12 Miles Below

She struck the fortress ramparts at full speed, not bothering to slow her descent. Her body was far more resilient than any rock or metal they could make the wall from, and the impact proved her assumption correct.

The entire structure groaned and ripped apart as she landed, the ripples of force flowing like a wave across the human structure, throwing the chaos of melee into a whole new state of disarray and all relic knights off their feet.

Something critical ignited under the railing. A massive explosion rocketed the rest of the wall-side, plumes of ash left floating up and joining the others, dotting the more distant machine gun turrets across the wall.

At the center of the smoke, To’Wrathh opened her eyes, violet glowing through the darkness. With a flare of her wings, she burst out of the smoke, blades whistling through the air. The very smoke twisting behind her, trailing like a cape of shadow.

Her first target had barely gotten back on his feet. The Undersider knight had been fighting off one of her own Chosen, and winning, until she’d arrived. The victim turned, lifted his blade high on reflex and swung it down in wild panic at the speeding Feather.

She didn’t bother to parry the strike, digging down deep within, digital strings reaching out for the demon that lurked trapped under her thumb. The techniques and skills flooded mind, her body moving along, matching pace.

To’Wrathh was swift. The knight found himself impaled in the gut, lifted up and slammed down into the ground. A quick slash with her other blade, right across his trapped throat, ended any struggle.

Another knight rushed out of the smoke, disoriented, shields broken, fleeing from a pair of Chosen knights. That one had been unlucky and found his head also cut free of his shoulders. Body slumping down while the head soared away, the dimming mind inside feeling almost bemused for a moment at the turn of events, before unconsciousness took him, long before any pain.

He had been in her way. Such was the way of things, when humans met Feathers.

The two Chosen knights followed through the smoke. They stopped the moment they saw hers, with curt salutes.

“Lady To’Wrathh,” The left one said. “We’re ho-”

She held a hand up. “Follow. The girl is mine. Deal with the rest.”

They didn’t know what she meant by the girl, but To’Wrathh didn’t have time to explain. Ahead, she could almost taste her prey. Another small, disorganized melee was in her way. A pair of Undersiders had banded together, holding off more of her Chosen. She strode into their ranks, cutting them down with hardly any effort. The second tried to run, and she allowed it. To’Wrathh wasn’t here for the rabble.

That one didn’t run far before her Chosen cut into his path and then almost into his life before he had the good sense to shout a surrender and throw down his weapons. With the way clear, her slowly assembling group of survivors followed lock step behind her among the burning ruins.

Ahead was her true target, flanked by two other of the surface savages that had managed to regroup in the chaos. Her chosen had done well, surrounding the three separated knights. Dead Undersiders littered the ground behind her forces. These Chosen had survived this far for a reason. The training she’d given them had been enough to put them on even footing with the soldiers. The rest was learned in combat, and quickly.

Those who hadn’t learned fast enough were no longer among the living.

But that was where the good news ended.

Despite the well executed surround and the advantage in numbers, they still haven’t been able to deal any true damage to the three knights. Rather, the opposite.

At the center of the small resistance was Kidra. Two knives making quick work of an unlucky Chosen that had attempted a clearly unwise attack. The man collapsed onto the ground, heavy armor rattling against the bent metal, dead. The rest of the Chosen were holding back, fear in their minds blazing, not knowing if they should wait for backup or all charge together.

She needed to get Tenisent under control in the future. If she had his full cooperation, more of her Chosen would have survived this day.

That would be a problem to solve another day.

The surface knights gave her quick glances, keeping their focus on any movement from the surrounding enemies. Their comms kept their comments encrypted, but this close, her enhanced ears could pick out just enough leaking from under their helmets.

“For Talen's sake. Of course we’d run into one of them.” The teal knight said, long sword held in his right hand, knife in his left.

“What is that? A machine woman?” The knight in red asked, voice narrow.

“A Feather.” Kidra said from the center position.

“No scrapshit, are you serious?” The red knight said, “They exist?”

The Chosen gave To’Wrathh curious looks as she came to a stop before the three foes. Not sure if they should charge forward yet. Not willing to take initiative, not unless their leader took the first step. These surface knights had killed any who’d tried to fight them before, and no one was looking to be the next meal.

To’Wrathh paid little attention to that. She had eyes for only two targets before her. The first was clad in armor, the same armor she’d once killed an old dying man in. And the second figure hovered translucent by his daughters side, a haunted look to his features. The very same man she’d killed.

Tenisent didn’t speak. Despite that, his face betrayed his thoughts so easily to the Feather.

To’Wrathh raised an eyebrow. What will you give in exchange? She asked him, lightly knocking on the door of his cell. What will you give, if I spare her life?

His head turned sharply to meet her own gaze. There was a war in those eyes. A hard decision, slowly reaching the surface.

“We need to isolate her somehow.” The savage with teal markings and machine bones said. Memory that she’d stolen from Tenisent whispered a name: Windrunner. A friend. “What is she waiting for?” He hissed out, holding his stance frozen and ready.

The ghost glanced back at his daughter, a look of shame flying through his eyes. “Gods forgive me. Spare her life… please. I’ll give you anything you ask. Just... let her live.” He said, despair heavy in his voice. There was no other way his daughter could survive against a Feather after all. Even if his actions cost the lives of hundreds, thousands, it was his daughter in the end.

“Have you come to surrender?” Kidra said out loud, opening a conversation.

To’Wrathh was stunned for a moment, processing the bizarre request. Then she smiled. The human was making a joke! Tamery had shown her how to spot them. “I don’t believe surrendering is on my itinerary. I checked just now.” That was a good response, the Feather thought.

“We could have done this the easy way.” Kidra shrugged, knives still raised. “Your loss.”

“No, I don’t believe it will be.” To’Wrathh said. “My victory is a foregone conclusion at this point, Kidra."

"What? How do you know my name?" She asked, suddenly far more cautious.

"I spend my time learning about my opponents, before making any decisions. Every choice I make is deliberate. Currently, I am debating the merits of cutting your head off and sending it to your brother. Personal gifts always have more weight, or so I’m told.”

The feather hadn’t been lying either. Long term strategy, or her revenge. Which was more important to her?

Kidra would make an excellent hostage to hold against Tenisent in order to leverage her enemy’s true skills. On the other hand, the satisfaction of cutting this girl’s head off and sending it to him was appealing. Very appealing.

It was a moot point in the end. The pale lady had ordered her to kill the girl. So she would do as ordered.

“She’s buying time.” Kidra said, back on her group comms, her voice muffled under the helmet. “Every second that passes, the army gets closer. We've been too good at culling the traitors. On my mark, disengage and jump off the wall. Regroup with the other two Shadowsongs, reclaim the rest of the turrets.”

“And the fucking Feather that wants to cut your head off, Winterscar? What the fuck do you want us to do about that?” The red one said. A name floated through her mind. A Shadowsong. Locke, she believed he was called.

“Your duty.” Kidra hissed. “Find Ankah and Calem, wherever they ended up. Help them take the turrets. Windrunner and I can keep the feather occupied. If that army makes it to the walls, we’ll have far larger problems than a single feather.”

Choice was wrenched out of To’Wrathh’s hand as the three knights turned, working as one, and stormed through the back line, easily overwhelming the two Chosen knights cordoning that section of the surround.

She made a snap decision and speared forward with a flick of her wings. Relic armors were fast. She was faster.

Kidra turned at the last second, spinning on herself with impressive alacrity, almost as if she had a sixth sense of the incoming attack. Knife blades flashing down to strike at the incoming Feather. To’Wrathh ignored those, letting her personal shields take the hit. That let her crash directly into the knight and lift her up, like a hawk carrying off prey.

Up she went, increasing speed, vanishing into the high smoke columns lazily raising up from the battle.

Hidden in the smoke, both twisted and turned like cats in an alley brawl, each trying to stab the other. And each being thwarted by inches. The girl was oddly difficult to handle and To’Wrathh was perplexed to find Kidra not only avoiding the attacks, but forcing the Feather back down. In seconds, the ground neared and both combatants tumbled into the metal courtyard.

Kidra’s palm struck down into the ground, lifting her up as she somersaulted back onto her feet, twisting around to face her enemy before landing hard on the ground. Her heavy armor screeched to a stop, white and yellow sparks grinding away from her boots as her speed bled away.

They’d both flown far into the center of the fortress. The tower itself loomed behind Kidra. She flipped both knives back into position, a blue halo and blur in her hands. “I don’t know who you are. I don't know how you know my name, or my brother. But you are in my way.”

To’Wrathh mimicked the motion, long swords flourishing in a halo as she took a similar stance, a dangerous smile stretched wide.

Confusion crossed Kidra, clear through just body language, but she had little time to ponder on how a machine knew the same stance she’d been taught. Said enemy was already lunging straight at her, blade reaching for her neck.

To'Wrathh was a Feather. Her body was nearly indestructible and faster than any relic armor could be. Her mind was sharp, capable of making the entire world feel as if time crawled to a stop. Tenisent wouldn’t have begged for a deal if he thought Kidra had a chance. Even without the stolen skills, this would be done and dealt with in seconds.

To'Wrathh expected five seconds at most, before an occult edge buries itself into the girl's throat.

Five seconds into the fight and an occult edge buried itself into To’Wrathh’s gut instead.

Her personal shields blocked the full damage it could have caused, but there was no time to consider such things. A second dagger raced to her neck, cutting through more of the Feather’s shields. Her wings saved her from the third slice as she zipped backwards, attempting to give herself room to understand just what had happened.

Instead, a thrown knife flew unerringly at her face, which she battered away, only to find the knocked back knife caught by her enemy midlunge as the surface savage kept pace with a lunge of her own, refusing to allow the Feather any escape.

Kidra slammed right back into the fight, knives striking in asynchronous tandem. Ripping apart To’Wrathh’s hasty defense, peeling away layers with expert movements, halting any attempt to leverage the range of her swords against the opposing dual daggers. Another attempt was made to take distance, but the human once more put a stop to that, chasing like a predator after wounded prey, cutting off any safe retreat.

The feather gritted her teeth in a snarl, reached further into the soul fractal trapped in her chest for the full depth of Tenisent’s skills and found... nothing.

The demon had shut the door on her.

The worst possible moment in time to find out he'd been able to do such a thing all along.

Desperate now, she took another set of hits on her shields as payment to leap far up into the air where the human could not possibly follow. Wings stretched out, hovering above what she’d thought was prey.

“How?” To’Wrathh asked from her safe distance. Utterly befuddled. She'd entered into that fight expecting a paltry defense before she killed the girl.

Instead, she'd run headfirst into a whirlwind of metal and impossible speed. Already her shields eaten away past the thirty percent mark, without a single glancing hit on the human girl to show for it. And Tenisent had somehow blocked her access to his full skills, right when she truly needed them for the first time.

Not completely shut out, but enough she wasn’t able to drink deeply from the intuition that came with them. Only the clinical terms and motions of the surface styles remained. “How?” She repeated, as if either human would give her an answer.

The ghost of Tenisent stood by his daughter’s side. A proud smile stretched on his cold features. It stabbed into To’Wrathh deeper than the knife blades had. She’d never seen him smile before. It looked outright feral.

Kidra remained grounded, looking up. “Come back down here.” She purred. “I’ll make it quick.”

The feather snarled. An ugly, unbidden voice from deep in her throat. Emotions were coursing through her, disbelief, anger, and finally - wrath.

First, she would deal with Tenisent’s misguided resistance. Then she would deal with the daughter - and this time she wouldn’t be surprised. This was all a minor setback. She hadn’t taken the human seriously. A mistake she would rectify. She had never needed Tenisent's full breadth of skills, but there was a first time for everything, and clearly this foe required it.

Without the distraction of combat, she ripped into the captive soul, shredding past his amateur defense. The ghost evaporated, returned chained up into his cell. Let this be a lesson in humility for you. She growled at the reinforced door, sealing him shut.

Speaking to me? Or to yourself? He grinned back, white teeth looking more like a wolf’s fangs in the darkness of his cell. Go and die well, monster.

I'll be watching.

Next chapter - A major test of strength (T)

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