Magister_militum
Magistrate
Chapter XVIII – A Painful End
Illuminated by the orange sky of daybreak, Hana rode her horse hard to reach the place Entirelle and Kaori had set out to investigate as soon as possible. It was a small grove off the beaten path, but Hana knew exactly where to look for. Hitching her horse to a tree, Hana decided to cover the last hundred yards on foot, carefully scanning the area for any sign of bandits or beasts. Soon spotting the small wooden shack, Hana knew she had found the place. Surrounded by an old wooden fence, the entire area looked like a long-abandoned farmstead. Cutting a hole in the fence, Hana climbed up the elevated ground. Raising her gaze, she was left stunned and in shock. Some fifty yards in front of her stood a tall wooden cross, the body of a young girl still affixed to it. Silently cursing the bandits, Hana drew her longsword, slowly and carefully approaching the execution ground.
Yet nothing could have prepared Hana for what she was about to see. Exiting the small grove of trees blocking her view, Hana's gazed at the sight, stunned. She had found Entirelle. Completely naked, her inflamed skin covered in numerous jagged lacerations, Entirelle hung from another cross, long, thick iron nails pinning her forearms and feet to the wood. "Almost a full day...", Hana mused dazedly, cautiously approaching Entirelle's cross. She did not believe her friend still lived. She, however, was wrong.
Only the otherworldly quiet of the meadow allowed a thin, ragged whisper to reach Hana's ears.
“K...l. ... me....”
Seeing her fast friend grotesquely stretched out above, her arms and feet pierced by thick iron spikes, Hana wanted to vomit accumulated rage and grief. Crucified on either side of Entirelle were two young women. One, Hana did not know but the other...
"Kaori...", gasped Hana tearfully, gazing at her ravaged body. In that instant, a jolt of realization struck Hana. She had gotten distracted while Entirelle still somehow lingered. Hana knew what she had to do but the thought did not make it any easier. For the moment she entertained the thought of taking Entirelle down, just so she wouldn't expire up there only to realize she would cause her friend great pain and likely death just by taking her down.
"I am sorry, Enty.", spoke Hana with a demure expression, before stabbing her longsword underneath Entirelle's outstretched rib cage, piercing her heart, eliciting a brief groan of pain. As life rapidly left her, Entirelle wished to thank Hana or at least smile only for the final realization to hit her instead. She hadn't told Hana what evil lurked in the meadow. Her mouth slightly agape would not convey her last message as Entirelle's head slumped to the side, her eyes closing for the final time. As her entire body quivered, Hana’s legs gave out. Holding on to the hilt of her longsword, Hana gazed downwards, tears running down her cheeks.
She, however, would not be left to her grief for long. In the corner of her eye, Hana spotted three ancient-looking swords approaching her. Hana knew the spirits holding the weapons were wraiths, sheer malice given form. The chill aura they radiated betrayed their locations and Hana effortlessly blocked an attack aimed at her upper torso, immediately stabbing the wraith with her longsword. The weapon destroyed the wraith instantly as its fuller was lined with pure silver, a bane of undead and spirits both. The other two wraiths attacked simultaneously but Hana stood her ground, slashing at and destroying yet another wraith. She could not fathom how the spirits managed to capture Entirelle and Kaori, both having been fine soldiers, the former nearly hear equal in martial prowess. Her rage once again overflowing, Hana struck hard at the last wraith’s sword, the force of the impact pushing it downwards, breaking the spirit's defense. Quickly finishing off the wraith before it could recover, Hana let out a sigh of relief, catching her breath. Unfortunately, the moment of relief would not last.
Hearing a clang of metal, Hana immediately turned her head. Where there had previously been nothing but thin air, eight long iron blades now levitated. The wraiths advanced, quickly assailing yet another foolish guard who had come to investigate the area. Hana slashed and stabbed with her longsword in the direction of her invisible foes, but, at the same time, could not block all of their attacks. Although the Imperial half-armor protected her vital spots, long bloody gashes appeared where the wraiths’ blades found their mark. Slowly retreating back towards Kaori’s cross, Hana breathed heavily, holding her longsword in a middle guard.
“Just how many of the fiends roosted in this cursed place?”, Hana wondered gripping the handle of her longsword tightly, cutting down the two wraiths that came at her.
Despite not seeing them, Hana could feel the presence of the wraiths and when they neared her. Suddenly, having mustered her resolve, she charged. If she was to die in battle, she could at least take as many as possible wraiths down with her. Putting all of her weight into the thrust, she skewered the first wraith in front of her, reaching for the dagger strapped to her back to parry the blade she was sure was behind her. Grabbing nothing but air, Hana was momentarily perplexed. Then she remembered. She had forgotten to retrieve the dagger from the table she had stabbed with it. Hana’s eyes widened in disbelief at her carelessness. Carelessness that had now left her lower back completely exposed. The wraith struck quickly, only, instead of skewering Hana, it quickly turned the blade, striking the girl’s lower back with the sword’s iron pommel. Feeling the full force of the hit against her spine, Hana cried out in pain. Unable to remain standing, she fell on her knees, her longsword escaping her grasp. Raising her head, Hana’s gaze met with the three swords aimed at her head and neck. Despite her valiant struggle, she knew it was over.
Illuminated by the orange sky of daybreak, Hana rode her horse hard to reach the place Entirelle and Kaori had set out to investigate as soon as possible. It was a small grove off the beaten path, but Hana knew exactly where to look for. Hitching her horse to a tree, Hana decided to cover the last hundred yards on foot, carefully scanning the area for any sign of bandits or beasts. Soon spotting the small wooden shack, Hana knew she had found the place. Surrounded by an old wooden fence, the entire area looked like a long-abandoned farmstead. Cutting a hole in the fence, Hana climbed up the elevated ground. Raising her gaze, she was left stunned and in shock. Some fifty yards in front of her stood a tall wooden cross, the body of a young girl still affixed to it. Silently cursing the bandits, Hana drew her longsword, slowly and carefully approaching the execution ground.
Yet nothing could have prepared Hana for what she was about to see. Exiting the small grove of trees blocking her view, Hana's gazed at the sight, stunned. She had found Entirelle. Completely naked, her inflamed skin covered in numerous jagged lacerations, Entirelle hung from another cross, long, thick iron nails pinning her forearms and feet to the wood. "Almost a full day...", Hana mused dazedly, cautiously approaching Entirelle's cross. She did not believe her friend still lived. She, however, was wrong.
Only the otherworldly quiet of the meadow allowed a thin, ragged whisper to reach Hana's ears.
“K...l. ... me....”
Seeing her fast friend grotesquely stretched out above, her arms and feet pierced by thick iron spikes, Hana wanted to vomit accumulated rage and grief. Crucified on either side of Entirelle were two young women. One, Hana did not know but the other...
"Kaori...", gasped Hana tearfully, gazing at her ravaged body. In that instant, a jolt of realization struck Hana. She had gotten distracted while Entirelle still somehow lingered. Hana knew what she had to do but the thought did not make it any easier. For the moment she entertained the thought of taking Entirelle down, just so she wouldn't expire up there only to realize she would cause her friend great pain and likely death just by taking her down.
"I am sorry, Enty.", spoke Hana with a demure expression, before stabbing her longsword underneath Entirelle's outstretched rib cage, piercing her heart, eliciting a brief groan of pain. As life rapidly left her, Entirelle wished to thank Hana or at least smile only for the final realization to hit her instead. She hadn't told Hana what evil lurked in the meadow. Her mouth slightly agape would not convey her last message as Entirelle's head slumped to the side, her eyes closing for the final time. As her entire body quivered, Hana’s legs gave out. Holding on to the hilt of her longsword, Hana gazed downwards, tears running down her cheeks.
She, however, would not be left to her grief for long. In the corner of her eye, Hana spotted three ancient-looking swords approaching her. Hana knew the spirits holding the weapons were wraiths, sheer malice given form. The chill aura they radiated betrayed their locations and Hana effortlessly blocked an attack aimed at her upper torso, immediately stabbing the wraith with her longsword. The weapon destroyed the wraith instantly as its fuller was lined with pure silver, a bane of undead and spirits both. The other two wraiths attacked simultaneously but Hana stood her ground, slashing at and destroying yet another wraith. She could not fathom how the spirits managed to capture Entirelle and Kaori, both having been fine soldiers, the former nearly hear equal in martial prowess. Her rage once again overflowing, Hana struck hard at the last wraith’s sword, the force of the impact pushing it downwards, breaking the spirit's defense. Quickly finishing off the wraith before it could recover, Hana let out a sigh of relief, catching her breath. Unfortunately, the moment of relief would not last.
Hearing a clang of metal, Hana immediately turned her head. Where there had previously been nothing but thin air, eight long iron blades now levitated. The wraiths advanced, quickly assailing yet another foolish guard who had come to investigate the area. Hana slashed and stabbed with her longsword in the direction of her invisible foes, but, at the same time, could not block all of their attacks. Although the Imperial half-armor protected her vital spots, long bloody gashes appeared where the wraiths’ blades found their mark. Slowly retreating back towards Kaori’s cross, Hana breathed heavily, holding her longsword in a middle guard.
“Just how many of the fiends roosted in this cursed place?”, Hana wondered gripping the handle of her longsword tightly, cutting down the two wraiths that came at her.
Despite not seeing them, Hana could feel the presence of the wraiths and when they neared her. Suddenly, having mustered her resolve, she charged. If she was to die in battle, she could at least take as many as possible wraiths down with her. Putting all of her weight into the thrust, she skewered the first wraith in front of her, reaching for the dagger strapped to her back to parry the blade she was sure was behind her. Grabbing nothing but air, Hana was momentarily perplexed. Then she remembered. She had forgotten to retrieve the dagger from the table she had stabbed with it. Hana’s eyes widened in disbelief at her carelessness. Carelessness that had now left her lower back completely exposed. The wraith struck quickly, only, instead of skewering Hana, it quickly turned the blade, striking the girl’s lower back with the sword’s iron pommel. Feeling the full force of the hit against her spine, Hana cried out in pain. Unable to remain standing, she fell on her knees, her longsword escaping her grasp. Raising her head, Hana’s gaze met with the three swords aimed at her head and neck. Despite her valiant struggle, she knew it was over.