by D N Meinster
"Prop powder," Rant growled, withdrawing his own sword. "Let's get these bastards."
"Wait," Aergo commanded. He pointed his sword forward once more. "Fire!"
"Fire!"
Boulders soared across the field, but this time they were met with another round of exploding arrows. Several of the projectiles were disintegrated in midair, spraying only dust and minuscule debris on the enemy. The rest of the arrows made it to their side, letting loose loud booms that destroyed multiple catapults along with the structures that housed them.
Word came to the frontlines. "We lost three."
"Ready the rest!" Aergo ordered.
More arrows were loosed into the air. Explosions went off all around him, sending blood and limbs to cover those that survived.
"Sir," Rant begged.
"Fire!" Aergo wailed.
"Fire!"
As the next set of rocks shot off toward Neanthal's hordes, Aergo aimed his sword at them. "Weapons ready!"
Shine and the rest of the men on horseback took out their blades.
"Charge!" Aergo directed them, and over a hundred horses began the dash across the field to engage their opponents. In their wake were hundreds of guardians, following their king into battle.
The arrows were no longer shot high. They came straight at the Kytheran horses. Aergo only caught a glimpse through the side of his eye as horses were hit and felled by the darts. He tried to keep his focus on the enemy. Though they had taken some of his riders, the thuds of horseshoes and the kicked-up dirt and grass gave him confidence.
Eventually, the arrows let up, and Neanthal's demibeasts came forward. These proved to be even more deadly. They tackled the horses that they met, and chewed on the riders that dared try to take them on. They were nimble, and their posture kept them out of range of the riders' weapons while they remained atop their steeds.
Aergo watched as a set of demibeasts came at him and his son. He tossed his sword at its head before it got too close, and the demibeast collapsed on its side as the blade slit its head in two.
Shine dove from his mount right as a demibeast latched its jaws onto the poor animal's head. While it was still chewing on the horse, Shine impaled it on its side.
Rant was the only one near the King that was able to stay on his horse. His sword had a greater reach than a typical guardian's weapon, and he slayed as many demibeasts as he could without changing positions.
Some of Aergo's men did manage to make it to the main bulk of Neanthal's masses. They rode through, hacking away at as many as they could before they were eventually taken down.
Rant and Shine protected Aergo as he retrieved his sword. He pulled it from the demibeasts head and examined the residue on the blade. It was a black liquid, and only when he wiped his finger on it and took a closer look did he realize it was blood. "Black blood."
Rant impaled another demibeast through the top of its head, and Shine was wrestling with one that had bit down on his arm.
Aergo trod over to his son and stabbed the demibeast until it went motionless.
Shine pulled the dead creature off his arm and glanced down at the dents in his armor. "Those things are vicious."
And more were coming at them. But this time, they were accompanied by the huge plated fellows, with some standing taller than even Aergo.
"We could head back," Rant suggested.
"No way," the King replied, getting into a proper battle stance.
Before Neanthal's monsters could reach him, his own foot soldiers finally caught up. They rushed past their king and attacked the dark forces. Though their swords and daggers could slice through the demibeasts, they found more difficulty battling the plated. Many blades shattered against their armor, and they were easily stuck by the jagged black swords of their adversaries.
Aergo was not one to watch his men die while he did nothing. He ran forward to join them, piercing each demibeast that dared get near. He dropped them with the ease of a much younger man. Here on the battlefield, he did not let his age drag him down.
Rant did his best to watch the King and the Prince's back. He was as proficient protecting them as he was his own horse. Not one demibeast got by him, though he was concerned about the plated monsters.
When Aergo had dispatched a number of the demibeasts, one plated set its sights on him and went in for a kill.
Aergo blocked its blade as it thrust downward. He was amazed by the strength of this being, but he held his own against it. As they appeared locked in a stalemate, he asked it, "What are you?"
The plated did not answer.
While they continued pushing against one another, Rant squeezed his blade through a slight opening in its armor, and Aergo's opponent fell.
"I could've handled that one," Aergo insisted.
"I know," Rant said and he took on another plated that was approaching.
The rest of the King's men were not holding up half as well as the King. The demibeasts were ripping them apart, or feeding on the ones that the plated cut in two. These men did not have an edge in close quarters combat. In fact, it was probably a drawback.
As Aergo engaged another plated monster, he considered his options. Staying out here was certain death. If they regrouped, they could send out more projectiles and perhaps even the odds a bit.
Aergo blocked the plated's sword blow for blow. Their huge size was alarming, but they were slow and not particularly skilled with their weapons. Aergo shoved his sword in this one's neck and headed closer to Rant.
"We need to head back," Aergo said. "Tell the men to retreat back to the city."
Rant reached out his hand, but Aergo shook his head.
"I'll head back with my son. Just let everyone else know."
Rant nodded, and, with reluctance, galloped away to spread the word.
Shine was barely managing to hold his own against a plated, and a demibeast kept charging at him before running away.
Aergo gored the demibeast before it made another pass at his son. He came up to Shine's side and started slashing away at the plated. It was no match for two-on-one and both Tunsevs shoved their blades into the gaps in its armor near its chest.
"We're leaving," Aergo ordered.
"But – "
Aergo shut his son up with a look. They both turned and ran, heading back toward Kytheras. There were still plenty of men back there, waiting for them. But the King hadn't realized the extent of the damage until he saw it from a distance. The Outer had been devastated by the explosions. There were more piles of rubble than there were structures from what he could see.
Rant made his way back to the King's side, and his horse trotted along with them as they rejoined the remainder of his army.
"Tell them to fire the catapults when ready!" Aergo shrieked. "And if any of the men brought bows, now is the time!"
Rantiford sped past them and Aergo took his place back at the front lines. The run had left him out of breath, and he bent over while trying to breathe.
"I don't think we can win this," Shine mumbled, clearly not as winded as his father.
When Aergo finally caught his breath, he said "I already sent your mother and brother to the Islands, along with your wife. You should join them now."
"What about you?"
"I cannot abandon my kingdom," Aergo stated with resolve. "I won't!"
Shine stayed by his father's side. "And I cannot leave you."
Aergo peeked at his son and chuckled. "Then we’d better win this." He caught sight of another round of boulders heading for the enemy. Before they hit their target, his attention turned elsewhere. "Where are my mages? Where is Amelia?"
Rant came back to answer. "They're under siege. We'll have to do this without magic."
Aergo tried not to show it, but he knew that without the mages, they had already lost. Neanthal had planned to keep them away. They were the only real threat to his dominance. "Are any still here?"
"I think I saw Malcolm," Rant said before taking off again.
Malcolm shifted to the side of the King. The dark-haired mage was dressed in a tweed jacket, and carrying a staff with two tiny channeling crystals at its peak. "My liege," he said with a bow.
"Find Amelia," Aergo commanded. "Tell her I need her here immediately. She must come."
Before Malcolm could respond, the tip of a sword broke through his chest and left him dead before he crumbled forward to the King's feet.
"I can't have Amelia interfere," a deep throaty voice stated.
Aergo knew who this man was, even though they had never met. He was completely bald, except for the black, knitted pony tail running down his back. His eyes burned like fire, and his smile was more unnerving than the odd sword in his hand. It was composed of black metal, but straight and not jagged like those of his peons, and with a triangular ruby embedded in the hilt. The broad blade rose up from the hilt, as did a parallel blade which was as thin as a needle.
"Neanthal, I presume," Aergo said.
"King Aergo Tunsev," Neanthal replied. "Tell your men to disarm, and I will let them live. You, unfortunately, must die. There's no escaping that."
Shine dove at Neanthal in response, but the Beast raised his hand and froze the Prince in midair.
"You have a loyal son," Neanthal stated. "At least you'll die knowing that." Shine soared back and crashed into a bunch of Aergo's men.
"This battle was a formality," he continued. "They wouldn't have accepted me if I just showed up and killed you. Not like the Fauns did. I had to kill you here, in the midst of war."
"You haven't done that, yet!" Aergo swung his sword at the Beast, but Neanthal blocked it with ease.
"It's just another formality." Neanthal shoved his sword toward the King, but Rantiford returned and threw himself at the King's would-be assassin.
Rant pounded his sword at Neanthal, but every attack was reflected. He could not get past his defenses and land a strike.
Neanthal, however, was able to get past Rant's. With a single swipe, he caused the Head Guardian's white armor to split apart. When he went in for a killing blow, the King blocked it.
Aergo's sword clanged against Neanthal's as their duel continued. The King thought he might have been evenly matched with his opponent, until Neanthal nicked his wrist and took a chunk from his leg.
Aergo tried to remain standing, but with his leg damaged, he sunk down with each passing second.
When Neanthal's sword was level with Aergo's head, the Beast said "Tell Magenine that I'll see her soon."
The needle-like blade passed through Aergo's neck first, followed by the rest of the broad sword. With a single swipe, the King was decapitated and Neanthal was victorious.
"No!" Rant screamed as he charged at Neanthal.
With a flick of his wrist, Rant was disarmed as his sword flew beyond his reach. "Know when you've lost," Neanthal said. He showed his teeth in a foul grin as his forces finally reached what remained of Aergo's army.
Amelia's slippers slapped against the hard-stone floor as she trounced down the busy corridors to find the other mages. Her bronze dress with white trim fluttered uncontrollably while she searched for a glimpse of a staff or a familiar face. Had they all remained in bed? Surely the commotion would have woken them by now.
Kytheras was being invaded, and Aergo needed them to hold back this beast. If the coming army was as massive as it was reported, magic was their only possible defense.
Members of the castle staff were hurrying past, lugging piles of armor and weapons in a scramble to prepare. The frantic rush sapped Amelia's hope as she acknowledged how tired and hungry those going into battle would be. Such a state was dangerous for the welfare of the entire kingdom. By the looks of it, at least her mages would be well-rested.
Finally, Amelia spotted Grace staring out one of the castle windows. The usually effusive mage had gone suspiciously quiet in recent decks. Amelia suspected this had more to do with Uterak than with a changing of allegiances, but her relative calm in the morning chaos was particularly unnerving.
Grace was already dressed in layers of white and blue cloth, with staff in hand. But she hardly seemed to notice Amelia as she approached.
"Are you ready?" Amelia barked at her. "We need to join the King immediately. Have you seen Hatswick? Or Quentin? Or even Azzer?"
"Azzer already left," Grace muttered. Her eyes stayed on the picturesque dawn on the other side of the glass. "I haven't seen the others."
Amelia placed a hand on Grace's shoulder. "Aergo needs you Grace. Please go to him."
Grace's lips formed a mischievous smile. "I don't think I'm important enough to be at the King's side right now. It's supposed to be you." She finally focused on Amelia. "Go to him. I'll find the others."
Amelia wasn't sure what prompted her to volunteer, and a nagging feeling that something was off kept her from shifting away. "What makes you say that, Grace? You know you're one of the best we have."
"I'm superfluous," Grace said. "Not to be remembered. Do you think that means I die soon?"
Amelia opened her mouth but no words sprang from her tongue. What could she say to that? There was no way to know the future.
"I think so," Grace answered to end the silence. "I hope the Goddess is real and that there's a Great Bastion waiting for me."
"There is," Amelia said with as much certainty as she could muster. "Magenine is as real as Neanthal."
Grace put her hand on top of Amelia's. "Go. I will find Hatswick and the rest."
Amelia believed her. "Okay." The black walls around her started to fade away and a new environment began to take their place. There were many people, soldiers, waiting in anticipation for a battle.
Amelia felt the neckline of her dress go firm before she was suddenly yanked backwards. All of the men disappeared and the castle walls that had almost gone were completely solid once more.
"Where do you think you're going?" a dreadful voice spat.
Grace was still beside her, but another had joined them. A pasty mage in silver, with black dreadlocks that were on their way to gray and greenish eyes filled with hate, had materialized in the hall. "Spira," Amelia identified the sin mage.
"Didn't think a mage could do that, did you?" Spira's harsh voice taunted. She twirled her opaque white staff, from which a channeling crystal sat atop multiple splayed-out tentacles. "It's one of the many benefits of joining Neanthal. Magenine holds us all back. She's afraid we'll break Her world. Neanthal lets us live up to our potential. Now would be an especially good time to join him, since he's about to rule all of Ghumai."
"You'll find no more traitors among the mages here," Amelia said. She ensured she had a tight grip on her staff and readied to eliminate Spira. There was no time for this distraction. The war for Kytheras was about to begin.
Grace seemed to come alive upon Spira's appearance. Her staff was pointed at the sin mage and there was a spark in her eyes that had been missing. "Those assholes have already left."
"Though one has come back," Amelia said, nodding toward the sin mage.
"Don't you understand?" Spira asked. "I can stop you from shifting. I could turn this entire castle to ash if I wished. You don't stand a chance against me now. Your only choices are to join Neanthal or die."
"That's an easy one," Grace said, and the petals on her staff came alive. Within moments, the entire corridor was engulfed in flames, save for herself and the Grand Mage.
The flames ceased with a horizontal slash from Spira's staff. "I can stop your magic as easily as I can stop your heart."
"Let's test that!" Amelia swung her staff at Spira and sent her flying backwards down the hallway.
Spira cut short the effects of the hit, and appeared to hover in midair for a few moments before driftin
g back to the floor. "My turn." With a powerful uppercut of her staff, she sent both Amelia and Grace smashing back through the window and into the open air.
Both mages shifted back into the hall before they even neared the ground.
Amelia aimed her staff, and the two walls on Spira's sides closed in on her, but she shifted away before they made contact.
When she reappeared, Grace willed the floor and ceiling to collide, but Spira shifted again before she was injured.
This time, the sin mage appeared behind them, standing amongst the debris of the window. Shards of broken glass rose up from the floor and then shot off toward Grace and Amelia. As they neared their target, the glass expanded to an immense size that encapsulated the width of the hall.
Amelia stuck out her staff, and the shards of glass turned to sand as they neared, sprinkling them only with innocuous grains. She brushed them off her dress and grinned at Spira. "You really haven't proven your point." A ball of lightning burst from her channeling crystal and zoomed in on the sin mage.
Spira disbursed the ball of light with a wave of her staff. "You're right. I'll let her prove it."
Amelia buckled inward as Grace's staff slammed into her stomach. Nausea undertook her, not only from the result of the hit, but from being blindsided by the betrayal. Had Grace been feigning her allegiance for the entire battle? Amelia glanced toward her, only to see that Grace couldn't look back. Her eyes had gone completely white, leaving no irises or pupils.
"Grace!" Amelia cried, trying to reach her. But Grace only tried to whack her again.
Amelia shifted away to prevent herself from harming Grace. She realized that her friend was under Spira's influence. The sin mage had managed to possess her mind.
She appeared beside Spira, only to find that this move had been predicted. Grace had let off a fireball that struck her as she reappeared. It startled the Grand Mage, but she defused it with ease.
"Do you see what I'm capable of?" Spira asked.
"Try possessing me," Amelia growled before launching herself at Spira.