This one took a bit longer than normal, my hand’s been bothering me. Anywho, it is  short little snippet of the life of one of my MC characters from Demon on the Outside. Hope you enjoy. If you like this story please check out more here.

The Scar

Sethila felt her horse stumble before she heard its agonized cry. The horse reared back. Already she was rolling off the back as it hit the ground. “Dras’ Crotch,” she cursed dropping her cavalry Mace and jerking her short mace off her belt. She quick turned to block the claymore coming down on her shoulder. Vibrations ran all the way through her arm to her shoulder.

Once she saw who it was, she smirked. “She’s gone. Good try, though. You might have had her, if you weren’t so old and slow.” She stepped back and kept the mace loose and ready to parry

Kor’s glared at her, his black skin gleaming with sweat. “You think you’re so clever. If you weren’t the Sultan’s bastard you never would been the head of traitor’s guard.” His body heaved with a might swing of the claymore.

“True,” Sethila said. She dodged to the left, sand flying around her and streaking her brown skin. “At least my bloodline is better than yours.”

Instead of lobbing another insult, he smiled, “Too late for you now.”

Sethila backed up using her now dead horse as coverage. Eight figures were stepping out of the swirling sands surrounding her. “I’m too much for you, eh?” Instead, she felt her heart race. I can fight, but these odds, well, I’m done for. She swung her mace around in a fancy twirl.

First two blows she blocked using the momentum of the swing. Another blade blow came down her side. It tipped her off balance. A kick took her the rest of the way to the ground. Boots pressed down her thighs. A massive kick to her kidney made her yell.

Kor leaned down before ripping her helm off. “Must you be so noisy? Die with some dignity. Not like that whore of a mother who squirted you out.”

Sethila felt rage boil her gut. “Big words for such a small man,” her eyes flicked downward suggestively.

He backhanded her with his gauntlet

Her whole world turned red. The blow felt like cracked bone, and numbness flooded her Face. She started to talk, and then moved her head to the side to spit out blood, “A bit too defensive about that one.”

He reached down for a short sword. “You never know how to shut up.”

Sethila merely gave him a half grin. In her mind, she prayed. Dras take me into your fold. I have served my liege, my father, and my family well. Forgive me for my envious thoughts, for my anger, and take me into the realm of fire and order. Her only hope was to not let any of her prays show on her face.

The knife got close to her eye. “The question is how much should I make you suffer? You cost me a lot of good people with this little decoy. I bet that bitch Sultana wasn’t even here.”

Sethila let her grin get wider. She was here you fool. I got her out of her before you arrived. Some of us are competent.

The knife pushed into her cheek in agonizing slowness. He dragged it down her face.

Hot wetness welled up running down her cheeks. It felt like Fire and ice at the same time. Yet, she made herself grin. He wouldn’t break her. He would never be allowed to break her.

There was a sizzling, crackling noise. A column of flame burst up behind him. Fire elements spilled out it, there bodies glowing stark against the sands. Kor jerked around, the dagger wiggling back and forth above her lip. “What,” Kor stood up grabbing his claymore.

Men off her legs got off. Sethila rolled toward her weapon. One hand grasped it as another dashed blood from her face. A line of fire zipped in front of her. A dark heavy hand pulled on her arm. “Sethila, run,” Barin, her half-brother, said.

“Illusion,” she managed as she lurched in the other direction.

“Of course,” he rubbed his finger together and their feet lifted up, and their legs moved faster. “It won’t keep them for long.”

Sethila laughed. “I’ll race you.”

Barin shook his head with a sigh.