CHAPTER FOUR

Chapter Four

Mendor didn’t look back at the burning building behind him, or down at Kerry, resting gently in his arms; his eyes were focused dead ahead, narrowed with anger, tears dancing in their corners.

‘You didn’t have to do this,’ Kerry said to him quietly.

Mendor didn’t reply. He couldn’t reply. Gripped with fury, he could only walk forward. It’s all he’d ever done, and all he knew to do. He kept striding onward. Is this what it comes to? I did all I could and even then I couldn’t save her. He felt so powerless. Why does it have to be this way? He continued in silence. People around them were panicking at the fire and trying to evacuate the area, washing over the five of them like a massive wave, trying to pull them under.

Mendor held Kerry even closer, his want to protect her heightening. You’re safe now. I won’t let anyone hurt you. Ever again.

He kept going, away from the fiery scene, through alleyways and down side streets until he came to the inn he had designated as his temporary headquarters.

‘Master Tempesta will come after you,’ said Kerry, breaking the silence between them. ‘I’ve known him long enough to know his next move.’

Mendor carried her inside and up the stairs without a word. He reached the correct floor and put her down so he could unlock the door.

‘What do you think he’ll do?’ Mendor asked, opening the door and gestured for Kerry to sit down on the bed. He walked across the room to his backpack and pulled out his set of clean clothes. ‘Here,’ he said, throwing them to her.

‘He’ll regroup and attack in the early morning. Between four and six.’ Kerry took off Mendor’s shirt and removed the exposing outfit, putting on the clean set provided. It was way too big for her, and Mendor offered her his belt. ‘Thanks,’ she said, sitting back down. ‘You didn’t have to.’

‘Please stop saying that,’ Mendor said, trying not to look her in the eyes. ‘I’m the reason this happened, and you know I’d do anything for you. Anything.’

Kerry got to her feet and gripped Mendor’s face, turning it so her eyes met his. ‘You saved me from that place. You didn’t have to but you did. And I will always be thankful for it.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Mendor said, tears in his eyes. He hugged her tightly.

‘It wasn’t your fault. I will never and have never held anything against you,’ Kerry said in his ear.

‘I looked for you for so long,’ Mendor said back. ‘Four years I searched non-stop. It made me strong, but never strong enough. Caelia brought me back and got me to work, but I should have kept looking. I listened out for information and looked when I could, but I had to work to keep living. I should have done more searching- I’d have found you sooner.’

‘There’s no guarantee you’d have found me sooner,’ Kerry said. ‘Anyway, you’re a Paladin, you had to work.’

Mendor let her go. He went back to his bag and found a can of drink and handed it to Kerry. ‘Liquid manna,’ he said. ‘You’ll feel stronger.’

Kerry nodded and drank from the can.

‘You know how Tempesta works, right?’ he said to Kerry once she had finished the drink.

‘Yeah.’

‘What do you think- should we go now?’ Mendor asked, ‘or wait until morning?’

Surprised that someone had asked her for an opinion, Kerry had to gather herself for a second before replying. ‘I think… we should stay here for an hour or so to get our bearings, then leave before sunrise,’ she advised, ‘Master- I mean Tempesta- may follow his usual pattern of attack, or he might strike earlier because he knows I will tip you off. He may be a horrible person, but he’s not an idiot.’

Mendor nodded thoughtfully. ‘Ok,’ he said. ‘Sounds like a plan.’ He took a slice of bread from his bag and handed it to Kerry. While she ate, he put on his original shirt and removed a can of liquid manna for himself. ‘Oh yeah,’ he said, remembering something. ‘I have something of yours.’ He removed a ring from his left middle finger. ‘Your Soul Gem.’ He held it out for her to take.

All of a sudden, he felt Kerry wrap her arms around him, embracing him again. ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘So much. For everything.’

‘It’s ok,’ said Mendor, blushing for the first time in ages. He put his arm around her. ‘I promised myself I’d find you. It’s only right that I return this to you.’ He smiled warmly upon seeing how happy she looked. It must have been terrible. And yet she still smiles. I’m such a weak human being compared to her.

            ‘You should rest,’ he said, worried that her lack of energy could slow them down, should Horus Tempesta launch an attack. ‘I’ll keep watch.’

            ‘Right.’ Kerry laid down on the bed and curled up to sleep.

            Mendor checked his watch. 11:07pm. Not too late, we should be fine. He drank another magical energy-boosting drink and sat in silence for a few hours. He wondered what Caelia was doing- probably setting up camp somewhere, or perhaps she had taken the night train straight to Blacksky? Or she might have taken the long way round and had gotten on the train to Carrow and was already asleep in a quaint village inn?

His musings were interrupted by noise from outside. He heard shouting from the street below, and shrugged, assuming it to be a bar brawl. ‘I wish it’d be quieter,’ he muttered irritably. Almost as soon as he had commented, he heard a gunshot break the night and the shouts dimmed and were replaced by military-like orders.

‘Crap,’ he said, getting to his feet. He moved to wake Kerry, but she was already up and looking from the door to the boarded up window. They both knew that their floor was low enough for them to safely jump from, but what awaited them in the street provided enough uncertainty to make them doubt themselves. No, Mendor thought. I’ve come this far. He used his Fire Magic to incinerate the board and held out his hand for Kerry to take. ‘We can do it,’ he said over the sound of screams and machine guns from the bottom floor. Kerry took his hand and they jumped from the window, landing safely on the ground.

‘Not far to the underground station,’ Mendor said to himself, trying to remember the way he had come. ‘About half a mile northwest,’ he said, looking at Kerry. ‘Can you make it?’

‘Yes,’ Kerry said, nodding firmly. ‘Let’s get out of here.’

‘Follow me,’ Mendor said, deciding on the way to go. They dashed down a side street, desperate to get out of the sight of the gunmen.  They ran as fast as they could through the night, winding round the intricate back alleys until they were finally cut off. Blocking their way was a single man, hooded and wearing a white, full-face mask bearing several markings Mendor recognised as demonic. He was radiating a powerful magical pressure that Mendor remembered, and he could sense the presence of an Artefact altering the man’s power, enhancing it beyond its normal capacity.

‘Nice to see you again, Mendor,’ said the man, his voice chilling and full of fury. ‘I see you managed to gain a new arm. How fortunate.’

Mendor clenched his fists in anger. ‘Tiro Clover,’ he said bitterly. ‘So this is where you ended up.’

The man removed the mask to reveal a face Mendor had seen only in his memories and nightmares. His eyes were nearly black and he bore the aura of a noble, but the appearance of a vagabond. He was taller and gaunter, and his hair was matted and longer than it had been nearly a decade ago. To Mendor’s surprise, he had no demonic markings on his skin, but his ears were thin and his teeth were pointed.

Mendor gritted his own fangs. ‘I almost can’t believe you’ve lowered yourself to the level of a manwhore who deals in the illegal trafficking of humans. And an Artefact- really?’

‘It was a gift,’ Tiro said. ‘Considering those Sages and your sister stopped us from completing our ritual. The three of us had to suffer the ridicule of being half-demons. So we went our separate ways, so to speak. Leo gave me an Artefact and I decided to give the Overworld a go. I have no idea about Lucinda, but Orriko is seeking to become a full demon.’

‘Why are you telling me this?’ Mendor said impatiently.

‘Because I’m going to kill you and take your b***h back with me.’ He grinned. ‘Strangely enough, Horus Tempesta didn’t take to kindly to having his headquarters blown up and most of his men killed.’ He looked Mendor in the eye. ‘We’re both half-demons and both Fire Mages, but without an Artefact, you don’t stand a chance.’

Mendor could hear angry voices and the footsteps of Tempesta’s men catching up to them. ‘Get out of the way, Tiro,’ he said. ‘You might be an enemy but your soul is still half-mortal.’

‘Mortality?’ Tiro spat. ‘Why be satisfied with that when immortality is in sight?’ He moved closer to Mendor. ‘I always hated you,’ he said. ‘Your strength, your power, your arrogance, your attention-seeking- you made me sick, and they still treated you like a prince because your step-father was the Chief Paladin. All I wanted was to match- no to surpass- you. But now I only want to watch you suffer.’

‘Why? I did nothing to hurt you.’

‘You were the cause of the Third Demon War. The cause of my family’s death. The cause of so many deaths. But people forgot about it. I never forgot.’

‘I didn’t ask to be born.’

‘At least I got a slither of vengeance,’ Tiro said, looking over Mendor’s shoulder at Kerry.

‘You a*****e,’ said Mendor. I couldn’t protect her from anyone. I’m useless. I’m so weak.

Tiro laughed. ‘She learnt to take it well,’ he said, smiling. ‘Not just from me of course.’

Mendor roared and leapt at Tiro, taking him by surprise. He tore at the half-demon’s clothes and flesh with his metal hand, heating it magically and burning through his skin.

Tiro screamed as Mendor physically tore him apart, searching for the Artefact. Finding it lodged between his ribs, Mendor pulled it from his enemy’s writhing body. The object looked like a massive thorn made from crystal, and Mendor crushed it easily between his metal fingers. Tiro screamed and his contorting body shuddered and died.

Mendor got to his feet and kicked the body to one side. Angry at himself, he sent a fireball at Tiro Clover’s body, incinerating it. The screams and flames had attracted a large amount of people, mostly Tempesta’s lackeys. Mendor knew it was time to make a quick exit.  

‘Get on my back,’ said Mendor to Kerry. ‘Now!’

Reluctantly, Kerry obeyed as Mendor knelt, making it easier for her to get on. He closed his eyes and pressed the palm of his left hand to the ground. All around him the ground began to grow hot, hotter even than lava, burning the men’s feet, some of the weaker ones combusting in an instant. Using magic to enhance his strength, he leapt over the men screaming in pain and out of the backstreets into another plaza. The underground station was nearby, and Kerry held tight to Mendor as they ran towards the stairs leading to the platforms.

Once in the tunnel under the District, Mendor knelt in order to let Kerry down. There was a fork in the tunnel leading to separate platforms, and Mendor led the way left and onto a packed carriage that had pulled up a second ago. The door closed and Kerry sat down, her lack of fitness causing her to be exhausted already. The train stopped at two Districts before pulling up at a station close to the depot on the edge of the city.   

They walked around the corner and into the plaza. ‘Nearly there,’ he said, trying to reassure Kerry, who had stopped still.

‘No,’ she said fearfully, pointing to something behind Mendor.

He turned his head reluctantly. We’re so close. So close. So- oh crap. Standing in the plaza was one man- Horus Tempesta.

 Instinctively, Mendor conjured his weapons. ‘Get back, he said to Kerry. ‘Go around the edge of the plaza; I’ll keep him occupied.’

‘I said I liked you,’ Horus called to Mendor, ‘but you’re beginning to really piss me off.’ He drew his own weapon, a broadsword that seeped white smoke. ‘Say hello to Silabarakos. Known in Modern Calimorian as the Smoking Sword of Light.’ He sneered at Mendor’s dual blades. ‘You may have magical pressure but those penknives won’t survive a moment against my Soul Weapon.’

Mendor grinned. He held up the right blade. It glowed with a deep, red. ‘Sinvada; the Blade of Demons.’ He held up the let one, which glowed royal blue. ‘Talako; the Blade of Mortals. Together they are the Twin Blades of Fury. Together they’ll destroy you.’ He stepped forward, leaving behind him a wall of fire between him and Kerry. He stamped his foot down on the ground another flame barrier sprung up, sealing the plaza from outsiders.

Horus laughed. ‘Brave,’ he said. ‘Or are you stupid?’

‘Neither,’ said Mendor. He upped his magical pressure, causing Horus to gag and drop to the ground. In a second, Mendor slit his throat and left him to choke on his own blood for a brief moment before cold death took hold.   

The flames around them dissipated and Mendor wandered casually to the station. The train was he needed was there, and Kerry was waiting for him. He sheathed his weapons and felt Kerry embrace him once again. A part of him had been worried that she would recoil from him in fear. He knew that he had become colder, more ruthless, but Kerry still came to him. He smiled and held her close. ‘Let’s go home,’ he whispered in her ear.