This is an early fantasy story I wrote and is still in rough draft.

The darkness moved.

Jarrad touched the hilt of his sword and studied the mouth of the narrow alley where he sensed the movement. In this section of the city of Kathandria, known as Beggar’s Blood, countless tales of crime and murder were its legacy. Jarrad decided he didn’t want to be its next victim and unsheathed his sword, a thin rapier with a highly ornate pommel, from the leather scabbard on his hip. With a metallic ring, the weapon came clear; its razor thin blade glinting in the dim light of the two moons of Rada. He had traveled too far in search of his twin sister, Jezzrae, to let it end by the base blade of a thief. Sliding his feet into a fighting stance, Jarrad poised to defend against an attack from the shadows.

“No need to pull your sword, Jarrad Thorne.” A grim voice spoke from the dark. “For I am no simple beggar or footpad after your paltry wealth.”

The shadow stepped forward into the light of the two moons and far off lamp. A robed and hooded figure now stood before him.

“Then who are you? For I know not your name, sir, and you have good knowledge of mine.” Jarrad asked as he kept the point of his sword trained on the stranger.

“I am Kressal, a simple traveler like yourself.” Two hands emerged from the folds of the robe showing they held no weapon. Jarrad saw the fingernails painted in black obsidian and the palms tattooed with mystic runes. A wizard, he realized. Much more unpredicatable and dangerous then a common street thief.

“Yet, you have not answered my question. How do you know my name?”

“Oh, I know much more then just your name, Jarrad. I know what it is you seek. Your twin sister, Jezzrae, perhaps?”

Jarrad swallowed back his surprise. How could this strange cloaked figure know so much about him? For five years he has been on the trail of Jezzrae through out all of the continent of Bythandor. He had searched inns, taverns, waterfront bars, shops, marketplaces; asking the same question: has anyone seen a young woman who looked like him except with hair as white as snow? The last clue to her whereabouts was she had purchased passage on a merchant sailing ship bound for Kathandria.

“How is this possible? Tell me Kressal, by what dark sorcery did you use to learn about me and my quest?”

“Oh, it is not by dark sorcery I know these things,” Kressal’s hand dipped into his robe. “Though some might call it a form of such.”

He produced a small globe of cyrstal that gave off a greenish glow. In the pale light, Jarrad saw Kressal’s features. Dark eyes, set in a weathered brown face, glittered in the glow from the orb.

“This object was forged by the Seer’s Guild over a century ago.” He turned the crystal slowly using his fingertips. “Within one can see many things if only one knows how to look."

Jarrad gazed tranfixed at the small globe of greenish light. Could this magical item reveal what he had been searching for so long over so many traveled roads?

“What things, wizard?”

“You sister, Jezzrae, perhaps.” A thin smile played across Kressal’s lips. “It is through this stone I have watched you closely, Jarrad. It is also though this Seer Stone I knew where to find you tonight. Your instincts are correct, for your sister is in Kathandria. You have a psychic link to your twin. This stone will magnify it. Look deep into the crystal's center and you may see where she is.”

The wizard turned the globe slowly, the green light splayed across Jarrad’s eyes. He felt his will to hold his blade at the ready fading within him. The sword began to lower as the green light filled his mind.

“Why have you watched me?” Jarrad asked weakly as if in a dream.

"We will discuss such things later," Kressal replied from some far away place beyond the glow of the stone. "First we must find your sister."

Within the center of the orb an image began to form. He knew instantly it was of his sister and felt her presence touch his own spirit. She was now more mature and beautiful then she was five years ago when he last seen her at the storming of the House of Thorne by Lord Balth. He hair was still white, but longer reaching over her shoulders and tied down her back. She sat at a table playing a game of cards. A placard sign showing a cup and sword was mounted on the wall behind her. Without notice the image shifted. Jarrad felt a sudden icy dread wash over his body as if he was watching something in a nightmare. He was now looking through a window outside the gambling house and could still see his sister playing cards at a gaming table. From his new vantage point, he witnessed others approaching. Men dressed in black hoods and strange ringmail armor moved in stealth along the outside wall of the gambling house. Hands slowly drew blades of steel. Assassins! Jarrad realized in a flash. They were going to kill Jezzrae!

“You saw something within the stone, didn’t you?” Kressal’s strong voice snapped Jarrad’s mind back to his present surroundings.

“I saw my sister!”

“Then she is in Kathandria as I said, young Prince." The green orb disappeared once more into the robes of the wizard.

Jarrad grabbed the wizard’s arm. “She is in danger! Assassins in black armor stalk the gambling house where she sits at a table playing cards. They mean to kill her!”

“Did you see the name of the place?”

“I saw a sign with a cup and a sword.”

“The Knight of Cups. It’s a gambling house not far from here.”

"Take me there now!" Jarrad said.
Throwing back the hood of his robe, Kressal turned and raced down the alley from which he first emerged. Jarrad followed the wizard through the twisting back streets of Kathandria. Barely able to keep up with the running robes in front of him, Jarrad saw Kressal had close cropped gray hair.

"Why does the search for my sister concern you, Kressal?" Jarrad huffed to the wizard as he ran behind him.

“I will explain later.” The wizard wasn’t even winded when he answered. "It has something to do with Lord Balth and your royal heritage." Kressal’s arm shot out halting Jarrad from running into him. They were at the end of an alley. Across a cobbled street stood a two story building made of both wood and stone.

“The Knight of Cups,” the wizard announced in a quiet whisper.

Jarrad turned his attention to the front door of the establishment which stood open. Firelight and shadows from within flickered across the stones of the cobbled street. Without notice there sounded a crashing and the ring of steel against steel from inside the building.

“Jezzrae!” Jarrad said hefting his sword. “She’s in trouble!” Without hesitation, he charged across the street.

“Wait!” Kressal shouted after him but it was too late

Determined to reach his sister’s side, Jarrad ran to the door of the Knight of Cups. A figure appeared blocking the light from within. Jarrad nearly impaled the man with his sword before he noticed the stranger’s hand already clutched a chest wound. Blood poured through the assasin’s fingers as he staggered past and fell into the street.

My sister’s blade has already made its mark, Jarrad told himself.

In the next moment, he was through the doorway. The interior of the gambling hall was a wreck with overturned tables and the floor littered with dice, spilled drinks, and wooden gambling chips. As he rushed in, he almost tripped over the body of another assassin dressed in black ringmail and lying in his own blood Back against a wall, he found his sister, Jezzrae, fending off three armed assailants dressed in black. Her long white hair had come untied and flung side to side as she expertly wielded her rapier.

“Sister!” Jarrad shouted.

All four combatants stopped thier fighting and turned to look at him. None were more surprised then Jezzrae. Her dark eyes shown both confusion and shock at the sight of her twin bother.

“Jarrad! What are you doing here?” She shouted back.

Taking advantage of the sudden lull in the battle, one of her opponents lunged back into the fray. The lethal point of the assasin’s longsword thrust toward her heart Jezzrae barely parried with her thin blade and the longsword cut her shoulder instead. In a blink of an eye, Jezzrae returned the attack with a whipping slash of razor sharp steel opening the throat of her opponent. Surprised and bleeding, the assassin dropped his longsword and attempted to staunch the flow of thick blood pumping out of the cut arteries of this throat. He fell heavily across a gaming table.

“Cowardly dogs! Why don’t you try fighting her brother instead?” Jarrad called out to the two remaining fighters.

“Brother and sister, how touching. I guess we get to slay two for the price of one," an assasin smirked showing a smile of broken black teeth. “You kill this she-witch,” he commanded the other. “I’ll take care of her brother!”

The dark armorered man crossed the distance toward Jarrad. He was large and bearish looking with a thick beard of brown unkemp curls.

“Why are you attacking my sister?” Jarrad slid into a fighting stance with sword at the ready.

"The Seven Snake Guild wants her dead,” the assassin said, “Five hundred gold was the price but I'll ask for double once I kill you."

"A hard payment to collect when you’re dead."

The assassin spat upon the floor. "It will be cold day in hell when I can't slay a young fool such as you!"

With surprising speed from such a large man, the assassin charged. His long sword slashed in a downward strike intended to cleave his opponent’s skull in two. Instinctively shifting to the left, Jarrad deflected the blow with the blade of his rapier and the force of the descending long sword continued in its new downward arc into a nearby gambling table, shattering wood and sending gambling chips flying. The assassin screamed with rage and slammed his shoulder into Jarrad’s chest pushing him back away from him. He swung the long sword again in a vicious slash. Jarrad was quicker and ducked below the strike as the blade cut a swath through the air above his head. As he dodged the blow, Jarrad twisted his body into a low spin and slashed with the rapier across the back of the fighter’s knee, cutting through flesh and tendons. The assassin cried out in surprise as his hamstring gave way and he fell backwards. Jarrad lunged forward with his blade and pierced the heart of the assassin before his back struck the wood of the floor. Staring up at Jarrad, he died with a look of total shock on his face.

"Wear something warm when you get to hell," Jarrad said as he yanked his blade from the dead fighter's body.

He turned his attention to his sister’s battle just in time to see her lunge forward with the point of her rapier and pierce the seam of her opponent’s chest armor with perfect accuracy. The razor thin blade passed between the assassin’s ribs and into his heart killing him where he stood. She pushed the dying man away with the heel of her boot, removing her blade in the process. The assassin fell across the corpse of one of his already dispatched brethren.

Letting out a short sigh, she blew loose strands of her white hair from her face and turned to face her brother.

“Jarrad!” She cried out and then suddenly she was in his arms, hugging him tightly as tears of joy began to form in her eyes. “My brother, I thought you were dead.”

“I’ve searched five years for you.” He kissed her forehead tenderly. “Long I looked, but I knew that you were still alive. I could sense it. Let me look at you.”

She pulled back from his embrace and looked into his face as he studied hers. She was identical to his features, only feminine, and her hair white while his was black as a raven’s. Light and dark, moon and shadow, Jarrad remembered what their father used to say about his twin children. He held her by the shoulders and stepped back to study the rest of her. The last five years away from the House of Thorne had hardened her into a strong, young woman with a figure as lithe as that of a cat.

“Look how much you have grown.”

“And you.” She swiped tears out of her eyes with her left hand. “How did you find me?”

“It’s a long story, I’m just glad I showed up when I did.” Jarrad felt the sticky wetness of blood from where he held her by the shoulder. “Sister, you’re wounded.”

Jezzrae flinched away. “Tell me it’s just a scratch.”

“You still can’t stand the sight of blood,” Jarrad chuckled as he tore away the blouse sleeve to expose her wound.

“Especially the sight of my own blood.” She winced. “How bad is it?”

“It’s deep but not serious. We can attend to it later.”

Jarrad realized they were not alone in the gambling house. Patrons who had fled out a back door when the fighting began were returning inside to look at the combat’s aftermath with eyes of shock and morbid interest.

“We must leave,” Jezzrae stated sheathing her sword.

“You’re right.” Jarrad replied and guided his sister toward the door, brandishing his bloodied sword before him and shouting for the onlookers to clear a path. They stepped out of the Knight of Cups and into the cobbled street. Once outside, they crossed the cobblestones to the mouth of the dark alley where he had left Kressal. The wizard was nowhere to be seen.

“What are you searching for?”
Jezzrae questioned as she saw her brother search the shadows around them.

“A strange wizard named Kressal. Through his magic he showed me where to find you.” Jarrad sheathed his rapier. “He seems to have disappeared.”

“As so should we. The Watch Guards of Kathandria are not known for their fair treatment of foreigners.”

The two started walking along the length of the dark alley.

"Since when did you start gambling?" Jarrad asked.

“A girl has to learn how to survive on her own, doesn't she? It seemed a better alternative then selling my body on the streets."

"So why is the Seven Snake Guild paying to have you killed?"

Jezzrae stopped. "How did you know about that?"

"The assassin I fought said he was paid five hundred gold to kill you."

"It used to be you could hire an assassin and he knew how to keep his mouth shut." She smiled. "Five hundred gold? He should've held out for more money. I'm worth much more then that."

"Sister, you didn't answer my question."

“I owe the Seven Snake Guild a little money," she shrugged and added, "They covered a few of my gambling debts."

Jarrad shook his head. "Father always said you were the black sheep of the family."

"What about you, dear brother? What have you been up to since we both left our home burning behind us? What have you been doing since Lord Balth betrayed the crown and took our father's life and throne?"

"Not much," Jarrad noticed they had reached the end of the alley. "Just hunting for my wayward sister."

"And consorting with wizards," she added.

"I wasn't consorting; he stepped out of the shadows and said his name was Kressal. He showed me how to find you. That's not what I would call being in league with a wizard."

“A random wizard just steps out of the dark and shows you how to find me? Why would he do that?"

"He said it had something to do with Lord Balth and our royal heritage."

"Lord Balth? How would he know anything about that traitorous dog?" She shook her head of white hair. “I’m just saying, dear brother, never trust a wizard.”

“A wise observation,” Kressal’s voice spoke from behind them. “Especially since Lord Balth sent me to destroy the both of you.”

Jarrad and Jezzrae stopped in their tracks.

"Don't tell me that was the wizard speaking," Jezzrae said.

"I'm afraid so," Jarrad nodded.

Together, they both turned.

Kressal stood at the other end of the alley. His hands were outstretched by his side and glowed with a residue of eldritch energy. Eyes glared from the dark void of his hood like glowing points of red fire.

"Prepare to die," Kressal said in a deeper, evil voice.

"Brother, let's make a rule from this point on," Jezzrae said as her hand wrapped around the hilt of her sword. "No dealings with wizards."

"Agreed," Jarrad said as he grabbed for his sword.

"Why would Lord Balth want us dead?" Jezzrae shouted down the alley toward Kressal. "The evil bastard already sits upon the throne of our father? We are no threat to his reign."

"Because of the prophecy," Kressal took a step toward them.

"What prophecy?" Jarrad asked.

"A prophecy his royal seer foretold," Kressal replied and added, "I don't know all the particulars but it goes something like this:

The two shall be one
Twins of light and dark
Moon and shadow
One to slay the Dark Lord
One to rule on his throne."


"You are going to kill us over some ridiculous prophecy?" Jezzrae asked.

"Lord Balth has decreed it to be so," Kressal replied as magical energy continued to burn brighter around his hands and in his eyes. "I only needed you to show me where your sister was, Jarrad, so I can destroy the both of you together." The wizard leaned his head back and began chanting, "Karzuk morthoth jugul thorkun-"

"Run or fight?" Jarrad asked his twin as he poised himself to do either.

“Fight.” Jezzrae replied.

"That's my sister."

Standing side by side in a fighting stance facing the wizard; their twin swords came out simultaneously from their sheaths with a ring of steel as the blades flashed in the light of the two moons.

"You take the right and I'll take the left," Jarrad said.

Jezzrae nodded. "Just like old times."

They charged toward the chanting wizard.

"-nikar karzuk morthog vorkar!" Kressal's intense gaze focused once again on the twins running toward him down the alley. His eyes burned like gems of red fire as his hands emitted a burst of eldritch energy focused onto a spot on the cobblestones before him. A billowing cloud of sulfurous smoke rose from stone. Amidst the smoke, a man-sized creature formed into a hulking dark shape hunched down like a giant toad. Long bony arms ending in black hooking claws extended out from the horror. Yellow glowing reptilian eyes flashed as the monster let out a low-throated croaking revealing a massive maw of dagger-like teeth.

Jarrad stopped running. "I certainly wasn't expecting this, sister."

"What in the name of the goddess is that thing?" Jezzrae halted her charge as well.

"Some sort of demon, I suspect."

Two long bat-like wings emerged and with a flapping of leathery membranes, the thing was airborne. Its shadowed form rose to be haloed by the largest moon as a gargling scream bellowed from the depths of its throat. Suddenly the monster was diving; a demonic horror from out of a fevered nightmare speeding across the distance toward them.

"Jezzrae! Look out!"

He shoved his sister out of the demon's path. As it flew past, a bony black claw swiped at Jarrad but only managed to rip deep gouges in the wood from the wall of the building behind him. The demon flapped twice and then landed on a roof at the end of the alley; its black talons digging into the shingles. It let out another bellow while its yellow snake-eyes blinked angrily down at them from its perch.

"I don't think this demon toad thing likes us," Jarrad stepped out to the center of the alley with his sword poised.

"Dear brother, whatever gave you that idea?" Jezzrae stepped beside him.

The black winged creature let out another croaking bellow and released its hold on the rooftop. It flapped its great wings and in the next heartbeat the hideous beast was upon them with huge teeth and black claws intended to rip and tear apart anything in front of it. Jarrad ducked to the side wall of the alley where a narrow doorway waited. He threw his back up against the door and felt the wind from the buffeting of the creature's wings. In the narrow niche created by the doorway, he smelt the stench of blood and death reeking from the monster's toothy maw. The demon's dark form blocked all lamplight as a hooked talon lanced out toward him in an effort to rip out his throat. By reflex, Jarrad blocked the attack with his rapier, feeling the creature's claw wrap around the thin blade and wrench it from his grasp. It went skittering onto the alley floor.

"Brother!"

His sister's sudden shout startled the demon which had forgotten her in its mindless lust to feast on Jarrad's flesh. From behind it in the alley, she slashed with her sword hitting the creature's wing and cutting through both membrane and bone. Croaking in pain, the monstrosity swung around and attacked Jezzrae with a claw. She managed to block with her rapier but the force behind the attack knocked her hard against the alley wall.

Jarrad saw his chance then. He dived to the alley floor below the monster and rolled, grabbing up his sword in the process. Thrusting upward into the flapping nightmare above him, he struck the lower abdomen of the demon in a hope to pierce flesh and bone with its razor sharp tip. Instead it was like striking iron; the blade failing to penetrate the demon's thick armor. Sensing Jarrad was now below it, the monster reached down and sank talons deep into his leather shoulder armor before picking him up like a child. With a wounded wing, it flapped further down the length of the alley with Jarrad in tow. Hot saliva dripped from the creature's massive maw and Jarrad's face burned like fire from its touch. While still airborne, he struck upward with the point of the rapier into the creature's other wing, piercing leathery membrane in the process. With another bellow of pain, the foul creature dropped him onto the alley floor.

Jarrad hit the cobblestones hard on his back. Stars splayed across his vision as the breath was knocked from him by the impact. A moment later, his sister was by his side helping him to his feet.

"Are you hurt?" she asked.

"Just my pride," Jarrad said as he bent down and picked up his sword. At the end of the alley, the demon was once again perched and preparing to attack again.

"The vengeance of Lord Balth is nearly complete," Kressal shouted. "Soon my demonic minion will be feeding upon your flesh and bones!" The wizard erupted into insane laughter.

As if on cue, the demon released its hold on the rooftop and began flapping toward them in another attack. Its bony maw open wide to tear into their flesh.

"This is getting redundant," Jarrad noted.

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Jezzrae's dark eyes caught his own.

"If you can't kill the demon," Jarrad said.

"Kill the summoner," Jezzrae finished.

They spun in unison and threw their swords with all their might down the length of the alley toward Kressal. The twin blades impaled the surprised wizard in the chest cutting off his laughter. The fire in his eyes dimmed as the magical energy around his hands faded. Kressal fell over dead onto his back; the two imbedded swords sticking up out of his chest. At the same moment, the attacking demon exploded into a cloud of sulfur and brimstone just before reaching them.

Jarrad waved the sulfurous smoke out of his face. "Damn, that stinks terribly!"

"It smells like someone just passed gas," Jezzrae chuckled.

They began walking down the alley toward Kressal's prone body.

"Well, brother, I haven't had this much fun since the time we stole those horses and raced each other through the village knocking over merchant stalls and fruit wagons. Father nearly died of a heart failure when the villagers demanded payment for the damage we done."

They reached the body of Kressal whose eyes stared lifeless toward the moons overhead; a look of total shock still upon his face.

"Do you think the world is ready for us to be together again?" Jarrad wrapped his hand around the hilt of his sword sticking up out of the chest of the wizard.

"No," Jezzrae laughed as she grabbed her blade. "Obviously, the wizard wasn't prepared either."

Together they yanked their swords out of Kressal’s chest.

“So what do we do now?” Jezzrae asked.

“There is a certain prophecy which needs fulfilled.” Jarrad replied sheathing his sword.

“Sounds good to me, my brother.” She slid her sword into its sheath. “Moon and shadow.” Jezzrae smiled. “I like that.”


THE END