Role

Chapter 4

"What in the nine hells are you doing?"

She approached him slowly. Warily.

"I see you now, Ahinu. I should have seen it long ago, but now my eyes
are opened. Turn away from what is in your heart, brother. Let it go,
and perhaps we may find some way forward."

What was this gibberish? Still struggling to grasp what was happening
to him, he drew his blade in response.

"I don't know what you're talking about. My way lies there, in the
Fortress. Step aside and I will try again."

She stopped and stared at him, then, tears appearing in her eyes. It
seemed to him she was searching for something, until finally, having not
found it, she heaved a shuddering sigh and resumed her advance.

They fought for a time, there in the mountains, back and forth as the
snow flakes fell silently around them. She was still his better, and
the end game of their contest arrived quickly. Blades locked together,
she bore down against him and her sword inched ever closer to his neck.
He snarled in rage and frustration at the sheer madness of what was
happening, but in her eyes he saw only sadness. Deep, profound sadness.
If anything this made him angrier still.

Unfortunately for him, anger was no substitute for superior ability, and
he knew it. Ahinu understood that even if he managed to escape their
current deadlock he would be defeated in a protracted fight. The
thought of it galled. Not the thought of his death, but that Ashana
would "win" yet again. Like she always did. Like she always had. No,
he had to end this quickly. And with that he had a desperate idea.

All at once he let his sword arm go slack while at the same time ducking
down to reposition the blow that would now surely connect. A blow to
the face might be survived, but not one to the neck, and his sudden lack
of defense might catch her off guard. It did. Her katana connected
with his face, slicing through fur and skin and grinding against the
bone of his skull. While it was a grievous wound, it nevertheless
created a split second of confusion in which he was able to snatch the
dagger strapped at his leg and plunge it upward directly into her heart.

She died quickly, kneeling in the snow, the mirror image of how she had
looked only moments before at the fortress gates. At last he had his
victory. But oh, the cost!