Life Among the Ruins.

[SinclairGodfrey]

Chapter One

Snow swirled arond the windows of the jet black helicopter as it slowly descended from the stormy gray skies of Scandinavia. It touched down, and the doors opened to allow Sinclair Godfrey to step from it. Her coat snapping and swirling in the winds of the blades and the storm as she tugged on her hood. A small knot of suit clad men stood nearby, though their bearded faces were cold and savage. The leader was bald, his head covered with jagged black tattoos as he bowed slightly at her approach.

‘My lady, it is good to see you.’

‘Hakan Garaldsson.’ Sinclair lifted her head slightly, and extended her hand to him. His huge fingers took hers lightly, and he led her away from the helicopter towards the waiting cars. His minions fell into line behind them, following three steps back. No matter, who ruled them now the old rules bound them all. A shrug, and she looked to the sky with a faint frown.

Donzig-gun had always been a fractious lot, only the will of the Scourge keeping them from each other’s throats. They were a pack of wolves, and weakness was despised among them. The Children in Scandinavia had always been fiercely loyal though. But how long would they follow the lead of the chaotic and cruel Armand? Sinclair turned to Hakan, a brow lifting.

‘I need to see the Crone.’

Hakan frowned, and his hand lifted to motion back the two men who had drawn closer to him. Sinclair stared at them, a faint smile on her lips. The Death Squad. They were the soldiers of Donzig-gun, they were those who thought there were only two. But the Baroness knew the truth, the Death Squad were everywhere. Every captain of the Order had a pair, they were the eyes and ears of the Scourge.

Many was the chieftain of Donzig-gun who thought he had their loyalty, but Godfrey knew the truth of it.

‘I don’t know if she will see you, Sinclair. The Crone does as she will.’

That was true, even Great Donzig had stepped lightly around the Crone. She saw the future it was said, and that made even him uneasy. But Sinclair needed to see the future, she needed to know.

‘She will see me.’

Hakan grunted, opening the door to the car.

Chapter Two

‘This can not go on, Sinclair.’

Sinclair looked up from the ornate chess set before her, and her eyes narrowed on the figure standing near the marble hearth. A flash of anger ripped through her, and she felt her hand curl into a fist. The Baroness had felt her control on her temper slipping lately, and she didn’t like that. Though Donzig was known for his infamous temper, he no’Grmally kept it bottled up behind his mask.

Since Armand’s seizure of Donzig-gun? Her own temper had started to rise to the surface. And she despised Esmeralda as much as she loved her. Was this not all Esmeralda’s fault? Her desire for the REIGN title had led her to betray Donzig, and that had led to Armand moving to protect his wife.

The Scourge would not suffer such things, and so the matter had spiraled out of control.

Her only comfort was she knew that Donzig would have betrayed Esmeralda in the end. Loyalty was a rare coin here in Hell.

‘Go away, Esmeralda.’

Her hand hovered over the pieces, and Esmeralda tsked as she studied the board.

‘Do you think that will help you think like it did him?’

Sinclair looked up, catching her lower lip in her teeth. Donzig had spent hours bent over this chess board, she had never understood what he was doing. But some had said he was playing his other parts, testing his mind against his other natures. Sinclair had hoped for some message here, but she couldn’t understand what he had been doing.

Esmeralda stared at the board, her head tilting.

‘Checkmate in four.’

Sinclair scowled.

‘Do you have a point?’

‘You should be preparing for this tournament! Are you not one of the most dangerous women in this sport? You were a champion, you were undefeated for over a year, and no one has ever kicked out of the Witch’s Hammer! Yet despite your bold words? All I have seen is you sitting here and brooding.’

Sinclair looked up, and she let her fingers drift away from the knight as she stared at Esmeralda.

‘Oh? I have been thinking of how easy it will be to batter these others into submission. You see Esmeralda, I have alot of aggression to work off!’

Esmeralda snorted, shaking her head.

‘No, dahling. That is absolutely not what you should be doing. When you people give into your aggressions you get sloppy. You only care about destruction.’

Sinclair’s eyes narrowed, and she rose from the seat. Esmeralda tsked, head tilting as she lifted a hand as if to say ‘see’. The Baroness blinked, and she licked her lips before grumbling.

‘So what?’

‘You need this title, Sinclair. Not just to prove you are a fighter or power in your own right. Donzig-gun, and I will not call it whatever Armand thinks it should respect power. And right now, most of your power derives from the Scourge. They love you, they respect you, and a few may fear you. But Armand is going to realize you’re a threat soon.’

Sinclair blinked, and in her mind a cold hissing voice agreed with Esmeralda. Her eyes narrowed, and she tightened her lips.

‘And winning this tournament?’

‘With the heads of your enemies at your feet from across the LWA? And with that belt on your shoulder? You will prove you are a power in your own right. Armand will even have to think twice about moving against you, dahling. The others will be more likely to follow your lead with gold across your shoulder. You are the only thing holding this army together, Sinclair.’

The Baroness grumbled, and she turned away from Esmeralda to walk across the room. The room looking out on the courtyards of Godfrey Hall and stacked with old books reminded her of him. And in her heart she knew that he would agree with Esmeralda’s words, titles had no meaning to them? But they were symbols of power, and she knew it.

‘So be it.’

Chapter Three

Sinclair frowned as she ducked down the narrow tunnel, ice melted on the stone ceiling so icy water dripped from it as she headed forward. The sweet smell of incense and smoke swirled around her as she tugged on her coat. Faint light flickered in the darkness, and then she finally stepped into a small cave. An old woman sat on the floor before a low fire, and she looked up with half blind eyes. A smile spread across her lips, and she leaned forward to toss something into the fire.

‘The Baroness. Sinclair Godfrey. I have been expecting you.’

‘Is that supposed to impress me?’

The Crone laughed, wheezing as she shook her head.

‘Ah, you are his creature aren’t you? Beloved of Death, the Maiden of Fire! We know you, Sinclair. The Shadow of the Scourge, yeah. What do you want of me?’

Sinclair scowled, and her hand lifted to brush back her hair as she stepped closer. The smoke swirling and hanging low in the air as she sniffed before she spoke.

‘Will I–’

‘Win? The Tournament? Who can say? You are fearsome, but you’re a Child of the Endless Dark, you are a thing of destruction. It’s instrument, and that is what you truly long for. You will stand victorious in the way of your choosing, but victory? Well, who can say if you will be a champion. But that isn’t what you came here for.’

Sinclair stared at her, and she shook her head.

‘Will he return?’

The Crone laughed, and grabbed her stick to slowly stir the fire. Smoke and ashes swirled in the air, and she leaned back as she tapped the stick against the ground. Her eyes stared into the fire as the colors of the flames seemed to shift slowly. Sinclair knew that Donzig didn’t trust prophecy, he didn’t trust the Crone.

Sinclair needed to know though, and she waited before the old woman reached inside of her robes. She pulled out a leather bag, shaking it before she dumped it onto the floor beside the flames as she nudged them around with a long crooked finger. And then she looked up, shrugging.

‘Darkness can not be defeated so easily, Baroness. He is a shadow in our world, and he is waiting for the sun to rise once more. He will take what is his back, he will make them all suffer for their sins. Armand will face his judgment, and I see you will once more be at his side. Damned and beloved, accursed and exalted.’

Her breath caught, and the Crone sniffed as she stirred the runes.

‘You must keep his forces together, you must keep Armand in check. This is your duty, and to win? You must have gold, yeah?’

Sinclair nodded, and she flicked up her hood as she walked from the cave. Her coat snapping and swirling around her, and she said nothing as she headed down the narrow tunnel.

Chapter Four

The air was warm and muggy, and insects gathered in a huge cloud around the lights as Sinclair stood beneath it. Her arms folded over her chest as she tilted her head, lips pressed into a thin line as a group crossed the parking lot to draw near her.

‘Oh, the Great Armand sends his lickspittle down here to scare me back into line? Is that it?’

The man spoke, spitting as he waved a heavily tattooed arm in her direction. He reached up, pushing his bejeweled sunglasses up his forehead as he drew closer. His voice was thick with a Cuban accent, and he jabbed a finger towards her as he sneered.

‘Tell Armand I don’t take orders from him or you. Alvaro Perez runs Miami!’

‘Armand isn’t that great, Alvaro. But you will obey, you will do as you were told.’

Sinclair spoke calmly, her voice never rising. Alvaro had always been like this, he was proud of himself, sure of his abilities, he was aggressive. He was a monster, a killer like most of Donzig-gun. But fear had kept him in line, the Scourge had no patience for anyone would dare to challenge him.

But Donzig was gone, Armand ruled the Temple now. And only fear of the man who had defeated their master kept them in check. Alvaro would try though, he would see how far he could push. He and his crew were always hungry, and he resented being ruled over. But Sinclair knew how to deal with him, that was why Armand had sent her.

She was the velvet glove, as she had been for the Scourge. A gentle touch.

Alvaro spat, and stepped closer as he lifted a ringed finger.

‘Armand tells me to waste my time, and my men running his errands! He–’

Sinclair sighed, her head tilting before she looked at Alvaro before her head snapped forward. She exhaled, and Black Mist sprayed across his face as he screamed. He clawed at his eyes, stumbling backwards as he tried to wipe them clean before her foot snapped across his jaw. Alvaro Perez dropped, and his men started forward with curses.

Sinclair looked up, and two of those men stepped forward to stand between their comrades and Perez with angry looks. The rest fluttered, and she shook her head as she looked down at the cursing Perez as he flailed around. Her hand reached out, snatching his sunglasses from his head before she snapped them between her fingers.

‘If he is wasting your time, Perez? Challenge him! Be a man and walk into the Temple, and say the words. Until then? Do not bore us with your whining and prattling about how hard your life is. And you may mock Armand, and insult him as though you were a child! But do not think you will insult me!’

Perez cursed, struggling to rise as he wiped at his face again.

‘You bitch! You whore!’

Sinclair sighed, and her knee drove forward with a sharp crack. Blood sprayed and Perez sprawled on the ground, blood poured from his nose as he lay on his back. And she stared down at him, it was so easy.

He may be gone, but what he had taught her remained.

Anyone who stood before you was an enemy, they were meat. They meant nothing, they only needed to learn to obey. She was the Baroness, she was the beloved of the Scourge, the Handmaiden of the Void, and she would not be denied.

The Scourge had once said he was the thing that gave monsters nightmares, and she knew that as long as he was gone? That was her place now.

This tournament was hers? And anyone who stood between her and the belt? They were nothing, less than nothing.

‘Alvaro Perez no longer leads you, he will no longer speak for you. Find a new leader, and remember what is due. The Scourge is gone, but his will remains! And Armand sits the Broken Throne!’

Her voice was like a lash, and Perez’ men knelt down before her as the two members of the Death Squad watched them with wary eyes. Sinclair looked back to Perez, and she knelt down slowly to murmur in his ear.

‘If I see you again, Alvaro? It will be your life.’

And then the Baroness rose, and she said nothing as she walked away into the Miami night.