Ben's NaNoWriMo Log

Chapter 44 added Sep 23, 2005
The clouds broke shortly after the Reward made its awkward landing, as though the sun saw fit to congratulate them as well. Sarah sat on a rock a few dozen yards up the beach from the ship, watching the sailors swarming around it as they examined the damage that had been sustained during the treacherous passage. Molly came walking along the beach toward her. "Carathix is going to be okay, I think, once he wakes up." Sarah nodded. "Good. How does the ship look?" Molly shrugged. "There's a lot of damage. It might be more than we can repair with what we have on hand. Alliardo thinks that Carathix might know some tricks that could help, but we won't know that until later. He told me to go see if there's any lumber to be had on this rock." Sarah looked up the slope of grass and low scrub. It was a small island, but it was possible there might be a few trees on the far side. She stood up from her rocky seat. "Well, I'm not going to be much use here. I'll go with you." The two women strolled wordlessly along the beach, steam rising from their clothes as the sun began to dry them out again. After a while, Molly broke the silence. "So what's next on your agenda? Shall we go reunite Moril?" Sarah chuckled. "No, I think it may be time to relax for a while." She looked over at Molly. "I really appreciate you sticking with me though all this madness." "It's been a wild ride, that's for sure. I can't say I'm sorry to see the end of it, though. Maybe we should--" Molly was cut off in mid-sentence as a she was struck on the head by a fist-sized rock held by a black-gloved hand. Sarah whirled around, her hand flying to her rapier. Ignatius was soaking wet, his heavy black cloak nowhere in sight. Without it he looked even more gaunt than normal, his vestments plastered to his lean frame. A gash across his shorn head dripped blood down his face, but he looked otherwise unharmed. He tossed the rock aside and drew his broadsword with a rasp of steel. "Finally we meet." Sarah pulled her rapier free just in time to intercept a powerful overhead swing. Despite his lack of bulk, he was surprisingly strong. Each blow that Sarah blocked jarred her from wrists to shoulders as she backpedaled along the rocky beach. It took a moment for her to recover from the shock of the Inquisitor's sudden appearance. As she caught his blade once more on her own sword, she gave thanks to whatever Ironhold smith had forged it with such strength. She also began to recall the lessons that Molly had taught her when she had first picked up a blade. Ignatius was stronger, and his sword was more massive, but that was no guarantee of victory. Sarah adjusted her defense slightly, angling her own blade so the broadsword was deflected rather than stopped dead. As Ignatius recovered the heavy blade for another swing, she flicked her rapier out quickly, cutting a small gash across his ribs before she had to reposition it to parry again. While he was powerful and no stranger to swordplay, Ignatius was not the finest of fencers. Sarah gave ground a step ata a time, maintaining her defense and making small cuts as she found the opportunity. One solid strike from the broadsword would finish her, but the numerous tiny slashes she was delivering were beginning to take their toll. Finally, Ignatius stepped back, his sword held low before him. "Enough," he said, raising his other hand. Light flared from his eyes, and it engulfed Sarah in an instant. *** "Would you like another grape?" Sarah sat up and opened her mouth. Syphar popped a grape between her lips. She smiled as she chewed the sweet fruit, looking out over the grassy field toward the nearby walls of Crown Bay. The bright afternoon sun glistened on the water beyond. It was a perfect day. Syphar sat next to her on the blanket, a basket of food sitting in front of him. He poured wine into a pair of goblets, handing one of them to Sarah. "It's wonderful, just sitting here together, isn't it?" he said. "I can't imagine anyplace I'd rather be." She leaned over and gave him a lingering kiss. Taking a sip of wine, she watched the wildflowers swaying in the summer breeze. "This reminds me of somewhere," she said. "Hm? What do you mean?" "I can't put my finger on it. It's such a beautiful day, almost like it's a dream." Her smile faded slowly. "It's like being in Faerie." Syphar laughed. "Faerie? I never thought you were one for children's stories." Sarah turned and looked sadly at Syphar. She touched his cheek softly with her hand, trying to memorize his face as she saw it now: happy and without worry. "It's just like I remember Faerie. Where I went after... after you died." She shook her head, ignoring the confused look on his face. "It's a beautiful dream, but I can't live in a dream world. Goodbye, Syphar." *** Sarah lunged, piercing Ignatius's heart with one smooth stroke. The light in his eyes flickered out as blood gushed from his chest. She twisted the blade as she drew it back, and Ignatius was dead almost before he hit the ground. She looked down at his body, seeing him up close for the first time. After so much time living in fear of him, she was surprised to see that he looked like any other man in death. She left him where he lay and walked toward Molly, who was groaning as she regained consciousness. "What happened?" she asked. Sarah looked back at the black clad body as the waves lapped around it. "Nothing we need to worry about anymore."
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