Amulet of Souls (The Sentinels of Wizgrad Book 1) (18 page)

The enemy had amassed on the other side of the town and now headed towards Iris and a heavily injured Zelkith. Zelkith was barely alive, the fast Golem seemed impossible to hurt. Iris was cut and bruised, Dartis toyed with her. He knew she had almost no battle experience and she threw herself at him countless times with no real strategy.

Dartis walked over to Iris. She was on the floor winded from the last attack that failed. Dartis picked Iris up by the neck with one arm and lifted her high above the ground.

“You worm, you should never have come here,” Dartis said arrogantly. Iris responded in kind and spat in his face. She dug her nails in as deep as she could and blood started to flow from his arms, but he barely flinched.

Iris used the best opportunity she had while she was close to him. Near out of breath she used a hidden blade in her boots and plunged it into his knee. He let go of Iris and grabbed his knee. In that instant, Iris grasped the Amulet from around his neck and yanked it off with all her might.

The chain snapped the Amulet now in her hand. She paused in shock, but stumbled away and started to run. Dartis did not get up, but the fast Golem rampaged towards Iris at full speed. Zelkith attempted to get up and chase the Golem, but his legs were broken and he could not move at all.

The Golem leapt in the air and Iris ducked out of the way. The Golem stopped and swung its massive arm towards her. She raised her hands to block the attack and it hit her with full force. She felt a sharp pain, as well as several broken bones. She looked at her injured hand and saw the Amulet had a large crack on its surface.

Iris agonisingly pulled the Amulet from her broken hand and contemplated whether to put it on or not. She remembered Astrid's story of the Amulets evil and hesitated. The Crystal Golem now ran at her once more. Iris stumbled to get up and the Golem hit her stomach and she fell to the floor winded. She dropped the Amulet. She heard Dartis scream in pain as he limped towards her. The wound on his knee had not healed.

Iris got up but leant on her broken hand and fell down onto her elbow and chest. She landed on something hard underneath, which was strange for a grassy field.

Iris went dizzy and her eyes blurred. Dartis got close and the Golem waited for an order.

Iris felt around her and grasped the Amulet firmly in her unbroken hand. Iris waited until Dartis was almost stood over her and then she kicked his good knee with enough force to break it.

Dartis screamed in pain and fell to the floor. Iris tried to crawl away, but Dartis had latched on to her legs.

Iris took hold of a piece of broken rock in her broken hand from whatever it was her head was leant on and swung it at Dartis’s hands. She heard a crunch and a scream of pain. Iris screamed herself as she also hit her own leg.

“Destroy her!” Dartis shouted in anger.

The Golem clenched its massive fist and lunged straight at her face. She moved her head aside and put her hand in the way. The Golem hit her already broken hand without any resistance. She yelped in pain at her utterly crushed hand.

Amongst the blood and broken bone, the Amulet had been smashed and grey smoke started to seep from the pulverised rock.

In an ear-splitting, wailing like sound, something erupted from the broken Amulet and it sent a shockwave so vast it spanned across the city.

Iris could see the souls of a dozen men and animals float into the sky. One of the souls was a Dark Elf with a snake next to him. It was Iris’s father, Biren.

Biren’s ghost grinned from ear to ear. “I knew you could do it, my precious little girl,” he said. “I’m sorry your mother and I could never be there with you, I know it must have been hard, I hope you will forgive us. I give you only one more task, to find the others like you, and help them” Biren said.

The snake slithered across the floor and glided into Zelkith’s open mouth. Biren held out his arms to embrace Iris in a cuddle and went straight inside her.

Iris felt a surge of power go through her. “
Is this what real magic feels like?”
Iris thought to herself. She had never used magic before.

She somehow knew what it was. She had her mother's healing magic. Iris’s mother was a well-known Cleric able to heal even those close to death.

The Golem had been shattered by the shockwave along with all the others. Dartis had used a magical shield to protect himself. The evil troops were still alive, they had surrounded her in a circle and were ready to kill Iris at a moment’s notice.   

“You witch! Do you realise what you have done!” Dartis yelled in pure fury. He conjured a huge black ball of energy and fired it at Iris.

“Die!” he yelled.

Iris felt her body move with incredible speed, but it was not her that moved. She felt a warm embrace on her back and arms, she glanced up to see that it was Mireylon who held her.

Mireylon had sped towards Iris the moment the Dark Elves barrier had broken and arrived just in time.

Something huge crashed onto the ground and the crystal tipped tail of King Tyrath whipped through the circle of the enemy like a knife through butter.

Iris glanced to Dartis to see him cast another small black ball. He launched the spell and slumped to the floor. Mireylon did not notice it in time and it went straight through his neck.

Mireylon dropped Iris to the floor and he fell to the ground with his hands around his neck.

Iris no longer felt useless and was calm. She pulled his hand aside and placed her hand on his neck. Iris focused her magic on the wound and it healed up quickly. She heard Zelkith whelp and ran straight to him. Iris knelt down and placed her hand on Zelkith’s chest.

“Oh Zelkith, why didn’t you stop” Iris sobbed. She began to heal him too and could feel all the broken bones and muscles in his body. She knew that this would take some time.

Mireylon had checked Dartis’s pulse. He was definitely dead, he must have used what little life that was left in him to attack Iris. Mireylon kicked the corpse several times in anger. This man had killed many dear friends and there was nothing he could do about it. But he was finally dead and his men were gone.

The Kijiar had jumped from rooftop to rooftop and released the trapped Dragons all of them thankfully still alive.

Everyone had now gathered around Iris, who calmly mended Zelkith’s broken body. They all stood in silence as she concentrated. It was not until she finished and glanced around that she noticed everyone was watched her. She healed her own wounds last. She treated her broken arm and injuries, but she would never get her hand back.

“You have done it, you have returned the land back to the way it was all those years ago,” King Tyrath said. “I can feel it in my bones, all twelve have been released.”

“Twelve whom?” Iris asked.

King Tyrath looked at Aymon. “Perhaps you would be better to explain that one” The King insisted.

“When the dragons used to freely roam the world, we had twelve leaders called Provereign. The Provereign would rule Wizgrad and were powerful magic users. When one Provereign passed, another appeared sometime after. We noticed many Provereign were never chosen and discovered Dartis found a way to store the soul of the Provereign in an Amulet to use their power,” Aymon explained. It seemed strange that nothing was written in parchments about it, but it seemed possible.

“You are the first leader to be selected Iris. Only those with remnants are chosen and each of them has a unique ability. Your family is rare as each of your generations on your father’s side has been a Provereign,” King Tyrath said proudly.

“All hail the new Leader of Wizgrad, Iris Kyro. Forever to be known as the saviour of Wizgrad” Mireylon shouted out loud. He bowed down to her feet and everyone else including the Dragons also bowed their heads down.

“Please, don’t. I am no one special” Iris said. She beamed with happiness inside, but she did not want people to worship her. She had never been respected like this though and it was a great feeling.

“Don’t be so modest. We know you make a great Leader,” Liamar said.

“This would never have been possible without each and every one of you, you are the saviours!” Iris shouted for all to hear.

Iris walked over to King Tyrath and kneeled down before him. “King Tyrath, I humbly request the Dragons once again be our Council and Guidance.”

“We are in your debt, Iris Kyro, it would be an honour to again retake head of the Council,” The King said.

“Please could you do me just one more errand” Iris pleaded to the King.

“Anything” Tyrath replied.

“Please save Gelmink and the Gnomes and inform them of our victory. Make sure they know that we shall help them build their own town in any place they desire.”

“As you wish,” Tyrath said. He shot into the air with the rest of his kin and they flew over the sea to aid the Gnomes.

<<          >>

Over the next few months, Alphaport had begun to be rebuilt as the new stronghold and town for the Sentinels. Iris and Zelkith were treated like royalty and she insisted that Mireylon remained in the Council with her. Iris made an alliance with the races of the lands. It was the first signs of real peace in Wizgrad. She hoped that she could keep the peace for as long as possible.

Two monuments were placed in honour of those who died in the battle. One monument was a stone carving of Dakho holding up a sword into the air. They placed it where he had honourably sacrificed his life for everyone’s escape in Alphaport. The other was set the other side of the sea in Southport, built in memory of Plode and Mr Pannett.

Southport bustled with hundreds of Gnomes, all busy as they made the foundations for their new home. They called their town Stilts, after Mr Pannett who had saved the Gnomes. Giant Foxes were placed at the entrance of the massive fissure in the mountain that Mr Pannett made to protect them. They also planted several trees around the town which looked just like the magical tree in Haven.

Iris and Mireylon had finally got together in a relationship and decided to take a stroll away from their city, which became known as Biren.

While in the nearby woods they saw a Dragon approach in the sky. This one was different from those who helped save Alphaport. It was followed by another, large black Dragon and six smaller dragons of mixed red and black.

It was not until the first Dragon was close that Mireylon recognised the two large horns protruding from its head. It was Roseflame and some other Dragons he had never met. They all landed around Iris and Mireylon.

“Rose! Is this why you had gone? Why didn’t you tell me?” Mireylon said in Shock. Roseflame had been pregnant all along and was now a mother of six black and red, baby dragons.
“I am sorry Mireylon, but I did not want to risk the lives of my unborn. I hope you understand,” Roseflame said.

“We have a lot of catching up to do,” Mireylon said. They firstly introduced themselves to the baby Dragons and the father, who was a huge black Dragon by the name of Culdreth.

They related the news to Roseflame and the others for many hours. They could not believe that the other dragons had been freed, but their proof approached them from the sky.

King Tyrath landed nearby. He walked up and glanced at Roseflame and the others.

“Culdreth! How good to see you, It’s heavily pleasing to know you are still with us” The King said. Culdreth lowered his head and the baby dragons followed suit. Roseflame reluctantly lowered her head also.

“I do not believe we have met,” The King said to Roseflame.

“This is Roseflame. She has been a faithful companion to me for many years and was the one who defended the Amulet since the demise at the Dragons Tower.”

“Roseflame, indeed we heard many heroic deeds about you from Mireylon. It’s an honour to finally meet you in person. I would love to invite you both to bring your children and live with us back at Glunenroe. We have fertile lands now thanks to Iris, and you would all be most welcome.” The King asked. Glunenroe was the continent that the Dragons keep was on.

Roseflame and Culdreth looked at each other and give a small smile.

“We would love to,” Roseflame said.

“How can we help you King Tyrath? I’m sure you did not come here just to converse,” Iris asked.

“Yes you are right, I came to give you this,” The King said. He held out his massive claws to reveal a small plain ring, with a diamond on the top.

“It’s my job to do the proposing!” Mireylon said in shock.

The King let out a mighty roar of laughter. “This ring was used when one of the Provereign had passed away. It lights up bright white when the next has been chosen, and will direct the bearer to his or her location.” The King explained. Iris took it hesitantly, she had not had the best experience with magic jewellery.

“I best be going, I have things that must be addressed,” The King said. He gave his farewells and took off into the air.

Mireylon placed the ring on Iris’s hand. It was comfortable and she did not feel any magic. They continued to talk with Roseflame and Culdreth long into the night.

Roseflame took Mireylon and Iris back to their chambers and they said their final goodbyes to each other. Roseflame then took off and headed towards their new home with her family.