The Tears of Elios

by Crista McHugh

  Galen froze and took several breaths as he considered the offer. Good. Maybe he would agree to it, and both of them would have the bliss they deserved. But then he shook his head. “No, Jaius. This is my idea. If we succeed, I'll be with her.”

  “And if we fail? I don't know if there will be any consoling your widow.”

  “You’ll have to try.” His gaze turned to the advancing Elgean Army, ending the conversation. “They're coming.”

  Jaius’ stomach knotted. “I'll join Paleah.” He ran down the hill to where she stood glaring at Seron.

  “So nice of you to join us, Jaius,” he said with a smirk. The High Elf polished a smudge off his armor so the sun flashed along the metal and blinded those around him. “I was just explaining to Paleah that I wanted no mercy from you common elves. You've always had a soft spot for humans.”

  Paleah's hand tightened around her sword, and she stepped closer to him. “There is little softness in my heart.”

  For all her bravado, though, she’d never seen a true battle. Not many in the camp had. Jaius wondered how calm she would remain in the heat of the moment.

  “Why Galen thought a woman could lead an army is beyond me. Our women know their place.”

  “At least I wasn't elected a general because of who my father is.”

  Jaius heard the scratch of metal as both of them drew their swords. “Stop this nonsense,” he ordered as he stood between them and used his gift to try to calm them. Their anger waned in response to it. “We need to work together, remember? Anilayus is our enemy, not each other. Save your hatred for him.”

  “Aye,” a burred voice added behind him. Arlisle approached them, followed by the rest of the Highmounters. Streaks of blue and gold paint decorated their arms and faces, giving them a primitive appearance. “Let's show the Elgeans the color of their own blood.”

  The Highmounters drew their weapons, and a bone chilling yell echoed from their chests. The battle frenzy mounted, sending a shiver down his spine. They all waited on his order. Jaius held the gaze of the three other generals before drawing his own sword. “May the Goddess smile on us and grant us victory today.”

  Then he ordered the charge.

  ***

  Gregor arrived a few minutes later to help Kira usher the women and children through to the other side where they would be a safe distance away from the battle.

  “You’d think they'd send us a little more help,” Gregor said.

  Kira looked around and realized that Jaius had disappeared. She looked up river and saw the line waning. “We almost have everyone through.”

  She shielded her eyes and looked to the east. The red dragon swooped down and delivered a round the flames on the army below. Ahead of her, a cloud of purple light swarmed around the enemy, announcing the arrival of Queen Mab. The clang of metal weapons dimmed. It seemed Ranealya and Mab were doing their parts.

  She looked over to Gregor and wondered if he knew the dragon was his beloved.

  Her thoughts turned to Galen, and her heart ached. He’d chosen a hill on the opposite side of the camp to cast the ritual, partially due to its distance from her. He told her last night he wanted to draw the army's attention towards him, not the women and children going through the gate. From where she stood, she could barely see the casters as they began their ritual. Blue and green lights moved from orb to orb, forming a circle.

  Kira gasped. The blue and green circle from my vision. “Gregor, can you guard the gate?”

  “Yes, but why?”

  “Because I have to stop the circle from being broken.”

  He looked at her with confusion from behind his glasses, but she ran upriver toward the camp before he could ask any more questions.

  CHAPTER 26

  The army surged forward as they ran to meet the enemy. Jaius built his momentum, and when his sword met the first Elgean soldier, it sliced through him with ease. He moved towards the next attacker.

  He knew his goal. All the generals did. Hold off the Elgean Army to give the casters time to complete the ritual. Kill Anilayus, if possible. Retreat when the ritual started to work. Jaius focused on this instead of the bloody confusion that surrounded him and continued to cut his way through the enemy.

  The crowd thinned, and he spied Anilayus. Three of the Azekborn surrounded him, their black swords glittering in the morning light. He hesitated as his heart pounded in terror.

  A shadow blocked out the sun, and terror flashed on the faces of the Elgean soldiers in front of him. His hair whipped around his shoulders as the dragon swooped down, flames pouring from her mouth. He turned his head to shield his face from the heat.

  Seron yanked Jaius away from the fire, sending them both to the ground. “I'm glad that dragon is on our side,” he muttered and pointed ahead.

  Two of the Azekborn burned, but Anilayus vanished faster than the blink of an eye and reappeared a few feet away.

  Jaius’ blood chilled. Only demons moved like that.

  A muscle rippled along Seron’s jaw. “By the Goddess, he's aligned with Zelquis.” He offered his hand and helped him to his feet. “Let's go kill some drae and their master, shall we?” he asked in a tone that prevented the ice in Jaius’ veins from thawing.

  “Come on, boys!” Paleah called as she withdrew her gore-covered sword from another victim.

  Jaius and Seron exchanged glances and ran after her. The remaining Azekborn raised his sword and moved in front of the king. His eyes smoldered, and he parried Paleah's blow with the agility of the cat. She stumbled forward and cried out in pain as a stream of red lightning struck her body.

  Anilayus grinned from behind the Azekborn as the demonic magic flowed from his fingers. He relented for a second to listen to her whimpers before launching another attack.

  Rage filled him, and Jaius summoned all his powers. A bright green ball of magic exploded from his hand and slammed into Anilayus. The king doubled over, and Paleah fell silent.

  Seron's armor gleamed as he rushed toward the Azekborn. As much as he loathed the son of Elisus, Jaius admired his skill with the sword. The clangs of their blades sang in an eerie melody as they fought in blurred speeds. Out of the three of them, Seron was the only one who could match the drae.

  Paleah stirred to his left, and Jaius turned his attention to Anilayus, knowing it was up to him to distract the king. Another ball of green magic erupted from his hand, but this time Anilayus blocked it and retaliated with a bolt of red lightning. Jaius dodged it and snuck past the Azekborn with his sword drawn.

  Anilayus ducked the first swing and then drew his own sword. He attacked with a cool calculation that Jaius had never seen in any human. It took his entire concentration to block the King’s thrusts and stay on his feet.

  The shadow soared overhead again, and both paused to watch the dragon. If Ranealya doused them with her flames once again, he feared he wouldn’t be able to escape them this time. Instead she flew towards the hill where the ritual was being cast and shifted as soon as she landed.

  The King’s eyes widened. “A shape-shifter!” His mouth curled into a sneer.

  “Jaius!” Seron called, pulling him back into the battle.

  “I'm done playing with you, elf.” Anilayus flung another bolt of red lightning.

  Jaius screamed and fell to his knees. He felt as though the magic flayed his skin open. By the Goddess, I never imagined pain like this. Something sliced between his ribs, sucking the air from his lungs.

  So this is how I’m going to meet my death.

  ***

  Ranealya dived down and doused the Elgean Army in flames again. Their screams delighted her. She circled the ranks and reinforced the burning barricade she constructed from their catapults.

  It’s fun being a dragon. She would have tried this form sooner if she had known she could’ve shifted into it.

  After she discarded the remnants of the Azekborn on the terrified soldiers below, she circled the sky to attack Anilayus again, but a flurry of red caught her at
tention. She flew closer to investigate. Kira.

  From the sky, she watched the human run through the camp toward the ritual. She wants to declare her love for Galen once more, no doubt. Ranealya was about to dismiss her when she remembered Galen asking her to take care of his wife. She doubted Kira saw the Elgean soldier hiding behind a boulder, waiting to ambush her.

  With a groan, she diverted her course.

  She flew behind the soldier and landed on him just as Kira rounded the corner. His bones made a satisfying crunch under her claws, and his blood splattered hillside.

  Kira screamed and ran away.

  Ranealya changed into her natural form and pursued her. Kira made only a slight change in her course, and she caught her as she neared the circle. “What are you doing, Kira?” she asked as she tackled her.

  “Let me go, Ranealya!” The little human put up more of a fight than she thought her capable of. “Something bad is going to happen.”

  The ritual was already in progress, but nothing had come from it so far. She recognized the faces of the casters from the meeting she interrupted: Galen, Thoranus, and Elisus representing the elves; Lohman and Fergan from the humans; the dwarf, Orin, and finally, Mab’s personal troublemaker, Fairlin. All seven held one of the Tears of Elios in their hands and concentrated their magic into the orbs.

  Kira screamed and pointed ahead. Elisus had broken free from the circle, taking one orb with him.

  Ranealya launched an attack before he could turn and see them. As she flew through the air, she changed into a lioness and knocked him to the ground. Elisus raised his hands to protect himself, but he was too slow. With lethal speed, she raked one of her paws down his face, shredding his skin and pulling out his left eye. She felt no pity for him as he cried out in agony. She prepared to deliver the death blow, but Kira distracted her by running after the orb.

  Elisus saw his chance to escape and shoved the lioness off his chest. He dissipated before she had a chance to pounce on him again.

  Kira shrieked in pain as soon as she touched the Tear of Elios. Galen apparently hadn’t warned her to avoid doing something so foolish. Her skin blistered as she dropped it.

  Ranealya changed back into her normal form, still disappointed over her missed opportunity to kill Elisus. She slashed one of her hands as she approached Kira and squeezed her blood over the injured palms.

  “We need to get the orb back into the ritual,” Kira begged as tears streamed down her face. “Can't you see it's killing the casters?”

  Ranealya looked over her shoulder. Fergan fell to his knees, and Lohman looked like he would be next. The other casters appeared pale and drawn, as if the ritual was consuming the very essence of their lives. “I'm not a mage.”

  “But I am.” Kira's wounds healed as the blood dripped over the sides of her palms. “If you can carry the orb, I'll cast.”

  She looked back once more and saw Galen's eyelids grow heavy. Would all this be for naught? Would the ritual fail because I refused to help?

  Her hands balled into fists. No, not as long as I still breathe. She grabbed the orb in one hand and Kira in the other. “I'll do it.”

  A jolt raced up her arm when she inserted the orb into the circle. Kira stepped in between her and Galen and began casting with her fingers an inch above it. The blue and green lights in the circle glowed brighter, and the new influx of magic revived the other six casters, one by one.

  Ranealya heard the distant rumble of thunder, followed by the earth trembling under her feet. Across the circle, Fergan smiled. Bolstered by her success, Kira touched the Tear of Elios with her fingertips, and another wave a magic surged through the circle. The tremors increased in intensity.

  It was working.

  She turned to Kira, but the little human’s attentions were elsewhere. She watched the exchange of glances between Kira and Galen and began to understand the extent of their love for one another. He reached his hand out to her, and when she took it, the entire circle began to pulsate.

  The ground then erupted. Stones pierced the surface of the earth and climbed towards the sky. She flinched as mountains rose from the cracks. The other members of the circle remained focused on the orbs in front of them. She seemed to be the only one aware of what was happening. The circle began to sink as the earth's crust continued to be thrust upward around them.

  Then a shock-like sensation ran through her body. It grew stronger until the pain caused her vision to blur. It reminded her of when she was transformed into a shape-shifter over three hundred years ago. She sank to her knees as Kira took the Tear of Elios from her hands.

  A green light surrounded her. The fur retracted from her arms, leaving smooth ivory skin behind. Her hair grew rapidly, forming a pale golden cloak over her shoulders. She was being turned back into Nyelle, but not by choice. Something else forced her shift.

  The next thing she knew, she was being hurled backwards through the air. As soon as she cleared the circle, a dome of magic enclosed it and hid the casters from view. The words of Elios echoed in her mind once more before her head smashed against a hard surface, and everything went black.

  CHAPTER 27

  The ground started shaking under Gregor. He straightened, wondering if he had imagined it all.

  The Resistance Army ran toward the gate on full retreat, and for a second, he attributed the increasing vibrations beneath his feet to their stampede. But waves grew stronger, more violent, even as the soldiers passed him.

  His heart pounded as crags of granite exploded from the surface, rising up to form mountains. Behind him, the arch collapsed, showering a cascade of boulders around him and leaving him stranded.

  A wall of water rose up to meet him. He turned and ran in the opposite direction, scrambling over rocks and trying to get to higher ground. This isn’t good. He silently asked Mariliel to save him before he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

  Looking back, he wondered if the goddess heard his prayers. The rock he stood on thrust up with such momentum that he fell on his hands and knees. The surge of water roared past him, but he had been carried out of its reach. The rock jerked to a stop and tilted forward. He stared at the raging river below and started falling towards it. His stomach churned, and he braced himself once again. It was times like this when he wished he was a better swimmer.

  The side of the rock collided with the opposite side of the canyon wall, and Gregor tumbled to safety. The earthquake subsided, and he took a moment to allow his pounding heart to slow. When he replaced his glasses, he scanned the landscape and tried to find his bearings.

  Ahead of him was the hill the casters stood on, the only thing that remained unchanged. The ritual seemed to be working well. The newborn mountains had swallowed the camp, and the course of the river had been altered. He could no longer see the Elgean Army to the east.

  Gregor squinted and watched Ranealya fall to her knees. A strange green magic enveloped her, obscuring her from his sight. He jumped to his feet and ran to the edge of the canyon that separated them.

  This couldn’t be the way Elios planned to kill her!

  ***

  Anilayus withdrew his sword from Jaius. “Finish them,” he said to the Azekborn. “I have a shape-shifter to catch.” Then he vanished.

  Jaius tried to lift his head and draw Seron's attention. His chest gurgled, and blackness threatened to consume him. When he attempted to speak, blood filled his mouth and overflowed from his lips. He collapsed and offered a prayer for Elios to end his suffering as he closed his eyes.

  If his ear hadn’t been pressed against the ground, he would’ve missed the first rumblings. He opened one eye to see the earth ripple and roll toward him like a tidal wave. The force launched him into the air on impact, and the sickening crunch of his own bones shattering filled his ears when he landed.

  “Sound the retreat,” Seron shouted in the distance as the ground split and crumbled under them. “Paleah, get us out of here!”

  “What about Jaius?”

>   “He’s already dead,” Seron replied flatly.

  No, I'm still alive! But his broken body refused to move, and his lungs burned for air. His vision blurred as he watched Paleah and Seron teleport to safety.

  Around him, the earth shifted, and new peaks burst through the crust like arrows released from a bow. His breathing slowed. He found solace in knowing the ritual was working and waited for the embrace of death.

  “Nice of your kind to leave you here,” a rough voice said at his side.

  He looked up at the Highmounter and mouthed, “Thank you.”

  “You can thank me later if we survive this mess.” Arlisle tossed him over his shoulder. “Let's go!”

  He clung to the burly human as he raced down the newly formed mountain. This kind of compassion stunned him. Why would a human risk his life to save me when the other generals had left me for dead?

  Arlisle jerked to a stop, and pain rolled through Jaius' body. “Can you swim, pointy ear?”

  Before he had a chance to understand the question, a wall of water swept over them and pulled them under. Arlisle held on to him, and they broke through the surface together, gasping for air. The river roared through the canyon, carrying them downstream at speeds faster than any runner. Even with all his strength, the human couldn’t fight the surge, so they rode the rapids and hoped to avoid a fatal collision with any bolder in their way.

  After a few minutes, the current slowed, allowing Arlisle the opportunity to grab a tree branch and pull them to dry land. Jaius grunted as he was flung on the shore, surprised his heart still beat after everything he endured in the last hour.

  A soothing warmth filled his chest wound, and his pain waned. He looked up to see tendrils of white magic flowing from Arlisle’s hand. “You have the gift?” he whispered.

  “Aye, weak though it may be.” He sighed and leaned back. “I can't heal you completely, but this should keep you from bleeding out on me until I find someone with better talents.”