by Elisa Menz
But his warriors were gone.
He swept the crowd, trying to find them. He caught them heading their way. “How long, Finn? We might need to run soon!”
“Done!” The Warlock jumped back to his place; Flyg’s arm scarred, but her wounds closed.
“Now, run!” Hakken tightened his club grip before rushing forward, wielding it, and knocking a couple of fighters. The dust on their bodies flew aimlessly as they fell to the ground, unconscious. A massive shout rose around them. His drive gave everyone a glimpse of victory, and their efforts increased. Flyg kicked a warrior in his stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground, and to his left, Regn dodged a dreadful knife before landing a stunning blow to the attacker’s head.
Finn hid behind Kniv, but he constantly sent gusts of magic to heal their wounds, no matter how trivial.
Kniv, as sharp as ever, dodged every attack that passed them and kept Maeve unharmed. Her frightened eyes darted everywhere, but no matter how close the danger came to her, she kept her cool.
Hakken pushed forward until he met face to face with the three coming their way. He had to fall back, hitting Kniv, to avoid the sharp blade that almost ripped his stomach open. He unsheathed his knife to hold back the blade, blocking a second blow.
The strength of the hit numbed his arm. This was the true power of the dust. Behind him, Regn and Flyg faced the second fighter, while the third clashed against Hevonen, who—wounded and dismounted—was still a magnificent warrior. “Hakken! Look out!” Maeve warned. He needed to end his fight before worrying about the others. He blocked a new attack, falling to a knee. Not like this! Hakken’s position left him way too vulnerable, and as the fighter raised his sword to strike the final blow, fear made his eyes widen.
But before the blade made its descent, Regn jumped to his aid, tackling the man to the ground and rolling with him.
Kniv had set Maeve next to Finn, Flyg defending them while the old man took on the second fighter.
Hakken scrambled to his feet, adrenaline pushing his body to the limit. He turned and held a hand to his mate, who immediately jumped to his arms.
“We can do this!” she said, fueling his resolve.
“Flyg! Finn! Stay close!” Behind him, Kniv fought next to Hevonen. They would have to keep going without him. “Where is Regn?” Last he saw him, the boy was busy knocking out cold one of Dröm’s strongest fighters.
“No! Regn, no!” Maeve bawled. Regn lay on the ground, seemingly unharmed, but his body contorted painfully as he frantically scratched his arms and torso.
“No...” Hakken’s breath caught at the sight of Regn being taken by the red dust. The boy sent a terror-stricken look his way before growing completely still.
And for the first time, Hakken hesitated.
CHAPTER XXXXIV
BRAVE
Regn
Wretched luck! Regn knocked out the fighter, but as soon as he stumbled to his feet to rejoin his group, the pull of the dust constricted his limbs. Despite his desperate attempts to scratch the red tendrils off, within seconds, it covered him entirely.
His body contorted in pain. Every bone, every muscle was forced to move against his will, and Regn’s lips opened in a voiceless scream. Terrified, he loosened his muscles to avoid breaking his bones. He couldn’t begin to imagine what the mountain half-breeds had been suffering all this time.
Before losing all control, he raised his eyes and found Hakken’s frightened gaze. He stood immobile, carrying Maeve and dithering between saving him and completing their mission.
Hakken, don’t be stupid! You need to finish this! He thought, hoping he would be smarter.
Relief washed over him when Hakken turned on his heels and ran away from him, closely followed by Flyg and Finn.
Maeve’s scream reached his ears, reassuring him. “Regn, stay safe! Fight! We will save you!”
Damn it! He failed her. Seeing Maeve getting farther and farther angered him. Why did he have to be the one to fall? Even though Hakken would protect her with his life, the fact he couldn’t shield Maeve from harm filled him with dread.
What if Hakken can’t fight? Would he stay behind, witnessing her demise? There had to be a way to resist! Flyg once mentioned Dröm had a moment of clarity, so he had the chance to regain control over his body and protect Maeve. He squeezed his eyes shut, forcing himself to take deep breaths and concentrate.
He needed to move forward, one step at a time.
The strain on his legs reminded him of walking deep in mud, and every inch he conquered challenged his endurance to the brink. After only two draining steps, his strides gained speed. He raised his eyes, hopeful. They were still within reach.
Soon, he was running. Yes! I can do this! He jumped and dodged the warriors fighting around him with ease. He reached a remarkable velocity without effort, like all the exhaustion from before vanished.
Like if a new strength had been added to his limbs.
Oh, no! As soon as he realized his mistake, Regn urged his body to stop, but he kept going forward. Soon, Hakken would be within range, and his hand already gripped his knife. He couldn’t stop.
Maeve
She caught Regn running towards them, but her relief soon turned to fear. He had been taken, and there was no chance he freed himself so soon. The terrified look in his eyes confirmed her fears, and Maeve gasped in horror when she discovered the blade in his hand.
“Finn!” she screamed. Pouri aimed Regn’s attack at Hakken, but Finn bustled right in the middle.
Her brother snapped to the danger and waved both hands in front of him, shouting a quick enchantment. Regn’s body stopped, suspended mid-jump in the air. Finn yelled. “I can hold him, but I won’t be able to heal you!”
Hakken’s hold tightened, and he gasped. Before she turned to find what startled him, a potent force collided against them. The knock was so strong, Hakken lost his grip on her, and Maeve rolled on the ground, scraping her hands and face. The hit’s strength caused Finn to lose his footing, and her brother fell, crawling away from Dröm’s path while struggling to keep his hold on Regn.
She had no time to stand before Dröm’s new attack. Hakken lay right in front of her, stunned when the mountain leader grabbed him by the neck and jerked him up with one pull. Landing frantic blows, Hakken tried to release his grip, to no avail. Dröm’s face remained set in stone, unlike his tormented eyes.
“Hakken!” Maeve jumped to her feet, stumbling to reach Dröm. I need to be closer! The mountain leader had enough strength to break Hakken’s neck. Any delay might cost him his life, and Maeve abandoned any attempt to approach carefully.
From the side, Flyg ran at full speed and slammed against Dröm, who didn’t even register the hit. “Please, Dröm! Snap out of it!”
The sound of Flyg’s voice startled the mountain leader, and Dröm blinked and shook his head, breaking for a second the mask of indifference. That moment of clarity seemed to be enough, and he let go of Hakken, who fell to the ground holding a hand to his neck and coughing.
Two figures stood amidst the clamor, estranged from the violence surrounding them. Flyg reached for his cheek, turning his face while muttering his name. Dröm’s emotions poured on her. Relief, love, fear. He lifted a hand to wipe Flyg’s tears.
The half-breed girl smiled at him. “Dröm, it’s all right, we are here to save you... Maeve can save you.”
She needed to finish this. Flyg’s courage gave her a window, so Maeve stood from Hakken’s side and took the last steps to reach Dröm. She quivered with fear as the bloodied warrior turned to face her.
Dröm’s eyes reflected his despair and plea.
Perhaps sensing Dröm’s imminent release, Pouri dug deeper, breaking apart his control. When Maeve’s fingertips grazed him, the child-goddess took hold once more. Dröm’s face transformed instantly, grabbing Flyg’s arm, yanking her body and throwing her far. Aghast, Maeve hesitated. No... I can’t! I can’t stop now!
Dröm unsheathed his knife, and
no one stood between them now. Their eyes met, and the realization she would die made everything around them stop.
If this were to be her fate, at least she would leave this world fighting until the end. Without backing out an inch, Maeve clenched her jaw and launched her body forward, reaching for his face and ignoring the blade coming to her side.
Dröm grabbed her as they crashed against each other, the sheer force of the movement knocking the air off her lungs. But as she sensed the knife closing in, she gripped his face with both hands and let her power through.
The mountain half-breed’s emotions were so strong, they shook her to her core. Pain and fear arose, and the debilitating grip of guilt ate away at his soul. But buried deep behind the terrifying blackness, she found hope and the desperate will to live.
Only after threading through his turmoil, Maeve glimpsed Pouri’s will. Intertwined with him, the foreign being was so infused in Dröm’s mind, Maeve feared she wouldn’t be strong enough to call her forth. But she had to bring Pouri into the light.
Maeve screamed in her mind. Ancient Pouri! Come to us, please!
They struggled. Maeve sensed her reluctance and pulled.
Unlike the others, Pouri did not want to be reached. But under no circumstances would Maeve allow the goddess to slip away. She used every bit of strength left in her to uproot the Ancient, and when her mind was about to snap, the struggle ceased.
Exhaustion washed over her. Confused and disoriented, Maeve slipped to the ground until a strong arm held her upright. She blinked away the haze and focused on the worried gaze in front of her. Dröm breathed heavily, coming to his senses. Only after a few seconds, he realized he regained control over his mind and body.
He was free! Maeve smiled at him, her body so numb it didn’t surprise her she couldn’t feel her wound. Because there was no chance Dröm stopped the blow before stabbing her. She hadn’t been quick enough. The fight in her mind had been so daunting, Maeve lost all awareness of the physical plane.
It wasn’t until Dröm’s eyes left her, falling to her side and widening in horror, that she noticed they were not alone. Hakken stood between them, protecting her from the deadly blow. His breathing came out ragged while he held a hand to his chest.
“No.” Dröm’s raspy grunt filled her with dread, and as he took a step back, Maeve crushed on the ground under the weight of Hakken’s body. And then she saw it. The blade buried deep between his ribs.
“Hakken...” The trembling in her voice startled her. Why was she so scared? She didn’t know how severe his wound was! Scrambling from under him, Maeve laid him on the ground to avoid worsening his injury. Every grunt and gasp of pain from Hakken made her whimper. Not far, Dröm dropped to his knees, the anguish obscuring his face.
“Hakken! Hold on, Finn will heal you, don’t move!” Maeve searched around her. The battle had ended. As they hoped, freeing Dröm broke the leash, and the dust floated harmlessly, falling to the ground. On the battlefield, the cries of pain and calls for help mixed with the shouts of joy and victory.
“Finn! Finn! I need you!” The first one to reach her was Flyg, holding a broken arm. She clearly wanted to be by Dröm’s side, but one glance at Hakken’s wound was enough to make her stay.
“Don’t move him, we need to be ready to heal as soon as the knife comes out.” Regn and Finn arrived moments after.
Regn knelt by Hakken’s side, taking one of his hands in his. “You had to go and be a hero! You couldn’t help to show off!” His scolding wasn’t fooling anybody since his face showed the fear behind his words. Hakken smiled at him, blinking lazily.
“All right! I need you to step back. I’m pulling the knife.” Droplets of sweat covered Finn’s forehead, but his hands held steady. He took his time pulling the blade, trying to avoid worsening the wound. Hakken pressed his lips, not making a sound but paling considerably.
Maeve held her breath at the sight of the blood pouring out of the cut. The gravity of his wound made her a little lightheaded. She breathed deeply and placed a cool hand on Hakken’s forehead, sending calming emotions his way. His eyes fluttered open. “Thank you, beautiful.”
“You are going to be fine, don’t worry,” she said, smiling encouragingly.
Kniv came running, almost crashing against them as soon as he discovered Hakken’s wound. He fell to his knees right next to them and yelled. “Oh, for all that is sacred! You better not die on me, boy! Or I’ll kill you!”
Hakken laughed weakly, causing him to grunt.
“Could you please stop with the comedy while I try to patch him?” Finn was far from relaxed. He didn’t stop working over the wound, sealing the lacerations with magic, but the blood kept pouring. “Shit,” he uttered.
Maeve sensed his worry. “What is wrong?”
“There is... a lot of damage I can’t... reach.” He scanned the crowd. “Ystävä... find him! He can do better!”
Regn and Kniv shot to their feet, looking for the Warlock, and Maeve succumbed to angst. Hakken’s hand grew cold.
“Come on...” she whimpered, looking around, hoping to find Ystävä.
“Hey,” Hakken’s soft voice called her. She could hardly see his face, now tears blurred her sight.
“Hey... you did it.” He took a few shallow breaths. “It’s all right, Maeve, you did it.”
“Shh, don’t... don’t talk. We did it. Stay still so Finn can—”
It was like all the air in the world vanished. Maeve cringed as the pain in her chest threatened to break her. She opened her mouth to let out a cry, but nothing came out. Seconds before, she could clearly sense Hakken’s emotions, but now they were gone. He was gone.
Maeve searched his face, his eyes still staring straight at her, empty. His soft smile remained, brightening his face but now, lifeless.
This can’t be...
“No, no! Shit!” Finn frowned and pushed against the wound, sending a strong blast of magic that shook Hakken’s body. But nothing changed. “Where is Ystävä?” he yelled. The elf chose that moment to arrive and immediately started working, Regn and Kniv close behind. As soon as they realized Hakken was dead, Regn let out a cry, pulling his hair in despair.
Kniv knelt by Hakken’s side once more, taking his hand and pleading with him. “No! You can’t leave now! Not when you—!” His voice caught up in his throat. Flyg had joined Dröm, hugging him while they both stared at the scene, completely spent and somber. Dröm kept muttering sorrowful words.
Ystävä now shouted incantations, and he seemed about to pass out. He tried again and again, sweat sliding down his face, but nothing changed. After long, excruciating minutes, he let his head fall and whispered. “I can’t... I-I can’t. Maeve, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry.”
She stared at the elf, the meaning behind his words breaking her heart. Hakken’s face rested right in front of her, and she couldn’t bear the thought of not hearing his voice again. Without thinking, her hand moved to caress his face before closing his eyelids. He is dead. After burying her mother, her father... she should probably have a little more resilience to this pain.
The ground pulled her with such force, the idea of letting her body go and lay by his side became too compelling. She’d lost Hakken. The one who made her feel safe and loved. The man she was all too happy to have by her side. The life she dreamt of with him was lost.
Finn reached to touch her, but she jerked back. The sudden movement broke the spell, and all the pain rushed to engulf her. Maeve gripped her stomach, bending her body and letting out such a mournful wail, everyone around her dropped to the ground, feeling her heartbreak as their own.
Her sobs were endless, and as she realized her emotions ran wild, affecting those around her, she shut her eyes, trying to hide from the world. Maeve’s pain spread unchecked. The will to move had left her, but when Maeve heard the disconsolate cries of a child, she raised her head and looked around.
Not far from them, standing alone on the same hill, a beautiful little girl sobbed in
consolably. Black hair framed her pale, rounded face, falling behind her and burying on the ground. Tears poured out of her eyes. Eyes resembling a storm; thunders glowing deep.
She used the sleeves of her white gown to dry the unstoppable tears, gaping at the wetness on her arms. She held her little hands at them, terrified. “What are these? Why does it hurt so much? Make it stop! Please!”
CHAPTER XXXXV
PARTING BLESSINGS
Maeve
The pain had rendered her unsteady, so she struggled to get on her feet, staggering before she rose. But as soon as Maeve stood firmly on both legs, sheer hate pushed her body, and her long strides took her to stand right in front of Pouri.
Heat radiated from her clenched fists, and her body shook with rage, but she dared not move.
She wanted to beat her, to sink her nails on her skin and scar her. Make her bleed and hurt. She wanted to kill her for taking away Hakken and all the lives that had been lost since the beginning.
But in front of her stood a child. A scared child, sobbing into her hands and trying desperately to catch the terrifying tears. Pouri’s frail body shook with each wail, and she raised her mournful eyes to Maeve’s face, silently pleading for help or comfort.
Maeve’s arms hung limply by her side, and all her anger morphed into grief and pity. What good hurting Pouri would bring? She had lost Hakken, stabbed by a man who didn’t control his actions, commanded by a child goddess who couldn’t comprehend the pain she caused.
Maeve fell to her knees once more, a breath away from the little girl. The striking storm in Pouri’s eyes reflected her own tormented gaze, and Maeve waited for the child to wipe more tears, settling her endless sobbing into whimpers.
“Who are you?” the goddess asked.
“I’m no one, Pouri,” Maeve muttered as she reached to gently stroke her hair. “Please... you need to stop now, you need to set them free. They are hurting too, and they need you to stop.”