Hel waited for Lily. He had been waiting for the better part of an hour. The guards of Syridine had not been enough to keep him from her room, nor had they been able to hide their whispered rumors of her location. Hel waited, staring out of her window at the courtyard of Syridine.

He had been here before, of course. Back a long time ago, before the feud began. But that time was over now. Now corruption ruled the land, and the house of Syridine was rank with it. Hel’s thoughts wandered back to that happier time, when he had been a simple blacksmith, and his family could live in peace. Now, all was lost of that memory but a vague feeling, a notion that things had been better, and could be once again, if miracles bloomed. The hunter turned from the window in disgust.

The door opened. Lily stood, legs apart, arms folded over her chest. “Explain yourself, Hel,” she told him. “Did I not make myself clear? You were not to come for me.”

She turned to glare at the guards. “Leave us,” she said poisonously, and they left the corridor with winks and smirks. Lily turned her attention back to Hel. Her eyes were hidden beneath dark contacts, her hair cloaked under a blonde wig. “I have no wish to kill you, Hel,” she told him. “But I will eliminate all those in my way.”

“I wish to understand,” he told her. “Why do you fight?”

Ignoring his question, Lily drew a saber from its sheath at her side. It was long and thin, the blade graceful and razor-sharp. She drew it back, her knees bent in anticipation for battle. “Leave my quarters and never show your face again,” she told him, her voice as icy as her eyes.

“Why do you fight?” he repeated.

She swung her blade toward him. He blocked it deftly with his axe, not even flinching. “I wish to understand,” he told her.

“I wish you to leave,” she told him, swinging again. This too was blocked, but Lily did not hesitate anymore. Three strikes flew from her, the third leaving a cut on Hel’s arm. He ignored it. He did not press his attack, merely defended himself against hers. She hissed through her teeth and threw another combination at him, not even scratching him.

“Open combat is not my forte,” she said gratingly. “Though it appears to be your only skill. The odds are slightly in your favor.”

“Why do you fight?” he repeated.

She did not heed him. Her saber danced before her, catching the light as it swung down towards Hel’s throat. The great battle-axe blocked its path with a resonating clash, and swung again to block the next strike. She took a few steps back, into the corridor. Hel followed her, lowering his axe. “I wish to understand,” he said. “Why do you fight?”

“Stop asking me that! Stop asking me that!” Lily hissed like a frenzied cat. She lunged forward, thrusting for him, but his arm was quick to defend, and the blade only nicked him. “I don’t have an answer for you!”

“I wish to understand,” he repeated.

“You can’t!” she told him. “You couldn’t!” Her strikes were less graceful, now. His dead eyes were unnerving her, as she never before had been. She took a deep breath, then lashed out with a phantasmagoric display, swinging, thrusting, slashing, hacking…..missing. “Don’t ask me to explain!”

“Why do you fight?”

“Stop it!”

She took another breath, calming herself. Suddenly, the axe arced toward her. She jumped back in time, but Hel did not press his attack further. “Why do you fight?” he asked her, his voice rising in urgency.

Lily did not answer. She had been well trained, this would not be her bane. She controlled herself, her head clearing, and struck again, this time landing a significant cut on Hel’s thigh. His teeth clamped together. “Why do you fight?”

They fought in the corridor, Hel managing to pin Lily until she worked under his guard, forcing him back again. He received another slash, painfully banging into a wall torch and forced to stamp out the flames before the carpet caught. Lily felt a glancing blow before a stronger one cracked two of her ribs. Teeth clenched, eyes flashing, she struck the side of Hel’s face, leaving a gash beside his ear. He winced, then asked her, “Why do you fight?”

“It is my craft,” she told him. Her voice betrayed no emotion, as it had been trained to do. “It is my skill, and my profession. To fight for money as the farmer grows his crop.”

“I do not understand,” he told her. Their blades collided, sending her back into the wall.

“It is my way of revenge,” she told him. “Against those that would cause sorrow. I am the people’s protector.”

“I do not understand,” he insisted. “Why do you fight?”

“Enough of this foolishness!” she hissed. She pushed her shoulder against the flat of his blade, pushing him back. He stumbled, his back slamming into the wall as she kept him pinned. “I will keep my promise to you,” she said. “It is time for you to die.”

There was a gasp behind her. Lily turned. Simon gaped at her, his eyes wide and full of fear and astonishment. Supported by him was Thorn, his mouth open in shock. He let go of Simon, falling to the floor as his legs crumpled. His voice croaked hoarsely as he cried out, “Lora!”

Lily stared at him, transfixed. Hel stared from Thorn to Lily, then back again, utterly confused. “What did you call me?” she asked him, her voice breathless.

“Lora!” Thorn repeated, his voice stronger. He crawled painfully forward, his legs useless, one of his hands outstretched, wavering with weak delirium. “Lora! My daughter!”

Lily dropped the saber with a clatter. She took a step backward, raising a hand to her mouth. “You can’t be serious,” she said, her voice nervous. “I’m…..I’m not your daughter.”

“You are Lora!” Thorn told her. “Oh, child!” He swallowed, a trickle of blood escaping his lips. “Oh, my child!”

Lily shook her head incredulously, taking a few more steps backward. Both Hel and Simon were silent, spellbound at the scene before them. Thorn inched forward, reaching for her. “Lora,” he called to her, a smile hinting on his lips.

“Stop!” she commanded, stumbling back. “Stop this! I’m not Lora, do you understand? I’m not Lora!”

“All these years,” Thorn said, a sob in his throat. “All these years and I thought you were gone…..but you’re alive, my child!”

“I’m not your child!” Lily insisted. “I’m not! Stop this now, can’t you see I’m not Lora?”

“Just as I dreamed you’d be!” he murmured. “Just like your mother!”

“No!” Lily cried, feeling the wall behind her. “I’m not Lora! Can’t you see that? I’m not Lora! This isn’t me!”

She tore the wig from her head, viciously rubbing at her face. “This isn’t me, it’s not! I’m not Lora!”

“Don’t!” Thorn gasped. His eyes welled up with tears. “Lora, please!”

“I’m not Lora!” she screamed. The greatest huntress was a child now, stamping her foot and shaking her fists at Thorn. “I’m not Lora! I’m not, I’m not, I’m not!”

“Lora!”

“NO!” she ran down the left hall, her face contorted with agony. When she reached the door, she turned in a fury. “Are you happy, Hel?” she demanded. “This is why! This is why I fight! Because I never had a father! I never had a family! I was never allowed to be loved! That’s why I hate you! I HATE YOU ALL!”

She ran down the hall, screaming, “I’m not Lora! I’m not Lora! Why can’t I cry?!”

“You!”

Hel turned to look down at Simon, who was cradling an unconscious Thorn. “Whoever you are, help me! His heart’s stopped beating!”