"Laella. Wait!" Luminear called out as she ran to catch up with her, but Laella could hear nothing. She was desperate to see why those horns were blaring. Had Laelliandir returned or was it someone else? Only a few soldiers were in uniform as most had been enjoying the fair and had to race back to their homes now to suit up for duty.
"Laelliandir." Laella's heart pounded as she approached the front gates to see her guards. Beyond her guard, thousands of golden armored riders galloped toward them in the distance. "No." she said aloud. "Open the gates!" she barked, as Luminear ran up beside her.
"What is that?" Luminear asked just as frenzied now.
"You stay!" Laella ordered in the sternest voice Luminear had ever heard from her, then she walked away toward the opening gates. Around her, a few soldiers clustered to her left and right. Laella strode past the gate as the few soldiers there joined her while Luminear stared at the riders approaching their city. Before long, more soldiers shuffled past Luminear, nearly knocking her down, before she moved out of their way. Markus and Fern found Luminear leaning against the side of a simple house and ran up beside her. They had ignored the orders of the city guards and kept searching for her. After losing Bella, they would not take a chance on Luminear's safety.
The three watched from the distance as the riders drew closer to Laella stood before the gates behind her as the small army grew and formed lines of defense. About one-hundred feet away, the massive host of dragoons came to a halt, except about twenty of them. These continued to ride toward Laella. Xiahou and Calhoun took the lead. They looked like the rest of the golden troops, other than the black capes they wore with plumed helmets.
"What are you doing here? You should have sent word if you needed a place to sleep," Laella asked as they came upon her and Gargurthian’s gathering troops. Calhoun and Xiahou gave her a dirty look, which gave her more reason for alarm.
"Don't play coy with us, Laella Javalla. Are you going to stand there and pretend you were not aware of your own son's treachery? Right here in your own home? He had to have taken troops right in front of you, no less?" Calhoun snapped, more than ready to get off his horse and run her through himself. Laella realized the show was over. There was no point in pretending.
"Where is my son? What happened? Are you here to take me? State your purpose, servant of traitors!" Laella demanded.
"You learn your place." Calhoun began again, but the higher-ranking general, Xiahou, rose his hand to silence him.
"Lady Laella of Garroth and soldiers of Garroth under the Overlord of Divox's rule, we come for one demand. How you respond to this demand decides everyone's fate. We aren't here to bargain or to insult one another like school children. I, Xiahou Ning, have been tasked to receive a young lady that lives here, and bring her back to the capital Magwhen."
"What lady? What is her crime?" Laella demanded.
"I'm not at liberty to say anything other than her name, Luminear under the false surname Javalla. A dweller of your halls, adopted by the house of Javalla," Laella glared at the general. She wasn't sure what they wanted with someone like Luminear but suspected Lonewolf was behind it. He had betrayed them all. Most of Garroth's troops knew who Luminear was, and none of them would disobey the law for her when their lives were at stake. Noticing many of the soldiers whispering among themselves, Xiahou Ning repeated himself. "The name is Luminear Javalla!" he said even louder. "Any man or woman brave enough can bring her out to me! If you wish to live! Luminear Javalla is her name! Bring her out here!" He repeated himself, speaking louder and louder for all to understand.
"Do not listen to this man! Luminear is one of us!" Laella commanded. She didn’t trust the General as she believed none were safe even if they turned her in.
"You are all subjects to Divoxian's New Order. The High King demands loyalty or will penalize every single subject of Garroth if he does not have it! Her name is Luminear Javalla! Bring her out! Her name is Luminear Javalla!” Again and again, Xiahou repeated her name until his troops joined him in a chant. Soon everyone in the vicinity understood what they wanted as their demand echoed loud and clear.
On the other side of the gates and short walls Luminear, Markus and Fern could hear the man. "They want you?" Fern questioned. "Why you?"
"You have to get out of here! We have to get her out of here, Fern." Markus grabbed her arm to pull her. Luminear fought back.
"They only want me. I'm not hiding and risking anyone else. Let me go." Luminear fought Mark's grip. She couldn’t be sure what was going on, but her heart told her Lonewolf was behind the order. Other than that, perhaps Bella or Laelliandir or even Albatros had something to do with this. She couldn't fathom why any army would want her unless someone she knew was striking a deal and needed her. The only logical explanation was Lonewolf, and a sick feeling of betrayal resurfaced as she pondered what this meant. Her suspicions of him had been in the back of her mind for months, only growing worse by the day.
"No!" Markus argued as he grabbed Luminear tighter dragging her backward. The small commotion caught the nearby gate guards' attention. They recognized Luminear immediately and ran towards the three with Fern still telling Mark to stop, and Mark continuing to drag Luminear away.
"Mark. Stop it! They may think I have information and only have to ask me a few questions." Luminear suggested as she reached for Fern to give her a hand. She got her freedom from Mark by way of two guards who punched and kicked him down, but it wasn't the help she wanted. After taking down Markus, the guards focused on Luminear next. They seized her arms, and dragged her away.
"What are you doing?" Fern barked at the guards only to wind up with one of their steel fists across his jaw.
"Let me go. Stop this! I'll go out there myself." Luminear pleaded, but the two guards ignored her. She had become an object for their freedom as far as they were concerned. Luminear's time as a city celebrity was over, and now, the people were ready to discard her.
"Here she is!" one of them shouted as they returned to the gate.
"All yours, my lord." said the other. Laella turned around to see them making their way through the lines of Garroth's soldiers, and the soldiers stepping aside to let them pass. Luminear and Laella exchanged looks of terror.
"No! Don't take her! What do you want with her?" Laella begged, approaching them but several of her own soldiers grabbed Laella to restrain her. "What are you doing? This is treason. Let go of me now." she ordered, but they would not. The guards took Luminear to the horseman and shoved her at them.
"There she is. All yours." said one guard. Xiahou Ning looked to Calhoun and nodded.
"Come on. Saddle her up." Calhoun ordered the other dragoons.
"Please. I might be able to help you. Just tell me what this is about. Don't hurt the city. I am begging you! I will help; however, I can." Luminear pleaded, as two riders paced towards her, lifted her up, and placed her on the saddle of a brown horse, and a golden rider.
"Save it, false princess, to a traitor name, or whatever you are. We know as little as you, but you're wanted in Magwhen," Calhoun ordered.
"Take her. We'll catch up in Dunbauth tonight," commanded Xiahou Ning.
"Have fun." Calhoun replied with a smile that scared Luminear. Calhoun and the other nineteen riders who had ridden with Xiahou Ning headed away, but Luminear kept her eyes back watching Laella. She was not only scared for herself but feared what would happen to the town she had grown to love, and the family she had become a part of the last few years. Laella was not only like a mother to her, but one of her closest friends.
After Luminear was taken away, Laella's soldiers released her and apologized. Laella shouted in defiance at the Novanian general still patiently waiting. "What happened, and what do you want here? Why did you need her, and where is my sarding son?" Xiahou Ning looked back to watch Calhoun and the small group of riders press on with Luminear. He waited until they passed by the thousands of riders and out of sight to continue.
"Your shite son? Your son escaped fr
om a Magwhen prison with help from a minotaur wretch. We expected they would have passed this way, but then again if they had, you would have fled by now. Or maybe you Javalla folk are not as bright as the tales say, and they are hiding away behind your small walls and weak defense. Who knows? Maybe they have not arrived home yet, or they have left you all to die. I've had a hard month, and I'm ready to go home and sleep in my bed. Since I'm not in the mood to fight, I will make you an offer." Laella now at least knew her son and Albatros were alive. She felt a momentary relief but realized her plight. Somehow, she must try to keep herself and the city alive.
"We were not a part of whatever my son did. This city is loyal to Divox. If you want to search the city, then you can search for as long as you want," Laella offered.
"My offer isn't for you, Laella, a traitor of the realm, but to your soldiers and citizens. If the subjects of Divoxian's new order are true in their loyalty and wish to survive, then you will prove it. You will come when we summon you. You will fight when we tell you to fight, and you will die when we tell you to die. If you agree to those terms, then you may live this day and many more days to come. If you agree to those terms and fulfill the task for your High King, then you do not have to die." Laella looked to the soldier nearest to her, and to the sword hanging about his belt in precaution. "We will ride through and conduct a search ourselves when you are finished, but for the next hour I command you all clean this city of every baby, child, adult, Lord, and Lady that bears the name Javalla."
No sooner had Xiahou Ning finished his order than had Laella grabbed a sword from a soldier nearest her, twirled around and slung the entire blade as she spun above then making her mark as the sword plunged into the general's face.
There came an uproar from her own soldiers as they reached for their blades. Laella threw her leg up in the air and brought it down hard upon an armed soldier's elbow, disarming him and catching his sword as it dropped. She slashed upon the soldier, and went on to another, removing his sword from his belt. She backed away from her armed forces as they approached her. They lunged in, but she dodged or leaped, and returned at them with a flurry of attacks as she handled the two swords beautifully. The Novanian dragoons had marched forward after watching their General die, but it looked as if Garroth's soldiers intended to do the dirty work for them.
Laella Javalla was every bit as skilled as Laelliandir, and when she moved, it was like an effortless dance. She jumped about gracefully avoiding her soldiers and cutting them down when she could. She was agile like a cat and fought on until the bitter end. Her victories were plentiful, but there were far too many for even an old warrior like her to handle. They overwhelmed her little by little, with a slash upon her leg and then arm, until she could no longer hold them back. The soldiers of Garroth turned on her and brought her down in a vicious death. They did not only kill her but brutally removed her head to present to the Novanian riders. It was only the beginning for they turned on their city to finish the deed and rid the world of the Javalla name. The golden Dragoons watched and waited, allowing the Garroth soldiers the time to win their freedom by turning on their own, as their fallen general had promised.
The golden riders were not the only ones who watched the horrors at Garroth that day. Laelliandir had successfully survived the journey home, but he had made it only in time to see his mother die. It was over. There was no family for him to save and no honor in suicide. It was with a heavy heart he forced himself to fight the urge to charge in pointlessly. He turned his horse in mourning and rode off east in the setting sun; east to Lamisdoria, for there was nothing left back home.
Chapter Thirty Two
Possessed
"W hat are they doing to me? I am screaming, and they can't hear me. What is going on here? I'm trapped with no way out. Why are you doing this, Wolf? Let me go. I have no answers for you. If I did, I would have said so by now," Luminear's questions and pleas were trapped inside her as she sat on a hard-wooden chair in a gloomy dark room. The chair itself had not been too uncomfortable, at least at first. However, after being trapped there for hours it now hurt. Despite her discomfort, she could not move. How or why she was immobilized, she didn't understand, and the only thing in her view in the small tiny cell were a few candles scattered on the cold stone floor. Otherwise, the room was dungeon-like with the only exit being a stone door with a modest window with bars across from her. She wasn't alone as both Lonewolf and Neighraellium were there although she might as well have been as they were in their own world and she was in hers.
She couldn't imagine how, but a red medallion which hung from Neighraellium's hand trapped her in a reality she didn't understand, and unbelievably Lonewolf was right there with him, helping him out. In and out of consciousness, she tried to make sense of what she experienced. Neighraellium realized the medallion had far less hold on her than anyone he had encountered in the past. While she also fell under its spell, she didn't react the way they expected or wanted her too. Over the hours, Neighraellium lost patience and became angry with her while Lonewolf tried to calm him. At one point, Neighraellium had even raised his hand to strike her. If not for Wolf, he would have.
"Lumi, just focus. Clear your mind. I want you to focus on your deepest memories. Go back as far as you can, then go even further. Dig deep," Lonewolf coaxed, not knowing that his attempts did nothing. The medallion’s magic responded to Neighraellium’s voice only. Nevertheless, Lonewolf tried as well.
"How deep? What are you talking about? I've been trying, but I can only go back so far. Is Bella here? Did you do this to her? Where is Lae? What did you do to my family?" Luminear asked the questions in her mind. She could not give voice to them as she had somehow been silenced.
"What is that going to do? Will she remember crying like a baby? Believe me, I had enough of that back then."
"Icaz?" Luminear asked herself. "His eyes were too familiar, but how is that possible? No, this isn't real. This makes no sense."
"Stop fighting it and look deeper into the relic. Clear your mind," Lonewolf ordered again.
"Clear your mind and do as he says." Neighraellium echoed Lonewolf's demands. Again, Luminear tried. It wasn't like she had not been staring at the medallion dead on, but attempting to quiet her thoughts wasn't as easy as the two men made it sound. She recalled her childhood. Houses with Zynoa, Bella and always Icaz somewhere nearby. Different homes and wandering and yelling. Zynoa preaching or telling her it would be all right and not to fear. She kept reaching and reaching, trying to let go of the world around her. "Remember mother." Neighraellium's voice slithered into her mind. He may have been able to fool her and others under normal conditions, but in this world, she knew he was Icaz. "Your mother." As Luminear reflected, she saw flashes in her mind, and the light from the orb strengthened, burning her eyes. As Lonewolf and Neighraellium watched, the pupils within Luminear's eyes faded into nothingness, and her eyes became pale and solid white. Lonewolf gasped in shock as Neighraellium smiled. Luminear's pale globes reacted to the medallion. Like a crystal ball, visions appeared in her eyes in flashes for the two to see.
First, they observed an old man standing in front of a stone barrier which held back a shimmering pool of blinding water. Within the tranquil water a beautiful dark-haired woman held two almost transparent infants. "That man is me. That's my mother, and that's the girls!" Neighraellium squealed as he pointed. Lonewolf was at a loss for words as he viewed the old man reach out to collect the babies from the lady of the water. Again, the vision flashed. This time the elderly man walked into a shadowed misty black portal or a door, vanishing with the children as he went. "More! More! Where does this path lead? Where is your power?" Neighraellium demanded. Now the flashes came rapidly, too quickly to make sense of what appeared until the images stopped once more. This time they viewed an older Luminear with the same haunted eyes. She stood before a great black mountain with her arms spread wide. Behind her stood Neighraellium. Evidently, she conjured magic or some other sorcery that made th
e mountain collapse. None could tell whether what they witnessed was an alternate reality, a vivid imagination at work, or a scene from the future. "Is this the gate in Tragmont? Is this where I have to go?" Neighraellium asked.
At that moment, the visions stopped, and Luminear looked away from the medallion effortlessly focusing her gaze on Neighraellium.
"I told you to open that gate. Quit wasting time," Luminear's voice was cold, devoid of emotion. "This is the only way." As her voice trailed off, an unknown force hit both Neighraellium and Lonewolf throwing the two off their feet to land on the floor a few paces back. Startled and frightened, both looked back in awe at Luminear. As they stared, Luminear's eyes returned to normal, and she shook while sweat poured off her. Whatever had taken control of her had left. Lonewolf glanced at Neighraellium in disbelief, but Neighraellium merely grinned back at him.
"Am I still crazy?"
"Aye. But you weren't lying." Lonewolf did not understand what presence had taken over Luminear, but he recognized it was powerful and gave credence to Neighraellium's claims.
"Wolf. Get me out of here. Whatever you think I did and whatever you believe I am, I am still me, and I want out of here," Luminear pleaded. While she was no longer under the medallion's spell, she was all too aware of everything she had seen and done while trapped in its power, and it frightened her. Lonewolf, in reflex, reached out and ripped the medallion from Neighraellium's hand and pointed it toward Luminear.
"Wait," he said. "You did nothing wrong. I won't let anything happen to you. This was a test. A test you must forget. None of this happened. You were never in this room. Forget all of this." Lonewolf turned to the other man. "Icaz, you talk. You can work this thing. I don't think I can."
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