Dimension shuffler

Chapter 14: Paz-t and present: Part 1

Recently, Paz had been doubting herself. She let down her guard when Andre first attacked and was quick to be fooled by Melody. This was not true knight conduct.

Paz lived by a strict set of rules, taught to her by her late parents: the knight's conduct.

Her parents were knights of her homeland and were among the area's finest combatants. Her father, Marcus, was a master of lances and was cunning enough to confuse and disarm as many as 30 incoming threats at once. Her mother, Florence, was swift and strong. They say she could level an army with nothing more than her own sword in a minute. A sword that was handed down through the generations. It was named after it's wielder by their young daughter. At an early age, their girl showed remarkable talent with a blade (despite the parents hesitancy to let her try it) and seemed un-phased by any sort of pain or punishment. The three were happy, for a time...

The village was evacuated as a giant beast quickly approached from the distance. Marcus and Florence attempt to defend their home. Their efforts were sadly in vain. Upon realising they were losing, Marcus instructed Florence to take their daughter and run while he fended off the beast. The strange figure commanding the behemoth locked it's glowing red eyes with Florence before she fled, knowing it'd find her one day. Settling down in a shaky shelter for the night, the two survivors rested. When the little girl awoke, the mother was gone. In her place, only a blade. The very blade that had been bound to the mother. No other trace of Florence was left...

Paz took a deep breath and steeled herself. That creature was embedded into her mind. The large legs. The sharp teeth. Its absent face. After 10 years of searching, she'd found it.

"Hey Paz! What are you doing?" Stephen's cheerful voice appeared behind her.

"Nothing of your concern, Spaceman." She sharply responded, rolling up her map.

"Stephen. Ste-phen. Not Spaceman. I didn't choose the outfit."

"I still think it looks ridiculous."

"Says the woman in armour." He dropped the sarcasm, "Look, you've been distant the past few days. I know the past few chapters didn't have much for you to do but you're even closing off from even Drez. He told me you've been friends since he found you-"

"Enough!" She silenced him, "I'm not here to sit and listen to your childish ramblings! I'm busy and I want to be left alone!"

An air of silence flowed throughout the room, "You've found Benson, haven't you?" Paz wouldn't respond, "You have to look past the whole revenge thing. Let us help you. Last time you went at him on your own, you were injured. Let's not let the incident play out again."

"How did you know...?"

"I'm smarter than I look. If you must take him out, we're here to help you." Stephen offered her his hand.

Paz got up but refuted the boy's offer. Something was different about her...

After discussing the situation and formulating a plan, Chico, Stephen and Paz set off to Benson's current whereabouts: a region out the middle of nowhere.

Upon arriving at the location, it appeared Benson was preparing to attack the town.

"Hey Puppy! Where's your master?" Stephen yelled to attract the beast's attention.

Benson spotted the trio and abandoned his current plans to attack the three.

"You sure you can keep him still?" Stephen asked Chico.

"Sure, just protect me."

Chico managed to halt the beast but it wasn't completely still. It's head still writhed around and roared at the heroes, only shielded by a protective bubble of water.

"I'll admit, impressive for something so unscientific." Drez complimented Stephen via comm links.

"Don't... distract me... I need to concentrate... or the bubble pops..." The boy groaned in response.

"Where do I stab it?" Paz coldly asked their co-ordinator.

"There's a soft spot on the back of it's neck. That should do it."

"You sure?"

"I don't make mistakes. You know that."

Paz grabbed a scale on Benson's leg and, well, scaled it. Any normal person would have lost their gripping on the small holds as the beast writhed. Not Paz. Like a machine she grabbed every rung. If the creature tried to knock her off, she ripped off a scale without remorse.

When she reached the summit, she unsheathed her sword, Florence and held it high, ready to thrust it down.

"This is for my father, my mother and all those you've taken from this world you vile beast! This is what should've happened the day you destroyed the lives of many, the day you destroyed MY life!"

With a swift stab, silence reigned. The beast fell and peace resumed. The slayer plucked her sword and sheathed it, letting out a sigh of victory. She climbed down from the mountain and stared at her victim in silence.

"You can stop the bubble, it's over." Chico patted Stephen on the back, who dropped to the ground in exhaustion.

"That's harder... than it looks. I never... want to do that... again..."

The small girl giggled before noticing her other friend in silence.

"Paz, you should be happy, we won."

"No. We killed it. That won't heal the wounds. It won't fix the land it destroyed." She noticed a broken lance in the monster's teeth and picked it up, "And it won't bring back those we've lost." She held it's pieces close to her.

"I-I'm sorry, Paz. Why don't we check out the town? You know, make sure no-one's hurt. I think Stephen could use a break anyway." The only response was a thumbs up from the face-down lad.

"Fine. We'll stop to make sure everything's alright and maybe purchase some supplies."

"You mean shop?"

"Purchase supplies, yes. We stay short and leave quickly though."

The three headed off into the town with Paz dragging Stephen until he rose to his feet, leaving their victory behind them.