The Axe's Edge

by Summers, Derick J. M.

  Gasping for air she fought to move. Her body rebelled, complaining as she struggled to roll to her knees. With grim determination, she pushed herself up to all fours. She might die here, but she would not go easily, she promised herself.

  In the clearing, Ar’n’tor was ignoring her, having focused his attention on Lan’s unconscious body. With an evil smile he drew the magic into himself, forming and manipulating it into a ball of hate and malevolence. Raeth stumbled painfully to her feet, never taking her eyes from the mage. Drawing two of her knives she rushed forward and threw herself at the Elfin mage.

  With the barest flick of his finger, Ar’n’tor used his magic to bat her away, sending her sprawling hard into a tree. Raeth crumpled against the heavy trunk, collapsing into a heap, consciousness slipping away.

  Seeing the Dark Elf unconscious and unmoving, Ar’n’tor finished creating his ball of energy. Smiling triumphantly, he hurtled it as he turned back toward Lan’thor.

  Doing What You Have To Do

  The iridescent ball of energy rocketed across the clearing, crossing the distance in moments. A wicked smile spread across Ar’n’tor’s face, as he savoured the certain death of this upstart boy. The young Elf’s friends would soon follow him into oblivion, and then the Elves would be his to rule.

  The ball of energy exploded in a shower of sparks. A concussive wave flowed back from the point of impact.

  As the dirt and smoke cleared, Ar’n’tor stared in disbelief. Lan’thor was untouched. He lay prone in unconsciousness exactly as he had before the blast.

  How? Ar’n’tor panicked. Whirling, he searched for the Elf’s female companion. It was inconceivable, but somehow she had saved him. His gaze searched the area, but she was nowhere to be found. She had disappeared. Ar’n’tor stormed.

  How could she have had the energy? his mind raged. She isn’t a magic user. Dark Elves don’t use magic. Besides, she’d been nearly unconscious herself.

  He knew then what he’d done wrong. He should have finished her first, but he’d been sure she posed no threat. How could she have saved him? Even if she was still conscious, even if she could still move, there was no way that she should have been able to block his energy blast. Lan’thor should be nothing but ash right now, but there he was, apparently untouched.

  The thought froze in Ar’n’tor’s mind as he turned back to Lan’thor. The Elfin warrior was gone.

  What in Hades is happening here? he raged to himself. First, the woman, and now this.

  Turning to search the glade, desperation crept higher and higher in Ar’n’tor’s mind. They couldn’t be gone.

  “Lose something, Ar’n’tor?” came a woman’s voice from behind him. “Things not quite going the way you’d planned?”

  Ar’n’tor whirled back toward the tree where Lan’thor had been lying moments before, his face contorted with rage.

  “You!” he spat.

  “Me,” El’dreathia agreed with a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Whom were you expecting?” she asked lightly.

  “It doesn’t matter, you know,” Ar’n’tor stormed. “They’re all dead!”

  “Yes, I know,” El’dreathia responded sadly. “You’ve done a terrible thing this day, but it stops now.”

  Forcing a calm he didn’t feel, Ar’n’tor glanced cautiously around the glade, searching. Finding no one, he felt his confidence returning.

  “Where are your friends, m’lady?”

  Ar’n’tor’s question was filled with scorn and El sighed heavily as she responded.

  “Oh, they’re around, but I told you once before Ar’n’tor, you should be far more worried about me.”

  Ar’n’tor sneered as he drew power to himself. There was no way he would be intimidated by this foolish girl.

  “Is that so?” he asked sarcastically.

  A blast of energy rocketed toward El’dreathia. With a small gesture of her hand, she deflected the energy harmlessly into the ground, where it kicked up a big spray of earth and swamp but did no real damage.

  “Oh yes, Ar’n’tor,” she replied coldly.

  She began her own weavings and Ar’n’tor felt access to the magical energy of Tir’an begin to diminish. Staring at the Elfin maid in horror, he fought to regain his control of the magic before she could block him completely. He hadn’t realized that she possessed such power. He had underestimated her, again.

  “What’s wrong, Ar’n’tor?” El taunted. “Power running away from you?”

  Ar’n’tor focused harder on his task, finally managing to slow the blockage of magical energy. The worried look slowly slipped away from his face as he began to regain his control over his power. Sweat began to run down his face from the effort of fighting against El’s weaving.

  Gods, she’s strong, he thought to himself. But she’s weakening. She’s not strong enough!

  “Not good enough, El’dreathia,” he announced triumphantly as he broke the last of her weaving and began drawing power heavily into himself. “After I finish with you, I will hunt down your friends. It will be my pleasure to kill them!”

  El’dreathia looked neither frightened nor awed. She simply sat, smiling serenely at him. Ar’n’tor was filled with a sudden sense of apprehension.

  She should be terrified, he thought. She should be exhausted from our battle of wills, but she’s not.

  It was clear that she wasn’t afraid. She didn’t even appear concerned. At that moment Ar’n’tor knew that something was very, very wrong. Unfortunately, he had no idea what that might be. She should be calling on power, preparing to counter whatever he threw at her, but she simply sat there smiling. Frustrated, he drew on even more power. He didn’t know what she was up to, but he needed to be ready. He needed as much power as he could hold, he decided. That way, he would be ready no matter what she did to him.

  El’s smile grew wider and yet somehow sadder.

  Damn, thought Ar’n’tor. What in Hades is she up to?

  His body trembled with magical energy, the fine hairs on his neck stood on end. He was at his power limit. Whatever she had in mind he’d be ready for her. He could counter anything she threw at him now. A grim smile spread across his lips. Yes, he decided, whatever she was up to, he was ready.

  Wait, he thought. Something’s wrong!

  It took a moment to realize what it was. At first it was a sensation, a feeling, that something didn’t feel quite right. Then it came to him and the smile left his face. The flow of power wasn’t stopping. He was at his safe limit, he knew that, but the power wouldn’t stop flowing. He couldn’t stop it. He struggled to block the flow, to cut it off. But something kept it open. Something kept drawing it into him. He tried to release the power against El’dreathia, but the energy blast wouldn’t form. He tried to disperse the flow into the ground, to allow the excess to drain off, but he couldn’t. A look of horror crossed his face.

  “What’s wrong Ar’n’tor?” El asked quietly. “Isn’t this what you always wanted, unlimited power?”

  Ar’n’tor stared at the Elfin maid. Her smile was gone now, her expression stone, her gaze cold.

  She’s bluffing, he thought. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

  The flow of power continued without reprieve. His body shook and trembled. Trying desperately to release the power, he allowed the energy to flow over his skin. Minor amounts dissipated into the atmosphere through his pores, it wasn’t nearly enough.

  He couldn’t release the energy as fast as it entered him and it was pushing him past his capacity to contain it. Desperate eyes pleaded with El. He tried to speak, to beg, but energy stole the words and a low keening moan was all that escaped from his throat.

  Watching impassively, El’dreathia kept the flow of power open. Her time with Tanel had taught her subtleties with magic that she had never considered. She had learned that sometimes a direct attack failed where an indirect one succeeded. She knew Ar’n’tor’s body wouldn’t be able to handle much more. His ability always paled in compar
ison to his desire.

  Seeing the desperation in his eyes, the soft part of El was tempted to relent, but she knew that would be a mistake. Ar’n’tor had participated in the slaughter of fifty of her people. He’d threatened to hunt down her friends and kill them. If she freed him that, is exactly what he’d do. And the final straw, he was in league with Siris and Reese.

  No, she decided. It’s too late for him.

  Her resolve hardened and she prayed that he would find peace in the after life. The magical energy was filling every cell of his body to its absolute maximum. When that maximum was finally reached, when his body could hold no more, it would be all over. Suddenly the spot where Ar’n’tor was standing exploded in a blinding and violent display of fireworks and El was sent sprawling, even though she’d been protected by her magical shield.

  Carefully picking herself up, she noticed that the small clearing was devastated. Everything within a ten-foot radius of where Ar’n’tor had stood was flattened and nothing remained of the Elfin mage.

  El hung her head. She hated that this had been necessary. But Ar’n’tor had earned this end. He had paid the ultimate price for his ego and his arrogance. It was the same price so many others had had to pay on his behalf. A single tear slipped down her cheek, as she thought of the loss of so many.

  The Rescue

  The sudden blast of energy and light from Ar’n’tor’s attack on Lan’thor would have blinded Logan, if he hadn’t been expecting it. As it was, he was blinking away the residual flashes from his vision as he slipped in and grabbed Raeth while Ar’n’tor concentrated on attempting to blast Lan’thor into oblivion. He prayed that El had managed to shield their unconscious friend from Ar’n’tor’s attack, but right now he had no time to check, he had to move quickly. Ar’n’tor wouldn’t be distracted for long and he had a lot to do. The timing was going to be critical.

  Carrying Raeth into the forest, he was pleased to see that she was coming round. He left her concealed in the underbrush of the swamp and quickly circled back around to get Lan’thor out of there.

  Peering through the brush as he crept in to grab Lan, Logan was relieved to see that El had in fact gotten her shield up in time. None of Ar’n’tor’s destructive energy had made it through her shield. Lan’thor still lay unconscious at the base of the tree, no more harmed than he had already been.

  Though in fairness, he was already plenty harmed enough, thought Logan.

  Logan allowed the swamp plants to hide him while he waited for the right moment. When Ar’n’tor whirled to search for Raeth, Logan made his move.

  Quickly, he slipped forward, reached over the tree’s exposed root system and grabbed hold of his friend, pulling him into the swamp. Using the large trees to hide them, he dragged Lan to the water’s edge and carefully slid them both in. Swimming through the murk, he put distance between them and the angry mage. Once they were a safe distance away, he planned to go back for Raeth.

  A ripple to his right sent a wave of apprehension through his body. The last thing he needed right now was a run in with one of the swamp’s larger denizens. When Raeth’s head broke the surface, Logan let out the breath he had been holding.

  “Gods woman, you startled me,” said Logan with relief. “Are your alright?” he added with concern.

  Raeth nodded stoically but Logan noticed the twinge of pain in her eyes as she moved.

  “It could be worse,” she added dismissively still shaky from Ar’n’tor’s attack.

  Logan didn’t take his party far. The swamp water wasn’t going to do Raeth or Lan’s wounds any good. He prayed El had something to deal with the infection both would certainly sustain.

  Thankfully in the swamp even travelling a short distance allowed one to disappear in the tangle of trees and brush. Lan’thor was still unconscious, which wasn’t surprising, really, with all that he had been through. Deciding they’d gone far enough, Logan made his way to the bank and carefully pulled his friend from the murky water, laying him to rest in the shadow of a large tree before returning to help Raeth.

  The movement seemed to have done her good. She seemed alert and her eyes were clear.

  “Anything broken?” he asked, keeping his voice low.

  She paused briefly, her gaze unconsciously dropping to her wounded leg before answering.

  “No,” Logan could hear the strain in her voice. “I’m good.”

  Logan gave her a level look before nodding his acceptance. “Still, we’ll want El to take a look at that leg when she gets here.”

  Turning back, Logan focused his attention on Lan. The most obvious wound was his right arm, or rather, the lack of his right arm. It was completely gone above the elbow. Unfortunately, the submergence into the foul water of the swamp pretty much guaranteed that infection would set in and the skin around the wound was already red and puckering. He was going to need treatment sooner rather than later. Logan again found himself praying that El would have some healing salves with her that would push the infection back and deal with the pain he was sure to endure when he finally woke. Not for the first time, he wished his sister Tanel was there.

  Dousing a cloth with clean water from his water skin, Logan set about cleaning and inspecting the various cuts and scrapes that his friend had acquired in the fighting. Some were deep enough that they would need stitching, but again these could wait for El’dreathia who would do a better job. Tess, Logan’s adopted mother, had tried to teach Logan the healing arts, and he understood the basics but he didn’t have the knack for it. For his sister, on the other hand, things like this were her specialty and her gifts had far eclipsed even their mother’s teachings. But Tanel wasn’t here, which made El, with her affinity for nature and her quality time with Tanel, the obvious second choice. Apparently Logan wasn’t the only one to hold that opinion.

  “Leave those for El.”

  The voice was little more than a croak, but it thrilled Logan.

  “Awake, are you?”

  “Unfortunately,” came Lan’thor’s pained reply.

  Through short gasping breaths, Lan searched with his eyes, finally resting on Raeth who had fallen asleep against a nearby root. Logan watched a good portion of the tension in Lan’s face ease when he found the sleeping assassin. Logan couldn’t help but smile despite the circumstances.

  “She’s alright,” he confirmed.

  Lan gave a short nod at his friend’s reassurance.

  “The rest… the rest didn’t make it, Logan.” Lan wept as he spoke. “Le’land, Logan, Le’land didn’t…”

  “I know, Lan. I know. Rest now.”

  Lan closed his eyes, lost in his sorrow before flinching from Logan’s less than gentle ministrations.

  “Logan,” Lan said with greater force. “Leave it for El. I don’t want you trying to stitch me back together. We’re not all as fond of scars as you are.”

  Logan chuckled at this, but grew sombre as he again caught sight of Lan’thor’s stump.

  “Lan, about your arm.”

  “I know, Logan. I felt it go.” Lan’thor forced a weary smile. “I always said I could beat you one handed. I guess now I’ll just have to prove it.”

  A deafening explosion rang through the swamp as Ar’n’tor met his fate. The friends fell silent.

  On The Run

  Logan felt El’dreathia’s approach long before he saw her, so he was the only one who didn’t start when she pushed through the brush into the clearing. Their link had kept him informed about what transpired between Ar’n’tor and El - not just what happened, but also how she felt about it. Rising to his feet he stepped up to her and hugged her tightly.

  It had to be done, he thought to her.

  He felt her nod against his shoulder as she replied in kind. I know.

  When she spoke aloud it was with far more confidence than she felt.

  “If you’re up for it, we need to get moving. That blast will alert any mage within a ten mile radius, not to mention any Goblins that might be hunting us, and we
don’t want to be here when they come to investigate.”

  Raeth was already helping Lan’thor to his feet as El’dreathia finished speaking. She looked towards toward the others.

  “Any thoughts on where?” she asked.

  El frowned and Logan shook his head.

  “Personally, I vote for ‘away’ as a start,” Logan finally said. “Possibly with a long range goal of returning the Great Forest.”

  “Logan’s right,” Lan’thor agreed tiredly. “That’s the safest option. Besides, we need to tell the council about what’s happened here, unless of course you could do that with magic, El?”

  “The range is a bit far, but I might be able to do it.” El considered for a moment. “Though it will take a fair bit of preparation and I’ll need to rest a bit before I try it. And there is the possibility that it just might act like a beacon to other mages in the area. Regardless, I’m thinking we still want to put some distance between ourselves and this place before I try.”

  Logan nodded and quickly gathered up their belongings.

  “Okay,” he announced. “We’ll worry about that later. For now let’s get moving.”

  Raeth coughed lightly to get everyone’s attention before speaking.

  “There’s one thing I should mention. While I was scouting around the battlefield, when the energy blasts started coming, I tracked them back to their source.”

  “Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?” Lan croaked with a frown.

  “Don’t worry,” Raeth smiled at his concern. “I’m hard to see when I want to be. The thing is, when I found the mage who was casting those blasts, it was exactly who we feared it would be and he wasn’t alone.”

  “Reese and the General,” Logan confirmed. When Raeth and Lan’thor cast him an inquisitive glance he continued. “Hephaestus already confirmed it for me. But it gets better. Apparently the General is Ares’ champion.”