The Dark Sorceress: Darkness Rising

Chapter 1

'Run, Dhalen, Run!’  Kuvessa screamed, laughing loudly as a broadsword that had been sent flying towards her missed her by inches.

The siblings fled down the street, their arms ladled with food, as the city guards chased after them.

‘Thieves!  Stop thieves!’  They shouted after them.

Kuvessa saw her brother stumble, a few eggs falling out of his grasp and smashing on the cobblestone road.  She quickly discarded her own hoard, grabbing Dhalen’s arm and practically dragging him after her.  Even mountains of food would be useless if he was caught.

They weaved in and out of back streets and hidden alleyways, dodging through stranger’s houses to evade the guards, but no matter what, they always seemed just a few steps behind.  They’re like cockroaches, Kuvessa thought.  They’re bloody everywhere!

Suddenly, there were three guards right ahead of them, each brandishing a sword.  Kuvessa pushed Dhalen down behind some crates lining the side of the alleyway, at the same time pulling a dagger out of her waistband.  The guards laughed at the sight of the girl before them.

‘Give up.’  One commanded.  ‘There is no way you can win.’

‘And be sent to the dungeon?  For what?  A little food?’  She asked rhetorically.

‘For stealing!’  He yelled back, enraged.

‘We have no money to buy food, and we have to eat to live.’

‘That is no concern of ours.  Stealing is a crime.  You will lose your hand for this.’

‘Come and get it then,’ she challenged, sparing a glance for her brother to make sure he was still well hidden.

The guards charged at her, roaring in rage at her blatant insolence.  She knew she couldn’t kill these guards without darkening her brothers conscious, so she had to figure out how to disarm them as well as incapacitate them for long enough for them to get away.

Kuvessa ducked behind a wooden support beam as the first sword came her way; the sound of splintering wood could be distinguished behind the guards shouting.  She spun around and swiftly kicked the butt of the blade out of the guard’s hand.  She instead took hold of it herself; deflecting the other two blows as they came at her.  A few perfectly timed twirls had her holding all three swords.

‘Run or die,’ she threatened.  Thankfully, they ran.

Kuvessa and Dhalen had been stealing to survive practically their whole lives – though Dhalen had a strict rule that they only stole food.  Their parents had both died twelve years previously, in a tragic double murder.  Even though Dhalen had been only four when it happened, he still managed to retain the strongest memories.  Kuvessa had been eight, but instead of being distraught over the tragedy, she took up the role of both protector and carer of Dhalen, now her memories of her parents were vague and almost non-existent.

They could hear more guards, still shouting obscenities, as they ducked around the corner and slipped through the first door they came across.  Kuvessa groaned as she realised where they’d inadvertently arrived: one of the many local brothels.  Ever since Dhalen had hit puberty, he couldn’t pass by a pretty girl without stopping to talk.  This was one of those times, and if he didn’t get moving soon, he was going to get himself caught, or worse: killed.

‘Well hello there ladies.’  It didn’t help he was impossibly handsome and as smooth as a baby’s backside.

‘Being a naughty boy again, are we Dhalen?’  One of them giggled, batting her eyelashes at him.  Kuvessa nearly gagged, that woman had to be double his age!