The Legend of Kimberly: Inheritance

  This was going to be easy. Loping forward, he slammed a mailed fist toward his sister, hoping to crush her into meat. Instead, she sidestepped and brought Willow upward in a flashing arc of light. The impact was tremendous, ripping Billy’s arm away from him, sending the metal limb into the air.

  Unconcerned, he swung his other arm. He would grab her with this one and hold her down, maybe rip off a leg or two.

  She caught the swing of his hand with her free arm and held it. Puzzled, he tried to jerk back, but she held fast with a strength that surpassed his own. She yanked him forward, tripping him up with her sword. With a snarl, she reached up and hooked her fingers into the edges of his helmet, pulling it free.

  His body tried to move, but it was hard to concentrate with his head swinging around in circles. His head landed somewhere in the mud and watched as Kimberly knocked away his legs and his torso with that wretched sword of hers. He almost laughed then, for her efforts were pointless. He was immortal.

  Dark fingers gripped the edges of his vision and he found himself in the hands of the demon woman. Curious, he wondered what she was up to. Carrying his helmet deep into the dark of the mountain, he felt the strength in her hands increase dramatically.

  “Oh, you just wait. It’s nice and dark way back here.” She held him up where he could see her. Her features were shifting dramatically, anger in her eyes. Moving further into the darkness, she stopped.

  “You’re gonna love this, you walking pile of junk.” Serra hooked both hands into the face of the helmet and began pulling.

  Billy panicked, feeling his very essence starting to fracture. He screamed in agony as she screamed in exertion. All around, he could hear the sound of metal starting to give. With a giant yank, she ripped his head into two pieces.

  He could see everything from two vantage points now. His mind was desperately grabbing for reason as the world slowly faded away into darkness. At first, he went somewhere cold and numb.

  And then it got a lot hotter.

  * * *

  Ip limped back into the clearing, his legs and snout bloody. Serra, Trey, and Kimberly stood around Helena’s form. Trey, no stranger to death, had already covered her with his own cloak. Ip sniffed once at the cloak and, letting out a strange mewling noise, began to dig a hole.

  They buried her that day, christening her grave with tears of loss. Few words were spoken, but whenever a glance was shared, it carried the same message.

  Wherever he was, whatever he was doing, Nathan Stone was a dead man when they found him.

  A Sorry Lot

  Kimberly and the others stumbled into Wells Deep, a small town just north of the Golden City’s mountain range. Exhausted, depressed, and hungry, Kimberly barely paid attention to the series of wells that made up the middle of town. She and Serra waited there while Trey wandered off to find lodging. They waited for quite a while. Kimberly felt the stares of the townsfolk the whole time. She ignored them, hugging Ip closer to her chest.

  Serra sat down on a boulder, too tired to stand any longer. Kimberly rubbed her eyes with a free hand. She was too exhausted to think clearly.

  Trey appeared, waving the women forward. Kimberly helped Serra stand and they followed him quite a ways down a side path. He walked into a large building with a sign out front that said The Broken Saddle.

  The group made their way down the oaken halls to their room. A young boy waited for them, handing Trey a key on the way in. Trey handed the boy a bag of coins.

  “Have someone bring food. Use the rest to find us three horses, distance runners. You can keep the rest.” Trey waved the boy off, slamming the door behind him.

  Hot water was pumped up to the room to fill the bath. Kimberly was first, washing the dirt and grime of weeks of travel from her body. She dragged Ip with her, ignoring his anger that he was to be cleaned as well. He tried unsuccessfully to escape on several occasions and finally resigned himself to his fate.

  Serra gave the maid their dirty laundry while Trey stormed into town. He returned to their room in time to see Serra take Kimberly’s place in the bath. Kimberly, wearing just a towel, was too tired to protest his presence in the room. He gave Kimberly an odd look for a moment, like he was deep in thought. Nodding to himself, he walked over and handed her something.

  “Here. You could use this.”

  It was Helena’s silver brush. The handle spiraled like a unicorn’s horn and a few blond hairs were still tangled in its teeth. Kimberly’s eyes got misty and she mumbled a thanks. He checked in on Serra while Kimberly brushed her hair, tears streaking down her face.

  Once it was Trey’s turn, Serra taught Kimberly how to do a special braid in her hair. She called it a devil’s braid, and it was something she had learned from Helena. In fact, it was something Helena once taught to Ronnee. Kimberly laughed at the thought of Ronnee and Helena sitting out in the sun, the giant braiding the beauty’s hair. It was good thought, even though it hurt a little.

  There was a knock at the door. Trey answered it, returned with a tray of food. They took their meal in silence, Kimberly holding Ip in her lap. Once they were done eating, Kimberly used Helena’s brush on Ip. She knew Helena wouldn’t have minded.

  The next morning, Trey left again while Kimberly ate her breakfast. When he returned, he was carrying a small map. He unrolled it on the bed and looked meaningfully at the women. It was a map of the region, with several markings made on it in a straight line.

  “They’re at it again. Let’s go finish this,” he said.

  Kimberly nodded. She was looking forward to it.

  Homunculus

  Kimberly stepped around some larger pieces of rubble, tiny bits of mortar cracking under her feet. She was standing in what was left of Pike’s Run, a tiny town just off the coast. They had rode into town almost an hour ago to find that her father and his companion had dropped by overnight, leveling the area much like a tornado would have. All around them were the sounds of the dying and injured and people calling out for missing loved ones. Townspeople were still being pulled from the destruction.

  “Over those cliffs is the port city of Asmond,” Trey said, squinting in the sun’s light. He was holding the map. “You don’t suppose they are trying to head to the mainland?”

  “Likely. I am unsure of the woman’s intent,” Serra spoke, a hand on her hip. She hadn’t bothered getting off her horse; she didn’t have the strength to help with excavation.

  “I don’t think I care about her intent,” Kimberly said. Seeing a man trying to free his wife from underneath the wreckage of the barn, she knelt down and helped him lift up part of the roof. She held it in place while the man pulled his wife out by both hands. The woman, seeing Willow at Kimberly’s hip, cried out. The man pulled her close, telling her it was all right.

  The people had reacted poorly to their initial arrival. Kimberly, feeling responsible, had spent her entire time helping to pull people free. Realizing that she wasn’t there to harm them, they accepted her presence.

  “If they aren’t heading to Asmond, they will have to cross the Wizard’s Forest instead. At least one of them could fly over it, the other…” Trey shrugged.

  “Wait, the Wizard’s Forest is over those cliffs?” Kimberly gazed at the tall rocks in the distance. “That’s where they do the Rite of Passage for magic users.”

  “Yeah. A forest filled with the most horrible creations known to man or beast. No path leads through it, just a single gateway to let you in. What would they want there?” Serra asked.

  “Halston buried Elurra there,” Kimberly answered, a chill going up her spine. “Why would they want to go to her tomb?”

  “Could it have anything to do with her being Nathan’s mother?” Serra asked.

  “I don’t see him visiting for sentimental reasons.” Trey looked at Kimberly. “Any ideas why he would drop by?”

  “None.” Kimberly thought back to everything she knew. There was no reason she could think of for her father’s visit. She snorted. Th
ere was no good reason for anything her father did, to be honest.

  “Let’s not lose precious time.” Trey climbed onto his horse. Kimberly scooped Ip up and mounted her steed, silently praying that no matter what happened, they would still have horses to ride by the end of the day.

  * * *

  The view was terrifying.

  The only path up the bluffs, an old hunting trail, gave them an extremely good view of the ocean a hundred feet below. Trey could just barely smell the salt on the cool breeze that traveled with them, a smell that inundated him with several old memories. He smiled, thinking of his childhood so long ago. Not many things made him remember back that far.

  Scaling endlessly higher, the trees were soon replaced by large rocks and the trail became so narrow the horses could go no further. They decided to leave their mounts behind to graze; the group proceeded on foot. More than once, they found themselves climbing up through small cracks in the rocks.

  Finding some flat terrain to walk across, Trey ran his hand along the hilt of his sword. No hesitation this time. Summoning the magic made him afraid. He couldn’t afford the cost of that fear any longer.

  He could hear Serra panting behind them. Afraid to stop moving, he was also afraid they would meet their prey while she was still human. She would stand no chance.

  Rounding a corner, he saw an attractive woman sitting on a rock ledge, swinging her feet from side to side. Her hair, jet-black, refused to reflect the sun’s light. She lifted her head to face him; she was wearing a silver mask.

  “Weren’t there more of you?” She slid free of the ledge, falling fifteen feet to the ground. Standing, she threw back dark locks of hair. On her hip was an exact copy of Willow. Her eyes focused on Trey and he felt his muscles tense. She laughed, loudly, and held her arms out wide. “Oh, now this is a surprise!”

  Kimberly was right behind him; he heard her draw her sword. His own sword was in front of him and he was terrified of what was going to happen next.

  It was impossible, but he knew who this woman was.

  “I think we are more than due for a rematch.” She pulled the mask from her face and tossed it over the side, destined for the water. Her face was beautiful in a natural sense. Lightly tanned, a few freckles under the eyes, and a smile that could melt a man’s heart.

  “Elurra.” When Trey said her name, he heard Kimberly gasp. In the background, he heard Serra arrive, wheezing for breath.

  “It can’t be Elurra, she died!” Kimberly shouted. She stood even with Trey now.

  “Well, yes and no.” Elurra walked forward, her hips rolling dramatically as she approached. “I’m what’s left of a memory. All of the good parts, anyway.”

  “You are no memory.” Kimberly swung Willow for emphasis. “Elurra was a hero. You’re nothing more than a homunculus, an accidental creation of a living being from wild magic.” Kimberly stepped past Trey. He could see her arms shaking. From where he stood, he could see Kimberly’s muscles begin rippling abnormally. Her body was trying to change again.

  “Maybe. Now that you’ve come all this way…” Elurra widened her stance. “I would like to have my sword back.”

  Elurra was fast. She ran up to Kimberly, ducked a swing, and grabbed Kimberly’s outstretched arm. She twisted Kimberly’s arm behind her back and shoved her, face-first, into the rocks. Stunned, Kimberly fell down, grabbing at her face.

  Trey approached, summoning his sword’s magic. Elurra drew her own version of Willow, composed of shadows, and smiled at him.

  “Does she know? Does the girl know this is all your fault?”

  Trey paused, uncertain what she was getting at.

  “Does she?” Elurra almost took his head from his shoulders, driving him backward onto his heels. A dark tendril sprouted from the shadows, and clamped around his neck. He cut himself free with a quick swipe. He made a lunge, diving to the side. When he stood, he swung high, looking for Elurra’s neck. She flicked his sword away with the back of her hand and bowled him over with a punch to the gut.

  “Does she know about the sickness you once carried? The sickness you gave to me when I defeated you?” She went for an overhand swing, but Serra was there to intercept it. Still too human, Serra crumpled under the blow. Trey fought to regain his footing just as several tendrils slid over Elurra’s head, yanking her back.

  “Shut up,” Kimberly whispered. Her voice was slurred, her mouth full of blood.

  Elurra laughed and slid free. She ran at Kimberly, catching her by surprise. She covered Kimberly in shadow tendrils, pinning her arms out to the side. “I know all of your tricks. They used to be mine.” Elurra grabbed for Willow. Willow ignited with blue fire, driving the tendrils, and Elurra, away. “That one is new, however.”

  The two of them crossed blades, tearing into each other with magic and vines. As the women fought, Elurra scored a devastating blow to Kimberly’s back. Blood ran down Kimberly’s blouse and she staggered.

  “Your sickness infected my baby!” Elurra knocked Kimberly down and reached her fists around her throat. “It hid in me until he was born. And then he took my baby away!”

  Ip jumped between the women and transformed. He knocked Elurra off Kimberly, dragging her down with teeth and claws.

  “Get her, Ip!” Kimberly cheered, struggling to her feet.

  Trey tried to stand, wondering what was wrong with his legs. His sword was humming in his hands now, begging him to release its power. Elurra flipped Ip on his back and stabbed downward, pinning the fox to the ground with her sword.

  “No!” Kimberly cried as she ran toward the two of them. Trey had seen enough. He gripped his sword with both hands and summoned its true magic for the first time in over half a century.

  A concussive blast emanated from his blade, knocking away the loose dirt around his feet. The magic wrapped around his skin like silk, hardening and expanding into thick metal plates. His vision dimmed slightly as a dark helmet enclosed his face, obscuring his features. He lifted his sword up as it changed too, becoming longer and wider. He saw the astonished look on Kimberly’s face as she turned to look at him. Elurra stepped back, on guard. A sneer crossed her lips.

  The Black Knight had returned to Auviarra.

  Rematch

  “Several generations have passed since the Black Knight walked these lands. Can we expect a repeat of your last performance?” Elurra smiled at Trey. “Or maybe you’ve lost your nerve?”

  Beneath his helmet, Trey sneered at Elurra.

  “Things are different now. The darkness that consumed me is gone.”

  “Indeed. I sense it growing in the girl.” Elurra laughed and pointed at Kimberly. “You are becoming just like your father.”

  Kimberly took a step forward, but Trey moved, blocking her path.

  “This is my atonement, Kimberly. You must let me do this.”

  “Do you really think you can beat me, all by yourself? You lost to me last time, and I was much younger then.” Elurra curled her hand, pulling a ball of darkness from the air. “I’ve learned a few new tricks, too.”

  She hurled the ball at Trey, and it scorched the air as it flew toward him. Stepping forward, he let it wash over his breastplate. The magic couldn’t hurt him.

  Elurra cocked her head in surprise. Trey took another step forward.

  Letting out an inhuman scream, Elurra lifted both arms over her head, rolling her hands open. Several more balls of darkness sprang into being, circling her body like fireflies. She dropped her arms across her chest, making an X. As a swarm, the dark fire came.

  He let several hit his body, each letting out a peal like a blacksmith’s hammer. As his armor absorbed the magic, he became stronger and faster. He caught the last few on the edge of his blade, drawing them in. The air hissed with heat as he lowered his sword. No longer polished, it was now the color of obsidian. His sword arm shook slightly as he transferred the magic into his blade.

  “When I was a monster, I was a slave to the magic.” Trey’s voice wa
s calm, masking his emotions. “That was my undoing. It shall be yours.” He swung his sword with both hands, releasing the energy all at once. The band of dark fire was thick and menacing. Elurra braced herself for the impact, her arms up. Trey ran behind the blast, his armor clanking with each step. As the fire washed over her, he came with it, knocking her to the ground. Seeing his opportunity, he tried to cut her in half and missed.

  Elurra stepped away and lunged forward with her sword. He dodged away, but shadow tendrils wrapped around his arm. The vines crept into the joints of his armor, locking him in place. Elurra grabbed the vines with her free hand and pulled. Trey fought to resist the building pressure.

  “Do you remember this? This was how I defeated you last time. I ripped you out of your shell and left you to die in the sun.”

  “You are only half right.” Trey sank his weight into his heels, leaning away from her. “Elurra didn’t leave me to die. The Elurra I knew showed me mercy. You’re just a sad shadow of a great warrior—a shadow in need of some light.” Seeing his chance, he lunged forward, catching her off guard. He drove his blade home, piercing her stomach. He slid it sideways, slicing his blade outward and opening up her guts.

  Elurra laughed, stepping away to show him her wound. The edges were sharp like paper and her insides resembled mud. Pulling the wound closed, dark fluid leaked from the injury, sealing it shut again.

  “You don’t understand, do you?” Moving fast, she encased her fist in black fire and struck. Knocked off balance, he tried to roll with the punch and away from Elurra. Standing up, he caught the whiff of salt in the air. Looking over his shoulder, he saw that he was on the edge of the cliff.

  “The rules have changed. It takes a lot more than that to kill me.” Elurra swept his legs out from under him, knocking him on his side. She stabbed down, aiming for his neck. Catching the attack with his sword, her blade slid off his chest plate. Trey punched her in the face, knocking her back.

  “You talk too much.” He rolled away from the ledge, using the momentum to stand. Elurra grabbed him from behind and they both fell to the ground, fighting to disarm each other. They both struggled up to their feet, slashing and blocking. The air around him hummed with magic as they fought. Seeing an unusual opportunity present itself, Trey reached out with his free hand and grabbed a fistful of hair. Balling it up in a fist, he yanked down, hard. As Elurra’s head was pulled down, his knee was there to meet her face. There was a loud crunching sound and Elurra’s head jerked up.