by Jeff Gunzel
A thin line of blue light appeared, horizontally floating in mid-air right next to the fire. The flames began to die down now as the distraction caused everyone to lose concentration. However, the ruined ritual did not seem to be the most pressing matter.
* * *
“Berkeni. Berkeni.” said Ilirra, banging on the door incessantly. “Open this door!”
The door opened a crack. Berkeni’s wide eyes peeked out cautiously.
Ilirra forced her way into the room, slammed both hands onto the wooden table and peered into the white pearl. “Tell me what’s happening. I want to know everything.”
“B-B-But you said you didn’t want to watch. That your heart couldn’t take it, and I was supposed to inform you later. You said—”
“I’ve changed my mind,” she screamed. Her fists pounded the table. “What’s happening now? You can see them, right?”
“Well, yes, yes. As long Jade continues to wear the silver ring, I have full contact with them,” he stammered nervously. “But something just happened. The trial seemed to be going perfectly when all of sudden—” He stopped and cupped his hand to his ear. “Do you hear that?”
The Queen stood perfectly still and listened. Her heart nearly sank through the floor as she heard the warning bells ringing out. Taron was under attack! No…no, this can’t be happening. Not now.
The door was flung open as Azek burst into the room. “My lady, we are—”
“I hear the bloody bells!” she yelled out as she turned to face the wall. Placing a hand on her forehead, she closed her eyes and tried to gather herself. “Berkeni, is it what I think it is?” she asked in a soft voice that contained none of her usual fire.
He was already peering into the white pearl before she even spoke the words. “Yes, my lady,” he said in an even softer voice. “They are moving towards the front wall as we speak.”
“My lady, I know they are not of their own free will right now,” said Azek in a somber tone, “but we are sworn to defend the people of Taron. I will instruct the wall soldiers to knock down their ladders as needed but to take no lives. We can hold for a time, but once they penetrate—” He paused a long moment before he continued, “then I will be forced to uphold my sworn duty.”
Ilirra silently nodded her agreement as she faced the wall, unable to look at him. There was only so much that could be done to spare life at this desperate time. Placing her head on her forearm, she leaned heavily against the wall. By the gods, we’re running out of time.
Armed guards swarmed the city walls as the bells echoed loudly through the streets. Soldiers on the ground level tried to brace the front gate with a large oak log that had been wheeled up on a cart.
Karbin, the acting general when Azek was not present, pointed out positions along the walls for the men to hold. He pulled out his looking glass to see what they would be dealing with and how close to the wall the threat had gotten. His blood turned to ice. At least a thousand men were rushing over the hill, running wildly like a pack of dogs. He could even make out the animalistic expressions on their faces. Their tongues hung from their mouths like dogs. White foam bubbled out as if they were rabid. Even their eyes were completely white. Karbin was sure he would never sleep again.
Nothing could have seemed more unnatural. Random packs of three could be seen carrying ladders as they sprinted along, tripping and falling constantly from the frenzied effort. When one would fall, the others just kept running, trampling over the fallen as if he wasn’t even there. They seemed savage and completely unorganized, and they rushed in without even a hint of a battle formation. When the first wave hit, they tried to climb the wall with their bare hands, clawing like animals as others tried to climb up their backs. As the second wave crashed in, crude wooden ladders began to rise up the walls. They trampled over each other just to be the first to begin their ascent. The men on the wall used long poles to keep knocking back the ladders, but they didn’t know how long they could defend against the tireless assault.
* * *
Everyone remained focused on the thin line of light as they backed away from it. The line began to expand vertically until it resembled some kind of huge glowing window hovering in the air. One second passed, five, ten. You could have heard a pin drop for miles. Then a swarm of black leathery creatures funneled through like a river of death, charging the second they hit the ground. But the crytons were no exception to that rule. They countered swiftly, like they had been preparing for weeks, returning the charge with all the skill and tenacity that had made them legends in times of old. Flashing steel easily annihilated the first wave of black demons.
Jacob and Jade were no slower in their response. They fearlessly charged in. Jacob’s staff twirled with deadly intentions as he tore into the second wave with reckless abandon. Already engaged with two at once, he sensed a third behind him and evasively rolled to the side. He raised his staff defensively as the three creatures converged on him at once. Two never got there; he easily parried a single tail strike while returning three hard shots of his own. He spun just in time to watch the other two lift off the ground, with their feet dangling like children. Their heads snapped back at the same time. Lifeless eyes stared blankly at their own backs, as well as at the two crytons who broke their necks like twigs.
Jade sent silver missiles in every direction with frightening accuracy. Although it was difficult to kill with a dagger strike, the well-placed shots did wonders to incapacitate the enemy. With her seemingly endless supply of daggers, many demons tried to fight on with no eyes. She charged through the flanks with a series of dazzling handsprings, unleashing silver missiles in each direction, but she couldn’t keep this pace forever. They continued to flood through the gate like a river of black tar.
Eric watched the carnage. The savage rage he now knew intimately coursed through every inch of him. People were dying because of him. His friends’ very lives were in jeopardy because of him. The crytons had lived here peacefully all these years, and were now forced to fight for their lives just because he was here.
Staring at the gate pumping these demons into the village, he could feel his own heart beating, sending blind rage coursing through him. Beating. Throbbing. He could feel the pulsing energy from that gate, just like his own heartbeat. It felt like a part of him. He was in tune with it.
He glanced at Shantis one last time as she fired off long black arrows two at a time into the chaos, almost always finding her targets. She turned and gave him a subtle nod. He drew his sword and charged into the fray like a caged animal who had been released. Maybe that was exactly what he was. His sword danced the patterns it had done thousands of times before, and both black flesh and air seemed to offer the same resistance—none.
His mind floated in nothingness as time seemed to slow. Everyone around him seemed to be running in water while he tore through the demons like training dummies. No, training dummies moved faster.
He knew he was close to the source, as he could feel its power as if it were his own. Reaching up to the sky, feeling its pulsing energy in the palm of his hand, he closed it into a fist, crushing it like a dry leaf. The gate shattered into a blinding show of white sparkles that rained down harmlessly like snowflakes. The leathery creatures that remained were no match for the enraged crytons and were wiped out quickly.
Eric fell to his knees as his legs betrayed him. Short, labored breaths tried to pull in air that never seemed to be enough. He got up on one knee as Jade ran over to him, but her face was not one of relief.
“Eric,” she said as she tried desperately to catch her breath, “I’ve been sent a message from Berkeni.”
Shantis and Jacob now approached them with black-stained weapons still in hand. They read their looks of concern which promised this was not over yet.
“Here, let me show you, all of you.” Jade twisted the ring on her finger one revolution, making sure all were touching one another as they stood in a circle. The vision came through clear as day, as if they were the
re themselves.
The savage humans were trying over and over again to breech the wall. The foot soldiers were growing weary, but the puppeteer-driven pods were still coming full speed. They didn’t have much time.
Shantis gazed at Eric with her yellow eyes full of gratitude and trust. “We will do what needs to be done to end this evil. I no longer doubt who you are.”
He nodded in mutual respect and began to prepare for their final push. He was exhausted, and would need to concentrate hard. Eric stepped back from their circle and began to breathe deeply in long, controlled bursts. He started to reach out with his mind. As his breathing slowed, his mind did the same. Searching...searching...it was like a blind person reading with their fingers. When you touched it you knew what it was, but if you opened your eyes, nothing seemed to be there at all.
He could feel the little entrances floating around him, subtle passages that could never be seen by any normal person, just experienced. Searching...searching...his mind wrapped around it. Lifting his arms in the air, he made a tearing motion with his hands. An opening in the air appeared out of nowhere. The glowing gate looked to be a rip in time itself.
“There they are,” he growled in a heavily strained voice as his arms remained out wide, trembling as if he were holding the rip open with his own hands.
The others knew they were looking into another world, as they could see the puppeteers floating in their own private dimension, hovering in the air with golden strings attached to their misty bodies. Hundreds of them spread out over a fluffy white floor that looked like the top of a cloud. The sky could not even be seen, as their world looked to be submerged in a constant gray haze, much like thick fog left over from a storm.
No history book will ever accurately document what happened that day. Fact will turn into tall tales and rumors, but a handful will always know the truth. Shantis, a cryton, was the first to leap through the gate to help the humans. The moment her feet landed solidly, a flood followed in behind her, fighting side by side with Jade and Jacob.
The crytons rushed in with weapons drawn, slashing wildly at the misty specters, giving everything they had to save the ones who had once condemned them. The puppeteers couldn’t be killed this way, but they could be disrupted, which was all that needed to happen.
“Strike at the golden lines,” Shantis screamed as she whirled from one to the other, severing their bonds.
The puppeteers were helpless against the assault, as the beings were not fast nor of a physical nature. Each strike turned them to a temporary mist, much like waving a hand through smoke.
Eric strained as hard as he could to keep the rift open. Several times he thought he would lose it. Just a little longer! His primal scream, derived from pure effort, echoed through the forest as he felt as though his body were ripping in half. “Hurry,” he pleaded as the crytons flooded back out through the failing gate which was fading in and out, as if pulsing with his waning energy.
As the last cryton leaped back through, Eric let the gate snap shut with no strength left to spare. With not a shred of energy left, he crumpled to the ground.
* * *
“Sir, we can’t hold any longer, they are starting to flood the wall,” said the short, stocky soldier. Azek had made it to the front wall in time to watch the nightmare unfold. It was true; the savages were showing no signs of slowing down. They climbed up each other’s backs, as well as up the ladders.
I’m sorry, my lady. We held as long as we could. “Prepare to cut them dow—”
One of the savages leaped over the wall right next to him. Azek moved like lightning to cut him down, when the savage suddenly collapsed to the ground. His body had jolted so hard before he went down that it seemed as if he had taken an arrow from behind, but there were no marks or wounds of any kind. One by one, the same behavior echoed through the ranks of possessed humans. Heads snapped back, followed by complete unconsciousness. Some fell off the ladders, while others dropped right where they stood, but drop they all did.
The soldiers cheered and whistled, pumping their weapons high into the air, more than happy to accept the unexplained victory.
Azek leaned heavily on his sword and he looked up to the sky. You did it, boy. I’ll not doubt you again.
* * *
Addel nearly collapsed on top of the pearl she had been channeling her energy through. Eric bore most of the load, but he never could have held it that long without her assistance. With the extra power she had received now depleted, the old lady could now hardly move. You can thank the dark lord for that gift, boy. She hoped this was a start to help atone for the evil she had helped build. Dragot would kill her for sure once he found out. On one hand, she would gladly accept her fate if it came to that now that her conscience was at least partially clear. If this is how it ends, so be it. On the other hand, she had nothing to lose now, seeing as how staying here would be certain death, while trying to flee was only probable death.
Deciding a slim chance was better than none, she tried with all her might to move her exhausted body. Move, you old bat. You have to try. She pushed hard to get her weight off the table. Her legs could barely support her as they wobbled under her weight. Move. You have to move. She slowly placed one foot in front of the other. With how exhausted she was, it was like learning how to walk for the first time.
Addel hobbled from her room and headed towards Dragot’s chamber, but she could hear him screaming and pounding the walls long before she got there.
“No. No. It’s not possible! How could this happen?” the demon screamed as he flailed around in a berserker’s rage.
As Addel peeked her head inside the room, it was just as she had hoped. The image of Taron still remained on the wall, meaning the portal was still active. She held her breath as she summoned all her remaining strength to make a run for it.
Dragot noticed her hobbling across the room at the last second. He grabbed at her as she stumbled through the chamber, ending up with nothing but a fistful of hair.
“This is your doing, witch,” he screamed into the portal.
Addel fell through the hole in the wall but ended up with a soft landing. When she lifted her head from the green grass, she could see the cream-colored walls of Taron off in the distance. She began to crawl as the feeling of renewed hope washed over her. Maybe they will kill me. Maybe worse. No matter what, I will accept my fate.
On she crawled—to an unknown, true enough, but away from certain death. That much she knew.
* * *
Eric’s eyelids slowly fluttered open. Dazed at first, it didn’t take long to remember where he was. He tried to sit up quickly before Jade grabbed his head and eased him in close to her. She had been by his side the whole time. A minute passed before she and Jacob each helped him to his feet. He was shocked as he peered around for the first time since waking up. Given the silence, he felt as if they were alone, but nothing could be farther from the truth. It seemed as if every cryton in the village was standing here, waiting for him to awaken.
Jade stepped in close and lightly kissed his cheek. “I’ve loved you since the day I first laid eyes on you,” she whispered in his ear. She then stepped back, pulled out two daggers and held them in front of her face. Dropping to one knee, she placed them on the ground to either side and bent her head low. “I swear on the lands of Tarmerria to serve and protect you until my body no longer draws breath,” she vowed, frozen in her low bow.
Jacob approached, embracing his friend and whispering in his ear, “I told you I wouldn’t leave you. I’m in this until the end.” He stepped back and joined Jade in a low bow before his friend, his brother.
One by one, the crytons all began to drop to one knee and bow their heads low. Shantis was among the first.
Eric’s eyes scanned across the village as every soul there pledged their loyalty to him, but he didn’t care. Sure, he would protect them to the best of his abilities, but it wasn’t what dominated his thoughts right now. Krytoes…you’ll pay for the lives
you’ve taken.
* * *
Ilirra continued to scramble about the castle, barking out orders to the servants. The poor wretched souls who’d been controlled by the puppeteers were being brought inside the city walls as they regained consciousness. She ordered her men to begin setting up beds as well as buying out the local taverns. It would be a very long time before the former hostages could comfortably rejoin society again, but for now, water, food, and a warm bed would be as good a start as any.
“My lady,” said Azek from behind, giving her a start. “You must come with me immediately,” he said, appearing uncharacteristically rattled. But who could blame him, after all they had been through? “Azek, can’t you see I’m in the middl—”
“Now,” he repeated before lowering his head a bit.
She looked at him with frost in her eyes, but nodded agreement.
They walked off at a quick pace.
Just before approaching one of the many guest rooms, he added, “He won’t accept any medical attention until you speak with him. I suggest you hurry.” With that, he turned and marched off.
She glanced back in Azek’s direction with a look of concern before turning the knob. She entered slowly, wondering what this could possibly be about. There before her was a large man in a dark cloak, kneeling on assorted blankets someone was kind enough to provide. They had been placed there so he would not get blood on the floor from his many lacerations. The wounds did not appear fresh, but probably were constantly reopening due to improper stitching and constant movement.
“My lady,” he said in a deep, steady voice. “We have won the day, true, but yet another threat remains. We must prepare.”
She gazed a long time at the dark, hooded figure before speaking. “So I am to assume you are now completely committed to our cause?” she asked in a cool voice despite the unnerving sight.
“Make no mistake. I bring warning, but I do not serve you,” he boomed as those unnatural, eerie green eyes rose to meet hers from under his hood. “I am sworn only to the Gate Keeper.