A flash of lightning illuminated the scene and I saw what Friad had.
Beneath the ranks of dwarves where half a dozen of the largest men, crouched low to the ground and making full use of its loose surface, propelling them selves silently forwards towards their target.
A familiar tune filled my ears sending a shot of fear through my body. Undines voice was tainted with the melodies of the sirens. Kanad had his hands fully raided to the sky, panting with the effort of holding them there. His arms were steady but his body was starting to sway in time with the music, a grin forming on his lips.
The crash of metal on metal sounded to my left and I turned to see that Marshika and Jamol were sprinting across the sand towards a second hole that had appeared in the wall from which the Lady’s army was spewing forth into the forest. Nicas and Hona the two servants that had stayed with Isabella, were already surrounded by a swarm of soldiers as they attempted to stop their progress.
“Trina, Guards! With me quickly!”
Trina’s protectors broke the circle, allowing her to surge across the sand, her feet barley touching the sand with her priestesses close behind her. I sprinted behind them drawing my bow from my back and firing at the men now dashing through the undergrowth.
The Daughters of Pala were shooting fiery orbs at any man who approached their goddess who was blasting a path for us through the outer ring of soldiers who were cowering before her.
“Trina quickly, stop them!” I yelled pointing towards a group of soldiers nearly to the cover of the trees.
“Allishkia arali,” Trina’s voice radiated through the clearing causing those who were closest to clamp their hands over their ears in pain.
A spiralling wall of flames sprung up around the soldiers moving them back towards the bank. I gasped when I realised that it was not just a wall of flames but fire spirits that danced together, spiralling through the trees singing a haunting melody to call up other spirits to help defend the city. Dryads stepped down from their trees sending ivy out through the undergrowth, tripping and binding unsuspecting soldiers. Small wind sprites rained down on the scene from Margie’s side as she sat directing them enthusiastically from the top of the tree with Isabella.
A flash of movement to my side alerted me to a group of soldiers that had crept up behind me. I drew my dagger out seconds before a blade descended on me from behind. The clash of metal rung out as the dagger grew as I watched to become a full sized sword. With a flick of my wrist the soldier fell to the ground, his neck slashed.
Jamol beheaded a soldier than leapt to my side. We fought fast and hard. The soldiers where not well trained they out numbered us nearly 20 to 1, not including the hundreds of men still beyond the wall. Many men fell at our blades, many more from blasts of magic that the daughters and I drove at them which prevented them from swarming us. The soldiers seemed to increase their pace the longer we faced them. Trina was fighting with a sword in each hand that she spun to fast to see, two of her guardians wielding staffs with blades at each end beside her with deadly accuracy.
I felt my heart skip a beat when two soldiers combined their attacks on me. I blocked one which struck with such force that my sword was knocked from my hand. I activated my magical shield but was to slow and the second soldier was upon me in a moment knocking me to the ground, a searing pain struck my shoulder when I blocked a killing blow from his sword but that left a deep wound in my flesh. He swung his blade up again but was thrown sideways by a blow from Marshikas hammer.
“No sleepin’ on the job,” he said pulling me to my feet with one hand, crushing the skull of another soldier with a second blow from his hammer.
I summoned my sword to my hand in time to strike another two soldiers, my blade shining a blinding white as I stood panting over their lifeless forms. Warm blood flowed few freely down my arm which was hanging limply by my side. I tore a strip of fabric off the tunic of a fallen soldier and fastened it tightly around my arm, muttering a string of curses as I pulled it tight to slow the bleeding but thanking the heavens that it was not my sword arm.
The rain pelted down my face making it difficult to see. It took me a moment to realise that I could no longer see or hear any lightning.
I searched through the sheets of rain to try and see the forms of Undine and Kanad. I was suck still for a moment as i realised what was happening. The sirens song was calling those men that had not shielded their ears against their song. The soldiers, entranced by the song walked to their deaths like zombies into the churning river where they were carried away and drowned by the river.
My blade met with the chest of a large soldier as he charged at me, running him through before beheading him with a swift blow. A group of soldiers advanced towards me, I swept the arm carrying my sword out towards them, a pulse of pure energy swept out the blade, blasting them back into the churning river. The crackle of flames grew as the fire spirits fed on the dense foliage at the edge of the tree line. The Dryads cowered away from them fearing for their own lives but continued to work with Marishika, Nicas, Hona and the other guards as they fought to drive the soldiers away from the city.
“Amaris, get that fool out of there and get his shields up before he does something stupid!” Jamol shouted dashing past me, falling another three men that had cornered Nicas against a tree. I noticed that the elves had all bewitched their own ears long ago to block the voice of the sirens, a faint shimmering around their ears blocking the deadly melodies.
But Kanad was indeed under the influence of the sirens song. He had almost completely lowered his arms and was now smiling foolishly and moving dangerously close to the churning waters of the river. I summoned him to my side, which was a lot harder than summoning Isabella as he was a lot heavier and his own magic resisted me.
I clapped my hands over his ears hard to make them ring and block out the song.
“Silthica,” I said my hands growing warm over his ears, blocking the magic of the sirens song.
He swayed for a moment than seemed to shake him self mentally, suddenly aware of where he was.
“Oh I’m sorry, I couldn’t take it,” He said in my ear whipping his wet hair back from his face.
“Never mind that, we need you here now,” I yelled over the storm.
A flash from only metres behind me made me jump as a bolt of lightning struck a soldier sending him into the deadly waters of the grossly engorged river.
“Cool,” Kanad whispered as he dashed past into the middle of the battle.
“Help!” I heard Isabella call faintly through the deafening roar of the storm.
Michael was still unconscious where I had left him. Isabelle was crouched over him holding her cape over them both to protect them from the storm. The Lady was advancing towards them, blasting the Dwarves away as she struggled through their attacks. I sprinted up the shore, sending blasts out behind me to stop the soldiers from following. I turned half way to see that Hona and the gurads where being over thrown by the surge of soldiers. I summoned my magic and cast a shield over them all, the soldiers attacks sending sparks flying off the surface before they realised what had happened. The three elves cheered, saluting me as they fought through the shield at the soldiers driving them back again.
Suddenly Trina was in front of me, towering over me radiating power with fire burning in her eyes.
“Amaris we need to take her down now, before she can harness your sisters gift. But I need more power to do it.”
“Of course, tell me what I need to do.” I said trying not to flinch at power in her voice.
“I need both you and Michael, together you are stronger than any force known.”
“But he cant he…”
I am ready
Michaels voice radiated through my mind. I turned and sore Isabella crouched before his limp for, her hands cupping his face, her head pressed against his.
I am with you. Do as you must.
“Do as you must,” I echoed out loud.
I crouched by Micha
el and grasped his limp hand, Trina grasped my other hand and a searing heat spread through my body and I felt what must have been my magic flow out of my body and into Trina’s. Suddenly I wasn’t in control of my body. I could feel a warmth deep inside of me that was comforting and powerful and I knew that it was Michaels own magic coursing through my veins. I was still dimly aware of the battle raging on behind me, but knew that the others could hold them. I grasped Michaels magic and released it until it flowed through my own body and out into Trina’s.
‘Orcaritor shi shacanna’ a voice said in my mind that echoed out through my mouth and was echoed in Trina’s powerful voice.
She drew her arms back, I mimicked her movements as though I were a puppet being controlled by the gods. I felt her push all her energy towards Cassandra. A white light grew around me than burst forwards carving a path through in the ground.
“Now!” yelled the largest of the Dwarves, his voice barley sounding in my mind. As a whole they leapt forwards crashing into the lady at the same moment Friad cast what magic he had as hard as he could into the ground making it ripple and crack. Together their force knocked the Lady off her feet sending her flying through the air, landing on the bank just metres from the river. Without pausing the Dwarves rushed from the shore and through the cities wall as the red light grew from Trina’s hands building up behind their retreating backs. Sparks of lightning rained down from the sky joining the energy ball making it crackle and flash as it left her body.
‘Orcaritor shi shacanna’ I screamed, this time hearing Michaels voice mixed deep with my voice as a blast of golden light sped forwards from my own hands, crashing through Trina’s and causing it to explode in a flare of light. The light blinded me as Trina released my hand, I shielded my face with my arms as the roar echoed around the clearing.
When I lowered my hand the forest was silent, the rain slowed than stopped. The river continued to churn but was no longer rising above its banks. I stood alone on the bank, the ground around me was stripped bare and there was no sign of the soldiers or of the Dwarves, or most importantly, of Lady Cassandra.
Chapter 20
I fell to my knees beside Michael and Isabella’s form beneath her small blue cape. A face peaked out from under the silk.
“Has it stopped?” Isabella asked.
I nodded and smiled down at her round face. She sat up bringing her cape with her not looking at all tired from using her powers. Michael however didn’t move.
Trina was collapsed beside us, being hurriedly seen to by her priestesses.
“Michael,” I whispered laying him down across my knees.
A shimmer ran through the trees, one by one elves, fauns, Undines and the rest of the inhabitants of the forest where shimmering into view.
“Grandma says to go and see Undine,” said Isabella, before running off through the confused looking elves into the city.
I stood as Nicas came over taking Michael from my lap and begun removing his bloodied shirt, washing his chest with a shell full of water that a young Undine had brought him. When I was sure that he was being well cared for I walked into the river moving past dryads and Undines as they went to speak with their friends. Turning back I sore Mr Almasto kneel by Michael with his hands on his chest, a faint glow creeping out beneath his fingers.
All around the clearing elves where materializing looking slightly confused but otherwise unharmed, some went over to help with the hurried repairs being lead by Jamol and Nicas. Others had moved up to the invisible parts of the barrio and where helping Dwarves out of its depths laughing as they did so.
Undine lead me up the river, holding tight to my arm as the river was still flowing quite fast. A large rock loomed up in front of us anchored to the river bed by weeds that twisted up its length. We swum around to the other side where the weeds where not so dense. Lady Cassandras face loomed up at me, her mouth frozen open, her eyes staring blankly forwards.
I emerged from the river five minutes later to see a commotion across the shore. A boy was crouched beside Linda’s lifeless body. A group of elves where advancing on him with swords drawn. The boy ignored them all swept Linda into his arms with little effort and carried her out through the wall with as much ease that it appeared the wall was not even there. As he disappeared through its depths I noticed a small trickle of blood seeping down his stomach. The elvan guards started after them but I called them back. She was evil but she was still my sister and I hoped that who ever the boy was, he would look after her.
“M’ lady?” Marshikas deep voice came from behind me. His face swum in and out of view I struggled to stay contuse. Finally I gave into my bodies calls and collapsed into his arms.
I awoke in my own bed, warm light warming my face. It took me a while to wake up properly. A jug of water lay beside me, I splashed some on my face and poured myself a large glass which I gulped in two mouthfuls. It was a moment before remembered what had happened. I sprung from the bed only to stagger and fall back to the floor when my head swum and my vision turned black. I sat a moment blinking until my vision returned.
“Please miss,” a voice said from the direction of the door. A young girl dressed in the clean white tunic that the Queens messengers wore was standing in the doorway.
“The, the Queen wants to see you when you are feeling better,” she spoke to her feet, not looking at my face.
“Is everyone ok?” I asked breaking off a piece of the bread that the girl had brought with the water and pushed it hungrily into my mouth.
“Yes, your Highness.”
“Michael and Trina?”
“They are being cared for,” she replied shifting her weight from one foot to the other.
“How long have I been asleep?” I asked looking out the door past her to see what time of day it was.
“Nearly three days your Highness,” the girl watched me eating the bread and opened her mouth to say something but hurriedly closed it again, returning her gaze to the floor.
“Was there something else?” I asked.
“Please, the queen said that you were to have breakfast with her when you arrived.”
I sighed and climbed to my feet more slowly this time. The girl looked up her eyes grew wide and before I could say anything she turned and quickly scurried down the stairs. I was still to tired to bother wondering what she was so frightened of.
I dressed in a short green gown with a wide black sash that I wound around my waist three times than secured it with a simple knot at my side. I grabbed my dagger from beside my pillow, finding that the holster wasn’t with it. I was considering tucking it into the sash and risking the blade slicing through the silk when it begun to glow in my palm. As I watched its edges grew out, its hilt shrunk in to the blade. A few seconds later I held a silver hair comb in my palm, the top covered in the same design of vines as the dagger had been.
Just what I wanted, I thought to myself as I piled my dirty hair on my head and secured as much as I could with the comb, the few curls that it couldn’t hold dropped back down around my shoulders. I flinched as the skin on my arm grew tight when i raised my arm. A long gash, only just starting to heal stretched across my shoulder as the bandage that had bound it slipped off. I lowered my arm again rubbed some of the witches healing balm that was next to a pile of rags by my bed on the wound than used a fresh bandage to redress it. That done, I slowly made my way up stairs to see if Michael was there. My heart fluttered briefly in fear before I remembered that the messenger had not said were they were being cared for. Mr Almasto was taking care of him after the battle, he was probably still with him and Trina was surely with her priestesses. I decided that I would go to the great hall and talk with Queen Isaldia. The climb down to the ground was enough to tire me even though I took my time. I felt as limp as an overcooked noodle by the time I reached the ground and had to lean against the base of the tree as my head swam again. I felt a calming prickling sensation seep through my skin through the bark. I could sense the trees thoughts deep in m
y mind and smiled as my strength slowly returned, the trees power sliding through my veins like branches extending and growing as they recharged my magic. I could feel a small mass low in my chest that I knew was my magic, it spun and grew slowly bigger spreading through my body. My chest tingled as the trees magic filled my own. I smiled and silently thanked the trees spirit, moving away when I felt strong enough.
I only got a few metres from the base of the tree before I remembered about the plants and flowers that followed my progress. I didn’t have the energy to go back up to get some shoes so I grabbed my broom instead but only flew only high enough so that my toes brushed the damp forest soil as I made my way across the city. A few elves waved as I passed them, but most either just stared or hurriedly moved out of my way staring after me. The city was full of activity. Nearly everyone carried a weapon of some kind, and groups of soldiers patrolled the canopy over head.
Queen Isaldia had already spoken with Isabelle, Marshika and even Orasla who had turned up in the temple by the time the Priestesses got back. Trina still claimed that she knew nothing about it.
After she had heard my part of the story over breakfast, that was interestingly a tottering pile of pancakes, we had a pretty good picture of what had happened both before the attack and after they had been captured.
“It seemed that Michael was right and that the spell had indeed been intended only for those that were awake,” The Queen said, cutting a slice of her pancake. “I resisted the attack for only a moment, long enough to send a message too Isabelle who I hopped would warn the others,” she continued getting another pancake of the pile, her third that morning.
“No one can remember where they went or what happened to them, including me. Most of us are sure that we did not leave the forest as we could still faintly hear the battle.”
Unfortunately one of the guards had been killed she informed me. One of the servants had also died when the elves army went after the soldiers that had made it into the city after I fainted. Most had been captured within hours of Cassandras fall, but the elves were still tracking down small groups that had hidden in the edges of the city which explained why the elves were carrying weapons still I though to myself as I chewed my pancake, poring more syrup over the already soaked ones on my plate. I was also glad to hear that Mr Almasto had taken Trina and Michael home after he had treated them by the river. The Priestesses had taken over the care of their goddess with gusto after she was left weakened from the use of her powers, not allowing anyone to come or go from the temple until she was fully recovered.
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