Sanctuary
Page 21
"Just like the old days Anurein, my love. They think they can best me! Us… How stupid can you get? Come to me my little angels. Come and suckle your death from my breasts. Come to mother Nix."
The figure beside her was taller, male. Sheets of purple light flew from his fingers out through a gap in the waterfall. A smile cut across his face; his eyes, black pools. A trail of smoke left his hands as he moved on the ledge.
Luana had her mark. Here was the Magister Queen and her consort. Luana's blade would have one bite; her invisibility would then be lost. She crept up on the pair from behind and saw the sky beyond. Sagramatha was gone. She saw darting shapes outside. Only three remained in the sky, they threw angel fire at the waterfall. The archangels had taken heavy losses.
She watched Nix and Anurein. As if in a dance, the Magister Queen moved forwards unleashing her green flame then stepped back. Anurein took her place and repeated the process.
Luana made her move.
With Anurein at the edge, Luana jumped forwards and kicked his foot over the ledge. He fell backwards and Luana slammed into him.
Anurein flew forwards into space, arms flailing. He left the protection of the overhang and caught the full force of a blast of angel fire from above. His chest evaporated leaving a perfect hole. He fell from sight, a silent scream on his lips.
Time slowed for Luana, she almost lost her balance and nearly went over the edge. At the last moment, she found her footing and lurched back to safety. She dropped the Star Maiden; she knew she had lost her invisibility.
Nix was on her knees and screamed after her fallen lover. She did not see Luana materialize to her right. Her eyes were fixed on the angel that had killed Anurein. Rafael had managed a low swoop towards the overhang; it was his angel fire that had struck Anurein. Rafael came out of his dive and glanced behind. He saw the Magister Queen glare at him.
He saw Luana appear by her side.
Rafael acted instinctively. He ignored his own safety and threw himself back at Nix. Blue flame flickered along his wings and fingers. Nix's eyes narrowed, she bared her teeth. A guttural noise came from her throat. Green fire erupted from her whole body. Her mouth opened and an intense beam shot forth, hitting Rafael. His eyes closed in shock, his wings folded around him and he fell like a stone into the maelstrom of the waterfall.
"Die, die, die…" screamed Nix.
They were her last words. The Star Maiden bit deep and true. Luana swung with all her might; her blade tore between Nix's shoulder blades. Luana felt bone shatter and saw Nix's arms drop. Her blade went clean through the Magister Queen's chest and out the other side. Luana twisted the Star Maiden viciously. She felt the blade meet resistance and defeat it. The Raven Heart, slick and bloody fell from Nix's chest onto the ledge. Her body slumped forwards, unmoving.
Luana felt her own legs buckle and give way; she fell to her knees panting. The waterfall continued to roar over the escarpment. She kneeled in shock for some time, then she approached Nix's body. She looked down and kicked the Raven Heart back into the cavern, not wanting to touch it. Nix's lifeless eyes stared up at her. Luana raised the Star Maiden once more and brought the crystal blade down, decapitating the Magister Queen in one blow.
"That's for Rafael and Ananiel and all the others you've taken from me."
Luana kicked Nix's head over the ledge and left the body slumped where it lay. She staggered back into the cavern and collapsed amid the noise and smoke. Her body shivered with exhaustion and cold.
She looked back at the ledge and saw a flash of wings before she passed out.
CHAPTER 23
Resolution
Calim Dove shivered.
He could hear the sound of battle from his quarters, deep within the cave system. He knew the time of reckoning was at hand. There was nothing more he could do.
The rock trembled with the impact of angel fire. He knew Magister flame was just as deadly. He had seen the devastation of thrall magic up close. He broke into a cold sweat and sat on the floor clutching his knees. He lost track of time. He became aware of silence, he felt his blood quickening like before. His awareness returned and with it his second sight.
Calim Dove stood up and left his room. His feet carried him to Magister Nix's chamber. He gasped at the devastation within. Incinerated bodies lay off to one side; the smell of spent magic and death filled the air. His stomach heaved and he vomited.
He forced himself to move.
He circled round to the back of the cavern and saw two figures crouched over a form on the ground. He approached, his arms outstretched. The male figure stood, his head snapping up. A red haired woman kept her hand on the fallen girl's chest and chanted some words. The man and woman both had wings and the man appeared injured. He moved slowly; obviously in great pain.
"Calim Dove I presume?" Rafael asked, stepping forwards.
Calim nodded, his face expressionless.
"I am Rafael. This is Ananiel. I was hoping to meet you, Guardian. We could never have defeated Magister Nix without you." Rafael reached out to Calim Dove and embraced him warmly.
"Welcome back my brother. We have a lot of healing and rebuilding to do. The Erthe needs us. We need you and your gift. Will you join us? What say you Guardian?"
Calim Dove felt warmth ignite within him. He smiled. His heart awakened and his second sight opened up, like a book, deep inside. He looked at Luana lying unconscious on the ground.
"She will recover. She'll help us rebuild. We must find her soulmate. The one called Elias. He lies on an island in the Storm Sea, in a place called the Maze. We need to reunite them. It is then that the healing can begin."
Rafael watched Luana. Colour was slowly returning to her cheeks with Ananiel's efforts. Her breathing had steadied. He turned to where the Raven Heart lay, glowing dimly on the cavern floor.
"I will dispatch the others immediately. We will find Elias and the others. There will be much healing needed across the Erthe. The Raven Heart is capable of much evil but it is also capable of infinite good. We will bring light to the darkness."
~
Eight hundred miles away Ducet sat beside her brother.
"Fingal, we made it this far, you and me. We've defeated the Magister fleet. You should've seen it. It was a great victory. Majestic. You would've been proud of your sister." Tears rolled down her face smudging the grime of battle.
"We're lost now, you and me. But at least we'll be together at the end."
Ducet closed her eyes and held her younger brother. She stayed there for some time. Elias looked on. They had searched the island and had found pools of fresh water, but no food. They would last days, perhaps weeks but without food, or a ship they would eventually die. He doubled up in pain as another hunger pang seared through his body. The sun beat down on them, its unrelenting heat oppressive.
Elias had not spoken a word in days. He had retreated into himself, as had Moose. A sense of apathy took hold of the men and they felt themselves becoming one with the island. They too would pass in time, into the island's soil; they would join with the other ghosts and become part of the Maze.
Ducet's eyes snapped open.
"Fingal?"
Fingal's body moved. His fingers fluttered and his breathing became deeper. Colour returned to his cheeks. He opened his eyes and focused on his sister.
Fingal's voice reached out across the clearing to all those around.
"They're coming for us. A man called Calim Dove spoke to me. They're coming for us… soon. There is work to be done. The girl Luana lives, the Magisters are defeated." Fingal slumped back; the effort of speaking had taken its toll.
A stunned silence filled the air. Somewhere a bird cried out. The men looked at each other; hope welling up in their eyes.
Elias smiled as Luana's light filled his heart.
They were going home.
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fergal F. Nally is an outdoors lover often to be found out and about in amongst it all in
the Scottish Highlands. His passions are hillwalking, music and reading great fantasy adventure novels. He lives in Edinburgh. Sanctuary is his third novel.
Contents
Title page
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
ABOUT THE AUTHOR