Take My Heart...: Dark Ages - Fantasy (Dark Gods & Tainted Souls Book 3) (12 page)

Seth stood slowly, covered in blood but victorious. His cheek was still dripping blood and he placed his hand to it to try to stanch it. What the hell was that? He thought. That was some of the truly worst luck he’d ever seen. Looking at the watcher he saw one clearly. A woman with a long white dress, pitch black hair tied back neatly, bowed to him, he thought he could see the glimpse of a devious smile glinting back at him. Around him he felt the moods, he’d clearly impressed some with the battle but all seemed to be directing scorn at the lady who somehow had helped him.

Seth decided to get the focus off her.

“Anyone else?” he yelled, barely able to stand.

In response he saw them one by one file away, they wandered back into the shadows of the viewing stones and were soon gone. With the last being the lady and one old man who hit his hand to his chest and gave him the salute of the warrior. At the end of the arena the door opened and Seth knew no more were coming. He began limping towards his next challenge, hoping there would be a chance to sleep first.

Chapter Twenty Four.

Renfra sat in the desert sands and let them think they had him. His hands were tied roughly tied behind his back, with some coarse rope which rubbed his skin raw. They kept bows raised at him and told him they would use them quickly if he said anything that seemed like a chant. The one Grimm had drawn a circle in the sand around himself and Renfra could feel the power of it. Clearly this man was very dangerous, he looked at him and marked his face, it would be easy to remember.

The black woman stood before him with a sword pointed at his face, she kept pressing it against his cheek which had started to bleed. He knew he could break these ropes and escape, his lord had given him the strength but he had the feeling a direct bow shot would still stop him.

“So this is the part where you torture me until I tell you my plans,” he said simply. They looked at him blankly as he spoke in Pellosi. The Northman Grimm spoke his words in the desert tongue for them. It was strange to watch the light dancing words come from his mouth, Northern was such a harsh tongue, they sounded angry all the time. Pass me the mead sounded like pass me the mead or I’ll kill you.

Renfra laughed at him. “You speak their dirt tongue? I have a feeling we should be chasing you not this riffraff,” he said.

Grimm just smiled. from his circle “You’re welcome to try,” he said back in perfect Pellosi. Who was this man? He wondered if it might be the one Seth but he was meant to be younger and also dead.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“I’m just what you hate, someone acting above their station, now shut up and answer her questions,” Grimm said.

The black woman, who wore the white patch, which he knew meant she was their leader, spoke to the Northman and he translated. Renfra was surprised and scared by her question.

“Tell us about your god, who is he and what does he want,” he asked.

He felt staggered, no one knew of this. Even the other members of the order, only the top one or two ever knew, the rest were just guided by their anger at the gods and magic, they could never know the truth.

“I have no idea what you talk of, we represent a return to the dominion of man, we fight against heathens like you who use sacrifice and worship these creatures,” he spat.

“Interesting choice of words there. Heathen means against god, creatures is a word used for something real, like a horse or a dog, sounds like you believe they are real,” Grimm said back.

“Of course, they are real,” he spat back. “You’re proof of that. You think you got these powers from a natural source? No, you did a dirty deal with something you have no right communing with and have no idea what it will ask in return,” he said.

The Northman had stopped translating and was questioning him directly.

“The funny thing about creatures is they need to eat to grow strong. Dogs they only eat meat, horse well they only eat grass. I have a feeling I know what the gods eat. I think they need regard, they need temples and sacrifice, they need us to be thinking of them and to me that’s fine. I mean who doesn’t want songs sung about them. But you’re man, he’s different. You think I can’t see it in your eyes, you think I can’t smell it coming off you like an unwashable stench?” the Northman spat.

“What? What?” he cried.

“Fear you fool, you’re terrified yet you bring fear where you go, you’re agents of fear, you’re man eats fear. These folks here worship life, what exactly do you worship?”

The man knew much too much, it was like he could see inside of his mind. Renfra closed his mouth and just glared at him.

“Oh no, don’t get like that you’ve got it in you, go on you let it out, you tell me, you self-righteous types love to hear their own voice,” the Northman said and then he started to whistle softly. Renfra heard the sound and was filled with a sense it would be fine if he could just explain it all to them.

“Of course, he brings fear, the world is broken and must be fixed. Too many live without fear. They do what they want, they strive to be great when they should just be happy as they are. Farmers must farm, fishermen fish and women have children. If some rise to greatness it’s on the shoulders of many and they should be glad that they have played their role.”

“But why the temples, the priestess, why destroy them?” he asked.

Renfra couldn’t hold it in anymore,

“Because he’s the imprisoned one and we need to make those that hold him weak. We destroy their temples, kill their people and bring them to their knees and then he will be free, finally free.”

He felt such relief as he spoke. He knew he’d done well to tell these savages on the glory they were trying to stop.

The Northman just looked at him and smiled. “Good man, don’t you feel better now.”

From the shadow, he heard something and they all turned their heads. From the sparse tree line they came. A hundred of the king’s men on horses riding fast. The Northman and desert people ran firing arrows back as they went. The body of troops rushed past Renfra chasing them. A lone horse stopped in front of him. The young sergeant dropped from his horse and looked at the old man.

“You don’t look so good,” he went behind him and pulling a dagger from his scabbard and cut the rough ropes that held the old man free and taking his shoulder raised him to his feet.

“The king?” Renfra asked.

“Wants you dead, lucky he can’t tell one soldier from another,” the man said and bowed to Renfra. “We have twenty in this troop and all the men will follow me, should we finish the job.”

More than ever, Renfra knew his mission, he was the hammer in his lord’s hand. He mounted the horse behind the young sergeant and they rode after the fleeing desert clan.

Chapter Twenty Five.

She wished Seth was here instead of her new companion in escape. He still hadn’t told her his name and he simply led her by the hand up rows and rows of empty jail cells. They had been walking quickly along as he muttered to himself. The man seemed to be what she’d heard referred to as a manic. Sometimes he was lovely and charming then others he would snap at her. If she’d met him in an ordinary life she’d take him for one of those men who fly into a rage and hit their children and wives then feel so guilty just moments later.

“Are you even trying to escape?” he asked, he was calm again.

“What do you mean? We’re walking to find a door out of here, aren’t we?” she said.

“I am, but we’ll not find one until you truly want to. I told you they hold you in your guilt, when you truly want out, a door will appear,” he said as if to a child.

“One will just appear? That’s a badly built jail,” she said.

He laughed. “This isn’t a jail, we’ve been walking for hours in a field and you keep looking around seeing bars and cages.”

He stopped and took her hands. “This isn’t working, let’s try something else. Close your eyes.”

She let herself trust the nameless man and closed her eyes.

“Now imagine we find a door. We open it and you’re back in Pelloss. You don’t have your gifts anymore, but that’s ok. You have a full life ahead of you and you can be anything you want, you finally have a chance to redeem yourself and be proud of your name.” She imagined it and felt a single tear fall from her eye. She did need a chance to do it right this time.

As she opened her eyes she saw that they were indeed standing in a field. It was nighttime and the darkness was all around. The landscape was like nothing she’d ever seen. It was completely covered in thick woods and tall trees, they travelled along a tiny road that cut through them.

He released her hands. “That’s a good girl, now we’re one step closer to where we need to go.”

She looked at the deep woods around her and expected to feel fear. It was the stuff of nightmares. The sounds of the wind in the trees, branches casting long shadows and strange animals, but she felt fine. It was a place where nature ruled.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Some Northern idiot’s idea of paradise I think,” he said.

She tried to stay calm. Her life had always been strange but even with the Dark Guild, they never really spoke of what came next. They knew ways to make life better and they took them, no matter the cost to others but they never talked of gods and realms beyond, they just were tools to be used by them.

“And we are we going?” she asked.

“We shouldn’t be going anywhere. I should be free, but your friend the Druheim ruined that didn’t he? Now he’s here and he’s making it worse and worse with every blind step he takes.”

Seth, her heart leapt that he might still be alive. If anyone could get her out of this it was him for sure.

“That’s right Seth,” the man said, seemingly hearing her thoughts. That was a scary new development. “He’s passed the first of the trials and now he’s moving on to the second. I really didn’t think he’d make it this far, but seems like he’s a tough one,” he said.

“Are we going to go and find him?” she asked, hope in her voice.

“Yes we are and it should be easy since you want to, shut your eyes again,” he said.

“Think of your friend, he’s in a dry place, a desert, people are fighting him and he has to prove himself.” The man put his hands to her head and she saw a perfect vision of the arena. Blood-soaked bodies and the tall stones with people watching. As she opened her eyes they were there.

The man laughed. “You’re helpful, at least! So much emotion in that little body of yours.”

Seraphina walked away from him and around the sands. The arena was empty now but she could see that she’d pictured it perfectly.

“How did you know what it looked like, can you see what’s happening to him,” she asked.

He laughed. “Nothing that incredible. I’ve been here before, but I would like to see what happened, can’t you do something about that?”

She remembered her trick of seeing what had happened in a place before, but she needed something to look through, it was the object that had the power not her.

“It wasn’t the object it was your Pellosi god, The judge, he sees all or so he likes to brag, you just called on his power without knowing it,” he spat in the sand as he spoke the name.

“Oh, should I do it again?” she said.

“We don’t really have a choice, but once we do he’ll know I’m here.” The man smiled. “Probably time they knew, ok.”

Holding her hands in front of her eyes she thought of what had happened, that she wanted to see Seth, she remembered the words she spoken in her mind. It was getting the sands and the stones to show their memories of it. The images sprang to life in front of her.

She saw Seth dressed as a true warrior. His armor was incredible, she watched him as he fought four men and took them down one by one. It was a vicious fight but he won. At the end a man actually slipped on his Seth’s chest piece and impaled himself, she almost laughed, it was ridiculously unfortunate.

“That was unlucky,” she said as she watched Seth stagger off towards the exit.

Turning to her new companion she saw he was red with rage. He looked to the stones where the woman had stood and smiled at Seth.

“You fucking bitch,” he yelled. “You had no right to help him, soon you won’t have the strength to rig a dice game.” He grabbed her hand roughly and led her towards the end of the arena and after Seth.

Chapter Twenty Six.

Goldie pushed his new horse hard as it ran up the roadway, the wind in its black locks and he laughed.

“Thanks, baby!” he cried out as the horse proved its worth. A game of cards or two and he’d won the beast, it had taken some fast talking for him to actually take it but the lead man was no welch and just said they’d say it died which was a very common hazard for these fine courier horses. They pushed them until they dropped and then mounted another, just so they could get their important wax sealed missives from one city to another a few hours earlier. He patted the horse on its neck as it ran with strength and vigor.

“Probably a stroke of luck for you too” he cried. The horse seemed to agree and pushed itself harder. He’d never really had a horse that was his, he’d stolen a lot of them but you could only ride them for a few weeks before the posters started going up, a good horse cost much more than a man and certainly a lot more than he had been sold for.

“I’ll give you a name, cause were heroes now, it was a mare so it had to be a girl’s name but she was all black, a fairly rare thing in a horse in this part of the land.

“We’ll give you a name like the desert people would, something really long and important. How about 'Black wings on a starless night',” he said, but the horse stayed silent.

“No? ok short and sweet like Goldie, keep it Northern, one word, got it, Raven”

Raven made short of exertion which he took as a yes and they paced on.

Goldie had always felt blessed by the Lucky Lady but he’d never felt more so than now. The cards against those men just keep coming up his way. Even if he started with a bad hand, the turn always brought it home to him. He just needed to bet big and take the chance. He felt like he was actually moving for once in the direction someone wanted him too. He pictured her as he’d seen her all those times in the temple by the little wine stall where he worked. The look of her the night he’d almost died, but hadn’t.

He was near on fifteen but taller than most Pellosi men, still not much of a fighter, no training to speak of, just a few years of fist fights since he’d run from home. He packed down the rough wooden stall, putting away the clay mugs and locking the doors at the back of the stall and he heard them.

He knew a drunken voice and he heard two coming from the Ladies altar next to him. Goldie signed to himself and checked his small dagger, more for eating than fighting and walked over to the room. It was a nice marble archway and inside was her statue. In Pelloss they depicted her as a beautiful woman with a long flowing dress, long hair and breasts showing some lovely cleavage. She smiled. cheekily and had a pair dice in her hands. Thieves, sailors and gamblers all loved her.

Inside were two drunks. Off duty guards, by their clothes. Goldie had been serving them wine just a few short hours ago but didn’t know them, they weren’t regulars. One was pissing in the corner and the other was drinking from a stolen bottle of offering and laughing as he groped the statue.

“She’s got nice tits for a goddess,” he slurred.

The other man finished pissing and they turned as Goldie entered the small room.

“Lads leave it be, go home, sleep it off. I’ll buy you a round tomorrow,” he said.

The groper turned and drew his sword a little from its scabbard. “Fuck off boy, we're just having a laugh.”

He hated the city guards, they felt like they could do whatever they wanted. Take free food and drinks from the stall owners and piss in the street. He could do it, but he was scum, they were meant to be respectable. The pisser bent down and picked up a different bottle that was set before her as an offering, he pulled the cork with his teeth and grinned.

“Free wine,” he said, “What were we paying you for?”

Goldie knew he had one option, he had to get these fuckers to chase him. He was sober and could easily outrun them. He just grinned and stepped forward knocking the bottle from his hand. It fell to the floor before her sandaled feet and poured its dark red contents on them. That was ok. People did that all the time, giving her the first sip.

“Listen, you drunk idiots, go home, fuck your ugly wives and leave off. I’m sick of the smell and sight of you,” he taunted.

The two men pulled their blades and swayed a little. They were both much bigger than him.

“I’ll gut you, you little shit,” one said.

“My wife’s not ugly,” the other said.

Goldie laughed. “All the more pity for her, having to screw a sack of shit like you, were you born with that face or did you get kicked by a horse?”

Then he felt it. He was too busy talking and the first lunged forward and stabbed him deep in the stomach. He was shocked, city guards, even drunk city guards shouldn’t be doing this shit. He collapsed to the floor of the altar the sword clutched in his hand, the pain ripping through him.

“Oh shit,” one said and they ran. He heard their drunken footsteps as they left him there to bleed.

He looked up at the lady from the floor. She did have nice tits, especially from this angle. He laughed as he felt himself slipping towards the dark sleep.

“Fucking showed them,” he murmured and then passed out. At least, he’d gotten a free sword.