The Crimson Claymore

Chapter 4

Chapter Four

A slight breeze tickled Searon’s unshaven face as he quietly crawled up the hill. The reek of vinegar and spoiled eggs rotted in his nostrils and mouth. He had to use all his energy to block out the nauseating sensation. The clattering together in the distance sounded too much like swordplay. He knew the sound too well, and this echo didn’t sound like practice; it was a struggle. His claymore gleamed crimson in the morning sun as he peered down the hill. At the bottom, Searon noticed a woman wearing clattering plate mail with skirt forming above her knees, with thick plated turquoise boots and a large diamond of gold in front.

On the woman’s sides were five draeyks, all with high-held one-sided axes with large spikes on the opposite side. She defended herself well, parrying from one to the next, with a complex technique which resembled a graceful shadow-sword form, except she carried a hammer. With the way she fought, it seemed she twirled a feather. It was a magnificent sight to watch her singlehandedly battle five draeyks at once. She swirled her hammer and twisted her body, sometimes spinning through the air between two axes with only millimeters to spare. Searon watched in awe as she spun in the air, twirling as her left leg collided with the jaw of a draeyk. The draeyk fell to the ground just before she used her hammer to bash its head in. As she fell, she struck another in the chest. Both fell, lifeless, before her feet touched the ground.

Only three draeyks were left, and they battled fiercely against their skilled opponent. Searon debated rushing to her aid, but she seemed to be doing a decent job by herself. Besides, he didn’t want to seem like a threat to her, as he didn’t know the woman’s personality or her allegiance. The two on her left struck at the same time, and she impressively blocked both with the same defensive stroke. She held her hammer steady with her left hand, grabbed a shuriken from her pouch, bolting it into the neck of the third, causing loud gagging from the wound before the creature crumbled to the ground. Then two battled her, rage showing in snake eyes, and she backed away for a better position, tripping on a fallen axe. Without a second to lose, the two draeyks jumped at the opportunity. She grabbed one of the crossed armor straps on its chest, and her fingers scraped against hard scales as she tumbled to the ground with the draeyk on top of her. A dagger pierced through the rough scales of the creature’s back as its carcass lay upon her.

Searon slid down the hill to mount his stallion, shaking his reins, causing his pearl-and-onyx steed to gallop down the hill. The final draeyk glared at Searon as his horse rushed down the hill toward the creature. He held his claymore in his right hand, its weight making him lean slightly on the right from its heftiness. When in range, he jumped from Stripes and collided with the creature, knocking it to the ground along with its axe. He rose to his feet, placing both hands on his claymore, steadying the two-handed weapon before swinging it to each side of him before holding it secure in front of his face. The draeyk rolled, getting to its feet with an axe in each hand, obviously taken from a fallen comrade. Both axes spun in the creature’s hands, moving so fast, making it hard to tell whether the draeyk had been about to s***h at Searon with the two weapons or throw them at him.

Want to dance? Let’s dance. Searon gripped his claymore tighter and swung the long blade at an angle toward the creature’s left temple. The axes stopped twirling, and the one in its left hand abruptly shot up to block Searon’s strike while the right swung toward Searon’s armor. He was caught unexpected, and the axe crushed in his plate mail on his left shoulder. He quickly backed away, feeling pain and blood dripping along his arm. The pain didn’t slow him and he kept his composure more than he, even, expected of himself. He changed into defense and blocked one strike then the next. The axe struck short of reaching him, becoming harmlessly deflected.

Searon dashed forward now, growing impatient; and turning himself onto offense, he knocked an axe to the ground—along with the draeyk’s hand who’d held it. The creature snarled, showing its sharpened yellow teeth. Nothing but rage came from the creature, and Searon held his own against the quickened attacks but had to come up with a new plan to end the battle—and quickly. Many options circled his mind, and he picked one quickly, tossing his claymore toward the creature who leaped out of the way to avoid being struck. Searon dove to the ground, gripping an axe from a fallen draeyk and launched it toward the last draeyk, impaling it in the head. The creature’s jaw opened slightly before falling backwards the ground.

Without a second thought, he rushed to the dead creature, sheathing his claymore. Surrounding him, he noticed, were nine dead draeyk. Vinegar and vomit attacked his nose again. He glanced around. With nine dead, it meant the woman had defeated four before he even noticed her. Searon’s eyebrow rose, impressed. Searon didn’t know of anyone besides himself who shared such a feat.

Searon rushed to the body which had fallen on top of the woman, jerking it off, tossing it to the side. His eyebrows shot up when he found nothing underneath the creature but flattened grass.

“Looking for me?” a deep female voice asked.

Searon turned around abruptly to see her standing before him with her teal-and-gold helm wedged between her elbow and breast. Blonde hair hung behind her head in a tight blue silk ponytail with two thick strands falling in front of her ears and past her breastplate. Her skin shone pale blue—radiating light, making her armor glow brighter in the sun. A loose shorter strand of hair considerably thinner than the other two fell upon her cheek. She had dark-blue lips, adding to her beauty. Her eyes were a deep silver sapphire, sparkling as strongly as the gem itself, but the strangest of all had been her silver eyebrows.

She wore tight midnight-blue chain mail with gold patches of plate mail throughout her arms, and golden swirls upon her chestplate. A blue-and-gold plate mail skirt hung at her waist, stopping a half a span above her knees. Her boots didn’t start until her knees, leaving a few inches of exposed silk skin glittering in the morning sun. The chain mail clung skintight, showing the definition of her body, including her tight stomach and belly button. On her sash at her waist was a dagger with a mix of topaz and sapphires in its hilt. A large hammer shaped like a triangle with a thick spike at its tail attached to her belt as well. His eyes traveled back to her chestplate where they lingered for several long seconds. Her chain mail clung tight, and Searon had a hard time keeping his eyes away.

“My face is up here,” she snapped, annoyed.

“Ah … yes … I am sorry. I was merely inspecting your armor. It is impressive.”

He assumed she knew better, but he felt compelled to have an excuse. Even after being caught, he felt himself having a hard time keeping his eyes away from her body but held his gaze on her face. It became harder to look away from her face than her bosom, as her eyes sparkled so beautifully, he couldn’t gaze away from them.

She arched an eyebrow and smiled. “Of course.”

Karceoles trotted down the hill before holding the reins close to Searon’s side now. “Oh my, are you hiding melons under that chain mail?”

She glared at the wizard with intensity in her eyes.

“My name is Searon. I’m a warrior hunting the draeyks. This i***t next to me is Karceoles, a wizard,” Searon said.

Searon’s head shook in despair at the remark the wizard had made. He should have expected as much coming from the sarcastic wizard, but even he didn’t think such a rude comment could come from the old man. He should have known better. Fool of a wizard.

“My name is Starlyn of the high kheshlars of Sudegam,” she bowed slightly, showing a sign of respect.

“What are you doing out here?” Searon asked, still not finding an opportunity to gaze away from her blazing eyes.

“I may ask you the same question. A simple human and an old wizard, hardly threatening to these wild creatures,” she said.

“I think you would be surprised,” Searon said, eyes darting to the wizard.

“I see … and why are you after the draeyks?”

“They are foul creatures that have been striking humans for too long, and it is time for their demise,” he snapped.

Memories flooded his mind like overflowing rivers collapsing over cliffs in waterfalls. It pained him to have such thoughts circle in his mind. He gritted his teeth using all his will to push the horrors of his past away.

Starlyn nodded. “I have been keeping the draeyks contained so they won’t strike Sudegam.”

Searon noticed she seemed to withhold as much information about her reasoning to fight the draeyks as he did. He quickly brushed it off, as he wasn’t ready to tell her the reason behind his bitterness toward the creatures either. Every time he did speak of it, he felt on the edge of fresh tears he wouldn’t allow to fall.

“You’re not doing a very good job protecting the humans from them,” Karceoles snapped with bitterness.

“Excuse me?”

“By keeping the creatures away from the kheshlars, you have provoked them into killing humans,” Karceoles spat.

“That is not my concern; I am a kheshlar,” Starlyn snapped.

“Congratulations, you know what it is that you are,” the wizard said softly.

“I don’t have to stand here and listen to this,” Starlyn barked, turning away and clenching a fist.

“Wait,” Searon beckoned.

He knew the wizard didn’t have a way with words, and he wasn’t even sure if he could convince her of anything. He did know he had to try. The wizard seemed clouded in judgment with his newfound bitterness toward the kheshlars. He hadn’t realized the wizard cared so much for humankind before, and he didn’t understand why. The woman in front of him seemed to be the only kheshlar actively fighting the draeyks. With her help and skills, they would be able to confront many more draeyks.

She turned around to study him, biting her lip before licking it with her tongue. An eyebrow rose on her face, and she waited. There seemed to be a lack of patience on her face as she glanced a few times toward the wizard.

“If you don’t like these creatures, why don’t you help us? We’re on our way to attack their camps and settlements,” Searon said, appearing sincere.

“Only the two of you?”

“Yes, I’ve been told the kheshlars wouldn’t bother helping us,” Searon said.

He tried to keep his voice as neutral as he could to avoid discrimination against the kheshlars but still wanted it to remain clear they would be denied for help. She glanced from Searon to Karceoles a few times with doubt on her face.

“How do you expect to kill them all with one human and an overly annoying mage?” she asked glaring at Karceoles now.

“Wizard,” Karceoles corrected with annoyance in his voice.

She glared daggers at him with eyebrows crunched together and eyes swollen.

“With the element of surprise on our side. We will move too quickly for word to get out. Victory has never been my objective. I have fully expected to not come back from this, but with your help we may be victorious. With or without your aid I will do this. The wizard seems to think there will be a war and with your help we can destroy them once and for all. I had my doubts, but that was before I saw you fight. I believe he is right. If you will not aid us, I will continue my plan, and I don’t expect to return. Until now, that has always been my goal,” Searon said.

Searon gulped as he finally admitted what he had always known since he set out on the quest. He probably wouldn’t come back, and he hated to realize it. He only had the need to take as many of them down with him as he could before being struck down himself. Then he could rest in peace and meet his family once again in the afterlife.

“Can you keep the wizard in check?” Starlyn snorted with a half smile.

“No … probably not. You’ll just learn to tune him out like I have.”

He glanced back to the wizard, who smirked at him now. He felt sure the wizard knew much of what he said went in one ear and straight out the other.

“All right, I’ll help you, but there’s something I must tell you first.” Starlyn shuffled uneasily.

“What?” Searon asked.

He looked genuinely concerned as if hoped he could accept what she had to say. She shifted her eyes, looking at him hard in the face before quickly blushing. It seemed as if the kheshlar had been checking him out. He shifted uneasily. He could tell what she had to say to him would be hard for her, and he knew if they were to travel together, one day he would have to tell her about his life.

“My sister … changed years ago … she left with the draeyks. She led them in a war against the kheshlars, and I injured her to protect Sudegam. I believe she is still with them. I want to destroy the draeyks as much as you but … but I will not kill my sister. She is not to be harmed. If we encounter her, we capture her and bring her back to the kheshlars,” Starlyn demanded.

She sighed as she seemed to reminisce of her times with her sister. Her eyes closed before opening with fresh tears drizzling along her cheeks.

“As you wish,” Searon said.

He couldn’t imagine what it would be like to lose a sibling to the draeyks. At least his family had only been destroyed instead of turning them as dark as Starlyn’s sister now apparently had become. He didn’t know if he could bear such a thing happening to him.

“Good, now I have something more attractive to look at.” Karceoles smirked.

Starlyn stood and glared at the wizard with ice in her silver sapphire eyes.

“Shut up, Karceoles,” Searon said.