Kismet: A Game of Fates

Chapter 5 - Kahar's Golden Prize

 It is a pity that men do not see what happens before they die.

Though the Keres called it "the Hunt," Kahar always thought the mortals would see it for what it truly was. A dance of life and death.

Dark-winged against golden, both angels possessed with the joy of battling a worthy opponent. Soaring through the sky with the clang of heavy weapons as they crash together, and every choice the mortal made, played out on the battlefield in the sky above them.

But how could they? When all they see is the bleeding gash, feel the adrenaline running through their veins, and watch their lives flicker before their eyes. Every decision they ever made, the defining moments of their lives– good and bad. What little glory for the Valkyries, thought Kahar, when the mortals believe they are the ones fighting for their lives.

She sensed death calling her before she saw him, writhing on the ground in pain. She felt his soul fighting to stay alive. Though Kahar was the first to get to him, a towering Valkyrie shields the mortal to stop her from cutting his life short.

This is when the Hunt truly begins.

His first memory. He's a small child watching the ants disappear between his shoe and the concrete. Kahar strikes. The Valkyrie dodges, but not before her armour is nicked by the tip of Kahar's scythe.

He snickers at the boy with a birthmark on his face, gives him bruises on the other side to match. The Valkyrie takes a true hit, her forearm bleeding gold. Shining drops trickle down to her hand. She takes her sword in the other hand.

He stole his Ma's chain, the one her Ma gave her, to pay a Favor he owed. Kahar does not hesitate, lifts her scythe.

He helped a drowning girl out of the Still. The Valkyrie defends, tucking her golden wings to drop out of the way before Kahar can strike again.

The girl falls in love with him. The Valkyrie flies up behind Kahar, and strikes with new momentum.

He lied when he said he loved her back. Kahar swings. The scythe is slick with the angel's gold blood.

The lioness looks up at her, through her mane of blond curls with eyes the colour of dawn. Kahar pressed the scythe to the Valkyrie's neck.

"Surrender," said Kahar.

The angel did something Kahar had never seen from an opponent– she smiled.

"Why," said the Valkyrie, "afraid of finishing the job?"

If looks could kill, then the Valkyrie's body would have gone up in smoke.

Since looks can not kill, Kahar was left with one dirty move. She flipped the scythe and knocked the Valkyrie in the jaw, hard, with the end of her weapon. Non-lethal, but it's the distraction she needs.

With a fell swoop, Kahar meets the mortal on the ground. He is hers for the taking. She pushes her hand into his chest. Through the veil, it looks like she dips her hand in the water. It feels like that too, a still pond. She senses what she's looking for– the cord of his life.

Just like that, Kahar is victorious. The glory is as an apple without bite; it leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

Kahar knew she was a good huntress– Styx, she'd survived this long. And yet, it felt wrong.

Everything felt wrong. A feeling in the air.

Still, she pulled at his soul. It was ready for her to take, his unspent years hers to collect. A vibrant, golden chord appeared from his chest. She'd never seen anything like it– Gold, not silver.

When the Hunt is over and the victor claims the soul, the veil of the world is lifted. Had the Valkyrie won, perhaps he would have seen a vision of saving grace, an angel guardian, but it was Kahar that won. She cut the cord of his life with a swift slice of her knife. It was both blessed and cursed– the only tool that could sever a soul from its body.

As his soul untangled itself from his body, the veil sheltering him from the beyond came undone. She knew with the surprise in his eyes that he saw clearly for the first time in his life.