by Doug Backus
“Where is he?” she asked, struggling to keep her composure.
Phanthus looked behind him bowing his head. “Over there, Kaelyn.”
She looked in the direction Phanthus indicated. She couldn’t see him, only Orulla who must have been standing over him, with her head bowed down. She had placed his sword in the ground above his head. This was a sign of respect in Leal to a fallen soldier. The sword would remain embedded in the ground for eternity marking the spot where a warrior of Leal died protecting others from the ravages of evil.
Kaelyn ambled over to him unable to hold her tears back. She had already lost Palvoy, the person she loved and now she had lost a true friend, a friend that Palvoy had died trying to protect and one that she truly admired.
Kaelyn put her hand upon Orulla who was still weeping before getting down on one knee beside Oisin.
Her voice was broken while she spoke her last few words to her friend. “I will miss you, Oisin. You were a true Lealian and you were true to others...to me...goodbye.”
Her crying would not allow her to say anything else, so she did what any Lealian soldier would do for another. She placed her hand upon his face, closed her eyes and prayed that his soul would find the afterlife and find it well.
She had done this many times before, but this time she would not finish the prayer for she could feel something upon the palm of her hand. Ever so slightly she felt warm air tickling it. She pulled it back in shock.
“Orulla, Oisin breathes!” she yelled.
“Kaelyn, it is impossible with the wounds he has suffered. His chest alone was penetrated by three swords,” Orulla responded.
“I know, Orulla. I know, but he is breathing! Look, look at the wounds on his chest. They are slowly closing, healing. I would not believe it if I was not here to witness it myself. Phanthus! Phanthus! Come here! Quickly!”
“What is it, Kaelyn?” asked Phanthus.
“He lives, Phanthus!” she excitedly yelled.
Phanthus couldn’t believe it, but it was happening right before him. The wounds Oisin suffered were slowly healing. Before long his eyes opened and he spoke.
“Phanthus, Kaelyn. What happened?” asked Oisin.
Phanthus was momentarily at a loss for words. The legends told by the Ancients were true. He would explain it to them in time, but for now he simply wanted to say his thanks for his life.
“To Oisin, may he live long in the comforts that Rhol will soon be able to offer him!” yelled Phanthus.
A great cheer could be heard across Solace but the jubilation would not last long. Through the stormy weather a Pegapire appeared in the distance carrying a Lealian warrior.
“Look!” cried Kaelyn. “It is Palto and Jayden!” More cheers rang out from the crowd that ran to embrace them as they landed but there would be no time for pleasantries. Palto immediately called for all the leaders. In minutes they gathered around him and Jayden.
“We have managed to hold the Phits down to the swamps. Our small army still engages them as we speak. We left the battle out of urgency to warn you of what approaches, of what we believe Solharn controls, and what will quite possibly destroy Rhol if he is not stopped. We can only hope that the boy was able to free Elissa’s bonds, but it is looking dismal.”
“Has she been found, Palto?” asked Phanthus.
“Yes, but Solharn’s hold on her was more powerful than anyone thought. The boy of earth and his friends are doing what they can. Unfortunately, we cannot wait. If she is not freed then we will have to fight Solharn ourselves. The boy seems to possess powers which are beyond us. We can only hope they are enough to help us defeat Solharn. In the event they are not, we must preserve as much life as we can. Solharn has created great storms which are making their way across Rhol. They destroy everything in their path. Tornados, lightning storms and torrential rains threaten to destroy us all. The storm you have been fighting in is but a mere glimpse of what is coming. Its full force will reach Solace in a short time. It has already devastated much of Rhol.”
“What are we to do Palto?” Kaelyn asked.
“We have to get as many people as we can into the tunnels that lead to the Sacred Realm. It will be their only chance of survival. Issa, the Pegapires must work quickly. We must fly them to the entrance before it is too late.”
“Over there!” shouted a Lealian warrior.
Behind them a string of tornados, huge cycling torrents of wind, moved in over the mountains gathering size and speed as they devoured everything in their path.
“Quickly, gather everyone you can. Time is running out!” Palto yelled.
The Pegapires worked at a ferocious pace to get as many as possible to safety. If not for Phanthus they would not have been able to save everybody. He was able to carry great numbers on his back each time, giving them the advantage over the storm they needed.
Despite this, Palto’s spirits were low. He looked out over the cliffs onto Solace. So many had fought so valiantly and died for their cause. It pained him to think it might have all been in vain. It was hard not to give up in defeat as he watched the beauty of Solace being torn to shreds at the hands of Solharn. It looked glum even for the people they managed to get to safety. What life would they lead in a world in which they were at Solharn’s disposal?
“Where is your young rider, Palto?” asked Phanthus.
“He is with Kaelyn and the others. They are eagerly waiting for me to instruct them of our next move. I needed some time alone.”
“I am sorry to interrupt,” responded Phanthus as he turned to walk away.
“It is alright Phanthus. It is good to have someone beside me that has been around for even longer than I.”
“You look as though your thoughts are troubling you, Palto.”
Palto did not respond, he merely continued staring ahead, watching as the storm grew larger gaining strength as it neared them.
“You and I have been around for centuries Palto. We have seen many things in our time. Things that one should never see, the extinction of a race, the struggle between good and evil, the struggle over power, over land that in the end was ours to nurture and protect. We have survived wars and hatred. We have fought against each other, killed for mere pieces of this world in a trivial struggle to cement our places in time. Yet, we always had one thing in common. We all lived here on Rhol. It is our world. We have come a long way Palto, for today we all fight together. We fight as one to protect what we have always cherished. I have seen things today that I never thought possible, new friendships forged. Perhaps today is our last day, but we will end our lives together, as one. It was not for nothing, Palto. It was for everything we should have been and are now.”
“Your words, they are both heartfelt and true Phanthus and you are right. Solharn tried to tear us apart, and instead he has brought us together, and we will remain together as one, for Rhol. Let us end this.”
Palto walked over to Jayden who was involved in a deep conversation with Kaelyn and Issa. Orulla and Oisin were also present along with Solko and Duffy. Phanthus slowly walked up behind them.
“Solko, Duffy, I am glad to see you safe. Solko, how is your sister?”
“She is doing well, Palto. She is attending to the wounded. She informed me that the Wall of Solace is no more. Its healing energies are gone.”
“That does not bode well for us,” responded Palto.
There was an awkward silence before he continued.
“It has been an honor and a privilege to fight alongside all of you. We have learned to work together and cast away our differences for the purpose of saving Rhol. As Phanthus so eloquently said to me earlier, we have become one. It is a bond that will last a lifetime. It is time to end this battle, to finish it before it finishes us. I have not received any word of Elissa, so I can only assume the worst. In any event, we can wait no longer. Orulla, I need you to stay here. I need you to take care of these people. To teach them what you know about the past and lead them on to a greater future, whatever t
hat future may hold.”
“But Palto,” Orulla protested.
“I have my reasons Orulla and I have given you your task,” Palto sternly said, staring at her. She did not argue with her leader; instead she turned and walked away in frustration.
“Issa, Solko I will need you to accompany me, to join the small army that awaits us in the swamps.”
“I cannot speak for you three,” Palto said looking at Kaelyn, Oisin and Duffy. “Or for that matter you, my friend,” Palto said glancing toward Jayden. “Of course I would welcome your company, but this decision is yours.”
“Have you lost your senses, Palto? Of course we are joining you. You are becoming far too emotional in your old age,” Jayden said sarcastically.
Palto smiled. “It was a courtesy. I already knew the answer.”
“Are you sure you will not change your mind about Orulla?” Oisin asked. “She has been my partner since saving me from the fields outside Kilto.”
“Unfortunately, I cannot Oisin. But you deserve to know why. Orulla is too proud to tell you that she is nursing at least four broken ribs. She would not have the strength to make it. She tries to hide it even from me, but I have seen those types of injuries far too many times over the years to be deceived. Without the Wall of Solace to help her, she will be unable to fight.”
“I did not realize. I should have done a better job protecting her.”
“Do not blame yourself, Oisin. You were not with her. We were heading to help you in your fight to protect Phanthus. Duffy was well ahead of us and I moved up the rear. At some point I lost my footing and Orulla came to my aid. She placed herself in harm’s way to save me from several Kaltaures. I have noticed her struggling ever since,” Solko informed him.
“Then I shall remain here, with her and tend to her wounds,” Oisin said.
“I was hoping you would ride with me, young warrior,” Phanthus’s voice boomed down from above.
“I am truly honored Phanthus but I cannot leave Orulla, I owe her my life,” Oisin responded.
Orulla overheard the conversation as she walked back toward Palto to apologize. “If it were you in my place, I would go Oisin. I appreciate your sentiments, but you will be of no use here. Go, ride with Phanthus. It is an honor which has never been bestowed on another living creature.”
“Then it is settled.” Palto said.
It took them much longer than expected to get back to the swamps. They couldn’t take the direct route for the tornados that wreaked havoc in front of them blocked their way. They flew to the north of the mountains in a circle leading back to the swamps. It was a slow journey as they fought to avoid the worst of the storms.
They arrived to find that the swamps were now nothing but a wasteland of debris. The tornados had swallowed up most of everything, and everything they left behind lay twisted and torn, strewn over the ground around them. The rain had subsided slightly and the tornados had moved on, taking their destructive paths to other parts of Rhol.
Bodies were strewn everywhere, Phits, Pegapires and Lealians alike. They had arrived too late. The storms and the battle had taken their toll. Palto swooped in low to the ground hoping to find some sign of survivors but neither he nor Jayden could find any.
“The cavern, are you able to remove the debris, Phanthus? Perhaps some have found refuge inside.” Phanthus flew to the ground and with one swipe of his tail the opening was cleared. Jayden jumped off Palto and ran down the stairs followed closely by Duffy. They reappeared in moments.
“There is nothing, nothing!” Jayden yelled. “I should have stayed with them while you went to get help.”
“We do not know what’s happened, perhaps the boy and his friends escaped with Elissa,” Duffy said.
“We would know if I had stayed, wouldn’t we? Now we have no idea where they are or even if they still live!” Jayden yelled furiously.
“Jayden, please, your anger will not solve anything. We will simply have to keep looking,” implored Kaelyn, trying to calm him down.
“We can fly in different directions, perhaps we will see them,” Oisin suggested.
“We will see nothing. We can barely fly in this storm let alone see the ground from the skies. Look how long it took us to get here,” Jayden shot back.
“And what would you suggest then, Jayden?” Issa yelled back angrily.
“Everyone, calm down!” Palto shouted. “It is not easy for any of us to witness our fallen warriors strewn across the ground and it certainly does not help to disrespect their efforts by arguing over their dead bodies.”
Palto’s words had struck a chord. Silence filled the air, the silence of mourning, the silence of not knowing. They felt as if they had been sucked into a void where nothing had changed. The wind still blew and the rain still fell, thunder continued to echo across the skies, but they remained frozen in time waiting in the darkness for someone to break the silence. It was not words however that would renew their spirits. It was light, a light that pulsed with energy and one which charged their bodies and breathed life back into them. A light that burned blue. It was a Chiling which floated down upon them, giving them renewed hope.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Deke and Mary were holding hands. They walked along a path of darkness which brought them faint memories of years past. They had walked through the darkness before, down winding paths that led them to an escape from the life they were leading. A path they had made which they hoped would change their destiny, one that they could build their dreams upon, their hopes to live a normal life.
The path they walked down now was not much different, but it was a much bigger path that they walked today. It had a greater purpose, one which would not only change their destiny but the destiny of others, one where the dreams of many depended on how far they walked. It was a path that would lead to the hopes of others living a normal life. Yes, it was a much broader path, but it was still their path, their destiny and it would determine the fate of a world.
The smell of death drifted through the air becoming stronger the farther they walked. The ground crumbled in front of them trying desperately to hold them back. Trees and rocks caught in great torrents of wind flew all around them, spinning and turning with no particular place to go. Yet still they walked, climbing the mountain that once was home to a little girl who loved to play along the shores of what once was a serene lake, Shimmer Lake. A lake, that was now home to a dark angel who was worse than death itself.
Solharn waited patiently for them. He could feel Deke as he came closer. He could sense the power of the amulet. He snickered to himself knowing that if the boy still possessed the amulet then he had been unable to free Elissa. Without Elissa’s interference, Solharn would be able to convince the boy to join him, to follow his path. He relished the idea. He needed the boy, or at the very least the amulet which the boy had, now more than ever.
They rounded the top of the mountain in silence, their hands tightly embraced. They were about to meet their destiny. It all felt oddly familiar to Deke. It was like déjà vu. He had seen this festering pool before and he had watched Solharn manipulate it into the curse that was destroying Rhol. Strangely, his nerves remained intact. He could feel himself becoming stronger, a strange energy coursed through his veins making him feel as if nothing could stop him.
Mary obviously did not feel the same. She kept up with him but the closer they came to Solharn and the turmoil that surrounded him, the tighter her grip became on Deke’s hand.
“It will be okay, Mary,” Deke said trying to comfort her.
“I am fine,” Mary lied. “He just looks so much more…lifeless, soulless, than the last time we met and the stench of death around him makes my stomach turn.”
She was right. His face had changed from a pale white to almost completely black. It bubbled as if something was fighting from the inside to break through his skin. His wings seemed to have no purpose any longer. Instead, black whisks of air swirled around him keeping him aloft. His fingers seemed
to have stretched to an unnatural proportion, but it was only an illusion brought on by the strands of dark fluid streaming from the Blackpool into his body. His fingers were merely the portal. Slowly the strands of liquid began to shorten as he lowered himself to the ground.
“Concentrate, Deke. Remember her words,” Mary whispered.
He had not forgotten them. Elissa had been very clear. Use everything you have at your disposal to occupy him so his energy continues to diminish. The spell that he has cast over Rhol has already weakened him, but he is still much stronger than us, she had said. Deke only wished he had more at his disposal. They had been surprised to find that Palto and Jayden were not waiting for them when they emerged from the cavern, and could only assume they had died along with their fellow warriors. They had searched for survivors among the bodies strewn over the ground, but found none. Fortunately, they had not seen the bodies of Palto or Jayden among the dead, giving them at least a glimmer of hope.
“You are looking much better these days, Mary,” Solharn laughed.
The sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine and she could not help but gag from the stench of his breath.
“Never mind her, Solharn. We both know this is not about Mary!” Deke yelled.
“It is about whatever I want it to be, boy. Look around, I command Rhol now!” Solharn screamed through the darkness.
Deke noticed his voice had changed slightly. It was still a low whine of sorts, but it reverberated through the air. The more excited Solharn became, the larger the storms surrounding him grew. Lightning struck out all around him, waves of poison rose from the Blackpool and slithered their way up the shoreline, wrapping themselves around his feet.
Deke could hear Elissa’s voice from deep within him. “Keep engaging him, Deke.”
“Last time I looked, it was Queen Elissa who ruled this world!” taunted Deke.
“Elissa!” Solharn yelled, enraged at the suggestion. “Elissa will never see the light of day again. You were her last hope, Deke Brolin and you failed her. You all failed her! You could not have been prepared for the curse I imprisoned her within, even if you had the tenacity to find her. You are weak boy. You stand here before me with the Amulet of Rhol wrapped around your scrawny neck and think you, a mere mortal, can take Elissa’s place. Think again, boy, and think hard. Your future depends on it. The only reason I continue to allow you to grace my presence is because it humors me.”