by MJ Schutte
Mischief let out a yelp as another arrow slammed into his side.
Lilian tried to concentrate on the soldiers shooting at Mischief but the enemy wizard’s energy wall prevented her from reaching them with her black energy link. Mischief changed course, heading back towards the safety of the forest but not before three more arrows had found their mark.
Father sensed rather than saw the black panther racing towards them. He quickly erected an energy barrier to stop the animal.
‘They are after Imlan! Run, get him out of here!’ he ordered.
Alexi grabbed Imlan by the arm and dragged him along. They ran for only a few steps when suddenly Imlan doubled over. A sharp pain shot through his chest like a knife had been thrust into his heart. Alexi did not stop. He simply dragged the staggering Imlan along.
Imlan could not breathe. He clawed at his chest and tried to tell Alexi to stop, but the strong warrior just kept going.
Imlan felt like something was physically trying to pull him back to the forest. Ropes of fire seemed to be tied around his arms and legs, burning deeper into his flesh with every step. He closed his eyes and concentrated on regaining his footing, trying to keep up with Alexi.
The pain in Imlan’s chest got to the point where he was almost unconscious, and then it felt like some sort of magical umbilical cord to the forest had snapped. The forest no longer had a hold on him, the pain was gone. Imlan yanked his arm out of Alexi’s grip, put his head down and ran on his own. Alexi also picked up the pace but he could not keep up with the bigger man.
Al’taish, with his much lighter form, raced passed Alexi and followed close behind Imlan. Although he could not catch his new friend, he was able to match his speed.
‘Lilian!’ Angelina shouted. She came running towards her fallen friend as fast as she could. Goralt raced past Angelina and dropped down to his knees next to Lilian.
‘Mistress?’
‘Goralt, get this horse off me,’ Lilian croaked. Pain washed over her in waves.
Although Goralt was an exceptionally strong elf, lifting a horse by himself was beyond his capability. He grabbed the horse by the neck and tried with all his might but he could not free Lilian.
Angelina joined the effort, grabbing the horse’s front legs, pulling as hard as she could. Still, the horse was too heavy for just the two of them to move.
More elves arrived and joined Goralt and Angelina. Lilian cried out in pain as they pulled the dead weight off her broken leg. She lay back for a moment and closed her eyes to regain her senses. Digging her fingers into the ground beneath her, she connected to the forest. Angelina and the elves scrambled backwards as a thick black mist rose from the ground and settled over Lilian. They watched as the mist grew thicker and darker until they could not see the mistress of the forest anymore. A black thunderbolt jumped from a nearby tree into the dark cloud with a deafening boom, then another and another.
Slowly the mist dissipated. Lilian stood with her eyes closed, arms spread out slightly, small black lightning bolts still running up and down between her fingers.
Mischief limped closer, five arrows protruding from his sides.
‘Mischief!’ Lilian gasped as she rushed towards him.
The big cat slumped down in a heap, his breathing labored and shallow. Lilian reached for an arrows but Goralt quickly stopped her.
‘Mistress, careful,’ he said.
The elf kneeled next to the panther.
‘Mistress, keep demon calm,’ he instructed as he inspected the wounds.
Lilian sat with Mischief’s massive head in her lap, his white eyes looking deep into hers. She thought she saw a pleading expression in the panther’s face.
Goralt closed his fist around an arrow and gently pulled it free. Not a sound came from the cat. Goralt pulled another arrow out, then another. Only when he removed the last arrow did a deep, throaty growl come from Mischief.
Goralt’s hands were a flurry of movements and he spoke a few words. A big sigh of relief escaped Lilian. Goralt had just told her that the wounds were not serious and that he believed Mischief should make a full recovery. The elf produced a small leather bag from which he took a few yellowish leaves. He mashed the leaves in his hands, spitting on it often to provide some moisture. When he was satisfied that the paste was ready, he applied small quantities on Mischief’s wounds.
‘Help heal,’ he said as he gently worked on the wounds.
Mischief waited patiently for Goralt to finish, as if he knew the elf was trying to help. As soon as Goralt’s hands were no longer touching him, he immediately got up and walked to the edge of the forest.
White eyes stared at the enemy troops as they vanished over the horizon.
Lilian kept staring into the distance long after the enemy troops were out of sight. A determined look crossed her face.
‘He is not dead. I will follow these evil people and kill every last one of them if I have to, but they will not take Brighton away,’ she muttered.
‘Lilian, what are you…’ Angelina tried, but Lilian suddenly broke into a dead run.
As soon as she crossed the edge of the forest, she doubled over in pain, crashing to the ground. Desperately she tried to crawl away from the forest but Goralt’s strong arm circled her waist. He picked her up easily and hurriedly carried her back into the forest.
‘Let me go!’ she shrieked as he put her down on the ground. She immediately scrambled to her feet and raced past the elf. As she passed the edge of the forest, it felt like a hundred arrows struck her chest at the same time. Goralt dragged her back into the forest again, her tiny fists pounding his arms and chest.
‘Goralt, let me go!’ she demanded.
‘Mistress, wait,’ he pleaded, but Lilian pulled free from his grip and dashed away again.
For a third time she found herself on the ground just beyond the edge of the forest, the crippling pain threatening to overwhelm her mind.
Goralt went after her again but Angelina grabbed his arm.
‘She will keep trying. As much as it hurts me to see her like this, she has to realize by herself that she can not leave the forest,’ Angelina said softly, tears running down her cheeks.
Goralt watched as Lilian kept crawling away from the forest, her body twisting in pain. He shook his head.
‘Can’t watch,’ he said, then raced towards the mistress of Livia Farasnei. He gently picked her up and carried her back into the forest yet again.
Lilian slumped into a heap on the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.
‘Mistress, pain?’ Goralt asked, concern written all over his face.
Angelina shook her head and said, ‘She is not crying because of the physical pain. She can handle that. She is crying because she lost Brighton.’
Goralt and Angelina watched Lilian, wishing that there was something they could do to help her.
An elf approached, standing a respectful distance away, but close enough that Goralt would notice him.
Goralt recognized the man as the one he had sent to Brighton and Lilian’s house. Without having to look, he knew there were at least another twenty elf warriors close by. He smiled, knowing that now there was something he could do to help Lilian.
Goralt extended his arm. The elf stepped closer and placed a sword and a cane in the outstretched hand.
‘Mistress, we find Master,’ Goralt said to Lilian, holding up the sword and cane.
Another elf brought two horses forward.
‘Mistress, home, we find Master,’ Goralt repeated as he gestured towards the horses and then pointed at Lilian and Angelina.
Angelina saw a strange look cross Lilian’s face.
‘Yes, it’s a good plan,’ Lilian said as she got up and walked towards the horses. Without another word she mounted and set off into the forest.
Goralt indicated to Angelina that he would send five elf warriors with them for protection, but Angelina insisted that it was not necessary. They were still arguing about it when Lilian suddenly came flying
past them at breakneck speed, heading straight for the edge of the forest.
Before anybody could react, she crossed the magical line. She slumped over on the horse, but somehow managed to stay on top of it. Excruciating pain ravished her entire body, but Lilian did not rein the horse in. She concentrated on her love for Brighton, drawing from it the willpower and strength she needed to escape her magical prison. The further she went from the forest, the worse the pain became until she was barely conscious, but still she held on to the horse.
Lilian felt like something was trying to drag her back to the forest, like there was a rope tied to her neck and a hundred men pulling on it. Suddenly, the feeling simply vanished, as if the rope snapped. The pain was gone. Lilian straightened up and reined the horse in.
‘Lilian!’ she heard Angelina shouting for her.
Lilian looked around and saw Angelina, also on a horse, racing from the trees, her long auburn hair flowing behind her.
Goralt followed close on Angelina’s heels.
‘I’m fine,’ she shouted back, and then the realization hit her.
She was free! She was no longer a prisoner of the forest.
Angelina and Goralt reached her, but before they could say anything she jumped off the horse and shouted, ‘I’m free! I’m free!’
Angelina also dismounted and grabbed Lilian by the arms.
‘Have you lost your senses?’ she yelled.
‘I’m free, Angelina! The forest can no longer hold me prisoner!’ Lilian laughed and cried at the same time.
Goralt stood watching the two women hugging and dancing around, a smile spreading across his lips.
‘Father, who is following us?’ Alexi asked.
They were on horses traveling north, back to the ships that brought them here, the soldiers jogging behind them.
‘A child of the darkness, a very powerful witch. Apparently she survived our attack on the Justice Hall’ Father replied.
‘But why?’ Alexi frowned.
‘She is after Imlan,’ Father answered.
‘Imlan? Why would she be after him? Does she want to kill him?’ Alexi asked.
‘Imlan is very special. He is probably the most talented person in this army, except for you and me,’ Father explained.
Alexi’s eyes went big.
‘Will you promote him to the Elite Corps?’ he asked.
Father shook his head and said, ‘He will earn his promotion, just like everybody else has to. There will be no special treatment for him.’
‘Father, did you know that Imlan was at the Justice Hall?’ Alexi asked.
Again Father shook his head.
‘No, it was a stroke of luck. I have been searching for him for many years,’ Father said pensively.
Alexi wanted to ask why but seeing the far away look on Father’s face made him decide to keep quiet.
Chapter 9
The soldiers made camp for the night. Even though Father knew that the witch and her soldiers were not far behind, he also knew that his troops needed rest.
Al’taish and Imlan were crawling through the underbrush not too far from the camp. Imlan had been given a bow and arrows by the weapons master and told to find something for dinner. The moon was out providing plenty of light.
The two men edged closer to a large buck standing some distance away.
Imlan selected an arrow with a small head and took aim.
‘It’s too far away,’ Al’taish whispered but Imlan ignored him.
As he released the arrow, the buck jumped forward. Al’taish immediately knew that the arrow would not find its target, but then the arrow suddenly changed course slightly in mid air. The small arrow head pierced the buck’s flesh and went straight through its heart, killing it instantly.
Al’taish could not believe his eyes.
‘Did you see that?’ he gasped.
Two more arrows flew from Imlan’s bow in quick succession. The men walked towards the kill. Al’taish wanted to ask Imlan why he shot two more arrows, but the big man seldom spoke so Al’taish decided to keep quiet.
When they reached the buck, Imlan did not stop. He walked past and knelt at two more dead animals a few paces away.
‘I did not even see those two! How did you know they were there?’ he asked, wide eyed.
Imlan just gave him a small smile.
The big man heaved two of the animals onto his shoulders and headed back to camp. Al’taish, struggling under the weight of the remaining buck, followed silently. He wondered who exactly this man was.
Imlan and Al’taish dropped the kills at the feet of the cook. They helped him skin and clean the animals and soon the air was saturated with the aroma of roasting meat.
‘I think it’s ready. Come, let’s eat,’ Al’taish said to Imlan.
The two men approached the fires but Palish and five Elite Corps members were already there. Al’taish respectfully stood behind them to wait until they have had there fill but Imlan simply pushed past and helped himself.
‘Imlan! How dare you!’ Palish roared.
‘It was my kill. I eat first,’ Imlan responded in a deep voice without looking up.
Palish grabbed Imlan from behind by his short hair, but the big man was ready. He spun around and brought his knee up. Palish doubled over as the air was driven from his lungs. Imlan casually turned his back again, produced a knife and cut off two large pieces of meat.
Palish slowly got up, his face as red as an overripe tomato.
‘You have just assaulted a member of the Elite Corps,’ he growled at Imlan.
Imlan shoved a piece of meat in his mouth, turned around casually and said, ‘So?’
He immediately felt guilty for speaking with food in his mouth, although he could not understand why.
Palish was so angry he struggled to get a word out.
Al’taish quickly pushed past Palish, took Imlan by the arm and said, ‘It’s best we get out of here.’
‘Why? I killed the deer, I have first right to it,’ Imlan responded.
Palish drew his sword.
‘I am going to teach you a lesson right here!’ he yelled in a blind rage.
‘Stand down,’ Father’s voice came from behind.
The urge to argue was almost overwhelming for Palish, but life in Father’s army had taught him at least some discipline.
‘As you wish Father. If I may, I would like to ask why this soldier is getting preferential treatment,’ he said respectfully, struggling to keep the anger out of his voice.
‘He is not. He simply does not know the rules yet,’ Father replied.
To Imlan he said, ‘The Elite Corps members eat first. Do you understand?’
‘Yes, Father,’ Imlan replied.
Father smiled at him, then held out his hand. Imlan handed over his knife wordlessly. Father cut himself a smallish piece of meat and handed the knife back to Imlan.
‘Thank you,’ he smiled, turned and strolled towards his tent.
‘One day, when Father is not looking, your punishment will be handed down,’ Palish growled at Imlan as he shoved the soldier out of his way.
Imlan’s right hand immediately balled into a fist but Al’taish hastily stepped in front of him and said, ‘No, my friend. This will only bring more trouble.’
For a moment it looked as if Imlan would attack Palish, but then he simply turned away and walked off into the darkness, Al’taish following. The pair sat down on a fallen tree some distance away from the cooking fires.
‘I suppose we will just have to wait until Palish and the rest of the Elite Corps have eaten and then see what is left for us. I don’t think there will be much,’ Al’taish sighed.
Imlan stuck his hand inside his shirt and produced two large pieces of meat. He wordlessly held one piece out to Al’taish. The smaller man smiled as he took the meat from Imlan.
‘Thanks,’ he said between mouthfuls.
Imlan did not respond but gave Al’taish a wide smile as he also chewed on his piece of meat.
After they had finished eating, the two men walked to a small stream they saw earlier. Al’taish stripped off all his clothes and walked into the cold water.
Imlan stared at the river, deep in thought. He saw an image of an incredibly beautiful woman with long blond curls standing next to the water. Slowly her white dress dropped to the ground. She pulled her long hair over her shoulder, exposing her naked back. Imlan’s eyes traveled down her back to her small, firm bottom. Cobalt blue eyes peered seductively over a naked shoulder at him.
Just for a moment Imlan thought the woman looked familiar but then the image disappeared. Slowly the big man sat down, wondering why he could not remember anything from his past.
Lilian and Angelina rode side by side with twenty elves following them. Mischief stayed hidden in the trees but Lilian knew he was close. They did not travel at breakneck speed for fear that another horse might die and the accident of a few days ago would be repeated. Lilian knew she could heal herself, but if Angelina fell off the horse it would be a disaster.
Lilian looked at Angelina. Although she was very young, she had done an excellent job of being head judge at the Justice Hall. Of course the talent she inherited from her ancestors made the job easier, but it was still a huge responsibility.
Lilian often wondered if Angelina had thought about a husband yet.
‘Angelina, may I ask you something?’ she said to the younger woman.
Angelina nodded and smiled at Lilian.
‘I’ve seen how Prince Jonathan looks at you whenever he used to visit the Justice Hall. Have you considered a romantic relationship with him?’
Angelina’s smile vanished.
‘I have also notice how he looks at me,’ she said softly.
‘I don’t mean to pry into your personal affairs. I was just curious. You are an exceptionally beautiful young woman and I’m sure there had been a lot of men vying for your attention,’ Lilian said quickly.
She recalled the way Angelina’s auburn hair flowed behind her as she came dashing out of the elf forest on her horse. Lilian was sure that image would have made even the strongest warrior’s knees go weak.