Legends of Marithia: Book 2 - Darkness Rising

by Peter Koevari

  Makya turned to Andrielle and asked the question burning inside him. “Every castle has a secret escape route for the royals. Where is Greenhaven’s?”

  The queen hesitated for a moment before pointing to the castle wall across the gorge. “It is here… and before you ask, only I and Helenia know how to open that door, and I cannot take the risk of anyone else doing so.”

  Makya nodded knowingly and turned to Karven, he relayed his plan. “The way I see it, those vampires are far too busy scanning the skies for dragons that they would never expect you to walk over to the castle, would they? We take our best warriors and they walk under the protection of your invisible wings. Once we open the secret entrance and make our way inside, we take vampires out in the closest vicinity and wear their armour. If they are covered from head to toe as you say, they will not know the difference. In my weapons crate, there is a large box of enchanted globes. We should have enough to destroy all the crossbows but we have to get close before we activate the globes.”

  Makya breathed in a long breath of smoke and breathed out a cloud in the shape of a crossbow. Within a few seconds, the puff of cloud burst open.

  “They will not know what hit them. We will need to lower the bridge, and more importantly signal that it is safe for the dragons to fly over Greenhaven and assist us in battle.”

  Andrielle beamed. “This is a great plan Makya, but how do we signal the dragons?”

  “We take one of our dragon flags with us, and once the crossbows are destroyed, we wave the flag on the battlements.”

  “This is a risky plan, but I believe it to be the best that we have,” said Andrielle. “We need to speak with Vartan. I will check on the progress of the bridge. We have a castle to reclaim!”

  Vartan’s skin felt as if it was about to melt as he stood in front of the blazing fire. Anakari worked hard to cast spells of deflection at any bolts that flew through the flames.

  Vartan yelled over the roar of the flames. “There is only one way we can stop this and I will need to trust you to keep me alive while I do this. Can you handle it?”

  With glowing green hands, she grunted as she slapped another bolt out of the air with her hands. The bolt glowed green as it fell to the water below. “I will protect you, but hurry!”

  Vartan focused his mind and activated the powers within, opening his glowing blue eyes and looking through the flames before him. Pressing forward, he moved his mind to the flowing water below. The current ran strong in the water and he felt himself become one with the element, feeling every movement within the river. He could feel the position of every fish, rock, and plant within the water.

  Come on, you can do this! said Keturah.

  Placing his arms out wide, he screamed with the intensity of the power releasing within. The scream became a growl as he began to raise his arms, and the sound of rushing water filled the air. As if something beneath the river had exploded, the water beneath the gorge burst upward in a vertical tidal wave. Facing a giant wall of water, all of Andrielle’s army stared in wonder at Vartan’s power. They watched as fish fell out of the sky and onto the bare river bed.

  Vartan’s body began to shake as he reached his peak and he clenched his fists as if he was holding on to the water. Dropping to one knee, he pulled back with all of his might and everyone took cover as the water plummeted into the forest fire, soaking the trees and extinguishing the fires.

  The roar of cheers replaced the fire and sent a demoralising message into Greenhaven. Momentarily, the volley of bolts ceased.

  Vartan shook his head and let his powers subside as he grabbed a shocked Anakari and ran back with her into the safety of the forest.

  “Thank you. I need to return to the queen’s tent and I need you to stay safe,” said Vartan as he glanced back to the river which was now beginning to refill and flow again.

  Anakari nodded as she watched him run through the army’s ranks and into the deeper sections of the forest. Collecting praise, clapping and cheers of admiration as he went.

  Woman of the gods, we did not expect to see you sent here, said a voice in Anakari’s mind.

  Turning around, she came face to face with a glowing unicorn.

  “It can’t be…” she said, admiring the beauty.

  Only you have been granted the ability to cast a spell which will turn the tide of prophecy against Shindar. When we meet again, we will have much time to discuss the many questions you have in your mind. For now, I only want you to take this gift. Open your mind, great woman of the stars…

  Anakari felt herself drop to the ground when their minds connected. Then she felt herself standing again, but she stood over and outside her prostrate body. Opposite her was what appeared to be a tall naked elf with snow white skin. He spoke a strange language that at first, she could not understand, but the words began to make sense in her mind.

  This spell will reduce the power of the blood red moon, but while you cast the spell, you will be far too weak to even walk and you must be protected. Once the spell is unleashed, you will be in control of how long it lasts. It will only end when either you choose to wake, or your death.

  He walked toward her and placed a cool open hand on her forehead. She felt a small tingle on her face as the transfer of knowledge sent streams of images and words into her mind. When complete, her eyes flew wide open; she took a few steps back to steady herself.

  “I understand what I must do,” she said.

  We will meet again, in Daessar…

  She opened her mouth to speak, but before she had a chance to form any words, she snapped back into her body. Standing quickly, she searched frantically for the unicorn… but it was nowhere to be found.

  Anakari marched toward the queen’s tent and through the many ranks of their army, with the spell’s power scratching against her skin and begging to be released. Her symbols flashed wildly as the power surged.

  Vartan and the other leaders stood in front of the tent and as she approached, they all stared at her. Vartan approached her carefully. “Anakari, what happened to you? Are you alright?”

  She looked down and saw that her clothes had melted off her body and steam rose from her skin. Her symbols burned bright and she looked up at the queen with watery eyes. “When I cast this spell, you will need to protect me.”

  She could no longer hold the power of the spell within and she closed her eyes as her body lifted from the ground. Her symbols flashed wildly until she screamed the words of the spell.

  “Vindico nos ex malum niveus luna exuro cruor cado ex divum subsisto sub universitas ex amoveo!”

  The forest was filled with light and everyone was forced to look away or shield their eyes. A large ball of light burst from her body and rocketed toward the moon and they nervously watched as it impacted its surface. The moon’s glow gradually changed from red to white and for the first time since the battle of the Elven Woods, they felt as if Marithia was their home again.

  Anakari fell to the ground and was not conscious, but appeared to be breathing normally. Yuski ran to Anakari and covered her with her jacket. Vartan approached them both. “Yuski, please take her inside the tent where it is safe and she can be guarded. Do not worry; she is going to be fine.”

  Yuski carried her lover in her arms toward the queen’s tent and Helenia tapped her husband on the shoulder and pointed toward the sky. “Look!”

  They watched the blood clouds dissipated in front of their eyes and the sky turned crystal clear.

  Chapter 26 : Battle Of Greenhaven

  “I see all that is happening around us, as if I am with the gods, looking down.

  May we succeed on this day and bring us one step closer to a life of peace.”

  (Anakari - Sorceress)

  Kassina flew into a fit of rage and destroyed anything she could lay her hands on. She cut her way through a line of prisoners to feed her bloodlust and only ceased when Shindar approached and yelled, “Stop!”

  Her chest heaved as she turned to face the l
ord of darkness. “Vartan lives! I saw him for myself through Aryun’s eyes. Not only does he live, but he has grown in power.”

  Shindar barely moved a muscle on his face in reaction to the news. “That is unexpected. But this is not what concerns me the most. I believe that the gods have intervened in this war, sending aid of their own to the Marithians. Walk with me to our tower.”

  Kassina wiped her brow and sheathed her swords, accompanying the great lord over the dry battlegrounds.

  “How do we know this?” she asked, clenching her fists to control her anger.

  “Calm yourself, my dear. Time is on our side and our plans are not in vain. Before I send you back into Marithia, you need to be aware that although the blood red moon has risen, we now are not only locked in a war with Marithians, but with the gods.”

  Warriors opened the heavy doors to the tower and they headed toward the portal room.

  “My Kassina, only stay in Greenhaven until you succeed in finding Talonsphere, and it is important that we find it first. We must destroy it. If you can’t destroy it and all else fails, you are to activate it.”

  Standing in front of the portal, she faced Shindar with a blank look on her face. “You want me to activate Talonsphere?”

  “I want to win this war and our first priority will be to destroy the weapon and for you to stand by my side in our rule, but if you are given no choice… I need to know that you are willing to sacrifice yourself to the weapon and become Talonsphere.”

  Kassina nodded knowingly and embraced her lord tightly. “I will do anything for you, my lord. But how can I sacrifice myself to the weapon. Only the boy born of dragon’s blood can do that.”

  “Ah, but the legends have evolved over the years. The ancients did indeed create their weapon against me and the key to activate it was one born of dragon’s blood, but they never specified a boy. I have waited all these years to give you answers to your many questions about your history, and it is now time. Your father was the descendant of the vampire king Delano, but your immense powers of magic stem from dragon’s blood, not vampire. Although it is not as pure as Vartan’s, it would be enough for you to activate their weapon.”

  Kassina stared at him in disbelief, “My ancestors were dragons?”

  “According to our seers, it is the case. The dragons have lived human lives more than once over the course of history. There was a dragon who made that choice at a time that fits. You can imagine my surprise when my seers told me that the girl of our prophecy was not only vampire but dragon as well.”

  She stepped backwards and shook her head violently. “No! I cannot be like, them!”

  Shindar took her into his arms and held her. “Shh. Worry not, this changes nothing. You stand beside me as you always have. The dragons likely joined in this war as they feel responsible for your creation. They have a duty to eliminate what they see as their… mistake.”

  Kassina’s face hardened as tears streamed down her face. “Mistake… Mistake! I will give them a reason to call me such a name.”

  “Yes… feed off your anger. Let it drive you to the heart of their weapon so that you can destroy it!”

  Kassina turned toward the portal and snarled, “I am ready, open a portal for me in Greenhaven… now!”

  Shindar cast his spell. “Propinquus fragor patefacio prolixus transporto greenhaven ut nostrum pars!”

  The wall shifted for a moment but then returned to its former state. Shindar approached it quickly and laid his hand on the wall, staring intently into the marble. “No… it can’t be, the moon is at its highest.”

  He turned to Kassina. “Something has happened to the blood red moon and is interfering with my powers. I will need time for our seers to discover the source of the disruption.”

  “Open a portal to our tower. It is always connected to the underworld and I will proceed to Greenhaven on horseback.”

  “Kassina, have you gone mad? You will encounter the entire Marithian army! No, I will not lose you.”

  Kassina smiled, “Mad? They are yet to see me mad. Please Shindar, open the portal. I need to get to Greenhaven before it is too late. I will send fear into their souls!”

  Shindar kissed her on the forehead, “That’s my girl… fear lives not in your heart. I will send a legion with you for your protection. If it is too late, I expect your immediate return. Do not engage the army by yourself, especially without aid of the blood clouds and Blood Red Moon. If you are able, open a portal for me to step inside the walls of Greenhaven. With you close enough to the castle, you should be able to cast the spell of activation. The time has come.”

  Kassina watched as he marched outside the tower and heard his booming voice, followed by the hustle of a legion of skeleton warriors. Once they had reached the portal room, he turned to the legion and cast another spell. “Intorqueo formo of ferrum quod veho insquequo vestri reverto.”

  Half of the skeleton warriors hunched over in agony as their forms were twisted and stretched to become bone horses. Kassina mounted the nearest bone horse and the remaining warriors followed suit.

  He turned back to the portal. “Propinquus fragor patefacio prolixus transporto mugio terra ut nostrum pars!”

  The portal sunk into the wall and as it opened, a foggy wall came into view, Kassina wasted no time in leaping right through it. The rattling sound of bones followed her through.

  Tusdar remained close to Mestal’s side and carried various weapons out from the armoury. They emerged from within the castle and halted in their tracks, their eyes widening as they stared at the red surface of the moon, its white glow and the clear skies. “What in the name…” exclaimed Mestal.

  Lord Aryun approached them quickly. “It is as we have feared; the blood red moon’s glow has somehow been… enchanted. Whatever it was came from the forest; one of their sorcerers. Also, a man who was dressed as a knight has immense power and raised the river below us to put out the flames. We have conserved our oil for a siege as it would be useless to continue firing.”

  Tusdar stepped out into the open and shouted. “Speaking of firing, why have they stopped?”

  Aryun’s face dropped at the realisation and his body blurred as he moved to the battlements facing the gorge, watching for any signs of movement. “Keep your eyes on the skies and ready the oil on every section of the wall!”

  “Look!” pointed Mestal. They turned to see a firebird flying swiftly across the sky.

  “Shoot it down!” cried Aryun.

  The crossbows took aim at Shanka and the heavy thuds of their release sent a volley of bolts hurtling toward her direction. The agile phoenix dodged them with relative ease as they continued firing.

  Lord Aryun snapped to a group of vampires who were busy readying bolts. “Our plans have changed. With the moon disrupted, we will need to construct the portal for Kassina’s arrival. Open the crate of underworld artefacts and begin our preparations. Split your men up and get it done, fast!”

  A vampire wearing whitened stripes on his shoulder plates nodded and barked orders at the legion under his command. They dragged a heavy crate into view and using the hilts of their swords, snapped the locks open. The large pieces of the portal spilled onto the ground before them.

  “Now!” ordered Makya, deep within Karven’s wings. The long line of dragons remained cloaked as they walked past the scorched trees and into the open.

  “Are you sure about this? What if they shoot the bird down?” asked Vartan, concealed within.

  Ask him that once we are inside Greenhaven’s walls, do you have a better plan? Asked Keturah.

  “Stay focused, we only get one chance to get this right,” said Andrielle.

  Karven moved aside to let the four dragons hiding the ladder under their right wings approach the shortest section of the gorge and the swordsmen carrying it laid the ladder down slowly. They did not need to wait long for the next layer of their plan to unfold.

  The catapults had been shifted to the rear of the forest facing the front gate
s of Greenhaven. A line of archers approached the front of the forest and fired volleys of arrows into the battlements. The clear night’s sky filled once again with fiery rocks flying toward the great city. Screams and shouts were heard from Greenhaven and they watched as their army shifted their attention to the front of the castle.

  They quickly extended the bridge over the gorge and Karven led them forward. They covered the makeshift bridge before anyone would have a chance to see it and ensured that the cloaked dragons were on top of it at all times. As if they had built an invisible tunnel of dragons, they ran to the section of castle wall that contained the secret entrance.

  Helenia wasted no time in putting her hands on the wall and when she turned around, they watched as the stones shifted open and the heavily damaged tunnel opened before them.

  “By the gods, what happened here?” asked Vartan.

  “I do not know, but we don’t have time to worry about it, let’s go!” ordered Andrielle.

  Helenia approached the wall and turned a lamp clockwise. The sound of a metallic click emanated from the wall and was followed by bubbling. The fluids within the wall blended together and the pitch-black tunnel lit up with the colour of moonlight.

  “The wall looks to have been spared, but there is plenty of damage to the stairway, be careful!” said Andrielle.

  Once all of them were inside the walls, Helenia resealed the entry and they heard the stones shift back into position.

  The dragons began to retreat backward over the bridge but as they did so, one of them slipped on the bridge, falling hard onto the wood and sending a section of it down the gorge.

  Karven’s desperate voice entered their minds. “Dragons, get out of here, now!”

  Shout rose from the battlements as the crossbows on the east side took aim at the ground surrounding the gorge and began firing. The dragons fled in all directions, flying down in the gorge and back into the forest. The bridge had been crushed into splinters under the frantic movements of the dragons and safely splashed into the river undetected.