Then Sheabor struck the warrior in the helmet with his gauntlet, knocking the man down. Then a swift kick to the head rendered him unconscious. Sheabor sprinted for the nearest building. But turning round, he hesitated. He hated leaving the soldiers behind, not knowing if they would win the day.
Meanwhile, Blair and the fifty or so warriors listened to the sounds of battle erupting at the front of the city. The soldiers grew restless, wanting to leave and join in the fight. But if Corcoran had men lying in wait, they'd be overjoyed to see the gate to the inner keep open.
What if Blair made a tunnel somewhere out of the way? It would get some of the soldiers out of the keep, but it would soon be discovered. They had no choice but to sit tight. They had a job to do – protect Ariadra and the Windbearers.
Blair needed to remain watchful, for Corcoran's Builder might try and sneak through the wall without him noticing. But all seemed quiet on the streets of the city.
But just then, an arrow whizzed by his head from the left, striking one of the soldiers on the wall. Ducking in reflex and turning, Blair was shocked to see a dozen warriors in dark armor pouring through a newly formed hole in the wall.
Their Builder had done the same as Blair, going outside the city to avoid detection and burrowing back in. The Forthurian soldiers sprang toward them with a shout. Blair froze for long moments. What should he do? Was this an act of desperation by Corcoran, the battle going ill at the front and trying to kill the Windbearers before his forces perished? Or was the battle in his favor and these soldiers not needed to win the final victory?
Blair had to do something. Thinking quickly, he sprinted from the wall and made for the palace hall. But just as his feet hit the ground, another arrow flew in front of his face. The enemy's Builder had narrowly missed him but had already notched another arrow.
Blair ran low as he fled, racing down the street toward the palace hall.
“Corcoran's forces are in the inner keep!” Blair yelled as he came to the steps. “Can we take the tunnel to Siphion Falls?”
“They had soldiers waiting for us on the other end,” Cora said. “We barely got back up the tunnel in time.”
Blair's mind was racing. What should they do? There had to be something! He couldn't believe the plan of King Euthor had come to such failure.
“Get the women and children to hide wherever they can in the city,” Blair said. “It's us he's after. I have an idea.”
Meanwhile, Sheabor raced through the empty streets of Eulsiphion. No sign of Corcoran. But from up ahead, he thought he heard the sounds of battle. It grew louder at his approach. Corcoran was inside the inner keep!
But coming round a bend, he saw the gate to the keep securely closed. Sheabor ran to it, pushing and pounding on it with his fists, to no avail. Yelling out, he called for someone to let him in but was met with silence.
He shot his eyes in every direction, searching for the means Corcoran used to enter the keep. He had to have tunneled through again. But there was no sign of it. Wasting no time, he made for the wall on the far side, running down it back into the main city.
Dread grew inside him as the sounds of battle came to a halt from the inner keep. But then he saw it, a gaping hole in the main wall just ahead. Rushing through it, he sprinted east along it until reaching another hole where the southern wall and the inner wall of the main keep were adjoined. Corcoran had done the same thing to get in that they had done to get out.
The battle was over and many lay slain roundabout. The soldiers had fought valiantly, for at least half a dozen of Corcoran's men were among the dead. But that meant Corcoran still had an equal number at his side. Sheabor sprinted for the palace hall.
Ascending the stairs, he noticed that the large door was still barred shut. And it didn't show any sign of forcible entry. Sheabor stopped in his tracks, his heart and mind racing. Where had they gone?
Blair, Cora, Ariadra, Durian and the two Windbearers set off from the palace hall down the broad stairs, the inhabitants of Eulsiphion fleeing into the dark corners of the city to hide and wait the battle out. At the base of the stairway, the group, led by Blair, set off toward the catacombs beneath the city.
Blair had an idea. If they could get inside the vault, he could seal it with a seal stronger than their Builder could tunnel through. From there, he could figure out how to tunnel out to the outside world or wait for the coalition forces to come recapture the city. This wasn't over yet, not as long as Blair had breath left in his body.
Blair reached the entrance to the catacombs, turning to find Cora.
“Lead the way.”
Cora hesitated, visibly troubled. She didn't have the map this time and the corridors were narrow. If they made a wrong turn somewhere, they'd be lost without a guide. But she was still the best qualified to lead them. So, clenching her jaw, she made for the tunnel.
They descended quickly in the damp cold air, deep underground within moments. It reminded him of the time he and Baron were trapped on the inside of the Illian city. Eventually they came to a fork in the road that caused Cora to come to a dead stop. Turning to Blair, she wore a look of great worry. She didn't have to say anything. They had taken a wrong turn.
“Which way do you think it is?” Blair asked.
“I think the last left turn we took was a mistake.”
Blair closed his eyes, placing both palms against the right side of the corridor. Extending his Builder ability as far as it would carry, he tried to read the stone for clues. At the very edge of his touch seemed to be a hollow space. It could be the tunnel they were meant to be on. Blair felt for weaknesses in the stone. He was wary of using his destructive touch so far underground. One false move and he could bury the whole group.
But finding a subtle crack already in the stone, he hit it with the palm of his hand, sending a crack through to the other side. The ceiling of their tunnel cracked also just above Ariadra, sending a worried gasp from her lips. But Blair thrust his fingertips into the crack and began pulling the stone apart like a curtain. The passageway was narrow but within minutes, he had tunneled through to another open corridor.
“This way!” Cora said, taking a sharp left and continuing down.
The group traveled single-file for many hundreds of paces. The Orb Stone Vault was the furthest room in the underground maze. But soon Blair saw it – a smashed open hole at the end of the path.
Coming inside, the room opened to a large cavern. The group filed in. Blair ran along the perimeter of the room, trying to figure out how far the Shade Stone extended so he could find a way out.
“Blair, what are you doing?” Cora asked.
“Finding us a way out.”
He worked for minutes while the rest watched and waited. But reaching the far back of the cavern, he was surprised to find that the Shade Stone seemed to skin the whole wall. King Euthor couldn't have encased the entire cavern in Shade Stone! Continuing on down the other side, worry filled his heart as he felt no breaks in the impenetrable stone coating the cavern. He came back to Cora and the others in despair.
“What's wrong?” Cora asked.
“The whole room is coated in Shade Stone. I won't be able to tunnel out of here. Quick, put out the torches! They'll burn up all the air and we might be here for awhile.”
Blair began to panic. If he couldn't get them out of here, they'd suffocate beneath the city. All was now pitch dark. Blair tried to think quickly. Their Builder didn't know they'd be trapped in here. Perhaps when he found the room sealed up tight, he'd assume Blair would tunnel through to the outside. They only needed to survive until the battle was over.
Suddenly, a light appeared in their midst. It was a small cloud, rising over the head of Aravas, rumbling and flashing with small bursts of lightning. The group waited. Blair wouldn't seal the tunnel until he was sure Corcoran was coming and not Sheabor. Coming over to Aravas, he asked the question in everyone's mind.
“If I let them through, can you use your powers to stop him?”
“Yes, but it would surely kill everyone in this room.”
Blair thought for long moments. If Corcoran made it into this room, they'd be dead anyway. And if Sheabor lost the battle for the city, they'd be trapped here until the air was gone. Their only option was to trust that Sheabor would come and save them.
Minutes seemed to pass like hours and still nothing. Turning, Blair took note for the first time that a figure was suspended in crystal in the middle of the room. It was King Taspian, Durian had said, the last great king of Melanor. Risking leaving the mouth of the tunnel, he approached it, seeing the stone coffin of Sheyla in a carved out space in the rock. Just below King Taspian was a curious indentation in the shape of Sheabor's hammer.
“What does that do?” Blair asked, pointing to it.
“It activated King Taspian's powers and the Soul Stone in Sheyla's coffin, bringing Ariadra back to life,” Durian said.
After a short while, he began hearing footsteps. Rushing back to the opening, he peered outward, craning his neck to perceive what armor the troops were wearing by the sound of their footsteps. But he couldn't tell and there wasn't enough light in the hall to do any good. Blair didn't know what to do. It would take a few moments to seal the hole.
“I need a torch!” Blair yelled.
Durian came running and handed it to him, lighting it with a bit of flint stone. Blair took the torch and threw it down the corridor with all his might. For a few moments, nothing came to view. But then he saw it, a group of six warriors in dark suits of armor.
Blair knew what he had to do. Slowly filling in the gap with new stone from the outer tunnel wall, he closed it completely. It was now up to Sheabor. If he didn't take back the city, and quickly, then everyone in this room would perish.
The Last Stand
Estrien and Straiah fought together, side by side with the soldiers of Kester. But they were being slowly enveloped by the army of Corcoran and forced to give up ground rather than be flanked. The fires on the siege works had been quelled and were once more firing on the battered castle.
They were running out of options. If they fell back to the castle, the siege works would pummel them. But holding their ground might lead to an even quicker demise. The only option seemed to be retreat. But Estrien couldn't stomach it. There had to be another way.
“Straiah!” Estrien yelled, piercing the warrior whose blade was locked with his.
“I know!” he yelled back, pushing the warrior down to the ground and immediately blocking another blow.
A volley of stone flew overhead, smashing into the wall not far behind them. Straiah parried a blow, then felled the warrior who threw it, turning to Estrien.
“We have to retreat!” he yelled.
“No!”
“We can't wait any longer!”
Estrien's mind raced. How far could they really hope to get with the forces of Corcoran pursuing them? Fighting on their heels, another volley flew low just past them, striking the wall with a deafening crash. Bits of stone sprinkled down her armor.
Just then, the gates to the castle opened and many of the soldiers of Kester broke from the battle to retreat inside. But that was suicide! Archers appeared atop the battered wall, firing down arrows into the oncoming forces.
With the archers firing, the tide of warriors slamming against them was stemmed and Estrien was able to hold her ground. But the siege works would soon fire and the castle would fall. The soldiers of Kester knew it, but still they fought.
Estrien ducked a sword from an oncoming Dungeon Core warrior. But a pikeman beside him thrust his spear, hitting her squarely in the chest. She fell backward onto the pile of rubble just in front of the castle wall. For moments, she lay there breathless, watching the arrows fly overhead, exhaustion setting in.
“Estrien!” she heard Straiah shout.
Estrien closed her eyes, knowing that any moment, another volley of stone would smash the wall just overhead, sending chunks down and crushing her. She felt a tear slide down her cheek.
“Estrien!” Straiah yelled again.
But then she noticed it. The siege works weren't firing. Were they moving them forward again? But that didn't make sense. With them pinned against the wall and the archers firing from atop it, they'd want to pummel the wall to dust.
Estrien sprang upward. Straiah was standing just in front of her, keeping the enemy at bay. Estrien scrambled up the rubble, peering out over the battle toward the towers and seeing something she couldn't believe – a handful of Bearoc warriors wreaking havoc. It must have been Drogan! He must have been lying in wait for the siege works to finally become vulnerable.
“Everyone fall back to the castle!” Estrien shouted.
But the sound of her command carried meagerly over the raging battle. Then suddenly, the middle siege tower buckled amid the splintering of wood, falling forward with a mighty crash, the battle coming to a momentary halt.
“Fall back to the castle!” Estrien shouted, jumping down from the rubble beside Straiah and engaging the enemy beside him.
Estrien let out a yell and pushed forward, felling one warrior and spinning to strike another with the hilt of her sword. She ducked another blow and then sent the warrior over her shoulder. Grabbing Straiah by the arm, she pulled him toward the castle gate. Another loud crash erupted from behind as a second siege tower fell to the earth.
The forces of Corcoran hesitated in their advance, knowing without their siege towers, the archers on the wall would pick them apart. They began to fall back, the horsemen riding hard and fast for the last remaining siege work.
“Come on!” Estrien shouted. “We need to help them!”
Estrien rushed forward after them, Straiah beside her. Gwaren appeared from the fray and joined them also. The third siege tower began to buckle and teeter. The horsemen reared up, not knowing which way it would fall. Wobbling left and right, it finally crashed forward, landing just in front of the oncoming Dungeon Core warriors and pikemen.
As the dust cleared, suddenly a Bearoc warrior landed atop the tip of the fallen siege work, letting out a mighty roar at the oncoming forces. But they split down either side of the toppled tower, seeing that the battle had been lost.
Estrien slowed to a walk and at length dropped her sword, nearly falling down with joy and exhaustion. Taking off her helmet, she embraced Straiah tightly with a laugh of relief. They could scarcely believe it. They had won the day.
Off to her right, she saw a pair of riders approaching on horseback. One of them was Sorren and the other was Bowen, wearing a wide grin on his face. He had led a small contingent of the Bearoc to aid them.
“Bowen, you saved us!”
“All in a day's work, I suppose.”
The group laughed and Bowen and Sorren dismounted, embracing the other warriors on a job well done. But the general rode up on his horse.
“You've done well, Captain,” he said to Bowen. Then turning to Estrien and Straiah, “Quickly, we must pursue them.”
Estrien glanced to Straiah who only chuckled. She dropped her helmet on the dirt beside her, turning back to the general.
“They're all yours,” she said.
The general sneered.
“Command your troops to go after them, Captain.”
“With respect, sir, they aren't my troops to command. They graciously allowed me to accompany them.”
“Then who commands them!”
“He does,” Bowen said, motioning to a large Bearoc warrior slowly making his way toward them and removing his helmet.
“Drogan!” Estrien exclaimed. “I don't understand. What happened to you?”
“Only a few of us escaped that valley,” Drogan said. “But we took advantage of our small numbers, stalking the caravan of Corcoran for an opportunity to sabotage their siege towers. Then we saw Bowen and the contingent of our brothers riding to aid Cormak Castle. I took command and we slipped away, waiting for the right moment to strike.”
“You certainly waited t
ill the last possible moment,” Straiah said with a smile.
Then the group watched in silence as the diminished forces of Corcoran disappeared into the far horizon. They would be back, Estrien knew. Until Corcoran was truly defeated, this war would never end.
“It all depends on Sheabor now,” Estrien said, breaking the silence.
She opened her mouth to say more, glancing to Straiah, who shook his head gravely. They all knew the question. Should they leave now in hopes to reach Eulsiphion in time? The battle here had kept the focus away from Corcoran's true aim – the capture of Eulsiphion, hundreds of leagues away.
Was the battle already raging? Had the city already been taken? They would never reach the city in time but they couldn't just stand here doing nothing.
“We'll gather our forces and make for the alliance city at first light,” Estrien said.
That would get them closer to Forthura. Perhaps on the way they could formulate a plan. Then the group moved slowly back toward Cormak Castle.
“You're different,” Estrien remarked to Bowen as she walked beside him.
Bowen breathed in deep and cocked his head to the side in consideration.
“What was it like in paradise?” she asked with a smile.
Bowen chuckled.
“It's like nothing you can imagine. Truly. They don't live like we do. What they've managed to build there...well it's truly a a marvel. Their numbers are small but they live in balance with their land and resources. There's no grasping or selfish ambition. I just wish...more of us could go there and learn from their example.”
Estrien was surprised at his declarations. Bowen seemed genuinely changed by his time in the lands of Aeleos.
“I'm sure your superiors will be eager for your report,” Estrien said.
Bowen smirked but a troubled look soon replaced it.
“I'm afraid they'll be disappointed. I've been sworn to protect what they've built. I'll die before I see it destroyed by some grasping nobleman out for personal gain.”
The Banished Lands- The Complete Series Page 112
