COTN House of Karen Part 6

6. Assassins and Mercenaries

Kiring looked out of the wall opening on her fifth day of staying here in the chamber. She had already given the departing rites to her mother' soul and arrange the simple funeral pyre. Now she is looking at the sunset that is giving the mountain sides a beautiful array of yellow to orange shades. It would had been more beautiful with the towers intact but the rubbles lent in a new definition of images to the scene. Its like looking at a raw cut scene before the Karen' bring it to splendor and beauty. She could make out the imprint of where her twins died in their battle with those dark scorpions'; sad moment then for her but now she rejoiced knowing that her children loves her very much.

She is almost recovered to her previous strength by now; both externally and also internally with all the conflicts of her soul settled. She also have been practicing the use of her right arm, and has fashioned a shield which would stick to her left side protecting both her body and part of her torso on both sides. The shield is also given some attack of its own with spikes that laced with serpent poison. She is wearing the same waist belt with the daggers in place and carries Jarek' double blade sword on her back in the scabbard. The wearing off the Serpent effect had also removed her magical skills and now she is just a normal woman warrior albeit a deadly one with her weapons. Like her mother, she could communicate with the serpents.

She snapped her head back by instinct when the spear was thrusted by the assassin hanging upside down on outside the wall opening. Kiring jumped back from her days of training with Seti in close combat. She came to her feet to see the chamber filled with three assassins. They are dressed in green and white color on their tunic and leggings, with their spears as the main weapon. The secondary weapon is the short sword on the back of their tunic tied horizontally for a mid level withdrawal. There are some deadly throwing metal spikes on their tunic held by a thin belt across the chest.

"Micha!" The House of Micha is known for two things; assassination and creature magic. Its rumored that they learn the former from the later' antics and behaviour. The Micha Guild is the assassin house for the elites that Micha can offer, and they all practiced with mystical creatures to assist them in their works. They learned how to scale walls from the mico-lizard; a rare form of the reptiles which can scale up walls or ceiling in seconds. What was known to the others was the Micah have perfected the gluey substance from the reptile limbs to the climbing equipment. It allowed them to slide across hard surface on any levels. As for the fighting skills of these Micha assassins; they have learned from the best.

"Traitor!" The three assassin approached Kiring. She did not have her shield or her sword, but the daggers hung at her belt. She took one out and placed it on her palm. It assimilate into her index finger and became a blade. She took out the rest and soon she had a handful of blades on her fingers. She looked for her shield and here is no time to put that on but the first attack was on. The assassin who was in the center rushed at her with the spear. He thrust the spear at her direction but she cut down with her finger blades. That caught the assassin by surprise but she did not stop there. She twisted her hand out and cut the assassin just below the neck. It was a shallow cut but the poison took effect and the assassin fell back holding the wound as it spread across the chest.The the assassin collapsed into dust.

"Be careful, she has got magic on her', but the warning came to late. The second assassin has rushed at Kiring with a overhead swing but Kiring block it with her dagger breaking the spear into dust.

"Damned!" The last assassin went for the wall opening, but the assassin was pushed back by a flaming spear. Kiring looked up to see the Jhitai warrior stepping in.

"No one failing in the task ever leave alive. That is the code of the Assassin Guild." The one who is known as Medi; Jhitai warrior now speaking Micha' tongue. "So would their victim."

"Who are you? I seen you in those colors of the Jhitai and yet you speak in Micha. Who are you really?" Kiring has now retrieved her shield. She slip it on and snap in the bindings. "Tell me, Micha assassin."

"The moment is not now. Not yet. I am here to remove your life. I sent those three but they have done their bit to spoil the surprise. I am the one without surprise' I like direct approach." Medi approached the ex-Serpent Queen.

"Micha assassin, tell me what is you name? I already asked thrice. I do not tolerate that even from my children." Kiring slammed her finger into the nearby table. The table crumbled to dust. "I could do that to you."

"I don't think that is needed." The two ladies looked to the person stepping up the spiral case. Its the King of Serpent. "I hate to see my bride killed by you. It would be my personal pleasure to remove my own brides."

Seti looked at his lover and smiled. He is dressed in dark leather armor and carrying a long staff with a serpent head on the top.

"You done a good work as my bride, mother to my children, and also for my enemies. You led one to me, one which I consider my brother being tag by my pets, and removing you also end the Karen' last champion. The other one would be there to complete the mission. Before I kill you, please allowed me to wished you goodbye." Seti bowed to his previous lover.

"Bastard!" Kiring rushed at him but three serpents came to intervened. They blocked her way and one of them died in the defense while another had bitten into Kiring' hand. Kiring could not stop the serpent but Cedi did it for her. Cedi came in from the wall opening after being released by the Gryphon. He cut the serpent off with his sword Excab.

Kiring stepped back and bite into the serpent head. She bit it off and spat its content to the floor.

"Cedi?" Medi was surprised to see arrival of the Canaan Guardian.

"The leader have arrived. You save me trying to hunt you. Is my brother with you here too?"

Cedi did not answer him as he approached Seti. Kiring is standing next to him and facing Seti. Medi stood by on the other side of the chamber.

"We have a stand off, as I can see from here." Seti laughed at the thought. "Its sad my brother is not here. He would had to make some choice now."

"No, I am out." Medi ran to the wall opening and jumped out. Cedi did not stop her nor did Kiring who is more keen to take on Seti.

"One ran off, and then two remains. Cedi, that what she called your name. Do you mind leaving us alone? We were lovers and we need to clear our issue without you." Seti smiled at Cedi and shrug his shoulder. "You wouldn't mind leaving us alone."

It was Kiring who spoke up.

"Seti, the only thing I want to discuss with you is how to remove your life.............." She did not even complete her line and she rushed forth with her finger blade. Her attack was blocked by the other two serpent but they perished in dust before Kiring' blades. She would had slashed at Seti but he had ran down the stairs.

She ran following him with Cedi behind her. On her way down, she fell after being thrusted by a sword on her thigh. She fell hard but she cut her assailant. Cedi had followed her down and now crouched next to her. The Hall is not empty but filled with ten warriors dressed in leather armor and carrying heavy weapons of various kind.

"Meet my new guards. The best gold can buy; Man, Elves or even Orcs. The last is not here as he did not survive the trip. Mindless fool; I killed it before it made more mess than we can afford. I wasted gold on that one." Seti stepped back and left by the doorway.

Cedi looked at the ten warriors; five of Man and three of Elves, with two Dwarfs. The Elves are from the House of Judas, as expected. The mis-cast of the Elites and they are here. They are carrying the long handle blade like Jedi. The dwarfs are carrying mallets while the Man are carrying various weapons of sort including pikes.

The three Elves came at them with coordination well orchestra and Cedi had to block the twin oncoming swing of the long handle blades. The sword Excab took the blow but the third was co,ming in low. Kiring saw that and she blocked that with her finger blades. That cracked the long handle blade to dust and those trio backed off.

"The lady got some magical weapon. We are not paid to fight wizards or sorceress." They are leaving for the door but it won't open. "We are trapped."

"I don't care. I am paid and I would deliver." The two dwarfs came rushing with the mallets swinging. "We paid well for the mallets."

One of the dwarf hit the mallet on the floor and it shook up the floor as it a tremor has just being felt. The other mercenaries were also trying to hold their balance. The other dwarf raised his mallet to hit the floor again, but this time he did not. He fell across from the searing flame of the Gryphon. The Gryphon has come back and melted a hole in the wall and then the flame came searing into towards the attacking dwarfs. It flew off after that attack.

Cedi took advantage of the distraction; he let go off Kiring and rushed the warriors. He slashed out with the sword Excab at them; catching the first Man warrior on the right side of the neck. It did not stay there before Cedi was cutting down another warrior. The rest reacted fast as they are trained mercenaries and they spread out to defend themselves including the Elves. The dwarfs are holding their mallet close their chest while watching the wall for it to crack open any moment.

"That is an example of the fate that awaits you if you continue the fight. My pet the Gryphon is still outside. You have a choice. Leave now and I would not give chase. I am here for your paymaster and not you." Cedi spoke out loud to the mercenaries.

They decided to leave the tower. Cedi broke the doors and told them to leave.

They did not get far. Cedi heard the screams and fight from across the lake. The mercenaries took the boat they rowed over, but this time they are met by dark scorpions who are more persistent in attacking.

"Not again...." Kiring had dragged herself over to the doorway. She is still holding her injured thigh and remembering a past event. "Seti, you are a bastard. I would see you dead before I joined you in Hell to killed you again."