Runefell_The Tempest's Fury

by Shawn Sodman

  Kristieana says, “I can hardly believe that they managed to destroy the north gate.”

  “Yes,” replies Chance. “And with a hole in the castle wall facing the docks, they nearly have a pathway all the way to the keep. It seems we may have underestimated their planning.” He looks over the rail. “Can you create a wind to move this ship away from the city?”

  “No,” she answers. “Can't you?”

  “Just a small breeze,” he says. “Not enough to move the ship.”

  Kristieana looks over to the other air ship as the Amazons begin to land. Jadelyn transforms and finds herself under attack as two of the shamans throw fireballs in her direction. Because she can see the orcneas, she is able to avoid one of them while catching the other in her hands. Jadelyn throws the fire back at one of the shamans who is watching the women land. The spell scorches him, allowing the Amazons to see their enemy.

  Yarwin draws a short sword and slashes at area where the fireball hit. The shaman falls, becoming visible as the spell ends along with his life. Yarwin casts a spell that creates a foggy mist over the deck of the ship, and soon four figures appear. The shamans release another round of spells at the Amazons. Yarwin is struck by a bolt of lightning and falls to her knees.

  The ten Amazon women counterattack with a barrage of spells and put a swift end to the conflict. The four orcnea shamans fall quickly. Leanara checks on Yarwin, who is now up but moving slowly.

  The captain of the ship says, “You ladies got here just in time. I can't thank you enough.”

  Leanara replies, “You’re welcome. I suggest that you be prepared for invisible attackers from this point forward.”

  “Of course,” the goblin replies.

  Leanara says to the others, “We’d better make sure the other ship is all right.”

  As the women prepare to leave, on the other ship, Kristieana says to Chance, “I think they stopped them.”

  “Good,” replies Chance. “Let's hope that's the last of their invisible shamans.”

  “Agreed,” says Kristieana as she walks back towards the center of the ship. She only takes a few steps before she feels a blade pierce through chain-mail of her lower back. Kristieana looks down at the tip of a thin sword protruding from the front of her armor. She covers the wound as the sword is pulled from her. Chance, confused, watches her drop to her knees. She looks at the palms of her hands, and they are covered with blood. Only now does Chance begin to realize what is happening.

  Kristieana's eyes close as she collapses face down. Chance calls out her name and a bolt of lightning from directly behind Kristieana strikes him. Chance is knocked down but still conscious. He sits up and hastily throws three small fireballs in the direction of the attack. All three fly harmlessly away. He looks at Kristieana, hoping she'll show any sign of life. Her blood begins to pool on the deck.

  Chance stands and says loudly, “Show yourself, coward!”

  From the stem of the ship he can hear a laugh as General Vork—still invisible—says, “You call me a coward? What would you call yourself when you came and destroyed our bridge while you were invisible?”

  Chance ignores the question. He kneels next to Kristieana and casts a healing spell on her without taking his eyes off the front of the ship. Not knowing if his spell made any difference, he stands back up and takes a step away from her.

  General Vork says, “It’s too late for her, but don't worry. You will join her soon.” A bolt of lightning is hurled at Chance again. He manages to get out of the way just in time. Chance throws a fireball where he saw the spell come from, but again, it misses. He draws one of his swords and charges towards the stem of the ship. With every other step, he swipes his sword in front of him. He reaches the very front of ship, and as he turns back around, he is struck again by a magical bolt.

  Chance falls to his knees as Carr says, “Your armor is impressive. That would have ended the lives of most people.” Unable to dodge, Chance is hit again with a lightning bolt. Carr says, “It is almost a shame for you to die by my hands. Lortec will be very disappointed.”

  Struggling to keep himself from passing out, Chance desperately tries to cast a jet of flame. He looks up as General Vork becomes visible. Chance is just as surprised as Carr by his sudden appearance. The orcnea general turns around to find two Amazons of the Silver Moon standing on the deck.

  Jadelyn says to Leanara, “There he is!”

  Leanara wastes little time in casting an icy dagger and throwing it at Carr Vork. The general dodges the attack, but soon finds himself on the defensive once again as Jadelyn does the same. Chance looks up as more Amazons land on the ship and transform.

  Carr says to Chance, “This is far from over, Slayer.” Then, before anyone else gets a second chance to attack, General Vork disappears as he teleports away.

  Chance stumbles to his feet and makes his way over to the others as Leanara gently rolls Kristieana onto her back. “I tried to heal her,” Chance says as he reaches them.

  “I can tell,” says Leanara as she examines Kristieana. “Her wound is bound by magic. It’s a good thing you did, otherwise we may have lost her.”

  “She is still with us?” asks Chance.

  “Yes,” replies Leanara. “She is weak, but alive.”

  “Thank the gods,” says Chance with a sigh of relief.

  “If you will all give me some space, I can heal her more,” Leanara says. “But she’s going to need time to heal on her own.”

  Jadelyn says, “I'll go find someone who can teleport her off the ship.”

  Leanara begins to concentrate on her healing spell as Jadelyn transforms and flies off in search of assistance. Chance waits for Leanara to finish with her spell as a magic gate opens on deck. Chance draws his sword just to be safe, but instead of orcneas, goblins begin to emerge from the gate. The first one is wearing a captain's hat. He says to Chance, “The Goblin Trade Company thanks you for saving our ships.”

  “You're welcome,” replies Chance.

  The goblin says, “From this point forward, we'll make sure that we are prepared for invisible invaders.” A goblin escorts a three-headed dog on a chain through the gate. The captain continues, “We are also going to make sure that our ships cannot be used to destroy the walls of Sheathelm. In fact, your king has asked for us to transport some of our black power to the Lunar Gate as a precaution.”

  “Of course,” says Chance. “If they take the castle, we must stop them from controlling the gate to Elonfar.”

  The gate soon closes and the goblins get to work. Chance looks back at Kristieana, who opens her eyes. He gets down on his knees next to her and takes her hand. “I thought I...” Chance stops and rephrases his words. “I thought we lost you.”

  “I’m tired,” she says. “But I’m all right. She looks around. “So, we won?”

  “For now,” Chance answers.

  Kristieana tries to sit up, but finds it too difficult. “I don't know how I’m going to get off this ship.”

  “Jadelyn went to get someone who can teleport you,” says Chance. “We are low enough to the city now that the magic barrier won’t interfere.”

  “Good,” says Kristieana with chuckle. “Because I don't think I can transform right now.”

  Just then, Eveoh magically appears. She smiles and says, “All right, who sent for a ride?”

  Kristieana laughs, but her injury causes her to feel a sharp pain. “I guess that would be me,” she says, wincing.

  Chance and Eveoh help Kristieana get to her feet. Eveoh says, “Now just try to relax and think of the throne room if you can. It will make things easier.”

  “I will,” says Kristieana.

  Eveoh closes her eyes, and moments later both Kristieana and Eveoh vanish as they teleport away. The new captain approaches Chance. He offers him a looking glass and says, “Mr. Na'Moon, you may want to see this.”

  “See what?” Chance asks as he takes the looking glass.

  The goblin replies, “The incoming storm
to the east. That will help you see through the clouds.”

  Chance looks to the east through the magical instrument. It takes him a moment to find what the captain wanted him to see. When he finally sees it, he says, “By the gods, is that what I think it is?”

  Leanara asks, “What is it?”

  Chance hands to looking glass to Leanara. He says to the goblin, “Make sure you get the black powder to the gate as soon as possible. I have to warn Arioch.” Chance transforms into his eagle form and takes flight.

  Yarwin asks Leanara, “What’s out there?”

  Leanara, using the looking glass, spies a landmass floating in the air within the clouds. It is as if someone had cut the top off of a mountain, turned it over, and built a fortress on the flat side. It's twice as wide as the arena in Sheathelm, and three times as long. Around the perimeter are twenty-four stone towers connected by walls. Within the outer defenses are two pyramids, one at each end. They are separated by an empty flat of glassless land.

  “I can't believe it,” says Leanara. “It's the floating city.”

  “How is that possible?” asks Yarwin. “It was ruined in the Dragon War.”

  “I don't know,” replies Leanara. “But there’s no mistaking it. That is the floating city.”

  Chapter 61

  Riptide

  In the atrium of the castle, King Arioch has been watching the events unfold along with a crowd of others. Chance lands at one of the archways before turning back into his natural form. He approaches King Arioch and says, “Your Majesty, I have urgent news.”

  “What is it?” asks Arioch.

  “I don't know how,” says Chance, “but the orcneas have raised the floating city.”

  “That can't be,” Arioch says.

  The goblin Resheck says, “There have been rumors of more than one of those ancient cities existing. Perhaps they discovered one.”

  “That would explain why it looks nearly intact,” says Chance.

  A'ranah says, “If the ships are caught underneath that city, they will be in grave danger.”

  “We have to warn them,” says Chance.

  Prince River steps out from the crowd of people and says, “I can get word to the elven fleet.” He turns to his companion and bodyguard, Baeldeth. “Come on, we must hurry.”

  Chance, looking out to sea, says, “I should go warn the Red Dawn.”

  “I’m sure that Ariella will be fine,” says Arioch. “We need to worry about that fortress, and how we are going to bring it down.”

  Princess Kianna says, “If it’s the same as the one you brought down at the end of the Dragon War, you should be able to do it again.”

  Arioch asks Chance, “Did it look the same to you?”

  “Yes,” answers Chance.

  “Good,” says Arioch. “Now the only problem we have is that the orcneas greatly outnumber us. That was not the case in the Dragon War. We had the advantage then.”

  A'ranah says, “Less than one in three of the Amazons has a way to get there.”

  Kianna asks, “Can we open a gate once we arrive?”

  “No,” says Arioch. “If it’s anything like other one, this fortress will be protected from all forms of teleportation or gate magic.”

  “We'll need to scout it out before we make any other plans,” says Chance.

  “I'll fetch Belron Swiftwind,” says A'ranah.

  The queen of the Amazons leaves as Arioch looks out at the storm with his friend. “I wouldn't worry too much about Ariella,” says Arioch. “If Red Beard is with her, I’m sure she is safe.”

  “You are right,” says Chance. “I just hope that old dwarf isn't so stubborn that he doesn't follow the elves’ lead to fall back.”

  Aboard the Red Dawn, Ariella is on the quarterdeck with her father, along with Torgus and Annalee. The helmsman, Chris, is manning the wheel while, on the main deck, Drake and several of the crew stand ready for a fight. The driving rain soaks the men, and an occasional wave comes over the rail.

  Drake says to the newcomer, Seth, “I’m getting tired of these damned storms.” Seth nods and shifts his attention to the quarterdeck and Annalee. Drake looks back at the Ariella and her new apprentice and says, “She’s a tough one, isn't she.”

  “The captain?” Seth asks.

  “No,” replies Drake. “I'm talkin’ about that girl. The captain's last servant locked herself away during battle. Not that I blame her, I'm just sayin’, it takes a lot guts to stand in the middle of a battle.”

  Seth looks back out at the storm. “Annalee is resilient. After everything that she’s been through, she’s probably more resilient than we know.”

  On the quarterdeck, Ariella says to Annalee, “Are you sure you don't want to wait below deck?”

  “Absolutely not,” Annalee scoffs.

  Red Beard spots several elven ships making their way in the opposite direction of the storm. “Would ya look at that,” he says. “A bit of rain, and those elves are on the run.”

  Torgus looks ahead at the darkened sky and says, “There's something not right about that storm.”

  “Of course not,” says Red Beard. “It's what the orcneas use to shroud their attack.”

  “Aye,” replies Torgus. “But I have yet to see an orcnea ship, though I sense their presence nearby.”

  Annalee points to center of the storm. “What’s that?”

  The others look as the bottom of the floating fortress begins to descend from the clouds. “Whatever it is,” says Ariella, “it looks like it's going to set down in the water.”

  “Bring us about!” commands Red Beard.

  Chris spins the wheel and the Red Dawn begins to turn away from the danger. Torgus watches as more of the fortress reveals itself. Realizing what they are looking at, he says, “How did the orcneas raise that thing?”

  “With an awful lot of magic,” replies Red Beard.

  In the atrium of the castle, Arioch is watching the floating city descend as well. He says to Chance, “Go tell A'ranah not to worry about the drake riders. Have her gather anyone who can shape water and go down the shore immediately.”

  Chance hastily leaves in search of the Amazon queen. Kianna asks, “What do you want them to do, Father?”

  Arioch says, “Do you know what happens when you throw a stone in a pool of water?”

  Kianna replies, “Do you think they’re going to crash that city into the sea?”

  “No,” he answers. “At least not entirely.”

  Off the coast, the Red Dawn has finished maneuvering itself and is now fleeing the area with the elves. Red Beard and Torgus watch from the poop deck as the immense underside of the fortress sets down into the sea, sending forth a wave of terrifying proportions.

  “Here it comes,” says Torgus.

  “I don't think we've ever faced a wave that size,” says Red Beard. “Are you ready, my old friend?”

  “No,” replies Torgus. “But the wave doesn't much care whether we’re ready or not.”

  “Ariella, we’re going to need you to help,” says the former captain.

  Ariella joins the two dwarves, and they begin concentrating on the same spell. Just aft of the ship, the water begins to sink as Torgus and Red Beard use their magic to shape a ‘hole’ in the water that is wider than the ship. The Red Dawn continues along while they make the ’hole’ larger.

  “It needs to be deeper,” says Red Beard.

  The amount of magic required to move so much water is great. Torgus, Ariella, and Red Beard push themselves to their limits. Their hands glowing with mystical energy. Soon the sea behind them looks like a small valley has been carved in it.

  “It's almost here,” says Torgus.

  “Good,” says Ariella. “I can't hold it much longer.”

  Though the spell is not enough to stop the entire wave, the portion that would have collided with the Red Dawn is stopped as it floods over the edge of the spell area and fills the hole instead. Torgus and Red Beard relax as the remnants of the wave hits
the stern of the ship. The outer portions of the wave, unaffected by the spell, close in on the sides of the ship as it passes. Fortunately, the water loses most of its strength as it fills in the gap and splashes up onto the deck.

  “Good work,” says Red Beard.

  Torgus watches the wave continue on its path. “I just hope the elves fare as well.”

  Aboard the Silver Tide, Captain Resif and his men are assisting a capsized ship. Ropes are lowered for elves to grab hold of and be pulled up to safety. One of the rescued elves is the captain of the ship that overturned. He says to Resif, “Thank you for coming to our aid. Is there any word on how many ships we lost?”

  “Not yet,” answers Resif. “So far we’ve counted three, but I’m sure there are many more in distress that we cannot see yet.”

  At the docks of Sheathelm, nearly one hundred Amazons of the Silver Moon have evenly spread along the coastline. The waters are much shallower here, and because of this, they intend to use a different tactic to stop the incoming wave.

  The spell-casters begin at the very edge of the water line and shape it upwards as if they are lifting an enormous rug from the ground. Each Amazon focuses on the water before her, forming it into a wall as high as she can without becoming exhausted. Those standing on the docks begin walking forward, pushing the water back as they go.

  Chance and Arioch are watching from the atrium. Arioch says, “It's working. That wedge should split the incoming wave and protect the docks and the city.”

  The wall of water is now taller than the walls surrounding the city of Sheathelm. The seabed below the docks, now exposed, makes it look as if the oceans themselves have dried up. Leanara is standing at the end of the docks and is concentrating on the tip of the wedge-like formation of water.

  “When will the wave reaches us?” asks Jadelyn.