FIRST BOOK OF THE PIPER OF MIRCHAEK TRILOGY
When the walled city of the gods, Dansarun, opens its doors for trade, Xuijae's ruling clan sends its perfect representatives: the troublesome prince, Kai-Se, who wants nothing to do with palace life, and...
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Kai-Se knelt before An-Ri who growled at her busted arm. A faint plume of smoke curled into the air from her skin. "An-Ri, rest for a bit," he said, holding his necklace towards her face. "Please."
The fox spirit slapped it away. "I'll summon all my tails if I have to," she said. "I'm not leaving you here."
"Just for a while?" Kai-Se pleaded, his tone growing closer and closer sounding desperate. He looked back to see Nao-Zai parrying and advancing against the war god. Time. They needed a bit of time if he's going to get the soldier out of there. "You're not going to help anyone if you're tired."
An-Ri frowned. "Fine. Just for a short time."
The pendant shimmered orange as An-Ri's essence melted inside. Kai-Se turned to find Nao-Zai grunting as he held Gansai's sword back with his own. The war god was slowly gaining on him, forcing him back. Then, with a quick swipe, Nao-Zai fell to the ground, Gansai's leg sweeping from underneath. Kai-Se's breath hitched as he watched the god's golden sword swing in the air for Nao-Zai's neck.
Metal hit metal. Sparks lit the air orange. An isolated hairpin bounced on the tower's wooden floor before rolling to a stop at Kai-Se's feet. What...?
"You dodge well for a human," Gansai growled. Kai-Se raised his head to find Nao-Zai still parrying the god's attacks with his sword. "Shame on your hair, though."
The soldier sniffed. "It'll grow back," he said, lunging to catch the god's sword before it swung in a direction he couldn't anticipate.
True enough, as Kai-Se watched them trade blows, Nao-Zai's hair was scattered in all unknowable directions and clearly sheared so close to head. As much as Kai-Se wanted to say the soldier looked like a used mop, now wasn't the time for that. Kai-Se looked at the darkening sky and, for the first time, saw the thin web woven by Nishi just to keep them here until Xuijae receives word of his capture and the possible demand for ransom. He had to figure out how to break through that.
Just as his magic burned in his fingertips, a distinct cry rang behind him. He turned to see blood spray in the air and Nao-Zai stumbled back after dropping his sword which clattered to the ground. Gansai licked his lips knowing he'd already won. "You put up a good fight, human."
Then, the war god lunged. Kai-Se couldn't reach him in time. Nao-Zai growled as he dove forward, ducking the swinging sword aimed for his neck before tucking his body into a roll. He snatched the hilt of his fallen sword on his way back up. He brandished it with his left hand, the gaze he gave the god wasn't far from murderous.
Kai-Se had to leap back just as Nao-Zai lashed forward, slashing his sword with his non-dominant arm just as well as he would with his other one. His right arm hung useless at his side but his footsteps remained sure and steady as he held the war god back. "Kai-Se, any idea how we'll get out of here?" the soldier called.
"Yeah, I just need to break the web," Kai-Se summoned his magic and turned to the sky once more. It might not be enough to completely break through but all they needed was a small rip. That should be fine. "Nao-Zai, on my count—"
