Six years earlier

Vaedran’s arm burned from the slash. He raised his musket to the prostrate figure. Captain Luraine and Kaufman were on the ground motionless, the blood congealing changing the grey to dark red on their chests. Togan was dead. Anguish tore into the night. The mirror witch cradled the man’s head, no it was not a man. A boy, he was not much older than Vaedran.

“I promise, I promise to tell her you loved her.” Tears fell from her cheeks, his chest still rose and fell but it seemed to slow. The man, no boy was pierced by several shots, mostly in the leg. There was a harsh breath as he shifted slightly. He spoke to the woman but Vaedran could not hear him. The man seemed to shake uncontrollably then was still. She wailed, it rang through him, its chilling touch freezing his soul. This was a Mirror Witch, and she cried.

She was not a monster; she was barely older than he was. She felt in the pouches around her looking for something. She drew out a mirror, a round thick mirror. She looked up at him, those eyes were hollow but they bore hatred. She lifted one of the sabres, holding it tightly, her knuckles turning white. Vaedran hurriedly emptied the flare powder into his musket, levelling his gun. His hand was unsteady as he raised it. The witch walked up to the raised musket unfazed, she just stood there. The pistol was levelled at her breast and she did nothing.

“Kill me, boy, end my life.”

The witch was young, too young. Vaedran’s hand shook. “Take the shot-” “No I can’t-” Vaedran moved his finger further and further away from the trigger.

“I am a Mirror Witch, kill me you flaming bastard.” She pulled the pistol closer to her breast. “I am no servant of the flame, I am no flaming bastard.”

“Why won’t you just kill me?” She just looked him in the eye; there was nothing there, nothing but sorrow. “I have honour witch.”

“Honour? What of Jung? Did he deserve to die, did he deserve to end like this, in your bloody country.” “Jung, that is his name?” “Was his name, he is dead. He is dead with your musket balls in him.”

“I did not want him to die.”

“You think that it matters what you wanted? You see us as the enemy and you hunt us.” The woman said.

“Hunt you? You are the one who is in our castle. What have you done?” Before she could open her mouth. The harmonium bells rang in the distance, their ringing bringing forth shouts and panic.

“You have killed the king?” Vaedran asked. “The reason that we are here is to kill your king.”

“He is not my king. I am from the Bellach. I am Vaedran, prince of Bellach.”

“My name is Myrrinna, I need you to kill me.” “Why do you want to die so much?”

“Jung was my sword brother, he was my best friend and I let him die. I want to end the pain, I want to end the guilt and I cannot kill myself. Wind blessed do not do that.”

“I will not kill you. What of Jung’s body, you cannot escape with him.” Myrrinna turned away from him, her hand on her sabres. “That thing is no longer Jung, his essence has departed. It is nothing more than an empty shell.” “But doesn’t he deserve a burial?"

“Of course he deserves a burial, but his essence has departed I cannot take him through a mirror. He is devoid of Essence, you would call it a soul.”

“So you are just going to leave him?”

“I have no choice; Jung was the brother that I never had, the family which I had always craved for and now I have to leave him here. Alone in a land that would desecrate his body in response to the killing of the king. Yes Vaedran I have no choice but to leave him here.”

“I will burn his body.” Myrrinna raised her eyes to meet his own.

“You would do that?” “I too have a family, one that I would marry one day.”

“What is her name?” “Merrin.”

“She is lucky to have you but I cannot let you take that risk.” Myrrinna suddenly hit him on the side of the head with the pommel of her sabre, darkness ensued.

Next Chapter: Allies