Guul'Zaroth Ch.34 - Fate of One

I

With a splash, Rolf's hand cleared the surface of the lake and gripped the, for him atleast, solid edge. Another moment later and he pulled the rest of his body up and climbed back onto the river of souls.

Kneeled down, nearly fifty metres away, was a mysterious figure. A hairless, gaunt, gangly looking man with teeth filed to points and black burns all across the right side of his body. His eyes were wild and unfocused and his limbs were covered in sleek muscles. The figure directed its head toward Rolf, eyes steering off in different directions and lips spreading into an impossibly wide smile. "Hahhh," it breathed, fingers slowly locking themselves around the hilts of the twin swords on his belt. "Raggedy boy!"

It took Rolf a few moments to properly take in what he was seeing, but he knew it couldn't have been anyone else. "Gutterwink," he growled. "Where's Laurelei!"

"Hahahahahhh! Princess lives... for now!"

Keeping his eyes locked on Gutterwink, Rolf pulled off his coat and tossed it aside. "It's new, and I don't wanna get your blood all over it."

Simultaneously, both warriors unsheathed their weapons and stared one another down. Then, from below, sweeping up from the river, came the reapers. With a series of splashes, they burst forth, one after another, arriving in droves. The swirled through the air and came to hover at the edges of the river. Forming rows upon rows of skeletal spectators, Reapers lined the river's entire length in the hundreds. They made no movements, or attempts to interefere. They just observed.

Rolf and Gutterwink alike gawked at the spectacle for only a brief moment, before returning their attention to one another.

"Good," said Rolf. "I'm glad I'll have an audience for when I finally put you down."

Gutterwink replied with a taunting laugh. Rolf answered with a battle roar, and the combatants charged toward one another.

They met at the centre of the river, Gutterwink delivered a cross slash and Rolf blocked. Immediately, Gutterwink followed up with a flurry of rapid strokes. One after another, he rained down diagonal slashes, left and right. Rolf was forced to practically hide behind his blade to protect himself.

There was an instant of pause in Gutterwink's assault and Rolf raised his sword to capitalize. Gutterwink was quick as an arrow and before Rolf could bring his weapon down, the assassin darted low and delieved twin slashes.

He did his best to get out of the way, but Rolf could barely manage a side step before suffering a pair of deep cuts along his ribs. He gasped loudly. His blood spilled from the wounds, spattered against the river and disappeared below.

Gutterwink darted past his target with the attack and stood at Rolf's back, smiling ear to ear with bloodlust.

Both men whirled to face one another and yet again, Gutterwink was faster. Curved blades swung downward, but Rolf blocked high, one hand on the hilt and the other braced against the blade.

Without a thought, Gutterwink kicked Rolf hard in his fresh wound.

He let out a sharp breath and stumbled back, leaving Gutterwink free to attack again. He unleashed another flurry, his swords a dervish of steel. He twirled his blades and swung out of a backspin, striking from every angle imaginable.

"No!" ROlf roared aloud. "I won't die again! NOT! TO! YOU!!!" He did everything he could to parry but the twin swords were nearly impossible to counter. He suffered an array of deep cuts across his knuckles, forearms and biceps. In a matter of seconds, Gutterwink's steel had left Rolf's arms drenched in red. So far, he had managed to keep any attacks connecting solidly but he was in a living body again, he could still die from blood loss if things continued like this.

But he wasn't the only one suffering in the battle. Gutterwink's face was drenched with sweat and laboured breaths were pouring from between his bestial teeth.

Rolf turned his blade suddenly and deflected Gutterwink's next attack. He readied to swing, but the assassin's second sword struck Rolf clean across the crook of his leg, and buckled him down to one knee.

Gutterwink's eyes lit up with glee and he swung both swords, connecting with Wulfsever and driving Rolf back.

Rolf used the force of the blow to his advantaged and rolled with it. He hit the ground shoulder first and swung his legs back, performing a full revolution and coming to stand on his feet again.

Bent over, chest heaving and with sweat dripping from his body, Gutterwink appeared completely exhausted.

It was Rolf's turn to smile. "Idiot!" he roared as he lunged forward. His body turned as he moved, building up as much momentum with his sword as possible before arcing it down on his foe.

Gutterwink tried to parry, but the blow was so powerful that it knocked his blades aside. Before he could recover, Rolf followed through on the momentum completely, performing a second, complete revolution and bringing his blade above his head once more.

Gutterwink leapt backwards, but Wulfsever was already descending. From his right collarbone, to his left hip, Gutterwink's flesh was sliced and his blood poured out in a massive gout.

He staggered back, looking upon his own wound with horror. "... No," he gurgled. "Nooooo! NO! NO! NO!!! RRRRAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHH!!!" His scream was a rattling, wrenching noise, but worse yet was his counterattack. Blood spraying everywhere, adrenaline fired up and he lunged back into the fray, shrieking all the while.

As Gutterwink closed in, Rolf shifted his stance in preparation. Squared shoulders, feet spaced apart, and sword held firmly.

The assault was vicious and swift at first. Gutterwink became a torrent of biting swords and sweeping legs. His attacks darted low one instant and came from the air the next. But Rolf kept backing up, parrying with the most minimal movements and wasting almost no energy. Meanwhile, his opponent left a long trail of blade as they fought up and down the river. With every passing moment, Gutterwink's attacks got more and more sluggish.

Getting nowhere, he screamed and roared again, leaping into the air, somersaulting over Rolf's head and dropping toward his back, swords first. But Rolf need not even turn, bracing his sword across his shoulders and deflecting the attack.

With a whirl, Rolf flicked Gutterwink's swords aside, spun to face his foe and swept his blade across the ground, aiming for the ankles.

Using the last ounces of his energy, Gutterwink backflipped over Rolf's edge. His usual agility abandoned him as he hit the ground feet first but immediately fell prone.

Scampering and struggling he got back to his feet, but found that Rolf still wasn't pressing his attack. He just waited and maintained his guard. "How!?" Gutterwink roared. "Raggedy boy was weak, weak, weak! How!"

"Still haven't figured it out?" Rolf said with a smirk. "It's been a long time since you were human, hasn't it? Centuries, right? Well it's only been a few months for me. I still remember how to fight like one. But you? You don't even understand what exhaustion is anymore. You just swing as hard and as fast as you can until your opponents are dead. That might work as a necronom, but not here."

Gutterwink gurgled, coughed and snapped his jaws, barely able to stand anymore without the aid of his sword.

"You tired out quickly, too. You look like you were an old bastard before you died."

Then, over Gutterwink's shoulder, Rolf spied something in the portal. Laurelei had crawled into view and was looking in on the battle with awe.

"Time to finish this," Rolf said, sword held at the ready.

Gutterwink seemed to agree and with a mad howl, he stepped to Rolf's left and leapt forward once again. Rolf dove in, Gutterwink whirled in air. Rolf thrust his sword forward and slashed with all the weight in his body. Gutterwink's blade cut between Rolf's ribs, carving out a clean slice from front to back, right where his heart should be. Wulfsever tore straight through the right side of Gutterwink's torso, piercing out of his back and embedding itself down to the hilt.

Both warriors spat up a mouthful of blood and stumbled forward, leaning on one another for support.

Gutterwink smiled and gurgled out one laugh between coughing fits. "Gutterwink cut the heart."

"N-not exactly," Rolf replied.

Then, there came a stir among the reapers.

"What!?" Gutterwink growled.

Rolf shoved his foe backwards and stumbling to the ground while yanking his sword free. "This world is like a mirror. The dead live and the living die. But it's more literal than that, left is right and right is left."

Gutterwink was motionless, laid out upon the river of souls and slowly gushing out his essence.

"I first noticed it when my sword had moved to my right side. I wasn't sure at first but then when I saw you, I knew exactly what I was doing. Your burns were on the wrong side. And so is your heart."

From below the surface of the river, rose another reaper, right behind Gutterwink's fallen body. Like a puppet, dragged into the air, Gutterwink was levitated skyward. The reaper stretched it's arms out to its side and Gutterwink's body was forced to mimic the pose.

"No!" he barked.

A great scythe materialized in the air before him, hovering in place.

"No!!" he screamed again.

The scythe swung forward like a pendulum, slicing Gutterwink perfectly down the middle, and then dissipating.

"NO!!!" he screamed one final time, his howl fading as his two halves scattered into hundreds of black moths. The insects swarmed around the reaper, drawn to its presence.

With what remained of Gutterwink in tow, the reaper vanished into the river, along with the rest of its kind.

After a flurry of movement and black cloth, Rolf was alone and staring through the portal at Laurelei.

"Rolf!" she cried, her face a mix of relief and concern.

"Don't worry," he called back. "I'm alright." Donning his coat once more, he started the slow march back toward the portal.

II

"Dear sister!" came a voice from the entrance, tauntingly gleeful.

Laurelei whipped around to see Atticus Lockhart in the threshold, flanked on either side by the archer Orso Khan and Count Orlov. Orso's bow was drawn with an arrow knocked and Orlov stood by sneering with his hands tucked behind his back.

"Atticus! And Count Orlov, you're-! How?"

Within an instant, Rolf was already dashing for the gate in spite of his injuries.

"Details, Laurelei. Such unimportant details," said Atticus with a dismissive wave. "The real question is, precisely what is going on behind you?" He peered past the girl and into the portal where Rolf was getting ever closer. "Orso, do handle that."

At his master's word, Orso loosed an arrow. It whipped past Laurelei's head, so close that she could feel it move her hair. In an instant it traveled through the gate, into the afterlife and into Rolf's knee.

He gasp in pain as he collapsed a mere fifteen metres from the gate. "Dammit!" he screamed, punching the ground. "Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!"

Atticus strode forward and reached down, snatching Laurelei by the collar of her cloak and lifting her off the ground. "I missed you so, dear sister."

She struggled and fought against him, but there was nothing she could do. No matter how hard she kicked or fought, he wouldn't let go.

"Atticus!" Rolf roared as he struggled to get back up. With all the might in his arms, he managed to climb to one knee. "Get your hands off of her!"

"Oh?" said the prince. "How adorable, you think you can intimidate me." With the most casual flick of his wrist, he tossed Laurelei aside and sent her body sailing across the mausoleum.

With a solid thud she smacked chest first against the stone wall and then fell to the ground in a barely conscious sprawl.

"Bastard!" cried Rolf.

"So you're the boy then?" said Atticus. "You're the reason my sister's still alive. The reason I've been forced to come all the way down here to finish things myself. I sent Gutterwink ahead to take care of you but it seems you've somehow evaded my best assassin as well." The prince offered a small, sarcastic applause.

"I didn't evade him, I killed him. Just like I'm going to kill you!" Rolf sprang forward and raised his sword. He made a dash for the gate and leaped toward it, blade readied for a lunging slash.

The attack would never come, as the moment Rolf's head pass through the gate, Atticus delivered a swift, brutal kick to the jaw and sent him reeling back into the afterlife.

"Hmhmhm!" he laughed as he stamped his foot down on the sigil.

Between the exhaustion and the aching pain all through her body, Laurelei spotted Orso standing over her with an arrow knocked and a sorrowful expression, and Atticus ready to rub out the sigil with his boot.

"Don't! Atticus I'll do whatever you want, just please don't touch the sigil!"

He looked back at her over his shoulder, her face painted with ache and anguish. Then, he swiped his foot to the left and smeared the sigil.

Everyone in the room was completely silent for a long moment. The gate wavered and Atticus smiled devilishly.

All the while, small tears formed in the corner of Laurelei's eyes. "You can't leave me... alone."

"Atticus!" Rolf howled. His voice lingered and echoed around the mausoleum for a brief instant after the gate vanished.

Laurelei whimpered softly. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks and though she wanted to scream and fight and call her brother every foul, hurtful word she knew, she couldn't do anything. Her whole body felt completely numb.

"Laurelei," said Orlov at last.

Slowly, she turned to look at him, as did everyone everyone else in the room.

"Run!"

Before anyone could make a move, Orlov pulled his hands from behind his back and unleashed a flurry of magical energy. The first blast caught Orso off guard and battered his chest, throwing him to the ground. His bow flew out his hand and his arrow fired wide.

With Orso down, Laurelei immediately shifted into bat form and took to the sky.

The second attack was aimed for Atticus, but the Prince weaved below the blast and darted across the room. Before Orlov could ready a third spell, Atticus was upon him, clutched him around the jaw and the back of his head, and delivered a sharp twist.

There was a thunderous snap and then Orlov's limp body collapsed to the floor.

In an instant, Atticus turned his glare upon Orso. "What the hell are you doing!? Shoot her down!"

The vampire nodded before scooping up his bow and dashing into the graveyard. His keen eyes spotted her immediately, a tiny black shape against the twilight sky. It was nearly one-hundred metres away and getting farther every moment. He drew his bow, centred his aim and paused. The bowstring sang and the arrow loosed and darted through the air. It seemed a difficult shot, but the arrow was on track, and arcing swiftly toward its target.

"...I missed," said Orso after a long silence.

"What?" said Atticus, his voice a slithering  hiss. With both hands he snatched Orso by the collar and threw him to the ground. "You missed! You do not miss! A pin-point shot at this range is child's play to you! You missed on purpose!"

The archer laid in the snow on his hands and knees, shaking his head. "No," Orso said in a meek, simpering voice.

"Now you lie to me!" The prince kicked him hard in the ribs and proceeded to press his foot to Orso's throat. "You ungrateful little pest! I save from torment and death! I give you a position of worth and power and you dare to disobey me!"

Orso whimpered beneath his master's boot and clutched at his pant leg, begging for breath.

With a scoff, he lifted his boot and looked away. "Get up. Now. The sun is rising and there is work to be done."