Chapter 11: Ambushed

Aedain glanced at the path, from where he and his group came. Still, there was no sight of the woman even though he purposely slowed down to allow the female to catch up. Was she that idiotic to try the escape again, despite his previous warning?

         “Hey, Aedain?” The black-haired demon frowned, as his underling Baltar opened his mouth to bother him again.

         “What again?” Aedain asked without looking at his companion. The bald demon cleared his throat.

         “Do you want me to go get the girl?” Baltar asked, looking at Aedain’s stoic face for reaction.

         “Hn.” The black-haired demon didn’t slow down. “There is no need.”

         Aedain clenched his fist, annoyed with that idiot woman. She should have stayed with the group instead of trailing behind. What was she thinking in that foolish head of hers? At least, she would be taught a lesson, if she had to run behind them for a half of the day. Aedain could still sense the woman in the vicinity, so he knew that she was walking after them. There was absolutely no need of bringing her back now.

         The long-haired demon furrowed his brows as he detected someone or something in the vicinity, but there was probably no need to worry. Suddenly, he stopped and exchanged looks with Baltar. The bigger demon frowned.

         “Looks like she has company.” Baltar noticed it as well.

         Aedain didn’t answer. He sniffed the air. Without doubt, he could smell the scent of blood, the idiot woman’s blood. And Laismarans. He cursed inwardly.

         He whirled around and set off in the direction from where they came. He was running incredibly fast, his speed surpassing that of a stag, and quickly vanished into the forest.

         Erik was staring at him, until the demon was out of sight. The shock and worry for May mixed on the child’s face as he bit his lower lip. He said a prayer to mother goddess Illiana for his friend to stay safe when Meirch neighed, dancing in place. Then, the steed  leapt into the gallop, following its master.

         “Faster,” Baltar muttered when he caught up to the demonic horse.

         May gasped, as she saw three men coming out of the bushes. They wore dirty, smelly rags and were armed with rusty swords. After a brief glance, May also noticed that they were demons – with greenish scales covering their forearms and a good portion of their faces they weren’t doing quite as fine job at pretending to be humans as Aedain and Baltar did.

         The loathsome smiles were plastered across their faces. One of them whistled as he scanned May up and down.

         Scared, she took a step back and whirled around with an intention of running at the full speed. When she did so, she noticed, that two other demons blocked her way, springing out of the bushes and laughing, making her stay in place.

         May cursed, when she realized, that thy surrounded her. Damn, why didn’t she stay with the group? Why she had to be that stupid?

         “She reeks of the prince. She must be traveling with him,” one of them said, probably the leader. The demon’s obscene gaze lingered a little while longer on May’s knee-length braid. “She looks like a princess with that hair; surely, the prince is quite attached to her. If we trade her for the Key, master Zhawn will reward us.”

         The demons began approaching May, closing off every escape route and reaching for her with their scaled arms.

         May looked around helplessly, praying for the salvation. However, she was alone in the wilderness, far from human settlements. No one would hear her screams. No one would come to rescue – she was on her own.  The pulsing temples made it hard for her to think clearly; her breathing hitched when the demons made a step in her direction, looking gleeful. May shook her head, refusing to let the panic lose her senses.

         “Wait!” she looked straight into the yellow eyes of the leader. “What do you want from me?”

         A look of surprise flickered through the lizard-man’s face like he just saw a dog talking.

         “What do we want from you?” he repeated May’s question, the corners of his mouth twisting in a smirk. “You’ll find out in a moment.”

         The lizard-man made a hasty gesture, and his comrade leapt on May, trapping her in their grip. She tried fighting, but she got immobilized before she realized what was happening. May kept wriggling, but the demons were holding her too well, not letting her move her limbs an inch.

         “Your hair is so beautiful,” the leader said, taking May’s knee-length braid in his hand and examining it.

         May’s eyes widened as he flexed his clawed, lizard-like fingers an inch before her face. Her breathing hitched with panic when she thought that he was going to slash her throat with his claws. The demon’s leader grabbed her long hair and pulled towards himself. May whimpered in pain when he pulled it with more force. Then she felt the pressure disappear and fell backwards, free from his grip. She saw that the demon was holding her long brown braid in his hand. The lizard man cackled, tossing the hair to the ground.

         May felt his sharp claws brushing against her throat. She held her breath. The demon grazed her neck with his fingers, the claws breaking the skin near the artery – only to draw a little blood. The demon lifted his hand to the girl’s eyes so she could see her own blood staining his fingers, and then he licked the blood slowly off the claws with his split tongue.

         “Now scream,” he ordered.

         “You heard the boss, call for the prince or we’ll rip your spine out of you!” one of the lizard demons yelled at May, slapping her across the face. The girl’s head turned from the force of blow.

         “Aedain!” May called weakly, her voice shaking from fear.

         “Louder, human bitch!” another demon ushered her.

         May took a deep breath.

         “AEDAIN!” May yelled from the top of her lungs, her voice echoing throughout the forest.

         “Again!” the demon commanded, grabbing May’s short hair and yanking it until the girl whimpered from pain. Suddenly, the angered grimace on his face vanished to be replaced by a look of confusion and bewilderment.

         May stared, as the attacker’s hand fell limply to his side, and he unexpectedly landed upon the ground. She saw a long sword stuck into his back. The man tried to pull himself up, the blood flowing from the wound began making a puddle around his body. His limbs twitched for a moment, and then he went still. May stiffened when she realized, that the monster had been just killed. She lifted her eyes from demon’s lifeless body and gasped.

         In front of her eyes was none other than Aedain. The black-haired demon was standing still, calmly observing the scene. One of the swords on his back was missing from its sheath.

         The leader of the lizard demons glanced briefly at his killed companion, his gaze lingering for a while on the long sword which was stuck in the corpse.

         “This blade… this is Sholais, the light,” he said and shifted his attention towards Aedain, who drew the remaining sword. “and the one you’re holding is Dorreach, the darkness. If you’re wielding the famed swords of the Ruanaidh clan, you must be Aedain, son of Kaellach, who ruled over the Northern Domain.”

         Aedain didn’t answer.  Instead, he thrust his sword Dorreach into the ground at his feet and casually stretched his arms, which seemed to anger his opponent.

         The leader of lizard demons frowned, but smile reappeared on his face as Baltar and Meirch came. The demon’s gaze slid over Aedain’s comrade and the battle steed to stop on the little blonde boy with a sapphire necklace around his neck.

         “So it’s true. You have both the Key and the Guardian,” the lizard-man stated the fact, his face almost radiating with self-confidence. “We want them.”

         Aedain calmly finished stretching and reached for his sword. The enemy demons stiffened, expecting him to attack, but he hid the blade into its sheath.

         “So you weaklings are after the Spear too,” Aedain said in a disinterested tone.

         “Yes,” the lizard-man announced and pointed at struggling May held still by his two henchmen. “Now I will offer you a trade. Hand over the boy and no one will die.”

         Aedain arched his eyebrow.

         “A trade?” he said in a mocking tone. “Have you something of value to offer me?”

         The lizard demon smiled triumphantly.

         “I have her!” he grabbed a handful of May’s hair and pulled it, wanting to make the girl beg for mercy. However, May clenched her teeth and glared at him, not uttering a word.

         “I can see that,” Aedain replied, not seeming to be fazed by the demon’s threats. “Do you have perhaps something else you wish to trade?”

         The lizard man stared at Aedain, realizing that May was worthless as a hostage.

         “The reinforcements are on their way. You’ll have to give the Key to me,” the demon hissed.

         Aedain smirked.

         “I do not react well when someone wants to rob me of my property,” the said and stretched his arms. Then, without any warning, he leapt forward, moving with such speed, that May could barely discern his exact position. The other demons had the same problem, for they got confused and the attack surprised them completely. They didn’t even see the moment when Aedain unsheathed Dorreach. In a split second, he was already in the midst of their small group; none of them had enough time to scream, when the parts of their bodies and intestines began flying around. The demons’ leader backed away in the commotion.

          May froze in terror as a fragment of a leg glided inches from her face. Horrified, she stared at the black-haired demon, not sure who scared her more – he or the demons who just took her hostage.

         Aedain looked as calm as though nothing had happened just now. He was standing in the middle where a bloodbath just occurred in front of May’s eyes. The mutilated bodies were laying at his feet, the limbs laying further from their owners; everything was covered in guts ripped out of the demons’ bellies and blood.

         May was staring at the scene, as though she was in a trance. The overwhelming sensation of death invaded all of her senses – she could see the massacre, hear the gurgling sounds the demons made while drowning in their own blood, feel the splattered droplets of their blood on her cheeks, smell the nauseating stench of blood and death. It felt like May wasn’t there, she wished she wasn’t there. All of this felt surreal, May felt apathetic, not believing that this was happening in front of her eyes.

         She sensed that the demon, who was gripping her, started to shiver uncontrollably when Aedain turned his attention to him.

         “One more step and I’ll kill her!” the terrified lizard-man shouted, threatening to slit May’s throat with his claws.

         Aedain, however, didn’t stop. He smirked, what scared the girl out of her wits. May couldn’t even follow what happened afterwards. He leaped forward with such speed that the girl noticed only a blurred shape. Suddenly, he appeared right beside her and the lizard demon. He moved his wrist, and May saw him ripping the flesh of the man’s arm with his bare hand. The torn off limb fell to the ground, freeing the girl from the grip. She staggered forward and somehow regained her balance. She turned towards Aedain and the man, moving clumsily as her body felt heavy and numb.

         At first, the demon stared in disbelief, surprised that his arm was no longer attached to his body. Then he yelped in pain and started to back away from the Aedain, staring at him with horror in his eyes.

         “Please, spare me! Forgive me!” the lizard-man began pleading for his life as he clutched the bleeding stump.

         Aedain said nothing, slowly approaching the demon, swaying with Dorreach. However, he didn’t use the sword. May watched in horror Aedain piercing the man’s chest with his flexed fingers. The arm dove into the flesh past wrist. The demon screamed in pain and coughed blood. Aedain waited patiently until the end of man’s agony and then he pulled his arm back, ripping out the man’s heart. The lifeless body fell on the ground. Aedain emotionlessly glanced at his victim and crushed the still warm heart in his hand.

         May’s eyes widened in shock as she took in the scene. The dead bodies lay on the ground; the smaller fragments of flesh and guts were everywhere. And Aedain was standing in the middle of it, calmly shaking the drops of blood of his claws.

         May shook her head, staring at her feet. She was still shivering – she has never seen so much blood in her life, and it was only the second time she saw someone dying before her eyes. She averted her gaze, not wanting to look at the mutilated corpses. She felt as though she was about to vomit.

         The sight of the Aedain ripping those demons apart with his bare hands terrified her, it scared her more than anything else that happened today. She knew that Aedain was dangerous, but until now, she didn’t really realize how much. His speed, his strength, his mercilessness… he was a true demon, there was no doubt about it.

         “Aedain!” suddenly, Baltar spoke up, grabbing Meirch’s reins and leading the beast toward Aedain.

         The long-haired demon nodded as he retrieved his sword Sholais and slid the both blades into their sheaths.

         “I know,” Aedain muttered. He grabbed May’s arm and shoved the petrified girl behind himself.

         The leader of the lizard demons returned. He scowled looking at the four corpses of his associates. However, then he smirked smugly and snapped his fingers. As he did so, the bushes around May and Aedain’s group began rustling. May barely managed to snap out of the shock when faced with the imminent danger once again. The girl looked around nervously and released a terrified yelp, when she saw more of the lizard-like creatures emerge from everywhere. May spun around, counting the enemies. Twenty… twenty one… there was more.

         They were surrounded.

         May was shivering like a leaf in the wind, when she saw the small clearing fill with the demons. There were so many of them that she lost her count already – Aedain and Baltar were heavily outnumbered.

         However, the number of the opponents didn’t scare Aedain; quite the opposite actually. The demon began laughing as though the situation was merely a funny stand-off show, not a threat. When his laughter subsided, he stared into the eyes of the lizards’ leader.

         “Is that all you’ve got?” he asked mockingly.

         The reptile-like demon gasped, visibly surprised by such reaction.

         “What?” he hissed, mix of anger and uncertainty in his shaking voice. “I will take the Key with force. Fight me, you coward!”

         Aedain arched his eyebrow, his face expressing amusement.

         “You and your pathetic minions will not even warm me up,” he stated, folding his arms. He glanced at Baltar, who bore an excited smirk on his roughly shaped face. “I am leaving them to you, Baltar. Finish it quickly.”

         Baltar nodded and spun the heavy axe in his one hand as though it was lighter than a feather. His face betrayed impatience and child-like joy.

         May flinched, as the mass of lizard-like creatures rushed onto Baltar, who was standing still until the last moment possible, not showing any sign or worry or nervousness. She gasped, feeling her stomach twist when the demons leapt on the lone opponent, up to the time that he vanished beneath their bodies. May sharply looked at Aedain, who wasn’t fazed by the development; he calmly observed the fight, looking far too relaxed. She went back to stare at the scene; she had the horrible feeling that Baltar was already a goner.

         The leader of the lizard-like demons smirked, certain of the victory, but then a low hoarse yell resounded through the air, and his minions were sent flying in all directions. Baltar emerged, swinging his battle axe skillfully as he sliced every one of his adversaries. May winced when it began literarily raining bodies; the still mutilated carcasses of Baltar opponents limply fell to the ground, very still and very dead, all twenty-something of them. May couldn’t avert her gaze from the pile of limbs; she stared at the aftermath of the massacre half-believing that it actually had happened for real. With the corner of her eye, she noticed one of the opponents still moving. The lone survivor was coughing blood and trying to grab his weapon. Baltar shook his head, when he spotted the demon, he failed to kill.

         “Oh no you won’t do that!” he exclaimed merrily and jumped to him. Sighing, he lifted his foot and with full force stomped onto his head, breaking the skull into pieces like a watermelon.  Baltar stretched his arms lazily. “Gotta love this job!”

         The lizard-demons’ leader paled visibly, apparently not expecting such a turn of events. His eyes darted sideways, looking for an escape route. Then, he made a daring attempt to flee the place of the massacre. His fingertips glowed as he pointed his hand at Baltar, who was eager to take on the last opponent.

         May watched, mesmerized, as electric sparks began forming in the palm of the reptile-like demon. It looked like he was about to create some sort of an electric charge and aim it at the bald demon, but in the last moment the arm moved sideways and the lightning was sent flying straight at the place where May and Aedain were standing.

         She wanted to scream, to move, but she couldn’t – all she was capable of was to stand still like a statue and stare. Aedain kept his cool. He managed to parry the lightning bolt with his sword Sholais, using the metal blade as a lightning rod. The clash of his sword and the energy caused an explosion of light. May peeked from behind Aedain to see what was happening. The demon prince was still standing, unharmed. His opponent was dead already, with Baltar’s axe pining him to a tree.

         “He made a nice move just now,” Baltar commented as he walked over to retrieve his axe. “But he was way too slow.”

         Aedain nodded, looking rather bored than impressed by his companion’s victory. He turned his back to the corpse which was split into two halves by Baltar’s axe, and placed the swords in their sheaths. May noticed, that something strange was happening with the dead body of the lizard demons’ leader. The both halves began to twitch and moved on their own towards each other. The demon let out a gurgling sound which sounded like laughter.

         “You think you’re so tough, Aedain?” the lizard-like man managed to utter. He coughed blood and smiled mockingly. “You’re not the only one who’s after the Spear. There is another. Compared to my master you’re weak like a child. You will die of his hand.”

         “You are a talkative corpse,” Aedain stated. The demon whirled around, his long hair swirling, as he reached out with his hand. He crushed the lizard-man’s head effortlessly. As the skull cracked and brain leaked out, the carcass stopped moving once and for all.

         “Persistent bastard,” Baltar muttered. Seeing May stare at the scene in horror, he decided to add some explanation. “Most of the reptile-like Laismarans heal rather fast.”

         She nodded stiffly, acknowledging the information. In her opinion, the ability to heal could explain a lizard’s re-growing tail, not the two halves of the body linking anew. Nevertheless, she decided to keep her opinion to herself – the world of the Callesmere still had many secrets to her.

         Aedain turned around and calmly started walking away, continuing the marching, leaving May behind. She hung her head, wanting to avoid looking at the pile of massacred bodies. Staring at her feet and stumbling as her knees didn’t want to stop bucking, May followed Aedain.

         Then, she caught a glimpse of something glittering, making her forget the macabre scene she just had witnessed. It was bizarre, but all the shock and fear fled her mind, as though they never had been there – the object’s bluish glow seemed to have consumed those fresh, traumatic memories. May walked over towards it and picked a sapphire necklace on a golden chain, she recognized to be Erik’s property. She brought it to her eyes, examining it closer; the sunlight was reflecting in it in such way, that it seemed that blue fire was burning inside the crystal. The play of light must have deceived her sensed, because she could have sworn, that she felt a gentle pleasant warmth radiating from the sapphire.

         “Woman.” May yelped and jumped, as she heard Aedain’s voice. She was so busy studying her finding, that didn’t notice, when the demon approached her. She tilted her head up and fought the urge to take a few steps back. The man glared at her, as he was towering above the girl. She clasped her hand shut around the jewel and hid it behind her back. Aedain narrowed his eyes.

         “Show me that,” he demanded harshly.

         “Show what?” May answered, trying her best to make an innocent face. The demon growled, showing his impatience. The girl took a step back, scared of him displaying his anger. Defeated, she sighed and showed him the gem.

         “It’s only Erik’s pendant,” May said in her defense. However, Aedain seemed to be very serious about the ordinary piece of jewelry.

         “Give that to me,” he said dryly, outstretching his hand.

         Seeing her hesitation, the tall demon snatched her wrist and squeezed it brutally, ignoring May’s whimpers. Her fingers flexed, releasing the sapphire pendant, which fell into Aedain’s other hand. May yanked her arm, freeing her wrist from the man’s hold. She took a step back and sent him a poisonous glare, angered, that he hurt her completely without a reason.

         However, something stopped her from complaining – she saw that Aedain’s hand was literarily smoking, as though it was on fire. Small trickles of smoke were surrounding the palm which held the pendant; May could clearly smell the odor of burnt flesh.

         The black-haired demon behaved as though it was nothing extraordinary in having a hand fried by a piece of jewelry. He approached Erik, who was sitting on Meirch’s back and handed him the pendant.

         “Watch it better, boy. If you lose it, your precious attendant will lose her head,” he said.

         Erik bit his lower lip and nodded. He reached out and took the sapphire. He quickly put it on, hiding the gem under his tunic. May was staring at the boy, not quite being able to comprehend why the kid’s belonging nearly burnt Aedain’s hand. He didn’t show that he felt any pain, but she saw, that the inside of his palm was red and covered with nasty blisters – it had to hurt.

         “It is nothing for me. Any lesser Laismaran would die though.” May’s eyes widened, when Aedain spoke all of a sudden. 

         “So you can read my thoughts now?” she muttered.

         “You were staring,” he explained, shrugging his shoulders.

         “Oh,” May muttered, averting her gaze from Aedain.

         Suddenly, May felt a touch on her cheek, the calloused fingers brushing across the bruise in the place, where the demons’ leader hit her face. Surprised girl looked up at the demon; his golden eyes met hers.

         “You’re hurt,” he stated quietly.

         May pushed his hand away and glared at him.

         “It’s nothing,” she said sharply. “It doesn’t hurt more than my neck did this morning.”

         Aedain’s eyes went cold again. The demon looked at her disheveled clothing critically. He grabbed the edge of fabric and slid it back into the right position, covering May’s bare shoulders.

          “Woman, get yourself on Meirch,” Aedain ordered harshly.

         She looked at the winged stallion and winced, not really willing to get anywhere near that nightmarish creature. Meirch neighed, as if he was thinking the same as May.

         “No, thank you,” May refused politely. Aedain kept glaring at her. “Or maybe I’ll reconsider.”

         May made her way to the demonic horse. She stopped by Meirch’s side and looked up. The stallion’s withers was over six feet abound the ground level.

         How the hell I’m supposed to get on this thing? It’s too tall! – she thought, as she tried to jump somehow onto the saddle or pull herself up with her arms, without any effect. Meirch roared impatiently.

         “Don’t complain,” she spoke to the stallion. “I’m trying to… Gah!”

         She yelped, as Aedain grabbed her by her waist, lifting her off the ground and yanked her onto the saddle behind Erik. May clutched the edge of the saddle. She stared at the black-haired man, surprised, that he lent her a hand.

         “Thank you for helping me out,” she said to the demon, smiling shyly at him. “And thank you for saving me from those men. I’m really grateful.”

         “Hn,” Aedain turned away from her. He stood still with his back to her for a moment and then spoke quietly. “Such food does not suit me.”

         “What?” uttered May, not knowing what he was talking about.

         “The fruit,” Aedain said.

         May looked at him, still confused. Then she realized, what he meant.

         Did he just apologize? – May thought, surprised.       

         Then the black-haired demon turned around and started walking away. Meirch moved, led by Baltar. May had to grip the saddle to keep her balance.

         “Move out,” Aedain said.

         May flinched as the memory of the massacre returned, engulfing her mind in paralyzing fear and numbness. Why did she forget that a moment ago? No, it wasn’t it. She didn’t forget; she just didn’t care anymore. The sight of death didn’t evoke any emotions in her. May stiffened, worried about herself, for she realized how unnatural and unsettling it was. One moment she couldn’t think straight and the next thing she knew was argue with Aedain – how could she have forgotten about the massacre?

         The sapphire on Erik’s chest was glowing faintly until the light faded completely.

Orvik, Karhadon

         Duke Royse was kneeling in front of the bier, his face hidden in his hands. He was a proud and tough man, but the tears refused to stop streaming down his face. A sob shook his body, and he shivered from the chill ruling in the burial chamber. He lifted his head, and his heart died again.

         The one laying on the bier, prepared to be buried, was his son, Abrran. Always honest, pure-hearted and kind, he would make an excellent ruler and yet Royse had to put his son into the ground. The Duke shook his head, still refusing to believe that his only child was dead. However, as much as a heart of a father wanted him to believe that he was just sleeping, the signs of death were painfully obvious.

         Even though the chamber was cool, the odor of decomposition mixed with the scent of incense, irritating Royse’s nose. Abrran’s face was peaceful, horribly contrasting with the ruined, blood-stained attire and the wound to his stomach – his son had been cut nearly in half. The young Lord’s body was oddly collapsed into the middle as the intestines fell out.

         “Abrran,” Royse lamented, touching his son’s pale, cold cheek. “My son.”

         Had he known what was going to happen in Farn, he wouldn’t have sent his child there. If only…

         “Please accept my condolences.” Royse looked at the intruder in the chamber of mourning. It was dark outside the circle of light by the bier, but he knew who came here.

         “Zhawn,” the Duke said.

         Zhawn approached the bier, his looks hidden beneath the hooded cloak as usual. He glanced at the massacred body of Karhadon’s heir and bowed his head.

         “May the spirits of his ancestors guide him to the stars,” he said and rested his hand on Royse’s shoulder in a comforting gesture.

         The Duke silently accepted the condolences.

         “Zhawn,” Royse’s voice was quiet, as though he didn’t want to disturb Abrran’s eternal slumber. “Do you know who did it?”

         Zhawn sighed heavily and kneeled beside the Duke.

         “I do,” he said, making Royse suck in his breath in anticipation. “The one responsible for murdering your son is none other than Aedain, son of Kaellach.”

         Royse stared at Zhawn in disbelief, processing the advisor’s words after hearing a familiar name.

         “Son of Kaellach?” the Duke repeated. “Did he want his revenge for what my grandfather and the others did seventy years ago?”

         Zhawn shook his head.

         “No, that was not the real reason. It appears that Aedain is only one of the culprits,” he said. “You see, he killed your son because Lady Maewyn of the house Thoen asked him to.”

         Royse furrowed his brows.

         “What? Maewyn? She’s a kind, gentle young woman. She would never do such a thing!” the Duke exclaimed, his voice echoing through the burial chamber.

         “Women are often more treacherous than men, my friend,” Zhawn said patiently. “It turns out, she’s Aedain’s lover and eloped with him. Unfortunately, your son, Abrran, was in the way so that’s why he had to die. The Lady of Farn had no intention of marrying your son; she was only waiting for a convenient opportunity to get rid of her betrothed.”

         Royse was staring at Zhawn in shock. It was hard to believe that Thoen’s daughter would be capable of such devious actions, but it had to be true since it was the most trusted advisor, who said it.

         Zhawn stood up, readying himself to leave.

         “Zhawn, what would you do?” Royse asked, his voice cracking from all the grief, which filled his shattered heart.

         The cloaked advisor looked at the Duke over his shoulder.

         “You know the answer already,” Zhawn said. “The same thing I did seventy years ago.”