(Kisaya POV)
I pulled my spear from the chest of another of Kudur's men and turned toward the rest. Most of them backed away. The few who remained had gone rigid, their legs trembling beneath them.
"Lord Sahir, isn't that…?"
Sahir tightened his grip on his sword and stepped forward.
"Yes. That's Kisaya. I'll hold her for as long as I can." He glanced at the others. "Get out of here and report her position."
Several men turned to run.
Sahir began tracing a rune. As soon as he finished, it flashed, and dark orange spiritual energy spread across his body, making his skin glow.
I grabbed the sword from the soldier lying at my feet and threw it at the closest one. Sahir saw it leave my hand and shifted to intercept it.
Spiritual energy surged through my legs. I closed the distance and drove my spear toward his chest. Sahir had no choice but to turn back and raise his sword, catching the spearhead just before it reached him.
The sword I had thrown continued past his shoulder. A cry sounded behind him, followed by the impact of a body hitting the ground.
Sahir gritted his teeth and forced my spear aside. I thrust again before he could recover, driving the spear into his shoulder. The spearpoint tore through his clothes but barely entered his skin.
"Tsk…" He steadied himself and raised his sword. "How can you kill your own people so easily?"
I attacked again.
With both of my runes still active, Sahir couldn't keep up with me. His defense was the only thing keeping him alive. I struck his ribs, changed direction, and caught him in the thigh. Neither blow pierced deeply, but each impact forced him farther back.
He tried to advance between my attacks. I turned the shaft and struck him across the face, then drove the spearpoint into his chest. Again, his rune prevented it from penetrating.
Sweat ran down my face. I had already been fighting before he arrived, and my legs were beginning to cramp.
I needed to finish this.
I thrust at his chest again. Sahir caught the attack on his sword and shoved my spear aside, stepping forward to strike. I pulled back just enough to avoid his blade, then swept my spear into his supporting leg.
His knee buckled.
Sahir began to fall, swinging his sword toward me as he went down. I let the spear continue its arc, brought it around behind my back, and caught the shaft with my other hand. Before he hit the ground, I drove the point into his throat with all the strength I had left.
The dark orange light resisted for an instant. Then the spear broke through. Sahir's body struck the ground.
I pulled the weapon free and took an unsteady step back. My chest rose and fell as I struggled to catch my breath, and my fingers cramped around the shaft.
"One less…" I managed between breaths.
I looked toward the street where the others had escaped.
My grip tightened around the spear, and I started after them. On the third step, my legs buckled. I stumbled and caught myself with one hand against the ground. The ring he had given me caught what little moonlight reached the street.
I stared at it, unable to move my hand.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry…
Drops struck the back of my hand and ran between my fingers.
I have to go back.
I pushed myself upright and started walking toward the temple. On the way, my thoughts returned to the same problem. I need to find a way to fight without activating my second rune. It consumes too much spiritual energy. But I knew I couldn't. The moment I stopped using it, my anger would take over, and I might make a mistake.
I can't die until I've killed Kudur… then I can join him in the underworld.
As I neared the temple, I spread my spiritual energy outward just long enough to check the surrounding streets. A thin violet layer expanded around me. Once I was sure no one was nearby, I let the zone collapse and kept walking.
I'll have to move him again soon.
When the temple finally came into view, I stopped.
Its doors were open.
Had someone found him? My heart began beating harder.
No…
I poured all the spiritual energy I could into my legs and crossed the remaining distance. I passed through the temple so quickly that I nearly struck one of the walls as I turned toward the stairs.
It only took me a few seconds to get there. My spear slipped from my hand and struck the floor. Pieces of wood lay scattered across the room. Some had landed several steps away, while smaller splinters covered the ground around the coffin.
There was a large hole in its lid. I approached slowly, already knowing what I would find. When I looked through the opening, the coffin was empty.
For a few seconds, I could only stare.
How…
How dare they?
I'll kill them all.
…
(Ereshgal POV)
I remained at the edge of the roof, watching the battle below.
I recognized many of the people fighting around Bazi's workshop. Some belonged to the city guard, while others had served in different branches of Uruk's army. Every face I could identify belonged to Uruk.
Red strips of cloth had been tied around some of their arms. The others wore white.
The soldiers wearing red were winning. They had surrounded the white faction and were gradually forcing them back toward the workshop. Every time the defenders tried to break through, the circle closed around them again.
Blood covered the ground between both sides and I felt my fangs press against the inside of my mouth. The worst of the thirst had passed, but my body still reacted to every fresh wound below.
I forced myself to concentrate on the fight.
Who was I supposed to help? Which side belonged to my father?
The colors meant nothing to me. I was about to focus on the voices below and listen for anything that could identify them when someone came flying out of the workshop. The figure crossed the street and slammed into the building beneath me. The impact cracked part of the clay wall before they dropped heavily to the ground.
"There's no point resisting" someone called from inside the workshop. "Look around. We're winning. Join us, and Lord Kudur will forgive your betrayal. Your runes are too useful to waste."
For a moment, the figure beneath me didn't move. Then he let out a mocking laugh, as though the offer itself were ridiculous.
"Really? Do you think you can convince him to keep my oath simple? One joke a day. He wouldn't even have to laugh, of course."
"Enough, Darek! Do you have any idea what position you're in?"
Darek? What was he doing fighting Kudur's men?
"That's exactly why I'm doing it." Darek coughed, one hand pressing against his side. "No one expects a joke from the man they're about to kill."
A man emerged from the workshop and walked toward him. I recognized Tarin immediately. He shook his head as he approached, his sword already raised. "I never thought I would have to kill you."
Darek looked up at him.
"Kudur is the king who will lead Uruk to its true glory" Tarin continued.
Darek began to laugh.
"You've always been impulsive and a little stupid" he said between laughs. "But are you really this stupid?"
Tarin stopped. "You don't know—"
"Do you even know what deal your precious king made to gather all the support he has now?" Darek interrupted. "Do you?"
"The affairs of my king are none of my concern."
Darek's laughter ended.
"You really are that stupid."
"Shut up!" Tarin adjusted his grip and started toward him.
I gathered spiritual energy in my legs and forced more into my right hand. I leaped from the roof, landing behind Tarin before he could take another step. I held my fingers together and drove my hand through his back. Bone gave way beneath the impact, and my hand emerged from the center of his chest.
Warm blood covered my fingers and ran down my wrist.
Tarin's body jerked. His sword remained raised for a moment as he slowly looked down at the bloodied hand protruding from his chest.
"What…?"
Tarin slowly turned his head toward me. The moment he saw my face, his eyes widened.
"Am I dreaming…?" he whispered. His gaze lost focus, and the sword slipped from his fingers. I pulled my hand out of his chest and let his body fall.
Darek was staring at me with his mouth open. My eyes moved to the strip of white cloth tied around his arm.
"The red ones. Kudur's?"
Darek nodded. "Every one of them."
"And if they get away?"
"They'll report this position. Probably come back with twice as many."
I bent down and picked up Tarin's sword before turning toward the soldiers. The closest man wearing red had his back to me. I reached him in seconds and cut through his neck with a single strike.
His head struck the ground beside him.
The fighting stopped almost immediately. Soldiers from both factions turned toward me, trying to understand where I had come from. Fresh blood ran down Tarin's sword and covered my hand.
For an instant, I wanted to drop beside the body and drink while the blood was still warm. I swallowed and forced my attention onto the remaining soldiers.
One of Kudur's men stared at the corpse, then at me.
"Chosen!" he shouted. "There's another Chosen here!"
"Retreat!"
The red faction broke apart. Some fled into the nearby streets, while others tried to push past the defenders.
A second sword lay beside one of the bodies. I hooked my foot beneath its hilt, kicked it upward, and caught it with my free hand.
I reached the first man before he made it to the end of the street. He turned when he heard me, raising his weapon too late. My right-hand sword knocked it aside, and the blade in my left passed through his throat.
The men ahead began separating, each choosing a different direction.
It didn't help.
I caught one as he tried to climb over a barricade and cut across his back. Two others turned to face me together. The first swung at my neck while the second came from my left.
I ducked beneath the first attack, opened the man's stomach, and turned in time to catch the other sword between both of mine. I forced it down and drove one blade into its owner's chest.
By then, the remaining soldiers had abandoned their weapons to run faster.
I continued after them.
Every new wound added more blood to the air. The burning in my throat grew stronger, and my eyes kept moving toward the exposed skin beneath their armor. I could hear their hearts racing as I approached, each beat becoming louder until my swords silenced it.
One by one, I caught them.
When the last man fell, no one else wearing red remained standing.
I stopped in the middle of the street with a sword in each hand. Blood ran from both blades and dripped from my fingers.
Behind me, the soldiers wearing white had gone completely silent.