Bullets whizzed by overhead, the gunfire drowning out all sound from around Giantown. Merchants fled with their cargo, citizens fled for their lives, and Azandrae crept down the stairs to the only people unable to escape. Chained to the wall surrounding the stage, a rge group of sves huddled together, covering their ears, trying to blot out the nonstop fire from the gun above.

  The air smelt of spent gunpowder and smoke as the saloon down the road began to burn up into a crisp, smoke pluming out the windows as the fire spread to the nearby buildings, catching everything nearby in a bze.

  Azandrae crossed the stage, keeping low, sliding off the end and up next to the sves. She looked around at their faces, recognizing some of them from her vilge. A woman was holding the girl that was sold to the old, crusty man, protecting her from harm. She gnced up at the incoming person, not sure what to expect.

  Az stopped, “Maribelle?” Her words barely audible over the gunfire. She hadn’t seen Maribelle since the day before the raid.

  Bloody nose, dirt caked clothes, Az remembered standing up to the vilge bullies. She didn’t stand a chance against them, but she stood up to them anyway, taking a beating in the process. Maribelle was the once she protected.

  “Azandrae? I thought they had taken you away with the rest…oh my god, dear, come here.” Maribelle reached out and tugged Azandrae close, squeezing her tight. “What are you doing here?”

  Az pushed away, “I can ask ya the same thing. That night, I escaped, thanks to mother. Where is she? I don’t see her here with the rest of ya.” She looked around the group but only saw a few women from her vilge. The gunfire ceased, clearing up the air for a moment.

  “I’m so sorry, dear.” Maribelle held back tears.

  Az’s heart sank into her stomach, expecting the worst.

  “She’s been taken along with the others to the Basilica des Bone…the Bone Doctor has her now…” Maribelle wiped at her tears. “She’s gone.”

  Az froze, her face held in disbelief and guilt. It was worse than Az expected.

  “Copperhead’s men were the ones that attacked us that night. Most of the women were sent off downriver. I fear the worst for them, deary, you must get out of here, now, before they take you too.” Maribelle grabbed Azandrae’s sleeve, pushing her away. “Run before it’s too te.”

  Anger grew in Azandrae’s heart now. Fire burned hot and bright as she thought of Copperhead knowing all along that he was the monster responsible for her vilge’s raid. He was going to ensve her to a sex toy, or even worse. The bastard was viler than she could ever think. He had to be punished. If no one else would do it, she would, for her mother and all the other women taken by the Bone Doctor. She had to stand up to the bully.

  Az swatted her hand away, “No! I will not leave ya all here. I’ve done enough running.” She dug around in her belt pouch, pulling out her knife and some small metal instruments. “Once freed, ya all need to run. Find somepce safe to stay.” She stabbed the knife and metal into the lock and began prying around.

  “What will you do?” Maribelle wearily watched through her tears as Az worked the metal.

  “I’m going to stay here and make sure he pays for his sins.” The lock clicked open and the chains dropped. “I will kill him. I promise ya all that.” She gritted her teeth as the gunfire picked up again, bsting away overhead. With each round, she envisioned stabbing Copperhead repeatedly until he was nothing but a pincushion.

  The st of the locks were picked. Az gave one st hug to the woman, “Run, ya free! Don’t look back!”

  “Thank you! I will never forget you, Azandrae!” Maribelle grabbed the little girl’s hand and fled off with the rest of the sves.

  Az held her knife tight, her knuckles turning white as she grasped the weapon, wanting to plunge it into Copperhead’s heart, so he could feel the same pain that she did. She had a hard time accepting the Death Knight’s mission of death, but now she knew the truth. Death was an end to tyranny, to the vile monsters like Copperhead and Bone Doctor, and without it, evil continues to make a mockery of all things good.

  She stood tall now. Walking over to stage with confidence. If the Death Knight could kill, then so could she. The knife in her hand would plunge deep into Copperhead’s heart. She would make sure of it.

  Azandrae casually walked up the stairs, heading for her next target, a fire burning deep inside her. An inferno sparked by revenge and a mission to deal out death.

  …

  Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, click.

  “Keep them loaded boys! Keep them coming!” Copperhead looked down on the smoking saloon. The smoke was filling up Giantown now, gathering on the ceiling.

  Sweat beaded down his enrged head. His ears rang. His throat was dry, but he had to keep shooting, “I don’t care if I fire every st bullet! We’ll kill this monster and be done with it!” His tongue flickered out of his mouth. Could Death Knights die? Copperhead didn’t even know the answer to his own question. He just had to keep firing.

  The saloon was filled with more holes than a brick of Swiss cheese. Smoke billowed out of the windows and doors. Nothing stirred inside but the fire, but that didn’t mean the Death Knight was dead. Copperhead took a moment to look around his surroundings. A group of people fleeing Giantown caught his attention. They weren’t his workers or traders, no, those were his sves escaping. That was money running off.

  He looked over the edge of his railing and the stage pit was empty. No sves to be found.

  “Fuck!” He shouted out as a fortune had just escaped his grasp.

  A goon handed him a magazine. Copperhead smmed it home, “You, go figure out what the hell happened to my sves!”

  “I happened!”

  Copperhead whipped around. Standing there was Azandrae with a knife pointed right at him.

  Her nose was scrunched, worry lines covered her face. She was filled with anger. Her eyes burned into him as she bared her teeth, “You were the one who attacked us! You stole my mother away, you bastard!” Her voice quivered with rage and fear alike.

  He shrugged casually, “It’s just the price of doing business, darling.” He didn’t have time for this girl. The Death Knight could be anywhere, and now he had to deal with this shit.

  “Don’t ya fucking call me that. I will cut out ya tongue for all ya lies. Then, I will cut out ya heart, so ya can truly be the heartless monster that ya are!”

  “Many have tried, dear, and none have prevailed. What’s another one to the gallows, eh?” He elbowed his goon, who chuckled in return. “Those women all tasted so sweet too. I had to sample them before I sent them to their doom.”

  “Fight me! Ya coward!” Az’s heart pounded up into her ears. Her face flushed. The same sensation as when she stood up to the bully.

  Copperhead tilted his head, popping his neck, “If this is what you want, then I will oblige.” He shot his hands out to his sides, and two white bone spikes shot out of each of his hands.

  Az gasped, holding her knife as steady as she could. She was no fighter, but she had to fight him, for her vilge, for her mother, and for all the souls he tortured, no matter what kind of monster he might be.

  “You better be quick on your feet, darling. You might not like the after affects.” Copperhead’s tongue slithered out.

  She gazed at his spikes and noticed the trickle of yellow liquid dripping off the tips.

  “You’re in for a venomous surprise,” he smirked as he held his spikes up, walking right for Azandrae.

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