Wiping her blade clean, Krystelle placed it back in it’s sheath and turned to consider the door. “Perhaps…” she pulled on the door’s handle. “Too much to hope that it would be unlocked. Do you have the pouch?” Sebastian handed over the bag of powder Adelwolf had given them just before they left the storage room. She tied the bag around the handle and retrieved a candle from its wall sconce.
With the small flame she lit the pouch’s drawstring and the two of them retreated around the corner, pressing hands to their ears. Moments later a sharp crack summoned them back to the door where they found the locking mechanism hanging and the door swinging on its hinges.
They pushed into the room to find a locked wooden chest perched on a small table in the center of the room. Sebastian pulled out his dirk and inserted it into the lock. With a sharp twist of his wrist he popped the lock open. “Wait,” said Krystelle, placing her hand on his arm as he moved to open the chest. “This is too easy. What if this is a trap?”
“We have to risk it. If we’re seen carrying that chest, it will be too suspicious. We should be able to hide the Sunstone itself.” Looking back down at the chest, she nodded in assent. Lifting the lid, Sebastian peered inside.
The chest was empty.
Krystelle and Sebastian burst from the upper room pursued by the wailing alarm that had sounded as soon after they lifted the lid of the chest. Leaving it on the table, they rushed down the stairs. “That chest and the guards were a decoy!” she shouted. “Pwyll must have the Sunstone in his chambers.”
“That means Adelwolf and Cenric will have the stone.”
“Only if they were able to retrieve it before we set off that alarm. Pwyll will know we are here.”
“Then we have to help them.”
“No. First we get out of this tower and back to the tunnel. Adelwolf will have left us a sign if they already escaped with the stone. We can decide what to do from there.”
Skidding to a stop at the bottom of the stairs, they drew their swords, preparing to re-enter the courtyard. Taking a deep inhale, Sebastian grabbed hold of the door handle, pulling it open a crack to peek through, half expecting to find Pwyll’s arms-men surrounding the tower entrance. He shut the door again. “It’s empty.”
“What?”
“The courtyard is empty. There’s no one there.”
“But how can that be? Surely the whole keep must be awakened by now from that alarm.”
“All I know is what I’m seeing. Whatever is going on, we should take advantage of it, and quickly.”
Sebastian opened the door again, wider this time for the two to exit. Stepping out of the tower, they shut the door behind them. The alarm stopped. Sebastian and Krystelle looked at each other in confusion. He opened the door again and the sound of the alarm started up from inside. He slammed it shut. “This must be some kind of magic. Pwyll set it to only sound within the tower. But why? Does he not trust his men enough to tell them that there is something of value in the tower?”
“Perhaps he wanted to be the only one alerted. We must hurry.” Heedless of danger, they sprinted towards the door to the tunnel room. They were almost to the door when Cenric barreled through a door to their right, Adelwolf close on his heels. Waving them forward, Adelwolf shouted, “Get to the tunnel!”
Running past them, Cenric echoed the knight, “Come on!” He reached the door with Sebastian and Krystelle right behind. The sound of steel on steel reverberated from the stone walls. Sebastian looked back to see Adelwolf and Heinrich Tornike locked in combat. Frozen in horror he watched as Tornike and Adelwolf danced back and forth. Adelwolf was good, but so was Tornike. Time stopped as the younger man dealt a series of crushing blows. The old knight collapsed, sword clattering to the ground. Tornike towered over Adelwolf, gripping his sword with both hands over his head. A thin smile formed on Tornike’s face, but it did not reach his eyes. Moments later it was over.
Sebastian’s heart fell. He’d lost his uncle and had just been forming a new bond with the old warrior. Now that had been stolen from him. Surging forward, he tore himself from Krystelle’s grasping fingers. “Sebastian, NO!” The world was a haze of red as he charged at Tornike, the sound of rushing blood in his ears blocking out the world. Bernice. Aunt Shearan and uncle Caleb. Now Adelwolf. Tornike had killed everyone who meant anything to him. The rage bottled inside him came to the surface in full force. There was no skill. No finesse in his attack. Simply pure berserker rage.
Sebastian found himself towering over Tornike, just as the man had been standing over Adelwolf moments earlier. The rogue knight looked up at him and smirked, “I yield.” Cocking his head to the side, Sebastian stared back at the man.
“I don’t care.” He said, raising his sword for the fatal blow. Tornike’s head bounced away, rolling to a stop next to Adelwolf’s body.
Krystelle knelt down next to the old knight and laid a hand on his body, tears running down her face. She looked over at Tornike’s corpse and then up at Sebastian. “What have you done?”
“Only what needed to be done.”
“He yielded and should have been brought to the king’s justice,” disapproval resonating in her voice.
For once, Sebastian did not care what she thought. “He deserved to die,” he said.
She rounded on him, “It was not your place to decide that.”
“Like I told him, I don’t care.” He turned away, leaving her to follow him back to the tunnel.
#
Emerging into the graveyard, Cenric sat on the edge of a nearby tomb, head in his hands, weeping. Sebastian pulled at him. “We need to keep moving.”
“Leave him alone. Let him have a moment to grieve.” Krystelle pulled him away from the boy.
Yanking his arm away, Sebastian hissed, “Grieve? We’ve failed and Adelwolf died for nothing.”
“No we haven’t,” said Cenric through his tears.
“Haven’t? Haven’t what?” he snapped.
“Haven’t failed.” Wiping his face, Cenric stood, reaching into his cloak. “We got it. The Sunstone.” He pulled a translucent auburn stone from beneath his cloak and held it up to them.
“That’s it? That old piece of rock. That’s why Adelwolf died?”
“Don’t let appearances deceive you,” said Krystelle. “That old piece of rock is a vessel of enormous power.”
“Indeed it is. Now hand it over.” A hooded figure leaning on an ornate silver-wood staff emerged from the shadows behind the nearest grave. Sebastian and Krystelle swirled about, bringing their swords up to guard. Cenric centered himself just behind them with the stone.
A cold dread swept over Sebastian and the others as Gerlach Pwyll glided toward them. “Tsk, tsk…weapons are hardly necessary. Besides, they won’t do you any good.”
“Stay back,” commanded Sebastian.
“Ah…you’re the boy Adelwolf was so fond of from that quaint little hamlet to the north. Do you really think you can stop me with mere iron?”
“I killed Tornike and I can kill you.”
“I doubt that very much. Hand over the Sunstone before I become cross with you.” He swept his staff in a wide arc and…something…hit Krystelle and Sebastian, flinging them to the ground. The dark wizard closed on Cenric.
Holding the Sunstone close, Cenric closed his eyes and focused on a basic protection spell Cormac had taught him before he died. Pwyll reached out for the stone to claim his prize. As he did, the Sunstone began to glow from within. The light pulsed outward from Cenric to form an amber shield around the boy.
With his staff as a focal point, Gerlach Pwyll pressed his thought towards the golden bubble. They stood locked in silent concentration, Pwyll pressing with all his might and focus and Cenric with arms wrapped around the glowing stone.
Sebastian hauled himself to his feet, struggling towards his sword. “We have to help him.”
Krystelle grabbed his arm. “This is not your fight. You cannot help him. Only the Sunstone can. Trust its power and trust Ce
nric as Adelwolf did.”
Glowering, Sebastian lowered his head and allowed his muscles to relax. “We should be ready to move. I’ll fetch the horses.”
The silent battle continued with Gerlach Pwyll striving to break through the Sunstone strengthened shield while Cenric struggled to maintain his focus. The boundary of the shield contracted and expanded in turns as first one, then the other gained an advantage.
Sebastian and Krystelle stood by, helpless but prepared to act whatever the outcome. Contrary to her own advice, Krystelle attempted to move closer to help Cenric and was knocked away by the magical energy surrounding the combatants.
After a time, it seemed that Gerlach Pwyll was beginning to overcome Cenric’s shield. Inch by inch, the shield was collapsing on itself. With each inch the shield contracted, the Sunstone glowed brighter.
Without warning, the brilliance of the Sunstone exploded outward. Cenric and Gerlach Pwyll flew back, stunned from the force of the silent eruption. Cenric hit the ground hard, and the Sunstone rolled from his grasp. Sebastian threw himself at the Stone, his hand closing around it as Gerlach Pwyll pulled himself to his feet.
The dark mage drew himself up and planted his staff in the earth, facing off against Sebastian. “Well boy, it is come to you and I. Foolish of you to come against me with only an apprentice like that child. Even with the Eligius Siothrun he could not defeat me. Do you not realize yet that I do not act alone in this? Sterling Lex has returned and guides my hand. He has granted me power beyond what you can possibly image. Hand over the Sunstone and perhaps I will allow you to live.”
The rage that Sebastian had felt before with Tornike rose up once again within him, amplified now that he was facing the man of his nightmares. That now familiar fire raged in his body, burning him to a cinder as he screamed at Pwyll, “NEVER! I’ll see you dead first.”
Laughing, Gerlach Pwyll lifted his staff and sent a pulse of energy towards him. Sebastian lifted his sword and the Sunstone, not knowing what else to do, yet filled with anger. He could almost feel his rage seeping down his arm and into the Stone. Just as Pwyll’s attack was about to crash into him, the Sunstone flared brighter than ever before, absorbing the blast of energy that would have annihilated Sebastian. Stunned, Pwyll prepared another assault.
Sword in one hand, Sunstone in the other, Sebastian charged at the dark wizard, bellowing his defiance. Fire arced out from the Stone to run up and down the length of Sebastian’s sword as he swung it high. Slicing through Pwyll’s counterattack, the fiery sword shattered the mage’s staff and pierced his side. Pulling his sword back, Sebastian watched as the red-orange flame spread out from the wound, burning and scorching as it crawled over Pwyll’s body. The wizard screamed and it was over as he disappeared in a flash of smoke and fire. Sebastian collapsed to his knees in front of the pile of ash and the flame faded from both sword and stone.
“Sebastian?” Krystelle Mora laid a hand on his shoulder. “Are you alright?”
Looking up at the woman, he let the hand holding the Sunstone fall to his side. “I don’t…what happened?”
“You beat him Sebastian. I do not quite know how, but you beat Gerlach Pwyll.”
“Cenric?” He looked over to where the boy lay, still unconscious.
“He will be alright. He is unconscious, but I don’t believe there is any permanent harm. He will recover. I am more concerned with you at the moment.”
Sebastian shivered. “Why is it so cold?”
She shook her head, “It is not cold, Sebastian. I think that it must be the fire.”
“It is not the fire,” the guttural voice pierced the night air and Sebastian turned toward the sound. The two Krenon from Aldmoor were standing there, along with another. The third figure seemed made of the night itself and Sebastian knew the cold he was feeling came from that one. “You have made my job much easier, young one.” He motioned to his two brothers, who began moving to flank Sebastian and Krystelle Mora.
She stood, sword in her hand. “Beware Krenon, I am Krystelle Mora, Sword-master of Gabirel. This man is under my protection.”
Nereus laughed. “Your protection means nothing here Krystelle Mora. These two have used magic openly. They have defied the Ban. That one has killed with magic. You cannot deny it and you cannot defend it.”
“But I can’t use magic,” Sebastian mumbled. “Magic is bad.”
“Nevertheless you will not take them.” Krystelle assumed a fighting posture, eyes dancing between the three.
“You cannot stop me. Perhaps it will go easy for them. After all they have defeated Gerlach Pwyll. That one has been a thorn in the Krenon side for many years. Although, not as big a thorn as Gabirel itself.”
“I say again, you can not have them. Your powers will not work on me, I am not a wizard. But I assure you, my sword will kill you.”
Sebastian realized the two red-robed Krenon were drawing close to Cenric’s still body now. He did not like that they were that close to his friend. Distantly he was aware that his thinking was muddled as the world floated around him. His thoughts drifted back a few moments and he remembered he had killed Pwyll. That had felt good, but also wrong somehow. Why should that be?
The Krenon’s voice brought him back to the present. “Do you care to test that, Sword-master? The power of Gabirel is failing, and we grow strong. Your blade may not have quite the effect you imagine.” He did not like that voice, and he really did not like it threatening Krystelle. Those two Krenon were really close to Cenric now. That was bad, wasn’t it?
Tendrils of non-light oozed out from the Krenon, reaching out for Krystelle. Sebastian wanted to call out a warning to her, but his voice caught in his throat. Paralyzed, he watched the black inch its way toward her, caressing her face and wrapping itself around her head. Her eyes closed and she collapsed to the ground. “Now, what to do with you?” said the dark figure.
Seeing Krystelle struck down brought that rage back in full force. Pulling himself to his feet, Sebastian dropped his sword and marched toward the Krenon with the hand holding the Sunstone outstretched. The black tendrils reached for him now and faded away as they touched the glowing Sunstone. He stepped to within inches of the Krenon and paused, seeing terror in its countenance. He did not care. Thrusting the Sunstone forward with all his might, Sebastian channeled his rage once more. Nereus did not even have a chance to scream before he disintegrated before the power of the Sunstone. Sebastian turned toward the other two. Before he could take a single step, they fled into the darkness.
Dropping the Sunstone as the power faded, he rushed to where Krystelle lay. Cradling her head in his lap, he stroked her hair, willing her to awaken. “Come on Krystelle. Come back to me.” Leaning down to listen for any sign of life, he could hardly breathe himself. Nothing. Rage drained from his body, leaving emptiness behind. He couldn’t lose Krystelle too. Not her. Not now. He had not realized how much he cared for the woman until this moment, holding her lifeless body in his arms as he wept.
Tears streaming down his cheeks he could feel his heart tearing from his chest. Tilting his head back, he screamed defiance at a world that was stealing every good thing in his life. In that moment, the Sunstone flared with a brilliant orange that surrounded the two of them. Deep in his soul a voice that was not quite a voice spoke in words he could not hear, but could understand, “What is it you desire, Sebastian?”
He sobbed the one answer he knew in the depth of his being, “For her to live…”
“Nothing more?” the voice asked. “Then so be it.” Ribbons of orange light caressed Krystelle’s face, just as the black tendrils had moments before. They wrapped themselves about her, bathing her in light for what seemed hours, but was merely the briefest moment. The light faded as her eyes snapped open, and she sat up choking and coughing. She lived.
Her gaze locked on Sebastian. “What happened?” she asked, echoing his question from a few minutes before.
He could not find the words to tell her what had happened. He
was not quite sure he even understood it himself yet. “I…they…we won. That’s all that counts. We have the Sunstone and the Krenon are gone.”
She nodded, looking at him with the question in her eyes and said, “We can talk about it from the road. Time is short. We must get the Sunstone back to the Dazhberg before the Krenon can surround the fortress.”
“From the road,” Sebastian agreed.
Collecting Cenric’s unconscious body and draping him over his mount, they gathered up the Sunstone and rode off as the sun made its first cautious appearance over the horizon, marking the start of a new day. As they rode, Sebastian’s head spun with what had just happened. On the one hand all he wanted to do was find a spring and bathe, to wash off the corruption of the magic he had tapped into. On the other, he could not believe it was all bad. It had saved Krystelle Mora. It had brought her back from the dead. He wondered what he was going to tell her when the time came.
#
At mid-day, the sun stood high above the battlements of the mighty fortress. Guardsmen patrolled the tops of the walls just as they had done for generations, the echoing of a copper gong marking the hours each day. From atop the eastern tower one of the soldiers spied three riders cresting the far ridge. Watching the horses plod forward with riders slumped in the saddle gave him reassurance that there was no threat there.
From the rider’s perspective, it was easy to see why the fortress had withstood every assault leveled against it during the Dragon Wars. Its monolithic stone walls seemed to grow from the side of the craggy mountain. Waves of snow covered granite lapped at the edges of the structure. Crenelations rimmed the battlements providing cover for defenders to rain arrows down on any force attempting to make its way up the steep mountainside leading to the redstone main gate, named Miltiades. The main pathway wound steeply through a forest of rocks, adding another layer of defense to the structure. Rather than giving an air of welcome, the structure loomed above the trail as travelers approached the curtain wall.
Eligium- The Complete Series Page 8
