by Tiger Hebert
“Is that what you said to Tolem, as you drove your blade through him?” demanded Nar as he finally made his way from the stairwell into the room.
Renlar got a good look at him for the first time. He was a bear of a man, easily the largest of the four. He wasn’t any taller than Renlar, probably an inch or two over six-feet, but he was nearly twice as wide as the other men. He was a red-haired, red-faced, barrel chested man with an axe in one hand and an iron bludgeon in the other.
Renlar shot a quick glance over his shoulder toward the shattered glass door and the balcony. Vacinne was out of sight. He turned his gaze back to the advancing trio.
Renlar said, “You can’t possibly be so stupid, that you’d let a demonic invasion happen right under your noses.”
“Insults ‘ll not help your cause,” snapped Nar.
“Just look at the evidence around. Just look at your Grand Masters bed chambers? Does it look like a man serving the Light? Open your eyes,” roared Renlar.
Taegun was surveying the scene before him, but the others were not. “What if he’s right?”
“He’s a thief and a murderer,” growled Nar.
Demlin, Karus, and Nar started to fan out as they pressed forward.
“You boys don’t want to do this, but if you insist,” warned Renlar with a grin.
In his mind he said one word. Kinetic.
Traces of green energy started to spiral around his black blades.
“Sorcery!” shouted Nar.
He wouldn’t correct them, he just said, “I warned you.”
With that Renlar launched his daggers toward his attackers in one massive assault. One wave of twelve deadly, enchanted blades shot across the room. Taegun took action. He threw both hands into the air. At his command, the filthy bloodstained floor became covered with a band of golden runes that formed a large circle. Wisps of golden magic shot upward from the Warden’s ward toward the ceiling.
Renlar’s daggers pierced the magical ward and almost seemed to stop. The daggers, still suspended in mid-air, were lost of all their velocity within the confines of the ward.
It’s a null-zone like Draece’s, realized Renlar.
It was no surprise to the War Masters; they had already taken evasive maneuvers out of the path of the blades. Renlar’s charged daggers slowly and harmlessly floated toward the other side of the room. Nar wasted no time. The brute of man seized the opportunity and counter-attacked. The iron head of the man’s cudgel came at him with incredible speed. Renlar ducked beneath the would be blow only to meet Nar’s knee.
The blow just missed Renlar’s face and slammed into his shoulder. It sent him spinning backwards into the wall. Nar rushed forward with his axe raised high. Renlar shot a blast of wind. The gust caught the red-haired warrior and threw him several feet through the air. It wouldn’t stop the man, but it gave Renlar time to reach his feet.
Demlin and Karus were already closing in though. Renlar began to twirl his blades in the ancient kata that his mother once taught him. His twin ebon blades began to dance elegant arcs with the restless unpredictability of storms upon the sands of the Suoboro Desert, the home of her people. And the green cords of energy swelled.
“That’s a pretty dance, lil lady, but this number’s over,” growled Demlin.
The War Master charged forward with blade and shield in hand. Renlar sidestepped the slashing attack, then countered. Demlin was quick with his shield. It met Renlar’s right blade. The stored energy released upon impact. A violent explosion of kinetic energy behind the strike sent Demlin tumbling to the floor. The other Wardens gasped.
“I told you it was sorcery!” roared Nar. “Kill ‘em!”
Karus swept in with his long two-handed sword. Renlar impossibly managed to parry the blow with his left blade. The force of the War Master’s attack should have knocked the blade clean from his hand, but the stored energy allowed him to absorb the mighty blow.
Karus’ brown eyes grew wide in disbelief and rage, “It can’t be.”
The dark-skinned War Master with long black hair broke into a frenzy. He launched a flurry of attacks that shouldn’t have ever been possible with a weapon that size. That large blade slashed at Renlar every which way, and glowing golden runes began to blaze upon the blade.
Drenamine!
Renlar reached out with his magic. He grasped at the blade, and he pulled with his Spirit. The blade ripped free from Karus’ grip. The man’s eyes were wide with surprise as his blade was launched high into the wooden beams of the ceiling twelve feet up.
Taegun charged in from Renlar’s left, both swords striking. Renlar’s blades met them, but without any striking force from the enchantment. Dahlheim had warned him, once the blades’ energy was discharged, it would need to be built up again.
“Dammit,” he cursed as he fended off Taegun’s subsequent attacks.
He was good with the blade, though, enchanted or not. He caught the last of Taegun’s attacks with his cross guard and twisted it down and away, catching Taegun off balance. Renlar sent a concentrated blast of wind at one of the man’s ankles. The gust swept his foot right out from under him. Taegun fell hard upon his right shoulder. His cry followed as his shoulder was separated.
Nar charged. Once within a few strides of Renlar, the big man lunged, his arms wide with axe and cudgel. The wind howled as Renlar leapt into the air. He shot high into the air over the red-haired brute, where he rolled into a somersault. Renlar fired a gust of air at the man’s back. The violent shove sent him crashing face first into the temple wall. Bones shattered upon impact as the collision no doubt ruined the man’s face.
Renlar landed with ease near the center of the large room. Taegun lay on the floor grasping at his injured shoulder. Nar sat on the floor, dazed and slumped against the wall. His face bloodied from both his nose and his lips. Demlin and Karus weren’t about to give up though.
Renlar began his kata once more.
“Don’t let him dance, it powers his blades!” shouted Karus with sudden realization.
“This should slow him down,” barked Demlin as he took a deep breath and blew.
Frigid air flew forth from the War Master’s lips. Massive shards of ice formed in the midst of his breath and they shot towards Renlar. Dozens of frozen spears flew at him.
Ebon blades spun like steel tempests. Their midnight steel shattered the shards of ice as they assailed him. Karus took his shot. With his super speed, he raced over and grabbed the axe from Nar. He lifted the axe over his head with both hands and threw it with all his might.
Spears of ice still flew from Demlin’s lips. Renlar called upon the wind. A violent surge of storm-like winds wrapped around him like a cyclone as the ice and the axe sped toward him. They hit the storm barrier with incredible speed, but they were ripped from their trajectories. The shards of ice swept out around Renlar to his left, the axe that came from behind to his right. The icy daggers shot out of the storm barrier at incredible speed. The axe too.
Karus dove to the floor barely escaping the icy barrage. Demlin was not so fortunate. The spinning axe ended his icy assault. Demlin offered no tears or last words. The fatal blow was swift and gruesome.
Karus screamed, “No!”
Renlar cursed, “Dammit all, no more deaths!”
Nar and Karus were both back on their feet. Renlar watched as Nar’s features put themselves back together. His nose straightened, his lip was reformed, and the blood seemed to withdraw back into his body.
Nar roared, “You murderous heretic!”
The roar of an angry crowd could be heard below. Renlar realized that the guards below must not be incapacitated any longer.
Vacinne whispered into his mind, Renny, come quick!
“I wish you boys would have just listened,” remarked Renlar before sending one last barrage of wind toward Nar and Karus as he turned and darted out through the shattered glass door.
He stepped out on the balcony. His head shot to the left, then to the right. There
she was, far to his right, waving to him. Renlar ran to her, with his magic pulling all his daggers in a wake behind him.
“We’re trapped,” he snapped.
“Put the swords away,” she said with a calm voice.
“No, we are going to have to fight our way out,” he countered over the shouting of the Wardens.
Vacinne’s blue eyes locked with his. “You’re going to have to trust me.”
She turned and climbed up onto the balcony. She turned to face Renlar, and a smile was on her face. Renlar turned back behind him. The Wardens were emerging from the doorway. They would be on them in seconds.
Vacinne’s blue eyes held his. She nodded to him as a large sphere of golden magic enveloped them both. Renlar slid his swords into their sheaths. Likewise, his daggers were slid away as well. Vacinne extended an arm toward him.
Renlar couldn’t help but look back at the angry Wardens, who stood at the edge of the magical barrier. They pounded away at the shield. Renlar turned back toward Vacinne. He reached up and took her hand, and climbed upon the balcony. His eyes naturally went right to the ground, more than two hundred feet below them. His head began to spin and his balance faltered.
Vacinne’s grasp held fast to him. “Look at me.”
Renlar tried, but his eyes refused to look at anything other than the balcony below his knees and white knuckles.
“Look up at me,” she demanded.
The fear gripped Renlar, but Vacinne gripped harder. She reached down and grabbed him with both hands. Against his own will, she pulled him to his feet, until his eyes met hers. Her hands slid down from his arms to his hands.
She leaned forward and placed a soft kiss upon his lips, and she whispered, “We need to jump.”
“What?”
She smiled and said, “Trust me. Jump.”
She let go of his hand, she turned away from the Renlar, and she leapt off the side of the balcony.
Jump.
Renlar’s heart thundered in his chest as he watched Vacinne pass out of her own protective ward, and right off the side of the tower.
Jump!
Renlar turned and before he’d realized it, he’d stepped off the edge of the balcony. One by one, the balconies below were now racing up toward them, and then past them. Renlar and Vacinne were free-falling.
15
White and Blue
The wind had long been Renlar’s friend and ally, but right now it whipped and tore at him as he fell. Seconds lasted an eternity and the fear of the sudden and sure finality that raced up to meet them refused to let go. Renlar commanded the wind to rise up and slow their fall, but the sheer force of gravity was too much to overcome.
Trust me.
Those were the words that she’d spoken to him. He tried, the Light knows he tried, but he failed. They were going to die. Then in the distance, a terrible noise sounded. Terrible and beautiful.
Rooooooar!
Powerful talons plucked Renlar and Vacinne from the sky, and they lurched up and away from the tower.
Renlar fought against the momentum, forcing his head around toward the legs that captured him. All he could see were massive white legs. The early morning sun shimmered over the brilliant white scales, giving off a hint of blue.
Renlar squirmed in his position to look up. He twisted in the creature’s massive talons. His eyes grew wide in amazement at the great white dragon.
“Ausaliia!” he shouted with excitement.
The dragon roared at the sound of her name as she circled the tower. She craned her neck back to look at them while her giant wings beat the sky. Her large cobalt eyes glowed back at him, before she looked away.
Ausaliia was a streak of white lightning arcing across the sky, moving with uncanny speed and grace.
Renlar’s eyes went to the courtyard below. Hundreds of armored Wardens flooded the temple grounds, preparing for battle. But not for the type of battle that was coming. Renlar’s eyes scanned the grounds below, searching for something. Then he saw it.
“There,” said Renlar pointing. “Jherenon is there, up on the battlement wall. He must be preparing to open the rift!”
Vacinne looked and said, “We will stop him!”
Ausaliia flew them away from the temple grounds, out beyond the defensive walls. She let herself slow into a gradual descent. Her hind legs touched down and she hopped and beat her wings until she steadied herself and came to a complete stop. She lowered Renlar and Vacinne down in her forelimbs, setting them down upon solid ground.
The white dragon lifted her head high up above them and looked down upon them. Renlar rushed forward into her body. He threw his arms around the white dragon’s belly. He said no words, he just hugged the dragon. Vacinne and the dragon exchanged glances. Vacinne simply smiled, and joined Renlar in hugging the great creature.
They released their embrace, then walked a few paces away, so that the dragon wasn’t towering over them anymore. Ausaliia cocked her head to the side and eyed them with curiosity.
Vacinne said, “Renny, I told you to trust me.”
“How’d you know?”
Vacinne smiled at the dragon. “I told you, Ausaliia and I... we’ve got a connection.”
The dragon lowered her head down and came close to Vacinne. Vacinne stroked her smooth white scales of the dragon’s face, and Ausaliia closed her eyes and cooed.
“Remarkable,” replied Renlar.
“Yes, she is.”
“Both of you,” corrected Renlar.
Vacinne started blushing.
Renlar cleared his throat. “Ausaliia, thank you for rescuing us once again, but I fear our battle is not over. I’m not sure how much of what I’m saying you can understand, but Jherenon is about to open a demonic rift. Demons are coming.”
The dragon reared her head back and snorted angrily.
Vacinne said, “She understands you, and she hates demons. All dragons do, even the bad ones.”
“She told you all that?” asked Renlar.
Vacinne beamed. “Yeah, she did.”
Renlar shook his head in wonder. “Amazing.”
Vacinne answered the dragon’s silent response. “It’s too dangerous.”
She fell quiet for a few seconds.
“You’ve already helped us so much; I don’t want to put you at risk again,” replied Vacinne.
She paused only for a moment.
“I know, but you’ve got your son to take care of!”
The dragon lifted her right forelimb, and thumped it down on the ground and let out a little growl.
“Okay! Okay!”
Renlar lifted his hands questioningly into the air. “I don’t speak dragon, so do you mind telling me what’s going on?”
Vacinne turned toward Renlar with a smile. “She’s going to help us.”
Renlar grinned, “Then what are we waiting for?”
Vacinne watched as the mighty dragon craned her neck back and lifted her head to the sky and let out a ferocious roar.
The creature’s power could be felt even in her roar. It sent chills down
Vacinne’s spine. She was in awe of the dragon.
Vacinne turned back to Renlar once more. “Two demon hunters and a dragon against an invading army of demons, led by Jherenon.”
“Yeah, I like our odds too.”
Vacinne grinned, “What’s the plan?”
Renlar scratched his stubbled chin. “Well it looks like Jherenon is already preparing the Immortal Hearts—”
“The stones,” shouted Vacinne as she cut off Renlar. “I completely forgot about them”
She began pulling the confiscated stones from her pockets and pouch. Renlar did the same, pulling the stones free.
Looking down at a dozen runestones laying on the ground at their feet, she said, “We need to destroy them!”
Renlar had a puzzled look. “Yeah, but how? The damn things seem indestructible.”
Ausaliia let out a low, rumbling growl.
They turned towa
rd her. The white dragon inched closer to the stones. She stretched her wings forward between Renlar and Vacinne, then gently pushed them away from the stones.
“We need to destroy them,” protested Renlar.
“Oh, she wants to help!”
Renlar and Vacinne eyed each other for a second, before stepping back away from the stones. They looked back at Ausaliia, but the dragon did nothing.
“What’s she waiting for?” asked Renlar.
Vacinne nodded her head in silent understanding, then she crossed over to the other side of the stones, where Renlar stood.
She grabbed him by the arm and said, “We’re going to need to give her some more room.”
“Oh, right,” said Renlar as he happily allowed her to lead him away a good twenty yards from the stones.
“I think this should do,” said Vacinne.
“This should do?”
Vacinne shrugged.
“That’s reassuring,” muttered Renlar as he turned to create even more distance.
Vacinne held fast to his arm and tugged on him, keeping him from walking away. She winked and said, “Trust me.”
“Okay, but after this, no more crazy trust exercises.”
She laughed and then they turned their attention toward Ausaliia, who was already beating her wings. The dragon leapt into the air with the help of her powerful wings. She flew up and away like a loosed arrow. The gusts of wind caused by the thick membranes beating the air rushed down over the ground. Even at this distance, Renlar and Vacinne could feel the gusts of wind.
Ausaliia rose skyward at an incredible speed, then she arched her neck backward into a somersault and tucked her wings into her sides. The mid-air roll brought the majestic creature into a headlong dive.
Vacinne’s heart began to race with excitement.
Ausaliia’s already brilliant cobalt eyes began to glow brilliantly as she drew upon her power. She fell like an arrow shot down from the heavens. She opened her massive maw with a hellacious roar. The frigid breath of the frost dragon burst forth. Cold and rapidly growing shards of ice shot toward the ground where the assortment of runestones lay. The area was bathed in arctic breath, turning everything white. The dragon’s freezing breath relentlessly pummeled the stones as Ausaliia finished her dive.
