by R C Gray
“I have a plan. But it could be a bit dangerous. I need you and Faine to get under your mattress.”
“Why? What are you doing?”
Renna shook her head. “Being brash. Now do it. When we tell you to run, run!”
As Skara’s face disappeared from the window, Renna climbed off Aenwyn and leaned back against the wall. “What’s the plan, take out a section of the wall?”
“No,” she said, a smile turning up the edges of her lips. “I’m gonna take down the whole tower.”
Renna’s eyes widened. “Why? We’re supposed to be getting them out, not killing them.”
“The tower has shifted in the dirt. If I just take out a wall, the tower could fall on us. So, I’m going to push it down into the empty yard. More chaos and time for us to make our escape.”
“So much for an easy in and out.”
Aenwyn winked at Renna. “Sometimes, getting into tight places needs to be a bit of a challenge.”
Renna pushed herself closer to the wall, thankful that it was dark so that Aenwyn couldn’t see her blushing. She really was beautiful. The light of the moons shined off her pale skin, and her red hair was like a flame in the darkness. Her leather armor and the sword hanging at her side hinted at her ferocity—like a wild animal that’s beautiful to behold, but deadly if provoked. Taking a deep breath, she steadied herself and glanced up the length of the tower, setting her mind back on the task at hand.
“Now stand behind me. When the tower begins to break, get Faine and Skara and head for the wagon. I’ll be right behind you.”
“I can’t leave you here,” Renna said, her voice coming out in a harsh whisper.
“I have to hold the spell and push the tower. I’ll be fine. Now, here we go, get ready.”
Closing her eyes, Aenwyn began to mutter under her breath. Falling to her knees, she plunged her fingers hard into the dirt as the ground around them began to tremble. Soft green light pulsed from her hands as vines erupted from the soil and weaved themselves between the bricks, climbing higher towards the top of the tower. Growing quickly, the vines tightened around the battlement, cracking the mortar, and sending chunks of stone slabs toppling down, landing hard against the ground in the yard, dust and debris flying in all directions.
Sounds of bells and shouts rang out across Stonekeep as guards clamored over the walkways, running towards the collapsing tower, bows and swords in hand. Covering their eyes and standing clear of the falling stones, bright flashes and explosions sounded on the opposite side of the keep as small pots of burning liquid shattered against the outer wall, sending up plumes of black smoke as the guards began to fire arrows blindly towards the tree line.
Taking up her bow, Renna fired at the closest guards, keeping them off balance and sending them running for cover as they fled the flying arrows and shards of stone falling around them. “They’re still in the cell—don’t let the building come down on top of them!”
Taking greater control of the magic flowing through her, Aenwyn dug her fingers deeper into the ground as the vines twisted and split the mortar. Stone grated and buckled as the wall cracked, leaving a large hole into the cell, sending bits of broken stone crashing inwards as the tower swayed above them, held together only by the tangled vines.
“Now! Run!” Renna said, motioning for Faine and Skara to follow her.
Throwing the mattress off their heads, the two darted through the hole, covering their faces as the stones shattered around them.
“Follow me,” Renna said, stopping to look at Aenwyn.
“Go, woman. I’ll be behind you.”
“Hurry,” she said, leading Faine and Skara away through the open field.
Screams sounded across the keep as arrows flew from the forest, hitting the walls above or below the guards as they fired blindly into the dark woods around them, barking out orders. “To the rear, archers to the wall. The prisoners are escaping.”
Clenching her teeth, Aenwyn’s shoulders slumped, the strain of controlling such a massive flow of magic making her feel weak and heavy. Giving one last push, thick vines exploded from the open ground in the yard towards the upper section of the tower, wrapping tightly around it as they burrowed back into the cold soil, bringing the tower down with them.
Releasing the spell, Aenwyn stood, her legs weak and unsteady beneath her. Staring into the rubble of the collapsed tower, her heart dropped when she saw the commander of the guards stagger through the opening in the cell wall, his face covered in cuts and dust, his eyes fixed solely on her. Sliding on his helmet, he looked down at his broken longsword, throwing it hard onto the ground as he charged.
Turning to run, arrows buzzed around her as she sprinted across the field, hoping to avoid a strike in her back as she fled. Hearing the heavy footsteps getting closer, she ran until she was safely out of arrow range and turned quickly, throwing a ball of blue-green flame into the commander’s chest, where it dissipated into nothing before making contact.
Pushing her arms out in front of her, a burst of energy shot from her hands, passing right through the commander instead of throwing him off his feet. Letting out a frustrated grunt, Aenwyn drew her sword and rushed forward, dodging the man’s fist as she kicked him in the knee, dropping him down to one leg. Thrusting hard towards his neck, the man slapped her blade aside and smashed into her chest with his heavy fist.
Staggering backwards, Aenwyn gasped, trying to catch her breath as she held her sword out in front of her to fend off any possible attack. Mouthing the words of an incantation, she clenched her fist as vines shot out of the ground towards the man’s legs, only to wither and fall to the ground at his feet.
“As long as my heart beats and blood flows in my veins, your magic is useless against me,” the commander said, stepping closer.
Breathing hard, she could see several guards pointing in their direction as they scrambled around the sides of the keep, weapons in hand. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw nothing but an empty field and hoped that Renna and the others had made it into the dark alley between the buildings. Trying to buy them as much time as possible to escape, she lunged at the man, thrusting her sword hard towards his torso. Moving quickly, the commander raised his arm, catching the blade in one armored hand while gripping her throat with his other. Squeezing hard on her neck, he lifted her into the air, her feet dangling as she struggled for breath.
Electricity sprung from her hands as she reached for his face, punching and clawing, desperate for air.
“Pathetic. Without your magic, what are you?” the man said as he wrenched her sword out of her hand and tossed it onto the ground.
The world around Aenwyn began to go dark as she batted at the man’s arm and chest, tearing at his fingers as she tried to pry them apart. Reaching to her belt, she grabbed one of her daggers, burying it deep into his arm as she twisted it from side to side. The man growled, dropping her hard to the cold ground as he pulled the dagger out of his flesh.
Crawling slowly across the dirt, Aenwyn choked and gasped as she reached out for her sword, the tips her fingers barely touching the pommel. Removing his helmet and throwing it to the side, the man stepped down with his boot, crushing her fingers hard into the rocky soil. Aenwyn winced as she looked up at the man, the sound of shouting growing louder in her ears as guards poured onto the field from the prison.
“This is a nice sword,” he said, picking up the blade and rolling Aenwyn onto her back with his boot. “It’s a shame you have to die by it. But know that I take no pleasure in it. The Order of Inethiel doesn’t revel in killing. But the tenets were put into place to quench the fires of the wicked and I must to abide by them; lest the wor-”
His face twisted in pain as he dropped the sword and wrapped his hands around the arrow shaft protruding from his right eye. Another arrow struck him hard in the throat, its tip cutting clean through. Blood spurted from his mouth as he gripped the arrow shaft and dropped to his knees, staring blankly in the distance towards the archer.
Pulling out her knife, Renna cut a small gash into her arm, flinging the blood onto the commander’s body. A dark mist spread from her fingers, falling like wisps of smoke that poured into his open wounds. The man’s body twisted and writhed, its limbs bending unnaturally as it rose from the ground. Reaching out her hand, she concentrated on focusing the flow of magic, willing it into a small flame that sprung from her fingers. Keeping herself grounded, she took hold of the man’s tunic, setting his sleeve alight.
The flames rose, spreading up to the man’s torso and down his legs until his body was engulfed, lighting up the dark night around them.
“Keep us safe and return to the night around you when your body is ash.”
The fiery creature turned from his maker and dashed towards the approaching guards, arms outstretched like a net trying to catch every man and woman on the field. Guttural growls poured from the creature’s throat as the flames swirled around its body. The guards, frightened and enraged at what had become of their leader, struck hard with their swords, fighting for their lives and losing track of Renna as she ran; some screaming in agony as they were consumed by the embrace of the beast.
Faine and Skara watched the burning man dashing across the field as he wrestled with the guards, the fire on his body shedding light on the terrified faces around him.
“I didn’t see that coming,” Faine said, looking down at Skara.
Eyes wide, Skara shook his head as Renna ran full speed to the back of the cart.
“Get into the wagon,” she said, climbing into the back with Aenwyn. “Everyone up.”
Throwing the weapons into the cart, Skara stretched out his hand to Renna as he was pulled up and over the side, nearly landing on Aenwyn as she sat up, coughing and looking out over the scene in the field.
“Go!” Faine said, climbing onto the seat next to the Lutnar. “Or none of us will live to talk about what just happened.”
“WHAT KIND OF SIGNAL are we supposed to be waiting for?” Braig said, moving farther into the small grove of trees on the outskirts of the prison.
“All she said was a crash. So, I’m assuming we’re waiting for something to fall or explode. So, we’ll just be ready for either.”
Looking out over the expanse that stretched between the forest and the wall, Braig crouched lower and moved over next to Ferhani. “The distance is too far to throw anything against the wall. How are we supposed to get anything other than arrows even close?”
“This,” Ferhani said as she handed Braig a large crossbow. “It was meant for arrows, but we dug out the slot and added a carrier for the fire-bombs.”
Taking the bow, he shrugged and twisted it around in his hands, looking at it from different angles.
“You know how this works, right?”
“Of course, I know how a crossbow works! I’ve just never seen one like this before.”
Ferhani pulled out one of the small clay pots and put it into the metal cup that was held in place on a greased metal groove. “You pull back the string, which is attached to the holding cup. Then put the pot in the cup, aim, and pull the trigger.”
Braig grunted as he set the bow down on the ground, taking the small, corked pot in his hands. “And this is what I load?”
Ferhani’s eyes shot open as she grabbed the pot out of his hands. “This,” she said as she set the container on the ground a safe distance away, “isn’t a plaything. It’s filled with flammable liquid, and the clay is mixed with flash powder. When it hits the wall, or anything, the powder sparks and ignites it. So, if you drop it, you could be in some trouble.”
“Then what’re you carryin’ ‘em around for? I could’ve set myself on fire.”
“But you didn’t. I’m sure I could have found a way to put you out. Maybe I’d use one of my red potions.”
Shaking his head, Braig picked up the crossbow and box of fire-bombs. “What’s the plan when they start shootin’ arrows at us? We have some trees here, but’s it’s going to be hard to see an arrow flying at us in the dark.”
“We hide and shoot only when we can. Move from place to place so they can’t target you. But stay low when you do. I’m sure that won’t be hard for you to do.”
Braig heard a slight laugh coming from the darkness beside him, and he felt his stomach tighten and his chest flutter. He had only known this woman for nearly two days, but in his heart, it felt like a lifetime. Moving into position behind a tree, he looked down at the box of clay pots, thinking about the flammable liquid inside them and how dangerous they were. But he wasn’t worried about what they could do, because he felt as if his heart was already on fire.
Taking a deep breath to clear his head, he loaded a pot onto the bow and waited, eyes and ears open for any sign or sound. “Do ya hear that?”
“Hear what?”
“The cracking. Look, the top of the tower...”
Leaning her head out from behind the tree, Ferhani saw the top of the tower breaking into pieces, falling with heavy thuds onto the ground below. “Now, fire now!”
Taking aim at the wall, Braig pulled the trigger, sending the pot flying through the air, sparking as it hit the wall, sending up plumes of black smoke as the fire scorched the bricks. Placing his foot on the metal stirrup, he pulled hard on the string, locking it in place as he loaded another pot and fired.
Staying behind the tree, Ferhani fired arrow after arrow at the walls above and below the guards, trying to cause as much chaos to help Aenwyn and Renna without killing more people than necessary. Firing another arrow, she picked up her quiver and moved to a thick tree closer to Braig, catching her left ankle on a root and falling hard to the ground.
“Are you alright?” Braig said, lowering his bow.
“I’m fine. Don’t concentrate on me, keep firing.” Ferhani leaned her back against the tree, nocking another arrow.
“Get ready to run. The tower is about to fall, and there are four guards coming right for us.”
Rotating her ankle, Ferhani winced in pain. Using her right leg, she pushed herself up the tree, bow and arrow in hand. “I can’t run that fast. We have to get rid of them before more come.”
Tossing down the bow, Braig grabbed his sword and shield and used the blade to reach around the tree and rustle the bushes. “I got their attention. Two comin’ your way.”
Putting as little pressure on her foot as possible, Ferhani wheeled around the tree, drawing her bow and firing in one smooth motion. The arrow flew silently through the air, striking one of the guards in the chest, sending him down in a heap. “I can barely see them from here. It’s too dark.”
Fumbling for the box on the ground, Braig grabbed the last fire-bomb, throwing it against a nearby tree as he grabbed Ferhani and moved farther into the woods, staying out of sight so the guards on the tower wouldn’t be able to get a clear shot. The liquid poured down the tree as the flames spread up the dry trunk and onto the branches above, casting light in the small clearing as the fire spread.
“Give me some space,” Ferhani said, pushing away from Braig.
“Are you sure you can take ‘em.”
“I can take one.”
Banging his sword on his shield to get their attention, Braig stepped in the path of two of the guards and planted his feet, crouching low. As the first guard drew closer, Braig sprang forward, bashing hard with his shield to block the man’s sword and drive him back, slamming him into a nearby cedar tree. The man grunted in pain as several small broken branches stabbed at his shoulders, bruising the skin beneath his gambeson.
Stepping quickly to the side, Braig narrowly escap
ed the swing of the second guard. Staggering backwards, shield tight against his body, he braced himself against the furious swings, his blade glinting in the orange glow from the burning tree beside them. Blow for blow, Braig parried and countered, keeping the two guards at bay as he looked for an opening to end the fight and make their escape.
Glancing occasionally over at Ferhani, he could see her spinning in the darkness, her sharp, straight blade piercing the man’s leather armor as easily as a needle pierces cloth. Blood dripped from the man’s wounds as he stumbled wearily, swinging high and low only to have Ferhani twist away at the last second and plunge her narrow blade into his soft flesh, dropping his body quietly to the red-drenched soil beneath him.
Growling under his breath, Braig pushed hard against his attackers, driving them back into a small clearing in the trees. Sweat beaded on his forehead as the fire spread through the canopy above, making it hard to breathe. Boughs of flaming branches fell around them, lighting up the nearby tree trunks as the smoke grew thicker, stinging his eyes. Straining his vision, he could see the remnants of a sturdy branch that had been split from the tree, its jagged edges visible in the burning glow behind the guards.
Swinging in wide arcs, Braig pushed the men farther back, keeping them in front of him. Nearing the tree, he dug his feet into the ground and charged at one the guards. Using his shield to push the man’s sword to the side, he smashed into the man’s chest with his shoulder, knocking the wind from his lungs. Pumping hard with his stout legs, he lifted the guard’s body off of the ground as he ran as hard as he could towards the tree. Using all his strength, he lifted the man higher into the air, pinning his flailing body to the tree as the branch tore through his abdomen.
Dropping his sword, the man gripped the blood-slicked branch, his eyes wide with shock as he looked around frantically for anyone to help. Wiping the splatters of blood from his face, Braig could hear the shouting of more guards as they ran across the field, heading swiftly in their direction. Anger welled up inside him as looked over at Ferhani, leaning heavily against a tree, an ugly bruise forming on her face where the man must have landed a blow before being put down.