𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

White Blade

I feel Nina bristle with fear beside me. One of the guards comes out of the barracks. A letter with a bright red seal is exchanged with the dime lions and I watch closely as they shake hands. The guard hands the paper to another guard, and he shrugs. What is going on?

I watch in horror as the guards open the gates and meet the gang inside. The red seal, VanEck's colors. These were his silos. The dim lions are here on Vanek's behalf. I shove Nina farther into the shadows.

"Come on out, sweet Nina. You too Emris. Pekka Rollins has work for you girls." I watch as the men swing chains in their hands with binds at the ends. "Don't make us come get you." The man says as he gestures for his friends to fan out.

I grab Nina and look her in the eyes.

"Whatever you do, do not leave this spot. No matter what happens promise me." I plea when she promises I step out from the shadows. I take a deep breath as guns are cocked and aimed at me.

"Easy killers. It wouldn't be wise to plug me with holes before Rollins gets any use of me." I say, placing a hand on my hip.

"Well, Ms. Blade. Are you gonna make this fun for us?" The man asks with a sly grin.

"What's your name handsome?" I ask, subtly shifting to the wind catches my blouse and rips it off my shoulder.

"Eamon."

"That's a beautiful Kalesh name. Ken ye hom?" I ask in Kalesh.

"Ma was Kalesh. I don't speak that jibber." I smile and laugh.

"Well how about you get your friends to relax, and I can teach you a few words." I smile kindly.

Not a chance. I know your heartrender friend is out here and I know how those powers work. I don't fancy my insides bein all twisted."

"Shame, listen Eamon. There's no need for trouble. I just need to know Rollins's terms before I cross Brekker. I need to know the pains worth it."

"Brekker's as good as dead, Darlin." Fear grabs my chest but I smile wider as grief stops my heart. I raise my arm and the group stiffens.

"My friend is waiting outside the gates. One clap of my hand and so help me Ghezen. She will turn your friends' insides to mush."

"She's not that fast."

"Wish to test that theory?" My reserve for life is gone. The will to live is gone. After the words Brekker and dead mixed in the same sentence, it was gone.

A soft clang sounds from the silos. Damn it Inej stay quiet. Fear plagues my heart as I see Inej back on the rope. And she's not alone. A girl in white robes hovers over the world like a phantom. I see a glint of metal fly towards Inej and her steps falter.

"You gonna help your friend?"

"She can handle herself. Besides what good am I from here?" I hope Nina catches my hint and stops that damn woman's heart.

The men begin approaching slowly. I begin to shake as they begin to run. Realizing my heartrender friend is busy. I grasp my knives in my hands, praying for some kind of help.

"Come on!!" I urge them forward, my voice filled with rage and pain and rasps, like Kaz's.

Tears slide down my chest as I plunge my knife into several of the means chests. I feel hands on my arms and legs. Trying to drag me. I use one of my knives to slice a man's hand off. That was surprisingly easy. I cringe as blood splatters over my face and mouth. The hot liquid reminds me of who I am. As my knives slash in an unforgiving ark. A hand tangles itself in my hair and I slash backward. The relief is instant as my hair is cut, not too short I hope. I feel my knives be taken from my grasp and one lodge itself in my back. Barely missing my spine. I gasp in pain. I hear the man howl in pain as I am overwhelmed. I yell with pain as a bullet lodged in my calf and I am brought to my knee. I snarl as my hands are bound and a collar is placed upon my neck.

In seconds I feel the hands loosen me and they all back away. I gasp as the cold metal stings my neck. I look to the gates in fear. Corpses surround the gates, tugging on the fence. Some are beautiful and young and others are old and decayed. And I thought zombies were only real in my imagination. I look closer and see their eyes are all black pits. The dead tear down the fence and I scramble back towards the silos as one approaches me. I hear distant gunfire. I flinch when I feel a cold hand on my shoulder. Nina? The Corpse's cold fingers work quickly to remove my neck collar and hand binds.

In a blur of speed, the zombie people rush towards the line. I see then grab the net tucked behind the silos and stretch it. Just in time too. Inej falls and I hold my breath as her body springs back on the net. Her legs lightly flutter as she is placed gently on the ground. Nina runs to Inej while I struggle to stand. I put aside my pain and limp towards the pair.

"Inej," I yell. She hears me and the two wrap me in a tight hug. I wince as the pressure on my back moves the knife.

"Oh my god," Nina says, laying me on my side.

"Behind you." I cough blood and watch as the girl in white strides over to us.

"I don't think you want this fight, snowflake," Nina says, calling her army of the head.

"I bested you. You know I did." The girl demands.

"You had a good night," Inej argues.

"We'll meet again, wraith." She sprints off into the night.

"Someone likes drama. Who wears white to a knife fight?" Nina asks.

"Her name is the white blade."

"Someone likes my name," I say.

"Your name is beautiful. We have to get her out of here, Inej. She got stabbed in the back and shot in the leg." She looks at the dead people surrounding us. "They smell awful."

"Shh, Nina they might be able to hear you," Inej says.

"Can you hear me?" Nina yells. "I'd say no, come on."

My mind goes foggy, and I feel the world spin. I take ragged breaths as they mutter something. I feel their hands on me as I go limp in the grass.