KGWrites

Alyx

Aaron Trident’s Estate, City Outskirts, Kingdom of Aldiron

“Didn’t take you for someone’s bitch.” Alyx taunted as she hung from the chains in front of Spyder Xeros. The pain from her back was immense and she could feel her clothes sticky with her own blood, but they were problems for later. Right now, she needed Spyder angry.

“But then,” She continued. “I suppose when you’ve got no balls of your own, someone’s bitch is the best you’ve got.”

Spyder stepped up close to her, a vein bulging in his neck as he fought to keep his rage under control.

“You got a fucking deathwish Cobalt?” He growled and Alyx chuckled, spitting blood onto the floor.

Little closer, arsehole.

“You’re not allowed to kill me remember? Daddy said no.” She grinned at him, showing him her bloodstained teeth. Then she leaned forwards on her chains moving close to him so he could hear her whisper.

“Unless you’re the type that really likes it when Daddy Aaron punishes you.”

Spyder snarled in rage and wrapped his arms around Alyx’s torso, pulling her tight to his chest and squeezing, crushing her.

Her back exploded with agony, and it was all she could do to keep conscious as pain wracked through her body. But still, she couldn’t help but smile grimly. Spyder had played his role perfectly, now she just needed to pull off some real miracles.

“Trident won’t mind if I break you a little. He understands when someone needs to get even.” Spyder said, almost more to himself than to her. Alyx didn’t care, and she ignored the pain, stretching to come up next to Spyder’s ear.

“You really are a stupid bastard Spyder.” She whispered into his ear.

And then, like a striking viper, Alyx bit down on Spyder’s ear and wrenched her head back. Something tore, like biting a piece off a haunch of meat and Spyder stumbled back from her with a bellow of agony. His arms slackened from around her back, but he was still just that bit too slow in stepping back from her.

Using the momentum of him letting her go suddenly, Alyx swung forwards on the chains, her boots finding purchase and allowing her to run up Spyder’s body. She kicked off him in a jump that lifted her entire body, and she felt wonderful freedom as the chain lifted from the hook it had been slung over and she dropped to the ground.

Her hands were still chained in front of her, but she was on her feet, on the ground, and that was all Alyx needed.

Spitting Spyder’s bloody ear onto the ground, Alyx moved immediately.

She charged the big man just as he seemed to grasp what had happened, ducking low and kicking out at the side of his knee. It buckled and Spyder dropped to one knee. Alyx wasted absolutely no time making use of that.

Moving quickly around behind him, Alyx threw her arms either side of Spyder’s head, slinging the chain across his thick neck. And then, driving her knee into the small of his back to shove him down onto his chest, Alyx hauled her arms back.

The chain pulled tight across Spyder’s throat as he slammed face down onto the ground, with Alyx now stood upon his back. His arms scrambled for her, trying to reach her, but from his position it was impossible to grab her. Panic set in and he began to flail his arms, to push himself up, to grab at the chain, anything.

But with Alyx’s full weight on top of him and no give in the iron links of the chain, there was nothing Spyder could do.

A moment later, his movements slowed to a stop, and he stilled beneath her. Alyx kept pulling on the chain a little longer, just to make sure.

Then, panting from the effort and coughing a little, Alyx stepped off Spyder’s back. She let her arms drop to her sides, sighing from the instant relief from her strained muscles.

“I got you fucker.” She panted, spitting down on Spyder a mixture of her own blood and his.

Keep moving Cobalt, fight’s not done yet.

Sighing, Alyx crossed to the table that Trident had held his torture tools on. The butcher’s knife was still there, but the whip was gone. Alyx ignored the weaponry and instead moved immediately to the iron hook attached to one end of the table. Picking up the ring of keys on it, she quickly worked her way along each key until one of them slid into the lock on her wrist shackles and turned. The iron hinge sprung open, and Alyx wrenched it off her wrist before doing the same on her other arm.

Once she was free of the chain, Alyx quickly moved back to Spyder and grabbed her two throwing axes from his belt.

“These are mine, thank you.” She muttered as she slid them back into their loops on her side. Then her gaze fell on Spyder’s mace, still holstered on his other side. She wasn’t as strong as Spyder was, but a weapon here was certainly better than nothing.

“Let’s see what all the fuss is about.” She said, lifting it into her hand. It was heavier than a sword, and after a couple practice swings, Alyx could tell there was very little in the way of skill in using it. Big bit hits bad guy, bad guy breaks. I can work with that.

She looked down at Spyder, unconscious on the ground. Then at the head of the iron mace in her hand. It would be so easy.

And then a scream echoed through the mansion from somewhere above her. It sounded almost like Meghan.

No time.

Her gaze returned to Spyder and she ground her teeth in frustration, even as she turned away from him and hurried from the room.

“Count your lucky fucking stars Spyder that I’ve got bigger bastards than you to kill today.” She muttered to herself as she ran.

Alyx moved through the house at a sprint, the pain from her injuries dulled by adrenaline, following the sounds of dogs barking and Trident’s smug, slimy voice. And then something else entered her senses. A smell.

Smoke.

And then the screaming voice came again and there was no mistaking this time that it was Meghan Whiteoak’s voice. And she was screaming out James’ name.

Rounding a corner, Alyx found herself at the edge of a wide room that looked like hell itself.

Trident was stood to one side, watching with glee as a black dog snarled and snapped at Meghan, pinned to the wall by two of his men. Another man stood to the side, a small keg placed on the floor next to him. Two men were atop James in the middle of the floor, one stood atop his left arm, pinning it next to his bow. The other was on his right side, pressing him down and wrenching his right arm behind his back.

James’ face was a mess of scarlet, his nose clearly burst. He also seemed to be lying in a pool of dark red wine.

And with his back to her, slowly approaching James with a long metal rod with a glowing hot end, was a big man.

Understanding dawned on Alyx.

Maybe I’d take the rest of his fingers. Or slowly burn each part of him, let him recover and feel the agony I felt, and right as he got used to it, I’d burn him again.

Trident was going to burn James, just as he had been.

Rage boiled in Alyx again. She wouldn’t have time to reach the man before the fire reached James. She just had one chance.

Luckily, it was with something she was very good at.

Picking one of her throwing axes from her belt she let it fly in one fluid motion and watched as it arced perfectly through the air and landed with a dull wet thunk into the man’s spine.

Everything slowed to a crawl.

With an echoing clang, the glowing metal rod dropped from the man’s hand as he lifted his hand to the axe and gripped it. And then, to Alyx’s amazement and horror, he pulled it from his spine and looked at it. He stayed there for a second, staring at the axe. Then, like a tree felled in the forest, he slowly toppled forwards.

Alyx looked forwards at James, and saw him recognise her, despite all the blood covering them both.

Alright big brother, let’s kill us a fucking monster.

Hefting Spyder’s mace in her right hand, Alyx charged forwards into the room. She avoided Trident for now, he would come later.

Instead, she moved straight for the man holding James’ arm behind his back, who managed to push off and stand from James right as she reached him.

Which was still too late.

Swinging the mace low, Alyx caught the man’s knee in a long arc that shattered it with a sickening crunch. He didn’t have enough time to scream as she swung again, skidding on the wine-soaked floor. The mace caught him in the side of the head and his skull cracked instantly, dropping like a puppet with the strings cut.

Now able to move his arm again, James also wasted no time. Whipping an arrow from his quiver James stabbed upwards with it like a dagger, driving it into the armpit of the man pinning his other arm. Screaming out in pain the man stumbled away from James who grabbed his bow and spun, nocking the bloodied arrow and letting it fly.

It sunk into the man holding Meghan’s throat and pinning her to the wall at the base of his skull, the tip of it emerging through his throat on the other side. His grip on her slackened and immediately she threw out her now freed left hand, closing it in a fist that she then pulled back towards her chest. The air rippled as a strange white glow emerged from beneath Meghan’s clothing and then Alyx had to duck as a metal brazier full of burning coals flew over her head and spilled its contents across the man holding Meghan’s other arm, as well as the black dog and its handler.

Yelping in fear as the flames flashed next to it, the dog panicked and ran through the open door into the night, disappearing from sight. The two humans were less fortunate however, as their clothing caught, and they began to thrash wildly. Which only freed Meghan’s other hand and allowed her the chance to cut them both down with her sword in two quick cuts.

Alyx stared at her.

Of fucking course we’ve made friends with another secret sorceress.

She didn’t have time to dwell on it now though as she quickly found herself facing off with another guard, the one that had poured the cask of wine over her brother. He swung a sword at her head, and she ducked beneath it before stepping back.

The boot was on the other foot from her fight with Spyder in the Oasis now. This time she needed to keep distance to use the mace properly.

Her opponent didn’t seem keen to give her that chance though as he stepped forwards, stabbing out with his sword. A move she just barely managed to dodge.

It gave her a chance though.

Swinging the mace around, Alyx caught the man on the wrist, shattering it and causing him to drop his sword. He screeched in pain and rage and lashed out with a dagger in his other hand. But before he could make contact, he spun as if punched as an arrow embedded itself deep into his side from behind.

James knelt behind the man, having dropped to one knee to steady his shot. Looking over at Alyx he gave a short nod, which she returned. It was a full conversation in a few seconds and complete silence.

Thank you for coming to save me.

You saved us.

You alright to keep moving?

I will be once he’s dead.

Reassured by her brother, Alyx turned her head, looking for Trident. And she spotted him, at the top of the stairs and turning left around the corner, dashing away from them. Quickly Alyx pointed up the stairs and James nodded.

They’d just reached the bottom of the stairs when they heard the sound of fighting resume behind them. Turning they saw that two more guards had rushed in from outside and Meghan had engaged them in combat. She moved like a graceful dancer, quick cuts and stabs, dodging and weaving around the enemy.

“Go get him! I’ll handle this!” She yelled up to them as she saw them hesitate on the stairs.

Exchanging barely a glance, Alyx and James turned to move up the stairs, just as another guard emerged at the top and thrust a spear down towards them.

Dodging to the side of the thrust, Alyx lifted the other axe from her belt and sent it spinning through the air. It bit deep into the man’s chest, and he fell backwards. Alyx charged onwards up the stairs, reaching the top in time to see James carefully loose a shot down into the back of one of the guards fighting Meghan before turning to follow her.

Reaching the landing together, the two Cobalts could see Trident ahead, ducking into a darkened room off to the right. Strangely, Alyx noticed there were already bodies here. James gave a short chuckle as he watched Trident. Then he slung his bow over his back again and lifted a sword from the belt of the man Alyx had just killed. Ahead, two more guards emerged, lifting shields to block the corridor.

The Cobalt siblings didn’t run, just stalked down the hallway towards their opponents. Two blood-soaked demons come to deliver justice.

Neither guard stood a chance.

The one opposite James tried to bash James with his shield and James simply reached around and gripped the top of the shield, pulling it forwards and pulling the man behind it off balance. He stumbled clumsily forwards and impaled himself on James’ outstretched sword.

Alyx’s foe was a little smarter, staying behind the shield where the mace wouldn’t be so able to reach him. But Spyder’s mace was a thick chunk of iron, and this shield was a thin sliver of wood. Alyx simply beat it like a drum until it splintered and the man’s arm broke, then his head.

Now it was just them and Trident.

They waited for a moment outside the door, and Alyx backed up across the corridor. When James took up a position next to her, she tucked her head and charged. Shoulder first, right above the handle.

With a crash the door flew inwards, and some instinct told Alyx to drop. She did, falling into a roll that brought her low to the floor. Right as the thunder crack of Trident’s whip sounded above her head. Had she still been standing, that would have caught her across the eyes, probably blinded her. Thank The Soldier for that instinct.

Coming back to her feet, Alyx found herself in a private study, with a balcony on the far wall and an oddly familiar suit of armour displayed on her right. On her left, behind a desk, stood Aaron Trident.

In his left hand he held the leather whip and in his right that strangely familiar longsword. It was only seeing it now, next to the suit of armour, that Alyx’s foggy memory cleared enough to realise what it was.

Oh, you son a bitch.

James stepped into the room from the doorway, his sword held out in front of him.

“Looking to hide something in here Trident? Some letters maybe?” He asked, his voice oddly taunting. Trident laughed, but it was a mirthless sound.

“Came in this way, did you? Found my little secrets? How’d you like my decorations?” He gestured towards the suit of armour on the wall. Mother’s armour.

James didn’t answer, just circled left, away from Alyx. Who quickly followed his lead and circled right. Trident kept one weapon pointed at each of them, their mother’s sword towards James and the whip towards Alyx.

“You’re done Trident. You going to draw this out? Or drop the fucking weapons now?” James said and Alyx turned her head to him in surprise. Was he asking Trident to surrender? No, this bastard dies here and now! A cell’s too good for him.

The moment of distraction was all Trident needed though and he lashed out again, the whip cracking and catching the mace’s hilt. The shock of the blow ripped the weapon from Alyx’s hand and sent her stumbling backwards, slamming her already damaged back into the glass front of a display case, shattering it and causing her to scream out in pain.

Then Trident moved on James, bringing the sword around in a long cut that her brother barely dodged. Trident kept up the attack, a constant stream of aggression that drove James backwards step by step and didn’t allow him a moment to get a strike back of his own.

Alyx struggled to stand, pain shooting through her with every movement as she felt glass shards crunch into her back. But she had to, James was no expert swordsman. He was skilled certainly, but against an offensive like Trident’s, it was just a matter of time until he made a mistake. She needed to help.

Digging deep and gritting her teeth, Alyx gripped the top of the low cabinet and pulled, lifting herself upwards. The effort was immense, and excruciating, but eventually she managed to find her feet beneath herself again.

Now she needed a weapon. She had no idea where the mace had gone after the whip had knocked it from her and searching would take too long. Instead, she looked at the broken cabinet behind her, saw a long shard of glass and lifted it into her left hand. Then she reached up and lifted down the helmet from her mother’s suit of armour, holding it in her right hand.

Then slowly, step by step, she limped her way towards the fight.

Ahead of her, James finally managed to push Trident back, give himself a bit of breathing room.

Which was exactly what Trident had wanted.

The whip lashed out again, snaking around and wrapping around James’ ankle. He stumbled and Trident pulled on the whip, causing James’ leg to fly out from under him and landing him hard on his back. His sword spun away from his grip.

Trident rushed forwards immediately, stabbing downwards with their mother’s sword and Alyx screamed out, closing her eyes to save from seeing what was coming.

Too slow. I was too slow.

But when she opened her eyes again, she found that she wasn’t.

Trident was still pushing the sword down, the point edging closer to James’ heart. But her brother was still alive. Because he’d grabbed onto the blade of the sword with both hands and, even as it sliced into his palms, he was pushing it back.

Alyx blinked, Trident had gravity on his side, even with James holding him in place, this shouldn’t be a struggle.

Which is when she became aware of a white glow from the doorway.

Meghan Whiteoak was stood there, one hand clutching a bloody cut along her side and the other outstretched, helping James push. But Alyx could see effort straining her face. She couldn’t keep it up for long, not wounded like she was.

Now it was up to Alyx.

Pushing down the pain for one final effort, Alyx drove herself forwards.

“Trident!” She called out, her voice hoarse with pain and rage.

Trident’s head turned to her, and she saw beautiful, horrified realisation dawn as she swung the helmet hard into his face. The metal impacted with a dull thud and Trident stumbled backwards, losing his grip on his weapons, his back hitting his desk.

And then Alyx was there again, stabbing forwards with the shard of glass and sinking it deep into the soft tissue of his side beneath his ribs.

He grunted as the air was driven from his lungs and Alyx pushed him down onto his desk, ripping the glass free and pressing it to his throat.

“For my father. For my mother.” She spat at him, beginning to pull her arm back to cut his throat.

“Alyx! Stop!” James’ voice cut into her thoughts, causing her to freeze. Though it was more out of surprise than obedience to James’ call.

“We need him alive.” Meghan explained, limping into the room and helping James to his feet.

“What the fuck? No, we don’t!” Alyx snarled, outrage at what she was hearing building quickly in her chest.

“Yes, we do Al.” James said softly, reaching down to lift mother’s sword into his hands. “Trident’s sold out Aldiron to Draconeus. His men are going to open the gates for him and only he knows who they are. We need him alive to find them.”

“Like fuck we do!” Alyx spat back as beneath her, Trident started laughing. A horrific, taunting sound that echoed in Alyx’s mind.

“If he dies Alyx, then everyone’s at risk. Us, the king, Lillian, Iona.” James continued, stepping up to her side.

Iona.

The ghost of soft lips pressed against her danced across Alyx’s own.

Protect her from any dangers, with your life if that becomes necessary. That’s what the King had charged her with. You seem very familiar in doing what needs to be done to protect people from harm.

At the time, Alyx had thought he’d meant killing when needed. But maybe today that meant not killing when needed.

Groaning in anger, Alyx pulled back, lifting the glass shard from Trident’s throat. His laughter died a little, like he hadn’t been expecting her to give in.

“Guess we won’t be killing you today Trident.” Alyx said grimly, stepping back from him.

Something flashed in Trident’s eyes, and Alyx barely managed to recognise it before he lashed forwards towards her, a stiletto dagger emerging from his right sleeve. She threw herself backwards, landing hard on her back and crying out in pain again. Trident kept bearing down on her, the dagger extended.

And then James swung their mother’s sword and the dagger dropped, along with Trident’s right forearm.

Everything hung still for a second. Like the world itself couldn’t believe what just happened.

And then it all happened at once.

Trident screamed in pain, falling back onto the desk and clutching at the stump of his arm. Meghan moved fast, a dull white glow beginning as she quickly heated up the metal of Trident’s dagger and pressed it to the blood spurting stump, cauterising the wound with little care for Trident’s pain.

James stood and stared at it all for a second, then he looked down at the sword in his hand, like he was only just understanding what he had done.

Alyx pushed herself to her feet again, walking over to Trident stiffly and bending down to get close to him.

“But that doesn’t mean we won’t hurt you.” She finished, throwing his own words back at him with no small degree of satisfaction.

After a second, Trident stilled, his skin paling as he slipped into unconsciousness. Alyx straightened back up and didn’t waste a second more.

Moving quickly across the room, she pressed her forehead to James’ and held him there.

Stiffly, his hand came up too, gripping the back of her neck and holding her head to his. Then he squeezed. One. Two. Three.

I love you.

Sniffling back some tears, Alyx laughed and squeezed back.

I love you too.

“We did it James.” She whispered softly, so only he could hear her. “He’s done. We’re free.”