[Story] Tales of the Risen (11/25/10) -- Chapter 12, one-shot: Of The Heart

[Aisha deCabre]

Thanks guys ^^

And as for the phrase...maybe.  Sometimes I tend to re-word more cliché phrases at my leisure, but then again, it may be easier to read the other way.  x3

Edit:  Fixed.

Edit the 2nd: I've also updated the front page, to put up a new bit of information; since the stories aren't progressing in any order, then new readers can start from any story they wish.

[Aisha deCabre]

((Next part!  It felt a little rushed to me, but it always seems that way when I write fast scenes. x3  Enjoy.))

Part 5

   For Mara, the moments that she spent within her mind seemed to lengthen slowly into painful hours.  There were small twinges, feelings...sensations that couldn't accurately be described in writing, all passing her by.  She couldn't tell whether they were her nerves playing up, trying to respond to the treatment or the curse...or perhaps it was coming from the child itself.  All she knew was that inside she wasn't truly at rest.

    Hurts...something hurts...

   Be strong, the mother said, mentally pushing her own emotions towards and letting them embrace her progeny, whose subconscious she knew must have been the one speaking.  Perhaps she was not yet capable of conscious thought, shielded away from the world; but certainly the child's essence and personality was already there.  In the state of limbo Mara was in, at least she found solace in actually trying to keep her baby comfortable, even before its birth.

   It's wrong...can't...move...cold...!

   I'm here, child.  Be brave...don't think about it and go back to sleep.
   Sleep...

   Sleep.

   As the vibrant energy seemed to calm down, so too did the jaguar's mind.  But still she couldn't help but be amused, and proud.  Por la sangre, (by the blood,) You will be a resilient one.

*   *   *

   "Alright...we followed the signal here.  He's right nearby.  Remember, just like we planned.  Go."

   A simple finger snap sent the others dispersing.

   Unbeknownst yet to any of the guards training near the perimeter of the open courtyard, the demons had a force of ten individuals quickly spreading around it.  The leader hung back, after giving the signal and a briefing on the plan.  Several voices from below came easily to his ears, while he remained invisible to them.

   He was a dark feline of a mixed heritage, making easy use of the shadows.  His white-spotted leathery wings came out of hiding as he climbed the highest tree he could find to look down upon the training grounds.  As far as he could see, three-quarters of the square was coming away from the main building itself, flanked on two sides each by another elongated two-story facility.

   But he didn't need to see the rest of it to confirm that his target was there.

   The demon's eyes narrowed towards one of the training rings.  There the adventurer was, easily spotted due to the identifiable scars on his hands and the unmistakable look in his eyes.  He was sparring with a volunteer; one of the prospective young guardians, no doubt, wanting a piece of the 'renowned' warrior.  The swords were clashing with expert prowess.  No doubt it was him...they had followed behind, tracking them for miles.
Then something caught his eye after the sparks flew from another clash of the metallic blades.  There two children were sitting on the edge cheering.  One of them was a jaguar cub who in fact looked very much akin to Cabre.

   Well, well.  That wife of his is bold.  She's been a traitor long before the other day, he smirked silently.  Better give it our all, then.  Even if we all die, others will know exactly where to look.  And all for the better if we take his kid out too.

   There was a quick whistle from one of the scouts nearby, trilling three times.  They were all in place.

   The feline grinned and signaled back.  Out of sight, surely, they were already charging their magic and aiming.

   His wings slowly flared as he counted down the seconds.  "Ready...set..."

*     *     *

   Heedless of the dangers above, Luc's concentration was kept on the fight with the young guardian, a hyena with reddish-brown fur.  The cheers that came from the children sitting on the wall rang in his ears and gave him more energy in his last thrust, which sent the other warrior across the ring to land on his back with a yelp.

   "Yeah!" Jake hooted.  "Your dad's pretty good, Ayan."

   "Good?  He's the best!  Es mejor!" the cub grinned.  "You should hear all his stories, too.  You know he stopped a whole undead army from making mincemeat out of a village?"

   "Yeah, with nothing but a toothpick," the gryphon joked, sarcasm heavy in his voice.  Ayan just ignored him, and they went back to watching.

   Luc laughed and reached out to help the soldier to his feet.  "Not bad, kid.  Almost took my ankles out there."

   "Thanks, it was an honor sparring with you, sir," the hyena bowed, and then went to retrieve his sword while the jaguar walked back towards where the boys were sitting.

   But just then, the air was shattered by a loud ringing and a flash, followed by a howl of pain.

   "Whoa!" the children both yelped as they saw it, both falling against Luc.  As the warrior steadied them, he turned with all of the other eyes against the origin of the disturbance.

    Just then, a wounded guard hobbled out of the woods, trying to hold his side even though his armor was charred straight through to the flesh.  "Attack!  We're being attacked!" he coughed.  "Demons in the woods!  All guards to arms!  Raid!"

    As he fell, Luc barely had time to process the information before a stream of dark magic lanced towards the hyena like a spear and struck him down in a matter of seconds.  The ground was turned to ash where it stopped.

    Then, more destructive magic of all types shot out of the forest.  The trees shook with war cries as the Creatures winged and surged out of the shadows, flinging more fiery ammunition while soldiers picked up their weapons and armor to start fighting back.

    "Mierda", Luc cursed as he quickly ducked out of the way and ran towards the buildings, taking his son and Jake with him.  All around, the noises suddenly escalated into a frenzy of voices that couldn't easily be distinguished.

    "Get the Mistress!" someone shouted.

    "All Healers, stay back!" another yelped as he dodged an attack.

    All through the frenzy, the jaguar was quick to put his back against a wall and direct his eyes to the war held on sacred ground.  His ears lowered, and he grimaced, trying to figure the situation out while he shielded the shocked children.  "Why the hell would there be an attack on a monastery; it's supposed to be a sanctuary!"

    Ayan grunted, trying to look over his father's shoulder to see what was going on in the field.  "Are they after someone?"

    "They have to be," Jake said, hunching down and taking advantage of the protection, unlike the young feline.  "There hasn't been an attack on this place since Mistress Rynkura built it, she once said."

    And then they come, unprovoked, after my family shows up...Luc put the facts together...and his eyes widened.  "Dios mio...Ayan, you and Jake have to run.  Get out of here as fast as you can.  To the cathedral if possible."

    "But, Dad...!"

    "Go!" he roared.  "Nothing's more important than your safety.  They won't hesitate to kill anyone."

    Jake took Ayan's wrist.  "Come on, I know a safe way back!"

    The feline resisted, still clinging to his father.  "But what about you?"

    "I'm going to help," he answered and took the sword he was fighting with in his grip.  "I'll be fine.  Just get back to your mother."  He glanced back to him with a quick smile.  "I'm counting on you to look after her."

    The son was torn with worry...an actual fight, more than what he had thought of in his imagination, and his own father was going into the middle of it.  He had no doubt that he would survive, but still the concern was there.

    "...Okay," he finally assented, his face falling.  "I'm going."

    "Good luck, sir," Jake said with a quick bow as he pulled Ayan along behind the building and back toward the towering church.

    Luc watched them run, his gaze lingering with his son's until he was out of sight.  Then he turned around, resolve set towards the battle.  His sword gleamed in the sunlight as he rushed forward.

    Whether or not it was the case that they really came for him, he didn't know; but it was quite obvious that he could not take the risk of letting his family or the monastery go unprotected.

    From the sidelines of the trees the demon leader looked on, seeing the adventurer doing just as he expected and joining in...hopefully his subordinates would keep any interfering guards busy.  At that point, with flared wings, he swooshed after the jaguar.

    The lord will be pleased when I come back with your head, Cabre.

*   *   *

   Rynkura's eyes narrowed.  The magic sight seemed like it was starting to wane...though it took more energy to learn than to really do, the Healer had never kept it up for that long before.  She was unaware of how much time had really passed...but it was hoped that it wouldn't be for much longer.

   "Mistress," one of the spell-breakers spoke, "The child has stopped moving."

   "I am aware," she replied, gently regarding the fact that she still had Mara's head between her hands.  "She is fine...only sleeping.  Hm, Mara may be stronger than we realized."

   "And so is the curse," the other spell-breaker pointed out.  Looking inside, the dark mass was still anchored strongly to the life energy, only seeming to shudder every once in a while when one of the roots was broken by the spell-breaker's magic.  "Perhaps we should have started with the child.  The severing is only making the leeching bonds that much stronger.  And if it decides to switch targets..."

   Suddenly, Rynkura hushed them, and the room fell silent of voices.  But the tigress had become concerned...the only thing that she should have been hearing in the room was the steady heartbeat of everyone there.  But there was something else...the pounding of footsteps...

   The door to the room burst open then, making them all jump.  It was the ocelot Healer, panting heavily from having run to the top of the tower.  "Mistress!"

   The tigress grunted.  The room came into full view again as the glow in her eyes dissipated.  More strange noises were more easily heard as well...they sounded like screams, coming from outside.  "What is it?" she demanded of the ocelot.  "We are in the middle of a very important healing."

   "I know, but I was sent to find you," he replied, out of breath.  "We're being attacked.  Demons!"

   "What?!" she growled.  The other healers stopped what they were doing to look up.  "How?  Where is this?"

   "The training grounds!  Magic flying everywhere, no warning!"

   "Damn..." the tigress snarled and dashed to the window, where there was a good view of a portion of the grounds.  True to his words, her guards were in the middle of a heated battle...in a hundred years, she never thought that nobody would dare mount an attack on her sacred grounds.

   Then she saw that Luc was nowhere to be found.

   ...Oh, no...

   She swirled around.  "Are there any casualties?"

   The messenger tried to think.  "Just two guards at last check.  Cabre's son and Jakoba are both safe in the cathedral and the doors sealed; I made sure of it.  But the warrior himself is fighting down there."

   There was a pause as she thought that over.  And just like Luc had done, she put together the most possible reasons.  "Perfect..." she growled.  "I suspected something like this would happen."

   "...Mistress?"

   The tigress ignored him.  She was already removing the jewel-embedded sleeves on her arms.  Within seconds, her hidden feathered wings seemed to burst from their position on her shoulder blades, as white and boldly striped as the rest of her body.  "Get as many guards and spell-casters as you can down there.  None of those intruders are to escape alive.  Keep the Healers back until they're needed, and seal this room tight."

   "But, Lady Msh'Taan, we cannot proceed without your sight!" the male spell-breaker pointed out.

   The angel looked back toward Mara, still lying on the bed...asleep and unaware of the danger she was now very much in.  The curse was important to get rid of, but right then, the most important thing was defending the monastery...and getting Luc out of there.

   "Then see what you can do on your own.  I'll leave my staff, but if she starts to awaken, have the alchemists give her more medicine.  No more arguments.  Go!"

   They got to work immediately.  Satisfied for the moment, Rynkura wasted no time in leaping from the window, towards the fray below.  Her eyes scanned almost frantically for any sign of the jaguar, as her cavalry came in from all sides below.

   Something's wrong...

   Back in her unconscious state, Mara had already gotten used to staying in the darkness of her mind...the flow of the magic had been warm and steady.  She was as easily drawn into it as she knew her child was now, and no longer did it feel like she was sitting caged...it was comforting.

   Then all of a sudden there was a small ripple of a disturbance, and the warmth stopped.  Any light that she experienced was gone.

   What made it worse, there was a moment of pain, and finally the sensation that she was no longer tied to her child.  The fear welled up; its consciousness was wrenched from her embrace almost as painfully as if it were physically taken.

   She tried to cry out, to ask what was wrong, but there was no voice.  Nobody to hear.

   And then, things turned black again.  That was when the feeling in her nerves started to come back.

*   *   *

   Rynkura unleashed her magic on the first demon she spotted, even before the warning got out that the Healer was now on the field helping.  From the air she rained down her light-magic darts into the flesh of the Creature, making it the first casualty on the other side.  From there on, the attackers were becoming severely outnumbered; but still they wasted their magic.  Flames almost consumed a portion of the forest...many of the Healers escaped their sanctuary to douse it before it reached the sick houses.

   The battle had been gruesome.  More of the guards were lying bleeding on the ground, already too far into their injuries to be helped even with the quickest of care.  The angel would mourn, but it was not the time then...her darts rained on the demons, and her electricity ravaged through skin and bone.

   But still Luc did not come into sight immediately...not until she noticed a flash in one dark corner of the forest just a few yards away from the main battle.

   There he was, surrounded by the flames, sporting several wounds and scars.  But he was still on his feet, charging after the demon with his sword raised and that same resolve clear in his dark eyes.

   But the black feline had the edge.  He flew out of reach with a kick off the ground and a simultaneous blow to Luc's chin, making him topple and the sword to knock from his grip.  Finally, he was vulnerable...the demon saw his chance.  The air blurred and darkened around his hand...

   There was a flash.  With a curse, he swerved out of the way to observe the new disturbance...it was her.

   "Demon servant!" Rynkura roared.  "Away from him!"

   "Not a chance, damned angel!" he growled back, slicing his magic against her instead.  "He's ours!"

   "Not while he's on my grounds," she sneered with venom in her words.  Easily she avoided his attack and formed one of her own, a sword made completely of electricity growing from her palm, and sliced against his wing.

   With a cry of pain, he fell stunned against the ground.  He was too far away to reach his target, who was trying to climb back to his feet.

   "Luc, stay back," Rynkura advised as she landed hard, her eyes glowing a fierce shade of green.  Then in a swift motion, the tigress slammed her glowing palms face down with her claws engaged into the soil.

   It felt like an earthquake the way the rumbling came up through the ground...then within moments he was entrapped in crawling, thorn-ridden vines.  His hands and feet were bound before he could summon any kind of magic.

   When the rumbling died down, the antagonist's loud curses replaced it.  But for the time being he was helpless, and thus able to be ignored.

   "Are you alright, sir Cabre?" the Healer asked as soon as she caught her breath.

   The jaguar had reached for his sword and was holding himself up, using it like a crutch, and spat out a few bits of blood from his jaw.  "Sí, señora," he replied, his voice ragged. "Bastard went after me.  I was right, they had come for my head...I could've got him though," he smirked.

   "You're welcome," Rynkura grinned back.  She looked up and craned her hears.  The cursing had stopped, but so did something more noticeable.  The shouts, the battle cries...all of it had stopped, in favor of a few bouts of cheering.

   "It looks like they stopped the fighting," she finally said when she noticed Luc's questioning glance.  "We should go survey the damage.  Can you walk?"

   He nodded.  "Yeah, lead on.  I'll drag the prisoner with us."

   "Good.  The vines have to be cut from the ground, but since they're magically-summoned they will stay wrapped until I release them."

   The demon stayed quiet and didn't move an inch as Luc sliced the vines and heaved him onto his feet...but inside he was seething with embarrassment that he was being dragged not by the one who had defeated him, but by the one he was supposed to kill.  They made their way eventually back to the field without any problems.

   In front of them, the carnage splayed out.  There were still a few bodies lying around...the injured were either being carried off by the Healers or their injuries were being tended to right there.  The grass was stained with splotches of blood scattered around, few and far apart.

   "Ah, Mistress!" a badger guardsmen called out as he waved for the white tiger's attention and bowed when he stopped.

   "Oh, there you are," she nodded.  "What's the situation?"

   He stood.  "The demons are all dead.  We made sure that none of them could escape for the woods...of course it was easy since none of them ever ran.  What do you want us to do with the bodies?"

   "Burn them," she answered without hesitation.  "No traces shall remain.  Do the same for our fallen brethren, unless their families specify otherwise.  And take note that not all of them were killed.  We have a prisoner who could still be dangerous, so stand by," she finished, gesturing towards the vine-wrapped feline.

   The guard nodded and turned to leave.  Rynkura sighed.  "Well, it is fortunate that it isn't any worse."

   "Yeah," Luc agreed.  "But I'd still like to know how any demons knew that I was here...and had gotten to me so quickly."

   Right then, they could hear the prisoner snickering.

   The warrior whipped around and threw his fist into the Creature's face, knocking him to the ground.  Pinned with a foot and his neck in a fierce grip, he looked up at a very angry jaguar.  Rynkura stood aside, simply watching, with her arms crossed.

   "You're going to tell me everything, maldito."

   The demon hissed back.  "Why should I?  You're all going to kill me anyway, so it doesn't matter to me."  He smirked.  "A pity I couldn't get your precious little kid first.  But others are gonna come to do that anyway."

   Luc's grip tightened, and the tip of his sword was leveled at the Creature's side.  "We probably won't kill you outright if that's what it takes to get answers," he replied, fangs bared.  "Answer me.  How.  Did.  You.  Know?"

   "Heh..." he just snorted.  "I don't know.  Why don't you ask your whore?"

   Something snapped in Luc right then; without another word, the sword was driven through the demon's flesh.  A piercing howl signified his dying breath had been used.

   As he fell silent, Rynkura uncrossed her arms.  "A rather crude reply, Luc."

   The adventurer left the sword impaled in its victim when he stood up.  He wiped the blood from his hands and turned back to her.  "He wasn't going to talk.  And anyone who talks about my wife that way deserves a death most swift anyway."

   She certainly sympathized with him; but now that he had helped to drive away a threat to their lives, more than ever he needed to be told.

   "Speaking of whom," Rynkura started.  "We should go to check on her."

   He looked up, concerned.  "Is she okay?"

   "She should be," was all that she answered.

*   *   *

   Mara just couldn't stay asleep any longer.  Perhaps it was because she was too adamant on waiting for Rynkura to come back, when her eyes opened to see that she was gone.  Or perhaps it was the fact that the alchemists had nearly run out of the appropriate dose of medicine.  Whatever the reason, she was trying to keep herself situated on the bed, holding her belly.  To her great relief, though inside she still knew it was possible, the baby was alive and moving.

    The other healers weren't paying that much attention to her.  They were speaking amongst themselves in hushed voices away toward the window.  The looks on their faces had her concerned, but she hadn't the energy to even ask...afraid of what the answer might have been.

   But finally, five heads turned as they heard the latch to the door open.  As the tigress herself finally stepped back in, the first thing she noticed was Mara, sitting up.  "Oh, heavens, child..." she sighed.  "How are you feeling?"

   "T-The same," the mother admitted, biting her lip.  "Did they...is it gone?  What happened?  I didn't..."

   Rynkura held up her hand.  "Patience, I'll find out."

   Her back turned on the expectant jaguaress to address the healers, while she put the sleeves back on her arms.  The wings disappeared, dematerializing right back into thin air, it seemed.  "The situation in the field has been taken care of.  What happened up here?"

   "Mistress..." the female spell-breaker sighed, her gaze downcast.  "We...did as you said.  We tried everything.  We severed the bonds from Lady Cabre, as much as we could..."

   "But, the strongest tendrils are now attached to the child," the other healer continued.  "And it's gotten too strong for us to remove...without..."

   "...We think there may only be one choice now..."

   They were silenced by the look in the tiger's eyes, and the way her ears pinned against her head.  The rest of the words were there, but it was too hard to believe.

   "Señora?" she heard Mara speak up, having noticed the healer's demeanor.

   Before she could reply, however, she noticed Luc approaching from the hallway, escorted by the ocelot.

   She turned back to Mara with a light smile.  "Your husband's here.  I should leave you alone for a moment while I confer."

   The tigress allowed Luc in with a nod, while she and the others left the cheerful reunion behind them.

   But she knew that any light-heartedness wouldn't last long at all.

[Tapewolf]

Nicely-written.  My only criticisms are that the 'no survivors' policy seems a trifle harsh for a bunch of supposed healers.  Still, I suppose the Demons did start it.

Another thing is the stereotyping of Demons as evil.  I realise that this is critical to your backstory, and I am not suggesting you change it.  Rather, your work has made me ponder out loud and as such it's more an plea-to-all-the-budding-writers-out-there than a direct criticism of your writings in the conventional sense.
Heck, I find it difficult to avoid myself, but just for once it would be nice to see a story where the protagonist is a Demon.  We've had Beings, umpteen 'Cubi and at least one Angel, but Demons are a bit thin on the ground.

[Gareeku]

Well the guard who reported to Rynkura said that none of the demons ran. This says to me that the demons would not give up until they had killed all in their way or were dead themselves, thereby leaving the guards no choice but to defend themselves whatever the consequences.

Also, I can't say I at all approve of your use of Aisha's story thread in "calling" to other writers to do something that they might not want to do. If you want to use a demon protagonist, go ahead and do so, but don't say to other people that they should when they don't have to, especially in someone else's story thread.

In addition to this, in case you hadn't noticed, but in a lot of demon culture, causing chaos and suffering and looking down upon beings as a greatly inferior race is greatly approved. I'm not saying all demon culture, but most.

It was very enjoyable chapter Aisha. I look forward to reading the next chapter.

[Tapewolf]

Also, I can't say I at all approve of your use of Aisha's story thread in "calling" to other writers to do something that they might not want to do.

The mark of a good story is that it provokes comment and debate.  I for one welcome discussion of my writings, both good and bad and I like to think that other people do as well, since feedback is a necessary part of the creative process.

**EDIT**
I might add that no-one has said that other writers don't want to do this.  It may simply be that no-one has thought of it.

In addition to this, in case you hadn't noticed, but in a lot of demon culture, causing chaos and suffering and looking down upon beings as a greatly inferior race is greatly approved. I'm not saying all demon culture, but most.

There are two possibilities that spring to mind.  The easy way out is as you say, that not all demons are necessarily like that.  Indeed, assuming the Demon race is made up of intelligent members, you will get some who question the status quo.
On the other hand, note that I said 'protagonist' not 'hero'.  For instance, Elric in Michael Moorcock's novels, or closer to home, Keaton.  Both of them are pretty evil, but they still serve the traditional role of 'hero' for the purposes of their respective stories.

[Gareeku]

I guess. But it still looks like you're just using Aisha's thread to try and get people to do things that you want them to do, even though they might not want to.

I can see how a demon would fill an anti-hero type role, that's true. And you raise a good point about Keaton. She is indeed almost like the hero of her own story, even though she's evil.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

The other issue, Tapewolf, is doing a good demon smacks of that Drow guy....

[Tapewolf]

The other issue, Tapewolf, is doing a good demon smacks of that Drow guy....

At the risk of drifting off-topic entirely, would you care to elucidate?

[Aisha deCabre]

First of all, thanks everyone for the comments.  Before Llearch does explain, about time I put in my couple of cents.  x3

Nicely-written.  My only criticisms are that the 'no survivors' policy seems a trifle harsh for a bunch of supposed healers.  Still, I suppose the Demons did start it.

Another thing is the stereotyping of Demons as evil.  I realise that this is critical to your backstory, and I am not suggesting you change it.  Rather, your work has made me ponder out loud and as such it's more an plea-to-all-the-budding-writers-out-there than a direct criticism of your writings in the conventional sense.
Heck, I find it difficult to avoid myself, but just for once it would be nice to see a story where the protagonist is a Demon.  We've had Beings, umpteen 'Cubi and at least one Angel, but Demons are a bit thin on the ground.

Gareeku's already said all of the most valid points, of which I agree.  I can take criticism if it's constructive, and I like debates as much as the next person, but if it's using my thread to send a message...and really, don't know how many budding writers actually read my thread.  I know a lot of distinguished writers do, of which I am honored, but I don't know of any others.

Also, it is true that there are very few demon protagonists in a story...probably because of the way they've been portrayed, it's too easy to cast them as antagonists instead, and it would be interesting for someone to try.  But for this story at least I'm not casting demons out entirely.  They just have a vendetta against my protagonist's family...it's not stereotyping if, in reality, they wouldn't just go make peace with an adventurer that's been killing them off.

And finally, yes, normally the Healers and the guards aren't that harsh...their duty is to help anyone who's injured, even if it's a demon who happens to stumble in.  But if demons or any other Creatures attack, well, not exactly much mercy will be shown.   And Rynkura herself believes they cannot be allowed to escape anyway, if it means keeping the place and Luc's family completely safe at the moment, as is her duty.

[Tapewolf]

I can take criticism if it's constructive, and I like debates as much as the next person, but if it's using my thread to send a message...and really, don't know how many budding writers actually read my thread.

My apologies... now that I re-read what I wrote earlier, it does come across like an attempt to hijack the thread, which wasn't really the intention.

But for this story at least I'm not casting demons out entirely.  They just have a vendetta against my protagonist's family...it's not stereotyping if, in reality, they wouldn't just go make peace with an adventurer that's been killing them off.

Indeed.

And finally, yes, normally the Healers and the guards aren't that harsh...their duty is to help anyone who's injured, even if it's a demon who happens to stumble in.  But if demons or any other Creatures attack, well, not exactly much mercy will be shown.

I still feel there's something kind of wrong with that outlook... that said, since Furrae does tend to be somewhat brutal, I suppose it's inevitable.

And Rynkura herself believes they cannot be allowed to escape anyway, if it means keeping the place and Luc's family completely safe at the moment, as is her duty.

That is something that wasn't quite clear to me in the story.  Is that an order she's given regarding this particular situation, or a standing policy?

[Aisha deCabre]

That is something that wasn't quite clear to me in the story.  Is that an order she's given regarding this particular situation, or a standing policy?

Regarding the situation.  About as long as she's had the monastery, or a bit before (one of the reasons having a fairly long-lived character is quite confusing...) she's become an adviser--and as she feels, protector--of the Cabre family.  Luc and his wife and children were the last of the immediate line, and she doesn't want anything happening to them.

Not to mention probably that she has something personal herself with this particular family of demons as much as the Cabres do (can't forget an angel's almost inherent pride)...and also, that they would stoop to attacking a sanctuary to get what they want, welllll, it ups the anger factor.   

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

The other issue, Tapewolf, is doing a good demon smacks of that Drow guy....

At the risk of drifting off-topic entirely, would you care to elucidate?

http://goblinscomic.com/d/20050710.html
http://goblinscomic.com/d/20050711.html

http://goblinscomic.com/d/20050819.html and following...

http://goblinscomic.com/d/20051231.html is unrelated to my point, but still hysterical.


Make sense now?

[Aisha deCabre]

((Finally, new chapter up!  And only one to go, and that one I think will be pretty short.

Enjoy!  Oh, and...fair warning...some of you miiiight want to wear a pair of Mel's patented drama goggles for this. ^^; ))

Part 6

   "Demons?!  By gods, mi amor," Mara breathed, her voice low with shock as she looked over her husband's bruises and cuts, which had been quickly bandaged before he was allowed up to the room...compliment to the timely nature of the Healers.

   He had finished telling her what had transpired just below the tower with as much detail as possible, right down to his fight...at that moment he was sitting on the edge of the bed while she was looking him over.  His gaze wavered between Mara and the window, now finding it hard to believe himself.  "Yes, it was horrendous.  There are reasons that I do not wish to see any more fighting.  But at least our son is safe.  And so are you," he smiled.

   She smiled back, but it was half-hearted.  After she was told the story, the sickening feeling under her skin seemed to become worse; even more so when her hands lay on Luc's arms.  Perhaps it was the curse...Mara felt an urge to pull away, but she couldn't.  Not when it was so possible just moments ago that she could have lost him.  If the demons were who she thought they were...

   He felt her head rest on his shoulder.  "Of course I'm safe.  I was kept under guard in a tower, fortified, while you were out getting yourself cut up," she sighed.  "I'd have been more frightened for you than for me."

   The adventurer chuckled in reply and turned to face her.  "Now you know I can handle myself...it'd take more than that to kill me.  Infierno, I'd probably find a way to make my ghost grow flesh again."

   "Wouldn't that be a feat," she said, trying to laugh as well.  But the guilt was slowly trying to creep up on her, with every stab of pain that came from his touch.  Seeing him in front of her, battered from a fight that couldn't have come on by chance, and thus more than likely to happen again...it was either tell him then, or never at all.

   She gulped and looked up into his eyes, in which she saw the same uncertainty that was shown to her at breakfast that very morning.  "Luc...they knew you were here because of me."

   The statement made him lean back from her, eyebrows quirked.  "What?"

   Mara pointed out the circular scar on her collarbone; what was left of the curse's entry point.  "I received this just before we came here, when I was away.  A demon took me by the neck and sent a spell through me, which turned out to be a tracker for them to follow.  To find you.  The señora has been trying all day to remove it, but it seems it's still there."

   "A spell?" he echoed, his eyes widening as he reached for her shoulder.  "You were attacked?  But why didn't you say..."

   "Please, let me finish," she interrupted and shook her head.  "I wasn't attacked.  The family I was visiting was in fact my mother's old clan.  I think you remember them...and I wasn't visiting on my own accord.  They sent for me."

   Luc certainly knew whom she meant.  He had been told the story, and it was thought that all ties with them were severed.  At that moment he didn't know what to make of it...so he slowly let go of Mara as she continued her telling.

   "They once promised me protection.  It seems they hadn't forgotten about my mother's betrayal, so they found me; I had no choice but to join them.  They made me a spy, an informant, an assassin if need be...and my target was a certain adventurer.  Of course, nobody expected that I'd fall in love with him," she said with an ironic laugh.  "They knew, eventually, that I'd married you, but they encouraged it.  Get closer, they said, and finish him...I never did.  I couldn't.  So I kept you safe.  They never knew about Ayan.  But their next untimely summon had to come just as I was carrying your second child..."

   Mara almost interrupted herself with a sob.  Luc's silence was louder than she feared.  But she continued.  "They wanted news on you.  I could sense their growing desperation to have you killed after they saw me like this.  I renounced the leader right then, and tried to run; which made them mad.  So before he had me cast out, he put this curse on me.  Now to today, I've been trying so hard to keep it from you, in the hopes of getting rid of it quickly.  But they came anyway.  They may do so again unless I can be healed."

   She sighed, trying to hold back tears.  "So now you know, right?  Wife's a liar.  You shared the bed with a killer.  It would have been better if I had died," she finished.

   The jaguaress shook her head, unable to make more words come.  It was all her heart could take as she waited for her husband's reply.

   She expected cursing.  She expected shouting.  She even expected just the sound of footsteps walking out of the room.

   But she didn't expect him to instead pull her in a close embrace.  Her head was softly put on his shoulder and his chin rested on her neck.

   "Mara...Mi vida, mi amor, mi munda, (my life, my love, my world,)" he whispered.  "I can't believe you didn't tell me this sooner.  I would have helped you.  Or...tried.  You could've been killed."

   Surprised, she barely moved.  "But, I don't understand.  I just basically said that my sole purpose in life was to get rid of you."

   "No," he insisted.  "What you told me, is what was wanted of you...but that you didn't want.  You kept me safe, and in the end, risked your life to keep doing so.  You may take more after your mother than you thought.  In fact, I couldn't have married a woman braver."

   He turned his wife's head to look her in the eyes.  "Besides, your fear is unfounded.  I look at you now and I know I couldn't risk losing you at all.  And such a little thing as your first intent wouldn't make me abandon you, especially not now."  One of his scarred hands rested on her rotund stomach, where the baby kicked his palm.

   "Oh, Luc," she sniffed.  "I love you.  And I'm glad I got this off my back..." she shook her head.  "But now there's just the matter of the curse.  I fear for the little one.  I think it's affected too."

   He sighed worriedly and ran his fingers through his jet-black hair.  "Bueno.  This is one of the reasons I never did like magic.  Is it any closer to being dispelled, you think?"

   "I think...but, we should probably go find señora Msh'taan."

   "Don't bother yourselves," a voice suddenly cut in.

   On cue as she almost always was, Rynkura pushed the door open and stepped into the room, the soothing blue glow of the staff revealing her presence first.  A smile appeared on her features as she set it near the window.  "How are you feeling, Mara?"

   By the intonation in the tiger's strong voice, the mother could tell that she meant more than just her health.  "Very well," she said, pleased to be able to answer in the most honest way possible.  "I take it you heard us talking."

   "Oh, some," Rynkura hummed.  "It seems I came at an opportune time.  You want to know what we've found about the curse."

   The two noticed how she sounded very solemn right then.  They held on to each other's hand, listening attentively as the tigress stood before them.

   "The other healers and I have had progress ridding you of the spell.  But it has proven more stubborn than we realized.  There are still weak bonds connected to you, and what's more, I'm afraid, there are stronger ones on the baby.  We have tried everything to keep it from harm, but it seems it's worked in ways unexpected.  They..."

   The tiger's teeth clenched for a second, and her gaze fell.  "They feel that the only choice is...eliminating the strongest life force that it's connected to, and thus it would die out on its own."

   When she finished, the silence that followed was daunting, and filled with meaning.  Nobody wanted to say it first.  But Mara, in her upwelling fear, finally found the incentive.  "You mean..." she said, slowly.  "That if we want to get rid of the spell entirely...we would have to...have the baby killed?"

   "Out of the question," Luc retorted in an instant and stood up, much to the surprise of the two.  "Mara's worked too hard to keep it alive and safe, and it's too close to birth now.  Can't you just...I don't know, wait until she has the child, and try again?"

   Rynkura, unfazed by his passion, nodded honestly.  "That is a possibility.  But then the curse would be taken out of her and lie completely on the baby, which would make it much harder to remove without hurting it still.  Plus, it may be close, but it is still uncertain as to how close.  It could be days, weeks, or a month."  Her look turned serious.  "In that time, others would pick up on the signal and track you here.  With possibly more force and numbers than that first wave had.  We could not hold this place up forever, and if we tried to take you somewhere else, they will only keep following until you are all killed.  It has to be gone as soon as possible."  She sighed.  "I did not wish for it to be this way either, Sir and Lady Cabre.  But it is what it is, this I cannot change."

   For Mara it was a blow to the heart.  To endure a mother's worst nightmare even before there was even a chance for it to grow...it was too painful a thought, more so when she held her stomach and could feel movement, testament to the life she carried.  Now not only had Luc been threatened by her actions...so was her daughter, whom she guided through the almost painful procedure of the curse removal.

   Luc and Rynkura watched Mara as tears rolled down her cheeks.  "Isn't there any other way?  Please...anything.  But not...not that.  Not that."

   As her husband sat and tried to comfort the distressed jaguaress, Rynkura tried to think.  In all of her days as a Healer, she never felt more torn.  Every day, people made decisions between their safety and their happiness...but more than likely nothing had been more intense than that moment.

   Suddenly, the silence was broken by the male spell-breaker, who had come in from behind the tigress upon hearing the situation.  "Ah...with all due respect to Mistress Rynkura...we did find one other way," he began.  The parents looked up with hope in their tear-ridden eyes.  Rynkura's gaze was neutral, and her ears flattened, but she still allowed him to speak further.  "Well, the parasite can, with careful maneuvering, be coaxed to switch its target back to Mara's energy, completely and fully, with no possibility of harm to the child.  Then, we can perhaps...cut through her own essence and sever the bonds there, leaving it to dissipate, so..."

   Rynkura's hand came up, silencing him so that she could continue herself.  "However.  Altering another, stronger life energy is such a thing hasn't been attempted by too many spell-casters unless it was for a malicious purpose.  It falls into the same ring of complexity as raising the dead, or trying to make one immortal, or even soul manipulation...and the wisest know that such strong attempts comes with a great price...which is why I try to avoid that kind of magic.  But with my help she wouldn't die, but she would be hurt.  Namely...her own life would be shortened by several years."

   Mara heaved out a harsh breath, taking everything in.  Her eyes had a blank look to them as the words wove in and out of her mind, over and over again, shouting to her that it was the only way.

   Her husband held her close, knowing that he would never be more afraid in his life than right then.  "I would rather the demons just take me.  If they want me so badly as to hurt you..." he muttered.

   "Your place is with your family," Rynkura insisted.  "I would not allow you to go without laying eyes on your future."

   "All of my efforts to protect you will have been in vain if you gave yourself up, mi amor," Mara sighed and broke from his embrace.  "This is my sin, and I will atone for it."

   She could see the pleading look in his eyes, but he said nothing.  The mother looked up at her.  "If you promise that my baby will live...then I will take that offer."

   Rynkura knew that Mara was speaking with all of the sincerity she could muster.  There was no fear in that statement.  "You are certain?" she asked.

   "Yes," Mara confirmed.  After a short pause, holding her as if the world couldn't make him let her go, Luc nodded his assent as well.

   The tiger took a deep breath.  "So be it.  I will gather the spell-breakers and we shall proceed with the dispelling in the cathedral...if my experience as a paladin is telling me right, we are going to need as much blessing as we can get for this."

*     *     *     *

   During the attack, Ayan and Jake had made it easily to the chapel, and that's where they had spent their time.  Through the thick stone walls it was hard to tell what was going on, and the children stood among the scrambling Healers in confusion until all was quiet again.

   Now, to Ayan's infinite relief, he saw that his parents were alive.  He watched from under one of the stairwells as the great white tigress led them over to the altar standing at the head of the foyer.  It was a little past the afternoon, but the sudden oncoming of dark rain clouds overhead outside made it seem much later than it was.  It obscured the world in gray, leaving little light to come in through the stained glass windows.

   His head tilted.  They had his mother, who looked very limp, lying on that altar.

   Jake came up from behind and followed the cub's gaze.  "Hey, neat, they're gonna do an exorcism."

   Ayan's head swished around and one of his eyes squinted in confusion.  "Exor-what?"

   "Exorcism.  It's when they do things like banishing evil spirits from people's heads and getting rid of curses, and stuff like that.  I've only seen her do it once while I was here."  The gryphon's beak formed into a grin.  "You're lucky to be here to see one.  There's lots of magic involved and it's fun to watch."

   "Ooh?"  The cub replied and turned around to look, worry evident on his face.  "But...that's my mom they're exorcising on.  I might know if she had an evil spirit...I think."

   Jake's brow furrowed.  Looking at the scene, he tried to be reassuring.  "Don't worry, they won't hurt her.  The Healers are very careful.  And if they aren't careful, then they'd have to face the Mistress," he feigned a dark voice, which made Ayan snicker.  "Anyway, just stand back and watch."

   "But...Mom..." the cub murmured.  But he stayed back as far as he could, still curious about the whole thing.

*     *     *

   As the Healers took their places, Rynkura couldn't help but look upon Luc with a sizeable amount of sympathy.  When his wife was sedated and brought inside, he never let go of her hand.  For a time she didn't want to separate them.  But it was what had to be done, and what Mara chose.

   "We will take it from here, sir Cabre," the tigress assured him with a nod, and a gentle smile.  "Go to your son."

   The jaguar said nothing, instead drawing in a deep breath as he looked back to his wife's face.  Somewhere in her head she was still aware, still alive, and waiting to come back.  If all went well...

   It still should be me...Luc thought to himself.  But then what would happen to her?  To Ayan?

   With a sigh, he gave Mara's hand one more gentle squeeze before setting it by her side.  Rynkura watched as he started for the side of the stairwell, where his son could be seen peeking his head around the corner along with Jake.

   Around the circle of the altar, all four of the Healers' heads were turned to the white tigress, ready for her word to start.  Her staff had been placed at the foot of the bench where the mother lay carefully on her side.  The soothing glow of the light magic illuminated the space around them and encompassed the altar, Mara, and the holy symbol that was etched into the ground.

   "Right," Rynkura murmured and placed her hands over the jaguaress's head, her emerald eyes taking on the glow of her Sight as she regarded the others.  "Alchemists, concentrate on drawing the power.  Spell-breakers, do not fail me.  And Mara and her daughter...good luck."

   And the air was filled of the blinding light that always reminded one of the doors of death.

*   *   *

   Mara felt a great shudder, like an earthquake rattling her bones.  She tried to hold on to the little consciousness she felt in the dark world of her mind.  As before, the child's emotions were everywhere and nowhere at once...her only duty then was to frantically calm them.

   Scared...cold...pain...

   It will be over soon, little one.

   Scared...pain...

   I know, I am feeling it too...sleep...just sleep.

   PAIN!

   It was like a bolt of lightning swept through the darkness.  All that she could do for the both of them was to help brace themselves.

*   *   *

   The symbol on the floor was surging with light and with great urgency.  Rynkura struggled to hold on to her sight while the spell-breakers chanted in a forgotten language to incite the power.  Inside, the parasitic magic struggled with futility to hold on to any kind of life force.  It had been bumped away from the child with a powerful shock and onto the heart of its mother.  Right where they wanted it.

   From under the stairwell, the children looked on with awe while Luc looked on with dire suspense.  His teeth were clenched, and he felt like he was taking glancing blows himself with the aftershock of the powers bouncing off the walls of the abandoned chapel.  A wind had churned up around them and small bits of debris were floating past, going faster each minute.

   There was a flash.  The rhythmic chanting kept moving and Rynkura still stood like a statue with pupil-less, charged emerald eyes.  The body in front of them moved not an inch during the whole thing.  The lights of the holy symbol pulsated like it was echoing a heartbeat.

   Another flash.  And the air above them grew dark.

   They could finally see the sickening parasite, having been banished from the body it inhabited, dispensing like wisps of dust and coalescing into a black mass of tendrils.  Luc, Ayan, Jake, and anyone else who could spare a look at the shape as it twisted and convulsed, imagined that if it were a living thing, it would be screaming...right to a deafening degree of pain, it would be screaming.

   Then, before it looked like it could create a lightning storm in the building itself, the thing dispersed into dust, back into the air without a single trace but the feeling that it gave the room.

   All at once, it was gone.  The light from the spells faded.  The symbol's pulse slowed and stopped.  The Healers all nearly slumped over from exhaustion.  And all was silent.

   "Dios mio..." Ayan muttered, cutting through the still air with a voice that cracked slightly from the fear and excitement.  "That was awesome."

   "Told ya," Jake smirked, but he flinched when his eye caught a somber and on-the-edge-of-offense look from the warrior with them.  The children shrunk back, but Luc paid no more heed and looked back up to where his wife lay.  They had driven it out of her; that he knew instantly...but had she lived?

   He took a few steps toward them as Rynkura nodded towards the others.  The looks on their faces...he tried to read them.  But he couldn't tell if they were sad or elated at their success.  Mainly, they were just quiet.

   The tigress locked her serious gaze with Luc's.  It was hard to say anything, and neither of them wanted to start.  The tension couldn't be broken, no matter how hard one tried.

   It was Mara who fixed that with a single word, stirring slowly but surely out of sleep.  "...Luc..."

   The adventurer almost leaped at the sound of her voice, and fell to his knees by her side at the altar.  Ayan and Jake had followed and were now right next to him on the other side, at least the cub was.  The young gryphon was gently pulled away to the sidelines as per respect to the family.

   It was then that Rynkura smiled.  "She and the young one survived.  The curse is purged...but of course, at the price."

   The two glanced up at her as she took her staff back up.  They said nothing, but their eyes were sad and pleading.

   The tiger solemnly dipped her head.  "The spell-breakers tell me that your wife has approximately eight years left.  That can be a long or short time depending on you.  But I suggest that time be used wisely and with fond appreciation."  She smiled.  "And with as much happiness as you can muster.  That will be easy, as for now, the demons have no link to any of you."

   She turned, looking around and taking in a deep breath, thinking about what to do next...there was a pause before she spoke again.  "Now, take some time to rest yourselves.  We will have to make sure that you are made safe in your new home, as soon as possible."

   As the Healers left the jaguars, Mara glanced back up to her husband.  There were tears in her ragged, red-tinged eyes.

   "I'm sorry," she whispered.

   He just shook his head.  "No, don't be."  Gently, he leaned over and touched his forehead with hers.  "Don't be."

   Ayan, of course, couldn't yet understand why his parents looked so sad.  So long as the evil spirit had left his mother, he was happy.

[Tapewolf]

Well, that was a twist.  Several twists, in fact.  Well done.

So, just to clarify, they actually used up some of Mara's own life in order to shut the tracker down completely?  On first reading I thought they had simply switched it to her instead, which would have still a signal for the demons to home in on...

[Aisha deCabre]

Well, that was a twist.  Several twists, in fact.  Well done.

So, just to clarify, they actually used up some of Mara's own life in order to shut the tracker down completely?  On first reading I thought they had simply switched it to her instead, which would have still a signal for the demons to home in on...

Thanks!   And they switched it to her, and then cut some of her life in order to dislodge it, yes.  It was the only option other than harming the baby.  After all, they wanted to get rid of the thing completely. 

[Aisha deCabre]

((Aaaand finally, I present the final chapter of Fated Birth, nice and light-hearted as promised. x3  Enjoy.))

Part 7

   A few days for rest at the monastery came and went.

   Mara had recovered from her ordeal fairly quickly, which raised hopes that she would indeed keep her life.  But still there seemed to be a weighty pit in Luc's stomach whenever he looked at her.  Eventually, with help from Rynkura, they had begun to accept this change in their lives.  The two were determined to enjoy what was left of it as much as they could.  The only thing that always broke their hearts was the premise looming around Ayan and the unborn; the children would have to know their mother's fate someday.

   For the time being though, that sadness was slowly giving way to joy.  Mara felt that the birth was coming, and very soon.  The baby had become restless, and every kick set even her husband's anticipating nerves on end whenever it happened.  During those few days of rest, he barely had left her side.  Ayan on the other hand was getting quite a bit of practice with his training sword alongside the young gryphon Jake.

   Eventually, the Mistress knew that the family under her protection couldn't linger at her sanctuary forever; for fear that the demons out for their heads knew where they were hiding.

*     *     *     *

   It was early in the morning the last day when they were outside on the dark green field at the foot of the ruined chapel.  The rain which came with the dark clouds had passed, leaving an overcast morning with a cool breeze flowing in random directions.  The Cabres' cart was being loaded with their personal belongings and a few fresh supplies.

   "I assure you, the village isn't a very long trip," said Rynkura, gesturing to the direction that they were headed, which had no path to mark it.  "Just a half-hour walk's worth, and perhaps a little faster by cart."

   Luc acknowledged her with a grunt as he set up the last of the boxes.  "I'm glad about that, señora.  I hope we won't have trouble finding a home there either."

   "Oh you won't, trust me," the tigress chuckled as Mara came out with Ayan in tow.  "The place may be small, but the inhabitants are quite hospitable.  Plus, I told them to keep their options open for a small forging business there...I know your second hobby well, Luc."

   Mara rolled her eyes.  "I think we might just become the richest family in that village with your skills, mi amor."

   "Bah...I'm already rich," he grinned at his wife, before turning to the tigress.  "But you have my thanks, Mistress."

   "For everything," the mother added.

   "De nada," she answered with a bow of her head.  "But come now, we mustn't tarry much longer...and where's that little boy of yours?"

   The parents pointed over to where Ayan had trotted back towards the chapel to say farewell to Jake.  There was a brief handshake before the cub walked back with a grin. "They said I'd be welcome back anytime to train with them."

   "Hah, getting a head start on your career, eres?" Luc smirked and picked him up to put him in the cart.  As he helped his wife up to the front seat, he glanced at the tigress.  "I spoke with Mara...we'd be honored if you would be the baby's godmother."

   Rynkura froze and tilted her head, taken aback for a moment.  "Well," she chuckled and made a bow.  "The honor would be mine, sir Cabre...if you are so certain."

   "It is only appropriate," the mother smiled, her hand gently rubbing her stomach.  "You've gone within your power to save its life.  We owe you a great debt."

   The angel chuckled once more.  "That will be repaid in due time.  For now, we should get going.  The guards are keeping close watch of the monastery...I will come with you, to see you there safely.  And just in case Mara gives birth on the way."

   "Señora!" the mother laughed.  "I don't think it's that impatient."

   "Don't jinx it," muttered Luc.

*     *     *     *

   At their backs, the warmth of the sun kept their spirits high.  From the west, the breeze whistled and caused the tall grass around them to ripple in bright green waves.  They knew they were still in the valley when the hills, one side deeply forested and the other side clear and rocky, covered every horizon.  Though it certainly wouldn't be as long a trip as the journey to the Shadowed Depths itself had been, it felt that way because they wanted it to feel that way; it was always the journey and not the destination in which the adventurer usually could still feel the most at home.

   The time was passed telling stories.  Luc had plenty to share (Mara even begrudgingly allowed him to tell the ones that were actually stressed), and Rynkura proceeded to tell them of her similar days in the adventuring business...some of her stories even more unbelievable, but true.  Ayan listened with wide, curious eyes.  Certainly he hoped he would have times like that to remember and to tell.

   Finally though, the family stopped their cart at the top of a hilly overlook, glancing into a shallow bowl in the earth; a valley within a valley.  A small road, overgrown with time and only visible near its origin, spread out from the gates of a town that was a good size for an out-of-the-way rural community.  A small marketplace or hidden trading post in the middle was dwarfed by the surroundings of houses at its edges.  All around the perimeter there was fencing, but small; like they never had any fear of attack.  The hills behind the bowl were covered in dense forests and trees, and at its head stood the small mansion of what had to be the leader, perhaps a chieftain.  People walked in and around the dusty little roads and tended to their own businesses.

   The family looked it over with a quiet awe.  Such a lively place, hidden in the depths of the end of the valley, and perfectly secluded.

   "Welcome to Soldeluna," Rynkura said.

*     *     *

   A few heads near the entrance rose as they saw a cart coming down from the hills.  It wasn't that they weren't used to newcomers; but they knew to expect a certain group of them alongside a familiar angel.  Word came and went from the doors to the rest of the village, and finally to the head.

   The chieftain, an elderly red wolf, stood at the gates as the newcomers halted in front of it.  A few other curious ones gathered behind him, while others only spared passing glances.

   Rynkura was the first to step down from the cart.  As Luc and his family looked on, they could hear the conversation that followed.  The red wolf had an accent even deeper than theirs, taking on an almost warm, grandfatherly growl to it.

   "Bienvenido, Mistress Rynkura...these are the ones of what you spoke, sí?"

   "Greetings, Julio," she bowed her head back and motioned the family over.  "Yes.  Allow me to introduce Luc and Mara Cabre, and Ayan, their son.  It is my hope that you allow them to live here within your humble walls."

   The one named Julio chuckled as he saw them make polite bows themselves (Mara only more carefully so).  "Cabre.  A very familiar name among many of us what who remember the glory days of adventuring; right up there along Coldbrun and...whatsit...oh, Ti'Fiona, Montoya, and Manoko."  He extended his hand.  "It would be an honor to have you and yours, señor y señora, even if the Mistress over here didn't not ask."

   As Luc shook it, he chuckled inwardly.  Me, right up there with Manoko.  Imagine.  "The honor's mine.  And I promise right here and now that my adventuring past won't follow me here to this place, and cause you trouble."

   The old red wolf nodded and started to say something; but before he could, he was interrupted by a sudden loud groan.  Mara's eyes had widened, and she was slumping to the ground, clutching her midsection and gritting her teeth.

   "Mierda!" Luc cursed as he and Rynkura tried to catch her.  "Mara!  Mi amor, what's wrong?  Did you get hurt?  Is it the sickness?  What's—ERK!"

   His wife gripped the collar of his vest and yanked him down to her level, a pair of dark, tear-ridden eyes glaring into his own wide, surprised ones.  Her voice came out as such a dangerous, slow, shuddering growl that even caused the chieftain to back up a couple of steps.

   "It's a contraction, you idiot."

*     *     *     *

   It took a bit of scrambling, but eventually the jaguars were taken into the village, and Mara immediately taken to the small medical center near the marketplace.  For once, it was hard for Luc to keep his balance.  Even after having one son, it was hard to get used to the fact that another child was right on its way.

   They stayed there for a few hours while Rynkura managed to help put their cart somewhere safe.  The interior of the medical center was just as peaceful as any, with a quiet circular waiting room and chairs and sofas arranged facing one another.  Surprisingly there were very few sick individuals there.  There was just a woman with a juvenile who had broken his arm...and there was Luc sitting in the innermost sofa, just waiting.

   A restless Ayan wandered around the sofas and occasionally played hide-and-seek with himself, hiding behind them and pretending to hunt something.  They didn't allow him to bring in his practice sword, but he could easily imagine holding it.

   As the cub poked his head around a chair, his eyes fell on his father again.  He still sat there, looking the same way.  He was leaning back, his arms folded behind him over the rim of the sofa.  His head was down, and his eyes were closed.  One could mistake him for having fallen asleep, except for the fact that his tail was twitching in a perfect rhythm with the soft music playing throughout the room.  He even drew in a deep breath once or twice in a while, just trying to look calm and focused.

   His son's head tilted.  This was the first time Ayan had noticed his sire so quiet and contemplative for so long.  He came from behind the chair and walked up to Luc, his ears laid back just slightly in confusion.  "Papi?"

   The jaguar flinched and opened an eye to regard the boy.  "Mm?"

   "Uh, nothing, you look real quiet," Ayan said as he climbed up on the cushion next to his father.  "You sick?"

   "Oh," Luc blinked, and then laughed, finally aware of himself.  "No, no, hijo.  I'm just...excited.  And afraid.  Both all at once..." he brushed his hair back with one hand.  "It's hard to describe."

   "Afraid?" Ayan echoed incredulously.  "Of what?"

   The father gave him a sort of mysterious smile.  "Not of something.  For something.  Your mother."

   The cub looked worried as he grabbed his father's arm.  "Why?  Isn't she okay?"

   "Ah, well," he laughed.  "It's a different kind of afraid, Ayan.  She's in there having the baby.  And I'm out here, having to wait for word on her health, and your little sibling's.  It's a little frustrating."

   Ayan scoffed.  "But why is it?  You're not afraid or frustrated of anything, Dad.  Can't you just go in there?"

   Luc shook his head, chuckling.  "No...it's a tradition and a courtesy that males aren't allowed in there until it's done.  As for the frustration, it's something every father goes through when they're about to become one, regardless of who they are.  I was the same way before you were born.  You may just experience it someday, too."

   "Psh, nah," the child shook his head and hopped off the sofa, going back to the hunt he was on in his imagination.  As Luc watched him walk away, he rolled his half-lidded eyes.  You're just like I was, niño.

*     *     *     *

   
   It was hard to tell how much time had passed.  But eventually, both of them lifted their heads when they heard a door open and one of the white-clad nurses walk in.  "Cabre?"

   "Yes," Luc answered as he shot up onto his feet, anxious.  "How is she?"

   "Your wife's fine, sir," the nurse, a brown cardinal, smiled.  "And so is the baby.  You both can go in and see them."

   Luc felt his heart rate hesitate between shooting up and slowing down.  He nodded his thanks to the nurse and motioned to his son.  "C'mon, Ayan.  And try to be quiet."

   "'Kay," he piped up, feeling a twinge of excitement himself when it seemed that his father had his energy back.

   The walk back down the clear, polished hallway seemed like a long one to the adventurer.  But once he finally got to the door and slowly pushed it open to peek inside, the sight instantly warmed his heart.  Mara looked exhausted; her face was flushed and her long hair was slightly unkempt.  But there was a smile on her face that gave it such a glow, while her eyes lay on the little bundle wrapped in white cloth in her arms.  Her husband had almost forgotten what it was like to see her like that.

   "Mi amor?"  He whispered as he took a step inside, Ayan poking his head through after him.

   Mara's ears perked as she heard his voice, and her eyes slowly followed.  "Luc..." she whispered back, feeling like she was half-asleep.  But there was something that kept her awake, and that was the anticipation of seeing her husband's face.  As he sat next to her on the bed, she tried to sit up further and pulled back some of the bundled cloth she held.  "Meet your daughter."

   As he looked at the small one, words could not be formed; instead he managed a soft smile.  Wrapped warmly, she could barely manage to keep her eyes open.  But when she did open them, even just a little, they were the deepest shade of crimson that either parent had ever seen.  One of her tiny hands was wrapped around one of Mara's fingers.  The tuft of hair she had was about as jet-black as her father's, only with a small hint of gray.  And what came as more of a surprise, her entire body was a light shade of black, with the rosette jaguar spot pattern showing up...but only barely.

   Luc chuckled when the baby blinked up at him.  "She's absolutely beautiful.  A little girl...our little girl."  He met Mara's eyes with a loving gaze.  "This is a blessed day."

   "What about the day you married me?" the mother teased, and managed a quiet laugh as she looked down at the child again, having heard it cooing.  "Interesting too; she's a melanistic, just like my mother."

   He nodded thoughtfully, lifting his hand to gently touch the side of the baby's face.  The smile refused to leave his features.  "My uncle was one too.  She could've gotten it anywhere though.  My great-grandmother was a black fox, I think."

   Mara chuckled.  "Well, what's important is, she's alright.  I've been having doubts ever since..."

   "Don't think about it," Luc assured his wife, kissing her on the forehead, and the subject was simply dropped.  They had decided that it would be that way for as long as they still had their lives.  "So, have you thought of a name?"

   Mara hummed and looked back at her daughter's face.  Her eyes were wide open, looking around at the faces surrounding her without an ounce of fear, before she was caught with a yawn.

   "Aisha," the mother said after a pause.  "Aisha Amalia Cabre.  My mother's name, and your mother's name.  It works."

   His head tilted.  "Aisha.  I agree; that's a good choice.  But just out of curiosity, why that?"

   Mara shrugged.  "It just seemed right.  She reminds me so much of her.  And, no doubt, she's as tough," she grinned.

 "Just like her mother...well, Aisha it is," Luc chuckled...after all, he figured that he couldn't understand the baby half as well as her mother.  Then he caught movement out of the corner of his eye...Ayan was still lingering by the door, just watching.  "Come on in, son, and see your hermanita," (little sister,) he called softly.

   The cub blinked and walked over, leaning on the edge of the bed so that he could see the newborn.  She had fallen fast asleep, her head tilted away.

   "Heh," he giggled.  "Hermanita looks like a piece of coal-rock."

   "Oh, be nice," Mara retorted, with Luc breaking into a light laugh beside her.  "I'm sure you'll get along.  Now...I think we're just missing someone."

   "Mistress Rynkura?" she heard Ayan say.

   Luc nodded.  "Exactly.  What'd you...?" he had started to ask, but noticed that his son's gaze was directed at the door.  Where, standing just as inevitably as always, was the white tigress.

   "I hope I didn't surprise you," Rynkura smiled as they said their greetings.  As she set her staff nearby and peered down at Aisha, the tigress couldn't help but hum to show her own happiness for the occasion.  "Well, well...I must admit, I am now glad that I hadn't decided to go with my previous plan.  This one deserves a chance."

   All around the child, her little ears could pick up these comforting voices that she would know for most of her young life.  Fully unaware of what would befall her someday, and that would determine the course of her fate, Aisha simply slept and dreamed of the colorful world of which she would be a small and a large part.

[Gareeku]

That last chapter was absolutely wonderful. I enjoyed reading every bit of it, the whole story in fact. Excellent stuff. ^^

[Aisha deCabre]

((Here we go, the final edited version of chapter 3, just made things slightly more realistic with the fight.  Enjoy.))

Tales of the Risen: The Way to Fight

   She slowly trudged on the dusty path, over a fairly desolated desert landscape; more desolated in fact than any other place she had seen.  And as a seasoned adventurer, she had seen many places.

   It had been a day or two since the last time she had seen a town; perhaps even too small to call a town, it was.  She was bordering society and the untamed wilderness; that's how extensive the wild treeless fields were.  A golden-white ocean of sand and dunes stretched towards the horizon in all directions, as far as a traveler could scope with their vision.  Occasionally there were darker brown areas that indicated mud; they led to flat holes of cracked dirt where a water pool once stood, now all but evaporated in the heat of the blazing sun.

   At least the adventurer, wrapped in a cloak of crimson with a hood to shield her head from the sun, knew that she would soon be approaching a sign of life.  A snake slunk away out of her path, as if deciding that this passerby would be no threat.  As if it knew that passerby were nothing to fear; perhaps it had seen many others in its lifetime.  Whatever reason, it was soon gone from sight.  Ahead, small scrubs and even one in which a tumbleweed was caught were all growing out of cracks in the road.  Then ahead, something shimmered.

   Better not be another mirage, Aisha scowled beneath her hood.  The jaguar's black serpentine tail flicked against the bottom edge of her cowl, emerald ring around it occasionally catching the glow of day.  I've been tired of those ever since I ran out of water.

   She just kept walking closer, trying not to think about her thirst, or letting her mouth run dry.  The shimmer became smaller as she came closer, and also started to assume a shape.  The huntress had to squint until the shape became recognizable as a wooden road sign, having indeed taken on a portion of the mirage that the heat waves caused, hence the shimmer.

   Still, some relief made itself present in her mind as she paused to read it.  One side, a little worn off but still recognizable as pointing the way back, was pointing the way to the nearest large city: Hy'Lin, which was miles away.  The other arrow was pointing forward to the trade-post town of Rough Creek, only a half-mile away...or so the sign said.

   Well, finalmente.  Let's see what I can find in this place, then.

   Making sure that the slight breeze coming up from the west wouldn't blow the cowl away from her face, Aisha adjusted her cape and started down the road.  Eyes the color of a dark, tainted ruby kept upon the line between the ground and the sky in wait for the telltale signs of buildings to rise from the earth.

   The gate came in sight a moment later.  The adventurer hidden in red paused to observe the way it looked; the letters of the sign looked like they needed to be repainted since the last year...slowly they were fading, and because of the sandstorms perhaps it was also damaged and near to being illegible.  But still she recognized the name.   It was indeed Rough Creek (though most of the letter 'c' had been scratched off, which made her snort in slight laughter).  The rest of the gate was still standing, extending around to the sides in a circular fashion.  Up ahead, buildings only started to appear after one would actually step through the threshold to the town.  It felt rustic, like any old desert-mining ghost town.

   For a moment, Aisha even thought it was just a ghost town...perfect maybe for looking around for things to collect.  But a sound caught her ears that instantly dispelled the need for treasure-hunting; voices, several of them rising in a crescendo of cheers and applause.  Somewhere ahead of her in the town square, there was some excitement going on.

   True to the feline's nature of curiosity, she walked towards the disturbances and kept her ears strained for clues as to what exactly she was going into.

   Following the strings of voices, she soon found herself staring at the back of a crowd that encircled the center of the town, which was a clear and large pit of dirt with a few shops on all sides and homes stretching beyond.  At intervals the crowd shouted, hissed, and raised their fists, among fits of cheering.  Aisha wasn't even noticed by anyone as she walked around the perimeter to see what was going on.  A break in the hustling bodies showed a brief enough look to finally discern it.

   It was a street fighting ring.  The square arena was surrounded with crude fencing, which still looked tough enough to keep the warriors on the inside.  The ground that the fencing surrounded was made of very little sand and more cobblestones so that the warriors' feet could grip the ground better.  Making sure her features were still obscured, the panthress walked up closer.  Still nobody noticed the stranger among them; their eyes were on the fight.

   This town is definitely rural, she thought.  A few large cities had strict rules about street fighting; namely, very much against it.  It often proved dangerous for civilians...which also made her wonder where the law enforcement was in the town.  If any.

   The cheering erupted again.  In the ring, a burly Kermode bear's fists were still raised as he looked down upon the challenger he had defeated; a cheetah.  They both looked to be Beings...certainly not demons of any kind, as she neither felt nor saw any signal from her tail ring.  By the sound of the crowd, the ursine was the favored one.  He was crowing in victorious laughter with the onlookers in tune, and wiping the small bits of blood that had gathered on his jaw from the fight...it was hard to tell if the blood was his own or his opponent's.  But the feline was indeed quite beaten up.  Bruises appeared on his flanks as he tried to stand up, easily seen to be larger than any one of his spots.  The wrappings that he wore around his wrists and fingers were ripped to shreds and stained with dirt.

   "See here, this is what happens when someone dares challenge me!  I am the Law!" the white bear snarled and suddenly aimed a kick straight at his fallen foe, which sent him flying to land hard against the fence.  All around, the crowd roared their appreciation.

   All, that is, except for Aisha, whose eyes were narrowed as she watched the display of brutality.  There was no honor in winning if the victor was arrogant, her mentor always said.

   She watched as the ursine raised his fists, showing off.  Behind him, the cheetah could be seen gathering himself back up and quickly leaving via a gap in the fence.  There was a limp to his step, but that certainly didn't stop him from running out of there as fast as he could.  That was noticed by the fighter only a second later.

   The look of fear in the cheetah's countenance as he ran was certainly a signal to Aisha.  This character in the ring was proving to be rather influential.  He called himself the law just moments ago, after all.

   The law, my ass...she snorted in silence.  Well, I'm not standing around to watch this crap.  I should probably leave.  Need something to drink anyway.

   But as she was just thinking of turning around, his voice rang out across the heads of the crowd once more.  "That goes for the rest of y'all, remember!  Nobody speaks up to me unless they're itchin' to get hurt, like that lawbreaker!"

   Aisha stopped in her tracks, observing the looks on the faces of the people.  Some of them cheered, but all whom she could see had expressions of doubt that they tried to hide through the noise.  It didn't take a genius to figure out what that meant.  More or less, the town was oppressed.

   And that also meant that although the battle appeared to be a street fight...it was actually a public beating.

   Well...brilliant...I don't need a drink now.  Better put a bully in his place first.

   Aisha stood still, watching as the crowd became quiet and started to disperse.  The bear leaned against the side of the fencing with a smug look on his face.

   "That was a pretty cowardly show."

   A voice suddenly spoke up and caught the burly fighter's ears.  It was at a neutral level...but as quiet was descending into careful mutters just after the cheering, it could easily be heard, and especially when the tone was dark, deep, and unfamiliar.

   It was about then that the circle of onlookers parted, revealing the feline who had spoken, and the voices went nearly mute.  More eyes fell upon her as she took her time walking through the path and up to the arena, the crimson cape barely moving away from her form.  Eyes shadowed beneath the red cowl kept on the ursine, and didn't give any time of day to those who now knew there was a stranger in their midst.  An armed one, by the look of the tip of the sheath that extended from her belt and the bright flash of silver that went with it.

   The brute didn't seem at all phased by the appearance of an unknown onlooker...more actually like he was proud.  He grinned.  "Hah, got that right, stranger.  Seen that wimp run?"

   Some of the crowd laughed along with him.  But the adventurer only scowled.  The words of her answer flowed as smoothly as her accent.

   "I wasn't talking about the cheetah, hombre."

   That was when the crowd went dead silent.  The ones who had started walking away had frozen and turned back, staring with shock.  Some of their eyes darted between the insolent stranger and the warrior in the arena.  A woman was shuffling her child out of the zone.  But Aisha only noticed with a grim satisfaction how the Kermode, wide-eyed, was gripping the fence like he was about to break it...while she stood with a staunch amount of seriousness.  The tension couldn't be broken if anyone else dared.

   "You calling me a coward, stranger?" the bear finally asked, his voice tainted with a slow and deliberate growl.

   The only movement she made was a swish of her curled tail.  "Kicking your opponent when they are already clearly defeated.  Mocking them as they run bleeding.  Calling yourself the law when you treat nothing with honor.  It certainly fits my definition of cowardice."

   With each word, the bear seethed.  "And who the hell are you that thinks he knows something about honor!?" he roared, yellow fangs bared.

   "He"?  Oh, he's going to get a surprise.

   "My name's no concern.  But I am an adventurer.  So yes, bato, I do have a good idea about what an honorable fight should be.  If it can be helped."

   The other only snorted.  "Adventurer, right.  Don't look like much.  You sure you have the force to back up your words?"

   Aisha feigned surprise with just a movement of her head.  The voice that came out of the shadow was incredulous as she spoke, a portion of her own gleaming fangs showing.  "You're challenging me?"

   "What, you deaf or something?" the brute snarled and slammed the top of the gate with his fist.  He was definitely getting tired of the adventurer's show of calm bravado.  "Let's see how 'honorably' you fight."

   At this point the crowd was starting to re-gather, quite expectant to see how this turn would end.  Aisha certainly noticed; one part of her was instantly berating, saying that it was a stupid venture.  What if she lost?  There was a pretty good chance that she would.  But on the other hand she also had an idea of how the bear thought just from the arrogance that he showed...and that would be used to her advantage.  I can definitely take him down, she decided finally.

   "You're on, oso," she simply replied and started up to the ring, with the rising and appraising voices of roughly a hundred or so individuals closing the path behind like a sliding door.  The bear, with a smirk, stepped back to allow the adventurer to jump over the fencing and rolled his arms to limber his muscles in preparation.

   She merely took a place on one side of the square.  "What are your terms?"

   The white bear snorted and cracked his knuckles, his back turned to her for the moment.  "I think you can guess.  No weapons except hands and feet.  Anything goes."

   Aisha was indeed expecting that.  While she preferred to have a weapon gripped in her palm (for that she was more practiced in), she was also no stranger to the art of physical battle.  She was strong, but most of all she was swift.  That, she was relying on.

   "Anything goes, you say," she nodded and pulled the string that held the cape around her neck, removing it.  The black jaguaress was revealed, lithe in form and dark in countenance.  The red tint to her eyes seemed to unnerve a couple of people in the crowd, if it wasn't the surprise that in fact the challenger was female...proof of how backwoods the place was.  Casually she removed her weapons belt, with the sword and all, and set it on the corner where she could easily see it.

   Then the bear turned to face his opponent, and immediately quirked his eyebrow.  "A girl?"

   The dangerous look in her eyes hadn't wavered as they peered through strands of pitch-black hair, with more on the sides framing a young and fair--but also fairly hardened--face.  She had already shifted into a fighting stance, with one foot in front of the other and her hands, claws outstretched, held in front of her.  The breeze picked up to make the back-length braid nearly fly along with it.  "Sí, a girl," she sneered back.  "Not a problem, is it?"

   "Ah?  Nope," he broke into a laugh.  "Not if I didn't want a real challenge.  I'm warning though, you might as well go and bake something instead."

   "Oho," Aisha said, amused.  "And you should probably be off scratching your fat ass then, hombre.  I doubt you're the type to be afraid of hitting a female."

   "Afra...?!" he snarled, going into a fighting stance of his own with his feet splayed and his fists on either side of his head.  "I ain't afraid of nothin', darlin'.  I'll even let you have the first move."

   "How chivalrous," she mocked.

   The fighters gathered their silence and the tension between them then, with the crowd looking on in silent anticipation.  Aisha's blood was already properly boiled, and the cold sensation of adrenaline rushing through to her ramming heart made her keen eyes and ears even more observant.  The first thing she did was assess a weakness.  Fence at his back, body hunched, stomach and groin deceptively exposed, and the muscles bunched in his feet and shoulders showed that he was ready to defend what he was prepared to risk.

   Nothing at the back of his head.  Or neck.

   Movement.  He was sidestepping to his right.

   Now!

   The muscles in her legs released like coiled springs.  She was like a black and navy blur, the traction of the stone path and her outstretched claws giving the easy power of speed.  Her opponent's eyes couldn't easily follow, caught off-guard.

   The feline zigzagged...jump to the right, left, right, and leap to the side, and then almost above his head...there was a slow-motion moment as his eyes tried to register her exact position.  Too slowly.  One foot caught the fence to pivot her, and the other foot came like a brick...   

   BAM!

   The pain in his jaw from the impact came like a barreling train.  His head snapped around, almost taking his weighty body along with it.  As he came around though, he tried to make a whirling kick up to the fence where he thought she still was.

   The massive claws swished through the air and hit the fence instead.  Aisha had rolled away and behind as soon as she had made the attack and when he moved.  At that moment, he felt his other foot pushed from beneath him, sending him tumbling backward.  The claws that were embedded in the fence were forced out painfully, with a hard grunt as his body landed, sending the minimal dirt up into a cloud.

   Before the bear could get up, he found Aisha's foot lightly pressing on his jugular, claws just slightly digging beneath the fur.

   "The bigger they are," she grinned.  "Brawn isn't going to win this one."

   Her opponent took a couple of short breaths before giving a light smirk.  "Think again."  His hand shot up then, gripping her ankle.  In a quick maneuver he slung her to the side.

   Aisha snarled and cursed, instantly trying to right herself.  She tucked her arms to her chest and pivoted, braking on the dirt before she could hit the fence.  A curse passed through her mind.  She couldn't let her pride get as much control of her as it had with the bear.  Nor could she let her nagging thirst get the better of her.

   As she recovered, her opponent had come back to his feet, rubbing his jaw and fingering off a drop of blood.  "Not bad, girl.  But still, this just means that you're gon' get hurt.  My turn now."

   With a determined snarl, the Kermode rushed forward with a fist poised to strike her where she stood.  Aisha bunched again, but didn't move...not until he had his arm pulled back, and his jaw was the portion closer to her.

   Her right fist came up like a shot and impacted the bottom of his chin in a fierce uppercut, throwing his head back and putting him off-balance.  As he looked to trip forward, she flipped out of the way and caught the side of his stomach with the claws on her feet.

   When the ursine stumbled up again, a part of his white fur was stained pink with blood, and the panthress stood with her arms crossed.

   "That all you got, oso?" she grinned.  "I could've sworn you said you were the law.  Unless whoever's in charge was drunk when he gave you the title."

   Mindless of his slight cut, the bear turned to face her again with ferocity in his snarl.  "I gave myself the title, ya wench."

   "Really.  Let me see the badge.  Bet you keep it in your pants," she mocked.
She could hear the crowd behind her uttering a few short gasps, if many weren't surprised already with the run-around their apparent champion was getting.  The bear had definitely noticed that he was losing his earned ground.  "Oh, yer gon' get it, now..."

   He barreled after her like a freight train.  The adventurer, slightly surprised at his starting speed, rolled out of the way and barely missed a grab at her head.  "Hey, it's supposed to be my turn!"

   "Anything goes, remember?!" he retorted and came at her again.

   "Mierda," she cursed and back-flipped out of the way, eyes burning with determination and hidden exhaustion.  "Fine then, you fight dirty, I'll just fight!"

   A whirling kick came at her from the side, which she ducked straight under.  In the same motion, she stuck her foot out to take the back of her heel to his ankles.  He used the momentum from his missed kick to leap up and over, sending the feline sprawling with a hard hit to her back.  The forced kick caused him to tumble, but for once, he had gotten up faster than she did.

   He grinned and peered down at his opponent.  "Knocked the wind outta ya, huh?  Where's the lightning behind the thunder ya keep spoutin' off?"

   Yeah, keep talking and let your guard down, you big fool.

   "Right here!" she answered as a foot full of claws came flying for his eyes, hitting their mark.

   He threw his head back with a loud roar.  Before he could retaliate, the other side of his face was met with the back of her heel, the force of which caused him to slide across the arena and to have the air knocked from his lungs as he hit the edge of the fence.  It made the shoddy wood almost topple from the force of his weight.

   As a moment of silence was taken from the audience and the fighters, the bear brought a hand up to his eye.  She barely avoided blinding him, but the cuts still ran deep into his skin.  Aisha was back on her feet just a bit of a distance away, feeling the back of her leg as if she had gotten a tendon stressed from the kick.  She was breathing harshly.

   She waited for him to get up.  He did so very slowly.  The humiliation and anger could be felt seething from him as the blood dripped to the ground.

   "I thought you said you'd fight honorably," he murmured with a snort.

   "I am," she growled.  "I'm going by the rules you set, aren't I?  Surely you'd gut me with your claws given the chance.  I'd let you walk away right now if you're too hurt.  Unlike you did with the cheetah.  So I still say you know nothing about honor."

   The Kermode paused...and then barked a loud, harsh laugh.  "I ain't givin' up, girl.  And yer more hurt than I am anyway.  Gon' make sure it stays that way.  Heh, yer adventurin' days are over!"

   At the last word, he made one last-ditch lunge at her, both fists flying back and forth.  Forgetting about her leg, she ducked away and parried his fists with her own, wrist meeting wrist and one pushing the other back.  It was slowly about to become a wrestling match, but the feline couldn't let him get a hold of her.  Then one of her wrists was grabbed...the other hand coming at her.

   Dammit...

   Her nerves screamed as the fist hit its mark on her cheek.  But the pain she tried to block out as she went flying from the force, the energy of it having gone somewhere else rather than just straight through in waves.  Her body twisted, and landed hard on the ground, just fast enough to see the beast coming at her with his fist coming down like a meteor.  She rolled, and the ground seemed to quiver where she once stood.  Exhaustion wanted to catch up...but she couldn't lose, and wouldn't, not with this amount of injury.  It was time to start thinking smarter.

   The fighting went like that, back and forth.  The Kermode never allowed her another shot of her own.  Whenever she saw the opportunity she'd land a kick or a punch, and get thrown across the ring again.

   Then he started a roundhouse kick near Aisha's head...she rolled away head-over-heels...but he saw that coming and had quickly grasped her by the foot.

   With a lunge, he threw her straight across the ring and turned to rush at her again, ready to finish her as soon as she would land.  Surely she had taken enough of the pain.  She was bleeding.  Surely there was no more...

   But then Aisha's reflexes kicked in...it felt like it all went in slow motion...she pivoted in the air to catch the fence with her feet, and let it push her forward like a rubber band.

   As the ursine barreled in, he couldn't get out of the way fast enough...his eyes just widened as the realization came too late.

   The crowd heard a resounding crunch as her fist met the bridge of his nose.

   As he toppled, Aisha rolled herself up so that she could tumble away from him.  The impact of her opponent's fall seemed to make the ground quiver as she landed.  The dust was strewn all around, and all was silent...not even a whisper from the crowd.

   There were a few harsh breaths taken as she glanced back over her shoulder.  The Kermode was knocked out cold.  The fight was over.  The adrenaline rush was coming to an end, favoring instead an onrush of dull aches from the places she had been hit or had landed on.  She felt the taste of the blood in her mouth and saw the short crimson stain on her sleeve.  Her legs quivered as she tried to get up.  And the pain in the back of one of those legs came back.

   As she brushed the dust from her clothes and tried to stand, she looked over the crowd.  They hadn't known whether to applause or to express disappointment and boo at her.  The one they had been shouting for was down for the count.  But on the other hand, they were virtually threatened, too.  They were really just waiting to see what she would do, if to perhaps kill the bear or push him out of the ring.

   Aisha simply sighed and trudged over to the corner of the damaged fencing.  Her belt was placed back around her waist, weapons tied back to their proper places, and the cape tied back around her neck.

   She favored one leg, and had the fence for support, but still kept her stride as she started to get out of the ring.  "Now, if someone would kindly point me to the nearest tavern," she said to the onlookers closest, and gave an ironic smirk.  "All I wanted really when I came here was a drink."  Badly, I ought to add.  "I'll leave it up to you to decide what to do with oso over there."

   They pointed her to one building that was easily seen across the center of the square and cleared a path for her out of respect.

   As the jaguar nodded her thanks, she carefully made her way from the fencing and started walking.  Perhaps once she found a place to rest, there'd be time to stock up on medical supplies too.

   She passed the threshold of the crowd, just then hearing some more praise and cheering...the sincere kind...following her.

   The adventurer didn't look back...she just shook her head with a short grin and pulled the hood up, obscuring her features once again.

   It's a good thing the Mistress wasn't here to see that.

[Tapewolf]

Oh, good.  I was afraid we'd have nothing to read after Fated Birth ended.

Nicely written, short and to the point.  I must admit, for a moment I was afraid you'd somehow forgotten the fact that she was dead thirsty (hey, even the best writers can sometimes lose track of a plot thread) but that came in at the end OK.

[Aisha deCabre]

Thanks for the comment, I looked over the chapter and amended that, along with making the pain Aish feels after the fight slightly more realistic.  I'm surprised nobody accused me of slightly making her too strong.  I guess I'm not the best with fight scenes still.   

Special thanks goes to Gareeku, who helped me with his opinion too. ^^

[Aisha deCabre]

((And now, here's another short little story, this time from another perspective.  This is for anyone who might have wondered, "where's Ayan anyway?"    I had planned to write something like this for a while.))

Tales of the Risen: Brother's Lament

   What have I done?

   A lonely figure sat upon a large gathering of rocks near the side of a rarely-traveled road.  People never came through there, simply for the fear that everyone had about paths less traveled.  Perhaps there were highwaymen lurking, predatory creatures stalking, or an honest person would get their head gripped by the fear of getting lost.  Whatever the reason, he was always left to his own and had learned to prefer it that way.

   The scenery around him was quiet, the wind barely making the trees rustle in their own solitude.  He was overlooking one of the most beautiful views that the land had to offer.  The clouds were barely allowing the sun to breathe out its warm light, just giving out luminous rays over the silvery linings.  There had been rain just the other night, so puddles were scattered everywhere where the rock niches could capture them.  In the sky a half-rainbow was quickly dwindling.  It was hard to feel, but he suspected that it was warm and comfortable in the outside world, if a bit humid.

   But despite the quiet, the figure wasn't at all at peace.  Ever since those long months...maybe years...ago, his head was in a continuous turmoil.  His stare was blank, and the same thoughts kept running in circles, over and over again.

   How could it have happened?  What could I have done to bring this luck on?  Why?

   The latter question was the one that echoed the loudest.  He brought up his hand, and looked down into the crack of a lifeline in his palm.  Why was his flesh so pale?  Why couldn't he hear a pulse in his ears when he covered them?

   His fingers clenched.  You know the answer to that, estupido.  Look at yourself.

   There was a puddle beside him.  Ever since he sat down, the figure tried his best to stay away from looking at its perfectly clear, reflective surface.  Now, with a sigh, he turned and glanced into it, pulling back the hood that obscured his features.

   A familiar face stared back.  That of a young male jaguar.  At first he could have mistaken the image for his father, he looked so like him.  The short black hair, the deep brown eyes, and the fur that should have been the dark gold of his mother's...

   But he looked closer and saw the changes that he feared.  The gold of his fur, underlying the bold rosette spots, had lost its luster and life and had begun to look...old.  This wasn't due to his age...supposedly he was well into his twenties or slightly into his thirties...but to another force.  It was the same force that made his eyes a very pale white and caused the iris to lose a bit of its color.  Inside the depth of the black pupil somewhere, there was a sickly yellow pinprick of a glow.

   The rest of him was well intact...he even kept the toned body of someone who had trained and carried weaponry throughout his life.  But he had to wear a plate of armor over half his chest, specifically where his heart was.  He had no mental strength to remove it, or else he was afraid he would see the gaping wound that ended him long ago.  The only other thing he wore was a pair of black trousers and a red sash, both worn and dirty.

   Once, he was Ayan Cabre...soldier and mercenary, brother and son.

   But ever since he woke up on the ground, in a pool of his own blood...his soul having never left its vessel even though it has lost all function...he continually questioned if he really knew who he was.

   The undead feline's head swiveled away from the puddle, his teeth clenched.  It felt all so long ago.  He had gone from one thing to another in the course of one battle...Being to monster.  How it happened, he had no idea...perhaps one of the invaders that had attacked him was an undead...who knew.  But at least he was fortunate that they left his body where it fell, instead of burning it or tearing it to pieces.

   And that wasn't even the half of his misery.

   Back when he still had a heartbeat, Ayan was determined to take a break from doing several violent duties for the army that he had joined.  They were duties that he never enjoyed; but had to do.  As they always told him, it was for his own safety, and the safety of his family.  The jaguar seldom had the luxury of time off, but when he did get it, he made sure to take the days for all they were worth.  But never once was he able to go back, to see what he had left behind.

   That's all he wanted really, was just to go back home after so many years...his father would've been proud to see how successful he'd been, and his little sister most certainly had to have been growing up well.  Maybe the whole village would have given him a hero's welcome.  The thing he was most afraid of back then was how to tell them of the guilt that he had carried through the less glorious tasks.  Maybe they'd just be happy that he was alive, and had won the battle, and had once even found himself a girl...

   He thought of all those things when he packed up and started on the road towards the Shadowed Depths, and back to Soldeluna.  Heck, maybe later he'd have stopped and given Mistress Rynkura a visit at her monastery...

   Ayan wasn't a day from the village before things took a turn for the worse.  He was ambushed by a group of shady people, with no clear answer as to who they were or what they wanted, brandishing a few blades.  There were probably four or five, maybe a few more hidden around.  Too many for one to fight...and yet he took out his favored sword, forged by his own father, and took them on.  He managed to kill two and incapacitate another.

   They could have just been simple Beings for all their strength.  He was surely on his way to driving them off.

   The last words he heard were, "There's nowhere left for you to go, fool."  Then he was frozen in place...and so deep in pain that his head barely had time to register the arrow that pierced his chest.  He blacked out to the sounds of the marauders laughing.

   It wasn't known how many hours it had taken for him to wake up again.  For a split second there was a blinding light, and then a feeling like he was being pulled.  His skin was flush with cold, and his head was swimming.  Ayan's eyes opened to a grim field.  Blood coated the trail.  The bodies of the attackers he had downed were nowhere to be seen.  The only clue left was a bunch of crimson footprints headed away into the distance.  And it was dusk, nearing nightfall, with just a few pricks of light in the sky above.

   When the feline sat up, he wanted to faint at the sight of himself.  He was completely drenched in red, and most of it was dripping through his chest.  Frantically he put his hand there to block it, but to his surprise, there was no more really flowing.  But he did feel through his fingers, his ribcage.  A torn organ that was no longer pumping.  And slowly...too slowly...realized that he wasn't breathing.  Nor was he in pain.

   The realization took so long to dawn on him that he sat there in the road until the moon had fully risen and the night was near zenith.  On the one hand it was miraculous that he had lived.  And on the other it was a most sickening curse that really, he didn't.

   Then, nearby, he had found a piece of what the marauders left behind.  A chunk of breastplate armor which he silently used to cover the hole in his chest.  Nearby there was a stream where he washed the blood from his still-warm fur.  He treated it as just routine after another typical fight from his adventures, like he so desperately wished, denying what he saw for but a dream.  The only difference was that they had stolen his sword and his pack.  There was nothing left except to see if home was in sight.

   So he just kept going, not thinking about anything but just being there.  Seeing his family.  He even laughed softly to himself...maybe little Aisha would apologize for calling him a poop-head when he left before.  He wasn't even tired when the edge of the valley was in sight at dawn.

   But the sun rose on a different story.

   This can't be right, he thought, falling to his knees.  This can't be.

   The whole area was charred to a crisp.  Blackened ashes covered the grounds where a village once stood.  The fence was torn.  The chieftain's mansion was abandoned and wrecked.  Entire houses were gone, leaving but an imprint on the earth.  The shops, the trading post, the fighting ring...his father's forge...their house...the people...

   Gone.

   For a long time, Ayan just shook his head, slack-jawed.  He wanted to cry, but no tears could come.  Was this some horrible nightmare?  What could have happened to their sanctuary, and why?

   Angered and sad, he stormed down to the village to find answers.  Maybe there were survivors to tell him the story.  But nobody was left.  Any signs of life were reduced to charred bones.  Their house was but a few black foundations and scattered furniture.  Even remnants of toys that he and Aisha used to play with were as nothing.  There was no sign of his father or his little sister.

   Then the words of the marauder echoed in his mind.  Nowhere left to go.

   He couldn't take it.  The jaguar ran from the village and never looked back.  Straight out of the Shadowed Depths, vowing that he'd never go back again.  He didn't know what to do or where to go...he had lost everything.  Everything.

*     *     *

   Maybe I should've gone to see the señora, Ayan thought as he sat back on the rock, thinking on that horrid day.  But it's probably too late anyway.  Maybe the monastery's gone too.  It's not like she'd let an undead into her sacred place of healing.  I'm better off staying away.

   To the present day it still saddened the young hermit as to how he never got to properly say goodbye to his family.  Nobody was there for him, and as long as he was a monster, nobody would be.  If there was even a way to really bring himself back, he would have done so in a heartbeat...there was even a contemplation of killing himself again so that at least he'd let his soul leave the harsh reality.  But there was something that kept him from doing so.  Some kind of small hope.

   And anyway...being undead had some advantages.  He'd never have to eat again, except for the occasional craving of living flesh which he sated by hunting the feral creatures.  He'd never feel pain.  And, he had magic.  For a time he kept busy by training himself in a few spells.  Also, he had once heard someone say of the undead that they were a pretty lucky race...it wasn't every day that a person had gotten a second chance at life to do what they were meant to do.

   But even then, it was hard to accept giving up what he had.  Perhaps it was a common understanding.  But how could he ever show his face again when the world knew that he was dead?

   It's karma, I bet...Ayan grimaced and pulled the hood over his head again.  I never thought I'd have to face so much as a fighter.  Maybe the universe is getting back at me.  I should've taken up something else; like Mom said...I should've stayed.  Maybe if I was there, whatever happened wouldn't have happened.

   Damn it all, bato.

   A rumbling in the clouds jarred the jaguar from his thoughts.  He glanced up to see the shining rays of the sun having disappeared, and the black-gray storm clouds to take their places, with occasional flashes of light on the horizon.

   Another storm's coming this way...guess I'd better go back in.

   At least Ayan had also managed to furnish his alcove in the rocks pretty well.  His disguise helped in buying a few small things like blankets, pillows, and tools...whatever he couldn't just "borrow" from the rare passerby.  The innocents were safe from him really...but sometimes bandits liked to camp in the woods, and they had stories among them about a phantom thief.  He considered it a sort of payback, if not to the marauders, at least for his own satisfaction.

   Suddenly, he heard another disturbance.  It was down on the road nearby, where something caught his field of vision.

   A lynx woman and her child were running across the path, being pursued by one of those said bandits.  They had gotten as far as the rocks before she froze with a scream.  Another pursuer, two in all, caught up and surrounded them with their bows drawn.

   "Just give up the valuables, lady, and you won't get hurt."

   "Heh," smirked the other one.  "Why not keep her and feed the kid to the bears?"

   Ayan rolled his eyes as they laughed.  Frankly, he was getting tired of the company.

   Before either of the bandits knew it, a greenish fireball had hit both of them in the back and dropped them to the ground, their heads hitting the dirt with enough force to knock them out for a moment.

   Surprised, the woman held her child close and looked up to see the figure from which the magic had come.  But all she could see of the feline's face was draped in the hood, except for a pair of slightly glowing yellow eyes.

   "Better get you and your kid the hell outta here, señorita," he growled.

   The woman didn't have to be told twice.  She shuffled the kid to his feet and they rushed across the path, out of where he knew the forest ended.

   Ayan hummed as he looked down at the unconscious bodies.  Eh...being an undead vigilante would be cooler if anyone I knew were alive.

   The rain started.  Having little time left to shuffle the bodies out, the jaguar just dropped into his alcove and waited out the storm.  He'd leave the bandits to ponder what happened, and to hopefully never return to the spot.

   But as the darkness swallowed him, Ayan found no comfort.  His mind has and would always be flashing back to those last days of true life, whenever the quiet and peace would permit him.  And to the last days that he saw his family.

   And the questions would come again.

   What have I done?

[Tapewolf]

I enjoyed that a lot.  I remember way back when you hadn't quite decided if Aisha's brother was alive or not.  An... interesting way to solve that dilemma 

The lifeline thing was rather curious, given that palm lines are an artifact of humans being furless.  Presumably it runs through her paw-pads or something?  Or is it in the spot patterns of his fur, even?

The other thing which made me start was his reluctance to visit the monastery.  Presumably that's his own paranoia rather than her actually being intolerant?

Also, the spellcasting.  Was that something he could do before? 

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Nice story, Aisha.

I particularly like the way you've interleaved it with your Aisha story, without actually overlapping at all.

[Aisha deCabre]

Thanks for the comments, guys!

I enjoyed that a lot.  I remember way back when you hadn't quite decided if Aisha's brother was alive or not.  An... interesting way to solve that dilemma 

The lifeline thing was rather curious, given that palm lines are an artifact of humans being furless.  Presumably it runs through her paw-pads or something?  Or is it in the spot patterns of his fur, even?

The other thing which made me start was his reluctance to visit the monastery.  Presumably that's his own paranoia rather than her actually being intolerant?

Also, the spellcasting.  Was that something he could do before? 

Glad you enjoyed it.  I'm glad it's an interesting enough dilemma to solve.

The lifeline thing: Well, remember these are my fanstories based on Amber's Furrae.  Go back and look at the characters' hands.  There are no pads, but there are hand-creases.  And he has no spots on his palms...I'm pretty sure that hand-creases would be visible, at least on him, because jaguars have rather short fur.  Wouldn't there be less fur on hands as well?

I actually don't get too technical with that kinda thing.

Rynkura's not intolerant, it is pretty obvious to me that it was his own paranoia.

And finally, no, he couldn't spellcast before.  I thought that was a skill one gained as an undead...I even checked Demonology while I was writing, and I haven't really seen much on that topic.  But if that isn't the case, we can also put it up to his having slight demon blood akin to his mother too, with magic abilities that he never knew existed until they were strengthened by his new state.

I hope to try to be prepared for such plot holes.

[Tapewolf]

Also, the spellcasting.  Was that something he could do before? 

I actually don't get too technical with that kinda thing.

To be honest, it's something I'd brush under the carpet myself, because I don't know the answer 

Rynkura's not intolerant, it is pretty obvious to me that it was his own paranoia.

Yes.  On the other hand, I never trust anyone who goes all Kill-them-all-No-survivors like she did at the end of Fated Birth. 

And finally, no, he couldn't spellcast before.  I thought that was a skill one gained as an undead...I even checked Demonology while I was writing, and I haven't really seen much on that topic.  But if that isn't the case, we can also put it up to his having slight demon blood akin to his mother too, with magic abilities that he never knew existed until they were strengthened by his new state.

Looking at the Demonology again, it looks like undying grants the victim magical ability even if they didn't have it before, so yes.  However, unless it's like the Night's Dawn trilogy where the Possessed return with the instinctive ability to cast fireballs, he'd have to learn how to use it.
Hannah can cast spells, but we don't know if that's because she had magical training beforehand and it still works, whether it's a reflex ability or whether she learned how to do it after she died.
So the backup plan would be that he had some kind of basic magic training before he died, e.g. as part of his army work.

[Gareeku]

Rynkura's not intolerant, it is pretty obvious to me that it was his own paranoia.

Yes.  On the other hand, I never trust anyone who goes all Kill-them-all-No-survivors like she did at the end of Fated Birth. 

As was stated before, the demons were going to keep fighting until they were dead. Rynkura did not have a choice as the demons would kill or be killed.

And making a face like that is pretty damn insulting to the writer, to be honest. There was no need for that at all, so kindly get off your high horse please.

Another great piece of writing, Aisha. It's nice to see that story written to fit Ayan's perspective. I look forward to reading more.

[Aisha deCabre]

((Thank you, Gareeku and everyone for the comments. ^^  And yeah, Rynkura isn't all that murderous; not only were the demons ruthless, she had a family to protect...or try to.

But now here's the first part of another story, some of the parts of which I had written up for quite a while...along with a little more insight on life at the Monastery and its residents, it also serves as the first step in Aisha's biggest decision.))

Tales of the Risen: Hunter's Beginning
Part 1

   "Are you awake back there, child?  We are almost there."

   A deep, soft voice had cut through the girl's mind, which was awash with turmoil and pain.  Memories were still burning deeply, and preventing her from taking a breath that didn't come out as a shaky whimper.  "Demonio..."

   "Worry not, niña.  There are no demons where we are going.  Just stay awake."

   She wanted to say that of course she wasn't sleeping ...every time she closed her eyes she could still see the flames.  She could still hear the screams and smell the blood.

        But, keeping them open, a vast expanse of beautiful and lush grassland opened before her, untouched by destruction, quiet and tranquil when lit by the light of the sun, which was only just rising fully above the horizon.  The only blood that she could smell was her own, from the wounds she received only the night before; which were now covered with bandages.  It also stained the simple brown clothing she wore, and the scent of dust mixed in with her dirty shoulder-length hair.

   The girl was about twelve; but in her state of fear she looked much smaller, ducking into herself, a curled ebon-colored lump on the back of the white tigress carrying her.  The young panther knew at that moment that she must have looked as weak as she thought she was.

   She closed her crimson eyes and whimpered again, shaking.  The tigress, Rynkura, straightened herself and cast a comforting glance back towards her.  "Sit up, Aisha, we are here.  Look over the hill.  Can you see the spire?"

   With a slight grunt, the girl peered over the tiger's shoulder, pushing her long braid out of the way of her vision.  They were indeed standing on a hill, and overlooking a beautiful sight.  A large stone monastery rose as if from the very earth into Aisha's vision, situated in the center of the field.  There were blocks strewn to the side, broken away from the building itself and taking on the appearance of an ancient ruined castle...the only piece left fully standing was the ornate and towering cathedral with the edges of a courtyard spreading from the back of it and covered by an edge of forest.  A few other buildings had been built around it as well, and from them there could be heard voices and seen various individuals walking around.  The very ground around the building had a feeling to it of life, soothing and embracing to the spirit.

   And indeed she saw the spire, the marking place high up from the monastery's roof.  But the girl had to crane her neck to look up at it.  "Grande..."  She muttered with awe, her eyes wide open.

   Rynkura chuckled.  "Sí, It is big.  Perhaps big for a simple Healer's guildhall, but it does well."  The tigress's emerald gaze met Aisha's.  "You will be staying here.  And you will never have to fear, for this is a sanctuary.  Quite safe from attack."

   The child only hummed in reply, and let her head fall on the tiger's back again.  As they started walking down to the monastery, Aisha kept thinking that for as long as she lived, she wouldn't really feel safe again.  It kept menacing her mind, and threatening to grant her nightmares, until she finally fell asleep again.

*   *   *

   The presence of the tigress was known as soon as she crossed the threshold of the monastery.  The guards and healers in her way bowed reverently at her passage, but kept their silent eyes locked on the blood-ridden child that she was carrying on her back.  Theirs were curious glances, as if they were to try asking why the headmistress herself was carrying an injured instead of having one of the servants do it.

   But Rynkura promptly ignored those glances, as well as the muttering left in her wake.  She even walked past a healer who had offered to take the child for her, only shaking her head in response and with resolve in her emerald eyes.  The distinguished felid felt it her responsibility alone at the moment to take Aisha, despite how she often kept to her own business.

   She bore the sleeping panther straight through the main hall of the grand cathedral, and up to the front near the altar.  It was there that she sighted a figure leaning against the wall, a guard carrying a spear in his right hand.  He was a gryphon with black and blue-white feathers, wearing the light colors of the Healers on a bandanna tied around his neck.  The design of the spear suggested that his title was further than that of a guard and more like a knight.  He looked to be somewhere in his twenties as well, young for such a title.  He slouched as if in boredom.

   "Jake," Rynkura called for his attention quietly.

   He glanced up from his almost lazy vigil and stood straight upon sighting the tigress, bowing his head.  "Mistress!  Forgive me, I was..." Then he fell silent upon catching sight of the girl, his feathered head tilting questioningly.  "Who is that?"

   Aisha was still peacefully asleep as Rynkura solemnly shook her head, laying the girl on a cushion.  "She is the sole survivor of the attack on Soldeluna.  Very little is left of the village now, as of last night."

   The gryphon's eyes widened with surprise at the news, and then looked upon the child with pity.  "The poor girl.  If she recovers then she will be scarred for life."

   Despite the somber atmosphere, Rynkura hid a slight smile.  "You doubt the skill of our healers?  She will recover.  I happen to know for a fact that the girl has a will like that of someone we both know."  As the felid said this, she reached around to her waist and pulled out the weapon that had been lying in the belt.  It was a dangerous and yet intricately-crafted silver boomerang, the length between the two points of which reached half the length of the tiger's strong forearm.  She held it by a handle emblazoned in one of the outer sides, and it radiated magic, enchantment sealed into the blade with expert skill.  The beauty of the surface was marred with dirt and blood, but one could see a small ensign on the blade's side.

   By the shocked look in Jake's eyes as he beheld the weapon, Rynkura only smiled wider.  "You recognize the craft?  And she was carrying it with her."  Her eyes narrowed.  "You do know now who she is?"

   He paused, and then shook his head with some disbelief.  "Can't be.  Relative of Luc Cabre?"

   "The late Luc Cabre," she corrected, forlornly lowering her head.  "You behold his daughter.  And the only one left."

   "Daughter..." Jake mused with a bit of shock, and looked even more so when he processed the information.  His head snapped up.  "Luc is dead?!  But nobody kills Luc, he was--"

   "--Assassinated," she finished for him.  The sternness of the word silenced the gryphon, as if it had been a knife driven into his throat.  The tigress glared, and continued.  "If you even halfway earn your new title then you will not be so naïve as to think that any one adventurer is invincible.  If his wife would die of sickness, and his son vanish by battle, then you would expect no different a fate of him.  Unprecedented."

   Jake stood dumbfounded for a moment, before straightening up and bowing apologetically.  "Forgive me, Mistress.  I know better.  It's just too hard to imagine.  He and his line were among the great."

   "Mm," she nodded once, pulling tousled strands of hair out of Aisha's face.  She was still fast asleep, but breathing heavily.  "Definitely have your family's capacity for pain..." the tigress muttered, kneeling for a moment and uttering a blessing at the altar.  "If it were not for those damned demons."

   Looking on, Jake sighed, tilting his head while regarding the young jaguar.  "So, what of her, then?  If she may be the only one left?"

   "We don't know that for sure," she answered, standing up again.  "But most likely she wouldn't be concerned with it."  The look on her face was one of determination.  "I will keep her here, and here is where she will learn and heal, with time.  Such is the honor that I will return to the Cabres."

   Jake nodded agreeably.  "I guess we owe it to Luc and his whole family.  Certainly if we couldn't protect Ayan..."

   "That's enough," Rynkura interrupted, handing him the boomerang.  "Keep that in the armory.  I will take the girl to heal.  The room in the south tower is hers from now on as well; spread the word to the others."

   Looking at the boomerang with some reverence as he took it, Jake looked to make haste to finish the tiger's command, yet he stayed.  "What if she asks for it?"

   Rynkura paused, the expression in her stern features pensive and blank.  "No doubt she will," she replied, taking the girl in her arms.  "But I find it best for now to keep her away from the notion of fighting.  We shall keep it that way for as long as possible."

   He nodded again and started running the errands, though he wondered just how long the tiger planned to protect the adventurer's child from herself.

*     *     *     *

   A pleasant and yet strong smell came to the panther's nostrils as she awoke, despite the fact that her dreams were not at all pleasant.  It was the smell of medicinal herbs, perhaps having permeated the corners of the room for hours.  It was the only thing comforting her before the dream came back.

   As the girl recalled the details, she shuddered and clutched herself, sitting up in the bed.  She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes yet, believing that she must have died.  Things were too silent...dark...and the pain was gone.  Drawn into herself, it took a moment for her to realize that she was alive.  Her heart couldn't have been racing if she wasn't.

   As she opened her eyes, the first thing she noticed was that her clothes were different.  She wore a soft robe with soothing blue and white colors, much different than her bloodied and torn rags; they were probably worn out by now, wherever they were.  The next thing was discovered when she pulled her sleeve up, revealing her dark and melanistic fur with not a scratch on it.  It was also clean and smooth, devoid of dust.  On further inspection, her wounds--scratches, scars, infections, blood--all of it was gone, leaving her as good as if the night before had never taken place.  That's when Aisha remembered where she was; the tiger had said it was a sect for healers.

   The room she was in was quaint; at least that's how far one could put it a cathedral tower room.  Large and circular, encased in stone walls.  Except for the bed, a nightstand, a wardrobe, and an ornate rug on the floor, it was also virtually empty.  The window was casting a gentle midday light on the ground.

   It's kind of nice...she thought, her eyes wandering.  And she said I'd be safe.  The youngster clutched herself again, relief the strongest emotion, second only to the sadness that grew upon recalling the previous night...running until she could go no further...the feeling of being endlessly pursued...she couldn't help but hope right then if her father had made it away from the carnage.  If anyone had made it but herself.

   She released a long sigh, having held her breath, and started up from the bed.  She paused before the window and pushed the glass panes open, peering down from the tower.  The view of the courtyard and the fields beyond were breathtaking, a wondrous respite from the rest of the harsh world.  Then, Aisha saw others walking about, clad like herself.  The black jaguar blinked her crimson eyes and pushed from the window, glancing to the door, then to the bed thoughtfully.  I hope I'm not expected to stay and sleep.

   There was a deciding pause before she stepped up to the wooden door and opened it.  The hinge creaked in a darkened corridor, but otherwise it was silent.  After a pause to make sure of that, she hopped through and closed it behind herself.  She started down the hallway, following her curiosity.  It was the only thing she could think of to do in order to keep her mind from trying to remember the nightmare further.

   The hall was illuminated with rows of windows on the side, giving her a view of the endless blue sky each time she passed an opening.  Her steps quickened, eager for an exploration of the entire monastery if it were possible.

   But as she approached a set of stairs leading downward, a strong hand emerged from the shadows to clasp her shoulder.  The girl yelped and leaped backward, almost falling over in surprise.  The white figure before her only smiled, stepping upward with her staff for help.  "Well, well...you're awake," Rynkura laughed softly.  "Good.  I was just coming up to check on you, child."

   The panthress regarded the tigress with a blank look, hunching a little in defense.  True, she had found and brought her to the monastery, but otherwise Aisha knew very little of her.  "Quién está?" (Who are you?) she demanded defensively.

   The Healer hadn't blinked an eye at the child's demand.  She looked down at her with a quirked eyebrow.  "No eres paciente." (You aren't patient.)  She shook her head, leaning to look Aisha in the eyes.  "I know you can speak in the common tongue, child.  I am Rynkura Msh'taan.  Mistress Rynkura Msh'taan, the head of this monastery.  And if you want more answers you will speak as I do."  She straightened again.  "Unless I am wrong and you cannot?"

   Aisha's ears swept back against her skull with defiance, but she sighed and spoke up, deciding that there was nothing to lose in trusting the tigress.  "I can...speak it.  Very well," she replied more or less fluently, but with a somewhat strong accent.  "I was taught both."

   Rynkura nodded approvingly.  "Good.  You will keep speaking both; it is a good and balanced skill to have."  She turned her back on the girl with a flourish of her own robe and a whip of her long white braid in the air, descending the staircase.  "Sigame." (Follow me.)

   The young pantheress hesitated, crossing her arms.  Am I gonna have to keep taking orders?  With a shrug, she followed the tigress down the winding stairwell, slowly through the darkened tower until she laid eyes on the interior of the cathedral.

   She was in awe at the sight.  The gothic ceiling towered over their heads, held fast by columns the girth of tree trunks.  With another stairwell, doors, the balcony to a second floor...she'd think it fun to have places to hide.  But thinking of playing only reminded her of the days long left behind...and the people with it.  Her gaze dropped to the floor and she stopped.

   Rynkura heard this and halted as well, turning back to Aisha.  "Are you not well yet, chica?"

   She turned her crimson gaze back up to the tigress with a sudden, hardened finality to it.  "I want to know what happened to Soldeluna."

   The answer the tigress gave was neutral in tone...neither fearful, nor uncaring...just lacking.  "It's burned to the ground, remember?"

   "No," Aisha practically growled, shaking her head.  "No, I want to know why it was.  What happened to everybody.  And why I was brought here."  Her look softened, and a tear came to one of her eyes.  "And my father.  What happened to him?"

   The tiger's tail swayed dismissively, but she softly laid a hand on the back of the girl's head.  "Just because I found you and brought you here does not mean I have all of the answers, my girl.  I doubt there is anybody who does but yourself now."  She pulled her hand away slowly.  "You alone know what happened to your father.  And in your heart you know what's happened to everyone else.  Deny it all that you will, therein lies the truth."  Rynkura then turned away from Aisha, starting to walk away again.

   The panthress didn't follow yet.  Her gaze was cast to the floor, a mix of feelings starting up.  Rage, sadness, fear, shame...yes, she did know what happened.  She saw her father killed, and the demon's face would haunt her memories for years to come.  She had even tried to fight back, but there was little she could have done.  She just ran, with the heat of the flames that covered the whole of the village licking at her heels and screams echoing in her ears...and the stings from the wounds threatening to tear her nerves apart.

   Yes, Aisha even knew the truth too.  She was alone.  Perhaps cursed.  Everyone she had grown to love was torn from her, always, and she could do nothing to help.  She feared it to happen again.

   The panther felt like collapsing.  She started shaking, and tears dripped from her eyes.  And yet her fists clenched, dangerous and angry.  "I couldn't help them..."

   However quiet her voice was, Rynkura could still hear it.  The tigress had stopped, her head turned back towards her.  Her expression was solemn, but warm.  "Nobody could have helped them, child.  They were too strong.  You were a very fortunate one; you must have much importance to the world for the fates to have spared you.  Whatever force was the cause of the doing you are still indeed blessed.  Your family will rest well knowing this."  She smiled.  "And knowing that you have a new home and a mentor.  So not all is lost with your life, and someday you will know that in truth."  She turned around again, only halfway so that she made sure Aisha followed.  "Come along, I want you to be familiar with the monastery.  No more dawdling."

   Aisha blinked away the last of her tears, curiously regarding the tigress walking before her after thinking about what she said.  For someone who said that she doesn't have all of the answers, she sounds like she still knows.  The panthress slowly stepped to keep up with Rynkura, hoping that if she stuck around long enough she would have those answers.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Rynkura _does_ have that know-it-all air, doesn't she?

Despite that, it's an interesting piece of the story. Can't wait for the next piece...

[Gareeku]

Didn't really come across as a know-it-all to me, she just sounded like she knew what she was talking about. When you're an expert healer and had numerous adventuring experiences in the past like she has, I guess she will sound knowledable about some things. But that may be just me, I don't know.

Regardles, very nice chapter Aisha. I look forward to reading.

[llearch n'n'daCorna]

Oh, I wasn't saying she didn't have the knowledge to back it up, there.

... at least, not to her face. ;-] (Kidding! Kidding!)