Heir to the Sundered Crown (36 page)

Elena felt pity for the man. His spirit was broken. What chance had he had against such evil?

Now as the city burned and monsters from myth were raining death from above she too felt the stirrings of despair. Only her love of the small child in her arms kept her from giving up. She frowned and firmed her lips. She would not let them die here. The baron had failed, he could wallow in his own self pity if he wished but she would live, and she would make sure the prince would too.

Cries of the dying were carried on the smoke filled air. Panicked shouts and screams from the terrified refugees hiding inside the castle walls added to the sound of apocalypse and in the distance was the steady rhythm of the ghouls marching steadily through the cities streets.

Cautiously she stepped past the baron and with a last look of pity left the room. Quickly she hurried down the stone walled corridor and passed through an inner courtyard.

A terrifying roar caused her to find shelter in the shadow of an archway as the massive black dragon flew over the castle. Archers loosed their arrows with no effect. The beast would return and the castles fate would be sealed.

Panicked men and women ran past her all heading for the cellars and the escape tunnels that Woven had mentioned before he had headed back out into the battle raging outside.

Elena pushed her way through the crowd until she found some room. The dark cool cellar was filling up fast and soon it would turn into a tomb. The grate that Woven had shown her hung loose as people ripped it off of its hinges. Eclin soldiers tasked of defending the grate were pushed aside by the crowd, some even downed their spears and joined the rout, each desperate to escape the burning city and the dragons.

Elena cried out as she saw a man pushing his way through the crowd. He was trying to get inside rather than flee. Finally he broke free. It was Woven. The left side of his face was burnt terribly from his temple to his chin and his clothes were blackened and singed. He staggered a few steps before collapsing onto the cold stone floor as the weight of the crowd gave way.

Elena rushed over to him. She placed Alderlade down and held his hand tightly before kneeling over the wounded ranger. His breaths came in ragged gasps.

“Woven, we have to flee,” she cried. The man winced in agony. He reached up to take hold of her hand.

“There is nowhere to flee too my lady,” he said through gritted teeth. ‘The undead are everywhere, the city is lost and the dragons..., here...in case you do escape,” he reached into his scorched tunic and pulled out the strange sigil stone.

“Take it and keep it safe. It is important I know it...”with one last effort he forced the stone into her hand and wrapped her fingers around it tightly.

“Woven” Elena sobbed tears streaming from her eyes. The man had saved her life, had kept them both safe. Now she could see death coming for him. With a last gasp of breath the rangers grip loosened until his hand fell to the ground.

Elena wept with the stone held tightly in her hands.

*

Kaiden rode as fast as he dared. At his side were Sophia and Davik who had now appropriated his own horse from the grateful citizens of Balnor. It had taken them three days to hunt down and destroy the Necrist. With the monsters destroyed and Balnor safe the three had hurried north. At their back was the remnant of the army of Balnor. With their lord dead the army had sworn fealty to his son who had in turn ordered them north under the command of the newly named Heroes of Balnor. Also joining the army was Thrift and his two hundred Fleet Foot thieves. Each was skilled in the way of the bow and the blade.

With the force of five thousand warriors Kaiden had led the march north. Every step of the way he prayed to Niveren that they weren’t too late.

They had been marching quickly and with little rest for three straight days stopping only at the town of Plock to pick up volunteers to fight. The panicked townsfolk had told tales of the sky turning to fire in the north.

Now as they approached the valley which led to the city of Eclin their words rang true. The sky was indeed a violent cacophony of colours. It looked as though the world was ending.

They crested the small hill at the valley to be greeted by a scene of utter devastation. The city was burning. Ahead of them they could see the flashing blades of battling armies. To the east a horde of un-dead and other foul beasts swarmed over the battlements whilst in the sky three huge winged dragons circled.

“By Niveren...” Sophia exclaimed in awe.

“Looks like we arrived just in time look” Davik said pointing down the road. Sure enough they could see a group of mages lobbing fireballs and lightning, next to them and in a defensive formation were a group of Nightblades their Tourmaline blades active and held at the ready.

“Ferran?” Sophia said hope in her voice.

“It must be. Looks like he managed to get the mages to help as well,” Kaiden said pointing at another group of mages. One of the dragons dived towards them unleashing its fire. The mages cast a spell which caused a barrier of energy to deflect the fire. The dragon wheeled away in rage.

Kaiden kicked his heels into
Herald’s
flanks. The horse surged forward. The others close behind. At their back the army roared its anger at the scene before it.

As he approached the Nightblades he was hailed in greeting.

Stood in the road was Ferran. A deep red wound was on his forehead and his black armour was scuffed and singed.

“You’re a bloody sight for sore eyes sir knight,” Ferran greeted tiredly.

Kaiden reigned in his horse. Thousands of bodies lay scattered along the road.

“What’s the situation?” he demanded all business. He knew his order was in the city but of the defenders he couldn’t see any. A sinking feeling knotted in his gut.

“Where to start? We’ve taken care of the legions siege weapons,” Ferran started. Kaiden held a hand up to interrupt him.

“Legion? Cliria turned them to her will?” the knight asked his eyes scanning the battlefield. Thousands of ghouls marched through the cities broken walls. Stood behind them on horseback were half dozen familiar crimson robed figures.

“Aye she must have. They put up one heck of a fight but as soon as the mages arrived they were able to remove the spell. As soon as she saw that happen Cliria did something which killed them all.” Ferran replied anger in his tone.

Kaiden closed his eyes and offered a prayer for the dead legion.

“That’s not the worst of it. That portal in the sky,” Ferran said pointing to the swirling vortex, ‘is getting larger. I snuck closer. There are fell beasts pouring through it. Pucks, Red caps, banshees you name it they’re coming through.”

Kaiden swore under his breath. He hadn’t been expecting the odds to be so much against them.

*

Cliria wept with happiness. Standing before her in the ruins of Eclin her was Danon, her lost love. His plan had worked to perfection and now his victorious return would be cemented by vanquishing the Heir to the Sundered Crown.

Danon looked himself over. His hands were skeletal, the flesh tight and grey. His clothes were tattered robes and he stank of death. He had returned but only returned to a corpse.

“Bring the one you deem suitable before me,” he said his voice a rasping whisper. His body had survived the centuries thanks to the dark magic of the N’gist and Cliria, without it he would have been doomed to an eternity in the void. Now that he had returned he could not walk about as a walking corpse. A Lich wasn’t a very good vessel, but it had been vital to his plans.

Cliria snapped her fingers.

Two Crimson blade assassins stepped forward. Between them they dragged the body of a man in golden plate armour.

“Behold my love, the body of the general Rason, a man of strength. I believe he will make a fine vessel for you,” Cliria said sweetly.

Danon walked over to the body. With a skeletal hand he lifted up the man’s head. Rason’s eyes were opened wide. He wasn’t dead for a possession spell only worked with a living vessel.

“He will be perfect. Does his appearance please you my love?” Danon asked running his corpse like hands over the generals face.

Cliria smiled sweetly and twirled a strand of long golden hair with a finger.

“I do. He is handsome. How do you like my vessel my love?” she asked.

A dragon roared from overhead as a volley of fireballs struck the beast. Cliria frowned.

“It seems the mages have decided to leave their self imprisonment,” she muttered darkly. She pointed at the half dozen Crimson blades, “Find those mages and kill them, we are too close for victory for anything to challenge us now.”

Danon chuckled, although it sounded more like wheezing.

“Do not fear the mages. The might of Delfinnia could have arrayed itself against us, and we would be victorious. The goddess of darkness favours us this day.” He strode over to Cliria and took her in his skeleton like arms. He pulled her close.

“I like your chosen vessel very much,” he said before kissing her deeply, his corpse like face meshing disgustingly with the young girls. “Where did you find such a beauty?”

Cliria smiled lovingly at him.

“I found her wondering the Great Wood as she picked mushrooms for her grandmother. A simple girl, kind hearted. She even won over a Knight of Niveren,” she laughed cruelly.

In the distance the ghouls had reached the castle which still stood at the centre of the city. Immediately they assaulted the high stone walls whilst the remaining defenders battled desperately.

*

Elena ran with the prince in her arms through the castles escape tunnel. Dust fell from the rock ceiling and the wooden supports screeched as the dragons continued their assault upon the city. She screamed as with a deafening rumble and crash, the tunnel collapsed in front of her. Dust blinded her causing her to cough uncontrollably. Alderlade clung to her tightly his head buried tightly against her neck. She cried out in despair as the dust cleared to reveal a pile of rubble barring their escape route. Their last hope was lost. She clung to the boy tears streaming from her eyes.

“I’m sorry Alde, I’m so sorry,” she wept. The sound of earth and rock moving above her caused her to look up. A large crack was spreading up the tunnel, in moments the whole thing would collapse and bury them both.

Angrily she wiped her eyes clear of tears, turned around and ran back up the tunnel. Other refugees saw the panicked look in her eyes and they too turned and fled. With a loud crack the tunnel began to cave in.

Elena picked up the pace pushing aside those too slow to outrun the falling death, their pitiful cries cut short or drowned out by the falling rock. She reached the entrance to the tunnel and cried out once more as strong hands reached for her and pulled them into the relative safety of the castles cellar.

A young ranger steadied her.

“Are you alright miss?” he asked in concern. Other soldiers rushed forward to help the others who had managed to outrun the tunnel collapse. Elena nodded thanking the man.

“What now? The tunnel was our last hope,” she said tiredly.

“No miss. Help has come. Before we fell back to the castle I saw an army flying the colours of Balnor and there are Nightblades out there too. Another bloke said he saw mages as well,” the ranger said with some hope in his voice. He glanced at the body of Woven which had been moved to one side of the cellar. His face covered in his cloak.

“My commander taught me well miss, he never gave up hope and neither will I.”

“What’s your name?” Elena asked.

Before he could answer another ranger shouted, “Briden, we’re needed back on the wall,”

Briden smiled at Elena and squeezed her shoulder.

“They still have to get through us. There is hope,” the ranger said before he picked up his bow and hurried after his comrade.

“Good luck,” Elena whispered clutching the prince tightly.

*

The last surviving defenders of Eclin stood in the castles courtyard. Three hundred were all that remained. A wall of spear points and sword blades were pointed at the heavy gate which shook with every impact of the ghoul’s battering ram. What archers there were had their bows aimed at the sky.

Outside and in the ruins of the ravaged city was the enemy host. The zombies swarmed through the streets devouring anyone unfortunate enough to have been trapped in the dragon’s firestorm.

Grandmaster Thondril and the Knights of Niveren were all dead, their bodies now carrion for the horrors that stalked the city’s streets.

Sat on his horse Kaiden could see the carnage brought upon the dying city. Next to him were Ferran and Sophia. Each drew their swords.

“The enemy is focused on the castle leaving the broken walls unguarded. We will punish them for their arrogance,” The knight said to his companions. He turned his horse so that he could address the motley band of warriors that had marched with them north.

Standing side by side were Nightblades, warriors, mages and thieves. 

He raised his voice so that all could hear him.

“In that city is this realm’s best hope for peace, an heir to wear the Sundered Crown and reunite our broken nation, a nation broken by forces ancient and evil. They believe that they will win that darkness will reign once more as it did in the days of old. I say never. I say the light will win the day! For Niveren, for Delfinnia!”

With a roar he spurred
Herald
forwards, the five thousand warriors at his back.

***

43.

The air whistled in Luxon’s ears and the sun was dazzlingly bright. Perched upon Umbaroth’s back he could see for miles around and marvel at the sights, if he didn’t know any better he was the first man to ever take to the skies.

Below him and passing at startling speed was Delfinnia. Forests, rivers and villages flashed past beneath him. He shouted in joy as he recognised the city of Sunguard in the far distance, its high peak glistening in the sunshine. It felt good to be home.

His joy was short-lived as thoughts of what was to come entered his mind.