Snippet #2189235

He'd reached the double doors that led into the citadel. As he climbed the steps, Jennifer pushed the double doors opened and he followed her inside. The huge palace opened up before him and his gaze immediately went upwards to take in the enormous ceiling overhead. Ahead of him was another set of doors that he hurried to as Jennifer paced to them. However, as she reached the double doors, her form shimmered and faded away. Talon paused as he stared at where she'd once been standing. With a raised eyebrow he slowly moved towards the double doors and drew his throwing knives.

As he pushed open the doors he was met by the strong scent of blood, then his gaze shot about the room and noted four bodies laying on the floor. Blood coated the floor, glistening in the firelight of the torches on the walls. Talon moved quickly, rushing into the room with his heart in his throat. He couldn't believe what he saw, it was a slaughter that his eyes rested on. Slowly he realized that Jennifer was seated neatly next to the body of the King who was impaled up on the pillar in front of her, his golden crown twirling between her fingers. Her lithe form was covered head to foot in blood and Talon stopped mid stride in horror.

His eyes swept across her bloodied form, then to the men lying in their own crimson liquid. The assassin could hardly comprehend what was going on before him. Blue-grey eyes lifted to look at the King as he was pinned to the wall. His throat clenched tightly. However, as he approached her, the small woman stepped forward and put her knife into the King's body, essentially killing him. There was a soft cry, then an exhale of air as the man fell still finally.

"Jennifer," he whispered softly, his eyes wide. The knives fell from his numb fingers as he stared at her. It took him a moment, but he finally gained his composure and his hands clenched into fists, "What did you do?" He yelled in rage. Talon took three steps towards her and took hold of her shoulders roughly.

"Jennifer!" He screamed again. A choke escaped him as he looked back to the dead body, "How... why? What the hell is wrong with you?" he shook her again, then released her and looked to the King impaled on the wall. He reached up and ran a hand through his hair in defeat, gripping the long strands between his fingers tightly, causing a burn to course through his skull from pulling so hard.

"Perhaps she should join the ranks of the True Dragons," a deep voice called, echoing in the room.

Whirling around, Talon grabbed Jennifer once again and dragged her behind him without thought. His free hand drawing his dagger. From the shadows behind Jennifer's throne like chair, a glint of silver came first than the dark figure of the tall rebel mage. The True Dragon lifted his fingers and curled his clawed hand towards Talon. The assassin crouched down slightly, pushing her further behind him as he slowly backed away from the mage.

"She sure makes my own work pale in comparison. It's too bad that her power is something I need for my own plans."

"You're Domieen aren't you?"

The man stopped his advance and stretched out both hands on either side of his body, "Perhaps," the man's voice told Talon that he was smiling under the darkness of his hood. The rebel started forward again and Talon raised his dagger in a defensive position. His mind was still reeling at what he'd seen, he couldn't believe that Jennifer was sitting in the middle of the massacre, covered in blood and twisting around the crown in her hands. He tried hard to get the vision out of his mind, but it wasn't working.

"Step aside, assassin, make this easier for yourself."

"No," he growled.

"She just killed your King, do you not wish to see her own death?"

"Never."

Domieen laughed then and stopped his advance, "No matter, you're just a nuisance. You're of no importance to me at all," the man's clawed hand flicked forward and Talon felt his body tossed into the floor away from Jennifer. Black magic swirled around her and dragged her forward to the rebels side. His hand stretched out and gripped her around her neck, magic pouring from his body to encase her in a dark mist. He turned his hooded face to her, "You're illusions are of no help to you, woman. But your power is of much use to me."

Talon got back to his feet, only to have the magician slam him back into the floor. Silver bands wrapped themselves around his arm up to his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. Rolling to his side, Talon struggled to free his hand just as the True Dragon turned his silver claws to run across Jennifer's pale face. The silver brace around the assassin's wrist exploded in blinding light, sending a sharp wave of pain through his arm to his chest. The bands that held him to the ground broke and he flew to his feet the second he was free. However, as he rushed to the man, the black mist that surrounded Jennifer expanded and encased them both. In a matter of seconds, all that Talon clasped in his arms was misty air.

He stumbled to a halt and looked down to his empty arms. Whirling around he was met with nothing else in the room except for the four bodies. After a moment, Talon let out an enraged yell, dropping to his knees in anguish. What was he going to do now?