Shayde's Story Chapter 5
#5 of Shades of Grey
Shayde just stared at Xani. She looked absolutely beaten. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and her whole body trembled from fatigue.
‘What do you mean, you need my help?' he asked.
Xani took a step forward, and swayed alarmingly. Shayde dashed forward and caught her just as her legs gave way. The ugly wounds on her neck and belly were bleeding again. They needed to be treated, and soon.
Supporting the stricken husky, Shayde slowly moved back into the main room, and sat Xani softly on the bed. She was trembling from a combination of pain and tears, and just sat there, sniffing.
Shayde wondered what to do. He didn't trust her enough to leave her on her own, but she needed help. He went over to the small cabinet in the corner and rummaged around in it, looking for the customary stock of chemicals all inns were obliged to have on hand. As he did, he decided to find out some more about Xani.
‘Why do you need my help?' he asked again, ‘From what I know, you're a capable fighter.'
On the bed, Xani had poured some of the water from the jug beside her, and was drinking slowly. She was wondering what she could, and was allowed, to tell Shayde. She did need his help, but he was too suspicious. If he didn't buy what she told him, it was likely he would refuse to help. She couldn't let that happen.
‘Maybe I'm not as good as you think. I only won in the city because I cheated,' she rasped. Her throat was still sore from the near strangulation she had suffered at the hands of a deranged wolf.
She was talking about when she stole a precious jewel from a museum in the city. The lump of many different precious minerals was almost priceless, and she had attempted to steal it as a way to draw out a strong enough fighter to help her. It had worked, and Shayde had been assigned to protect the gem. Shayde was stronger than Xani, and she had been forced to pull his tail, throw dust in his eyes, and run away so she could escape and lure him to the village. As an added precaution, she had ‘accidentally' ripped her shifting cloak on a rooftop, leaving a scrap of the cloak behind to point the way to her. Once Shayde had arrived in the village, she had planned to ask him directly to help her, but was interrupted by Slate, a grey wolf that seemed to have a grudge against Shayde. Slate had lured Shayde down an alleyway and proceeded to attack him, disarming him in the process. Xani had brought Shayde's katana back to him, but had then been attacked by Slate. Caught off guard, she had been sliced in several places, and almost strangled to death. Shayde had saved her by killing Slate, but had also revealed her identity as the Shadow. Anything she said or did, Shayde would be suspicious about.
Shayde turned back around, holding a dusty bottle of clear cleansing chemical. ‘This is the best I can find,' he said. ‘At least we can kill any infections. Not that you deserve it.'
Xani sighed. Males, it turned out, held grudged almost as long as females. ‘Look, I'm sorry about before. It was the only way I could think to get you here.'
Shayde snorted with derision. He walked over to the bed, untying his bandana as he did. He uncapped the bottle of chemical and poured some onto the bandana. Just then, he remembered the bottle of healing chemical he had taken from Slate. Pulling it from his pocket, he poured some onto the bandana as well. Now he could heal her as well as fight any infections. Plus, the healing chemicals stung like crazy. Vindictive, maybe, but justifiable.
‘Just sit still. This won't hurt...maybe.' He dabbed the long cut on her belly with the bandana. Xani stiffened and hissed as the chemical burnt through the wound, fighting off infection.
‘That stings!' she gasped. Shayde had deliberately started on the biggest cut, partly out of spite, and partly because it was the one bleeding worst. As he worked, he asked her again why she needed help.
‘It's...complicated.' Xani sighed mentally. She was going to have to tell him the whole truth. ‘See this?'
She pointed to the silver collar around her neck. ‘It's a slave collar, or sorts.'
‘You're a slave?' asked Shayde, somewhat surprised.
‘Sort of. I mean, I am a slave, but not like other slaves. I have a pretty liberal leash, so to speak. I can live my life as normal, but when my master wants something, I have to do it. But I still hate it. I want to be free, to not have the threat of pain and death always around the corner.'
Shayde was confused, and his confusion showed on his face as Xani looked at him. ‘The collar gives my master a sort of telepathic link to me. If I don't do what he wants, he can hurt me, or make me hurt myself, or others around me.'
‘So where do I come into the picture?' asked Shayde, now working on the various cuts on her arms. One of the biggest was partially healed over. He recognised it as the one he had inflicted himself, back in the city.
‘I can't fight him. He'll just make me stop. Only if my master is defeated will I be free. You're the strongest fighter around, so I thought you might be able to beat him.'
Shayde thought this through. It sounded plausible. He moved on up the cut on her neck, dabbing it gently, trying to concentrate on the wound, and not on Xani's chest, a few inches down.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Xani gasped and flinched away. The door opened, revealing a beagle. It was Ace, the same beagle who had brought Shayde a meal that morning.
‘Hello, Shayde. Just letting you know...' Ace trailed off, looking at the other two dogs. Xani, naked with her back to the door, and Shayde in front of her, his hand on her chest (the bandana hidden from view by Xani)This was one of the few times Shayde wished he wore a shirt.'
Ace blushed, looking down, and, a bit disappointed. ‘Oh. Sorry. I didn't know you had...company.'
‘Ace, this...this isn't what it looks like!' Shayde stammered, blushing furiously.
The beagle continued to examine the floor. ‘Xani, tell him we're not doing anything!' Shayde asked desperately. Xani merely looked over her shoulder and gave a sly grin and wink. Ace saw this, and his ears folded back. Turning quickly, he left the room and shut the door.
Shayde stared at the door, then groaned and sunk onto the bed next to Xani, holding his face in his hands.
‘Oh, hell. How embarrassing!' he muttered. Xani gave a little chuckle ‘Oh, don't worry. There are worse things to get caught doing than that.' She pointed down at the almost completely healed belly wound. ‘Imagine what he would have thought if he saw you down there!'
Shayde shot her a dirty look. ‘Very helpful.'
Xani reached over and took the bandana off him. ‘I can do the rest if you want.' Shayde nodded; still not ready to trust his mouth. To give himself something to do, he walked over and picked up Xani's shifting cloak, examining it. Even after being ripped a few times, the cloak still made him feel slightly dizzy looking at it. It was treated with a chemical that made it shift in and out of focus, rendering the wearer almost invisible, the only reason the Shadow had remained at large for so long.
Suddenly, he heard a gasp from behind him. He whirled around to see Xani clutching at the collar. The runes on the metal were beginning to glow blue. Shayde approached Xani, but she shook her head frantically.
‘No! Stay back. I don't want him to hurt you. Hide under the cloak!' When Shayde hesitated, she threw him a desperate look. ‘NOW!'
Shayde swung the cloak over his shoulders, pulling the sleeves on with a bit of difficulty.
‘Hurry, hurry, hurry!' Xani moaned. Fumbling, he did up the three buttons on the front and pulled up the hood. Instantly, a kind of veil dropped over his vision. Everything looked sharper, colours stood out brighter, and shadows faded slightly.
Xani looked at him one last time, and then dropped her head. A voice sounded from her, much different from her normal voice.
‘Well, Xani,' said the voice. It was low and cold, and made Shayde shiver with apprehension just hearing it. ‘Where are you now? I have a task for you.'
‘I'm, I'm at home,' said Xani, her voice normal. It was slightly disturbing hearing the change.
‘I don't believe you,' said the voice. Xani raised her head and looked around the room. Shayde could see the tendons in her neck stretched taut, trying to stop her head moving. This was what she was telling him about; her master could control her like a puppet.
‘This isn't your pathetic house. Why do you continue to lie to me?' asked the voice. Xani's hand moved across her body and picked up the glass of water she had abandoned. Her hand snapped down with the glass, breaking it into several pieces. Picking up a large, jagged shard, her hand moved over to her arm.
‘P..please, master. I'm wounded. I promise I won't l...lie to you again.' Xani sobbed.
‘What you do in your own time is your own fault. You need to learn not to lie. Why are you in this room?'
Xani's hand pressed with the glass, cutting into her arm, holding the glass in her arm. Her throat worked and her eyes welled with tears; her master wasn't giving her the satisfaction of crying.
‘It's...it's just an inn. I wanted a break,' she stammered.
‘I don't believe you,' said the voice again. Xani's hand dragged down with the glass, cutting her arm. Xani gave a low moan as she was forced to watch her body hurt itself. ‘Anything else I should know of?'
Shayde realised, with a shock, that Xani would reveal his location, albeit by force.
‘No. Nothing else,' said Xani. Her hand stopped.
‘Good. Now, come to the lair. I have a new task for you.' Her hand dug the glass in a little more, and her head dropped again.
After a few seconds, Xani moaned, pulling the glass from her arm and dropping it. Then she sunk her head into her hands and cried.
Shayde lowered the hood and took off the cloak, approaching the bed. Xani was sobbing uncontrollably, her latest wound bleeding sluggishly. Shayde didn't say a word; he merely took picked up the bandana from the bed, and wiped the cut with it. Xani looked up at him.
‘See what I go through?' she sobbed. ‘I hate it. I want it to end, but he won't let me go.
‘Why didn't you tell him about me?' asked Shayde.
Xani gave a weak smile. ‘I can resist him a bit, if I really try.'
They were silent for a few moments. Finally, Xani took a deep breath. ‘So. Will you help me?'
Shayde looked at the bloody shard of glass on the floor. He felt sickened by this. There was no doubt what he had to do.
‘Of course. Let's go.'
‘Well, here it is.'
Shayde and Xani were standing outside a cave entrance, a few miles from the village, and a few minutes' walk into the forest.
‘Doesn't look like much, does it?' asked Shayde.
Shayde was, as usual, dressed in his black pants, bandana tied back around his neck. Xani was wearing a black one-piece body suit, similar to the one she wore in the city, with a red hooded cloak over the whole thing. She was clutching her staff tightly, betraying her feelings.
‘That's what he's like. You can't take what you see at face-value with him,' she said softly.
‘Does he have a name?' asked Shayde. Xani nodded. ‘Glayce is his name. That's all I can tell you. He won't let me say any more.'
They continued to look at the cave. Shayde made the first move.
"Well, standing here won't do much. Let's get going.' Making sure his katana was loose in its sheath, he strode into the cave, Xani just behind him.
The cave was dark, as were all caves, but Shayde's eyes adjusted to the gloom after a few metres. The two canines walked quickly, but quietly, down the tunnel, not talking, in case Glayce could hear them.
After a few minutes, Xani spoke.
‘Shayde,' she hissed. ‘What's in your pocket? It's glowing.'
Shayde looked down. His pocket was indeed glowing a bit. He reached in and pulled out a lump of pale rock. It was the lump of Primium that Xani had found under all the gemstones she had stolen. Primium was the rarest, and most expensive, mineral on the planet. A lump this size was worth enough to buy a country, with change left over.
The Primium gave off a pale glow in the dark, casting enough light to banish the darkness around them.
‘That's cool,' said Xani, looking at the rock.
‘Actually, it's warm. See?' Shayde passed the rock to her. The Primium did indeed give off heat, like it had been lying in the sun on a warm afternoon. It was oddly comforting to hold it.
Xani passed it back. ‘Well, keep it hidden. Glayce might see it.' Shayde nodded and returned the Primium to his pocket. The light it gave off was still enough to partially light the way, and so they continued along down the tunnel.
After about 5 minutes, Shayde noticed that the cave was getting colder. His breath was beginning to cloud as he exhaled. The walls of the tunnel were also starting to get a thin coat of ice. The further they ventured, the colder it got, until he was almost shivering, and the walls became white with ice.
‘Jeez, it's cold in here!' he said, hugging himself against the cold. He looked over at Xani. ‘Aren't you cold?'
Xani stopped. She slowly turned to look at Shayde, an odd look on her face. ‘Shayde, I'm a husky. Huskies thrive in this temperature.' She shook her head, smiling at Shayde's lapse of intelligence. Shayde looked down, slightly embarrassed by this. ‘Sorry, I just...forgot.'
They continued on in silence for a few minutes, until they reached a bend in the tunnel. A pale blue light shone from around the corner. Xani stopped and looked at the corner, her nervousness plain on her face. Shayde stood next to her.
‘He's up ahead, isn't he,' said Shayde, more of a statement than a question. Xani nodded. Her grip on her staff was so tight, he could almost hear her fingers crack.
Shayde walked forward a few paces, but Xani stopped him, grabbing his shoulder.
‘Shayde, wait.' Xani made up her mind. If she didn't do it now, there might not be a chance later.
‘In case we don't...don't make it...' she pulled Shayde around, grabbed his neck and pulled him close, ‘I want to give you something.'
Before Shayde could register anything, she pulled him even closer and pressed her muzzle to his, kissing him deeply, trying to transmit all her mixed-up feelings and emotions to him in that one act. Shayde's eyes widened as Xani held the kiss, her eyes shut, hands tight around his neck. After a brief eternity, Xani broke the kiss, her troubled amber eyes looking deep into his shocked blue eyes.
‘Don't screw it up,' she whispered, and quickly dodged past him and around the bend. Shayde could only stand there, completely dumbfounded. He stayed that way for about 10 seconds, before pulling himself together. Mentally shelving that kiss, to be explored at a later date, he cleared his throat, and followed Xani around the corner.
The tunnel opened into a large cavern. It was completely covered in ice, which sparkled in the dim sunlight issued by a hole, high in the roof. Icicles hung from the horizontal surfaces, glittering like icy daggers. A set of slippery ice-covered steps led from the tunnel down to the flat surface, which Xani had navigated like a pro.
In the middle of the cavern sat a dragon. The reptile was covered in ice-blue scales that glittered and shone like diamonds. From his vantage point, Shayde could see the dragon's eyes were a pale orange colour, and they were fixed on the husky making her way towards him. Glayce extended his wings, an even paler, almost white, colour, and spoke in that cold low voice from before.
‘Ah, Xani, you made it. Good to see. In one piece, are we?' Glayce chuckled, obviously still getting a kick out of harming Xani.
Xani lowered her head, bowing to the blue dragon, her mind whirling. ‘Yes, master. I am well. You have a mission for me?'
Glayce yawned, his breath clouding out in a wave, also revealing a set of large, sharp teeth. ‘Yes, I do have a job for you. I have heard of a certain bounty-hunter, who has been gaining reputation at a considerable rate, and it is only a matter of time until he is sent to find me. I want you to find him and bring him to me. I wish to...impress upon him...how unwise it would be to try and collect the bounty on my head.' The grin on his face left no doubt in Shayde's mind what methods Glayce would use to keep his location a secret.
Xani's mind whirled again. She had a feeling she knew which bounty-hunter her master was after. ‘Does this bounty-hunter have a name, master?' she asked.
‘Oh, it's something silly. I think it was ‘Shayde'.' Glayce snorted. ‘Ridiculous name.'
‘I have heard of Shayde,' said Xani. ‘I hear he is a powerful fighter, the best hunter one can hire.'
‘That may be,' said Glayce carelessly, ‘but powerful fighters can always be subdued, as you well know.' His tail swept around and prodded the collar around Xani's neck. As the tip touched the metal, a blue light washed down Xani's body. She cried out and dropped to the floor, her staff clattering down beside her. Gasping, she looked up at Glayce with a look or hatred. Glayce looked down and, seeing the hatred, began laughing. The laughter echoed around the cavern until it was booming.
‘Oh, yes, I can see your anger. You would dearly wish to harm me.' Glayce lowered his head to Xani's level. ‘Why don't you try?' he hissed. ‘I might even let you...'
He didn't finish his sentence. Xani grabbed the staff, rose up, and thrust forward in one fluid movement. For a moment, it looked like she would strike home, but a mere inch from the dragons blue chest, Xani's thrust stopped short. Her arms trembled as she tried to finish the move, but Glayce's will was stronger. He forced her arms back, and made her throw down her staff. Xani trembled with suppressed anger and grief.
‘Well, that almost hit me.' Glayce said. He gave another sadistic laugh. He prodded the collar again with his tail, sending Xani crashing to the ground. ‘Enough with these games. Get me that Shayde. NOW!' The last word was roared at the prone husky.
Shayde had seen and heard enough. He dashed around the corner and carefully made his was down the icy steps. One wrong move and he was toast. Glayce was busy tormenting Xani, and didn't notice until Shayde was almost level with the two. He looked up, and, seeing Shayde, let out an incredulous breath.
‘Well, slave. It seems I've underestimated you. You are either both extraordinarily quick and perceptive, or equally as bold, to bring a bounty-hunter to face me.' He turned to look at Shayde again. ‘Welcome to my lair. Shayde, isn't it? I am Glayce. I have a proposition for you.'
‘Save it, frosty. I've heard everything.' Shayde withdrew his katana, the silvery blade glittering in the light. ‘What I didn't know was that you have a bounty. But that doesn't matter to me anymore. This is about Xani.'
‘What has she got to do with anything?' asked Glayce scornfully.
‘She's...a client, and she needs my help. I don't care how much I hurt you, you're going down.'
Glayce laughed again, his mirth plastered on his face. He spread his forelegs, open for any attack. ‘Go for your life,' he hissed.
Out of the corner of his eye, Shayde saw Xani raise her head and shake her head quickly, trying to dissuade him, but Shayde took no notice. Gripping his katana with both hands, he dashed forward and thrust out at the dragon.
His weapon thudded into Glayce's chest, sliding through the scales as if they where gossamer. For a second, it seemed Shayde had won. Then, Glayce's body exploded. Wave upon wave of white frost burst out and away from where Glayce stood, swirling around the two canines. The frost then came together and formed a shape, condensing into Glayce's form. The frost still around Shayde and Xani became his forepaws, which gripped down tight on the two dogs. Shayde yelped as talons bit into his body.
‘Oh, nice try,' boomed Glayce. ‘But you see, you've made a critical error. I'm not an ice dragon, though I may look like one. I am a frost dragon; a very rare species of dragon, unable to be hit or injured by conventional weapons because of our ability to become frost ourselves.' Glayce flexed his forelegs, and hurled the two canines to the other side of the cavern, where he'd forced Xani to throw her staff. They hit the icy wall and slid down, both groaning in pain. Shayde staggered up to face Glayce.
‘Coward,' he growled. ‘You won't even face me in a fair fight!'
‘Oh, so it's a fight you want? Fine. Then it's a fight you get.' Glayce's eyes glowed slightly, and Shayde heard Xani behind him, staggering to her feet.
‘Shayde...Shayde, run!' Shayde turned around, just in time to duck as Xani swung out with her staff at him. He felt a few hairs fall from his head as Xani returned the blade to a guard position. Shayde noticed that Xani's collar was glowing again, and she was crying.
‘I'm sorry Shayde. I can't help it!' She swung out again. Shayde blocked the blow with his katana, the shock jarring up his arm. ‘He's controlling me again!'
Shayde backed away, blocking Xani's strikes automatically as his brain tried to work out what to do. Glayce was forcing Xani to fight to the death. There was no chance of both surviving. Xani struck high, and the blow forced Shayde to his knees, only barely keeping his blade up against the blow. Xani pressed down with her longer weapon, trying to break past Shayde's defence. He looked up at her, seeing the tears rolling freely down her face. In the corner of his vision, he saw Glayce chuckling as he forced Xani to fight for him.
‘I'm so sorry, Shayde. I'm trying to stop him.' She swung out and smacked Shayde's hip and upper legs with the butt of her staff, sending pain shooting up his body. ‘Do whatever you can to get to him! Don't worry about hurting me,' she gave a tight grin as she lashed out with the blade, ‘I can take it.'
Shayde looked into her eyes, and saw that she meant it. He gripped his weapon and cut out, slicing at Xani's legs, forcing her to skip back or risk tendon damage. Jumping to his feet, he swung out again in a high arc, switching to a mid-blow when Xani blocked high, cutting a shallow line in her stomach. As Xani swung lower to counter the attack, Shayde sidestepped and made a glancing blow on her shoulder. He saw Glayce's expression change. Something was wrong. Shayde was stronger than he anticipated.
He continued this pattern of evasion and light hits, not wishing to hurt Xani badly. Xani seemed to figure this out as he passed an opportunity to cut deep into her arm.
‘Shayde, stop holding back! This is no way to win this fight!' Xani struck high again, then spun and smashed down with the lower half of the staff, landing a smarting blow on Shayde's ribs. Glayce was frowning now, his eyes flickering. Shayde figured that Xani was fighting back mentally, trying to break the dragon's hold on her mind and body.
Xani came in close and locked blades with Shayde. She moved forward until she could whisper to him. ‘I'll try and get an opening. When you see it, take it! Don't waste the moment. I'll only be able to do it once.' She saw the apprehension in Shayde's eyes. ‘Swear to me that you'll take the opportunity, Shayde. Promise me!'
Shayde nodded slowly, and Xani smiled through her tears. Then Glayce took over again, forcing her to attack in a frenzy. Shayde kept on the defence, waiting for the promised opening. Xani's attacks managed to score a few light hits, but the cold was starting to wear Shayde down, and the constant slipping on the ice was starting to throw off his balance. Suddenly, Xani came in close, locking blades and pressing down. Shayde locked his knees, trying not to fall on the ice. He looked at her face. Her eyes were calm and clear, and the blue glow on her collar dimmed for a moment.
‘I love you,' she whispered, and unlocked the weapons, skipping back a step and dropping her staff low, exposing her neck. Shayde heard Glayce roar with fury, and knew the moment had come. Quickly, he struck out, swinging his katana to cut into Xani's neck. But he couldn't do it. He couldn't kill her. He pulled the blade back a few inches, so as to cut deep, but not fatally.
However, it seemed his motive was clear. Xani saw the hesitation, and took a small step forward as the katana swept along her neck. The blade sliced deep into flesh, just above her collar, slicing her jugular and throat. Blood flowed in a scarlet wash, staining her rusty fur a deep red. Shayde stared in horror as the blood flowed, dropping his blade when he realised what he had done. A small smile was on Xani's face as she wavered. Her eyes were serene, no anger or resentment showing. And then she dropped, sliding to the floor in a slowly widening pool of her own blood.
Shayde continued to look at Xani's prone form. Shock rippled through his body, and his rapid breathing clouded is vision. The metal collar's blue glow faded as the blood flowed over it. Glayce roared in fury again, collapsing into frost and whirling around the room. Shayde followed his movements, and mentally shelved the pain he felt, deciding to deal with it afterwards. Xani's sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.
Looking around, he knew his weapon couldn't touch Glayce. Therefore, he'd use a less ‘conventional weapon' He picked up his blade, trying not to notice the scarlet stain on it, and used it to cut off an icy stalagmite. Holding the icy spear like a javelin, he hurled it at the mass of swirling frost. He expected the ice to sail through, but it stuck fast. A roar echoed around the room as Glayce dropped to the ground, reforming into his physical form, pulling the icicle from his chest.
‘So, ice hurts you, huh?' quipped Shayde. ‘That's kind of pathetic, you know.' Glayce opened his maw and exhaled a cloud of frost. The frost moved rapidly towards Shayde. A small rock that had fallen off the icicle lay in the cloud's path. As the frost rolled over it, it turned blue and cracked like glass. Shayde quickly got out of the frost's path, least he suffer the same fate.
Glayce transformed back into frost and whirled towards Shayde. Shayde blocked high, but the frost clouded around him. He inhaled, and felt a creeping chill seep into his body. His lungs tightened up, and his heart thudded madly. Glayce was freezing him from inside, he realised. He started to cough, trying to expel the icy mist. His chest was starting to turn blue as he struggled against the frost dragon's icy grip. Suddenly, heat flared out from his pocket, sending a warm wave of heat rolling up Shayde's body, banishing the chilly sensation. Glayce reformed a few feet away and looked at Shayde with an odd look on his face. Still coughing, Shayde reached into his pocket, withdrawing the Primium. The pearly mineral rippled with the heat it expelled causing some of the closer icicles to start dripping.
‘What is that?' roared Glayce. But his roar was more of fear than rage. This lump of rock represented the only thing that he feared; heat.
Shayde saw the look Glayce had, and grinned a savage grin. ‘Your downfall.' Holding the Primium in one hand and his katana in the other, Shayde leapt forward.
Glayce exhaled a huge wave of frost, filling the cavern with white mist so thick, Shayde could barely see ahead. The light issued from the Primium helped, but not by much. He could hear Glayce moving through the frost, but couldn't place his location.
‘Where am I, little dog? Can you hope to find me in all this? The frost is my eyes. I see every little thing in it. Glayce's voice came from all directions, making it impossible to place him. The perpetual cold was starting to wear Shayde down again, and his movements were getting sluggish. Suddenly, a piercing pain flared in his leg. Gasping in pain, he looked down to see a large icicle stuck in his leg; Glayce had manipulated the frost into a spear and impaled his leg with it. Shayde dropped to the ground in pain, trying to tug the icy spear out of his leg. The Primium helped to melt the ice, as did his own hot blood, and tugging the ice out wasn't as hard as it should have been. But the damage was done. Such a wound, while in normal circumstances might not have been so bad, in these icy conditions made things worse.
Frost whirled around his body as Glayce reformed, gripping Shayde tight and bringing the wounded Labrador up to his face. Glayce was grinning a predatory grin as he saw Shayde's concentration slipping.
‘That's it. Succumb to the cold. Death is right here in this room. Can you feel it?'
Shayde dropped his katana as the cold numbed his arm. One arm. The other was kept warm by the Primium. Suddenly, he had a plan.
Shayde struggled to raise his good arm, hiding its contents from Glayce.
‘Time to join your Xani, I think,' hissed Glayce. He opened his maw and inhaled deep, ready to exhale a cloud of frost cold enough to snap-freeze Shayde like a pea. Just before Glayce exhaled, Shayde lunged forward with his warm arm, shoving it, and the Primium, deep into Glayce's mouth, forcing it down his throat.
Glayce gagged, and bit down on Shayde's arm. Pain flared as the freezing teeth dug in, but Shayde gritted his own teeth and forced the Primium deeper down Glayce's throat. A second later, he felt Glayce swallow reflexively, and pulled his arm from the dragon's mouth, cutting his arm on the teeth.
‘Yeah, Death is in the room. But not for me!' he said grimly.
Glayce dropped him to the ground as steam, not frost, issued from his mouth and nostrils. He clawed at his throat, gagging on the rock lodged in his throat, unable to cough it up. Waves of frost started to fall off his body as he heated up, something no frost or ice dragon should do. Shayde lay on the ground, and then picked up his katana with both hands. Staggering to his feet, and praying his injured leg wouldn't give way, he drew the blade back and struck forward with all the strength he could muster. Like before, his blade sunk into Glayce's body, but this time, it stayed stuck, Glayce's body becoming stuck in a solid state. Yellow blood gushed forth from the wound. Glayce collapsed, eyes wide as he took in his defeat, finally falling into unconsciousness in a pool of yellow blood.
Shayde was breathing heavily, his leg still threatening to give out. Looking around, he saw Xani's body a few feet away. Staggering over to it, he started to remember the last moments of Xani's life, sheathing his blade as he went. As he stared at her, Shayde noticed something. Her chest was rising and falling in a shallow rhythm; she was still alive! Shayde fumbled in his pockets, drawing out the bottle of healing chemical. There was only a tiny amount left. Without a moment of hesitation, he uncapped the bottle and poured it onto the ugly laceration on Xani's neck. For a moment, he thought it wouldn't be enough, but then the skin, muscle and sinew started to knit back together. Xani's breathing became deeper as the blood stopped flowing. She was going to live, even if it was the last thing he would do.
Shayde bent down and picked Xani up, stooping again to pick up her staff. Then, leg still shaking slightly, he began walking out of the cavern. By the time he was almost at the entrance, he was sweating through the pain. He had to go on. He had to reach the village. Xani had the will to oppose Glayce, so he had to have the will to get her to safety.
Finally, he staggered into the village. Night was falling now, and not many creatures were out and about. Shayde slowly made his way to the inn, gritting his teeth against the pain and fatigue. Standing out front of the inn, he took a deep breath.
‘Somebody help us! Please! Anyone, help!' He continued along this line until the inn opened. Just inside the door, a beagle stood, looking out at Shayde and Xani in horror. Ace quickly ducked back inside, pulling on the arm of the bear manager.
Shayde's vision started to cloud as Ace and the bear made their rapid way over to him, and then, everything went dark.
His hearing came back first. Blurry noises filtered into his ears as he lay there, warm and comfortable. Someone was calling his name, and he felt something rock him gently. He cracked an eye open, seeing nothing but a blob of brown and white. He blinked, and the blob solidified into a beagle's snout.
Ace turned around. ‘He's awake!' he called out. A black head entered Shayde's vision, belonging to a black jackal wearing the coat of a healer.
‘Alright kid. Just lie still. You've been to hell and back, and I want you to rest until I say you can move.'
Any other time, he would object to being called a kid, but right now, he couldn't care less. One thing, however, he needed to know.
‘Xani,' he rasped. The jackal and Ace frowned, unable to hear him. Shayde swallowed, and tried again.
‘Where's Xani?' he asked, somewhat more coherently. ‘The husky I was with, where is she?'
The jackal pointed to one side. In the bed next to him, Xani lay on her side, looking at Shayde with tears in her eyes.
‘She was in a pretty bad way, but not as bad as you, kid,' diagnosed the jackal. ‘You've been out of it for a few days now. She was starting to worry. So was this one.' He reached over and ruffled Ace's head. ‘He's the one who brought you two in.'
Shayde lifted an arm, holding it out to Ace. Blushing, Ace took it, and Shayde shook his hand.
‘Thanks, Ace. You really saved my life.'
Shayde and Xani spent another day at the healers. Shayde had borderline pneumonia and deep wounds to his leg and arm, while Xani still needed extensive care for her throat laceration, as well as shock and exhaustion.
Shayde left the healers as soon as he could, and returned to Glayce's cave, hog-tying the still unconscious dragon with a new length of treated rope, employing the help of the bear from the inn to drag Glayce out into the open. With the Primium stuck in his throat, Glayce was as weak as a kitten, and unable to fight, though he continued to voice dire death threats whenever he could. Shayde planned to hand Glayce in to claim the bounty on his head, so he could get some actual money out of this ordeal.
Xani's collar had turned a darker colour a few days after she woke up, and she was able to pull it off as if it was made of taffy. She had then proceeded to strike at the piece of metal with her staff, reducing the sign of her slavery to powder in minutes.
A few days later, Shayde and Xani were ready to leave for the city, with Glayce trudging forlornly behind then. Ace was there to see them off. He gave Shayde a hug, holding it for slightly longer than was necessary, and had even consented to shake Xani's hand. With that, the two canines and the dragon left for the city.
By the time they reached the city, it was dark again. After being out in the country for so long, the buildings were slightly un-nerving for Shayde. He also had the faint impression that they were being watched.
‘Xani, I think something's wrong. Can you feel it?' he asked. Xani looked around, peering at the shadows.
‘Yes. I feel it too. Something's watching us.'
Glayce snorted and trudged onwards, passing Xani as he scoffed at them. ‘Pathetic, the both of you. If I wasn't weakened, I would freeze you right where you stand!'
He had been reeling off this line constantly for the last few days, and it was getting old, fast.
‘Listen, Glayce. Just shut up, for a few seconds.' Glayce snorted again as he stepped beside Shayde. Suddenly, he let out a roar so loud, it seemed to shake the buildings beside them. The dragon collapsed to the ground. A long, thin object was sprouting from his side. It appeared to be an arrow-shaft.
‘It's just an arrow. Grow up, Glayce,' chided Xani. She was going to continue, but something made her stop. The arrow seemed to melt into an inky, black substance, which trickled down into the wound on Glayce's side. A wave of darkness swept up from the wound, darkening the dragon's blue hide. As it reached his head, Glayce opened his jaws, and a trickle of the same inky substance flowed out like dark drool. Glayce shuddered, and lay still, dead as the proverbial door-knob.
Shayde and Xani looked at the dead dragon, then up. On a building not far from them, they saw a silhouette. The figure looked at them, and then fled into the night.
The End...For Now.