DragonFire {Chapter 3}

"Mother!" Fire. Screams. She was running, screaming. "MOTHER!" Branches tore at her clothes. "MOTHER!" Running through flames, forest, than the sea. "MOTHER! MOTHER!" Screaming herself horse. Finding the stone. Holding, alone, on the beach. Lost. Scared. Watching the stone break, seeing the dragon. Nurturing it. Burning her hands to feed it. Flying through the air on it's back. Riding it to the mountains, to the plains, to the city. Lost. Scared. Growing up, always alone. Living in the ghetto, never losing a fight. Tough. Scared. Alone. Finding Akemi, being trained. The only girl Dragonrider in the history of it all. Waking up at four in the morning to practice fighting. Nearly killing herself all for the sake of pride. To prove she was as good as any man. Flying away from it all to the forest. The fight. The fall. The terror. The kiss. The boy. The flowers.

Memories spun through her head. Her eyes flew open, and her stomach rolled with nausea. She saw a splash of red by her bed, and the red came into focus and became flowers. A burning desire to know what they were doing there distracted her momentarily. "Flowers... The flowers..." she croaked. Her voice was nearly gone. But she had to know! " What are those flowers? Please... The flowers..."

The nurse dozing by her bed looked up. "The flowers? Oh! Those are roses. Finest quality, if I do say so myself," She preened, "Sent by that boy who was with you. What was it? Oh yes!”

But Menewa wasn’t listening. Her head spun. Roses. I’ve never gotten roses. She forced herself into consciousness, struggling to stay awake. She realized with disappointment that she had missed the name of the boy-man. The nurse continued.

“He took quite a hit, but he'll pull through. You Dragonriders are always getting hurt trying to keep Yore safe!" She looked over at Menewa. She was out cold.

" Poor dear," she murmured. "Who knows what she's been through?”

Menewa awoke to a fresh breeze on her skin. She opened her eyes and groaned as light filtered through white curtains, blinding her. She stretched her arms above her and grimaced a bit when the pain hit. But I'm alive. And that's all that matters right now. Menewa glanced around but saw no one.

Beside her on the table were flowers, brilliant red roses that had just started to fade. She frowned, as memories tried to crawl to the surface of her cluttered mind. The man! She gasped and tried to sit up, but cringed as her body protested angrily. Ow. I really took some hits. Falling into those trees hurt a lot. But I have to see if that boy is all right! And Kihin too!!

Menewa struggled upward and out of the soft bed. She glanced around the room she had been kept in. Humph. Typical Chouko. Very...Clean.

The room was light and airy, half of it a mere latticework that allowed the outdoors to be easily viewed. Menewa headed for the door, but stopped when she got to a mirror that was mounted on the wall. She stared at herself, as if seeing her reflection for the first time. Menewa was a tall young woman, lean and muscled from years of training. Yet she had a grace about her that nothing could hide. Her long red hair, usually kept in a braid, had been combed and brushed till it gleamed like fire. Her face was rounded and pretty, but her eyes were like steel: gray and cold. Currently, and to her disgust, Menewa was wearing a flowing white nightgown, tied around the waist with a simple braided cord. Pink, of course. Uch. Too feminine. And impractical! But it'll have to do for now. Menewa sighed, and opened the door that led out of her room.

She strode down the hall, causing a few of the flower-laden orderlies to gasp and jump out of her way. At the end of the corridor, one of the male nurses stopped her.

"I'm sorry, miss, but only authorized people are allowed into this corral for the time being. All of our animal patients have been moved to the Southern Wing until further notice." He gestured to one of the youngest nurses tiptoeing towards them. She looked to be about ten summers old, and she carried a wilted cluster of yellow pansies.

"Sumana!" he called, "Come show this patient to the Southern Wing. I believe she has a pet there."

Sumana came and gently took her bandaged hand.

"Come with me, miss. You'll be perfectly safe," she whispered to her. Menewa almost laughed. "As if I need taken care of!" she scoffed. But she drew back when she saw Sumana's eyes begin to water. "I- I'm sorry!" Menewa said, frantically trying to console the little girl with the wilted pansies. "I didn't mean it like that! Really! It's just that-" Bother. She wanted to keep her Dragonrider status hushed, but she didn't want this girl to hate her.

"It's just that I'm a Dragonrider,” she whispered in the girl's ear. She stood up and drew her back from her neck, revealing a scar of three parallel lines crossing a circle. The male nurse gasped and turned scarlet.

"Oh I am SO sorry Miss Dragonrider if you would ever forgive me and just allow me to show you to your most esteemed dragon I would be EVER so GRATEFUL!" the nurse gushed. Menewa nodded to the bumbling nurse and bent down next to the girl again. "Would you like to meet a real live dragon?" she asked. The girl gasped, and her eyes grew wide

"Oh-oh-y-yes please miss Dragonrider!" she stammered.

"Then come along." said Menewa, and strode away after the groveling man in the white coat. She passed through what seemed like endless halls, all whitewashed with flowers hanging down. She passed groups of white-coated nurses, male and female, who glanced up at her with mixed emotions: fear, interest, and indifference. Finally Menewa was lead to a door that opened to the outside.

"Please, step this way Madam Dragonrider," said the man who had led her there, recovering some of his pompous air. Menewa brushed passed him and practically ripped the door off its hinges in her haste to get out.

"KIHIN!!" she yelled.

Menne! came the joyous reply. I'm so glad you're alright!

And you too, old friend! replied Menewa.

I was so worried about you Menne...I thought you might not pull through this time. said Kihin softly as Menewa hugged him. Kihin had been installed in an open-air suite, which was basically a lawn with walls and flowers surrounding it. Menewa barely noticed this, as she was too busy reuniting with her dragon. She only looked around when she felt a slight tugging on her sleeve.

"If you please, ma'am...the young man in room 349 was asking for you." said Sumana haltingly.

"Oh yes," said Menewa "I'm coming. But first, Kihin, this is Sumana. She's been very kind to me." Kihin gave Menewa a searching glance, but then smiled down at the wide-eyed young nurse. Satisfied that Kihin was safe and well, Menewa strode away. She had someone to see.

She managed to find room 349 without any trouble. It was just down the corridor from hers. She paused a moment at the door to collect her jumbled thoughts before knocking. Keep it simple, she thought. Ask questions first, strangle later. She took a deep breath then pushed open the door.

She braced herself in anticipation, waiting for something to attack her, but the attack never came.

The room was empty, the open window letting a soft breeze into the room. Menewa glanced around. "He must be hiding," she said to herself. She walked over to the open window and smelled the air.

Bleck. Flowers and butterflies. She sneezed, and looked down at her hands. She noticed a blue piece of yarn, like the kind the hospital used to make the patients complimentary sweaters, stuck in a crack in the window frame. She followed it with her eyes and saw that it stretched all the way across the courtyard and under the door that lead to the market in Chouko.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she said and clambered over the windowsill out into the courtyard.

She followed the yarn across the yard at a leisurely stroll, so as not to alert the orderlies that she was up to something. She slipped through the heavy door out into the crowded flower market, eyes intently following the green string. She clung to the faint hope that it hadn't been severed in the crazy bazaar of Chouko.

The string wound through stalls, over shoes, and around corners. She followed it intently, clambering over carts and feet to the noise of the market and cries of protest when someone’s toes were trod upon. The string made a sharp left into a deserted alleyway with a few wooden doors on the sides of the buildings surrounding it.

The string trailed down the ally into an open courtyard with more doors. Menewa picked one at random, and opened it to find a quiet nursery containing a nanny gently rocking a baby to sleep. The nanny didn’t startle when Menne opened the door, but only put her finger to her lips and continued rocking. Menewa closed the door gently and went on to the next one. The next door opened upon a steaming kitchen bursting with delicious smells. A cook noticed her and started screaming in an obscene yet colorful sounding language as he threw a pot toward the door. She closed it just in time to hear a loud CLANG bounce off the walls of the courtyard. She went to the next door, a plain wooden one with a simple knob. It had a tidy sign on it proclaiming, "LOCKED." Menewa jiggled the doorknob and the door swung open, revealing a dark room. She could faintly make out a table with some thick books on it, and three chairs surrounding it.

She looked harder into the gloom and saw a floating pair of ice blue eyes, leering at her in the darkness. Menewa nearly jumped out of her skin. "Ah!" she screamed, stumbling back a step. The eyes moved towards her, until she could see the pale face that contained those soulful eyes.

"I'm sorry," said the young man. "Did I scare you?" He smiled.

"N-n-no." stammered Menewa "Not at all. A Dragonrider is never scared!" she added more forcefully.

"I see." said the man tactfully. He sat down slowly in one of the three chairs and Menewa saw him wince. She remembered his scream as she had driven the blade into his side and flinched as he looked at her. "Please.... Sit down." He said, his voice slow and earnest. Menewa did sit down, but slowly, and in the chair furthest away from him. She was acutely aware of the fact that she was alone and unarmed in a room with a man who had tried to kill her.

She looked at him, sizing him up. He was dressed in a plain white tunic over tan pants, standard Chouko-issue. He had his riding boots back on though, although his sword and belt were not at his waist. "Introductions are in order, I believe," said the young man at length. "I am Cadvan. And you are?"

Menewa hesitated, then spoke "I am Menewa, of the Dragonrider clan. I bear the mark of the dragon, and am the only woman to do so. And I do not understand you nor trust you, Cadvan of nowhere." She spat the last words at him, but Cadvan merely smiled his sad smile and looked away from Menewa into the gloom.

"It's been a while since I carried an allegiance. Almost as long ago as the last time I asked for assistance." He met her gaze at last, and Menewa was drawn into his eyes, blue as the sky, as water, as ice, and as bottomless as despair. "Which is what I am doing now, Menewa, Dragonrider." He said softly, a note of agony creeping into his voice "Please. I need your help."

My help? He tries to kill me, and now he's asking for my HELP??? Menewa was aghast, and it clearly showed on her face. She stood up and turned to the door, but Cadvan grabbed her wrist. Every muscle in her body tensed, and she bit her lip. His grip was like a shackle, and he pulled her back over into the seat next to him. She tried to avoid looking at his eyes, but his piecing gaze drew hers to his.

"Please," he said softly. He sounded so sincere, but she could detect a slight cockiness, like he knew he had already won. She groaned and gave in.

"What do you need?" she asked condescendingly. "Your help," he said again. His eyes lit up, and he scooted his chair closer to "The price has asked to go on a quest in his stead. He's getting married soon, as you most likely know, to the Princess of ________. He would most likely have his younger brother in the wedding, and he wants to, but there's one minor problem with this." He paused dramatically. Menewa rolled her eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"His brother wandered off."

Menewa was confused. "But can't they find him?" She thought that if he had just wandered off in Cade, someone would've found him and brought him back.

"No. That's the whole point. He really did wander off. They don't know if he's in Cade, or Chouko; he might up in the mountains for all they know!" Cadvan laughed, throwing back his head. Menewa couldn't help herself, and she gave a small chuckle. Cadvan's face turned serious again. " The royal family has asked us to search Yore top to bottom till we find him. We'd have three months. Are you going to come with me?" he looked at her intensely, and he cowered under his gaze. "I’ll come,” she said hesitantly. “But I have a few questions. What's the brother's name, and his age and height and such? I'll need to know so I can somewhat recognize him.” “His name,” Cadvan said, “is Tangwyn.”

DragonFire {Chapter 2}

Menewa fell, plummeting through the sky. See her mother and sister, dead for 14 years, killed when she was two, murdered by raiders. See her baby brother, also dead. See her Master Instructor, teaching the young Menne how to properly ride a newborn dragon hatching. See her dragon, Kihin, her joy, her soul, to whom she is connected.

Without me he'll die. What did he always say? Oh, yes. The battle isn't over till you say so.

What?

Survive, Menewa. If you don't survive, who will feed me? Don't test me, woman. And someone's going to need to remove the sword from my saddle. SO GET A MOVE ON! I COMMAND YOU TO SURVIVE! And with a jolt she awoke to find herself falling once more. She screamed for Kihin, but the air rushing past her ripped the cry from her mouth. The ground was approaching faster than she'd like it to, and she was about to hit the ground when the wind was knocked out of her. Branches scratched her face nd arms as she fell through a pine tree.

"Ouch! Owe! Gah! Uhugh! Ahh! No! Help! Eek! Ouch! OOMPH!" Menewa hit the ground, much worse for wear than she was ten minutes ago. Kihin's gonna be ticked. She checked herself over, groaning when she lightly pressed a cut on her thigh.

MENNE!!! WHERE ARE YOU!?!?!?

"HERE! HERE I AM! KIHIN! KIHIN, HELP!" Her voice echoed off the trees, and was still ringing when Kihin burst through the foliage, searching wildly for her.

Menne! Are you hurt? How did you survive?

"The branches broke my fall," she said, stroking his flank, "every single one of them." Then she saw the boy-man stranger emerge from the trees. "You." she gasped.

The young man advanced, his light smile back on his face. He looked at Menewa, lying on the ground with her open wounds and scratch-marks all over her face, and then at Kihin, protectively trying to cover Menewa with his tail even though he himself was wounded. He swung his sword experimental and winced as the pain from Menewa's sword cut shot through his arm from his shoulder.

"Ouch" he said, "That was quite a fight you put up, young woman!" His voice was light and lilting, flowing through the air like music. "I didn't expect you to survive my first blow...Most riders are too shocked at my riding technique to do more than gape at the onrushing death. I also didn't expect you to survive that fall. Or that your dragon would fight so dirty!" He grimaced in pain again, and his voice changed a bit, becoming lower and less musical

"You're a bit too surprising for my taste, woman...I suppose I'll have to finish you off." He seemed to waver for a bit, his smile slipping and a sadness coming into his eyes. He sighed "Decisions, decisions...."

Menewa looked from assessing her wounds in surprise "I thought you had already decided to kill me!"

"Of course I have!" said the man-boy-person. "It's all a question of how at this point..." And his smile came back, this time with a cruel twist to it. "Should I kill you myself, or have Kori finish you off?" he smiled at her.

"Whoa whoa whoa! Hold on a minute! Do you really expect an experienced Dragonrider to just sit here and wait to die?"" Menewa gaped in disbelief.

"Well... Yes! Yes, I believe I do! Anyway, even if you wanted to resist, you can't even stand! You just fell from a great height, and-"

"No thanks to you! might I add?" Menewa shot back.

" Yes, yes, but moving on, your dragon is also wounded. How do you expect to even compare to my skills when can't even walk, much less fight?"

" Trust me. I can. No worries." But she wasn’t so sure of herself, and the boy-man seemed to sense that.

He slid her rapier across the forest floor to him. "Nice blade. Sharp. Shiny. Light. Why the ornamentation, may I ask?"

She grimaced. "You can't." She stared at him. "You know, before you kill me, can you fulfill my last wish?" He glanced up from his perch next to Kori.

"Sure. Just because I like you." he smiled. "Spunk in a girl is nice." She almost gagged, but she went on.

"I'm only 16. I haven't been kissed would you mind if you... Ya know..." she let the question hang in the air. He looked at her again. There was something in his eyes that she couldn't place.

Regret? Contempt? Disgust? Fear? Joy? No! None of these. She looked harder, then saw it. A deep, unmistakable sadness, older than time. Who IS this man? She blinked, and blinked again when she saw him stand and slide her rapier into his belt. He walked over to her, still lying on the ground. He knelt, drawing his dagger, and pressed his lips softly to hers. Unbeknown to him, her hand snaked up and slowly drew her rapier from his belt, ever so soundlessly.

When he drew away he was crying. "I'll regret this forever," he said raising his dagger high.

"Then don't do it," Menewa pleaded.

"Farewell. I hope you forgive me." And with that he closed his eyes and brought the dagger down hard. Menewa rolled away with a grunt of pain and stabbed with the rapier. The young man, halfway through his downward stroke, and blinded by his tears, screamed as the rapier stabbed into his side. The long, drawn out scream of pain echoed around the clearing, and was joined by Kori's roar.

Menewa looked up to see him fall, as if in slow motion. See his eyes, clouded with pain. See his smile, gone. See his face, twisted in pain and sadness. He hit the ground with a thud, and lay there, eyes closed. Kori rushed forward and Kihin sprang up to protect Menewa, but the ice dragon only ran to her master's side and looked down at his face. Menewa pulled herself forward, ignoring the fiery agony in every limb, and pressed her hand to his throat, feeling for a pulse.

It was there; weak and fluttering, but it was still there.

I think it is best to leave him here, intoned Kihin. We must seek medical attention! Menni? Menni!!!

But Menewa wasn't listening. She was thinking of the sadness in the young man's face as he stared at her, and the feel of his breath on her lips. She wanted, desperately needed to know who, or what, he was.

We're not leaving him.

What? You can't be serious, Menni!! We can't lug him along! And plus, he's an enemy!!! I think you must have taken a blow to the head, Menni my girl, was Kihin's incredulous reply.

I have to know who he is, and why he wanted to kill me! She rose to her feet and lurched over to him. We aren't better than him, Kihin. Everyone deserves to live. Kihin growled, but padded over to them.

Fine. You get on my back, and I'll carry him. Push me at all; woman, and I WILL drop him.

Cool it, Kihin. We'll be fine. She hoisted the boy-man onto the saddle with her, right in front of her. Kihin wasn't fond of that.

It's not ME I'm worried about. It's YOUR sanity.

KIHIN! I'm tired, hurt, and doing what I think is right!

He snorted, but lifted into the air and began the flight to the capital. Do we really have to go to Chouko? I don't like that place.

Why ever not, Menewa? Kihin was still angry, but Menewa chose to ignore it. Because of all of the flowers, Kihin. And the butterflies. That place smells too nice, and the people are just plain creepy. Always smiling and giving you wreaths and garlands and asking you to bless their babies. It's just plain weird! She glanced behind her out of habit and noticed Kori following them.

She obviously means no harm.

Kihin snorted and mumbled something about "... never know... those types... deadly... dagger in the back... never trust a dragon..."

The flight to Chouko was uneventful. Menewa drifted in and out of consciousness. The young man in front of her never stirred, and once or twice Menewa had to put her fingers to his throat to check his pulse.

We can't let him die...Fly faster Kihin! Urged Menewa. Kihin responded with a grunt that didn't sound very happy, but sped up anyways. Kori flew steadily behind them, never saying a word, and acting neither threatening nor friendly. Menewa didn't wonder that the ice dragon was following them. Dragons and their riders are bonded for life, and are bound by both love and magic to follow each other always. As long as the boy-man lived, Kori would be fine.

What will happen if Kori's rider dies?

There is no way to tell, was the grunted response from a still-angry Kihin. Some dragons die instantly, some go mad, and still others simply pine away. Menewa didn't reply, and they flew onward for a while in silence. And then, suddenly below them Menewa could see the fields upon fields of flowers that marked Chouko.

By this point the images in front of Menewa's eyes were beginning to spin and whirl, so she didn't see Kihin land, throwing up daisies and butterflies in a shower.

She didn't see the people rush up with wreaths and garlands who quickly dropped them when they saw the state Menewa and the others where in. Menewa didn't feel herself being lifted up and carried away, didn't see Kihin be led away as well, casting worried glances over his shoulder at her. All she remembered was that she couldn't let go of the young man's hand. Menewa fell into the deep darkness of sleep, and dreamed....

DragonFire {Chapter 1}

See the night sky, peppered with stars. The night sky in Yore is always clear, unless sorcery intervenes. See the forest, swaying in the gentle breeze. Your eye is drawn downwards by a red glow in a clearing. See the young woman, in full battle armor, lying there. See the dragon, curled around her, its fiery eyes supplying the red glow. A battle sword, light and long, depicting a dragon curling around the hilt and blade, is laying in the woman's hand. A silence is there, punctuated only by the swish-swish of the trees and the breath of the woman and dragon.

A minute later a sudden roar splits the night air and the woman is on her feet in a flash, sword in hand.

"Mount up Kihin!" shouted Menewa as she jumped upon his back. '' Danger awaits!''

Must you always go searching for trouble, Menne? Kihin intoned in her mind through their mental connection. You'll get yourself killed, all just to prove that you’re as good as any man?

I would! she shot back at him. I can't let them forget me, or worse, think that they're better. Being the only girl in a generation of dragon riders is hard. You try it sometime. Kihin snorted, flames shooting out his nose. Shut up, Menne thought, and let's go. She hefted up the enormous sword into the saddle on Kihin's back. Then, roaring, Kihin spread his massive wings and took to the sky, soaring over the forest toward the danger that lay before them. The forest rushed below them as Kihin and Menewa flew towards the disturbance.

As they neared the place where the sound had come from, Menewa began to see blue flames and some sort of black cloud.

There it is!! Menewa shouted at Kihin through their mental link.

Ow. No need to scream. And please, do be careful this time Menne. Don't want any more injuries. , came the reproachful reply. Kihin slowed his wing beats as he approached the clearing, and Menewa looked down. She saw an enormous ice-blue dragon and a young man astride it. His hair was light gold, and his armor was a shining metallic blue. His ice blue dragon was in full battle gear, with a spiked saddle and bridle. Menewa could hear Kihin's snort of displeasure as he saw this.

Battle armor is for weaklings and those who do not know their own strength.

The young man and the dragon are fighting what looked like a cloud of black smoke with luminous eyes and giant teeth and claws. The thing was wounded and the young man finished it off with a triumphant cry as Menewa watched. Then he glanced up, met her eyes, and waved.

That boy's got cheek! Menewa gasped. How dare he treat a distinguished Dragonrider like that!

I agree. Shall we go down and ask him what he meant by that? By means of maybe, a duel? Kihin nonchalantly blew a little fire and examined his talons. I'll play fair, really! Menewa kicked Kihin in the side with the heel of her boot.

Really Kihin! Why can't you ever- never mind! We'll go down to meet him, but NO FIGHTING!

But! But!

But squat! Ground! Now! She kicked him again, and he began the descent, but not without sighing dramatically and grumbling.

Dragons get no respect around here! I ought to retire and let someone else baby-sit this human. HMPH!

I can hear you, Menewa told him dryly. Let's just get going.

As Menewa descended on the still grumbling Kihin, the young man cleaned off his sword from his relaxed position atop his dragon. Menewa looked at him closely, trying to gauge how dangerous he would be if it came to a fight. He had on light riding boots, dark pants, a tunic of silvery material, and shiny silver battle armor. His face was angular, and his hair was tousled but fair. His blue eyes were sparkling, and he would have been perfect but for the scar that ran straight across his handsome face.

So he's an experienced battler.

And his dragon isn't shabby either. Came the reply from Kihin. The ice blue dragon was tensed, staring up at Kihin and Menewa with an open mouth to show its fangs. The boy, or man, or whatever, looked at Menewa and smiled.

"Steady on Kori. I'll deal with this,” he said. Menewa heard Kihin gasp at the name

Kori? I haven't heard that name since-! That means the boy is-!

Startled by Kihin's screamed thought, Menewa yelled the words she had meant to say gently.

"State your name, lower being!"

" WELL!" gasped the boy-man. "I was planning on being civil, but if you insist." And with a practiced move he slid off his dragon, Kori, and drew his sword, a gleaming concoction of steel and ice, or so it seemed. He flipped down his battle mask and assumed a ready stance, sword clenched tight in his hands.

"Come on now. Try your hardest," the boy taunted, flourishing his sword. Menewa sighed, but drew her rapier. The golden hilt accented by emeralds was light in her hand. She shook her shoulders to loosen up, and took a few practice swings. She advanced the boy slowly, sizing up her opponent.

Fairly muscled, but I didn't see him warm up before. Then I guess I'll just have to use that. But he was just in battle with a- what was that Kihin? A demon? Or was it just a hallucination? Menewa wanted to think about this more, but Kihin interrupted her thoughts. Sorry, did you say something?

I SAID, he's limping a bit on his left leg. Now get to work! I'm hungry, and this shouldn't take more than the usual- over three minutes and I'll personally kill you. NOW GO!

Menewa and the man-boy bowed low then jumped back upon their dragons. Kihin and Kori spread their wings and took to the sky. The pair flew for a while, and then spotted the boy and Kori below them.

With a screamed battle cry and a rush of flames Menewa and Kihin dove downward. The ice dragon Kori and her rider rushed up to meet them, with a spurt of blue flames flying out of her mouth and nostrils. The two dragons collided in mid-air with a bone-crunching thud.

The blue dragon used her battle armor to its full advantage, trying to spear Kihin with its deadly spikes, but Kihin didn't fight fair. He dodged, rolled, snapped, and scratched, still shooting red-hot flames. Menewa grimly hung on and raised her sword as Kihin swung into a position where she could get a shot at this rider.

To her extreme surprise, she found herself looking up at him. He was standing upright in his saddle, apparently unperturbed as the dragons lurched and swayed. Menewa faltered, stunned by his technique, and the boy-man used her surprise to his atvantage and attacked. Screaming with the effort, Menewa brought her sword up just in time to block his downward strike. He was still smiling!

The impertinence of it all, combined with Menewa's shock at this young man's incredible technique spurred her on, and she delivered a lightning-fast barrage of blows, one of which met its mark, cutting the young man's arm at the shoulder. He gasped at the pain, and his smile evaporated, to be replaced with a look of hatred. Menewa was unprepared for what happened next.

Kihin gave a cry of Menne, hold on! then lurched, his roar of pain splitting the air. Menewa looked up, saw the sword descend, desperately tried to parry, and the last thing she saw was the young mans face as he smiled at her.

He was so sad.