[i]If you’ve been around me a while you’ll recognize this one! I’ve been going through old work, editing and just wrapping things up, making sure it’s all accurate and such. So, enjoy this edited version of page 96, back when Shadow had to deal with some uh... eliksni who didn’t really take to her[/i]
"We are sick of taking orders from flesh!"
The dreg seethes, razor sharp teeth glinting menacingly.
Uncertain, Shadow feels overwhelmed and outnumbered. Even with the presence of Wolf, hovering over her shoulder.
While most eliksni had accepted her presence here, there are still those who do not.
Four dregs, lead by a captain, bar her exit from a meeting area.
Shadow glances behind her, to where Variks is sitting. Her Kell.
Of course, Variks had already attempted to quell the unavoidable, eventual distaste for Shadow's presence. But his calm warning goes unheeded; the captain stands his ground. Now, he is waiting to see how Shadow will respond.
Alekris squats at his feet, hooded and silent. A tilted head and observant glowing eyes betray her interest.
Shadow pulls in a deep breath and turns to the eliksni, straightening her shoulders, straining for confidence. "My skin may be flesh, but I'm just as much of a member of House Judgment as you. I was among the first here, to answer the call of Judgment, and most eliksni do not disagree with my presence. What cannot change dies, dreg."
Now the captain steps forward, his dregs crowing in unison.
A challenge.
Shadow's forced confidence ebbs when she looks up to meet his cold eyes.
"You are not wanted here. This is no place for you."
"Variks has allowed me here. Would you go against the word of your Kell?" she asks, a hand on her blade.
The captain growls. "I do not challenge my Kell— I challenge his judgement." He throws a mocking, accusatory glare at Variks.
Variks, for his part, remains silent.
Shadow briefly wonders if she is ready to challenge a captain without her ghost.
A sharp nudge from Wolf encourages her.
Drawing her blade, Shadow raises her chin. "I challenge you, then."
The crowd that has gathering around them murmurs.
"Dispute me, like days of old. And if I win, you must stand down."
Laughter erupts from the captain's throat, followed by the raucous shouting of his dregs. "Then let this be a fight to the death!" He belIows, raising all four arms. "I will NEVER follow you, light bearer!" Saliva drips from the captain's gaping maw.
The crowd eagerly gathers them together, ushering the pair into the closest they could get to an arena in the small hideout they called home.
Shadow reluctantly allows herself to be corralled into the open space, disgruntled with their pushing and shoving.
Stood at the other end is the captain, hissing with hatred.
Shadow hardly has time to react as, without hesitation, he lunges. He's hardly given enough time for his fellow eliksni to move out of the way. Shocked at the brash display, the hunter's eyes widen.
He swings his swords wildly, slashing at her throat. Shadow swiftly ducks and maneuvers out of his way, vainly attempting to tire him. She seems to only succeed in tiring herself.
Panting, she lashes out to strike at an arm, to dislodge his weapon. She misses.
The crowd is filled with clicks and snarls, pumping red hot adrenaline into Shadow's blood.
Desperation to prove her place among these people drives the hunter. This was not like the tower— this wasn't the crucible. This was savage. Life and death.
Her eyes glow like fire with determination. She succeeds in dislodging one sword, and in return, the captain strikes her across the face with lightning speed.
Too slow.
She stumbles, leaving a scatter of blood droplets as she streaks across the floor.
He bears down on her, all rage.
Frantic, Shadow rolls out of the way before being impaled by a sword.
The crowd roars.
Another swing. The armor covering her chest is sliced into, cutting her. "Gah-" She stumbles backward.
In a moment where time seems to stand still, her eyes scan the small crowd around her. Less than three score eliksni are huddled together, but those bedraggled, half starved dregs and forsaken, wandering vandals are her family now. And hate filled eliksni like this captain are what Judgment is seeking to purge from their people.
The captain rushes her once more, re capturing her attention.
Her eyes snap into focus like the flicker of a wind stirred flame. She slides beneath him, barring a slice from his razor edged weapon and hopping to her feet behind him.
Swords clash, arc crackles, the crowd rages. She can hear Wolf barking encouragement.
"These are not your people! You will never earn a place here no matter how hard you try, [i]sloat![/i]" The captain dives for her.
Shadow dodges but not well enough in her exhausted state. Blood splatters the floor.
She cries out in pain, clutching her sliced leg. Knowing he had tried to maim her, fury builds in her chest, fueling her to stand and face the eliksni.
She bares her teeth, despite her trembling. Her voice swells with emotion. "I stand by my Kell— and what he says goes. This is not a place for your savagery! I AM a member of this house, and you will NOT question me!"
In a sudden explosion of light, the hunter launches her arc staff forward. The weapon punctures his chest plate, piercing clear through to the other side.
The eliksni wails, falling to his knees. Ether spews out of the wound.
Shadow's eliksni erupt into cheers. She hears Wolf's deep, rasping voice. "Dock him! Dock the traitor!"
She inhales deeply, struggling to regain her breath. She unashamedly takes in the moment, basking in their praise.
Variks catches her eye, nods.
Pride swells through her chest.
She approaches the captain.
"Go on then, kill me!" he snarls, blue blood bubbling at his throat.
She looks down her nose at him.
The crowd mutters.
Shadow does not dock him.
The captain's body is soon after removed from the room.
Emboldened by her victory, she approaches Variks, lowering herself to one knee. She bows with upturned palms, keeping eye contact.
"My friend," he burbles. "Has proven herself worthy of a title more suitable... than vandal. From this day foward, Shadow is your captain."
Shock pulses through the hunter. She stands, trying not to wince in pain. "My Kell-"
"Stand proud, eliksni," he says fondly, tapping his staff on the floor.
Hot tears fill her eyes while Wolf crows in approval, leading the rest of the eliksni.
She swallows the growing lump in her throat. Even the dregs who had opposed her are now on their feet for her.
She now feels more certain than ever that this is where she is supposed to be.
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1 ReplyRemaster! First!