A Reason To Fight

An RPG idea turned storyline...

               “What do you have against them for gods’ sake?”

               Astra ignored him, continuing down the moss-covered stones as she headed to the river. Xavier punched the tree nearest him before following her. “I escaped from the trap. You can’t blame them forever.”

               Can’t blame them? She turned, balancing herself against the wind tunneling past them. Her eyes flashed silver green as Xavier started down the path by the river. Xavier halted before his foot landed on the stones across from her.

              “Can’t blame them?” Rage filled the gap between them. “You’re fighting for a cause that doesn’t concern you. I almost lost you because they wish to fight this crazy fool and you’re telling me I can’t blame them!”

             “This cause does concern me. Just as it used to concern you!” Xavier inched closer to her, murmuring. “You aren’t going to lose me.”

             “Don’t say that!” Astra turned away from him, her feet barely touching the stones as she stormed from him. “You know you can’t guarantee that.”

             She dove into the river. Swimming until she reached the opposite shore, Astra pulled herself up and crawled to the small patch of flowers covered by sunlight. Curling into herself, Astra let the tears fall. Xavier, the first male she had seen without hatred since she was thirteen summers old, had taught her to hunt with bows and arrows, sharing his life with her. He never pressed her for details about her life and kept her from the haunting memories. Little by little, Xavier won her trust, pulling her dark past from her and giving her a reason to put her hatred aside.

               “He’s become my life.” Astra whispered to the flowers. “How can he not expect me to blame those fools he’s fallen in with when he’s all I have left in this world?”

           Hours passed as daylight began to fade.  Dark clouds pushed over the sun. Sighing, she stood up, making her way to the grasses and plants closer to the water’s edge.

               “Astra! It’s going to pour down rain. Come back!”

               Astra looked over, watching Xavier searching the bank for her. “The fool is going to fall in again.” A mischievous smile flirted with her lips. Slipping into the water, Astra moved as close as the clear water would let her. Silently rising to the rocks behind him as he walked out to the edge, Astra waited until he started to turn, before giving him a slight nudge.

              “Astra, No!” Xavier’s eyes widened. His arms wheeled trying to keep him upright. Astra nudged him again.

               “You minx!” Xavier yelled as his head broke the surface.

               Astra’s laughter echoed behind her as she raced towards shore. When she saw he wasn’t behind her, Astra stopped. Panting, she searched the water line. “Xavier?”

               A growl behind her was her only warning before Xavier wrapped his soaking arms around her body and lifted her from the ground.

               “No, Xavier, put me down!” Astra screeched, laughing as he slung her over his shoulder and carried her up the rock steps.

               “Not this time, you vixen,” Xavier growled. “I have plans for you for that soaking.”

               “I don’t think…”Astra tapered off, her body growing stiff as she felt the air around them change. “Xavier, please put me down.”

               Xavier immediately put her feet on the ground. “What’s wrong?”

               Her senses extended to the cottage and the area around it. Oh, gods, not again. “They’re here. Xavier, whatever their plans, do not go with them. Please, I beg you.”

               He turned her to face him, his eyes darkening. “If they are fighting Kain, then I have to go.”

               “But they’re going to get you killed!” Astra backed away from him.

               “My love, you won’t lose me. Now, let’s go greet our guests properly.”

               Astra tore from his grasp, “Are you kidding me? I won’t have them in our home. I refuse to accept them as guests under our roof.”

               Xavier narrowed his eyes, “It is my home, Astra and will be welcome there as long as I’m alive.”

               “Then there is no reason for me to remain.” Astra pushed past him, disappearing into the gathering fog.

               She ignored the six riders as she stormed inside Xavier’s cottage. Gathering the few possessions she had, she barely spared the door a glance as it slammed against the wall.

               “I’ll be out of here in a few seconds. So feel free to allow those fools inside if you wish.” Astra clenched her hands around her bag as they shook, the knuckles turning white as he moved behind her.

               “You aren’t going anywhere.” Xavier growled. He pulled the bag from her hands and cast a spell around the cottage, keeping her inside.          

               “No, don’t do this, Xavier!” Astra screamed after him. “You fool! They’re bringing you to your death!”

              

               Hours later, the storm Xavier predicted let loose as Astra opened her mind to her surroundings. Racing with the wind, she followed the tracks of the horses, needing to see the battle for herself. Her mood fed the weather as the clashing of steel and the sounds of frightened animals grew louder.     Maybe he got away. Astra thought, as she looked around the field unable to locate him among his friends. She breathed deeply as an arrow cut through her leg. Confused, she looked down to watch the arrow tip, protruding through her leg, drip blood onto the forest floor. Her eyes widened when she realized it wasn’t her leg, but Xavier’s. Before she could scream, a flash of white light traveled past her eyes and everything turned black.

               “NO!”

               The spell around her disappeared and Astra shot up from the bed. “You can’t have him, you b******s!”

               Grabbing her bows and arrows, Astra went flying out the door, almost missing the sounds of drums. Slowing down, Astra’s heart echoed the beats. She’d heard these drums before, right before Kain had killed her family and left her alone.

               Following the drums, Astra’s steps quickened, she had to make it to him. She just had to reach him before the drums stopped. She had to tell him…had to admit she loved… “NO!”

               Astra’s hands quivered up to her mouth as it went dry.

               Nailed to a large oak by four arrows stuck in his hands and feet, Xavier’s naked body hung before her. Blood pumped out of wounds as the drumbeats echoed in her head. Small dagger cuts danced along his arms and torso. His legs were marked with welts made by a stick. Cuts surrounded his head in several places and one of his ears barely hung onto his head.

               She moved closer to him, salt wandering into her mouth as she screamed silently. The rain swirled around them as she stretched out a hand to touch his face. Gouging black sockets crying red tears replaced the silver blue eyes that she had loved getting lost in. As the drumbeats slowed, his chest bringing up the death rattle, Astra placed her hand on the hilt of the sword digging into his heart.

               “Only I belong there.” She pulled the weapon from his chest. The sword dropped to the tree roots beneath her as her hand covered the gaping hole. Breathing deeply, she sent her essence into Xavier’s body as her second mother had taught her.

               Lightening and thunder crashed around her, wind lifting her hair as Xavier’s body repaired from the inside out. As her body began to fall, Astra returned to herself. She sank to the roots at her feet, staring up at the man she had grown to respect.

               “I was wrong, my love and you were right. Love and family are strong enough reasons to destroy a man like Kain.” Astra slowly made her way to her feet. Stubbing her toe against something, Astra reached down, pulling the sword up as she straightened. “He does not understand those affections. His defeat can’t be through the eyes of steel. Revenge of a beating heart is the only way to win. I will learn the sword as you wanted me to, and I will fight alone if I have to.”

               She turned her left hand to his face. “He will die for what he has done, for all he has done.” Astra leaned close to his repaired ear, feeling the last breath of his body coming. “I will always love you. Never forget.”

               Her lips touched his cold ones and she breathed one last flame of love into his heart. As she stepped away, his body began to glow a deep blue. The rain sizzled as it touched his body, smoke rising from his skin. She turned away from the sightless holes as fire bloomed behind them. Carefully, she walked to the cliff edge, the crackling of the flames echoing the hatred in her heart.

              Lifting the sword above her head, smoke wrapping around her, Astra screamed into the storm, “Soon, Kain, you and I will meet face to face. You will learn what taking a life really means!”

Author's Note

What am I missing?