyes. "Better luck next time," Absalom said softly.
"If Kat makes it, I'll be satisfied," she replied, smiling. "Besides, that girl had that trick thrust I'll have to try some time."
Absalom was doing well, but got defeated when the competition was down to eight. He shrugged, satisfied with a job well done. He was content to watch how his friends did.
Katiyana was ready for her match with four competitors left. She faced off against a kid from Horam. The boy bowed, then launched into a Falcon leap, a move she had learned from Master Jinlai. She dipped, neatly avoiding it, and struck back.
The boy parried quickly, then moved into a backhand slash. Katiyana dodged, then followed with a cross-cut. The boy blocked, then slammed with a hard slash, getting nervous. Katiyana countered with a quick double-cut. The boy gasped and fell back onto the ground.
Katiyana figured she had a victory, and got ready for the stance. Her opponent had other ideas. He threw two fistfuls of sand straight into Katiyana's eyes. The crowd roared in disapproval.
Katiyana backed up, squinting. She heard a sword swish and jumped away. Quickly, she spit in her hand and rubbed her eyes. There! A flash came, and she parried. The shape moved, and suddenly she felt a smack against her calf. Katiyana fell to her knees, but slashed at the shape quickly. The shape was clearly not ready, and leaped back, falling. Katiyana followed up her advantage and placed the tip of her sword at her opponent's throat.
"The winner- Katiyana Neva!" the announcer cried again. Katiyana watched her opponent's master pulling him away, spitting out angry words. Absalom dashed over to see if she was okay. She smiled at him.
"Your next match will be delayed to allow you to recover," the referee announced. "And your past opponent will not be eligible to try for third place."
Katiyana thanked him. A priest came by to check her leg, and a bucket of water took care of the dust. She retied her washed hair back, ready. This was it. This was the deciding match.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our last two competitors! Katiyana Neva of the Xong dojo of Zen, and Luke Wilson of the Jing dojo of Horam! To your positions!" the announcer declared. Katiyana saluted her opponent and got ready.
And then all hell broke loose.
Restar was shocked when he saw Katiyana's injury and followed victory. He had been ready to hit the kid with a spell, but realized that would not be honorable. Restar smiled when he saw that Katiyana was in the final match.
Suddenly, an explosion shook the arena, and a huge black cloud appeared. Two figures appeared in the lead, but definitely not human. Demons, maybe. Both had red hair and blazing red eyes, vivid against lime-colored skin. A man and woman.
"Sorry we won't discover the winner, darling," the woman cooed, "but this is our show, now. My name is Selenidae, and I will be your executioner."
"I am Astroyanax, and I shall be your other executioner," the man boomed. "Lunar will be ours!" Raising his hand, a huge army of other green-skinned beings appeared. One leaped onto Master Jinlai, who reacted with a slash to its chest. The battle began.
Restar began chanting. Thunder rang throughout the stadium, bolts hitting the strange monsters right and left. Not one touched a human or beastman. Astroyanax glanced towards him, but whipped around to deal with a swordsman.
Restar then worked an earth spell, calling up huge rocks. One of the monsters approached with a katana, and thrust hard. Restar parried with his staff, then kicked it in the stomach, grateful he had studied some hand-to-hand combat. The monster grunted and took off in pursuit of easier prey. A lightning bolt put a stop to that.
The mage looked around. Even though most of the people here were trained warriors, the monsters seemed to have the edge. He would not give up!
Katiyana was busy, too. She slashed and parried, thrust and dodged. Monsters fell right and left, but more kept coming. An endless tide of green skin and weapons and movement.
Katiyana ducked a blow, then pushed the monster into a crowd of others, causing a domino effect. It cursed at her threateningly, but a slash from Lady Yoshiki cut off the string of profanity. The instructor smiled at her student, then took off to deal with a mob going for spectators.
The beastwoman sighed and looked for her parents and friends. All she could see was Absalom, facing off against a half dozen. She ran to his aid, coming in with a surprise attack on the two nearest her. The others turned to face her, and Absalom took care of them neatly.
"Who are these people?!" Katiyana gasped, going to Absalom's back.
"I don't know. They're good fighters, though!" Absalom replied. "I think they're trying to take over or something!"
"We'll see about that!" Katiyana declared, getting back to work. Cut, slash, dodge, thrust, parry. Her body was almost on automatic pilot, her brain looking only for openings.
Suddenly, she heard Absalom gasp and whipped around. He was down on his knees, a bloody gash on his chest. Katiyana screamed in fury and took out all the monsters around them, then bent down to examine her friend. It was bad, a very deep cut that bled heavily. Both of them knew he wasn't going to make it.
"Kat..." he murmured, reaching to stroke her cheek. "Save who you can. I'm... I'm done."
"No, Abi, you can't leave me. We're supposed to be knights together, and go on adventures, and save people. I... I don't want to do it alone," Katiyana moaned, tears coursing down.
"You must! Be... be the knight... for both of us." Absalom struggled to talk now. "You... can... do... it. I'll... always... be... with... you... Katiyana."
"I'll do it for you, Absalom," she replied, kissing him gently. Absalom sighed with happiness, then closed his eyes and breathed his last.
Katiyana wept with rage and grief. These demons had stolen her very best friend. Angrily, she took a fresh grip on her sword and got down to business. But it was futile. People were dying right and left. There were very few warriors left alive. Katiyana was tired, so tired, but she could not allow herself to give up.
Suddenly, she saw a mother and child trying to escape. The woman was teary, and Katiyana guessed she'd just lost someone precious, too. The woman leader, Selenidae, was going after them with a flashing whip. Katiyana lost it and parried the thing with her sword. It coiled around her blade like a glittery snake, and the woman turned to face her.
"Well, well, a little girl trying to interfere!" Selenidae snapped. Her ruby eyes widened. "Green eyes... not a silver sword, but no use taking chances!" She uncoiled the whip from Katiyana's coppery sword and struck. Katiyana parried, and slashed quickly. Selenidae leaped back, then tried again. The beastwoman ducked, then tried to cut in from the left. The monster dodged easily.
The two females circled grimly. Selenidae suddenly struck with the flashing whip. Katiyana expected to parry on the left, but the whip changed direction, and coiled around her right arm. She screamed as a painful magic flooded her body, seemingly turning her blood to acid. Slowly, she fell to her knees.
A bolt of lightning struck Selenidae suddenly. She screeched and recoiled her whip. Katiyana gasped and slumped tiredly, the pain lessened but not gone. She stared in wonder at the sad-eyed mage. Now, he only looked mad.
"What is this?! You humans don't know when to quit, do you?" Selenidae snapped at him.
"How dare you, using a magicked weapon against a warrior?" he spit angrily. "You want to fight with magic, try ME on for size!"
Selenidae grinned. "Agreed," she hissed, coiling her whip, putting it away... and leaping to avoid the next lightning bolt. Katiyana fought against the unconsciousness rising, wanting to see the outcome, but failed.
Restar threw out a magic shield against Selenidae's spell. It was strong, he had to admit that, but not strong enough. He responded with a strong rock spell, directing sharp-tipped boulders. They were deflected by a sickly yellow shield. "Come on, human!" the monster taunted. "I would hope you can do better than that!"
Restar could. He chanted under his breath, bringing up shards of metal coated in electricity, and threw. Selenidae screamed, unable to block the double element spell easily. Angrily, she responded with a ribbon of fire, which Restar easily dodged. He knew that a calm head was central to magic control, and he had the advantage now.
The mage quickly called up a shower of lightning, raining bolt after bolt onto the woman. Selenidae managed to dodge about half of them, yelping at the hits. "No more playing nice!" she snarled, nursing her wounds. She threw her hands out, and dark bolts of energy shot at Restar. He called up a shield, which held for about half of it. Restar screamed when the full force hit.
Selenidae smirked in satisfaction. "Done yet?" she taunted, stroking the whip at her side.
"Never!" Restar snarled, launching an incredibly powered-up Thunder Blow onto his opponent. She screamed, then shrank back.
"You may have won the battle, human, but I'll be back! We will not be beaten by a mere band of humans! Looks like our job is done here, anyway." Selenidae snapped, then let out a whistle. The black cloud returned, and the army disappeared.
Restar looked around. Zen was burned to the ground. Every person he saw was dead, most very gruesomely. He bent down to examine the brave swordswoman, relieved to feel a pulse. But, she needed that curse broken, and she needed it done soon.
Carefully he bent, scooping the limp body into his arms, and teleported back home.
The staff at Lord Restar's mansion had seen many things, but never an exhausted mage teleport home with an unconscious beastwoman in his arms. "She needs a curse broken, now!" Restar ordered tiredly. "Is Terrance here?"
"Here, Lord Restar!" the priest replied. "Here, let me take care of her." He took Katiyana into his arms and went to the infirmary.
"Pearl, go with them, and tend to her, please," Restar added. "See if she wants to clean up and get some fresh clothes and a meal. I need to go to my room and rest."
"Yes, my lord," Pearl agreed, bobbing a curtsy and following the priest.
"My lord, I'll help you to your chambers," offered his manservant, Jordan. Restar thanked him tiredly. "What happened at the tournament, my lord?" Jordan asked. "Is that girl one of the competitors?"
"It was attacked," Restar answered. "I'll save the rest for after a nap. I'm very drained."
"Very good, sir," Jordan replied, helping his boss and friend down the hall to the chamber.
Back to the Shrine to Ghaleon.