by C Woodward
Talestria yelled, “Don’t do it Blake! He won’t keep his…” Forren shut her up with a back-hand to the face. I was in utter shock. My body pulsated with sheer anger. I felt tears run down my face and my teeth grinding.
Forren chuckled, “Oh, getting angry? Well, how about I help you with that!” He drew back a foot and kicked Talestria in the face. My jaw dropped. Her head bounced back into view. Her eyes were shut and I saw blood. Forren pretended to look upset, “Oh dear! Looks like I knocked her out! Oh well.”
I yelled and tried to move but the heavy ogre kept me pinned down. Forren leaned over and put a hand to his ear as if trying to listen, “What’s that? Are you going to give up or will I have to finish her?”
I closed my eyes and felt an enormous pain in my heart. I took a deep breath, “You, I will let you use…” Just then a loud crash filled the air. “What!?” Forren cried out. He looked at the gatehouse. I turned my head and saw Torkuhl running through the gate with a few others. Forren pointed toward my allies and shouted at his goons, “Get them!” His goons started running toward Torkuhl and Jerak. I heard the sounds of battle starting. Forren looked at the Blood Witch, “Janauntis! Grab her and follow me!” He took a few steps and ordered his body guard, “Bring him too!” Graag picked me up and put me in some kind of hold. I struggled but couldn’t break free. Janauntis walked over to Talestria and looked at me. She chuckled in a sinister tone as she pulled Talestria by her air hair and put her blade near her throat.
She glanced over and actually spoke, “Maybe you should feel the pain of having a loved one die in front of your eyes!” She readied her blade at Talestria’s throat. As she leered at me, something zipped by at her. She barely dodged it, but it got her attention.
I turned my head and saw Rejun. He was already loading up another bolt, “The next shot won’t miss!” She shoved Talestria away and swung her blade at Rejun. I could see the blade extending toward him. He blocked it with his crossbow but it sliced near enough to cut his face. She laughed and shot a stream of electricity at him. He cried out and jumped back from the jolt.
Janauntis laughed and walked back to Talestria. I clenched my fists and felt my body burning inside. My vision began to dim and I could feel my body burning. I yelled which caused her to turn to me. I bared my teeth and pulled my arms out from Graag’s grip. My sight focused on the Blood Witch and my only need was to destroy her! The ogre grabbed me but I shoved him away like a rag doll.
The Blood Witch staggered back and for the first time, I felt fear coming from her. Breathing heavily, I let out a loud war cry and charged her. She jumped out of the way and I crashed to the floor. I landed on my hands and knees and twisted up to my feet. As she walked back, I lunged at her. She jumped and did a backflip. Stop moving!
The Blood Witch started to chant. I watched her. She kept backing up and then shot out a bolt of lightning at me. I felt nothing. She made her weapon glow red and came right back at me. I weaved in, grabbed her weapon and pulled her toward me. The ogre grabbed me again. I let my body slide down a bit and pushed him back. He fell backward, taking me with him. I yelled in frustration as I shoved his arms away. I jumped back up and she was gone.
“Blake!” a voice called to me. My anger died down a little and I began to regain some feeling. My body caught up with the pain and I fell to the ground. Jerak helped me up. I felt really sick to my stomach when I stood up. I raised my helmet just as I threw up, but I felt better and could concentrate now. I ran over and found Talestria on the ground. I franticly removed my gauntlet and checked her pulse; she was still all right. I sighed with relief and looked around. Jerak and Kalus were over helping Rejun who was barely able to stand. I saw the heavily-armored ogre coming at me once again.
The ogre lifted his axe and turned in time to block one of Torkuhl’s hammers. Torkuhl turned and looked at me, “You better pay attention!” Two more figures came running up. They were part of Forren’s men. The first thing they saw was Teltar charging in and swinging his sword at them.
Suddenly, we saw a flash of lightning and then someone ran up to me. “Are you alright?” Bolam asked as he helped me lift Talestria. I scanned the chaos and took a few deep breaths. “You acted strangely.” Bolam said. I lifted Talestria and held her close. Bolam helped me get her back inside and out of the rain.
Bolam helped me lay her down at the bottom of the stairs, “Kalus and I will tend to her when he is done helping Rejun.”
I sighed, “Thank you.” My head was still hazy. I looked up toward the stairs, “What do you mean I acted strange?” Bolam stared back at me, “You made a loud, deafening sound and moved like when you were possessed by the Dragon Spirit.” I froze and it took me a moment to recall. My memories of the events of the night were a bit of a blur, but it started to seem familiar.
I stared at my right hand, “I wonder…” I walked out in time to see a goon with a weapon moving in on me. A sword cut through him from the other side. Teltar was behind him and kicked him off the sword and down the stairs. I grabbed the dying man and shoved him away. Teltar gave me a quick nod and turned his attention to more attackers. Jerak and Kalus came with Rejun whose face was bleeding, but looked better than I expected. He was mostly wounded by the lightning magic. “Thank you, Rejun” I said warmly. He saved Talestria. He smiled a little and kept moving down the stairs.
I found my gauntlet and axe. It took me a moment to get armed. Torkuhl and the ogre were still fighting. Both were very large and getting between them would be as dangerous as fighting one of them. Torkuhl saw at me and grinned. He was enjoying this fight. I called out, “Have fun!” I heard Torkuhl chuckling between the sound of metal hitting metal and loud grunts.
I saw Teltar finishing off a guy. He turned and joined me, “They went up that way” he said, pointing up toward the tower. I looked up and observed the tower. Teltar nodded, “Let’s do this!”
Teltar and I ran into the stone building at the base of the tower. The room was well-lit and we spotted four men coming at us. I charged the closest one by grabbing his wrist and then hacked into the base of his neck with my axe. I used my axe to block the short sword of another guy. I dropped the first guy and reached under the second guy’s right arm with my left hand and sliced into his side. Teltar was already facing the last two. I turned and heaved the second guy down and glanced at Teltar. He yelled, “Go! I’ll catch up!”
I ran up the spiral stairs as another guy was coming down. He was surprised to see me and I took advantage and shoved him off the side. He screamed as he fell. I looked down and felt queasy; I hate heights. I was a long way up! At least it felt like a long way. If it tired me out, it will be tiring for them as well. I jogged up a little higher and came to a doorway leading to the roof on the top level. I saw nothing and continued moving up the stairs. A few more turns, and I was on the top of the tower. I saw a stone roof with pillars placed every three feet around the top of the tower. Then I saw Forren and several black-robed figures.
He smiled, “I was hoping Graag would bring you here, but I guess underestimating you is a habit that I need to break!” He shrugged, “Oh well, you won’t be around much longer anyway!”
He glanced at the men in the black robes. One appeared to be really old and sickly. He stared at me and spoke, “I will get my revenge on what you did to my master!”
I looked closely at him, “So, you much be Njyak. One of your followers blurted out your real plans.” He looked at me in surprise. Forren was stunned and looked at Njyak, “What is this?” I smiled from under my helmet. It looks like there was betrayal within his forces.
Njyak sighed and covered his mouth and coughed. He muttered, “You really think I would waste such a valuable soul to make a pathetic sack of flesh immortal?”
Forren took out his dagger, “You traitorous wretch! Janauntis!” She came out of nowhere. I wasn’t sure if she had been hiding or if I failed to noticed her. That made my flesh crawl. She walked in front of Forren and faced Njyak. Forren smiled, “Tak
e care of these traitors!” She took out her weapon, then turned her body and swung. To my surprise, she attacked Forren. Her blade sliced right through his neck.
My jaw dropped as his head hit the ground. Njyak chuckled, “I was the one who told her about the Book of Scrathelm and I was the one who showed her how to retrieve it.”
I glared at her and back at him, “Why?”
She stepped forward and spoke, “You have no idea what you did to me, do you?” Hearing her speak almost gave me the creeps. She took a few steps closer to me, “You killed my brother!” She appeared irrational and I could feel her hatred for me.
Njyak smiled and finished it, “She might be an assassin overseas but she had family here; the sentries, the ones you killed.” She lifted her weapon and struck out at me, “One was my brother!” I blocked the blow and felt the force behind it. Her hatred was almost overwhelming and made me wonder if she chose to risk insanity to seek revenge. She let out a frustrated scream and began to swing franticly at me. I struggled about how to block her attack and found myself backing up against one of the pillars. She jumped back and detached her weapon. I expected it to come flying out at me but she spun it around like a streamer. The blade started to glow a dull red color again. The men in black robes backed away. I stepped to the side, watching her every move. I hoped to see when she would strike. I had no experience fighting someone with a weapon like this.
She swung her weapon as she came at me. I jumped aside to avoid it. When I moved behind one of the men in black robes, he was caught in her attack. The remaining robed men ran down the stairs. A flash of lightning filled the sky and she charged me. I blocked her scythe blade but she swung the handle end around me. The sound of thunder boomed in the air and I was caught in the chain. She jumped back and pulled. I fell on my back and saw her jump straight at me with her weapon ready to puncture me. I parried the strike with my axe and felt the glowing, red blade inches from my face. I saw her eyes, which now reflected how much of her mind was gone and how much hatred she had for me.
She pressed on and used her weight and my awkward position to her advantage. I gritted my teeth and shoved her off me. She jumped back and tugged at me. I stared at her and resisted. She chuckled sadistically and then to my horror, I saw a stream of electricity pulsing down the chain. A second later, my body tensed up from the pain. I yelled and was unable to move. I was breathing heavily when it stopped. She laughed maniacally as she zapped me again. The pain filled every part of me. When it stopped, I fell to the floor. She laughed and repeated the process. I screamed again. She shrieked at me, “Suffer!” Then, she shocked me again.
I reached for the chain and pulled with all my might. She jerked it back but I used her as leverage to get myself slightly upright. She zapped me once more. I kept my grip but couldn’t move. Once it stopped, the only thing I could do was fall back with all my might. I knew half of my body was leaning over the edge of the tower. She watched me and just laughed as she shocked me again. I cried out in pain.
“Maybe after I kill you, I’ll kill her! Yes! I’ll make her suffer!” she said in a mocking voice. I gritted my teeth and yelled loudly as I pulled the chain with all my might. I was falling over the ledge. I turned and barely held onto the handle of her weapon. I looked up and saw her now leaning over trying to hang on. She started screaming in anger as she tried detaching the chain from her end of her weapon. I grabbed the handle with both hands and pulled with everything I had. She shrieked as we both fell.
I roused to rain pounding down on me. I was in pain all over. I coughed up something and my vision was slowly returning. I had landed on the roof of the lower level. That was still a long drop from the tower. I think my armor and what luck I had was well used. I tried to move, but could only lay there. I was breathing heavily but had a crushing pain in my chest. It was obvious that I had broken a rib or two. I could move my right arm but a sharp pain shot up my left arm then became numb. Yup! That was broken too. I was soaked from the rain. Breathing was very difficult.
I turned and saw the Blood Witch. She was lying on the ground. I was not sure if she was dead or alive. To my surprise, she slowly rose. I just staring at her as she got to her feet. She turned and looked up at me and for the first time, I saw her face.
She had blond hair and apart from the big, swollen eye and busted lip, she was very attractive. She glared at me with her blood-shot eyes and slowly climbed up to me. I cringed and tried to sit up. She screeched at me and held the handle of her weapon. The other end had either broken off or became detached. She limped over and kicked off my helmet. Her eyes were cold as she stared. I noticed a small spike poking out from the bottom of the handle. She aimed while raising her hands as if to go for my throat.
I flinched in pain, as I gripped her weapon with my right hand. The blade was only a few inches from me. I could feel my arm shaking as I gazed at the sharp point of the metal spike. She screamed and knelt on my chest. I coughed up blood and cried out. She clenched her teeth and struggled to insert that spike into me.
She had caused me and Talestria so much pain. I thought about my wife and got a mental image of the Blood Witch trying to kill her. Anger came over me again and tears filled my eyes. I tightened my grip and yelled, “I will not let you kill me and harm Talestria!” I shoved her back. She arched her back and let go of her weapon. I turned the spike at her. When she leaned back, it jammed directly into the middle of her chest.
Her eyes grew wide and she stared back at me. She cough once and blood poured out of her mouth. I froze, stunned by the look in her eyes. For a moment, I saw her pain right before her life left her. I stared for what felt like forever, then felt a pain in my chest as well. Closing my eyes, I shoved her body off of me. I couldn’t help but shed a few tears. I almost felt bad but I was only defending myself.
I closed my eyes and I tried to breathe through my pain. When I opened them, I saw Teltar running up to me. “What happened?” he said as he knelt over to me.
I try to breathe but my ribs hurt with every movement, “Tower… here… ow!”
He smiled, “You are a mess but it looks like you got her.”
I turned my head and saw her body, “Yeah.” I still felt somehow bitter about it. Teltar helped me stand. I spewed out more blood as I got to my feet. My legs were not broken but was messed up enough that standing was difficult. I put my arm over Teltar’s shoulder and he helped me get inside the tower. He sat me down and handed me my helmet, “Wait here, I’ll get some help.” I nodded slowly and watched him walk down the stairs.
I turned my head and looked out the doorway. I saw the witch’s body, lying out there in the rain. A second later, a dark figure walked up to her. It was Njyak, he waved his hand over her corpse. A moment later, a yellow light shot out from the center of her and started to form a strange stone. He quickly plucked the stone and stuffed it into his pocket and then looked at me.
He showed me a sinister smile and then walked away. What did he take from her? He didn’t care to come after me or stick around. I wondered if that was the main reason for him being here. “Blake!” Jerak yelled as he ran up the stairs. I limply waved at him and glanced back outside. Njyak had disappeared. “You did it!” he said cheerfully. He lifted my right arm and helped me up. “Sorry I wasn’t here to help you! To be honest, she scared me,” Jerak said cheerfully. I tried to laugh a little but found it too painful.
We made it down the stairs where Kalus greeted us. He looked down at the dead bodies and tried to not step on any of them. “Teltar told me you broke something” he said in a concerned tone.
I muttered, “Left arm and ribs.”
Jerak laughed, “Ouch! I broke a few bones before but ribs, that’s gotta hurt!”
I smiled, “Tell me about it.”
Kalus ran over and assisted Jerak, “Sorry that my healing magic won’t help you.”
I coughed up a little blood, “Thanks, anyway.” We went outside. Torkuhl was standing at the entrance to the lower level. He wave
d. He had his share of cuts and bruises and I knew he enjoyed them. He offered to help me walk but Kalus stopped him, “He has some broken ribs. We need to be gentle.” Torkuhl raised his arms out of the way; he knew he wasn’t gentle.
They help me down the stairs where Rejun was sitting down against the stone wall. His eyes lit up, “Is it over?” I nodded. He smiled, “We did it!”
Jerak laughed, “You did well, Rejun, I’m surprised.”
Rejun stood up and grinned, “What do you expect. I am your brother!” Jerak just laughed louder. I made it to the supply room where Bolam was sitting with an open tome. Talestria was lying near him. The lantern was lit and Bolam smiled at me. I looked over and saw Talestria. Someone had washed her face and I saw some bruises. She opened her eyes and smiled at me, “Hey, there.”
I smiled back, “How are you feeling?”
She giggled, “Well, my head is killing me but I feel a lot better than you look!” I laughed and then cringed from the pain.
Bolam smiled, “She will be fine. Most of her wounds are healed, but she will have one mean headache for a while. From things found in the supply room, they made a stretcher of blankets and pieces of wood from one of the bunk beds in the other room. Torkuhl grabbed the front end while Jerak had the back end and they carried me up the stairs. Teltar and Rejun retrieved the horses while Bolam and Kalus followed closely. Talestria held my hand as we left the fort. The rain had died down a little but I felt drops hitting my face. I smiled and couldn’t take my eyes away from Talestria.
Back at camp, we had a sort of celebration that night. Teltar and Bolam cooked food over a big bonfire. Torkuhl, Jerak, and Rejun were exchanging battle stories. The camp had a decent cover from the rain so we all could dry out. Kalus added music to the occasion. I laid in a small tent watching the activity outside, with Talestria sitting right beside me.