WolfRuler
proudly presents
proudly presents
Disclaimers:
See 'Prologue'
Comments can be sent to wolfruler2007@yahoo.com
© 2006-2008 by WolfRuler
War Drums
In agreement with the Women of Kharas, they had decided to take one final break before they would finally arrive in Chitaan.
Enori had chosen the perfect campsite. It was somewhat secluded due to lush vegetation, which provided plenty of food for the Steeds of Denora. A small river was also close by, which enabled the warriors to fill up their water skins and so restore their water supply.
The night sky was clear and a multitude of bright stars twinkled in the distance, next to a moon, which would be full in a few days.
Curled into a little ball to preserve as much body heat as possible under the thin blanket, Leigh lay on her bedroll, staring into the slightly glowing embers of the fire, wide awake. Even though dawn was still a few hours away, she was unable to rest. By all means she should have fallen asleep from plain exhaustion, but she couldn't. Barely able to suppress another strong shiver, she tried to force her mind to think of something else than the night's frosty chill that crept into her bones, slowly turning her into an icicle.
Her eyes traveled from the fire to one of the horses. Though, she couldn't really see Enori's stallion, she knew he was there, silently waiting in the dark. The Steeds of Denora were indeed magnificent creatures. Leigh had had her doubts in the beginning, but after the first day of the journey back home, she had admitted that those doubts were unjust. In the matter of merely a day they had put as much distance behind them as it would have taken a week under normal circumstances. Of course, riding one of the animals was something one needed to get used to at first.
Magic-wielders adapted easier to this way of traveling, Leigh remembered with a wry smile, thinking back.
Climbing up on the horse hadn't been difficult. Enori had calmed the horse and linked her mind with his, just like Una had done during the brief demonstration of the steeds' unusual abilities.
"Keep your hands on top of mine," Enori said from behind her, reaching around Leigh's waist to take hold of the reins.
The stallion snorted impatiently and scraped one of his massive hooves across the ground.
"Shouldn't I be holding on to his mane?" the knight questioned. "You know, it would be a lot easier if there was a saddle to hold on to."
Enori laughed. "Don't be scared, little one. I will not let you fall."
Shooting a harsh glare over her shoulder, she clarified, "I am not scared!"
The warrior winked and replied, "I won't tell anybody, on my honor."
Grumbling under her breath, Leigh placed her hands on top of Enori's.
"Now listen to me. Since you have never ridden a Steed of Denora before, it can be that it wreaks havoc with your senses."
The knight frowned. "I've been flying on a dragon, how bad can this be?"
"Believe me, flying a dragon is nothing compared to what you are about to experience. It can cause great nausea and you might feel like you're losing your balance. It might help if you keep your eyes closed at first and concentrate on your breathing."
Leigh turned to look at the other woman. "Do Alannah and Terrulli know about this? How will it affect Cerulia?" she asked, looking over at her friends, clearly concerned for their welfare and the white wolf's.
"Don't worry. Alannah and Terrulli are magic-wielders. So they might not have teleported before, they will know instinctively how to counterbalance the effects. As for Cerulia, she was given a mild sedative. They all will be fine."
"Good."
"Anyway," the Woman of Kharas continued, "if it becomes too much for you, squeeze my hands and we will stop. Don't let go of my hands, under no circumstances. Do not reach for the reins or the mane to get the horse to stop. That could intercept with the mind-link I uphold with him."
Leigh gave a terse nod. "Can we quit the talking and get going now?"
"Just keep in mind what I told you. I mean it, Leigh, it's important."
The absence of the nickname Enori was so fond of calling her showed Leigh just how serious the warrior was about this.
"I understand."
"Good. Then let the fun begin."
She clicked her tongue and dug her heels into the horse's flanks. The others followed them. Soon, the stallion's light gait turned to a trot, which changed to a gallop.
"Alright Leigh, are you ready?" Enori wanted to know.
"Yes," the knight answered confidently. But nothing could have prepared her for what happened next as the steed launched into the first period of teleportation. It brought up memories from the time as Grayfin had dragged her through the ocean towards Surandia, but even that paled greatly in comparison.
The Woman of Kharas hadn't exaggerated. The world around her was zipping by at such a fast pace that her eyes couldn't follow. She was glad that the warrior was behind her like a solid wall, feeling that otherwise she might have been swept off the stallion's back as the air rushed past her face, making it almost impossible to breathe. Her hands tightened around Enori's, fighting the urge to lean forward and grab the horse's mane to steady herself. She tried desperately to find a point ahead to which she could fix her eyes, but it was in vain. Unable to differ between up and down, left and right, Leigh became dizzy and her belly revolted strongly. She closed her eyes, concentrating solely on inhaling and exhaling. Clenching her teeth, she felt the nausea increase. Her knuckles turned white as she squeezed Enori's hands in a vise-like grip. Distantly, she heard the sound of a whip crack and with a sudden lurch the horse came to a stop. She was aware of Enori's strong arms, helping her off the stallion's back. The churning in her stomach could no longer be denied as she staggered on unsteady legs to the nearest tree. Grateful for something firm to hold on, she hugged the trunk, fell to her knees and emptied her stomach.
Enori followed her, handing her the water skin once the retching noises stopped.
"Well, I guess I need to be sedated like Cerulia," Leigh joked lamely after she had rinsed her mouth.
Chuckling softly, the Woman of Kharas patted her gently on the back. "Well, you lasted longer than I thought for the first time."
"Is this your way of gloating or are you just being sarcastic?" Leigh wanted to know, eyeing the warrior suspiciously, her face still pressed against the rough tree bark.
"You will adapt quickly, little one," Enori responded, reaching out to pull the knight up, until she was standing again.
"By the Spirits, I just hope nobody saw that," Leigh mumbled, quickly freeing herself from the other woman's steadying arms. Her body's reaction to teleportation and Enori's easy acceptance and assistance in that matter had embarrassed her. "What I wouldn't give for some magic in my blood," she murmured under her breath.
The warrior didn't say anything, already submerged in the mind-link with the stallion to make him kneel.
True to Enori's word, her senses had adapted quickly. Nonetheless, she was feeling better when she had solid ground under her feet. The miles had flown by and time was no longer following in its fixed patterns when they were riding, or so it seemed, as day turned to night in rapid order. In a few hours they would finally be back home.
Leigh pulled her legs further to her chest and wrapped her arms around them as another tremor shook her frame.
During her apprenticeship with Master Yan, she had been forced to sleep outdoors many a night. The old man had insisted it would make her harder and help her endurance. A warm bed was considered comfort and comfort was for weaklings, though she couldn't remember it ever having been that cold.
Unintentionally, she began to play with the white ring that Neva had returned to her. She took it off and studied the smooth surface. Considering the pearl's purpose, it amazed her once again that such a tiny thing could hold so much power and she was the one that had been chosen to wield it. More and more she felt that heavy thoughts were beginning to rear their ugly heads. So maybe it wasn't just the chilly air that kept her from sleeping. Quickly, she slipped the ring back on. 'A doubting heart can turn the bravest fighter into a coward', was one of the first sayings that Yan had taught her, and she knew she couldn't afford to second-guess herself when so many lives depended on her. She would never be able to forgive herself if anything were to happen to her family and friends. The thought of losing Alannah tore at her heart and unconsciously her hand crept up to her chest, attempting to soothe the sudden ache there.
Then there was the matter of her growing feelings for the lovely princess, but Leigh didn't know how to approach that particular subject, fearing rejection. They were closer than sisters and had been best friends all their lives. She knew that Alannah loved her, but was it that kind of love? Did the princess ache inside from longing when she wasn't near, like she did? Did Alannah's heart skip a beat whenever she smiled at her? Did she feel her heart swell when she saw her walking towards her? Did her skin burn like Leigh's at every touch, every hug, with every friendly caress?
Again she heard the scratchy voice of her old teacher in her mind, admonishing, 'A heart that is not on the matter at hand will cause distraction, which can't be afforded in times of battle.'
"The heart," Leigh mumbled to herself. "Always the heart." All that thinking was just bound to give her a headache and it didn't help her to relax in the slightest.
With a quiet sigh she rolled over and found herself looking right into the concerned face of Alannah. "Hey," she whispered as low as she could in order not to wake the others. "What are you doing awake?"
"I could ask you the same," Alannah answered. "Have you been sleeping any at all?"
Leigh softly shook her head.
"You need to rest. We will reach Chitaan tomorrow."
"I know."
"What's wrong, Leigh? Why can't you sleep? Are you brooding again?"
"No," the knight replied, hesitantly.
The princess knew that something was up, the other woman's body language clearly betraying her. "What have you been thinking about?"
"Nothing, I just can't seem to get comfortable."
Alannah reached over to take one of Leigh's hands. "By the Spirits, your fingers are like ice. It's no wonder you can't get comfortable. You are freezing!"
"I'll live," the knight muttered and shrugged, attempting to brush off her friend's concern. She quickly clenched her jaw to keep her teeth from chattering.
The princess huffed slightly, exasperated and slightly irritated at Leigh's stubbornness and unnecessary pride. Mumbling something about pig-headed knights under her breath, she rose and dragged her own bedroll closer, until it was touching Leigh's.
Her fussing woke Cerulia and the white wolf jumped to her feet, looking around, alarmed. Her ears twitched and the look of confusion on the animal's face was mirrored by Leigh.
Forestalling a question the princess knew would be coming, Alannah lay down and turned on her side. "Hush and roll over," she said impatiently.
Leigh's eyebrows rose in surprise at the commanding undertone, wondering what the princess was up to, but did as she was told.
Undecided, the white wolf looked from one of her favorite humans to the other, whimpering slightly.
"Cerulia, everything is fine. Lie back down, my precious," Alannah whispered gently, patting her bedroll.
Eventually, the wolf curled up behind the princess.
Soon after, Leigh felt Alannah's arms slip around her and the other woman's body pressed tightly to her back. They had slept in that position a few times before, giving comfort when one of them was plagued by nightmares or otherwise troubled. Usually though it was the knight who did the holding. Leigh stiffened in surprise and silently cursed herself for having taken off her armor as a hand slid under her shirt and came to rest on her belly. Tense, she laid there, willing the fire of desire away that had begun to simmer, and her heartbeat to slow down. She heard the lilting words of magic falling from the princess' lips, felt her breath against her ear and the palm that touched her skin grew warm.
"Alannah, please don't," she croaked through her sudden dry throat, realizing what the other woman was doing. "You just recovered. I don't want you to waste your magic on me."
"I feel much better and this little spell won't drain my magic, I promise. It'll keep the chill of the night from touching you and maybe then you can sleep," Alannah whispered gently into her ear. "It's alright. Just relax."
The tension slowly receded as the warmth from the hand spread out and traveled in a wave throughout her body. Leigh sighed quietly in relief. "I don't know if it's only the night's cold," she admitted in a small voice.
Alannah scooted even closer, tightening her embrace, placing her cheek on Leigh's. "What do you mean? What else is troubling you?"
"If you or Terrulli have had any visions lately, no matter about what, you would tell me, right?" Leigh asked, nibbling thoughtfully on her lower lip.
The princess was taken aback by the question. She couldn't respond immediately. She wondered just what the knight had been thinking about, laying wide awake in the dark. "Why are you asking me that?"
"I mean even if it would involve gruesome things about the near future... would you tell me? You wouldn't keep it from me, would you?"
"No, of course not. You know I would tell you anything, even though it might not be easy, depending on the vision's content. In the long run it could be of help to prevent it from happening. I would tell you," she persisted.
"I know. I'm sorry," Leigh said, feeling bad. "I didn't mean to question you. You know that I trust you like no other... I just... I..."
"What? What is it?" Alannah urged, worried.
"I just feel this sense of dread when thinking about what might be ahead of us and I turn cold inside. The closer we get to Chitaan the more the feeling increases. I don't like that we have no clue whatsoever. I can't stop my mind from conjuring up the worst scenarios. What if all along they were wrong and I'm not the Deliverer of Peace? What if I can't stop the masked sorcerer and his Shadow Warriors?"
Alannah understood Leigh's concerns all too well. She tried hard not to think about what could happen. Despite her own fears and worries of the upcoming battle, her main concern at the moment was to calm down the other woman. She brushed a small kiss against Leigh's temple. "Have you considered Enori's suggestion?"
"What, you mean to fix the Pearl of Zimahil to my sword?"
"Yes."
"Well, I have thought about it, but the problem is how do we know it will work like that? We have no reference since this device has never been used before."
"That is true," Alannah agreed. "But only because nobody knew it actually existed."
"If it does work it would be great but what if it doesn't and the only way to defeat a Shadow Warrior is like Paquin showed me? I wouldn't want to find out about that when I'm already surrounded by those creatures."
The princess snuggled closer, realizing that it had been a bad idea to bring it up. The conversation was quickly turning to a rather dark and serious subject. It wouldn't enable Leigh to find rest and it wouldn't ease Alannah's heart either, as a scary image appeared before her mind's eye, showing the knight on a bloody battle field, with Shadow Warriors attacking her from every side. "Too many 'what if's'. Don't think about any of that now. You are exhausted. You need to sleep, my brave little knight. Everything will be fine as soon as we are home, you will see. We will talk with Enori and Neva about it again, and maybe King Mandylor and his Elves know more about the Pearl of Zimahil. Know that you are not alone in this. Together we stand strong and we will win." Then she whispered the magic words again, the warmth of her palm radiating further.
"I'm so glad you're here," Leigh responded, her gratitude audible in every syllable. "I would be lost without you."
The simple statement brought a smile to Alannah's face. "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else," the princess confessed, gently squeezing the other in her arms. "Now sleep."
Leigh's hands closed around Alannah's, which was still resting on her belly. Their fingers entwined and eventually the knight slipped into a dreamless sleep.
Zaylan had called for a meeting with the leaders of the armies. Cibor, Ranya, Nirios and Niria were there. Many others from the non-magical countries had come and he silently thanked them for their support, loyalty and courage. Looking from one expectant face to the other, he saw that some allies were still missing: King Mandylor and the Elves of Ilumera for instance, as well as Queen Samira with the army of Slidur.
His eyes fell on the empty chairs where his daughter and Leigh were supposed to sit and he quickly looked away as the familiar sting in his heart grew to a fierce ache.
The heads of the gathered people, all engrossed in conversation, whipped up and all fell silent at the sight of him. They rose and bowed in respect as the King of Chitaan slowly walked to his chair and took his seat.
Ranya, who sat to his right, watched him intently. Even through his face's grim expression, which was matched by everyone else present, she could see that he was tired and worn-out. Though he tried not to show it, the bloodshot eyes and the slumped set of his shoulders were a telltale sign of his fatigue. As he spoke his voice sounded out clear and strong, betraying none of that. "I wish this gathering could have a more happy reason," he started. "In the name of all the free people of Yuron I want to thank you for coming here. I do not wish to embellish our situation with fancy words. There is no beauty in war and no beauty will come of what we are forced to do in the near future. A dark shadow is hanging above all our heads. You all know what we are up against. You have seen and heard what the masked sorcerer did. I will not hold it against anybody, who wishes not to partake in this fight. Now may be the last chance to pull out of a battle we might not win."
Silence ruled.
"I mean it. I will not force anybody to risk their lives," Zaylan said, looking at the present men and women, who stared back in grim determination.
"We all stand behind you, Zaylan," Niria said with a side glance at her brother, who crossed his arms and nodded in determination and confirmation.
Cibor slammed his fist on the table. "That's why we are here. Only united we will have a chance against this dark wizard. If I have to give my life to turn Yuron back into the beautiful land it once was then so be it, in the names of the Spirits!"
More shouts of agreement rang out.
Zaylan smiled weakly. "Thank you all, my friends. There still is a lot of work to do..."
While Ranya listened, she heard his words trail off. Her eyes became hooded and her sight blurred. "No, not now..." she mumbled, digging her fingers into the table in front of her. She felt strong hands reaching for her as her senses dwindled and she was overcome by the vision.
The hall vanished and fog surrounded her. At first there was only silence until a strange sound filled her ears. Trying to decipher it, the High Sorceress walked through the fog. The regular pounding grew louder and Ranya realized it wasn't her own heartbeat as she had thought at first. The sound's volume increased further. She felt the deep booming noise reverberate in her body. There seemed to be more sources than just one. It pervaded the air and was all around her. The fog drifted apart in front of her, revealing a battle field. Ranya finally recognized the rhythmic pounding. It was the sound of war drums.
Eyes wide with fear, she took in the scene that unfolded in front of her. The clashing of swords, the outcries of the wounded and dying, the whizzing noises of arrows and catapult projectiles accompanied by the drums and pounding of heavy horse hooves, it all merged together to form the terrifying melody of a deadly symphony.
The dark-armored soldiers of the masked sorcerer, flanked by Shadow Warriors, walked right into the lines of the Resistance, hacking, slashing and trampling their way through them. Swords broke, lances splintered, bones cracked, bodies and banners of the allied forces hit the blood-soaked ground under the onslaught. The dark wizard's soldiers emerged nearly unharmed and continued on their way towards Chitaan's castle, with nobody to hold them back.
Helplessly, Ranya stood at the edge of the field, frozen to the spot as the shock of what she saw paralyzed her limbs. 'By Sastar, we don't stand a chance!' her mind screamed at her. Yells to retreat and regroup rang out as she looked on.
A mighty roar jolted her from her numbness and she looked up to see Firetail. The red dragon launched her massive body off the castle's pinnacles. Swooping down on the dark army, she breathed fire upon the enemies. Though it momentarily stopped and distracted the soldiers, the fireballs had no effect on the Shadow Warriors. The creatures floated towards a lone figure that was engaged in a fierce sword fight with a dark soldier. Their back was turned to the advancing Shadow Warriors, as they parried the heavy blows of their opponent.
Ranya recognized the silver armor with the green cloak immediately. "LEIGH! LOOK OUT!" She felt her lips move, but no sound erupted. Terror had struck her mute. The High Sorceress wanted to move but an unseen force kept her from running to her goddaughter. Her arms hung useless at her sides, rendering her unable to cast a magic spell. Ranya tried to close her eyes as the Shadow Warriors crept closer, hoping that if she didn't see it then she could prevent the inevitable. Her eyes didn't obey her command and she had to watch, a prisoner to her own unresponsive body.
Reaching forward with their see-through, eerily glowing hands, the creatures of dark magic touched the knight, draining her life force instantly.
Ranya whimpered and fell to her knees as she saw Leigh's youthful features turning pale and slack, the lifeless shell of her body dropping to the ground. "LEIGH!"
Then the fog returned, mercifully obscuring her sight and the scene faded to black.
Clear, green eyes flew open and in one fluid motion Leigh jumped to her feet, pulling her sword. Unsure of what had awakened her so suddenly, she carefully scanned her surroundings, a firm grip on the blade, ready to defend her friends. Straining her ears, she listened closely, but nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. Almost nothing. The fact that their camp was deserted had the knight wondering. Only Alannah and Cerulia were there with her, still curled up in slumber.
Leigh assumed there was no immediate danger, since the white wolf had not even lifted her ears. The animal's chest rose and lowered in even breaths.
The princess stirred slightly, her arms unconsciously reaching for Leigh. Bleary, brown eyes opened as she found herself embracing empty air. Alannah sat up and stretched her arms. "What going on?" she mumbled, seeing the knight in battle stance. "And where are the others?" she added after realizing that they were alone.
"I don't know," Leigh answered, slowly lowering the sword. "Maybe the Women of Kharas took the Steeds of Denora to the water." Her watchful gaze was still focused on the trees in the distance. "Something woke me..." She was cut off by a loud squeal, which startled several birds in their nests.
Immediately, the wolf was on all fours. The fur at her neck bristled. She growled dangerously with ears laid back and bared fangs.
Alannah's eyes widened. "What in the name of Ossyr..."
"That came from direction of the river. Please, stay here. I'll have a look."
The princess threw off her blanket and rose from the bedroll. "I can help you," she insisted, racing after Leigh, who had already run off to check out the area.
Cerulia followed hot on their heels.
Another scream rang out and the knight picked up the pace, hacking her way through the undergrowth and brown reeds that grew at the banks of the river. The squealing turned to loud laughter and splashing could be heard.
Leigh came to an abrupt stop at the shores, taking in the sight in front of her. "I can't believe it," she uttered. "I should have known. These crazy wenches!" the knight sputtered, averting her eyes, blushing.
The Women of Kharas had indeed taken the horses to the water. After they had refilled the water skins for the final stage of their journey to Chitaan, they had also taken off their clothes to take a very refreshing morning bath.
Alannah almost crashed into her back in her hurry to get to her friend. "Leigh what..." she trailed off as she saw what was transpiring. Shaking her head softly as she discovered the warriors, she began to chuckle. "By the Spirits, they sure are brave," Alannah admired.
"I don't understand why you find that funny. I thought they were in danger and here they are frolicking in the river like little children," Leigh grumbled in annoyance.
"Well, good morning, sleepy heads!" a joyous voice called out to them from a few paces away. "Care to join us?"
Frowning, the knight rammed her sword into the ground and crossed her arms defiantly. "No thanks, Enori!" Turning to the princess, she muttered, "How can they do that without freezing to death?"
Alannah smirked. "Magic."
Leigh snorted. "Yeah right. Are they heating up the river?"
Squeezing some water from her long black hair, the warrior grinned at them. She had already finished her bath. Closing the final buckle of her armor, Enori strode gracefully towards them. Having heard the question, she answered, "No, but we can produce a warming layer on top of our skin. So the cold water has no effect."
"Interesting."
"Would you like to try, little one?" the waggish warrior asked, raising an eyebrow.
Leigh tensed and heat flushed her face. "NO! Tell your warriors, as soon as they are finally done splashing and prancing around naked, we will leave!" Forcefully, she pulled her sword from the soil. "I'll go and see where Terrulli is." Stomping off, she groused words under her breath that were unlikely nice.
"I keep telling you, you need to loosen up, little one," Enori called after her, laughing.
Alannah punched the taller woman's shoulder. "You are so bad. You promised me you would stop teasing her so bad."
"I did no such thing. I said I would try. Besides, it was just a joke."
Placing her hands on her hips, the princess looked at her.
"What?" Enori was the epitome of innocence.
"What would you have done if Leigh would have said yes?"
Enori chuckled incredulously. "Come on, we both know that she was going to decline."
"I really wonder what will happen if one day you get caught at your own games."
Grinning cheekily, the Woman of Kharas slipped on her metal-enhanced gauntlets. "Not going to happen."
"We will see, Ms Confidently. I..." Alannah stopped. Quickly, she reached for Enori's breastplate and pulled her down. Lowering her voice, she whispered, "There is a foreign aura."
That somebody could have gotten close to them without any of the warriors noticing left only one explanation. "Magic-wielder?" Enori inquired.
"I'm not sure."
The warrior's grin faded. "Where?"
"Somebody is hiding in the reeds on this side, about fifty paces down the river."
Enori nodded. "Alright, act indifferently and get Leigh. I'll take care of it."
"Good. Be careful."
"Always." She winked. That was the sign to appear as if they were still bantering, lulling whoever was hiding into a false sense of security.
Alannah pushed her away, pretending to be aggravated with her friend. "You are incorrigible!" she huffed and hurried after Leigh.
"Whatever!" Enori's blue eyes were fixed on the reeds, assessing the distance. At lightning speed, she shot forward, casting a spell at the point the princess had described. She heard a muffled 'umph' and a quiet thud. The reeds moved, revealing the exact position of the stranger. "I got you, bastard." A moment later she had wrestled the man from his hideout. Poising her sword at his throat, she growled, "Didn't your mother ever tell you it is not nice to peep?"
Stiff, he lay on his back, staring wide-eyed at the fierce warrior and was soon surrounded by others that had come over to see what was going on, Una and Pacula among them.
Enori scrutinized him up and down. "Well, well, what do we have here? You wear the black armor of the masked sorcerer."
He lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Please, I mean no harm. I..."
Alannah and Leigh arrived at her side. "The black armor," Alannah gasped, staring at the man Enori held to the ground with the tip of her sword. "He is a soldier of the dark wizard."
"No, no, I'm not. Please, I..." he tried to explain.
"He probably is part of a vanguard that the masked sorcerer sent to scout ahead," Leigh said.
"No, I..."
A little more pressure of the blade against his throat made him shut up.
The princess gently patted the arm that held the sword. "Easy there, Enori. Don't kill him before we have information."
"You only speak when you are asked to, is that clear?" the warrior hissed dangerously through clenched teeth.
Carefully, the man nodded.
"Who are you?" Leigh wanted to know.
"My name is Burak," he calmly began. "We have our camp on the other side of the river."
"We? So, you are part of a troop? How many of you are there?"
"This is a waste of time," Enori interrupted impatiently. "Do you honestly think, he will answer the questions truthfully? Let me do a mind-link. I will find out if he really is who he claims to be."
"Please, there is no need for that. I'm telling you the truth."
"Why are you wearing the armor of the dark one, if you are not one of his soldiers? Don't tell me you stole it to blend in better," Enori remarked snidely, wrinkling her nose.
"You are right, it belongs to me. I was in his service once. I was his General." Burak admitted quietly, knowing that these words could mean his instant death, skewered by the warrior's blade.
Leigh watched him closely. "You mean to tell us you deserted?"
"When I did those horrible things I was under his spell. We are on our way to Chitaan to join the Resistance. Rovannah said..."
Alannah inhaled sharply and Enori's arm twitched at the name. They exchanged a quick glance, but he couldn't mean the Queen of Ashkyhra, who had been killed along with her husband as the masked sorcerer had attacked the country of air. Or could he?
"Why have you been hiding in the reeds if you have such alleged noble intentions?" Leigh asked. Her face didn't reveal that hearing him speak that name had shocked her as well.
"I was seeing if I could catch some fish for those with me. I was taken by surprise when the warrior women showed up."
"Ahh, the legendary reputation of the Women of Kharas," the knight smirked knowingly.
Enori's face was serious. "Who is Rovannah?"
Burak licked his lips nervously. It was now or never to prove on whose side he was. "The Queen of Ashkyhra. I helped her, her servant Indira and her son Tyrel to escape from the masked sorcerer's dungeons. They are..."
"Enough!" Enori demanded, shaking with barely restrained rage. She sheathed her sword and grabbed the front of Burak's armor to pull him up with inhuman strength. One hand closed around his throat. "You were his General! How dare you use the names of good people you helped to kill?!"
"Enori, please, calm down. This is not helping," Una begged, placing a gentle hand on the warrior's tense back.
"You disgust me!" Enori shoved him hard away from her and he fell back into the dirt, the sudden impact robbing him of his breath. Groaning and rubbing his aching throat, he rose to his knees. "Please," he wheezed. "If you don't believe me then do the mind-link as you suggested."
Enori walked a few steps and took deep breaths to regain her composure. Yes, she could do the mind-link, but if he was a magic-wielder and was just playing with them, he could use it to his advantage. She would rather die than give him that chance. As soon as she had herself under control again, she waved Alannah and Leigh to her. "What do you think of this?"
"His story is so unbelievable that it just might be true," the knight said.
Enori was still unconvinced. "He must be a magic-wielder. How else can you explain the fact that he could hide in the reeds a mere fifty paces away from us, without anybody noticing until Alannah detected his aura?"
"Maybe he is not aware of his magical powers and his instincts took over. Alannah, were you able to get into his head?"
"Indeed," the princess replied. "He didn't attempt to shut me out. Either he is a very good liar or he really speaks the truth. He really believes what he told us. Or he is still under a spell. There are mysterious barriers in his memories."
"Come with me to the other side of the river! They are there. It is just a march of about fifteen minutes from here," Burak called out desperately, still surrounded by warriors. "Please! I swear on my warrior's honor!"
The three women looked at each other. "Leigh, this is your call," Enori said. "What do we do now? It could be a trick."
Thoughtfully, the knight rubbed her chin. "If he speaks the truth, then Terrulli will be reunited with her family."
"Where is Terrulli, anyway?" Alannah inquired, looking around for the Animorph.
"Off with Neva somewhere, I'm sure," Enori responded.
"I'm glad she hasn't heard any of this yet. I would hate if she were to get her hopes up, only to have them destroyed, if that guy isn't telling the truth."
"Should it be a trick and the masked sorcerer, including his whole army is going to appear out of the blue, then we are in big trouble," Leigh remarked darkly.
"To put it mildly," Enori added. "Nonetheless, the Women of Kharas stand behind you."
"Thank you." Turning to Alannah, she asked, "Can you detect any foreign auras on the other side?"
"No."
Pursing her lips slightly, Leigh looked at her boots, mulling over the possibilities. Finally meeting the gaze of the other two, she announced her decision. "Let's go and check it out. If it is meant to end here, then it will."
Enori nodded. "Good. The river doesn't carry that much water a few paces further down. We can cross over there easily." She strode over to Burak, poking him in the ribs with her sword. "Get up! It is time for the truth to be revealed. And don't try anything stupid or you are going to regret it."
"Shhh, Ranya, it's alright," Zaylan soothed, tenderly rubbing his thumb over the High Sorceress' furrowed brow.
She thrashed, mumbled and moaned on the bed, staring ahead with half-lidded eyes.
The king looked up as he heard the door open.
Loreen entered, carrying a small bowl with a sweet smelling brew. "Is she still caught in the vision?" she wanted to know.
Zaylan nodded. He had seen Ranya claw at the table in order to find something to hold on and immediately he had known that her mind was slipping away. Calling the meeting to a halt, he had pulled her into his arms and then carried her tense body from the hall. Cibor had offered his assistance, which Zaylan had politely declined, knowing that Ranya wouldn't want it.
"Has she said anything?" the healer asked, placing the bowl on the small wooden nightstand, next to the bed. Loreen sat down on the edge of the bed, opposite the king.
"'By Sastar, we don't stand a chance', were the only clear words I could make out until now. She mutters and groans. She suffers," Zaylan responded, holding on to the High Sorceress' hand, while tenderly brushing some loose dark strands out of her sweaty forehead.
"Can we not stop it?"
The king shook his head sadly. "It happened before. She saw the fall of Urdgard then. I tried to link my mind with hers to share the pain. When she is overcome like this, there is nothing we can do, but let it run its course."
Ranya's face contorted from the anguish of whatever she saw. Her chest heaved and her back arched to a point that Loreen was afraid the woman's spine would snap. "I'm worried she might injure herself," the healer said, reaching over in order to check Ranya's pulse. "Her heart is racing out of control," she pointed out.
"She will be fine," Zaylan assured her.
"LEIGH! LOOK OUT!" The unexpected, blood-curling scream that erupted from Ranya's throat startled both of them.
"She is seeing Leigh," the king remarked, feeling a glimmer of hope beginning to stir in his aching heart.
Loreen's eyes flickered to him, begging him with her eyes to let her do something to bring the High Sorceress back to consciousness. "Zaylan, please let me..."
He shook his head lightly. "No. We cannot interrupt the gift of the Spirits."
"Gift? It is more like a curse," she argued.
With another terrified outcry of the young knight's name, the High Sorceress sat up. Her brown eyes wide open in fear and gasping for breath, she looked around fearfully. "Zaylan?" her voice quivered.
"It is alright, Ranya. You're safe. You just had a vision, a strong one."
Clammy hands reached for the king. "Zaylan... I saw the battle... Leigh..."
"First of all, you need to calm down," Loreen gently intercepted, taking the bowl off the nightstand. She placed it into Ranya's hands. "Drink this. It will help." Seeing how bad the High Sorceress' hands shook, she covered them with her own, assisting the other woman in taking small sips.
After the bowl was emptied, Ranya leaned tiredly back into the pillows. "Zaylan, about the battle... It will happen here, on the grounds of Chitaan. The army of the dark one will come here, just like we wanted. I saw the castle, the battle field soaked with blood. It will be horrible. They have war machines. Catapults and the likes. The black-armored soldiers know no fear. They march and kill, flanked by the accursed Shadow Warriors."
"Did you see him?" Zaylan inquired, watching her closely.
Ranya shook her head. "No, I didn't see the masked sorcerer. I also didn't see the Golems of Pavan. But I saw somebody else." Tears welled up in her eyes, the terrible images still vivid in her mind.
"Leigh?"
"Yes," the word left her lips in a choked whisper. She grabbed Zaylan's hands, holding on to them as if they were the only anchor she had in this storm of emotions.
"That is good news," he breathed, closing his eyes briefly in relief. "Good news indeed."
Uncomprehending, Ranya looked at him.
Zaylan smiled his first genuine smile ever since Leigh's horse Mican had turned up alone at the castle grounds. "Because if you saw Leigh at the battle, it means that she is still alive..." "Zaylan, you don't understand..." Ranya tried to interrupt.
"If you saw her at the battle, it means she will return soon. Did you see Alannah and Terrulli as well?"
"Zaylan..." The High Sorcerer sobbed, squeezing his hands tighter. The hope she saw dawning on his face almost crushed her and she wished she wouldn't have to tell him more of the horrible details.
"Ranya, what is it?" Then he remembered her desperate scream of the young knight's name.
"I've seen Leigh die," Ranya answered desperately, tears freely running down her cheeks.
Zaylan stared at her in shock. "No..."
Loreen, who had watched them silently until then, chimed in, "But she is alive at the moment and that is what counts."
"She is alive only to die in this battle!" Ranya spat angrily, glaring at the calm Half-Elf sitting next to her. "That can't be her fate! The Spirits can't want that and I won't accept it," she vowed fiercely. "Why are you so calm about it?" she wanted to know from Loreen, not understanding why the healer wasn't upset about the news.
"From your vision we know what will happen, but it hasn't come to pass yet. The outcome can still be changed, if we know what to look for."
"Yes, Loreen is right," Zaylan agreed. "You need to tell us everything you saw. Or maybe you could show me? Every little detail could hold the information we seek and need to protect Leigh."
Ranya nodded. "I understand." She looked remorseful at the healer. "I am sorry, Loreen. I know that you love and care about Leigh just as much as we do. I didn't mean to snap at you."
The healer accepted her apology with a smile and a bow of her head. "We have known each other a long time, Ranya. It was not the first time I looked into the face of your fire and I am sure it will not be the last. Sastar has chosen well to make you High Sorceress of Urdgard."
Ranya returned the smile. Then she closed her eyes, recalling the scene. "At first Leigh has her back to me and I only recognized her due to the green cloak. She is engaged in a swordfight with one of the masked sorcerer's soldiers. A group of Shadow Warriors is advancing on her, but she is unaware. I'm trying to warn her, but I can't shout. I'm mute, I can't move and I can't reach for my magic. Then one of them touches her and she dies."
Thoughtful, Zaylan rubbed his beard. "What did you see before you found Leigh?"
"Fighting was all around me. The dark-armored soldiers, flanked by the Shadow Warriors, were simply walking through our lines with nothing to hold them back," she replied.
He began to pace. "My guess is that it is due to the Shadow Warriors that we don't stand a chance."
"Firetail was there, breathing down fire upon the soldiers, but it had no effect on the creatures of dark magic. It..."
"Firetail," Loreen said with sparkling eyes as an idea sprang to her mind.
Zaylan and Ranya looked at her expectantly. "Loreen?"
"Who better to guard the Savior than a dragon?"
Ranya caught on first and suddenly the situation didn't seem so bad anymore. "Yes, that's it! Firetail can take care of the soldiers and she can pull Leigh out of harm's way. And as far as I know my dragon there will be no greater honor for her than to guard the Deliverer of Peace."
Zaylan's face lit up. "Well I guess the matter is settled. Ranya, why don't you rest some more? I will finish up the meeting with the armies' leaders."
With a determined expression firmly fixed on her features, the High Sorceress rose from the bed in one fluid motion. "There is no time to rest when battle strategies need to be talked about. After my vision we need to rethink everything. What do we have in our arsenal to destroy war machines, for instance?"
Zaylan sighed in the face of her stubbornness. He knew that nothing would stop Ranya from accompanying him.
"Just one more thing," Loreen begged, seeing that the other two were about to leave.
"Yes?"
"No word about the Savior's true identity to anybody outside of this room. We do not know where the dark wizard has his spies."
"Loreen, do you think there are spies among us?" Ranya inquired, the thought scaring her. She quickly mulled over every conversation she had had, but she couldn't recall ever having said anything to another but Zaylan.
"I do not know. I would hope not. But, what do we really know about our enemy? Remember Ciem, the third High Councilor?"
"By the Spirits, you are right." Ranya whirled around to watch Zaylan closely. "Have you told Cibor?" Ranya asked, watching Zaylan closely.
"No," suppressing the urge to roll his eyes, knowing exactly how the High Sorceress felt about the man. He could already hear what she would say next, using Cibor's name and spy in one breath.
"Good. I don't trust him," she said through gnashed teeth.
Zaylan smirked. He was glad that she left it at that without opening another tirade about Cibor. "I know and I think the feeling is mutual."
Ranya huffed in annoyance.
"No matter how much you trust somebody or think they are your friend, don't reveal anything," Loreen reminded them again. "Everything concerning Leigh in your vision must stay in this room. You can tell Firetail, but nobody else."
The King of Chitaan and the High Sorceress of Urdgard agreed, before returning to the hall.
"Calm yourself," Rovannah responded. "I'm sure, he will return any moment."
With a sigh, the servant sat down on a log, wringing her hands. "I cannot understand why you trust him. I mean, just now he could betray us..." she trailed off as she saw her Queen raise a finger to her lips, indicating to be silent.
Tyrel looked questioningly at his mother. Then he heard quiet rustling that came closer to their camp.
"Burak?" Indira mouthed.
Rovannah shook her head quickly. There was more than just one person moving towards them. "Get behind me, both of you," she ordered. She didn't know if she had recovered enough, but she would fight until her last breath.
"Owww! Quit poking me!" They could hear Burak complaining. "I will show you where they are."
"I believe it when I see it," announced a deep female voice, which none of them recognized.
"I knew it! That bastard betrayed us!" Indira hissed. Looking around, she found a thick branch. She gripped it firmly with both hands, ready to use it like a club.
Tyrel picked up a fist-sized stone.
Rovannah closed her eyes, concentrating on the spell. If Burak had indeed betrayed them, there was only one way out, since she didn't knew how many opponents she would have to face. At the moment she could make out four besides Burak. Rovannah didn't have enough energy for a long battle nor to teleport them away. But, she could hide them. Raising her arms, the Queen sent a silent prayer to Axana and performed a spell of concealing. The air wavered around them and then they were gone from sight, as if they had never been there.
Hidden under the magical veil, they could do nothing but wait and pray that Rovannah was able to uphold the spell long enough.
With a rough push, Burak was shoved from the undergrowth, hitting the moss-covered ground.
Rovannah was surprised as she saw the dark-haired Woman of Kharas. A tall blonde entered the clearing right behind her. Had the dark wizard managed to recruit the tribe of fierce warriors for his terrible purposes?
"Alright, so where are they?" Enori demanded. "All of them answering the call of nature?" she added sarcastically at the discovery of the empty camp.
Wild-eyed Burak looked around. "They should be here," he stuttered, obviously confused.
Enori had enough. "I don't know what game you are playing..."
"Maybe they got scared and are hiding somewhere," Burak rushed to explain.
Two more women stepped out of the bushes. They were younger and Rovannah didn't think that they belonged to the warrior tribe. One of them wore knight's armor and the other white robes. A white wolf accompanied them.
"It was a waste of time. Here is nobody," Enori declared annoyed.
"They are here!" Burak confirmed. "They can't be far away. The transportation spell had almost completely drained Queen Rovannah's magic." Raising his hands to his mouth so that his voice would be carried further, he yelled at the top of his lungs, "QUEEN ROVANNAH, IT IS ALRIGHT! YOU CAN COME OUT! THEY ARE FRIENDS!"
They waited, but nothing moved.
"Maybe, he is a complete lunatic," Enori mused, fed up. "He probably imagined it all."
He whirled around, glaring at her. "I am not crazy! They are here!"
Leigh too was beginning to doubt Burak's state of mind. Nonetheless, she inspected the camp, discovering traces that there had been more than just one person been present. There were four body imprints in the moss, where they had slept. Three of them were close together, next to the ring of stones where the campfire glowed. Leigh guessed that the lone one on the other side belonged to Burak. Leaning towards Alannah, she whispered, "Can you feel any foreign auras?"
Before the princess could answer, a mighty roar rang out and a white tiger shot from the undergrowth, tackling Burak to the ground.
Rovannah felt her heart skip a beat. Her son's arms tightened around her waist and Indira suppressed a gasp of surprise. Tears welled up in the Queen's eyes as she saw the Animorph shifting shape, turning to her human form. "Terrulli." Her prayers had been answered. Her daughter was alive and now everything would be well.
The air wavered again as the Queen of Ashkyhra broke the spell, revealing their position.
Burak was still on the ground, all eyes on him. The ice-blue pair with vertical pupils stared hard into his and he knew that he had seen them before. They were like Rovannah's.
"Leigh," Alannah gasped as she felt three new auras appear out of the blue. She and the knight turned around. "By the Spirits. He told the truth."
Caught up in rage, Terrulli hadn't noticed what had happened. "How dare you defile the memory of my family, you piece of scum?" the girl hissed through clenched teeth. The Animorph had heard about the occurrence at the river upon her return with Neva. Nobody would have been able to hold her back, even if they would have tried. It had been easy to follow the tracks that Leigh and the others had left behind. In tiger-shape it also was no effort to catch up with them quickly. Her anger had grown as she had heard the soldier shout the name of her mother. Furiously, she had pounced on him. Sitting on his chest, she scowled at him.
"Terrulli." The voice of her mother echoed through her mind.
She hesitated briefly. No, it couldn't be.
"Terrulli."
"Terrulli, we are here, my precious."
She realized that the words were spoken out loud. It was probably a trick from the dark soldier, who seemed to be a magic-wielder. Her anger grew. "Your life is forfeit!"
Then two strong arms grabbed her and pulled her off the man. She struggled and kicked in Enori's grip.
"Let me go! I'm going to kill him!" she screeched hysterically.
"No, you won't," the warrior responded. "Look." Still holding on to the writhing girl, Enori forced her around.
In the next instant all fight left Terrulli. She sagged in the tall woman's arms, glad that there was something to keep her from falling as all kinds of different emotions raced through her veins. "Mother?" her voice broke. She took in the woman in front of her. Though her dress was in rags, her blonde hair down and dirty, her face scratched and gaunt, she was still the proud Queen of Ashkyhra. Her gaze then fell on the wide-eyes boy next to her. Her little brother had grown and aged. "Tyrel? Is it really you?"
"Yes, my precious, it is really us." The Queen still had tears in her eyes as she opened her arms to receive her daughter, who stumbled towards them.
"Oh Mother! I don't understand. The mind-link broke and I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you forever." Terrulli sobbed into her mother's chest, holding on to her tightly.
Rovannah stroked the long blonde hair, smiling through her own tears as a wave of pure happiness traveled through her body. 'Thank you, Axana.' She had her children back.
Leigh, Alannah and the Women of Kharas had retreated a bit to give them some privacy.
Burak scrambled off the ground and dusted himself off as best as he could. He knew he couldn't expect an apology for the rough treatment from Enori. The warrior still glowered at him. He hoped that, at least for the moment, they could call it a truce until he could prove that he truly had turned his back on the masked sorcerer.
As the last tears had dried, Terrulli wiped her eyes. "Mother, what happened? Where were you? There are so many things I want to ask. There are so many things I need to tell you."
"I know, my precious," Rovannah replied. "There will be a time for all of that, but right now I need to ask you something."
"What?"
The Queen looked seriously at her daughter. "Where is the jewel of Ashkyhra?"
Her daughter looked at her confused.
"Before I sent you through the tunnel, I was able to slip our sacred gem into your dress."
Terrulli blinked in surprise, her mouth gaping open. "What?" Recalling the dramatic scene of her flight, she walked a few steps. She tried feverishly to remember everything that had happened after she had been found by Ranib and Wyan. Her dress had been washed and sewn. There was no way that Loreen or the seamstress could have overseen a jewel. "How? Where?" she wanted to know, looking helplessly at her mother.
"I had sewn a secret pocket into your dress," Rovannah explained.
"I saw her put it into your dress," Tyrel chimed in helpfully.
"No." Terrulli shook her head in despair. "I guess it got lost in the floods of the Kildiv River. I'm sorry."
An awkward silence fell.
The Queen sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, lowering her body to a log.
"I am sorry, Mother. I didn't know. I..."
"Come here," Rovannah said, patting the place beside her.
Terrulli sat down, leaning her head against her mother's shoulder.
"It isn't your fault. It was just one last desperate attempt to keep the stone from the clutches of the masked sorcerer. Of course, it would be an enormous help to have it now, but...," she paused. Her face lit up and a small smile curled around the corners of her lips as a thought came to her. "Well, when it is lost in the Kildiv, we managed to accomplish one thing."
"What is that?"
"The dark wizard can't use it either."
They looked up as somebody cleared their throat softly, gaining their attention.
"Oh, I almost forgot. Mother, let me introduce you to my friends, who have helped me greatly since the Kildiv's currents brought me to the land of water. These are Princess Alannah of Chitaan and Leigh, first knight in the service of King Zaylan."
Leigh bowed respectfully and Alannah curtseyed.
"I am pleased to meet you," Rovannah replied, regarding them closely.
"I'm sorry that we have to interrupt, Queen Rovannah," the princess began, slowly walking towards the woman. "I know that there is a lot you have to talk about, but we do have to leave. Come with us. We are close to Chitaan and in a few candle marks we will be safely at the castle of my Father. He will be happy to see you after all that time and especially after everybody thought you were dead."
"You must have fast horses if you intent to arrive in Chitaan by the end of the day," the Queen of Ashkyhra remarked. "Will it not slow you down to carry four more people with you? Or do you have any horses to spare so that we can follow behind you?"
"Mother, we have the Steeds of Denora," Terrulli replied, proudly. "And the Women of Kharas are on our side."
Rovannah's eyebrows rose at the revelation. "This day is just full of surprises. I wonder what more are to come."
Enori cocked her head as she saw Cerulia's ears twitch. She shut out everything else and concentrated. Soon after, her exceptional hearing picked up a sound that was carried by the wind.
"Una? Do you hear that?" she whispered.
The blonde frowned at first, but then her eyes widened in recognition and she nodded. "Yes. They are far, but still..."
The dark-haired warrior turned to the others. "We need to go. Now!" she urged.
"What's going on?" Leigh wanted to know.
"War Drums."
All color was drained from Alannah's face. "The beginning of the end."