Benjamin slammed his against the iron bars, the pain didn't even bother him. What was Emma thinking, putting herself in danger like that? Did she want to be beat up, just like Kiara, or die? She was right about one thing, his father will not let Kiara live. She is too much of a thread to this organization, but then again, was she? Yes, they would lose the task set for them by Segues, but after this task is done there is a whole wide world full of possibilities. A lot of houses were vacant, after the families who lived there were slaughtered by the Riftwalkers. There were farms, stores, fishermen boats waiting for some new owners. Then there was the army for those whose fighting days were not over, he himself could join the local alchemist guild to learn more about things that have nothing to-do with Riftwalkers. He shook his head, those were nice dreams. But those dreams can not be, not so long his father ruled the Beskyttelseskerne with an iron grip. Emma was right about Kiara, she is the strongest warrior among them, and the Beskyttelseskerne would follow her if she defeated his father. That was probably one of the many reasons why his father has being beating her down. But he does not want to believe that this Lordling, would be able to defeat his father.
"And what do you think," Emma asked, without flinching. The Lordling didn't answer her with any words. He just looked over his shoulder towards Kiara, the look in his eyes. It was the same look his uncle gave his aunt, pure love. He would risk his own life, to have a small possibility to safe hers. Benjamin's gaze went over Emma, would he risk his life for hers. No, what they had was not love. They had an understanding, she would be his, and he would be hers. That is all, the sex was nice and the chance that she would carry his children was a future he could live with. But it was not love that moved him.
"Emma, please stop this nonsense. Before someone that reports to my father hears you," he said. But she shook her head and nodded towards the Lordling.
"You might be scared, but after I saw your father hit you and Kiara. Well, I think we have lived in fear for long enough." she said while standing up. She placed her hand on his cheek, her skin was so warm and soft. There were tears inside those beautiful green eyes of hers, tears of anger. "But I am not a warrior, never was and never will be. Neither are you, so a place my faith in the Lordling." He closed his eyes, letting this moment sink in. It was something he only experienced once before with his mother, but that was ripped away from him when she passed away all those years ago.
"Arion," Kiara's voice was so soft, nothing more than a whisper. But it was enough for the Lordling to jump up and to rush to her side. "Arion, please don't do it. Do not fight my father." she pleaded. So she heard everything, but in her voice there was no disbelieve, she too thought that he would be able to do it. Instead, there was fear, fear of that he would lose his life. There was no doubt in Benjamin's mind that she knew what for faith awaited her if their father had his way. The Lordling would be set to produce off spring, with or without his consent, and after that he would be sent back. And Kiara will die, she will be killed by the hands of her own father.
"But Kiara," he said. She placed her hand on his cheek, like Emma had done with him.
"No, Arion, I can't lose you. I can't," Benjamin was able to hear her voice break just a little. This was a side of his sister he had never seen before. She was willing to show her feelings out and in the open. "I love you." Benjamin looked down at his own feet, this was his fault. He was the one who brought the two of them here, and all because he wanted to keep Emma safe. A woman he claimed not to love, but to hear his sister to proclaim it. It was some kind of slap in the face, one he desperately needed. And it was not that he didn't know it, his uncle has made it pretty clear a while ago. But he was not ready to listen to it back then, and he was not even sure if he was ready to listen to it now.
"There is no other way to get out of this mess, Kiara," he couldn't believe the words that were leaving his mouth. "You are the first Beskyttelseskerne with the gift, it took a month for a Rift to open up after your first attempt to close one. You closed another all on your own today, so there is no way of telling how long it would take for another to open again. Father fears this, and you know he does. Besides that, if he does not fight father, you will die. If he fights him, you will at least have a chance to survive this." Kiara looked at him, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"But what if he loses?" she asked.
"Then rest assured that you will not live long to properly mourn him." Benjamin knew that his words sounded harsh, but she and he himself needed to hear it. He once again put her in danger, and this time he did it willingly. She pushed herself off the straw sack, it seemed that she was fully healed. Which was much quicker than normal, she was training her gift. Grandfather was right, her gift was healing her and now that she was strong enough to close a rift, it was also strong enough to heal in hours instead of days. She came towards the bars, there was a fire inside her eyes, once again something he never had seen before. "I am so sorry, but father had Emma,"
"Keep me out of this, would you." Emma snapped at him, but the softness in her eyes didn't fade. "Yes, your father was, or rather is, drunk and unpredictable. But Kiara already knows how he is, she has faced his abuse for years. And I am going to give you this much, he has abused you too. Not physical, until a few hours ago. But you were forced to watch." His head dropped, as did his heart. "But I would have being able to take a few blows, I would have being able to endure the discomfort and the pain." He wasn't so sure about that, she was right that he was always forced to watch. But he couldn't take one beating, he was scared what that might say about him.
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"Benjamin, do you feel that too?" Kiara asked, he looked at her. Not sure what she meant? But then the feeling hit him, the weight of the world was upon his shoulders once again. "A rift is about to open," he nodded, he was only not yet able to detect where. But Kiara's eyes grew, predicting nothing good. "It is going to open here." Benjamin cursed, he grabbed the keys from his belt and threw that towards Emma.
"Set them free, I am going to run to the armory. They need some weapons," he said while running towards the door. The armory was not that far, his uncle and a few others were busy putting weapons away. "Uncle, a rift is about to open here!"
"What!" His uncle shouted. "Wait, where are you going with those swords?" But Benjamin didn't reply, the feeling was pressuring him more and more. The feeling of thread, the weight of the world and all of that more intensely than ever before. Emma, Kiara and the Lordling entered the courtyard when the wind started to pick up. Purple lighting started to shoot down from the skies, together with Nytena's tears. Which made it even worse. "Benjamin, what in the name of the Gods is going..." The sound of something tearing open, interrupted his uncle. "Fuck! Everyone pick up your weapons, Emma you and the others who do not fight, get the children out of here. Lordling, you have Kiara's and Benjamin's back." He shouted so much more, commands. But Benjamin lost track of them all. "Percy, open up the gate. The Lordling's army is coming, and we can use their help."
"Kiara, you should close the rift. It should be you and no one else." Benjamin said. She nodded and took her stance. Weapon in hand, ready for the battle to come. It seemed so familiar, but still the past Kiara was only a shadow of the young woman who was standing beside him. The rift opened up and the Riftwalkers entered the courtyard.
*******
The sound of metal classing filled the air, the sound of Riftwalkers dying was ear-piercing. It was nothing Kiara has not heard before, only this time it was inside her childhood home. And this time she didn't have her usual sword of Segeus steel, which made fighting the Riftwalkers a bit harder. But that doesn't stop her, there was a small pile of those monsters piling up next to her.
"What in the name of Godva is going on here?" the voice of her father came out above all the noise. Not that she paid much attention to it, there was a job that needed to be done. "Who are those men, and who let them in? Why are we being attacked by Riftwalkers, and why are the Lordling and that bitch not in their cell?" The stream of questions didn't stop.
"Kiara!" It was Tom. "Good to see you here, and in one piece no less. Here is your sword." He tossed her sword, she dropped the one she was using and caught hers in one switch motion. Before killing another Riftwalker, it was nice to fight with a familiar weapon. One she could use to channel her magic, her magic flowed from her body towards the sword and back. Making the weapon part of her, and it became even deadlier. She swung her sword, which was infused with golden light with a hint of purple, towards the closest Riftwalker. But her attack was interrupted. Someone pulled her away by her hair, she screamed out in shock rather than pain. She turned around, ready to attack the Riftwalker that pulled this, only to be pushed in the stomach by her own father. "Kiara!" Tom screamed. This drew attention from those that surrounded them. "What is your deal, man? She is busy fighting, and you are attacking her?"
"Mind your own business," her father snapped towards Tom, who didn't know that this man was her own father. Her own father, who hated her guts.
"Well, it is my business when you do stuff that could get us killed." Tom snapped back. "Kiara is the best warrior inside the Snemåne Army, alright the captain comes close behind her. But that is besides the point, she right now needs to fight those monsters not you. And maybe close that rift, while she is add it."
"Over my dead body!" her father's face was red from anger. "I will not allow you to close one more portal, you will not end our divine duty. You will..." He raised his fist into the air ready to strike her down. At first she trembled at the sight, like she always done.
"There is no other way to get out of this mess, Kiara," Benjamin's words echeod throug her mind. "You are the first Beskyttelseskerne with the gift, it took a month for a Rift to open up after your first attempt to close one. You closed another all on your own today, so there is no way of telling how long it would take for another to open again. Father fears this, and you know he does. Besides that, if he does not fight father, you will die. If he fights him, you will at least have a chance to survive this."
No this was not Arion's battle, it was hers and hers alone. She will not lose him, she can't lose him to this monster of a man. The fist came down, but she grabbed it and used his own weight to throw him on the ground.
"Tom, cover my ass would you!" she screamed. "I need to deal with this piece of shit, before I can close the portal." Tom nodded, she met Arion's dark brown eyes. They were screaming out in horror, knowing full well what she was going to do. "I love you," she whispered. He couldn't have heard her words, but his mouth formed the same set of words.
"You bitch, I am going to kill you!" her father sputtered, but Kiara shook her head. No he was not going to kill her, she was going to kill him. Her sword rested in her head, she took a deep breath to calm her nervous. and swung her sword towards the man that called himself her father. He was unarmed as far as she was able to see, and he didn't have any time to react. He was still laying on the ground, catching his breath. When her sword, still infushed with her magic pierced his heart. He screamed it out in pain, tears of anger, pain and frustration streamed down her face. Toghther with Nytena's tears. After today this men could no longer hurt her, there was no way he could reach her.
"Let Godva be mercyful upon your soul, because we both know you do not deserve it." she whispers inside his ear when he strugled to breath. She raised her hands, and let her magic go to the rift. Sewing the two pieces together, while her sword was still inside her father's chest. "You see I am closing the rift, and there is nothing you can do to stop me. I am going to end our devine duty." The rift closed and this time the feeling inside the air felt different. Her father closed his eyes and took his final labored breath. He was dead, and the rift was closed. Hopefully for good this time.