Chapter of Shadowflame Clan

Kedris' long-rooted fear caught in his throat as he remembered his courage. He glared at the red elf before him, a mistress that worked with the old Blue Raven. He remembered how cruel she in particular was to the boys of the Blue Raven when she came to visit from the girls home, her domain. His fear emerged as a low growl.

"Well, if it isn't the fabled," the elven warlock paused, pondering, "what was your name? Kerro? Kedro? No, that’s not right." She continued to ponder, mocking Kedris.

"His name you past-dead wench, is Kedris," Ke twitched a long ear towards his friend and mate, Ember. She was bound to the ground by shackles which still burned from her furious fire. Ember had a little quirk about her; when angry, her magi-flame would simply burst from her very flesh, burning all around her, though never marking her.

"Right, the boy's name is Kedris. I had forgotten. You know, Kedris," the warlock spit out his name, "the Raven is still fuming over your escape. However, they will be more than gracious to have you back, I'm told. Supposedly, putting you back to work will cover the expenses of the damage you caused. And the lives you took." The Mistress glared down at the hunter. Oh yes, the Blue Raven was very angry; very few have ever escaped the Raven and no one has ever managed kill a Master, much less the three lives Kedris claimed and the seven or so that fell to his Embershadows. "And if I should bring them this girl as well? They will be very pleased indeed. I'm heard they are going to make an example of her to not only the Blue Raven, but the rest of the guild, too." The red elf giggled a sick, green light in her emerald eyes.

"No such thing will come to pass," Ke's words came slow and quiet - a warning. If fate favored him this day, this Mistress would be well past dead, and the little feather charm at her neck would join his growing collection. He lifted his bow, a poison-stained arrow glinting in the dim light. "Give me the key to Ember's bindings." The demand was dangerous.

"You think a little arrow scares me?" the Mistress laughed and the sound grated on Ke's sensitive ears. Suddenly her face became serious, "Fine. You want to play? Then let us play." A red glow radiated from her upturned palms; the light glinted on the metal tips of her long, pointed ears and the silver draped over and threaded into her robes. Her skin glowed a demonic red as the fire began to form.

Kedris growled a soft word, heard by neither the warlock before him nor the shaman behind. Suddenly, in a blur of shining blue and black, Azureblue burst forward. Reinforcements have arrived. The large war-cat pounced, knocking the elf back and disrupting her spell. The cat was by Ke's side, crouched and ready for his next attack before the Mistress realized what had happened. Kedris gave Azure a loving pat between the feline's long ears.

The Mistress growled and spat wicked words from between clenched teeth. A small chattering laughter was the only warning before a small ball of liquid fire flew past Ke, singing the tip of his left ear.

Sitting atop the woman's slender shoulder was a small demon, an imp. It pointed at Azure and giggled, rambling off its demonic language. The cat's ears pinned flat and it glared, actually looking slightly annoyed. The imp jumped up, another glowing, gooey ball in its clawed hands. Azure burst forward, flying over the warlock's shoulder and taking the imp down behind her.

Kedris nodded slightly, satisfied that Azure had his back. Without taking his eyes of the spell-weaving Mistress in front of him, he launched his arrow.

The arrow flew straight towards her, and melted not a foot far from its target. She was quick, and able to defend herself. His arrows may never touch her. He growled. There was an echoing growl from Azure as a demonic giggle turned into a sick gargle.

Suddenly, Kedris winced. The warlock smirked. One of her hexes struck. In response, Ke fired off two more arrows. She dodged the first, but didn’t manage to avoid the second. It skimmed her arm; blood ran down her arm - a darker contrast to her red-orange flesh.

Ke's ears twitched back when Ember began muttering. Before the last word of her casting, she growled "I may be bound, but I'm not helpless!" She spat out the final word and the ground rumbled. Two totems shot up from the small quake. One pulsed near Ke, filling him with warmth, healing. The other did not pulse, simply glowed. The air began to chill and frost spread like water over the ground. "That elven whore can't cast her fire if the winter takes the land." Kedris nodded and the Mistress swore, enraged.

The mistress, now unable to cast most of the spells she had been trained to use, was furious. She pulled two daggers from the sheathes at her waist and ran at Ke. He tripped her and threw her to the side, pulling his own swords. Her blades glinted green with poison; his, silver with spelled speed.

The blades clashed; the ring of metal on metal rang through the air. He pushed her back, stronger than she, and guarded again. She was also quick with her blades.

Kedris used his weight and strength to throw her back, spin her around. He wanted her where she would be helpless. He parried, blocked, struck, missed, and parried again. He threw her back and her feet slid on the smooth stone floor; she was panting her strikes growing slower, though she struck again.

Finally he spun her around, pushing her back with his block. He watched her tumble has she tripped over Ember, the woman she had chained to the floor. The Mistress flew to the ground on her back. Ke took that opportunity and pounced. He hung over her, his blades crossed at her throat. It was over.

"Either give me the key or die," Kedris growled, panting slightly.

The warlock laughed, "You'll kill me anyway."

"You're right," and the blades slid. The Mistress' head rolled away. Within seconds, Ke had searched her body and found the key. He helped Ember to her feet.

Ember twisted and stretched, smiling proudly though she said, "What took you so long?"