by Eden Redd
Will stood up, ready to end it when the light died between the two women. Bridget’s limbs shook before her legs turned to jelly. Falling, she hit the ground hard. Tendrils of smoke rose up from Val’s blood tentacle and her body. The tentacle loosened and Val fell to her knees, huffing as the pain subsided.
Will closed the distance and fell to Val’s side. The pale beauty turned her head and gave him a weak smile.
“Draygon showed me how to manipulate my blood,” the vampire sighed.
The hidden door trembled, cracks growing larger. Onika sat up, rubbing her head. The shadow elf looked to the door, her red eyes widening.
“We have to get out of here,” Will said as he helped Val to her feet.
Val looked down to the crumpled Bridget, “We will, but we’re taking her with us.”
***
Arrows fell like deadly rain. Morgan pressed his body close to the rim, arrows missing his head by inches. Sil and Stella hugged the wall while Jessica lifted up her crossbow. Dark elves stayed close, fear and anger blending together into a small amount of courage. The vibrations of marching boots reached acute senses. The elves were approaching and Morgan knew the battle was going to go badly. Despite every strategy he came up with, it seemed they didn’t have a chance of overcoming such a disciplined force.
Morgan looked to his friends, knowing he couldn’t say anything or moral would drop. The black-eyed man remained silent, sword in hand and ready to sacrifice his life if he could afford them an escape. He mulled it over as the elves approached. At the right time, he would order the retreat while fighting to his dying breath.
Jessica saw the blank gaze in Morgan’s eyes, knowing full well he was going to rush into a battle they couldn’t win. She gripped her crossbow tighter, mentally readying herself to fight. She had been on this world for barely over a day and now death was coming for all of them.
Sil readied herself to use her abilities. If it was a fight the elves wanted, it was a fight they were going to get.
Stella’s mind drifted to Will. Regrets swirled along her mind’s eye, not sure she would have the chance to heal him of his rage and bring peace across many universes. The witch gave a silent prayer to Samhain, ready to use every drop of her power to keep the enemy at bay as her friends tried to escape.
The sound of elves approached and the small group of friends and dark elves readied to repel the invaders.
Jessica glanced back just as three figures rushed them. Finger falling on the trigger, she turned her upper body and pulled the trigger. A crossbow bolt darted forward and sank into Thorrin’s arm just as he lifted his hammer to strike down Sil from behind. The kobold turned and raised a claw, a blast of air striking the paladin and sending him sprawling onto his back.
Chaos erupted as Faye shot forward like a bullet at Stella. The witch managed to turn around as the elf’s knee slammed into her stomach. Bending forward, Stella’s eyes were wide before Faye spun around, lifted her leg and brought her heel down on the back of Stella’s head. The witch crashed into the floor, stone floor cracking from the strike.
Renner charged, short sword in hand. Jessica was reloading when the rogue aimed the point of the blade for Jessica’s chest. Another sword flashed, Renner’s blade clashing with Morgan’s sword. The black-eyed man was silent as a heart attack as he threw his shoulder into it, driving Renner back. Both men faced off for a second before swords swung and clashed, sparks flying.
Dark elves looked to the small group fighting and were about to lend aid when arrows fell once again. Faye’s arms moved in a whirlwind, the air swirling and knocking away arrows from the air. Stella pushed herself up and was rewarded with Faye’s heel slamming into her back. The force was strong enough to crack bone, but the witch sighed her contempt. Forcing herself up, Faye’s heel slammed into her again and again before blue fire erupted.
The tanned wood elf leapt away as ghost fire shot out. Stella struggled back to her feet, bones mending as she poured on blue fire. Faye moved, body bending and twisting away from the flames.
Thorrin sat up, arrow in his shoulder. Taking hold, he pulled it out, threw it aside and stood up. Sil blasted through the air at the paladin. Thorrin hefted his hammer and swung it wide. A white spear formed in Sil’s hands and white armor glowed along her body. Hammer and spear struck one another. The kobold stabbed out with quick, expert strikes, keeping the paladin off balance. Thorrin tried to plant his feet so he could deliver powerful blows, impressed by the tenacity of the small kobold.
Morgan and Renner sliced and parried each other’s blows like dueling artists. Neither could gain an edge over the other. Morgan moved swiftly, remaining patient as Renner bounced around like an acrobat. Sparks showered in all directions as the two moved with expert grace and power. Swords parried and both men glared at each other.
“Just give up,” Renner pleaded with a smirk.
Morgan’s brow hardened before his boot smashed into Renner’s knee. The rogue’s eyes widened before Morgan’s sword stabbed into his gut.
“No,” Morgan said before he activated his Ice Stab attack.
Renner’s eyes widened impossibly large as a thick ice blade stabbed through his midsection and appeared out of his lower back. Renner cursed before the ice blade sank in. Blood spilled and the rogue took several steps back.
“No…not like this,” Renner said with an amused smirk before falling to his knees.
Morgan lifted his sword, ready to deal the killing blow when Faye soared at him, leg out and blue flames following her. Morgan shifted away but wasn’t fast enough, Faye’s foot striking his chest and sending him crashing into the wall. The elf landed, took hold of Renner and with a powerful swing, sent the rogue flying behind her to the landing they came from. Renner hit the floor and rolled to a stop, hand clutching his wound and barely holding himself up.
Thorrin and Sil clashed as Stella stopped pouring on a stream of ghost fire. The witch advanced on Faye while Jessica lifted up her crossbow. Morgan turned to the elf, sword at the ready.
“Pull back,” Thorrin grunted to Faye.
The elf eyed them all, knees and arms bent. An uncompromising stare moved from person to person as Faye picked her targets.
Morgan pointed his sword toward the pit, “You better listen to him.”
Faye glanced to her side to see Will, Onika and Val carrying Bridget over her shoulder. Will’s expression burned into the wood elf, hammer in one hand and spell book in the other.
Thorrin clashed with the kobold, but when he saw reinforcements climbing up to them, he sucked in a breath and breathed out. White light engulfed the paladin before it blasted out. Sil jumped back, but the small wave hit her. It didn’t do any damage, but it was enough for her to stumble back.
Faye stepped backwards until she was by Thorrin’s side. The two watched the group, Jessica pointing a newly reloaded bolt at Thorrin’s chest.
Will was first on the landing, stepping along with confidence and power. “Stand down and tell the elves to retreat!”
Thorrin backed up, “No, and even if I did, they won’t listen to me. They serve the Silver Queen, we all do.”
“There are bigger things to worry about. There is a horde of demons ready to break out from the bottom of the pit. They will slaughter everyone if both sides don’t retreat now!”
The paladin gave Will a wry gaze when a strange screech rose up. Looking down into the pit, Thorrin’s face took on a grim shadow as howling demonic monsters emerged. Foul creatures looked up with howls and screeches before they rushed to the stairs. Others ran up the winding edges, demonic eyes on the dark elves along the southern rim of the pit.
Thorrin looked to Will, “You did this! You brought them here!”
Will slowly edge closer, hammer and spell book at the ready, “You going to stand there and argue with me? Tell your side to retreat and we will do the same.”
“The demons will kill everyone they can get their claws on,” Onika shouted over the rising screeches.
<
br /> Thorrin looked down as the horde made their way up like a polluted flood. Time ticked away and before Will was about to use a spell, the paladin turned his attention to Faye.
“Get Renner and retreat. Tell the Silver Queen’s forces to retreat,” Thorrin commanded.
Faye looked to him, but remained silent.
Thorrin looked down to the pit, white light appearing around his body. “I’ll give you enough time to escape.”
“No,” Faye said as she took a step closer.
“I was never meant for this world,” Thorrin said with a smile before bending his knees and leaping.
Will watched, as did everyone else, as Thorrin fell into the pit, hammer up and a white aura surrounding his body. The paladin smiled as he fell toward the seething demonic bottom. Demons screeched as he flew past them. The ones at the bottom lifted up clawed hands and opened mouths with razor sharp teeth, ready to tear the falling fool to chunks of flesh.
Thorrin freefell, hammer swinging. When he was within ten feet, he braced himself and swung his hammer hard. A demon’s head rocked back as pointed teeth and foul blood splattered into the horde. A glowing aura shined as the paladin drove his boots into demon bodies, burning and breaking his fall. The paladins’ hammer swung like a tornado, smashing in horny heads with righteous might.
The group at the top watched as Thorrin kept the horde at bay, his aura and hammer dealing out death and damage with each swing. For a faint moment, it looked like the paladin could hold the horde of demons at bay. Will watched as the horde swelled and crashed into the paladin like high tide. Claws flashed and came away bloody. Thorrin fought, his movements growing frenetic with each passing second. Claws cut through his burning aura, slowly slicing away. Thorrin felt weakness bleed into his core as he slowly died from a thousand cuts.
“Umus protect us!” Thorrin managed before the horde swallowed him whole.
Pieces of armor were thrown aside and a blink later, body parts were pulled into view. Teeth clamped down and tore away flesh as the demon horde feasted on the paladin’s succulent flesh.
A tear streaked down Faye’s cheek before she leapt into the air. Soaring over the group, she landed by Renner and hoisted him up. Will watched as the tanned elf leapt up to the rim of the pit and disappeared from sight.
“Let’s go!” Will shouted.
Leading the way, the rest of the group followed. Eyes glanced down at the growing horde as they resumed their ascent. Sil and Morgan were by Will’s side. Onika, Stella, and Val were next. The witch helped Val with the unconscious Bridget.
Shadow elves rushed up the stairs to the top edge of the pit. Bodies crested over the edge and ran, Will’s group pulling up the rear. Will watched as hundreds of shadow elves ran into the darkness. Torches lit and shadow elf soldiers held them up, forming a ring. Will glanced behind to see the Luna elf army halt their approach. Like a coin flipped onto its other side, they began to retreat in formation.
Will turned and looked forward. From the corner of his eye, white ghouls rushed out of the darkness toward the massive group of elves.
Morgan ran alongside Will, sword in hand. “Demons behind us and ghouls all around us. We won’t make it to the morning.”
Will peeled off from the group and ran toward the incoming ghouls. There was four hours to first light and the player wasn’t sure they were going to make it.
“Protect the shadow elves!” Will shouted as he rushed into battle.
Spell book sliding into its sheath, fire burst from his hammers' head. The light glowed, drawing the ghouls toward him. The pale creatures rushed him and met with fire and iron. Shadow elves rushed into the fray just as did Stella, Morgan, Sil, and Jessica. Val moved closer to the shadow elves, holding Bridget and watching as her friends fought tooth and nail.
Will made every strike true as he killed ghouls, one hit at a time. Broken bodies flew to the side before hitting the ground and melting away. Morgan joined the fray, slicing and cutting with expert precision. Stella lifted her hands, ghost fire blazing to life before two blue streams flashed out. Blue fire struck incoming ghouls, burning away their undead bodies to ash. Jessica aimed and pulled the trigger to her crossbow. A bolt sank into a ghouls' eye socket as she reloaded. Sil rushed to Will’s side, stabbing with her white spear and moving to another ghoul before the first one hit the ground.
An endless stream of ghouls rushed out from the darkness, howling for living flesh. Will bashed pale heads to burning ash, his body a force keeping the tide of monsters at bay. Minutes into the battle, he could see that they could not keep this pace up.
Shadow elves rushed to form a perimeter around the families. Torches lit up scared faces as soldiers cut down any ghoul getting too close. Val put Bridget down on the ground. When she stood up, claws extended from her fingertips, ready to defend the families.
Onika watched as Will and his friends fought on, killing ghouls with ease, but more emerged from the dark forests. The shadow elf made her way, beyond the protective barrier of warrior shadow elves, red eyes on Will as he fought on.
Will smashed in a ghoul head when two more were on him. Claws raked across his arms and he grunted in pain.
You have taken 4 damage! You have 3 Hearts remaining.
Will’s mind worked as he smashed the two ghouls with fiery death. Instinct curled along his soul, begging him to take his wolf form, but he knew he couldn’t do it. He would be stronger and fight on, but if he maintained the form too long, he would be too weak to keep fighting. Glancing to his friends, they barely held their own as the ghouls kept coming at them.
Stella looked to Will, concern glowing in his eyes, but his spirit fighting on. The witch moved closer to him, ghost fire burning away approaching ghouls. When she was by his side, they fought a new wave, burning them away to ash.
“I can stop them long enough to buy us time,” Stella shouted over the sounds of battle.
“How?” Will said as he brought his hammer down on a charging ghoul.
The witch looked on with cool eyes as she burned approaching ghouls, “I can…burn them for miles. I think I can create a burst that will stop them for a while. I will be useless afterwards, but it might be enough for you to create a shelter or find the elves a place for the rest of the night.”
Will’s brow formed a sharp V, “Are you down playing it? If you could do that without consequences, you'd have done it already.”
Stella gave a small shrug before smashing a burning fist into a ghoul face. “We are running out of options. It won’t be long before the demons are on us. We need time… and… I believe in you.”
Will glanced to the witch as she gave him an endearing grin. “Stella, we must…”
The witch stepped forward, blue flames surrounding her body. Turning her head, she looked to Will with a genuine smile as sorrow touched her eyes.
“If I don’t survive, always remember that you are special to me…to all of us.”
“Stella!” Will shouted as blue flames reflected off his eyes.
The witch walked into the approaching horde of ghouls, flames engulfing her body. Taking a deep breath, she exhaled with a wide smile. White ghouls rushed her, ready to rend flesh. The ghost fire furled into a storm. Flames collapsed onto themselves before a hush fell over the battlefield. Stella’s eyes flashed and blue flames exploded.
Bodies braced themselves as azure fire blasted past them. Shadow elves looked down to see they took no damage. Will watched as ghouls disintegrated instantly. A shockwave of fire rolled on, burning ghouls with just a touch. The fire went on, spreading like a haunting flame, destroying ghouls. It continued, burning them to ash, blasting out for miles in every direction. When the flames died, the nearby forests stood with no ghouls rushing toward them.
Stella’s eyes rolled into her head and she collapsed. Will rushed and dived to her side. Taking hold, he lifted her up to him. The witch’s eyes were closed, but her body was still and unmoving.
“Dammit Stella!” Will cursed as h
e held her close.
Morgan, Jessica, and Sil stepped closer. Onika was soon to them, stepping past the group and kneeling to Will’s side.
“We have to get Stella and everyone else out of here,” Will said as he pushed away his feelings.
Morgan looked down with shadows under his black eyes. “I’m not sure we can outrun the demons and ghouls through the night.”
Onika touched Will’s shoulder. The player turned to the beautiful shadow elf.
Onika gave the young man a gentle smile. “We have prepared for this moment since Vala appeared in our dreams. We are ready to sacrifice ourselves so we may be reborn.”
Will cocked an eyebrow, “What are you saying?”
“You have awakened me. Now, we must awaken the rest of my people.”
Will eyed the shadow elf, “You can't be serious? Now? We can’t do this now. We need to get everyone back to Thorn Spire. I can wake everyone there.”
“My people will not survive the journey. It will slow us down and they will perish along the way. Why torture my people when you can take them in your pockets?”
Morgan crossed his arms, “She’s right. If we take their soul stones, we can make better time. Such a large group will attract every monster for miles.”
Will slowly stood up, putting Stella’s arm over his shoulder and his hand around her waist. The player looked to everyone gathered, his spirit breaking.
“I can’t believe we are talking about this. They’re families and children. We are going to just kill them so we can gather their soul stones?”
“You did it with my people,” Sil added with sorrow in her eyes.
Will shook his head. “That was different, they attacked and didn’t back down. I had to liberate them so…” Will trailed off.
“This isn’t a pretty solution, but it’s the best one we have,” Morgan said with soft tone.
