by C E Johnson
But going into a battle, I know there is a chance I will survive, Emily thought back as a shiver shot through her. Sacrificing yourself is totally different.
You are humble and virtuous, Xena whispered. We will both do what needs to be done. I don’t think true martyrs even go looking to sacrifice themselves. I believe the situation dictates the action.
Emily still had her doubts about the ideals that Shadoe’s thoughts and memories were teaching her. Immersing herself deeper into Shadoe’s words, she hoped to understand more of his philosophy. Shadoe felt one had to respect and even love your enemies because hating only promoted hate. She found the elven mage was especially fascinated by the half-deads, and he had discovered a measure of appreciation for their races. He believed they also had the potential to achieve enlightenment themselves during their cycle of life and death. Through truth and meditation, he was certain they could sort through the events of their prior life by combining their past with their new knowledge gained from assimilations. Once they uncovered virtue, purity, and sacrifice, they could follow their own path through a final transformation to the light, finally awakening to happiness and forever leaving behind the suffering of Ater.
He achieved something mentally that I’m only beginning to touch upon, Emily thought as she attempted to wrap her mind around his concepts. I did see something in Adrienne, the half-dead dryad I created, that was wondrous.
I feel as if your families followed his philosophies in a sense, Xena touched upon the topic gently. In a way, they sacrificed themselves for each of you. I’m sure they were hoping that you could continue on and perform greater acts of good yourselves.
I like that thought. Emily’s tears dried as she attempted to accept the concept. Perhaps I’ll merge with their light one day, she thought wistfully. Xena licked her on her cheek and Emily opened her mind completely to her bondsmate. Riding on waves of love, they bathed in the cathartic release that came with liberating their secrets and inner fears.
“We should get going.” Luke’s hand was on Emily’s shoulder.
She had lost track of time. Glancing up, she saw their whole squad was on horseback waiting for her. “Sorry,” she called sheepishly. When she was deep in an assimilation, time had no meaning. Vaulting up upon Apache, she rode next to Anna as they started into town along the shoulder of the highway. The road was littered with vehicles which had stopped working when the EMP blast went off. Without warning, Anna’s horse reared when a jackrabbit leapt out from under the cover of a bush. The creature hopped down the embankment. Abruptly a bird of prey soared down from a tree and grabbed the black-tailed rabbit before it could escape. The brown bird banked toward Anna and Emily. It began to ascend when suddenly it appeared to lock eyes with Anna. Dropping the rabbit, the bird tumbled downward from the sky.
Anna gave a low breathless scream as she began to slump from her saddle at Emily’s side. Moving swiftly, Emily dismounted in a rush to catch her friend as she fell. “Luke!” Emily yelled pointing to the air. Without hesitation, Luke leapt from his saddle, catching the bird and cradling its twitching and writhing body, as he also slid to the ground. Anna was convulsing in Emily’s arms. Laying her gently on the ground, Emily stroked her cheek which was warm to her touch.
“Are we under attack?” Elizabeth cried out. She had been riding just behind their group and she galloped into their midst while trying to understand what was happening. Her hand going to her bow, Elizabeth wheeled her mount in a circle as she scanned the sky wildly.
“No attack,” Isabelle answered softly. “A vinculum.” Emily thought she could hear a touch of jealousy in Isabelle’s words.
“She’s right,” Emily said in a hushed voice while glancing warmly at Elizabeth. Anna continued convulsing on the ground near her. Luke dusted himself off with the hand not holding the sizeable bird. Solemnly, he carried the large creature placing it next to Anna. Emily could scarcely believe what was occurring.
“Is she dying?” Palin asked. He gave Anna a long look. “Does she have seizures?” He raised his questioning eyes to Emily.
Emily brushed back a strand of Anna’s hair before answering Palin. “It’s a blessing. She’s forming a mental bond with this eagle.” Describing the benefits of a bondsmate, she taught the new members of their team more about the link that could form between magicians and animals.
After a time, Anna sat up. Once the bond was fully solidified, she stroked the feathers of her link. They all studied the golden eagle. “Her name is Soane,” Anna announced breathlessly. The raptor was very large with rich brown long wings. Beneath the darker plume was a pale gray separate series of feathers used for flight. Around the nape of the neck and on the head, a golden crest glistened. She was around fifteen pounds and had a wingspan of over eight feet. Her talons consisted of four formidable talons that curved wickedly.
“She’s beautiful,” Emily whispered, running her hand along the plumage on her back. “I guess we’ve added another scout to our team.” Looking on wistfully, Isabelle and Elizabeth crowded next to Anna. “I’m sure you’ll find a bondsmate, too,” Emily encouraged her friends.
“I know, I know,” Isabelle sighed. “It’s just that my color of magic deals with bondsmates. Why does Anna have to bond before me?” She rolled her eyes at Anna.
“What are the odds at finding a bondsmate?” Anna gushed, ignoring Isabelle. “I wonder if we were somehow drawn to each other like a weak magnet.” She lifted her arm and launched Soane into the air. The falcon flapped to gain altitude and then began to glide catching currents to rise higher into the air.
“Maybe you should start drawing animals to us,” Elizabeth laughed to Isabelle. “If potential bondsmates are weakly pulled to our vicinity, perhaps they’re close to us in the woods just waiting for your little nudge.”
Isabelle’s eyes widened. “I like that thought.” She peered into the woods just off the road and Emily could see a touch of her aura.
“Don’t waste your energy right now,” Emily warned, raising a cautioning hand. “We might need your magus later. Wait until the evening before we go to bed.” Isabelle nodded, accepting Emily’s words without question.
Emily looked to Anna with pride. Her eyes were closed, and Emily could tell she was deep in her link, already learning how to visualize through Soane’s eyes. All at once, Anna stiffened appearing sick to her stomach. “There’s a large contingent of warriors several miles behind us,” she blurted. “They’re moving slowly.”
“She can see what her eagle sees,” Oliver whispered in awe. All the eyes of the coaches were studying Anna intently.
“Wolves are scouting out from their position toward us as advance guards on the land. Wyverns are branching to each side of them in the air,” Anna continued. The coaches listened to her raptly. Anna’s face began to flush. “I’m calling Soane back.”
“Let’s get across this bridge!” Emily called out as her heart began to pound. She gestured to an enormous structure crossing the Mississippi River and rising hundreds of feet in the air ahead of them. We’re not ready for a major battle, she spoke to Xena. We’re so much weaker here on Earth.
Your powers are growing, and you have four stones of a mage-set, Xena whispered. You just need to pick a place to fight where their numbers don’t give them an advantage.
Okay. Emily trusted Xena with every fiber in her body. Jumping into the saddle, she jerked on her reins. “If we get across, we can hide in the woods,” she called to her band of fighters. After wheeling Apache in a circle, she led them down the highway at a brisk trot. The solid asphalt under the horses’ hooves clicked and clacked as they started to move more and more rapidly.
Luke dug his heels into his stallion and dashed ahead. Moving easily in his stirrups, he darted forward swift as the wind. He reined to a halt at the crest of the bridge and looked back from his new height. “I can see them!” he called out without a quaver to his voice. He appeared to be ready for any challenge. “They’re moving into a gallop, so they must see us also.”
He turned away from the approaching death and scanned the bridge they were on. “We should try and hold them off here. We have the high ground.”
This might work, Xena whispered with hope forming in her thoughts. Her tail lashed back and forth as she sniffed the area with Rune.
Luke pointed to a large eighteen-wheeler truck on its side near the top of the bridge. It’s transverse orientation was in a perfect position for their defense. “That truck will give us cover from their archers,” he exclaimed. Luke kneed his mount and galloped up along the sloping bridge until he was adjacent to the truck. He pulled on the reins and jumped out of his saddle to stand on the trailer of the vehicle. “They can only fit so many warriors up this bridge. I think we can hold them here.”
The rest of their group rode rapidly up the bridge until they surrounded Luke. Emily couldn’t get over how good Luke was at planning for a battle. Isabelle scrambled up on the trailer. Standing next to Luke, she peered down the bridge toward the advancing enemy. “Em, if you have enough magus to shoot even one wide fireball, it would clear out scores of their troops if they get clustered beneath us.”
Emily’s hand went to her magestones and she felt a surge in power coming from her pouch. “I think you’re right,” she said thoughtfully. Her head twisted around to look at the approaching forces.
“Maybe we can outrun them,” Elizabeth whispered with more desperation than hope in her voice.
“There’s no way to escape them now,” Emily said as she stared up in the sky at two wyverns that began circling their position from a distance. “We’d never be able to escape their aerial scouts.”
“What are they?” Poult asked in a wavering voice. He studied the beasts flying above them with unblinking eyes. “They look like dragons.”
“Wyverns,” Elizabeth answered in a voice that was weak and worried. “They’re like small dragons.” She put a hand on Poult’s shoulder. “We can shoot them down.”
“They have a poisonous bite,” Isabelle added, oblivious to the fear growing in the coaches. She never shirked from battle, and Emily could feel her battle fury growing.
“Poult, you’re in charge of watching the wyverns,” Emily ordered, trying to ignore the vein beginning to pulse and throb in his forehead. “You’re the best shot with arrows. The wyverns like to dart in when they think we’re distracted and inject their venom. You need to pick them off when they attack.” Poulton nodded slowly.
Isabelle was still studying their forms gliding in the deep blue sky. “It looks like they only have two of them.”
Two were-wolves appeared without warning at the base of the bridge. Although they were far below, their red eyes smoldering like blood were easily visible. One of the monstrosities put back its head and released a baleful howl. Another similar-colored bear-like were-creature appeared instantly at their side sniffing the wind. The muscle-bound creatures lashed their black-gray tails back and forth as they peered up at their position. Luke’s riderless stallion reared and trumpeted a challenge toward the beasts, hooves striking forward, lashing invisible enemies in the warm air.
“I wonder how many half-deads they have,” Anna murmured solemnly while gazing above at Soane. “I’ll try and figure it out,” she resolved aloud.
“Are you guys crazy?” McAdams suddenly cried. His eyes were blinking rapidly in astonishment. “How can we fight monsters?” All at once, he bolted to the edge of the bridge and retched violently over the side. Ignoring him, Anna began to string her bow. Another wolf appeared at the base of the bridge snarling and prowling from side to side. The were-creatures were intimidating and terrible all at once.
“Xena, Rune, keep an eye on them,” Emily called aloud for everyone’s benefit. Xena and Rune leaped onto the trailer as one. They pricked their ears forward and bared their teeth. Rune raked his claws over the steel, creating a grating noise that made Emily think of a sword being drawn over armor.
“I’m sorry for my outburst,” McAdams said with a red face while walking back to their group. “I’m ready to help.” He wiped his mouth with the back of his sleeve while staring at his feet.
“We can do this!” Emily encouraged her squad. She held a closed fist in the air. I hope they’re ready, Z.
Oliver nodded his head, but Emily could plainly see the fear on his face. As he pulled out his staff and whipped it through the air, his face became flushed with the exertion. “I haven’t fought to kill before,” he said hesitantly.
“These are devils that must be stopped,” Mr. Henry said angrily.
Stopping the motions with his staff abruptly, Oliver slammed his wooden weapon into the ground. “Today my life changes.” His voice had become nearly as strong as iron, but Emily could hear cracks in the metal of his words.
“We need to get organized!” Emily shouted to her squad. I’ve got to get them moving, she thought to herself. Pursing her lips, she made a fluid dismount from Apache. Everyone also began to go into rapid motion. She could feel her fear melting away as the strength of her warriors was starting to show. “Isabelle, can you find a place to hide the horses away from arrows and make them stay put?”
“Sure,” Isabelle answered as she hopped down from the trailer.
Emily handed her the reins of Apache. “You may have to hobble them so they don’t run away during the battle if you don’t think you can hold them with your spell.”
“We’re really going to fight these guys?” Palin asked.
“We are,” Mr. Henry answered. He made the sign of a cross on his chest as he studied the half-deads below them. He gave his reins to Isabelle before defiantly withdrawing two rifles from slings on his horse. Even though he wasn’t exerting himself at all, his face flushed redder than Oliver’s.
“They won’t stop following us,” Emily explained to Palin. She strung her own bow with deft fingers. “We have to fight.” She felt an inner calm continuing to descend over her body and mind as a decision had been made. “Anna, can you scout their tactics with Soane without letting your raptor be targeted by the wyverns?”
Anna exchanged a hard-as-nails look with Emily while giving a slight inclination of her head. “I’ll see if they have any tricks up their sleeves.” She eyed the approaching enemy purposefully. Her hair danced around her face. A cold determination in her eyes made her look older than her eighteen years. Anna then began describing everything of importance she could see through Soane’s eyes.
Emily continued to direct their defense. “Luke, after you run out of crossbow bolts, you and McAdams are the first line of defense with your swords.” Coach McAdams’ forehead was bathed in sweat, but he nodded purposefully to Emily to show he understood. Luke simply pulled his blade from his back and studied the sharp edge in the sun. He was solid and unwavering. Giving Emily a faint smile of encouragement, he practiced a strike in the air showing he meant business. “Oliver and I will help you if we’re needed,” Emily promised.
In the distance a drumbeat began. Except for the steady cadence that informed them that death was marching in their direction, all else became silent. Emily looked at her small band of warriors as panic tried to wrap its steely fingers around her heart. They have the numbers, Z.
Xena turned to stare at her from atop the trailer. We will defeat them. Her usual warm brown Doberman eyes had turned hard as rocks.
Emily felt a surge of confidence run through her. How many times can I tell my bondsmate I love her? she thought to herself.
No matter how many times you say it, it’s never enough, Xena whispered back.
Emily gave a nervous laugh while setting down her bow for the moment and pulling out her staff, Cadux. She expanded it to a fighting length as her coaches stared in awe. Mimicking several of the moves Oliver had made, she delighted in the noise of the stone cutting the wind.
“I like your choice of armament,” Oliver said with a forced smile on his face. “It reminds me of our practice sessions.”
Emily clapped him on the shoulder and shrank her staff back down to
size. “My favorite weapon. I’ll be putting it to use soon.” For now, she picked up her bow. “Make sure each of your arrows count. Gather up any intact arrows they shoot at us. We need to use the advantage of the high-ground to its full extent.”
“What weapon should I use?” Coach Palin questioned in a hesitant voice. He was a swim coach, not a swordsman, and Emily could hear his tremulous tone.
“Guns,” Mr. Henry advised without a second thought. He threw Palin his extra rifle and a box of ammunition. Palin caught the gun while sucking in a deep breath. With trembling fingers, he explored the weapon.
“Don’t feel worried if your bullets don’t appear to be working at first,” Emily encouraged them. “They will have magicians using spells to deflect our projectiles, but you will be wearing down their magical battery.”
“They’re coming,” Luke called out. He pointed down toward the base of the bridge. Emily curled both hands into fists and peered down toward where the sounds of the drums were growing louder. The sunlight glinted deadly on the points of a hundred goblin spears. Warhorns began a dark and mournful bellow joining with the drums to create an evil orchestra. There were three squads forming into battle positions below them. In front of all of their forces sat an enormous half-dead shade on a massive black mare. The sun glinted on his bald head and dark armor. The shade was tallest of his race that Emily had ever seen, but he was still athletic in appearance. Raising his hand to stop the approach of his troops, Emily could see the metallic hue to his exposed skin. Wuldur, whispered her ki, naming the half-dead. She was startled. Only rarely did her ki name her opponents. “They’re led by that half-dead shade,” Emily told her friends. “His name is Wuldur.”
“Shades?” Oliver asked while grinding his teeth together. Both fear and resiliency warred on his face, and Emily desperately hoped courage would win out.
“They have weak psionic powers and they’re extremely skilled at martial arts,” Luke taught in a rush.
“Look at the size of that were-creature,” Elizabeth whispered. She pointed at a beast emerging from the bushes side-by-side next to a female warrior in black armor. The monstrosity was easily the largest wolf that Emily had ever seen.