Catalyst (Book 1)

by Marc Johnson

  They didn’t have any shields, but the dwarves took the brunt of the creatures’ assault. A young dwarf blocked an ogre’s sword. She swiped the sword away then rammed the pointed end of her axe up and through the ogre’s chin.

  The elves in the center of the circle sheathed their swords and pulled their bows, showering death over our heads at the taller creatures. Prastian and Demay shared a smile, each trying to outdo the other. They loosed their arrows and struck a troll’s eyes.

  The noose around our collective neck got tighter. A dwarf cried out as his arm was cut through. The goblin frenzy was like a never-ending tidal wave. An elf screamed while being dragged away. Another fell over from a fatal bite to the neck.

  It was now or never.

  I stopped drawing in magic. I lifted my hand. Streams of fire twisted and turned in the dim room. They hovered over our heads, mesmerizing everyone. Everyone gazed up and stopped fighting. That’s when I brought them down.

  The waves of fire plummeted, splashing over and through the creatures. I guided the blazes to engulf only the monsters. Their bodies burned and cooked. Their disfigured skin blistered, then blackened. The horrific smell of rancid roast pork filled the room. I forced myself to block out their chorus of agony, remembering that I was doing this for the princess and the people of Alexandria.

  Groups of goblins collapsed. Their small bodies twitched. The heat drove the ogres and trolls insane. They struck and crushed their own people, trying in vain to put out the flames. Bodies of trolls and ogres toppled over like an avalanche. They crashed into the floor, igniting up the remaining carpets.

  I could no longer contain or control all that magic. I sent a tiny bit of the fire back to the torches; the rest dissipated into nothingness. The flames on the corpses popped and crackled.

  I bent over, putting my hands on my knees, and panted. The sweat rolled down my face. I sucked in as much air as I could. Dwarves and elves moved around the room, finishing off those creatures still living with expert cuts of their swords and axes.

  “Hellsfire, are you all right?” the princess asked, placing a hand on my hunched back.

  I wiped a drop of sweat from the corner of my eye and shook my head.

  “Is there anything we can do for you?”

  I waved my hand, trying to speak. My mouth moved, but no sound came out. I took one gigantic gulp of air. Then I rose, reached into my purse, and downed a rejuvenation potion. My strength came back to me bit by bit.

  “I’m all right, Your Highness. Thank you.”

  I stood on guard. Premier could have sensed my magic and be on his way, or he could have been behind those webs all along. I doubted the latter. Even with the lack of regard he showed his creatures, not even he would have wanted so many to be killed when he was so close to victory.

  “Nice job, lad,” Jastillian said. He flicked some dark entrails from his bushy beard. “And my foolish brother didn’t believe you had it in you.” He laughed, and I couldn’t help but grin.

  “How could we have missed them?” someone asked in frustration. “The doors are wide open, and we saw nothing!”

  “Concealment webs,” I said, staring at the illusion of empty hallways created by the webs. “Premier must have known about the tunnels and set a trap in case Princess Krystal returned. I need some of you to cover me while I take down the webs.”

  I undid the webs. It was sloppy and messy, but fast. I would have walked through them, but didn’t want to take the chance that Premier had more surprises in store, or was just standing right there. I breathed easier when I saw Premier wasn't there and that there wasn’t another trap.

  “We can't keep taking losses like this,” Jastillian said.

  “What's the count?” I asked.

  “Fourteen dead and four seriously wounded. More than half our people are gone.”

  “We've got to hurry,” Prastian said.

  “The dungeons aren't far from here,” Krystal said.

  “Let's hope we don't run into any more surprises,” Behast said.

  We left the wounded concealed in the secret passage, with a dwarf and an elf to guard them. The library was on the castle’s first floor—as close as the princess could get us to the dungeons. We jogged through the hallways, heading for the lower levels and keeping an eye out for any more traps or surprises.

  We neared our destination and stopped. Krystal and I scouted the entrance to the dungeons. Two trolls and four goblins guarded them. I peeked from our hiding place and scanned the area for any magic. There were no webs or enchantments I could feel. It wasn’t the strong magic that worried me. It was the subtle magic I might not be able to detect.

  We returned to the others and told them what we’d found. They decided to attack directly, since there was no other way to get to the dungeons. I would stay behind, watching for magic and guarding the princess.

  Our forces rushed out. From a distance, the elves were able to get a few of their remaining arrows off. One troll had five arrows sticking out of his chest. Black blood ran down his chest, and he fell to the ground. Two more arrows pinned a goblin against the wall. As he slid to the floor, his dark blood left a slimy trail. The other goblins moved quickly, running towards us before more arrows could be released. The second troll had an arrow piercing his shoulder, but it barely slowed him down.

  The dwarves and Behast followed the arrows. The dwarves’ axes found their marks and hacked away. Even if a creature blocked one, someone else's axe took its place, until the creature lost a limb and eventually its head.

  This battle was far different from the previous one. There were no casualties on our side, and the only injuries were minor scratches and bruises.

  Everyone went through the arch and filed down to the dungeons. The dwarves went first, in case there were more creatures below. I hurried to catch up to them, but stopped when something caught the corner of my eye. I turned my head, but saw nothing. The hair on my neck rose, but I didn’t sense any magic. Krystal pulled at my arm, and I followed her to the dungeons. I made sure she went down the steps before I followed, still looking over my shoulder.

  The humidity and stale air in the stairwell made me feel trapped once more. My stomach twisted into a knot. I couldn’t be sure if it was my nerves, or if it was something else.

  When I reached the bottom, the strike force already had the cell doors open, and the prisoners were filing out. I pushed my way through all the people, making my way to the front by Krystal’s side.

  The Royal Guardsmen of Alexandria were nearly naked, wearing dirty rags that barely covered them. They stank and were undernourished. Ardimus was in the worst condition. He leaned more than stood. Dark bruises encircled his face, and blood was crusted on his swollen lips. Lacerations and cuts marred his arms. Even in his condition, when he saw the princess his smile was full of love and warmth.

  No matter what ragged condition they were in, their angry eyes spoke volumes, saying they were ready for battle.

  “There’s one bloody fight ahead of us,” Jastillian said. “Are you and your men with us, Ardimus?”

  “I’m always willing to kill as many of those creatures as I can; however, my first duty lies with the princess.” Ardimus turned to Krystal. “May I be allowed to leave your side and save our fair city, Princess?”

  “No, you may not,” Krystal said. “I'm going to need you. You're to come with me while we find my father.”

  He bowed. “As you command, Princess. My men and I are going to need weapons. I believe Premier had our weapons taken to the armory. Gods willing, his despicable creatures won't have ransacked it. I believe he promised to give them to his favorites as prizes after the battle.” He gazed into the faces his men. “Does everyone know what to do?” he asked. “You are to help our friends take back what is ours! For Alexandria!”

  The Guardsmen of Alexandria ignored their wounds and raised their fists in the air. They stood straighter, their pride and dignity showing through their rags.

  “If Her
Highness will lead the way,” Ardimus said. “Make way! Make way!”

  I was the last to leave the dungeon's depths. I was anxious for battle, but I wasn't craving it like they were. I wasn’t a warrior. I just wanted to be rid of the creatures and Premier. I didn't want to see any more of the good people of Alexandria, Erlam, or Sharald die.

  As I walked towards the armory, I couldn't shake the feeling that we were being followed. I kept checking behind me and around the corners, but there was no one. Prastian sensed my uneasiness

  “Is something the matter, Hellsfire?” Prastian said.

  “Something is wrong,” I said. “I don't know what it is. But I can't shake the feeling of danger.” I shrugged. “I haven't seen anything. Have you or any of the other elves heard anything?”

  Prastian's long ears twitched in different directions. “Nothing.”

  “I pray you’re right.”

  We soon arrived at the armory. Prastian left me and went inside with the Guardsmen of Alexandria. I stood outside the entrance as guard, along with the dwarves and elves. I glanced from side to side, but saw nothing, so I peered inside the armory, curious.

  The armory was larger than I expected—a long room bristling with weapons. Arrows were bundled and leaned against the walls. Wooden racks held swords of all sizes, from short swords and longswords to huge broadswords. Light gleamed off their deadly, sharpened edges, slicing through the air. Crossbows and longbows hung on the walls. Wooden dummies wore helms, armor, and shields. The polished steel shone, and the red dragon emblems gleamed like rubies. Even though I wasn’t skilled with a weapon, that deadly beauty was entrancing.

  The men and women of Alexandria wasted no time. They strapped on body armor and breastplates. One woman tucked her ragged hair under a helm. Another man strapped the gauntlets on his arm. A shorter woman picked up a heavy axe and swung it through the air, testing its balance. A man restrung a bow and plucked the string. He nodded, satisfied.

  Their transformation was complete in a matter of minutes. They worked in silence, the only noises the hiss of swords into sheaths and the soft clink of chainmail. A nod here, a look there, was all they needed to communicate.

  All the ragged, dirty-looking guards from the dungeon had recovered their armor, their weapons, and more importantly, their pride. With the dragon symbol emblazoned on their chests, they now looked like those heroic Guardsmen of Alexandria I had heard stories about. In front of them stood Ardimus, his chainmail gleaming and his sharpened scimitar at his side.

  The Guardsmen’s faces became grim and their eyes gleamed with an angry fire. Blood and battle was on their minds. Gods help whoever stood in their way.

  Ardimus walked towards me. “This is where we part ways,” he said. “Be careful, Hellsfire. I still owe you.”

  “I will,” I said.

  I turned towards Krystal and gave her my full attention. There were so many things I wanted to say to her, but all the words were inadequate.

  “I'll be back to get you, Your Highness, once we see how the battle is going,” I said. “Please be careful.”

  “You too, hero.”

  She turned to walk away when I stopped her, “Wait!”

  “Yes, Hellsfire?”

  “Take this.”

  I pulled my dagger from underneath my robes. I clasped it in my hands, enchanting it with minor, temporary magic. My hands glowed and transferred power to it.

  “Here,” I said, handing it to her. “I doubt you’ll need it but if you do, unsheathe it the slightest bit and you’ll activate its magic. I’ll know you’re in trouble and where you are.”

  “Still looking out for me?”

  “Always.”

  We shared a smile before departing.

  We ran toward the entrance. I pushed thoughts of the princess’s safety out of my mind so I could focus on the upcoming battle. As soon as we were out of the castle, the blinding daylight struck us, disorientating us for a moment. Then we picked up the pace. The weight of the soldiers’ gear didn’t slow any of them down. They hungered to lighten the load by burying their blades and arrows into Premier’s creatures.

  The keep had emptied out—the main battle was at the wall by the city’s south gate. As we ran through the courtyard, two giant shadows passed over us, and we heard an inhuman scream. I stopped and looked up. Cynder was overhead, locked in a battle with a giant bird of some sort. It must have been Premier's own guardian. The bird's sharp talons dug into Cynder's flesh, and he cried out. Cynder stretched his long, reptilian neck, snapping at the bird’s feathery side until he was free. I wanted to help my friend, but there was nothing I could do for him. I prayed the dragon would survive.

  We passed through the castle gate. It was unnerving to see the silent temple and the streets so empty of people when there were crowds the last time I had passed through. Even the beggars and prostitutes would have been a welcome sight.

  We ran down the hill, heading for the square where Alexander’s statue stood, when the magic hit me like a sledgehammer to the head. I wobbled, nearly toppling over. I put my fingertips to my forehead, and the throbbing pain settled until it became a buzzing haze. I looked back at the castle.

  The princess was in trouble.

  Most of the Guardsmen were still running, but my friends stopped. “Hellsfire, what is it?” Prastian asked.

  “I’ve got to go back to the castle. The princess is in trouble.”

  “Then I’ll go with you,” Jastillian said. “I promised Wizard Stradus I’d watch your back.”

  “And we’ll go, too,” one of the women of Alexandria said. “She’s our princess.”

  I shook my head. “No. I’ll be faster alone.” I pointed to the southern walls where the battle raged. “The princess needs you to help with that.”

  From our height, across the city, it was hard to see what was going on. The fire and smoke obscured most of the battle. But what I saw was enough.

  Tiny silhouettes fought hard on the wall. Our forces had climbed sections of the wall, but were bottled up. The creatures’ hulking forms pushed our forces back. On one section of the wall, the creatures were like a dragon’s mouth, swallowing our soldiers whole.

  “Alexandria is more than just the crown,” I said. “The princess knows that. Do your duty. Rally the people. Open the gates. I’ll go back to the castle.”

  “What about you?” Prastian asked. “What about your duty and what you promised Wizard Stradus?”

  “My duty lies with the princess.”

  I turned and ran back to the castle. The fire building inside of me became hard to contain. It oozed out of my hand and through my eyes, the more I thought about Krystal. I left a fiery trail behind me. If any harm had befallen her, it would be all my fault.

  CHAPTER 24

  I sprinted into the castle. I followed the magic in my dagger, the haze lessening the closer I got to it. The princess still had it with her. I hoped one of the creatures lurked nearby so I could vent my anger. I didn’t find any. I found something much worse.

  Inside the keep, at the top of the main staircase, were the bodies of Krystal’s guards. One man lay on his stomach, his neck twisted so that his vacant eyes stared at the ceiling. Another guard’s face was so charred and blackened I could see half her skull.

  I crept to the nearest body. She slumped against the wall, leaving a bloody trail against it. There was a fist-sized hole in her chest. I bent down and put my fingers to the blood. It was still warm. Whatever caused it could lurk nearby.

  I worried that Krystal was amongst these bodies, even though the magic I felt wasn’t near here. It was off towards the end of the corridor. But the dagger could have been taken from her. I checked the bodies, and they all wore the armor of Alexandria.

  I kept my guard up and crept forward, stepping over the dead bodies. Something moved. I created a very hot and hungry fireball in my hand.

  “Help me,” said a weak voice. It was coming from one of the hunched, shadowy bodies. He tried to move
again, and cried out in pain.

  I crept toward the voice, still scanning the area. It could be a trap waiting to spring when I helped the wounded soldier.

  “The princess…you must help her.” My heart beat fast at that. That meant she was still alive.

  I rushed to the man, ignoring the possible trap. I had to find out what he knew. It was Ardimus. Fresh cuts and bruises marked his face, and blood trailed from a large gash in his right arm, dripping into a puddle on the floor.

  “Are you all right?” I asked, keeping my voice low.

  “No, but I'll live.”

  My eyes scanned the shadows and open doors. There were far too many hiding places. “Is there anyone else here?”

  Ardimus shook his head.

  I ripped off a fallen soldier’s tunic and tied it tightly around his open wound. The cloth darkened with red. It wasn’t enough, but it would have to do. I helped Ardimus up, taking his left hand. He grunted in pain and touched a hand to his right side. It came back with more blood.

  “What happened here? Where's the princess?”

  “Premier came. He attacked us with magic and took her.” Ardimus shook his head in shame. “I failed.”

  Ardimus’s clothes had disintegrated over his chest, but his chainmail remained intact. I sensed magic coming from the chainmail. I latched onto some mana and touched it. It hummed in response.

  “How did you—”

  “My chainmail and sword are enchanted. They were a gift, long ago, and provided some protection.” Ardimus squirmed in pain. “But they weren't enough.” He looked at the dead bodies strewn across the floor. “My people…the princess. We've got to help her.”

  “No, I will find her.”

  “But—”

  “You're in no shape to fight Premier. If you weren't hurt, I would be honored to have you by my side. I need you—no, the princess needs you to guard King Furlong. Will you do that?”