Nightchild

by James Barclay

  Down they came. Wait, wait. Ren tensed the bow string that little bit more. Away. Her arrow sped into the sky, thudding into the neck of the mage who fell soundlessly from the sky. Right behind it, three more arrows sang through the orchard, two more mages fell. That left five still descending.

  Ren nocked another arrow and glanced left. More shapes coming. More mages. A dozen.

  “Fire at will, fire fast,” she called. “Left and incoming.”

  She let go another arrow which caught a mage on his arm. His wings flickered, steadied then disappeared and he screamed a long “no” as he plunged to the earth, his body slapping on to the collapsed roof of the west wing.

  More arrows flew into the air, two missing their targets that Ren could see but now half a dozen mages were down, wings dispersed and advancing quickly, spells being prepared as they came.

  Ren could feel panic spread through the Guild elves. She fired again, taking another mage in the eye.

  “Keep firing, keep firing,” she urged.

  But the mages weren't looking to attack them. They were moving toward the doors to her right. FlameOrbs sailed out and the doors exploded inward. More came, and then more, and the orchard was filled with fire.

  “Ward!” yelled Hirad as glass and timber showered their backs.

  In front of them, the Dordovans came again. More and more light filled the orchard and screams echoed up into the air.

  “Ilkar!” shouted The Unknown, battering his sword into the face of a Dordovan, the enemy swaying back, the blade catching the point of his jaw and splitting the bone. “Drop the shield, check the rear.”

  “No and yes,” said Ilkar.

  Hirad evaded a weak attempt and buried his sword in the chest of his enemy. More spells detonated behind him.

  “Unknown!” he said, blocking a thrust easily. “Second perimeter.”

  “Not yet. Keep going. We can still hold them here.”

  And they could. The Protectors spread fear through the attacking Dordovans, their mages couldn't get any spells away through the press without sacrificing their own men and, with dead and wounded being hauled away, the floor was slick with their blood.

  “Talk to me, Ilkar,” said The Unknown, punching out with his dagger hand. Beside him, Aeb took the sword arm clean off a Dordovan but suffered a cut to his right arm as he did.

  “The Guild elves are broken, mages in occupation. I have the door.”

  “Keep it tight Raven,” urged The Unknown. “Let's go again!”

  Hirad roared and struck out again, ignoring his protesting muscles.

  Lyanna was very unhappy. She'd tried to sit at the table and draw shapes and play with her doll but the sounds from all around her were horrible. She'd seen the old ladies lying in their beds and making noises like they were hurt as bangs and crashes made the cups wobble on the table and the floor under her chair rattle.

  She knew it was all down to magic. She could sense it but didn't understand how it was all made and when she tried to get inside the minds of the old ladies the rushing of the wind pushed her away and made her head ache. She cried quietly, hoping that one of the strange men would come and see how she was, but they just stood where they were and watched up at the windows or the open doors into the ballroom and the dining room.

  The magic noises had stopped now but the old ladies had all become still. They were still breathing but their faces didn't look right. They were wet and very white. Lyanna got off her chair and walked across to them.

  “Ephy?” she said, crouching by the frail elf. “Are you all right, Ephy?”

  Ephemere's eyes flickered open and she tried to smile. Her hand came up and Lyanna could see it trembling as it patted her cheek.

  “We are so tired, Lyanna,” said Ephemere. “Is it all right if I sleep for a while?”

  “But Mummy said if I was scared I could be with you,” said Lyanna.

  “In a little while,” said Ephemere and her hand fell away. She spoke again, her voice fading. “In a little while.”

  Lyanna stamped her foot. It wasn't fair. There was no one to make her feel better and she needed someone now. She needed Mummy. She knew what she'd been told but it didn't matter. She walked toward the door to the dining room where one of the masked men stood. She tried to squeeze past his legs but he put a hand on her shoulder and looked down at her.

  “You are to remain in here,” he said. “It is dangerous out there.”

  “No,” said Lyanna, her anger growing quickly. “I want my Mummy now, I'm scared.”

  “It is safer in the kitchen,” said the man. “I cannot let you leave here.”

  Lyanna stepped backward and the man released her shoulder and straightened. She tried to run past him but he stopped her easily, pushing her firmly backward.

  “No!” she shouted. “Let me go.”

  The man crouched to look at her and she could see into his eyes and they were horrible, like part of him had gone.

  “Your mother will be very angry if you leave here. Stay.”

  “You aren't allowed to stop me,” said Lyanna, not really understanding what she was saying but knowing it was right. “There's things nearby you and they can make you feel very bad.”

  The man in front of her flinched. “Stay in here, please.”

  “I don't want to.”

  The man was quiet for a while. Behind her all the other men were walking toward her. Lyanna felt even more scared. She looked at them all, huge and strange. They wanted to stop her. They might even hurt her. That wasn't nice.

  “I told you, and you wouldn't listen,” said Lyanna, feeling dispossessed from her mind and body. “And I won't stay here, I won't.”

  Inside her head, the wind grew and she heard a chattering. There were the things and there was a way to release them, it was easy.

  In front of her, the man clutched at the sides of his head and screamed. He fell backward, writhing on the ground, his legs pushing him across the kitchen floor, his body jumping and twisting. Lyanna backed away and looked up at the other men who stood stock still, hands clenching and unclenching. Her chin wobbled and she started to cry at the sounds the man made. He wouldn't stop screaming.

  “I'm sorry,” she said, starting to run into the dining room. “I'm sorry. Mummy!” Her cries echoed into the battle-filled house.

  Aeb hesitated next to The Unknown and only just forced a thrust aside. Even so the blade nicked his hip and he grunted in pain.

  “Aeb, Aeb,” said The Unknown, slashing wildly to keep the Dordovans back. They were pressing hard now and both he and Hirad were tiring. Behind them, Ilkar's shield held against the mages in the orchard. He was relying on the unflagging force of the Protectors but they had all slowed perceptibly, their attacks not delivered with the usual force. “Aeb, speak.”

  The Protector shook his head and smashed his axe through the shoulder of the man in front of him.

  “Lyanna is free of the kitchen,” he said. “She has invoked DemonChain punishment.”

  “What?” The Unknown jabbed forward, his blade blocked, not believing what he had heard.

  “Our brother is suffering. We can sense his pain. It is…distracting.”

  All the Protectors had backed up half a pace, forcing The Unknown and Hirad to do likewise. They could lose this very quickly. More Dordovans filled the gap, gaining in confidence. Beside him, Hirad jarred his hand as he clashed swords with his enemy. There was a fresh cut on his scarred cheek.

  “Erienne!” shouted The Unknown. “Loose the spell and get back to the ballroom. Ilkar, go with her. Lyanna is out.”

  Erienne stood and cast FlameOrbs over the heads of The Raven, not pausing to see where they landed before turning and running toward the corridor.

  “I can't leave this door,” said Ilkar.

  “Go!” shouted The Unknown. “Secure the second perimeter. Tell Darrick we're coming.”

  The FlameOrbs landed, washing fire over the third rank of Dordovans and splashing fresh flame over already c
harred timbers. Panic spurred Dordovans on to the weapons of The Raven. The Unknown thrust his blade into the side of the man in front of him and slashed his dagger across his neck. Beside him, Hirad ducked and chopped into the legs of his opponent and the Protectors, forced into a flurry of action, made it count.

  “Disengage on my word,” said The Unknown. Behind him, he heard Denser get to his feet. “Now!”

  A pace back and they turned and ran. The Unknown was slow but the Protectors surrounded him, one at each shoulder, picking him off his feet.

  “Mages in the ballroom. Mages moving with us through the orchard,” said Aeb, his voice calm in the sudden chaos.

  “Gods,” muttered The Unknown. “Denser, keep that shield up.” He stared ahead as they turned the corner into the orchard corridor.

  “Darrick!” roared The Unknown. “Second perimeter. There's trouble in the ballroom. We've lost the orchard.”

  Darrick was ahead, his sword moving quickly as he fought off attack from the first wing. The corridor was on fire, spreading along the wall of the orchard toward the ballroom, the heat intense. At both the other wing entrances Protectors were engaged in fierce fighting.

  The Unknown saw Ilkar and Erienne run past the third wing. Moments later, a detonation split the air and fire gorged out. The quartet of Protectors never stood a chance, blown back against the wall, bodies seared, dead before they slumped to the ground. Fire washed across the ceiling, the after shock of the explosion shaking loose plaster dust into the air to mix with choking smoke. Dordovans poured into the gap running left and right.

  Even before he asked it, the Protectors released their support, sprinting on with Hirad, and leaving The Unknown with Aeb, Darrick and Denser to marshal the rear defence. He prayed Hirad would break the way ahead quickly. If not, they would be trapped.

  Lyanna came to a stop in the dark ballroom. There were more of the masked men there but they were not moving, just like the ones in the kitchen. She didn't know what she'd done but she knew it was wrong, only she didn't know how to stop it.

  “Mummy, where are you?” she wailed, her eyes filling with tears. She clutched her doll tightly.

  On the other side of the ballroom, she could hear people shouting and fighting and there were flames leaping and jumping. That would be where Mummy and Daddy were, helping to keep her safe. She chewed at her bottom lip, caught in indecision. She should go back to the kitchen to be with the ladies and see if the strange man was better. But she so wanted to be with Mummy. Probably she wouldn't be too angry but she didn't want to get into any more trouble.

  Something was happening. She looked up to the ceiling of the ballroom which had a big hole to the sky. The sky was very cloudy and it was going to rain very hard again but that wasn't what caught her eye. There were men swooping in on wings, lowering themselves through the hole. One of them even carried another one in his arms.

  There were six of them and she watched them, wishing she could fly like them. On either side of her, the two men with the masks moved again, running toward her. She screamed and ran away and they gave chase. One of them swept her up in his arms while the other turned toward the flying men. They all landed, the wings disappeared and the one who had been carried drew a long sword. She struggled to get away but the man held her too tight.

  “Mummy, help me!” she shouted. “Help!”

  The room went cold and the first masked man fell. The one carrying her ran for the ballroom door. If she screamed loud enough, surely Mummy would hear.

  Ilkar ran behind Erienne, hardly closing the distance between them at all.

  “Erienne, slow down! The Protectors will handle it!” he yelled, but she didn't slow at all.

  Twenty yards from the ballroom door, a Protector appeared in the opening, Lyanna shrieking in his arms. He was running but jolted violently, falling forward. Ilkar felt the chill afterwash of an IceWind rush past him and knew the Protector's body had saved Lyanna's fragile life. The Protector crumpled, the girl trapped under him. She cried out and tried to shuffle clear but his weight was too much and her legs were trapped.

  “Lyanna!” screamed Erienne and she upped her pace.

  Ilkar tore after them, praying Hirad was close enough behind. Gods knew how many of them were in the ballroom. He closed the distance at a flat sprint but time seemed to crawl. A Dordovan mage, ShadowWings live on his back, strode out of the door, looked up once then stooped to pull the Protector's body out of the way. Erienne slithered to a halt, a hand to her mouth, calling Lyanna's name over and over. The child herself held out her hands and begged for help. But Erienne wasn't going to get there in time.

  Behind Ilkar an explosion sounded and his thoughts took on a terrible clarity. In front of him, a Dordovan mage leant down to snatch the Nightchild and take her back to Dordover where the threat of the One would be snuffed out forever. It would be so easy to let the mage take her, to not quite stop him. To make an effort so great that none could blame him for her loss. It would save the Colleges. It would save the fledgling new Julatsa.

  For a Julatsan mage, it was the only decision that could be made. What had The Unknown said of him? That he wouldn't get in the way of someone killing her. Implying that for him the saving of his College was bigger than one life.

  Was it, hell.

  Ilkar didn't know what possessed him. It was something he'd never even dreamt of attempting before but his subconscious instructed his body without bothering to check with the rational part of his mind. He drew his sword, his only weapon, from its sheath and flung it down the corridor and time stopped standing still.

  The sword flicked end over end. It wasn't a great throw but it was enough. Bouncing from the orchard wall it struck the mage flat on, sending him staggering backward, concentration and wings gone. In that moment, Erienne dived toward Lyanna and pulled her free. The Dordovan mage came again but this time Ilkar grappled him around the middle and both man and elf tumbled back into the ballroom.

  Hirad lashed his sword through the first Dordovan throat, chopping through his windpipe and jugular and sending him crashing back into the corridor where he had come from. Beside him, a Protector overheaded with his axe, splitting the skull of the next through his helmet. Without pausing to extract the weapon, he snapped the sword from his back and drove it through, waist high, into a third.

  The barbarian roared, the blood rushing through his veins, feeling empowered and very, very angry. He batted away a strike to his midriff and laid a straight left hand punch on the enemy's nose. Letting his momentum carry him on, he spun, taking the man in the face with his left elbow, then the right and finishing with the back of his right fist. The Dordovan went down with blood spraying from his shattered face and Hirad was in the middle of them. They never knew what hit them.

  “Come on, you bastards!”

  Facing them again and with his sword coming through, he thumped it into the forehead of the next victim, slicing through bone and seeing brain explode from the top of his skull as it compressed and shattered. He kicked out waist high, his foot sweeping the body aside and leaving his path clear.

  “Ilkar, I'm coming!”

  There were more Dordovans ahead. Two Protectors ran past him, bludgeoning two of those who ran after Erienne and Ilkar before Hirad caught them up, his eyes seeing only red, and picked his next target.

  “Move, move!” called Denser, desperately holding his concentration on the HardShield as arrows and crossbow bolts bounced off it. “Stay behind me, attack only if they get inside a couple of paces.”

  The Unknown was limping hard down the corridor, Aeb to his left and Darrick to his right. Ahead, Hirad had gone berserk and was causing confusion in the Dordovans spilling from the corridor entrances. They didn't know who to attack. Aeb made up their mind for them, charging in and beheading one with a clean sweep of his axe.

  Ignoring his pain, The Unknown ran after him, each footfall sending his head swimming.

  “Get to the kitchen. Third perimeter. Third perimeter!
”

  Aeb blocked with his sword and hammered low with his axe, taking the standing foot from a Dordovan mage who sank to the ground, clutching at the bloody stump. The Protector was battering a path, blocking the wing entrance and buying time, but he would soon be outnumbered. The Unknown surged on.

  “Denser, stay with me,” he managed, every step with his damaged leg firing new agony up into his back.

  “Right behind you, Unknown. I'll tell you when to run.”

  The Unknown reached the mêlée and deflected the attention of two soldiers. The first came at him, sword raised to strike downward. The big man might have been slow but he wasn't yet a complete cripple. He swayed right and swung his sword from the left, slashing the man across the stomach as he prepared to deliver his death blow. It was a mistake he'd never recover to learn from. The second was more cautious but was distracted by Aeb heaving his axe just past his nose to bury it in the face of another Dordovan. Seeing the chance, The Unknown threw his dagger which the soldier blocked well but then left himself hopelessly open. The Raven warrior carved open his stomach. The Unknown felt sick with the pain now. It carried through his back and into his head in waves, threatening to overwhelm him.

  “Run!” yelled Denser.

  The Unknown looked behind and swallowed hard. The Dordovans were charging now, abandoning range weapons for overwhelming numbers. Darrick came past him, shouting something he didn't catch.

  “Aeb, we're going,” said The Unknown.

  “Yes.” Aeb thumped the pommel of his sword into the face of a soldier and pushed him into the pack following.

  He turned, grabbed The Unknown's arm and ran with him up the corridor.

  “Get those doors ready!” called The Unknown, fighting the urge to vomit. He wasn't sure exactly how long he could stand up, let alone move.

  Behind them, the Dordovans were gaining fast. It was going to be very close.

  Ilkar rolled over, finishing on top of the Dordovan. He smashed both fists into the mage, hearing the back of his skull connect with the tiles and his grip go slack. Behind him, Erienne stumbled into the ballroom. He looked around. It was full of Dordovans.