Thalion looked interested. ‘Are we invited in this?’
Henrik nodded. ‘Yes, we have a much bigger army than that of the mansion, and should equal it out.’
Roth scratched his chin. ‘I don’t think we would be any good at that.’
‘You don’t have to have guns if you do not want to use them,’ said Henrik, ‘but if you got close enough to one of us then you only have to tag them. In reality, we wouldn’t stand a chance against you, and I think you would take five hits before you’re out of the game.’
‘That be a fair offer,’ the gnome agreed.
James shook Henrik’s hand. ‘I think we have a deal then.’
‘It will be good to pit my wits against you.’
‘How many soldiers will you be using?’
‘A hundred sounds good to me.’
‘Then, Major, I will look forward to it,’ said James, and with Adair, Torgon and Thalion they returned to the mansion.
The wizard and elves went to the library, but Asima ordered James to put his armour on and go to the gym. He didn’t mind and knew it was pointless arguing. The armour was a lot trickier putting on than he thought, it took him ten minutes before he realised the clasps on the side had to be opened.
~~~~
Alex slept for six hours, and woke feeling refreshed, he took a shower and changed before going downstairs.
‘Hello, sleepy head,’ said Paige.
‘Don’t you start,’ said Alex. ‘Where is everyone?’
‘Some are in the gym, and some are in the library,’ said Claire. ‘Your children kidnapped those from the castle, and took them to the cinema.’
‘Hello dear,’ said Luella, as Alex entered the library. ‘Did you sleep well?’
‘Yes, thank you, Mother. What are we looking for?’
‘Anything that might help really.’
‘I was thinking of going to the mountain and have a look around. I would’ve done it earlier if I hadn’t gone to bed.’
‘I would leave it until after your dream has come to fruition, they might lead you to the portal.’
‘That’s a good point, so any news from the castle?’
Torgon sat at a computer with Skye. ‘We have strengthened the defences with elves and gnomes.’
‘Half of the Orders soldiers are in different countries,’ said Adair.
Thalion smiled. ‘James has got you another fight.’
Alex sat himself down. ‘Anyone I know?’
‘The Order, Henrik wants to play war games.’
‘Paintball in the forest by the castle,’ Adair added.
Alex considered it. ‘That could be fun to watch.’
Torgon looked surprised at that. ‘You’re not going to join in.’
‘Conflicting interests, plus I don’t like shooting my friends.’
Joseph smiled. ‘Added to the fact he was first out last time.’
‘You set me up, and it would be good to see James’ tactics.’
‘Spoken like a true leader,’ said Thalion.
Alex raised an eyebrow. ‘That might be pushing it a little.’
Adair shook his head. ‘After what you did last night, you’re nothing less than their leader, as you’re the leader to those here.’
‘There’s no way anyone could rule the ladies of Vesta Mansion.’
Blaze smiled. ‘We’ve been a group for a long time, and we love our independence as well as being a part of something.’
‘That sounds confusing.’
‘I don’t think that’s the first time any of us has confused you.’
Alex smiled. ‘No, it happens quite a lot.’
They left the library and found a grumpy looking James on one of the sofas with Asima and Carrie who looked pleased with themselves.
‘Is there any chance you can make their armour less appealing? It’s very off-putting.’
Alex glanced at the two women. ‘I’m sure it’s not that bad,’
‘Asima had me on my back four times,’ said James, as Carrie stood up.
‘I see what you mean, but at least yours gives you a six-pack,’ Alex smiled as he stared at Carrie. The armour covered most of the upper body including shoulders, but would still let you move freely. The problem with the armour was the shape, it appeared moulded to the skin, and enhanced the cleavage, and it also made the wearer look like they were wearing nothing underneath.
James grunted. ‘I already have one thanks.’
Carrie raised an eyebrow at Alex. ‘Do you fancy your chances?’
Torgon put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. ‘A challenge, this could be interesting.’
‘I might even watch this myself,’ said Blaze.
Luella walked over to the drinks trolley. ‘Sounds fun, just let me get my cup of tea.’
‘Come on then, old man, get your armour on,’ Carrie told him.
James laughed. ‘When he works out how to put it on.’
Torgon frowned. ‘Did we make it that difficult?’
‘Not really, once you know how to put it on it’s easy.’
Put your arms out sideways, House said in Alex’s mind, he did and was soon wearing his armour, and the clasps on the side did themselves up, or at least House did them up.
James groaned. ‘No way, that’s just cheating.’
Alex nodded. ‘I know.’
‘Impressive,’ Torgon acknowledged.
‘I have a friend.’
James looked upwards. ‘I thought he was my friend, too.’
I’m sorry, James, said House, but I had to see you put it on before I knew how to do it.
Alex and Carrie used long bamboo sticks for their contest. She couldn’t get past his defensive blocks, as he was too fast and seemed to know her every move. Carrie was fast but Alex didn’t try to hit her, and considered letting her hit him, so she didn’t feel too bad. She ran at him and he knew what was coming as Carrie jumped over him, and he spun around for her attack, and blocked as he had when they sparred before. Carrie smiled this time and spun her cane at him but he still blocked her. Alex thought she was a lot faster now but saw her moves in advance, until she jumped over him again. Carrie had telegraphed it. Alex turned to block but she wasn’t there, he felt a tap on his head and looked up.
Carrie grinned as she looked down. ‘I can hover, too.’
‘Very clever.’
‘You’re getting slow,’ said Carrie, as she floated back down.
‘No, I’m just trying to build your confidence.’
‘That was amazing,’ said Thalion. ‘You both were so fast, you were like a blur.’
‘You’ve got to be fast just to get a seat on the sofa here.’
~~~~
The elves stared out over the castle walls. They were alert, as were the security force using binoculars. It was still daylight and there had been no sign of anything. The portal couldn’t be seen from the castle and Dagur crept into the forest followed by Greytooth and many others. Ogres, goblins and trolls all made their way through. The trolls had to keep low and warned not to bump into any trees which might give them away. Dagur cast a spell to cut off all the communications with the castle, and hide them from the surveillance cameras. Those in the castle were isolated, and would have been caught unaware if it hadn’t been for Dagur’s own arrogance.
He appeared inside the castle expecting them all to bend to his will, but his enchantments failed and he fled after being shot in the arm.
~~~~
Henrik ran up the roof as fast as possible. ‘Battle ready, they’re here,’ he shouted.
‘We haven’t seen anything, Major,’ said Anton.
Henrik stepped over to the castle wall and looked over. ‘Dagur was downstairs, I managed to wound him, but he escaped.’
‘Have you told Lord Alex?’ said an elf.
‘No, all communications are down, we are alone.’
‘Not alone,’ said Roth, ‘but three races fighting together, let them come and face us.’
~~~~
Dagur swore. ‘We have to fight the old-fashioned way, send in the goblins.’
Greytooth raised his hand and hundreds of goblins ran to the castle. There was no order in there attack, they ran to the walls and scaled them. They climbed fast, but were picked off by the soldiers of the order.
The goblins were nothing like the pucas. They were the size of an average man, and completely bald with greyish brown skin. They had long pointed noses and big ears.
‘They’re having no effect, we’re losing too many, and none are getting anywhere near the top,’ A very ugly ogre said, he was twice the size of a man and very muscly with long scraggily hair, his jaw jutted out showing large teeth from the lower jaw.
Dagur growled. ‘Just go and throw rocks at those killing them, and give the goblins a chance to get up.’
The ogre and thirty others of his kind did, and it put the soldiers off. Some of the goblins clambered over the wall, but met with the gnomes and were thrown back over.
‘Get more and attack again,’ said Dagur.
‘No, it’s pointless,’ said the ogre. ‘Unless your magic can put us up there or if the trolls can throw us that far.’
‘I might be able to,’ said Greytooth, ‘or I might just smash you into the wall.’
Dagur pulled back his hood, his face full of anger. ‘I can get you up there, but I want another raid with the goblins. Fetch the orcs . . . I want an aerial attack when it gets dark.’
The orcs were smaller and skinnier than the goblins, with ponytails and even bigger noses. They rode small horse like looking creatures with wings. They had claws instead of hooves, sharp-pointed teeth, and all the orcs carried a bow.
~~~~
Rilien stood looking over the wall. ‘Major, why are you keeping the elves out of the fight?’
‘You haven’t been needed yet,’ said Henrik. ‘I want to save your arrows.’
‘Our arrows could have been quite useful.’
Henrik was twice as wide as the elf, and he gave him a stern look, although there was gentleness with it. ‘They will prove very useful as will your sight when it gets dark.’
Rilien realised Henrik was right. ‘I’m sorry, Major, I just get too impatient.’
‘Do not worry, as I don’t think we will be waiting too long to see the elf archers in action.’
‘They will need better tactics than what they have used so far,’ said Roth, as he stretched and looked over the wall.
‘There’s at least one very large mountain troll down there, and they can scale these walls very quickly,’ said one of the elves. It was Finwe who had led those from Vesta Mansion through Brightstone.
‘We can blast them off,’ said a female soldier. ‘We have the weapons to do it.’
Henrik gave her a sharp look. ‘And will you be able to do that, Captain Friday, without blowing holes in our own walls?’
‘No, sir, sorry sir, I wasn’t thinking,’ said Friday.
‘Then I suggest you start, as I need you focused.’
~~~~
The second attack happened soon as darkness fell. The goblins charged the walls, and forty orcs took to the sky. It was the elves who saw them first and joined the fight. Orcs fell from the sky due to the accuracy and speed of the elf archers, but two soldiers and an elf fell. The ogres were thrown at the wall and started scrambling up them, and three appeared on the roof only to find the gnomes waiting for them. The ogres thought the element of surprise would be in their favour, but the gnomes changed that and slaughtered the creatures in less than a minute.
Dagur thought his plan was working very well, but he didn’t know about the gnomes, Greytooth sent in half a dozen trolls.
~~~~
They left the gym, but kept their armour on. Alex waited on the sofa for any word, but none came.
Evening came and Sarah asked if she could use someone’s phone to call her husband. Blaze showed her into the office so she could have more privacy.
Sarah came back out a few moments later. ‘I can’t get through to him or anyone at the Order, the lines are down.’
Alex leapt off the sofa. ‘Get your weapons.’
They ran to the gym. Adair, Torgon and Thalion along with the wolves were soon on the roof of the castle with the warriors from the mansion including the gnomes. The first thing Alex saw was a huge troll climbing over the wall. He raised his hand, and the golden energy shot from it knocking the huge creature off the wall, and Adair did the same with his lightning. Many ogres were up there with a lot of hand to hand fighting when other elves arrived. They were straight into the action. It only took a few minutes to clear the battlements of the creatures. Alex heard Dagur scream in frustration, and flew straight towards him. Adair shouted, but was too late.
‘How can you be here,’ Dagur hissed and stepped backwards. ‘You do not have the power to translocate like this.’
‘You know nothing of my power, and you’ve tested it once too often,’ Alex shouted, and grabbed the elf, but he was careless and had tunnel vision, and did not hear House’s warning. He did not see Greytooth who swung his club, and caught Alex on the side sending him crashing through the trees.
Dagur and the troll ran after him, but stopped when they saw him rise now covered in the golden energy. They were both hit by Adair’s lightning, with the troll taking the brunt of it, and they vanished.
‘What do you think you’re playing at?’ the wizard demanded.
‘Well, I thought about killing him to be quite honest,’ said Alex, as the glow disappeared.
‘That worked, and you nearly got yourself killed in the process.’
‘Hardly,’ said Alex, pulling branches out of his armour.
The wizard just stared at him. ‘I can see that now, and I don’t know how that blow didn’t kill you.’
‘It would take a lot more than a giant troll to hurt me,’ said Alex. ‘Sorry, that must have sounded arrogant.’
‘A little, but it appears to be true.’
‘Oii, I thought we were a team,’ Paige shouted, as many of the others approached him.
‘We are, but he has a bloody annoying habit of vanishing.’
‘What’s happened to your armour?’ said Carrie, as she tried straightening it.
Adair shook his head as if he realised his nephew might be a lot more trouble than the witches. ‘He was testing it out against a trolls club.’
‘Yeah, and it’s very effective,’ said Alex.
‘That is kind of you,’ said Torgon. ‘But the armour would not protect anyone from a direct hit off a troll.’
‘It helped when I landed twenty yards away.’
‘And you are not hurt in any way?’
Alex is fine, but some on the roof were not so lucky, said House, sounding sad.
‘What?’ cried Alex, and flew back to the castle.
There were six bodies covered in sheets. Others were having their injuries attended to. Alex walked over to the covered bodies and looked under the covers. Four soldiers and two elves died. He recognised all their faces, but had only talked to two of them. One was Anton and the other Finwe, the kind gentle elf, killed by two arrows. Sadness swamped Alex but it soon turned to anger. It was all his fault, he should have stayed with them.
Torgon and Thalion were clearly distressed as were many up there.
Alex would’ve wept if he wasn’t so angry, ‘I’m so sorry.’
‘Thank you, but if it wasn’t for you many more would all be dead,’ said Torgon, mournfully.
Henrik put his hand on Alex’s shoulder. ‘My lord, we would all be dead if you hadn’t come here last night.’
‘They are the enemy to all of us,’ said Thalion.
Alex glowed once again as he gripped the wall, the golden aura nearly blinded everyone as it shot through the castle. ‘They will pay for this, I promise you. I will avenge them.’
‘We have to take them back so our peo
ple can honour them,’ said Thalion.
‘Of course, my lord,’ said Henrik. ‘I’m sorry for your loss.’
‘Major Henrik, you saved many yourself with your decisions, it was an honour to fight with you,’ said Rilien, and the elves who had been there all day agreed, and struck their own armour with their bows.
‘House will help you take yours back so you can honour them,’ said Alex. ‘I will come to pay my respects.’
‘No,’ said Torgon, ‘we take all six back to honour.’
Henrik nodded. ‘The soldiers would’ve been very proud if they had known you would do that for them.’
‘I think he had me there, if you hadn’t blown it off the roof,’ said Roth, holding his injured arm.
‘How bad is it?’ said Alex.
‘It hurts like hell, I think it be broken,’ said Roth, trying to swing it for everyone to see.
If you keep it still I might be able to heal it, House told him.
Alex flew back down below, most the soldiers, elves and wolves were now searching the forest, but only the dead were there now. House had piled the fallen creatures together and Alex burnt them, mainly through anger.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
Dilemmas
The next few days they held the funerals. Alex’s mood grew darker, his thoughts were always on Dagur and how he would put an end to the dark wizard. The children would notice his mood and always run to him. No one else blamed Alex, but that made him feel worse. These were people he loved, but how long would it be before he failed them, as he had those at the castle. He flew to the mountain searching for the portal but found nothing. Luella and Blaze took it upon themselves to shake him out of it.
‘You’ve got to stop this,’ said Luella, as they found him outside.
Alex stared into the distance over his land. ‘Stop what?’
‘You know what your mother’s talking about,’ said Blaze. ‘You’re taking it way too personally.’
Alex rubbed his eyes. ‘That’s because it is personal.’
Other Worlds: Vesta Mansion Trilogy - Book Two - Fantasy Page 38
