He caught her before she struck the ground, cradling her to his chest and turned to Druska.
"Go! Quickly while there's an opening!" The alien woman didn't need telling twice, she dashed forward, her vorpal blade cutting the final path through a half dozen or so of the skeletons as they reached the stone altar.
The girl lay unconscious, and as Braden hefted Emma over one shoulder, he used the last of his strength to toss the young woman over the other. The magic within leaped into him, alive once again when his fingers grazed her. The young woman was slight and thin, with black hair cut short and adorable nearly elven features. She must be in her early twenties Braden guessed and looking almost dead with her pallid gray skin and dark sunken eyes. Leesha was blasting skeletons off the ledge behind them, was watching the skies, her gaze fixed upon something.
“Hurry!” she cried, her elven features straining, “It’s going to attack again!”
Druska pushed Braden through the exit, Leesha following on his heels. He collapsed onto a marble floor, his muscles feeling like water as blood dripped from his nose and ears, head pounding at the strain he had put open himself. He lay Emma down, as Druska and Leesha stumbled in behind him. It was their tense muscles that caused him to look up and see the ring of three dozen guardsmen. All holding crossbows pointed at their group. Behind the guards stood a tall wicked looking woman who cackled evilly.
Chapter Eleven
"You see Indolo," the tall wicked looking woman said with a triumphant voice, her laughter cutting off abruptly, "the plan worked perfectly! Like flies to honey, the fools exhausted themselves before springing the trap."
A slender little man with a cruel face, drew a long-curved blade sparkling with magic, and stepped from behind a pillar. All around the room pairs of people stepped from behind pillars. One from each pair wore robes that matched the woman's, and Braden knew he was looking at Bond Mage's and their Bonded arrayed against them. Glancing down, he saw Emma's eyes flutter open weakly, and as her eyes met his, he saw a small smile form on her lips, and with a wink, she reached out and took hold of his ankle.
“Don’t hurt my girl,” said a bored nasally voice, and Braden saw a small man dressed in outlandish court clothes sniff a white handkerchief, his eyes staring at the girl on the ground then they opened wide when he saw Emma, "My prize is here! Oh, joy!"
"Shut up, Duke," the tall woman said with a wave of her hand, "I have a message from my mistress, Harem Mage: We will meet across the veil.” Then her smile turned wide as she shouted, “Fire!” At the same time, a flash of silver light blinded nearly everyone in the room.
Emma pulled the last of her power from deep within and added all her love and faith in this man who had carried her free of the darkest pits of the world… twice. Her final act of the battle was to give nearly all of that strength to him. As consciousness left her, she could only hope they wouldn’t think her a coward for leaving them to fight alone.
Everything seemed to happen at once for Braden. Bond Mage Helga screamed, and Emma flashed, blinding the room, all except for him who happened to be staring in her eyes. Power and energy flooded him, beating back much of his exhaustion. He realized that time was the issue. Gritting his teeth, he reached deep within his power and through the blade, took that most difficult of threads, Time. Few could see, let alone touch the thread itself, and the dangers were untold. However, Braden didn’t need to break time.
He gripped the thread with his iron will. It felt like grabbing a rope when you're falling down a cliff. Time ripped free of his grip, the world stuttering for one agonizing heartbeat as blood trickled from one of his ears afresh. Feeling like his teeth might crack from clenching his jaw so tight, he forced his mental grip back in place, slowly this time. Time burnt through his mind like the rope through a hand.
The world slowed around him. Men were turning their heads back, blinking away the flash and righting their crossbows, even as two went off, the bolts seeming to move in slow motion. Each bolt flew towards Druska, and his heart cried out as her death flew towards her. His will was iron, his grip on time precise. Reaching out a hand, he touched Druska, bringing her into his bubble of time, feeling his mind buckling under the strain.
The woman felt herself torn soul from the body, and then she was staggering to the side, everything frozen around her.
"Go!" Her master cried, and she could see he was under some terrible strain, face red, neck corded as if he were holding a great weight.
Not frozen, she thought slow!
One thing that could never be said of Druska is that she is one to hesitate when given an opportunity. The vorpal blade was in her hand faster than thought. A step to the side and the edge passed across the first guardsmen's throat. Quick feet brought her in a tight turn, arm swinging as three more throats were slit. She spun on the toe of her foot and dashed up the line of men, movements a thing of precision and beauty that only Braden could appreciate. Launching herself from her toes, she took a long sweeping strike through the men. Libs, torsos, and throats were parting ever so gently and slowly as she dashed past.
"AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Braden felt like his brain would rip free of his body, and his flesh tear free of his skeleton as he struggled to maintain the grip. He felt something in his mind bending, just on the edge of cracking, and released the grip all at once. Time snapped back into place, throwing him back a half dozen feet in his speeded-up momentum.
Druska too flew across the room, her big leap turning more into a hurl. She tucked her legs, rolling end over end and hit the opposite wall on soft feet. Ten heartbeats for her, one half for the world, and more than thirty dead. She smiled to herself as she launched herself at the small man and his sparkling blade.
To those in the room, it looked as though the woman in black leather smeared — her form blurring around the room faster than the eye could track. In a heartbeat, she was flying across the room to land just behind Indolo. The man spun to meet her attack with a snarl. Fountains of blood sprayed in her wake and limbs spinning free, the cries of the maimed and dying erupting even as the hero in the center of the room screamed out.
The four Bond Mages around the room were stunned. They had all felt the thread of time itself ripped free, mastered even if for a moment by this man’s titanic will. His eyes were bloodshot and baleful as he stood up from the two seemingly lifeless bodies on the ground. A weak cry of fear from the Duke in the corner cut through the frozen moment, then the small elf was weaving her hands in a glyph, and the Bond Mages and their Bonded reacted immediately. Three fled backward, inscribing quick glyphs, dark portals of swirling energy appearing at their backs. As they stepped in, their bonded defending them from Leesha's attacks. Then the bonded followed the mages thought the portals, winking out as well.
“No!” Cried Helga in rage as she raked an attack of fire and force at Braden.
He deflected it to the side with his blade, feeling its sizzling heat as it seared his shoulder. He ran forward with exhausted lumbering steps and engaged the woman, his flagging strength barely breaking her enraged attacks. He felt her mind rip at his soul, invisible attacks that struck without warning. He defended by instinct, feeling the invisible blows rain down even as she struck with a lance of fire, trying to get past his defending blade.
"No! I have come so close!" She cried out in rage, "Mistress! Aid me!"
Druska danced around the room, her and the slender man's blades flickering at one another faster than thought. Their lives hanging on a moment as they moved by instinct, each reverting to training and forms the other couldn't recognize. Sparks showered the air when their blades met. Druska was frustrated time and again, as some of her attacks, designed to cut through weapons, were foiled. The spirit within her blade kept the ancient weapon intact, as Indolo's powerful weapon struck with shattering blows. His attacks seemed intended to destroy his opponent's weapon as much as her. His skill matched hers, and each rewarded as red wounds appeared on their opponent, but neither paused for words nor
celebrating, this was deadly serious.
Leesha cackled as she struck with both hands. She stood over the unconscious forms of Emma, who she adored and had saved their lives down in that dark hell, and some useless nitwit. After ripping the weapon out of the gorgeous but stupid Bonded she was fighting’s hands, with arcing lines of force, she blasted the man back with her darker powers. She glanced down and snapped her fingers before the new girl's face.
Dark brown eyes blinked open, confusion fogging them. Then Leesha was forced to defend as the tall awkward Bond Mage she had been, fighting shot another lance of sickly yellow-green energy at her. Then, again and again, she deflected the blows, her crackling red shield shrinking with each attack.
“I… I saw you in a dream…” the girl said in a soft voice.
Useless! Leesha thought, So much for that.
"You save me… my father… oh, father, what have you done…" the girl's voice was soft and sad.
"We haven't saved anything," Leesha screamed down at the girl, causing her to flinch back from the angry violet eyes that smoked and glowed with their own inner light, "If you can fight, we could use the help." The rage winked out, and she grinned hard at the girl, turning into a snarl as she clawed the air, striking out at the Bond Mage who reeled back deflecting the tearing red force claws with a small shield of sickly green light.
The small cute face, with its folded eyelids, button nose, and adorable dimples hardened into an almost comical look of grim determination. Leesha would have laughed if the girl didn't immediately hop to her feet and dash forward on wobbly but fast legs. One small hand snatched up a shield and the other a spear, and she charged the Bonded who had not yet retrieved his blade. The girl screamed in fear and anger, as she launched herself forward shield out and body lined up behind it perfectly, smashing into the man, her spear spinning away from her grasp.
Stupid! Leesha thought, then shaking her head, the girl sure is brave. Her form had been excellent, as well.
The Bond Mage struck at her again, and Leesha focused on the tall ugly man. Her missiles of magic, swirling red fire twisted with dark necromancy, ripped holes in his shield, blasted his body to bits. She cackled in triumph, turning her head to check on the girl and saw her straddling the handsome, strong Bonded. Stabbing a dagger down into his throat over and over again in a frenzy of rage.
Druska was hard-pressed by the lightning-quick warrior she fought. Her face streaming sweat and twisted in worry, a wild slash exposed her sword, and he struck it. She rolled, coming up with an empty hand, and he smiled cruelly as he reached up to hack her down. He froze there in shock as the blood drained down his chest. Her black Vorpal sword shimmering into visibility once more, held in her outstretched hands.
She had not lost the weapon; she had willed it invisible and thrust the blade into his heart. With a flick of her wrist, her sword withdrew and passed through his neck. The beautiful and cruel face was frozen in shock as the head spun free of his collapsing body. She turned just in time to see Braden strike the Bond Mage down, and she collapsed to her knees, her face a cruel mask of rage. Druska reached down and took the man's long curved blade in her other hand, liking the weight of the thrumming weapon.
“I promise you will regret-,” his blade exploded out the back of her neck, cutting off her words.
Never let the villain have the last words, he thought grimly.
He staggered around, barely keeping his feet as he surveyed the battlefield. Braden heard the distant sound of a bell ringing, and a small familiar window appeared in the air before him with glowing golden words:
CONGRATULATIONS!
HAREM MAGE – Level 6
Powers:
IRON WILL
XXXXX
XXXXX
XXXXX
Chapter Twelve
With all that had just happened, he could barely register the prompt, but he filed away the fact of the new power "Iron Will" whatever that was. In the wake of the prompt, he felt his exhaustion fade, and he stood straighter and went over to check on Emma and the rest.
Druska arrived, streaming blood from a half dozen deep slices and bearing an incredible new blade. Leesha limped over with the small dark-haired girl, giving the girl an approving look. Braden nodded to the girl, a stirring of something in his breast when he saw her adorable face break into a shy grin. He would have called her ancestry Asian if not for the fact that he had left earth far behind. His concern drove him to kneel and place a gentle hand on Emma's brow. He quested into her with the little strength remaining him and found her in a deep trancelike rest.
"Is the angel ok?" Asked a shaky voice as the poppin-jay peeked from around one of the corner pillars.
"You!" The young woman screamed.
The man gave a scream of fright when she hefted her shield, and then he turned and dashed up into the building. Druska smiled and slipped off into the shadows, walking back into the massive underground hall a few seconds later with the man unconscious and slung over her shoulder. Meanwhile, Leesha had ransacked the corpses, stripping them of several baubles and pouches of coins from the Bond Mages and Bonded.
It took hours to sort everything out. The girl introduced herself as Miko, daughter of the late Duke. Two dead Bond Mages, along with their bonded and a shackled Duke, were not something the guards had been prepared to deal with. Druska feared more enemies hidden in the castle or within the ranks of guards. However, there was no higher authority present, the captain and his lieutenants having died in the first attack by Druska. The castle garrison now stood less than half its strength, and those men stood uneasy now in the bailey beneath Druska's ever-watchful eye.
Braden had called for healers and asked the servants to set up a cot there outside the castle for Emma. There were whispers from servants and a few of the guardsmen. As the whispers spread, the guards who had been uneasy, now watched the group of exhausted, bloody adventurers with new respect and awe.
“Guardsman,” Braden called to one who looked a bit sharper than the others, “do you know a Sergeant Essos?”
“Aye, sir… Mage sir, he is in charge of the Wall Gate, sir,” the man’s teeth clicked shut as he halted his tongue before it could ramble.
"Bring him here," Braden ordered, and the man saluted fist to heart and then dashed off.
Healers came and patched up what wounds they could, and the windows and arrow slits above filled with wide-eyed whispering faces. Leesha pulled out Emma's pack and dung through it, pulling free ingredients and the small special pouch of leaves. She knelt and pressed her forehead to the ground, whispering a prayer to the elven gods and then began her preparations.
"The girl is a warrior," Druska said, standing beside Braden and looking down at the peacefully unconscious face of Emma, "she fought as hard and as bravely in her way as any."
Braden nodded and pulled the green-skinned woman close, her head resting on his shoulder for a moment, wishing she could give him her remaining strength as Emma had. She felt his legs tremble, and he locked them in place, standing straighter before walking over to the shackled Duke.
"You have some explaining to do," he said, and the duke's daughter, whose name was Miko, came to stand at his side, her arms folded across her slender chest.
“I had no choice! The witch would have killed me!” He said in a wheedling voice.
“She almost killed me!” Miko yelled at him.
"Sweetling, you were never in any real danger, she promised me!" He said, his hands held up, imploring her.
"You trusted her?" Braden said, cocking his head, and the small man snapped his mouth shut with a grimace seeing the trap he was in. "and what were your plans with Emma?"
“I didn’t know she was yours Harem Mage, I swear it! My agents reported the girl, and she would be perfect for the pens… I mean for a servant!”
"The pens?" Druska asked her fingers, tapping her blaster hilt dangerously.
"It's nothing!" The man said, and his daughter got a sick look on her face.
<
br /> “Step-Father,” she said softly, “what have you been doing?”
“I am the Duke!” He snarled, “I do as I please! Guards, free me and slay these imposters, I command you!”
"Sir," said one of the guardsmen with a sickly expression, "he keeps girls down in the caverns below the keep… there are special guards, but we hear rumors… he and that Indolo," the man spit to the side, "been kidnapping girls for years, or so we suspect, could never prove nothin'."
Ten minutes later, the Sergeant arrived, huffing and puffing from running across the city with a squad of guardsmen. Braden informed him of all that had happened to them since they left the city, his words loud for all the dozens listening to the tale. There were gasps of alarm and surprise at parts of the story, and he found the crowd warming to them as he spoke. The crowd gasped in disbelief when Braden mentioned the betrayal of the Bond Mage and how several had escaped, their identities secret. When he finished describing the end of Helga and her Bonded Indolo, there was a great uproar and cheering from the crowd, and a couple of old servants even danced a little jig.
The sergeant took charge, ordering his men to lock the Duke up in a tower to await trial in the imperial court, and free those still held in his ‘pens’. A dozen minor nobles declared that they should rule in the Duke's stead. Braden could see little to be admired in the fawning bootlicks, so he sent out a guardsman on a fast horse, with orders to return with his charge as soon as possible. Miko remained silent and watchful through the proceedings.
Turning to survey the gathered group, he saw that all eyes were on him, grimacing he drew himself to his full height and settled a hand on the hilt of his sword and addressed the people.
"You are afraid and unsure of your futures," his voice was deep and quiet, but it rang out in the quiet, reaching every ear, "as are we all. You have been blind to the evil in your midst, either willfully or through ignorance, and that is no excuse!" His anger washed over them, leaving shame in its wake, "You can atone by your deeds this day and every day forward!" His eyes fell on the small young woman who they had rescued, and he saw tears forming in the corners of her eyes.
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