Cave of Sleepers: Io

Written by Alan J. Wake

**White Entry 34 **
 

Entry 40
 

I waited too long.

When darkness fell again, and the fighting in the streets swirled
around me, I felt that something was wrong. I had anticipated the
violence, and bought myself a length of sharp steel, but I had not
had this feeling in a while.

I watched the skirmish from a doorway, cloaked in shadow,
wondering whether an armoured knight was really something native
to this land. He carried a light lance, and seemed to see far more
than the narrow view afforded by the visor. He seemed untroubled
by the riotous mob that clamoured about his horse, and moved
purposefully to a position across the street, the iron-shod hooves
ringing loudly on the cobbled streets. Somehow I was not that
surprised when the rider buried his spurs in the side of his mount
and charged down upon me, paying no heed to the crowd that tried
desparately to get out of the way.

The horse was fast, but not fast enough from the standing start to
take me off guard. I took a glancing blow to my side, in so doing
pitching the lance into the rough stony road on which I stood. The
rider fell heavily, and struggled to rise beneath the wight of that
armour. Though blood was pouring from me, my will was of iron,
and my approach resolute. The armour was too heavy for its
wearer, and I realised that it was ill-fitting and clumsy. The visor
was snapped upward as my shadow fell across the fallen knight,
and I suddenly recognised the girl who stared defiantly back at me.

" Dolores, you should not have come here, " I said.
" I saw what you did to my brother. I had to live with my mother's
pain. What did you expect me to do? "
" To stay where it was safe. To stay away from me. "
" I would pursue you to the grave to avenge my family! "
" Then welcome to your destination. " I replied, and thrust the
sword home.

I took no pleasure in it, believe me. I had no idea my children were
capable of crossing the rainbow bridge as I had. They had no right
to do so, it was not meant to be. Only Sleepers had that right.

If they would seek my death, then I would gladly thwart them. I had
been foolish to dabble in things that were not meant for me: family,
companionship... I was not of the flesh and I should not have been
tempted to learn its secrets.

I sank down onto the cobbles, studying my soiled blade while the
life-blood of my vessel drained out into the gutter. I threw it in with
the rest of the street garbage. Taking the handle of Dolores' sword,
I drew it with difficulty and waved it threateningly at the urchins that
hovered to rob her corpse. It had jammed when she tried to draw it,
or I might never have been able to write this report. Tyra had filled
their heads with fury, but no skill with weapons.

Perhaps the others would learn, but somehow, I doubted it.
 

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