by J. A. Comley
“Father Joe!” Starla shouted as the other two Sacrileons tried to grab her. Tears were flooding down her face. Aimee was squawking desperately overhead. “We can't leave him. No!” she cried in denial of the facts.
They glared at her but took Naleiya instead, knowing the High Lord would get Starla out.
“Go, Starla,” Father Joe said as the lava pushed Larkel back again, now just a shove away from the priest. “I am at peace. You have become a fine, if strange, woman.” His eyes crinkled as he smiled at her. “You have found your family and your place in the world, well, in the universe,” he added, his smile turned wondering. “Looks like I was right all along.”
“But, I can't lose you. Not like this,” she mumbled.
Then Larkel had her by the waist. “We have to go,” he was saying as Rya and Gaby returned. “I cannot hold it any longer.”
“No!” Starla screamed, but it was not in defiance as Larkel lifted them both in to the air, it was in horror as she watched her Aimee swoop down past her to him.
The little sparrowhawk gave a pitiful, agonised cry as she locked her talons around Father Joe's chains.
The Sacrileons grabbed the old man even as he tried to grab Aimee's frozen body.
“No,” Starla said again, her body shaking with violent sobs as the Sacrileons flew by them, Father Joe's hands empty. Larkel, finally, felt his physical barrier break and the lava rushed over everything, only the heat emanating from it still being held at bay.
They were all out. All standing in the darkness outside his fortress as the sun shone at its apex in the red sky, its light never reaching the ground. The darkness felt empty, as if they were trapped in some void.
“We have to go,” Fey huffed, feeling her strength return a little now that they were free of the fortress. “We must reach the City before him.”
Starla barely heard her, unable to move her mind forward. Her memory was filled with images of what had just happened. Aimee swooping down, her cry of pain, her tiny body being swallowed up by the lava. Over and over again the torturous cycle went, and Starla felt as if she might crumble to dust, she was so broken inside. In the space of a few short minutes, nine people and Aimee had died to buy them their freedom. The cost was too high.
“Starla,” Raoul's pained voice came from her left.
In the same moment, Larkel's strong embrace had enveloped her from the right. His mind gently soothing hers as he kissed her hair, holding her to him. Holding her together.
Raoul turned away, haunted eyes filling with pain.
Allowing herself to relax into him, Starla found herself feeling stronger, drawing strength from his. Her sobs quietened until they were gone. She allowed him to help her put the painful memory away, to remind her that the war wasn't over, no matter how much they had already lost.
There was still an edge to his thoughts, some hidden fear, but Starla didn't pursue it, remembering the pain in Raoul's eyes.
She opened her own eyes and peeked through Larkel's raven curls, trying to find Raoul. He was standing with his back to them at the very edge of the light coming from Rya's fire. She could imagine the look on his face. The same tortured look from her nightmares.
“Thank you,” she whispered to Larkel as he brushed the tears from her cheeks.
“We'll get him,” Rya said, catching Starla's eye.
“Here,” Naleiya said, suddenly beside them. She took the silver circlet of office from her head and handed it to her brother.
It grew larger in his hands, resizing itself to fit his head. As it did, Naleiya tapped her staff against her belt and smiled brightly as it faded back to green. With a swift jerk, she magically undid and removed all the navy blue thread along her robe.
Larkel smiled back at his sister then stepped away from Starla. Closing his eyes, he held his staff ready.
A glow began to wrap around his body. Sighing happily, he looked down at his newly-formed High Lord's robe and silver belt.
Starla shifted away from them as Naleiya moved in to hug her brother, heading for Raoul.
“Your faithful vapurix is here, with a small pack of three. They are hiding nearby. We sent Flek for them,” Naleiya was saying to Larkel.
“Raoul?” Starla asked, timidly, stopping a few steps away.
“Here,” Raoul said, turning around and handing her shawl to her, “it was in the cages.”
“Thank you,” Starla managed. His expression was worse than she had imagined, tears glittering on his long eyelashes.
“No.” He forestalled her next sentence. “If you want to speak to someone, speak to him.”
Following his pointing finger, Starla automatically assumed he was meaning Larkel. However, he pointed briefly at Father Joe and was then stomping off to Elise and Antonio, who were crouched over the twins, eyes shut as if hoping to awaken from some nightmare.
“Father Joe?” Starla called, walking towards the old priest, ignoring the sudden huff of Sacrileon voices.
He was staring back at the fortress, his eyes full of sorrow as he turned to Starla's call.
“I am so sorry, Starla,” he began before she could speak. “I tried to grab her. I didn't want her to … I know you loved her.”
Starla winced as his words threatened to begin the torturous loop once more. Taking a deep breath, she stilled her mind as Larkel had taught her to. But before she could console the man who had been like a father to her, Larkel was calling them over, the urgent note in his voice not ignorable.
“What is it?” Starla asked, watching curiously as Lua set about creating wind discs. “I thought we were riding. Well, at least some of us. Where is your vapurix?”
“Herio is not there. Flek said their tracks led towards the edge of Abyss Valley, back to Rainbow Wood,” he said, looking concerned for his companion.
“All right,” Lua was saying to the humans, who were all looking at the nearly invisible discs with terror. “All you have to do is hold on. Your disc will follow me, so just hold tight and you'll be fine.”
“Hold on to what!” Antonio spluttered, as Lua motioned him on to the first disc.
“Floating through the sky,” Pierre exulted, flopping down on his wind disc, holding the edges. “Is this what it is like to be an angel?” he enquired of Starla.
Starla smiled sadly. Hopefully they could get him back, undo whatever madness Kyron had dragged him into.
“Let's go,” Larkel said, ignoring his own words and drawing Starla to him, kissing her instead of mounting the wind disc beside them.
Starla smiled up at him. If they could just both make it through this somehow, then everything would be okay.
They each clambered onto their discs.
Gaby and Rya held Orla between them, while Alli held Davan, waiting for Fey to take his other arm.
“Ready to go?” Lua called. “Fey? Fey!”
“We have to leave, Fey,” Starla snapped, as her anger at Kyron finally made an appearance, pushing past the previous minutes of sacrifices and her own fearful thoughts of a price yet to be paid. They had to get to the city first and, according to Lua, there was nothing left in Abyss Valley but them.
Fey was oblivious. She was crouched low, frozen in place, her palms flat to the ground. Suddenly she came to life, springing to her feet and launching herself into the air, landing neatly beside Alli.
“Go!” her scream was constricted, her violet eyes wide with terror. “Fly!”
The Sacrileons darted forward, the wind discs flying after them. Everyone, animals or people, gripped the fast-flying discs for dear life.
With an ear-splitting noise, all hell broke loose.
Fireballs, spewing out of the fortress, came raging down on them from the blood-red sky. Huge fountains of lava burst out of the ground, racing skywards.
“Hold on tight!” Lua cried.
Quickly, she darted back behind the discs, taking full control of them, stretching herself to her limits to ensure everyone's disc found a safe way through.
Fey's dismayed scream had everyone's eyes snapping ahead of them. Between them and the golden tops of Rainbow Wood rose a towering wall of lava, blocking off the entire valley.
“No!” Naleiya and Larkel cried in unison, raising their staves.
Starla reached out to grip Larkel's bared forearm, determined to lend him her power. This was not how they would die.
The lava wave began to crest, bending over them, beginning its descent.
She felt her fingers brush his skin, then everything of meaning faded out of Starla's awareness. She felt suddenly weightless as she glided through the air, meaningless swirls of colour whirling by.
She heard the others scream just as she felt the warmth of her wind disc vanish. Time seemed to stop. Holding her shawl tightly to her chest, she shut her eyes, hoping that, somehow, Galatia could still be saved without her.
All too soon, she felt herself plummeting, the golden tops of Rainbow Wood racing up to meet her.
Chapter 25
To War
Kyron turned to look back at his fortress erupting behind him. His cold laugh spat through his teeth.
“Fools!”
He had rigged his fortress, connected it to the High Lord's powers, when he bound them. If, by some miracle, Larkel had broken free of the barrier around his powers, the whole of Abyss Valley would be swallowed by a wave of lava, channelled from the immense energy of the volcano.
“No one escapes me,” Kyron said, turning to face forward again.
The Baron looked to the single remaining Makhi who had pretended to remain faithful to Kyron, just as he had done. He was old, with pearly white hair and sorrowful dark brown eyes. Makhi Grolen looked back, his face revealing the same fear the Baron felt. Making use of the strange spell Ditte had cast over them both, the Baron sent his thoughts.
Is there anyway to know if any of them survived? he asked. His magmus soared after Kyron's alpha with little need of guidance.
Not without consequence.
I will take the risks, Grolen. The Baron's mind was impatient.
No. The Makhi used his greater knowledge of mental communications to silence the Baron. He will notice if you go. I will do it.
The Baron wanted to protest, but found he could not. A wave of mute frustration washed over Grolen's mind. He gave a half smile then closed his eyes.
In silence the Baron watched as the Makhi's skin began to shimmer. Just as he was about to shoot a worried look in Kyron's direction, everything returned to normal. Grolen looked perfectly awake and alert but the Baron could feel nothing through the mental bond.
He shivered. It was like sitting beside a corpse.
***
The mirror Astria had formed was still empty of any danger, yet no-one had stopped watching it, even as the sun hit its apex, time drifting from morning to afternoon.
“Maybe he is not coming,” Markis muttered. “Perhaps they did manage to delay him.”
He had been saying that ever since he and the others had returned from arming and placing the returning traitors in their positions.
“Markis, my friend,” Niden said, placing a hand on the man's shoulder, “I want them to have time to return, too. But it would not—”
There was a collective intake of breath from the others in the hall. Niden looked up at the mirror, the rest of his sentence forgotten.
Everyone's gaze was focused on the image in the mirror. The golden tops of Rainbow Wood were turning black and withering away. The revealed ground beneath them was burning, turning to charcoal and ash. Animals of all kinds were fleeing together. Many were perishing in the attempt. The fire seemed to be alive, lunging unnaturally at any living thing that tried to escape it.
“Makhi Jensula,” the King's voice was grave, respecting the man's wish not to be called by the title of High Lord until it was certain none were returning from Abyss Valley, “alert the other Makhi. He comes now. Tell them to order their group to ready their weapons.” Eldos looked back to the mirror knowing, as Jensula did, that if none returned, there would be no need for a High Lord, anyway.
Makhi Jensula obeyed, eyes growing distant as he sent the image and King's message to the other hidden groups.
“Ready weapons,” the King told those in the Hall.
Medara nodded and glanced sideways at Okano as he hurried across to the side of the Hall where the elpions were being held at the ready for him and his warriors. Quickly, he wiped down their enormous horns with the elixir until they glowed yellow. The warriors followed suit, Thira's eyes darting to the door to the bunker every few minutes.
“They are trained to charge our enemies in battle. They will spear the front line.” He paused, looking worried. “Give the command to the others,” he added to Jensula. “They will trample, too,” he said, voicing his earlier thought.
“Harknines are also trained to trample,” Commander Medara said, catching the drift of Okano's thought. They both turned to look at the alchemist.
Markis sighed. “If they are not yet dead when the elixir enters them, their injuries will heal, but that is a fine line to tread.”
“We will do what we can. Be as careful as possible, but this remains a war. There will be casualties,” King Eldos said, his voice heavy with sorrow, but resolute nonetheless.
All present unsheathed their weapons and wiped them down with elixir in silence, knowing the King's words to be true. People would die. Their eyes all returned to the mirror, awaiting a sign of their enemy's army in the burning woods.
“And so it begins,” General Okano stated before the sun was even one hour past its apex.
***
It was dark outside. Starla couldn't see it, but she could feel it. She huddled around the bright, golden light. It would keep her safe. She knew this. She didn't know how, or even what the golden light was, but she trusted it as she would trust herself. Outside, the darkness grew thicker. Evil itself sauntered around her. Then it was gone, passing over her and disappearing, taking the oppressive dark with it.
A bright golden light returned sight to the dark world Larkel had been lying in.
The High Lord shielded his eyes as it drew closer.
“Larkel?”
The voice was one he had memorised. He would know it anywhere.
“Starla!” he gasped as the light faded and she became visible within it.
A faint, golden light still radiated off her skin and within her eyes a star of dark gold now ringed her pupils.
“How the bloody hell—” Raoul trailed off, gaping at her, his look mirrored by Elise and Antonio as she floated to the ground.
Larkel stood, examining her with his magic as well as his eyes.
“Your magic,” he began, a wondering look in his eyes. “How did you access it?”
Starla walked into his waiting arms, the golden light vanishing. “I don't know.”
“I felt you enter my mind. I tried to reach for your power, but then I couldn't move. Nothing was working. I thought it was Kyron's doing but then I felt your magic flowing through me, using me as a conduit,” Larkel said, awed.
“And I think you saved us all,” Naleiya said, smiling, feeling the small waves of power still flowing from Starla. “I didn't manage to break through the lava wall properly. We should all be dead.”
“Are we not?” Father Joe groaned, lifting himself to his feet.
“We don't even seem to be injured,” Shaneulia said, stretching her arms.
Starla blushed as they all turned a wondering gaze on her.
“It is an honour to meet you, Princess Starla. I am Valana, Queen of Aurelia,” Valana said, shaking out her blue hair, beaded braids tinkling.
Starla bowed. “An honour to meet you, too, Queen Valana.” She found the use of her title odd. It didn't feel like it really belonged to her. She was no princess, just an orphan girl from Arreau.
Starla snorted as Larkel sent an image of her as she was on Earth and her as she stood before him, now. He was right, that orphan girl no longer existed. Tha
t was another life.
Before they could continue their introductions, Gaby gave a cry so terrifying, Starla was certain that she would find Kyron looming over them. She turned to the huddle of Sacrileons.
Gaby was on her knees at the very edge of what should have been Rainbow Wood. Starla clasped a hand over her mouth. The once glittering wood was burned to the ground as far ahead as Starla could see. The land now looked like an echo of Abyss Valley. Everything was grey or black and covered with ash; however, the sky was still blue overhead and the sun's rays reached the ground, illuminating the horror in sharp detail. Here and there, Starla could make out the charred skeleton of some poor creature that hadn't made it out of the woods. Gaby was whimpering, the pink of the flowers adorning her body seeming to fade.
“Let's go,” Starla snarled. She helped Gaby to her feet.
“He is going to die for this, for all of it.” Gaby's voice came out as a whisper. Even though her magic was waning, her element of Flora completely out of balance, she looked utterly terrifying. Her violet eyes were ablaze with unrestrained hatred, her pointed teeth glinting as she snarled.
Starla's voice was as cold as hers. “That was always the plan.”
“Speaking of plans, we need one before we leave,” Zerina said, hate tingeing her voice too. She had watched Cosmaltia burn.
Starla looked around. Everyone had hate-hardened eyes, even her human friends, though she knew this was more for the loss of the twins than for a Wood they had never seen.
“We can plan on the way,” Gaby snarled, pacing a tight circle.
“No, Zerina is right,” Naleiya said. “Our plan had always been to get back before Kyron. That's no longer an option,” gesturing at the destruction that stretched before them.
“It is still warm,” Rya said, sifting through the ashes, using her ability to weave fire to try and track the speed of the flames. “He cannot be that far ahead.”
Everyone looked up at the sky. The sun seemed just past its apex.
