EXTRACTS FROM THE COMING OF THE SLAYER

CHAPTER 6

These were sights and sounds that Jaq had never had the opportunity to experience in her brief life. Indeed they were sights and sounds that she would never have contemplated having the opportunity to taste. It was like being thrown back to the Middle Ages or more likely the tales of King Arthur with all his myths and magic. She smiled as she walked and marvelled at everything going on around her in the busy streets of Kalna. Not for the last time did she feel that she belonged here.

She understood that Kalna was one of the largest cities in the Middle Lands, Capital of the Country of Rioja, which in itself was one of the most prosperous countries, perhaps only second to Calahorra. As such the city saw a great deal of trade from distant parts, from the rich farmlands eastward, the trade across the great river from Calahorra and also close enough to receive the exotic from the darks lands over the inland sea to the south of the country.

They said you could buy almost everything in the market at Kalna but, as she passed crowded shadow filled alleys, Jaq imagined that not everything would be displayed in this main street. She was a stranger to these lands and although many of the goods were recognisable to her there were fascinating foods and goods that she had never seen before.

She paused before a stall comprising of a large handcart that doubled as a serving counter for fruits. She marvelled as people crowded round, almost fighting, to buy small red fruits, similar to plums but much brighter. After a few minutes the crowd moved on, the little old man behind the barrow seemingly sold out.

Unable a resist any longer she stepped forward.

"What were those fruits, old timer?" she enquired.

The man, half bent over a box, seemed to startle at the question and dropped the pineapple he held.

"Who wants to know?" he asked, eyeing her suspiciously. "You's got the look of the guards about you but you ain't."

"Just interested, my friend," she smiled. " Even if I am a soldier I'm not on duty now."

"You ain't from these parts is you?" he said, looking her up and down.

"You might say that," she laughed.

"I don'ts place your accent," he said. "It's got a bit of Rioja in it but it aint."

             "Like you said I'm not from these parts," she smiled.

CHAPTER 11

A vast chamber stood between Jaq and the Wizard, a whole chamber in which he could destroy her. This thought, however, did not enter her head as she stepped boldly on to the floor.

Farmiso the wizard, glorious in his green robes, turned and faced her, his unmasked face appearing to show no surprise in seeing her. He lifted his head and his laugh echoed around the chamber for a long time before it finally died away.

She was in the same large chamber, stretching to the very roof of the palace itself that she had studied before. The decoration was plain with the drapes but then decoration was not really required when the observer’s eyes were drawn to the fantastic items and stocked bookshelves that dominated the sides of the chamber.

Jaq's eyes travelled quickly round the room again before they returned to the green figure standing in the centre beside a dark, stone altar upon which a number of items sat.

"I admit you constantly surprise me, woman, and it is not often I would admit that. I expected you to have given up this foolish idea long ago."

She stood at her position at the door and returned the Wizard's look. To his own surprise he found himself troubled by the apparent depth of her eyes and broke away from her gaze.

Jaq did not give any reply in words but instead, holding her eyes on him she began to walk slowly, limping, toward him, her blood stained face hard and grim.

The Wizard stood passively, his arms folded and a look of mild amusement on his face. This all seemed so much a huge jest to him. As Jaq reached a point halfway to the altar he waved his right hand in a brief gesture in the air. From all around her a green mist sprang up, appearing from nowhere.

CHAPTER 12

"You wanted me, Jacquelyne?" the voice of Ethan said from somewhere she could not see. "This is a little more open than I anticipated our meetings should be."

"It could not be helped," she replied pushing back the hood and shaking free her ponytailed blonde hair. The bruises and cuts on her face showed clearly even in the dim alleyway.

"You seem to have exceeded your instructions," Ethan's voice said. "I understand, though, that our masters are not unhappy about the Wizard's death but they are disappointed that you did not give us notice. They were not ready to fill the gap that is left in power. Others have now taken advantage of that."

"I do not think they will need to worry too much about that," she said. "I believe you will find that the people are happy with the new King in both Rioja and Tyumen."

"But it is not what we wished," he said, a sound of annoyance in his voice.

"I anticipated that," she said turning herself around in the alley slowly. "But I did not do it for you or the Black Robe. I did it for my own reasons. I am beginning to learn what these Lands are about and what the people need and I am not sure that it is you and your masters."

In saying that she let the cloak slip to the floor and quickly vaulted from a ground floor window to catch hold of the ledge of a first floor window opposite. Before the surprised Ethan could react she was standing before him in the shadowy room.

"Call me cynical but I do not hold out much hope that your people of the Black Robe are any better than the Wizard and his kings that they sought to overturn."

Ethan's right hand moved for his sword hilt but Jaq's left arm flew out taking him by the throat and lifting him so that he stood on tiptoe.

"Your reaction does not give me great heart that I am wrong, my friend," she said looking at his red face. "Do not get me wrong, I believe I owe your masters a debt in saving my life but I will not help set them up as the rulers of these Lands in exchange." She leant closer to his face. "I resign."

She dropped him to the floor and turned back to the window.

He rose unsteadily rubbing at his throat.

"You don't want to do this," he gasped.

"Oh, I think I do," she replied without looking back.

"It is not wise to make an enemy of the Black Robe." He said, his tone holding a creeping element of menace.

She turned back, framed as a silhouette in the window, and looked at him.

"And perhaps the Black Robe are not wise to make an enemy out of the Dark Slayer," she said in a low voice, her eyes appearing to glow in the darkness.

She dropped out of the window.

CHAPTER 20

The soldiers raised their swords warily seemingly not put in any way at their ease by the naked figure in front of them. Jaq set herself, fists clenched, her stance clearly not suggesting she was about to co-operate.

"We don't have to do this," she said, already knowing the answer.

"We have orders, a tall, blonde woman, with a black streak in her hair," the lead soldier said keeping his sword well up. "A rebel, very beautiful, very dangerous, and wanted dead or alive. Surrender and if you are the wrong person you will be released."

Her mind moved quickly, there was no bluffing out of this, she would be identified, there were too many people who would recognise her. She lifted her head slightly and fixed her eyes on each of the men in turn.

"No you have it right. I am Dark Slayer, the killer of wizards and kings and," she lingered a moment with her words as she licked her lips with a grim smile, "very dangerous."

The reaction was just that she had hoped for as the sword in the lead soldier's hand wavered for a second and his throat swallowed nervously. He glanced to both sides to check his fellows were still there. Jaq braced herself to jump forward realising that the outcome of this fight could well depend on the fraction of seconds surprise she had bought for herself. Before she could move, though, she saw the soldiers' eyes go wider still. Her senses that she had so learnt to trust shouted at her to look behind her despite all logic of everything in front of her.

"The shadows, the window, look," shouted one of the soldiers, his voice a little too high pitched for normal.

Jaq spun quickly round and saw it, a thick mist flowing into the room coming from the edges of the window frame. She had time to take one step backwards before the mist began to swirl and a dark centre appear within then there was an explosion of light.

CHAPTER 30

He crept silently through the chests in the royal treasure chambers of the Palace of Vilyavada. He was Lyndd, a Sojon warrior, a man with a mission more important than his life.

"It would need to be, my friend," a female voice said.

A pale woman dressed in black leathers with an eye patch over her left eye stepped out from behind a stack of chests holding no weapon but a lit torch in her right hand. From Lyndd's hand a small knife flew straight for the woman's heart but in a single movement she caught and offered it back to him, hilt first.

"I am Sabbath, you will find no resistance from me. I merely thank you for what you do on behalf of those you do it for and for the generations to come."

"Aye," Lyndd muttered. "And I hope they do. Where is it, they didn't say?"

Sabbath pointed to the wall beyond her and stood aside. Lyndd passed her by looking her beautiful body up and down. In other situations he would be only too glad to meet such a woman, now he was less than happy. Somehow he knew this was his last move in the Great Game of Life and he was determined to make it count.

Against the wall there were three large chests, two contained gold and jewels, the third a small casket that was locked. He broke the hinges with his dagger and inside found a simple gold chain with a small red jewel hung from it. He glanced around for the one eyed woman called Sabbath but she had gone leaving her lantern resting on the chests. He snatched the chain into his hand and turned for the stone stairs leading to the door. Before he had taken a step the door burst inward and mail armoured soldiers of the Wizard came in.

He cursed but with two steps reached a drainage grill set in the floor. He bent and lifted the grill releasing the necklace into the rushing water below.

"Give yourself up warrior," a voice said top of the stairs.

Lyndd stood out from behind the crates to look up. The man who had spoken was of medium height, just under six foot, with swept back blond hair. He was dressed in a golden armour breast plate which appeared to have markings engraved into it and a blue scarf round his neck.

"Never, sir," Lyndd called. "I am Sojon. I will die."

"That you will, traitor, that you will," the tall figure of Lord Edmund said stepping alongside the man in golden armour. "But when I am ready."

Lyndd laughed and spun the knife in his hand round so the blade faced him.

"I am not so foolish to wait," he called. "I have served my part in destiny and will walk peacefully to my God. My soul is not to be yours." And with that Lyndd pushed the blade hard into his heart. He made no sound as he fell to the floor the life already gone from him.

"The fool," the Wizard remarked in an almost disinterested voice. "To think he could enter my Palace without me knowing. Now, Ithaca, I believe King Wester and his troublesome daughter have an overdue appointment with my headsman." He turned swiftly on his heel with the blond haired commander following him as he left the chamber.

Crouched behind wooden crates in a far corner of the chamber a brown haired girl clutched a small casket to her chest as she bit tightly into the cloth of her green velvet sleeve. Tears streamed down her face as Yamina stared blankly at the fallen form of Lyndd without really seeing him or the widening pool of blood beneath him. A thousand thoughts ran through her head but none of them helped her think of a way to save her father. Finally, still clutching the small, wooden casket to her chest she cautiously stepped out and, after a short pause, ran to the grill in the floor. With all her strength she pulled it open and jumped into the cascading waters below.