by Frank Morin
Erich regarded the little pouch with new respect and laughed. "Perfect."
"Just don't miss."
Erich gave him an incredulous look. "How could I miss that thing?"
Above them, the stomach lurched downward and for a second Hamish feared the monster somehow understood the threat they posed and planned to crush them. Thankfully, it stabilized again, but the message was clear. Time to go.
Erich tapped granite and became significantly heavier. As Hamish increased the release rate of his thrusters to compensate, the Petralist heaved the tiny sack high in a powerful throw with his left hand.
Hamish didn't wait to watch. As soon as the bag left Erich's hand, he fled with every ounce of power he could draw from the suit's thrusters and shot out from between its legs.
He barely reached one stony knee when a vast explosion tore through the creature's midsection and blew the middle two legs right off both sides. The blast of air tumbled Hamish away, and one of the severed limbs clipped him and sent him lurching sideways with a gut-wrenching twist. Hamish didn't even see the ground before crashing into it with enough force to crack several of the outer leaves of his armor. He tumbled and rolled a long way, and even after his body stopped moving, the ground kept spinning.
When he finally did leverage himself to a sitting position, he checked his body and was amazed to find no broken bones. His suit was incredible!
He did hurt all over, and tapped sandstone wafers set against his skin. They couldn't heal as fast as a real Healer, but they generated a gentle warmth that helped ease his hurts. Given enough time, they would do the job.
The monster lay on its side, half its legs ripped off, the center of its torso shattered, with a long gash blasted right through what was hopefully its stomach. The Boulders who had been attacking it had retreated from the fury of the explosion.
Stony flesh and black sludge, some of it still burning, covered the ground under the blast radius. A stench like burned, rotten eggs hung like a pall in the air.
Then he noticed the bodies.
Lying scattered in the midst of the disaster were the bodies of many people, some covered in black slime, others lying as if asleep. None of them moved.
Actually, one thing moved. His eyes were drawn to a figure walking out of the mess, surrounded by a fading cyclone and with fire burning the ground in front of them into a singed carpet. They held another, smaller figure cradled in their arms.
Connor. And Verena.
Chapter 78
Connor exulted. He was alive, free of the elfonnel, with Verena in his arms. Despite the death and terror that surrounded them, in that second he felt happy.
Verena kissed his cheek, then turned his face toward her. "I don't know how we got out of there, but I'm happy we did."
Her big blue eyes seemed to swallow his soul, and he leaned in to kiss her. Her eyes widened farther and she tipped her head back so fast he missed her lips and kissed her chin instead. Turning, he followed her astonished gaze.
Evander's giant stood nearby, and it was heaving the half-broken elfonnel into the air.
"Get out of there!" Hamish yelled, waving them toward him. Erich lay nearby, looking dazed.
Connor had granite, not basalt, but he ran as fast as he could anyway as dripping gobs of monster rained down around them. Striders, led by Ivor and Padraigin, tempted the dangerous ground, rushing in to snatch up the prone bodies and carrying them to safety.
Hamish pounded Connor so hard on the back when they reached him that he almost dropped Verena. "I can't believe you survived that!"
"What happened?"
"Diorite."
"You could have blown us up," Verena said. As he protested, she pulled him close, kissing his cheek. "I'm glad you took the chance. We wouldn't have lasted long in there."
Then Verena popped right out of Connor's arms with a squawk of surprise. Shona held her high and dropped her on her backside, glaring.
"You not only lack the decency to die an honorable death, but you endangered Connor too," Shona said.
Verena scrambled to her feet to face Shona. "And you endanger yourself by breaking the peace agreement."
Shona laughed. "The day you can hurt me hasn't arrived, wench."
Connor pushed them apart before they could attack each other. "Both of you calm down."
"Looks like the elfonnel's nearly done for," Shona said, pointing at the monster struggling in the giant's grasp.
It did look weaker, but then it twisted and chomped down on the giant's shoulder, shearing most of the top, left arm off.
"You had to say it, didn't you?" Hamish frowned at Shona. "Just invite bad luck when we least need it."
The two monsters tumbled to the ground with a crash and began rolling over each other. As they did so, they both healed.
"Tallan take it!" Connor shouted. "What do we have to do to kill that thing?"
Captain Rory rushed up with Anika and Ilse. "Glad to see you survived that thing, lad," Rory said. "Any way to kill it from inside?"
Connor shook his head. "We were lucky to survive. I think some of the people it swallowed will survive, but some of them. . ."
Rory gripped his shoulder. "It's an ugly thing, war."
"I did what I could for them," Connor said, his voice thick with emotion.
"Now let's do something about that elfonnel," Ilse said.
"I'm open to ideas," Connor said.
"Elemental attacks barely slowed it," Ivor reported. "We hit it with everything while the giant was beating on it. We're running low on power stones already."
"Then get everyone back," Connor said. "Regroup at the inner wall. We'll focus on evacuating everyone to safety while we figure out how to help Evander."
"Where's safe?" Rory asked.
"Granadure," Connor said.
"If only I could reach Kilian," Verena said, sounding frustrated. "He'd know what to do."
"Don't bring that criminal here," Shona snapped.
"He's not here," Connor interrupted before they could start arguing again. "Let's focus on what we can do. We regroup at the Carraig. Move out."
While the monsters continued shaking the plain with their contest, they jogged for the main gate of the inner wall. Connor searched for Aunt Ailsa. He needed to speak with her. The only item in their arsenal they hadn't attempted yet was the sculpted stones she'd given him. She'd warned him not to use them except for a moment of ultimate need.
That moment had arrived.
He located her with Jean and Hamish. She looked tired and worried, but smiled to see him and Verena approach.
"Aunt Ailsa, do you or Jean remember anything about how long an elfonnel rampage usually lasts?" he asked.
Jean shook her head. "The accounts varied, and I got the sense that they sometimes lingered for hours."
He grimaced. "That's too long."
"I wish there was more we could do," Ailsa said.
"There may be," he said. "It's time I used those gifts of yours."
She didn't speak for a moment, but continued jogging, her expression serious.
"What gifts?" Hamish asked. "Did you bake something?"
"Don't you ever think of anything besides food?" Jean and Verena both asked at the same time, then laughed.
It felt good to see everyone smile, even though the elfonnel threatened to destroy everyone. Connor loved having his friends together, and that sense of family reinforced his decision. He had to do whatever he could to protect them.
"I'm going to use it," he told Ailsa. "Unless you have a compelling reason why I shouldn't."
She shook her head. "Nothing compelling, Son. You may be right, but I still worry it's a huge risk."
He gestured behind them at the battling monsters. "Not dealing with that thing is a bigger one."
"What are you talking about?" Verena asked, placing a hand on his arm.
He glanced around, but most of the army was focused on moving as far away from the monsters as possible. Shona was distracted
talking with Camonica. He wouldn't find a better chance.
"Ailsa sculpted some stones for me," he said, untying the bag at his hip and handing it to her.
She accepted it with reverence. Those stones could buy him a place in the ranks of the nobility, although Shona would probably try confiscating them when she learned about them, claiming that as his patron, they belonged to her. Verena peered inside, then slipped a hand into the pouch. Her eyes widened a moment later and she glanced at Ailsa.
"These are magnificent!"
"Thank you, dear." Ailsa smiled with an artist's pride.
"As soon as the army is set up in defensive formations, I'll use one."
"Which one?" Verena asked.
"I'm not sure yet." He considered that as they ran.
Probably not slate, since both of the monsters commanded such mastery over that element. Quartzite was out too. It was just too unstable. Fire would be a good choice, but he wasn't sure it would damage a being made out of earth. Besides, he hesitated to embrace the insanity of fire that deeply. Aonghus might call it a purifying fire, but he'd only get one chance.
That left soapstone. Water was his strongest element anyway, and he felt confident with the power of a sculpted stone, he could hurt that beast.
When they reached the Carraig inner wall, Connor set his captains and leaders organizing the evacuation and setting up defensive positions. Ivor, Padraigin, and Redmund each led similar groups of tertiary Petralists, while Rory and Camonica commanded the primaries. Ilse and her band remained a mostly-independent group that hovered around Rory and Anika, who refused to be parted.
"How are everyone's power stores?" Connor asked.
"Not good," Rory reported. "Most of the army's about spent. Even the tertiaries are guarding the last of their stones. We might get one final assault, but that's it."
"I'm nearly out too," Hamish said.
Verena scowled. "If I could find the Swift, I could resupply."
"No time for that," Connor said.
Out on the plain, the elfonnel toppled Evander's giant, but instead of leaping on it, the beast instead raced away and smashed down the Sculpture House, tearing through the rubble. It was probably hunting for more power stone.
The Sculpture House had been his home, and the sight of the casual destruction sparked a fresh anger. He couldn't wait any longer.
Heber joined them. "General, power stores are down seventy-six percent and battle-ready forces are at one third nominal. If that monster eats the rest of the power stores, we won't have more than an eight percent chance of surviving the day."
"Thanks for summing up the situation," Rory growled.
"You do realize that all that basalt sheathing around those palaces is all power grade stone?" Hamish asked.
Everyone turned to face him, and Connor shared their astonishment. "Say that again."
He shrugged. "I licked one of the walls. It's good quality stuff."
"Impossible," Rory breathed as they all craned their necks up to stare at the unfathomable wealth gleaming in the afternoon sun. Connor couldn't imagine how such a staggering amount of treasure could be used as building material.
"One more mystery of the Carraig," Jean muttered, jotting a note on a little notebook she pulled from a deep pocket of her skirt.
"Send some Boulders to crush some of that sheathing," Connor ordered. "If it's power-grade stone, we'll use it."
Then he turned to Heber. Before he attempted the sculpted stone, he needed one last thing. "Give me some obsidian."
"Of course, General."
He didn't have a lot left, but Connor took the little pouch eagerly and gazed at the powdered volcanic glass. With eager anticipation, he shoved two fingers inside. Even powdered to dust, the sharp edges tugged at his skin. He drew in a deep breath and concentrated. Obsidian was the only igneous stone he hadn't established affinity with and he felt the stares of every set of eyes watching him, acutely aware of how much depended on him making it work.
After three breathless heartbeats, he felt something trickle into his fingers. Unlike the skittering itch of granite or the boundless energy of basalt, obsidian pulsed like unspoken words flowing up his arm. Connor focused on the strange, almost understood beat, and as it crept into his chest and touched his heart it suddenly burst into full clarity.
It sounded like Verena's laughter.
As that sound echoed through his torso and into his mind, his exhaustion faded and he stood taller. Her laughter filled him with hope and his mind lit up like a glorious sunrise after a long night. Concepts that had always seemed confusing suddenly seemed simple under the light of obsidian power.
Connor laughed with the wonder of it. Why did he ever wait so long to try obsidian?
"Careful, General," Heber said. The Blade was watching him closely. "Obsidian takes a little getting used to."
"What's there to get used to? This is incredible!"
"That's precisely the danger, sir. It can easily become an addiction, but used too much it loses its strength until it does nothing for you."
"I'll take that risk today."
Fearghas clapped him on the shoulder. "When this is over, we'll spar together. That's obsidian at it's best."
"You're on." That would be a lot of fun, but he hoped to gain more than just a faster sword.
"Give me some room."
Everyone backed up except for Ailsa. "Connor, remember the danger."
"One danger at a time."
Ivor approached. "I want to go face it with you, Connor. Together, we stand a better chance."
He shook his head, gripping Ivor's shoulder. "Not this time, my friend. I've got sculpted soapstone, and I can't have anyone else fighting me for control."
Ivor gasped. "How?"
Connor winked and hefted the little sculpted statue of interlocking soapstone cubes. "It's all in knowing the right people. You and the other champions, work with Rory and oversee the evacuation. If I fail, it'll be up to you."
Then he clamped his jaws over the stone. Ailsa had explained that with the sculpture, he didn't need to swallow it, but just suck on it like he did with quartzite. His body jerked from the jolt of power that exploded through him , and his water senses spread through the entire Carraig like a lightning bolt. He felt every ounce of water, sensed every living being, could track the pulsing of their blood. He even sensed the elfonnel and the giant, like shadows across his mind, tramping the shattered Sculpture House in their battle.
The concentrated force of the soapstone rattled his limbs, and every bit of water within a hundred yards rushed in, as if eager to do his bidding. With a flicker of thought, he drew the waters beneath him into a six-foot wide pedestal.
The monsters were tumbling over each other again, and their fierce struggle rolled them right over the dark wall of the almost-completed Rhidorroch.
Frazier shouted in fury and turned to Connor.
"Wasn't my fault this time."
"Will you kill that thing already?"
Connor saluted, then waved to Verena. She was standing near Shona, and both of the girls waved back. Dealing with Shona and somehow extracting himself from her service without triggering the full weight of her wrath scared him more than facing the elfonnel.
He pivoted and flowed over the broken remnants of the formal garden to face the distant elfonnel. Evander's giant tackled it and the two monsters resumed fighting, but that didn't seem to accomplish anything but destruction.
"What's the plan?" Hamish asked, hovering nearby.
"If the fight goes badly, get Jean and Verena out."
Hamish looked like he wanted to argue, but he'd already admitted he lacked the power stores to fight much more. So he sighed, nodded, and pulled from a pocket on his battle suit a tiny, pale colored cube that looked like a squashed cookie.
"What's this?" Connor asked, accepting the dense little item.
"That, my friend, is an entire cake," Hamish declared. "Packaged by the smash packer for travel. You'll need your
strength."
"Thanks." As Hamish headed back to the others, Connor grinned and tucked the little pastry into his belt pouch. He never accepted anything from Hamish's pocket, but he might actually eat that one.
His hand closed on the little bag of porphyry in his belt pouch. He'd forgotten all about it during the fighting. He couldn't imagine a time when he might actually want to use it, but he was glad it hadn't gotten lost.
Connor focused on the elfonnel and fingered the pouch of sculpted stones Ailsa had given him.
Suddenly, all the clues came together into a simple truth.
"I know what to do."
Chapter 79
As Connor flowed over the broken lands on his platform of water toward the towering monsters, he passed the shattered Rhidorroch. One more bit of senseless destruction the elfonnel was about to pay for.
As his water senses flowed over the area, he connected with the huge underground storage tank under the Rhidorroch. He'd used those waters during his nomination trial to form the wondrous dome, shattering the entire obstacle course in the process.
The tank was full.
Connor seized upon the waters and they responded to his touch with remarkable enthusiasm. He suspected it was a product of the sculpted stone, and he was happy the waters seemed eager to respond to his need.
So he gave them something to do.
Fifty thousand gallons exploded out of the Rhidorroch and blasted the elfonnel in the side, just as it knocked Evander's giant off again. The wave knocked it rolling, skittering in slippery mud. Connor wanted to drive it farther across the plain, but it was just too big. So he reached farther and seized the waters of the lake and drew them to him in a tidal wave.
The elfonnel found its footing, and its eight legs locked onto the earth, somehow holding it fast against the crashing waters. Even as the initial wave faded, it trumpeted a deep-throated challenge and plowed through the waters at him.
Connor wrapped its head in water and drained the heat away, forming a solid casing of ice.