by Bill Albert
“You will die for this!” Krove shook with anger as he yelled.
The Eighth Minister and the Ninth Minister quickly took positions on each side of Krove with their swords ready to fight.
Gallif looked at them hoping they may still rebel against what Krove was doing but could see the lust for power in their eyes.
“Betrayal of the Land of the Giants will not be tolerated,” Krove yelled. “You will be dealt with appropriately.” He made a quick cast and pointed his wand. There was a flash as blinding, hard light leapt from his wand into the Seventh Minister.
The Seventh Minister open his mouth but could not scream, they briefly saw his skeleton as his body convulsed and collapsed.
The area was completely covered with a sickening smell of burning flesh.
“Stop him.” Gallif looked at the Eighth Minister and the Ninth Minister and recognized just a shadow of doubt in their faces. “Remember, you are a part of that,” she reminded them.
Knowing that Luvin and Kellis were ready she walked forward until she was directly in front of Krove.
“There’s only one thing you want more than a kingdom and I know exactly where it’s at,” she said with a nod.
Her words penetrated his anger and he looked directly into her eyes and nodded back.
The jump cast was quick and easy and Gallif and Krove vanished with a shimmer.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: ASHES
Gallif had known where the Bridge of Immortality was since she had Read the Book of circles in the Dragon library. She had offered the knowledge to Krove and allowed him to absorb the information into the jump cast. In less strenuous times Krove probably would’ve held off knowing the chances of them arriving successfully, let alone surviving, were almost nonexistent based on the circumstances. He would never admit it, but it was Gallif strength and attention to detail that got them so close. They exited the jump casting barely a foot off the ground and rolled over onto the path.
Gallif landed on her side making sure she didn’t roll over to protect Lincilara who is nestled in her backpack. She slid nearly 10 feet down a steep embankment before coming to a stop. She was only slightly bruised and quickly stood just in time to see Krove come to a stop further down. He was also on injured and got to his feet, look back at her, then both looked out at the panorama before them.
They found themselves in a mountain range that scan to the horizon. A mountain range so vast they knew they were further away from Starpoint than anyone they knew had ever been before. Since the sun was now high in the sky, and it had been dark where they left, they considered they were on the opposite side of the world. They were so high up the air was thin and crystal-clear. There were no clouds or fog here, only a constant sun and a blue sky.
The path they were wrong traveled downward at a steady pace for a mile and then came to a sudden and at the edge of a cliff. So close to the edge that, from a distance it looked connected, was a bridge stretching and impossible distance between this mountain and the next. There was no support beneath the bridge in place other than where it was anchored on each end. It didn’t seem possible that a bridge this length could stay suspended without support in the middle. Looking down they could see only clouds, and even the clouds on the horizon, were beneath them. Without a word they started moving towards it.
The bridge itself glistened in the sunlight. It was 20 feet wide, and flats with a 3-foot-high rail on both sides that ran his full-length. As they got closer, they realized there were actually two layers to the bridge. The flat, possible surface was on the top and the complicated lattice that appeared as if it’s been spun like a web ran underneath.
The most breathtaking vision of all was it appeared to be made of pure glass. Light was distorted by its density and there appeared to be hundreds of rainbows bouncing off its surface. As t only a step away from the edge they realize there were no joins in the structure which added to the impression that it had been spun. It was also inspiringly beautiful.
“Stay as close to me as you can,” Gallif whispered to Lincilara as she peeked over her shoulder. “Stay next to me, out of the way, no matter what happens.”
Lincilara was so caught up in the bridge it took a few seconds before she could respond that she would do as she was told.
Her feet still on the rocky ledge Gallif knelt over and looked close at the smooth glass surface. There were no nicks or scratches to be seen anywhere. She caught her own reflection looking up at others as she ran her fingers over the glass, looking deeply into her own green eyes, she stood knowing what she would have to do to survive.
“There, that’s it,” she pointed at the bridge. “Your opportunity to live forever is out there. Only if you are sure.”
A combination of the thin air and his rapid heartbeat made Krove breathe deeply. He took a single step onto the bridge. “It’s beautifully simple,” Krove said with a raspy voice. “I will return and claim my throne. I’m sure the eighth minister and ninth minister will hold a crown until I return,” he said than glanced at Gallif. “To join me. Witness my ascension to godhood,” he invited her in waived his hand for her to join him on the bridge.
“Don’t go, Gallif,” Lincilara whispered in her ear.
She waited no longer and started walking across the bridge. They walked an absolute silence with Krove just a few steps behind her. The prisons of light created multiple rainbows and they walked through the colors without a word.
Gallif also noticed just how calm and peaceful it was on the bridge. The sting of the bitter cold and buffet of the breeze was held at bay by casting. On the bridge itself there was warmth and absolute silence.
She walked through some effect of light that was so intense she had to closer eyes to protect yourself. She heard the fluttering of Lincilara’s wing but ordered her to stay close and never lose track of Gallif shoulder. Fighting the urge to fly through the beautiful colors Lincilara reluctantly agreed.
They remain silent as they walked in soon that could sense, somehow, that they were halfway. It was so silent that she could hear Krove slowly sliding his giant sword from its sheath without having to look back at him. She heard the rustling as he reared the sword back in when she heard the worship of the blade, she rolled to one side out of the way and slid out of his reach. She leapt to her feet and drew her own swords as well.
Lincilara took to the air but, remembering Gallif’s instructions, hovered behind her and took a tight grip on Gallif’s backpack. Krove step forward aiming his sword in massive arcs to clean off the bridge. Gallif backed away steadily and duct his attacks but he was too strong and quick for her to be able to step inside his swing and attack him.
Finally, his step was just a bit off and she used both her swords and one strike to deflect one of his swings into the air. She twisted completely around as he tightened his grip and sliced both swords into his swing. The combination of searing heat in freezing cold hits his arms and he held in pain.
Lincilara couldn’t stay a spectator anymore and zoomed up at Krove. She circled his head so fast the movement of light disoriented him as he swung back and simply cut air.
“I will live forever but it is time for you to die!”
“That was a sloppy attack,” she taunted him backing into a yellow stream of a rainbow. She knew she would be out of his sight for a few seconds and use the time to change her position. “I knew you’d have to kill me on the bridge. I knew you would not want me to cross.”
She saw his figure in a red strand of light to her left and she swung at it hard. She connected with his shoulder and left a searing scar and a freezing cut all the way through his robes.
He couldn’t see because of the rainbow reflections but knew she was close and swung back to cut her in half. She was too close to him to get hit by the blade, but she got punched in the side by the handle. She flew back and landed hard against the glass railing, the flame sword smacking hard into the glass surface. She knew she had broken ribs and that the cast of the suit would heal her w
hat was also aware she could not wait. She grabbed her flame sword, notice in a brief second that the bridge had not been scratched or defaced in any way from her sword. She limped away favoring her wounded side. Krove saw her between rainbows and rushed towards her.
She caught a glimmer of blue and missed getting cleaved in half by the giant. He swung up in a high arc and down again. This time the entire bridge shook as his broadsword clapped against the glass. There was no damage to the bridge but the fact that it had reacted surprised her. Almost as if it had been shocked by the pain. She stumbled as she passed between rainbows and was surprised to find him directly in front of her. He swung in at shoulder height and she again used both her swords to stop it. They were deadlocked for a single second but finally his strength was two powerful and she started to slide against the glass to the edge. Her ribs were healing but she ‘into the side rail resisting him. She had to keep the force up against him and knew if she didn’t, he could throw her over the edge. Lincilara saw what was happening and fluttered instantly to Krove’s wrist. She put a cast on his wrists, it was not a powerful cast but in the right place it could be very effective and used all of her might to pull his wrists away from Gallif. Once the pressure was release enough, she ducked out of the way and let his attacks swing out over the edge of the bridge.
He stopped and reversed his path instantly. Lincilara was unprepared for the change and her tiny body shivered as she was thrown over the edge of the bridge. She quickly regained her flight and hid in the green strand of her rainbow to get out of sight.
Gallif can see where Lincilara had landed exactly but knew she had to keep the giant away from that area. Waving the sores over her head she walked very slowly.
Krove caught the motion of the swords and charged after her. His rage filled the strength quickly close the distance and he swung down on her again. The blade edge Mr. but the flat side caught her shoulder and she was thrown off of her feet.
She lost her grip on the frost sword and watched it drop away from her into a rainbow. She reached out with her now free left hand just as she went over the edge of the bridge’s railing. She caught the rails with her hand and lodged her feet in the lattice under the bridge.
Outside the protection of the bridge the harsh winds and bitter cold quickly had her skin tingling. She used the flame sword to prevent her from freezing and used all of her strength to climb back over the slippery glass rail and onto the bridge.
She had barely a second to get herself oriented when a crackle of hard light smacked into the railing. She rolled forward with the flame sword only and leapt to her feet. She realized that Krove have put away his flame sword and was now using the wand. The same hard light that had killed the seventh minister was now being used against her. She dived for cover between the very small rainbows and ended up slightly disoriented. Before she was able to regain direction Krove was on her with the wand and there was another blast of hard light hitting, but not damaging the bridge.
Suddenly she found herself at a large gap between rainbows. She would be an easy target here, so she zigzagged as she sprinted for cover. She changed direction twice to avoid a hard-light strike, but the third time was too close, and she was thrown to the surface just short of protection. Krove wasted no time casting another strike on her and Gallif knew she was too stunned to get out of the way. There was a flash of gentle green light as Krove casts a hard light at her.
Gallif heard a short cry as Lincilara intercepted the hit and fell to the surface of the bridge.
“No! Please don’t let this happen,” Gallif cried as she scooped up the fairy and slid into a rainbow for protection from the giant.
“Lincilara? Please, Lincilara, you must live for me,” Gallif cried and cradled the limp, lifeless body in her palms. The ferry didn’t move, her wings didn’t flutter, and the green glow of lights from her body and inner spirit was gone.
Gallif looked at the body and wished for her light to come back and tears swelled in her eyes when nothing happened. Desperately she warned herself that this was no time to mourn. She ever so gently laid the ferry down on a safe spot inside the rail and laid her backpack near her to protect her. Then sadness turned to anger, and she picked up her flame sword two-phase Krove one last time.
“I’m waiting for you, Gallif,” she heard the giant’s voice carry in the silence of the bridge. “I’ve crossed the bridge, I’m immortal, you can’t harm me now. I will wait here for you to bow to me.”
She stood up and started walking towards him. She knew that he would not want her to cross the bridge is well and that he would be a very short distance away.
“Immortal King Krove,” Gallif sneered at him as she walked. “Yes,” he answered. “I have crossed the Bridge of Immortality and you cannot hurt me. I will go back to Springfield and claim my throne and my crown. You have a choice Gallif, kneel before me, or die.”
“I’ll never kneel before a false King,” Gallif said calmly. “You failed, Krove. You forgotten something I said to you before,” she declared and started walking towards him with the flame sword in her hand.
He was not afraid of her, but his hand instinctively went to his sword as she came into view. Whether she kneeled or died he knew he would enjoy it either way. Perhaps it was anger or the grief at everything she had lost, that caused her aim to be slightly off in the flame sword cut into Krove’s chest missing his heart by barely an inch.
He stood looking down at her so surprised what it happened it took several seconds before he realized how wrong he was.
“Giants aren’t the only ones with secrets,” Gallif repeated to him again.
He reeled back with confusion in disbelief.
Gallif pulled the flame sword from him and swung around to hit him in the side. He put out his left hand to protect himself and the flame sword burned a foot-long scar near his wrist.
Sluggishly, Krove drew his broadsword and took a feeble swing at her. She stayed just out of reach of his sword and didn’t try to deflect his attack with her own as he came after her. She simply took steps back towards the reeled edge. Bleeding profusely, still filled with doubt and confusion, he followed her. Bleeding profusely after one wild swing he lost his grip on his sword and his slid down the bridge.
Soon he was kneeling against the rail taking wild attempts at striking her. She swung the flame sword several times to distract him and then used all of her strength to chop him incredibly hard in the knee. He stumbled and lost his orientation. Thought she was directly in front of him and fell towards her. As he realized he was falling over the railing, in one last desperate attempt, he grabbed the Gallif’s waist and pulled her over with him.
His hand caught on the glass lattice of the second layer of the bridge and Gallif managed to grab the collar of his robes as she felt past them. She caught herself one-handed hanging from his back. They were again exposed to the bitter cold and wind.
“Damn you,” he grunted.
They twisted in the wind and, as soon as they were close enough, Gallif grabbed the lattice with her left hand and swung herself clear of him he lunged at her, but she waved him away with the flame sword.
“Make your last choice, Krove,” she yelled above the gales of wind. “Surrender and face your crimes.”
“No. I will live forever,” he screamed.
He tried to grab at Gallif again and she forced him away with the flame sword a second time. The cold was affecting her as well and her hands were quickly getting numb. She wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold on.
“Very well,” she said looking down on his pitiful face. “I give you your immortality.”
She swung back with the flame sword and struck his hands twice. The searing heat of the cuts and the bitter sting of the cold was too much for him and he fell away from the Bridge of Immortality.
Screaming from the pain he fell through the first layer of clouds, then another, then another…
Gallif looked down as his screams faded away. She had known what the
Book of Circles meant. He would fall forever.
A strong gust of cold wind pushed her hard against the glass lattice of the bridge and she tried to climb up. She managed to get a few handholds, but the searing cold was too much and she almost lost her grip. She looked at the flame sword but knew there was no way she could climb single-handed. She tried to return it to the sheath but couldn’t get it close enough to trigger the cast for the sheath to wrap itself around the sword.
Suddenly she was moving upward. Someone had grabbed her arm and was lifting her over the rail and back onto the protection of the bridge. She fell to a sitting position with her back against the rails and her eyes tried to focus as the frost on her face chipped away.
She looked up at the blessed face of Jakobus who had rescued her. There was a second figure behind him. A small man with elves and features wearing flat pieces of glass wired together around his eyes.
“My name is Novelevon,” he introduced an extended her hand in friendship. “Your Gallif of Starpoint, I presume.”
She offered him her hand and the warmth of his reduced the coldness on her fingers.
“How did you find me?” She asked.
“Oh, following a jump casts aren’t near as spectacular as you think,” Novelevon said honestly. “Really, you drysiders would know that if you just read more books.”
“Can you take us back to Spring Field? Back to the execution stage where we left.”
“Of course,” Novelevon said, adjusting the pieces of glass wired together on his Elven face, then stood.
Jakobus stood and offered a hand to help Gallif rise. Not fully recovered yet she leaned against him and asked the elf to wait.
