by Shawn Sodman
Yarwin replies, “It's almost here.”
Leanara and the others look up to the cloudy sky when they hear the screeching sound of drakes approaching.
“Oh, no,” says Leanara under her breath. She then calls out to the others, “Drakes are incoming!”
The Amazons of the Silver Moon shift their attention to the ambush from above. Six spine drakes dive from the misty sky and strafe the line of women. The drakes use their tails to try and strike the Amazons in their path as they dive for cover.
The spell-casters that were not threatened try to compensate for those who broke their concentration on their wall of water. Kel'ana is one of the Amazons who had to move out of the way of the attacking drakes. While others begin to resume the spell, she readies her magical bow, and rapidly fires icy arrows into the sky at the drakes. Several arrows find their mark, but do little harm to the beasts as they quickly fly back into the clouds.
“We have to hold the wall!” yells Leanara. “The wave is almost here.”
More screeching fills the air as the spine drakes prepare to make another pass. Jadelyn says to Leanara, “You keep up the spell, I'll focus on the drakes.” The wall of water before them darkens, then the head of a sea drake splashes through, followed by the rest of the creature. Unlike the spine drake, this particular type has smoother scales of blue. It is longer and more serpent-like in appearance.
The wall of water reforms itself as the drake passes through. Kel'ana aims her bow at the sea drake, but before she can release her next arrow, a spine drake closes in on her for another attack. Kel'ana dives out of the way of the spiked tail as the drake continues down the line of spell-casters.
The sea drake turns and uses its tail to attack as well. Leanara has little choice but to retreat. The drake smashes the dock where Leanara stood a moment earlier. The drake opens its jaws, but instead of letting out a screech, it shoots forth a jet of water, striking Jadelyn and two other Amazons. They are knocked down as the drake swings its tail at another group of spell-casters, forcing them to fall back, as well. Further along the barrier of water, the spine drakes continue their assault.
Several Amazons turn their attention to the flying threats and focus their spells on one, bringing it down. Chance also attacks with fireballs from the top of the castle walls, but with more drakes continuing to be a distraction to the Amazons, the spell holding back the sea weakens and the wall of water begins to fall just as the wave arrives. The sea drake takes flight just before the wave hits.
King Arioch and the others in the atrium, watch helplessly as the water overtakes the Amazons with a force so great it destroys the docks before crashing against the already damaged walls and gate where the first goblin airship crashed. Chance transforms and escapes the wall just as it collapses and the sea forces its way onto the castle grounds. Just to the north, along the same wall, the water smashes through another gate leading from the docks to the city. Fortunately, the walls surrounding that gate hold and water that enters the city is minimal.
Under the water, many of the Amazons of the Silver Moon have managed to protect themselves by shaping the water around them, forming a large bubble. Some were able to teleport to safety, while others were not so fortunate.
The water begins to recede as the riptide pulls dozens of Amazons out to sea. Kel'ana is dragged along by the currents and slammed into one of the dock supports. She grasps it tightly as the tide tries to carry her way.
Inside her protective bubble, Leanara watches as Jadelyn floats by. She notices Jadelyn's eyes are closed and she doesn't seem to be moving. Concerned, Leanara casts a spell allowing herself to breathe underwater then jumps out from the bubble into the treacherous currents. Though the motion of the water makes it difficult, Leanara is eventually able to reach her friend.
Leanara struggles to pull Jadelyn to the surface, but finally manages to do so. She looks around and finds she is not alone. Several members of her sisterhood are trying to make their way back to shore, as well.
Yarwin is among those fighting the currents. She casts a spell, then proceeds to pull herself out of the water and stand on its surface as if it were solid. She says to Leanara, “Come on, I know you can walk on water as well.”
“I can't,” she gasps. “I’m too exhausted. You have to get Jadelyn back to shore.”
“All right,” replies Yarwin. “Then I'll come back for you.” Yarwin pulls Jadelyn by her arms as she makes her way back to shore over the unstable landscape of the moving water.
Other Amazons begin to do the same as they pull those who cannot walk on water, or simply do not have the strength left, to safety.
The five spine drakes descend upon the weakened Amazons. Unwilling to relent, the women throw spells at the incoming attackers. Since the Amazons have no strength to spare, their spells are weak, and do little to deter the spine drakes.
Yarwin makes it to shore with Jadelyn. While gently slapping her face, Yarwin says, “Jadelyn, wake up.” Jadelyn opens her eyes and begins to cough. “Thank the gods,” says Yarwin. “I’m going back out to help the others.”
Jadelyn nods as Yarwin stands up and heads back to the water. She is startled as five more drakes fly low over her head. She looks up to see Belron leading the drake riders into the fight.
“Protect the Amazons!” Belron commands.
The sky drake riders engage with the enemy only briefly before the spine drakes turn back toward the floating fortress that is once again rising out of the water. The riders begin to pursue them when the sea drake dives from the clouds. Belron narrowly avoids its claws as it passes and enters the water below. Belron looks back at the Amazons still caught in the sea's currents.
“Let them go,” Belron says to the riders. “We have to help the Amazons.”
The spine drakes flee as the drake riders circle back to help the women. The riders fly their steeds low to the water's surface so that their drakes can carefully grasp the Amazons. Once they have them, the drakes return to the shore before setting the Amazons down on the ravaged docks.
While the drake riders make their way back out over the sea to rescue more women, Yarwin has nearly reached Leanara. She jumps over a small wave as she runs across the water. She spots Leanara waving her arms.
“I see you,” calls Yarwin.
“Go back!” Leanara warns.
Yarwin, puzzled, stops her approach. She takes a closer look at Leanara and realizes that she is terrified. She notices the water behind Leanara begin to swell, then the long neck of the sea drake emerges as it lifts its head from the water.
Leanara yells, “Run!”
Instead of retreating, Yarwin begins to create an ice dagger to throw, but before it is fully formed, the sea drake dives once more, with Leanara clasped tightly in its jaws. “Leanara!” she calls out desperately. Yarwin holds the spell in her hands as she looks around frantically at the water's surface. She takes a few steps back as she continues to watch the water for unusual movement.
She is frightened by the sound of a drake's wings flapping behind her. She sharply turns, looks up, and is relieved to find Belron on the back on Nimbus.
Belron calls down, “We have to get you out of here!”
Yarwin dissipates the ice dagger before wrapping her arms around one of Nimbus's legs. Belron takes them up slowly before returning to shore.
After landing, Jadelyn asks, “Where is Leanara?”
Yarwin struggles to find the words. Belron dismounts and says, “The sea drake got to her before we could.”
“No!” exclaims Jadelyn. She looks at Yarwin, who struggles to hold back her tears. The women console each other over the loss of their friend as more Amazons come down to the docks to help.
Ja'noa, looking for her friend, soon finds Kel'ana wandering among the devastation. “Kel'ana, are you all right?”
“I don't know,” she answers, somewhat out of sorts.
“Come on, let’s get you back to camp,” Ja'noa says.
King Arioch begins
to survey the damage with Chance. The king says, “They have already breached the walls, without the use of a single battalion.”
Chance says, “We need to seal the gates as soon as possible.”
“Agreed,” says Arioch.
They are interrupted by the sound of a horn blowing not far away. Arioch says, “That sounds like the north gate.”
Chance says, “Your Majesty, you must get back to the keep.”
“But I must help,” protests Arioch.
“We need your leadership more than your muscle,” argues Chance. “Please, return to the keep and issue your orders from there. I'll see what the problem is and report back.”
Arioch starts to return to the castle as Chance changes into his eagle form. He takes to the sky to investigate the latest threat and makes a startling discovery.
Chapter 62
Clearing Skies
Just across the moat, a magical gateway opens between the two carved runes General Carr Vork had placed in the soil hours before. The handful of archers on the wall target the orcneas emerging from the other side, but the orcneas protect themselves by holding their shields high.
The magic gate is wide enough for ten orcneas to exit at a time. As they do, half of them move to the left of the gate along the bank, and the others go to the right. Directly before the gate is the narrow moat, and on the other side is the fallen gate to the city of Sheathelm.
The drawbridge that would normally be lowered to allow people to cross was also destroyed by the goblin airship when it crashed. Behind the rubble, three archers fire their bows at the enemy. They take down a couple of the invaders when a bigger threat begins to come through magic gate. Two sizable logs begin to emerge, each carried by an ogre running side by side toward the moat. The two logs extend back through the gate, and it is not apparent at first what the ogres are bringing through.
When one of the men spots planks strapped between the logs, he yells out, “It's a bridge!”
The men scramble and begin shooting at the ogres. Due to their naturally tough skin and the heavy leather armor they are wearing, the ogres do not seem to be bothered by the archer's arrows. The orcnea archers and shamans begin to return fire as four more ogres carry out the remaining length of the bridge. The two ogres in the lead stop at the edge of the moat, then turn toward the others. They use their incredible strength to hoist the front of the bridge over their heads, throwing it into the air. The ogres in the back, still carrying the rest of the bridge, push forward, forcing the front over to the other side of the moat before it lands. The ogres in the back then drop their end to the ground, and the bridge is in place.
No sooner is the bridge secured than the orcneas begin to flood across. Chance lands on top of a nearby wall and throws a fireball at the bridge. The wooden structure ignites, but the flames are instantly extinguished by a nearby shaman.
Chance casts two more fireballs, but soon finds himself under heavy fire by the orcnea archers and shamans. He peeks over the edge at the men on the ground and finds that they have been overrun and the orcneas are now heading through the city toward the docks, where the walls have also been breached.
Keeping low, Chance jumps from the wall, away from the attacking orcneas. Before he reaches the ground, he transforms into his eagle form and makes great haste for the castle. By now, other horns are sounding and the troops of Sheathelm and the Amazons of the Silver Moon begin to rally. Throughout the rest of the city, the few remaining civilians begin to flee to the castle, as the archers and spell-casters take to the tops of the walls and begin attacking the orcneas as they charge through the city streets.
Moments later, Chance lands at one of the archways of the Atrium and is greeted by ten guards aiming their crossbows in his direction. Once he transforms, most of the guards turn their attention back to the battle. Two of the guards stay at his side as a precaution.
Chance says to Arioch, “The orcneas have entered the city and are fighting their way to the docks.”
“We haven't even begun to repair the damage from the goblin airships,” says Arioch. “They will have access to the castle grounds from the docks.”
“The breaches in the walls are narrow,” says Chance. “We should be able to stand against them.”
“General Burton is on the docks now with his men,” Arioch says.
“I must get back to the fight,” says Chance. He then notices men stacking barrels of black power around the Lunar Gate. “Are you certain about destroying the gate?”
Arioch replies, “If we cannot stop the orcneas from taking Sheathelm, we must at least stop them from having a gateway to Elonfar.”
“Don't worry,” says Chance. “It won't come to that.”
Inside the King's Shield Inn, Trisha looks out the window from her room and realizes the danger the city is in. She says to Lee, “The orcneas are in the city.”
Lee rushes to the window, confirming the threat for herself. Once she sees the orcneas entering buildings across the street, she says, “We have to get to the castle.”
Trisha opens the door to their room before exiting followed by Lee. They reach the stairs leading down to the main floor when they see three orcneas are already inside the inn. One of the reddish-skinned soldiers strikes down Mr. Forester with his mace. Still unnoticed by the orcneas, Lee takes Trisha's hand and pulls her back from the landing. They quickly return to their room and carefully close the door behind them.
“What are we going to do?” says Lee.
Trisha looks at the bed and says, “We have to hide under there.”
Lee and Trisha quickly but quietly make their way to the bed. They lie on the floor before crawling under it. The door to the room bursts open, and an orcnea enters. Trisha covers her face while Lee holds her breath. The orcnea only takes one look around the room before leaving to move on to the next.
Lee exhales slowly and whispers to Trisha, “Now what do we do?”
Trisha says quietly, “We wait and pray to the gods that the orcneas are pushed out of Sheathelm.”
At Watchtower Hill, Lord Damion and his troops are preparing to charge the enemy at the gates of Sheathelm. “Is everyone ready?” he calls.
The troops let out an inspirational yell that can be heard back at the city. Among the attacking orcneas are Generals Lortec Ka and Carr Vork. Lortec looks back at the hill and smiles as the soldiers begin to charge.
“It’s almost a pity that they won’t reach us,” says Lortec.
“You crave battle too much,” says Carr.
Lortec laughs and replies, “Battle is what I have spent my whole life training for. It is what gives me purpose.”
“You will soon have all the battle you desire,” says Carr. “But these humans have a different fate than meeting us.” Carr looks at the floating fortress, hovering in the now-clearing skies.
Out at sea, the Red Dawn continues to sail away from the floating fortress. The elven fleet is alongside them. Torgus watches from the poop deck as the fortress slowly rises from the water. Ariella joins him and asks, “Do you think they’re going to make another wave?”
“It won’t be as effective if they do,” he replies. “We’re further out now, and prepared. Besides, it takes a lot a magic to move something that size. They’re not even bothering to keep up their storms anymore. The skies are almost clear.”
“At least we’ll see them coming now,” says Ariella.
On the port side of the ship, a giant eagle lands. Ariella smiles in anticipation of seeing Chance once more, but is disappointed when it turns out to be a dark-haired stranger. Ariella and Torgus come down the stairs to the quarterdeck and join Red Beard.
The male elf says, “Captain Stormrage?”
Both Ariella and Red Beard answer, “Yes?”
Red Beard laughs and says to his daughter, “I’m sorry, dear. It's a force of habit.”
“Of course, Father,” replies Ariella. “I understand.” Then, addressing the elf, she says, “What can we do for you?”
“I figured that we, the elves, should inform you of what we plan to do next,” he says.
“And what is that?” she inquires.
“To sail south,” he answers. “We must keep a distance from that floating city. We are heading to the stronghold along the shore. If Sheathelm falls—”
“Sheathelm will NOT fall,” interrupts Ariella.
“Of course,” he replies. “I did not mean to imply that they would, but in the event that they are forced to evacuate the city, that is where they shall go.”
Ariella looks west to city of Sheathelm. Black smoke still rises from where the goblin airships fell. She says to Red Beard, “We should go to Sheathelm and help them.”
“That would be ill advised,” says the elf.
“They need us!” she snaps.
Red Beard sighs and says, “He’s right, Ariella. If we got anywhere near the shore and the fortress comes down again, the Red Dawn would be destroyed.”
“We have to do something,” she says.
“If you wish to disembark and help them,” says the elf, “there are two docks at the stronghold.”
“I know the place you speak of,” says Red Beard. “It’s just around Rock Ridge. There’s a small bay that should offer protection from the waves. Assuming, of course, that they don't follow us there.”
“The stronghold is close enough to Sheathelm that we should be able to see the fortress from there,” says the visitor. “If they start to move in our direction, we'll get out to sea immediately.”
“All right,” says Ariella. “We'll go with you.”
“Very well,” he replies. He walks to the edge of the ship and transforms before flying off.
Red Beard walks to port side of the ship and looks back at the rising fortress. “That's not good,” he mutters.
“What's that?” asks Torgus as he joins him. Torgus looks back and can see over two dozen drakes of various types flying westward, toward the shore. Half of the drakes are heading directly for Sheathelm, while the rest fly in a northwest heading.
Ariella looks back at Sheathelm and mutters under her breath, “Please, don't let Sheathelm fall.”