by Joe Naff
The blankets of raindrops coming down only made Firefly’s already limited vision worse. Still, a small light flickering at the base of the mountain caught her eye. Curious, she lifted off the windowsill to get a better view. There was a flame burning down near the marketplace. It appeared small, but for her to see it at all, it would need to be massive in size. The flame moved around wildly, jumping from point to point with no discernible rhythm or direction.
Then she heard it. There was a roar echoing off the side of the mountain. It repeated several times before Firefly could pick it out, but once she could differentiate it from the sounds of the storm, it didn’t take her long to recognize it.
“Acolyte,” the dwarven wife said as she moved towards the window. She had a small axe in her hand and a plate of polished brass covering her chest. “Is that what I think it is?”
Firefly nodded. “It’s the fire demon,” she responded. From this distance, the massive creature looked smaller than she did to the larger races. Still, it was easy to see it was not taking well to the storm. The roars it made didn’t carry the pride and confidence they had when it ransacked the marketplace.
“It cries in pain!” the husband said. “The rain is weakening it.”
“This just might work,” the wife said with glee. “Where is the sign from the Lady?”
“It’s coming,” Firefly answered. “Have faith.” She wasn’t entirely certain if she were saying it to convince the dwarves or herself. As the rain continued to pour, everyone watched silently as the beast roared and jumped below.
The balisekt soldiers were taking notice, too. With their champion weakened, they quickly began shouting commands to one another. They took up their weapons and assumed defensive positions. Firefly was getting worried. Their attack hinged on a successful, unified assault. If the soldiers were alert and ready for battle, the timing would be all the more important. The Lady’s sign would have to be unmistakable.
At the base of the cliff, the demon bucked and paced frantically. The large rain droplets on its fiery skin clearly pained it. It lifted its head up towards the sky, crying out with a roar that rivaled the thunder above, then the storm answered back. With a brilliant flash, a bolt of lightning came down from the dark clouds and struck the beast. Though the morning was upon them, the bolt still shone more brightly than a full moon on a clear night. Firefly’s prayers had been answered.
“That’s the sign!” Firefly shouted. “Now!”
The Lady’s sign was clear to more than just the young faerie. All the doors of the city flung open in unison. Dwarves from all walks of life charged into the stone, angled streets with their weapons held high in determination. With such an overwhelming force coming so suddenly, the balisekts were barely able to look over their shoulders before the dwarves were upon them. Many found axes in their chests or blades across their throats in an instant. Others fought back, but were quickly overrun by the swarm.
Firefly had done her job coordinating this attack, but she was useless in the battle. Without control over the Lady’s magic, she could offer no assistance with the attack. As the dwarves overran their oppressors, she zipped down the slope of the city towards the forest floor.
The raindrops were thick and heavy, making her flight nearly impossible. Faeries were prone to stay under shelter during storms. Their tiny forms were too light to fly in a normal rain showers, and this storm was heavier than most. She dipped down, sailing under a swinging sword as it cut across the torso of a nearby balisekt. A spray of blood mixed with the falling rain. As she rose again, a large droplet struck her left wing. It took her a moment to right herself again before carrying on.
The battle was nearly as loud as the storm. Swords clashed and the fallen cried out in pain. There were dwarven casualties, and it hurt Firefly's heart to see these innocent miners and merchants falling forever to defend their homes, but her plan was working.
As she looked over her shoulder, a brilliant flash of lightning reflected off the rain-soaked stone walls and illuminated the battle. From the top of the city, the dwarves descended like an avalanche. Filled with rage from being held captive in their own homes, they hacked and slashed at everything that stood in their way. The walkways, ladders, and bridges that crisscrossed the buildings were overflowing with dwarves. Many balisekts were defeated simply by being pushed off these narrow passageways and falling to their deaths.
She paused to admire the spectacle a moment too long and was stuck once again by a large rain droplet. It nearly knocked her out of the sky, but she was quick to correct herself and continue on to the base of the mountain. Many of the dwarves were already on flat ground, charging into their ruined marketplace with the fury of a seasoned army.
The fire demon was there. The once terrifying creature roared and growled in pain. Each droplet sizzled as it struck its glowing flesh. Pained as it was, it was still strong and completely aware that the dwarves were coming for it. Its massive head turned towards the coming aggressors. Nearing the creature, Firefly could see its glowing eyes narrow and a snarl cross its blackened lips. Its fiery paw lifted into the air as the dwarves encircled it.
Though weakened by the storm, the fire demon was still a formidable foe. The paw it lifted was the size of a merchant’s cart, and when it lowered it again with a mighty swing, a wave of unfortunate dwarves sailed through the air and disappeared into the curtain of rain. The other dwarves plunged their weapons into its coal-like hide, sending showers of embers into the air to be pummeled by the raindrops.
Switching tactics, the creature spun around in place. Its tail flipped back and forth like a whip, sending bright sparks into the storm. Each swipe of its paws sent another wave of dwarves flying off through the marketplace. Nevertheless, the citizens of Stonemouth were persistent. Regardless of the danger, regardless of the cost, they would not allow themselves to be held as prisoners any longer.
The dwarves attacked the demon’s hind legs, stabbing and slashing with each pass it made. It stomped and shook, trying to stop the onslaught. However, with its front legs busy attacking, it couldn’t lift its back legs out of harm's way. The rain driving down on its fiery skin was also proving too much for it to bear. Growls of anger and rage slowly transitioned into whimpers and whines.
As the demon grew weaker, its cries sent a charge of confidence and strength through the dwarves. Even in the storm, Firefly was able to see the fire extinguishing on the monster’s skin, burning instead in the spirits of the dwarves defending their home. Unable to continue traveling in the storm, Firefly landed on the broken beam of a wrecked merchant’s cart. There was just enough of the small straw roof left to keep the rain off her.
From her small perch, Firefly watched proudly as the fire demon finally stumbled and fell onto its left side. With its glowing skin fading to black, the dwarves piled on top of it like ants on a hill. Their weapons hacked and slashed feverously at its coal-like body, breaking it apart. The cheers and jubilant cries of the dwarves were loud enough to put fear in the hearts of the remaining balisekts, and an overwhelming sense of pride in Firefly.
“Thank you, my Lady,” Firefly said softly to herself, but she knew it wasn’t really to herself. The Lady had heard her. She’d been there when she needed Her the most, and it had ensured a great victory here in Stonemouth.
In that moment, she knew she felt Her, but it wasn’t just the victory or the sign that cemented her faith. She remembered the cold, artificial walls of the Temple and how lifeless they felt. She remembered the statues; dead objects paying homage to dead persons. She couldn’t feel the Lady there. Here, she could feel the rain on her face and the wind in her hair. The boom of the thunder coursed through her body. This is where she felt the Lady, because this was where she felt alive.
The dwarves dispersed into the marketplace, revealing a large, formless mound of extinguished coal. With no knowledge of the morning’s events, one could mistake it simply for a large bonfire used the night before. The beast was dead, and the remainin
g balisekts were retreating from the city towards the south where their great leader had marched.
“Where is she?” Firefly heard a nearby dwarf call out. His face was familiar to her. She had visited his family in the night, rallying them to battle as she had countless others. “Where is the faerie?”
“Are you looking for me?” Firefly asked as she waved her tiny hands up in the air. She knew the storm would make her difficult to see and hear, but the rain was too fast and heavy for her to fly out.
“Acolyte!” the dwarf called out with arms outstretched. For a moment, Firefly actually feared the excited man would actually attempt to hug her, which would have had disastrous consequences for her tiny body. “Lady’s blessings are upon us! The beast is dead!”
“She only sounded the charge,” Firefly said with a big smile on her face. “It was your efforts that brought about victory this day.”
Still smiling, the dwarf shook his head. “I must disagree. I felt her spirit coursing through me with each blow upon the demon’s skin. Stonemouth is truly blessed, and so are you.”
Firefly could feel her cheeks warming. She was sure they were turning red. “You are too kind.”
“Is there anything we can do to thank you, acolyte?” the dwarf inquired.
“Indeed there is,” she responded. “My friends are being held captive by a trio of smaller demons at the southern border to the Wilds.”
“Say no more,” the dwarf replied confidently. “I will get some men together. You lead the way.”
Chapter 24
The last thing Zehlyr thought he would be able to do that night was sleep. The rage he felt from losing Azalea still burned brightly within him, but weak with hunger and thirst, there was simply no fighting his fatigue. He and his brother had leaned against the wall of the storehouse. Arguing and fighting with Cherin hadn’t done him any favors for conserving energy. Convinced they were in no danger as long as they behaved themselves, sleep at last came to them all.
However, it was far from restful sleep. Comfort was in short supply in the barren patch of forest where they were held prisoner. Between charcoal-covered earth and blackened tree trunks, the wall of the storehouse was truly the most comfortable place to rest. The other’s seemed to agree. Viyana and Sunrise leaned against the wall on the other side of the back door. With eyes closed and mouths agape, both were fast asleep. Heeska lay flat on the ground near the far corner of the storehouse.
When Zehlyr did awaken in the night, it was with a violent jerk. There was only one dream that came to him each time he drifted away from consciousness. All he could see was Azalea, bound and forced to do the will of that horrible monster, Killika. Her tear-filled eyes were always there in front of him when he shut his own. Her cries were the only sounds he heard carried on the wind. His failure to protect her, to rescue her, haunted his fragile dreams.
The first roll of thunder passed his ears unnoticed. Its low volume wasn’t enough to shake him from his nightmares. When the second came, his eyes to flutter for a moment. The next rumbled loudly across the treetops. Zehlyr lifted his head off the wall of the storehouse. It was dark and his vision was blurry. With the stars and moon hidden by clouds, the glow of the fire demons’ coal-like skin offered the only light in the forest.
He couldn’t make them out, but could see where they were by their glow. The demons were pacing back and forth. Their heads were up, turning their bright orange eyes skyward.
“Cherin,” Zehlyr whispered with a slight nudge of his brother’s shoulder.
Cherin shook his head and groaned in protest. “What is it?” he asked with a grumble.
“Look,” Zehlyr said. He pointed out towards the demons. “Something has them distressed.”
Zehlyr rubbed his eyes before looking again. This was very peculiar behavior for the demons. “Do you think it’s the storm?” he asked.
“Why would creatures like that be afraid of a little storm?” Cherin asked.
“I can’t imagine a being of fire not being affected by rain,” Viyana said. She, Heeska, and Sunrise had moved in to where the brothers sat against the wall.
Sunrise crouched down and rested one hand against the back wall of the storehouse. “I hear rain in the distance,” he said. “If it passes over us, it could weaken these demons and give us a chance to escape.”
“What do you suggest?” Zehlyr asked.
Sunrise looked off to the right. “As long as I can set foot on living ground, my magic will return. With my power back, I should be a formidable match for these creatures.”
“Not for all four,” Viyana mentioned.
“She’s right,” Heeska said. “Besides, you’d have to cross at least forty feet of ground just to reach the line. Those things would be upon you before you even make it to the grass.”
“The storehouse isn’t on decimated ground,” Sunrise said. “If we just duck back through the opening, we could…”
“That opening is small,” Zehlyr said, interrupting the elf. “As soon as one of us made it through, the demons would destroy the rest.”
With a sigh, Sunrise rested his fist against the ground. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, they were right. The elven acolyte had never been unable to access the Lady’s magic before, and it made him feel more vulnerable and helpless than anything else did.
“We need some kind of plan then,” Sunrise admitted. “If the storm has the creatures nervous, then we need to find a way to use that to our advantage.”
“We should wait and see how they act when the storm arrives,” Viyana suggested. “The wind suggests that it’s coming this way. We just need to be patient and observe.”
“So, more sitting around then,” Cherin grumbled. Despite the older brother’s protest, everyone sat still and watched the demons as they reacted to the coming weather. The storm grew closer and closer. The demons paced more frantically in the wall-less prison as each boom of thunder became louder than the last. Over time, the roles of captive and captor almost seemed to shift. Their flaming eyes became wider, and the sounds coming from the demons could only be described as whimpers.
Though obscured by clouds, the first bits of sunlight began to cast a pale blue light on the charred earth. With this light, a fast moving curtain of raindrops charged through the southern wilds and fell upon the dwarven marketplace. The demon’s fiery skin began to sizzle as the droplets struck it, letting off little puffs of smoke with each contact. Clearly pained by the moisture, the demons jumped and bucked wildly.
“The rain is hurting them!” Cherin said with excitement. “Let’s get out of here!”
“They’re still stronger than we are,” Viyana reminded him. “Especially when we have no weapons.”
“But this is our chance!” Cherin protested.
“Killika said that the demons existed to do his will,” Sunrise said. “I wonder if they will follow their orders instead of saving themselves.”
“Perhaps we just wait it out,” Zehlyr said. “The Lady may simply solve our problem for us.”
“Or they’ll figure it’s better to just kill us and run for shelter,” Cherin retorted.
“Wait!” Heeska said loudly. The demons were too busy with the deadly raindrops to either hear him or care. “Do you hear that?” The others fell silent and listened.
“All I can hear is the rain,” Zehlyr said.
“There is something else,” Heeska insisted. “Something is happening in the city.” With their captors otherwise preoccupied, everyone sat in silence and listened. The driving rain and booming thunder overwhelmed their ears, but amidst their chaotic symphony, other sounds started to grow. They could hear clashing swords, shouts, and cries. Off in the distance, they could hear the sounds of war.
“What is that?” Viyana asked. “What’s going on?”
“It sounds to me that the dwarves are trying to take back the city.” Heeska answered. “It also sounds like they’re doing a fine job of it.”
“But what happened?” Cherin
asked. “What suddenly made them fight back?”
Sunrise smiled. “That ‘a girl,” he said softly to himself. “All we need to do is sit and wait,” the elf continued to his comrades. “The dwarves will come to us.”
“Not fast enough!” Zehlyr said in a panic. “Look!” The demons were turning towards them now. Their faces twisted into snarls and their eyes burned brighter than they’d ever seen. It seemed Sunrise’s question had been answered. Knowing they could no longer perform the duty assigned to them by their master, it was time to kill their captives before the storm extinguished them completely.
“Run!” Zehlyr shouted. The four prisoners sprang to their feet and dashed northeast towards the city. The demons bounded off after them like a pack of wolves. The gap between them hadn’t been very wide, and the demons moved with unnatural speed. Unable to outrun them, Zehlyr and the others split up.
Running alone now, Zehlyr suddenly felt a hard, warm impact against his back. The demon behind him slammed its head into his spine, sending him tumbling forward onto the forest floor. He rolled onto his back just as the creature’s front paws slammed down on either side of him. He was face to face with the creature now, staring into the inferno burning in its throat. The beast lifted its paws into the air, preparing to bring them down on Zehlyr’s midsection.
Acting quickly, Zehlyr tucked his legs up to his chest and kicked forward with all of his might. His feet slammed into the body of the demon, sending out a shower of embers as though he’d kicked a burning tree. He shielded his face as the beast fell backwards. Zehlyr jumped back to his feet again and pushed onward. Lying on the ground, just where the forest was healthy again, he found a large, thick branch sitting at the base of a tree.
Thinking resourcefully, Zehlyr scooped up the branch. He turned just as the demon pursuing him leapt towards him with its flaming claws outstretched. Zehlyr swung the branch with all his might, slamming it into the side of the creature’s head. The demon’s body was flung to the side, crashing into the trunk of a wide oak. Zehlyr reared back for another swing, but a loud scream from Cherin behind him stole his attention away.
