by R A Oakes
With the impulsiveness of youth, Marcheto gave up on Eldwyn’s wait-and-see approach and lashed out at the flaming skeletons with everything he had. “For the king!” he shouted as he ran out to meet the enemy, heedless of the consequences to himself.
“Marcheto!” White Angel 19 shouted in alarm.
“There’s one thing I forgot to mention,” Baelfire said to White Angel 19 in a very worried tone of voice. “If he dies, you lose the father of your children.”
“How does that affect the two children I already have?” White Angel 29 asked.
“They will cease to exist.”
“Marcheto!” White Angel 29 screamed with all her might as she leapt into the air and chased after her future husband.
Chaktar turned to the king and said, “The young man’s got spunk.”
“Would you say he has the heart of a tiger?” King Tarlen asked.
“I don’t know if I’d go that far.”
“Well, let’s show Balzekior how much damage two tigers can do,” King Tarlen said.
“With pleasure,” Chaktar replied, and both tigers sprang into action.
Black Scarlet looked at her husband and said, “Aerylln helped us save Dylancia. The least we can do is help save her future babies.”
Lord Pensgraft swung his huge sledgehammer and said, “You’re right, as usual. Let’s go.” And the two black crystal giants ran across the courtyard with smoke and fire pouring off of them shouting, “For the king!”
Andrina, Corson and Gwendylln, the three clear crystal warriors, ran after Black Scarlet with all their might. Chen’s 30 warrior women followed close on their heels. Though merely flesh and blood, they didn’t want to be left behind. However, right before Marcheto plowed into the fiery skeletons, he whirled around and waved his staff transforming all of Chen’s women into clear crystal warriors. Also, as the king and Chaktar bounded across the courtyard, they found themselves changed into clear crystal tigers.
With that, the young mystic turned back to face the oncoming horde of skeletons, which had now broken into a run and were coming right at him. He stood his ground, gripped his wizard’s staff with both hands, and held it out horizontally in front of himself expecting a beam of prism light to shoot out of its entire length. When nothing happened, Marcheto lost patience with Eldwyn.
“It’s my staff, and I’ll decide what to do with the energy. Give me every last drop and I mean now!” he shouted.
There was a thunderous explosion as a powerful beam of purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red light burst out of the wizard’s staff with a kick so hard it knocked Marcheto off his feet. Ripping right through the middle of the charging skeletons, the prism light evaporated almost a third of them. When Balzekior saw her flaming warriors being destroyed so easily, the old hag was stunned, at least until she noticed Marcheto lying motionless on the courtyard floor.
Egged on by Marcheto’s youthful arrogance, the evil old crone followed the young mystic’s example, putting everything on the line and commanding all her flaming skeletons to attack the fallen wizard. When the enemy troops were almost upon him, Black Scarlet and Lord Pensgraft stepped in front of Marcheto blocking their way. Lord Pensgraft took swipes at the flaming warriors with his huge sledgehammer knocking away five at a time. Chen swung the dark sword, Crystal, with all her might and the skeletons crumbled before her.
But the two black crystal giants found themselves facing a problem similar to the one they had before. As they cut down the flaming skeletons, more just materialized in the rear replacing those that had been destroyed. In a matter of minutes, even the 100 Marcheto had cut down were back in action.
But the young wizard’s spontaneous act of bravery had galvanized those racing to his aid. White Angel 19, White Angel 29 and the other angels surrounded Marcheto, unsheathing their Swords of Fire. The White Angels raised their weapons high into the air radiating a blinding white light that the skeletons could not penetrate. Unwilling to give up, the decrepit old hag’s flaming warriors began beating on the force field with their bony hands.
Balzekior spread her arms wide shouting, “Belrock zoorak tachdar damenta cranekarous marutous benetiar.”
Outside the castle, lava began spewing out of the crack in the earth’s crust shooting high over the walls and landing directly on the White Angels. With frightening intensity, a stream of lava bombarded their protective force field weakening it and draining the angels of their strength.
Andrina, Gwendylln, Corson and the other clear crystal warrior women plowed into the skeletons breaking them into pieces, but, try as they might, they couldn’t reduce the number of enemy troops. Corson attempted to turn the fight into a good time, but that didn’t help either. Balzekior had already adapted and found a way to compensate for that strategy.
The Tiger of Dominion Castle and Chaktar bounded into the fiery skeletons snapping bones, crushing chests and swatting off heads, all the while filling the air with savage growls. The two crystal tigers were wreaking havoc all around them, releasing years of pent-up anger and frustration, but nothing seemed to do any good.
Balzekior could see the battle was turning in her favor, and she began to laugh.
However, inside Marcheto’s staff, the College of Wizards had convened an emergency meeting. Many were excited by Marcheto’s selfless act of courage, but others viewed his behavior as reckless and irresponsible. Still, the young wizard had ignited a fire under the band of ancient mystics.
Eldwyn was the spokesman for a group of wizards who wanted to take a decisive action involving considerable risk, one that hadn’t taken place in over 1,000 years. But after an eloquent and impassioned speech, Eldwyn gained approval. Suddenly, the gateway to the College of Wizards opened while being in the direct presence of evil and left the mystics’ home world vulnerable to a possible invasion.
Eldwyn and 10 of his fellow mystics charged out of the gateway, swords drawn, screaming battle cries. Balzekior was totally taken off guard by this act of desperation. Such an action had not even taken place when Dominion Castle fell to Swarenth and his gargoyles.
As Eldwyn made for Balzekior, the other 10 wizards positioned themselves in front of the gateway. After having been open long enough for 11 mystics to pass through it, resealing the entrance would take time.
But now, heedless of the risks and exploding with frenzied energy, a reinvigorated Eldwyn plowed through the flaming skeletons shouting over and over at the top of his voice, “For the king! For the king! For the king!”
After waiting 30 long years, the still grief-stricken old wizard bore down on his archenemy, the demon woman responsible for the death of his best friend, King Ulray Kardimont.
Screaming with rage and with his eyes locked onto the evil old crone in front of him, Eldwyn vividly recalled the day Swarenth’s gargoyles overran Dominion Castle. First, he experienced the haunting, painful memory of his wizard’s staff being drained of energy and turning into a useless stick. Then, the elderly wizard recalled the horror of seeing the royal family fighting and dying right in front of his eyes.
Snapping back to the present, Eldwyn gripped Balzekior by her right shoulder, raised his sword and said, “You should’ve known not to single out Marcheto. Do you really think the College of Wizards would stand by helplessly as you murdered one of their own?”
Eldwyn’s sword was inches from Balzekior’s chest and vengeance was only one thrust away. But the elderly wizard, struggling hard to control his emotions, made a serious mistake. Instead of killing Balzekior instantly, he found himself once again being swamped with remorse over his failure to save the Kardimonts from the evil old crone.
This pause gave Balzekior’s mind time to clear, and she got over the sense of shock that had paralyzed her. Then, while cackling wickedly, a putrid slime began oozing out of her pores creating the most horrific stench. Involuntarily, Eldwyn started to back away and nearly let go of the decrepit old hag.
Balzekior smiled and in a caustic tone of voice said, “
I’m so sorry for what I’ve done. Here, let me make it up to you. Let me give you something.”
With that, she sprayed the sickening slime all over him. It was like acid and ate away at his face and clothes. The old wizard felt like he was being burned alive and almost dropped the sword he had pointed at her chest.
“Go join your beloved King Ulray,” Balzekior laughed.
Eldwyn let go of her shoulder and put a hand to his eyes. He wanted to scream but fought hard to hold it in.
“Go ahead,” Balzekior said soothingly. “Let me hear you cry out in agony. Let me hear the sweet music of your pain.”
But Balzekior quit laughing when Eldwyn stumbled forward, his sword sinking deeply into her chest. She was wide- eyed and confused. All she could manage to get out was, “How?”
“I guess I tripped,” Marcheto said as he stepped from behind Eldwyn.
“You insolent young man,” Balzekior said angrily while clutching her chest. “You should be home with your mother.”
“My mother’s dead.”
“Yes, and your sister too, now that I recall. Those men were at them for hours. Your mother and sister both moaned like whores.”
Marcheto took two steps forward, put his foot on the hilt of the sword and shoved it the rest of the way through. “Go to hell,” he said.
“No place like home,” Balzekior replied trying to laugh but instead had a fit of coughing. “Swarenth’s going to love it when he gets his hands on Aerylln. What I wouldn’t give to be there when that happens.”
“If that filthy gargoyle so much as touches Aerylln, he’ll regret the day he was born.”
“Mmmm, sounds delicious. But don’t be too eager to get to Dominion Castle. You might not like what you find waiting for you there,” the old hag said between gasps.
Then the evil old crone dropped to her knees, let out a final strangled, rasping cough and fell to the ground. As she did so, all of the fiery skeletons collapsed onto the courtyard floor as well.
White Angel 29 ran up to Eldwyn and placed her hands over his eyes. A bright light poured out of her, healing the damage to his face and evaporating all the foul, slimy ooze. Eldwyn’s eyes stopped burning and his face stopped feeling like it was being clawed to shreds. Balzekior’s putrid slime had been so painful that the elderly wizard thought he was being eaten alive, which indeed was the case.
“I felt like I was rotting away. And not just physically, but inwardly as well, as if my soul was decaying,” Eldwyn said shuddering.
“Balzekior wanted us all to end up like her,” White Angel 29 said.
“She almost got her wish,” Marcheto mused as he looked down at the old hag’s body.
“But not today,” the Tiger of Dominion Castle said. “Not today.”
“You did a good job, little sister,” White Angel 29 said to White Angel 19.
“I’m not your little sister,” White Angel 19 smiled. “I’m you ten years younger.”
“I know,” White Angel 29 said. “But you still feel like my little sister. Anyway, I don’t know what the future holds for all of us, but should you need us again, the Council of Aeryllns is at your disposal.”
“Group hug!” White Angel 26 shouted, and the angels came together with arms and wings around each other.
“I love you all,” White Angel 19 said.
“Well, don’t be a stranger,” White Angel 29 said to White Angel 19. “You don’t have to be in trouble for us to come visit. Of course, if there’s an accident and any of us die here, then your whole future will be wiped out. But don’t let a little thing like that stop you from having a family reunion once in a while.”
“I won’t,” White Angel 19 said. “I’m starting to see danger and confrontation as forms of entertainment.”
“Oh, I don’t believe that,” Black Scarlet said. “At least it better not be true. We don’t need two women in the same family addicted to risk.”
“My evil stepmother’s giving me a lecture,” White Angel 19 laughed as she pointed at the 15-foot-tall, black crystal warrior woman.
Everyone laughed, but only Lord Pensgraft knew that Black Scarlet was hurt by the comment. She’d never admit it, even to herself, but Chen wanted to be loved just like everyone else. It’s just that she pushed people away from her, keeping her distance from them whenever she could, relishing her personal space and her time alone. Chen needed all this while still being loved. That is, as long as being loved didn’t intrude on her being in control. Being loved was okay, as long as no one talked about it, or wanted hugs, or wanted to spend regular time together. Love was acceptable, as long as those loving her didn’t expect her to act like she loved them back, even if she did.
Lord Pensgraft thought, This is one very complicated woman.
White Angel 19’s motives were innocent, and she harbored no ill will towards her stepmother. It was the young woman’s very innocence that made Chen feel safe with her. It’s also what caused the black crystal warrior woman to drop her guard. Sighing in exasperation, Chen pondered an awful thing about real love. Even when you’re hurt, you still don’t want to raise your defenses. For then, you’d feel all alone.
Black Scarlet thought, Love is a warm circle of pain sometimes.
But both Chen and Lord Pensgraft broke out of their musings when, one by one, the White Angels disappeared and went back to the future leaving only White Angel 19.
Marcheto approached the 15-foot-tall version of his girlfriend and said, “Do you think I might be able to see Aerylln again?”
“Sure,” White Angel 19 replied, bending down to give her boyfriend a kiss. As their lips touched, Aerylln reappeared looking smaller and more vulnerable than ever. But on her hip hung Baelfire, the Sword of Light, and on her right side stood Zorya, her powerful warhorse.
The Tiger of Dominion Castle thought once more about how his entire future was tied to this young woman, for only she could turn into White Angel and create the Council of Aeryllns.
Lord Pensgraft began shifting uncomfortably as it seemed like the kiss his daughter was experiencing with the young wizard was going on and on, even though it had only been a few seconds. Quickly reaching the end of his patience, the black crystal giant cleared his throat indicating that time was up on that activity.
However, what sounded like a little cough to Lord Pensgraft had sounded like a war cry to Marcheto who almost jumped out of his skin. The young wizard’s head snapped around, and he looked into the flaming eyes of his future father- in-law and thought that maybe it would be wise if he changed his name, assumed a different identity and remained in hiding for the rest of his life. Maybe he could live as a hermit monk. Maybe Aerylln could bring him stale crusts of bread to eat and some water once in a while.
“Easy, big guy, easy. You’re scaring Marcheto to death,” Black Scarlet said.
“I don’t care. Did you see how he was kissing her?”
“With his lips.”
“Exactly.”
“What would you have him do? Blow her kisses from across the courtyard?” Black Scarlet teased.
“I don’t know,” Lord Pensgraft grumped. Black Scarlet smiled at her husband and patted him on the shoulder.
Eldwyn walked up to Aerylln’s flaming, black crystal father and said, “I can help keep an eye on Marcheto. The College of Wizards is never far from him. He and your daughter will have dozens of chaperones.”
Lord Pensgraft began to relax, and Marcheto decided that he didn’t have to go into hiding, at least not today.
Eldwyn walked up to his protégé and said, “I think it’s time you changed everyone from clear crystal back to the way they were.”
Marcheto waved his wizard’s staff, and Chen’s warrior women instantly reverted to flesh and blood. With another wave of his staff, the two clear crystal tigers changed back as well. Chaktar remained as a tiger, but King Tarlen returned to human form.
Eldwyn put his hands on Marcheto’s shoulders and said, “It’s time my fellow mystics and I returned to t
he College of Wizards. However, I leave knowing that I’ve entrusted the staff to the right person. You did well today.”
“But I used up all the energy in the staff and accomplished nothing.”
“I wouldn’t say that. You gave me a chance to avenge the death of King Ulray Kardimont and win back my self-respect. I’d say you accomplished quite a bit. You also taught me something.”
“What’s that?”
“By being unpredictable and spontaneous, we make it harder for evil to anticipate our actions.”
“I guess young people aren’t so bad,” Marcheto said, feeling better.
“No, they’re not,” Eldwyn said reassuringly. “And I learned today that it’s possible to teach an old dog new tricks, especially when the young pup and the old dog love each other.”
Marcheto smiled and said, “Maybe the old dog wasn’t as old as he thought he was.”
“Maybe not,” Eldwyn laughed.
The elderly wizard and his young heir embraced. Then Eldwyn and his fellow mystics headed back through the gateway into the world of the College of Wizards.
Quickly shifting topic, Black Scarlet turned to Lord Pensgraft and said, “General Zarkahn should be dead, if he was one of the flaming skeletons.”
“A big skeleton in the front row seemed to be their leader, and I believe that was General Zarkahn,” Lord Pensgraft said. “The general and his men are probably lying there on the courtyard floor with the others.”
“Let’s hope you’re right. I never wanted anyone dead more than him.”
“I know, but for now, maybe I should take off this Crystal Medallion.”
“Yes, it’ll be good to return to normal. These black crystal bodies can get a little warm,” Chen said as she belched more smoke and flames.
Taking hold of the medallion’s white-gold chain, Lord Pensgraft tried lifting it over his head but found he was unableto do so. In fact, he could barely lift the chain at all. It seemed almost clamped to his neck and chest.
