The Emerald Throne

by Sarah Coley

  "There is no need. Look around you. There is no one left to save."

  "What are you talking about Elian? This isn't real. Rogard is still there. We're coming to find you Elian. you just need to keep fighting."

  The lady was starting to dim, as was his surroundings.

  "Wait, you never told me your name!" Elian shouted into the ether.

  An echo came back from the darkness. “It's Eleanor. Hold on Elian, we're coming to get you."

  And with that everything faded.

  Elian became instantly aware of the pain. His legs and arms ached and there was a sharpe searing pain in his chest. There was also the sound of agonizing screaming that he quickly realised was his own hoarse voice.

  Elian looked down to see the spectre of Balor with his clawed hand plunged into Elian’s chest. Balor was a hideous creature to behold. He was transparent like a ghost, but his features would constantly shift and change, his face contort is a grotesque array of mutilation. Sometimes there would be one eye, sometimes two, and his mouth was full of razor sharp teeth that constantly had a cruel menacing smile on it, but what was so horrifying to Elian was that the fear in the room would increase exponentially when Balor was present, like he was physically sucking the warmth and the happiness from the room and replacing it with shear dread.

  Elian wasn't sure how long he's been chained to the floor of his cell screaming in agony. He'd been forced to relive those three soul destroying scenes in his subconscious over and over but he still wasn't sure to what end.

  " Who was the female?" Balor asked sharply, removing his hand from inside Elian's chest cavity.

  " What?" Elian asked not really comprehending what Balor was saying to him.

  "The female that came to you. Do not be coy with me Princeling. I know you were visited. Who was she?" Balor commanded with a shout.

  "I don't know and even if I did, I wouldn't tell you you great one-eyed freak,” Elian answered in defiance.

  Just as Balor was about to plunge his hand into Elian’s chest again, the cell door barged open and Sleugh, King of the Goblins walked in. Elian had been amused at his first glimpse of Sleugh. He might have been King of the Goblins with a face that was probably the ugliest Elian had ever seen, but his stature was small in comparison to his fellow Goblins. Elian was fairly certain that in a fair fight, Sleugh would not be an equal foe. He surmised that Sleugh’s quick wit and cunning scheming was probably what got him to the top of the Goblin food chain.

  "How is my latest guest holding up?" Sleugh asked in a drawl accent.

  "I thought I made it clear Sleugh that I was not to be disturbed," Balor said with venom in his voice.

  "That you did dread Lord, but I thought you would want to hear this news. Your loyal subject Vincent was spotted in Brackon last night killing my fighters in order to save the mage and her band of rebels."

  "Nonsense. If Vincent had defied my orders I would have felt it," Balor said with boredom in his eyes. Elian couldn't imagine that sadistic bastard helping Astel.

  "It's the truth. I've lost twenty two Goblins last night. If I hadn't have had reinforcements close by, then our advancement wouldn't have stuck," Sleugh reported.

  "Your Goblins are unreliable at the best of times, and your dislike for my servant is well known. If Vincent did attack, then he obviously has a bigger plan in mind," Balor declared.

  "There's something else. My men were incinerated. There's traces of magic in the whole area. Powerful magic."

  "The girl in the vision!" Exclaimed Balor. " Set up scouts to monitor the groups activities. I want some answers. As for the Prince here, it won't be long before his will is completely broken and his soul belongs to me."

  " I wouldn't bet on it," Elian announced. " I'm stronger than you and I'll die before I yield."

  "We shall see Prince. We shall see," Balor responded. In a bored motion, Balor rammed his hand into Elian’s chest and the screams began once more.

  Chapter 25

  Eleanor woke with a start. What a strange dream she had had. Why would she meet Elian in a random field full of dead and dying bodies. As she contemplated this, Owen came over and sat beside her.

  "Are you ok? You were screaming a lot in your sleep," he asked Eleanor with concern. Owen was munching on some bread that she presumed he had picked up from the night before, and Eleanor was suddenly aware of how hungry she was.

  "Yeah I think so," Eleanor said whilst rubbing her eyes. "Remind me not to eat the cheese Brennus stole from Brackon just before bed in future though. I had some weird dreams."

  "Well it'll be the only rest you'll get for a bit. We're heading out shortly.” Owen stood up and went back to where his pack was in the cave and began to gather things together. Eleanor looked around and could see that everyone was already up and busily gathering their belongings.

  Eleanor stood up, rolled her sleeping pack up and quickly flung it over her shoulders. She knew that between here and the gates of Hell, she would be carrying her own gear, and she wanted to make sure that the weight was minimal.

  Astel had decided that the group should ditch the horses other than one to carry their food supplies. They were still two days away from the tunnels, and if they were pretending to be Goblins then the horses would make them stand out too much. Goblins stank to high heaven and had a bad temperament that made horses spook easily, so the majority of Goblins commuted on foot.

  "Here's some bread for the road," Astel said whilst handing it over. “Try to keep the pendant hidden if you can. Balor will hone onto any magic he can detect, and I would rather it was me than a pendant kept in plain sight."

  Eleanor nodded in agreement. " How are you going to have time to teach Owen the magic he needs? It's only two days until we reach the tunnels."

  Astel looked at Eleanor quickly before bending down and picking up her pack. “Brennus has informed me that there is another cave network a nights march from here which we can use when dawn approaches. I shall instruct him then. He is a quick study so he should pick it up easily."

  "If you say so," Owen said with a sigh as he walked passed the pair.

  " You should have more faith in yourself Owen," Astel responded, "The amount of power you possess is more than sufficient to master a basic spell."

  Owen turned and looked at Astel with a roll of his eyes before he slung his pack over his shoulder and walked towards the entrance of the cave.

  "And tomorrow night I will sneak out as it were to talk with the Goblins," Vincent declared whilst leaning again the cave wall.

  “I'm guessing you'll be looking forwards to talking to other dark spawn Vampire," Owen said with a smirk.

  "Are you joking. I hate Goblins more than I hate humans. I'll need to bath for a week after this is over," Vincent replied with a smirk.

  Eleanor had just walked over to where Owen was stood at the entrance to the cave when Brennus came hurtling down the passage way. He was out of breath but had a huge smirk on his face. Eleanor guessed that he must have been scouting the surrounding land for any dangers before the group left.

  "Goblins, half a mile from the cave entrance. They've picked up the horses scent," he reported.

  "Why are you looking so happy about this Brennus?" Owen asked dryly.

  "We need a disguise right? Well We've got one," Brennus declared enthusiastically, "that and I just love a good Goblin cull first thing in an evening." With that he drew his bow in anticipation.

  " How many?" Eleanor asked. They had to have a strategy before they attacked.

  "Eight. There are seven together in a clearing, and an eighth one taking a leak," Brennus responded.

  "Good, we need to get in there, kill the Goblins and get out without making any noise that would attract any unwanted attention, and without damaging the armour," Eleanor summarized, " That means no magic. Sorry Astel."

  "Do not apologise Eleanor. I know my way around a sword."

  Eleanor could see a strategy forming in her mind. Brennus was the strongest fighter by
far, but he was also they only bowman and the fastest apart from Vincent of course.

  "Brennus, you're going to approach to the East. Make lots of noise, shoot a few arrows. Whatever it takes to draw their attention. Now we're going to need something to dampen any noise."

  "There's a river two hundred yards from where they’re currently located," Brennus reported.

  "Brilliant that will do it," Eleanor said with a click of her fingers. Everything was falling into place.

  "Let me guess," Brennus surmised, "I go in arrows blazing and act as bait to draw them out."

  "Yes", Eleanor stated, "Vincent, you stalk Brennus as he runs back towards the river."

  Vincent nodded. " What have you got in mind?"

  "Once Brennus has led them to the river, Vincent you charge and scare them from behind to stop them running back the way they just came. I saw how they reacted to you last night, they were terrified. We can use that to our advantage. We'll be in waiting near the river. Once Vincent has blocked the retreat..."

  "We pick them off one by one and the sound of the river will drown the sound of the fighting out," Owen said with smile and nod. "What's to say they're going to head in the opposite way and not just scatter outwards in every direction?" Owen asked with crease on his face in deep concentration.

  "Well, once the Goblins are on the move, Brennus and Vincent, spread out to cut off any remaining escape routes. remember, we need their armour so go for the weak spots,” Eleanor ordered. "former

  what I've seen, that would be the torso and the neck."

  "And once they’re dead, we take their armour and hide the bodies in this cave. With any luck, we'll be at the tunnel by the time their discovered,” Brennus concluded.

  Eleanor looked at everyone to see if there were any objections. When she saw the resolve in everyone's faces, she nodded and the group moved out.

  *****

  Vincent had been following Brennus for what seemed like an eternity. He could not understand how a species that could move so slowly and so noisily could be top of the food chain. Luckily, Goblins ears weren’t as well tuned as a Deargs so they shouldn't hear them coming.

  It was a stroke of luck that the group had come across this band of Goblins. If the plan was going to work, the companions would have to look the part.

  Vincent was terrified about having to go back and face Balor. He knew that if Balor found out about his betrayal, it would be the last thing he would do. He just hoped that Astel was right about the disrupting spell and about Owens abilities. He could easily take Sleugh out if Balor wasn't present.

  Brennus came to an abrupt stop and held out his arm for Vincent to cease moving. Vincent had already heard the Goblins long before Brennus had so had already slowed his movement long before Brennus reacted.

  Brennus had already brought his bow out before they had approached and had an arrow ready to loose.

  Vincent waited for the signal from Eleanor to say that they were in position. He had protested with her using an owl call as a signal, as it was night and there were owls in many of the trees at this time of year, but she had not offered any alternatives. Vincent hoped that he would be able to determine the difference between Eleanor’s call and the call of an actual Owl.

  They stood there not moving, barely breathing for what seemed like an eternity. The light breeze rustled the branches above them and the grass beneath their feet. Spring was just starting to come through and he could clearly see the buds forming on the trees limb.

  Out of nowhere there came a hoot. It was the most pathetic attempt at an owl hoot he had ever heard, but there didn’t seem to be any reaction from the Goblins.

  Brennus lifted his bow so that his line of sight was lined up with the shaft of the arrow. With a deep breath he angled the bow higher still and released. The arrow shot through the air with precision and silence, landing in the neck of the first Goblins. He fell to the ground before his companions realised what had happened. There was the pause of shock in the faces of the Goblins before a desperate scramble occurred. They began to pick up their weapons shouting orders at each other, but Brennus had already drawn and released his second arrow, hitting another Goblins square through the eye.

  Vincent took this as his cue and he leapt through the air with precision, covering twenty five metres of space with ease.

  He bowed his legs as he landed before looking at the Goblins square on with his fangs drawn and his eye red with rage. It had the desired effect, and the remaining six Goblins ran straight in the opposite direction toward Eleanor and her group.

  Vincent ran quickly to the North, the air rushing passed him in a blur. As he landed in position, a Goblins ran towards him, looking in the opposite direction with his sword drawn.

  Vincent looked up and saw Eleanor slicing through another Goblins throat with a ferocity that left him speechless.

  He'd met many humans in his five hundred years of life, but never one with as much courage and determination as she had. There was darkness in her, he could sense it, and he knew that she would make a worthy opponent.

  Without thinking, he lunged forward, ripping the Goblins head off with his hands and throwing it to the ground.

  Eleanor approached with fear in her eyes.

  "Vincent, your hurt,” She shouted.

  Vincent looked down and saw that the now deceased Goblins had stabbed him through the gut when he had ripped his head off.

  "Do not worry, it will heal,” Vincent shouted whilst removing the sword. It would leave a scar in the morning, that much Vincent was sure of.

  Eleanor ran over closely followed by Owen. She touched the now healing wound of Vincent's stomach before turning to look behind him. In the distance, Vincent could see Brennus easily finishing off the remaining two Goblins, ducking and avoiding their blows before literally stabbing them in the back.

  Once the battle was over, the forest returned to the silence that it had once known. They had been victorious, and now the struggle would really begin.

  Chapter 26

  Eleanor was struggling to walk in her new armour. When they had defeated the Goblins, they had systematically removed the armour from their lifeless bodies and thrown the Goblins into the cave they had previously called home.

  The armour was an amalgamation of different types of armour that Eleanor was sure had been borrowed from other wearers. The helmet she was now wearing had once belonged to a Rogard soldier. She knew this from the dream she had had.

  Eleanor kept checking over her shoulder to see if Vincent was ok. As discussed, he had not dressed in armour because he could easily walk through the enemy without arousing suspicion.

  The wound he had received as the result of the fray was already healing fast, and Eleanor was sure that by morning it would have disappeared completely.

  The group were now on foot with Astel bringing up the rear. The horses had been restless when they had first placed the armour on themselves, probably smelling the Goblin on them, but Astel had sung in a low voice to the horses which had calmed their frightened nature before they’d left them to graze on a nearby clearing close to where they’d been previously camped.

  They walked for a little longer on the road before Vincent came forwards to walk alongside Eleanor.

  "I'm going to diverge from you all now to inform the Goblins of our plan,” he announced with a smirk on his face when he said the word plan. "Brennus has shown me the location of the cave system and I will return their before sunrise. I will have to take a difficult path to get there to avoid the Goblins following me."

  "OK, just make sure to be careful,” Eleanor said. Vincent gave her one last smirk before disappearing into the nearby tree line faster than her eyes could keep up with.

  She walked a little faster to catch up with Owen who was directly in front of her.

  "Owen wait up. I thought we could talk,” Eleanor said whilst puffing. Owen had been very quiet after the battle, and Eleanor knew that he was worried about his role in all of this.


  "How can I help Eleanor?" he asked whilst not taking his eyes of the road in front.

  "I thought we could talk about how you're feeling at the moment."

  "I'm fine. Thank you,” he responded with a fake smile.

  "Yeah and I'm a monkeys uncle. I've seem that face before Owen. You're worried about the magic."

  Owen stopped and turned to look at Eleanor before he continued his steady pace.

  “Of course I'm worried about the magic. People like you and me, we don’t have magic, but the power I felt in that clearing was incredible . Like every fibre of my being was tinging with a burn like fire and I just let it loose."

  "You saved Astel's life Owen,” Eleanor pointed out.

  "Yeah that time. What if it happens again without me meaning it to. I have no control over it and I can feel it bubbling constantly under my skin. What's to say that next time I don't just go and get everyone killed."

  Eleanor shook her head. She didn't think for a minute, control or not, that Owen could ever hurt the people he cared about.

  “Astel said we were brought here for a reason. I thought she was mad but look at us now. I'm leading a group of rebels to rescue a Prince I’ve never met, and you have more magical power in your little finger than I have in my whole body. Maybe we're meant to be here."

  "That's easy for you to say. You haven't got a family back in England. I have. If I die here, I will be missed. I can't stay here after this is over if I'm still alive to see it,” Owen responded.

  "Lets just take one step at a time and see where we go,” Eleanor said whilst patting Owen’s shoulder with her gauntlets.

  "Yeah. tell you what," Owen said with a smirk, " Wearing this armour, however stinky, is pretty awesome."

  "There you go my Arthurian nerd,” Eleanor said with a smile.

  Owen nudge Eleanor with his shoulder, but with him having armour on, he threw Eleanor over and she stumbled before correcting herself.

  "Whoops, sorry. It's not quite the same when you're encased in metal,” Owen laughed. Eleanor laughed well.