The Balrog was in pain but it was far from being defeated until something odd happened. A large chunk of the surrounding countryside lifted up into the air, floated into town and crashed down behind the demon. However, that wasn’t the bizarre part. The Balrog’s wings of fire disappeared and it began to shrink with every swipe of Calli’s sword. She didn’t know what was happening but she kept up her attacks.
The Balrog decided to make one last suicidal attack, dropped its scourge, took a two-handed grip on its sword and chopped down with all its might. Unfortunately for the demon, Callistra was ready for it.
The Holy Avenger had anticipated such an attack and guided the witch to the perfect spot for a counterattack. Stepping underneath the massive body, Callistra leapt straight up and swung her own mighty weapon. The shining silver blade slid right through the demon’s neck like a knife through butter and the Balrog fell to the ground, decapitated and very dead.
Chapter 34
Grigoris exhaled deeply when the demon fell. Actually, he hadn’t even realized he had been holding his breath as the battle raged but evidently, he had been. When Sartael the Snake had arrived and seduced Cozad to the side of Chaos, he had begun to doubt the outcome. When the wyverns turned on their riders and the cockatrice had attacked the samurai, he knew that their demise was imminent. Additionally, the summoning of the demon had all but sealed their fate. Once again, he felt that his brother was going to win.
To see them prevail in the face of such long odds was more than the imprisoned seraph could hope for. But it was more than that and Grigoris realized it. He had begun to cheer for them and felt invested in their struggles. He knew it was dangerous for him to get attached to the Outlanders. For him to win this contest against his brother, he may have to sacrifice one of them to assure ultimate victory.
Grigoris shook his head and chastised himself for his thoughts. It was not his place to sacrifice one or all of the Outlanders. That was the real truth here. His involvement was limited to ensure that the Outlanders maintained free will. They deserved the opportunity to decide their own fate. That was the will of his father, freedom of choice in all things. That was the true secret of life.
Chapter 35
Calli held her pose for a few seconds and took in the battlefield with a single glance.
The whole town was ablaze and bodies filled the streets. Nevertheless, it was the disintegrating corpse of the Balrog which captivated her attention. Primarily because the severed head of the demon was still looking at her with hate-filled eyes. Its mouth opened and closed several times while its forked tongue flicked in and out. Even as the light in its ebony eyes faded, it croaked.
“We shall meet again you traitorous witch.”
Before Callistra could respond, the severed head of the demon hissed once and crumbled into dust. It seems she had made another enemy this day.
Unbidden, an old nearly forgotten quote ran through her mind, ‘A man cannot be too careful in the choice of his enemies.’ She had no idea who said it but it seemed fitting somehow.
When the last of the demon had dissolved into nothingness, the Holy Avenger sword relaxed its grip on her body and she could move of her own accord. Rushing forward, she stabbed the sacred blade into the dirt next to her husband’s body. He was lying face down with his hands still wrapped around the hilt of his katana.
“Patrick!”
When he didn’t respond, Callistra felt the cold hands of fear grip her heart.
* * * * *
The moment the dark wizard and Cozad had stepped through the magical portal and disappeared from the battlefield, the remaining goblins and Peacekeepers lost their desire for battle. The goblins tried to flee back into the surrounding countryside but the villagers wouldn’t allow it. They ran after them and killed every last one. The Peacekeepers were another matter. They called for parley and threw down their weapons. A few of the villagers had wanted to continue attacking the invaders, that was until the remaining wyvern bandits stepped forward and stopped them. They had already seen what would happen if one of them countermanded an order given by their new Captain.
Aaliyah and Arieal sat down right where they were and took in a deep breath of air. It might have been full of the stench of battle but it was also life affirming. The two conjurers had worked together, sending their minions wherever they were needed. It had been touch and go a few times. Once, a crazed band of five hobgoblins had broken through the wall of defenders and threatened them directly. It was at that moment when they both realized that a well-placed whack with a staff or a slash with a dagger was worth its weight in gold. The hobgoblins had thought they would be easy pickings but the two casters were more in sync with each other than they imagined. Possibly a side effect of the merger but they had been able to fight as one effective unit and they had dispatched their attackers quickly.
Now they just wanted to sit and relax for a moment. But it was not to be. Mathias came running up and both casters could tell that he carried bad news.
“Aaliyah…come quickly.”
The blonde beauty stood up. “What is it?”
Mathias licked his lips. “Kastle is asking for you.”
The next few moments would be forever seared into Ashley’s memory. Rushing across the battlefield, she didn’t even notice the scattered bodies and pools of blood. Her sole attention was fixed on the prone form of her lover.
Kastle was lying on his back with his feet propped up on the carcass of a dead wyvern. Gamble had made a pillow for him out of the remnants of his cloak. The rest he had used as a makeshift bandage, first on the priest’s forehead and then on the large gash across his abdomen. The first thing Ashley really noticed was the fact that the priest was pale, too pale.
She glanced up at the dwarf, who just gave her a subtle shake of his head. Reaching out, she grabbed his hand. “Kastle….Richard. I’m here. I’m here darling.”
Kastle’s eyes fluttered open. “Ash? Ashley, is that you?”
His voice was weak. Weaker than any time she had heard it.
“Yes my love, I am here.”
Kastle turned his head slowly as his eyes focused in on her. “You are so beautiful.”
Aaliyah’s tears were flowing but still she blushed. “You’re just trying to sweet talk your way back into my pants.”
Kastle tried to lick his lips but his mouth was too dry. “No, not your avatar. You. I’ve always loved you Ash. I’m sorry I was too afraid to say it before now.”
Aaliyah leaned forward and kissed him gently. “Shhh….my love. Save your strength. You will have plenty of time to tell me this.”
Kastle started to say something but began coughing violently and he quickly covered his mouth with a rag.
Aaliyah frantically looked around for help but when she saw the look in the eyes of Arieal and Mathias, she could tell that they knew the truth also. He didn’t have much time left. They knew it and so did Kastle.
* * * * *
Tariq edged his way over to where Callistra and Tao lay.
He really didn’t want to intrude on their reunion but he felt that the witch would want to be there before the priest died. Besides, it was time to confront his past. He had failed the group when he had assassinated Roland. Although he had strived to atone for his crime, he realized now that Tao was the judge he had to face. For better or worse, it was time to pay the piper.
Softly clearing his throat Tariq said, “Calli?”
* * * * *
Cassie felt the tears running down her face as she rolled the avatar of her husband over. It was strange seeing him like this. Logically, she knew this was Patrick but it wasn’t him. From the slant of his eyes to the shade of his skin, everything was different. But in her heart, she knew this was her husband.
Leaning forward, she kissed him gently on the lips. They felt warm to her but they were lifeless. Suddenly, one arm shot up, wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. But it was the passion and warmth in his kiss that truly got her attention.
Minutes passed before she leaned back and looked into his eyes. Even though the shape of them were different, Cassie could swear they were the same as Patrick’s back home.
Tao spoke first. “Hey doll.”
The wall holding back Cassie’s emotions broke down at those words. Those were the same two words he said to her when they first met all those years ago. She had been out with some girlfriends in a bar and they had guys hitting on them all night with cheesy pickup lines after pickup lines. Patrick had walked up and said those two simple words. What had made it so different was the fact that he only made eye contact with her, totally ignoring her girlfriends, and that he only stared into her eyes.
Cassie laughed and more tears fell as she responded the same way she had back then. “Hi there.”
Neither one of them said another word for several minutes as they squeezed each other tightly. They only broke their embrace when they heard someone clear their throat behind them.
“Calli?”
The scarlet haired witch glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Brandon…” Whatever else she was going to say fled as did her smile. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Kastle.” Tariq lowered his head. He didn’t have to say anything else, the couple knew it was bad.
Tao tried to push himself up but every muscle in his body ached and refused. Tariq moved forward and helped Calli lift him. Tao simply nodded and said, “Thanks.”
Tariq grinned in spite of himself. Just like that, Brandon felt that he was once more a part of the group. It seems that his past actions might not be completely forgotten but at least they were forgiven. It was a good feeling.
As they walked up, Tao took in the priest’s condition with a single glance. He was a goner. Actually, it was a testament to his willpower and constitution that he was still alive. Arieal and Aaliyah were already there and so was Gamble. Calli rushed forward to the priest’s side, knelt down and grabbed his hand.
Judging from her body language, they had been more than friends. One part of Tao’s mind, the Mac persona felt a slight twinge of jealousy. It wasn’t logical. He had been unfaithful with Arieal several times since he crossed over. Of course, he knew from conversations with Kastle that they had been trapped inside this reality for nearly four years. Tao forced his jealousy down and knelt beside the fallen priest.
Kastle shifted his head to the side and made eye contact with the samurai. “Tao, don’t judge Calli. We have all done things we aren’t proud of to survive.”
Tao flashed him a reassuring grin. “No worries, Kastle. I am not in a position to judge. Rest easy my friend. You have done your part.”
Kastle gestured feebly with his left hand. “Gamble…keep my hammer. I suspect you will need it before this is all over.”
“I will priest, I will.” Gamble reached over and picked up the mighty weapon. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe. “
Aaliyah leaned forward and kissed him once more. “Rest now Richard. Know that I will love you to the end of my days.”
Kastle smiled. Reaching out, he caressed her cheek one last time.
“I’ll be waiting for you.” And with those final words, he died.
Chapter 36
Mathias had not been idle while the priest was saying his goodbyes. He had seen the look on the dwarf’s face and knew that Kastle wasn’t going to make it. And personally, the half-elf didn’t want to watch him die. So, he had moved away to supervise and organize the survivors. A small group of the wyvern bandits had already begun moving through the fallen, dispatching wounded goblins and moving wounded defenders over to a makeshift triage area. However, they were giving one area a wide berth. The region surrounding the cockatrice.
Perhaps it was the corpse of the rooster-headed dragon-kin that scared them but Mathias figured it had more to do with the fact that the gryphon and hippogriffs were feeding on its carcass. The archer couldn’t help himself as he paused to watch. It was as if he was watching a super high-definition version of the Discovery Channel.
Pixi popped into view right above his left shoulder.
“It’s equally cool and gross at the same time. Don’t you think?”
“Pixi…I was wondering where you were at.”
“Whitney.” She nodded to the carnage all around them. “I decided that if we’re stuck here and this is my destiny, than I’m going to be who I am. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Mathias grinned. “Whitney. I’m glad you’re okay. I admit, I was a bit worried about you.”
The faerie flipped her long blonde hair back over her left shoulder in a very teenager like fashion. “I’ll admit, I was scared but…” She stopped in mid-sentence and stared at the gryphons.
Mathias glanced back and hesitantly took a step backward. “What the?”
All nine creatures had stopped their feasting and had moved toward them. Stopping about five yards away, they had all taken a position that seemed unnatural to the majestic beasts. Their heads were lowered and their front legs were bent, as if they were bowing.
Whitney couldn’t explain it but she felt drawn to them. Somehow, she knew they wouldn’t hurt her. Letting herself grow to where she was almost normal size, she took a hesitant step forward.
“They haven’t seen a Sidhe in decades,” came an unfamiliar voice from behind them.
Mathias whirled and drew back an arrow of energy in one fluid motion but held his shot when he recognized the speaker. It was the wizard with the red turban that had rode in on the majestic creatures. Lowering his bow he said, “I don’t know you but given your actions earlier, I’m willing to listen.”
The newcomer limped his way closer and gestured to the ‘griffs. “They were bred to be servants of the Sidhe.”
Whitney shifted to near normal size and turned to face the wizard with a few flaps of her dragonfly wings. “Not to be rude, but who in the Hell are you?”
The red cowled wizard bowed low. “Sanguine Bolt, Overseer of Antioch, formerly of Atlantis and before that, Portland.”
That remark caught their attention but it was Whitney who asked, “You’re an Outlander like us?”
Sanguine nodded. “It’s a long story but yes. I came across with Sartael back in the Alpha Test Phase of the game.” It was obvious to the wizard that they had plenty of questions but Sanguine wasn’t ready to delve into everything at this very moment so he gestured to the griffs. “You might want to let them relax.”
Whitney jerked back. “Me? What do mean?”
“They are paying you homage but I’m certain that isn’t the most comfortable position for such a magnificent creature.”
Whitney cocked her head to the side as she gazed on the griffs. They hadn’t moved a muscle since they assumed the awkward position. “How?”
Sanguine grinned. “Just say éirigh. It is Sidhe for arise.”
Whitney chewed on a strand of hair for a moment before saying, “Éirigh.” The griffs stood up. “That’s amazing.”
“Not as amazing as finding you in Hyperborea,” replied Sanguine.
“Why?”
“As I said earlier, it has been decades since a Sidhe has been seen in these parts.”
Mathias asked, “Sidhe?”
“The faerie folk; faeries, centaurs and elves. After the debacle with the Goblin King and the High Mage of Atlantis, they left Hyperborea for Avalon.”
Mathias felt his heart skip a beat. “So it is possible to get to Avalon from here?”
“Well yes and no…”
Whatever else the wizard was going to say had to wait when all nine hippogriffs and the gryphon raised their heads and screeched in unison. It was both terrifying and beautiful.
Whitney looked over at the wizard. “What? Why are they doing that?”
Sanguine pointed at the gathering of Outlanders. “A Champion of Law has crossed over the veil of death. Personally, I haven’t seen them honor anyone like this since the death of the High Mage.”
Whitney looked over at the half-elf. �
�Who died?”
Mathias lowered his gaze. “Kastle, the warrior-priest. He fell in battle with Cozad.”
Whitney slapped her hand to her mouth and her eyes grew wide. “But he and Aaliyah just got back together! It’s not fair.”
From the look on Sanguine’s face, Mathias could tell that the wizard was starting to realize how young Whitney really was. The archer began walking back to the group. “Come, let’s say our goodbyes.”
As they joined their companions, Tao stood up slowly and faced the red-cowled wizard. Holding out his hand, the samurai nodded. “Taote Ching at your service.”
“Sanguine Bolt, at yours.” The wizard nodded toward the fallen priest. “I would like to honor his service.”
“How?”
“He deserves a proper burial. I would suggest him being interred in the Hall of Heroes in Atlantis.”
Tao raised an eyebrow. “And how do you propose we accomplish that?”
Sanguine gestured to the griffs. “We take him there. We can be in the crystal city within two hours.”
Tao glanced at his companions. Everyone was injured, tired and saddened by Kastle’s loss but Aaliyah seemed to be overcome with her grief. It was obvious that she was in no condition to make any sort of decision. Tao glanced over at the avatar of his wife and once more his heart leapt at the thought of her being alive. It didn’t matter that she was different. Hell, he was different. But she was still his Cassie, no matter what she had done in this reality to survive.
“Your offer is generous, extremely generous, but honestly we need some downtime. Since we have arrived, we have gone from the frying pan to the fire.”
Sanguine nodded. “I bet but you have questions and Atlantis holds many of those answers. I can also guarantee that you will be safe from all outside forces in the crystal city. Although, you may also be saddened by what you find in Atlantis.”
Lost Lands: The Game - Atlantis Page 27