BEYOND THE GATES OF DEATH

First Blade : Blood and Ashes

Somewhere, in a deep tropical jungle, a black and gray wolf was meditating upon a blood soaked patch of soft soil, a saw toothed dagger near him, his wounded arm letting blood falling slowly on the ground. The wolf was wearing a strange and somewhat disturbing armour, made of different type of bones of several species, reinforced with metallic chains and pieces, tying the whole in a tight weaponry. The wolf had his eyes closed, as if dreaming to some distant purpose.

The blood was continuing to fall on the earth, as if made of water. Finally, the blood stopped from falling, and the injury healed itself in an instant. The wolf raised itself, and watch calmly around him, at the jungle. He has found what he was looking for. He had visions of distant places, of distant people. And a name was haunting him, like an obsession

-\xAB By Zukirath and all the Ones Awaiting Beyond, I shall now undergo the Qlaxique. And my prey is one of those that ended life. One of those that are natural enemies of the Tluxa-Quan. So be it… \xBB

After those strange sentences, the wolf left the glade, and walked through the heavy jungle. Behind him, flowers began to grow on the soft soil. Flowers that soon blossomed. They were jet black, with a bit of red lining the shapes.

Flowers made of blood and ashes…

Second Blade : The Burning Sands

In the keep of Za\xEFran-jan, a Folf was watching the day-to-day routine of the puny mortals under him Merchants barttering for their products, clients bargaining for lowering the prices, thieves catching a tax on the exchanges, children trying to look pitiful enough to earn a coin or two, and some passer-by trusting the air of innocence in the faces of the children, and giving them some copper, or, when they feel generous, even gold.

All of that with many, many Furs, Elves and Humans. The Folf grumbled a bit at the sight of a few human beggers, covered in rags. He would have for them a very special kind of mercy… The Folf finally turned his back to the window, and walked inside the keep. After all, he had a job to do in Za\xEFran-jan, after this, he would left this city plagued with so much human presence. After a bit a walking, the Folf arrived in front of a pair of massive wooden doors, guarded byn two stout and sturdy Furs. He calmly approached them, not at all impressed by their large frames. He stood silently in front of them, hidden in a black hood, protecting him from the harsh sun. After a long silence, one of the guard, a bit ill-at-ease, more accustomed to impatient and ranting people, asked him :

-\xAB Hem, who are you, sir ? \xBB

The Folf smiled a bit. If they ahd known who he was, they would have not even dared talking to him… He slowly told them his name, in a very confident tone :

-\xAB I am Lomstat Wolf requested here by the Caliph of Za\xEFran-jan. \xBB

This had obvious effects on the guards, has they jumped a little in surprise. Again, a tiny smile appeared on Lomstat’s lips. The guards quickly get out of the passage of the Folf, opening the wooden doors, in order to let him enter the throne room. Lomstat confidently enter it, knowing wel that the guards would not be able to stop him. But he was no fool, he knew for sure that the Caliph should have some magical ways of protecting himself. After all, the Caliph was the most powerful Fur in the city. Politically speaking, that is… Lomstat walked until he reached the middle of the throne room, still keeping his hood on him. He saw a throne made of wood and gold, very ornemented. On this throne, the Caliph was seating, his crown of gold on his head. Considering the Caliph overall frame, Lomstat could not rpevent himself from imaginating a huge toad sat on a wooden crate… At least, the Caliph was a Fur, the natural fur was hiding a bit all his fat. The Folf patiently waited for the Caliph to speak.

-\xAB We have heard of you, Lomstat Wolf. We are pleased enough to see you in our court. \xBB

Lomstat didn’t show it, but he was a bit exasperated by the Caliph’s use of the ‘we of majesty’. He simply waited for the rest.

-\xAB We have called you for a delicate task. A task that only a Master Assassin like you would be able to perform. \xBB

-\xAB Certainly, your majesty. Could you grant me the extreme favour of letting me know more on this topic ? \xBB

The Folf smiled inwardly, as he was obviously mocking the pompous ways of the Caliph. But this one seemed to not notice the sarcasm, and, even looked pleased enough by the Folf appearant deference.

-\xAB You sure, Assassin, that we have a great taste for those beautiful creatures that walked in our palace. We even, sometimes, grant them with a more precious boon by letting them inside our bedroom… \xBB

This time, the folf smiled frankly, as he mentally visualized the fat Caliph with one of those ‘beautiful creatures’. Fortunately enough, the Caliph misunderstood this smile, taking it as a complacent sign. The Caliph continued :

-\xAB Or, our last bedmate has betrayed us in a way that we cannot tolerate. We ask you that you take care of this situation. \xBB

-\xAB As you wish, your majesty. Can I know who she is ? \xBB

-\xAB Her name Ra\xEFsha. We want for her that her Passage through the Darkest Gates to be quick and painful, as we still appreciate her. \xBB

-\xAB You’re a merciful one, your majesty. But exemplar betrayals need exemplar retributions. I may use my time to much profit. If you allow me to do such, your majesty… \xBB

-\xAB No. We have decided that she owed a quick Passage. However… \xBB

Lomstat waited for the Caliph to continue.

-\xAB We would be pleased to see her liar tongue to be ripped off her muzzle… \xBB

The Assassin Folf smiled broadly.

-\xAB As you wish your majesty. As you wish… \xBB

With that, the Folf left the throne room, under the icy gaze of the statues, and the smile of contentment of the Caliph.

***

After nightfall, in another part of the city, a female weasel was looking at the moon. She sighed sadly under the soft breeze of the night. She was appreciating those fresh hours in the desert much, as they tend to be rare. However, tonight, even the cold wind could not help her to get out of her sorrowful thoughts. When she heard a clatter at the door, she turned toward it, all sadness vanished away. As she smiled, she also exclaimed, joyfully :

-\xAB Azbaran ! \xBB

But when she saw who was standing in the opened door, she gasped in surprise, and all joy left her again…

-\xAB Alas, milady… I’m not the one you were waiting for… \xBB

The Folf entered the room, an evil tiny predatory grin on his lips.

-\xAB W… Who are you ? \xBB

-\xAB That does not matter much, milady. I’m here to accomplish a task given to me. It’s as simple as that. \xBB

-\xAB You… You’re an Assassin send by the Caliph ? \xBB

-\xAB My, my… You’re getting it quickly, milady… \xBB

The female weasel walked backward a bit, angst plainly visible on his face, she gulped, and then try to convince the Assassin :

-\xAB Listen ! Th… This man was horrible ! He… He raped me… \xBB She said ending in a pitiful tone. \xAB I had to do his bidding, to tell him I was loving him, although he disgusted me ! I’ve fled… Please… \xBB

-\xAB That’s not my problem, milady. I’ve been paid heavily for this. So… \xBB

The weasel screamed, and ran toward a tapestry on the wall. But in a lightning move, the Folf intercepted her, and, in the same move, took a dagger in one paw. It took only a second to brace the weasel with one arm, in order to prevent her from running away from him. The weasel has started to sob, soaking the Folf arm fur with tears. The Assassin didn’t take care of this, and simply cut the throat of the Weasel. She gasped a few times, trying to take breath, although blood was leaving her body, and soaking her whole body with reddish taints. After a while then, her head fell on the side. She was dead. The Folf let the body fell to the ground. He then looked at it. And he raised his dagger again.

-\xAB And now, the Caliph’s plight… \xBB

Lomstat Wolf bend over the dead body.

***

A few hours later, Lomstat Wolf was rather happy. He has came to the palace, and disrupted his highness sleep, and deposited a ‘present’ near his nightstand, with a quick word. Lomstat Wolf was now walking in the dark streets of Za\xEFran-jan, his reward in one pocket : A few jewels, very easy to bring with you if you have to travel, and each worthing a few hundred gold coins. Lomstat Wolf was dreaming about the future, when, after a corner, he nearly bumped into a group of people, gathered here. Three Furs and one Human.

-\xAB My, my, my, what we have here ? \xBB One of tehm asked, a malignant smile on his lips, looking at the Folf. \xAB A lofty noble, returning lately at home, maybe his pockets full of gold ? Hmmm ? Don’t you know it’s dangerous to go outside at night ? \xBB

The Assassin smiled, savouring the irony of all of this. Technically, he was one of the reasons it was dangerous to walk lonely at night in the city… However, the thugs didn’t seem to appreciate this irony as much as he does, and they were growing impatient. The Fur who talk to him first has now a dagger in his hand, and was asking insistently to Lomstat to give him all coinage he might possess.

-\xAB Hmm… I don’t have any coinage. Maybe some gems, but as you asked for coins, I won’t offend you by offering these to you… \xBB Lomstat smiled at his own joke.

The Fur seemed quite pissed off by Lomstat’s humour, and attacked. With a lithe move, the Assassin dodged the graceless assault, and stabbed the thug between the soulders with his own dagger. One down. The four others looked at him, dumbfounded, and then, driven by anger, they all attacked the Folf. This one dodged the first attacker and stabbed the second in the chest. Moving professionnaly the blade inside it, Lomstat pierced the heart in no time. Letting the body falling to the ground, Lomstat gave a high kick to another attacker, the Human, which was send, nose-bleeding, hitting a wall hard. The fourth attacker received a thrown dagger beteween his two eyes. Then, Lomstat turned toward the first attacker which has now returned, and saw, stunned, the Folf jumping at him. Lomstat broke quickly the neck of the last Fur with his bare hands. The cracking sounds of broken vertebrae echoed in the dark alleyway… Finally, Lomstat looked at the Human, still on the ground, shivering, and whining in pure angst. He only managed to utter :

-\xAB … Mercy… \xBB

The Assassin Took another dagger from under his clothes, and cut the throat of the begging human.

-\xAB Mercy… What a strange word. \xBB Lomstat smirked. He then took back his dagger and began to walk out of the alleyway. That’s when he perceived a weird presence. He turned immediately back. Their were the bodies of the thugs in the middle of the street, and, on the opposite side from where Lomstat was now standing, Lomstat saw another Fur, cloaked in a dark cape. However, Lomstat saw that the shoulders of the stranger were protected with skulls of some kind of animals. One of them had a horn, sprouting from the middle of the skull’s forehead. The apparition remained silent, and Lomstat frowned, trying to figure out what was the intentions of the being. To the smell, it was some kind of wolf, but he didn’t smelled such an aroma before. After a time of respective contemplation, the stranger raised one paw in the air, opening the cloak that was hiding the starnger’s body. Lomstat saw an armour made of bone and metal, and he shivered a bit at this gruesome sight. But something else caught his eye :

One of the dead body was now twitching a bit. Lomstat looked at the corpse in shock. And, to the Assassin’s horror, the corpse raised slowly itself, awkwardly, but standing up nonetheless… Lomstat then saw the four other bodies slowly beginning to move. But Lomstat didn’t have much time to watch the scene, as the first corpse was now attacking him with his bare hands. Instinctively, Lomstat dived his dagger in the heart of the creature. Without any other effect than letting the undead to slash him with his claws. Taken by surprise by the sudden pain, Lomstat walked a few steps backward. He passed his paw where he has been slashed by the zombie, and recognized the warm and oozy touch of blood. Now ther were four zombies in the street, and the stranger was looking the overall scene, without any hint of passion or interest in it. The Assassin tried another attack, slashing the air with his dagger, so strongly and quickly, that the blade cut right through the flesh and the bone of the arm of the nearest creature, severing its hand. It has no visible result on the undead, even blood seemed to leak from the wound really slowly…

Lomstat, now a bit scared by the all of this, steeped backward a bit again. He saw only one way to get rid of the zombies quickly and efficiently. He suddenly called for his magic, and cast a huge fireball. Even if it wasn’t as graceful as a good kick, it had the merit of being efficient : The four zombies stopped to move, and fell again to the ground, charred, and this time, definitely dead. After this, Lomstat looked at the stranger. And was taken aghast by this sight. He saw a wolf, with gray fur, and black markings up and down his eyes, drawing fangs. But his eyes wer white and blank. As if they were no more soul behind those eyes. ‘A companion’ Lomstat thought, but this thought send icy shivers down his spine.

-\xAB You did it well, my Lord. \xBB The stranger said in a deep, chilly voice. \xAB My name’s Darthen Wulf. And I shall kill you… \xBB

After that, the whole body of the wolf seemed to vanish in the surrounding darkness. But Lomstat soon saw that, in fact, the wolf’s body was changing into shadows, and flying away. Lomstat stayed a bit here, wondering what the whole of that was meaning. He then looked at the four bodies, that were still burning, even though the flames were less powerful. Finally, the Assassin decided to leave the place. Walking quickly toward hid local haven, Lomstat thought again to what the starnge wolf has said.

-\xAB My name’s Darthen Wulf. And I shall kill you… \xBB

Seeing how much control Darthen seemed to have over the dead, Lomstat could not prevent a shiver from the mere thought of what would happen to him after dying under those paws…

Next Blades on their way…

By Darthen Wulf