Media: Cadence

"I see now," Khazaria said. Cadence could see the cracks in her ruined face and the smile pulling at the scabs. "You're not an Affinity thief. No one would steal such foul powers. Turning you in to the Walker Hunter chasing you below would be my greatest pleasure."

"Khazaria." Cadence raised a hand, approaching her former Mistress carefully. "What are you doing here?"

Khazaria laughed in her shrill voice. "Are you seriously that stupid? My family might be dead, but I am still the master of a House of War. Lady Khavarosk sent me an invitation. How could I turn down a gracious invitation from House Khavarosk?"

The other girl circled Cadence. "What would they do to you, I wonder? I heard that they have managed to bottle the perfect Heartburner, a poison that works solely on Walkers and it will inflict the most unimaginable pain before it finally kills you."

Khazaria took a step forward. She leaned in until she was staring Cadence right in the eyes. "However, before I hand you over to that bastard, I would like a extract a confession.

A dagger flew free from Khazaria's belt. She removed it with such speed, Cadence only managed to dodge the attack before it sliced her cheek open.

"You killed my father, destroyed my mansion, took everything from me. I will never marry, no man would want a woman with a face like mine."

Khazaria's dagger was pointed right at Cadence's throat, backing her up until her waist hit the railing.

"I promise I'll amend everything," Cadence said. "I'll give you your father back."

Khazaria laughed scornfully. "Just because you're a Walker? That doesn't change anything. You took him from me. I cried for my loss, I mourned for him, you cannot fix what is broken. You made me suffer and you shall pay."

Khazaria flung herself off the balcony, cackling at the top of her voice. "I'm going to tell the world you're a Walker, churl! Walker Hunters will swarm you, and you'll wish you were dead when they are through with you!"

No. Cadence jumped off after Khazaria.

Khazaria was fast, blasting bursts after bursts of air behind her, propelling herself up the North tower, but Cadence had the upper hand. She threw up two tendrils of shadows, wrapping them around Khazaria's ankles and pulled her down onto the roof. Caught off guard, Khazaria smashed into the tiles, sending pieces of slates skittering off the roof.

"You want to fight?" Khazaria raised herself just as Cadence dropped in front of her. "You'll regret it, churl."

Khazaria threw back her hands, thrusting herself forward with two ferocious bursts of air behind her. She sliced through the air with her hands, throwing blade after blade of air at Cadence. Cadence pushed back with shadows of her own, forming a protective wall. The wall did little to shield Cadence. The blades of air sliced through her shadow barrier like a sickle cutting through corn stalks. Cadence tucked and rolled at the very last moment as Khazaria's attack made contact with the wall behind her, shattering it.

"I am Khazaria of House Orelik, daughter of the greatest House of War. You can never defeat me, not today, not ever." Khazaria took flight, reaching for the top of the North tower. Cadence grunted and pushed, kicking off from the roof and going after Khazaria. Both perched on the slanted roof of the tower. Khazaria raised her weapon just as Cadence drew Bahtra.

The wind howled around them. Both Cadence's and Khazaria's headdresses jangled in the wind, their dresses fluttered rippled around them. They were so close; any attempt of Affinity would throw them off the tower and toward an inevitable, painful death.

Khazaria grinned. The wind rived and grabbed at their garments, eager to fling them off the tower. That was when Cadence realized her mistake—Khazaria had deliberately lured her up to the top of the tower where the wind was the strongest—bringing the battle to her own turf.

Thrusting both hands forward, Khazaria blasted the most powerful gust of air at Cadence, combining the strength of the angry gale and her own. The blast of wind slammed into Cadence, throwing her off the tower and into the howling wind.

Adrenaline surged through her body as she could hear her own heart pounding in her ears.

I'm going to die. I'm going to die. I'm going to die.

She panicked, and did the only thing she could—throw out anything she could use to defend herself—shadows, anything.

The small bead of obsidian she had always kept with her shivered and broke free from her pocket. Cadence threw every inch of her energy into it, every fear, every hope, every bit of strength she had left. The bead of obsidian shot forward, like an arrow released from a bow, cleaving through the wind at the speed of light.

Khazaria never saw it coming—it was a tiny, dark speck, no bigger than an earring—striking her right in the temple. Khazaria faltered, confusion creeping over her face before she fell backward.

The two girls tumbled through the air like Dewa Sorokin falling from Syurka. Their hair ripped upwards as gravity greedily tugged them back down onto earth. Cadence's shadow rush up to her. Like clockwork, her body pushed against it. She landed hard on her shoulder and rolled across the grass. Pain erupted from where she had struck the ground from such a height. Even with her push cushioning the worst of the fall, her shoulder screamed from the impact.

Khazaria continued to fall. Even if she had survived an obsidian to the brain, there was nothing she could do to save herself from plunging. Her Core was blocked and she was utterly helpless. She smashed against a gargoyle, breaking it into pieces before splattering into a sick, red mess of blood and flesh on the ground.

At first, there was silence, the calm of thunder-struck horror, then everything crashed upon Cadence.

She had just killed another person.

Murderer! The Polong in her mind cried out in joy. Murderer!

Clutching her injured shoulder, she rose to her feet. Standing in front of her was Taras' companion.

"Walker." He drew a club. It was not a weapon capable of drawing clean wounds. This man had no intentions of killing her. He was going to knock her out and then take her captive.

Cadence bounded forward. Every step sent a sharp pain jolting up her shoulder.

There was a cheering crowd gathered at the garden, all watching a shadow-puppet performance. Cadence ducked into the crowd, trying to blend into the spectators. The sound of gongs, trumpets, and drums beaten too loud hurt her ears. She squeezed through the crowd, trying to get her bearings.

It was no use, her red dress as a complete giveaway. More of Taras' men joined in the chase. Cadence's shoulder burned as she pushed her way out of the crowd and ran toward the mansion gates.

There were several carriages stationed next to the guard towers. Cadence didn't know how to ride a horse, and even if she knew how, she could not ride one with her damaged shoulder.

She thrust out her good hand, sending a tendril of shadow shooting toward the footman of the nearest carriage, tossing him aside.

"Get her!" Taras' voice burst through the orchestra of gongs and drums.

Cadence clambered onto the driver's seat, grabbed the reins of the horses and turned the tendril of shadow in her hand into a whip.

"Go!" Pain almost blinded her as she cracked the whip. "Go!"

The horses neighed and broke into a run. Cadence cracked her whip again, ignoring the spasming pain, urging the horses to pick up their pace. The carriage rumbled and creaked as the horses started gathering speed, bursting through the gates of the mansion before the guards could slam it shut.

Cadence gritted her teeth and slapped the reins again. Faster, faster, faster!

She didn't know where to run, but she was sure it had to be somewhere far away from Taras and his crew.

I still need to raise my father and Master Orelik. I-

What was there to raise when the person she was trying to redeem herself to was dead?

You killed Khazaria, my sweet thing, the Polong whispered. There is no need to bring back her father. They're both in Syurka now, you did a good job.

Stones rolled, earth flew as the carriage tore down the road. Cadence was jolted and shaken, going over so many enormous bumps she was almost thrown out of the carriage. Her heart raced. Her hands were covered with such a thick layer of sweat she had difficulty holding onto the reins.

Cadence heard the sound of hooves against the earth behind her, followed by a heart-jostling, perturbing sense of dread.

She threw a fleeting glance over her shoulders. There were ten, probably more riders chasing after the carriage. Some spun lassos, others cradled crossbows.

Faster, you useless creatures! Cadence screamed at the horses. There are four of you and they have only one horse each!

These were coach horses, trained only to pull until a certain speed. The Walker Hunters had steeds trained and bred for only one purpose—to run as fast as the wind can blow.

Two riders reached her carriage and pulled up beside her. Cadence tried to fling them off with her shadow-whip, but the man next to her caught it around his wrist and gave it a ferocious tug, throwing Cadence off the carriage.

She hit the ground with a rib-shattering impact, rolled and went smack into a tree. Through the haze of pain, Cadence tried to crawl away, but the riders surrounded her. Several dismounted. One of them grabbed her by the hair and jerked her head back, forcing her to look at the hideous smirk of victory on his face.

Cadence tasted blood. She snarled and lashed out with another tendril of shadow. There was a musical twang, followed by a horrible, splintering pain. One of them had shot an arrow at her injured shoulder.

She cradled it as if she could staunch the bleeding and stop the pain. Tears fell from her cheeks as the Walker Hunters bound her tightly with ropes, drawing the ends with until it crushed her broken ribs. She cried out again.

An arrow whistled through the air, golden fletched feathers gleaming under the sun before it struck the one holding her captive in the throat. He gurgled, eyes protruding like a goldfish, then fell forward, eyes open, dead.

Another arrow was fired, then another. Three more Hunters dropped dead. The other Hunters scattered in confusion, weapons drawn, Affinities ignited and eyes wary.

Ales flew out of the trees like a crazed man. He hacked left and right with his Celestium sword, cutting off hands and heads, cleaving through them as easily as one would cut butter. His robes fluttered, his eyes flashed in anger. Cadence could only stare at the man who was now battling like there was no tomorrow, reaching the apex of his powers.

The remaining Hunters composed themselves, then started to fight back. Swords clashed, wind met earth, blood spurted. Ales was a whirlwind of pure fury. His arm rose and fell, heads rolled as the Walker Hunters scattered. The battle was a blur which Cadence's pain-riddled eyes and brain could not catch up with.

When the last of the Walker Hunters dropped dead, Ales strode toward Cadence, covered in blood, brain-matter, mud, and sweat. There was so much blood on him, Cadence couldn't tell whether it was his or the Hunters.

Her mentor cut her bonds and gathered her broken body into his arms.

"I won't leave you alone," he said softly. "Not again."

Cadence's head lolled against his chest, too tired to even open her eyes. She was bruised, cut, broken, mangled—both inside and outside. Ales carried her over his shoulder in one hand, gripped the remaining horse's saddle and launched himself onto the horse.

She had difficulty retaining consciousness. Ales' grim face slid in and out of focus.

"Ales," she whispered. It hurt even to whisper. "I'm a murderer."

"Shhh," he replied. "Don't talk now. I'm going to get you home, find Kashimi and patch you up."

As the horse tore through the road, she heard Ales' exerted grunts, the howl of the wind and the blood pounding in her ears.

She didn't know how much time has passed. All that registered was the agony she was in and her mentor's heavy breathing. She heard the familiar clank of the Hall of Games' Celestium gates wheel open, and the horse came to a halt. Holding Cadence like how one would handle a fragile child, Ales darted through the corridors and burst into the infirmary.

Kashimi, who was reading in the empty room, dropped his book.

"Sweet Dewas," he said. "What happened?"

Ales laid Cadence down on a bed. Every part of her begging for unconsciousness so they could shut down the pain. It was too much...too much.

Her mentor staggered, then grabbed the bed railings, steadying himself.

"Ales?" Kashimi said in alarm.

"Hunters," Ales said. It was only then Cadence noticed he was pressing his stomach with one hand. Blood flowed profusely from the wound, staining his kubah a dark red. The blood was so much even his hand couldn't staunch it. Ales' eyes rolled back in his head and he fainted, face-first onto the floor.

"Ales," Cadence choked, then it was her turn to be claimed by darkness.