Golden foe

Petra moves almost faster than the eye can follow. Trailing lightning behind her, she lunges past the lead thug into the crowd behind. The first man already has a sword raised, but he still has no chance. Petra’s claws sever his sword arm at the elbow as she sweeps past, and he’s left staring dumbly at the cauterized stump for an instant before her tail comes up and smashes into his head with a crunch. She doesn’t even look as he crumples limply to the ground. The next two men fare no better, barely having time to blink before Petra tears their throats out. Planting her foot, she snaps a kick into the chin of a fourth man, and Kael can hear the sickening sound of his neck snapping from where he is.

Four dead in less than two beats of Kael’s heart.

By now Kael is in motion as well, charging directly at the lead thug. He can hear the captain calling for the guard to charge as well, but Kael’s focus is on his target. To his credit, the thug shows no fear, raising his axe to meet Kael’s blade. Steel rings on steel as they meet, and after the first exchange Kael can see that the man has talent, though not nearly enough to beat him.

The thug seems to realize this, and fights defensively, even as his fellow cultists are being cut down in swathes around him. He even grins, locking weapons with Kael for a moment. “You’re as good as the rumors say. But I have been given gifts by our golden lady!”

A golden light flickers in the man’s eyes, and he spits a word in a tongue Kael doesn’t recognize. A burst of bright yellow energy erupts from the man’s eyes, but it dies before striking Kael. The surprise on the thug’s face when his magic fails is almost comical, and it kills him. Kael shoves the axe to one side and plunges his blade to the hilt in the man’s chest. The axe drops from nerveless fingers, and he coughs blood as he slumps to the ground.

The battle, such as it was, ends just as quickly. Petra in particular has left a trail of riven bodies in her wake, and there appear to be no major wounds among the guards. Cassus and Petra join Kael over the corpse of the lead thug. Cassus is sweating, while Petra has blood spattered across her face.

Cassus is about to speak when all three of them are startled by a golden glow from the dead eyes of the thug. They all ready themselves for an attack, but none comes. Instead the corpse’s mouth opens, and it speaks in a feminine voice.

“So. This is the new king. How interesting.”

Kael lowers his guard slightly. “Who are you?”

Laughter. “I am the future, boy. I am the light to bring humans to a new dawning. I am Hestia, and once humanity is pure, you can be so much more.”

There’s a pause before Hestia speaks again. “And as for you, boy, your little experiment with lesser races is cute, but it holds humanity back. Though I know you will not listen.”

Kael bristles, his voice tight with anger. “If all you have to offer are taunts, you can spare me. I will not be intimidated.”

More laughter. “You misunderstand me, boy! I find you fascinating. You and…what’s she calling herself? Petra? Very cute. You should ask for her true name sometime. But I’m getting sidetracked.”

The voice grows louder, more serious. “Consider this a courtesy, boy. Submit yourself to me, and I will permit you to keep your weird little family. Refuse, and I will grind you into dust. I can make you so much more, or so much less. Think on it, and understand that some power cannot be defeated by a blade. Good day, boy.”

With that, the golden glow fades, and the corpse is just a corpse once more. Kael sighs, shaking his head.