Looking back to the fortress, Sebastian realized that this hill was the same place he had been standing the last time he had seen Cinaeth and the nearby graveyard. It had been night then, and he had been in shock from everything that had happened. His friend and erstwhile mentor had been killed and, in a rage, he had taken his first life. A life that had turned out to belong to his own father. Cinaeth was an ill-omened place to him, well-deserving of its reputation.
Valeria and Darden bracketed him on either side. She to his right and he to the left, along with three other wizards he’d not seen before. He caught Darden glancing sideways at the Eligius hanging from his neck and over to Valeria, who stood looking over the impending battlefield. “You should have consulted the rest of us, Valeria,” said Darden.
Turning her head towards him, she cocked it to the side, “And how would that have helped matters? We would have spent hours arguing only to come to the same conclusion. I simply bypassed all that and made sure we got a full night sleep, giving him time to come to terms with the idea.”
Sebastian shook his head, “I’m right here,” he muttered.
Darden chuckled, “Indeed you are. But, alas, Valeria is right as she so often is.” One of the other wizards pulled on his sleeve, drawing his attention back to the valley. “Something is happening.
On the valley floor below, four riders were making their way towards Cinaeth. High Councilor Damianus led the way clad in his burgundy robes of office and looking resplendent on a black charger. General Uisdean accompanied him astride a horse loaned to him for the occasion, along with Lord Commander Teoma. Sebastian did not recognize the fourth. He towered over the other two in leather and fur armor, his swarthy complexion glistening in the sun.
Valeria leaned over to whisper in his ear. “That is Guardian Demosthenes. Lord Marcello was quite convincing. The Dragon Guard has allied itself with us.” That explained why the army was so much larger than Sebastian expected. Reputed to be fearsome warriors, the devastation of the Dragon wars had left the Guard without a country. In the aftermath, they swore an oath to protect against the rise of anyone who seeking power to bring such destruction again. Given their recent alliance with the Krenon, Sebastian wondered if they could be trusted in this battle.
A trumpet called out from the walls of Cinaeth and the fortresses’ massive gate opened. The enemy camp riled at the sound like an anthill that had been kicked over. Two figures rode out from the gates. Sebastian recognized the first from the Dazhberg. It was the King’s Herald. With him rode a figure hooded in black robes. Sebastian tensed and Valeria laid a hand on his arm. “Sterling Lex would not reveal himself so openly. It is one of his apprentices.”
The five of them watched as the parley continued and Sebastian could only imagine how that conversation was going. Gabirel and her allies were not going to roll over and submit, the challenge lay in determining how far the King lay under Sterling Lex’s thrall. To Sebastian's way of thinking, the presence of one of Sterling Lex’s minions at the parley was not a good sign.
Looking down, Sebastian focused his attention on the talks. Lord Marcello raised a fist and his horse danced in agitation. Without warning, the dark wizard facing him lifted his hand, releasing a flash of black light. It struck Marcello full in the chest and the man slumped motionless to the ground. Everything froze for a moment and then Guardian Demosthenes screamed out a battle cry, drawing a wicked looking saber. He swung it, muscles rippling with effort as it dug into the dark wizard’s flesh. Blood gushed from the wound and the sorcerer fell to the ground next to Marcello. Seeing what had happened, the army around Cinaeth let out a collective roar of anger.
The King’s Herald shouted something unintelligible from a distance and whirled his horse around, galloping back to Cinaeth while Uisdean and Demothenes gathered up Marcello’s body and draped it across his horse. Lord Damianus stared for a moment at Cinaeth and the army surrounding it before gathering up the reins of Marcello’s horse and leading the party back toward their own lines.
As Damianus and the others passed back over the hill, Gabirel’s spearmen marched into view, forming a line fronting the enemy forces. Behind them a phalanx of archers took up position. Across the valley, Sterling Lex’s army formed up in clumps of warriors by tribe. There was no military order, but their sheer numbers threatened to overwhelm any opposition.
A mass of the enemy surged forward at the sight of the line of spears and closed. Screaming and shouting a challenge, they ran towards the disciplined ranks of soldiers. It was just as the generals had predicted in their councils of war. Sebastian looked back at the archers, anticipating their next move.
Right on schedule, the archers nocked their first flight and released them into the air. Arcing towards the screaming force pounding their way towards Gabirel’s first line of defense, the arrows reached their apogee and fell back towards the earth. Sebastian braced himself for the impact and death that would follow.
It never came. A few feet above the heads of the charging warriors, the arrows impacted an invisible barrier and shattered into splinters that rained harmlessly over the enemy. A cheer rose from the remaining army near Cinaeth and the rest charged after their vanguard that was nearing the thin-looking line of spearmen.
“Damn,” said Darden. “Sterling Lex’s dark wizards must have created a shield to block our arrows.”
“But how?” asked one of the other wizards. “That sort of projection should not be possible under the Ban's constraints.”
“Perhaps it is Sterling Lex himself?” mused one of the others.
Valeria shook her head, “No, he would not spend himself so early in the battle in that way. He has plenty of fodder to throw away within his army. Whatever it is, we must counter it! Sebastian, stand aside for now. The rest of you, focus your energies on bringing down that barrier.”
The three wizards and Darden entered the battle, working to counter the magic guarding the enemy force. Valeria brought up the glowing Sunstone between her hands. A burst of light exploded out and splashed like flame on the shield above Sterling Lex’s army. Sebastian watched as the energy soaked into the shield, burning it away. The archers loosed another flight, this time to their desired effect, just as the mob crashed into the line of spears.
The line held and then realigned as another wave of the enemy washed upon them. With the enemy close, the archers were now picking their targets with more care, and Raginald led a squad of swordsmen into the fray.
Horns sounded and Gabirel’s next gambit came into play. From behind the hills nearest to Sebastian and the wizards, a squadron of mounted knights charged toward the enemy’s flank. Across the valley, a similar contingent of Dragon Guard began their own maneuver, intending to catch the enemy in a pincher movement, while a second group of archers started their own assault now that the shield no longer protected the enemy. Things seemed to be going according to plan, all they had to do was keep the pressure on a numerically superior enemy and hope the wizards could counter any move Sterling Lex might make.
With that thought, Sebastian felt the short-hairs on his neck rising and a tingling ran throughout his entire body. He’d felt that once before while working in his uncle’s field during a storm and knew what was coming. He lunged for Valeria and pulled her to the ground as the hilltop exploded with light and heat.
His ears ringing, Sebastian pulled himself to his knees and looked around, blinking to clear the after-image from his sight. When his vision cleared he saw that Darden was unconscious and two of the wizards were dead, their clothes still smoking. They’d been closest to the bolt when it hit. The third wizard was nowhere in sight, and he turned to check on Valeria. She was not moving, and he scrambled over in a panic, fearing the worst. Her chest moved almost imperceptibly, but it moved. She was alive.
Sebastian rose, hands dangling to either side, the Dragonstone draped about his neck. He looked at it, wondering what to do. In the valley, the battle raged and, in the back of his mind, he knew it was only
a matter of moments before Sterling Lex capitalized on the success of his strike on Uriasz.
“Pull yourself together and do something!” he commanded himself. He grabbed the Dragonstone with both hands and lifted it in front of his face, trying to push power out. There was no response from the stone and he grunted in frustration. That’s when the fireballs started.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Sebastian watched as the first ball of flame exploded amongst the galloping Guardians, scattering them before they could close with the enemy. A second and a third launched out from inside Cinaeth, one crashing in to the squadron of knights, while the other annihilated a contingent of archers. Tears streamed down Sebastian’s face as he tried in vain to tap into the power of the Dragonstone and counter the assault. He was failing and people were dying.
He had to get it together. Closing his eyes, Sebastian began to breathe deeply, trying to calm himself. Shutting out the sounds of the battle, he focused his thoughts on the Dragonstone. If I can only connect with it… he thought. A warmth emanated from the stone gripped between his fingers, but he did not dare hope. Not yet.
He stretched out with his thoughts and will, looking over the battle in his mind’s eye. Another fireball launched into the air. Reaching out through the stone, he gathered up the flame and drew it into himself. The heat rushed through his body, but did not burn him. Another fireball came flying. It was easier now he had done it once. Another came. He had them now. As suddenly as they had begun, the attacks stopped.
Sebastian knew it was a matter of time before the dark wizards devised a new strategy. He needed help. Help. That plea resonated within the Dragonstone, and it sent waves of energy outward across Cynneweald, until they found one who could respond.
Distantly, Sebastian sensed that ancient presence through the Stone. It was foreign and powerful. Help, he repeated. For a time there was no response as it contemplated the battle through its connection to Sebastian’s mind.
I am coming; it said at long last. No other response. Then the connection broke. With a rush, the sound of the battle returned to Sebastian’s awareness, and he opened his eyes. Things were not going well. Before the onslaught of fireballs, the Guardians and Gabirelean Knights had been charging in good array. Now, their horses were scattered and frightened. Many of them had lost their mounts and were fighting on foot. The burned and smoking bodies of archers littered the far hilltop. A handful had survived to continue lobbing missiles into the enemy ranks, but not enough to make a difference.
Realizing their advantage, the mass of Sterling Lex’s army surged forward. The line of spearmen buckled under the weight of the enemy force and pockets of Guardsmen laid about with their swords, islands in a sea of black and grey. Beside him, Valeria stirred and he knelt to help her. “You’re awake! You must do something…the army is falling apart.”
Valeria looked over the battle, and up at Sebastian. “I haven’t the strength. It falls to you Sebastian.”
“But I don’t know what to do. I barely stopped their last attack.”
“You must trust yourself. You have everything you need within you. I believe in you.”
Rising, he turned and gripped the Dragonstone in his right hand, lifting it high. Taking in a deep breath, he tried to connect with the Eligium again. Nothing. He opened his eyes and looked back at Valeria. “You CAN do this…You must believe in yourself!” she said.
Closing his eyes, he reached back out to the stone. There. The thinnest of threads linked him to the stone, and he grabbed hold with all his thought. Pushing out with his will, it manifested as a solid wall of air that forced Sterling Lex’s soldiers back from the lines of battle, giving Gabirel and the Guardians room to regroup.
They took full advantage of the opportunity and a rallying cry rose from the ranks as the dwarves pushed forward from their position in reserve, wielding their heavy axes and moving to support the scattered horsemen. Lord Commander Teoma called for the reserve contingent of spearmen to join the fight. Even the swordmasters in the mix of the battle rallied together. A flash of hair caught the corner of his eye. Krystelle was down there in the midst of battle. He took a step in her direction.
Sebastian felt more that saw it. Sterling Lex’s wizards were preparing another strike. Its nature was not obvious to him, just that it differed from the earlier attacks. Closing his eyes once more, he concentrated on channeling the power within the Dragonstone. A fire burned within him and burst out in a barrage of orange and red, speeding toward Cinaeth. It blasted away the attack forming within the fortress and he knew that the dark wizards within were reeling. They would not be rejoining the fight soon.
A clarion horn rang out from behind him and he turned to find row upon row of warriors dressed in woodland green carrying bright silver swords and mounted on white stallions. At their head rode the wizard Breandan. The one who had disappeared with Cenric. He had not gone to join Sterling Lex after all. Sebastian watched, stunned as the charge swept past his little hillock into the side of Sterling Lex’s army. Breandan broke off and trotted over to join him on the hill. Sebastian stood there, mouth gaping.
“Breandan, it is good to see you,” said Valeria. “Although the manner of your arrival is unexpected.”
Breandan smirked at her as Sebastian watched the elven army engage the enemy. They had gone to war and were turning the tide as the skilled warriors cut their way through the opposition. Valeria nodded, turning to Breandan, “And the Moonstone?”
He cocked an eyebrow, “Ah, yes. The Moonstone. It was necessary to appropriate it if we were going to effect the return of the elves. He pulled the blue-gray stone from his tunic. Breandan continued, “You have the Sunstone and Dragonstone?” Valeria nodded. “Then we can win this. The power of the three stones combined should finish Sterling Lex.”
Sebastian couldn’t take it any more, “But where is Cenric?” he blurted.
Turning to him, Breandan raised one eyebrown. “Your friend was not well, and he was not getting better. Not really. He is safe at Cale Uriasz.”
The wizard had no sooner finished that sentence when Sebastian felt a surge coming from Cinaeth. It washed over both armies and slammed into the small group standing there on the hill. Sterling Lex had joined the fight.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Sterling Lex’s army went berserk. Heedless of any attempt to defend themselves, they hurled into the fray. Hacking, biting, slashing. Individually, they kept on long past the point where their injuries should have taken them out of the battle. Watching, horrified, Sebastian was reminded of the villagers on the road to the Dwarven enclave. Whatever wizardry Sterling Lex was using it turned the people into mindless zombies, intent on death. Once again, the momentum of the battle swayed back in favor of the dark wizard.
Sebastian’s eyes glazed and in his mind’s eye he watched hundreds of black cords sweep out from Cineath and latch onto Sterling Lex’s army. It even extended to the camp-followers who picked up whatever tools lay close to hand as weapons to join the fight. It was the same black cord he had seen before, magnified a thousand-fold. Lex was controlling these people and sending them to their deaths, condemning hundreds of soldiers within Gabirel’s army along with them.
Sebastian lashed out with the power of the Dragonstone, sending it like a scythe to cut the cords and free these people. Razor sharp it cut the tendrils, sending them snapping back to Cinaeth like snakes. Another burst came forth from Cinaeth, and the cords connecting the rest bulged. He called out for Valeria and Breandan to help him.
Leaping to his side, they entered the fray. Bringing the power of the Sunstone and Moonstone they reinforced Sebastian’s attack. Sebastian realized he was fighting something else, something other than Sterling Lex. No, that wasn’t right. There was more than one thing. The dark wizard was tapping into multiple sources of power. One gave him the ability to control the minds of these people. The other…the other gave him the right.
That’s when Sebastian realized he might not win this
fight. It was as if the earth itself was fighting for Sterling Lex, lending him strength and authority. Sebastian was the interloper here. Sebastian was the one in the wrong. How dare you oppose me? The thought rang in his head. I am the Arch-mage. You should submit to my authority before I break you!
“Don’t listen to him!” Breandan shouted. “He’s a liar.”
But he is the Arch-mage, thought Sebastian.
“Yes,” said Valeria, as if she heard his thoughts. “He is the Arch-mage, but he has no true right to that office. He is a usurper and we have the right to deny him.”
Sebastian redoubled his efforts, pouring even more into the lines of force striking out at the black cords. It was no use, for every cord he cut, two stretched out from Cinaeth, retaking the minds he had freed. In the meanwhile, people were dying. He needed something more, something to distract Sterling Lex and to give a shock to those people.
I am coming. The voice came out of nowhere. It was the same voice he had sensed earlier when he first tapped into the Dragonstone. I will be the distraction you need.
Who are you?
I am the storm. I am the fire. I am the ancient one. I am Cadeyrn Seaghda. Be ready.
Ready for what? Sebastian wondered. Beside him, Valeria grabbed his arm. “What is that?”
Looking up, Sebastian saw a familiar shape in the sky. “It’s a dragon,” he breathed. They watched in awe as the beast swooped toward the field of battle, its scales glistening in the sun. The creature reached out with it claws as it neared the armies and let out a bellowing screech, followed by a stream of fire from its maw that tore through Sterling Lex’s army. Banking way, it circled once and dove for another strike.
Now Sebastian!
Blinking, Sebastian tore his eyes away from the magnificent creature and realized that the cords connecting the masses to Sterling Lex had grown thin. This was his chance! Reaching deep into the Dragonstone, Sebastian struck at the cords with every ounce of strength he had, severing them and sending the frayed ends careening back towards Cinaeth.
Soulstone (Eligium Series Book 4) Page 12
