The Guardian 1.4 of 1.5

4.

The town of Shria was started due to a trader who had lost his horse at the oasis. He stayed on and soon begin a trade with the passing traders, offering them shelter and security at the place. From a humble hut, it developed into an outpost as it was named. An outpost still plying the trade of shelter and food but then extended to the outlaws and passing army of any sides. It became a cesspool of sins and sinners. Soon the humble trader had passed on and the place became a nest of differing clans until Kutai Ibni Masod resumed the post. The new trader with no less than five guards whenever he leaves the house. In his household were twenty five servants and fifteen guards, holding rotation watch on the leader. He may be feared but nevertheless he was the subject of a few attempts which he had survived.

"Damned the Gods. How can they do not watch over me? Who are those who did this?" Kutai roared his loud voice to the assembled guards of his on the latest attempt. He was in the garden of his house, when three assassins surprised him there. His guards managed to kill the assassins but he lost five of them.

"Muta, you are their senior." Kutai looked to the long haired giant who held the giant scimitar in his hand. "I know they are Khitai, but on whose command did they obeyed to kill me? Chosin, or Morluk?"

"We are still investigating. The dead carried the signs of the Claw." Muta replied. The Claw are an organization of assassins run by an old leader nickname Master Clawler. He lived on the far side of the town, supposedly protected by a dozen of his best. "They sell to the highest bidders."

"Master, there is one other. We heard of the Guardian had come to the town." One of the guards stepped forth to report.

"The Guardian? The fabled Guardian? Off with his head. I had enough." Kutai shouted out but Muta countermand the order.

"The tale spoke of the Guardian; one with the red streak and a boy. He would be the last Guardian, but his travels would meet death on many. Those who are sinners alongside the innocent. I heard of the killings at Mina; done by brigands but some said the devils consummated the souls. It was from there, the new Guardian would appear." Kutai paused and looked at the trader. "It could be him and seek vengeance in his own way."

"I had no involvement in the killing at Mina. I may had acquired some slaves and treasures, but I was not there." Kutai replied. "More so, I disliked rumors. Kill him too."

"Master Kutai..." Muta tried to intervened but was cut off.

"Double the rate and bonus for the one who bring his head." Kutai announced and then waved off the guards.

Later in the day at the market square in the town. Torak pulled at the skirt of Karthum. They had entered the town some time ago and stopped there for meal.

"Six men are following us." Torak told him as they moved among the bustle of people who had crowded the market place. The Guardian nodded and proceeded on. He turned to a narrow alley with a dead end and kicked at the drunken man who was sleeping there.

"Have madness prevailed in you? We would be trapped here?" Torak asked him.

"A cornered predator is most dangerous." Just when Karthum spoke up, the six assassins have blocked his exit. 

"The prey had been cornered. Take him and collect our dues." The leader of the assassins told his men. Three of them charged at Karthum who had drawn both his blades. He parried the first sword with the long blade and side stepped on the other two thrust. His shorter blade came down hard on the wrist of the middle assassin holding the sword. It took off the hand from the arm, with the host leaping back in pain. By then Karthum had kicked out at the one he had parried. The kick landed on the inner left thigh and cracked the knee joint. Karthum followed through with the long blade in an inward swing that cut the assassin on his right side of the neck. The third assassin had recovered from his miss, and swung the sword for an overhead cut when Karthum had his short blade on a forward thrust into the ribs.

"The dog had bite to his bark." The leader of the assassin charged in then, with his sword swinging in an arc. One thing about fighting in a narrow alley, was that if you misjudged, your sword could get embedded on the clay wall.

"My sword..." The leader tried to pull his sword out when Karthum removed his head with the klong blade. He was fight the other two but saw them fell forward with surprised expression on their faces. They were stabbed from the rear.

"Dogs of Kitai are good for barking and cutting up unarmed traders." The one who spoke was a lady dressed in the garbs of the warrior with leather chest plate and holding a spear which metal head piece was covered with blood.

"I am Sheeta. I have come to collect on your reward." The bounty huntress lunged her seven foot long spear towards Karthum who side stepped to avoid the thrust. He used his double blades to parried the blow from hitting at him. He had fought women warriors before from the tall dark skin ones to the fair ones; they all showed good skills in handling the weapons.

"An amazon from the desert? I found your kind before." Karthum spoke to the warrior while he blocked the new thrust of the spear. Sheeta was good but in the narrow alley, her options with the spear was limited in the alley. She pulled back her spear and did a few feigned thrust before she went again for him. Karthum had stepped back until his back was to the wall. He saw the severed arm and kick it up to the Amazon warrior. The arm hit her at the chest but she had drew back on the blood allowing Karthum to do a few bicycle swing with his double blades that she lost her grip on the spear.

"Pick it up, warrior." Karthum stood before the fallen spear. He used his feet to flicked the spear towards her. She grabbed the offered spear.

"You are good, Guardian." Sheeta did a series of bicycle swing with her spear towards him this time. Karthum backed until the wall, and then he raised up his long blade to blocked the spear. He twisted his body to lunged the left hand with the shorter blade at the warrior. His thrust cut into her right forearm, causing her to pull back.

"Aargh! This space stifle my skill." Sheeta looked at him. "We would fight again."

Sheeta turned to run away, and that moment for the instinctive move; a killer move never used by Karthum, but he did it then. He threw his shorter blade like a dart at the warrior. She was hit at the spine and the blade pierced to her heart. She fell forward on her death.

Karthum looked to his left hand. He did not will the throw but his limbs moved on its own. No, it was driven by his blade. Karthum dropped his other blade.

"Its not the blades, Guardian." Torak spoke out. "It was me. I directed your action with my mind."

"Why?" Karthum looked to the young boy probably possessed by the God. "She was not of the brigands. Why had her...... Executed?"

"She was not but she had knowledge of it. She worked for the sorcerer." Torak replied. He walked to the dead warrior and removed the blade. "They who knew must die."

"I don't understand. Who was she?" Karthum shouted out. "Who are you?"

"I am your Lord. I have the task for you." Torak told him. "You are to avenged my devotees. They were killed by the sorcerer I knew and yet could not name."

"Who are you?" Karthum asked again. "I demand to know."

"Your Lord. Ask not me again." Torak shouted back. "You are the Guardian. To do my bid as per my request."

"My request, Guardian. Not my orders. Not my commandment. Not mine to do." Torak screamed out the last line. "You are to do what was mine to do."

"Question me not again." Torak whispered out the last statement. He then handed over the shorter blade to Karthum.

"What happened to her?" Karthum could not remembered it. He recalled her swinging the spear and then nothing. He looked back to Torak.

"Tell me."

"She died from a stab in her back when she tried to kill you. I had to do it.: Torak looked to Karthum. "I am your friend. You can't die."