Chapter List

he Warrior of the River’s breathing was too fast for her to remain as quiet as she wanted. Night had fallen and she had chosen an excellent hiding place, but she was certain that the stale, sour air would soon make her wheeze or cough and give away her position.

She could hear something approaching from the direction of the inner arena. Between her and whomever or whatever it was loomed a massive sandstone pillar: one of the huge stones that formed the outer ring of the arena structure.

Up to now, surprise had been her ally, and she once again prepared to utilize it. Alanna looked up quickly to judge height and angle, then she shifted to her right. Across the ground she could see three long shadows cast by the flickering torchlight moving towards her position.

It was now or never.

“He took this path,” the Huntress said, pointing along the ground where the Chronicler’s Lantern cast it’s colorful light. “The dirt and rocks are burnt, but these are the tracks of one man.”

“What were those tracks in the inner ring?” Ranko asked, referring to the center-most region of the half-mile-wide pillar-encircled centerpiece of Bronzewing Rift.

Shannon just kept walking. Ranko took a breath to repeat herself, then her words became a troubled look. She reminded herself they needed to find Talitha as soon as they could.

“There’s lots of little cracks in the ground,” Cici said. “Everywhere those big monster feet were, the ground is all broken and smashed together.”

“Whatever it was, it must have been–” The Warrior of the Storms saw the faintest quicksilver flash overhead. Something had flown over them. She turned quickly in a defensive stance, holding Thundercaller across her body, then a delighted expression replaced her frown.

“Boss!”

Shannon and Cici turned and saw the Warrior of the River standing in a graceful pose only a few yards away from them, the smooth surface of the Quarterseeker fighting staff gleaming from behind her right arm. Silhouetted by the orange light of the torches, Alanna looked taller, even dire.

“Hi Alanna!” Cici exclaimed joyfully. She started forward, then she stopped. Alanna’s threatening posture was matched only by the powerful glare in her purple eyes.

Ranko cautiously put a hand on Cici’s shoulder. It was a non-threatening signal the warriors had developed for situations just like this. The Warrior of the Rocks understood and willed her Lantern’s light to brighten until they could see their friend clearly. Kishi watched the familiar older girl expectantly, his ears standing straight up.

As the light crept far enough to illuminate them, the Huntress noticed smudges of dirt, scorches and burns along the arms and legs of Alanna’s raiments. Her torn sash and the huge purple bruise on the left side of her face were further signs: Alanna Kawa had been in at least one, and possibly several vicious fights. Ranko wondered if the Warrior of the River had fought to survive all alone.

Then Ranko felt a chill. Alanna neither approached them nor even seemed to recognize them.

The Warrior of the Storms was confident in her own combat abilities and in the sheer power of her weapon and heavy armor, but deep in her heart she knew that the Winterdancer was a very dangerous and unpredictable opponent, even outnumbered four to one.

“You okay there, boss?” Ranko asked tentatively while very gently adjusting her own stance for maximum protection against what she knew were Alanna’s favored opening attacks. She realized too late that Alanna would recognize the escalation, and she muttered self-criticism through gritted teeth. It was a rookie mistake. Reina would not have approved.

The Warrior of the River responded in kind. She spun her staff in a quick flourish and caught it behind her right arm again, moving her right foot back and centering her weight. Ranko recognized the battle stance instantly. The Ajan Warrior of the River’s words were colder than the ice she commanded.

“You will not deceive me again.”

Continue to Chapter Seven