"OW!" The mercenary glared at his assailant and muttered a few more words that are not to be repeated in polite society. As his sword swung through the evening air, ending the life of the miserable man who managed to get a lucky shot at his arm, Kodan decided to charge double for this job. Hell, he could get away with it. He was, after all the best.
The dimming light made it difficult to see exactly who his next opponent was. As the sun slowly san beneath the horizon and the moons rose, it was hard to tell shape from shadow. The expensive mercenary took a step back from the melee and stretched. He could see his employer easily, the man wore the most obnoxious bright colours, in a fight for his life. Kodan grinned and thanked the Hiddukel for his kindness. Here was another chance to make a pretty penny.
"What in the Abyss are you waiting for?" The brightly clothed man was holding his own, but there were over five unfriendly blades and eventually one of them was going to penetrate his defences.
Kodan sheathed his sword and rested up against a tree. "Them to finish you off."
"What?!?" The man obviously couldn't believe his ears. It wasn't surprising considering he'd received a blow to the head and blood was flowing freely into them.
"Waiting until you're dead. I can go back to your bereaved wife with your corpse, say you died bravely while fighting and I killed your murderers. I get to rob you of all the riches you currently have on you right now, take whatever these sorry creatures have on them and comfort your lady-wife." Kodan grinned, watching the man get his second wind. Anger was a powerful motivator. "Best of all, my reputation is still intact."
The man turned the most interesting shade of red, much similar to the colour of the red moon that was slowly rising overhead. "You wouldn't dare..." He trailed off, realizing that Kodan would dare and probably had dared many times before this. "I can pay you more."
A last desperate plea for his life. "How much?"
"A hundred steel?" The man's arm was obviously tiring. Money meant less and less as a person realized they were going to die. Kodan laughed, wordlessly letting the man know exactly what he thought of that offer. The man's eyes kept darting to the mercenary, pleading with him. "Five hundred!"
Kodan just sadly shook his head. "Sorry, you're already dead."
As he spoke, the five highwaymen sliced the man's stomach right through, shreding his internal organs, causing him to lose his grip on his weapon and drop to the ground, clutching his stomach. He reached out towards Kodan. He opened his mouth to speak, but the only noise he made was a gurgling sound.
Kodan shrugged. "Nice try though."
His former employer's throat was slit. The highwaymen turned their attention to Kodan. They were obviously deciding whether he was worth the trouble of if they should just take the one man and one horse they'd already got.
Kodan made the decision for them. With a ferocious battle roar which would make an outside observer actually think that he had cared for the man he let die, Kodan drew his sword and ran towards the men. Two of them were dead before they could even assimilate what was going on. The other three quickly repressed their initial fear and began attacking. They knew that they outnumbered him and were hoping to wear him out like they had the other man. Unfortunately they weren't dealing with some nobleman who practiced swordplay as a sport. They were dealing with Kodan, a man whose lively hood depended on the fact that he could outfight anything you set in front of him. Within minutes, the other three would-be robbers were dead on the ground, and only man left alive was scavenging their bodies.
He grunted as he dumped the contents of their purses onto the ground. The sun had finally set, but the silver moon was full and the night was bright. "Hardly worth the effort." He dumped anything of value into his own purse and left the junk on the road with the bodies. If anyone who passed along this road wasn't used to the sight of a few gutted highwaymen, they obviously didn't travel a lot.
Hefting the body of the dead nobleman to his shoulder, Kodan began the long walk back to the town he'd left earlier that day. He'd probably arrive sometime early the next morning, and the body on his shoulder would definitely be smelling pretty ripe by then. He grinned, hoping the sight caused the newly widowed woman to faint. They were always easier if they fainted, and they were always more thankful as well. After all, they woke up in Kodan's strong arms.
Shifting his burden, the mercenary began whistling to himself. "Not bad for a day's work."
The sun shining down on his face caused Kodan to wake. He was slightly confused when he first opened his eyes and saw lace curtains, but the memory of where he was, and what/who he'd been doing the night before, easied his fear and brought a smile to his face. The widowed woman he'd met in the wee hours of the morning wasn't exactly bereaved, but she was well worth the walk. Apparently this nobleman hadn't been coming to bed for the last few years, or more appropriately put, hadn't been coming to his wife's bed for the last few years. Unlike the recently deceased, the lady of the house had been faithful. With her husband out of the picture however, she was free to express her gratitude to the handsome man who brought her the good news.
Running his hand through his hair, Kodan took a moment to enjoy the feeling of laying in a feather bed with silken sheets with the sun shining through lace curtains. Kodan did have his own large mansion, very similar to this one, but he hadn't slept there for many seasons. He spent most of his time on the road with his clients or in the taverns looking for work. With a sigh of regret, the mercenary got up and headed for the bathroom.
He was pleased to find a tub of hot water waiting for him and a change of clothes. His old clothes, which were currently scattered around the lady's bedroom, smelled like dead nobleman. As he slipped into the soothing liquid, Kodan tried to remember all the reasons he'd gotten into mercenary work in the first place. "Why travel around the country-side 'protecting' people when I could stay at home and have people wait on me hand and foot?"
Before he'd even finished the sentance, the answer had come to him. "Because if it weren't for my work 'protecting' people I couldn't afford the nice house or the servants." Wrapping himself in a towel, Kodan grabbed the clothes and headed back into the bedroom to change there.
Lying on the bed, naked as the day the gods created her, was the lady of the house. With a seductive smile she made known exactly what she wanted to do all morning.
Kodan grinned. This is definitely the life. As he moved to join her, he caught sight of the two of them in the mirror over the lady's dresser. They made quite an interesting pair. She was dark-haired and fair skinned, her complexion was like porcelain and her eyes like the night. He was dark-skinned and fair haired, body covered with the scars of his profession and his eyes light as the sea on a sunny day. Kodan was briefly amused to see them entwined together in the mirror, a living example of dark and light. The thought passed quickly from his mind, the lady demanded his attention.
"KODAN!!" The barmaid slapped his hand away from her for the zillionth time that night. "Touch me again and Yon will throw you out!! I don't care how much coin you have!"
The males in the room cheered and the other barmaids thanked the gods they weren't the ones who had to serve the despicable mercenary. Kodan shrugged and decided to keep his hands to himself. He had been tossed out of this bar before and it was a black mark that occasionally haunted his record to this day. Customers didn't like finding out that their bodyguard was a man who'd been imprisoned and chastised for assaulting woman. He snorted, knowing full well that with a few steel she'd do whatever he wanted. Kodan wasn't going to waste his money on the wench though, she wasn't worth it. "You'll be sorry come winter when Yon throws -you- out for fraternizing with the cutomers."
The red-haired girl glared and was seriously considering not serving him. Unfortunately, every word the man spoke was true and if she was caught not working she would get in serious trouble. "What do you want?"
Kodan smiled. "Just a drink."
The girl stormed off, muttering about watering down the ale. She returned seconds later with a foaming glass and a scowl on her face. "Your drink is being paid for by the gentleman in the black at the bar. He insisted on the finest ale in the tavern. May you choke on it, sending your soul to the Abyss for good."
"Don't you know girl, that man's soul is already in the Abyss." A fellow mercenary and part-time partner smirked. "He sold it to Hiddukel long ago."
"For what?" The barmaid was sceptical. "He spends as much time in here as drunk as the rest of you."
"For success. That man is the dirtiest, least loyal son of a bitch to walk the face of Krynn and the only thing a customer has ever complained about is his ruthlessness with highwaymen." The drunken mercenary lifted a glass. "A toast to Kodan! May his body join his soul in the Dark Queen's embrace!"
The glasses were raised and the men cheered, all aside from the man in black at the bar.
Kodan even raised his glass, a smirk on his lips. "And may her Dark Majesty be ready for me! I hate my women late."
The glasses wer raised again as laughter blanketed the common room. The barmaids slapped men's prying hands away and the drunken mercenary that started the mess was escorted out. People returned to their business and the room quieted to it's normal level of chaos. All eyes returned to their own plates, aside from the eyes of the man dressed in black who had generously funded Kodan's meal.
"I wonder what he wants from me." Kodan sat back and enjoyed the good drink as he tried to place the man's face. He didn't recognize him and assumed he must be someone who'd heard of him and had come to hire the best. Smug in his own superiority, the mercenary sat back and waited for the man to make the first move.
He didn't have to wait long, the man obviously lacked patience. He rose from his position at the bar and made his way quickly to wear Kodan was sitting. "You Kodan?"
The mercenary grinned. This guy was so painfully obvious it hurt. "If I'm not you wasted a perfectly good drink."
The man snorted. "Funny. Come with me."
"Used to being obeyed eh?" Kodan wasn't going anywhere with this man without an explanation. He was armed to the teeth and obviously knew how to use every weapon on his body, excluding perhaps his mind.
"Yes. Come." The man grabbed Kodan's arm.
"Big mistake buddy." Kodan allowed the man to drag him outside, but broke his grip the second they were out of the light. Drawing his sword, the mercenary hoped to get rid of this scum as quickly as possible.
With a motion as quick as lightening, the other man drew his sword and whirled to block Kodan's attack. "Big mistake buddy." The man grinned, obviously glad to be in a fight.
He was a little rusty at first, but as they traded blows Kodan could tell he was an old master. The man outweighed him, which wasn't something the mercenary was used to. At 6'7", Kodan wasn't accumstomed to being pushed around. This man wasn't quite as tall as he was, but he definitely had more muscle to put behind his strokes. The fighters seemed to be evenly matched, if it weren't for one thing. Kodan never played fair.
He knocked away his opponents thrust and drew a long dagger from it's sheath in his boot. With one quick motion he defended against another sword stroke and slashed at the fingers that held the opposing blade. Although he didn't managed to sever any, he did cause the other man to drop his sword. Kodan, who'd never passed up a good opportunity in his life, thrust his sword towards the other man's exposed throat, but didn't kill him. "Now tell me who the hell you are and what the hell you want."
The man, seemingly not fazed by the fact his life rested in Kodan's already bloody hands, smiled. "I'd heard you were good. I'm beginning to see why my lovely Enma sent me."
"I know I'm great." Kodan dismissed the praise with a snort. "But you didn't answer my question."
"My name is Krent, but you may call me master." Displaying his obvious talents again, Krent stomped his foot down on Kodan's and knocked the blade from the mercenary. "I ride Toth."
"Interesting name for a horse." The two circled each other, both looking for an opening.
"Toth isn't a horse." Krent grabbed Kodan's arm and twisted it around, dropping the younger man to the ground. "He's a hydra."
Using all of his strength, Kodan forced his elbow back into Krent's midsection. "He's a myth."
Krent pushed the man away from him. "Didn't your mother ever warn you that some fairy tales were real?"
Kodan snorted, not seeing why he should even bother to answer. The man was obviously insane. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to bother strangers?"
"Your not a stranger, I knew your name. Besides, I was sent to get you." The two resumed their circling.
"Sent by whom?" Kodan was no longer paying attention to the conversation. He was hoping this Krent would talk himself into a tight spot.
"My Enma...her Vienna. We're looking for people just like you." Krent made a few attempts at punching Kodan, but nothing serious. He was obviously more interested in the conversation.
"You're looking for dirty mercenaries?" Kodan raised a brow. Krent nodded. "Why?"
"To bond a hydra." Kodan waited for the punchline, but Krent was obviously serious in his response.
"You've got to be kidding me." Kodan took a step backwards and held his hands up to signal the end of the fight. "If you just stay here for a few seconds, I'll call a cleric and we can get you back to normal in no time flat..."
Krent turned red and looked as if he was going to attack Kodan, but he didn't move. He didn't even open his mouth. He was angry, but Kodan was beginning to think it wasn't at him.
The source of the man's fury became evident when a giggle came from behind him. A hand as white as the snow held a dagger to the dark knight's throat and a thin trail of blood ran down from where it's point had already penetrated his skin. "You always find the most interesting people milord." The voice was deep, but obviously feminine, as was the giggle that followed it.
If thoughts could kill, the pale girl holding Krent at knifepoint would be half-way to the Abyss by now. "Girl." You could tell by the tone in his voice that he was furious.
"I have a name too milord." The girl actually seemed hurt. Kodan could now see her face as she pulled the big man to his knees. Her lips were inches away from Krent's neck and Kodan was reminded of silly tales of vampires and the undead. He didn't remember selling his soul to Hiddukel, but would that stop the dark god from sending his minions to collect?
"All evils." Krent hissed the words.
The girl giggled again. She couldn't have been more than twenty years old and she was a tiny thing, but something about her sent chills down Kodan's spine. He backed away from the scene, intending to let this girl finish the dark knight off.
"Correct milord." She withdrew the long dagger from his neck, but kept it close to the back of Krent's neck just in case. The girl licked the trickle of blood from the dark knights neck, smiling at the way he cringed. "Now Lord Krent, I'm sure if you just leave right this instant, I won't kill you."
"Nice try girl." Krent tried to move to disarm her, but the girl was quicker. She sunk her teeth into Krent's neck and began to suck his blood. He cried in pain and frustration as he finally tore her from his neck and threw her to the ground. The dagger flashed in the moonlight, reminding the dark knight that he was unarmed and alone. Krent moved to attack, thought better of it, and glared. "We will get you."
The girl licked her lips, still wet with the man's blood. "I can't wait."
In a flash, the dark knight disappeared. The last thing he heard before returning to his dimension to be yelled at by his wife was the girl's giggle.
Kodan quickly scrambled to get his own sword and took a defensive stance. "Get away from me monster!"
The girl seemed to find this very amusing. "My name is Hyakuhei. I want you to do something for me." The girl's eyes were black, completely black, and they held Kodan gaze as surely as a web held a fly.
"What?" Kodan was unnerved, but he couldn't look away. He'd seen this little wisp of a girl scare off a man he himself had had trouble fighting. There was obviously more to her then her appearance. Plus there was always the fact that she drank blood.
"I want a delicious girl. A girl made of soft blues and white. Bring her to me and I'll show you what can scare off a hydra." She moved closer to him, her gaze never faltering.
Kodan would never dream of calling her insane, especially not now as he realized he couldn't run if he'd wanted to. "Where will you be?"
"I'll find you." Hyakuhei grabbed Kodan and kissed him.
The mercenary tasted the blood on her lips, but was even more shocked when he put his hand on her waist. The girl was warm. She breathed, she lived. This unholy creature was human. His jaw dropped as he backed away. "What...who..."
She smiled and giggled again. The giggle set Kodan's teeth on edge and caused him to take a few more steps back. "A cleric of Mishakel. All soft and pure. A perfect offering." She turned and began to walk away.
"Wait!" Kodan's nerve returned as soon as her gaze was disrupted. "What are you? Did Hiddukel send you? Am I doomed?"
She turned, a smile on her lips. "I'm Hyakuhei. I know not who Hiddukel is. And you will be."
"Why?" In truth, Kodan knew that he had lost his chance to enter paradise along time ago, but he wanted to know how this Hyakuhei could possibly know that.
"Because Hottan Matsu sings that her siblings have clutched. Krent found you, but I won you. We're going to kill them all." Her excitement was evident on her face.
Kodan couldn't help smiling back at her, she was going to do something great and he realized he wanted to be a part of it. "Good. As long as we're clear on that."
So who does Kodan find?
Background from Morion Designs.