The Raven Collection

by James Barclay

  Next to him, Hirad blocked a sword easily, jabbing with a fist as he thrust the attacker back. He stumbled but came on, feinting left and striking right. Hirad blocked again but this time reversed his blade back across the enemy’s chest, seeing it slice through cloth and leather armour. The enemy gasped, staggered to his right and took a Protector axe clean through the top of his head.

  The space in front filled with Dordovan soldiers. Left and right the Protectors, wide-spaced and double-weaponed, forged their awesome silent warfare. Aeb, his sword keeping Dordovans from the left side of The Unknown, was devastating with his axe, batting flat-bladed and delivering massive overheads and flank blows. But as the bodies fell, the press increased and The Raven were slowly edged back.

  The Unknown caught a sword blow on his dagger and twisted the blade away left, opening up his opponent’s chest. Needing no second chance, the big man plunged his sword through the chain mail, the man falling backwards. Wrenching the blade clear, his hip locked and he lost balance momentarily, stumbling forward, crying out in sudden unexpected pain.

  Seeing an opportunity, a blow flashed in from the left. The Unknown, in no position to block it, waved his dagger in the way but saw the attack pushed aside by Aeb. The huge Protector thundered his axe through neck-high, catching the man just above the shoulder blade and carving all the way through to his spine. He was thrown into the enemy line. Not pausing, Aeb dragged The Unknown back, the line reformed.

  Hirad, chopping down on a half-hearted blow, breathed a sigh of relief, dragged his opponent to him with his free hand, headbutted him on the top of his nose, thrust the stunned man away and ripped his blade through his groin. The Dordovan fell screaming.

  Squaring up, Hirad sought his next target and then the doors from the orchard exploded behind him.

  Darrick saw the mages flying above the orchard, moving fast and away out of sight. Turning back to his defence, he could hear Dordovans advancing through the rubble behind the doors to the first wing.

  To his right, a spell exploded against the second wing’s doors, shattering them, the Protectors who had been standing aside, now turned into the action, blades chopping down and the sounds of dying men echoing into the corridor.

  There was a thud in front of him and urgent voices sounding behind the doors.

  ‘Clear,’ he warned. The trio of Protectors flattened themselves against the walls. ‘Let’s get in there fast and we might get the mages.’

  Slight nods indicated they both heard and agreed.

  Without further warning, the doors rattled and burst in on their hinges, slapping back against the walls. Darrick turned his head away as dust and splinters sprayed out and the ForceCone spent itself against the orchard wall.

  ‘Now!’ he yelled, leading the charge into the corridor, the Protectors carrying swords only in the close quarters of the passage, flanking him.

  Darrick laughed at the surprise on the faces of the mages and warriors he faced. He crashed his blade through the stomach of the mage immediately in front of him before he had a chance to move, Protectors on either side, the third just behind.

  With awesome speed, they moved ahead, cutting and slashing into the Dordovans, chopping down mage and warrior alike, blood smearing the walls and the cries of the dying filling the corridor. Darrick came forward again but the enemy broke and ran, Protectors making to chase them.

  ‘Stop!’ ordered Darrick. ‘Fall back.’

  They ran back to the relative safety of the main corridor. Darrick glanced over his shoulder, figures were moving.

  ‘Down!’ he yelled.

  They hit the ground on either side of the door, and rolled. A heartbeat later, FlameOrbs roared into the corridor splashing over the walls and thundering through the empty window frames, fires licking at exposed wood.

  Darrick got to his feet and found the Protectors already standing, watching him.

  ‘Patience,’ he said.

  That was something the Protectors had in abundance.

  Ren scoured the sky, bow relaxed but arrow nocked and ready. Shapes had rushed across, too fast for her or her people to follow. They were looking for trouble no doubt, angling to land inside the house while their forces occupied both Raven and Protector alike. She could hear the sounds of fighting from the front door and behind her, dull thuds signified attacks from the wings.

  A whistle from her left and she looked. The Guild elf pointed up and right. Ren followed the finger. Eight mages, descending fast. The warning went round the orchard. Bows were bent, waiting.

  Ren breathed deep and regular, watching her target as it moved, swirling in the air. The sky was lightening but clouds were gathering and the wind was getting up quickly, gusts whipping at the drifts of leaves in the orchard and fanning the flames to the right near the doors to the entrance hall.

  Down they came. Wait, wait. Ren tensed the bow string that little bit more. Away. Her arrow sped into the sky, thudding into the neck of the mage who fell soundlessly from the sky. Right behind it, three more arrows sang through the orchard, two more mages fell. That left five still descending.

  Ren nocked another arrow and glanced left. More shapes coming. More mages. A dozen.

  ‘Fire at will, fire fast,’ she called. ‘Left and incoming.’

  She let go another arrow which caught a mage on his arm. His wings flickered, steadied then disappeared and he screamed a long ‘no’ as he plunged to the earth, his body slapping on to the collapsed roof of the west wing.

  More arrows flew into the air, two missing their targets that Ren could see but now half a dozen mages were down, wings dispersed and advancing quickly, spells being prepared as they came.

  Ren could feel panic spread through the Guild elves. She fired again, taking another mage in the eye.

  ‘Keep firing, keep firing,’ she urged.

  But the mages weren’t looking to attack them. They were moving towards the doors to her right. FlameOrbs sailed out and the doors exploded inwards. More came, and then more, and the orchard was filled with fire.

  Chapter 39

  ‘Ward!’ yelled Hirad as glass and timber showered their backs.

  In front of them, the Dordovans came again. More and more light filled the orchard and screams echoed up into the air.

  ‘Ilkar!’ shouted The Unknown, battering his sword into the face of a Dordovan, the enemy swaying back, the blade catching the point of his jaw and splitting the bone. ‘Drop the shield, check the rear.’

  ‘No and yes,’ said Ilkar.

  Hirad evaded a weak attempt and buried his sword in the chest of his enemy. More spells detonated behind him.

  ‘Unknown!’ he said, blocking a thrust easily. ‘Second perimeter.’

  ‘Not yet. Keep going. We can still hold them here.’

  And they could. The Protectors spread fear through the attacking Dordovans, their mages couldn’t get any spells away through the press without sacrificing their own men and, with dead and wounded being hauled away, the floor was slick with their blood.

  ‘Talk to me, Ilkar,’ said The Unknown, punching out with his dagger hand. Beside him, Aeb took the sword arm clean off a Dordovan but suffered a cut to his right arm as he did.

  ‘The Guild elves are broken, mages in occupation. I have the door.’

  ‘Keep it tight Raven,’ urged The Unknown. ‘Let’s go again!’

  Hirad roared and struck out again, ignoring his protesting muscles.

  Lyanna was very unhappy. She’d tried to sit at the table and draw shapes and play with her doll but the sounds from all around her were horrible. She’d seen the old ladies lying in their beds and making noises like they were hurt as bangs and crashes made the cups wobble on the table and the floor under her chair rattle.

  She knew it was all down to magic. She could sense it but didn’t understand how it was all made and when she tried to get inside the minds of the old ladies the rushing of the wind pushed her away and made her head ache. She cried quietly, hoping that one of the stra
nge men would come and see how she was, but they just stood where they were and watched up at the windows or the open doors into the ballroom and the dining room.

  The magic noises had stopped now but the old ladies had all become still. They were still breathing but their faces didn’t look right. They were wet and very white. Lyanna got off her chair and walked across to them.

  ‘Ephy?’ she said, crouching by the frail elf. ‘Are you all right, Ephy?’

  Ephemere’s eyes flickered open and she tried to smile. Her hand came up and Lyanna could see it trembling as it patted her cheek.

  ‘We are so tired, Lyanna,’ said Ephemere. ‘Is it all right if I sleep for a while?’

  ‘But Mummy said if I was scared I could be with you,’ said Lyanna.

  ‘In a little while,’ said Ephemere and her hand fell away. She spoke again, her voice fading. ‘In a little while.’

  Lyanna stamped her foot. It wasn’t fair. There was no one to make her feel better and she needed someone now. She needed Mummy. She knew what she’d been told but it didn’t matter. She walked towards the door to the dining room where one of the masked men stood. She tried to squeeze past his legs but he put a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her.

  ‘You are to remain in here,’ he said. ‘It is dangerous out there.’

  ‘No,’ said Lyanna, her anger growing quickly. ‘I want my Mummy now, I’m scared.’

  ‘It is safer in the kitchen,’ said the man. ‘I cannot let you leave here.’

  Lyanna stepped backwards and the man released her shoulder and straightened. She tried to run past him but he stopped her easily, pushing her firmly backwards.

  ‘No!’ she shouted. ‘Let me go.’

  The man crouched to look at her and she could see into his eyes and they were horrible, like part of him had gone.

  ‘Your mother will be very angry if you leave here. Stay.’

  ‘You aren’t allowed to stop me,’ said Lyanna, not really understanding what she was saying but knowing it was right. ‘There’s things nearby you and they can make you feel very bad.’

  The man in front of her flinched. ‘Stay in here, please.’

  ‘I don’t want to.’

  The man was quiet for a while. Behind her all the other men were walking towards her. Lyanna felt even more scared. She looked at them all, huge and strange. They wanted to stop her. They might even hurt her. That wasn’t nice.

  ‘I told you, and you wouldn’t listen,’ said Lyanna, feeling dispossessed from her mind and body. ‘And I won’t stay here, I won’t.’

  Inside her head, the wind grew and she heard a chattering. There were the things and there was a way to release them, it was easy.

  In front of her, the man clutched at the sides of his head and screamed. He fell backwards, writhing on the ground, his legs pushing him across the kitchen floor, his body jumping and twisting. Lyanna backed away and looked up at the other men who stood stock still, hands clenching and unclenching. Her chin wobbled and she started to cry at the sounds the man made. He wouldn’t stop screaming.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, starting to run into the dining room. ‘I’m sorry. Mummy!’ Her cries echoed into the battle-filled house.

  Aeb hesitated next to The Unknown and only just forced a thrust aside. Even so the blade nicked his hip and he grunted in pain.

  ‘Aeb, Aeb,’ said The Unknown, slashing wildly to keep the Dordovans back. They were pressing hard now and both he and Hirad were tiring. Behind them, Ilkar’s shield held against the mages in the orchard. He was relying on the unflagging force of the Protectors but they had all slowed perceptibly, their attacks not delivered with the usual force. ‘Aeb, speak.’

  The Protector shook his head and smashed his axe through the shoulder of the man in front of him.

  ‘Lyanna is free of the kitchen,’ he said. ‘She has invoked DemonChain punishment.’

  ‘What?’ The Unknown jabbed forwards, his blade blocked, not believing what he had heard.

  ‘Our brother is suffering. We can sense his pain. It is . . . distracting. ’

  All the Protectors had backed up half a pace, forcing The Unknown and Hirad to do likewise. They could lose this very quickly. More Dordovans filled the gap, gaining in confidence. Beside him, Hirad jarred his hand as he clashed swords with his enemy. There was a fresh cut on his scarred cheek.

  ‘Erienne!’ shouted The Unknown. ‘Loose the spell and get back to the ballroom. Ilkar, go with her. Lyanna is out.’

  Erienne stood and cast FlameOrbs over the heads of The Raven, not pausing to see where they landed before turning and running towards the corridor.

  ‘I can’t leave this door,’ said Ilkar.

  ‘Go!’ shouted The Unknown. ‘Secure the second perimeter. Tell Darrick we’re coming.’

  The FlameOrbs landed, washing fire over the third rank of Dordovans and splashing fresh flame over already charred timbers. Panic spurred Dordovans on to the weapons of The Raven. The Unknown thrust his blade into the side of the man in front of him and slashed his dagger across his neck. Beside him, Hirad ducked and chopped into the legs of his opponent and the Protectors, forced into a flurry of action, made it count.

  ‘Disengage on my word,’ said The Unknown. Behind him, he heard Denser get to his feet. ‘Now!’

  A pace back and they turned and ran. The Unknown was slow but the Protectors surrounded him, one at each shoulder, picking him off his feet.

  ‘Mages in the ballroom. Mages moving with us through the orchard,’ said Aeb, his voice calm in the sudden chaos.

  ‘Gods,’ muttered The Unknown. ‘Denser, keep that shield up.’ He stared ahead as they turned the corner into the orchard corridor.

  ‘Darrick!’ roared The Unknown. ‘Second perimeter. There’s trouble in the ballroom. We’ve lost the orchard.’

  Darrick was ahead, his sword moving quickly as he fought off attack from the first wing. The corridor was on fire, spreading along the wall of the orchard towards the ballroom, the heat intense. At both the other wing entrances Protectors were engaged in fierce fighting.

  The Unknown saw Ilkar and Erienne run past the third wing. Moments later, a detonation split the air and fire gorged out. The quartet of Protectors never stood a chance, blown back against the wall, bodies seared, dead before they slumped to the ground. Fire washed across the ceiling, the after shock of the explosion shaking loose plaster dust into the air to mix with choking smoke. Dordovans poured into the gap running left and right.

  Even before he asked it, the Protectors released their support, sprinting on with Hirad, and leaving The Unknown with Aeb, Darrick and Denser to marshal the rear defence. He prayed Hirad would break the way ahead quickly. If not, they would be trapped.

  Lyanna came to a stop in the dark ballroom. There were more of the masked men there but they were not moving, just like the ones in the kitchen. She didn’t know what she’d done but she knew it was wrong, only she didn’t know how to stop it.

  ‘Mummy, where are you?’ she wailed, her eyes filling with tears. She clutched her doll tightly.

  On the other side of the ballroom, she could hear people shouting and fighting and there were flames leaping and jumping. That would be where Mummy and Daddy were, helping to keep her safe. She chewed at her bottom lip, caught in indecision. She should go back to the kitchen to be with the ladies and see if the strange man was better. But she so wanted to be with Mummy. Probably she wouldn’t be too angry but she didn’t want to get into any more trouble.

  Something was happening. She looked up to the ceiling of the ballroom which had a big hole to the sky. The sky was very cloudy and it was going to rain very hard again but that wasn’t what caught her eye. There were men swooping in on wings, lowering themselves through the hole. One of them even carried another one in his arms.

  There were six of them and she watched them, wishing she could fly like them. On either side of her, the two men with the masks moved again, running towards her. She screamed and ran away and they
gave chase. One of them swept her up in his arms while the other turned towards the flying men. They all landed, the wings disappeared and the one who had been carried drew a long sword. She struggled to get away but the man held her too tight.

  ‘Mummy, help me!’ she shouted. ‘Help!’

  The room went cold and the first masked man fell. The one carrying her ran for the ballroom door. If she screamed loud enough, surely Mummy would hear.

  Ilkar ran behind Erienne, hardly closing the distance between them at all.

  ‘Erienne, slow down! The Protectors will handle it!’ he yelled, but she didn’t slow at all.

  Twenty yards from the ballroom door, a Protector appeared in the opening, Lyanna shrieking in his arms. He was running but jolted violently, falling forwards. Ilkar felt the chill afterwash of an IceWind rush past him and knew the Protector’s body had saved Lyanna’s fragile life. The Protector crumpled, the girl trapped under him. She cried out and tried to shuffle clear but his weight was too much and her legs were trapped.

  ‘Lyanna!’ screamed Erienne and she upped her pace.

  Ilkar tore after them, praying Hirad was close enough behind. Gods knew how many of them were in the ballroom. He closed the distance at a flat sprint but time seemed to crawl. A Dordovan mage, ShadowWings live on his back, strode out of the door, looked up once then stooped to pull the Protector’s body out of the way. Erienne slithered to a halt, a hand to her mouth, calling Lyanna’s name over and over. The child herself held out her hands and begged for help. But Erienne wasn’t going to get there in time.

  Behind Ilkar an explosion sounded and his thoughts took on a terrible clarity. In front of him, a Dordovan mage leant down to snatch the Nightchild and take her back to Dordover where the threat of the One would be snuffed out forever. It would be so easy to let the mage take her, to not quite stop him. To make an effort so great that none could blame him for her loss. It would save the Colleges. It would save the fledgling new Julatsa.