The Red Queen

Konrad recovers his sword and heads back down the steps, rubbing his throat and coughing as his windpipe attempts to heal itself. He settled into a comfortable stance beside the body of Bo and lined up his Falchion with her neck before holding it with two hands and raising it high above his head for the coup-de-grâce.

Suddenly, he froze as he felt a familiar tremor in the air.

It was stronger than the one he felt with Bo.

Immediately, Konrad looked around him before his eyes settled on a large figure standing above him on the gantry to the right, with a long coat sporting fur at the shoulders that wavered majestically in the breeze. Although he was almost in silhouette, Konrad could see that he was dressed in ripped jeans, black boots with buckles running up the sides and a black/red tie-dyed sleeveless t-shirt. His black and white bandana did little to help his grey hair billowing about as if a fire in his head had just been put out. The light streaming in through the smashed windows that ringed the abandoned factory gleamed off his customised Sabre and glinted off the various silver motifs upon his multiple bracelets.

‘Talos...’ breathed Konrad as a sudden wave of fear swept over Konrad as he recognized his potential opponent.

‘Leave the bairn, Konrad...’ growled Talos, '...you and I have... unfinished business...’.

Talos leapt catlike from the ledge, cutting the air twice with the ancient blade in his left hand before he came to one knee as he landed, creating a cloud of dust and dirt that formed a ring around him.

Konrad watched as Talos slowly arose to his feet. He glared at Talos with a mixture of fear and hatred.

Talos simply fixed Konrad with his dark, dangerous eyes.

‘You know the rules...’ Konrad said, ‘...no interference. This one’s mine’.

Talos cracked a smile.

‘Div’nae lecture me on the rules, Konrad; ah wrote them...!’ he scowled, ‘...besides, the bairn’s already deed...’ he continued, shaking off the coat and draping it over a nearby press machine, '...ah’m officially challenging you’.

’You seem an honourable fellow, I’d hate to have to kill you over this... child...’ said Konrad, slowly lowering his sword and stepping away from the shattered body of Bo.

’Ah’d hate to be killed...’ replied Talos, ‘...but that bairn is very important to me, and ah will defend her from the likes of you and yer ilk with me dying breath...’ he finished stepping slowly to his left.

‘Should we skip the introductions and just get on with it...?’ Konrad asked, circling to his left, ‘...seeing as how we’ve had this dance before...?’.

‘Aye, ah think we can dispense with the pleasantries this time...’ replied Talos, stopping directly opposite Konrad, ‘...yer ready then...?’

‘Whether I am or not, I’d have to face you sooner or later I expect...’ replied Konrad, as he stripped his robe off his shoulders to reveal nothing more than a slim-fitting khaki shirt, white leggings and black trainers, before absently drawing a dagger from the small of his back.

‘Ah’ve waited for this day...’ said Talos, tightening his grip on his Sabre, ‘...e’er since you took Sangeeta from me. Oh aye, ah know it was you that killed her, ah recognised the ring ye ahlways wore on the little finger of yer left hand - the one she cut orf...’.

‘Sangeeta...?’ Konrad echoed, ‘...ah, yes; the pretty raven haired one. She was an amazing fighter...’ continued Konrad, falling into an easy stance; dagger held ready in front of him, Falchion raised behind his head, '...she put up one hell of a fight!’.

Talos could feel the hatred swell up inside him but managed to repress it.

‘Ah see ye’re still using “Musashi’s” defence...?’ said Talos, adjusting his step and circling to his right - just outside the reach of Konrad’s slightly longer Falchion.

‘I thought it appropriate, given the circumstances...’ replied Konrad.

‘Naturally, ye’d expect me to attack with “Kojiro”, ge’en the mixter-maxter o’ bruck here aboots...’ said Talos.

‘Naturally...’ answered Konrad, '...but I find “Kojiro” a little... vanilla... don’t you...?’

‘Unless the enemy has also studied under “Bokuden” ...which ah have’.

Konrad shuffled, shifting to keep Talos in front of him. He held himself with an easy confidence, assured in his superior skill. His reach was longer; he had no reason to attack first. Talos would have to get in close with Onikoroshi, and during that time, Konrad would have a chance to use the dagger, and then finish him with the Falchion.

Talos continued to drift around Konrad, maintaining the same distance, holding Onikoroshi level with his nose and letting the tip dance hypnotically. Having completed two complete circuits of the man’s stationary position, Talos settled into his usual fighting stance; he held up his free hand in front of him and drew Onikoroshi back, as if he was about to slingshot the blade at his opponent and leaned slightly back on one leg to lower his profile.

‘Shall we dance...?’ asked Talos, ‘...or would ye like to blether some more...?’.

In an instant, Konrad leaped forward, the dagger lashing out at Talos’s neck. It was a marvellously delivered move, the weight of his opponent trailing behind the dagger as it whirled toward him. Waiting behind it was the Falchion, held high in preparation to swing down to cleave flesh and bone. A less experienced fighter would have expected the Falchion to come first, but Talos had never doubted that the first strike would come from the dagger. For all the swiftness of Konrad’s attack, signs of his intent had been readily clear to Talos.

As he moved, Talos’s left hand came up, and his blade slashed across Konrad’s throat. There was no sign of blood, and Talos had no other opportunity to investigate the strike as Konrad’s dagger blade came whirling past his nose.

The only reason the dagger missed was because the move was one that Talos himself knew - the whirling arm-over-arm assault that seemed, to an untrained eye, to be an impossible tangle of limbs. That Konrad knew it was a surprise to Talos - even more so that he would attempt it with weapons like the Falchion and dagger - and it was only pure instinct that had warned him to pull back. As it was, the blade of the dagger passed less than a finger’s width in front of his face. Talos replied by driving his right knee into Konrad’s groin, sending the man reeling. By putting some distance between them. Talos could see that his slash across Konrad’s throat had merely scratched the surface, but not quite deep enough to draw blood. He raised an eyebrow as recognition of the man’s skill at avoiding the cut. Cutting a figure-eight into the air, he invited Konrad back to the dance.

Konrad accepted, discarding the dagger and charged at him with his Falchion upheld, going to his fore swing and following it with a backswing. Talos dodged the first and met the second with his own sword sending a fountain of sparks into the air. The force of the impact sent his opponent’s blade back...but not far enough to knock the blade free of his hands.

Talos stepped forward and to the outside, slamming the knuckle-guard of his Sabre against Konrad’s right temple, blocking a counterstrike before it could even be thought of.

Konrad reacted quickly, folding his arm back to make his elbow a blunt object. His momentum carried him forward, and his elbow hit Talos hard at the base of his rib cage. With a concussive whuff, the big man felt half his breath abandon his body. It was only an instinctive tightening of his abdomen that prevented him from being left gasping for breath. Almost instinctively, Talos lashed out with an arcing shot that sliced the fabric of Konrad’s shirt at the midsection. His sword sliced close enough to eat fabric and draw blood.

Konrad staggered, unbalanced.

He looked down to examine the damage.

‘You’re very skilful...’ he admitted, looking up without moving his head, ‘...for a left-hander, that is...’.

‘I ought to be after 5000 years...’ replied Talos, standing straight whilst he caught his breath, ‘...though ah must admit; ye’re better than ah expected...’

‘So, the great “Talos” has met his match then...?’ Konrad mused, painfully straightening up, ‘...this is indeed a good day...’.

Talos suddenly threw his head back and laughed.

‘Ye killed the woman ah loved...’ he said, absently fingering the plait of dark hair ‘...and this is no’ a good day for you: for this is the day ye’re gonna die!’.

‘Then why are you laughing?’ said Konrad with annoyance, the sweat running down his face.

‘Cos it’s funny; with ye pretending to be a man o’ the cloath...’ Talos laughed, ‘...and me, with a confession...’.

‘And what’s that?’.

Talos’s laugh dropped and his face darkened.

‘I’m no’ left-handed...’ Talos tossed Onikoroshi from his left hand to his right hand, the motion causing the loop to wrap itself around the warrior’s wrist and Talos immediately dropped into his fighting stance. There was a moment of uncertainty as a wave of fear swept over Konrad. Suddenly, he charged and leapt at Talos, sweeping down with his Falchion. Talos darted to his left, sweeping his Sabre up to slam against the blade, sending showers of sparks high into the air. Even before the shock of the contact rippled all the way up to his shoulder, Talos was already turning his wrist, letting the momentum of the Falchion carry it past him. Talos pressed his attack further with three consecutive strikes. The first two were met by Konrad’s sword, sending a cascade of sparks into the air, but the third, a backswing off the one before it, found flesh. The heavy Sabre ate through his opponent’s torso as easily as air. Konrad screamed in agony, staggering back clutching his right side with his left hand, in a vain attempt to stem the blood flow from the gaping wound. In one graceful movement, Talos feigned an overhead strike that Konrad instinctively raised his own blade to counter, before dropping to one knee while simultaneously jabbing his sword upward, driving the blade of Onikoroshi through Konrad’s black heart. There it lingered for a few seconds while pain, anger and confusion fought for possession of Konrads face before Talos drew the blade back and stepped to one side in one fluid movement. Konrad dropped to a knee, coughed blood, tried to stand, and dropped again, his sword clattering uselessly on the ground. Talos kicked it as a footballer would to pass the ball, sending the blade spinning away.

Konrad looked up in pained surprise at the sheer ferocity of his opponent.

Talos breathed deeply a few times to calm himself before holding his sword with both hands and smiled, resting Onikoroshi’s blade upon the exposed neck of Konrad.

‘There can be only one...’ he breathed, raising his Sabre high above his head, as Konrad continued to cough up blood in great, dark clumps that spilled onto the dusty floor, ‘...and it willnae be you...!’ he finished as he brought the fabled “Demon-killer” down for the last strike.

There was a sound like a clap of thunder as the keen blade sliced through Konrads neck. As Konrads body slumped onto the floor and began to glow, Talos prepared himself for the incoming Quickening.

Planting his feet, he laid his left hand over his right hand upon the tasselled pommel, stabbing the blade of Onikoroshi into the ground at his feet and bowed his head as if in worship.

And waited.

Konrads body levitated off the ground as the glow intensified into forks of lightning that danced around Talos’s legs and lower torso, stabbing at the ancient warrior. Talos held his pose as the lightning crackled and danced around him before suddenly intensifying into a single bolt of raw power. A second bolt struck, wracking his whole body with such power that he physically shook and grimaced; but held his pose. The third bolt, bigger and more intense than the previous one struck with such force that he threw his arms out to the side, threw his head back and roared with defiance at the power surging through his body. There was so much energy raining down that it started swirling around him, enveloping him in a swathe of electric blue and vibrant purple tendrils that stabbed and pulsed around him. From the other end of the abandoned factory, Bo suddenly inhaled and sat up, arching her back with the sudden pain of her bones connecting back up. She stared with a mix of horror and wonder at her mentor in the throes of Konrad’s Quickening, which lit up the factory with an eerie, almost ethereal blue glow. The tendrils surrounding Talos began snaking out to the long-dead press machines dotted about, and they sprang to life with the surge of supercharged power coursing through them. The oversized lights that still held bulbs overhead also received an overdose of power, and exploded, which caused Bo to immediately throw her forearms up to shield herself from being shredded with the glass raining down like razor-sharp raindrops. Only when Talos had stopped roaring, did she lower her arms and look to her mentor. Rather than collapse with the intensity like most Immortals, Talos was still on his feet; head bowed and growling like a wounded bear, his breath forming great clouds that bloomed and faded into the ether.

She had never seen an Immortal take so much power and remain on their feet.

She slowly got to her feet, still aching from the fall, the glass crunching beneath her.

‘Talos...?’ she asked, with more than a hint of fear and wincing with pain.

She’d learned from Sangeeta about some Immortals being so evil that their Quickening could turn even the purest of heart into an evil monster, and if Talos ever turned from the light, it was bad news for mortals and Immortals alike, ‘...are you ok...?’ she finished, painfully aware that her sword was still up on the gantry above.

Even if she could reach it, she’d be no match for this ancient warrior.

Slowly, Talos turned his head towards her, opening his eyes as he did.

There was no emotion behind Talos’s eyes, no anger, no hatred.

They were mere soulless orbs set into his face.

It was like looking into the eyes of Death himself.

Bo gulped hard and readied herself to run, casting haunted glances up to the gantry.

Her speed was her only defence against this hulking warrior, and if she could out-run him, she’d be safe.

For a while, at least.

‘If I don’t kill someone every now and then, falt ruadh...’ he mused with a grin, ‘...I forget who I am’.

Bo breathed a heavy sigh of relief, before suddenly dropping to her knees as she began weeping, uncontrollably.

Maria’s death finally hit home.

In a few strides Talos was upon her, gathering her up into his arms, before she fully collapsed to the floor.

She welcomed the comfort and sobbed into his large chest.

‘She’s gone...’ Bo sobbed, ‘...gone forever...’

‘I know...’ said Talos softly, '...and it will hurt. But you will recover from this, and it’ll make you stronger...’

‘But... I don’t think I’ll ever love anyone else...’ sobbed Bo, ‘...as much as I loved her...’

‘Boudicca...’ started Talos, ‘...in the many hundreds of years since Sangeeta’s death, I’ve lost lovers, students and friends, stolen countless Quickenings, and still, I tell myself that it’ll get easier next time; but it never does. I still see Sangeeta whenever I close my eyes. I still see the way her smile lit up a room and it still makes my heart skip a beat, even now. It is only the dead that achieve true Immortality; whilst we are destined to go on and suffer’.

‘Where did you hear that...?’ asked Bo between sniffles, ‘...it’s beautiful...’

‘Just made it up...’ confessed Talos.

Despite herself, Bo laughed through her tears.

Talos slowly moved his left hand from around Bo, and slipped it behind her neck, angling her head up to face him, before drawing her closer, and kissing her. She stiffened slightly with shock but allowed the kiss to last much longer than it should have. Her own left hand snaked up his torso and vanished up into his hair as she reciprocated by kissing him back. It was exactly what she needed right now and welcomed the taste of this man before her lips separated from his. She rested her forehead on his chest for a few moments with her eyes closed, feeling the warmth of him, and listening to the soothing rhythm of his heartbeat.

She suddenly pushed herself off Talos with alarm.

‘You called me Boudicca...’ she said, staring up at Talos.

‘Tha’s yer naem, is it no’...?’.

‘But you’ve never called me by my name before...’.

Talos smiled a fatherly smile.

‘Whe’ll it’s aboot time I did...’ he said, ‘...a warrior queen such as you deserve t’ be called by her naem... de yer no’ agree, lassie?’.

Bo snorted a short laugh and turned to look at the body of Maria, lying peacefully on the floor.

In a strange way, Talos is right; only the dead achieve true Immortality.

‘We can’t just leave her there...’ she said, ‘...it doesn’t feel right. I mean, she deserves to die a hero; not like this...’

Talos thought for a few moments, looking around.

Some of the press machines were still working.

‘Go find Konrad’s heed...’ he said, ‘...ah have an idea...’