Chapter 4

"Let the mercs take care of the mercs."

The words echoed through her nightmare, of battles she'd fought from her early days with the company to her last. Bloodshed and dying--she had somehow steeled her stomach against it, but it still ripped her mind and heart. Countless days she'd have preferred not to remember, relived until she was a curled-up, whimpering ball in her bedroll.

"Let the mercs take care of the mercs."

Damn you, Zedd. Where have you left your mind? Kris didn't want to believe he had said such a thing--not the man she loved, the man she thought understood. But then, had he ever faced a battle? He would remind her that he saw Kahlan die, but that was not much compared to what she had seen. She had seem friends and enemies alike burned to death by magefire, or watched them bleed out their lives due to a sword's edge. Swords, knives, arrows...it made her heart sick to remember. And Zedd would blithely let them go ahead and face this fate, while he extracted his revenge on one man? She hated to think of anyone dying without purpose--most people would be surprised of that from a mercenary, but it was quite true. As a fighter, didn't she know better than anyone?

Jed came across the camp at about dawn, just as the soldiers were packing up to leave. He approached one of the sentries--odd, that there were sentries in a time of peace--and spoke as he'd been told. "Krissen sent me. May I speak with Hacia Fischer?"

"You're....you're...." the young rider gushed.

"Jedrick Roseclayne, at your service, m'lady." He bowed gallantly, and the girl blushed.

"Yes, I...I can't believe I'm actually meeting you in person! Your songs...it always almost seemed as if you were speaking to me..."

"That's great, but may I see Hacia please?"

"Oh, yes, of course! Follow me." She led him into the small camp of half-rolled tents and supplies. "There she is." She pointed to a well-built woman with a ponytail, by no means beautiful but neither was she unattractive.

"Thank you ever so much." Jed kissed the girl's cheek, and she let out a squeal. Blushing, she covered her mouth quickly and ran back to her post.

"Krissen's got an army?" he said to himself as he walked over to the woman who'd been pointed out to him. "What the hell is she into here?"

"Well, who are you?" Hacia said, looking the minstrel over.

"Jedrick Roseclayne, at your service, m'lady," he replied. "Krissen told me to come to you, for an explanation of what you're up to here."

"Krissen?" The man beside Hacia raised an eyebrow. "She is all right, isn't she?"

"She seemed to be fine yesterday, though rather touchy."

"Kris is always touchy. It's part of her charm," the man laughed. "But why would she send a minstrel?"

"I'm not just some minstrel!" Jed protested. "I'm Jedrick Roseclayne, the best bard in the Eastern Lands!"

"Still, it won't do us any good to have a minstrel tagging along," Hacia replied skeptically.

"About as much good as an Archivist?" the man replied, his face not betraying any emotion. Hacia looked at him thoughtfully.

"All right, we'll give you a chance."

"What?!?" Jed practically jumped. "All I wanted to know was what was going on! I didn't want to get involved, I just wanted to write a song!"

With her dark hair and black robe, Asuka looked like a shadow herself as she slipped through the doorway. "Zeddicus of Veldine," she said softly. "There is something to show you."

Zedd stood up and followed silently. She led him up a tower he'd never been to before, onto the highest balcony. It looked over the fields of the disputed holdings from a height that nearly made him sick, though Asuka seemed unaffected.

"There," she pointed to a place where Zedd could just make out the outlines of tents and fires, "is the Venom. And there," across the field, to a much smaller spot on the horizon, "are the Griffins. Ready, waiting for a command from their employers."

He was struck with a vision of Kris sitting at a campfire, watching and waiting silently. But no--Kris wasn't a merc anymore. He didn't know these people, couldn't let them distract him from his goal.

"Asuka, why did you bring me here?" he asked softly.

"So you would see who would die," she replied just as softly.

"How did you know it would...affect me?"

"It is written plainly on your face that you care for life. It is your weakness."

Zedd turned away. "It doesn't matter. I'll do what I have to," he muttered.

"You've turned away from the one who could save you--or, rather, she has turned her face from you," Asuka continued, her words grating on his already injured feelings. "There is no chance for you now. Veldine will fall."

"I don't give a damn about Veldine!" Zedd shouted. "I'm not doing this to save my home, I'm doing this because you're evil! Geyshard deserves to die!"

"Is anyone wholly evil or wholly good?" Asuka asked. "The gods stand for order, not goodness, and even they have made mistakes. Why put your trust in them? Because they are powerful?" she laughed cruelly. "I am powerful. Why not worship me?" She smiled again. "Or...do you already?"

"I cannot worship someone who is nothing," Zedd replied.

"From the way you've acted, one would think you'd fallen in love. If I stood in the way of your killing Geyshard, would you do it?" Zedd tried to speak, but no words came to his mouth. "As I thought."

She paused, and lowered her voice almost to a whisper. "But if it comes to that, I beg you, please kill me."

She left him standing on the balcony with much more to think about.

"So," she said softly to herself, "this is Port Legann."

Krissen had never been to the town before, and though it was no match for Port Caynn it was still an amazing sight for a girl who'd been raised in the mountains. The Emerald Ocean stretched out as far as the eye could see, crystalline and sparkling in the afternoon sun. There was gossip about trouble in Veldine, and the mysterious death and disappearance of Harold's children, but the town remained relatively unruffled. No wonder--civil war was unheard of in Tortall.

Krissen had never fought any battles in Tortall--nor had any merc company she'd heard of, in her time, at least. The king was strong enough to nip any inter-fief rivalries in the bud--unless it was done quietly, as Lord Geyshard's greed had eaten up land. So, she was here.

She slipped back into scout-mode unconsciously, though it had been almost half a year since she'd needed it. So much had happened since then...Zedd came to mind.

Meeting him again will be interesting. I don't know if I'll strangle him or kiss him. Maybe both. She smiled to herself, lightening her mood considerably. So at least there's something to look forward to.

But before she could see him she had to do something about the war that was building just south of the port. Hacia should arrive soon--hopefully within the next day or so, considering that the area was a powder keg waiting for a spark. She didn't like the odds of trying to stop a war by herself.

"Come on, Hacia," she murmured. "All the pieces are in place but you."

Hacia looked up from a map of the Port Legann area. "Oh, it's you, Nik," she sighed in relief. "It was afraid it was that damn minstrel again."

"Nope, I'm most assuredly not Jed, thank the gods," Nik replied. "You're working too hard. Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Who are you to tell me I work to hard? Kris tells me you're up all hours working, most of the time."

"Well, that's on important things. Besides, we'll be reaching the Port tomorrow. You need to rest your mind. Like it or not, we're going." He took her hands and dragged her out of her seat.

"You know, it still amazes me how someone as skinny as you can be so strong," Hacia told him, smiling.

"It has nothing to do with strength, and everything to do with will. I want you to get up far more than you want to stay there, so you're unconsciously helping me," Nik replied.

"I suppose that makes sense," Hacia said cautiously. "So long as you don't do it in front of people. I've a reputation to keep."

"Yes, Hacia the evil mistress of the sword. I am in your service, as always."

"I hate to see Tortall reduced to a war zone like this," Hacia said softly as they walked through the sleeping camp. "It's wrong."

"I would think you'd be used to it, being a Queen's Rider."

"It's not the same. There will always be bandits, but there doesn't have to be war. I just hope we get there in time."

"Don't worry about it," Nik told her. "You've been worrying enough for three people."

"Do you mean to tell me you aren't worried?" Hacia demanded. "You're just an archivist! Can you even comprehend that this could be your last full day alive?!"

"So could any day, Hacia," Nik replied softly. "No one knows but the gods, if even them. You simply must live accordingly."

They walked in thoughtful silence for a few minutes after that, until Hacia tugged on Nik's sleeve. "Stop," she told him.

"What?"

"If tomorrow is our last day alive," she said, "I think I should tell you something."

"Then, by all means, speak," Nik said.

"I may not have another chance to tell you, but...I've fallen in love with you."

Nik looked stricken for a moment, but his composure returned. "I...I'm honored, Hacia."

"You mustn't hold me to this if we live through tomorrow, but I--"

"We should probably head back to the camp," Nik said.

"Not yet. I'm not finished." She put her hands on either side of Nik's face and kissed him. "I mean what I said, Nik..."

"And we may not live past tomorrow."

Today.

Zedd awoke with a fire in his veins. Yes. He would wait no longer. It was time to have done with this evil. His Gift was rested and at full power, and he felt ready to take on the world.

Or even Lord Geyshard.

He wore chainmail under the robes he'd donned during his visit--he wanted to look the part of a spoiled mage, not the type one would expect to attack his employer. The sword belted at his waist reminded him of Krissen--Krissen who had turned her face from him. Well, this was his own mission. For his own glory--no, for right, he reassured himself. The glory was nothing compared to the necessarity of the mission.

He strode down the hallway like a man in a dream, his face the grim visage of a man who will let nothing get in his way. He followed the halls numbly to Geyshard's chambers.

And found Geyshard, fully armed and laughing. "I've been waiting for you," he said. "Khallis, you may tell your troops to attack at will. Asuka, take care of this nuisance."

Zedd turned to see Asuka standing in the shadows behind him, her eyes burning with hate.

Sorrow was in her hands....

"Damn!" Krissen heard the bugles calling a charge. "Why, of all times to attack, must you choose now!?" She saddled Morning Star in a hurry, though she knew it would be foolish to try to stop them by herself. Perhaps some kind of spell would hold them--if only she had more time!

She rode through the city like a madwoman, to the place where the mercenary company Harold had hired was stationed. The sentry took one look at her and saluted. "Mage Heransra!"

Krissen nodded at the vaguely familiar boy, feeling like she might break into tears at any moment. Was this what the Griffins had sunk to? How could she have left them to this?

"I've got to stop this!" she told him, riding on without further adieu. She could hear the battlefield, both the real one and many others, memories that threatened to take over her head. It was a struggle to keep control of herself as she rode forward, her head pounding.

"Stop this at once!" she cried, feeling the madness winning the battle for her soul again. Morning Star faltered as waves of shining white energy began to pulse over her rider. The ground shook, and Krissen's hair began to stand on end. "Enough! No more killing!" Her shrieks sounded wild now, somehow carrying over the racket of the battlefield. They looked to find the source of the screaming--and saw what looked like a goddess of shining white.

Now the magic was beginning to flow away from her in waves of white flame that hurt to look at. Krissen was gone, only the madness, the madness of magic that gripped her mind and controlled her. The waves came closer and closer to the commotion on the battlefield--

Zedd parried, taking a second to wipe the sweat from his brow. Asuka came at him again, her sword moving almost too fast to see without the aid of magic. He stopped her again--barely, always on the defense. Geyshard laughed hysterically at the whole affair.

"I believe you are even more amusing than the war that goes on below us!" he taunted mockingly. "Yes, infinitely so!"

Zedd was losing ground, and he knew it. His foot slipped, and he gasped to realize that it was in his own sweat. He wished for any sort of distracter, something to take the pressure off for just a moment--

When a flash of white came through the window, temporarily blinding Asuka. This was his chance--he lifted his sword to give the final strike--and couldn't do it.

"You fool!" Geyshard laughed. "You won't let yourself kill her! You fool! You've fallen in love with my puppet!"

Another flash of light, and this time Geyshard was in its path. He cried out--and Asuka screamed, dropping to the ground like she'd been shot by an arrow.

"We're too late!" Jedrick cried. "They're--Mithross bless, what the hell is that?!"

Hacia and Nikain came up behind him. "What's that light?" Hacia was the first to ask.

"Gods protect us all," Nikain murmured. "She's gone mad again."

"What! Who's gone mad?" demanded Makoto.

"My sister," Nik replied. "She--something must have really gotten her pissed off."

"Your sister sure picked the wrong time for a temper tantrum!" Jed cried.

"Perhaps not. That was probably the only way she could defeat all of them by herself."

"Will she be all right?"

"As long as she lives, I'm sure she'll recover."

"If she lives!"

There was a flash more brilliant than any other the others, and then the beacon went dark. Everything on the battlefield was still.

"Now what?...." Jed wanted to know.

"We'll just have to go find out," Nik replied.

Panting heavily, Asuka picked herself up onto her hands and knees, gripping Sorrow with white knuckles. She looked to Lord Geyshard with a glint in her eye that seemed to make the room cold.

"Damn...you..."

The blade in her hand began to crackle with black lightning. She picked herself up onto her feet, staggering towards the lord, who seemed to be frozen.

"For what you've done to me..."

Time seemed to move agonizingly slow as Asuka continued to walk, looking as if she were going to collapse at any moment.

"For everything you've put me through..."

Zedd recovered from his shock to move towards Geyshard as well, ready to kill him if that wasn't what Asuka was planning on doing.

"You should die...a thousand deaths...."

She raised the sword over him, then swung down with blinding speed as there was a flash, brighter than any of the others, coming both from outside and the shield that sprung up around Geyshard. Asuka bore down with the sword, as orange magic mingled with the black around the sword.

The orange magic of Sorrow...

"And for everything else you've done..."

Zedd pressed his own magic into the effort of breaking the shield.

"You should die--" She drew the sword back up-- "A million more!" Now she swung down again, slicing through the shield as if it wasn't there. Sorrow sliced through the evil lord as if he were made of butter, and Asuka collapsed again.

"Oh, I can't look." Jedrick covered his eyes as they came closer to the heart of the battlefield. "She's killed them all, hasn't she?"

Nik knelt beside Krissen. "She's got a pulse," he said. Hacia sighed in relief.

"Well, wouldja look at that," Derren, Hacia's second, called. "They're all asleep!"

"What!" Jed dared look up, then laughed upon confirmation. "Way to go, Krissen! Just wait until I write a song about this!"

Nik groaned. "Spare us, please," he told the minstrel.

"Spare you what? I'm the best bard in the Eastern Lands!"

"Quit it, you two," Hacia said, squeezing Nik's hand. "We've still got Krissen to take care of--she's drained almost to death. Call a healer!"

While the healer took care of Kris, Hacia and Nik wandered off alone.

"I was just wondering--" Nik began, "does what you said yesterday hold up today, since we're both alive?"

Hacia threw her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "Does that answer your question?"