"I need to go! No offense meant, some other time maybe."

I turned wanting to get away from the scene I was creating before I embarrassed myself even further. My training as a warrior saved me.

I heard Kana say behind me, as if she was spitting out venom, "The Vanah are not refused!"

Vanah?

I heard the noise of steel grating as it would on a knife sheath, as it was withdrawn from it and I reacted. My hands flew to my waistband and the daggers stashed there.

I felt her breasts touch my back and her strong right arm came over my right shoulder as her hand grabbing my chin and pulling it back for the killing slice. I had my left hand going up with a knife and I was almost too late. Her left arm whipped over my shoulder her hand holding a knife to slit my throat. As the blade slid across my throat it met the steel of my knife blade instead of the soft flesh of my throat and before she realized what had happened the dagger in my right hand was buried to the hilt in her side.

She gasped aloud reeling back from me holding the mortal wound in her side. Disbelief of her fate marred her beautiful face, as she fell to the ground pulsing out her remaining life onto the forest floor.

"You are indeed a great man to not have allowed yourself to fall for the erotic wiles of the Vanah. I'll give you that much of a compliment at least Roric."

I wheeled around toward the voice. Across the clearing sat John on his horse.

"What's going on here John?"

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John laughed, "I too am a great man, even though your grandfather chose to ignore it. This book that your grandfather and you would so causally have destroyed if not for me is the answer to our prayers! It holds the keys to eternal life!"

He held the big book up that he had somehow taken from the central pedestal without me noticing.

"Its author is probably Satan himself or someone mislead by him you fool! What knowledge do you hope to glean from it that's worth your soul?"

"Spoken like a true believer of the Valley Lander version of faith. Your grandfather would be so proud of you! It's a pity that you're going to die here so far from your new home. You should have enjoyed the pleasures presented by the women, while they were offering them to you! Now they'll just take until there's nothing left to give! Farewell I have a great commission before me and masters to please. But let me say how grateful I am to already have been rewarded with the demise of the last cursed offspring of your grandfathers' sanctimonious family."