“I will do whatever you wish. Only honour your word and please, do not hurt my people,” Queen Jeannah replied.
“I never wanted your throne. I never wanted your castle. I just need you to come with me,” Dio said.
“My queen, please do not go with him!” Rohan objected.
“I must do this. For everyone…” Jeannah gloomily replied. She hiked her skirt up and walked down the steps towards the Dark Mage.
“If you go with him, all of Bristal will perish!”
“That’s enough, Rohan…” Dio said ferociously. He reeled towards the sage, drawing a silvery sharp dagger from within his robes and holding it in threat of any further words.
“I don’t care! If the queen goes with you, I will die anyway!” Rohan replied, with great conviction. “My queen, if you go with him, he will resurrect…” His warning was cut short by the dagger. Dio slashed the sage’s throat and everyone living and able cried out and ran towards him. But blood gushed and burbled from the wound, the wound clearly fatal. Even had it not, Aya lay dead in the infirmary and the queen was shortly to be captive of the Dark Mage. “M… m… my Queen,” Rohan stuttered, and coughed dreadfully, fighting the enclosing dark to the last to give the warning. “Falakh… Dio will…” he murmured and breathed his last.
“Father!” Marvel screamed atop her lungs.
“I told you not to hurt my people!” Jeannah cried. Tears quickly ran down her face.
Dio stormed to the queen, seized her neck and dragged her off her feet. “Whether you like it or not, you will come with me… Eruptio!” A large explosion sent everyone tumbling and the two vanished into thin air.
“My queen!” Everyone shouted, terrified with the fast paced events clipping by. But now no longer immediately threatened by Dio, there was space to grieve. Alexa broke away and hurried off to find Jael where he lay still unconscious, breathing raggedly.
“Jael! Jael! Wake up!” Alexa woke him. “The queen has been captured by Dio!”
“Ugh… what?” Jael’s eyes flickered open and he yawned, drowsily coming back to. “What just happened?” he mumbled.
“The queen is captured and Rohan is dead! We need to save the queen!”
Mikhal hurried down after her. “The Dark Mage is in Excauhalt with the queen! Please. We need to save her. Dio will resurrect the mighty Falakh!”
Everyone was drawn together in fear. But just at that moment, Vaan, still encrusted with sand and stone, stalked into the throne room. Jael stared at him with a sort of encroaching dread that felt more personal than anything before. Vaan had earned his trust as a companion. “Vaan? What happened? Why are you helping Malevolentiam?!”
“Me? I am not helping them! You are the one helping them! You left me alone to die!” Vaan viciously snarled.
This wasn’t the Vaan that Jael knew. Not the man he’d met in the Barren Drylands, fought beside in tournaments and contests, battled and trained for months together. “What has gotten into you?!”
“Earth Rage!” Vaan shouted. “Blazia!” Jael quickly followed.
“Jael… please do not push yourself. You are still hurt from the fight with the Dark Mage. Let me handle your battles until you have fully recovered,” Alexa said.
“I can do this. I need to stop his madness!” Jael replied.
“Alexa… I applaud your swift defence of Jael… if only you had been so quick to help me when I was in need.” Cassandra’s voice was more ragged and husky than it had once been. She emerged from the large door gracing the front of the throne room, stark naked except for her sword and belt. Her skin was lined with violet purple scars that followed the path of the veins beneath. The venom pulsed beneath her skin, bleeding out in spider web fragments of deep purple. The fearsome woman stalked into the throne room, her hand clenched around the hilt of her sword.
Alexa saw nothing more than her friend, and tears welled up in her eyes. She ran towards her friend, sweeping her cloak off to cover her. “Cassandra! Thank goodness you are alive! I thought the Dark Mage killed you in the infirmary! Where are your clothes?”
“And now you care? Just like Jael betrayed Vaan, you betrayed me as well…” Cassandra uttered.
“What?! Can’t you remember? Asterion guarded you with his life! Come on, Cassandra, let me cover you,” Alexa replied forcefully. Her hand fell to her sword as well, but her eyes pleaded with her friend.
“Don’t you dare touch me! I loathe you! And I would have you killed!” Cassandra replied.
“It seems both of them are being manipulated or brainwashed,” Mikhal speculated.
“I agree,” Alexa replied, tears streaming down her face. “Vaan! If you want to fight, let’s finish this quick! I need to save the queen…” Jael uttered.
Draken emerged from the shadows behind the empty throne. “Both Vaan and Cassandra are under the spell of Dio. I’ve checked on them beforehand. They are acting quite strange. They only speak when spoken to. I’ve been monitoring them since I first fought Vaan in the infirmary. They are not aware about what’s happening. What I assume is that their primary target is to kill those dearest to them. You and Alexa.”
“How can we dispel this manipulation spell?” Jael asked. “That I do not know. I was thinking, using my Tormentium
spell may reverse the effects of the manipulation spell and cancel it right away. The Tormentium spell attacks with the most painful memory of the person. The manipulation spell will have eclipsed their self-awareness; that spell clouds it with false memories and thoughts. This ought to be the most painful thing in their minds. The spell cast upon them is the one that would then be attacked by Tormentium and in turn will dispel the manipulation spell. This is only a theory. If it works, what would be the outcome?” Draken hypothesised.
“I don’t know about this, Draken, they might suffer Tormentium once it dispels the manipulation spell,” Alexa replied.
“It’s your decision. If you need me to cast Tormentium, I will not hesitate,” Draken answered.
“I say we try wearing them out until the manipulation spell wears off,” Jael said. They all agreed. The sun rose and light flashed into the window. Jael cast Blazia; Alexa, Asterion; Draken, Pestilence. Vaan and Cassandra’s patience had run out–they charged towards the three. Alexa engaged Cassandra head on along with Asterion, while Jael and Draken faced Vaan, more elemental than man. They clashed. coloured splashes of sun drop rays from the huge stained glass windows of the throne room danced across the floor. The others scattered and prayed to whatever god they believed in for victory.
The fierce battle heated up. The throne room began to crumble due to the massive blows exchanged by both teams, shockwaves and collisions shattering statues, glass and furniture alike. Cassandra and Alexa were exhausting each other; Cassandra was in constant pursuit of Alexa, eyes on nothing else. “Asterion, protect me and damage her a little only. Do not kill her!” Alexa prayed. Asterion, the minotaur, handled the Aegith with ease, blocking every attack from her dearest friend.
“Alexa, knock her out! We’re in trouble!” Draken shouted. “I know!” Alexa replied. “Cassandra, snap out of it!”
Cassandra seemed not to hear anything. “I must kill you, you traitor!” Again the purple veined woman pursued Alexa but the mighty minotaur stood stoic between them, quick to defend its master.
“Asterion, use the Aegith and knock her out, now!” Alexa said. Then at once Asterion hammered Cassandra’s body using the Aegith. Cassandra was thrown away, stood immediately, contorting and snapping her body back into place. “Damn it, Cassandra! Snap out of it, please… Asterion, again!” And again, Asterion rammed Cassandra’s body. This time, Cassandra crumpled to the ground and did not rise again. “Thank you, Asterion,” Alexa uttered. Asterion disappeared, leaving the Aegith to Alexa. She ran towards Cassandra and covered her nude body with her mantle. “Cassandra, my dearest friend, what has this Dark Mage cast upon you?” she murmured.
Meanwhile, Jael was still weakened by Dio’s attack. “Let me han
dle this and rest,” Draken said.
“I… I still can’t move very well,” Jael replied.
“It’s fine, I can do this,” Draken answered.
“Earth Rage!” Vaan shouted and rocks emerged from his body. “Impalus!” The rocks transformed into piercing sharp spikes that could easily blast through even the skull.
The sharp spikes darted towards Draken but he managed to block all of it with the aura of his Pestilence. “You can’t beat me with those same tactics, Vaan.”
Vaan laughed. “What are you talking about? I was never aiming at you!”
When Draken turned around, he was shocked to see Jael pierced throughout his body, spikes penetrating his joints. Jael couldn’t move or speak, gravely injured. “Jael!” Draken shouted. Vaan strode towards Jael, a deadly intent on display on his deformed face. “Touch of Decay!” Black smoke coiled up from his fingertips, a hazy dark aura encompassing his hands. He seized Vaan’s arm. Nothing happened, and Draken recoiled in frustration.
“My skin has decayed! Have you forgotten I was abandoned to burn?” Vaan thundered and he cast Upheaval. Part of the wall suddenly distended, shooting towards Draken, catching him up in the blast and smacking him down to the floor. Vaan stared down at Jael darkly; Jael’s eyes were open but he was pinned helpless, like a bug to a page. “Now I can kill you, Jael…”
In the meantime, Alexa attended to Cassandra. She gasped and opened her eyes. “Cassandra! Are you all right now?” Alexa asked, mixed emotions fleeting all across her face. Cassandra zeroed in on her, drew a blade and struck it through Alexa’s belly. “Cass… why?” Alexa huffed and keeled over with an agonised moan.
“What have you done?!” Draken howled across the room. His form blended with darkness and shadow became his muscle and bone, his reality blurring with the hell he commanded. Without a moment’s hesitance, he cast Tormentium upon Cassandra. She fell to her knees and screamed as the Tormentium spell took effect.
“Goodbye, my old friend,” Vaan whispered. Tears quickly fell from the eyes of Jael, the only part not paralysed.
Draken hoped Jael would forgive him, and at the brink, less than seconds before Vaan could drive a massive spike through Jael’s neck, cast Tormentium. Vaan halted and fell to his knees, exactly how Cassandra fell. He suffered and screamed, writhing with agony as Tormentium seized control of his mind. The shadows relinquished their hold on Draken and his consciousness wavered, he staggered. Was this what it was like to run completely out of stamina? He murmured, hoping Jael could hear him, “Save… the queen…” Draken fell unconscious to the ground.
With a loud scream, Jael cried “Blazierga!” The immense flames incinerated the imprisoning spikes pierced through his body. He immediately ran to Alexa, falling to his knees beside her and seizing her shoulders. “Alexa! Speak to me!”
“Jael… please, save the queen… and Cassandra if possible…” Alexa shrieked in pain.
“Forgive me, I cannot save you…” Jael replied, full of emotions.
“It’s all right. I was slain by the hand of one I loved… my trusted friend…” Alexa gasped, a still smile on her face as she breathed her last in the arms of Jael.
In the floating fortress, Dio chained Jeannah to the wall without an inkling of remorse. The thick metal manacles may not have prevented someone from casting magick, but he enjoyed the look. “I’m going to need your blood to resurrect Falakh,” Dio said.
“How are you so certain that my blood is compatible with the tablet?” Jeannah replied.
“There was once a tale told, an old line–Falakh screams for noble blood!”
“I was just a slave back then! My blood is not enough!” Jeannah replied with hatred. “Isn’t that why you want to dethrone me?”
“Well, if it doesn’t work out, I will have to kill you and all your people myself,” Dio said with malice.
“To hell with you! You filthy mage!” Queen Jeannah shouted.
In Krimmirr, it slowly became apparent the theory of Draken had actually worked. After a while of seizing and screaming in agony and pain, the manipulation spell was abolished by Tormentium which left Vaan and Cassandra unconscious but breathing still and steady. Helena staggered into the room, a thick dust and smoke wreathing her body. “What happened here?…” she coughed.
“Helena! Thank goodness you are all right!” Jael said, and hurried to her.
“No, Jael… I’m not,” Helena replied. She emerged from the smoke and dust, her arms dismembered. Blood marked several wounds on her body, but the empty arm sockets were not included. The wounds were seared shut, burnt bone white.
Jael was shocked and quickly aided her. “What happened?
Where are your arms?” he asked, in a state of terror.
“The Fate magick… the Queen restricted me to use it. She said that it is a forbidden magick. She told me that when using a Fate magick powerful compared to my magickal abilities, it would take my life. I didn’t hesitate using it against Reighild. I was ready to lay my life for the kingdom. It seems that my magickal abilities have strengthened, taking only my arms instead of my life,” Helena explained.
“What happened to Reighild?” Jael asked.
“I… I do not know. Everything became white, a blinding light. Then I woke up like this, armless,” she replied. “Jael, you are injured as well.”
He sobbed and hugged her. “I am fine… I received healing mystos from Gabriela. Don’t mind my injuries. Forgive me for letting all of this happen…”
“Don’t be… you have become a hero. You, Jael, were just a traveller… yet you turned out to be prince of Bristal…” Helena replied, trying to cheer him up once more.
Jael thought that even though she was a stalk of the tree she had once been, she was doing far better at sounding encouraging these days. It was almost like she really cared. He looked into her eyes, and the glint of tears in them told him she meant it, with all her heart. He was a hero. “I will save the queen. I will redeem my mother. I will save my kingdom!” Jael replied in confidence.
“I know you can… you have grown into a fine and powerful mage. Jael…” Helena whispered, and smiled knowingly at him. He held her face, cupping it with his hands, looking into her sparkling eyes. “We’ve been through so much toge–”
Without a moment’s hesitance, Jael deeply kissed her. Shocked, Helena enjoyed the heavenly moment in the middle of this utter chaos. After the blissful moment, Jael broke away with a little gasp, they both blushed and he explained what had transpired in her absence.
Outside, where they’d been hiding and napping in fatigue behind a bush, Ace and Diurus woke up. They looked at each other with shock and confusion. Krimmirr was covered in debris and smoke. “What happened here?” Ace asked.
“How should I know? I was with you the whole time. We’d better investigate,” Diurus replied. They both reached the throne room and saw an excruciating scene. They hurried to aid everyone inside the room, and then Diurus noticed the damage to the lady Master Knight. “Helena!” he shouted in shock. “My love! What happened?”
They explained what happened to Helena. Then, one by one, Diurus and Ace brought them to the Valkyrie to recover.
After a few hours of recovery, Jael, Ace and Diurus stood together outside of the Valkyrie. The palace was now empty of any of the Dark Mage’s forces; his plans were clearly elsewhere. It was time to move out. However, the Valkyrie was unflyable. “We cannot waste any more time,” Jael said. “We attack Excauhalt now.”
“With only three of us?” Ace asked.
A man came up from the city towards them and said, “I will come with you.”
“Who are you?” Diurus asked.
“I know you!” Jael exclaimed in recognition. “Anthony! From Almodea. Right?”
“Yes. Numbers have added to my age but I can still help,” Anthony answered.
“You travelled all the way here to help us?” Jael asked. “Remember my special mysto? The Helico. It contains the beast Bakunawa. Only I can s
ummon it,” Anthony explained. “The news about Malevolentiam infiltrating Krimmirr has spread throughout the whole kingdom like wildfire. Also, I heard rumours about Falakh being resurrected. It would be my pleasure to hand over my Helico and let Bakunawa fight the beast. If indeed Falakh will be resurrected.”
“Very well, it would be senseless to reject your kind offer,” Jael replied.
“Count me in as well…” Mikhal uttered. “It would be faster to locate Excauhalt with my magick.”
“Very well, we should go now,” Jael said.
“We may use my personal valkyrie,” Anthony said, and he brought them down the street to where his personal valkyrie was landed. Hastily, the five most able bodied men remaining in Krimmirr flew straight toward Excauhalt to free the queen.
Evening was nigh by the time the tablet was placed in the centrepiece of the Floating Fortress. Falakh the beast was soon to be resurrected. “Master…” Aezil murmured, trailing along behind the Dark Mage, who appeared agitated.
“Aezil, I am certain those troublesome knights are on their way. Guard the Great Hall. Do not let anyone enter.”
“Yes my lord,” Aezil replied. The teal haired woman moved to take a position at the entrance to the hall, and Dio entered, admiring the sight of the queen in chains before him.
“At last the time has come. I just need a little blood from you. I do not want you to die–I want you to witness the destruction of your kingdom,” he said maniacally.
Queen Jeannah spat at Dio’s mask. “Believe me, you’ll never win this war. My son is a prodigy! He will defeat you!”
The Dark Mage laughed, mocking her. He wiped the spit off with the hem of his cloak. “I accept that challenge! If he really is a prodigy, then I want him to defeat my behemoth!” he replied, and seized her left wrist. “Now, I will need just a little…” She struggled in his grip. “Now, now… don’t make this difficult, my queen.” With one deft move, Dio slit Jeannah’s wrist open. Blood flowed; he caught it in a brass goblet. After filling the goblet with Jeannah’s blood, he applied pressure to her wrist, bound it with a cloth and tied the knot tight. Still, the woman was weak from blood loss and fainted whilst chained on the wall. It mattered not; he did not require the queen for this part.
Teliko Mageia: Curse of the Frozen Flame Page 35