by Sarah Coley
“Astel, that is the point when you need to remove yourself from the immediate situation. The rest of you will then all be taken prisoner,” Vincent said matter of factly.
“And what does Balor plan to do then?” asked Owen. His anxiety was showing through. Eleanor felt guilty that such a large burden had been placed on Owens shoulders when he was still so young, but this was what they had both signed up for when they'd agreed to stay.
“I don't know Balors plans Owen, but whatever happens you must wait for my signal. Too soon or too late and you'll expose your magic to Balor and we’ll all perish,” Vincent replied.
“And what signal would that be?”
“You will know when the time comes,” Vincent replied with unnatural calm.
“Well that's reassuring,” Owen mumbled. Eleanor couldn't help but smirk to herself.
There was a moment of chance silent contemplation before Astel walked forward.
“I will open the portal and follow you through. That will give me just enough time before the ambush to gather the energy to teleport. From that point, I leave my fate in your hands. I trust you all without hesitation,”Astel announced.
“What even red eyes over there?” Brennus remarked.
Astel gave Vincent a quizzical look. “No, him I just tolerate, and would do to remember that I still hold onto a segment of his soul. Unconscious or otherwise.”
“I’m well aware mage. You have no reason to doubt me. I have kept my word thus far,” Vincent replied. Eleanor wondered if five hundred years of life had enabled Vincent to not feel anything.
Before anyone could react further and without a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her staff and began to chant an incantation whilst swirling her arms as she did.
The atmosphere within the cave changed and began to feel charged. Small crackles of electricity would flicker and then disperse sporadically as though the very electrons in the air were becoming supercharged. Eleanor could feel the hairs on her arms start to rise with the static in the air, and her breathing began to quicken as she waited in anticipation to what would happen next.
The pendant beneath her armour vibrated and grew warm as the energy in the room increased. She’d felt this before at Glastonbury and knew that at any moment a portal would appear before them. She’d not liked portal travel the first time, and was not looking forwards to another trip. Eleanor looked around. Vincent was stood to the side of Astel and Owen had got her idea about the portal and hidden behind a large rock nearby. Eleanor turned to Brennus who was stood in front of her looking around in wonder.
“Brennus you may need to duck,” Eleanor shouted over the defining roar.
“What duck?”
Eleanor rolled her eyes before grabbing Brennus roughly by the arms and dragging him over to where Owen was hidden.
“Why are we hiding?” Brennus whispered as he bent down next to Eleanor. Before Eleanor could answer, a blast of energy shot out from directly in front of where Astel stood, shaking the cave walls and sending sparks everywhere. Vincent moved with lightning speed to where the rest of them we’re hiding.
They watched as the energy from the blast went back into its point of origin. The blast waves started to rotate and spiral getting faster and faster until a small dark hole appeared in the centre. As the moments past, the hole grew in size until it was as big as Astel, sending blasts of blue electricity in all directions. If the group had planned on being hidden, this wasn’t an option anymore. Any creature from half a mile away must have felt the vibrations tremble through the ground. Eleanor surmised that it wouldn’t matter anyway. Where they were going was far worse than anything that lurked in the woods outside this cave.
Astel turned to face the group who were all emerging from where they had hidden. Vincent and Brennus were dumb founded by what they saw and showed apprehension.
“We need to go now!” Astel shouted over the deafening raw of the portal.
Eleanor took a deep breath before standing and walking over to were Astel was. She noticed everyone else was doing the same. Vincent walked to the front as everyone pulled their visors down on their helmets, preparing them for the encroaching doom that lay ahead.
“Ok,” Eleanor shouted, “On the count of three. One, two, three……”
Chapter 29
Vincent emerged in a lightly forested area. There were young trees dotted about and a light covering of leaves on the woodland floor. He knew he was close to the tunnel from the stench of Goblins that lingered up ahead, and the lack of any wildlife in the area. If Balor won this battle, the wildlife would never return to these lands.
The portal roared behind him as the others emerged. The sensation of walking through the portal was one he had not experienced before. He had felt stretched and pulled as he had stepped through. If he had been alive it may have effected him more, but as it was, it was nothing but a minor irritation.
Everyone had now come through the portal which was quickly shrinking back in to nothing. With a dispersion of blue electricity, the forest returned to its unsettling calm once more. Behind Vincent, the rest of the party were recovering.
Eleanor stood shaking next to a tree whilst Brennus was slowly getting back on his feet. Owen ran over to a nearby bush and presently threw up into it. Vincent wondered how a whelp with as much resilience and physical strength as a mouse, could possibly possess so much magical power. The gods had clearly been in a creative mood when they had given Owen that.
“When you’ve all quite finished nursing your human stomachs, we will proceed,” Vincent announced with a hint of aggravation. Their party couldn’t wait all night.
“That’s easy for you to say,” retorted Owen,“You’re already dead.”
“Evidently. Now come, the night draws on.”
Several frustrating minutes later the group emerged from the trees into the clearing by the tunnel. As promised, there were only a few Goblins standing guard, and they were dotted sporadically around the area, although he was sure more would be hidden not too far away. The area that reminded Vincent of a freshly built quarry was lit by several torches. Any foliage had been removed and the smell of freshly dug earth was strong.
Any humans that had lived there were either dead or had fled South, which was one of the reasons the Goblins were now so bold as to reveal the tunnel and stand guard over it.
Vincent approached a guard nearest the tunnel. He was larger than the other Goblins but just a ugly. He had an air of authority around him which Vincent had surmised meant he was of higher rank.
From deep within the tunnel, Vincent was distinctly aware of Balor’s present. The feel of it made his skin crawl and his mind fearful, but he had a job to do. Owen must have sensed it to as he paused if only momentarily behind Vincent as they approached.
“Myself and this faction of Goblins have come to return to the badlands. Move aside Goblins and let us pass.”
“Is that so?” The Goblins asked with a sneer. He quickly looked behind him. “Guards now!”
Within moments Goblins raced from behind larger rocks and nearby shrubbery. They circled the group with their weapons drawn. In no time at all, twenty Goblins of varying shades and sizes, but all stinking and grotesque all the same, surrounded the group. They leant in with unwavering confidence. Certain that there catch was secure.
Eleanor and the others drew their weapons and formed a circle ready to defend. Vincent didn’t even flinch. He was more afraid of the spiders on the cave walls than he was Goblins. Like spiders, Goblins were easy to crush.
“Put your weapons down,” the Goblins shouted. “You’re surrounded.”
“Do as he says,” Vincent ordered. “We have nothing to hide here.”
Eleanor turned to look at Brennus under her visor and then to Owen. Brennus nodded his head and the three of them dropped their weapons with a sigh. Astel, who had been stuck at the back took this as her cue. She took the helmet off her head and dropped the mirage on her staff.
As cries from the
Goblins went up in response to Astel’s presence, she hit the end of her staff with her fist, causing blue sparks of electricity to surround her before she surely vanished into thin air. In a blink of an eye, she had disappeared from the fray.
Vincent knew Astel wouldn’t be far away and if she didn’t want to be found she wouldn’t be.
“Quickly go after her,” Vincent ordered before grabbing the helmet of Brennus, revealing his true identity.
“These are the prisoners of Balor. Take them now.” Vincent threw the helmet to the ground with vigour. He then grabbed Brennus by the scruff of his neck and passed him roughly to the Goblins who shoved him to the floor.
“For god sake Vincent, don’t be so rough,” Brennus whispered up to him.
“Got to keep in character human,” Vincent whispered back. Once Eleanor and Owen were secure, the larger Goblins who Vincent had first spoken to turned to face the the rest of the Goblins army that was now quickly emerging from the tunnel. Looking around, there were easily two hundred of the detestable creatures forming in ranks behind them. Sleugh must have decided to bring his entire might to Rogardium with him, but Vincent was relieved to see there were no Deargs, Ghosts or Wicked Men amongst the ranks. Goblins he could take, but his own kind were a different matter.
“Hail King Sleugh and Lord Balor. Long may they reign,” he shouted. With that, the Goblins that were holding the three humans pushed their captives roughly to their knees. They landed with an uncomfortable thud on the gravel floor.
Ahead, Vincent felt Balor before he saw him. Sleugh emerged first on a make shift metal thrown that was being carried by 4 larger Goblins. He was a small scrawny Goblins with a rotting colour about him, and a stinking odour to match. His eyes carried a permanent paranoid squint that Vincent presumed came from being the King to vermin. Goblins in their dozens rushed around the king and cheered. Vincent felt physically sick being in the same vicinity as them, and had to control himself not to kill the Goblins that stood nearest to him.
The kings cot came to rest in front of the prisoners and Sleugh sneered at them as he waited.
Next came Balor. He was 7 foot tall with a Cyclops eye and long clawed fingers. He glided along the ground rather than walked, and in one grotesque hand was a chain that was dragging the Prince by his neck. The Prince was looking in much worse shape than when Vincent had left, and there was a haunted look in his eyes. As Balor came to stop next to Sleugh, he pulled the Prince in front of him and knocked him to the floor. The Prince looked at the three prisoners in front of him and a look of recognition passed between Elian and Eleanor. So the dream had been a visitation. Interesting.
Vincent stepped forwards and bowed to his master.
“My great Lord Balor, may I present to you Brennus the rough, and Eleanor and Owen who have been sent here from Rogard.”
Balor paused for a moment before speaking.
“You have done well my son. I was going to skin you alive for not following my orders and keeping this band of rebels alive, but you cunning mind has made this reward all the more sweeter. Rebels, meet your Prince. Broken and now a servant of Balor. How do you find this?” Balor paused, waiting for protest from the prisoners.
“Well I don’t even like the guy so it’s not that bigger deal really,” Brennus exclaimed, “What about you two?” He asked Eleanor and Owen. They both shook their heads.
“Never met the guy,” Owen replied.
Vincent inwardly sighed. How did Owen intend to execute the plan if this move got him killed before they were ready.
Vincent hit Brennus with the back of his hand. Blood splatter everywhere landing on the Goblins behind him, and Brennus slumped to the floor groaning but still alive.
“Quiet to your new master,” he spat.
“I find it hard to believe that the mage would come up with such an ill thought out plan,” Balor mused.
“This wasn’t the plan my Lord,” Vincent replied, “The plan was to get captured and then disrupt the anchor that grounds you to Sleugh’s layer, but by moving the rendezvous point, that plan is now doomed to fail.”
“You bastard,” Eleanor screamed, “I should have known you wouldn’t keep your word.” Eleanor started to struggle against her restraints but was roughly nudged by one of the Goblins. Sleugh laughed, having been quiet until now.
He was sat like a Roman emperor on his thrown, looking on at the scene with indifference. “Feisty one isn’t she,” he chuckled, “had Vincent not claimed her, I’d have I enjoyed pulling her insides out whilst she watched. See how feisty she would be then.”
“Indeed,” Balor mumbled in a bored manor. “You will hold your tongue human, or I shall have it removed.”
Brennus had recovered from the floor and was looking at Eleanor. He was bloodied with a swollen eye but the fight was still in him. He shook his head slightly as if to tell Eleanor not to retaliate.
“What reward would you have Vincent? For doing me such a great service.”
Vincent walked around the three prisoners with indifference before stopping at the far side. Without warning, he grabbed Eleanor roughly around the neck with his hand and pulled her up from the ground to her feet in front of him.
“As discussed, I wish to have her life as my prize,” he declared.
Chapter 30
Eleanor felt the searing pain as she was roughly pulled to her feet from the hand that was grasped around her neck. She had been wrong to trust Vincent and now it would cost everyone their lives.
She felt shame that she had dragged Owen into this. He had his whole life in front of him and a family back home. She wondered how long they’d search for him. For both of them before they were declared missing. Not that there was any family for Eleanor to go back to. The feelings she had for Brennus had been growing in recent days and she couldn’t bear the thought of anything happing to him.
As Eleanor looked at the hillside above her, she noticed a small fleck of blue. She had hoped it might be Astel waiting for the opportune moment to strike, but maybe Eleanor was just looking for hope when there wasn’t any.
Vincent pressed Eleanor to him then and whispered in her ear.
“Wait for my signal. Don’t do anything rash. I saw it too. When I say, get to Owen. He needs to hit the Prince. Elian is wearing a pendant like yours. Balor is using it as a Beckon.”
“What are you saying to her?” Sleugh suddenly asked with a suspicious squint, “Dread Lord, I don’t like what I can’t hear.”
Eleanor felt the ropes around her wrists behind her slacken as Vincent undid them using his body as cover. Owen and Brennus must not have noticed, as they started to resist, but were easily beaten down by the Goblins behind them.
Balor jumped from where he had been stood to in front of Eleanor in the blink of an eye. Even though she could reach out and touch the spectre if she hadn’t been restrained, she could clearly see him still stood where he had been two seconds before. How could a single consciousness be in two places at the same time.
“An interesting comment Sleugh,” Balor responded. Eleanor was trying her best not to look Balor in the eye. She felt uneasy when they’d first entered the quarry, but being this near to death himself filled Eleanor with a fear she couldn’t quite explain. She began to shake slightly in Vincent grasp. He must have felt it because he tightened his grip on her neck ever so slightly.
“First I wish to know what the connection is between the woman and the Prince here. How did she enter his mind? Tell me, do you possess magic?” Balor asked stirring directly Eleanor.
She was still trembling but spoke with as much confidence as she could muster.
“I don’t know why it happened, and even if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.”
Vincent’s left hand, which had just a moment ago loosened her bonds, grabbed her hand with a firmness that let Eleanor know she had over stepped the mark. She wasn’t sure how much Vincent would be able to help her with his master so close to him.
“I wonder what lies in the dee
pest parts of you subconscious little mortal,” Balor whispered with a smile that showed row upon row of pointed rotten teeth. Eleanor shuddered at the sight.
Without warning, Balor plunged his hand through Eleanor's chest cavity straight through the other side and into Vincent’s. They both screamed in agony as Balor extracted what he needed.
Brennus head butted the Goblins behind him and started to make his way over to the pair, still bound with his hands behind his back, but was easily out numbered.
A few moments after the agony started, it suddenly ceased as Balor withdrew his hand. He had a satisfied look on his face.
“You’re the chosen one from Albion, Eleanor Smith,” he said with Venom. “You think you can beat me and my army,” he shouted whilst holding his clawed hands out. It was met with a roaring chorus of hysterical laughter.
