The Awakening

by Gary Alan Wassner

  “I do not like the looks of this,” Filaree said only seconds before a barrage of beasts like the one that attacked them in the Chamber of the Stars came hurtling down from above. “Take cover,” she warned the others while drawing her sword from her belt.

  Calyx remained on his hind legs with his mouth agape and his long claws drawn fully from his soft paws. He was ready to defend his friend from anything that might attack him now. From the distance, they could see a barrage of arrows rise into the sky. The keen skills of the elves of Seramour were being tested, and many of the shafts struck home. This time though, the riders were from Colton’s own troops. They guided the flying beasts surely and precisely to the exact places were the defenders had congregated. Each of the towers that harbored archers had been singled out, and massive numbers of these bee-like monsters swooped down upon them.

  The odds were overwhelming. Although the towers were well concealed amidst the trees and buildings, the enemy knew just where to go. They circled for a few minutes, swirling around each of the sites, and then simultaneously they dove at an incredible speed. The first riders flung small barbed missiles of black metal from slings that they twirled overhead as they dropped. These were followed by another group who hurled larger objects that burst into flame when they broke upon the surface.

  Although a number of the beasts were stricken by arrows, there were so many emerging from the cover of the black clouds, that their losses seemed almost negligible. The air was buzzing with the enemy, and they were well organized. Waves of attackers would come in at once, leaving barely a moment between each onslaught. Before the defenders had an opportunity to re-set their arrows, another group would descend upon them.

  In a short time, two of the towers were practically void of guards. One was in flames and the other was smoldering. Battalions of elves rushed toward the defenses and attempted to stifle the flames, but as they did so, they were immediately attacked from above. The clouds were so effective in concealing the enemy, and they now hung so low over the city, that it was nearly impossible to prepare. It seemed that as soon as the defenders revealed themselves, they were set upon. Dav’s previous attempt at congealing the clouds for their own protection was overcome by the Dark Lord’s power.

  Calyx growled, and with a burst of speed, took one of the riders out with a swipe of his giant paw. His claws tore into the throat of the attacker and it died instantly. The beast that he flew attempted to rise, but the Moulant caught it by its long tail and thrashed it into the ground, easily crushing its skull.

  “We must seek shelter. We are too exposed here,” Filaree warned the others.

  “No. Now we must go. We cannot remain here any longer. The risk has grown too great,” Elsinestra said. “Follow me,”

  This time, they did not question the Queen. Robyn and Davmiran were already weakened from their previous efforts, and they were nowhere near ridding the city of the bugs. With this second and far more dangerous assault, they could not even continue their attempts without seriously endangering themselves. They realized that this battle was no longer theirs to win, and they all reluctantly accepted Elsinestra’s resolution.

  They ran through the streets of Seramour, disgusted and anguished by their inability to assist the beleaguered citizens on the way. Fires were now erupting in many places, as the incendiary bombs that the riders flung everywhere spread a nasty liquid as they burst. This oily liquid seeped into the cracks and crevices of the buildings and streets and then ignited, creating an intense heat that was strong enough to burn even a Noban’s wood.

  The ravenous insects were busy in other places, attacking at precisely the most vulnerable points, as well as at the borders of the largest of the lifts. They persisted and persisted until they found the few weaknesses, the tiny spaces by the seals, and then they inserted their pointed snouts into them. Within minutes, they were able to eat away at enough of the wood to allow hundreds of the others to swarm around the breaches. From that point on, their destructive activity proceeded faster and faster.

  More than a few times, the fleeing friends had to duck behind the shelter of a house or shop in order to avoid the continuous attacks from above. Calyx was the only one of the group to remain out in the open, and he growled and slashed the air with his huge paws each time. The riders carefully avoided the Moulant after he took down a number of their cohorts and dispatched them quickly and mercilessly.

  Elsinestra looked behind her as they ran and she was stunned by how quickly the city was being decimated. She never dreamed that Seramour could be vulnerable to attack, let alone fall victim to one so easily.

  “It is a sad day for our entire race,” she said. “What manner of abomination would want to destroy something so beautiful and innocent as this city and its people?”

  “We cannot comprehend what motivates one such as Colton. He does not think the way that we do,” Robyn replied.

  “He has no regard for life of any kind. It is his desire that all life ceases,” Cairn added.

  “That is why we must bring the heir to safety,” the Queen reiterated. “Whatever happens here, he must survive,”

  Filaree caught up to Robyn as they rushed down a smoking alleyway. Running alongside him, she tried to get his attention without alerting the others to her intentions.

  “Is there truly nothing we can do to help here?” she asked him. “The city will not survive if this is allowed to continue.”

  “Very little, I am afraid,” he responded sadly. “We chance too much to delay our escape any longer. Soon, the entire place will be afire. We must get the boy out of here before that happens.”

  “Is this to be the end of Seramour then?” she asked what had always been an inconceivable question.

  “Unless a miracle occurs, it may very well be. It is beyond my abilities now.”

  They ran and ran, following the Queen’s lead. They had left the city proper and now the group was weaving its way through the rows of storerooms and warehouses nearest the northern perimeter. Many of these buildings were burning and the bugs were everywhere, decimating the structures and destroying the supplies therein. The skies were teeming with flying beasts and riders, shrieking and swooping, attacking and regrouping, but never resting.

  There were pockets of resistance scattered all over. The defenders had clearly realized that the locations of their strongholds had been betrayed, and they regrouped elsewhere as fast as they could. Their new locations, alas, were not elevated like the defensive towers, and they could not attain the leverage that they needed to strike effectively. Yet they fought on valiantly.

  Elsinestra could hear the horns of Seramour blowing all over, signaling for assistance or calling for an attack. She knew that Treestar would be the first among the soldiers to rush to aid them when he heard the cry of a battalion in peril. Silently, she said a prayer for him and then for the people she loved so dearly. All that she hoped to do now was to see that the heir was brought safely to the air shaft that would lead him out of her doomed city. She could do nothing more.

  The group was standing against the wall of the last building that would afford them shelter before they crossed the open fields leading to their point of egress. The clouds were hanging so low over the rows of wheat that spread out before them that they could practically reach up and touch them. A curious silence blanketed the area.

  “It does not feel right here,” Filaree said, looking around warily.

  Davmiran was eyeing the landscape as well and Robyn was calculating how long it would take them to traverse the distance to the next protected area. Calyx whined uncomfortably, as if he was being restrained against his will and Cairn stood by his side trying to calm his agitation.

  “We have no choice but to cross here,” Elsinestra said. “The place we seek is directly across the field, no more than a hundred yards into the next wood. Are you all ready?” she asked.

  The others nodded their agreement, and began to walk through the neat rows of summer wheat, following close
ly behind the Queen. After they had reached the halfway mark, Calyx lifted his snout and began to sniff the air.

  “What is it?” Cairn asked him.

  The Moulant laid his head back and opened his jaws wide. He let out an earsplitting howl just as the clouds opened up above them. One after another, the bee-like beasts came sweeping through the blackened ceiling, each led by a dark rider. Maces were swinging and projectiles were flying before they could even raise their arms to protect themselves.

  A missile burst on the giant cat’s back and the liquid within it flared wildly, igniting his shimmering fur. He dove to the ground and smothered the flames in the earth, but not before another one hit him squarely in the chest. There were so many objects sailing through the air that it was hard for anyone to avoid being hit.

  Robyn ran and stood protectively over Elsinestra, wrapped his cape around her shoulders and drew her into him. Filaree set an arrow to her bow, pulled back and released it. A rider toppled down beside them, its neck pierced clean through, and the beast flew off directionless. Cairn assisted Calyx, the largest of the targets, and soon he was standing erect once again, fending off further attacks with his massive paws. The speed of his movements was mystifying for one as massive as he, and he managed to snatch two of the attackers clean out of the air before they even realized what had happened. With a twist of his furry paw, he cracked their necks easily and dropped them to the ground. Cairn dispatched the nearest one to him with a quick jab of his dagger, and then he spun around deftly and sliced the other one’s throat from ear to ear in the same motion.

  Davmiran watched the assault as if he was not even a part of it. He stood exposed and made no effort to conceal himself. Curiously, none of the missiles were directed at him and the assailants seemed to ignore his presence. Filaree rushed to his side, unaware that he alone of the group had not been targeted. As she drew close to him, an invisible barrier stopped her in her tracks. She literally bounced off of it as if there was an imperceptible cushion surrounding the boy.

  “Do not release it,” Robyn yelled from a few feet away. “Keep the shield in place, Dav,” he instructed him.

  The boy’s face was relaxed and undisturbed and he looked around curiously, but he did as he was instructed.

  “How long can he maintain that?” Filaree asked Robyn.

  “Not indefinitely,” was the only answer that he could offer. “We must find some sanctuary quickly.”

  The beasts were increasing in number during each moment that the group stood there. The air was filled with the stench of fire and detritus, and the wings of the beating beasts raised a screen of dust and dirt all around. They had to cover their noses and mouths just to avoid choking upon it. It was growing more and more difficult to see, as both the shroud of black clouds and the swirling debris concealed all but what was immediately before their eyes.

  It was impossible to kill all of the attackers, even though their efforts seemed to be keeping them at bay. They could neither retreat backward to the cover of the buildings that they had just vacated, nor move forward to the woods ahead. The assailants formed a wide circle in the air around them and kept them penned inside the circumference.

  “What shall we do?” Cairn yelled to the others. “We cannot remain here.”

  “We must at least create an escape route for Dav,” Filaree said. “One of you should go with him as well. He cannot travel alone.”

  “Let Elsinestra lead him then. She at least knows where she is going,” Robyn suggested.

  “No. I will remain here. The shaft will not be difficult to find any longer, Robyn. You must attend him. He has the most to benefit from your company,” the Queen shouted. “I will tell you what to look for.”

  “Calyx will go with you,” Cairn said. “His presence will be a deterrence at the least.”

  The giant Moulant looked at his friend with wide eyes, knowing that this was the correct decision, yet anxious about leaving him here.

  “You must go, Calyx,” Cairn said to him fondly. “The cause will be served best if you do. I will catch up with you later. Right now, you have to get Davmiran to safety.”

  Calyx knew that what Cairn was saying was correct, though whether he actually understood the words themselves was unclear. He and Cairn had known each other for so long and so well that he recognized his meaning by his tone and his movements. There were few times when he misconstrued his sentiments or directives. Reluctantly, he accepted his friend’s analysis, and he raised his head to the sky and let out an anguished growl before walking to Robyn’s side. Cairn reached out his arm as he passed him by, kneaded his fur with his fist and Calyx growled again in response.

  “Take care of them,” Cairn whispered to him.

  Robyn, Davmiran and Calyx stood side by side, with the boy in the middle, preparing themselves to sprint the distance to the woods ahead. Robyn signaled to Dav to get ready to drop the shield so that he could concentrate on his escape.

  “I will make a run in the opposite direction,” Filaree said. “And I will make as much noise as I can. I am sure that at least some of these ignorant beasts will give me chase.”

  “And I will run in another direction,” Cairn said.

  “As will I,” the Queen added. “That should confuse them enough so that you can try to slip away. Now go. After you enter the woods, turn to the left and follow the narrow path through the trees. You will come to a large watering trough. You cannot miss it. It is the only one there. Directly behind it you will find a small circle of stones pressed into the ground. Remove them and grasp the handles beneath. After you remove the cover, be careful that the suction does not draw you down before you are ready.”

  Robyn listened carefully. The enemy was still increasing in number as they planned this simple scheme, though they merely hovered around them now, no longer attacking at all.

  “On the count of three,” Filaree said to Cairn and Elsinestra. “One, two….”

  Before she could utter the final number, a blast of white light lit up the northern sky, blinding them with its intensity against the backdrop of the blackened ceiling above, and caused the ground beneath their feet to shake violently. Cairn stumbled first and the others except Calyx found it impossible to maintain their footing as well. They all fell to the ground just before the screeching began. The beasts above began to cackle and buzz as if terror stricken, and they were breaking their formation and unseating some of the riders in the process.

  Cairn struggled to his feet and searched for Davmiran amidst the swirling dust of the field. The sheaves of wheat were bending almost to the ground. He saw the boy lying nearby, but before he could reach his side another blast and another tremor sent him sprawling onto the hard earth once again. He reached out once more to touch him, and his fingers slid through a pool of warm liquid. Bringing them quickly to his eyes, he realized that it was blood that covered them. In panic, he dragged his weary body toward the silent and still figure lying prostrate beside him on the cold earth of Seramour.

  Adrianna stood beneath the deserted lift. There was no one within hundreds of yards from her and she could barely hear the clamor of the activity in the rest of the woods of Lormarion. The smell of smoke was thick in the air and it drifted through the low hanging branches, clinging to them like pieces of torn and ragged cloth before it rose into the dark and solid ceiling above.

  She sat down and rested her back against the trunk of one of the largest of the Nobans in the area. Stretching her legs out in front of her, she closed her eyes for a moment and concentrated upon the seed that she nurtured within her. Never had she felt so elated, so empowered and complete, in her entire life.

  He must know, she thought. This must have been part of his plan, and I was the one he chose. Of all the women, I was the one.

  I need you now, Adrianna, she heard a voice say as if the person had been standing right next to her.

  Startled, she opened her eyes wide.

  “My Lord? Is that you?” she asked, jumping to he
r feet. “You have come to me?” she said, arms outstretched.

  Yes. But we have no time for talk. You are the one I have chosen.

  “Yes, my Lord, yes. I already know. I did not tell you for fear that you would leave me behind; that you would worry about my safety. I should have known that you knew already.”

  Ignoring her words, he kept on talking. Listen to me, woman. You must enter the city as quickly as you can and rescue the elf, Ruffin, from the tower in the square.

  “How, Master, shall I do that? The lifts are sealed,” she asked, startled and confused by his words.

  This one is not. It was his to protect when he lived here, and he murdered the other guard before he left the city. That is why I sent you here. If you concentrate, you can bring it down safely. It is not secure.

  “Alone? You wish me to enter the city alone?” she asked, stunned that he would want her to take such a chance.

  Are you questioning me, woman? he bellowed inside her head.

  “No, my Lord. I am only confirming your orders. You ask me to risk so much. I am surprised, that is all.”

  Risk? All you risk is your miserable life. Free him and lead him out. I will not have them destroy him. He is mine. I made him, he hissed. If one of you is to survive, it shall be him—

  “But, master,” she said, appalled at his request.

  Will you deny me? the voice roared.

  She could not believe her ears. Shocked and astounded by his lack of concern, she began to believe that he really did not know about the child. In desperation she ignored her own warnings and revealed her condition to him.

  “What of the child? Will you endanger your own heir?” she pleaded, believing that no one would ever ask her to jeopardize so much.

  Heir? What nonsense is this?

  “I am with child, Master. Your child,” she said frantically, and she bowed her head humbly though he was not even physically present.