Swords, Sorcery, and Sundry
an excerpt

From chapter two:

"They had unfinished business with me. Or rather, their masters had unfinished business with me. Or rather, to be more to the point, I had unfinished business for them, which I intended to leave unfinished, and this, of course, did not please them, and so they asked the two fine gentlemen you saw last night to finish their unfinished business concerning my unfinished business. And then you made it your business."

"Troubling Barnabas's business," Ashe adds with a nod.

"Pardon me," Sylvain interrupts, shoving his plate aside, "but that doesn't explain everything. Now, I'm not one to pry--"

"Then don't?" Niklas suggests.

~*~

Left alone with Page, Sylvain, Ashe, and Niklas exchange glances.

Ashe asks, "You're well-spoken for your age. How many winters have you seen, boy?"

"Twelve," Page answers. "And I have a name. It's Page."

"Actually," Niklas points out, "it's not a name, it's a noun."

"No one seems to use their real names in Abelia," Sylvain complains.

"Page is what Master Bohkl calls me!" the boy insists.

"Maybe he can't remember your name," Niklas suggests.

~*~

From chapter three:

The vertigo is returning, and the shields Sylvain made for them are beginning to flicker. He tries not to think about the smell or the taste or the taint or his swimming vision -- concentrates only on keeping up with Niklas.

Ashe appears beside them, easily keeping pace. "This would have been more fun if they could actually fight back!"

"I don't understand you!" Sylvain cries. He glances behind him, wondering how long his barrier of fire lasted and how many undead are chasing them now.

"You're sure they can't follow us outside?" Niklas shouts over his shoulder.

"Not so sure that I won't put up a barrier!" Sylvain yells back.

"Pfft!" Ashe makes a disdainful noise. "We could be mounted and halfway to Abelia before these sorry excuses for foes catch up to us."

"Just keep running!" Sylvain shouts, and he hopes he doesn't sound as desperate as he feels.

And run they do, until they are through the gates. Sylvain pauses long enough to erect a barrier of air that will last at least a few hours -- with hope, long enough for the undead to become bored and be off on their merry undead ways once again.

And then they run some more, until they reach their horses. Then, they offer thanks to whatever gods are listening that their horses have not been stolen, and then, they mount up, and let their horses do the running.

It's four whole hours before anyone deigns to speak a word.

Ashe says, "Well, all in all, that wasn't bad at all. I'd do it again."

Sylvain and Niklas tell her to be quiet.