by Susi Wright
“That, brother, is a very good question!”
Chapter 24 : DESTROYER
“Well . . . thank you for the help!” muttered Xandor dryly to his comrades' backs, as Sumar and Dak flew off in the direction they had last seen Luminor.
As lead warrior, it was Xandor's decision now whether to buy their lord more time, by taking his men in for a second attack even more dangerous than the first. This time the hunter-giants were on full alert. Without the aid of confusion, the warriors would have to expend more precious arrows and get in close enough to resort to swords, rely on agility alone.
He called to the Gaian archers. “On me, brothers. Now!”
Passing Stolis, he received a nod of acknowledgement, before the commander issued a similar order, quickly selecting fifty of the best riders to stand by for a sweeping charge.
Ji and his squad were among those chosen. Already mounted, they moved together to the tree-line.
“Remember, you should be riding too fast to take a spear. And keep well out of mace-range!” Ji's shouted advice, though directed at his group of friends, served as a reminder to them all, and his initiative was not missed by his commander.
Xandor and his archers swooped down over the heads of the giants, trying to make good use of arrows by aiming for the eyes. The subjugated Zorgs shambled to their feet in response to a second roar from the dominant one, picking up their weapons to ward off the aerial attack. A few stumbled blindly, fell down and were trampled underfoot, becoming easy prey for the others.
Another bellow seemed to draw the mob's focus back to defence, rather than gorging on the fallen.
The dominant one! Xandor aimed his next arrow at the big one, his actions echoed by several other fliers. The shafts found their targets, taking out both eyes and the enraged Zorg staggered out into the open, sniffing out airborne Gaians and swinging his mace-chain wildly into the air.
At the signal, the cavalry swarmed out of the trees behind Ji and his friends, forming into a single line. They stretched out full gallop, wheeling around the enemy. Without a second thought, Ji pulled ahead of the others and set a formidable pace. If this was not a dizzying enough distraction to the mob, the riders began to sweep in closer, slashing with their swords at the giants' exposed bellies, as the deadly mace-and-chains swung overhead.
Ji noticed the leader, staggering away from the main bunch. He made a quick decision, calling out over his shoulder to the riders as he drew his sword, “One. With me! You others, keep going around! Fast as you can!”
He and one other rider peeled from the line and sped towards the big one, now exposed in the open. The two bore down, leaning low over the samblars' necks to avoid the mace, riding in a tight arc to slash at the legs and torso. The sting of the blades caused the giant to react with a downward swing of his weapon, but Ji and the other rider were already out of reach and the spiked ball smashed into the ground with thunderous force.
“Again!” yelled Ji, wheeling his mount around for another attack. His comrade was on his heels, both wielding their swords savagely, before the Zorg had time to swing again. Blood was flowing freely from several deep gashes to the giant's torso; the monster merely grunted in pain, swinging his weapon in futile circles at the riders as they raced out of reach once more.
Xandor and another flier came in from above to help bring down the leader. Quivers empty, they resorted to close passes with the sword at the head and neck. But still the Zorg did not fall.
Gaians continued their attack on the others, who seemed completely uninterested in helping their leader. They were solely intent on saving themselves from the fliers, and totally disoriented by the circulating riders on the ground, who swept in co-ordinated waves to slice open their bellies. Sadly, as fast as the men rode their samblars back out around the perimeter, a few were downed by flying spears. One or two others came to a sticky end, necks of mount and rider broken, after somersaulting over the fallen bodies.
Near the trees, Ji gathered his samblar for another foray and cast a glance over his shoulder for his friend. He had been thrown, but he picked himself up and, by a hair's breadth, managed to grab the trailing reins of his samblar as it began to run off. Soon, he would back in the fray. Ji decided not to wait.
He urged Storm forward at full gallop towards the Zorg. Taking reins and pommel in his left hand, he threw his left foot from the stirrup and dropped low into the right, suspending himself along the body of his mount. Sword outstretched, he wheeled in close, level with the giant's legs and chopped with all his might, severing one major tendon clean through. Quickly regaining his seat, he turned his samblar sharply away, leaning low over its neck, making a bee-line for the perimeter.
The giant's destroyed leg buckled immediately, bringing it down with a roar. The ground shook as the massive frame, then mace-and-chain, crashed into the dirt. Incapacitated, the ogre flailed helplessly, growling to his minions, but this hardly gave pause to the dim-witted and distracted mob, who were still occupied with their own defence. The big one would not be alive long, now he was down.
“Follow me! Let's go again!” yelled Ji, mustering six riders to join him in another pass. They were poised about to charge, when a loud whoop from Xandor drew all eyes skyward.
Lord Luminor had finally arrived, a welcome sight, swooping over the melee, apparently well and ready to wreak havoc on the enemy!
There was no time to wonder at his tardiness. Xandor's call was the signal to leave the battleground as quickly as possible. Gaian fliers and Baramese riders alike cheered as they pelted full-speed over and through the trees to safer ground.
Luminor swooped over the battleground just as the Zorg leader fell to Ji's sword. He allowed a brief swell of pride for his nephew's courage and skill before returning his focus inward to reach for the Supreme power gathered in his core, forced to fight the continual waves of nausea that came with it.
If Sumar and Dak had not slapped him awake, he might still be lying unconscious, bereft of the Healing which usually accompanied the Fire of Destruction. Swallowing the urge to vomit, he drew on the energy. It was still his, a surging well of heat in his gut. He balled his fists tightly, sending the flow up through his chest and down his arms to build up in his hands. As he flung out his arms, opening his fingers, a continuous blast of flames swept across the Zorg army, obliterating all flesh in its path. A hundred giants, destroyed in half as many heartbeats. Not much remained except a pile of white ash, bones and the acrid smell of smoke.
It is done! Luminor let go, allowing the Fire to recede to the Source. His ability to follow that thought with another vanished, as paralysing oblivion consumed his mind and his body, and he began to fall away.
Chapter 25 : SPECTACLE
It was, most certainly, a sight to see.
All witnessed the Lord of Fire in action in profound admiration. Warriors, cavalrymen and the rescued group of thirty Morvians watched on, safely assembled on the hillside.
Some of the younger soldiers were awestruck, observing for the first time such use of the Supreme Power, while others cheered noisily. Veteran Gaian warriors were proudly silent; familiar with Luminor's abilities, they expected nothing less.
At this sudden turn of events, the entire company stilled with disbelief, watching as Lord Luminor's body seemed to slump and his cloak fluttered air-less, a heartbeat or two before he began to fall from the sky.
To Xandor, bad memories came flooding back – their lord tumbling, flightless – but this time, there was no loyal dragon in sight. On instinct, he flew into action, followed closely by Dak and several other warriors, in a headlong race to prevent Luminor crashing to his death.
Working in concert, two grasped a limb each, while Xandor clasped his arms around Luminor's torso. The others circled protectively, bows drawn, even though the danger from the enemy was over. Between them, they brought him gently down to study what ailed him.
Dak sounded more hopeful than not. “He is still breathing – no wound – that's a good
sign. I'm not certain, but don't think he is about to die!”
Xandor had experience to draw upon. “It appears exactly as before! We already know that cursed poison still lingers. As you know, even my wife, Serafina, spent countless hours searching the wisdom of the Ancient Realm but found nothing.” His quicksilver eyes glinted with inspiration. “I think it is connected to the Fire of Destruction.”
Sumar crouched down to lay his hands on Luminor's chest. He studied the aura, his expression grave. “Yes, I believe the ability to heal himself is now clouded by it. We have known for more than a decade, that traces of the poison lurked within him . . . perhaps the spell of attachment was never fully broken. Luminor's powerful will kept it at bay, I think.
“However, perhaps all his recent use of Fire caused some weakness. There is little we can do . . . except watch over him and wait. I cannot tell exactly what is going to happen. We must pray that if the Guardians have seen fit to send help, it is not too long in coming!”
“Most definitely!” agreed Dak, and the news, such as it was, quickly relayed through the ranks waiting on the hillside. The sentiment of anxious hope echoed among them all, in resounding silence.
Deep in the woods, Cymbian eyes were also intent on the sky, peering through a break in the tree-canopy. A sudden flash had thrown light into the forest, brightening the cloudy afternoon sky with flames. Shuul called a sudden halt to their headlong gallop, pulling up in a small clearing. The Cymbians had never ridden animals as fast as samblars. In the heady excitement of their run, Shuul's old ways had come to the fore; he was unable to resist the perfect opportunity to escape, while the Gaians were occupied. They had run much further than originally agreed. They should probably just keep going.
Now, however, the irresistible urge to watch the Gaian sorcerer at work might cost them that one chance. For a while, they had been enthralled as the cloaked Gaian hovered in the sky, throwing a continuous blast of flames from his hands downwards at the enemy. When the fire-stream stopped abruptly, the figure seemed to plummet from the sky like a hawk. Shuul was intrigued. Perhaps . . . he is swooping in closer, to finish off the enemy. Or, is he falling?
“Master, should we not get moving again?” urged one of his men. This reminder warred with Shuul's desire to see more. He wondered if this attraction was subtle mind-magic, but curiosity got the better of him anyway. He needed to discover more. In fact, they could move further on and find a better vantage point.
“Let's push on, up to the top of that ridge.” Shuul pointed to the high ground they would take before the run to the border. “We have already ridden the samblars hard. After the steep climb to the ridge-top, they will need a short rest. We shall see more clearly, if the giants are really dead . . . and . . . what happens next!” From their position, the scene on the ground was obscured by trees, but it was easy to guess what grisly fate befell the giants at the hands of the fire-wielding lord. However, like Shuul, his men saw no harm in getting a better look. This was, after all, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe such impressive magic.
Spurring the samblars by leaps and bounds, the Cymbians topped the ridge in minutes. They dismounted, carefully covering all metal objects. The last rays of the sun peeked between the blanket of dark cloud and the horizon. Even a subtle glint could give them away. From this position, however, they had a panoramic view of the ash-strewn field, though it was difficult to make out details.
“Well, it seems there's nothing left of those giants!” stated Shuul with a vengeful grin.
“Bloody good riddance!” agreed one of his men.
Shuul squinted against the sunlight. Several black-cloaked Gaians were cloistered around one of their comrades who lay still on the ground. Some were standing, some crouching. They appeared to be trying to revive the fallen one.
Shuul scanned the scene, searching for the imposing figure of the Gaian lord. He expected to see him strutting, victorious, among his followers after performing such a mighty trick. He couldn't spot him. Instead, there seemed to be an attitude of consternation and a great deal of frantic activity. A messenger galloped away to the remaining forces on the wooded hillside, and two riders returned.
Shuul picked both human identities from their distinctive samblars. Stolis rode the only snow white animal. The second rider, holding back on the reins to keep abreast of his captain, was unmistakeably Ji on his massive black stallion.
Arriving at the group in the middle of the field, the two leaped from their mounts. There was a brief exchange. Stolis gave Ji a congratulatory slap on the back, and the other men in turn offered the young soldier a firm arm-shake, followed by placing their fist over the heart. The traditional Gaian gesture, Shuul had noted previously, was given only to show deep gratitude or respect.
From what he had come to know about Ji and his devotion to the cause, it was not difficult for Shuul to guess. The young human had done something very brave. Of course, only an idiot would miss the fact that the upstart had 'hero' written all over him! Unbidden, Shuul's begrudging respect jumped up a notch, before his attention turned from Ji to the figure lying on the ground. The long white-blond hair was visible, a common trait among Gaians. It was the unique, gem-encrusted ceremonial sword and scabbard glinting at his side which distinguished Lord Luminor. Shuul had eyed the weapon covetously, every time he had been in the Gaian's company. So . . . he is down! Is he dead?
Blaming his interest on morbid curiosity, the sharp-eyed Shuul scanned the still form, finding no obvious sign of arrow or spear. He saw one of the warriors laying hands on the body, but he had no idea if that was a healing, or death, ritual. In some odd way, that perturbed him.
That there was no response, even after a few minutes, did not bode well for the Gaian victor. It suggested he might have sacrificed himself.
Suddenly, Shuul realised with a jolt, that instead of feeling vengeful satisfaction at that possibility, he almost felt disappointment. He had expected – no, wanted – to see Lord Luminor in his glory, striding before his army, deserving of adulation for the amazing feat he had just accomplished. Shuul admitted to himself, that if Cymbian loyalty had wavered in the last few days, this spectacular annihilation of the enemy had placed Baramese and Cymbians fair and square on the same side.
And he thought, with more than a little pride, that he and his men had played a significant part, not undeserving of acknowledgement!
For the second time, the impatient one of his men broke Shuul's reverie with a reminder, albeit in a hesitant voice. “Master . . . have we not seen enough? Time passes!”
Shuul knew the value of a head-start in an escape.
Inexplicably agitated, he snapped. “Silence, man – I will say when we go!”
The man winced, crossed his arms and set his jaw.
Shuul didn't need to be told autumn days in Morvia were too short. Soon they would lose the light and the going was always slower in darkness. On top of that, it looked like a storm was brewing. Menacing, iron-grey thunderheads were gathering in the southern sky over the Impossible Mountains. Flashes of lightning arced in their midst.
An unholy storm moved at disturbing speed towards them.
Shuul's eyes returned to the movement below. No-one could miss the approaching storm. The order to make camp could be heard, followed by a flurry of activity as soldiers came down out of the trees with the equipment; another loud command by Stolis saw a travois dragged out on to the field. Several warriors lifted Luminor on to it and the signal was given to get him to cover.
So it seems he lives . . . What now? As the contraption lurched into movement, Shuul saw the Gaian's arm stir; then it lifted and grasped ineffectually at the air, before flopping weakly at his side.
Suddenly, Luminor's attendants stopped in their tracks, looking up towards an enormous black cloud, multiple lightning strikes at its centre, and – of all things – they cheered!
At first, some members of the group milled about, completely bewildered, as were Shuul and his men.
No-one, however, could have been more surprised than the Cymbians when a huge silver-blue head emerged from the cloud, a few stray flames escaping its jaws, followed by the long scaled neck and body of a great winged creature; it shadowed much of the field with a one-hundred-foot wingspan. Its turquoise-blue scales reflected flashes of orange from the late sunlight. The apparition was fearsomely beautiful, and Shuul's was not the only mouth that gaped at the sight.
Down on the field, others were similarly impressed. The creature exceeded all expectation. The few, who had been privy Luminor's predictions guessed that this was the 'help' he alluded to. In fact, it was the return of his famous dragon . . . and that was not all!
Awestruck, Shuul studied the magnificent beast, whose appearance went far beyond any creature described in Cymbian legends.
What is it? he longed to ask of someone down there. Additional cheers implied more than a few knew the answer.
As the powerful wings beat slowly, keeping the creature aloft, its descent slowed to almost level with Shuul's position on the ridge. Incredulous, he could clearly see two figures sitting atop its broad back. Luckily, both riders were pre-occupied between the scene on the ground and guiding their huge mount in to land, otherwise his runaway band would have been spotted, exposed on the hilltop.
“Let's move! Now!” ordered Shuul.
The fidgety man, Kaal, rolled his eyes with a sigh of relief, exclaiming under his breath, “Thank the god, Rualla, and all that is holy! Fire-tricks and flying creatures – it's all an illusion. I've had a belly full of Gaian magic!” He gathered his reins and started over the top of the ridge, in the direction they had been heading before the spectacle.
He was halted by Shuul's yell. “No, man! This way!” The chief rode off in the opposite direction, the way they had come. Eyes fixed ahead, he called a challenge to the dissenter. “Unless . . . you think you can make it alone!” He continued at a fast trot as he spoke.