The Last Battle Of The Star Swords Page 4

to grow cold. I was dying. Had been dying. Just faster now. I could feel my life draining away rather quickly. I had to move even faster then. I had to out run death to make sure she came with me.

  Using my forearms and elbows, I began to crawl. Dragging myself through the mud and the blood. Cutting myself on the bloodied weapons of those gone before me. She was still motionless. I had to hurry. I could feel something catch at my side. I didn’t look back as I moved ever so slowly. Even being numb, even not feeling, I could still sense something wet and slippery tugging at my side.

  I didn’t want to look. Only forward. Not backward.

  I didn’t want to see.

  I don’t want to know what that smell is.

  I don’t want to see.

  I had to see.

  Looking back, it was what I had expected. Trailing from my side was my own insides. A line of wet, grayish intestine. It had snagged on a fallen axe and the more I crawled, the more it pulled out of me. I felt bile rise in my throat. My vision blurred. The world spun. No. No! I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to focus. It was the sight of it. The thought of it. I couldn’t feel it. Steady…steady. I was already dying. I knew I was going to die. I already knew that before this wound.

  Now onward. Finish it.

  Opening my eyes again to a dimmer, darker world, I put one hand out and pulled myself forward. Then my other hand, still gripping Nightstar tightly, reached out and pulled myself forward. Gripping the bloody mud as best I could, digging my fingers into it, I made my way slowly towards my goal.

  “…mm?” Her voice! No. Nonono!! Looking at the sky, I felt tears burn their way down my check. If there are any Gods left that care, please, please give me strength! I didn’t feel any divine touch. I didn’t feel any greater power. A sob escaped me. Fine. I’ll do it alone. As I’ve always done. One hand in front of the other. Crawl. Grinding my teeth, biting my tongue to taste my own blood, I was still alive. One hand in front of the other. I would live as long as I had to.

  Curious. I can’t seem to move my legs? No matter. I just need to get closer. I was almost there.

  “mmm…” She moved! No! Come on Andorian, move your worthless ass. Move damnit. Move! Yes. Yes that’s it.

  Closer.

  Closer…

  One hand in front of the other.

  My legs. If only they worked. What happened? No matter. Move.

  Closer.

  I could just imagine my intestines spooling out of me. I had to hurry.

  Closer now…

  “Ando…rian?” No! She lifted her head, her ember eyes flickering as they met mine. She was confused. Her eyes narrowed. Opened wide. Narrowed again. A dark bruise lined her face where Nightstar had struck her. She tried to move. Her eyes widened again when she couldn’t.

  “Why?” She moved a small hand to her face. Her eyes sought mine. Found them. They burned with wonder. A strange look for her. “Why?” She repeated.

  Why? Why what? What did she mean? Move man, move. The world began to grow dimmer still. Even though the sun beat down all around me, the world grew dimmer. I was almost… almost… ha! There! I grabbed her foot with my free hand. Grunting, I used my failing strength to pull her down next to me. It was a very awkward position for me to manage Nightstar.

  I’m not sure how I managed it actually, but we were then side by side and I held Nightstar to her breast. The heavy mail was gone, and the light chain mail that was exposed would part like bread under my thrust. All I had to do was push.

  “And so… it ends…” I tensed, ready to use the last of my strength to thrust the blade home.

  “Why did you spare me?” I froze. What? Her eyes stared into mine. For someone about to be killed, she looked very calm. Her eyes searched mine. She was honestly curious. “Why, Andorian?” Her hand moved slowly towards me. I watched it as if it were a poisonous snake that was ready to strike. I even flinched when she touched me. I expected pain. She placed it gently on my cheek, her fingers felt like velvet as they moved through the tear streak I suddenly felt on my face.

  My head felt… funny.

  I shivered. Was it fear? Hunger for more of her touch? Or just my body, dying.

  “You had me. The fight was yours. Why did you spare me? Why did you turn your blade?”

  “I… didn’t.” Did I?

  “Are you sure? These two swords are powerful magic to be sure. But… they do not force our moves. They can not guide our hands.” She touched Nightstar then. I felt a surge of power go though me as both of us held the magic blade.

  Our life energies went through it and into each other. I convulsed. My eyes squeezed shut under the pressure of her pure spiritual power. It sent waves of euphoria through me. When I could force my eyes open again, she was studying me in a way that sent cold fire through my body.

  I could have thrust then. I had her. I should drive the blade home now, while I still can. All this fighting. It could all be over right now. All I had to do was push. And whatever she was, I was pretty sure Nightstar would kill her if it went through her heart. But I was still frozen. Her soft hand on my face, her other hand touching the blade. I was held in a piercing ember light.

  “Why?”

  “I… didn’t… I…”

  “Yes you did.” She studied me. Her eyes roaming about my face. Her gaze traveling the length of my body, opening slightly at the sight of my wound. The wound she had inflicted. “You don’t have long for this world do you? Poor, Andorian.” I didn’t want to see that look. That look in hr eyes. I didn’t want to see pity. She didn’t have the right. “Why did you spare me at the cost of your own life? What of freedom? What of Selene?”

  “I…” my voice was a low growl. “…did not spare you!” It had to be now. Now or never. I tensed again, both hands on Nightstar.

  “As you wish. As you wish.” Her eyes moved over my shoulder, looking at something behind me. “And you? Why would you do such a thing to him?” What? That’s right! It came back in a flash. That pain in my back that had sent me off my killing blow. I turned my head quickly.

  “De… Deirda?” No. No it couldn’t be. “Wha…why… hr…” I saw then. Her tear streaked face and in her hand, a crossbow. An empty crossbow. That pain.

  She had shot me.

  Shot me.

  “Why would you shoot your own brother?” I stared at Deirda. Her dark hair was hanging loosely about her face, down her back. Her hazel eyes were bloodshot from all the crying. She was shaking uncontrollably. I… I don’t understand. I wanted to ask. The light was fading so quickly now. What was she doing here?

  “Is this the freedom you long to protect, Andorian? The freedom to choose this type of action?” I knew she was looking at me, I just couldn’t tear my eyes away from my sister. My own flesh and blood. The only thing in this world that I had left to love.

  “Deirda?” My voice was low. I can’t believe this. Why sister? My only family. One of the last things I could protect.

  “Brother!” She sobbed loudly, dropping the crossbow. Clutching her stomach like she was about to wretch. She began walking towards me. Her night cloths were torn and bloodied at the bottom. What was she doing out here? Why had she… she shot me?

  “To think, you were about to end me. To stop the peace I could bring to the world. Now what will you do, Andorian?” I looked into those ember eyes. Her hand on my face was comforting. Too comforting. My mind was a mess. Was I even holding the sword? Was I? I had to look. Yes. Yes I was. And I could still end it. Could still…

  “Why did you spare me? Think. And her. Why did she shoot you? Her own brother? The only love of her life.” I just stared at her. As my strength ebbed, I could feel myself slipping down. I could feel myself slipping into those ember eyes. As everything else darkened around me, those eyes only grew brighter. “Now, you have one last chance. What will you do?” No. She was wrong. No more chances. I had no strength left. I let my head droop. I felt myself relax. My muscles were finally giving out on me. After so many years
of struggle. Since I was a child, raising my sister on my own. No parents. No family.

  I had survived the great battles in the north with the frozen dragons and giants of Gtoth. I had survived the battles at sea with the great captain No’ch. Left adrift for weeks, I had managed to survive. I had even managed to make it out of a castle with undead hounds snapping at my heels after I had slain their necromancer master.

  The battle of the great Touc. I had been the leader, the spear head that tore into the castle and took down the great, red king. So many battles. So many friends made and lost. Everyone I had every met, they were all gone now. All gone. So many battles won. So many lost. I had always managed to make it out alive.

  Through it all, every battle, I had her on my mind. My sister. For my sister I did things no man should have been able to do. I survived injuries and endured pain beyond imagining. All for her.

  Then, later, for Selene as well. For them, Selene and my sister, I had given everything and asked nothing.

  And now… now this body was about to end.

  I felt my head slump down onto a soft breast. The heavy mail had been ripped away by one of my earlier attacks, leaving only chain mail and her sheer undershirt. Yet, even through the chain mail, her breast felt very soft. Very warm. I could even hear her heart beat. A strong beat, unlike my own.

  “Poor boy.” Her hand was holding my head, gently running through my tangled hair.

  Nightstar. Where was Nightstar? I was on her completely now, pulled to her