"The Weeping Blade"

  

 "The Weeping Blade" 

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

The tower loomed over the horizon of Green Stone City as storm clouds began their floating march toward it. The green stone that made up more of the tower’s structure was mined from the rock quarry in the nearby hills. This town was known all over the continent for this rock, as it gives a special magical ward for fire.  Most of the towns’ fortifications were made from the same material. It was not the first time that invaders were expected. These stones drove wizards mad with anticipation. Orc raiders, entire armies, running amok have been here before none ever breaching the tower. For if the tower would fall so will the city.

 Five Elite guards were posted there today to ensure the safety of the people.  It usually took only two to make the people safe but these were different times. They were as vigilant as ever in guarding the city where they had grown-up and raised their families. They were a cross-breed between battle mages and archers; trained to fight from afar. This city has them to thank for their safety, for their powers have never failed. The conquering armies of the Serine drew ever closer to this region and the population grew weary. The Serine army was a totally unknown force, an invisible army that moved among the trees and fog. Spies have been sent but none of them have returned. Those who returned were scarred for life; crying out about an army of shadows. It was a spine chilling thought that, they have successfully razed three of the outlying kingdoms in the north without anyone actually seeing them. The populations of those cities were put to work by dark Golems who took their orders from the Serine.

Three key cities of the North were holding that area, three cities that have now been heavily fortified. Commerce was barely trickling to Green stone city and soon they would be forced into an alliance with the kingdoms of the East so that the Serine advances could be halted here.  From the South, a vast and mighty adamantine troll army was also approaching. But the kingdoms of the south were much stronger than the north so it seemed that they need not worry of the trolls for now. The Serine with their unknown strength and numbers wore heavily on the minds of the city council. Despite the warnings of the eastern kingdoms, this city chooses to stand on its own.

 One of the guards saw a young girl below the tower. Calling out to him but he did not answer.  When she called out to him again, she shouted back that she had escaped from an approaching army. She was afraid for her life and that this was the only place of refuge that she could find. The mage took pity on her. Her robes were tattered and though he could not hear her voice the worry in them seemed sincere.

Though he felt that way he did ready a fire spell before going down. The other guards nodded in agreement to the mage as he sought permission to let the girl in. The steps down were long and winding, lit only by the torch that the guard carried with him. His own shadow seemed long as he walked with haste. Upon reaching the end of the stairway he checked if the wardings on the door were still intact. The mages always feared that if the wards were broken then the tower would fall.

And since the citizens of Green stone were primarily merchants there would be no defenses left after this tower. The City council had thought about building up an army for defenses but the Green stone Tower had always won over invading armies.

Opening the door the mage called out to the girl. She came out of the shadows and thanked him in a heavily accented tongue that he had never heard before. Realization hit him the same time as the dagger that cut his throat. He tried to scream, to warn the others that the door was open and an assassin had gained entry. The tower must not fall he thought. But the Serine were efficient, cutting off his voice so he could not utter his spells or seek help. He resigned himself to the fact that he was dying. What he saw next was what he carried to the after-life. The girl took off her hood to reveal stunning blue eyes and an impassive brown face. Then suddenly he saw tears running down her beautiful face though it remained passive…her mouth started to move as if uttering a prayer….”I weep for you and for me….”

 The green stone tower had a central pillar which had a single entrance and exit. It was at this entrance that one of the guards looked intently, expecting for the first mage to emerge with the girl any moment now. After a few minutes it had seemed that no one was coming up. The mage watching the only known entrance got himself ready and asked his comrades to do so. The attack had already begun in his mind. He suggested sounding the alarm so that the people had ample time to evacuate the city.

 “Don’t be a fool Zanra, one of the mages said, we all know that Elnor can very well take care of himself. We would look like nervous fools if we sounded the alarm for someone who could be taking the girls purity as we speak.”

“Such a dirty mind you have Rendo," Zanra accused. "You have no proof of this. But I am worried about that old man. What do you propose that we do?”

“I will go down and look for the old bastard , and maybe get myself a little of that girls purity myself , if Elnor hasn’t already dispatched of her peasant sweetness.”

Zanra made a face of disgust in the darkness but motioned Rendo to search for the first mage. So Rendo went down the stairs cursing Elnor for his apparent greed. He had a wife for that sort of thing and he Rendo because of his “Exceedingly good-looks” as one of the maidens put it remained single.  The spiral staircase was long and wide so he did not hesitate to make big strides. Below him he could see that the door was open, letting the light of the moonlight in to the usually dark bowels of the tower.

He wondered where Elnor could have done his dirty deed, maybe behind the viewing site of the tower, that horny bastard. Everyone of them knows that the east side of the tower was a blind spot , because that was where the city lay , that was where the green mountains stood and so the makers of this tower never really thought than an attack can ever come from that area. The old bastard is having the time of his life he said to himself. Such a fool leaving this door open, he muttered as he closed the door left ajar. He did not care if Elnor was still out there; let the Serine get him for his indiscretion and selfishness. I mean pretty little girls are meant to be shared after all. He laughed a horrible laugh to himself and turned to go up the tower.

 Before he could turn he heard a girl sobbing, the sound came under the last twist of the stairs. Upon reaching the corner he saw her there bent over as if in pain. So the old man really had his way…he wished he made a bet with Zanra, oh but this knowledge would suffice, he would love to see the look on Zanra’s self-righteous face.  The girl’s sobbing reminded the guard of this wench he had taken in one of the outlying taverns. He suddenly wished that he wasn’t on duty so he can retake that screaming wench but he thought that he should attend to this girl first. So he touched her shoulder and asked her…. “Little girl why are you crying?”

 The girl looked up and said. “I weep for you and I weep for me…no matter how good a mage you are you shall die by my hand”. And with one swift motion a dagger plunged between Rendo’s eyes and he fell motionless to the cold green floor.

 The girl looked at her bloodied hands and ignored them as she pressed upward. When she reached the top door she crashed into it surprising the 3 mages who were busily watching the horizon. She was crying as she crumpled to the ground. The men instinctively took their swords out but seeing that it was just a young girl placed them back into their sheaths. They came close to her and asked her what was the matter.

 The storm clouds had already reached the tower and the winds blew the girls black hair and blew the light of the torches away. The 3 guards saw the young girls face still in tears as she said. “I weep for you and I weep for me”… 

 Three heads rolled to the ground as the girl stood up. She lit a torch that was treated with a special chemical so it would pierce the darkness in sequence with 4 others. They have succeeded in taking out the enemies eyes and once again she can escape through the shadows as she always did. In a few minutes their armies will strike and no one in this city would even feel their deaths.