The Lady Knight

Chapter 9

          Alex stared at the body, her heart pounding. Henry and Archer couldn't move. She just decapitated a Dark One! Even they couldn't do that. Nightmare had an alarmed look in his eyes.

          Slack-jawed, the brothers slowly and cautiously made their way towards the creature's fallen body. The head lay a few feet away, a menacing look still resting upon its face.

          Alex curled her lip in disgust and wiped the black slime of blood from her blade. She had killed Dark Ones before, but this one seemed less violent. The more she thought about it, the more she realized the Dark One's odd behaviour. Normally it wouldn't have spoken and just attacked. They must be preparing for something, she thought to herself. I wonder what...

          Archer yelped. Alex whipped around, her sword ready. Archer lay on the ground, grumbling about his 'uncaring' brother.

          "Archer, what are you doing?" Alex asked curiously.

          Henry, who had unceremoniously dropped his brother's body to ground, snorted and pointed to the Dark One's head.

          "He was acting all smug to it and it twitched. Ain't so high and mighty now, are ya?" Henry teased.

          "Whatever," Archer grumbled, rubbing his sore behind. Nightmare snorted and took his place at Alex's side, bumping her with his shoulder.

          "Sorry, but it had it coming," Alex murmured. She hopped onto Nightmare's back and whistled to the twins.

          "Are you guys coming or what?" she called.

          They took one last look at the headless body and ran to catch up. After walking for a while, Archer couldn't take it anymore.

          "Okay, I'm going to let it all out now. THAT. WAS. AMAZING!" Archer exclaimed. "How did you do that? Can you teach me? We thought you were about to get your soul eaten! Were you scared? Where did you learn to do that? Could you count how many teeth it had? Did it stink? Did you plan that out?" he fired question after question, never stopping to rest. When he finished, he dramatically gasped for breath.

          Henry slapped his arm. "Easy there! Give the woman some time to think!"

          Alex didn't know what to think. She had charged the creature out of rage and hadn't formed a plan until the last second. They didn't need to know that, she decided. Instead, she changed the subject.

          "Are we almost..." Alex trailed off, staring in awe at the city in front of her. Henry and Archer continued, leading them to the entrance.

          The twins stopped and turned to face Alex. Holding out their arms the announced simultaneously:

          "Welcome to the fallen city of Triaton."