"I call on you mistress, you of the silver hair – you who is known to all the faithful as the Master of the Hearth, the Sharpener of Blades, the Bringer of the Soft Sleep, the Youngest of the Old Gods – I kneel before you Lorelei, an empty vessal waiting to filled with your..."
"Stand up Samas."
"But Mistress, I haven't finished..."
"Yes, you have."
"But..."
"I grant you my favor in the battle to come, you may call on me three times to gird your loins or whatever. Now, would you just pay attention for a second."
"Of course, Mistress."
"Great. You'll be fighting Ashkent's pet today."
"The Lord of Pain, the Harvester of Wounds, the..."
"Yes, the same."
"I will be sure to make it a battle worthy of your honor!"
"I want you to be sure that you don't get yourself killed out there. Ashkent's children tend to go a little overboard when he lets them off their leash."
"I do not fear death Mistress, if pale-faced Indriel wishes to brush her lips against my cheek this day, my final breath will be spent in your honor."
"I don't think Indriel wants to come out for this one Sam, just be careful, OK?"
"For your honor!"
"Yes, for my honor..."
With that, my Mistress waves me away. It would be...indelicate to be standing by her side when Ashkent arrives at the dais.
This is a Palaver, she should be given time to speak in private, to resolve whatever matter of Gods or Men or War or Death brought her and her noble cousin to this point.
I am her Champion, it's my job to make certain that she has that time, time enough to win their dispute.
I step towards my appointed place.
Below me is sand and above an iron sky, a circle of rune-carved stones mark the arena's boundary. The twin thrones of the Gods sit at its center – shielded by their celestial Authority.
I stop at the eastern edge of the circle, known also as the Gate of the Wronged.
As I wait, I allow the first prayer to slip from my lips. I feel the Mistress' power coursing through my blood, strengthening my flesh and bones until they are steel bands, sharpening my long knife until it glows white hot with the fire of her hearth.
I am ready, which is good, because Ashkent and his Champion approach the Gate of the Challenger.
The God takes his place at the dais, and I stare into the copper eyes of the woman he has brought here to kill me.
2.
"What has your Lord named you?"
"Oh, aren't you a formal one? My 'Lord' has named me Talia. What are you called?"
"Samas."
"Well Samas, it looks like they're about to get into it. I think it's time for us to start our little dance."
I barely have time to drop into my guard before she closes the distance between us. Her prayer is sharp and fast, words like the tips of needles – I sense the pressure of her blade first, then a smell like seared mutton, and finally the sound of the scream parting my lips.
Without the Mistress' protection, that would have been the end. Instead, I swing to my left, long knife filling the space between us with a flaming brand – forcing her to disengage.
It's only then that I see her sword – thin, blackened steel and covered in the God of Pain's own sutras – a more beautiful instrument I have never witnessed.
"Ash told me that this would be fun, but I think my Lord might have missed the mark on this one. What do you think Samas?"
She holds the blade loosely at her side, shifting her grip to keep me from knowing where she will strike next.
I spare an instant for the dais – Ashkent is smiling and my Mistress is enraged. She needs more time.
"Get ready." I hiss.
3.
I dash towards Talia, my knife slicing the air in quick, controlled bursts.
I have trained for this moment my entire life – at the Temple of Ralan, the Monastery on the White Mountain, with the silver haired Goddesses own priests – I've trained.
And yet...
"You'll never find my blood like that, little one."
"You have a loose tongue witch, has anyone ever told you that?"
"It's hardly my fault that my tongue is quicker than your blade."
And yet I cannot reach her. She moves like a serpent, sliding under every thrust, every cut missing by a fraction.
"How are you..."
"Embarrassing you so? Do you know what they call Ashkent in the Far West?"
I need to find an opening, maybe if I play into her vanity...
"What do they call him?"
Her lips move.
Pain the sound of a thousand beating drums sweeps my legs out from under me, I hit the sand.
Somehow, Talia is at my back.
"Ashkent – Bringer of Sorrows, Plague Walker – The Invisible Blade. That last one comes in handy. Now that you've met my God, I think it's time that I send you back to yours."
Before her blade falls, I allow my second prayer to fill the iron sky – followed by my Mistress' silver light.
4.
Welts bloom across her skin, as the quicksilver covers her flesh.
If she feels anything all, her copper eyes don't show it.
No matter, she has already given me more than enough time to get back on my feet.
"Now we're getting somewhere!"
Even on fire, Talia attacks. Her blackened steel burns to the bone wherever it finds purchase. The only thing that keeps me standing is the Mistress' light, stitching wounds as quickly as Ashkent's blade can brand new ones into my flesh.
While the pain, the fire, hasn't weakened her assault – it has slowed her feet. She swings wide just once, her balance shifting too far onto her left leg, I slip under the strike and past her, the tip of my long knife finding her side.
Her body betrays a sound – short and sharp.
She slides away with that serpent's speed.
"Yield." I offer.
She only laughs.
5.
Talia dances around the arena, whispering ragged prayers. Each time her lips part, I can feel the burning edge of her sword striking me from impossible angles.
How much time has passed?
How much more does the Mistress need?
How long can my body hold out?
None of that matters!
Lorelei is my God, I am her Champion, I will give her my final breath.
I close the distance, Talia swings her blade, I lift my off-hand – using my forearm to parry the strike. I can feel the bones turn to liquid beneath its edge, but I also sense the opening, my knife finds her weapon arm and cuts deep.
I whisper my final prayer and the Mistress' silver light floods into the wound.
For the first time, Talia truly screams.
I want to follow up my attack, but suddenly a numbness so deep that it feels like I will drown in it, forces me to the ground.
"Enough!"
It's Ashkent, stepping towards us from the dais.
"Yes, yes. That's enough for today."
My Mistress follows at his side.
"I can still fight! I didn't mean to...to..." Talia bellows.
"Be still child. You did not fail, I did. Now, let's go before my cousin begins to glout."
Ashkent leaves through the Gate of the Challenger, with Talia in tow.
Lorelei gives me her hand, lifting me to my feet as if I weighed less than a ring on her finger or a handful of sand.
"I'm glad you survived my Champion, if only barely."
"Thank you for your protection Mistress."
"No, thank you Samas, you gave me a chance to resolve matters with my stubborn cousin."
"Mistress..."
"Yes, my Champion?"
"If you don't mind me asking, what brought you and the Lord of Pain to blows?"
"Of course I don't mind. He believed that his blade was stronger than my protection. He thought it would 'cleave your limbs from your body in a single strike.' Yet, here you stand. You should have seen his face." she smiles a beatific smile, "Now, if that's done, let's get you fixed up, Indriel and I have something to discuss in the morning, and you probably should be ready, just in case..."