Kings Game

Chapter 102 - The Death of a Reaper [End of Part IV]

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Roran chased after Orlas, following him up a small hillside. The archers were already lost from sight. Roran was afraid he would have to chase them down. There couldn't be any witnesses to take their story back to King's City. This had to be the end of it.

As he reached the hill, he found Orlas waiting for him, sword in hand. Scanning around, he couldn't see any of the archers.

"I'm sorry, Roran, but this is where it ends for you," said Orlas.

"Are you asking me to surrender?"

Orlas shook his head. His playful demeanor from before was gone. He was back to being a Commander of the King's Army, and Roran had just killed one of his Generals.

Roran scanned the area again, looking for the archers. He poured energy into his defensive etchings just to be safe.

"Sarah?" he said.

"I'm here," she said, her voice tense. "We're busy. I'll help as much as I can. Theron is fighting us with everything he has."

"If you give me something," said Orlas, "Then maybe I can have someone keep an eye on the kids for you. I promise they won't be harmed."

"But my life is forfeit?"

"I'm afraid so. Four of our best archers are waiting on my signal, using arrows that are meant to punch through etchings. You've dug your own grave, Roran, but you can help those you leave behind. Tell me, how did you kill General Ahndor."

Roran shifted, trying to offer a smaller target for the archers to hit. He went through a mental inventory of the miniature godspells he still had. None of them would help him against archers he couldn't see.

"You can't evade the arrows," said Orlas. "One or two might miss, but you can't dodge all four of them. Nobody is that lucky."

Licking his lips, Roran made a mental apology to Nul and began feeding energy into his godspell. The miniature ones wouldn't help, but he still had one last trick up his sleeve.

"Orlas, for what it's worth, I'm sorry it came to this."

"Me too, lad, me too. Is there nothing you can offer me?"

Roran's vision blurred as his godspell finally activated. He fought off the vertigo and nausea, forcing himself to stay upright. When he could speak again, he said, "Only death."

"So be it."

Roran lunged towards Orlas, his sword raised. Orlas didn't so much as raise his sword. There were four twangs, all from a distance and all within the same heartbeat.

The first arrow hit Roran in the shoulder, throwing him off balance. The second caught him in the leg, taking it out from under him. The third hit him in the stomach, sending him falling to the ground. As he fell, the fourth arrow seemed to dip low, as though altering its course, and plunged into his chest, piercing his heart.

Roran collapsed to the ground, all four arrows planted firmly in his body. Blood was flooding out of him in pulses, his own traitorous heart draining him in its death throes. The pain hit him all at once. He wanted to scream, to buck his body and writhe in pain, but he couldn't move. How could he move, he was dead.

Orlas came over, looking down at him with a sad expression

"Sorry, kid, but you made one too many bad decisions."

"No!"

Sarah appeared at Roran's side, her eyes wide in a panic. She latched onto his hand, clutching it against her chest. Orlas jumped back, startled by her sudden appearance and readying his sword.