by Sarah Coley
Elian was hunched on the floor openly weeping. Eleanor wondered what the hell had happened to him, but she was beginning to get a feeling she understood.
Balor raised his hand and the laughter abruptly stopped. “And as for my faithful servant, YOU have betrayed me!”
“I have delivered the prisoners as we agreed my Lord,” Vincent said confused.
“You delivered them here to be rid of me. I saw it in your shrivelled-up husk of a heart. Did you honestly not think I wouldn’t notice the feelings you have for this human, or that the witch has stolen part of your soul.”
“Please Lord Balor,” Vincent pleaded. There was fear in his voice. Eleanor had never heard this side of Vincent before. “I have always been your faithful servant.”
“Prove it! Kill the woman and her companions and it will sever the witches hold on you. Do it, and I will know your loyalties are true.”
Eleanor heard and felt the snarl from behind her and knew she had to do something drastic. Her hands, now free, reached up with human speed and grabbed Vincent by the neck, pulling him over her with as much body strength as she could muster. Vincent must have been startled as he let the manoeuvre happen, causing his legs to pass through Balor before landing in a heap in front of Eleanor.
The mirage of Balor that had been stood in front of them disintegrated, suddenly retreating to where he had previously stood. Goblins started to circle, but Sleugh held up his hand to tell them to wait.
Vincent recovered faster than Eleanor could run and knocked her to the ground.
“Vincent stop. This isn’t who you are,” Eleanor pleaded trying desperately to get him off of her.
Vincent looked like there was an inner battle happening inside his mind. He scrunched up his face and his fangs perturbed as he spoke through gritted teeth.
“Now Eleanor, Now.”
Vincent leaped off Eleanor in an instant and dived straight for his master as a distraction. Eleanor rolled onto her stomach and then to her feet as she ran across to where Owen was.
A Goblins with a large sabre sword that hadn’t been too far away swung at Eleanor’s head from the right. He raised his sword in the air as rage was etched on his face. “Balor needs us. Kill them all,” he shouted in a gravely voice.
There was a distant roar which grew loader like a wave as the Goblins army prepared to attack. Against hundreds of Goblins, Eleanor and her companions would be squashed like flies, but Eleanor resided to tackle one Goblins at a time. The Goblins put his sword out and swung down to take Eleanor’s head clean off. Eleanor put her arms around to protect herself having no weapon to fight with, when it was blocked by a staff. Astels staff. She had come back for them.
“You came back!” Eleanor replied with surprise.
“As if I would leave you all to die Eleanor,” Astel shouted whilst stabbing a sword with her free hand into a Goblins head, “Now get Owen and finish this.”
“Eleanor ran to where Owen was stood trying desperately to break free. Eleanor picked up a knife that a now deceased Goblins had been holding and cut through Owen’s and Brennus bonds.
“Owen you need to get the Prince, he’s the beacon.”
“But if I hit the Prince, it’ll kill him,” Owen replied confused.
“Not if you aim directly in front of him. The impact will be concentrated on the floor in front of him, whilst the magic from the blast will break the pendant around his neck.”
“Got it,” Owen replied, “hold them off for me.”
Eleanor nodded and then turned to Brennus. “We need to hold them off.”
“Two humans, mage and a half deranged Dearg against two hundred Goblins,” Brennus shouted, “What could possibly go wrong?”
Brennus grabbed his bow and arrows from his quiver that had been deposed behind him, and began shooting at nearby Goblins.
The horde of Goblins had turned into a riot of chaos since Astel had arrived. Astel was blasting great numbers apart with her magic whilst stabbing any that were stupid enough to come too close.
Some Goblins had decided to fight either for sport or because they believed they had the greater numbers. Some decided to make a run for it. Terrified of Astel and what her magic could do.
Eleanor turned to see where Vincent was. She spotted him near to Balor about fifty yards away. He was still sat screaming in pain as Balor twisted his hand in the air, prepared to end Vincent’s long life. Eleanor knew then that she had to save him.
She ran in his direction, taking down anything that got in her way. Brennus’ sword training had definitely paid off. She was cutting Goblins down like a knife through butter.
As she approached where Balor now stood, she slowed her pace. A quick look in Owen’s direction showed that he was nearly ready to strike. The glowing orb in his hands was growing by the second.
Sleugh had moved since the fray began and was now cowering behind Balor, using the dread Lord for protection. Sleugh was King of the Goblins through deception and scheming, but lacked the physical prowess to achieve in battle.
Eleanor decided to take one foe on at a time. She had to keep Balor distracted long enough for Owen to do what needed to be done.
Vincent was now still on the floor as Eleanor approached. She could feel the energy in the air as Balor mustered magic to take down Astel. She had to act now.
“Hey, Cyclops. Over here,” Eleanor shouted as an arrow flew past her head and into the side of an approaching Goblins. Brennus hopefully knew where he was aiming as the last arrow had passed a little too close for comfort.
Balor didn’t seem to notice Eleanor but Sleugh did. He had seen Eleanor approach, and must have decided she looked like an easy kill. He drew a knife out the side with one arm of his skinny form and skulked toward Eleanor, sneering as he did. Eleanor mustn’t have noticed, because she continued to glare at Balor, determined to break his hold on the magic aimed at Astel.
Sleugh crept up with uneasy speed, making little sound, but his sneer was growing with each encroaching foot fall.
“Eleanor behind you!” Brennus shouted somewhere in the distance. Eleanor turned around just in time to see Sleugh with his knife pulled back and ready to strike.
Chapter 31
Eleanor dodged out the way from the first blow but was completely knocked off guard. The second blow came from in front of Sleugh which she knocked out the way with her own hand. If she could just watch her steps, she’d be able to gain the upper hand.
An arrow flew by, just missing Sleugh and landing near to where Eleanor was stood. She figured Brennus was trying to take aim and finish the job, but the distraction for that split second was just enough to give Sleugh the upper hand.
He ran straight at Eleanor knocking her hard to the ground. In the blink of an eye stars were spinning in her vision. Sleugh realised he had an advantage and raised his knife ready to kill. Eleanor was defenceless having dropped her knife when she fell.
She couldn’t believe this was where her life ended. Their task had not been completed and there was still so much to do. She lifted her hand to push Sleugh away but he brushed it out the way easily, and slapped her hard across the face. He sneered showing a mouth of misshapen, rotten teeth, and began to raise he knife again, ready to stab Eleanor in the gut. It wouldn’t be a quick death, but maybe that’s what Sleugh wanted in the first place.
“You humans never know when to lay down and surrender do you?” Sleugh commented whilst sneering. His breath smelt like a rotting corpse mixed with egg. Eleanor had to fight not to throw up in this disgusting creatures face. “It’s time to embrace your new masters. Let me ease you into the underworld.”
Eleanor closed her eye ready for the blow. With her head still spinning and blood dripping from somewhere, she knew there was no fight left in her. She closed her eyes ready for the end when she felt the impending thud but there was no pain. Strange. Maybe her mind hadn’t caught up with her body yet. She opened her eyes slowly to see the damage and was met with a surprising sight.
“It’s about time that arsehole got he deserved,” Elian declared with a glint of triumph mixed with relief . He held out a hand for Eleanor to take which she did, and he pulled her to her feet. It took a moment for the dizziness to clear and her vision to right itself.
Once Elian was sure that Eleanor was Ok, he swung the axe and took off Sleugh’s head in a single blow. He lifted it off the ground and held it up high for everyone to see. “Behold the head of a traitor. Anyone who defies Rogard will be met with the same fate.”
This got Balor’s attention as all the magic he’d been building evaporated in an instant. He looked at the head of Sleugh, and the axe in Elian's hand and howled in rage.
He shifted suddenly so that he moved effortlessly in the blink of an eye and stood in front of Elian. He grabbed Elian by the shirt and lifted him off the floor. Elian screamed in pain from the touch.
The blood rushed back into Eleanor’s head as clarity was restored to her. She sprinted forwards and began trying to hit Balor with her knife, but it was no good. Her knife went straight through Balor like it would fog, not even hitting anything solid.
Balor swatted his hand as if he were brushing away an unwelcome insect, sending a strong current straight at Eleanor. She flew ten feet through the air landing in a heap on the ground. Balor then turned his attention back to the torment of the Prince with malice etched on his ever shifting face.
Eleanor knew that she had to do something. They’d come so far to save the Prince. She couldn’t let him die now when they were so close to pulling the plan off.
She pulled herself up off the floor and began to run toward the pair, gaining speed as she went. She was just a metre away when a magnificent ball of pure light shot across the quarry with lightening speed, hitting Balor straight in the chest and momentarily blinding anyone nearby.
Balor screamed in frustration as the light consumed both Balor and the Prince.
No sooner had the light began as it faded to nothing leaving only the Prince slumped on the floor where Balor had been moments before but now Balor was now nowhere to be seen.
The silence that ensued was gradual. Any Goblins that were fighting near to where Balor had been, stopped what they were doing to look at the scene before them. The Goblins looked at the lifeless body of their leader, and then at the empty space where Balor had previously been. At once cries of Sleugh’s demise were shouted from his followers which spread through the crowds like Chinese whispers. Before Eleanor knew what had hit her, the Goblins began to fight amongst themselves for supremacy, ignoring their original foes.
Vincent, who had before been laid on the floor unconscious, suddenly sprang to life and rushed over to Eleanor and Elian at lightning speed.
“You’re hurt,” Vincent declared matter of factly.
“How did you? You know what, I don’t want to know,” Eleanor replied. “Were you conscious the whole time.”
“No, Balor was inflicting constant pain upon me so I decided to check out as it were.”
“Great. Well seen as you’ve checked back in again, lets get the hell out of here,” Eleanor declared.
“Agreed,” Vincent replied. “Elian, are you still with us,” Vincent asked looking down at the Prince who was rubbing his head as though awaking for the first time in a while.”
“Yes, you complete and utter arsehole,” Elian replied with an annoyed growl.
“Oh, I see you two have already met,” Eleanor replied sarcastically.
“Well I see you’ve lost none of your charms,” Vincent chuckled.
Brennus, Owen and Astel ran towards Eleanor and her comrades.
“If you ladies have quite finished your nattering, we need to get moving!” Brennus shouted.
Without warning, Astel shot a spark from her staff that formed another electrical portal.
“We must bustle,” she declared over the defining raw.
“Not another frigging portal,” Owen moaned out loud. Eleanor had to agree that she didn’t know if her stomach could take much for of this black hole surfing.
She pulled herself upright whilst Vincent righted Elian with ease. They all ran through the portal without a backwards glance, happy to get a way from the nightmare they were leaving behind.
Chapter 32
Elian emerged on the other side of the portal into a thick blanket of trees. He’d had no idea that Astel had mastered portal travel, and the possibilities of this intrigued Elian. If there was anyway to created a larger portal, whole armies could be moved without the need for days, or even weeks of travel. The only downside he could see was the gut wrenching nausea that accompanied the journey.
Astel ran up to Elian and gave him a long welcomed and overdue hug.
“I’m so glad you’re alive Prince Elian,” she declared, “ I had feared the worst.”
“Another day and it would have been. Pray, where are we now?” Elian asked. He knew they where in the great forest to the East by the size and type of pine trees, but he wasn’t sure where exactly.
“ The Elven wood. It’s the first safe haven that came to mind,” Astel said.
“And who are my saviors?” Elian asked. “I recognise Vincent from my time in captivity. I’m glad to see you chose the right side of this fight on in the end.”
“To be honest Prince, I don’t know where my feet are taking me from one night to the next. I just keep walking forwards,” Vincent answered whilst stirring off into the dark wood, the concentration on his face etched with intensity.
“This is Brennus. He has been our guide and protector,” Astel stated. Vincent chuckled to himself as Elian nodded to Brennus.
“Didn’t you impersonate me once? We look nothing a like!” Elian said chuckling.
“Well that’s clearly because I’m the more handsome one of the two of us,” Brennus joked. Elian extended his arms and the pair shuck in mutual respect.
“And this is Eleanor and Owen. They are from Albion Elian,”Astel concluded.
Elian couldn’t believe his ears. Balor had had reason to be fearful if these two were in fact the prophesied ones in Merlin’s. manuscript. Elian surmised that the only way they must have travelled was through one of Astel’s portals.
“You have my thanks to you both, and thank you Eleanor for appearing when I needed it most,” Elian declared.
“I didn’t really have much say in it your highness. It just kind of happened,” Eleanor replied whilst blushing a little with embarrassment.
“Well thank you all the same. Now, Astel where exactly are we?”
“You are trespassing on Elven land is what you are,” a voice came from behind. A tall slender man with a sword stood before them. He had all green clothes on and pointy ears. Eleanor would have thought that the Elves would be tiny creatures like she’d seen in books and on TV, but this one seemed to be 6 foot tall at least. His clothes were made from what appeared to be leaves, and he moved with a great deal of agility and strength.
“I knew I could hear something,” Vincent piped up.”You move quietly for your size Elf.”
“That’s because I’m an Elf,” the w declared with complete clarity. “You will all come with me now. You will leave your weapons here with my comrades that are hiding in the trees as we speak, and follow me to Lord Nerthius’ great hall. He has been expecting you.”
“And if we refuse?” Eleanor asked although she already knew the answer.
“You will die,” the Elf answered matter of factly.
“There will be no need for that Elefien,” Astel interjected quickly, “We will speak with your King.”
Elefien bowed his head in response as several elves mater
ialised seemingly out of nowhere from the surrounding tree line. They were all tall and moved with an elegance a normal human never could. They wore clothes in green that looked like they were made from the leave themselves, and they all had pointed ears with long flowing brown hair.
A female Elf approached Eleanor, and held out her hand in expectation. Eleanor, realising she had no choice, gave the Elf the knife that she still clutched in her left hand with her sword at her side to the female Elf who smiled back at her. Somehow relinquishing the weapons from the battle lifted the emotional weight that Eleanor had been carrying since they had decided to save the Prince. The battle was over and they had the Prince. Not only that, they had all survived, although Brennus was looking worse for wear. Eleanor just hoped that having survived such an ordeal wouldn’t end within the green forests of the Elves.
They began to walk down a narrow path the wound through the trees with Elefien leading the way. No one spoke threw a mixture of exhaustion and awe, but after a short distance Brennus slumped to the ground, landing roughly on his front next to Eleanor who was bringing up the rear.
