February 1907 A.D.
Serbia
The air crackled with tension and the scent of decay lingered in every gust of wind; the sky hung with storm clouds which mocked the landscape; here in Serbia, Cathryn and her group found themselves in an ambush, orchestrated by their guide; Toma, a man who met his end by Xian; however now, in this dystopian landscape the group made for the border, they knew that the Imperium was present in the Kingdom, they were there in force, though in the nearest town that they could reach; they encountered yet another group causing them to split up in various directions to make themselves less noticeable; here; George Smythe had come, and he stood waiting.
As the leader of the Cult of the Minotaur, George had made a diversion from his original intended destination after he had heard Cathryn and their daughter; Lydia had been located.
So far, everything had been working under a plan, but, Lydia becoming separated from her mother was not part of it; for George, it was an amusing outcome, he had a chance to confront his daughter first before Cathryn; without Cathryn, Lydia wouldn’t be much of a problem.
Lydia felt it before she saw him – a presence shadowed her every movement, threading through her awareness like an unwelcome spectre; as Lydia limply rounded the corner on an alleyway, her heart was pounding, adrenaline was coursing through her veins, as she felt eyes upon her.
“Still running from me dear daughter?” George’s voice echoed; it turned Lydia’s blood to ice; as she glanced back, she saw him emerge from the darkness; his silhouette was stark against the bleak backdrop of the derelict buildings, he was the embodiment of lethal grace, every movement carried purpose as he advanced towards her
“Oh no…” Lydia muttered as she backed up slowly “Just let me go; I am I am nothing to you, why come after me!”
There was a flicker of amusement in his steely gaze, as if her words amused him “Oh, but you are everything to me, Lydia; just like your dear sister who would no doubt love to have a chance of an encounter with her sister” he told her “After all Lydia, you carry my blood; and that is what the Imperium demands”
“I am no sacrificial lamb!” Lydia shouted, she remembered the reason why she had run away that night; the meaning behind what the Imperium demands, she knew it all to well
A freeze-frame stillness gripped the air; the weight of the exchange thickening the space between them, George’s expression shifted slightly, there was a moment his irritation appeared in is expression, but it vanished from his grim demeanour “You think you can escape the Imperium?”
Lydia edged back once again; what had been an exchange of words became a violent clash as George lunged forwards with terrifying speed, hands skilled and lethal reached for her throat, instinctively Lydia sidestepped within a panic, her adrenaline pushing her to act; what training she had since she had escaped him, would be meagre against her father, but with little choice she had to do something, pulling a knife free she swings it across swiftly; though her father’s reflexes were superior, catching her wrist and twisting violently until she let out a scream “You aren’t escaping the Imperium Lydia” he growled “You should know better than this; whatever is demanded, will be done”
With a sift motion, he thrust Lydia against the wall, a sharp bone-rattling impact that made her vision blur; pain flared through her already pained body, but she pushed past it, their struggle becoming a desperate ballet of survival.
Lydia, with fire ignited in her core, retaliated with a determined fury, even as George bore down on her like an inexorable storm.
Finding her determination to fight back amusing, he could help but smirk at the relentless effort she made; Lydia was fuelled by her desperation and adrenaline, she was launching herself at him with a series of strikes, but there was an obvious frantic nature to them; her inexperience was showing as he deftly moved and evaded her attempts, sidestepping and weaving with ease that spoke of his own experience; it was like he was simply dancing around her; graceful and controlled performance in stark contrast to her increasing chaotic fervour.
Though George would begin to grow bored, when Lydia leaves herself wide open with her strike, he seizes upon the opportunity, making a counterstrike, using both precision and devasting power; her struck her hard in the gut, sending a shockwave through her body.
The force of the blow knocked the air from her lungs causing her to gasp, wide eyed as she staggers backwards from him and struggling to maintain her balance.
When Lydia tried to breath she felt her knees buckle beneath her and she collapsed down to the ground breathless and gasping.
George approached and stood over her, a grin present as he looked down at her; as he was basking in his victory, he felt a sudden and sharp pain race through his ankle as time seemed to slow and the world seemed to completely change around him; he found himself crashing back to the ground and staring up at the dark sky, he was utterly confused about what just happened, slowly; he rolled onto his side and his eyes landed on Cathryn as she was standing back up “Back off!” she snapped
“Cathryn” George muttered, slowly beginning to move as he rose back up to his feet; his eyes returned onto Cathryn and he looked at her carefully
Shifting her hand beneath her jacket she maintained her eye contact with George; watching his movement carefully; a standoff between them as Lydia shifted her eyes to her mother a moment “Can you move?” Cathryn questioned, her eyes remaining fixed onto George
“I think so..” Lydia voice struggled; but she was slowly trying to get up, she felt uneven, sickly, then realised she wasn’t going to be getting back up anytime soon “No…” she whimpered out in a desperate voice
George smirked “Not going anywhere” he told Cathryn; he positioned his hands behind his back as he watched Mother and Daughter carefully; though in his experience, he knew Cathryn would a problem; after a moment, he stepped forwards
Cathryn’s eyes did not once leave George, she maintained her position even as George advanced to her and Lydia; with Lydia unable to get up though, everything was going to be much more difficult “Xian” she whispered “I needed you to stay close” she muttered
As the gap between George and Cathryn closed; he made a sudden lunge forwards, Cathryn maintaining her position even as he came flying towards her; quickly brought her hand out from beneath her jacket; throwing her hand forwards; letting a small rounded object fly forwards; it quickly became clear it was fragile as it struck George across the face, breaking and releasing its contents; George felt something getting into his eyes which caused him to crash down past Cathryn as he moved his hands up, a burning sensation kept him from opening his eyes as he grunted painfully.
“Come on” Cathryn said; moving to Lydia and hauling her up gently; she knew she would need to carry her daughter if they was to get clear, with a bit of manoeuvring she soon had Lydia clinging o her as she set off to get clear of George
Xian who had backtracked would end up coming across Cathryn and Lydia as they emerged from an alleyway; he then pointed “Cultists are that way”
“Yes, well; George is here as well” Cathryn replied, she glanced back in the direction she had just come from “We need to get moving”
In the alleyway George was approached by a Cultist as he finally managed to open his eyes “Find them!” he snarled; the Cultists simply nodded before running off past George, George simply stood sieving with anger, he had been so close; one mistake had cost him, he wouldn’t be making a repeat on the next encounter.
Written By: Westley H.
Leave a Reply