Ultimate Fireheart Fantasy Collection, page 39
Throwing me into a wall.
The guard smashed his fists into my head.
He cut my cheek.
I whacked him across the face.
His grip weakened.
I slammed my leg upwards.
His manly tools crushed.
He fell to the ground in agony.
I snapped his neck.
Another Guard charged over.
I thrusted my sword through his neck.
The corpse fell.
It hit the ground. The head snapped off the body.
Hellen whacked and whacked Guards as she fought.
Armour and bones and flesh were crushed.
Alessandria sliced and slashed into warm flesh.
I swung my sword at a Guard.
He screamed.
He spun around.
Punching me in the chest.
I stumbled back.
He slashed his sword against my trench coat.
He cut it.
He cut it!
I jumped into the air.
Kicking him in the face.
His teeth flew out.
Blood sprayed up the wall.
I grabbed his head.
Smashing it into the wall.
I smashed it again and again.
His skull cracked.
I didn’t stop.
His skull cracked more and more.
Until it cracked entirely.
Turning around I saw Hellen and Alessandria smiling as they stood over multiple corpses. All those horrid, foul guards were dead.
I mean how dare they work for the Lord Justice. How dare they protect someone who tried to hurt me, my sister, my friends but most of all Harrison. Harrison can’t walk because of this monster. I was more than happy to rip his throat out.
With my dulled blade spinning rapidly, we all walked over to the ugly blood covered iron door. Alessandria cocked her head as she looked at the lock.
“Can’t ya just whack it open?” Hellen asked, looking at her massive stick.
Alessandria smiled.
I looked at the door as well. I haven’t noticed this before but there was a strange diamond-shaped keyhole in the door. This was no normal key. That was of course if it was a key.
“What is this?” I asked pointing to the room behind the door.
“It’s an old wartime office. Maybe 260 years old,” Alessandria said.
Kneeling down so I was level with the diamond-shaped keyhole, I kept turning my head between the keyhole and my middle finger.
“What ya thinking?”
I didn’t answer Hellen. Instead I pressed my middle finger and my long nail into the diamond keyhole. Of course it didn’t fit but I managed to get some of my nail in.
Then I focused on my nail imagining it growing inside and acting as a key. My body knew what I was trying to do so drawing on a tiny portion of the Flesheater ability. My nail thickened and grew.
I turned my nail. The door clicked open. Someone’s head was about to roll.
CHAPTER 23
6 Hours After Resurrection
Holding the cold metal hilt of her sword tight in her hand ready to strike, Alessandria stepped into the old war office. The smell of dust and musty old parchment filled her senses. Leaving a bad mustard taste in her mouth. She could feel the dust coat her skin.
Looking around Alessandria frowned at the large office lit well by a beautiful large candle chandelier where wax dripped onto the cold hard grey stone floor below.
Alessandria hated the bookshelves outlining the entire office. They were collapsed and the parchment covered in bright green mould. This was not acceptable.
Then there he was. The Lord Justice. Sitting there at a large black wooden desk facing Alessandria, Hellen and Daniel. He looked up then he returned to writing something on some parchment.
Alessandria hated him. How could such a good man be so evil and corrupt? How could he pay for a Cult to break into the museum and start a killing rampage all over Ordericous? And almost bring back a homophobic, sexist Saint?
The Lord Justice got up from his desk. Showing off his long silk white robes of office. Alessandria wanted to burn them. He was a disgrace to the Procurators and Justice. But those robes did highlight his well-aged face.
Although what Alexander really wanted to kill him for was hurting Nemesio. Right now her beautiful, perfect Nemesio was in a hospital bed recovering. After the Flamesword's action had caused Nemesio to get the life sucked out of him!
Alessandria stepped forward. Feeling the cold hard stone ground under her feet.
“My dearest Lady Alessandria, I am sorry for the Cult. They went too far. If it helps Master Daniel, I did order the Cult not to hurt you, Harrison or your family,”
Daniel gripped his sword.
Alessandria stopped ten metres from him. “It does not help. Why? Why the Cult? Why the Triad? Why try and kill the Queen?”
“My dearest Lady Alessandria, I... I have been a Procurator all my life. When you sit in my seat. You see the corruption that infects Ordericous. The Nobility is half the problem,”
Alessandria shook her head. She knew as a Dominicus Procurator that her country wasn’t perfect. The land of Fireheart was close to perfect but the other noble Houses. They all had their corrupted secrets. From affairs to murders to sexual abuse. It all happened sadly. But she also knew she was a defender of the innocent and Alessandria had done a lot of good in the past few months to right these many wrongs.
“How will killing the Queen help?” Alessandria asked.
“She is the enabler. The Queen is weak. She depends on the Nobility’s support so she cannot challenge them. When the Word Bearer and the Weaver of Fate rule. This will not be a problem,”
Alessandria stopped at the Lord Justice’s words. That phrase again. The Weaver of Fate. She had to find out what it was. If nothing else that to protect her Father’s memory.
“Who is Fateweaver?” Alessandria asked.
“He is the King. A Master of Magic. He is the person who weaves everyone’s fate to his design. I tried once to escape but my fate was already weaved. I might die today but the Weaver of Fate still lives,”
The Lord Justice whipped out his sword.
Alessandria and Daniel did the same.
They charged.
Hellen followed.
The Lord Justice whipped out another sword.
He slashed and lashed at Alessandria.
He slapped Alessandria across the face.
Daniel slammed into the Flamesword.
The Flamesword head butted him.
Daniel was distracted.
The Flamesword smashed his fists into Daniel.
Daniel fell to the floor.
The Flamesword swung.
The swords were close to Daniel’s face.
Alessandria met both blades.
The Flamesword looked at Alessandria.
They struggled for their swords.
Both pressing and pulling at each other.
Hellen went to whack him with her massive stick.
The Flamesword elbowed Alessandria in the ribs.
He dodged Hellen’s blow.
Daniel rolled forward.
Punching the Flamesword’s man tool.
It didn’t even hurt him.
The Flamesword stomped on Daniel.
Daniel screamed.
Alessandria tackled the Flamesword to the ground.
The Flamesword went to swing.
Hellen whacked both his hands.
His hands shattered.
Every bone in his hands shattered.
He dropped his swords.
Alessandria wrapped her hands around his throat. His aged skin feeling strange in her hands.
She squeezed. “Who is the Word Bearer?”
The Flamesword gagged.
“Who is he?” Alessandria asked.
The Flamesword turned his head just enough to look at Daniel.
“Master Daniel, I am sorry. I do not hate your kind. The Word Bearer does. He will kill you and Harrison before you’re married. The Weaver of Fate-”
The air crackled with magical energy.
Alessandria shot back.
The Flamesword went into a fit.
His bones cracking.
His muscles and joints popping.
The Flamesword screamed as his body convulsed.
It continued to convulse until his own neck muscles snapped.
Alessandria swore under her breath.
“Alessandria,” Daniel said.
She hadn’t realised Daniel had moved over to the desk until the Flamesword’s seizure and he passed over the parchment the Flamesword was writing on before they came in.
Alessandria read it and a small smile broke on her face.
“Ya gonna tell us what it says?” Hellen asked.
Alessandria read it.
“My Dearest Lady Alessandria, I am not sorry for being a part of the Triad. It is Glorious but the Fateweaver is not. All I know is this: he lives in between all the lives of us and he rests in front of the Loom of Fates. Falling asleep as he weaves the Loom. Lots of Love Lord Justice,”
Daniel cocked his head. Alessandria thought he probably wanted her to continue but that was it.
“That was useful,” Daniel said.
Alessandria ignored him and put the letter in her pocket. It was a lead, a bad lead but a lead nonetheless. And she would take that.
Of course, she would hunt down Fateweaver and the Word Bearer but that was tomorrow’s problem. There were other things that needed to be taken care of first.
CHAPTER 24
8 Hours After Resurrection
The smell of sweet rose petals and burning orange oil filled my senses wonderfully as I stepped into the Queen’s office at the top of the castle. A sweet orange scented cloud of smoke gently brushed over my skin. My mouth watered at the thought of eating an orange.
I really did love all these expensive goods but I love Harrison even more.
Looking around I was amazed at the wonderfully carved gold statues of past heroes and the (awful) former King. The smooth polished grey marble walls were a pure statement of power and wealth. As were the solid gold frames of some beautiful paintings hanging on the marble walls.
My feet moved slightly as I felt the cool lustrous rug under them and my dulled blade spun very slowly in my hand. I was perfectly happy in here. No noise. No annoying people. No troubles.
Then I looked towards the reason I was here. Sitting at an oversized shiny brown wooden desk that was covered in neat piles of parchment sat my wonderful old friend the Queen.
I did admire her stunning white silk dress that sparkled slightly in the morning sunlight coming through the massive polished glass windows.
Her youthful features were only highlighted and amplified by the natural light. If I was straight I could imagine myself trying to go after her. But I wasn't thankfully.
My mind turned my attention to why I was here, my clever beautiful Harrison was right. The Church viewed the Queen as a living god. There was no living higher authority so she could easily sanctify our marriage. Just the thought of running my hands through Harrison's beautiful hair telling him the good news made me smile.
But I needed to convince her first. On paper sure this was an easy thing to do but in reality, this was almost impossible. The Church, the Inquisitorial Orders and the Nobility hated the Queen for her Liberal attitudes. They wouldn't support her sanctifying a gay marriage. Yet I had to ask. I had to ask for my Harrison. I didn't want to let him down.
The sound of the Queen putting down her white writing feather and putting the lid on her inkpot made my attention return to her.
With extreme elegance (far more elegance than I ever would be able to do) the Queen got up, tucked her chair in and regally walked over to stand beside me. I could smell her strong expensive flowery perfume from here.
“Master Fireheart, I was not expecting you to request a visit. It is good to see you but I must confess I was puzzled at first and I was extremely saddened to hear about Harrison. I sent a royal guard to watch over him,” the Queen said.
I was slightly taken back by her sending a guard to watch and protect him. That was very kind of her.
“May we skip the formalities?” I asked.
She smiled. “I am afraid not, Master Fireheart. I confess that I have a suspicion to why you are here. I am acting as Queen, not as your friend,”
Really?
“What am I here to ask?”
“You are here to request that I sanctify yours and Harrison’s marriage since we both know the Church will not,”
I have to give her credit. She is well informed and very clever.
“Will you sanctify it?” I asked.
The Queen stood up straight and elegantly walked in a circle around me twice before stopping.
“I would love nothing more but I am afraid that I cannot. It is not possible. Master Fireheart, this request puts me in an impossible position,”
A part of me knew that she would say this. I knew she would. I knew I was asking for the impossible but I had to keep trying for Harrison.
“Your Majesty, you have the House of Fireheart’s full support. We control the military and-”
“I appreciate the support, Master Fireheart. I do but the Church and the other Noble Houses. They will extreme power over their people. The Church showed me this lately in fact,”
My eyes narrowed on the Queen.
“The Church ordered their worshippers to attack the dock. Nothing too untoward just enough damage to draw my attention. Over 5,000 worshippers marched, Master Fireheart. It wasn’t even a Holy Service that day,”
I wanted to shout and scream at her. How dare the Church do this. How dare they think themselves as living gods and that they have the right to attack.
However, I knew the Queen was making a good point. How could she do something that threatened a war with the Church? Considering they controlled thousands, probably hundreds of thousands. Then I remembered something.
“Your Majesty, do you know how many gays, lesbians, etc are in Ordericous?” I asked.
“I confess I do not Master Fireheart. It is only in my land and Fireheart land where homosexuals are allowed to express themselves freely,”
I smiled at her. “Last year, I read an interesting report that said 10% of Ordericous was a homosexual,”
The Queen allowed a small smile to break her youthful features.
“I presume you also know that the House of Fireheart’s land is the second largest with 28% of the population on it and we have the Military,”
She smiled a little more. “Master Fireheart, I think I understand your point. If I sanctify the marriage all the homosexuals in Ordericous will almost certainly be loyal to me. Then I get the additional support of your people and the Military,”
The Queen elegantly paced for a few moments. I really hoped I had done enough. I didn’t want to fail Harrison. He was so desperate to marry me. And I know the Queen loved me and Harrison like brothers like something akin to that behind closed doors.
The Queen looked around, presumably to check if the room was clear, before looking at me.
“Daniel, of course I will sanctify the marriage. In fact, I shall do more than bless the marriage with holy water. I will perform it. Of course, if you want,”
A shriek of delight came from my mouth and I hugged her tightly. She was amazing!
Me and Harrison were getting married!
CHAPTER 25
10 Hours After Resurrection
The sound of dripping water echoed around the damp dark stone tunnel as Alessandria stepped inside. The only light coming from a tiny gap in the stone tens of metres above her.
Alessandria frowned at the smell of drains and urine as the water dripped down the walls and ceiling. Thankfully none of the water touched her but the smell did make her fancy a sandwich for some reason. She could taste the fresh meat now.
She was only thinking that to distract herself from the awful smell but what Alessandria did like about his tunnel was the great coolness of it. Outside it was a boiling hot day. Down here it was very nice and cool.
Looking around her, she definitely thought this aqueduct or whatever it really was was a great feat of engineering considering it was probably 1500 years old. The large tunnel made from dark black stone served again water way back in the day. But now at least the water had been diverted yet thus tunnel was still barely accessible. It had taken her about 45 minutes to travel the kilometre-long network of deadly tight tunnels and broken walkways to get here.
Whilst this wasn't the best place it had to do. Alessandria had summoned Daniel and her mother in secret. They needed to talk about Fateweaver. If one managed to survive her Father, then the Fateweaver needed to die. And after watching the Lord Justice snap his own neck, she had no illusions to how powerful Fateweaver was.
Of course, Alessandria had wanted to bring Nemesio to this talk but he was a risk. Her father had made sure they and Harrison were immune to Fateweaver's powers and manipulations. Nemesio was not immune. It wasn't hard to imagine Fateweaver manipulating Nemesio to tell it what we knew. As much as Alessandria hated the thought she needed to watch Nemesio.
A part of Alessandria thought it was weird that her Father had made Harrison immune. At the time, all her Father knew was Daniel had a massive crush on the straight boy. So why make him immune?
Alessandria shook the thought away. There was a lot about she didn't know about her Father's final year. The hunt for the Fateweavers, his death and his time with Daniel were all unknowns. But she knew that her Father did everything for his family. He made sure Daniel could control his rage and autism. Her father loved them all.
The sound of wet footsteps came up behind her. Making Alessandria turn around to see Daniel in his black leather trench coat, boots and trousers. Playing with his beautiful gold wedding ring and spinning his dulled blade slowly in his other hand.
When Daniel got closer he gave Alessandria a massive smile and an even bigger hug. Alessandria was a bit shocked. Daniel had never hugged her like this before.
“I’m getting married!” Daniel shouted in Alessandria’s ear.
