Deke Brolin Rhol (41 page)

“Solko, Duffy, I am glad to see you safe. Solko, how is your sister?”

“She is doing well
, Palto. She is attending to the wounded. She informed me that the Wall of Solace is no more. Its healing energies are gone.”

“That does not bode well for us,
” responded Palto.

There was an awkward silence before he continued.

“It has been an honor and a privilege to fight alongside all of you. We have learned to work together and cast away our differences for the purpose of saving Rhol. As Phanthus so eloquently said to me earlier, we have become one. It is a bond that will last a lifetime. It is time to end this battle, to finish it before it finishes us. I have not received any word of Elissa, so I can only assume the worst. In any event, we can wait no longer. Orulla, I need you to stay here. I need you to take care of these people. To teach them what you know about the past and lead them on to a greater future, whatever that future may hold.”

“But Palto,
” Orulla protested.

“I have my reasons Orulla
and I have given you your task,” Palto sternly said, staring at her. She did not argue with her leader; instead she turned and walked away in frustration. 

“Issa, Solko
I will need you to accompany me, to join the small army that awaits us in the swamps.”

“
I cannot speak for you three,” Palto said looking at Kaelyn, Oisin and Duffy. “Or for that matter you, my friend,” Palto said glancing toward Jayden. “Of course I would welcome your company, but this decision is yours.”

“Have you lost your senses, Palto? Of course we are joining you. You are becoming fa
r too emotional in your old age,” Jayden said sarcastically.

Palto smiled
. “It was a courtesy. I already knew the answer.”

“Are you sure you will not change your mind about Orulla?” Oisin asked. “She has been my partner since saving me from the fields outside Kilto.”

“Unfortunately, I cannot Oisin. But you deserve to know why. Orulla is too proud to tell you that she is nursing at least four broken ribs. She would not have the strength to make it. She tries to hide it even from me, but I have seen those types of injuries far too many times over the years to be deceived. Without the Wall of Solace to help her, she will be unable to fight.”

“I did not realize. I should have done a better job protecting her.”

“Do not blame yourself, Oisin. You were not with her. We were heading to help you in your fight to protect Phanthus. Duffy was well ahead of us and I moved up the rear. At some point I lost my footing and Orulla came to my aid.  She placed herself in harm’s way to save me from several Kaltaures. I have noticed her struggling ever since,” Solko informed him.

“Then I shall remain here,
with her and tend to her wounds,” Oisin said.

“I was hoping you would ride with me, young warri
or,” Phanthus’s voice boomed down from above.

“I am truly honored Phanthus but I cannot
leave Orulla, I owe her my life,” Oisin responded.

Orulla overheard the conversation as she walked back toward Palto to apologize
. “If it were you in my place, I would go Oisin. I appreciate your sentiments, but you will be of no use here. Go, ride with Phanthus. It is an honor which has never been bestowed on another living creature.”

“The
n it is settled.” Palto said.

It took them much longer than expected to get back to the swamps. They couldn’t take the direct route for the tornados that wreaked havoc in front of them
blocked their way. They flew to the north of the mountains in a circle leading back to the swamps. It was a slow journey as they fought to avoid the worst of the storms.

They arrived to find that the swamps were now nothing but a wasteland of debris
. The tornados had swallowed up most of everything, and everything they left behind lay twisted and torn, strewn over the ground around them. The rain had subsided slightly and the tornados had moved on, taking their destructive paths to other parts of Rhol.

Bodi
es were strewn everywhere, Phits, Pegapires and Lealians alike. They had arrived too late. The storms and the battle had taken their toll. Palto swooped in low to the ground hoping to find some sign of survivors but neither he nor Jayden could find any.

“The cavern, are you able to remove the debris, Phanthus? Perhaps some have found refuge inside.
” Phanthus flew to the ground and with one swipe of his tail the opening was cleared. Jayden jumped off Palto and ran down the stairs followed closely by Duffy. They reappeared in moments.

“There is nothing, nothing!” Jayden yelled
. “I should have stayed with them while you went to get help.”

“We do not know what’s happened, perhaps the boy and
his friends escaped with Elissa,” Duffy said.

“
We would know if I had stayed, wouldn’t we? Now we have no idea where they are or even if they still live!” Jayden yelled furiously.

“Jayden, please, your anger will not solve anything. We w
ill simply have to keep looking,” implored Kaelyn, trying to calm him down.

“We can fly
in different directions, perhaps we will see them,” Oisin suggested.

“We will see nothing. We can barely fly in this storm let alone see the ground from the skies. Look
how long it took us to get here,” Jayden shot back.

“And what would you suggest then
, Jayden?” Issa yelled back angrily.

“Everyone, calm down!”  Palto shouted
. “It is not easy for any of us to witness our fallen warriors strewn across the ground and it certainly does not help to disrespect their efforts by arguing over their dead bodies.”

Palto’s words had struck a chord. Silence filled the air, the silence of mourning, the silence of not knowing. They felt as if they had been sucked into a v
oid where nothing had changed. The wind still blew and the rain still fell, thunder continued to echo across the skies, but they remained frozen in time waiting in the darkness for someone to break the silence. It was not words however that would renew their spirits. It was light, a light that pulsed with energy and one which charged their bodies and breathed life back into them. A light that burned blue. It was a Chiling which floated down upon them, giving them renewed hope.

Deke and Mary were holding hands. They walked along a path of darkness which brought them faint memories of years past. They had walked through the darkness before, down winding paths that led them to an escape from the life they were leading. A path they had made which they hoped would change their destiny, one that they could build their dreams upon, their hopes to live a normal life.

The path they walked do
wn now was not much different, but it was a much bigger path that they walked today. It had a greater purpose, one which would not only change their destiny but the destiny of others, one where the dreams of many depended on how far they walked. It was a path that would lead to the hopes of others living a normal life. Yes, it was a much broader path, but it was still their path, their destiny and it would determine the fate of a world.

The smell of death drifted through the air becoming stronger the farther they walked. The ground crumbled in front of them trying desperately to hold them back. Trees and rocks caught in great torrents of wind flew all around them, spinning and turning with no particular place to go. Yet still they walked, climbing the mountain that onc
e was home to a little girl who loved to play along the shores of what once was a serene lake, Shimmer Lake. A lake, that was now home to a dark angel who was worse than death itself.

Solharn waited patiently for them. He could feel Deke as he came closer. He could sense the power of the amulet. He snickered to himself knowing that if the boy still possessed the amulet then he had been unable to free Elissa. Without
Elissa’s interference, Solharn would be able to convince the boy to join him, to follow his path. He relished the idea. He needed the boy, or at the very least the amulet which the boy had, now more than ever.

They rounded the top of the mountain in silence, their hands tightly embraced. They were about to meet their destiny. It all felt oddly familiar to Deke. It was like déjà vu. He had seen this festering pool before and he had watched Solharn manipulate it into the curse that was destroying Rhol. Strangely, his nerves remained intact. He could feel himself becoming stronger, a strange energy coursed through his veins making him feel as if nothing could stop him.

Mary obviously did not feel the same. She kept up with him but the closer they came to Solharn and the turmoil that surrounded him, the tighter her grip became on Deke’s hand.

“It will be okay, Mary,
” Deke said trying to comfort her.

“I am fine,
” Mary lied. “He just looks so much more…lifeless, soulless, than the last time we met and the stench of death around him makes my stomach turn.”

She was right. His face had changed from a pale white to almost completely black. It bubbled as if something was fighting from the inside to break through his skin. His wings seemed to have no purpose any longer. Instead, black whisks of air swirled around him keeping him aloft. His fingers seemed to have stretched to an unnatural proportion, but it was only an illusion brought on by the strands of dark fluid streaming from the
Blackpool into his body. His fingers were merely the portal. Slowly the strands of liquid began to shorten as he lowered himself to the ground.

“Concen
trate, Deke. Remember her words,” Mary whispered.

He had not forgotten them. Elissa had been very clear. Use everything you have
at your disposal to occupy him so his energy continues to diminish. The spell that he has cast over Rhol has already weakened him, but he is still much stronger than us, she had said. Deke only wished he had more at his disposal. They had been surprised to find that Palto and Jayden were not waiting for them when they emerged from the cavern, and could only assume they had died along with their fellow warriors. They had searched for survivors among the bodies strewn over the ground, but found none. Fortunately, they had not seen the bodies of Palto or Jayden among the dead, giving them at least a glimmer of hope.

“You are looki
ng much better these days, Mary,” Solharn laughed.

The sound of his voice sent shivers down her spine and she could not help but gag from the stench of his breath.

“Never mind her, Solharn. We both know this is not about Mary!” Deke yelled.

“It is about whatever I want it to be, boy. Look around, I command Rhol now!” Solharn screamed through the darkness.

Deke noticed his voice had changed slightly. It was still a low whine of sorts, but it reverberated through the air. The more excited Solharn became, the larger the storms surrounding him grew. Lightning struck out all around him, waves of poison rose from the Blackpool and slithered their way up the shoreline, wrapping themselves around his feet.

Deke could hear Elissa’s voice from deep within him
. “Keep engaging him, Deke.”

“Last time I looked, it was Queen Elissa who ruled this world!” taunted Deke.

“Elissa!” Solharn yelled, enraged at the suggestion. “Elissa will never see the light of day again. You were her last hope, Deke Brolin and you failed her. You all failed her! You could not have been prepared for the curse I imprisoned her within, even if you had the tenacity to find her. You are weak boy. You stand here before me with the Amulet of Rhol wrapped around your scrawny neck and think you, a mere mortal, can take Elissa’s place. Think again, boy, and think hard. Your future depends on it. The only reason I continue to allow you to grace my presence is because it humors me.”

There was no better time than now, Deke thought. He signaled Mary and together they began to concentrate, melding their minds together. Deo emerged as a
Cawlaway and flew in behind Solharn poised to attack. Delca came in from above. She had decided to take on the form of a Balane, the animal that had once defeated her and left her at Solharn’s mercy.

Unfortunately, Solharn had already predicted this trap. He stretched one arm behind him and one straight above, his eyes never left Deke’s, his malicious smile never changed. A great globe of darkness flew from his hand and encompassed Delca. Solharn whipped her around as if she were nothing more than a brief annoyance to him. He laughed at Deke, antagonizing him.

“Let her go!” Mary yelled.

“As you wish,
” Solharn grinned.

He released her, spinning through the air, entrapped within the sphere of dark energy. She struck the side of the mountain
, but not before the energy around her dissipated so as not to break her fall. Mary broke away from Deke and looked on in horror as Delca’s true form took shape. One of her arms was twisted awkwardly backward and her leg appeared to dangle aimlessly below her knee. She was not moving, but she was still breathing. Mary could feel her. She was still alive, but in desperate need of help. Instinctively, she ran to her aid.