Golden Sword

Chapter 11

Its sharp hammered steel tip sliced through the sodden air in its flight to the target. A heavy well aimed bolt launched from a Knights crossbow closed on a slight black clad figure. Her HUD suddenly went off screaming with a flashing missile icon just in front of her. Already in AP, the bolt was just too close to completely avoid, she moved to her left, but the marksman was very good and had anticipated that, aiming where he thought she would go.

The hit was true and struck her at a ninty degree angle, just to the right of her heart. Her ArmaCloth failed and the bodkin tipped bolt drove deep into her flesh, coming to rest right beside that vital organ. Searing pain stunned her body, her heart hesitated. She felt faint and found herself slipping away. That light, she began to see that same light again........the one she had seen during the vision of her mother. It was warm and inviting, she knew that love was there......without hate, without violence. She wanted to go to it, go to her mother.....but then she felt herself being pushed back. It almost felt physical, but her spirit was being forced to retreat back to her body. It was her mother's hands and Keika heard her voice whisper one word..."Eric."

The heart resumed beating. Keika was suddenly thrust back into reality. Only a split second had passed. Bolt still lodged in her chest, storm raging about her, she knelt at the plate as another missile stuck her left arm, but at an angle and glanced harmlessly off the ArmaCloth. Gripping one end of the large plate with both hands she pulled hard. The plate groaned, but would not budge. Her HUD was now announcing figures running toward her and more incoming missiles. A third bolt found her, striking her in the leg and punching through her left thigh. This time she screamed out loud in pain. They were getting closer, AP or not. Again she strained to pull the spikes out of the log and free the plate. Something seemed to give, but then stopped. Giving everything she had in the attempt Keika tried one more time. She was screaming again, this time in effort. The plate shifted and suddenly the spikes gave way. With a loud grinding noise, the bridge started to split. Relieved that she had successfully completed this mission, she stood to dive away when another bolt slammed into her, this time in her right shoulder. Fighting yet another source of blinding pain, she fell backwards into the violent waters.

Sinking beneath the surface, she could hear the breakup of the bridge above her, the men being dropped into waters they could not survive. She heard their screams. The sounds were muffled and seemed far away. She let herself sink. Her body had dialed back the pain, so it was more like a nagging ache now, but she felt tired. Blood trailed up into the water as she sank......her blood. In all the times that she had been in battle, she had never so much as gotten a scratch. Her luck seemed to have caught up with her all at one time. It was so peaceful here.

Her head broke the calm surface into the bright sunshine. Spying Eric near the shore she smiled and swam to him, expecting a kiss. Instead, when she got there, she was surprised when he grabbed her hard by the shoulders. "Wake up babe. Wake up!" He was shaking her violently now. "Eric?" she asked in confusion. "What are you doing sweetheart? It's so peaceful here, you should....." "Keika! Wake up!! You must wake up! Come back to me babe, come back......." He slapped her.....hard.....but no, Eric would never hit her.....it wasn't Eric it ....it was....

Abruptly jarred into full consciousness by the impact of the submerged timber....and the vision, she swam painfully back up to the surface, gasping for air when she broke through it. Being carried down the river with the now crumbling bridge, she managed to grasp hold of one of the rafts and haul herself on board. Keika lay on her back on the raft for a few moments, breathing hard and collecting herself. Examining her wounds, she began to firmly grasp and then painfully extract each missile from her body, screaming once more as they passed back out through her flesh. Blood was everywhere. That was nothing new.....but this time it was her blood.