Chapter 22 Matched in skill

New City. New challenge. New Problem. New Enimies With our skill.

CHAPTER 22

MATCHED IN SKILL

After establishing that Amelia really did have a love interest in Ryan and we explained that we were joking, we made very fast progress. We decided to stay together and destroy the statues. By the time we finished we had just enough time to get our things from Kana and leave. By lunch Kana was almost out of view, just a speck on the horizon and as we continued down the road into woodland looking for a place to eat it completely disappeared from view. We sat in the shade of some trees close by the road and ate in silence for a few minutes while Amy flicked through the book we had won in the Muna. The “guide” as many called it not only contained what each city was and what its magic was but it also had a map and the whereabouts of the cities. This is what startled Amy.

“Holy...” she breathed.

“What?”  Daniel asked moving to read over her shoulder I moved in front of Amy and began to slowly read the pages contents upside down and out loud.

“The city of Zentor is the home of a Dark elf who once ruled with kindness and gentleness however tough times have made her harsh and now some fear her. Flina (The dark elf in question) designed and helped build the beautiful city the main attraction is the arena which is said to be even more brutal than the matches she (Flina) holds out in the flat lands...” I looked up at Amy “what’s so surprising about this?”

Amy started flicking through the pages then she stopped on a map of the surrounding area and pointed to one spot it was marked ‘Kana city of healers’ that’s where we are coming from right?” we all nodded then Amy continued “this is the road we are following and it leads to...”

“To Zentor! City of... Magic?” I said.

“That’s impossible! Ryan Exclaimed “Magic is not a letter in the Ancient language the ancient language IS magic.”

“well numskull if you would care to listen I will tell you exactly how it works” Amy told him “the city of Zentor does not, like the other cities, just practice one type but all that are allowed and they have a general knowledge in the magic that is not allowed like necromancy...”

“I’m willing to bet it doesn’t stop ‘em” Amelia said. Amy nodded

“It doesn’t there are even rumours that some of the nobles and others that have a strong influence have actually hired people that practice that sort of thing in privet. We have to stop this war the easiest way is to stop the people making war. Flina is one of them but she’s getting her orders from higher up.”

“True but I think killing Flina will scatter the armies” Emily said “everything I’ve heard about her suggests that she is the one controlling the soldiers”

“That will either make our job much easier or a lot harder” Ryan commented. For once Amy didn’t make a comment.

“In what ways will it make it harder if the soldiers are scattered they will be in smaller groups and easier to kill and capture.” Amelia said.

“They are likely to continue attacking” Ryan said. Amelia frowned trying to make sense of what Ryan was saying.

“in other words” Daniel said “they will spread out and hide near roads and then attack travellers that itself can destroy a city as no one is brave enough to travel to a city and no one is brave enough to leave eventually supplies begin to dwindle and the whole city will go into starvation and no one will or can leave and no one can reach them to enter. Only a certain number of guards and soldiers will be spared to try and kill the group that has hidden but it won’t be enough to survive an ambush and the others guards and soldiers have to stay in case the rest of the opposing armies has got a new commander and is marching to the city in force”

“Ah” was all Amelia said.

“Well it’s decided then all we have to do is keep Flina squirming long enough for us to find out from her what we need to know then kill her. Never been easier. Should be fun”

Amy stuck her tongue out at him.

 

Ryan sat down and held up a key

“Daniel this is the key to our room” he said then slid a key to Emily “that’s your key” then held up a 3^rd “Amy, Matt, your room is up the stairs and to the last door on your left” then handed to Amy who despite her frowning snatched it out of his hand. I knew it was his way of getting Amy back still I couldn’t resist my comment to him.

“Why Amy! I do believe you may be right about Ryan he IS stupid. Ryan do you remember in the garden of statues when we explained to Amelia that we were joking about another room?” Every one burst out laughing except Ryan. Who went slightly red as he did every time we mentioned anything that was closely related to what Amelia had revealed about her feelings for Ryan? And Amy who was still nodding her head vigorously agreeing that Ryan was stupid. The inn we were staying in was called ‘the weary traveller’ and was about 2 days walk from Zentor all the meals and drinks were free so long as you rented a room for the night as we had and soon a hot meal was placed in front of us which consisted of steak potato and peas. As we ate we talked joked laughed and began to relax as we usually did when nothing strange different or life threatening happened after a day. By the end Ryan was even laughing at the jokes Amy directed at him. But finally it was time to turn in and me and Amy headed up the stairs she unlocked the door and entered the room ahead of me then she threw herself on the double bed and sighed as she lay on her back then turned her head too me.

“Matt, you’ve got the floor”

I knelt down and started unrolling my bed roll.

“Amy why did you take the key?” she propped herself up on her elbows.

“What do you mean?”

“Well why didn’t you take the key back and sleep with the girls?” I asked. Amy smiled.

“I think this has its advantages” she told me

“Like what?” I said standing up. Amy got of the bed and came over to me and put her arms around my neck.

“do you remember what part me and you were up to in the statue garden before Daniel rudely interrupted us and told us to get a room?” she said as I put my hands on her hips.

“No I don’t” I told her but I believe the next part went something like this” My lips lightly brushed hers. Then on impulse I kissed her again but lingered slightly as she kissed me back. Then we both brought our lips apart and tilted our heads so our foreheads rested against the other we looked at each other for a moment smiling then I wrapped my arms   tighter around Amy’s waist and we started kissing like we were in a kind of frenzy. The whole world seemed to just disappear a was standing on a void and the only things that existed were me, Amy, and the kiss we were sharing. I don’t know why she decided it would be safe for us to show our feelings in this room with no windows, or perhaps she had the same thought I did. Since were sharing a room anyone watching us would know we had feelings for each other so there’s no point hiding it. But I didn’t ask. I was just a little distracted at the time. So I stopped thinking about it and continued kissing Amy.

 

We ate a quick breakfast in the morning before we headed off Daniel hired some horses that we could give to man outside the gates of Zentor who would then hire them back to some other travellers heading towards the inn. However he only hired 4. I got suspicious that he was in his own way taking Ryan’s payback a little further when Amy joked about him running and he replied with a comment about Amelia riding double with Ryan and Amy riding double with me. I climbed into the saddle and took the reins and then I reached down to give Amy a help up. Ryan climbed up into his saddle and then Amelia tried to get up behind him and somehow successfully got her foot tangled up with Ryan’s and fell out. Eventually she was seated behind Ryan with her arms wrapped only a little tighter around Ryan’s waist than Amy had her arms around mine. Which was more than necessary. Walking would usually take 2 days but with horses it halved the time and we arrived at the Zentor gates about 2 hours before sunset.  Just before they closed the city gates.

 

The first thing we noticed about Zentor was the soldiers and armed men. They were literally everywhere. Occasionally you would see an armed woman walking the streets. I noticed that everyone including the armed soldiers gave them a wide birth. They didn’t were much. It was like they had just grabbed a thin piece of cloth and fashioned a dress that would be easy to move in, then thrown the sword belt around there waist the dresses were a bit like the pants the girls had too were in Kana. The left side of the dress stoped just above the foot while the right side was only about 30cm in length at the side it was cut in a diagonal fashion and I could see on every right leg a sheath for a dagger. We found out exactly why everyone gave them a wide birth when Daniel decided to befriend one of them who was particularly striking. He simply walked up to them and faced them. They kept walking so Daniel started walking backwards talking people still moved out the way but they started watching this man who was talking about nothing of consequence to this lady. Suddenly she stopped and punched Daniel in the face, knocking him to the ground then while he lay there dazed she drew her sword I dashed forward drawing my own. She lifted the sword up ready to plunge it down into Daniels stomach when blade struck hers forcing her to turn to keep hold of her sword then before I knew it I was parrying her sword blows which she dealt with startling speed. After my first parry I knew I had to activate my pendent.

“HINRKIXN!” I honestly hadn’t meant to yell but that’s not what surprised me.

“Already am” she said as she dealt another blow. With my pendant activated I had always believed I was the best swordsman in Germo yet I was sweating after 2 minutes against this woman. Neither of us gave any ground after another 3 minutes we both took a step back. People had gathered around now and were watching intently. The woman tossed her sword from hand to hand and that is when I saw it. On each hand she had the symbol of fighting

“S**t” I murmured quietly.

“What is it Matt” Emily asked me. She and the others had pulled Daniel up and drawn back slightly. They were now standing in the front row of the people behind me

“Look at her hands I murmured back” I heard her sharp intake of air and some part of her body I’m guessing elbow hit one of the others and then whisper to them about the symbol on the woman’s hands. I made a decision I stepped forward and held my sword so I was open for a lunge the woman took the bait and lunged I moved my sword immediately her blade slid along mine and over the hand guard at the last second I twisted my wrist slightly so the hook at the end bit slightly into her sword then I flicked my wrist tearing the sword from her hands she tucked and rolled out of reach ,reaching for her dagger but she grasped empty air she looked down. To see an empty sheath. Amy appeared next to me twirling the woman’s dagger.

“Looking for this?”  She asked Eyebrows raised. It was then that I noticed the crowed had moved back and a pair of feminine hands grabbed me and Amy by the shoulders and another forced me to sheath my sword with great difficulty then turned us around everyone was being held by a woman dressed the same as the one I had just stopped from killing Daniel. I saw Emily brake free then punch the woman in the stomach she flew back several meters and hit a wall. But a man stepped forward with the strength symbol on his upper arms. He grabbed Emily and no matter how much she struggled she couldn’t brake free. I heard a woman groan and the lady holding my swung around Amy had turned invisible and stabbed the lady holding her another woman stepped forward with the R symbol on her head I groaned. R stood for Reality which gave the power to see through Visual lies. And while not many people know for sure it is said they can see people who use Magic that turns you invisible like I which simply turns you invisible or like Amy stealth which makes you silent AND turns you invisible. She grabbed thin air and Amy appeared struggling. Then they led us away through to the city centre in the middle of the city stood what can only be described as a palace. We were taken inside and the woman holding Daniel sent a guard off a few minutes later the guard returned

“The ruling Lady Flina” he said and as the doors swung open and the people holding us forced us down and kneeled themselves, A woman entered. She was not Dark skinned or an elf she appeared to be a white skinned human.

“Let them go then leave this room” the woman introduced as Lady Flina said to the kneeling people holding us. The woman holding me looked up.

“But lady...”

“NOW!” Lady Flina said raising her voice but not quite yelling. The fingers released me as if they were being controlled by someone other than the woman to whom the fingers belonged. Then they left.

“Leave us” Lady Flina said gently to the guard. He bowed once quickly then left as soon as the door closed and it was just us and Lady Flina she sagged like she had lost all her energy.

“Hello again Matthew, Ryan. Where is Syriana?” She asked I was very surprised she was introduced as Flina but the only Flina any of us knew was a dark elf. We had never seen this woman before I answered any way.

“Syriana died in the attack on Flinton. Who are you how do you know us?” Flina smiled slightly “I suppose I should have expected that question last time you saw me I looked like a dark elf and tried to kill you. I AM Flina I AM the Dark elf that forced you to fight in the arena however understand that the dark elf is not me or my true form the Flina that stands before you now is the true me I don’t mean you any harm however The dark elf Flina is inside me and wishes you dead I have only just been able to take my true form as the necromancer that controls me is distracted”

“You were sick and then killed your husband” I said. “If he couldn’t trust you how can we?” I asked. Despite Daniel being able to tell us if she was going to harm us or not I wanted Flina to give us a reason she laughed.

“Was sick? I AM sick and as to trusting me you can’t but then you can’t trust anyone especially here in Zentor. Those who you fight are here I’m sure you noticed the soldiers.”

“As yourself can you not recall the troops” Amy asked. Flina smiled.

“Yes... and no. I need your help As Flina the dark elf if I put you in danger I did not draw attention to myself and I was doing what the dark elf half of me wanted. However at that time I had a tiny bit of self control. So I tested you everything you have faced because of me including the Muna assassins have been tests I have laid out for you. I will no longer cause you any harm while I keep proper control of myself but as soon as I become a dark elf again I will kill you there is no doubt.”

“She means no harm” Daniel said

“How do we help you then?” Emily asked

“You must distract the necromancer who made me kill my husband enough that I can break free of his control completely even now I struggle I am tiring Do not kill him unless you have no other choice I will help you when I am free but killing him before I am free will kill me.” With that Lady Flina left and we went out into the city to find an inn far away from the centre of Zentor as we could.

Author's Note

Im not sure how much of this will make sense i was slightly distracted while writing it. I'll add a picture Later.

Reviews

[Amy]

More more please write more I am going to big u untill the next chapter is up so u best get on with it... Please

[Amy]

Ok I won't bug u about grammer becose mine is just as bad but other then that great love it