by Thomas Rath
Thane then called forth razor sharp particles of ice that formed out of the moisture in the air and shot like a hundred thousand needles at Zadok only to be melted in a tornado of hot wind. Next, he quickly rejoined the stone ground at his feet as Zadok tried to separate them and cast him down from the mountain keep when something suddenly tickled at the outskirts of his hearing. He tried to give it ear, but with the massive amounts of power that seemed to rotate around him like a vortex of energy, he was unable to latch onto it or make it audible. Yet, even so, he could feel its urgency. He felt drawn to it, but he could not give it his full attention while he continued to battle with Zadok. Nothing could be so important as defeating the enemy before him. Should he fail, all would fail and fall in the crush of his massive army. Even now, he could sense that they were regrouping against his earthen warriors, picking them apart slowly as new promises of human flesh and treasure floated on the wind to their ears and hearts. Zadok. He was the one making the promises, whispering into the simple minds that made up his army at the same moment he raged against Thane.
The urgency was growing within him though he couldn’t determine why or from where it was coming. One thing was for certain, neither the Tane nor Zadok’s magic would rule the day in this fight. There had to be another way but he couldn’t concentrate on it while his Tane danced about in his mind throwing fire and lightning or calling wind to shake off one of Zadok’s onslaughts. It was all too much noise. The songs they all sang were disjointed and alone clamoring jealously above each other to be heard above the rest.
Though caught in the middle of so much power that seemed to answer to his every whim, Thane was beginning to feel his own strength being drawn away. Gelfin had warned him that without an anchor he was forced to give of his own self and energy to handle the Tane and now his reserves were beginning to fail him. He had to end this soon. He had to find a way. Again he felt an urgent rush pressing him to act but in what way he could not tell. It was like someone pounding on a distant door calling out in desperation but for what he could not tell.
Blocking another bolt of lightning he finally understood that only physical weapons would harm Zadok, and conversely, himself in this battle of wills. Zadok must have been tiring as much as he with the amount of power he was calling forth but he couldn’t wait to see who would falter first. He needed to get close enough to use his sword, but he felt like he was welded in place, unable to move.
The disharmonious sounds of the five Tane rattling their individual songs in his skull was starting to become painful as he was forced to call on each one in his battle for ultimate victory. He wondered why he could not get them to sing together in harmony as they had in the grove of YeiyeiloBaneesh. Then they had all sung together in a united melody that calmed his soul while filling every fiber of his being with light and power. It must have been the anchor. It must have been the trees. No wonder the Tane drew out his energy when it lacked an anchor. It was not able to direct itself properly without the YeiyeiloBaneesh. If he could somehow get them all to coalesce in a harmonious reverberation he felt that he would have the key that would give him the victory he needed.
Again came the urgent banging somewhere outside his consciousness. It was so persistent this time that he’d almost let go of the Tane. He wondered what it would feel like to have Zadok’s magic lancing through his chest without the protective covering the Tane currently provided. The thought of his arrow piercing the dragon came suddenly to his mind followed right behind by a glimmer of light and inspiration.
Swallowing a bog creature Zadok had suddenly raised by opening a gaping hole in the balcony, Thane sent out a strand of air searching for the heart arrow that must surely be still embedded in the dragon’s chest while retaliating against Zadok with a swirling vortex of wind meant to shred his opponent with its battling crosscurrents of air. He didn’t pay attention to how Zadok escaped the attack already knowing the outcome when he conjured it from the ArVen.
Back and forth they continued their colossal battle while Thane swept the area in search of the arrow. He could feel its presence calling out to him almost as much as the constant buzz that tried to steal his attention away with its now almost hysterical demands. He could feel the strand he’d sent to search almost like his own fingertips groping in the dark for a misplaced treasure and then he brushed up against something warm. He grasped his ArVen fingers around it and a shot of energy and exhilaration flowed through him as he felt its pulse and knew he’d located the arrow.
With barely a thought, he called the arrow to him and it became so clear in his mind what he’d have to do. He flinched, knowing the pain it would cause, but his resolve was firm as he guided the arrow with quick precision and tremendous speed as if he’d shot it with his own bow. Across the balcony it sped, its sharp tip leading the way until it penetrated its target right into the fleshy part of Thane’s thigh. He cried out as it pierced his flesh and almost faltered as the pain seared through him, his own blood coalescing around the shaft, feeding it, uniting with it, matching his own heart rate with the thumping deep within its core.
Zadok quickly dove to the side, thinking they were under attack, remembering all too well the arrows that had almost killed him in a previous life. His magic faltered for a moment giving Thane a reprieve as he felt the Tane suddenly begin to align as their voices fell, one by one, into a harmonious union of power and song.
It was pure light radiating around him and through him; gathering all life into his pores and communing with it on such an intimate level that nothing was left hidden. It was at that moment, that the door seemed to crash open on the one that had been pounding along the outskirts of his consciousness and Tam’s spirit suddenly materialized before him.
“Thane!” she screamed, “Thane, you must come! She needs you or she will die! You must come now!” And then she was gone, returned to her body, her desperate message delivered.
Through the peace that enveloped him like a cocoon, Thane felt a sudden welling of dread growing out from his heart as he understood who the she must be that Tam was calling about. Jne was in trouble and he had to go to her.
Zadok slowly stood, understanding that he must not be in any immediate danger from arrows as Thane turned his green eyes upon him, the power behind them making them spark with energy. Holding a sword in one hand, he forced his muscles to move him forward, the pain in his thigh that had, only moments before, been near excruciating was now gone. Still he felt stiff as he closed the distance.
Zadok called up his magic but this time Thane did not move to block or defend himself. Zadok smiled wickedly as black light shot from his fingers hitting Thane square in the chest but he was not even fazed in the slightest. The bolts seemed to go right through him, absorbed in the light that was the five Tane.
In desperation, Zadok continued to draw forth his magic, screaming in rage at its impotence against the Chufa boy. “I am the greatest!” he yelled, spittle flying from his mouth as he called forth more bolts of lightning. “You cannot defeat me!” he wailed, almost like a child throwing a tantrum as Thane closed the remaining gap to stand before him. Zadok reached behind him for something tucked in his belt and pulled out a knife that he tried to use but Thane merely reached out and grabbed his wrist twisting the blade out of his hand.
“You deserve worse than this,” he whispered as he buried his blade up to the hilt into Zadok’s chest.
Zadok’s eyes widened as he dropped to his knees and then finally crumpled over. Thane’s sword pulled free and he slowly bent down and wiped the blood off on Zadok’s robe. Staring down at the pitiful man that had caused so much death, sorrow and pain he found that it was all he could do not to hack away at his flesh until nothing remained but the awful memory. Turning away, he replaced his sword in its sheath and then tore the heart arrow from his thigh. The pain came back in such a rush as to almost throw him to the ground. Tearing a piece of cloth from his sleeve, he wrapped the wound and then started for the edge of the balcony. Jne was in
trouble, he had to find her.
A sudden sense of loss began to build in his heart and he felt a tear break from his eye and travel down his cheek. Peering over the edge, Zadok’s army seemed in disarray as the enemy began turning on itself. A distant howl broke through the rumble far below drawing his attention to the south. Focusing his keen eyes toward the forest, he watched in wonder as hundreds of Kybara raced over the plain toward the enemy, breaking into the lines like a wave of the sea.
Their howls seemed to be answered by another call high in the heavens as a hundred or more rocs dove out of the clouds plunging toward the valley floor. Thane just caught sight of Teek riding Tchee as they lead them down baring claw and beak. Casting his spirit after them, he found Azaforte as he pulled a retreating troll from the ground and drove him into a group of goblins who had cast off their weapons and were running away.
Thane called out in desperation as the feeling of darkness that gripped his heart grew more intense.
* * *
It didn’t take long for Tam to locate Thane as his battle with Zadok lit up the sky with spectacular and frightening light as they hammered at each other back and forth. The air itself almost seemed ignited with energy and power and she found it difficult to maintain a stream of wind as she approached. Ignoring the danger to herself, she pressed forward calling out to Thane with all her might but something seemed to be blocking her. She attempted to draw closer but was met by a wall of power that refused to give her passage.
Calling for as much strength of wind as she dared, she pounded against the invisible barrier again and again, screaming at the top of her lungs but to no avail. She was becoming desperate as she watched them battle, neither gaining the upper hand as they seemed matched in their abilities and power.
She saw the tendril of air that suddenly dispatched from Thane moving like a snake across the ground and then into the dragon’s chest. She wondered at it as she mounted assault after assault against the invisible wall. She gasped as the finger of air suddenly snapped back, the heart arrow clutch in slim fingers that then plunged the arrow into Thane’s thigh. Not understanding the significance at first, she screamed in agony with Thane and then found she was no longer held a bay.
“Thane!” she screamed, “Thane, you must come! She needs you or she will die! You must come now!”
Suddenly she was back in her body looking down at her friend who was now shivering. “Hold on, Jne,” she cried, covering the Tjal woman’s hand with her own over the gaping wound in her chest. “I found him. I found Thane. He is coming to heal you. Just please hold on.”
Jne’s face was pale, too pale, from the tremendous loss of blood. Her lips were tinged blue and her breathing was labored flashing pain across her face with every breath.
“Do not mourn…for me,” she whispered up at Tam. “I have fought with honor. There is no…shame in my death. Thane can stand with his head held…high over me.”
“No, Jne,” Tam balled, her tears running down her cheeks and dripping off of her chin. “You are going to live to marry him. He is coming and will heal you. We can’t go on without you. You two are meant to be together!”
“No, Tam.” Jne said, her voice becoming weaker and harder to hear. “I die with honor…yet, I would trade…it away…and die…in…shame…in my old…age if it could be…with him.” She took a deep, painful breath and then slowly let it out.
Tam screamed into the air, her sobs becoming uncontrollable as she wept over Jne’s body. Suddenly a shadow passed over her face as a great bird landed with a screech in the courtyard. Through her tears she saw Thane as he flew from the bird and raced desperately toward them.
“Tam,” he started to say, but upon seeing Jne, he pulled her hand away from the gaping wound in Jne’s chest and placed his their instead. Calling for his Tane, the QenChe fires pulled at the dead space created by Sireen’s sword, knitting the flesh together anew as it healed it from the inside out. Without pause, he moved his hand along the gash higher up and then finally placed his hand on her arm where the blood flow seemed to have stopped.
Finally looking at her pale face, he realized that she was no long breathing. “No!” he cried, pressing his lips to her ear. “No, Jne! You can’t leave me alone. Please, don’t leave me along.”
Tam placed her hand on his arm, her tears racing in a deluge down her face. “She’s gone, Thane,” she said softly. “It’s too late. You did what you could.”
Thane stared at her for a moment and then looked down at Jne’s lifeless form. She was still, and yet, even in her current condition, his breath caught in his throat at how beautiful she was and how much he loved her. His vision blurred, as the tears began to give form to his emotions, his heart aching in his chest. Was his god so cruel as to insist he be alone his whole life never experiencing the companionship and love of a soulmeet? Was his lot to be always cast amongst the outcast and forgotten, to live a life void of solace and warmth? Raising his face to the sky he screamed out his anguish and rage. “NO!”
Looking back at the woman he loved, the woman he had waited for to give his life and love, he froze as a dim light seemed to gather about her skin. Slowly at first, as if fighting to be free, and then with greater ease, he watched as her spirit released itself from her body and began to rise. “Jne,” he called after her, but her face was lifted upward, seeing something afar off that was beyond his sight. “Wait,” he called after her, but she seemed not to hear as she slowly began to rise into the silent air. Becoming desperate, he looked back down to her body and then over to Tam who was watching him quizzically.
“Air,” he finally said. “She needs air.”
Tam’s face turned to one of concern at Thane’s sudden babbling. “She’s dead, Thane. She’s gone.”
“No!” he insisted. Pointing up he pled, “Can’t you see her, Tam? Don’t you see her spirit? I can call it back. I know I can, but she needs air.”
Tam stared at him, her face changing from a look of concern to fear. “Please, Thane,” she said, “I don’t see anything. She’s gone.”
“No!” Thane shouted at her. “I won’t let her go! She needs air, Tam. Use your Tane. Force air into her lungs while I get her back. She needs to breathe. Please, do this for me. Please.” He was pleading now, the tears pouring out as he begged for Tam to help him.
Fearful that her friend had snapped under the strain, she nonetheless did as he requested, calling the wind in a stream to fill Jne’s lungs and then allowing the natural weight of her chest to force it back out.
“That’s it,” he said, smiling through his tears. “That’s it. Don’t stop.”
Throwing his spirit into the air, he shot upwards quickly becoming even with Jne’s. Reaching for her arm, he felt her skin as they made contact, wrapping his fingers around her wrist and pulling her back. Her head was still raised, ignoring everything around her until she noticed that her progression had halted. Pulling on her arm, her face clouded as she struggled to be set free, but Thane held tight.
“Jne,” he called to her. “Jne, wait.”
At the sound of his voice she dropped her eyes and stared at him, her face blank as if not recognizing who he was.
“Jne,” he begged, “it’s me. It’s Thane. Don’t you know me?”
For a moment she just stared as if confused and then she smiled. “Have you died as well?” she asked.
“No, Jne,” he smiled with relief. “No, and you don’t have to either. Look,” he said pointing down to her body. “Look, I’ve healed your wounds. You don’t have to go. See,” he said, his voice cracking, “you’re still breathing. You have to come back. I need you to come back,” he said pleading.
Jne glanced back at whatever it was she could see overhead and for a brief moment he thought she was going to say no. But then she turned her beautiful blue eyes back to him and simply said, “Thane.” And then she was gone.
Looking around, he became desperate, his heart dying within him as he felt he’d truly lost her when suddenly
, Tam cried out. “She spoke! She called your name!”
Thane returned to his body in an instant reaching out and taking Jne’s hand that suddenly felt warm and had less of a grey, waxy hue.
“She said your name,” Tam cried, releasing her Tane and crying with joy as they watched Jne’s chest rise and fall on its own. “You were right,” she said, throwing her arms around Thane’s neck and hugging him. “You were right.”
Epilogue
With the dragons and Zadok dead, the battle took a quick and easy turn for those defending the keep. No longer did the enemy have Zadok’s controlling magic to keep discipline and order and quickly the inbred hatred the orcs, goblins and trolls had for each other turned the battle against Bedler’s Keep into infighting and brawls amongst themselves. And, with the added help from the Kybara and the rocs, even though they were still grossly outnumbered, the fighters in the keep were able to break through the hold over the secret exit and take, once again to the battlefield. Dwarf, human and Tjal fought individually and together creating a great wedge that forced the enemy away from the keep and then finally sent them fleeing for their lives back to the mountains and forests that were their homes. Detachments were sent after them to insure that they returned to their own lands while taking down any stragglers that might have fallen behind looking for an easy kill at a farm or small village.
Once the fighting was ended, the rocs returned to the skies, splitting off into all directions finding their way back to their homes, wherever they might be. The Kybara did the same, returning to the Underwoods Forest where they promised to await the return of their Chufa lords and guardians. The remaining Tjal gathered their few dead for the funeral pyre, save for Soyak, and then slipped away back toward the plains of Enn without so much as a nod of recognition or farewell. They had come to the aid of their human neighbors, even having fought beside them, but that was the end of their amity.
