Ascher Legacy

Two - Pursuit

No one saw the man disappearing into the trees.

 At the front of the manor, a woman sat, bored, astride a black stallion rolling its red eyes with impatience. With a gloved hand, she soothed the beast. The manor continued to crash in on itself for several minutes until the second floor came down with an earth shaking cacophony of sound. The horse pranced, but the woman watched what happened with hard eyes.

"They would rather run to the feet of their goddess than remain upon this plane," she muttered to herself. Her help made various signs of protection against the magics of the coven. The Aschers were well feared for a reason, they could kill and did with ruthless abandon. They did not fear death, nor did they have a heavy reverence for life. It made them difficult opponents to deal with. "Tell me the Matriarch's line is dead."

"We cannot be certain, Mistress Alicia." The young man beside her cut a bow toward her despite her sitting above him. "We are searching for survivors now. However, as you know, Aschers are notoriously difficult to capture alive."

"I care not for things I already know. Tell me what I want to know," she snapped, her hands tightening on the pummel.

"Yes, Mistress." He strode away from her, his fingers ruffling his blond hair away from his face. Biting his lower lip, he let his eyes sweep across the rubble. A fire had begun, probably from the kitchen, and it was already starting to sweep across the wreckage.

"Damn Aschers. One cannot however say they are not thorough." His eyes slowly took on a haze deepening into blue as the skies above him coalesced into rain. The driving rain put the fire out before it could do more than blacken and scorch the top layer of stones. He allowed it to continue to rain for a few minutes before brushing the storm away. With slow breathes, he put his hand to his chest and willed his heart to slow.

A survivor was found. Her legs were broken when one of the great stones of the manor gave way, but her upper half was still intact.

"Tell us was the last of the Matriarch's line on the field with her today?" He asked her in a quiet voice. She grimaced, but said nothing.

Mistress Alicia inched her horse forward, picking up mud from the all too recent rainstorm.

"You will answer him."

"You have betrayed your sainted office." The witch did not scream, but spat each word at the mounted woman as if they were disgusting to taste. "Betrayed all that you are."

"No, I have simply chosen the side which will win. Answer my question, Ascher, and death will be granted. Otherwise, I will take you back to the capital with me."

The witch lifted her chin, staring at Alicia is if she would have to make good on her threat immediately.

"Answer me."

"For what you once were, I will, but only for that. No. Our last was not on the field of battle. Nor will you find her body among the rubble."

Alicia spat curses unworthy of her station then screamed, "Fan out. Find the child. Find her quickly."

***

Cedric stopped to listen every hundred yards, waiting for the sound of pursuit to ring against the trees and tell him whether they were coming from the manor...

Or the portal.

One of the many reasons the Aschers remained in the Gambelin Woods was the portal, the link to another world. None could cross through it. Or rather, they should not, but the Aschers had mastered the necessary magic ages past. They could open it. They could seal it. They guarded it and that precious secret. Cedric ran, feeling his breath burning in his lungs like desert wind.

The sound of hooves came to him on the wind, the forest aiding him in its own way. He froze, one arm going back to support Pandora as he crouched. The pursuit was still far back, he felt it. Yet he considered his advance. If he remained in the Woods he could disappear for a few days at most. However, every hour he delayed placed Pandora in further danger. By now, they knew she was not among the dead. By now, they knew the matriarchal line had a single remaining descendant. By now, they were hunting her with everything they had, the chance to truly rule held in the balance.

A slow breath puffed before his lips caressing them as he waited.

Whispering to his half-sleeping daughter, Cedric ran with long strides. He would make the portal before their pursuers. He had to. For Pandora's life and the legacy of the beloved he was forced to leave behind.