Shaping Magic (Mistakes Return)

by Michael Dalrymple

  The Human men tried to organize a defense but Lindon moved with speed that was fueled by anger. The pitiful men didn't stand a chance. Moving faster than they could respond, Lindon seemed to attack all the men at once, and one by one they fell.

  When the last one lay dead at his feet, he turned his attention to the Dwarfs. “Are you alright?” he asked them.

  They stared up at him with terror, not able to talk. “Donovan,” he called in his mind, “where can I send the people I find?”

  Donovan's voice came to him “Tell them to make their way to Organack; they will know where to go.”

  Turning back to the crying Dwarfs, he said, “I am a friend of Donovan Steel-Heart. You need to make your way to Organack. Do you understand? You must go to Organack,” he said again. “And tell anyone you find to go there!”

  His words finally started to sink in, and the woman got up from the ground. “Yes, we understand. Thank you,” she said between sobs. “We will do as you ask, friend of Donovan Steel-Heart.”

  When they were safely away, Lindon started to make his way farther into the Dwarven city. Everywhere he looked; he could see smoke billowing out of buildings. The smoke was collecting at the top of the cavern, faster than the vents could release it.

  Lindon was running toward the center of the city when from a building, he heard more screams. Rushing in, he found another group of Orks tormenting more defenseless Dwarfs. This time they were an elderly pair. The male was trying to hold them back from his wife, who was already bleeding from a gash on her forehead.

  When Lindon burst into the building, the Orks turned to him, but they assumed that he was part of their attack. “You in time for fun,” one of the Orks said to Lindon, grinning and showing his rotten teeth. They didn't react in time when Lindon cut them down from behind, showing no mercy to the creatures.

  He approached the helpless couple. “Quickly, we have to go. I am a friend of Donovan's,” he said to them. “You have to make your way to Organack!”

  At first, they thought that Lindon was one of the attackers, but hearing the name Donovan and Organack, they realized he was there to help. “Thank you. There is another upstairs; she can't walk,” they told him.

  Lindon headed up the stairs two at a time. Seeing the injured Dwarf, he approached her and told who he was. “Is it okay if I carry you?” he asked.

  The injured Dwarf only nodded, in too much pain from the wound to her leg to speak.

  Lindon picked her up as gently as he could. He realized that he couldn't carry her the entire way and there was no way for the old ones to, so he sent healing energy into her as he came down the stairs. He feared becoming exhausted from healing and didn't completely heal it, but by the time he reached the bottom stair he could set her down, and she could limp along with the others.

  Shepherding the trio out of the door and into the street, he guided them to the nearest tunnel that would lead them to safety. When they were safely away, Lindon turned back to the city to look for more survivors. He was surprised to find that there weren't more than the few he had already found—not even dead ones in the street.

  Lindon hoped that meant that they had escaped before the invaders attacked. Lindon used the mind communication to call to Aina. “Is there any way you can tell if there are more survivors in the city?” he asked her.

  After a few seconds, she answered. “I can feel a large group about two streets to the right from where you are now.”

  Lindon didn't waste time answering. He took off running toward the group Aina said was there. What he found was a group of about a hundred Dwarfs—women and children mostly—backed into a corner in what was a market square. Surrounding them was a ring of about fifty Dwarven males fighting to keep the Orks and Human attackers away.

  Again, the rage that had spurred his last fight overwhelmed Lindon, and with no thought to his own safety, he attacked from behind. Without mercy, he killed Humans and Orks alike, seeing no difference between the two.

  Lindon seemed to flow between the invaders and where he went, they died. At first, he didn't meet much resistance, but before long they started to turn toward him as their comrades died. When Lindon finally broke through the attackers, he was able to get a closer look at the Dwarven defenders.

  Seeing Kailid as one of the defenders, he fought his why too the Dwarf.

  Kailid was shocked at seeing Lindon burst out from the attackers, “Lindon! What are you doing here? Where's Donovan?” Kailid said as he used his hammer to smash one of the attackers in the face.

  “I sent him to the palace to see what was happening and came here to help.” He ducked under a clumsy swing from an Ork. As he rose, he gutted the creature and blocked a blow from another.

  “Well, as you can see, we seem to have an infestation of vermin here.”

  “Where did they come from?” he asked as he decapitated another of the foul creatures.

  “They came from the same tunnel that we used when you first came and there seems to be no end to them,” he said and nodded to the great staircase where all the carvings were.

  Risking a quick glance toward it, Lindon got an idea that may just slow the attackers down a little. “Donovan, can you hear me?” Lindon asked in his mind.

  “Yes, Lindon, is everything alright?” he answered.

  “How far away do you have to be to work with stone?”

  “I don't know exactly, why?”

  “There are more attackers coming down the staircase, the same one we used when we first got here, and I was hoping you might be able to bring it down and give us a little breathing room.”

  “I don't know if I can do so from here, but I will try.”

  “Do what you can.” Lindon hoped that the Dwarf could do it; if not, they were going to be overrun very soon.

  He ducked out of the way as one of the attackers threw an axe at his head, missing by inches. From behind he heard a scream, and looked quickly over his shoulder. One of the Dwarven females collapsed, the axe that had been meant for him protruding from her chest.

  Lindon screamed with rage; that axe was meant for him and had hit an innocent. With the newfound anger that seemed to course through him, he attacked. Lindon exploded into action; he flowed between attackers. Kailid was close behind, the two of them working in perfect unison. Where Lindon would attack high, the Dwarf would attack low; the creatures and men didn't stand a chance against the pair.

  Seeing the line of attackers start to fall apart, the other Dwarven warriors soon followed Lindon and Kailid's lead. When he had first arrived, the attackers were closing the ring tighter and tighter around the badly outnumbered Dwarfs, but as Lindon went on the offensive, they were starting to fall back, giving the Dwarfs the advantage. With one last great push forward from the Dwarfs, the invaders broke and fled from the berserker Human and the tough Dwarven fighters.

  Lindon wasted no time in celebration. Turning to Kailid, he said, “We need to get everyone out of here; they will be back with more warriors! Donovan said to tell everyone to go to Organack.”

  “That is where most of the people have already fled to; these were some of the last ones to go.”

  As he told them to start moving a great crashing sound came from above. Lindon saw the large ornate staircase break apart and hundreds of invaders fall to their deaths. “Let’s go!” Lindon yelled.

  The group of scared and tired Dwarfs made their way to a tunnel that Lindon assumed would lead them safely out of the city. As the last one went into the tunnel Lindon sent his thought out: “Aina?”

  “Yes, Lindon?” her voice came back.

  “Can you see if there are any more Dwarfs left in the city?”

  After a moment, Aina voice said, “No you are the only ones I can sense in the city except for the ones still left in the castle.”

  “I am on my way!”

  Turning to Kailid, Lindon said, “Is this the only way to Organack?”

  “No, there are many ways to get there. This is but one.”
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  “Good. Can your men bring down this entrance?”

  “Yes, it will only take a couple of minutes. All the tunnels are set up to bring down easily.”

  “Send however many you need to bring it down as soon as everyone is safely past. The rest of you come with me to the castle,” he commanded.

  With no argument that Lindon was not their leader nor even of the same race, the Dwarfs jumped to his orders and three of the warriors left to bring the tunnel down.

  When Lindon and the Dwarfs arrived at the edge of the clearing before the castle, Lindon was stunned at how many of the attackers were between him and the palace.

  One of the Dwarfs in his party quietly said, “By Gal Nola, how are we supposed to get through that?”

  “Donovan, Aina, can you both hear me?” Lindon mindspoke to them.

  “Yes,” they both answered.

  “How are things going at the castle?”

  “Not well; we are ready to leave, but the moment we turn our backs they will be through the gate. We need some kind of distraction that will give us a head start.”

  “I will see if there is anything I can do from out here. Be ready when I tell you to break immediately; do not hesitate.”

  “Understood,” they both said.

  Lindon looked around for something that he could use as a distraction but didn't see anything that would be big enough. He was just about to give up and simply attack and hope for the best when an idea popped into his head. He turned to Kailid. “I need to get up onto one of these roofs.”

  “This way,” the Dwarf responded.

  Kailid led Lindon into a building and they made their way to the roof. Once there, Lindon asked, “Where is the closest tunnel leading to Organack?”

  It is not far. It would take us about two minutes to run to it,” he answered.

  “Good. Send your men to it and tell them to get everything ready to bring it down; we will be coming in fast, so tell them as soon as we are through to drop it.”

  “Yes sir!” the Dwarf said as he went to tell his men Lindon's orders.

  When he returned, Lindon told him. “The ones in the castle need a distraction so that they can disengage from the attackers and make their way out, leaving them an empty castle.”

  “How are we going to give them a big enough distraction to let them escape? I mean, look out there, there's thousands of them.”

  “Leave that to me; just get ready to run when it happens,” Lindon told the Dwarf.

  The Dwarf stared at Lindon as if the Human had completely lost his mind. If it weren’t for his skill with the blade, and the fact that he had just saved himself and his men from death, he would probably have left him on this roof alone.

  As Lindon prepared himself for what he was about to attempt, he sent his thoughts out: “Be ready.”

  When he felt that they were ready, he sent his mind out toward the magical sun that was glowing brilliantly. Feeling the magical energy, he grabbed hold of it with his mind. The power of it was overwhelming at first, but slowly he could feel how it was made. With a final thought, he reached out to Donovan and Aina. “Now!” he yelled in his mind.

  Lindon pulled with all his will. At first it resisted him, but slowly, then with more momentum, it started to move. He didn't pull it toward himself but rather at the horde of invaders standing directly below it. With a final heave, he pulled it down on top of them.

  Kailid stared at Lindon in shock. “What did you do?!” he practically screamed at him.

  “The only thing I could do to allow your people to escape.”

  “Sorry; I didn't mean to sound rude, it was just a shock to see. I never thought I would see the day when we must bring darkness back to our home,” Kailid apologized.

  “Don't worry about it; I am sorry I had to do what I did, but it was the only thing I could think of that would be big enough to get their attention. Speaking of which, I think it’s time to get out of here, don't you?”

  “Yes I do, but how will you see? It is completely black in here now.”

  “Don't worry about me; just lead us out of this place.”

  Becoming accustomed to following the Human’s orders, Kailid turned and started down off the building and toward the cave entrance that would lead them to safety. When they were within sight of the tunnel entrance, Lindon could see the glow of magic start from between them and the entrance. He wasn’t sure what it was and stopped. “There is something ahead of us,” he told the Dwarf.

  Looking around to see what Lindon had seen, Kailid said, “What is it? I can't see anything.”

  “Wait for it.”

  They didn't have to wait long, for in front of them a shape started to appear. It only took a few seconds, and Kailid could see the shape of a man in robes appear. “Who is that?” he asked, having no clue as to what was happening.

  “So you are the shaper,” the shade said. “You are nothing but a boy,” it said with a laugh.

  “And you are nothing but a shade. Why have you come to harm these innocent Dwarfs?”

  “What does it matter if they be innocent, my masters decide who will live and who will die,” the shade said with an evil laugh. “This world will fall to them, and nothing will stand in their way.”

  “We will see about that!” Lindon, standing defiantly, said. While he was talking to the shade, Lindon was using his mind to see more about the magic holding the shade there.

  “Foolish Human, you have no idea what is to come; this is only the beginning. You may have saved the pitiful little Dwarfs today, but be assured that we will hunt you all down and kill you all. The earth shaper and you, the magic shaper, may escape today, but we will find the nature and the water shaper, and the prophecy will end.”

  Lindon could hear the invaders coming closer. As much as he wanted to learn more from this magus, he knew that he was only trying to delay them.

  “Well, it has been a pleasure talking with you, but it is time to leave.” Lindon grabbed hold of the magic that was holding the shade by the legs and tore them apart. Turning to Kailid, he yelled, “Run!”

  Both Lindon and Kailid started running toward the tunnel. Looking over his shoulder, Lindon could see the invaders coming fast. They ran into the tunnel. Seeing the Dwarfs that were ready to bring the tunnel down, he shouted, “Collapse the tunnel now!”

  As soon as he shouted, two of the Dwarfs swung their hammers against each side of the tunnel near the top. At first, nothing seemed to happen, then Lindon could see cracks start to form along the tunnel ceiling. Running as fast as they could, Kailid and Lindon made it past the Dwarfs at the same moment as the tunnel started to collapse.

  Looking back, Lindon saw the first of the attackers enter the tunnel as it fell in on itself. He wasn’t sure if they died or were able to escape. Lindon told the Dwarfs, “Let’s go, we need to find the others.”

  Lindon wanted to find out if they had made it out but didn't want to distract his friends, so he didn't try to communicate with them. He would just have to trust that they were safely on their way and when they were safe, they would call to him.

  Chapter 15

  When Lindon's command to run came, both Donovan and Aina yelled, “Now!” The entire line of Dwarfs broke away from the fight and started to run toward the tunnel. They only went about a dozen paces when the sun fell and darkness descended.

  When the Dwarfs had turned and run, the attackers thought they would break through the gate and catch the Dwarfs, but were completely caught by surprise from behind with the crashing of the magic sun and the screams of their comrades. Momentarily stunned, they turned and watched as a wall of magic descended on them, vaporizing them instantly.

  The Dwarfs did not wait to see what had happened; they ran as fast as their legs could carry them. When the last of them entered the tunnel, Donovan started to collapse the tunnel, shutting out the noise of the dying invaders and the magical destruction Lindon had caused.

  When the tunnel was completely collapsed and the
rumbling subsided, Donovan turned to Aina. “When that boy causes a distraction, he really goes all out, doesn't he?”

  “That he does, and a good thing too; we wouldn't have lasted much longer,” she answered.

  “True enough; I guess it was the only way. Our home was lost before we even knew it. At least this way, the invaders won't get to keep it either.”

  “Your Highness, the way is clear. What are your orders?” one of the Dwarven warriors said.

  Donovan, lost in thought, didn't say anything right away. His father had died before he arrived. Seeing him lying there had crushed his heart, but his people needed him now more than ever, and mourning for him would have to wait until they were all safely away.

  “We go to Organack!” he said firmly, “After that, we will see.”

  Turning to Aina, he said, “Should we call Lindon to see if he made it out?”

  “No I can sense he is safe for now. Let's put some distance between us and this place before we talk to him. I don't want to distract him right now with questions; I am sure he knows we made it out,” she said.

  When sending her thoughts out toward Lindon, she could feel the turmoil he was in. Causing the deaths of that many had affected Lindon, and all she could do was send her support to him and hope that he was capable of accepting the fact that he had no choice.

  Aina was right; Lindon was indeed wrestling with the fact that he had killed not only in combat (which he could accept) but also that they had no chance when he brought the sun down on them. The words of Arden came to Lindon: “ You will have to kill again—and probably many times. If you don't, or if you hesitate, you and your grandmother will be dead. This isn't a game; there are people out there tying to kill both of you.” This time it was not just him or his grandmother; it was an entire race his enemies were trying to eliminate. Lindon felt that it was his duty to prevent that sort of thing from ever happening. Arden was right, though: He didn't go to their home to kill them, they came to the home of his friends.