Hate And Heresy

"No, thanks," Meek replied, keeping her burning sword against the guard's shield. "I like my new home."

"Don't be silly," Cain said with a smile, holding her defenses firm. "This is no place for a Red Knight of the Queen. Just come along peacefully. I can't have you killing the rest of the Seven Sisters."

Meek noticed Cain's right hand was empty but twitching. The guard's sword was still in the shield.

"I was told two were coming," Meek said. "Who is the other?"

"I don't know," Cain replied. "The movements of the executors are always a mystery. Come along with me and we won't have to see if a red knight can best one of the queen's mysterious shadow agents."

The mention of a executor made Meek visibly pale. Her confident expression faded and it made Cain smile bigger.

"How amusing you look right now," Cain taunted. "Is even a dreaded red knight not confident enough against a executor? My, they must be even scarier than I thought."

Meek found a burst of strength to push the guard and step well away. Knowing the extent of which the queen was willing take to find her filled Meek with fright. Standing in the middle of the field, she felt like a n.a.k.e.d, scared child who had no idea what to do.

"Don't worry, I can protect you," Cain offered, her confidence rising by the second. "I'll report that you came along without a fight and have begged for forgiveness. However reluctant she may be, you left a big hole in the queen's elite with your shenanigans and your strength is needed. Come back to us, Koi. Be the unstoppable warrior that purges the galaxy of the unclean. The last red knight. Oh, how romantic!"

Meek's mind was in a panic. If an executor was involved, her freedom was at far greater risk than she thought. Such a impending threat also meant an uncertain future for Adella and Moya. Meek wasn't sure she could deal with the queen's special monsters, but she felt motivated to try.

Turning her gaze to Moya, Meek motioned her head toward Cain and the message was clear. Moya fired a shot at the armored woman and the bullet struck c.h.e.s.t armor with a loud twang, ricocheting away harmlessly. As Cain staggered backward from the impact, Meek let her sword disappear and she bolted for the shop.

"Koi!" Cain yelled in anger, raising her shield. "You will be the death of every person you hold dear!"

Another shot came and struck Cain's shield to keep her in place while Meek fled. The blonde would fight the executor if she had to, but would prefer to avoid the confrontation for the sake of her companions. As Meek ran, more Ordan appeared for the fight. A flash of light came and with it, Adella, Corinth, and Suizu stood in Meek's path.

The flaming sword reappeared and blocked a thrown ax. As the projectile blade stuck the dirt, Suizu had met Meek and they clanged their swords together in desperate combat. The Ordan sister fought close despite the danger of the flame, but would never lock themselves together. Suizu's swordplay was more precise and disciplined than before, her anger no longer blinding her. After each strike she would step away to avoid the flame and would stretch her sword in a thrust or a wider swing when opportune.

There was no room for Adella or Corinth to join the fight, but the sisters stood at the ready.

"Sister Adella, why is an imperial guard here?" Corinth asked.

"I'm not entirely sure," Adella truthfully answered. "Perhaps our queen has grown impatient with her Seven Sisters."

"How disgraceful!" Corinth said. "We must handle this now! What an embarrassment it would be if the Imperial Guard brought her home!"

The pop of a rifle ripped through the air and struck Corinth in the back of the head. The sister fell into the grass with a limp thud and Adella looked on with wide eyes. Slowly, the veteran sister turned towards the rooftop where Moya was posted and waved an unsure hand.

"I see you, Adella," Moya said to herself, seeing her companion through the scope.

Before another shot could be taken at the imperial guard, Corinth got to her feet and began running towards the shop. In a panic Moya shot at the sister again but no longer had the luxury of a still target. Corinth held an ax before her face as she charged and any bullet that came only ricocheted harmlessly off armor or the weapon. Moya knew she was in trouble.

Adella bounced her gaze from the running sister to the imperial guard that watched with a raised shield. A victory over Cain was not a guarantee, but she could probably kill Corinth given the element of surprise. With as much haste as she could give, Adella gave chase and headed to the shop and the defense of Moya. She would not win the race with such a delay in her start, but Adella hoped the slave could hold her own for a moment or two.

Noticing the sisters leave gave Cain the confidence she needed. Unleashing her sword from the shield, the imperial guard let out an intimidating war cry before slamming the round metal into the ground. The impact shook the dirt for a distance much wider than needed, nearly catching up to running sisters. Meek and Suizu paused briefly to maintain their balance and both looked to the guard.

"You're coming home, heretic!" Cain declared. "Step aside, sister!"

The imperial guard charged at Meek with heavy steps that gave hint of her brutish strength. Cain forced her foe to meet her with a heavy swing of her stout sword. The guard put Meek's energy to the test with strikes that gave great weight upon the blonde's defenses. Although they were slow and easily predictable, the heavy strikes kept Meek's blade away from going on the offensive.

"This is an insult!" Suizu declared. "We will not have the Imperial Guard do what is the duty of the Seven Sisters!"

Suizu would not let her honor be damaged. A thrust of her black sword sent the growing blade toward the imperial guard and the blow pushed Cain back with a powerful glance off the shield. Meek made good on the opportunity and gave herself distance from the two Ordan warriors.

"You dare raise your sword against the Imperial Guard?" Cain said, her face the picture of anger. "Stand down, or the queen will hear of your betrayal!"

"The guards have no place in the untamed worlds!" Suizu argued. "This is our given duty and our right as the Seven Sisters of the Queen to bring our people's most infamous heretic to justice!"

Meek couldn't believe her luck. The Ordan women looked ready to tear each other's throat out just for the chance to please the queen. Wanting to capitalize on the moment, Meek gave a quick swing of her sword and flames poured out in a wide arc. Cain lifted her shield to protect herself while Suizu had more time to dash and dive away, being on the latter half of the swing. With the Ordan warriors forced to react, Meek ran for the shop and fast as she could.

"Koi!" Cain yelled.

Once again the imperial guard slammed her shield down to the dirt and the ground shook. The rumble kept Suizu from staying on her feet, but Meek only stumbled and rolled, quickly continuing her run without much progress lost.

"You fool! I had her!" Suizu said to Cain, desperately trying to get to her feet to give chase.

On the rooftop, Moya was desperately trying to stop the charging sister, but her bullets had no power against Ordan armor. The masked woman stood from her shooting position and backed away from the edge just as Corinth reached the building. Up the side of the shop the sister leapt to pull herself over the edge casually with one hand. Corinth looked crazed and disturbed as she eyed her target.

"This will teach you to interfere, you insignificant trash," Corinth said to the slave. "You cannot defend your heretical master. Nothing can stop the judgement that awaits you all."

Moya clutched the rifle close and looked her enemy in the eyes. The slave knew she could do nothing. She knew she was completely outmatched.

"You only get one chance," Adella said.

Catching up, her breath far more spent than her sister, Adella held the large blade of her curved sword at the neck of Corinth as she stood well to the side.

"What we do is wrong, sister," Adella continued, her big toothy smile present. "Stop this nonsense and serve Koi, or these are your final moments in this life."

"Sister, you cannot be serious!" Corinth said, keeping her body completely still.

"Oh, I'm quite serious," Adella replied. "I will not follow the bloody lies of the queen any longer."

"Lower your sword! We can help you come back to the light!"

Corinth's plea was silenced by the placement of a warm barrel against her eye.

"Maetodon, hear me, I offer you this wicked soul," Moya said calmly.

The rifle fired and the sister's head jerked backward as the bullet bounced around the inside of her skull. Lifeless, Corinth fell and Adella blinked rapidly in her confusion.

"Maetodon?" Adella questioned.

"A god that my people worshiped," Moya answered. "I don't really know if he's real."

"Oh, lovely. What do you get if you offer him a soul?"

Meek felt her desperation quickly melt away as she caught sight of her two possessions waving from the top of the shop. Her women appeared to be safe, but Meek still d.e.s.i.r.ed to leave as soon as possible. With a quick glance behind her, Meek saw that she had a considerable lead and could catch her breath for a moment.

"Adella, get down here and help me!" Meek commanded, stopping her run near the shop.

"Join us if you can, okay?" Adella told Moya before stepping off the roof to land next to her master.

Moya looked over the edge and pouted.

"Nothing happened yet!" the slave complained to her master.