“Any ideas, fearless leader?” Sigrid asked Eva. The humans and gryphons all drew toward the middle of the island and formed a half-circle, weapons drawn. The gryphons hissed and gouged the earth with their talons. Meanwhile, the Smelterborn just watched.
Eva could hardly believe they’d been laughing just minutes before. There certainly wasn’t anything to laugh about now.
“We get in the sky as fast as we can,” Eva said. “Seppo, you can outrun them, especially if we head downstream. We don’t stop until we lose them, no matter what.”
“No.”
Seppo’s voice cut through the silence as they prepared to break for the gryphons.
“No, what, you old bucket of rust?” Soot asked. “You got a better idea?”
The golem nodded. “You will run, I will stay. They are here for me.”
Studying the collection of Smelterborn, Eva got the sinking feeling Seppo was right. The golems’ flaming gaze seemed to track Seppo’s every move, studying their prey.
“Seppo, no,” Eva said. “We won’t let them take you.”
“You will find a way,” Seppo said. “It is better to live and fight again than die here, especially for me. They will not kill me. Ogunn needs me — he knows it. You must flee before he reclaims the stones.”
“We’re not leaving you,” Soot said, clutching the black stone in his hand. Red light pulsed between his fingers. “We’re in this together, dammit. You may have started it all those years ago, but we’re going to help you finish it. We’re going to see it done.”
Seppo shook his head. “Please, you must go now.”
Instead, Eva hefted her sword higher, the runes on the blade glowing in the presence of so many Smelterborn. “We’re with you,” Eva said. “They’re not taking you.”
As if hearing Eva’s words, the Smelterborn stepped off both banks, forming lines of five. Each step they took, the dirty water raged higher and higher passing by them like rocks in the current. Eva gave up her brief hope of the golem’s being swept away. After four steps, heads of the front line disappeared beneath the water, with more still coming off the shoreline. Eva gripped her sword tight.
Behind Eva, Ivan’s voice suddenly rose. In the midst of a kenning, he waved and twisted his arms and fingers, voice growing louder and louder. A rumble sounded and the water between them and the north bank began to spin, forming a whirlpool in the midst of the current. Various runes flared to life across Ivan’s body as he invoked their names. Eva saw one Smelterborn tip over and wash away, followed by another.
Ivan shouted louder and louder. His whirlpool raged but the Smelterborn still came on. Seeing them overcome the effort, Eva shouted for the Scrawl to stop. “Save your strength! We’re going to have to fight them!”
Seppo cracked his iron hands and swung his arms like a fighter limbering up. “Come on, slaves! Let us see if you can beat the First Golem!”
A Smelterborn’s helmeted head rose out of the water a stone’s throw from the island, followed by another. Roaring, the golem yanked the first Shadowstalker out of the river and hurled it downstream. Eva swung down on a Smelterborn just emerging from the water. Her sword cut through its head and the empty husk fell back as its spirit whipped by her. Without thinking Eva swung again, her rune sword slashing another’s arm off as it stretched out for her. Seppo wrestled in water up to his hip with two other Smelterborn, smashing them together before ripping the head off one of his opponents.
“A little help!” Sigrid shouted. Eva found them overwhelmed. Ivan desperately held back three Smelterborn on his own while the others desperately fought the rest. With no rune magic or enchanted weapons to help them, they could do little but parry the blows and do their best not to be crushed beneath the Smelterborn’s strokes.
A Smelterborn sliced through the air above Wynn’s head with a giant ax. Eva stabbed up through its back plate and Tahl smashed into the golem with his shield. The golem crumpled, falling on top of another.
No matter how well they fought, the Smelterborn still gained ground. Working in eerie concert, the golems drove the companions to the eastern edge of the island. With the gryphons grounded beside them, there was hardly any room to maneuver. The banks dropped off on both sides, forming a small bottleneck that Seppo did his best to fill with Eva and Ivan supporting him.
The urge to wield her Wonder and drive the golems back gripped Eva. In the past, she’d used it to fight the Smelterborn with great effect, but Seppo had cautioned her not to reveal the stone now that they knew its connection to the First Forge. Now, it looked like it might be their only chance of escape.
“We can’t hold!” Ivan shouted in between kennings. Even in the dim light, Eva could see dark rings under his eyes, in stark contrast to his paling face.
“Go!” Seppo yelled as he locked arms with yet another golem and hurled it into the deep water. “You must go before they get the stones!”
“We’re not leaving you!” Eva yelled. “We’re all getting out together!”
A pair of larger Smelterborn charged Seppo. The friendly golem met them head-on, his iron boots sliding backward in the sand as they bull rushed him and he fought to hold them back. While they were entangled, Eva cut through one, allowing Seppo to crush in the head of the other. The remaining Smelterborn paused, staring at them with burning eyes. Eva wasted no time.
“Everyone but Ivan get on the gryphons,” Eva said. “Ivan, Seppo and I will hold them here.”
“I’m not leaving you,” Tahl said. Eva shook her head.
“There’s not room for all of us down here,” she said. “You can protect us more up there.”
With one last look, Tahl swore and sprinted to Carroc. Sigrid, Wynn, and Chel mounted as well.
“I’m not going anywhere, missy.”
Soot’s voice settled a steady calm over Eva.
“They’ve got the numbers but we can hold,” he said. He thumped his large two-handed maul on the ground. “Come on you damn clankers!”
The Smelterborn held fast. Tahl and the others hovered overhead, no one sure what to do.
Their ranks parted, revealing a Smelterborn unlike any Eva had ever seen before. His armor was a dull black, much like the stalkers, but covered in so many runes they looked like veins of fire running across its body. He stood leaner than the regular Smelterborn, but thicker than the scouts — much like, Eva realized…Seppo.
She recognized the new golem, although he was much smaller than in her dream back at the Talon. Eva sensed the lights of her Wonder fading in the black-armored golem’s presence and felt the stone’s reassuring warmth flicker and snuff out. A shudder ran through her as its deep red eyes burned across her before settling on Seppo.
“Well met, Talus,” the new golem replied.
“Talus is dead,” Seppo said. “He died centuries ago, in the First Forge, as his creations should have.”
The golem flicked a hand away as if to toss Seppo’s reply into the river. “Such are the thoughts of narrow-minded men. Nevertheless, here we are now: master and apprentice. I don’t think I need to tell you I’ve been looking for you. Your work is incomplete, master. Much as I hate to admit it, my grand design cannot be finished without you.”
“Some paths are better left untrod, Ilmaren,” Seppo said. “Or shall I call you Ogunn?”
Ogunn/Ilmaren shrugged. “Nevertheless, it is up to great men such as us to go down them. And Ilmaren is as dead as Talus.”
“Whatever notions of greatness I once had, I know them now to be false,” Seppo said. “And whatever you are now, it is not a man.”
Ogunn clenched his fists and smoke rose from his armor. “I have not spent years hunting for you to trade witty banter. I no longer require living souls to create life from the First Forge. I have surpassed your wildest dreams.”
“You have made the First Forge into an abomination,” Seppo said, voice tinged with sadness. “We were men, Ilmaren, not gods.”
“Nevertheless,” Ogunn said, waving a hand. “I t
hink you already know my new Smelterborn are flawed — they cannot be away from the sustaining power of the First Forge long enough to complete the conquest of my empire. You will return with me to Palantis and help my glorious future come to pass.”
Seppo shook his head. “I am afraid you are mistaken, Ilmaren. My memory was corrupted the first time I stopped your evil work. I no longer recall the secrets you desire.”
Ogunn threw back his head and laughed an awful, booming sound. “We shall see.” He pointed to Eva and Soot. “If what you say is true, I hope you remember for their sake. Otherwise, they will pay with their lives.”
“You can’t have him!” Eva shouted, filled with sudden courage. The Wonder stone glowed against her skin, so bright its golden, blue and pink lights burst through her tunic and chainmail.
Ogunn’s eyes fell on her and Eva felt the courage burn out of her like a hot blade quenched in oil. “I know who you are, girl,” the golem said, voice dropping to a low hiss. “You’re the waif who destroyed my host — that pathetic woman, Celina. And it was you who aided the thief who stole the Deimos from me. You will pay for your impudence.”
Soot growled, twisting his hand around his mattock. Ivan clenched his fists and they flared with a cold blue light. Both stepped forward as if to shield Eva.
“You will not harm them,” Seppo said.
“I know the stones are here, both the Deimos and Aithos. They call to us — do you not feel it, master?” Ogunn’s eyes flared and fire spat out of his helmet as he spoke. “I will have them…now!”
“Run, mistress Evelyn!” Seppo shouted.
The two golems collided.
Eva stumbled backward, staring at the titanic battle between Seppo and Ogunn. Unlike the other Smelterborn, Ogunn was an even match for Seppo, if not stronger. As the golems locked arms, a screech of clashing metal reverberated over the river.
“We can’t help him now!” Soot yelled, pulling a struggling Eva toward Fury.
Eva continued to fight but couldn’t break free of Soot’s iron grip. Seppo and Ogunn exchanged hammer-like blows strong enough to fell a horse. While they pummeled one another unceasingly, the rest of the Smelterborn closed in on Eva, Soot, and Ivan.
Now other Smelterborn joined the fight against Seppo, raining blows down on his back and sides while he struggled to hold Ogunn at bay. One last wild punch from his former apprentice knocked Seppo to the ground.
“No!” As Fury landed, Eva wrenched free from Soot, rushing to Seppo.
Eva slashed through one scout with her rune blade and then another, but the rest of the Smelterborn fell in a circle around Seppo and their master, an impenetrable wall of iron.
Eva turned just in time to see a Smelterborn swinging its shield at her. She attempted to parry with her sword but the blow launched her backward through the air and she landed hard on her back, gasping for air. Fury leaped and landed at Eva’s side as Soot rushed forward, armed with only a hammer.
The smith struck the Smelterborn once. The golem used his shield to shed the blow like it was a child’s toy. In the same motion, it swung its other arm in a backhand and Soot went flying into a motionless heap on the sand.
While Tahl rushed to drag the unconscious smith onto the back of Carroc, Ivan dispatched the golem with a blast of ice to the face. The exertion left him doubled over, completely drained.
Dazed, Eva lifted a hand to her forehead and her fingertips came away wet with blood. Her world spun as Wynn and Chel yelled at her to get on Fury. Next thing she knew, she was slumped over the saddle, Chel holding her in place.
Roaring, Ogunn pushed his way through the throng. Eva caught a brief glimpse of Seppo lying on the ground, alive, although he was held immobile beneath the weight of a dozen Smelterborn as the golems wrapped him in chains.
“STOP THEM!”
Ogunn lunged for Fury as the red gryphon rose into the air. Eva felt a jerk as the golem’s hand wrapped around Fury’s tail.
Like a bolt from a ballista, Sven struck at full speed. Fury screamed and pulled free, wings heaving to rise out of the golem’s reach. As Sigrid and Sven crashed in a tangle with Ogunn, Eva’s senses cleared.
“Sigrid, get out of there!” she screamed. She tried to urge Fury back to the fight but he refused.
Sven clawed and gouged at Ogunn with his talons and beak. Once free from her leg harness, Sigrid dropped down and drew both axes, hacking at the surrounding Smelterborn. Roaring like a thousand blast furnaces, Ogunn’s fist smashed the top of Sven’s head. The gray gryphon crumpled and lay still.
Seeing her gryphon fall sent Sigrid into a rage. She charged at Ogunn, axes swinging. Knocking aside her blows with one arm, the black golem reached down and plucked her off the ground by the neck. For a moment, Sigrid’s eyes — wide as the iron fist choked the life out of her — met Eva’s. She managed a tiny nod against Ogunn’s grip.
Eva screamed and tried to jump from Fury as the gryphon pulled farther away from the island. Chel wrapped her arms around Eva and held her in the saddle.
Ogunn lifted Sigrid high above his head. She kicked one last time before her body went limp. The black golem tossed her to the ground.
Sigrid hit the earth in a crumpled heap beside Sven. Neither stirred.
Staring up at Eva with his raging crimson eyes, Ogunn waved a hand in farewell as Fury flew away.
Chapter Twenty-Two
They flew throughout the night and well into the next day. When the gryphons could go no further, they half-landed and half-collapsed in a giant field of wildflowers. Eva and Chel slid from Fury’s back in silence. Through the haze of fatigue and heartbreak, Eva managed to unsaddle Fury, letting the gear slide from the gryphons back into a pile on the ground. She slumped to the ground beside the gear and pulled her legs in tight to her chest. A shiver coursed through her, although the sun shone bright.
Tahl sat down next to her and wrapped his arm around her. “Eva…”
She shook her head. Ivan, Chel, and Wynn sat down nearby. All at once, like a great dam breaking, Eva felt tears she didn’t know she had left in her pour out. Sobs rose from the others.
“Get some rest,” Soot said after they’d cried themselves in a depressing silence. “I’ll take the first watch.”
Eva nodded, weary beyond measure. Despite the hurt inside, sleep overtook her and she slumped into oblivion.
The sun dipped down over the tree line to the west by the time Eva awakened. The rest were already up, going about a random assortment of chores — repairing gear, sharpening weapons, tending to wounds. Eva looked over at the three gryphons resting nearby, in mourning as much as the humans. Sven’s absence brought another fresh wave of pain. Sigrid, who had fought together with Eva through everything, Sigrid who feared nothing and no one — was gone.
Eva rose and walked to Fury. The gryphon stood and uttered a soft peep as she drew close. She half fell into him, wrapping her arms around his feathered neck. When she pulled back, the pain and hurt were clear in his eyes as well. The two of them had known Sigrid and Sven almost as long as each other — flown together, fought together, suffered and triumphed together.
When Eva turned around the others were watching her, as if she had an answer, as if she could be the strong one. Fortunately, Soot took charge. He was Eva’s last remaining pillar of strength.
“Ogunn needs the stones as much as he needed Seppo,” the smith said. “The Smelterborn won’t be able to make it back to Palantis before we can fly there — there’s still a chance.”
A chance. Sigrid hadn’t had a chance against Ogunn. Had she known that? Had she known that saving Eva’s life would cost her own? Eva knew if she’d just listened to Soot and Seppo, just done what the others told her and left, that Sigrid would be alive. Every time she closed her eyes, Eva saw Sigrid hanging from Ogunn’s grasp before being cast to the ground like a straw doll, her life snuffed out in a few heartbeats.
“Eva!” Soot said, in a loud, but not unkind voice that momentarily drew Eva from her thou
ghts. She shook her head and looked up, trying to focus on the setting sun shining off her foster father’s bald head. “I know it hurts. But we can make their sacrifice mean something if we destroy the First Forge.”
Eva nodded. Inside, however, she wondered how high the cost of victory would be. Sigrid and Sven, Aleron and Sunflash, Adelar and Justicar, the soldiers and gryphons at the Talon, the Scrawls in the meadow and countless others — the blood price was already terrible to reckon.
Eva did her best to edge those thoughts aside as Soot continued.
“We’re only a few days from the coast, I think,” Soot said. “And we’re not that far south of Palantis. If we keep an eye out for other Smelterborn patrols and Runefolk, we should be able to make it to the ocean without a fight. They’ll know we’re coming, though. Be expecting us now.”
Eva tried to sort through everything Soot had just said and she saw the same empty looks on the others’ faces as well.
“Now is not the time to grieve,” Soot said. “Right now, we’ve got to get back on the gryphons and —”
“For sky’s sake, do you hear yourself?” Tahl yelled. “Have you no heart? We just lost one of our riders, one of our sisters, and you’re talking about getting to that storm-cursed island like nothing happened!”
Soot gritted his teeth and grabbed Tahl by the collar. Veins popped out the sides of his bald head as he lifted the slighter, younger man off the ground.
“I’ve lost plenty of friends myself, boy. We left Seppo back there too, if you don’t remember. Either we sit here and wallow in our misery or we can make their lives count for something.”
He finished speaking and released Tahl, with a shove. The younger man stepped forward and raised his fists, but Eva jumped between them, hands pushing both of their chests.
“Stop!” she screamed. “Stop it! This doesn’t solve anything. We have enough enemies to fight without fighting each other.”
Windbreak Page 15
