The Barrier: The Teorran of Time: Teen Fantasy Action Adventure Novel (2 page)

He pulled his gloves out of his belt and slipped them on his hands. The wyvern lowered her body to the ground. He grabbed the reins as Queen Ambrosia flicked her fingers sending a tuft of air to boost him up. He swung his leg over the great beasts back and held on the reins. Wyverns, once they had melded to a rider, could understand their feelings, emotions and thoughts. The deep green colors of the Forest Wyvern glinted in the glows of the night as she stretched out her wings and shoved off with her thick hind legs. They met the captain of the Wind Wyverns on the southern edge of the island.

"How is the Queen?" Eliot asked.

"Holding up," Jerim said. He searched the night sky. "Where we at?"

He rested one hand over the other on the horn of his saddle. The chinking of metal straps and belts the wyverns wore clashed against the night breeze.

"Sixty air ships with at least a thousand men each. The scouts have just returned and there are three more fleets making good time from the north. There are four more fleets coming from the south," Eliot said, shifting his metal helmet.

"Let's take this battle away from the city. Send your fleet south and Oscar’s north," Jerim said.

"Sir, when are the Earth Wyverns coming?" Eliot asked.

"I'm not sure they are."

"Why not?"

"Torn bridges I guess," Jerim said. "Let's go."

Elliot swooped toward his command and waved. Hundreds of crystal white Wyvern's leapt into the sky. The sheer size of these magnificent creatures was breathtaking. Even more so as their scales reflected and shimmered in the twinkling of the lights. Medrith leapt into the sky and swooped in the opposite direction. She flew over the islands lush green jungle.

Homes and buildings lived in and under the protection of the jungle floor, along with the glorious white stone of the city walls. Evenly spaced spires stood around the edges of the island. Each one was several hundred feet tall and held a large crystal. These crystals harnessed the magic that held up the cities force fields.

"Take down these air ships," Jerim said.

He hovered over the leader of the dark blue Water Wyverns.

"Yes Sir," Greston said.

A sea of blue took to the sky, dividing into groups and swarmed the airships. They pulled the elements of water and began flooding the ships. Plumes of steam filled the night sky as the Velsharoon blocked with counter spells of fire evaporating the water. The water wyverns however were stronger and one by one the ships sank.

There were so many, that when one ship fell another took its place. Jerim flew back toward the city center making his way to the Fire Wyverns. The deep red and charcoal black Wyverns waited near the city’s main port. Medrith's sharp claws gripped the tree tops as she landed.

"What are your orders?" Ada asked.

Long copper red hair flowed off the back of her head. Her oval face delicately pointed was garnished with a dusting of ginger freckles on her high cheeks.

"Keep your forces here on Srinna Vossa."

Ada nodded then shot into the sky. Her platoon had more experience in battle and riding but found it hard to keep up with her ferocity. She had more to prove than just being able to lead her people. Gavin Rhill murdered her father trying to find the scroll and she was just plain pissed.

Medrith released the branches and the tree tops flicked back and forth. Before Jerim could make it more than a hundred yards, a deafening crack scorched the night sky leaving a scar of brilliant birthstone light. Shattered crystals tumble to the ground, breaking the barrier into the city.

A flood of red robed Velsharoon rushed the main port. Medrith stopped dead in her tracks, rolled her head down, flipped upside down and shot back toward the open gate. When Jerim reached the north side of the island he saw Ada’s forces engaged with the oncoming attackers.

Shrieks of agony cried out as massive blasts of fire billowed from the guts of the fire wyverns. The sky lit up as though it were noonday as everything nearby melted and withered. Another deafening crack reverberated across the sky as another crystal shattered. Small bursts of icy white lighting strikes tangled with shots of bright blood red, sprinkled the horizon. Jerim tried to deny the pulsing knot growing in his stomach. A small ball of flaming gas appeared to grow a little bigger.

"The comet of Sariandi, the Goddess of Destruction," Medrith said .

"I guess it’s true then."

"The Commission is here on the east shores," Medrith said.

Medrith stretched out her long neck. Jerim laid closely to her as she beat her wings toward the east shore. When they reached the shore they descended like a falling stone. Medrith pulled up at the last second and set down without even a thud. Jerim dismounted and ran through the sand and waited as the enormous air ships slipped up onto the fading sand. Half lowered planks plunged into the soft moist grit upon reaching the shore.

Trendell, the leader of the armed forces from Akraven scaled the long plank and asked, "Jerim, what are the damages?"

"We have lost two of the towers," Jerim said. He gripped the short stalky brute of a man tightly at the forearm. "We need to evacuate the city and secure the inner buildings."

The clanking and banging of swords, spears and armor overpowered the distant sounds of agony. Hordes of men in rows of fours rushed from the ship's cargo bays. The shores filled with men standing at attention awaiting orders.

"Yes Sir," Trendell said.

He banged his hand against his chest. Turned leading with his head and briskly reached the front line. The Commission was divided into ranks of archers, spear and swords men and elemental mages. Trendell shouted out the orders. With an enormous shout, the Commission broke up, each group making their way to their destinations.

"Jerim, we saw a battle already in action. Why are we just now evacuating the city? Shouldn't we have done that sooner?"

"I know you're a by-the-book kind of guy, but this one is nothing the books have ever talked about."

"What do you mean by that?" Trendell asked.

"The Sariandi Comet is upon us,”

"Well then we fight to the death,"

"With honor, brother,"

"With honor," Trendell repeated as he gripped Jerim's forearm.

Trendell joined his men in the barrage of oncoming Velsharoon. Ada moved to the sky as the Commission contended fiercely with the Velsharoon. She turned her attention to the oncoming airships and joined her second battalion. A group of Velsharoon yelped as large vines wrapped around their bodies and swallowed them into the ground.

Jerim had commanded the foliage around the inner buildings to devour the Velsharoon. The suns first rays broke dancing on the heavy smoke that filled the sky. Bursts of flames erupted here and there around the island as rain and wind storms chased blood red lighting strikes.

Sections of brilliant white stone walls on the outer perimeter now sat in rubble. Storms of arrows went buzzing and fizzing through the sky. Metal boots slogged through the slippery sludge of fallen comrades. Swords swooshed and clanked as they met other swords. The further the comet came the stronger the Velsharoon became making it harder for the Commission.

Chaos and confusion surged through the city. A sea of red cloaks engulfed every road and alleyway, throwing magic and swinging swords at everything that moved. The white stone was now stained red and smeared with black shadows of what used to be men.

"Fall back and send a squad to the city center. Set up blockades," Trendell called.

Through the clouds that hung over the island, he saw the comet barreling toward them with a shield of fiery damnation. His heart sank into his stomach and a tightening in his chest nearly took the breath from him. He swooped his sword upward and blocked a dart of lightening aimed directly at his chest.

*****************************************

"There's more than one person that can use the power of the comet." Queen Ambrosia said through gritted teeth.

Her eyes drooped heavily, sagging under the pressure of no sleep.

"What are you going to do?" Aarin asked.

"Sink the island and destroy Srinna Vossa.”

She walked sternly toward her deep oak desk. Aarin's stomach lurched inside him as the words hit his mind.

"How?"

"With this," she pulled out a long parchment that was rolled tightly. “The Incantation of Undin," she said, fingering the edge trembling.

"And how will sinking the island stop Gavin Rhill?"

"I will take every last person with it so that he will never be able to find the Binding of the Crypt spell," she said dropping one end.

"You're going to kill all of your people?"

"Would you rather be tortured by Gavin Rhill and the Shadow?"

He paused and then said softly, "No, I guess not."

"Then make your peace now because as soon as the comet is at the highest point in the sky everything will be over."

Her stomach lurched too as she felt the despair of not being able to raise her child and see her grow into a woman. Her wonderful council and all of her loved ones, it was almost too much for her to bear.

"What shall I tell the armies?" he asked.

"That its time, and send Jerim."

Aarin bowed, his once childlike eyes glazed over. Queen Ambrosia studied the scroll once more. She sat it on the desk and walked to the edge of the balcony. One hand on the cold stone, the other gripped her blue sapphire stone necklace. She wore a gold and teal blue robe and her delicately woven crown. The anguished cries of her people now sat on numb ears. A small pink hand gripped the lower half of her robes. With the innocence of young age a small girl, gazed up.

"Mommy, what's happening?" Serin asked.

"Oh, my dear little one." The Queen picked up her baby girl. She buried her little girl's teary face into her shoulder. "Shhh shhhh shhh," Queen Ambrosia whispered.

Jerim walked briskly up behind her, his clashing and clanking hidden under booms and crashes from the distance.

"My Queen,"

His heart skipped a beat and he swallowed hard shoving the bile back into his stomach when he saw the little princess in her arms.

"It's time," she whispered.

She could hardly see his bruised face through the heavy shield of tears.

"Is there another way?" he asked.

"There is no other way."

"Alright," he said.

He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her into his embrace. Her long blonde hair tickled his skin. His hand rested on the side of her face. He leaned in, slowly and thoughtfully, he kissed her. She returned his kiss. Just like the one and only time they had been together.

"I love you. I always have," Jerim said.

"I love you too," she said, "I have to tell you something."

"What?"

"Serin is yours, not Mikal's." He pulled back and then, smiled his intoxicating smile. "You're not mad?" she asked, "I'm sorry I never told you."

"Nor should you have."

"Mommy, I'm scared." The tiny voice came as she played nervously with her mother's hair.

Queen Ambrosia studied her daughter's face one last time and said to her gently, "You go with your father."

"Where?"

"Into the sky with the flyers, ok?" she gave her the last kiss she would ever give her.

"But when will I see you again?"

The queen gave Serin to Jerim and he wrapped her in her blanket.

"Go... take her to the wyverns and get her out of here."

He bowed and leaped off the stone carved terrace onto Medrith's back. The Queen sent a furling burst of air under the wyvern throwing them into the sky above. Medrith pulled in her wings and shot through the sky like an arrow. To fight a war was one thing but to give up one's own flesh and blood is another. When the queen could no longer see them, she threw up her arms. Using the islands powers that came from the center of the Teorran Belt, she shouted at the top of her lungs the incantation, drawing the power of the comet into her being.

*****************************************

Gavin's calculated plan turned to a frenzy of rash thoughts and feelings. Everywhere he searched he couldn’t find the scroll. Even with his search spell, it had continued to elude him. He pulled and shoved every book and piece of parchment out of his way. He hurled a massive spell around the room. Glittering strands of text danced and swayed around him and one by one disappeared. The words he longed for were not found. The only words present were those left by the Grand cleric.

Gavin Rhill,

You will never have this scroll as I have destroyed it once and for all.

If you continue your quest you will be met with certain death. FOREVER!

Did you think that you were the only one that could use the comets power?

Grand Cleric Massue

Gavin was shocked out of his delirium with the sudden shift and sensation of falling. He ran to the window, the clouds of dust and smoke began to rise. He slammed his fists on the stone wall.