Moroda (World of Linaria)

by L. L. McNeil

  ‘These weapons of yours saved us, Palom.’ Morgen said. He was bleeding from a scrape to his cheek, but was otherwise uninjured. ‘They couldn’t even get close to us. Thought it was some sort of trick, but we’re proof it’s not! I can see why these things were so powerful in the war. Need to arm the whole guard with them!’

  ‘We needed to survive. We have done that.’ Palom held his right shoulder, and glanced up as Amarah steppd out on deck.

  ‘I think we did well, considering how outnumbered we were. I suppose numbers count for nothing when those who are fighting are undisciplined. But I didn’t see Aciel or his generals.’ Kohl said, sitting down next to Morgen.

  ‘Know who else I don’t see?’ Amarah said, stopping in front of them. ‘Moroda.’

  ‘Moroda?’ Morgen said, getting back to his feet, sword in hand. ‘I thought she stayed in the cabin?’

  ‘Well she ain’t in there now. Did any of you see any Arillians land? Did one grab her?’

  The three shook their heads.

  ‘Did she go below deck? Hide there, maybe?’ Kohl said, lifting his wings and taking to the air. He flew overboard and circled around the ship, while Amarah led Palom and Morgen into the ruined cabin.

  ‘Nothing at all.’ She snapped, pulling at a lever to straighten one of her sails as they hovered on the edge of the battlefield. ‘Damned if I know what happened to her.’

  ‘She’s escaped.’ Kohl said, landing by the cabin a moment later. ‘Cargo hold doors at the bottom of the ship are open. Khanna’s gone. She must’ve fled.’

  ‘On Khanna!?’ Amarah raced out the cabin’s rear door and down into the hold. ‘On my damned ship!?’ She threw open the doors to the cargo bay and stopped in the entrance. It was empty. ‘Moroda! Dragons above, what are you thinking?’

  ‘I can’t believe it!’ Morgen said, joining Amarah. ‘You really did teach her to fly, didn’t you?’

  ‘If she’s damaged a single panel on Khanna…’

  ‘But where would she have gone?’ Morgen asked. ‘Back to Niversai?’

  ‘And how the hell would she know the way?’

  ‘I don’t know. Where else would she have gone?’

  ‘Damned thief!’

  ‘Get up here now!’ Palom shouted from above them. ‘Dragon approaching!’

  ‘Don’t we just have all the luck?’ Amarah growled, charging back to the deck. Palom and Kohl were stood outside the cabin glaring towards the sky.

  Amarah brandished her scythe as she walked out. ‘I don’t believe it.’

  ‘It’s the dragon from the mountain!’ Morgen exclaimed. ‘She changed her mind? She’s here to help us?’

  Across the emptying skies, the dragon flew closer, its bright scales dazzling in the sun. Smoke still rose from burned airships, and many wreckages littered the plains below. Taban Yul glistened behind them, a shining city of wealth and strength, in juxtaposition to the scorched battlegrounds. Troops on the ground saw to their injured and dead, but as they began to notice the dragon, many stopped to look up, raising their shields in defence.

  ‘That is… That is Moroda?’ Palom said, squinting up. ‘On dragon’s back?’

  Kohl was in the air the moment he heard, flying across the battle-strewn sky to the dragon. ‘Moroda! What? Where did… How did you…?’

  ‘I don’t quite know how to explain!’ Moroda cried back, digging her knees and hands onto the dragon’s neck so as not to fall off. ‘The fighting has to end. Now!’

  ‘We’ve already won! Reinforcements from Princess Isa arrived not long ago, look.’ He hovered beside the dragon and waved an arm to show off the influx of Imperial ships, now numbering nearly eighty, floating the sky. ‘I reckon the trick you and Topeko did was enough to stop Aciel. He’s too weak to fight.’

  ‘No, it’s not finished! This was just the first wave! I’ve seen Aciel himself leading more Arillians and a fleet of warships! It’s far more than you all can handle!’

  Kohl flinched. Aciel leading reinforcements? Perhaps Jato and Fogu were with him then? He flapped his wings and flew vertically, climbing almost a league high. He scoured the horizon, and in the distance, near the Feor Mountains, he saw the ground covered with thousands of soldiers on foot. He backed off a little, eyes widening as he realised the darkening sky overhead were not gathering clouds, but more Arillians in their air, along with a collection of airships. ‘Is this every Arillian living?’

  He dove back to Moroda.

  ‘All this against what remains of the Imperial fleet… If we don’t have any more reinforcements, we don’t stand a chance.’ Moroda said. ‘I have to get to Aciel before the second wave can begin their attack. I don’t want anyone else to die.’

  ‘Moroda, get back to the palace and take cover! You don’t need to see this. Don’t need to be a part of this!’

  ‘It’s too late, I’ve already made my decision.’ She raised her left hand to show her glowing ring. ‘The Sevastos.’

  ‘It can’t be…’

  ‘It is. I thank you for everything you’ve done, and I forgive you for leaving when Jato appeared. But I can’t stand this anymore. I promised Ryn I’d keep her safe, and failed. So I will do what I can to protect all Linaria. It’s not fair you having to take on your daughter, your people. It’s not fair what Aciel is doing. It’s wrong.’

  ‘Moroda…’

  ‘The girl has made the pact with the Sevastos, Arillian. Clear the air, if you can.’ The dragon growled.

  ‘Moroda, this is not your battle. You’ve been caught up in it. Aciel could take control of you again, and if you truly wield this extraordinary power, we shall all be at risk. Aciel is mine to take down. I won’t flee any more!’ Kohl left Moroda and the dragon no time to respond. He darted off in a wave of freezing air, intent on taking down Aciel.

  ‘Kohl, no!’ Moroda called out, but he ignored her. It was his fault Aciel was even in Linaria. He should have stopped him a long time ago, while he’d had the chance. As he soared across the sky, Aciel in his sights, anger rose within him. He had blamed himself for what happened to Jato, for not protecting her from Aciel’s compulsion, but she was immune, too. She truly believed in him and what he stood for, to the point she’d killed in his name and enjoyed causing pain and misery to those who were against them.

  Fogu and the others were just following orders. Perhaps they didn’t even realise they were. He could not hold anything against them. No, the root of it all was not his mistakes, it was not caused by something he did or didn’t do. It was Aciel. It had always been Aciel. He was going to make him pay.

  Thunder roared through the sky as Kohl let out waves of icy air. Aciel was in his sights and he would not let up. Not this time.

  ‘Kohl, what are you doing? You are trying this again? You’ll fail. Like you did before.’

  Aciel’s voice rang in his mind, but Kohl drowned him out. His tricks had no effect, and Kohl had no intention of failing again. Aciel hovered in front of him, his arm heavily bandaged and covered with thick armour. Kohl smiled at the sight, remembering Amarah’s attack on the Arillian leader. He was not going to be so lucky, this time. Kohl raised his hand and sent out another wave of freezing wind. It bit into the group of Arillians hovering nearby, and scattered them. Only Aciel remained.

  ‘Fool. You had your chance to live.’ Aciel spread his wings and raised his arms. ‘Your life and legacy ends now.’

  The two clashed with each other, their attacks sending shockwaves out into the air. Aciel was faster, and dodged most of Kohl’s attacks, but he was not powerful enough to do any real damage to Kohl. His attacks, when they connected, stung, but Kohl bore the brunt of them and retaliated in kind. This was why he had Fogu and Jato as his generals. This was why he resorted to using compulsion. He was a weakling. Kohl shot another wave of freezing air at Aciel, knocking him back towards the main battle.

  ‘Attack him…’ His voice echoed in the sky, and Arillians who had been targeting Imperial troops or ships turned their focus to Kohl. They fle
w towards him, hands outstretched, and Kohl readied himself for another bout.

  ‘You’re a coward, Aciel. You cannot take me on. You’ve never been able to fight for yourself!’ Kohl roared, sending the Arillians flying with his icy wind. He was sure to only deflect their attacks, but for Aciel, he increased the intensity, slowing him down and weakening him. ‘Stand and fight me, Aciel! Coward!’

  ‘I am no coward! You fled our homeland! You left Jato!’ Aciel said, darting in close to Kohl and grabbing him by his cloak. ‘You fled death. You fled our law. I was also told you fled a battle and left your friends for dead… Who is the real coward?’

  Kohl screamed, freezing the air around him as Aciel responded with another wave of electricity. He whirled round and grabbed Aciel’s collar, pulling him close. ‘Without your compulsion, you’re nothing!’ Holding on to Aciel, Kohl flipped over and shot towards the ground. ‘You will pay!’

  *

  ‘Amarah, land the ship! Kohl has Aciel on ground! I will rip him apart!’ Palom roared, preparing to transform.

  ‘Palom, be careful!’ Morgen said, his sword at the ready. ‘He can control you!’

  ‘Hold on!’ Amarah yelled, pulling back the sails and engaging the throttles. Though the warship was not as fast as Khanna, the sheer weight of the vessel enabled them to drop at speed—she pulled up the nose just as it was about to kiss the ground, allowing the tiger to leap off the deck and sprint towards the two Arillians locked in combat.

  Aciel fought back viciously, punching and blasting bolts of electrical energy at point blank range. In his peripheral, Kohl saw orange and black race towards him, but Aciel deflected Palom’s lunge with a bolt of lightning. It sent Palom flying backwards by the sheer force of the attack, and he lay still and stunned.

  Amarah’s warship deck was swarmed by Arillian reinforcements now their leader was under direct attack; they blasted the ship with lightning and wind, bringing it to the ground. Amarah let go of the wheel and sails, allowing the ship to crash land. She grabbed her scythe and raced out to join Morgen on deck to fight.

  ‘I have heard of you. You’re the woman with the scythe!’ One Arillian said, his hand extended towards Amarah. ‘I am General Fogu. You’ll regret what you did to Aciel.’

  Amarah flicked the blade of her scythe towards him, a wave of energy surging forward. ‘You’ll regret taking me on!’ She did not let up, and charged forward, spinning her blade like a carriage wheel. Sparks and energy flew in all directions, slicing through the Arillians and toppling them.

  Fogu dodged her attacks and raised his hand, sending a sharp blade of air through Amarah’s thigh. She yelped and dropped to her knees, her scythe clattering in front of her. ‘Bastard!’

  ‘Now I have you where I want you.’ Fogu sneered, flapping his wings to hover above her. He sent wave after wave of attacks, the air slicing into her, cutting through to the skin.

  Fogu splayed his palms open, summoning up a ball of electricity to finish her off, when he was knocked out of the sky by a flash of blue-green energy.

  ‘Great shot, Morgen…’ Amarah winced.

  ‘Back on your feet, Amarah.’ Morgen rushed forward and grabbed her by the elbow, hauling her up. He leaned forward and picked up her scythe. ‘Can’t lose you, too.’

  ‘So… kind…’

  ‘Let’s finish this.’ Spinning his sword, Morgen rushed forward, the downed Fogu in his sights.

  *

  ‘This is our chance!’ Moroda cried out, watching the Arillians fight on the ground. ‘We have to dive! Now!’ Her ring pulsed with light and energy, guided by the Sevastos who died for her cause, to protect Linaria. ‘This is the only way I can defend those I love. This is all I can do, everything I can do, to help.’

  She held on as the dragon swooped down, her great wings casting shadows across the battle. The nerves and fear that had plagued her since leaving Niversai were eased away as she focussed on the heat in her hand. It would all stop. It had to stop. She had bet her life on it. ‘Thank you, Archon.’

  When Aciel was in her sights, she extended her hand and called upon her magic, not to seek out or move energy, but to contain Aciel’s energy where he stood. It felt like the Sevastos had enhanced her strength a thousand fold, and a beam of light poured forth from her crystal.

  Brighter than a thousand suns, the magic lifted the darkness and smoke of the battlefield, and called a halt to the fighting.

  Shielding their eyes, Arillians and Imperials alike turned away from the light as it enveloped everything below. The explosion shook the ground and shattered airships, bringing about a silence to the plains.

  ‘Aciel?’ Palom coughed. ‘Kohl?’ He staggered to his feet, all energy gone.

  When the dust settled, his mouth dropped open. Aciel was encased in a pillar of stone easily as tall as the Sevastos stones of Berel.

  The dragon who had carried Moroda landed on the scorched grass, her head bowed. ‘She truly committed to her cause. That’s the only way the Sevastos could be called.’

  Leaderless and in shock, the remaining Arillians scattered. ‘Aciel’s spell and hold over them has been broken, it seems.’ Kohl said, looking up at them for a long moment. They grouped together and flew north, hardly sparing a glance his way. ‘Moroda. What were you thinking?’

  ‘It’s over?’ Morgen shivered, watching the remaining Arillians drop their weapons and fly off into the clouds. ‘Amarah? You alright?’

  ‘Moroda!’ Amarah yelled, hobbling out of the cabin, using her weapon as a crutch. She and Morgen stood at the edge of the deck and watched where Kohl approached the dragon and the stone pillar.

  He reached a hand out and grasped the stone, cooling it with his touch. His fingers trembled, and he sank to his knees. ‘Moroda! What did you do?’ Tears spilled down his scarred face. ‘You wanted no more deaths but didn’t care if you died yourself?’

  ‘The Sevastos’s power. She harnessed it.’ The dragon said. ‘How did she?’ Palom asked. Too weak to stand any longer, he sank to the floor. ‘How did she die? If she… If she had the Sevastos’s power?’

  ‘Sacrifice. Do you not listen to what your Samolen teach of lore and dragons and powers?’ The dragon asked, her voice cold. ‘I suppose you are only interested in the strength we can give to your weapons and little else. I see the weapons you wield. Thief of stolen power. You will understand sacrifice soon enough if you continue to use them. You are the same as Aciel. You should be dead, not this one.’

  ‘Where is the Sevastos’s crystal?’ Amarah asked, limping towards the others with Morgen and Ittallan soldiers in tow. Ground troops began to gather around the pillar.

  The dragon spat a little flame into the air. ‘The Sevastos gave her his crystal and it went into her Samolen ring.’

  ‘Moroda…’ Morgen whispered, kneeling down next to Kohl.

  ‘Her life force went into this magic, as payment for the Sevastos’s death. You people cause so much damage to Linaria.’ The dragon said.

  Around them, the Imperial soldiers erupted into cheers and stamped their feet.

  ‘We must report back to Princess Isa of our great victory!’

  ‘You will be heroes for all the ages to come!’

  ‘The Sevastos gave his power to Moroda. Such incredible strength.’

  Imperial soldiers praised them, and chatter descended through those who gathered. One soldier shook Morgen’s hand and pulled him to his feet. ‘We must get the wounded back to the city at once. Val Sharis is indebted to you all. You have saved us.’

  *

  Topeko could not be more thankful to see sunlight when he finally reached the end of the tunnel. He had been escorted out of Timin Rah, and four Cerastes had tailed him until he was a league or so away from Feoras Sol and getting out of the dark tunnels. It had taken almost two days to work his way back out of Sereth, though all sense of time was lost in the deep darkness.

  He was met at the gate to the tunnel by two of the Imperial Guard, and he bowed to the Ittallan when th
ey permitted him through.

  ‘What news of Taban Yul? Is the city safe?’ Topeko asked, adjusting his robes.

  ‘The city stands. There is some damage to the outer walls but our defences protected the people from Aciel’s battle.’

  ‘He attacked?’

  ‘Indeed. Victory was ours this morning. Would you believe a Sevastos helped us!’

  ‘A Sevastos? Truly?’

  ‘Truly, scholar. At least, the power of one, the beast itself was not present. We were on guard here, but a messenger arrived not long ago. They say a woman summoned it. She arrived on the back of a dragon and sealed Aciel away in a pillar of stone.’ The guard adjusted his helmet and shifted his weight. ‘No more damned Arillians about, that’s for sure. You heading to the palace?’

  Topeko shook his head. ‘No. No. I shall return to my homeland. I’ve been away from the University too long. Thank you for the news.’ He bowed again and strode past.

  If the Ittallan spoke the truth, it was Moroda he spoke of. He could not imagine Amarah taking it upon herself to speak to the dragons or find a Sevastos. Nor the princess. No. Moroda was the one who had managed it. It had to be. Quite how, he wasn’t sure, but she did have a knack for ideas and understanding theory. What a student she would have made if she had studied with him in Berel.

  If the Sevastos had willingly sacrificed itself to give Moroda power, then she would have paid a hefty price for it. All five previous Sevastos had been the same, and Topeko knew it was the way Linaria was balanced. Why would this one be any different?

  He walked through Feoras Sol, and the villagers acknowledged him with low bows and cheerful smiles. They had every right to be happy, of course. Aciel and his Arillians were no longer destroying their lands and killing their families. They were safe. Moroda had put an end to it, somehow, but Topeko’s heart was heavy at what it would have cost her. No-one should have that burden, no matter how well intentioned.

  Palom had said Feoras Sol was his hometown, and indeed, his name was on the lips of many. Stories of the small group Moroda travelled with had reached the village, and a tiger Ittallan was a rarity. The villagers believed it was Palom, and celebrations of the war ending were underway.