“You monster,” Anna muttered angrily, still unable to stand.
“Monster? You do not understand, Anna. I am far from that. I exist to stop monsters, to bind them to my will. I bring order to savage lands and fortify them for what is to come. If you fools cut me off from this world, then every beast here will lose itself in animalistic hedonism. Only under my control can my thralls function in an orderly fashion,” Xerannu’s voice boomed, bursts of warm odd-smelling wind coming from the portal.
“Liar! You are the one giving into your primal urges!” Garon yelled, running to Anna.
As he helped her stand, Anna felt hope return. Gazing into Garon’s eyes, she knew she had other reasons to continue the fight now. She touched her hand to her stomach, knowing Fredrik would live on only if she survived. It took a moment, but she finally regained her composure, realizing Fredrik had been lost the moment they assaulted the portal.
Xerannu did not respond, and the large sword-stabbed Horror ran full speed at Anna. She took Garon’s hand and looked into his eyes once more. Becca, Goreth, and Seer Mordou ran to her, all linking hands. Together, they could easily defeat any foe.
As the rabid Horror sprinted towards them, others began to pour from the portal. Xerannu chuckled deeply as he watched the mortals hold hands. He did not realize they were readying to use their power in perfect unison.
As Anna let loose her wrath of holy magic, so did her allies. Together, they emitted a godly beam of holy magic that pierced through every Horror in front of them, instantly obliterating them into ash. Even Anna’s old sword stuck inside the Horror vanished, caught in the incredible beam. The light continued until it struck the portal, and as it did, they lifted their arms to bring it to the center of the shimmering mass. At first, nothing happened beyond the slight wavering of the portal, but the Horrors did stop emerging, and a golden light wisped around the portal.
“Why is nothing happening?” Becca asked.
“I-I don’t know. This should work. We should have the power. Unless…” Seer Mordou began, almost looking pale form his own thought.
“Unless what?” Garon asked.
“Unless we need mages on both sides of the portal,” Seer Mordou answered grimly.
As he voiced his thought, their torrent of magic ceased. They all immediately knew the implication of such a thing. They knew whoever went through would be going on a one-way trip. Despite this, Anna was the first to volunteer.
“I will go through,” Anna declared, her decision already made.
“Then I will go with you,” Garon quickly added.
“What? No, Anna, I will go,” Becca insisted.
“No, I will!” Goreth urged.
As they began to bicker, Chieftain Barod and Titus joined the argument. Anna knew they were wasting time and grabbed Garon’s hand. She led him towards the portal, ready to put an end to Xerannu if this was what it took. As they walked, Garon stopped her and looked into her eyes.
“I will follow you anywhere,” Garon softly said, his eyes almost glimmering with holy magic.
“Good,” Anna said with a small smile.
She held Garon’s hands tightly, looking into his eyes. Then, without delay, she continued towards the portal that led to an unknown world. They didn’t stop as the others yelled, and just as she reached the portal, Seer Mordou ran to them.
“I am joining you. The power of us three will be enough to fend for ourselves. We shall leave the rest of our troops to Becca and Goreth,” Seer Mordou explained as he walked past them.
“Wait!” a voice boomed.
Anna turned to see Chieftain Barod standing nearby, his muscular old form looking tired. Titus joined him as well, crossing his muscular armored arms. She quickly ran back to him, wanting to say goodbye to her clan.
“Anna, your sacrifices will not be forgotten. You are a true Narsho,” Chieftain Barod declared as he shook her hand. “Titus, what do you think?”
“I would be honored to share the title,” Titus said with a hearty smile.
“What do you mean?” Anna asked as she shook Titus’s hand.
“Anna Myhre, I grant you the honor of Champion of the Narsho Clan. May you fight boldly for our people, and may you know victory!” Chieftain Barod smiled with satisfaction. “You deserve it.”
“If we somehow make it out of these forests, I will tell tales of Champion Anna, the Holy Warrior,” Titus chuckled darkly, knowing deep inside it was unlikely.
“And I will tell my child tales of Champion Titus the Brave and the honorable Chieftain Barod,” Anna replied, beaming at the honor.
“Then go, Champion, and let us end this,” Chieftain Barod ordered kindly.
Anna nodded and ran back to the others. Garon took her hand, and they walked towards the portal. Seer Mordou did not hesitate as he stepped through, vanishing from sight. Small golden flecks jumped from the shimmering air where he had entered.
“Are you ready?” Garon asked.
“Yes.”
The two quickly ran through the portal, and Anna felt a brief flash of power surge through her body. There was a strange light, and a moment later she emerged, her vision blurry. She and Garon still held on to each other, inseparable to the magic.
It took her a moment to regain her senses, but instantly realized they were no longer in their own realm of Forthoton. Afflicted trees stood close in the distance, but they were strange in shape, thick at the base and thinned towards the top, their branches looped and strange. While they were still covered by the affliction of Xerannu, they were definitely not the trees of their home.
“Where could we possibly be?” Garon wondered, grabbing Anna’s hand a little tighter.
“Come! We must close the portal!” Seer Mordou yelled, readying himself as he faced the portal.
Anna and Garon quickly ran to him, Anna taking the man’s hand. She waited for instruction, knowing this was the Seer’s area of expertise. As she looked around, she found it odd there were no Horrors nearby.
“Focus every drop of power you have! We will bring this portal down from both sides!” Seer Mordou yelled.
Together, they streamed unrivaled power at the portal, their three beams of magic conjoining into one. Sparks of blue and gold fell from it as it struck the dark portal, making a cacophony of bizarre sounds. This time, their efforts were not in vain.
The portal began to waver, its entire shimmering form waving like a flag in the wind. Slowly, it began to shrink down from the sky, pops of red and green coming from the portal like pustules of an infection being purged. As it happened, Anna began to feel triumphant. The portal trembled and collapsed on itself, the shimmering of its existence rapidly falling from the sky. Then, a moment later, it erupted in energy. The three quickly enveloped themselves in holy magic, which shielded them from the eruption. The burst of energy lasted a few seconds, toppling afflicted trees and ripping the fleshy covering from the ground around them. Finally, when it was over, they felt a presence around them. Anna realized it was Xerannu.
“You fools! You will pay dearly for this!” Xerannu boomed. “You may have removed me from your world, but you will never remove my gift! Now, you are stuck here with me.”
“The portal is closed!” Seer Mordou yelled in victory.
“We’ve done it!” Garon beamed.
“But he’s still out there. Wherever we are,” Anna said grimly.
She turned and let go of Garon’s hand as she prepared herself for battle. She was exhausted, but they were not done yet. Strange looking Horrors began to gather at the tree line. They almost looked like humans, but with odd faces. They had sharp, oddly shaped blades and wore strange armor. However, their red eyes gave away their allegiance to Xerannu.
“Our fight is not over yet,” Seer Mordou said, readying himself.
“No, but we can take solace in knowing our people are safe,” Garon added.
“That is all I ever wanted,” Anna said with a small smile.
“Then come, let us continue the f
ight against Xerannu for as long as we can,” Seer Mordou said, looking proudly at the two mages next to him.
As the afflicted beings from the forest charged them, Anna readied herself, ready to do whatever it took to bring her friends and her unborn child to safety, filled with triumphant hope, knowing Xerannu could be beaten, and that her people were safe. Now, she had an even greater reason to fight, which only strengthened her resolve in the face of her enemy.
Anna and Garon took each other’s hands as Seer Mordou prepared himself, standing together against Xerannu’s thralls.
***
Chieftain Barod fought with every last bit of energy he had, taking down one Horror after another as the ritual continued. He was exhausted, and his old body couldn’t take the exertion. As he looked at his army, he saw only twenty or so warriors remaining, all of them Narsho. The sight tore at his heart, but seeing Titus continue to strike down their enemies filled him with some hope.
“Back! Closer to our mages!” Chieftain Barod yelled.
The tired warriors followed his orders, and they moved back to be only feet in front of the mages. Chieftain Barod was proud of his people, of everyone who had fought such a vicious foe. However, their losses were immense, and he knew they would likely not escape.
“Look!” Goreth yelled from behind him, channeling fierce magic.
“Yes! It’s collapsing!” Becca cheered.
Chieftain Barod turned to watch the portal collapse. It was violent, even showing malice as it fell. As it did, the Horrors that had been assaulting them shrieked and fell to the ground, clenching their heads.
“They’re stopping. They look to be in pain,” Titus said in bewilderment.
“That is either a very good, or very bad thing,” Chieftain Barod grumbled.
The portal erupted in an explosive fashion, and the energy burst out in all directions. Becca and Goreth tried their best to shield their comrades against it, barely being able to do so. Still, they managed to hold on. The terrible energies tore apart the Horrors that had surrounded the portal, leaving them not much more than a gooey mess on the newly revealed dirt. Trees along the edge of the forest exploded, splintering harshly as energy tore them to pieces. The wave finally stopped, revealing great carnage around them.
“It’s over,” Titus whispered.
Chieftain Barod watched as the dead whose bodies remained intact began to rise, warping into nasty Horrors. However, this time their eyes glowed green, not red. He watched a nearby Narsho rise into such a Horror, and he felt sickened.
“No, I don’t believe it is,” Chieftain Barod added.
The creatures began to cry out like the most primal of beings and attacked each other. More emerged from the forest, drawn in by the explosion. Now, all the afflicted eyes glowed green, and looked more primal than they did tormented. As some noticed the group, they charged toward them. The ones that didn’t fight each other attacked the humans like wild animals.
“The fight isn’t over!” Chieftain Barod boomed.
He looked back to see Becca and Goreth exhausted, sharing a long kiss. Finally, they strode forth together, ready to use their holy power until the end. They held each other’s hands, both of their eyes filled with golden determination.
“I will fight by your side until the end, Chieftain,” Titus pledged, saluting his chieftain.
“I wouldn’t have anyone else,” Chieftain Barod replied, knowing the end was near.
Swarmed by primal beasts, they would fight until the very end. While the Horrors now fought each other, their numbers were still too great. Not only that, but they fought with a newfound independence, almost random rage that made them harder to incapacitate. Still, they defeated numerous foes as they tried to escape the afflicted forest.
Chieftain Barod watched as Titus protected him to the bitter end, swinging his greatsword with everything he had. Finally, he was out of energy, and his armor and large weapon slowed him too much. He dropped to his knees, fighting off the primal beasts with his hands. One last time, Titus, the Narsho Champion saluted his chieftain.
Unsure of where Goreth and Becca had gone, Chieftain Barod knew his time was next. Despite this, he fought bravely, not giving in. He knew that with each kill, their old land would be that much safer.
Chieftain Barod’s final thoughts were of Herold Wooll, knowing his friend’s sacrifice had helped them save their realm. At least now Xerannu had been cut off, and their people sailing south would make it. As he fell, the great Narsho Chieftain was not afraid, for he was filled with too much pride for his people. Not just the Narsho, but for the Forud, Linta, and Ancient Clans. United as one, they had defeated the worst foe they had ever seen. Together, they had been victorious.
***
After the incredible explosion in the far distance, the Horrors began to turn on each other, eyes glowing green with newfound madness. Valon’s father lost his focus and the barrier began to collapse. It slowly fell, golden light imploding on itself and searing the ground beneath it. He smiled, knowing he had given them enough time to escape. Not only that, but he could feel the flows of magic change, meaning the portal had been closed. They had won.
Valon’s father fell onto his old knees, dropping the silver staff by his side. He was beyond exhausted, and his old skin had begun to turn white. He knew his time had come and watched as a primal Horror turned to him with nasty interest. But then something happened, stopping the Horror from getting its meal. A golden light enveloped Valon’s father’s entire body. He felt warm, safe, and happy. As his vision faded, he swore he could see golden winged people descend from above.
“I love both of you,” Valon’s father whispered with one final smile as his body was taken from their realm.
And so, his body ascended to the heavens, his sacrifices having not gone unnoticed. Nothing remained of him where he had kneeled previously, except for Hyria’s staff. Still infused with holy magic, the staff would remain untouched for much time; Valon’s father would not be the last to wield the powerful artifact.
Epilogue
Coated in a layer of otherworldly fog, Valon could make out a trio of heroes. They stood in unison, proof of success lying behind their back. Surrounded by new foes, they prepared for the worst. He squinted as shadows appeared on the ground in front of them, and then noticed something soared above them, diving to the ground. As the leathery birdlike shadows descended towards the trio, he watched in interest, but then the sound of creaking wood startled him, and he watched as the image before him clouded in impenetrable fog.
Valon shot up from his slumber, breathing heavily. He looked around his quarters, searching for a trio that wasn’t there. He slowly stood, seeing that light shone through the windows of his small cabin. Above he could hear footsteps, remembering where he was. He felt exhausted, having expended every droplet of energy he had to save as many as he could from Xerannu’s influence. Fortunately, very few succumbed to their wounds, although Valon still hated not being able to save them all. He stretched, then approached the door.
He walked from the stale room into salty air, taking a deep breath. He rubbed his eyes, trying to make sense of his vision. It was difficult to discern anything from it, but he thought one of the trio was Seer Mordou. If anything, it was a sign he was still alive.
“Good morning,” a familial voice calmly called out to him.
Valon looked across the deck to see Guard Captain Jarult leaning over the ship’s railing, and next to him were Olaf and his own mother. He walked over, his mind slowly awakening.
“Hello, Seer,” Olaf smiled.
“Hello, everyone,” Valon replied, wondering how long they had been awake.
“Valon, now that we have a moment, thank you for saving me,” Jarult thanked, extending his hand toward his Seer.
“Don’t thank me; I should thank you for putting your life on the line to buy me—to buy everyone—time,” Valon replied, shaking the man’s hand.
“Of course. Anything for our people,” Jarult
answered proudly.
Valon knew they had been successful. As they had sailed away from their land days ago, they all had seen the explosion in the far, far distance. Not only that, but he could sense how the flows of magic had changed; the portal had closed, and their world was safe. However, he could still sense the lingering, dangerous biotic magic of Xerannu from their land and knew it would never be the same. They could not return, as it was too dangerous. He did not dare to try to use his power to look back at their land, not yet.
“I wonder if any of them live,” Olaf said somberly.
“I believe at least three do, my former master included. Perhaps once I have the energy and once we reach dry land, I will perform a ritual of farsight,” Valon replied.
“How far is land?” Jarult asked.
“I will not lie, I do not know. Weeks, months, regardless we have the supplies if we ration well. We will endure; I can see it,” Valon answered, looking at the many ships around them.
“Very good. Come, Olaf, let us check in with our ship’s captain,” Jarult suggested, patting the old shaman on the back.
Olaf nodded and the two walked away, leaving Valon alone with his mother. He could tell she was melancholy, reminding him he hadn’t had a chance to mourn for his father. Now that he had time and energy, his father’s death hit him harder than before.
“I will miss your father greatly,” Valon’s mother smiled, tears trickling down her face.
“I know. I will too,” Valon added, hugging his mother.
“He is so proud of you; we both are. Our son, Seer of the Ancient Clan. No, Seer of the Allied Clans. You have a great task before you, Son, but I have no doubt you can deliver our people to their new home,” Valon’s mother said, looking out into the ocean.
As Valon glanced over the great oceans none of his people had ever seen before today, he knew she was right. He had been tasked with the survival of all humans, of all clans except the Highrock. Before he had become the Seer and been given holy magic, he would have dreaded such a moment of importance, but now as he gazed out toward where their new home lay, he felt absolute confidence, the strength of holy magic coursing through him. His gold eye glowed brightly.
Rise of the Champions Page 30
