‘We’ll protect you,’ said Hirad. ‘Just relax, you know you can do it.’
‘Easy for you to say,’ she replied through a half-smile.
‘Remember we have to keep moving forwards,’ said The Unknown. ‘We can’t afford to get bogged down here, not when we’re so close.’
The elves moved back into the pre-arranged fighting line. Auum and Duele flanked The Raven’s left, Evunn and Rebraal right. They had dispensed with their classic uneven chevron formation this time. The line that approached the enemy was a shallow concave curve with The Unknown at its focal point. Behind the curve, the four mages ranged, elves flanking their Raven colleagues.
Erienne could barely control her heart rate. They were relying on her like never before. Without her, only mages could kill. It wouldn’t be enough. The demons were coming in low and fast. She could hear the beat of wings and their harsh calls.
Fighting to concentrate on the move, she unstoppered the power of the One and felt it surge through her body and into her mind. The sensation was terrifying. In two years of Cleress’s tutelage she had learned to control the well of power that surged around her body, but barely. And even now, the level of control her mind could exert when she released the energy to cast was minimal in the scale of One magic understanding.
Her sense of that which she contained was highly tuned. She understood very well the consequences of her failure to fully control it. What had been done could not be undone. The One was within her. She had no choice but to accept it.
She still considered the entity an enemy to be suppressed lest it should overwhelm her. Cleress had done little to disabuse her of that notion. Merely saying she would learn over time to work with what she had, not fight it for control.
But time had run out. And now the dam that Erienne had built in her mind to contain the power in her body was breached. She couldn’t afford to fail.
The One flooded her senses, dimming her sight and hearing. The Unknown said something about being encircled but she didn’t catch it before the full majesty of Balaia’s energies was laid out before her. She staggered and almost fell, her feet and legs numb, but she was held up.
She saw the raw strong energy of the bedrock pulsing through the ground; the fluxing, capricious trails of the air thickened by wind and sun; the wisps from coarse grass; the complex auras of The Raven and elves around her; and everywhere, the scattered motes that were mana. Searching the sky, she found the demons. They resolved from a cloud of muddled elements into individual powerful forms. Lattices of life with none of the gentle modulation of man or elf, and meshed firm by hard mana.
It was just as Cleress had described and the theory of the spell, like any One casting, was simplicity itself. In the myriad streams of energy she could sense about her, natural linkages were everywhere, binding the elements together. She could see the arrays that gathered mana to the demons in the natural shield that made them invulnerable to anything but magic. All she had to do was disrupt the process and scatter the mana back to its natural random state.
Erienne paused for a beat, feeling the swell of the One through her body. She drew it to her, holding it tight inside while she built the construct. In her mind’s eye, it formed. As with her Dordovan magic, she drew mana strands into the order she required, a fine-meshed net of pulsing deep brown magical energy. That was the easy part. Now she had to feed in exactly the right amount of One power to let the spell live. Cleress’s words came back to her then and she fancied she could feel the presence of the ancient Al-Drechar in her mind once more though distance surely precluded that now as the frail elf’s powers weakened.
You cannot calculate this. It is not a mana casting, just a mana construct. Mana alone will not power it, the One makes it live. You must believe, you must trust and you must feel. Be one with it, let it take you as far as you can. Always up to the point of no return but never further. Your mind will tell you. Trust your mind. Always trust your mind.
With the words running round her head, Erienne allowed the One power into the construct and held it there while it grew, clinging on with her mind. And all the time, the entity was whispering in her ear that she should feed in more, that to let go would be to win. This was her demon and she could not allow it free rein.
She could see the lines of elemental force all around her bend and reach towards her. The One sucked it in voraciously, using her body as a conduit while she kept iron control of her mind to stop from being washed away. The construct pulsed bright under the power flowing through her. A moan escaped her lips. The mesh glowed and then burst into a fine mist, every minuscule droplet still bound to every other.
She released the spell and it flooded out from her, covering everything around her, floating into the sky and across the ground, behind and in front. It washed past The Raven and it engulfed the demons moving to attack. She saw its result and knew they would not even know what had happened until the first blow was struck.
The mist soaked into them, penetrating deep into their skins where it simply dissolved the linkage that bound the mana to them. Immediately, Erienne could see the mana sloughing from the demons. Tiny particles glimmering in the mass of energy trails. Undetectable to everyone except her but, if she was right, absolutely deadly.
Dimly, she heard the thump of a sword point on the ground, rhythmic and sure.
Thraun was desperate to run faster. Demons were after him. Swooping low, raking at his back with claws and talons. Biting down on his body, slashing at him with sharpened tails. He wove this way and that, ran through thick vegetation, slewed through streams and leaped hedge and fence to enter the farm lands of Blackthorne.
His howling had brought them on as he had desired but their stench had gripped him and he was afraid. His heart was pounding and there was a shudder along his flanks that threatened the rhythm of his legs.
He dared not look around or up, instead he ploughed on. Men and women, their expressions cold, stared at him. Children with dark eyes pointed or ran. A few animals scattered but they need not have feared him. He was not hunting. He was hunted.
A demon’s jaws snapped shut just above his head. He felt a deep chill and sudden pain flared in his ear. The beast climbed high into the sky. In front of him, another dived, arms outstretched, taloned hands grasping. He did not flinch but veered at the last instant as he would from a man holding a weapon. Behind him, the demon screeched its anger.
He was past the last people now and the dwellings he ran by were silent and empty. The streets were deserted and the smell of life was gone from the ground and weak in the air. But ahead he could hear shouting, rising in volume. The sound of weapons clashing and the vibration of feet on packed earth came to him too. He pushed harder and the demons behind him did the same.
Thraun felt a tap at his hind leg and almost lost his balance. He half sprawled but maintained his momentum while the reek of demon filled his head and dragged desperate barks from his throat. From either side of the road he ran, demons closed in. So many of them, crowding his way. He howled again and ran at them, eyes open, terror pulsing in his neck.
He darted this way and that, slewed almost to a standstill, jumped away, ran headlong. And ever more, those claws and teeth grabbed at him, looking to bring him down.
At the very last, one of the beasts clamped jaws on his back. Thraun tumbled, rolling in the dirt with the demon. The cold fired through his body. He convulsed but his speed carried him on. His vision clouded and he barked again, weaker this time.
The shouts were around him then, the ring of steel harsh and loud. He heard a squeal and the pressure on his back was lifted. He shivered and lay in the dirt while men ran past him to hold a position at the edge of a row of dwellings. One man shouted louder than the rest. His voice was close.
Thraun picked his head up to look round. He could feel the breath ragged in his throat and the cold of the bite ate at his flesh. A human squatted in front of him. Dark-haired, strong, and with the scent of a leader just as he had r
emembered.
The man looked at him, his frown turning to comprehension. He said something to Thraun but the wolf had no ear for what men said. The man stood, shouted. Other men ran. And then he knelt once again and rubbed warm hands across Thraun’s heaving flanks.
He spoke once more but Thraun did not hear him. And deep, deep inside, his humanity prayed that he had done enough.
Chapter 18
The Raven lengthened their stride with the demons screaming in. The Unknown’s sword thumped onto the ground, keeping time with their footfalls, chinking on shale. Beside him, Hirad readied himself, circling his arms, sword in his right hand, its weight feeling good for the fight. It had been too long.
‘On my mark, Raven!’ he shouted. ‘Denser, you have Erienne.’
Fifty yards distant and the demons dispersed, scattering into the sky and making flanking moves. A core of eight came straight on. Immediately the elves responded, falling back to protect the mages.
‘Looking, Raven. Mages, targets and hold.’
Hirad’s voice sounded above the calls of the demons and the rush of wings. He could see three coming directly for him, another trio just to the left moving hard at The Unknown.
Twenty-five yards and closing.
‘Brace and hold. Let’s take these bastards down.’
Elven arrows streaked out. Hirad didn’t see them strike but he heard the squeals of pain and surprise. He smiled. Deep blue and bright yellow flashes lit the sky. FlameOrb and Ice Wind scoured the air. Demons screeched. Hirad focused ahead. The Unknown’s blade struck the ground twice more and the demons were on them.
Hirad knew the impact would be hard. He half-crouched. Watching the trio closing. Their speed had tempered after they watched others pierced by arrows that should have had no effect. But still they were confident. Mottled green and with vein-etched wings they attacked, claws outstretched and jaws agape, calling their fury.
Left side was on him too early. Hirad ducked and struck, feeling his blade bite deep. Dark fluid gushed from the wound and the demon yelped and spiralled away. Centre and right were in concert and he was barely ready for them. One came in, reversing its body to aim its feet at his chest. The other cocked its hands to slash on impact. Hirad ignored it for the moment, concentrating on the other. He squatted and rolled, feeling the creature part his braids, and was up in the same movement, swiping at empty air. The other demon lashed out a claw, snagging his armour and half turning him round.
Both beasts climbed to turn back to the attack and it gave Hirad a moment to orient himself. He was facing The Raven now. The air seemed full of the deep-coloured shapes of demons. His ears rang from their calls. To his left, Auum and Duele wove death at great speed, their backs to Erienne and Denser. Auum faced two. He lashed a roundhouse kick into the first’s chest, sending it sprawling. He continued his spin, short blade flashing in the sunlight and carving into the second’s neck. It howled and dropped, fluid sluicing into the dry earth.
Right by Hirad, Darrick and The Unknown fared well. The General fenced with a single assailant who was already bleeding from several cuts and weakening fast. The Unknown had one by the throat at arm’s length and, with Hirad watching, drew back his blade and plunged it into the creature’s stomach, casting the corpse aside.
Hirad’s two demons rushed back to the attack, one from either side. He took a two-handed grip on his sword and waited, seeing both close from steep angles. They had reached the point of no return when he spun on his right leg and carved the air above his head, turning two revolutions. His blade cut into the face of one and took the arm from the other at the elbow. Both thundered into him, bowling him from his feet.
Half-dazed, he struggled to strike again. One of the demons was on top of him. He could taste the rank stench and feel its blood running across his armour. He scrabbled backwards, keeping hold of his sword, and tried to shovel the beast from his legs. From nowhere, a claw whipped into his face. He reacted fast but the nails dragged at his cheek. Cold pain fired into his head and he was knocked back against the ground. He felt faint for a moment, his vision dimming for a heartbeat. Fear flashed through his body and he grabbed at his chest as if that alone would keep his soul in place if the demons could really touch it.
He saw more spells detonate and heard the heavy thud of steel against flesh. A hand gripped his shoulder. The Unknown hauled him upright. At his feet, the bodies of two demons. One moved feebly, the other had been decapitated. Dark gore ran down The Unknown’s sword. He shrugged.
‘I think we frightened them off,’ he said.
Hirad breathed deep, feeling blood on his face. He wiped at it gingerly with a gloved hand. The demons were retreating, those that could. The ground was littered with their bodies. Twenty, perhaps more.
‘We’d better get moving. Anyone else hurt?’ he asked.
Shakes of heads greeted his question. He nodded. Erienne smiled at him, looking a little tired but satisfied.
‘I’d call that a successful test,’ said Denser, hugging her to him.
‘Just about,’ said The Unknown, leading them on towards Blackthorne. ‘What was that pirouette?’
‘Something Auum taught me.’
‘I’d have preferred it if you’d just ducked and rolled.’
Hirad smiled. ‘I’m still learning.’
‘Hmm.’ The Unknown pointed at his cheek. ‘You were lucky. If you hadn’t turned your head, it would have had your eye. You feeling all right?’
‘A little cold around the wound but otherwise fine.’ He chuckled, though his body trembled along its length. ‘Can’t just grab our souls, can they?’
‘Fortunately not.’
They crested a rise and looked down the last mile to Blackthorne. The town was teeming with activity. Demons on the ground and in the sky hurried about tasks. Many were headed towards the castle where Blackthorne’s flag still flew proudly. There was a gathering of people, clearly none were demon captives. They held weapons and the bark of orders carried across the quiet space to The Raven.
‘Welcoming committee?’ said Darrick.
‘Reckon Thraun must have got through safely,’ said Hirad. ‘What next?’
The Unknown began trotting down the slope, the others following him. Left and right, the elves moved further ahead. ‘Let’s not keep them waiting. I hardly think the demons are going to usher us in. Can you hang onto that wound until we’re inside?’
‘It’s not so bad,’ said Hirad.
‘Good. Erienne, ready for a repeat dose?’
‘No problem.’
‘Let’s go, Raven.’
Wary now, demons flew high, tracking them all the way. Dead ahead, a formation was building above Blackthorne. It was large, over a hundred, and spread like a net over the town, covering their route in. The Raven were committed now but Hirad shared an anxious glance with The Unknown at the scale of the force laid out before them. Whatever it was that Blackthorne had planned, it needed to be effective.
The Raven ran on, having no option but to trust themselves and their friend on the other side of his ColdRoom protection. Hirad found himself trying to look everywhere at once. Left and right to check the elves, about and behind him to make sure The Raven were one, and ahead and above him to try and second-guess the next action of the demons.
But it was quickly clear that the demons were unsure. The slaughter of twenty-plus of their number by The Raven had undermined their sense of automatic domination and inside Blackthorne the Baron was making no secret of the fact that he was ready to strike out. It bought The Raven the time to make over half the distance to relative safety. It was a hiatus that couldn’t last and duly, with The Raven and elves passing the outlying farm land, the demons moved.
‘Watching, Raven,’ warned The Unknown. ‘Let’s try and keep moving. Erienne, you’re up.’
The hoots and croaking cries of demons choked the air, echoing across the open space. Hirad felt a chill down his body and gripped his sword tighter. His cheek burned whe
re he had been caught, a numbness spreading to his jaw. Moving in towards the outskirts of the town, the Raven line tightened appreciably. Auum and Duele fell in behind the mages, leaving Rebraal and Evunn scouting ahead, bows in hand.
‘We’re moving too fast,’ said Denser. ‘Erienne can’t hold this pace and cast.’
They slowed. Darrick dropped back to the other side of her, Hirad and The Unknown directly in front. From above, the cries of the demons intensified to a stunning crescendo. They packed and attacked.
‘Dear Gods.’ Hirad almost froze. ‘We’re in trouble.’
‘Holding positions, Raven. Spells at full spread!’ shouted Darrick. ‘Let’s give ourselves a chance.’
They stopped again, needing the cohesion of a static formation to give them any chance at all. Hirad could hear Denser murmuring words of encouragement to Erienne.
‘We can’t afford that, Denser. Cast. They’re on us.’
‘Can’t afford for Erienne to fail either.’
‘We can’t afford that for any of us. Please, Denser, not now.’
‘Got it,’ said the mage, an edge to his voice.
‘Come on, Baron,’ whispered Hirad. ‘We need you.’
He couldn’t count how many demons were coming at them this time. It had to be twice the number of the first probing attack. Enough to overwhelm them if they weren’t all right on their game.
From the direction of the castle came simultaneous deep orange and blue flares. The sound of a detonation and the cries of hundreds of men followed it. More spells struck out, tearing at the demons still hovering over Blackthorne. They were joined by those of the elves. DeathHail flayed across the clear blue sky, more IceWind surged behind it, catching the leading edge of the demon attack. But still they came on and Blackthorne’s intervention was too late.
Sudden calm fell in the air, pressing on Hirad’s ears. Behind him, Denser swore.
‘Cover your eyes,’ he shouted. ‘Now!’
The Raven Collection Page 281