Spirit of the Sword Ch. 02

She heard the sickening crunch of bones breaking and then only silence. Serafina let out a whimper and sank to her knees, shaking so hard her teeth chattered.

"Hmm, Not a bad kill. Now lets get out of her in case it wakes up."

"It's not dead?" she asked wearily and staggered to her feet.

"It probably is, but just in case it's not, let's play it safe."

Numbly she nodded, skirted around the tree and ran for the car. She was not going to come back to this place again. Her sanctuary had been violated, tainted by that monster. She felt the tremor start in her soul and she fought back the memories of another time and place. I will not give in, I will not let my memories rule me, she thought, furious at herself for being weak.

When they were safely in the car and speeding away Sin'tal spoke softly, "Are you all right, Serafina?"

Her lips were pressed tightly together. She only shook her head, unable to speak as the adrenaline wore off and reality set in. That was the second monster to come after her. She wasn't equipped to deal with, with this...whatever this was. She felt bad for Sin'tal but she was and never had been a fighter. All a person had to do was look at her pitiful life history to see that.

"I'm fine," she lied and tried to make it sound convincing.

"Don't hide your feelings, Serafina. I can tell just from your body language that you are far from all right. Even without reading your thoughts."

She gasped, flushed bright pink and stared at her clenched fist. "I said, I'm fine!"

"Shall I just wait till you break down in the middle of the street then or do you want to pull over and let it go safely?"

"I, I can make it home." Serafina couldn't shake the feeling of being tainted. The creature hadn't touched her, but still.... "I'm fine," she stubbornly repeated.

"Alright, if you say so, we'll discuss it when we get home then."

"Thank you," she whispered. She managed to keep her eyes dry and herself calm until she pulled into the parking lot. She scooped up Sin'tal and the scabbard and hurried inside. She shut the door and made sure to lock all six bolts. She slid down the door until her butt touched the carpet and then she began to cry.

Sin'tal sat there looking at her, unsure what to say in this situation. Usually the ones he traveled with did not know how to cry.

After a few minutes her sobbing lessened and Serafina wiped at her eyes. She hated feeling helpless and not in control. She had struggled the last ten years to get over feelings like that and in less than two days of being in Sin'tal's company she had been reduced to this. She hated it. Hated herself for being so weak.

"I think maybe you'd be safer at the museum. At least no one will bother you there," she whispered, utterly defeated by emotions and the events of the last couple of days.

"I wouldn't feel right leaving you like this Serafina. You're in danger, I have to protect you...to teach you to protect yourself." A memory flashed through his mind, a young woman running through the fields with a sword strapped to her back...before she was shot with arrows.

Serafina flinched and stared down at Sin'tal. "What, was THAT?" she demanded. She had seen something in her mind but it wasn't one of her memories.

"What was what? I don't hear anything? It can' be another monster, I would have sensed it..."

"No, I saw a girl just now and she had arrows in her back...." Serafina trailed off and then laughed uneasily. "Wow, I'm more stressed than I thought."

"No...you're not...that was...someone I knew, a long time ago."

"But I don't read minds," she replied softly.

"But we are connected Serafina, remember? It's a two way street. I'm just better at hiding my thoughts."

She gave him a sour look. "Gee, thanks!" She stood and stared at the communication console for a long time. She really should call the Professor and then take Sin'tal to him. She truly believed Sin'tal was overreacting to her boss.

"I'm not overreacting Serafina. I've been around long enough to know when something isn't right."

She closed her eyes and cursed the mental bond between them. "You want me to go train. He wants me to keep you safe. All I want is my old life back-- without monsters, swords and curses!" She balled her hands into fists and hit the wall hard. "I just want everything to go back to being normal, is that too much to ask for?"

"Actually yes it is. If life worked like that I wouldn't be stuck in this sword would I?"

"I'm sorry." Serafina dropped her head. "I'm being selfish aren't I?"

"Just a little bit, but I forgive you."

Serafina sighed but she knew what she had to do. She was going to take him to the Professor. Maybe there was some way to unbind Sin'tal from her. She wasn't the right one for a warrior. She was a wimp, not some brave heroic heroine. No, Sin'tal needed a fighter and she was woman enough to admit it wasn't her.

"Don't you dare think that. How many time do I have to tell you that you are the first one in CENTURIES to be able to do what you do? Just have faith in yourself for once Serafina!"

Serafina gaped at him. "But, but...." She closed her mouth and let out a resigned sigh. "Why do I have to be the lucky one?" she muttered half-heartedly.

"You should be honored Serafina. You're an archaeologist and a historian correct? I've seen countless centuries of history too you know."

She sighed. "And I'm sure that's nice. I just can't deal with this. I'm taking you back to the Professor. Today, right now." She scooped up the sword and scabbard.

"When are you going to learn to listen to me? I'm telling you something isn't right about him. Why can't you see that?"

"I've known you, what? For less than two days. I've worked with the Professor for the last five years. I think I'd know the man by now," she snarled and angrily shoved the sword into the scabbard. She snagged her jacket from its hook and stomped out of the house and into the car.

"Ugh, fine do whatever you want. But don't say i didn't warn you."

She only snorted and sped off toward the museum.

* * *

Kate briskly walked at a fast clip through the museum and toward the Professor's office. The men they had sent to watch Serafina had reported in. Kate smiled. Serafina was young, idealistic, and a fool. But a good fool who was returning to the museum. Kate stopped at the office door and rapped on it twice.

"Enter Kate, tell me what news you have." The Professor voice drifted through the wood of the door, like it was not even there at all.

She entered and smiled. "Professor, the girl is en route here, with the sword." Her eyes sparked with malicious glee as she delivered her news.

He raised an eyebrow at her and half glared at her, "That is interesting news indeed. Thank you for telling me Kate."

"You're welcome, Professor," she murmured, her tone becoming silky. "Do you want us to prepare a "welcome" for her?

The air between the Professor and her became heavy and thick as he let his power be felt in the room. "I think your little stunt in the forest was welcome enough Kate."

She pouted. "How was I to know she'd actually listen to the sword? All she ever did here was grovel. Never showed any spine."

"And you forget she is the only one in over a thousand years to even be able TO HEAR IT AT ALL!!" The room shook as his rage reared its ugly head.

Kate dropped to one knee, head bowed submissively. "I apologize for being over zealous, milord. It will not happen again."

"You are fortunate that it was you who first recruited her to my staff, Kate, or else you would have met the same fate as those foolish decorators who scratched the paint on my Jing-sang Vase."

"I understand, milord." And she did. The last unfortunate had met death at the hands of the shadows.

The weight released and the smile returned to the Professor's face. "Now be a good girl and run along. I'm sure the kitchens need cleaning."

She frowned but quickly wiped the expression from her face. "Of course, milord," she replied smoothly and rose. She bowed and left the room.

The Professor steepled his fingers as he watched her leave. He would have to punish her later for almost costing him the chance at unlocking the full powers of the sword.

"You know the sword will fight to stay with the girl. Perhaps we should bend her to our will and use her that way," hissed the voice from the shadows.

"No, she is not like that, as you fully know. Her will cannot be bent so easily. She is stubborn to the end. We will keep her here instead, under my supervision until she unlocks the full potential of the sword. Then, we will snatch that power away."

"It will be as you wish, for now. But do not underestimate her. There is something different that we did not sense before she joined with the sword."

"Well then we shall find out soon enough won't we?"

Evil laughter came from the shadows and then only silence.

His intercom buzzed. "Sir, she is here."

"Show her in, let's get this over with."

"Yes sir," the guard replied.

A few minutes later and Serafina's timid knock sounded in the room.

"Come in, Serafina" His voice was low and calm now. He had grown tired of this little game.

She entered and clutched the scabbard tightly to her body. "Professor, hello." Nervously she glanced about.

The Professor smirked a little. He was a hawk eying his prey. "Why hello, Serafina. I am surprised to see you back so soon."

"I, I know you told me to rest, but I couldn't. Strange things keep happening and I, I think the sword would be safer here with you."

"Oh, I couldn't agree more after thinking about it, Serafina." With a flick of his fingers a shimmering barrier of darkness surrounded her. "You see, Serafina. I've decided to not only keep the sword, but you too."

"What!" she squeaked. She reached out and touched the barrier and jerked back her hand with a pained yelp. Her fingers had gone numb and were blistered. "What, what is this?" she stammered, fear overtaking her.

"I thought that I could persuade you to unlock the powers of the sword for me, Serafina. But I have come to realize you are far too stubborn for that, and might run off to free him if you do manage to fully unlock them. So I am going to have to keep you locked up here to make sure that does not happen."

With dawning horror she realized that what Sin'tal had said about the Professor was true. "No," she whispered. "No! You let me out now!" she screamed.

The darkness became clear in front of her, but the barrier was still there, allowing her to see the Professor. "I'm afraid I can't do that, Serafina. What would I do if you killed another of my pets? They are quite troublesome to come by these days. Stubborn to obey, like yourself." He flicked his fingers upwards once more and a surge of energy shot through her, bringing her to her knees.

She screamed and screamed, the smoke rising from her body. She panted but kept her grip on Sin'tal. The pain was excruciating.

"Stop, please," she whimpered, her gaze going to the Professor. "What do you want me to do? Just tell me and I'll do it!"

"Why, Serafina, I thought you would have realized by now. I want you to understand that you will obey. No matter what I order you to do. To fully comprehend this, you must suffer." Another flick of his fingers and the energy shot through her once again.

She tried to hold in the screams but they were wrenched from her throat. She was drowning in pain. "Sin'tal, help me," she whimpered as her tears fell on the scabbard.

"Only if you give yourself to training. You, yourself have to decide once and for all to become one with me. To learn how to fully wield my powers." His voice was a little different than before, like he too felt the pain she suffered.

The agony and the weight of destiny were too much. If doing what Sin'tal wanted would make all this stop, then she would do it!

"All right! Yes! Yes I will, Sin'tal! Please, help me!"

"Then draw me, Serafina. Draw me and use me! Swing me like you mean to kill!"

She felt it then, that slumbering part of her awaken with a thunderous roar. She pulled him free from the scabbard and with a strength she didn't know she possessed, swung him at the barrier with a savage yell.

The barrier literally exploded. The forces of the colliding energies shattering outwards in a horrifying eruption of power. The shockwave sent the Professor and his desk through the wall and blew the two impressive office doors to naught but splinters.

Serafina yelped and dropped to her knees, covering her head as debris rained down around her. "Sin'tal?"

"Run now, Serafina! Before he recovers!" Sin'tal's voice was strained, he sounded...tired.

"Sin'tal?" She started to question him but then she gained her feet and ran from the room, tripping and stumbling. "Sin'tal, are you okay?" she asked as she hurried down the stairs and sprinted for the front door.

"I'll be fine, just go! We can't afford to get caught here!" There was a flash behind them and a scream as a man with a rifle dropped to the ground, a large slash across his chest.

Serafina started to slow and turn around to see what the commotion was.

"Do you ever listen?! Keep running! Don't look back!"

This time she obeyed and kept running. "Oh, oh crap! We've got company!" she retorted as four guards came running at her. She needed to get through them to make it to the car.

"Don't stop, run through them!" Another flash, in front of her this time and the four guards crumpled, their chest exploding in a shower of blood. Sin'tal's voice was getting more strained with each flash, was this his doing?

"Sin'tal? Are you doing this?" She demanded and ran to the car, flung herself and him inside, slammed the door and peeled out of the driveway.

"Whew! Oh, my! I, I have never been so afraid in my entire life!"

"Well don't relax yet...we still have a long way to go before we are safe. We have to leave to escape their vision."

"Escape their vision? And why do you sound so tired? Sin'tal are you okay?" She drove like a woman possessed but she made sure to be careful not to cause an accident.

"I will be fine, just get us out of here. I will rest once we are safe..."

She didn't argue, just continued to drive. She wasn't sure why she headed northwest, it was some instinct that pulled her in that direction. She only knew that she needed to be far away from the Professor and his evil monsters.