“No idea,” Sonja said, laughing again. “Maybe it’s an idea to pray to your fire god before we find out!”
“Good idea,” Volk said, then began to whisper under his breath. The two slayers continued towards the north wall in their sorbguamis gear; Volk comfortable and black, Sonja red and struggling.
“We have to do this,” Sonja said. “We can’t let that bastard get away!”
Once Volk had finished praying, he looked up at Sonja and said, “You’re right. May Aesterus watch over us.”
Chapter 23: White Hot
Crispin had anchored himself atop another roof, his fiery barrier blazing around him. Ash of cremated vampires fell like snow as he mercilessly burnt through their ranks. His rage showed no sign of slowing, it also didn’t give him the focus to notice Sonja and Volk racing ahead of him. Crispin was heading north, Sonja knew that, and the front gate—where the slayers were banding together—would be the perfect place for their final showdown.
Two vampires flying in shadow form—pursued by swirling balls of flame—swooped down around Sonja and Volk. Each set of armour absorbed the projectile that splashed into them. Sonja’s turned bright orange, but Volk’s didn’t absorb the impact quite as well. His armour turned red, but the fire spread across the armour. He wasn’t able to absorb the heat as efficiently as Sonja did.
“Absorb the fire, Red!” Sonja demanded, as though it was an obvious and easy thing to accomplish.
“I’m trying!” Volk grunted. Blessed by Aesterus, his natural tolerance to heat was beyond that of most. He should have been able to absorb the fire better than Sonja. “How?”
“Just… I don’t know!” Sonja—powered up with the suits increased energy—threw Volk to the ground, falling on top of him and smothering his armour. The flames flickered towards Sonja as though they were attracted to her armour. Volk was no longer ablaze, and Sonja was white hot.
“I thought I was the blessed one?” Volk joked getting to his feet.
“Thanks Kallum,” Sonja whispered under her breath. And Rigst, she thought, placing a hand on the green gem.
“He wouldn’t show favouritism, would he?” Volk complained with a roll of his eyes.
Sonja smirked. “Come on!” she urged, then began to sprint. Volk gathered his composure and chased after her.
***
By the time they reached the front gate, Sonja’s sorbguamis armour had lost most of its power. Volk’s blessing was all that kept her moving.
Zeilgen intercepted them swiftly. “Captain, what’s the situation?”
“Crispin is the final Brother of Eternity,” Sonja said. “He’s now a fire wielding vampire, and a bloody hard one to kill!”
“Vampire?”
Sonja grunted “Leech, shadow-thing, bloodsucker. It’s all the same.”
“Damn horrors!” Zeilgen shook his head.
Volk laughed. “Yeah, about that, they’re kind of on our side.”
“Even the vampires want Crispin dead,” Sonja agreed. “Don’t harm them. Man the ballista turrets, get everyone on ranged weaponry.”
“What about you?” Zeilgen asked. “Shouldn’t you man a ballista? You’re one of our best shots!”
“No, there’s something that only I can do…”
“Good luck, Captain,” Zeilgen said, then rushed off to command the slayers.
Assisted by Volk, Sonja hobbled towards the stables. Reizexus was coiled up, asleep, atop a scattering of ash outside—Volk kept giving them hay, but it never lasted to morning. Growling yawns confirmed a couple of juvies awakening to the disturbance. A tired huff escaped the lips of the alpha.
“Reizexus,” Sonja said, “Holtur needs you.”
Another huff.
“Crispin is coming, Raithia tried to fight him. She failed.”
Reizexus eyes opened, his slitted pupils focusing on Sonja as he raised his head.
“She’s fine,” Sonja said, a hint of sadness to her voice. “But the bastard claimed two of your young.”
The ground trembled with the release of an angered roar. Reizexus stood up, still roaring at the moon. He beat his wings, and the roar stopped as he fired a plume of fire into the dark sky. Smaller bursts erupted from the juvies who were all now awake, feeling the sorrow of losing their siblings. The fire lit up the entire courtyard, almost like the sun had shown itself for a brief moment.
“Reizexus!” Sonja grabbed the tip of the wyvern’s wing. “You and I, we have to work together.”
The alpha coiled its neck towards Sonja, baring its teeth at her, questioning her.
“This armour.” Sonja brought her gauntleted hands up to Reizexus’ chin. “It powers up by fire. I need it if I am to stop Crispin. Go on, try to burn me!”
Volk stepped away from Sonja, not wanting to be caught alight again. Reizexus coiled his head back and stared at the slayer woman. He broke his gaze to look at Volk.
“She’s right,” Volk said. “For whatever reason, I can’t seem to handle the power. Sonja’s set, however, gives her a burst of incredible strength and energy. I saw it.”
“Do it!” Sonja said, feeling the power Volk had lent to her draining from the armour. “Now!” She collapsed to her knees.
Reizexus tilted his head in confusion. Sonja laughed at the futility. The alpha had been raised not to harm a human, and here was Sonja, begging to be blasted by his fiery breath.
“Please…” Sonja said. She turned her head to see four slayers armed with crossbows approaching.
“Captain, what are you doing?” Rak questioned, kneeling beside her.
“I need the fire…” Sonja responded.
“You take a hit to ya head?” Knoch asked.
“I’ll never understand you, Captain,” Ivan said, throwing back his long, black hair to reveal the scar on his head. The cocky bastard didn’t even put on armour, he was still in his sleeping attire!
“I’ll never understand you either…” Sonja coughed. “The sorbguamis armour, it uses fire, like the insect itself…”
“Is this some kind of test, Captain?” Bevan asked.
Sonja sighed, then noticed the shadows above her burst into fire. Crispin had made it to the north gate. With Rak’s help, she steadied herself to her feet. Her fatigue was too much and she couldn’t leap up to steal away the fire. The vampire’s remains were nothing but ash by the time it had drifted down to her.
Volk pushed through the slayers towards Sonja. “Here!” He pressed his hand against her chest and offered as much fire as he could muster.
“What are you doing?” Bevan asked, looking closer.
Sonja’s strength increased a little, then she felt Volk push her away from the group. A shadowy creature flew past her, and a bolt of Crispin’s flame slammed into her back. The shock knocked her to the ground. It also filled her with energy. Her armour had turned orange.
To the amazement of the slayers, Sonja leapt to her feet and said, “You five, mount up, keep ranged pressure on Crispin from horseback.” She turned to Reizexus. “And you!” She grabbed the wyvern’s wing, then threw herself up to his back. Sonja nestled herself between the row of exhaust vents along his spine.
Reizexus grunted in confusion. The juvies squirted fire at Sonja, thinking she had ill intent for their alpha. All they did was give Sonja greater power. Her armour was white once more.
“Blast her with your exhaust!” Volk cheered.
Reizexus roared, billowing flame from his mouth into the sky. He leant down, placing his winged fore-claws on the ground, then the length of his spine erupted with a blazing red inferno. Standing amidst the wildfire was a glowing, white figure, Sonja.
“Go!” Sonja commanded.
Reizexus launched himself skywards and the slayers scrambled for the stables. Sonja was surprised how easily she balanced atop the ascending wyvern. The creature’s back twisted and tilted—all while releasing a steady exhaust of fire—but the sorbguamis armour made compensating for the shifting footing a breeze.
With th
e armour fully powered up, the world appeared bright through Sonja’s eyes. She could see shadow-things—darker than the sky—drifting through her white field of vision. Among them was Crispin, he had the darkest shadow of the lot. She locked eyes on him, watching his flaming shield ward off the other vampires. Bolts and arrows launched through the sky in a barrage of metal and timber. Shafts ignited and bolts turned to slag, but not all of them. Crispin returned to physical form, riddled with wounds given by the slayer’s artillery.
He flickered between physical and shadow, then the three ballista turrets fired at the same time. As his fleshy self, he engulfed two of the bolts with fire, warping them off course. The third bolt punctured through the thigh and pulled him to the ground.
Crispin leaked crimson fluid all over the stone. He screamed in pain, pleading to those around him. Holtur was not a place he’d ever find sympathy, not after all he had done. Reizexus glided by the wounded man and Sonja leapt from her mount—armour glowing white—to deliver the killing blow.
Ahead of her was Ansgren. He would be the first to reach him and would obtain the glory. It didn’t matter, as long as Crispin was finally destroyed.
Sonja turned away and sighed. Now she had to figure out if she’d survive removing the armour. She really hoped so. Sonja had lost a lot, but wasn’t ready to die, not yet.
“Ascribed to Crispin’s negligence of eminent blessings, Crispin promptly forfeits existence,” Ansgren said before readying the final blow. “Formulate tranquility wi—” Ansgren became abruptly quiet—which was completely against the slayer’s nature. In place of words came a choking, gargling sound.
Sonja turned back to where Crispin was bleeding out. Ansgren was now on the ground, wrapped over Crispin like a blanket. Crispin’s jaws were clamped around Ansgren’s neck. The bastard was feeding on her slayer.
“No!” Sonja roared, charging at the two men. “You will die, now!”
Slayers and vampires came to action around her. They had eased off, thinking the battle was over. Clearly it was not. Now that Crispin had fed, how much power had he recovered? Was his strength the same as when he first appeared in her room?
There was no time to unsheathe her claymore, so Sonja’s fists guided her towards Crispin’s head. The final Brother of Eternity pulled away from his meal. Blood was all over his face and dripping down to his armour. He looked at Sonja and smirked. She swore her fist connected with Crispin’s head, but he must have turned into a shadow that same instant.
“Crispin’s elimination accomplished?” Ansgren mumbled, his mouth gaping as he tried to suck in air.
“Nearly,” Sonja said bluntly.
The mounted slayers were right behind her, wildly slashing at the air before them. They couldn’t see him in the sky. Sonja could barely make out his shadow form, just.
“I need this, Junior,” Sonja said. She took Bevan’s crossbow and nodded towards Ansgren. “Apply pressure to Ansgren’s wound.” She then pointed the crossbow into the darkness, the sky wasn’t completely black to Sonja’s armour-enhanced eyes. “He’s there.” She nodded in his direction and fired a bolt. Somehow, the projectile struck Crispin; she must have depleted the armour’s energy in doing so, for her vision had returned to normal. Crispin fell down into physical form before returning to the shadows. “Reizexus!” Sonja called for the wyvern.
The other slayers fired their weapons at the fleeing vampire, but none appeared to hit.
“Pursue?” Rak asked.
“Yes, but keep your distance,” Sonja said, nodding. “Remain close to each other in case he attempts to feed.”
“Captain,” Rak acknowledged, then charged his horse ahead. The three other mounted slayers followed while Junior tended to Ansgren.
Reizexus released a stream of fire into Sonja on his approach. The armour began to power up. She leapt into the air, grabbed the wyvern by the wing, then swung herself towards his spinal vents. They pulsed with flame, powering up the armour into a blinding white suit of energy. Sonja took in a deep breath; it was easier to breathe when her sorbguamis gear was white hot. The sky lit up before her and she could make out the fleeing vampire again.
“Alright Reizexus,” Sonja said. “As long as Crispin’s head is on his shoulders, we stay together, got it?”
Reizexus shot ahead, roaring with ferocious fury, prompting those nearby to cover their ears. Not Sonja, her armour dampened the noise. Reizexus’ exhaust flames continued to power up the sorbguamis armour faster than it could be drained.
Despite his swift movement, Reizexus seemed unable to lock on to Crispin. Sonja climbed along the wyvern’s neck, grabbed one of his horns, then pushed or pulled to correct his heading.
Rak, Knoch, Volk, and Ivan raced along atop their steeds, directly beneath Reizexus. They shifted their direction to match that of the gigantic flame wyvern, but north-west seemed to be the direction Crispin was fleeing. Bolts fired from their crossbows as they rode, but none came close to striking the villain’s shadowy form.
“Blast him!” Sonja yelled to Reizexus.
Reizexus’ exhaust ceased flaring, and a blazing beam of fire exploded from the wyvern’s mouth. Crispin was forced back to human form, summoning his own inferno to counter the wyverns breath. Both attacks collided into chaotic explosions. Crispin landed in the grass, keeping his beam directed on the wyvern as he continued to fall back. The field was swiftly catching alight, keeping the slayers from furthering their advance.
Shadows descended upon Crispin, but the heat surrounding him was too much and they kept their distance. The slayers began unloading bolts on Crispin, but even they exploded before reaching him.
“Don’t stop!” Sonja yelled to Reizexus. She ran along the wyvern’s snout, then jumped into his fiery attack.
The blast sent her flying towards Crispin. The power surging through her was blissful, even if she was flipping and tumbling uncontrollably through Reizexus’ attack. She reached the point of where the opposing infernos were colliding, exploding the very atmosphere. Then suddenly, it all stopped. The sorbguamis armour began to suck in all the chaotic energy. Sonja pushed into Crispin’s fire. She didn’t feel pain, but it wasn’t easy either; it was like the air was thick with mud and she had to push through it all.
Sonja roared, thinking about all the pain she had endured since the Brothers of Eternity had shown up in Holtur. Good slayers: Arnis, Kaarm, Lambert, Lauf, Rahlman, Theodoric, Commander Maver, and Rigst had all died because of this bastard’s power trip. She was sure there would be many more slayers she’d never see again, and she didn’t want to think of the total body count he had inflicted upon Holtur. This would be Crispin’s final moon.
Sonja was close to him now, another push and she would be through his fire and ready to strike at his smug face. If he changed his form he would be consumed by fire. Crispin was Sonja’s.
“Make peace with your gods,” Sonja suggested. The words came out as an incoherent sizzle through the intense heat.
She reached her hands out and grabbed Crispin’s throat. His blue eyes darkened, staring at Sonja through the small slit in her helm.
“Please!” Crispin’s mouth moved, but nothing came out.
Sonja didn’t respond with words, deciding that tightening her hands would be more than enough to convey her message.
Crispin released control of his attack, then pushed himself against Sonja’s armoured body. Reizexus’ fire flowed over her like a warm wave. It rolled across the field, igniting grass, until the fiery blast thinned out into nothing.
Crispin had maneuvered himself so that Sonja’s armour had taken the brunt of Reizexus’ attack. Sonja still had white hot hands around his throat and had no intention of releasing them. Crispin’s face was now purple, the lack of oxygen to his brain had taken its toll on him. He smiled and shook as though he was laughing. The delirious idiot thought he still had a chance.
Crispin reached around Sonja and began lobbing balls of fire towards the slayers that had chased him out.
> “No!” Sonja pushed him to the ground, not taking her hands off him. She didn’t turn her attention back to the slayers. The thought of anyone else falling, now, when it was all over, pained her greatly. Watching them wouldn’t save them, but taking her eyes of Crispin could endanger many more.
Crispin mercilessly used his final breath to launch more attacks at her slayers. Screams—emanating from man and horse—cried out behind her. Still, she didn’t take her eyes off the man.
“Enough is enough,” Rak said.
A crossbow bolt zoomed past Sonja’s ear and pierced through Crispin’s skull. The projectile entered his eye socket and pinned him to the ground. There was no way a man could live through that, but still, Sonja refused to release her grip on Crispin’s throat.
She did turn back, however, to see Rak covered in fire. He spat and swore, punching at his body to put out the flames. Knoch was rolling around on the ground with Ivan smacking him, trying to put out another blaze.
“Drop and roll,” Volk yelled, barging into Rak and throwing him to the ground.
Their steeds were bucking mad, trying to remove the fire that burnt away their fur.
“Volk!” Sonja called out, refusing to move.
“Captain?” Volk asked smacking out Rak’s flame.
“Bring me a blade.”
Volk raced beside Sonja and unsheathed one of his hook swords. “Here.” He gestured it for her to take.
“I’m not letting go of him,” Sonja said. “Disconnect his head.”
“Captain, he’s dead!” Volk said, looking back at the other slayers with worry.
“Yeah,” Sonja agreed, “but it’s the third time this moon I’ve thought that of him. Just do it!”
“If I must…” Volk raised his blade and brought it down towards Crispin’s jaw.
Crispin opened his eye wide just before the blade struck. He made to scream, but Sonja still had a firm grip on his throat. The open mouth only made it easier for Volk to cleave his skull in two. Sonja’s armour faded back to black and the top half of Crispin’s head rolled away. Crispin wouldn’t be coming back from that.
The Holtur Curse (The Holtur Trilogy Book 2) Page 30