The four of us stood regarding each other with cold eyes. I gripped my blade firmly with my right hand, left resting on the stock of the crossbow hanging at my waist. Beside me Adam stood, coiled like a spring, waiting for the moment to strike.
“Well, you certainly came sooner than Master expected. It matters not though. You will still play your parts.” Storm sneered from the doorway. “I look forward to crossing blades with you Corven... It has been far too long.”
I opened my mouth to speak but he was gone in an instant, door closing with a soft thump behind him. Adam roared and took the opportunity to pounce at Ashley.
“Ah, ah, ah! You will have to be quicker than that, hound. I am a vampire, Lord of the Night! None can stand as my equal, and certainly not a mongrel like you!” He cackled, evading all of Adams attacks.
“You are right – none stand as your equal because you are filth!” I spat, readying my crossbow. “I used to think you were a good man Ashley. No longer.”
I loosed a volley of bolts, aiming for his upper torso. None of them connected of course, he was far too fast even for my new crossbow. This wouldn't do at all. We circled him as he mocked us for being too slow, both physically and intellectually, while both of us tried to figure out how we could take him down.
“Together. We will have to move together!” I called to Adam.
“I was thinking the same thing!” He growled in agreement. “Follow my lead!”
He bounded towards Ashley from the front while I charged from his left side, Ashley merely chuckled and pirouetted through the air, safely avoiding our attacks.
“Even together you are no match for me. How long will you continue to bore me?” Ashley sneered. “How long until you give up and --”
Adam leapt towards him again with a mighty roar, only to be swatted away with ease. He hit the ground with an audible thump, and he loosed a short yelp.
“It is incredibly rude to interrupt someone when they are speaking mongrel!” He bellowed. “As for you Corven... I think I have something else in mind for you...”
Slowly he walked towards me, madness glowing in his eyes. I fired several more crossbow bolts at him, but he shrugged them off like they were nothing. Despair crept into my mind as I back peddled away from him. Then I tripped, and the air was wrenched from my lungs as I hit the cold floor. My vision swam and I could barely hear him cackling madly mere feet from where I was. I searched frantically for my sword when he grabbed me by the collar.
“Something else in mind indeed...” he whispered.
I could feel his breath on my cheek, on my neck, when out of the corner of my eye I noticed something. There was somebody there. Was it? It couldn't be! Crouched next to a tree was Janek, hefting a huge bow. He loosed the arrow as I felt Ashley's fangs touch my skin - he must have heard it as he dropped me at that moment, but it was too late. The arrow pierced his heart, causing him to keel over and shriek in agony - I barely covered my ears in time.
“Morgan, check on Adam” Janek called. “I need to make sure Corven is still among the living - if not this would have all been for naught!”
“Right away brother!” came Morgans reply.
I led there on my side trying to catch my breath as Janek arrived next to me. He shook me briskly and rolled me onto my back - I offered no resistance.
“Are you alive man...?” He asked.
“I uh... seem to be.” I managed to blurt out.
“That's great news!”
“That it is. But I am starting to doubt we can beat the Baron... if Ashley was even a fraction of Davids strength, then defeating him will be impossible. You saw how powerless both me and Adam were against Ashley!” I said somberly.
“Nonsense! You both fought well. Remember, we had already caught Thorinus. That's the smart one and the strong one both out of the way. Of course that means you still have to fight Storm, who is particularly good at mind games, and then the big cheese himself...” He replied, clapping me on the back. “But remember - you can beat Storm alone by believing in your mission, believing in us, and believing in Lydia.”
“And what about David? His vassals all possess one of his qualities, with the strength, wit and trickery of the three combined even the four of us wouldn't be able to defeat him!” I cried.
“That's why myself and Morgan are here. We disobeyed Griffons orders. Not just us, but all of the Blades. All you have to do is defeat Storm and then lead David into a large room - the Dining Room would be ideal - so we can all come down on him like an Iron Fist. There is no way he will be able to fight us all off, so it would be nothing but a matter of time before he slips up and one of us slays him and ends his reign of darkness.”
“...you sound scarily confident in this plan Janek”
He grinned the grin of a madman and pulled me to my feet.
“Don't worry about it, we will win, i'm sure of it.” He said with a sideways glance. “Morgan, how is Adam doing?”
“His breathing is shallow but steady. He seems to have dislocated a shoulder with his fall, but he should be fine as soon as some of our physicians arrive.” He called. “He won't be 100% but he will be able to fight just as well as any of us. Lycans are good at that...”
“Wonderful. Well Corven, hadn't you better get moving? You have a lady to save!”
I grunted and retrieved my sword and crossbow, and several of the bolts that were strewn along the floor. With a final glance at Ashley's body crumpled in a heap in the center of the courtyard, I pushed open the door of the Manor. This was it. I had to be strong, I had to believe. For myself, for the Blades, and for Lydia.
>Next Chapter<
