Armies of the Silver Mage (48 page)

“Celegon! Take the stairs,” Hallis yelled as he dropped to a knee and thrust the spear to the belly of Spendak.

The Elf prince ripped a spear from a nearby corpse and rushed out the door with his fellow Elves. If the three of them could keep the way open long enough they might have a chance. Norgen moved to follow but was tripped by a fallen guard. The Elves ran off without him. Lithe and fleet of foot, the trio made it to the bottom of the stairwell and quickly established a defensive position. The house guards would soon be coming. Armed with two spears and a short sword, they didn’t wait long.

The familiar clamor of armor and booted feet rushed towards them. Celegon watched the mass of Goblins approach warily. He could tell by the looks in their eyes they were bloodthirsty and ready for revenge. Sensing the danger, Celegon resisted the urge to strike first. He knew that in doing so they’d be exposed and torn apart. Llem wasn’t as patient. He brandished the stolen spear and charged.

The first Goblin was taken by surprise and skewered through the heart. Llem struck a second across the face with the haft of the spear before the others reacted. Daggers and swords flashed. The Elf held his own for a brief time, but the Goblins were too many and he was cut off from help. Blood leaked from a dozen wounds, driving him to his knees. Celegon and Derlith attacked from the rear, hoping to rescue their friend before it was too late. The Elf prince met the enemy blade to blade as Derlith dragged Llem away. Two Goblins fell immediately to the Elf’s skill. Their bodies blocked the hall enough for the trio to retreat back to the stairwell where it was more easily defended. A strangled sound came from behind him and Celegon dropped his head. Llem was dead.

Norgen gasped as one of his ribs snapped from the force of the Goblin kick. The sturdy Dwarf stumbled back, losing the grip on his weapon in the process. The Goblin pressed his advantage. Spittle and blood drooled from his hungry mouth in anticipation of killing the Dwarf. Norgen lashed out and kicked his attacker in the side of the knee. The Goblin fell with a cry but was still able to bring his sword down. The blade pierced Norgen’s side. Snarling, the Dwarf reached out and wrenched the sword from the Goblin and struck off his head in one hard swing. Losing blood fast, Norgen slumped down unconscious as the battle raged around him. His last sights before passing out were of the Grelnor man advancing on Hallis

Grinning from ear to ear, Spendak raised his sword. He welcomed the chance to fight a real man again, not the disgusting Goblins or any of the other folk. The temptation had been gnawing at him since Greeth and it took greater control to hold himself as the time of the ceremony neared. Now he could unbridle his blood lust and let his sword do the work. He hadn’t killed an Averonian in a long time. He was going to enjoy this.

“That’s it, come to me,” he goaded.

Hallis said nothing. Unlike the Grelnor, he was a professional soldier. Trained and disciplined over a lifetime of trials, Hallis allowed his reflexes to take over. He made a light feint, testing Spendak’s defenses. Spendak parried right, bringing both weapons together in a shower of sparks. The Grelnor laughed.

“You can’t possibly think you’ll defeat me. I’ve killed many that were better than you,” Spendak boasted as he circled his foe.

Hallis stabbed again. He sensed weakness in the man and used it to his advantage. His spear tip came down on Spendak’s forearm, drawing a thin red line through the sleeve. Cursing, Spendak lunged. It was a reckless move in which he trade balance and poise for anger. Anger and carelessness led many a man to his untimely demise, and that was exactly where Hallis hoped to take him. Swinging the spear like a club, Hallis continued his attack. The last thing he wanted was for Spendak to recover. As it was, the Grelnor was knocked off balance, narrowly avoiding a slash across his throat.

Spendak reacted aggressively, rising up and bringing his sword to bear with his full weight. The force of the blow halved the spear and sent Hallis reeling back. Spendak smiled moved in for the kill. The sword struck but Hallis moved just in time. Steel scraped against the stone wall. Hallis used those few seconds to his advantage by dropping to a knee and slamming the broken haft into Spendak’s stomach with all his might. Sparks fell down around the two. Hot blood splashed the marble floor. Spendak stared in disbelief as the life slowly faded from his eyes. The sword dropped away.

“How?” he asked with his last breath.

Delin’s blood dripped unchecked onto the crystal. Each drop widened the gateway to the netherworld. Sidian, despite the triumph of the moment, saw the battle rage around him and felt his world slipping away. Centuries of scheming and endless wait were crashing down around him. He had to act now or all was lost forever.

“Kill him now!” he shrieked. Sweat cascaded down his brow. “Release the dark gods!”

Tarren pushed the blade deeper. Delin looked into her eyes and recognized death. He was helpless to stop her. The dim hope Dakeb once offered was already dim. Pain burned his chest and lungs.

“Tarren, don’t,” he pleaded. Tears stained his dirty face. “Don’t let him take you from me. Come back, please come back. I…I love you.”

She hesitated. Doubt flickered briefly behind the façade of evil. Delin’s voice was weak, trembling from a hundred hurtful emotions. The pressure behind the dagger eased. Delin looked down at his love, amazed at what he saw. He took reassurance in her doubt, but didn’t think it was going to be enough. Time slowed around them, until it was just the two of them.

“I love you, Tarren,” he repeated with more fervor.

Tarren didn’t know why, but she removed the knife from his flesh. The spell binding her faltered, and she caught a glimpse of freedom beyond. Love swelled into her heart and did battle with the cancer of her soul. Feeling his control slipping, Sidian raged. The amulet around her neck flared hotly and she screamed in pain. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed in a ragged mess of flesh. Her body shook and trembled under the torture of the mage. Delin knew that once he finished with her, he was going to turn his evil back onto him, and that would be the end.

Blue lightning shot from his fingertip and struck Delin in the chest and arms. Smoked lifted off his charred body. The smell of roasting meat filled the chamber. The Silver Mage glided forward. Despite the intensity of his deeds, he looked frail and weak.

“Your pathetic attempt to save your precious Tarren has failed, boy. Now you will know the true horrors of what my god offer,” he seethed. Rage consumed him.

“Mage!” bellowed a voice from behind.

Everyone turned, eyes widening in shock. Fennic charged with the Phaelor. The sword glowed golden and violent. Sidian stumbled backwards, caught off guard. The pedestal blocked his way. He reach out with a withered hand and touched the crystal, channeling its power into his being. Fennic charged recklessly ahead. Phaelor drove him on, ignoring Dakeb’s previous warnings.

“Fennic no!” Dakeb shouted.

But it was already too late. Phaelor swung through the air, hissing as it lashed out to stab Sidian in the side. Buried deep in his belly, Sidian gasped in pain as the golden light flooded his body. He felt the first hints of death creep into his veins, inviting him into oblivion. Fennic shouted in a short lived triumph. He drove the sword deeper, confident that he had fulfilled Phaelor’s destiny and destroyed the reign of the Silver Mage. A bitter sensation edged through him. Too late, Fennic realized his mistake. By touching the crystal, Sidian was able to channel their combined energy through Phaelor and into Fennic. Fennic screamed once before the explosion drove them apart.

Dakeb rushed to his side, but it was too late. Fennic Attleford lay dead at his feet. Smoke and steam rose from his eyes and mouth. A single tear formed in the corner of Dakeb’s eye. With sorrow, he looked up to see the broken corpse of Sidian laying twisted along the wall. The Silver Mage was dead. Hundreds of years after the war had begun, the last of the dark mages was destroyed and their evil faded. Behind them, the dark gods roared against the their eternal bonds. Dakeb shot a wall of white fire at the gateway, temporarily holding the evil at bay. His strength was waning and knew it wouldn’t be long before the power of the crystal drove him back. He knew there was but one way for them to end this once and for all.

“Hallis, cut Delin free. Time is almost gone. He and Tarren must use their love to end this or we are doomed,” he strained to say.

Sweat streamed down his face now. The sheer heat of the energy being used burned his hands and face. The last mage grimaced under the strain.

“How?” Delin asked as he dropped to the floor and gently scooped Tarren up.

Dakeb buckled under the power of the Dark Master’s assault. “Trust your hearts. That is all I can tell you.”

Tarren slowly awoke. Her eyes were soft and filled with love again. Delin looked down in sadness and pain. So many had died for them. The world was dying and the evil of the Silver Mage still threatened to steal them all away. They realized at that moment that if nothing else came from the nightmare surrounding them, they loved each other with all their hearts. Delin bent down and kissed her.

SIXTY-ONE

Their lips touched, sparking unabashed romance between them. The feeling went far beyond physical constraints, drawing deeply from a sense of spirituality. Love thrived between Tarren and Delin and filled the ritual chamber. All from the breath of a single kiss. Evil washed away under the power. Delin’s face flushed and Tarren felt giddy and weak in the knees. Their hearts fluttered. They stood there and held each other’s hands, waiting for the end. But it was an end neither expected.

The power of the crystal dimmed. The violent light was drowned under the weight of love, rapidly losing ground as the influence of the Silver Mage ebbed. The darkness from beyond the gateway collapsed on itself. The volume of power began to suck the very air from the room. Dakeb collapsed. The others struggled for their next breath. Slowly the gate drew shut. The dark gods railed against the light but were helpless to prevent it. They knew that this time was come and gone and another way into the world of the living was needed. They had failed.

Tarren, on impulse, reached out to clutch the crystal of Tol Shere. The dying flicker called to her, tempting its way back into her mind. She fought with mind and soul, her grip tightening on the crystal. It burned her hand but she didn’t cry out. She took pain in penance for the crimes she’d committed earlier in the night. With a heavy toss, she threw the crystal into the closing gateway before it disappeared. The crystal was finally gone.

“What have you done?” Dakeb whispered in shock.

Lightning struck the tower, collapsing a good portion of the roof around them. Norgen bellowed in pain as a large chunk of rock smashed into his leg. The world went mad outside. With Sidian dead, the spells holding Gren together faded. Time and nature returned with a bitter vengeance.

“Someone get this damned rock off of me!” Norgen growled weakly. His blood surrounded him in vast, dark pools. He knew he would die if they didn’t escape soon.

Dakeb struggled back to his feet, dust and debris falling around him. He reached out to touch the surface of the mirror, now plain and unimaginative. The glass shattered at the faintest touch, leaving empty claws grasping the air.

“The crystal,” he muttered to himself.

Tarren looked up through her pain and told him, “I made sure no one would ever try what Sidian did. I saved Malweir from suffering, Dakeb.”

“Yes and no. You have rid Malweir of a blight on her past, but in doing so gave the enemy the very object needed to return. If they figure out how to use it we will truly be doomed,” Dakeb replied gravely.

Delin left Tarren then to kneel by the body of his best friend. Tears streamed down his face in shame and regret. “Fennic. I’m sorry. It should have been me, not you. I’ll never forget, and won’t let anyone else forget either. I promise.”

Aingaard rocked beneath them. The destruction was savage and mounting at an alarming pace. Dakeb gathered his wits and motioned for Hallis to help carry Norgen. Using what magic he could muster, Dakeb sealed Norgen’s wounds and tried to ease his pain. The Dwarf, stalwart as he was, passed out. The damage was severe. An ordinary man would have already died. Celegon burst through the door then. He was out of breath and bleeding from several places.

“The house guard is fleeing. We need to get out of here before the castle collapses around us,” the Elf prince managed.

Hallis nodded, finally breathing deeply. “Help Dakeb with the Dwarf. I’ll grab Fennic. Everyone else down the stairs.”

Celegon noticed Fennic’s ruined body for the first time and felt a great pain lance his heart. He watched as Delin painstakingly collected Phaelor and, together with Tarren, moved down the stairs. He realized then that his father was wrong. Men weren’t weak or corrupt. There was strength in the hearts of Men and for that all Averon should be grateful. Celegon staggered over to help pick Norgen up.

Dust choked the halls, turning night a rusted shade. They found Derlith at the base of the stairs, the body of his friend beside him. Slabs of granite slid from the wall to shatter on the once pure marble floor. The ground shook.

“This way,” Derlith waved at them.

The tower collapsed in on itself as they fled. Cement and stone buried Llem’s body just as Derlith was reaching to pick him up. Choking on the dust and debris, the Elf sadly gave up his friend and ran for his own life. Celegon guided them out the palace doors and into a courtyard. thunder and lightning devastated the city. Whole sections had already fallen off the cliff edge. Flames licked up from the ground, melting walls and igniting thatch. Aingaard was dying. Soon there’d be nothing left but painful memories and whispers of ancient grandeur.

Hallis was able to find the stable quickly in part to the screams of the panicking horses. They managed to subdue enough for their escape and then let the rest free. Hallis and Celegon strapped Fennic’s body down and headed out the stables door. They wasted as little time as possible. Waiting until everyone was safely aboard, Hallis spurred his horse forward.