The Keshenne Ranger 1: The Legion

Chapter 9

Her boots trampled the forest floor, first light piercing the canopy, cool air compressing her lungs. She raced through the woody tangle, with each step it threatened to trip her. Lirelle's words throbbed in her mind like a switch across her face. She'd been trying to warn her of something, and Munira could not help thinking of Yarian. Dead only hours after leaving Kivian's crusade. It had been so easy to assume Bahadur got hold of him. Why Yarian, though, his only sin was being a poor soldier. Did Kivian target anyone who left his army.

Exhaustion forced her to slow her pace, wearily scanning the trees above, and expecting death to fall upon her. She almost convinced herself she'd made it far enough from camp and was safe, but instinct told her otherwise. A snap of a twig, a feint drawing of breath, then hurried movement, confirmed her fears. She dodged to the right, sword cutting the air in front of her, and drew her own. Munira returned with a thrust, but he parried her blade away, leaving them facing each other, both in the guard position.

She recognized her attacker. Belian, who served as Lirelle's second during their fight in Blue Springs. He was a Keshenne green band, one of Kivian's elites. A Ranger trained by the same masters as her. This fight wouldn't be so easy as Bahadur's raiders. "I saw you fight at Blue Springs and was impressed. I didn't want to believe Kivian when he told us you betrayed The Legion."

"I didn't betray anyone. Kivian said I could leave."

"That was a test of loyalty. A test you failed."

"We don't have to do this. I don't want to kill one of my own, a brother Ranger. Just let me go."

"Killing a fellow Ranger won't be a problem for your conscience. That's something I'll have to live with. I'll get over it." He attacked, the blade clanging against hers, using his weight to drive her back. She angled her blade, letting it slide free, then circled it through the air to run the edge along his flank, cuirass resisting the cut.

He advanced, getting inside her guard, sword pommel smacking her cheek. She stumbled, dazed; he hooked a leg, tripping her. Falling to her back, sensing a killing blow, she swung upward, blade flying in a wide arc. He stepped close and caught her arm, wrenching her elbow until her sword fell from her grasp. His sword came down. She bent her knee, bringing her boot up, kicking his wrist, the blade bouncing away.

His sword gone, he caught her ankle and twisted. Pain rattled up her leg, teeth grinding as ligaments strained and threatened to snap. She pulled her knife, bent at the waist, and ran the edge along the tendons behind his knee. He screeched and toppled to the side, the joint failing. She pounced, knife going to his throat. "Give up Belian. I can leave you here. The others will find you."

His lips bent into a long, flat smirk. "You are the very reason Keshenne is weak." A blow to her side, his knife puncturing her flesh, chasing air from her lungs. With a flip of her wrist, she opened Belian's throat. The man choked and spasmed for a moment before going still.

Afraid to look, she forced her eyes down to inspect the wound. The knife protruded from her side; tip disappearing into her body at least three inches. The strangeness of the sight made her gasp. No amount of training could prepare one for having a crude metal object protruding from their body.

Squinting against the pain, she pulled the blade free, flecks of blood spraying the leaves. Voices roped through the trees, an arrow smacking a trunk near her head. Reaching for her sword, another arrow impaled the ground, forcing her to leave it. She groaned to her feet, palm pressed to her side, and fled her people after killing one herself.

***

Her heart thudded, pumping blood to her injuries, dulling some of the pain, but that meant much of the vital fluid leaked out of her. Blood coated her cuirass around and below the wound where it stubbornly refused to clot. She knew basic wound care and stitching, but the shouts, whistles, and calls that came from her pursuers made it impossible to tend the wound.