Cataindar

CHAPTER FORTY NINE

The Ratain King followed Darcius' instructions down the slope to the kitchens.  He came across no one.  The catains had locked them selves away.  His sword pulsed, the stone shining a bright red and he felt a tug inside. The king slowed his pace and strained his ears.  Far away he could hear fighting.  He broke off from the corridor and went towards the sound.  He felt the vibration of an explosion. The king moved quickly, his muscular frame almost filling the entire corridor.

Just then he stopped. His giant snout working the air like a piston. He dropped down, carefully sniffing the ground, and moving forward quickly, then halting, he caught the smell again.  His snout sucked it in greedily. 

Such a distinct scent. 

A scent he had not smelled since the day of his incarceration. A huge smile played across his jaws.

The great irony. 

The scent he had picked up was human. 

He, responsible for killing their last princess, incarcerated all these years only to escape and repeat the same sacred duty. Ignoring all sense for he could not help himself, he flexed his arms and let out a great bellowing roar. The beast inside demanded it.  The sound was so great it shook the very stones of Cataindar. Dust fell, doors rattled.

Mothers hugged their kitans tightly.

The ratains had returned.

*  *  *

Luisa could hear catain snarls, and swords clashing in the room behind.  She pulled the abbot down the corridor as fast as she could.  The fight raged behind them.  He tried to stop, panting from with the pace.

"No, Princess. You must leave me."

She heard a catain scream behind, then silence.  She pulled him forward by his white robes.

"Keep moving abbot!"

Far behind she heard the sound of furniture being thrown across the room and the door was pulled open.  It was Finn's scouger.  Thank god! 

There was a deep wound in his side.  He limped towards them, he was about to speak when a sword erupted from his middle.  He staggered forward, and fell to his knees, a look of shock on his face.

"Run!" he croaked before slumping down. 

Out of the room behind him, stepped one of Darcius' scougers, blood clogged his fur from a huge gash in his head, but he was very much alive.  He stepped towards the body and roughly pulled his sword from it. 

He hissed at the Princess and the abbot,  "It ends here Princess. A new beginning for Cataindar!"

He began a staggered run towards Luisa and the abbot, his eyes filled with hate.  There was no time to think, Luisa pulled her sword, the scouger came forward with a vertical swing from above his head.  Luisa blocked it with a great 'chinng' from her sword.  Her training kicked in she knew how to disarm him, she pushed forward and wrapped her arm over the catain's sword arm.  He pulled his head back and with a sharp snap forward head butted Luisa in the face. 

Luisa staggered back. 

Finn had not show her that.

The room moved from side to side, her steps felt unsteady and her eyebrow stung.  She felt a trickle of blood quickly fall down her face.  The scouger laughed switching his sword from hand to hand. 

Laughed! Inside her stomach bunched.

I'll show you.

With a shout she swiped with her sword at the catain and missed.  He countered, Luisa caught his blade against her own, using the force of his blow she grabbed his arm and spun, flipping the catain over her hip and they both landed on the floor. Luisa still had a grip on his sword hand.  Immediately switching her hips, she caught the catains arm in between her legs and she fell back trapping his arm between her legs, her foot pushing on his face.  His elbow joint was strained tight against her hip.  With another shout she stretched backwards, pushing her hips up against the elbow joint. The catain did not release his grip on his weapon.

"Let go of your sword!"

The catain writhed on the floor, she could see his narrowed eyes meet hers, he let out a shriek, "No!"

Luisa gritted her teeth and strained back against the elbow, just as Finn had showed her.  There was a sudden snap. Immediately the arm was like jelly in Luisa's hand, hyperextending into her lap, the sword falling from the catain's useless paw.  Luisa pushed back picking up both swords.  The catain struggled upright, his broken arm stuck out at an awkward angle.  He winced, and pulled out a dagger from its scabbard with his right paw.

"No!  Put it down! Please." Luisa called out, desperation filling her voice.

The catain was breathing heavily, "Never. For the catains to be free... you... must... die."

The catain lunged forward with his dagger to Luisa's throat. Reacting quicker than she thought possible, Luisa thrust out with the catain's own sword. The blade pierced deep though his ribs. Blood coughed out from the catains mouth, he staggered back. Luisa let go of the sword in shock. He tottered to the side on unsteady hind legs, managing to pull the out the sword from his side before falling back hitting the wall and staying very still.

What have I done! 

Luisa took a shaky breath. Wiping the blood on her hands on her jeans.

I need to focus. Come on Luisa!

She turned grabbing the abbott's arm she continued down the corridor. "We need to get the hell out of here! Abbot! Where is safe?"

The abbot, was staring straight into space. "I failed you.  Every nightmare I had is coming true.... They will find you Luisa. Cataindar is cursed. You will surely die."

"Great. That's really bloody helpful. I tell you what I'm going to do, I'm going to find a room, lock you in and then I'm going to find Clearwater."

 --

Alright guys!

I don't feel this is fair without giving you the first few lines of Wednesday's update...

Darcius entered the room.  A fire roared in a corner.  In the centre stood Finn.  His thick arms folded in front of his leather chest plate, his yellow eyes gleaming.

Darcius, padded towards him,

"Big mistake Finn."

 You know it. There is an ultimate show-down about to take place on Wednesday!

You have really flown the Cataindar flag this weekend! All the activity around the novel has pushed it to ten days straight at  #1 in the Action-Fantasy Chart.

This has happened because you guys have voted, commented and added Cataindar to your front page reading lists. Some of you have messaged me saying you've recommended it on facebook,or got your siblings, mates and parents reading! Just amazing! I can't thank you enough.

This pushes me to give you more fun Cataindar stuff... so our Cataindar subscibers got to see it first, but you can check out our art of Darcius below!

Finally - the results are in: King Groath stormed ahead of Clearwater, Thorne and Finn - he will be the next character to live forever in art form!

As some of you know also the end date of Cataindar: The Discovery has been set. Sept. 26th is the wrap date of this book - and I am already working hard for a bit of a celebration that I am so excited to share!

See you Wednesday for Finn Vs. Darcius.