by Sharon Gibbs
Months ago the lonely seed which Finch had dropped in the wizard’s enclave had eventually come to rest in a crevice of the mountain. The essence of the tree drove through the stone as it sought out the small seed. Struck with the force, the shell cracked and it was flicked out of its resting place into the rushing water below. Floating in the turbulent liquid it was swept downstream away from the Keep, and out past the village of Canistar.
The seed came to rest in the side of the muddy river bank and a crow searching for a morsel to eat pecked at the seed. Deciding it was a treasure found, the bird picked up the tasty morsel and flew off, but another crow came to challenge its find and careened into its path. The crow dropped the seed as it fought back and the newly sprouted shoot fell onto the bank. It bounced as it hit the earth and the shoot came to rest where its root hooked into the soil. Using the spark of its origin and the energy within itself, the sprout pushed out shoots. It struggled to find stability and its small green leaves flailed around as it searched for more nourishment. The late afternoon rays shone upon the seed and it shot up an inch. The tree had regenerated itself and now it just had to survive.
The Tree of Life in the valley beyond the stony glades became still and quietened to hold on to its remaining life force until the new tree had had time to establish. Soon its time would come to an end, but for now the tree would lie dormant and continue to provide the realm with its gift for as long as it could.
Christopher coughed and spluttered as the life giving air invaded his lungs.
‘Christopher!’ Elle cried out as she saw the signs of life return to his body. ‘Lay still, you’re injured.’ She grasped his head and wiped the blood away from his mouth while Henry set his magic to work. He thrust his power once again into his grandson’s body and let it roam to heal the man.
‘I’ve done all I can. It’s now up to your essence, son. Finish the healing process,’ Henry said as he sat back on his heels, exhausted. He turned to look towards their army and saw that they’d retreated some distance from where they’d last held the front line.
Elle leant forward and kissed her beloved tenderly while her tears flowed and blended with the mire and blood smeared on his face.
‘My love,’ Christopher said. ‘I need you to return to the Keep.’
‘No, Christopher. I’ll not leave your side again. I nearly lost you, and I couldn’t bear it if something were to happen to you and I wasn’t here.’
Christopher winced as he sat up and grasped her arm. ‘I’m not asking if you will go. I’m telling you. We’ll not be able to hold Zute and his army at bay for much longer. When Zute overruns us, his army of death will flood through the pass and head east.’
‘We’ll stop him, Christopher. We’ll think of something,’ Elle pleaded.
‘I’m sorry, Elle, but I doubt it,’ he said. ‘And if we all die here there will be no other to warn the people of the plague that will spread.’
‘He’s right, my girl,’ Henry said. The odds they faced were not in their favour and he knew they couldn’t defeat the Dark Lord. ‘Take Clarence and return home. Tell him he needs to call the Guardians from the mountain. Go into the village and gather everyone, bring them to the Keep. It will be the only safe refuge for you all. Clarence knows what needs to be done. We were taught what to do in times of trouble, and this time, we shall be prepared.’
‘What about Jack?’
‘I’ll tell him you’ve returned home. His mind will be eased knowing you’re away from here, safe,’ Christopher said.
Accepting his words Elle nodded and her eyes filled with tears and threatened to over flow. Christopher released her arm and enfolded her in his. ‘It’s alright, my love. This needs to be done for the good of all,’ he said and as he drew away from her he kissed her farewell. ‘Now go, Elle. Be strong and don’t look back.’
She flew into his arms again and held him a moment. Rising to her feet she embraced Henry. ‘Be safe and I will see you all when you arrive home. Until then we shall hold the Keep and wait for your return.’
Henry smiled at her. He knew within her she had the courage and strength to see it done. ‘Be safe, Elle, until we see you again.’
Elle set off to collect Clarence while the two wizards made their way towards her brother, the Captain of Solencia’s army.
Elle sped towards her friend. He stood back from the main battle as he continuously conjured his magic. It spurted in fits and starts and only intermittently could he provide any decent impact upon the invading force.
‘Clarence! Clarence!’
As the wizard heard her call out, he stopped his conjuring. ‘Is he alright? Was Christopher injured?’
‘He is healed and has ordered us to return to the Keep.’
‘Now? But we’re needed here.’
‘We need to return to protect the people. Henry said you’re to resurrect the Guardians.’
‘Gracious me!’ He closed his eyes and concentrated, and drawing deep within himself he managed to cast a whirlwind of light. It soared from his hands and shot into the air in a concentric stream. As it sped towards their enemy it split the oncoming group into shards and the sparks of light sought out the resurrected dead giving his friends respite from their constant onslaught. ‘Child, there’s no time to waste. We must hurry,’ he said and they both turned and sped off towards the horses.
Henry rushed forward, exterminating the dark creatures who endlessly droned on towards the fray of the battle. Singling them out, he cast his power with deadly force. Crackling bolts of lightning shot from his hands to shatter and ignite the dry material where the souls of the risen dead where housed. The creatures were torn asunder, and bursting into flames, their dissected cases flailed upon the ground. Burning limbs soared through the air to ignite others, their tinder dry shells combusting with the touch of their comrades burning extremities.
Christopher struggled as he slashed his way through the bewitched attackers to make his way towards Jack. His sword cut, decapitated, maimed and annihilated the spirited dry carcasses as he went.
Jack looked to his right to see Christopher approach, and moving towards him, they both retreated away from the ensuing horde to fall back behind their army’s front line.
‘Are you alright? Where’s Elle?’
‘I’ve sent her and Clarence home,’ Christopher said.
Jack looked back and as he did he saw three figures galloping into the pass. He was relieved that his sister was away from this madness. She’d be safe back at the Keep. His worry for her could be put from his mind and he could get on with the task at hand.
‘Who else went with them?’
‘I don’t know. I only told her to take Clarence home,’ Christopher said. ‘One of the men must have accompanied them. They’ll need all the help they can get ushering the people to the Keep. Jack, we’ll not be able to hold this horde for long. We need to leave too. Night is coming and with it we’ll be easy pickings for the beasts. I think the time has come for us to retreat. I don’t know how we can manage it.’
‘We need to get the men into the pass and barricade the passage to keep the evil on this side, while we regroup,’ Jack said. ‘Take Peter and James, head for the mouth. Have them construct a barrier.’
‘Out of what?’ Christopher asked as he held is hands wide with exasperation.
‘Henry,’ Jack called to the wizard. ‘Henry!’ he yelled louder to get the wizard’s attention. Jack gestured to get the man to move towards them.
‘Captain. What is it?’ Henry asked as he hobbled over.
‘We’re falling back. I need you and Christopher to head back to the crag. I’ll send a dozen men to help you construct a barrier. Use whatever means you have to, earth, wind, fire or water. I don’t care how you do it, but it needs to be done if we’ve any chance of keeping them locked on this side.’
‘Fire,’ Henry mumbled. ‘Yes they’re susceptible to fire. Come along, lad, we’ve much to do,’ the old wizard said as he hurried away.
Christopher stared after his grandfather. What was the man thinking?
‘I’ll gather the soldiers and have them meet you at the pass,’ Jack said and then he left Christopher and strode off to let his men know.
Christopher made his way towards Peter and James. He needed to fend off the strays which had broken through the ranks.
‘Come, lads. We need to help Henry,’ he said to his friends as he helped separate them from the grotesque monsters who attacked them without pause.
‘You look terrible,’ Peter said. ‘Christopher, are you alright?’
‘I’m better than I was half an hour ago and my headache is gone.’ He grinned at his friends.
As they arrived at the pass, those already there had set to work following Henry’s instructions and they heaved on the ropes lashed to the spindly saplings, bending them down to the ground.
Chapter Forty-eight
The earth pounded under their feet as Elle and Clarence ran towards the pass. Goodwin stayed behind his army, picking off the individuals who’d managed to encroach their line of defence protecting his army’s rear. As he hacked a torso to open its casing and release the inner spirit, Elle and the wizard dashed past him. Alerted, he left the dissected corpse and chased after them.
‘Quickly, Elle,’ Clarence urged the girl as she seated herself upon her mount. ‘We must be away from the forest before the night draws in.’
‘Wait!’ Goodwin yelled to them.
‘We’ve no time to lose lad,’ Clarence said as Goodwin rushed towards them. ‘We need to return home and give warning of Zute’s evil force.’
Goodwin was no fool. He knew the pressure they faced just to hold their line of defence and he also knew they couldn’t hold them at bay forever. ‘I’ll go with you,’ he said.
‘No, Christopher needs you here,’ Elle said.
‘No, Elle. If he’s ordered you home then I know he has good reason. I will ride with you both to provide protection. Clarence, you know your magic is on the blink and there’s no guarantee it will work when you need it most. Elle, you are but one with a sword, two are better odds if you should happen to meet with trouble. I am coming with you. There is safety in numbers,’ Goodwin said as he mounted his steed. He turned his horse towards the pass. ‘Let us be gone,’ he said and then he kicked his mount and sped off through the passage.
<><><>
A dozen soldiers stacked the lighter trees between the heavier trunks which Henry and Christopher had to blast from the sides of the pass and guide their fall into place. The forest loomed to the west and the soldiers could hear the beast’s dash through its canopy yapping and snarling at each other as their excitement built with the sinking sun.
Jack and his men held the encroaching creatures at bay but as each one fell, the army was gradually pushed back towards the pass. Empty sarcophaguses littered the mud as the shells of the bewitched were hacked apart and piled on each other in a mass of decayed foliage. As Jack swung his sword to lop off the arm of the creature in front of him, another grabbed him from behind. Pinned by the creature, his sword became useless and his one-armed attacker snarled and reached out to tear at his exposed flesh. Jack leant forward to gather some leeway and then flung his torso back. As he did he smashed his shoulders and skull into the creature behind him and for a second the creature’s grip was released. That was all Jack needed to free himself, and he ducked and twisted out of his captive’s grasp. He then slashed and hacked at the creature who’d held him and reaching forward he gripped the one armed one by the jaw. With his hand inserted in the creature’s mouth he hacked off its other arm. He then yanked down and tore the jaw from its head. Finally, using both hands, he swung his sword and cleaved the creature in two.
Jack looked around frantically. His army had been divided and the enemy swelled between the two groups. He could hear the screams of his soldiers as they were overrun and torn apart by the over whelming number of foes. He gave the order to fall back and his men fought their retreat towards the pass. Bolts of lightning whipped through their midst and exploded. Zute thrust his power forth as he realized he wasn’t just winning, but his enemy was trying to flee.
‘Fall back!’ Jack yelled as he dashed along the line, letting his men know they had done enough. As they evaded their attackers they retreated. Once clear of their slower enemy they legged it towards the pass.
‘Now, Henry!’ Jack yelled as the last of his men climbed along the sides of the pass and jumped to safety behind the mass of felled trees which blocked the main part of the entrance. Henry struck out with his gift to ignite the barrier. Christopher stood on the slope to keep an eye on the approaching horde. His keen eyes watched as the mob continued forward and in the distance he could see Zute headed their way. The resurrected dead reached the barrier of trees which should have been aflame by now, but when Henry cast his magic, nothing happened. Again he thrust his magic forth to no avail.
‘What’s wrong?’ Christopher yelled down to his grandfather.
‘I seem to have a short circuit.’ Henry shook his hands and then cracked his knuckles. ‘Come on old hands, do your thing,’ he mumbled to himself.
The wooden-encased creatures began to climb the structure followed by another wave who’d made it to the base. As these hideous monsters climbed up the obstruction, they not only grabbed at the trunks and branches to hoist themselves up, but at each other as well. Oblivious to all around them, they pulled their fellow comrades from the wall of timber as each tried to make their way up and over.
‘Henry, hurry up!’ Christopher roared.
The barrier shook and shuddered as the resurrected scrambled up and others tumbled back down to its base.
‘Come on hands,’ Henry said as he rubbed them together and he closed his eyes as he sent forth his essence. The air around Henry sizzled as a red hot blinding heat flew from his fingertips and shot into the midst of the barricade. It streaked into the interior and as the fire blasted the pile, it ignited it into a mass of roaring flame. As the flames danced higher the stack of timber caught alight. Fire soared up from the centre to shoot through the heap, and just as one of the resurrected reached the top of the structure it was engulfed in flames. It flailed around as it caught light and tumbled down the near side towards Henry to lie at the bottom in a smouldering heap. The wizard jumped back as the burning cocoon fell forwards and tumbled to the foot of the wall.
‘Come, grandfather,’ Christopher said as he took the old man’s arm. ‘We need to be away from this place.’
Emerging from the opposite end of the pass, Jack and the wizards gathered. ‘Jack, it will be safer if you take the army north and head for the coast,’ Henry said. ‘Zute shouldn’t follow you. I will conceal your tracks as much as I can. If you start towards the ocean there is a route that heads through the mountains, towards the Keep. I will send a party out to look for you when we arrive home. It will take you a little longer but with so many men it’s the safest way.’
‘Take care of Elle,’ Jack said as he shook Christopher’s hand.
‘You know I will, Jack.’ Christopher then embraced his friend in farewell. ‘Be safe and we shall see you soon.’
Jack took his army and headed out northeast, away from the forest where the creatures still screamed to be released into the coming darkness. Christopher helped Henry obscure the army’s tracks and then they cut across the plain and met up with Peter, James and the dozen soldiers that would accompany them on their journey home.
As they travelled towards Canameer the sun didn’t descend beyond the horizon and both of the wizards knew they were blessed with such an occurrence. Henry mentioned nothing about it to his grandson. They had enough problems already, and he hoped the price they would have to pay would not be too great.
Christopher led them towards Canameer. Being the largest inhabited place between them and the Keep, he knew they would have no trouble exchanging their horses there. It was also imperative he speak with the leader of the garrison stationed ther
e, to warn them in case Zute should travel their way.
Entering the town the group made their way towards the livery where the horses could be stabled and cared for until they could return for them. Ormond, the owner of the livery, was a rather plump man with a rosy complexion. He was only too happy to exchange their horses but he did charge quite a steep fee to stable and care for theirs. He knew the price was too much, but Christopher couldn’t argue with the man because he also knew his mare couldn’t travel the distance home after the gruelling journey she’d already made and so they’d really had no choice but to pay.
With a new mount Christopher paid a visit to the garrison of Canameer while Henry stopped by to give Hank warning.
<><><>
Zute strode down the valley and into the basin. He was close enough to blast the inferno and send it skywards. ‘Run! Run as fast as you can! For night will fall soon, and with the setting of the sun my beasts will roam!’ Zute sent a bolt to obliterate the obstruction and it flew through the air to disperse not only the fiery wall but his creatures as well. The souls of his army spun out and soared back to the veil as the heap exploded in all directions. He turned and marched back towards the veil. As he passed more of his resurrected creatures he stopped.
‘Royston!’ One of the creatures stopped to look at him. ‘Gather your men and head for the Keep! I’ll meet you there soon.’
Captain Royston Hark had been one of Arnak’s keenest officers. There had been no task he could not complete, and Zute would now use this knowledge to his advantage. The captain growled his understanding and began to yowl in an eerie tone. The mob stopped and turned to look at him. He held up his twig encrusted arm and made a circling motion, and the group moved to shuffle together. He grunted twice more and the bewitched men formed a semblance of order, just as they had when they’d been the armed force of Reist.
