The Knave of Souls - Fantasy - Sequel to The Jack of Souls

Chapter 56 - Knight of Krato

*

KNIGHT OF KRATO

*

Harric managed to stay in his saddle. He and Snapper had been closer to the falls than any of the others when the mayhem began at the foot of the trail. From there, he'd watched the drama unfold on the broad stone stage, as if he watched a tragic play in an inn yard, complete with an appearance of the Tyrant King on a balcony above.

Now Caris whipped Rag up the hillside through the trees, and she cried to him, "Ride!" but he could not. Brolli was a traitor and perhaps deserved death. But he could not abandon him to capture by Sir Bannus and his monsters.

Snatching Captain Gren's spitfire pack from his luggage, he leapt from Snapper's saddle onto the bare stone of the ledge. Calm as Snapper was, he would not stand to be tied, and when Harric tried, he pulled away and bolted after Caris.

Cursing, Harric dove into the pines and crawled up the steep bank with the intention of circling up and around to Brolli. Where the Black Moon was Kogan?

He crept through the choked lodgepoles, and the silver twigs of the dead understory snagged at his clothing as he passed. When he'd climbed to where the trail climbed diagonally up the slope toward the top of the falls, he could peer down its length and see Bannus standing at the foot of the trail and Brolli near behind him. He saw too that the two immortals now faced each other: Willard on Molly, with his back to the river; Bannus on foot, holding Holly between them, with his back to the trees.

"It seems mortality has dulled your wit, Abominator." Sir Bannus began to side-step along the edge of the trees toward the gap at the bottom of the ledge. In one hand he held Holly's bridle, keeping her always between himself and Willard; in the other, he held the black sword high. "Why do you doubt my prophecies?"

Pounding foot falls approached on the trail behind. Harric stepped into the trees as Father Kogan thundered past, his smother coat flapping, the enormous Phyros axe held in one hand.

"Will!" Kogan skidded to a halt where Willard could see him. He held up the axe.

Without breaking gaze with Bannus, Willard waved it off. "See to Brolli."

Kogan faltered. He looked at Brolli, then back to Willard. For a moment it seemed as if he'd toss Willard the axe, but Willard's attention was on Bannus, who had stopped only a couple strides from Brolli, where he gathered up Holly's lead.

"Wait," Harric said. "Not yet."

But Kogan did not appear to hear him. Lowering the axe, he let out a growl of frustration and strode to Brolli. Keeping himself on the side farther from Bannus, he scooped up the Kwendi in one arm and whirled to retreat up the trail. Bannus struck like a snake. It was a fencer's lunge—a move impossible for any mortal in plate armor. He shot out to full extension over one knee, with the end of Holly's lead clutched in the hand behind him. The black blade flicked beneath Kogan's beard and rang iron upon iron.

As blood fanned from Kogan's neck, Sir Bannus recovered his lunge as fast as he had struck. In the same instant, Molly lunged for him, but her iron shoes skittered on the stone, stealing some of her swiftness and giving Bannus time to raise his blade and parry Willard's blow.

"You are slow, Faithless One," said Bannus, as he retreated once again behind Holly.

Harric heard the immortals' swords clash again, but his attention was on the priest as he labored past, small eyes wide and white. Blood spurted from beneath his beard, but his stride never faltered. He simply shifted the Kwendi into the crook of the arm carrying the axe, so he could clap the free hand on the gushing wound.

A pained cry died in Harric. Blood. There was so much blood. On Brolli. On the trail.

Frantic, he pulled a spitfire from the pack and rammed a resin packet down the pipe.

"Stand, Sir Bannus," Willard commanded. "Our time has come, and only one of us shall leave this place."

Harric crept down the trail in time to see a drunkard's grin split Bannus's scars. Coupled with the wreckage of burns and facial amputations, the sight drained the blood from Harric's heart.

"Do you think I've come for you, Abominator? Indeed, not long ago, I did. But the god spoke to me and said today is not our day, that you and I have eternity to embrace    

*

_________________________________________

Thanks for reading!

Please vote so I know the parts people like.

Also, comment if you find inconsistencies or confusing bits, so I can fix them.

:)