At The Heart of Tale Kingdoms (COMPLETED)

28.1 ING IX

He rode straight through and noticed Xhiav was nowhere to be seen. The eagle predanxs around the wall and gates were many. Very few possessed monsters had dared to step close to the wall and any who tried were whisked off by the claws of the large eagles. The smaller birds flew high then released the brutes to the ground where they looked like specs of sand falling from the clouds.

Ing recognized Exva. The eagle woman was standing guard at the open gates. He halted before her, Exva's wings were moving behind her, twitching for a flight.

"She has been in that pool for too long, she is making them stronger," Exva shouted at him.

"What?" he asked, the being frowned at him.

"Take the lowest path and go get the dark child from those evil waters. I think none of them up there know that she is not supposed to be in that water for too long. Get her out of there," she finished as her wings unfurled and she took off.

He didn't take his time to think, pressing his heels as his best companion entered the fortress. As the path rose, he could clearly see phoenixes patrolling the sky, as others set their targets and plunged into the land. The ones who rose from the ashes, flew higher and away from the battle ground.

Ing winded through the gravel and came to the path that led to the highest tower. He spotted Kaduri pacing from one edge of the corridor to the other. Ing Ix approached her still on his horse. Kaduri came to stand before him, blocking his way.

"Let me through."

"They don't need to be disturbed." She replied through tight lips.

"If she doesn't get off whatever place she is in, this war will not be won." Kaduri chuckled.

"Liar, you think I would believe what comes out of your mad mouth. Your stupidity baffles me." Kaduri had tied her mane tightly at the nape of her neck. Her eyes were half open, pure distaste churning inside her. Ing got off his horse and the animal raced back the way it came from.

"You killed him, didn't you?" She chuckled again.

"So, its revenge that you seek. If it is then it is yourself, you should find. No, I didn't kill him. You did. Aren't you the one who handed him the box. You should have opened to check if you really cared about your brother's safety. Maybe you wanted him dead all along."

"How could have I known, he trusted you, you were his allies." Ing shouted.

"Then a visit from his allies, the dark lands, cost him his life. He had been warned to not contact the Darkese. The dark lands don't need any interfering allies." Kaduri started circling him. Ing moved to keep her on his sight.

"Communications means good relations, Kaduri."

"No, it's a show of dominance. In the laws of the dark lands, isolation had been written and sealed and we, the Sycvoriss are the protectors of that law. We will not be made fools."

Ing considered his opponent. He had never seen Kaduri or those from the dark lands fight but the girl was a life-long companion of Nerti who skills at arms was known to exceeded all others.

"Let me through," he repeated.

"I will not let you interfere. You only want to claim some glory. Maybe you want to befriend these demons. But I will not let you reach the dark child. Today, you and all the other worms will now the true meaning of power and sacrifice that can only be granted by the dark lands. You, white peacock, will not stand on the way of that."

Ing saw no other choice. He unsheathed the short sword on his back. As he held it out, Kaduri swung around and with a single kick, the sword fell into the abyss below them. The ground shuddered, the vigorous land shakes had come back to life. Kaduri smiled.

"Let's hope those porcelain arms and legs of yours can fight, commander" Ing heard the jaguars pounce on the door, scratching on the hinges and the wood to come out, but the entrance was well barred from the outside.

Kaduri threw a punch that met his cheek before he could duck. As he tried to move away he felt another kick to his ribs.

"Too slow, commander." Ing didn't answer.

The Sycvoriss girl was fast even for him. He regained his bearings and kept moving in a circle. As he danced the ugly song with the girl, she threw two more punches that split his lip before his boot met with her leg. But he didn't deliver the blow he needed to cripple the girls footing.

Kaduri was a skilled female warrior, fast, light on her feet and would last longer than him. The commander was already worn out. Ing's only chance was to use his strength and force.

As they circled each other, Ing tried to move forward so Kaduri stood closer to the corridor's edge. His moves cost him an almost broken nose and a black eye that almost swept him off his feet.

"Your heavy commander, is it because your pure? And I thought it was the virtuous that were the lightest. Is it the purest heart or the purest metal?"

She quickly turned and placed her hands on the ledge to give herself a lift. She leapt in the air, spinning around ready to deliver a death blow with her feet.

Ing gathered all his strength and used his left foot as a lever, landed a mighty blow with his right foot onto Kaduri's abdomen, throwing her off the edge.

Ing fell like a sack as Kaduri screamed to her landing. He felt a sharp pain invade his chest. The girl or the fall must have broken his ribs.

He stood up, walked across the corridor and looked down. Kaduri's body lay broken on a ledge thirty feet below.

Ing moved to the door, the jaguars' scratches on the other side were no longer audible. He painfully raised the wooden bars and pushed the doors. Two jaguars pounced above his head searching for something.

The commander dragged himself into the grand dim room. The sight before him was grim. In the middle of the hall was a pitch-black pool that turned milky grey then black again. On its tile edge, Nerti's body was slowly sinking back into the water.

Her large pets were restless in front of the room, right below the protruding throne. He started walking as Raie became visible to him. The Stator was glued to the throne, his feet spread wide, his arms almost digging into the black crystal chair. Raie's head was tilted to the open roof, seemingly unaware of what was happening in the room.

Ing walked faster to the pool, Nerti's head was already submerged and only her hands were left unable to grab onto the tiles. He slid on the floor just in time to catch her last hand, reigniting the pain in his chest as he landed on the tiles.

He no longer cared for his agony. Ing pulled her out, placed her on the floor and shook her. But her chest didn't move and her eyes remained closed.

"Nerti!" he shouted.

"Nerti,, come on wake up" his voice was trembling.

He heard Raie murmur on the throne, the jaguars were now circling him. He leaned down and breathed air down Nerti mouth while he pressed his hands on her chest to push the water out of her lungs. The movements brought throbbing pain in his ribs but he didn't stop.

He bent down again, and just as he pressed his lips to hers, the water rushed out of her mouth. Ing turned Nerti to her side as she coughed out the inky liquid.

On the throne, Raie was struggling to stumble out of the sit, as if he was drugged and waking from a muddy dream.

Ing helped Nerti sit, her eyes opened slightly and her movements were weak. Ing cradled her in his arms to warm her as light slowly sipped into the room. The land shakes had stopped and Ing looked up to see the white phoenixes fly up the sky.

"I think we won," he said. Nertibarely grunted. She looked up into the sky as the last bird flew. They satthere silently as the sounds of Raie walking off the throne filled the room.Nerti turned to look at the Stator then suddenly her eyes turned back to theopen door.