The following contains spoilers for the Books of Azric Series. This is Chapter 4 of Books of Azric: War, Volume 3. This is unedited and is the rough draft. Do not wine, complain, or comment on any errors in the writing. If you do, we will all know the kind of person you are and you will be judged. That is all. Enjoy the ride.
Lord Roderick and Blade ride their steam carriage
over Branch Mountain Pass. Blade turns back again to see the smoke coming from
Yungston. “Think they made it?”
“For Azric’s sake, I hope they did.” Lord Roderick
turns around to see the smoke as well. “Right now, we do not have the luxury to
worry about them. We need to hurry to my alchemists lab.” He turns his
attention back to the road.
“Why the rush?”
“I tipped my hat to my Master that I may no longer
be needed.” His gaze faces forward.
“What?” Blade spins back around to face him. His
eyes fixed on the road. “How?”
“I believe he only kept me alive so long is he
does not know where or what my alchemist was working on and now I fear Kenna’s
life is in danger as well as my own.”
“If you’re no longer needed then I won’t be
either?”
“I am afraid not my dear. You are only alive
because of me. The Master never liked you, but for what it is worth, you have
always kept my interest.” His eyes flash over to her as he attempts a smile. She
looks at him briefly before returning her gaze to the front.
“So how does our Master know where, Kenna is it?”
She waits for Lord Roderick to nod in agreement. “Where Kenna is?”
“I said that I had to go see her after I met with
Colt…” He trails off.
“So?”
“He sent his necromancers to follow us to Yungston
to kill Colt. Because of that, I knew that at least three that have been
following since we left Yungston.”
“Then why are we going there?”
“Because I need what she has.” His hands jostle on
the t-handle of the steam carriage as they drive through some slush. The wind
picks up blowing their hoods off.
“And what’s that?” Blade yells to get her voice
over the wind. She helps Lord Roderick pull his hood back on.
“I do not know but she said it would be worth
anything.”
“Great, we’re walking into a trap.”
“Do not fret my dear.”
“Why not?”
“I never get trapped. I always set them.” He looks
over at her with a smile.
“So explain them?” She points in front of them. He
follows her finger and slams on damper down and pulls on the break. They grind
to a halt.
“Nothing to worry about. This is not a trap.”
“Your men?”
“No, but a trap implies we do not have a way out.”
He turns back with another smile on his face. “There is only four of them.”
“We kill them.” She smiles.
“Not before we find out what they want.” He
reaches out and places his hand on the back of her head. He pulls her in close.
Their lips meet softly at first but Blade lets him in. Their kiss changes to
one of passion.
“Hey,” one of the men calls out. Three men and a
dwarf stand in front of Roderick and Blade. “Are you going to get a room or
surrender?”
“Surrender?” Lord Roderick breaks the kiss. “Is
that what you want?”
“We want your head for what you did to Lord
Fireston.” The dwarf says this time.
“Well,” Blade smiles. “We know what they want.”
She hops to the ground as Lord Roderick climbs down from the steam carriage.
“I was hoping it would not come to this gentlemen,
I really did, but you are leaving me no choice.” He holds a hand out for Blade.
“After you my darling.”
“With pleasure.” Blade storms through the slushy
mud over to them. Her cloak flaps in the breeze exposing her two blades
attached to her hips. The three men draw their swords and the dwarf his axe.
“I’m glad you decided to make this interesting, but I’ll make it fair and only
kill you with your own weapons.” She unbuckles her belt and her knives fall in
the mud.
Lord Roderick pulls a silk cloth from his pocket.
He grabs the belt out of the filth and wipes them clean. He drapes them over
his arm and fixes his attention at the fight about to break out in front of
him.
“Should of kept them on honey, you might of stood
a chance.” One of the men attacks her with an overhead strike. She catches his
wrist and sword with both of her hands. She kicks him between the legs. His
fingers fall limp. She pulls his sword free of his hand and slams the tip in
the side of his head. The blade explodes out the other side. She lets him fall
limp and steps over him.
The other three stand in front of her with the
dwarf in the center. The dwarf charges her with his axe held high. She kicks
him in the face with the heel of her boot. The dwarf falls into the mud. She
ducks under a slashing blade from her left and plants her knee on the dwarf’s
throat.
She catches a glimpse of a knife in the attacker’s
boot. She pulls the blade from his boot. The other human stabs down at her. She
blocks the attack as she stabs him in the leg with her newly procured knife. He
drops his sword as he cries out in pain. She catches the falling sword. She
pulls the knife from the human’s leg and slashes the other’s throat. Blood
shoots from his throat while she stabs the man with his own sword. She pushes
him over. Both fall dead. The dwarf reaches for his axe. Blade stabs down with
the knife and catches the dwarf in the hand. She buries it deep in the ground. She
reaches down and grabs his axe.
“Call your bitch off of me.” The dwarf cries out.
He tries to pull the blade from his hand but she buried it to deep. “I’ll tell
you everything you want to know.”
“Blade?” Lord Roderick calmly asks.
“You said I got to kill all of them.” She stares
down at the head of the axe.
“Well,” Lord Roderick leans down to meet the eyes
of the dwarf. “I tried, but I did tell her she can kill all of you. Sorry.” He
shrugs his shoulders.
“Wait-” he holds his hand up to block the axe but
Blade swings it too hard. The edge smashes through his arm and severs his head.
She lets go of the shaft. She looks up at Lord Roderick and spots her knives in
his arms.
“You cleaned off my knives.” She steps over the
dead bodies. “Thank you,” she kisses Lord Roderick’s cheek as she takes them
from him. She lifts her cloak to buckle them back on.
“If only we had time.” Lord Roderick admires her
body in the form fitting leather leggings and tunic.
“Maybe when we get to Kenna’s,” Blade bats her
eyes at him.
“All the more reason to make haste,” He holds his
arm out to escort her back to the steam carriage. He helps her back into her
seat.
“I’m more than capable of getting in myself.”
Blade accepts his help.
“It is not a matter of ability, it is a matter of
respect and shall I say it.” He squeezes her hand as he smiles at her. “Love.”
“Love?” She blushes a little. “I thought this was
just about fun.”
“What’s not fun about love?”
*
Kenna grabs a pot from the cupboard and returns to
her table. She stands in the kitchen of her little cottage in Delville. A table
stands in the center with multiple pots on it. The lids riddle the top of the
tiny table. She takes the lid off the current one in her hand. She sits it on
the table top and crosses to the pot in the fire pit.
She dips her hand in the bowl and pulls it out.
She sprinkles a black powder into the cauldron cooking over the fire. She wipes
her hand on her skirt and turns back to the table. She sits the pot on the
table. She looks around the room and spots her backpack by the door. She smiles
as she walks to the door. She grabs her bag and throws it over her shoulder as
she steps outside.
Kenna shades her eyes with her hand. She smiles
looking into the clear blue sky. Delville sits close enough to the Waters, a
salty breeze fills the air. She takes a deep breath and heads north on the road
that splits Delville.
The dust blows around when she gets out of town.
Small hills surround Delville with flat lands all the way around the hills,
with a few smaller hills scattered throughout the flat lands. Her travels take
her to one of the smaller cluster of mountains.
She climbs to the top of the hill only to meet a
sentry when she gets there. “Where are you going?” He holds out his spear off
to his side, enough to block her path.
“Come on Chester. You know where I’m going.” She
laughs.
“Not today,” he holds firm.
“Everyone knows I have free rein, no matter what.”
A smile spreads across her face.
“I’m sorry Kenna, but the mayor is sick.” His hand
trembles on the spear as he tries to hold his pose.
“So?”
“He doesn’t want to be disturbed while he’s
sleeping.”
“So he put you in charge of informing him?” She
pushes pass his spear. It smacks him softly in the face.
“But-”
“Are you going to stop me?” She walks off without
waiting for a reply. She walks down the road to her favorite testing site. She
walks pass several suitable spots to test her latest creation but only one will
do for what she plans for the day.
She reaches her hill before the sun makes it to
midday. She walks off the road and around the other side of the hill. Birds
tweet in a few trees nearby. She smiles at them. “You should fly along my
dears.” She calls out to the birds. She steps inside a small cave at the base
of the hill.
It angles downward. She disappears in the
darkness. Moments later she reappears without her backpack. She moves a little
faster but not running. She walks under the tree with the birds and shakes the
tree as she goes by. The birds fly off. “You’ll thank me later.” She keeps her
pace. She hides behind a dip in the ground. She giggles as she raises her head
so she can see.
*
“You’re telling me you’ve never met your
alchemist?”
“That is exactly what I am telling you my dear.”
“Then how do you employ her?”
“Then how do you employ her?”
“We have a mutual acquaintance.”
“So how will we know where to find her?”
“I was assured I would be able to find her as soon
as I got to Delville.” They come out of the trees and onto a grassy plain. “See
that big cluster of hills over there?” He points into the distance. Blade
follows with her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Inside them is Delville. They use the natural
barrier of the hills as walls.”
“It doesn’t offer much from protection.”
“Not from an army but it works against bandit
raids.”
The explosion erupts in front of them. Dirt and
stones rain down. Lord Roderick slams the break handle forward. He throws
himself over Blade and covers them with his cape. Rocks pummel his arm but he
doesn’t wince in pain. “What the fuck was that?” Blade yells over the chaos
around them.
“I think we found Kenna,” Lord Roderick laughs. He
sits up and surveys the area around him. Only dust remains in the air. Lord
Roderick sees someone dancing through the thick dust. His ears still ring but
the laughter breaks through. He pulls on the hand break and eases the steam
carriage forward. She twirls around with her arms spread wide while keeping her
face from them.
“It didn’t take as much as I thought.” They hear
the woman laugh. “How remarkable,” she turns at the sound of the approaching
steam engine. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would be…” she trails off. “Oh, why
hello there.” She smiles at the two new comers. “Haven’t seen you here before.
I’m Kenna.” She waives at them.
“I am Lord Roderick and this lovely woman is
Sheriff Blade.” Lord Roderick introduces them to his alchemist. He looks down
at her from the driver’s seat. She stars back at him through thick goggles. Her
eyes blink at him together, but separately. Her face plastered with dirt. Chunks
of mud cling to the long strands of her hair.
“Lord Roderick, you’re just in time to witness my
creation.” Her smile grows larger.
“What creation?”
“What you saw. Wasn’t it amazing?” She turns to
look again.
“Wasn’t there a-”
“Hill there?” She interrupts Blade. “Yes there
‘was’ a hill there.”
“What happened to it?” Lord Roderick keeps his
eyes where the hill used to be, a deep crater now in its place.
“I blew it up.”
“You blew it up?” Lord Roderick gets down from the
steam carriage. He wipes the dirt off his clothes but never takes his eyes off
the crater. “With what?” He reaches his hand up to help Blade down but she
jumps instead. Lord Roderick keeps his hand in the air not realizing she
already got down on her own.
“My creation,” she smiles at him. “By the way,
she’s standing next to you,” he looks at his hand in the air and shakes his
head. He looks to his other side and finds Blade standing next to him.
“What is this creation?” He walks forward with his
mouth wide open. Blade passes him and pushes his mouth shut.
“I’m sure she’ll tell us when she’s ready.” She
kneels next to the crater. She puts her hand in dirt and mud.
“I will, but only back at my lab.”
“Of course,” Lord Roderick shakes his head as he
climbs back on the steam carriage. “Would you like a ride?”
“How long?”
“It should only take a few minutes from here.”
“No, how long before they get here?”
“I do not know. They could already be here.”
“Then yes, I’ll have a ride.” She climbs up on the
seat behind him. “Sheriff Blade. Are you coming?”
Blade stands up. She claps her hands together.
Dirt and dust fly in the air. She turns and jogs back to the steam carriage.
She jumps up on the seat next to Kenna. “Let’s go,” she looks at the pit one
more time.
“Excuse me,” Lord Roderick reaches his hand
between Kenna’s legs.
“Excuse you?” Kenna smacks him in the back of the
head.
“The lever,” Lord Roderick holds both of his hands
out.
“Oh,” Kenna turns her attention back to the road.
“Well say that next time.” She puts her hands in her lap. She pulls up a
little, exposing the lever under her dress.
“Yeah, say that next time or she’ll get you good
again.” Blade laughs.
“I will,” he rolls his eyes. He grabs the lever
and pushes it. The steam carriage rolls to life. He grabs the t-bar with both hands
as the wheels bounce down the dirt road.
Within moments they reach the hill surrounding Delville.
The road smoothes out as the steam carriage climbs. “Halt,” the guard holds out
his hand palm out.
“It’s going to take a little longer than that.” Lord
Roderick applies the brake. “The lever,” he nods to Kenna. She pulls on it and
the steam carriage crawls to a halt. “What is the meaning of this?” Lord
Roderick spins in his chair. “We have important business at hand.” His steely
gaze fixes on the young guard.
“Well,” the guard looks away, his spear shaking in
his hands.
“Come on, out with it.” Lord Roderick’s voice
booms.
“The Mayor wants to see her.” He points a shaky
finger at Kenna.
“Point that thing someplace else.” Kenna laughs.
“Why does the old flea bag want to see me for?”
“You woke him up with that, that…that stunt.” He
raises his voice.
“Watch what tone you take with me Chester, or I’ll
knock you a good one.” She holds up her fist.
“I’m sorry,” he looks down at the ground, his toes digging into the dirt. “I’m just following orders.”
“I’m sorry,” he looks down at the ground, his toes digging into the dirt. “I’m just following orders.”
“Where is he?”
“He’s in his mansion.”
“Good. Lord Roderick will you take a left when you
get into town?”
“But that takes you the long way around?” Chester
shouts.
“And away from the Mayor’s mansion.” She reaches down
between her legs and pushes the lever forward. “Lord Roderick, if you will,”
she points at the brake.
“Of course,” Lord Roderick smiles. He releases the
brake and the steam carriage races down the hill into town. The wheels bounce
on the road. They gain more speed as the hill gets steeper.
“Roderick?” Blade yells. She looks over at Lord
Roderick. He looks over at her and smiles. Her shoulders sag just a little and
she turns back to face the road.
“Lever,” Lord Roderick reaches between Kenna’s
legs again. He pulls it back some. The steam carriage slows just a little. Lord
Roderick pushes a pedal with his left foot. Blade hears hinges release behind
them. They lurch on impact.
“What the fuck was that?” Blade leans forward to
look pass Kenna.
“My own,” he smiles at Kenna. “Creation,” he lets
out a booming laugh as he turns the t-bar to the left. He looks back at the
road and slams the brake lever forward. They slide to a halt. Lord Roderick
holds out his arm. Kenna leans just a little but nothing else.
“No need for safety with me.” Kenna giggles.
“Get out of our way.” He calls down to the men
standing in front of him.
“Bill.”
“Who’s Bill?” Blade looks at Kenna.
“The Mayor.”
“Mayor Doomazbul?” Lord Roderick questions.
“That’s the one, good old Mayor Dumbass Bill.”
“You know that’s not my name.” Lord Roderick
watches a short little man come out of an ally way. His white hair cut short
around his bald scalp.
“Well, you’re a dumbass so…” She mumbles to
herself.
“What was that?” Mayor Doomazbul asks.
“You’re the Mayor.” She speaks up.
“That’s right,” he straightens his back a little.
He wears faded red silk clothing and a black cloth cloak. “I’m the mayor and
you tried to outsmart me and failed.” His pushes his wire glasses up his nose.
His thin lip smile stretches across his face.
“Wrong,” his smile fades. “Move please,” Kenna
looks over at Blade.
“Of course,” Blade stands up on her seat.
“Thank you,” Kenna hops down. The dust on the road
puffs around her feet. She lifts her skirt out of the dusty road and storms
over to the little mayor. “I went this way because I knew you’d be watching for
me. I knew that you would have your guards posted any direction I tried to take
to my home.” Her magnified eyes blink at him.
“Then why come this way?” He steps back. His lip
quivers.
“It rained two days ago.” She looks down at his
leather boots. Dried and not so dried mud sticks to his boots and leggings.
“Disgusting,” he lifts one of his feet. “I should
have you-”
“Silence Bill,” Kenna pushes her finger in his
face. She looks up in the air. A few birds fly overhead. She looks back at
Blade and Lord Roderick. “They’ll be here in a few days.” She hustles back to
the steam carriage. Blade helps her onto the seat next to her. “It’s time to
leave now. Run them over if you have to.” She sits down and folds her dress
into her lap.
“Very well,” Lord Roderick stretches his arm out
for the accelerator lever.
“Not so fast,” Blade grabs his wrist. Lord
Roderick looks at her. She reaches her hand between his legs. “I prefer to
handle my own shafts. She squeezes him and pulls on the lever. They roll
forward.
“What are you doing?” The mayor runs to catch up
to them. His men jump out of the way.
“I have only a few days to get ready. Goodbye
Bill.”
“It’s Doomazbull,” he yells into the dust as they
speed off. Kenna lifts her arm in the air. Her middle finger extended.
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