by C C Morgen
Eric screamed behind me to the men. "Follow her. The castle is under siege!"
It made no difference if I were fighting for money or saving people, the screams were enough to motivate me to run faster into the courtyard where soldiers struggled to fight off the Ghoul horde, invading the grounds. They had bald, burnt, bodies heavy enough to tackle their victims to the ground and ripped them apart in a ghastly instant. Their faces were twisted and disfigured with the fangs of a lion, ripping through the armor and flesh of the soldiers.
I unsheathed the ordinary Elven sword behind my back to fight the horde, attacking me from the side. Eric's axe flew passed, and the blade cracked into the skull of a Ghoul. It combusted to ashes into thin air in the moment of death. I had never fought off this many Ghouls since arriving in the Underworld. They were easy to kill, and they didn't leave bodies behind to trip over in battle, so I could move through them as they turned to dust.
The blade of my sword sliced into them one by one as I twirled in a circle. My Elven sword was so sharp it could cut through flesh like butter; even bone didn’t prove a challenge for my blade. I could wield it with either one hand or both, it had a long handle suited for whatever fighting style I preferred.
Ghouls exploded into ashes around us in fives, between Eric and I, fighting back to back. His axe ramming them to their deaths, and my sword slicing through three bodies in one graceful swoop.
Leonidas slammed against them with his shield and thrusted the blade of his spear into them with Achilles as his partner to aid him. Gabriel took out his fiery sword and set them ablaze around him. Ethos and Romulus sent Ghouls flying by lifting them with their shields and spearing them in midair until their bodies turned to ashes, falling like dark snow over us.
The fight was getting too intense in other parts of the kingdom with the Ghouls stampeding in deathly packs and spreading in a way that seemed like they were on a search instead of killing all the soldiers in the courtyard. They acted with a purpose unusual for such tactless entities.
After defeating most of the horde at the front gate, Eric and I moved to the west side of the castle where I saw the fire blaze from the cliffs. The bodies of soldiers laid injured all around us. Others that could hold their swords still tried to fight off the Ghouls that had subdued them by the numbers.
In the corner of the castle, a group of guards huddled oddly that showed they were shielding someone. They struggled to fend off their heavy bodied foes, colliding against them to get through. When I realized they needed help, I ran over, lunged my sword at the Ghouls, and slashed through as quickly as possible to aid them.
Eric helped the other soldiers trying to slay a massive group stampeding our way. I grabbed three arrows and shot them all at once, each one striking down a Ghoul. The soldiers in the corner killed the rest by smashing into them. I noticed they were protecting a woman dressed in fine attire and shiny jewelry, holding her unconscious partner. It didn't seem like she was just any random Demon here in the citadel with how many guards were at her side.
She cried out, catching me in her gaze. "Please help my daughters." She pleaded.
I ran to her and the soldiers knocked into me not letting me get closer to her. "Where are your daughters?"
"By the south barracks. That way." she points with her eyes the direction I needed to go. "They are held up inside. The whole area is swarmed with Ghouls right now. I don't know how long they have before the barrier breaks, protecting them. Please save them. I'll give you anything."
I didn't stay to listen to more of her fearful rants. My legs sprinted in the direction she pointed out without hesitation, leaving Eric behind with the other soldiers that needed his help to hold back the horde. I ran faster and faster, Eric yelling my name in the background. The Ghouls kept running in by the numbers and the soldiers tried to hold them off as they came from the east of the Dark Forest. I cut through many, running to the barracks south of the castle. The herd grew larger the closer I was.
In the distance, they covered a wooden structure that glowed red along the solid planks, keeping them from breaking through. I grabbed ahold of the grip of Valora that was strapped tight in its scabbard. The essence of touching her sent chills up my arm as I pulled her out.
The energy of the sword was like static in my hand, sending electricity throughout my body. We are now one. The sword glowed blue on the engravings and vibrated in my hand. "Valora ...," I yelled. "Guide me to victory." The blade radiated a blue light as I attack the mass horde in the way of getting to the barrack. A shock wave burst from my sword and knocked over the Ghouls. The power of the shockwave was so strong it stunned them long enough for me to slice into them. I danced to the resonance of the blade, slaying the enemy like a song playing in my head. My father's spirit flowing through me with the skill of our ancestors giving me strength with every cut.
I will not stop. Not until they are all dead.
CHAPTER 6
Angelica
THE HORDES OF GHOUL SCREECHED outside the walls, making them crack with their bulky bodies colliding against the timber. Claudia strengthened the barriers within the foundation of the barrack to shelter us from the herd that banged and shoved to get in. The ceiling was creaking with the weight of them scurrying on top and dust particles fell on the floor as I struggled to continue sending my magic into the floor that streamed through the boards up the walls to the roof. Claudia huffed, trying to focus on the limited magic she had left to keep us secure. It was rapidly depleting our stamina, forcing us to accept our magic was not enough to keep the barriers up for much longer.
“Claudia, stay focused for a little longer!” I yelled since the energy was vanishing in the gleaming red lines.
“Forsake the ninth heavens, sister, I’m nearly at my end,” she panted. “There are too many of them... I don’t think I can carry on much longer.” Sweat dripped from her face as she suffered to meet my gaze. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too,” I repeated. “This is absolutely awful. One second we were strolling together with mother and father, suddenly fires flared and all hell came out of nowhere ... I don’t know why this is happening now.”
“Ha,” Claudia blurted out. “We have our king to praise for this.”
“This is not the moment to shed blame, Claudia, we are at our limits here... I wish we could see mother and father one last time.” I recalled their faces before the assault begun and we divided in the fires and the stampede of Ghouls. “If only I foresaw this... I honestly thought we would be safe here.”
“There’s a war outside, sister.” She glanced at me with mournful eyes, practically in tears. “I never wanted this to happen either. But I’m glad we get to be together in the end.” It became clear we might not celebrate our next birthday nor see our family again. Claudia looked defeated and exhausted, and I knew she wanted to devote her last moments holding on to me as we did when we were children, when she had become anxious over silly things. Today it wasn’t silly for us to be kids again, terrified of what was about to occur.
“Claudia… Come here,” I told her finally giving up. “I’ll hold the barrier up long enough.” She snapped out of her focus and seated behind me. Her arms folded around me in a tense embrace; her chin rested on my shoulders, exhaling into my ear. I inhaled deep trying not to cry since it will soon be our end.
“I love you, Angelica,” she mumbled. “You can let go whenever you’re ready.”
The tears dripped from my eyes and down my cheek. The strength drained out of me and the magic slowly disappeared along the floorboards and walls; the lines fading. It merely took a moment for the horde to realize the barrier was gone and they smashed harder. The barracks shook, and the roof began to cave in.
All of a sudden, a peculiar sound caught my attention outside the walls. It was the echo of a blade singing in the wind, which resonated heavenly in my ears until the floor vibrated below us. It was like a shock wave that expanded in through the barricades.
In a split sec
ond, the door crashed to the floor with Ghouls tumbling in along with a hooded figure, soaring over them with a sword that shone blue patterns on the blade. The sight of it was breathtaking as it cut through their bodies with ease unlike any weapon I’ve experienced before. Its wielder, moving like the wind itself, collided in front of us before the horde could swipe at me. They charged vigorously, stretching out to claw Claudia. The warrior blocked them, using his own body to thrust them back.
Who is this warrior? The attire was not from our region with hardly any armor. The figure was slim and curved as a woman. Then it became unmistakable. It was undoubtedly a woman protecting us, swinging her weapon and blocking them from casting their grips on us.
Claudia pulled me backwards against the wall, holding me tighter, trying to keep me away from the Ghouls trying to claw at me. If it weren’t for the hooded warrior and her sword, they would have dug their pointed nails into my flesh by now. She swung her sword at the sight of them, struggling to get close. She shoved back into us, preventing the hands from seeking to take ahold of Claudia and me once again.
In that fearless act, one Ghoul grabbed her exposed arm and scorched the surface of her skin. She wavered in agony but kept her grasp on the sword as it pulsated in her hand. It generated a shock wave in the barracks, knocking back the Ghouls that charged in.
Suddenly, a horn blew outside, and the noise echoed across the land from the south. The hordes raced outside the door in numbers, withdrawing to whoever summoned them. The hooded warrior wasted no time cutting down the bodies, lying unconscious in the room.
She moved swiftly as if she was dancing with the sword, and ashes exploded in the air as Claudia and I watched her fight. Her hood lifted slightly, and I caught a glimpse of the scar along her pale face. The moment she turned to look at me, I realized her eyes were golden hazel. She stared straight into my eyes where I could feel the intensity in my chest as my heart skipped a beat at how valiant she looked. However, she appeared to be struggling to breathe. The warrior panted with exhaustion until I realized the poison had finally seeped into her skin.
The Ghoul that burned her arm, the poison had taken effect with the symptom of paralyses, making her collapse to her knees. I rushed to her before she laid out on the floor. Her head fell on my lap as I caught her. She was lean and firm as a soldier, yet she seemed frail in my arms.
“Claudia!” I yelled for my sister. “The poison is spreading. Quick!” The girl’s arm turned black as it quickly infected her body.
Claudia knelt down next to us and held the warrior’s arm in her hands. “Come on, warrior. You need to stay with us,” she said to the girl as her life faded on my lap. Claudia closed her eyes and focused on sending black healing energy to push out the poison from the girl’s skin. In doing so, a black mist formed over her arm, dissipating in the air. “Almost there. Just a little more for me.” The girl’s eyes rolled back until she passed out in shock.
“Claudia—is she all right now?” I asked in fear, trembling from the trauma of watching the girl fight the horde with no help.
“She will live.” Claudia lifted her hood where we saw the scars on her face. Her skin covered in ash and sweat from the residue of Ghouls. “The claws of a Werewolf made these scars.” She caressed her face. “What a curious one she is.” The girl’s eyes opened to the sight of us. “You will be fine soon.” My sister comforted her by stroking her cheek. Their eyes met, and it was the first time I’ve seen Claudia show such compassion for someone.
“Thank you,” I said right away to the wounded warrior, feeling relieved that she was still alive. “Thank the ninth heavens.” My words were soft as a whisper when the tears dripped from my eyes. At the sight of me, she reached out her hand, to touch my face before falling back to sleep.
A man was yelling frantically outside before he barged in. “Ali.” He yelled her name. When his dark eyes fell upon the girl on the floor, he shoved Claudia aside to look at her. His face read he was close to this girl. He lifted her unconscious body into his arms and didn’t hesitate to carry her outside, away from us like he trusted no one with her. I heard another unfamiliar voice yell in the distance.
“Eric!” A golden hair warrior called out to him as he carried the hooded warrior named Ali. “Is she alive?” He didn’t let go of her and a group of men, not recognized among the kingdom, crowded around her in concern. I knew they were trying to see if she was ok as they fussed about not knowing what to do. They must be her comrades, to be so involved with her.
“I can feel her breathing, Gabriel,” Eric responded. “She’s alive.... Thank the ninth heavens.”
I rushed out after him. “Excuse me,” I hollered. “She needs to see the healer. The poison of a Ghoul can exhaust the body if she’s not treated properly.” Eric looked at her arm where the Ghoul had touched it. “Please—she saved me and my sister’s life. Follow me to the healer if you want to see her well again.”
The strange group of men nudged and ordered him to go. He nodded and then followed us into the castle. I brought them to our family’s private healer in the western corridors. “Agnes,” I summoned her. She was in the atrium collecting items to aid the soldiers injured outside.
“Milady,” She recognized me right away.
“Please, Agnes. She has suffered the touch of the Ghoul.”
Eric laid Ali’s body on the table in the center of the atrium, while Agnus quickly gathered potions and herbs. She mixed them together and lathered it on Ali’s arm. The smell of the concoction alone made me gag in disgust.
“She needs rest,” Agnes said. “Her life energy is low.” Claudia handed Agnus the sword. “My-my, what is this?”
“That’s Ali’s sword,” Eric responded the moment he saw it.
Agnes removed Ali’s hood, exposing her Elven ears. “Oh, my word. A Dark Elf this one.” She held the sword near her unconscious body and the blade shimmered, making a ringing sound. “The sword responds to its master. This is a magical weapon,” she handed me the sword. “This girl used her life energy to wield its power.”
I held the blade against my forehead, feeling the energy surge in the enchanted metal. “I’ve never felt such power before. Where did she acquire such a thing?”
Eric approached me. “Please be careful with that. That’s the only thing she has left of her father.”
“Then her father was the general to the Dark Elf army I see,” Agnes interrupted. “It’s only obvious she didn’t steal it. That sword was forged here in the Underworld many millennia ago, long before the Demon wars. I recognize the metal from the frost dragons from the freezing northern mountains.” She tapped the blade with a tiny dagger already set on the table. “The blade sings the name Valora. Only given to worthy warriors. She must be brave to gain acceptance of this blade. The sword is only loyal to this master till the end of her life.”
“I owe this Dark Elf my life,” I said in worry while touching Ali’s scars. The feel of the old wound against my fingertips was warm, and I sensed the magic pulse through her veins. She has magic in her blood. “Make sure she is well again for me to thank her.” I laid the sword next to her where it belonged. By its noble master. “Are you her comrade?” I asked, turning to Eric.
“Yes, milady,” he answered. “And her friend.”
I bowed my head. “Thank you for all your help in aiding the castle.”
“The king will surely reward you and the Dark Elf for your efforts,” Claudia blurted out as she looked at Ali. “Her ears are smaller than a Dark Elf’s, don’t you think.”
“That’s because she’s only half,” Agnes pointed out. “Her skin is not as pale either. I sense the mild essence of a Demon in her as well.”
“So, she belongs here,” Claudia stated. “What an intriguing mix.” She kissed her on the forehead. “Thank you, young one,” she whispered. “You will feel better soon.”
Then our mother strolled in frantically. “Claudia! Angelica.” She embraced me first then Claudia. “Thank the ninth hea
vens you both are alive. I feared the worst when you were not found.” She paused, trying to take a breath. “I thought we were all dead until these seven warriors aided us in battle.” My mother saw Ali on the table. “That girl.” She drifted over to her to get a closer look. “I pleaded to this young girl for help.”
“The warrior found us just-in-time mother,” I spoke about Ali’s efforts. “She fought off the horde on her own at the barracks. She even shielded us from the hands of the Ghouls, but not without sustaining injuries herself.”
“What a brave one.” My mother touched the Elven sword. “She’s a Dark Elf!”
“Only half,” Agnes blurted out to correct her.
“Is there something wrong with her being a Dark Elf?” Eric asked in concern since everyone seemed focused on her race.
“We haven’t had a Dark Elf near our kingdom since the Demon Wars,” I finally answered. “She’s the first Dark Elf we’ve seen in a few centuries.”
“I apologize if we sound rude,” my mother composed herself. “It’s just fascinating to see one after so long. I’m sure it will please the king to know the warrior who saved my daughters is a Dark Elf.”
“Only half,” Agnes corrected.
“Yes Agnes, thank you,” my mother replied in annoyance. “When she awakes Angelica, let me know. We still have many casualties. And I need to meet with the council to figure out who invoked an act of war against this empire.”
“Please be careful, mother,” Claudia spoke in worry. Our mother nodded her head and exited the atrium.
“Eric you should find your comrades,” I suggested. “Try to rest. I’ll take care of Ali.”
“I don’t know if I should leave her,” he hesitated.
“She will be fine with us,” I assured him. “She might be asleep for a while. Her energy needs to regenerate.”
He bowed his head “Thank you.” Then he left to find the other men I saw back in the courtyard.
“Are you sure it was ok for him to leave?” Claudia asked, not being serious. “What if she wakes up delirious and waves that sword around?”