Red Queen

by Jolie Jaquinta

  Chapter 19

  The Barrier

  The sky grew black, not through an abundance of clouds or a vanishing sun, but through an absence of light itself. The weak rain continued to lend its own efforts to the dismal setting. Desdemona rode in the lead now, occasionally stopping to let Cookie pick up fresh scent. Coral took the opportunity to drop a magical flare to guide in any relief that was being sent. As he looked around, this appeared to be unnecessary. A platoon of troops struggled ahead against some dark enemy, with the standard of the 9th army in their center. Looking at it tactically, they seemed to have the situation in hand. As the front troops engaged, the flanks spread out on either side. Coral returned his attention above and spurred his horse on to catch up with Desdemona.

  However, in almost no time the horse reared up and came to an abrupt stop, wings beating heavily and losing altitude. “Hey! Hey!” called out Coral, as his mount tried to regain stability without crashing into whatever invisible barrier they were up against. Desdemona turned back, confused. “I can't get through!” shouted Coral, miming a wall. Desdemona surveyed the situation, nodded, and made motions indicating that Coral should land and join the troops. Frustrated, but lacking any other choice, he descended.

  He alighted near the standard, with its cluster of commanders and magical support. It was now clear that what he had taken to be a flanking action was their line spreading out along a curved barrier. The situation was not as well in hand as he had assumed.

  “Hey ho! Coral!” cried out one of the mages. “Did Desdemona find you?”

  “Miasma?” he asked. She nodded. “Desdemona? Black horse, fangs, glowing eyes?”

  “Sounds like she did”, laughed Miasma. “We're in a bit of a pickle here. Somehow, somewhere, they've managed to recruit a company of dragons!”

  Coral looked to their front and the shapes he had seen dimly before were definitely clawed and fanged, snapping at the front ranks then retreating, unimpeded, behind the barrier. But he shook his head. “Those aren't dragons.” He had visited their enclave in the mountains. They may resemble them visually, but they didn't move right. Miasma looked confused. “They may look like dragons. But according to Desdemona they're demons. And she looks like the sort of person who should know.”

  “Drat”, said Miasma. “Make that a big, sour, dill, pickle.” She turned to relay this information to the commanders.

  Just then there was a commotion in the front ranks. A large figure had broken through the barrier and the soldiers were crying an alert and trying to close ranks to block its advance. Coral caught sight of the tabard and rose up in his stirrups to call out. “Give way! Give way! That's one of ours! She's on our side!”

  The soldiers hesitated, forming up, but looking to their commanders for confirmation. “Give way!” shouted the general, looking over at Coral questioningly. “Heed the Champion!”

  The cordon parted and Cookie struggled backwards through the barrier. Desdemona rode high up her neck, striking forward with her great sword. As she slowly cleared the darkness a shape came with her. Cookie had one of the dragon creatures firmly clamped in its fanged jaws. It squirmed and struggled, coils with shadowy edges blurred and double. As it cleared the barrier the soldiers fell upon it. Being the vanguard of the 9th, their blades were fully magical and demon proof. It did not take much time for them to rend the beast apart.

  Coral and Miasma moved forward as the soldiers gave a cheer and reformed their barrier. The creature writhed in its death throws, the blurry edges giving the appearance of slow motion to its moves. “I should have used clear seeing” said Miasma.

  “Not if you value your sight”, said Coral. “I'm told that's a bad idea against such creatures. Or is that an old wife's tale, Desdemona?” He had come up alongside of her to render what aid he could.

  Desdemona had dismounted, and was frantically dismembering the body with her sword. “I need its heart”, she panted. “Before the souls leave.”

  “Why?” said Coral, cautiously. So far this Desdemona had seemed a fair sort, appearances aside. But devouring the hearts of your enemies was just a little close to the line of cultural tolerance Coral was comfortable going.

  “Oh, right! There's great magic in a demon's heart”, said Miasma. “Can you breach the gate with it?” Desdemona nodded.

  “Sorry for doubting you”, said Coral, abashed. He leaped from his horse and helped her cut through the tough, though indistinct hide. Score one for Desdemona, he decided.

  Once through the skin, the ribs, or cartilage, or chitin, it was hard to tell, it was quick work. She butchered it up, then dragged the heavy organ out, and headed to the front. Coral threw his reigns to a trooper and leaped off, shouting “Coming through!”

  The soldiers were wary, but parted readily with Coral's backing. Desdemona stood there, steaming heart in one hand, Seeker held out in the other. The dragon shaped demons eyed her uneasily, and then gave back, hesitantly. She impaled the heart on the sword, and as it ran down the blade, the sockets where its runes used to be glowed a bright orange. The whole sword gave off a black shimmer, and darkness seemed to be collecting on where it wasn't glowing. With a cry she jammed the blade through the ground, under where the barrier was, and slowly lifted it. Wavering darkness could be seen as she pulled upwards, struggling.

  “Get through! Get through now if you are going”, she grunted to Coral. “I'll need more hearts to rend it enough to let the troops through.

  Coral started forward, then stopped and grabbed Miasma. “I think I'm going to need you for this.” It never hurt to have a mage.

  “Yikes!” said Miasma, but didn't resist.

  She and Coral dropped to the ground and crawled through the dirt under the glowing Seeker blade. Once through, the draconic demons hissed and advanced. Desdemona, however, had dropped the barrier, and stepped through, as unimpeded as they were. This gave the demons pause and they gave ground slightly.

  Miasma grabbed Coral this time and said, “Hang on!” With a rush of air she flew high above the demons and forward into the darkness. When they had gotten out of sight again she dropped quickly to the ground. “Whew. You're a bit heavier than Ralph!” she said, laughing.