A Valkyrie's Apprentice: Book Two

Cause & Effect

"Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you."

― Friedrich Nietzsche

– T A Y A H –

The first thing I became aware of was sharp pain. Everywhere.

I blinked in the dark room. Damp smell, blood, rotting wood and metal. My eyes adjusted quickly and made out my hands and legs bound in thick chains. It would have been amusing were it not for the spikes impaled into my limbs at several sections.

I grit my teeth and took in a slow breath. My energy was rushing to heal my body as it remained wounded. Judging by the blood running down my forearms and thighs this had been repeated a lot. Kára's armour was long gone and my mortal disguise lay ripped revealing half of my stomach which was also coated in blood.

I took in a gulp and let out a mixture of a shout and a roar into the darkness.

It did not take long for the footsteps to follow. They entered as a small group all hooded. I laughed them into the room as they surrounded me at a distance.

"Come on–take a few steps closer. You'll like me better." I growled with promise.

They remained silently cloaked in black before one came forward. The figure dropped the thick hood revealing a woman with dark bronze eyes, black hair and a sharp cut face. Perhaps thirty winters at most.

"I am guild master Jin."

"You've mistaken me as someone who gives a flying shit." I spat back.

She dropped a curt nod to the side and two men stepped forward. In unison they drew daggers and drove them into my upper arms. My scream tore through the small room and they ripped them back and stepped behind the guild master.

"You should care, Tayah Ashrive." She returned cooly.

"I see you're among the many–I've pissed off in the last decade." I grit out between pants. My head had begun spinning again and my immortality felt very far.

"We know to be more cautious with your sorcery this time, heathen." She motioned to the restraints and spikes before continuing.

"I'll cut past your renowned banter and get to the point." She stated as she played with a knife in gloved hands. "We have aligned with another of your enemies for this reunion that had much more information to give for your capture. The Captain of the Odians came to us with a remarkable proposition. Since our goals are aligned it removes two thorns from our sides. She will be with us soon." She finished in a cat like slink before me. Honestly this had to have been one of the most....

"Wait." I murmured, lifting my head to her. "You are telling me you captured the woman with me tonight?"

The hooded heads glanced between each other and the guild master kept her poorly concealed mask in place. "She was no more trouble than your mediocre resistance." 

I couldn't help it. I started laughing despite the metal sticking into me and the recent wounds closing shut. I hung my head and laughed louder. But the guild master got all the more frustrated as they always did... She stepped forward and made to grab my face before suddenly remembering herself and wisely saying back.

"Speak up, Tayah." She snapped, "Why is the trap so amusing now?"

I kept chuckling. "She is the trap you morons. But could you do me a favour and turn me in a wall facing direction so that the blood doesn't stain my tunic on her way in?"