by J. A. Comley
Then he felt her mental presence vanish.
Starla threw off her Totality Shield and rushed with her sister to the mound of black cloth, Naleiya following close behind as Larkel called out. What was the use in hiding now, with no Baron to help get the other half of the amulet?
Blood was blooming all over the Baron's broken body where he lay in the open stretch of no man's land. Starla leaned over him, trying to help Naleiya heal him as she knelt beside them. Kara was on the other side of his body, tears overflowing her gentle golden eyes.
“F... forgive—” His breath caught in his throat as he tried to speak.
“Shh—” Kara sobbed, watching Naleiya and Starla work, knowing the damage was too great, that they were only prolonging the end, prolonging the agony. “Leave him,” she whispered.
Naleiya stopped immediately, stepped back, then raced to rejoin her brother.
Starla moved to kneel beside Kara, holding her tightly. The only memories Kara had of the man dying before them were good memories, happy and full of love. Starla could see them as her sister remembered them. All her harboured hatred and mistrust of the Baron vanished.
“Forgive me, darling love,” the Baron said, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Kara bent and kissed his forehead, her tears wetting his face. His roving grey eyes found Starla. “S... sorry. For … everything.”
Unable to move, Starla watched the light leave the Baron's eyes, and with them all their hopes for uniting the amulet. His hand, which had been pressed against his chest, fell lifelessly to the ground as his lungs released his final breath.
Kara gently leaned forward and shut his eyes.
The Star chimed loudly, causing Starla and Kara to jump away from one another.
There, lying on the Baron's chest, was the other half of the amulet. It was glowing faintly beneath its coating of fresh blood.
Starla's eyes widened as Kara carefully picked up the Blossom with a scrap of cloth and wiped it clean on her tunic.
Starla's hand trembled as she reached for it, still stunned at the Baron's final act. The cold metal touched her fingertips just as Larkel's shield shattered into a thousand tiny spheres of light. Kyron was aiming a spell at her, floating just a few feet away.
“Run!” Starla cried, as she and Kara bolted towards Larkel and the others.
They were too far away. And it was impossible to outrun magic.
Starla felt Kyron's spells being thwarted, flying off track as she ran, fear pulsing in her veins.
“Reform the shield!” Larkel was bellowing as they raced for him. The Makhi were all drinking a vial of the bright-blue liquid Shaneulia and Markis had made.
“That is the last of it!” Naleiya said as Kyron's army rushed towards them. “We cannot regain our strength again. This is our final stand.”
Starla looked up at Larkel before he was bowled over by her grandmother. Starla glance over her shoulder. Her eyes widened as Kyron shot a spell straight for them. They were going to die, now, when they were so close.
“Kara!” Starla called, reaching for her sister. They only had seconds.
Without any cause Starla could see, she was now lying on the ground. Larkel and Kara lay beside her.
Astria was standing before them, her wand in hand, her spirit-self flaring out behind her, protecting them. Kyron's spell collided with the old Inagium.
Starla watched in mute horror as her grandmother fell to the ground, a hole burned through her chest where her heart had been. She heard Kara scream beside her as she got to her feet.
People seemed to be falling all around her, taken down by ergothan, vapurix, magmi or grobblers. Distantly, she heard the shouts of defiance, the screams of agony, the ring of metal swords slicing the air and battering magmus scales.
She fell to her knees again before long. The Guardians' animals were grunting and bellowing as they fought to keep their corrupted Sacrileons at bay. But all the noise and chaos felt like a dream to Starla. Nothing seemed real except the feel of her grandmother's hair as she brushed it away from her face. She felt nothing but the pain of losing a grandmother she had only just begun to know and now could never speak to again. The sounds around her grew more distant and surreal as Starla's mind tried desperately to disconnect from this horrifying reality.
“Unite the amulet!” Kara shook Starla, hauling her to her feet. “Now!”
Starla clutched the Star tighter, her grandmother's voice echoing in her mind.
But it doesn't always mean the Soreiaphin's own life. It can be the life of a loved one given in place of theirs.
Starla felt her sister's words in her mind, felt them drag her from the brink. She felt the fire burn in her veins again, felt her ears ring as sound came crashing back into focus.
Kara was standing beside her. Fresh tears were on her cheeks but her golden eyes were hard and fierce. She held out the Blossom.
“Here. Save us, little sister. Only you can.”
Starla slipped the Star from around her neck as she took the other piece from Kara. Not really sure if there was more to it, Starla slipped the Blossom into the centre of the Star. With a small click, the amulet was whole again, the two pieces fused together as one. She glared at Kyron, but willed her amulet to activate on the back of her grandmother's sacrifice.
In Starla's mind the whole world fell silent as she waited, desperate for something to happen.
All at once, the air seemed to have been sucked out of the battlefield and Starla felt the amulet heat up in her hands. She felt herself rise a little into the air. All around her, more enemies and allies fell as the fighting continued. She watched desperately as several Makhi collapsed, all their strength given to the fight. Her hatred for Kyron swelled. Soon, she would have the power to end him, to make him pay. She couldn't still the selfish thought as it blossomed in her mind. She would never need to leave Larkel. She would never need to face the darkness of death to save him.
Now, she commanded her amulet.
Lights shot out from the amulet, spinning all around her. Kyron's army fled back, the last stragglers being cut down before they got far enough. Behind her, the allies also shied away. Silence fell over the battlefield. Kyron was suddenly right in front of her, his mauve eyes betraying his uncertainty, even as he levelled a Curse at her. It seemed to dissolve in the light of the amulet.
Slowly, Starla began to smile.
Then the air rushed back into the battlefield like a violent storm, knocking people over, forcing the magmi to land. People and animals alike cowered in fright.
Starla's hair whipped into her eyes. Her body felt like it was being compressed as the air pressed on it from all sides. The sound of shattering glass and cracking stones echoed across the broken city as Starla fell back to the ground in a heap.
Starla tried to clear her vision as she got unsteadily to her feet.
Is it over?
Kyron's mirthless laugh froze her heart.
“No.” She stumbled, falling to her knees.
Kyron stood only a few meters from her, looking absolutely delighted.
“You actually thought you had defeated me? With a light show?”
Starla opened her hand as Larkel rushed to her side, helping her to stand. The amulet was dull and broken straight down the middle.
“I don't understand,” Starla mumbled, ignoring Kyron. “Why didn't it work?”
“I don't know. Every Soreiaphin is different. Every amulet works differently. Every sacrifice is unique,” Larkel said, his eyes filled with the same despair that filled hers. Her amulet would not claim her life, but now Kyron would.
She felt Larkel calculating his remaining strength, the other Makhi and Inagium's remaining strength. She saw in his mind the weariness of the soldiers. Without Astria and her Spirits of Battle, they were weaker, tired and afraid.
Behind them, where the palace once stood, the sun began to set.
Starla's eyes drifted over the crowd. Kara was trying to cast her own Spirits of Battle ov
er the soldiers but her strength was not yet fully recovered and they kept vanishing half-formed. Medara, Niden, Zerina and Valana were trying to rally and boost their troops, their words doing little to dispel the terror and despair in the people's eyes.
Starla wanted to apologise to all the people who turned their hopeless gazes on her. It was her fault. She should have spoken to Ezira about the amulet. Ezira might have been able to figure it out. But Ezira was far beyond helping them now. Starla cursed herself. She had been selfish, asking only after her family and now they would all die.
“I don't like being ignored,” Kyron spat, turning everyone to face him and onto their knees with a single spell.
He paced before them, his silver-lined cape billowing out behind him, his chest muscles flexing as he casually swung his staff about. “Given my ambitions, it seems a waste to merely kill you all. So I will give you all. One. Last. Chance.” He carefully enunciated the last three words, as if each were a separate sentence.
Starla tried to get past the crushing despair and guilt, tried to make her mind work as Kyron spoke to the kneeling survivors. They were lost. He would never allow them to live free. Not after their continued defiance. Any who surrendered would be corrupted into drodemion.
She felt as if she had found everything she had ever dreamed of only to watch as it was stolen from her, piece by piece. So many who died before she even knew they existed and now the loved ones she still had were being lost one by one. She looked past Kyron at the corrupted Guardians. Starla glanced sideways at her grandfather. He had laid his cloak over his wife, his face clearly showing his broken spirit. She looked up at Larkel beside her, and the entire future he represented. His jaw was clenched, his eyes on the ground.
Starla clenched her fists around the broken amulet, slicing her palms on the jagged edges. She raised her head proudly as her heart beat furiously within her, its fire raging. Raising her eyes, she levelled an emerald glare at the creature responsible for all their fear and pain.
“Remain kneeling if you surrender yourselves to me and you will be allowed to live, to serve me for eternity,” Kyron continued as Starla raised her head. Her eyes glinted defiantly. He stopped pacing. “Stand, and I will end you,” his voice a deathly whisper promising pain.
Starla was on her feet before Kyron had finished issuing his threat, Kara and Niden right behind her. Larkel stood in time with her, taking her hand with his right as his left held his staff at the ready. Valana and the Aurelians were on their feet a moment later. Zerina stood with them, her remaining people smiling grimly as they stood too. Raoul was on his feet in the same moment, his faintly glowing sword still in his right hand. “I will never surrender or serve a monster like you.”
Pierre bounded forward to stand beside her. “Your knight stands with you!” he declared.
Startled looks followed the Earthling's progress as his also took his place. Raoul strode forward, too, pushing in between Pierre and Starla, taking her other hand.
Starla looked up at him and felt her heart warm as he flashed her her favourite lopsided grin. One of his chocolate-brown eyes was swelling shut from the gash beneath it but they both shone with determination.
“By your side, where ever you go, as promised,” he whispered as Naleiya stood beside her brother, all other Makhi stood with them.
Kyron watched in disbelief as the remaining Earthlings he had captured rose, too, weapons ready, eyes hard.
Finally, King Eldos rose. His people rose with him, their faces set in defiance. Even the elderly, who had thus far remained out of the fray, snatched up fallen daggers or magmus fangs.
King Eldos raised his sword and, although his hands trembled, his voice never wavered. “No Galatian, Cosmaltian, Aurelian … or Earthling shall surrender to you while they have breath left to fight you.”
“Then every last one shall die,” breathed the enraged Demilain.
Kyron sliced through the air with his staff and several dozen people dropped down, dead, blood gushing from deep wounds along their bodies.
“Now!” bellowed Larkel, throwing up his shield, sending Curses at Kyron as the other Makhi, Inagium and Brosney gave him their strength again.
Multi-coloured lights filled the air as Larkel fought Kyron, their Curses bounding off each other's shields. Kyron's army, unable to get through the shield, began to scatter as rogue spells cut into their ranks.
“You who serve me will not move!” screeched Kyron, forcing the horde to remain still as spells rebounded off both shields, bringing death.
Larkel was stunned by the power within Starla as she sent him her strength, too. Yet, as another spell hit his shield, he feared that even with it they were merely prolonging the end. There was no way now to access her full power.
When another of Larkel's Curses drew blood, Kyron let out a wordless cry of fury. He slashed his staff violently before him, finding the magical bond the High Lord held, searing it, muttering a Curse to all those it held.
Without warning to those under the shield, all the Brosney's heads exploded and the Makhi collapsed, their skin black as coal. All save the High Lord.
“No!” shrieked Larkel as Naleiya crumpled to the floor beside him.
The people's cries of terror were drowned out by Larkel's rage as Starla fell to her knees, clutching her head, one hand still reaching up to him, allowing him to draw magic from her.
His raven hair whipped around his face as slightly he modified the shield surrounding the city.
“Be ready, grobblers can come through now,” he bellowed to the soldiers.
They came running even as he spoke the words but they were not his concern. The soldiers were already there, hacking with swords, axes, daggers and spears.
The High Lord focused only on his shield. He made it pulse, shooting a bolt of energy directly at Kyron. Kyron's shield was not able to deflect all of it and he cried out as the bolt sliced into his left thigh.
The High Lord caused the shield to pulse again just as Kyron formed a loop and triangle in the air with his staff. The shield glimmered, shifting from translucent to silver and back again. Parts of the shield began to rise up, forming a silver spear. The high-pitched sound of twisting metal had everyone crying out and clutching their ears. Larkel knew this would take most of his power. His aim had to be perfect.
Kyron wrenched control of the shield from the High Lord and the spear of silver light was spun around and thrust straight through Larkel.
The High Lord collapsed, his indigo eyes filled with agony as he healed the damage as far as he dared. The remains of his shield vanished with his fading strength. Starla grabbed Larkel's shoulder. Though her head still pounded from Kyron's Curse, she had recovered a little. She could concentrate again. Larkel's breathing was laboured. She felt his strength nearing its end.
She concentrated on sending him some of hers.
“None of that,” Kyron said, flinging Starla a few steps from Larkel before she was able to send him more than a dribble. His spell rounded up the army and threw them all to their knees again, behind Larkel and Starla.
“No! Don't,” Starla cried as Kyron took two carefully measured steps toward the fallen High Lord.
She felt her body go rigid as Kyron levelled his staff at her, holding her to that spot.
“Your turn will come, pretty child,” he hissed, turning back to Larkel.
The High Lord sent a Curse into Kyron's face as he rounded on him. Surprised, Kyron was unprepared to defend it and it sliced across the side of his head. Kyron bellowed in pain and clutched the place where his left ear had been. Green blood spurted out between his fingers.
Black flames ripped the High Lord's staff from him and shattered it to splinters.
“I would greatly enjoy killing you,” Kyron murmured, “but breaking you will be even better. I think I will kill some of the others, however,” he said, bending over Larkel.
The High Lord spat in his face, his indigo eyes holding none of the despair or fear Kyron had hop
ed to see. The sun set and darkness swallowed them.
“Light,” Kyron ordered, wiping his face on his cape.
The remaining five magmi spewed their strange fire into the night sky, where it hung, bathing those below in a red glow.
Starla's mind raced. This was it. The end of everything. So many dead. Simply to help her unite a piece of metal.
Starla glanced down at the broken amulet, carefully fitting the two halves together and reading the completed key.
Within the burning heart of fire,
the light of life must be relinquished
and, through selfless love, reforged.
Suddenly it all made sense. She could feel the pieces clicking into place. Larkel had read the words on the Blossom in Kyron's fortress. He knew that her life was forfeit. He had tried to keep his fear from her, keep her from sacrificing herself by taking on Kyron himself. Her grandmother's blood was never the answer and now the amulet was broken.
Silver whips lashed out from Kyron's staff and wrapped themselves around Larkel's torso, cleaving flesh from bone as they released.
“No!” Starla screamed again, snatching up a fallen blade and coming between Larkel and Kyron. “Enough!”
She didn't care if the amulet was broken. She didn't care if her act was futile. None of that mattered. All that mattered was how much she loved Larkel, how anything she had to endure would be worth it if he was spared, how the fire in her heart could stand Kyron's torture of him no more.
Concern flickered in Kyron's mauve eyes momentarily before his malicious smile reclaimed his face.
“Get out of my way, or you will be the first he must watch die.” His eyes still held a ghost of wariness as Starla stared levelly back.
“No,” she said, though pain flickered in her eyes as Larkel's weak, agonised voice pleaded with her to move.
Kyron snarled.
“You will not take everything I love,” Starla continued, holding her sword ready. “Take me instead.”
“I already have, but as you wish,” Kyron whispered, his pointed teeth glistening. He lowered his staff until it was aimed at Starla's heart.
