Chapter 15 : The First Trail

Lisa, Christ, and Nixon sit in the second story of an inn, within the Flood District. The wooden window shades cracked open and looks out to the deeper section of the district. Nixon sits quietly on Christ’s lap, watching flip through a notepad. 

Christ closes the notebook after several reviews, “Okay, so phase one is to open and disable the Gate of Terrortow. We are gonna---” Lisa puts her palm up to him, “Wait, you want to go into a military checkpoint, open one of the district gates, AND THEN disable the gate?” Christ looks in her eyes with an unmistakable level of seriousness, “Yes.” Lisa places her Slender Staff against the wall next to her, leaning forward, “That place is crawling with military guards. How are we, a bounty hunter, and a slave going to do that?” Christ puts a single finger up, “First off, its not crawling with guards.” Shrugging her shoulders with put hands out, “What do you mean its not, that was a major security point to the Flood District.” Christ gives a devilish grin, “Keyword was. Now that Commander Berival is leading the defense force, their focus is strictly the outerwall and the castle as a fallback point.” Scratching her head, “Commander? Why is a Commander leading the defense force, and how do you know this?” Letting out an exaggerated breath, posting his elbow on his knee, “Well, after General Petals and Zeel left with the warning the city would fall, alot of officers and soldiers started looking into things themselves. The news spread among the troops that General Tolkin and the nobles evacuated with everyone, pretty much all the Generals left along with a third of the defense force.  Berival was the most senior officer left and so he took over. He left only a skeleton crew to man most of the gates and towers, and fortified the castle and wall.” “But that still doesn't answer how you know this.” Christ lays his cheek on his fist that rests on his knee, “Its simple, I used my connections. The first mistake anyone can make is walking into a situation they know nothing about. That aside, there is a side entrance in the wall, that uses a Encasement lock, which yours truly can crack.” Leaning over with her forearms on her thighs, “Okay, but what about when we get inside?” Christ pets Nixon with his free hand, “Simple, we don't get seen and disable the gate.” Lisa’s face droops, This is completely ridiculous, we are going to die today. We have NO real plan, but fine. If you want to play this game we can play, if you get trapped or captured I am going home and enjoying my last few hours with my family. “That sounds like you don't really have a plan and its gonna to put us in danger.” Setting Nixon in his satchel, Christ stands up grabbing his things, “Believe what you want, but it doesn't change anything. Now come on.”

The two sneak across four blocks using allyways to get closer to the entrance. On the way they see three men in white chain-mail armour with masks of dragons chasing after two men in commoner clothes. Lisa ducks behind a trash can, looking over to Christ who is pressed against the wall near the corner.  A puffed cheek smiles, plasters his face, he slowly turns his gaze toward Lisa.

Lisa frowns shaking her head, Please no. . .this has nothing to do with us.

Christ shakes his head mouthing “Are you ready?” pulling out his crossbow. 

Lisa’s heart starts to race, mouthing back “NO!” Why would we do this? We have so many other more important things to do. What good could this possibly do for us?

Christ giving a thumbs up, pulling out his throwing dagger, mouthing “Get ready.”

Lisa fumbles with her staff getting in a ready position behind the trash can, Okay. . . if he is gonna make us fight them. Lisa’s heart slows down, but beats thump throughout her whole body. Her mind breathing steadys, her hands steady as her muscles flex across her body before settling. Her mind is taken away to her father’s life. She sees him in basic training  wielding a spear, learning and mastering the basics of polearm thrusting and throwing. 

The fire within her chest revives from the smolders and burns a steady mild flame. Her body warm and her mind focusing, when her father's voice echoes in her mind, Fight for them, as someone once fought for you. A warmth in her chest burns even hotter when another voice cold and full of malice, Yet, noone fought for you. They fought for themselves and you just happen to be the little lamb rescued that day! Gritting her teeth, she pushes both voices aside, returning to the events before her. 

The two commoners run past the alley way, their shirts and hair dripping with sweat. Their breathing heavy as the men behind them hoot and yell at them “Run little crows, RUN!” The three men run  past the ally twenty paces behind them, no sign of ranged weapons on them. Christ waits till the men take several past the entrance when take a massive step toward them, slinging the dagger forward. The dagger flies high to the right, arcing downward. Christ clenches his fist, tracing the path of the dagger with his eyes. 

The dagger flies true, embedding deep into the neck of the lead man in white. Blood sprays out of his neck, his body twists as he plummets to the ground. Blood covers his comrades as they skid to a stop. “Suck on that you teriling dragon lovers,” leaps into the air throwing fist up in excitement. Hitting the ground he bolts back into the ally running past Lisa, “Got one, and that really pissed them off. Good luck,” giving a wink before turning the corner.

Great, you really didn’t have too do that. You didn’t have to do any of that, she thought to herself listening to the footsteps getting closer. Hisses and screams approach as two shadows cast themselves into the alley. Watching the silhouettes darken, she gribs her weapon tight. Well now or never, father watch over me, stepping into the ally lunging the blade forward. She feels the staff pulse in her hand as it blade slices though the man’s chest. The second one almost impales himself, but falls to the side. 

The lead man’s mouth opens exposing a serpentile tongue and razor sharp deep, yellow eyes peer from inside the mask.  His body jerks on the staff firmly in her hands. Coughing up blood, he swipes at Lisa but his reach is just short of her. His friend rolls backward on the ground, pulling out a vial of orange liquid, chugging it down.

Her fathers voice yells inside her head, Get out of the way! Without thinking she front kicks the man off her staff, causing him to stumble. The second man takes a deep breath, his eye glowing with a vibrant orange. Diving behind the trash can, she hears the booming exhale, then a whoosh as the air ignites in a searing collage of reds and oranges. The searing flame rolls around the trash can. 

Lisa’s curls into a tight ball as courage pours from her veins. The flame inside her flickers out, as fear ravages her body. Her muscles quiver and teeth quake under the might of the horrific flame around her. What the was I thinking coming out here! I don’t have the training for this! People blowing fire from their mouths, this is too much. I wanna go home! The flame burns out in the air as a corpse falls down beside her, its scorched corpse stares at her with hollow eye sockets. 

The sound of hissing and steps thump in her ears. She can see the shadow once again darken, tears tarnish her face. The sound of nails scrapping across metal above her, sends a chill up and down her spine. Slowly looking up she locks gazes with the orange eyed man, its mouth pouring smoke. Unable to move, she can feel the scream in her lungs but she is barely able to breath. From deep within his maw, she watches as smoke and air fill his lungs, her heart skips a beat.

A grey blur punches the man in the chest pushing him backward out of sight. The growls of something falling to the ground shocks the alleyway. Wheezing and hissing radiate from behind the half melted barrier at Lisa’s back. “Wooo! I am two for two right now! Did you see that, it was dead center,” Lisa turns to see Christ walking up with Nixon tailing behind. “What happened you were doing so well?”

Tears streaming down her face, she shoots up, “What do you mean what happened. That guy shot a Theriling ball of fire at me!”

Christ walks up putting away his throwing daggers, and grabbing her trembling hands, “Lisa calm down, you survived and that was just dragon’s breath.”

“Dragon’s breath!” looking back she can see the man is alive on his back with a dagger sticking from his chest. Peaking from underneath the cloak is the tip of a scaly tail, “Is that a dragon?”

“That no, that is just a Serial—-”

“A what?” her voice still shaking.

Gripping her hands tightly, “If you would let me finish. . .A Serial is a half humanoid and have lizardfolk. Most of them are dragon worshippers, which is what they are.”

Lisa just stares at Christ, “I almost died to a fire breathing half-breed-lizard-thing? I am done.”

“What do you mean done?”

“I am going to Ma and Pa, this had nothing to do with our quest. Its like you have a hero complex or something.”

Dropping her hands, “Yeah well that hero complex saved you!”

Lisa shoves him, pushing him several steps back, “You used me as bait and then used that as an excuse to save me.”

Christ throws his arms out, “You were going to die, and there were several reasons why I did what I did. I ain't stupid and if saving them would have been a death sentence, I wouldn't have done it.” Walking back up to her, he lightly pushes on her right shoulder, “First off, for a woman who has never formally trained, you held that weapon like a trained spearman, then in battle you fought like a trained soldier. So it raises a few question, do you have something you need to tell me?”

Looking down at her feet, searching for some form of answers. I never had any training, but the axe? What was with that axe? I’ll ask later if he knows anything about it. I don’t need him holding anything else over me. He has been I believe truthful to me so far, so I won’t lie. “No, I have never been trained. I was a commoner, then a pleasure and maid slave. . . that has been all my life amounted to.”

“So this mystical proficiency comes from nowhere?” Christ studies her movements, as Lisa looks away from his eyes, “Regardless, I needed to see how profiencent you would be in combat, before we walked into a fort with trained soldiers. Also, they would have sacrificed those men to their dragon overlord, which I may have a disdain for.”

Lisa turns back to the Serial on the ground, “Sacrifice them?”

Christ nods, “Yes, like blood magic sacrifice to a dragon.” Rubbing his heavy stubble on his chin, “Have you seen much magic?”

Shaking her head, looking at him with doe eyes as the thoughts, See looking at you, always leaping before you know anything about what's going on. The thoughts push down to her stomach twisting it into a knot as a weight pushes on her back.

A hum from his chest, “That might explain why you curled up in a ball, the third reason I wanted these guys dead was cause they always carry  a vial or two of dragon's breath. Its super useful minus the dry throat afterward. So you feel better knowing I wasn't flying by the skin of my butt?”

Lisa gives a nod, I probably shouldn’t speak and make a fool of myself again, she thought.

Christ puts a soft hand on her bicep, “Look Lisa, I may be amazing in everyway, but that also means I am amazing considerate when it comes to evaluations. I won't put you up against something you can't handle. I got your back.”

Looking at the hand on her arm, “But why?”

Taking a step past her, he leans in and whispers, “A promise I made, which if we survive I will tell you.” Looking down at the Serial at this point attempting to push himself away, “So Lisa ready for your next test?”

Turning around she looks at Christ, “Huh?”

“I want you to go over there and finish what we started,” he says picking up the Slender Staff. He walks over and put it in her hand, cupping it firmly. She could feel a warmth in his touch, “Go cleanse the world of filth.”

Looking at him, her heart sends a warmth to her stomach, He is completely defenseless. Killing him like this isn’t right, we already defeated him. She thought, but a cold feeling ran down her spine from her head to her stomach, But he was going to kill me. He was going to sacrifice those two people for what. . .their dragon. If I let him go he will probably come back for me, he was cold enough to even kill his partner. Gripping the staff she clenches her teeth, stepping overtop the beast she plunges the blade into it’s chest. 

Stabbing the beast six times, Christ pips up, “Hey Lisa, I think you got him.”

Her knuckles white, “What now?”

Christ walks over taking the mask off the creatures face, placing it in her pack, “This is a trophy for your first solo kill.”

The images of the corpse in the attic flashes before her, once again kindling the fire within her. A small smile graces her face, “Thank you Christ, I will never forget this moment.”

Picking though the rest of the Serial’s gear, he finds four vials of the orange liquid. “Here, you keep one, I have used these before. Drink it, then inhale deep, and blow with everything you got. The flame will cover about fifteen voet and you get three shots with it. I will tell you when to use it, or if we get seperated and your being swarmed. Got it?”

“Yes, I will try not to use it.” She puts the vial in one of her front pouches.

“Come on, lets keep going.”

Feeling something press on her foot, she looks down to see Nixon stepping off of her foot and flutter up into Christ’s pack. Shaking her head, “Something is definitely up with that bird. What have you given us Mortal Soul?” Hearing a drag from off to the side, she turns to see the two men from earlier staring at them from around the corner of a building. They give a nod and she sees a smile light up on their faces and with a friendly wave they disappear.

A strange feeling grows in her stomach, one of flutterflies buzzing around. A sense of pride fills her chest and she can’t seem to wipe the smile from her face, turning she follows after Crist with weapon in hand.