by Bri Sailor
Toran rubbed his face. “I never thought we would actually come to this.”
Arainya’s gaze softened towards the suddenly sullen king. He locked eyes with her.
“You do realize what this means.”
She nodded and took a breath. “I know. It is our duty to protect our people; with our lives if need be. Atreyis and Ehren know this. It is why they are out there now, trying to stop this. Trying to save their people and others.”
Toran held her hands in his a moment. “I beg you to stay. I can’t lose you either.”
Arainya searched his eyes. “Where you go, I go. I cannot sit idly by while my husband and children fight for our very lives. You know this.”
“I do.” He sighed and kissed her.
“Send half of our forces. Tell Captain Harbon that he is to watch over our people.” He said to Rússe. “We leave immediately. This may be our only opportunity to get the witch and bring an end to this.”
“Yes, My Lord.” Rússe bowed curtly.
#
Joslette and Doan stood around a large table. A few of their loyal officers were looking over a large map.
“According to Kova, Carmona is completely overrun.” Said Doan, he placed a black pyramid shape over the city. “I know for a fact that it is led by a military tribunal spearheaded by a cousin of the royal family who had sided with Ultrek years ago, Philgen. He stands as the authority over all of the Xaemoan kingdom. Hardly even two years into her—crusade—Lusha was insistent that the first campaign be against Xaemox. All of the troops available were sent there. But the reason still eludes me to this day.”
“And what of the Wildlings?” asked an officer.
The general grabbed a handful of green and brown flags and placed them on the map.
“The majority of Lusha’s forces are at the tree line of the jungle. They have maybe been able to make a gain of a few feet here and there, but are consistently beaten back.” He looked around the room with a smirk. “I don’t know how they do it, but the rebels are able to hold back the entirety of her troops with, according to Kova, a handful of fighters.”
“Impossible.” Said and officer. “Must be some kind of story to confuse Lusha’s forces.”
“Maybe.” Replied Doan. “But whatever the reality. Myth or truth. The important thing is that it’s working.”
“But for how much longer?” stated another officer. “We know that it has held for years. But surely by now Lusha has to be aware of what is going on. She sent an assassin!”
“Even if she knows what is happening, we can play that to our advantage.” Said Doan excitedly. “The ones she wants will be right there! Within her grasp! She won’t let the opportunity pass. In her arrogance she will try to capture them and beat back the rebels. If there were any chance to have a last stand, this is it. Goddess willing, Toran will have some portion of his armies marching as we speak. Together, I believe we can overwhelm her, giving us the moment to end it.”
“You put a lot of faith into a man who has hidden behind a wall for years and has hardly spilled a drop of his own peoples’ blood protecting his own.” Quipped an officer. “The man is a coward. How many has he sent to stop the witch when we had none to spare? None.”
“You don’t give him enough credit.” Retorted another. “Haven’t you heard what happened? He fought the witch’s forces head-on. Hell, his own children fought against her to save their own lives.”
The oddly silent queen left the table and looked out of the window at her city.
“My queen?” the concern from Doan was evident.
“I may know the reason why Lusha was so insistent on starting her campaign where she did. While I was in hiding, I spent most of my time with a wise priest. He taught me about the magics and told me stories about ancient times. One in particular was very uncharacteristic of him. He acted as if there was only limited knowledge about the subject, but I could tell that he was hiding, maybe even protecting something.” She turned to address her audience. “He told me about a kingdom that had the ability to communicate with animals, or rather so, take control of them and make them do their bidding. Now, if this were a real ability, imagine what the witch could do with an entire legion of vicious predators.”
Fear visibly passed over the room as the officers bristled.
“It is time, ladies and gentlemen.” The queen squared her shoulders. “We send our entire army. There will be no other chance. If it is as Ky said, and the Dark Priests are back, and aware of what is going on…then there is no other choice. We must assume that Lusha already knows that Ky and Atreyis are travelling together. She will therefore directly attack them.”
“It will be done, My Queen.” Doan bowed deeply.
#
Lusha sat comfortably on her throne. Sunlight streamed through the sanguineous stained glass windows. A fine black mist leaked through under the door of the temple and slithered towards her. She arched an eyebrow and righted herself. She took a deep breath and inhaled the mist through her nose. Her eyes went coal black.
“Damn you Ailana!” she roared.
“What happened, my queen?” asked Saebic as he stepped up to her.
“My spy. He chose to take it upon himself and act instead of waiting, like he was supposed to.” She murmured through pursed lips. “What would possess him to do such a thing?”
The witch meticulously walked down the steps from her throne. She stopped in front of the large dragon statue and stared into its eyes.
“He managed to track them there.” She clenched her fists. “And of course, the ever gallant Ky decided once more to rid me of what is rightfully mine.”
“They took the city?” Saebic growled. “How? How is this possible? First, Horgath. Now Incta? We heard nothing of Joslette’s armies marching.”
Lusha whirled around. “Your precious little Wildling trophy! That’s how!”
“My trophy?” he was incredulous. “I don’t remember you being upset that we caught her!”
She marched up to him and got directly in his face. “They were all there! All of them! The brats, the priestess…everyone! They are planning something. They know about Vex’s men. They are going to align with the rebels to distract us while they take Óhn! Damn you! I told you to kill that rebel the moment she was in our possession!”
The would-be king stood his ground. “And I told you that we would be able to use her to defeat those wild-men in that gods’ forsaken jungle if you would have just given me time to break her!”
Lusha let loose an energy wave that knocked him down.
“I am the only god of this world! I will bring all that dare oppose me to their knees without the help of any pathetic mortal!”
Saebic struggled to his feet.
“If you are so powerful,” he shouted back, “then why don’t you just find them and kill them yourself? Why don’t you just go ahead and bend the world to your will? Just end their suffering and reign as the true god of this realm? Oh wait, I forgot. You tried and failed!”
The witch shook with rage as a white light emanated from her body and blinded all in the temple. Saebic threw up his arms attempting to block out the light. Lusha dropped to her knees and the light faded. Just as Saebic was about to comfort her she threw her head back and let lose a terrible screaming roar that made the earth quake. What priests were left in the temple ran for their lives. The massive dragon statue cracked perfectly down the center. Saebic dove and knocked Lusha out of the way as the head of the dragon came crashing down where she had been.
Saebic rolled over and looked her over. “Lusha? My love?”
Her eyes were still solid white and she spoke in a low, gravelly voice that wasn’t her own. “Stop the march for Incta. Send every legion north. The rebel. She will take them north. She knows what I am after. We will follow, then corner, then eradicate. Forget about the Khenná. It ends now. We will destroy the ‘twin souls’. Only the earth requires their blood. Damn the Seal! And damn the gods and their prophecy.”
Chapter 21
Riker stared at his hands as he flexed them and stretched his fingers. No matter what he had tried, no matter how hard he forced it, they still refused to transform into the claws that Atreyis’ had.
“How did they do it?” he asked aloud.
“Do what?” asked Taryn.
“Atreyis.” Said Riker. “How did she get her hands to do what they did? And why won’t mine do it? Is there a spell or whatever nonsense?”
Everyone seemed to ignore him.
“Maybe it has to be in the heat of battle?” Riker swung at the air at an invisible foe. “Or triggered by the presence of pure evil?”
“Don’t be absurd.” Mocked Taryn.
“Cora told me it’s what the priest Oldrin spoke of.” Said Nya. “She told me that the true powers of the Descended were being released. Ever since Lusha tried to break the Seal.”
“So I just have to wait then?” asked Riker.
Nya shrugged. “I don’t know. Just give it time and faith.”
“That’s what every priest I’ve ever spoken to has ever told me.” He mumbled to himself. “Can’t you guys come up with something original for once?”
“Can we just focus on the task at hand?” bit Vex. “You have no idea what we could be walking in to. I’ve never seen this kind of magic before. My men have been trapped there for weeks. I pray that the palace stores were well stocked. We could be walking into a mass graveyard.”
“The stores can last for months.” assuaged Nya. “And the river supplies plenty of water. I believe they will be fine. We will get them free soon.”
“What kind of defense are we going to have to get through to get there?” asked Taryn. “The mountains make the entire area nearly inaccessible.”
“I know of a few ways.” Said Vex. “I will have to take out the scouts first.”
“What about the rest of your men?” asked Riker. “Could we regroup with them? How many strong are they? We could try and take the city.”
“No. I’m not involving any more of my people.” Said Vex tersely. “We sneak in, and get out. No more. I’m not engaging anyone if I don’t have to. And as to my numbers they stand around three thousand. But it’s nowhere near enough without help. If things are going happen the way Ky thinks, and I believe her, we will need everyone that we can spare.”
“I believe it will be unlike anything this world has ever seen.” Said Taryn ominously.
“Agreed.” Replied Vex.
The weeks spent travelling were some of the hardest yet. They had traversed through near-desert like conditions that gave way to sparse, arid, rocky mountains. The land was bare and harsh. Vex and Nya promised that what awaited on the other side was far better and that the Khenná kingdom was beautiful. The cold stone trail cut through the mountains. Near the peak they came to a stop on a cliff and surveyed the land before them.
“This is our home.” Vex puffed out his chest.
Dense, dark evergreen forests stretched for miles in front of them. Rolling fields of lush grasses reached far north past the horizon and out of site. The trees extended until the land met the sea.
“It’s beautiful.” Breathed Taryn.
“I must admit, I’ve never seen anything quite like this.” Said Riker with genuine respect.
“You should see it with freshly fallen snow.” Beamed Nya.
“We must be extremely careful from now on.” Said Vex seriously. “There are scouts everywhere and we don’t know what Lusha may have in store for us. I need all of you to do exactly as I say. When we reach the forest floor you will wait until I have returned, not a moment before. I must clear the way ahead. If I do not return within the week, you must go around the mountains and travel by sea. There is an inlet to the north that will lead you to a large cluster of boulders. Beneath them is a hidden hatch that will take you directly into a series of tunnels. You will have to swim, but it will eventually take you to the river that runs by the palace. That will be your best bet.”
Nya looked at the general confidently. “You will succeed. The Goddess is on our side. We are meant to get through this.”
“I pray you are right.” Remarked Riker.
#
Vex raced on foot through the evergreen. He chose his path carefully. There were dozens of scout towers scattered throughout the area. He slowed his pace as he neared the first. Creeping along, using the brush as cover, he silently inched towards a thick tree. He scanned up the ladder, looking for any signs of a scout. He reached for a rock and threw it some distance away. It scared up a few birds. He watched the top of the tree intently. Nothing. Deciding to chance it, he climbed the tower. He couldn’t believe it. The stand was completely deserted. The tiny sleeping alcove looked as if there hadn’t been a soul there in months. He continued up a rope ladder to the top of the tree and surveyed the area. Nothing. He quickly climbed down and used his dagger to carve a “V” into the side of the tree near the ladder. He worked until nightfall, finding and clearing every tower he could. Each of them yielded the same results. No scout. And the place was totally untouched. Late into his second day he was almost to the city gates when he decided to turn back. The entire forest was devoid of any military presence. Lusha must have pulled them and was going after Ky and the rest, just as the general had predicted.
He returned to the campsite and they immediately left for the palace, pushing their steeds to their limit. Vex led them away from the city gates to a section of the city wall that was covered in ivy and bushes. They tied off their horses. He brushed a large section of the ivy aside and felt along the wall. One of the bricks was loose and he pushed it. The sound of stone grinding on stone echoed in the trees as a section of the wall moved to reveal a passageway. Vex ducked into the darkness using his hands as a guide along the wall. The rest of them followed. Nya conjured a small ball of light and flung it out in front of them. After some distance they came to a dead end. Once again Vex felt along the wall for a pressure plate. The wall soon slid past them as he found the spot. It opened to a small room filled with various weapons. Vex signaled for them to wait while he checked to see if there were any guards in the gatehouse. Again, everything seemed to be deserted. He grabbed a couple of hooded black cloaks trimmed in red and returned.
“I don’t understand. This place should be crawling with guards.” He said softly. “I figured she would pull her armies, but to leave the city defenseless?”
“We’ve seriously underestimated her response.” Said Taryn gravely.
“Then getting his men should prove an easy task.” Said Riker hopefully. “If the witch is distracted then maybe she will forget about her spell.”
“Well that all depends.” Quipped Nya.
“On what?” asked Riker.
“On whether or not she has tied the spell to herself, as a sort of tripwire. Or some sort of anchor that holds it in place.” She explained.
“Anchor?” asked Taryn.
“Physical object that has been imbued with the spell and keeps it intact.” Said Nya. “Which means the only way of destroying the spell is by finding and destroying the object itself.”
“That should be easy enough.” Said Riker. “All you have to do is find a magical beacon. You can feel magic right?”
“It doesn’t work like that.” Nya shook her head. “Because the spell is projected, the nature of it is to be cloaked. At most we may be able to find a rock or something with the spell carved into it.”
Vex handed out the cloaks. “Here. Put these on.” He looked at Nya. “I apologize, My Queen, but if anyone were to recognize you now, it would put everyone at risk.”
“I understand.” She put on a cloak and threw up the hood.
“Right. Stick close to me.” Vex threw up his hood. “The quickest way to the palace is to just go straight there. Never mind the back streets. We move swiftly, talk to no one. Keep you heads down.”
Óhn was not what Taryn and Riker were expecting. The streets were clean and the buildings an
d homes were pristine. Each had a peaked roof made of thick pine beams. The posts had intricate carvings of bears, wolves, whales, and dragons cut in relief. The sturdy timber looked as if it could easily withstand the harsh winters of the land. There were surprisingly a lot of people going about their day. Every now and then Vex noticed that there were small clusters of people dressed in their own armor and carrying swords. The people seemed to not mind them. Vex moved quickly through the crowds. As they neared the palace he stopped on the bridge leading to the gates. Cold, dark blue crystal clear water flowed beneath them. Nya took a moment to stop and remember a lifetime so distant that it felt like a dream. Before them loomed the gargantuan palace. Each granite block was expertly cut and placed without fault. The stark structure bore no intricacies, carvings, or statues, unlike the Aznurro palace. The sharply pointed towers reached towards the heavens. Tattered black silk banners that hung from the porticos and windows blew in the cool wind. The gates looked as if they had been left open after the last of the palace inhabitants fled for their lives. The entire place looked as if all that were left were the ghostly remains of the past.