The Iron Sword

by J. M. Briggs

  Cyrridven threw her head back as she screamed sending waves of pale hair falling over her back, but then the waves of hair began to melt into water. A dark laugh rippled through the air before another blast of black magic enveloped Cyrridven. Forgetting to breathe, Alex could only stare as the form of Cyrridven began to turn black and melted into a thick dark ooze that slid down Chernobog’s arm.

  Alex couldn’t move as her eyes stayed locked on the dark ooze that dripped into the lake. She waited for the ooze to reform into Cyrridven upon contact with the water, but nothing happened. A pained sob caught in her chest and Alex opened her mouth, but no words came out. Chernobog laughed and Alex looked up at him in alarm. Darkness was swirling in his left hand and he was looking straight at her with glowing green eyes. Then before she could fully process what was happening the darkness spun through the air straight at her.

  The wisps of darkness swirled around her, turning into a fog that Alex couldn’t see anything through. Then glowing neon green eyes flashed in front of her. Alex gasped and felt the dark clouds rush in through her mouth and slide down her throat before she could do anything. Raising her hands, Alex uselessly batted at the darkness and tried to cough. For a terrible moment, she couldn’t breathe at all and couldn’t see anything beyond the dark wisps. Everything went black as the darkness encased her face.

  Suddenly she could cough again and Alex proceeded to try to cough up whatever she’d swallowed. Her fingers brushed around her mouth and she spit a few times in a desperate attempt to rid herself the sensation of the oily shades slipping down her throat. Alex raised her head and looked around only to gasp in shock. She was in the Sídhe tunnels.

  Alex tried to call forth her magic, but the small spark was gone. She couldn’t find it, couldn’t feel it. Panic thrummed at the edges of her mind and Alex looked around frantically. The tunnels were just as she remembered them, seeming to stretch forever and then curving out of sight, but how had she gotten here? Alex frowned and rubbed at her head as a sharp pain jolted through her head, she couldn’t remember, but something was very wrong.

  At that thought, Alex shuddered. The dark tunnels were closing in. There was no breeze of fresh air promising freedom. There was no crying in the distance or voices of the Sídhe. There was only silence around her. She was alone and lost in the carved tunnels of Sídhe magic and earth. Alex began walking down the corridor, but her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the ground with a terrible cracking sound. Everything became dark and even as she dropped to her knees, Alex couldn’t find the phone anywhere.

  She tried to use her hands to guide her along the ground as she slowly crawled, but then the ground began to change. Holes were suddenly everywhere, threatening to swallow her as she blindly tried to find her way. Then there was a terrible howl in the distance that rang down the tunnel and violet eyes appeared just ahead of her. Alex couldn’t see them, but she heard a sword being drawn and remembered with a thick swallow the sight of the golden Sídhe blades.

  Her hand began to feel hot, a strange warmth was spreading through her skin and Alex tore her gaze away from the violet eyes watching her. But there was nothing in her hand, she lifted it off the floor and looked at it. Alex gasped softly, she could see her hand, but there was no light. She was glowing… somehow. Sparks of magic appeared in her hand illuminating the tunnels, but then the tunnels began to dissolve around her. In a brilliant flash of light, Alex found herself back at the lake in front of Chernobog, gripping a glowing Cathanáil in her hands. The sword was hot in her right hand and Alex sighed in relief even as a deep growl escaped Chernobog.

  On instinct Alex raised Cathanáil in front of her, sliding one foot back like she’d learned in fencing club. It took both of her hands to keep the sword steady and it was unlike any foil or sabre she’d held, but the heat of it coursed through her body. She could feel the ache in her body fading and felt the soft thrum of magic in her stomach and chest. Chernobog didn’t move and everything seemed to slow down as Alex tried to think of what she could do against the Old One.

  She needed more power, more magic than she could call on by herself. In her hands, Cathanáil pulsed as if picking up her thoughts. Mindful of the pain she’d suffered earlier Alex began to reach out around her searching for more magic and power once again envisioning the thin mist spreading over the air to find her sources of energy. There were small flickers of power all around her in the air that Alex didn’t fully understand, but she pulled on them. Wisps of magic began to appear in the air, coming out of the ground and out of the lake all around her. They swirled towards her and Cathanáil began to glow once more as the first spark touched the blade. More and more appeared and came rushing towards her, the pounding of her heartbeat in her ears almost completely drowning out Chernobog’s roar.

  In the wave of tiny lights, Alex couldn’t see the new shadow beasts appear on the shore, but she felt them as their cold rushed over her. It lasted only a moment before she grabbed onto their magic and began to pull it sharply. Three strands of magic flowed into Cathanáil while soft cries of pain echoed around her followed by a roar and the sound of something crashing through the water.

  Alex couldn’t breathe anymore; the pulse of the energy was pounding into her chest and suppressing her lungs. In her ears, she could both feel and hear her heart racing as her arms brought the sword up. Cathanáil glowed brightly as more and more of the energy spun into the iron blade. Distantly she heard shouting and growling, but her focus was locked on the sword and the flow of the energy around her. Alex had no idea where it was all coming from but with every beat of her heart, she could feel more draining into the sword from around them.

  She’d closed her eyes at some point. Alex forced them open as the sound of water crashing became too loud to ignore. Chernobog was just off shore and reaching towards her with a large bony hand. Fear flashed through her chest at the memory of Cyrridven dying in that hand. Cathanáil shuddered in her hands and fighting back a shudder, Alex pushed the magic at Chernobog.

  Energy burst from the tip of the sword and arched through the air like a giant dark lightning bolt. The force shook Alex’s entire body and she fell to her knees, but she kept the sword pointed at Chernobog. Everything smelled of ozone as the energy lashed across Chernobog’s body. The huge creature was writhing and roaring in pain. Alex grit her teeth together hard. Her muscles ached and she was ready to collapse, but Alex arched her back to keep herself upright. The hilt of the sword was growing painfully hot, but Alex clung to it to hold the chill of Chernobog’s presence at bay. Tears leaked from her eyes, a blend of fear and physical pain at the effort.

  Chernobog lurched backward, his dark body trying to twist away from the energy forcing Alex to adjust the sword. The stream of magic resisted her, but then gradually the stream adjusted to continue its assault on Chernobog. Her arms and legs shivered violently as the heat in Cathanáil began to fade as the magic supply waned. Alex was just beginning to fear that it wasn’t enough when a split in Chernobog’s dark flesh appeared, but instead of golden blood spilling from it golden light blasted out dissipating the dark clouds. Chernobog’s mouth was open in a silent scream as he clawed at the air and his own flesh. Another crack was ripped in his body and more gold light streamed forth. A low pained sound echoed across the lake, so desperate and sorrowful that Alex lost control of the magic. Lightning flashed over the lake and she was thrown backward, Cathanáil still clutched in her hands.

  Hearing choking Alex looked up at Chernobog sharply. The black creature was swaying in the lake with widening golden cracks appearing over his body like a crumbling statue. A soft sound like a sob escaped it before the body broke apart into pieces. The golden light lingered for a moment as the chunks fell through the air. Alex watched them turn to dust before they hit the water. A dark shadow lingered on the lake for a moment before the last of the dust began to sink. Moonlight sparkled on the surface of the lake as the last evidence of the battle vanished.

  Everything was still an
d Alex gasped for air. Her arms felt hot and heavy even as she sank into the snow and mud beneath her knees. She pried her left hand off of Cathanáil’s hilt and looked down at it, surprised that there was no sign of a burn. In her right hand, she was still clenching Cathanáil tightly with the blade laying across her thighs. The moonlight shined off the blade, but the glow was long gone. Yet it was still humming with some kind of magic in Alex’s hand and sent pleasant tingles through her skin. Smiling, Alex tilted the sword slightly and watched as it caught the light of the moon.

  “Alex,” Arthur’s voice called next to her.

  Turning Alex found her boyfriend staring at her with wide eyes before his eyes dropped to the sword she was holding. Suddenly Alex felt nervous and started fighting to get to her feet. Arthur reached out and caught her arm letting her leverage herself off him. His body felt cold and she glanced over him to check him for injuries. His arm was bleeding, but otherwise, he looked in much better shape than she was.

  “Arthur,” Alex sighed, leaning against him as he wrapped one arm around her. Cathanáil hung loosely from Alex’s hand by their sides and she groaned as the last of the fear and tension finally drained away. “We’re alive.”

  “Yeah we are,” he whispered gently, kissing her forehead.

  “But Cyrridven…” Alex struggled with the words as she remembered Chernobog destroying the Lady of the Lake. Guilt twisted in her gut and Alex found herself blinking back tears. She wasn’t sure if she was mourning for the Old One, happy to be alive or if it was just a release of the tension and fear that had been building ever since Bran’s vision.

  “I know,” Arthur told her, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. “I know.” He stepped back a little and gave her a small smile. “At least she got the sword to one of us.”

  Alex blinked at the sudden change in the conversation but looked down at the sword in her hand. From the wound in her arm, a little bit of her blood was dripping onto the hilt. Flushing slightly, Alex brought the sword up and carefully shifted her hands so one of them was holding the blade and the other the guard of the hilt. She turned it and presented it to Arthur.

  “Your sword,” she announced dramatically, unable to keep herself from smiling even as a few stray tears spilled from her eyes.

  “At long last,” Arthur whispered as he reached out with a gloved hand. He looked at the blood on the hilt just long enough for Alex to feel nervous about not wiping it, but Arthur turned his palm and glanced down at a smear of blood on his glove. She was about to ask Arthur about it when he gripped the sword’s hilt.

  It sparked with white magic, beginning to glow and vibrate in Alex’s hands. Gritting her teeth Alex tried to stay still and keep the sword steady. Arthur’s face was pained for a moment before he exhaled with a grin. Releasing the sword carefully, Alex smiled and stepped back as Arthur lifted the sword in front of his face the point towards the sky.

  “This is a huge moment Alex,” Arthur told her as his eyes trailed over the sword lovingly. Alex resisted the urge to tease him and instead reached for her phone.

  “We should let the others know that we’re okay,” Alex reminded Arthur and she fumbled with her phone.

  “In a moment,” Arthur said as he took one hand off the hilt of the sword and reached towards her.

  Smiling softly, Alex stepped towards her boyfriend. She inhaled the chilly air and closed her eyes as Arthur brought his hand up to her face. Once again she could hear sounds in the forest around them and thought she could hear someone calling their names nearby. Alex opened her eyes and looked towards the road.

  “Did you hear that?” Alex asked in a low voice as she tried to listen. “I think someone is nearby.”

  Arthur looked towards the road, his smile fading for a moment and he nodded to himself. Looking back at Alex, he brushed a finger over her lips.

  “I am a little sorry about this,” Arthur told her gently, caressing her face with his fingers and smiling.

  Alex frowned slightly at him in confusion, and then he moved faster than Alex had ever seen before swinging Cathanáil in his hands. Stepping back on reflex, Alex gasped in alarm as Arthur thrust the sword forward stabbing her in the side.

  32

  Revelation

  The pain was so sudden and overwhelming that nothing penetrated her mind: she wasn’t aware of anything other than a sharp agonizing ache in her gut. Then slowly she became aware of something warm and slightly sticky oozing over her hands. Breathing hurt and suddenly her legs gave out and she tumbled to the ground. Alex gasped in pain as her knees hit the icy ground with a thump. Her fingers jarred into her stomach sending more of the sticky stuff over her hands. Alex looked down and her heart stopped when she saw the gash in her stomach. She looked up as Arthur moved around in front of her and spotted the sword in his hand with blood flowing off of it slowly.

  “But-” she tried to say, but it came out a gurgle.

  Blood began to fill her mouth and the edge of her vision was beginning to darken. Desperation clawed at her chest, but she couldn’t even summon the energy to cry or crawl away. The pain was pushing her instincts to the forefront, but Alex’s mind was still trying to make sense of what was happening, why her boyfriend had just-

  “But I’m Arthur the Iron Soul,” he laughed cruelly above her. Then he knelt down and tilted her chin up so he was looking straight at her. “Sorry darling, but wrong answer.” He chuckled once more and reached into the pockets of his coat pulling out three plastic vials with screw on caps a moment later. Without a word, he pulled one of her hands away from her wound and pushed the first vial into the wound.

  Alex fell forward and Arthur caught her in his arms. He made a small shushing noise that almost sounded comforting but kept the vial pressed into the wound. Alex was torn between fear and confusion as Arthur pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. The aggravation of the wound made her whimper weakly and she tried to pull away only to have Arthur’s grip on her tighten.

  “Think back Alex. Think back to that conversation about Mordred,” he whispered in her ear with a wide smile. “And don’t die just yet sweetheart, I need more of that blood of yours. After all, you can’t beat the blood of the real Iron Soul.” He pulled back to watch her face but must have been disappointed because he frowned. Staring at him, Alex mentally stumbled over what he was saying. Arthur shook his head at her and sighed dramatically. “Don’t look at me like that, it’s just business. If I thought that I could convince you to help us instead then I would, but I know that would just be a waste of time.”

  “Merlin and Morgana,” Alex whispered as the vial was removed from her wound. Arthur capped it with a loud popping sound but quickly shoved another into the wound. Alex shuddered and gripped his shoulder tightly at another jolt of pain, tears leaking out of her eyes.

  “I gave them the Iron Soul they wanted; I played the part beautifully don’t you think? They knew the Iron Soul would be here and I fit what they were looking for. I’ll admit even I was surprised at a female Iron Soul incarnation, congratulations sweetheart you’re a first.’ Course that only made things easier for me since Merlin and Morgana never looked at you twice.”

  “This isn’t real,” Alex coughed, “Chernobog… nightmare. You can’t be Mordred.”

  “No this is very real, I needed the sword. If Scáthbás and I are going to take back control of the Sídhe then we need to control the gate. I show up in Ravenslake with Jenny as my girlfriend and make friends with Lance and what else could anyone think, but that I’m the Iron Soul. Well, Cyrridven seemed to know the truth, but she showed up only at the last moment.”

  Alex panted against his shoulder, her brain jumping between random memories and she caught sight of her dagger a few feet away. Weakly she tried to reach out with her magic, but the connection was dimming and nothing happened.

  “And I am sorry to tell you this, but Jenny is much better in bed than you,” Arthur informed her with a soft laugh as he snapped the lid on the second vial and slipped it into hi
s pocket. The vials slid in his blood-slicked fingers, but a moment later another vial was being pushed into her wound and collecting her blood.

  “How?” she managed to whisper, the word slipping off her lips with several drops of blood.

  “Your blood of course,” Arthur laughed, tilting her body and pushing the vial at a painful angle. “I have magic myself this time around, but when I charge it with your blood it gave me that little extra kick I needed to fool Morgana and Merlin.” He leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to her lips and then licked the blood off his own with a grin. “Thank you for donating with me so often; it was such a lovely couple thing to do.”

  Then as he pulled the last vial out of her wound, Arthur twisted out from beneath her letting Alex fall to the ground. He nudged her with his toe and chuckled as Alex tried to curl into a ball. Rolling onto her back, Alex sobbed as the skin around the wound tore at her movements. Bringing her hands up to the wound, Alex tried to put pressure on it and ignore Arthur’s cold blue eyes watching her. She tried to move, but all she could manage was a weak sound. Then Arthur reached down and picked Cathanáil up in his bloody hands. This time the sword didn’t even spark and he grinned wickedly at her.