I wake up in a room with no windows. Just a door. My head is hurting still. I touch my side where the arrow had hit me. It was just bandaged up. Obviously, I don’t qualify to be treated by a real healer. That’s ok, I have been worse. What the? It’s almost healed. That could not have happened over night? A wound like that would take at least a week to heal… So, he knocked me out. The poison was never meant to kill me. Most likely it was a means to put me under, for easier transport. Huh. Interesting. I wonder what he used? What am I thinking? Now’s not the time to admire a Royal Hound’s handy work! What I should be thinking is how I let myself get caught? I sigh. I got careless. That’s how… Damn it…
“You’re losing it, Breeze.” That voice. I sit up in the bed. I cannot believe my eyes. Of all the people.
“Relax. I’m not here to kill you.” Crile says to me. His voice hasn’t changed. My entire body trembles.
“If you can walk then let’s move. The King is waiting.” He opens the door and leaves the room. It takes me a couple of minutes to get up. Why here? Why now? Finally, I pull myself together and walk out of the room. Once he sees me, he starts to move. I follow. We don’t say a word all the way to the main hall. It has been about fifty years since the last time I was here, but I remember the layout of the Palace perfectly. The two guards see Crile and without making him slow down, immediately open the doors to the main hall. The window to my right opens up a view to the giant marble statue of the first King that stood in the Palace courtyard. So, the room they put me in must’ve been on the north side of the Palace. That explains why we got here so fast.
“Your Highness.” Crile bows addressing the king. He never bows.
“Crile! I see our guest is finally awake. Good to see you again, Deathbreeze.” His Highness walks over to me. No way.
“Well, look who finally grew up! The King? Really?” I recognize the brat that tried to mug me almost thirty years ago. Except now he was in his mid-forties and a King of the Concord, none the less! Time sure flew by me.
“So, do all of your guests get the special privilege of being hunted down and brought to the Royal City against their will, or am I an exception?” I ask casually.
Tahon laughs. “I’m afraid it’s just you.” He turns, walks toward the table, and takes a seat. He gestures to a chair next to him. I think about it for a moment and decide to sit down.
“Are we going to pretend to catch up or will you tell me what this is all about so I can say “no” and be on my way?” I ask the King.
“I’m afraid it won’t be as simple.” Tahon hesitates for a moment. “I need you to lead our forces into battle once again.” You have got to be kidding me!
“Forget it.” I get up, but Tahon grabs me by the arm and pulls me back to my chair.
“You do not have a say in the matter.”
“Watch me.” I get loose of his grip and walk towards the exit.
“You have been roaming these lands for the past fifty years, atoning for the sins you took upon yourself! In the past half the century not a single soul blamed you for what happened that fateful day! And yet you turned your back on your people, on your legacy and disappeared! Fifty long years have passed! There’s barely anyone left who knows what happened! And now that the Concord asks for your help you’ll just run away? What kind of a Chieftain you make yourself to be by ignoring your responsibilities?” Tahon tries to lecture me. As if!
“I AM NOT A CHIEFTAIN ANYMORE!” I turn around. I feel the beast surge inside me.
“You do not have even the slightest idea what happened back then! You weren’t even born, you brat! And you dare MOCK ME! WHO GIVES YOU THE RIGHT! I did not turn my back on my people! Or anyone for that matter! I have been out there helping those in need every single day! The horrors I have seen! The land is suffering because all you care about is war! What about the people that you speak of? Who cares about them?!” I turn away and try to leave again.
“Yes, the land is suffering, I am well aware! But the suffering will stop once we win!” The King goes on.
“Listen to yourself for a second! You speak not like a king, but a foolish child! You cannot win!” Now I am getting furious.
“But we can! Become the mighty Chieftain once more and fight with us, Deathbreeze!” Tahon does not look like a King to me. Rather he seems like a lunatic.
“Need I remind you that the main force, which wiped out more than half of the remaining Army is standing right in front of you?!” I’m a drop away from losing control.
“I slew those souls! I was the one that left a trail of dead bodies! ME! NOT THE ENEMY! How desperate can you be, to be asking me to lead the Army once again?” Finally, I lower my voice. “I refuse.” I say calmly.
“Then you leave me no choice. Even though the Concord had not labeled you as the enemy in the past, you will become one now if you refuse. But be warned. It will not be you, who will be punished for your crimes that day.” I stop half an inch away from the doors. Tahon continues.
“It will be your land, your family and your people that will suffer for your treason.” Bastard! I shift so fast that I don’t even reach my full beast form when I find my claws a hair away from Tahon’s throat and Crile’s blades pressing against mine.
“How dare you…” I growl.
“Stand down.” Crile tells me calmly, right into my ear. No way.
“The way I see it you have a number of options to choose from. One – kill me now, be killed the next moment yourself and a full out war will be raised against Noxanda. Two – run away and condemn Noxanda into chaos. Three – stand down and do as I tell you.” Tahon stares back at me without even batting an eyelash. “Decide.”
Bastard! Bastard!! BASTARD!!! He has me cornered. I’m trapped and the only way out was to agree. But, how can I? Not after what happened fifty years ago… And yet… I retract my paws and jaws. But my eyes are burning with bloodlust still.
“If I do this. If I agree to be the Concord’s Hound once more. I need your word that no matter my actions you will leave Noxanda and its people unharmed.” I spit every word out.
“You have my word.” The King agrees.
“In writing! With the seal!” That’s a clear demand.
He hesitates. “As you wish.” He goes over to the side and pulls a piece of parchment from one of the boxes, ink and a candle. He scribbles something on the paper. Half way he stops and looks at me.
“I assume you want me to add that if I break my promise you will get the full right to kill me, without being accused of treason?” Tahon looks at me.
“Please.” I give him my psychotic grin. Tahon sighs.
“Very well.” He finishes writing, gets a couple of drops of wax from the candle onto the parchment and presses his ring against the warm wax. A minute later he gives me the contract.
“It wasn’t that hard, now was it?” I take the parchment from him and look it over. Good enough.
“And how do I know you will keep your word?” He asks me.
“I’m not the one here using hostages to get my way.” I lean in and whisper. I glare at him for a second longer for good measure and leave the room.
I watch Breeze leave with the parchment in hand. I begin to doubt whether this is a good idea.
“You could have told me that you were planning to use the whole land against her.”
“Why? So, you could have warned her?” The King asks me.
“No.” My tone’s cold. He looks at me confused. “So, that I could have refused to help you with this in the first place.”
“Is that so?”
“I do not take threats made against my homeland lightly.” I glare at the King.
“If you knew what was going to happen it would not have worked. I needed to be sure you were willing to go the extra mile for me.” His highness was quite calm about what just happened. Considering he almost had his throat ripped out.
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“And how is this fair?” I ask him.
“It’s not. But now we finally have the last piece of the puzzle.”
I didn’t like it still. He used me to test her and he used her to test me. Damn it all. I need to find a way to talk to her.
“Will that be all then, Your Highness?” I ask the King.
“Yes. You’re free to go.” The King waves me off. As I leave, he speaks to me again.
“Try and keep an eye on her. She isn’t trustworthy enough to be left roaming around the Palace unsupervised. Or the Royal City for that matter. “
“Of course, Your Highness.” I bow and leave the room. Is he mocking her? “Untrustworthy”? Breeze? He can order a thousand soldiers to follow her day and night around this Palace and she would lose all of them in less than five minutes. That’s how well she knew this place. The Royal City was her playground. The only way anyone is going to keep an eye on her was if she lets them. She was always like that. I think back to when I first met them. Times were simpler back then. I wish we could have gone back. I know it's impossible. It’s just… No matter how hard I tried I could never forget her. The heavens know – I tried. But I couldn’t... And I don’t think I ever will be able to… I could still remember the first time I saw her so clearly…
Back then Breeze was known as Gazarria. Zarri was what Starlight called her. I saw the girls crouching by the trees just behind the training grounds, Breeze was covered with cuts and bruises, her face was swollen, Starlight was trying to fix her up, but Breeze kept pushing her away. They were arguing. I didn’t have to hear them I could see it in their eyes. Starlight, a Cornutese, had this soft, sad smile and probably was trying to talk Breeze out of doing something stupid. Breeze was trying to do her best to hold back the tears, but she wasn’t calming down. Both of the girls looked like they just got out of a fight. That somehow didn’t surprise me. Starlight was from Cornutora. She resembled the human like Primerians more than Noxians, except the Cornutese race also had horns sticking out of their heads... Everything about her was different.
Different was a target. She was being picked on, and a lot, by what I could tell that day. My guess was – Breeze got those souvenirs trying to protect her friend. The thought made me smile for some reason. I was walking away when I turned around to take one last look at the girls: they were hugging each other and small drops rolled down Starlight’s face, I could have bet that the same drops were hanging down Breeze’s eyelashes as well. I turned and walked away. Months later I was practicing my knife throwing in the woods when I heard a scream. I rushed to where the sound came from. What I saw made my blood boil. Some teens were gathered round, three of them. One was holding Starlight by her hair and had a large knife in his left hand. The second one was holding Breeze with her arms locked behind her back, that one had tattoos on his face. She was struggling to get loose, but the big guy’s grip was tight. And the third one was hitting Breeze, laughing in her face and pointing at Starlight, the third bastard had an earring in his right ear. Breeze was screaming.
“LET HER GO! YOU HEAR ME!” But the three bastards just laughed. Starlight was begging them to let Breeze go.
“Please, just let her go, please...” Talk about love of two friends. Starlight’s voice was the complete opposite of Breeze’s roaring. The guy beating Breeze backed up from her and turned to Starlight. He took the knife from the guy holding the scared girl and put it to Breeze’s throat. He leaned in and whispered something in her ear. By the looks of how things happened seconds after – it wasn’t anything good. The guy turned away from Breeze and took a swing at Starlight.
“BASTARD! I’LL KILL YOU!” Breeze was losing it. I tried my best to sneak up as close as possible to the girls. I was years behind mastering my Shadow Walk, but I had no choice. The girls needed help and as far as I could see – I was the only one around. Just a few more steps. The Earring grabbed one of the Starlight’s horns and put the knife to it. Like Hell that’ll happen.
“STOOOOP!” Breeze screamed.
“Be quiet!” Tattoo face shook her. Just one more step.
“GET AWAY FROM HER!” Her lungs were probably on the verge of splitting in half, but she didn't stop screaming. I slashed across Tattoo face’s leg with my knife. He screamed out and stumbled to the ground letting Breeze go. I tossed a knife and it landed next to her. She looked confused for a second, but once she realized what just happened, she grabbed the blade and charged the Earring, sticking the knife into his side. The guy holding Starlight pushed the girl to the ground and went for Breeze, but I was right behind her and sliced at the guys arm as he reached for Breeze.
“Run!” I told the girls. I pulled out the blade Breeze stuck into the side of the Earring and ran deeper into the woods, while the girls ran the other way.
“After them!” I heard the Earring bark. Tattoo Face got up and limbed after the girls. The other two went after me. Good enough. Breeze was able enough to handle a cripple. Damn, those guys were fast for being sliced and diced a minute ago. They were gaining on me. I looked over my shoulder and saw the two clowns chasing me. I also saw something else move through the trees. An animal. A cat. What the Hell? The feline caught up with the two Noxians. A moment later it caught up with me. It looked at me and I swear it smiled. It took a hard left and stopped couple of yards away from where we just ran. I didn’t slow down.
“Hey half-breeds!” I heard Breeze’s voice. “Over here!” One of the fools went after her. That left me with the other one. I stopped and turned. Come at me. Come on! I spun the blades in my hands and readied myself for a fight, but before I could do anything a cat jumped the Sliced Arm and sunk its fangs into the guys’ shoulder. He cried out and fell to his knees. The Cat looked at me once and bolted back to where it all started. I didn’t hesitate. I dashed right after the Cat. We ran past the opening where the girls were being held and kept running. About 50 yards passed the site, a cave came into the view. The Cat ran straight for it. I followed. We ran in and Breeze changed back to her human form. That was the first time I saw her shift. It was breath taking. It was scary and beautiful at the same time. The way her body molded from a four-legged creature back into a being with arms and legs, just as easily as we were breathing, was amazing. I saw her do it more than a million times after that day, but I could never get used to seeing it.
“Ammi. It’s me. We’re safe now.” She called out. “You’re safe.” Starlight came out from the dark. Hugging herself. Once she saw Breeze, she ran to her and hugged her. Then she turned to me and hugged me. I did not expect that.
“Thank you.” She said.
“Sure.” Was all I could answer her.
“So where did you come from?” Breeze asked me.
“Zarri!” Starlight looked at her displeased.
“What?”
“You’re naked.” I told her and saw her blush with the corner of my eye as I tried to look away.
“AMMI!” She barked.
“Here, put this on.” Starlight took her robe off and handed it to Breeze.
“Don’t be stupid.” Breeze argued.
“It’s fine, I still have some clothes left on me, while you have none.” She answered, standing with nothing, but a shirt and shorts on. “Put it on.” Breeze took the robe and slipped into it.
“Thanks.” She told Starlight. The Cornutese girl smiled.
“Now then, back to you.” Breeze looked at me. I raised my head. “Where did you come from? And why did you help us?”
“Would you’ve preferred I let those guys finish what they started?” I answered her. She grinned.
“I’m Zarri. That’s Starlight. Her name’s Amana, but she doesn’t like it so, don’t call her that.”
“GAZARRIA!” Starlight gave her a punch on the shoulder.
“Ouch...” The girl rubbed her shoulder. “And you are?”
“Crile.” I extended my hand to her. She shook it. “Nice to meet you” I said. “Both of you.” And shook hands with Starlight.
“You know;” I looked at Zarri; “the name doesn’t suit you. Not from what I just saw.” I told her.
“Oh, really now?” Breeze skeptically crossed her arms on her chest.
“Yes.” I nodded.
“So, what, you have a better one for me then?” She looked so cute when she tried show authority. I smiled. It took me a couple of minutes, but I finally spoke.
“Deathbreeze.” I said. Both girls looked at me surprised.
“It suits you.” Starlight said. Breeze laughed. Then Starlight laughed. Then I laughed.
“Deathbreeze it is.” Breeze looked at me and smiled. And that was how we first came to know each other. Since that day we were together almost all of the time. The three of us. It was a while till I learned of what Breeze really was, besides the fact that was obvious. She was a Druid. And Starlight was a Shaman. That too I found out later. But on that day, I didn’t just become friends with the two girls. I fell in love with one of them. And I loved her ever since… I shake my head.
I need to talk to her. She was upset, probably feeling hurt and betrayed. The King did force her to agree to something she was trying so desperately to avoid for fifty years. Fifty years. Too long. And that meant there was only one possible place she could be at, right now. So, I make my way over to the highest tower in the Palace. Of course, on the way there I get stopped countless times by advisors’, soldiers’, councilors’ and anyone else that felt the sudden urge to ask me for help. Why now. It takes me over an hour to get up there. I pick up a feather off the floor. I was right, she’s here. I take a deep breath and stick my head out the small window.
“BREEZE!!” I call out. Sure enough, a human sized hawk flies off the roof and into the direction of the woods. I knew it. She would always go up there when she was upset like that. Once she told me that this way nobody can hear her cry or scream. Usually, when I would call out to her like that, she would come down, we’d sit here and talk. Now she’s running away. I don’t blame her. But she will listen to what I have to say, one way or the other. The only sure place she will be later tonight are the stables, where Emerald is. So, I go there. I have to admit. I missed Emerald almost as much as I missed Breeze all those years. Emerald was part of our group. She would tell us war stories, well, she would tell them to Breeze and then Breeze would tell them to us, only those two were capable of communicating like that. Even so, Emerald was one of us and I missed her.
All those times we would go riding with her. Since we were just kids, all three of us would climb on her back and let her take us anywhere. It didn’t matter where – as long as all of us were together. I laugh under my breath. Everything was so much easier back then. Even if we did get in trouble every time we disappeared for days, only because we decided to explore Noxanda with Emerald leading the way. It didn’t matter. We would take our punishments and do it all over again the minute we got another chance. We lived with no regrets. Now times were different. Now I have nothing but regrets in my life. I clench my jaw. And it’s entirely my fault. I'm so caught up in my thoughts that I don't even realize I'm already at the stables. I’m nervous. And for a good reason. I have no idea how Emerald will react seeing me now. I stand outside wondering. Well, there is only one way to find out. I go inside. There she is. Laying there, in the middle of the stables, as if not having a care in the world.