THE PAWN AND THE ROOK

Snap.

I stumbled back into reality, into the ruined suite, the flames now spreading to the princess’ room. The noises had stopped — I didn’t know how long I’d been gone.

Shit. Lira.

I grabbed the shield from the floor, shoved it into the Mourner’s pack, and sprinted with Callen’s sword in my hand.

I rushed past the staircases until I burst into the hall.

My heart almost leapt out of my chest when I saw a trail of blood, thick and fresh leading down the hall, almost it was deliberately laid out for me.

Then I saw her.

Lira was on her knees, hands bound behind her back, a strip of Eliorynna’s dress gagging her mouth. Tied to a pillar, her face was pale, streaked with sweat and blood.

And behind her stood Eliorynna.

She had a blade as long as my forearm resting casually against Lira’s throat. When she heard me, she straightened, her red hair falling over Lira like a curtain and smiled.

“Ash… I was hoping you’d get here before she bled out,” she said almost gently.

“Let her go,” I barked, my grip tightening on the sword.

My hands were slick….I couldn’t tell if it was sweat or blood. My head was still spinning from what Callen had told me. I now knew Draken was Arisu, and he was the enemy.

Eliorynna calmly tied her hair back into a loose bun, two strands of hair falling across her glowing eyes.

“I’m going to enjoy this and don’t worry about Lira,” Eliorynna said almost sweetly. Then with a sudden shove, she slammed Lira’s head back against the pillar, forcing a gasp from her.

“I’m only after you.”

“Why me?” I demanded. “What did I do to you?”

“It’s not about me,” she ,hissed stepping away from Lira. “You’re obsessed with Keiji-dear and want to destroy him but I won’t let that happen.”

What?

That makes no sense.

This must be Arisu’s doing. Some part of his master plan to get this pretty but delusional princess to kill me. But what could he gain from this?

Ah, this is so annoying.

“Princess, I swear….I’d never do anything to hurt Keiji. Whoever told you that is lying …”

“Shut up, shut up. SHUT UP!.”

Her eyes blazed.

“He told me you’d say that,” she hissed. “Stop pretending and own up to everything.”

ZZOOOM!

A searing beam of light cut across, scorching a dark scar into the marble where I’d been standing a second earlier.

I dove, rolling behind a pillar just as another beam tore through. The heat grazing my cheek before exploding into the far wall.

“Left.”

Callen’s voice was sharp and clear ringing in my ear. My body obeyed just as another beam sliced through the pillar, the column shattering into chunks above me.

“You’re fast,” Eliorynna lunged at me with the blade in a flurry of slashes.

Then her head snapped back and she fired from her eyes.

I twisted, feeling the heat sear across my ribs as I barely avoided being burned in half.

“Close the gap,” Callen’s voice urged. “Don’t give her time to charge the next shot.”

I shoved forward, trying to force her back but she was faster, spinning under my guard and sweeping at my legs. I jumped twisting midair, but her boot caught my ribs as I landed. I hit the ground hard, my breath tearing out of me.

ZZZOOOOM!

Another beam aimed for my spine. I barely got the sword up in time deflecting the beam up the ceiling. Cracks spiderwebbed and a chandelier fell in between us raining chunks of glass and diamonds on the floor, the lightning dimming slightly.

I took that opportunity to rush to Lira’s side and untied her while Eliorynna circled the chandelier.

“You can run but can’t hide,” she sang, her footsteps crunching on the glass.

Lira was passed out but i took off the gag on her mouth and  tossed her over my shoulder, holding her steady with my right and the sword in the other. The only chance we had was to escape to the kitchen door before…

ZZZOOOMM!

A blast hit the door, blowing it and the walls above, blocking our path. 

Dammit! I set Lira down, leaning her against a wall,

“I already told you…. all I want is you. Stop dodging and fight me!” she screamed.

I couldn’t tell if she could see me, but I could hear her footsteps crunching through the glass.

“Okay, Callen,” I whispered. “Any ideas?”

“Yeah. This hall gives her too much space.” He said. “Take the fight elsewhere.”

“Okay, where?”

Before Callen could answer, I heard a voice.

“I fooound you.”

There she was tilting her head from my left, motioning me forward with her finger.

She fired at me again but this time I was ready. I twisted my sword at the last second and it deflected with a resonant THWANG, sending the beam scorching a black scar on the wall past her shoulder. The recoil shuddered up my arms. As her attention momentarily followed the shot, I lunged forward, letting the mass of my sword carry me into a massive arcing swing.

She sidestepped, snapping back within my guard with a series of rapid, controlled jabs of her blade disrupting my rhythm until a powerful kick sent me staggering back.

Eliorynna grinned, eyes blazing with wild joy, then fired point-blank. I dove to the side, the beam missing me by a hair.

“Yes! There it is! Your true colours.”Her eyes widened. “If you were just a scrap picker, you wouldn’t move like that.”

I moved back slowly, keeping my distance. 

“Your sword has better reach than hers,” Callen reminded me. “ But don’t get too close.”

“There’s also the problem of those damn eyes. If I get too far I risk getting burned!”

“You’re right,” Callen said calmly. “But you have to take a chance. You're an observant guy Ash. You can do it”

Easy for him to say. He’s already dead.

I gritted my teeth and pressed forward, slashing and deflecting as Eliorynna moved with manic precision, her attacks faster and sharper. But I managed to drive her back using the mass of my sword, regaining my footing, then a quick hit with my hilt to make her stagger.

It was small, but I could see her breathing heavily.

Before she could recover, I slammed my boot into her stomach, knocking the air out of her then leaped and drop kicked her straight into the pillar she’d tied Lira to earlier. It cracked with the impact, dust falling around her as she collapsed in the rubble.

I landed hard, losing my grip on the sword. My ears rang from the clang sound.

For a moment, I almost thought it was over. Then from the rubble came a laughter that froze me to my core.

This bitch just won't stay down!!!

“You really are dangerous,” she rasped. “That’s why you have to die.”

“I think it’s time to go, Ash,” Callen said.

"Yessir."

I picked up the sword and rushed back to where I’d left Lira, kneeling beside her. Eliorynna fired am intense beam at the ground before I could grab her. It split under me like paper. 

A flash of light, blinding me as the floor gave way.

“Lira!” 

Gravity took us both.