Knight Purged

by Jason Hamilton

  “Wait, another?”

  But Tom hurried onto his sparrow and took off long before he could reply to Una’s remark.

  Una wanted to cry out in frustration. What was the point of even sending a messenger like Tom if all he was going to do was give her vague advice? Of course she would do what she could to protect Guyon, especially when he could not help himself. Why did the Faerie Queen think she needed reminding of that fact?

  She retreated back to where Guyon lay, still unconscious, holding the amulet. Stooping to grab his legs, she heaved as she tried to drag his body away. Curse this man for always wearing armor. It made this process much more…

  Voices drifted through the trees. Una froze and stared off in that direction. Two large figures were coming into view, talking to each other like they were friends.

  Una glanced around, panicking. She could not get Guyon to safety in time. All she could hope for were some nearby rocks.

  Heaving with all her strength, she dragged Guyon until he was less exposed, but still out in the open. Now she could make out the newcomers. They were Pyrochles and his brother Cymochles. If they caught sight of Guyon, or worse, if they learned she was here as well…

  She remembered the first time she’d met Pyrochles. He had immediately thought to violate her, and she had no reason to believe his brother would be any different. And the two knights were powerful, more powerful than she’d first seen them. She would be no match against either in combat. Even Guyon had struggled.

  We could help you, came the quiet voice in her head. The tone was almost soothing. We protected you from them before.

  They were right about that. But Una would prefer not to use her magic for anything besides stealth now that Guyon was back among the real world. Perhaps she could use it to make him invisible as well.

  We suppose, said the voices in response to her thought, though oddly enough, they didn’t sound pleased with the idea.

  But that was enough for Una. After a brief pause to center herself and call on the magic of illusion, she reached out to the very moonlight around them, and convinced it to pass through her and Guyon. Instantly, that magic took hold, and the two of them faded.

  Yes, this must have been what Tom meant. She could protect Guyon this way.

  Pyrochles and his brother entered the small clearing just as her illusion fell into place.

  “I thought this was where Archimago said he would be,” said Cymochles.

  “He must have left,” said Pyrochles. “Let’s see if we can find any evidence he was here.”

  The two spread out, searching the ground. Pyrochles came closer to where Una hid with Guyon. She stilled herself and put a hand over her mouth to stop her breathing.

  We need not hide, said one of the voices more insistently. Give us power over them.

  No, Una thought back. Better to avoid a fight than dive into one headlong.

  Pyrochles was coming even nearer, each step bringing him closer to discovering her hiding spot. Even while invisible, she couldn’t possibly carry Guyon any further. Pyrochles would clearly hear them. She probably couldn’t even move herself without arousing suspicion. The man was practically on top of them.

  Finally, she couldn’t help but move as his next step brought him close enough that she could smell his sweat through that massive armor. It wasn’t a pleasant odor, but Una couldn’t take the time to grimace. One more step and he would bump right into her.

  Moving as quietly as she could, she stepped to the side, leaving Guyon where he was. And though Pyrochles appeared to go right past her without notice, it did not stop what happened next.

  “Oy,” cried Pyrochles as he stumbled over Guyon’s invisible body. “Cymochles. There’s something here.”

  28

  Una grimaced. Well there was no stopping what was coming now. She just had to keep them from seeing her until it was too late for them.

  Yes, give into our inevitability.

  Sighing, she let the magic drop from Guyon. She wasn’t sure she liked the tone of her voices. Something made her think that they had been playing her this whole time, like all the useful information and subtle instruction in magic had all been a ruse to drag her down a slippery slope that she could not pull herself out of. And now she was forced into a situation where there was no easy solution.

  She must either lose herself, or lose Guyon.

  Pyrochles started upon seeing Guyon materialize in front of him, though he said nothing until his brother approached. Instead his eyes left Guyon and began to scan the rest of the hill. He knew something was up. And he likely guessed that she, or someone at least, was still hiding.

  “You found him?” Cymochles said upon approaching.

  “Yes, but he wasn’t here before,” said Pyrochles, his eyes still searching for whoever had cast the enchantment.

  “What do you mean, he wasn’t here?”

  “I mean exactly that. One minute he was not here, then next he simply appeared out of nowhere. An invisibility spell if I’ve ever seen one, though it would take someone of incredible skill to hide him so completely. I tripped over him before I saw him.”

  “You think someone’s out there? The girl, maybe?”

  “Perhaps,” said Pyrochles, scanning the area, his eyes passing right through the spot where Una stood just feet away.

  “Maybe he came out of the Shadow Realm just now,” said Cymochles.

  Pyrochles turned his attention back to Guyon. “That may be so as well. I say we kill him and be done with it.”

  He unsheathed his sword and flipped its point downward, readying it to strike.

  No! Una barely stopped herself from crying out. All of a sudden she felt power begin to well within her.

  Get ready, said one of the voices. She couldn’t tell which one. Indeed, they all seemed to be talking at once.

  But before Pyrochles could strike, his brother interrupted him.

  “It would be a shame to let that armor go to waste. That’s quality plate that is. Add a bit of enchantment and it would do better than what you lost at least. Or we could sell it.”

  Pyrochles sighed, “Is that all you think about? How to make a quick coin?”

  “Hey, don’t blame me. You need money in this place, and Mammon does not spread his wealth.”

  “Fine, but make it quick. Acrasia wants this one dead, especially now that...hang on.”

  Pyrochles bent closer. He’d seen the amulet still clutched in Guyon’s hand, the chain hanging around his neck. “He found the Amulet of Odysseus.”

  “Oh, Acrasia will be pleased that we took that from him.”

  “Idiot! He was never supposed to find it in the first place. This must mean Mammon failed to protect it.”

  “What, you mean like...he’s…”

  “I don’t know,” said Pyrochles, pulling the amulet off of Guyon’s neck and holding it in one palm.

  The well of power inside her increased as she watched Pyrochles heft the small trinket in his hand. They cannot be allowed to take it, said the voices together.

  Wake up, wake up, Una silently willed Guyon to rise. Please don’t make me do this.

  Cymochles began undoing the straps that held Guyon’s armor in place. Pyrochles soon bent to help. The whole thing reminded Una of something, of the time when Pyrochles had tried to undo the ties to her bodice, to remove her clothing just as they were removing Guyon’s armor now. It obviously wasn’t the same thing, but the comparison stirred something within her. This time it wasn’t her magic, it wasn’t the voices. It was her own rage.

  Yes, now you see.

  These two could not be allowed to live. Their crimes had gone on long enough, and now it was time for them to meet their fate.

  In an instant, she dropped the mask of invisibility from off her body.

  Pyrochles caught sight of her first, and he scrambled to his feet. “You!”

  Una clenched her fists as Cymochles looked up to see what had startled his brother.

  “Yes,” s
he said. “I am here.”

  “So there was an enchantment concealing the knight. How have you learned such skill at illusion?” There was something satisfying in his voice. It wavered slightly. No longer was he the predatory knight here to take her virtue. He was afraid.

  And he had a right to be.

  Cymochles, on the other hand, was a little less informed. He drew his sword and brandished it at Una. “You’re a pretty one aren’t you. I assume you’re this girl everyone has been talking about. Why don’t you come with me nice and quiet like, and let my brother sort out the rest.” There was a hungry look in his eyes. The man was no better than his brother.

  Power cracked at her fingertips, more power than she had held since closing the breach at Castle Silene. Strands of her hair began to rise and float around her face.

  “You will leave him and I alone,” she commanded in a voice that seemed to carry on down the hill, filling the entirety of the island. The strength of her voice took Cymochles aback. His face fell and he gripped the hilt of his sword harder. Pyrochles remained rooted to the spot, never taking his eyes off of her.

  Now, said her magic with infinite glee. Now!

  “Your days taking advantage of unconscious knights and helpless girls are at an end.” And she raised her hands towards both of them.

  Pyrochles darted forward, bringing his sword up to strike at her. He knew that if he did not, then his life would be at an end.

  He acted too late.

  Magic rushed out of her and poured into the two brothers. Light exploded at the tip of the island, though only those with magical abilities would have been able to see it. It came from Una’s hands and dove down into the eyes and throats of Duessa’s knights.

  Their bodies convulsed, but still remained upright. Instinctively, Una knew what was happening, though she was largely not in control. Despite the fact that she had summoned and unleashed the magic, it was the voices in her head that were guiding it. She had given in.

  Magic was persuasive in nature. Some persuasion was easy, like persuading someone to not see you, even if you were right in front of them. But other persuasion took more effort.

  In this case, she was persuading these men to die.

  Blood began to run from their eyes and ears. Both of their mouths were open in silent screams. Their bodies shook as organs began to fail and their brains spasmed, overloaded.

  Yes, yes! screamed the voices. They were exultant. They had waited for this moment for so long. And so had Una. Yes, the thrill of the magic coursing through her was more than exhilarating, it brought to light what she had always been destined to be. A goddess.

  Smoke rose from their flesh as wave after wave of power passed through them. And though their eyes were open, their bodies had slacked, held aloft only by Una’s power. She smiled as the pair died right before her eyes.

  Slowly, reluctantly, she let the magic fade.

  Pyrochles and Cymochles collapsed to the ground, their bodies still smoking, their eyes great black pits. Their minds gone. The two knights were, at last, dead.

  She stared at their lifeless corpses, at the men who had done so much evil for Duessa and the other Sins.

  And a wave of horror passed through her.

  Instantly, she pushed down the voices and magic inside her. What had she just done? Yes, these men didn’t deserve to live, but was she to be their executioner? And the way she had felt while killing them...she had felt good. It had been right in her mind.

  But this was not right. The shriveled, smoking corpses of two men, evil though they be, did not come about from anything ‘right.’ She had murdered them as surely as they had murdered others. And she had liked it.

  She took a step back and stumbled on a rock, causing her to fall to the ground. Tears sprouted from her eyes.

  You understand your potential now, said one of the voices. Just one, and it was faint. Those voices had gotten what they wanted, and now Una would have to carry that with her. Would she even be able to resist the next time the voices tried to seize control from her again?

  Guyon stirred ahead of her. Una clutched at her knees as she watched him blink, push himself up onto his elbows, and catch sight of the two dead brothers.

  Instantly, he scrambled back from the terrifying view of their gaunt and sightless faces. Looking all around, he finally caught sight of her.

  “Una?” he asked. He placed a hand on his head and groaned. “I can’t remember anything after finding the tunnel. What happened?”

  Una did not say anything, not for a long time. Guyon appeared content to give her time. He could likely read the expression on her face, and her body language as she clutched her knees in tighter.

  Finally, she said it. “I set balance aside.”

  With that, she stood and walked down the hill.

  29

  Archimago recoiled the moment he saw the girl begin her descent down the mountain. He did not know how she had gained so much power in so little time. Not even the head priestess of Avalon could command such power, perhaps not even Merlin. The only peers he knew of were Duessa and the Sins, yet he doubted even they could match this girl without some effort.

  There was no chance he would get away alive if she saw him.

  So he hid. He ducked down into the bushes where he had watched the entire scene. He’d caught up to the knights just as Una had appeared out of thin air. And now they were gone.

  Phaedria was somewhere else on the island, and if she was lucky, she wouldn’t run into the girl and her knight before they left. Both of them had to keep their distance if they wanted any chance of surviving.

  The knight watched her go, but soon picked up the amulet that Pyrochles had taken from him, and proceeded after the girl. Not only was she a great sorceress, but this Guyon had managed to stay alive in the Shadow Realm and retrieve the amulet. None of the Sins would be happy about that. It was one of the greatest foils to their plans. And Archimago had failed to keep it safely hidden away.

  His only solace was that Mammon must have failed as well, and if one of the Sins could allow a lonely knight to slip through his fingers, than who could expect him, a lowly magician, to succeed where they had not.

  But that was not how they would see it. They would need someone to blame. Duessa would not allow him to live after this, not after his last failure. If she did not kill him outright, she would torture him for the rest of his life. He would never feel the warmth of the sun again.

  Archimago stayed in that spot for hours, until long after Una and Guyon left the area. By now, they had probably taken the boat and returned to the larger island of Anglesey. But Archimago did not dare move. A curious fear had taken hold of his heart, a fear that not even the Seven Sins could have instilled in him.

  He had to get out of Britain, away from the Sins, away from this girl, Una. As much as he wanted to learn the ways of magic, he could see now that his greatest efforts were nothing compared to their innate abilities. He had no hope. He was a failure.

  And what good could an old man like himself do anyway? What had he ever hoped to accomplish? His lust for more power, more influence, had led him to the discovery of the Otherworld. All his greatest magic had been poured into that one achievement, to open the gates just as others had done in the past. Even Antioch had been better with occult sorcery than Archimago, though that hadn’t worked out for him either.

  Everything was falling apart.

  Archimago finally stood from his hiding place, his muscles protesting as he moved them for the first time in hours. Slowly, he proceeded down the hill, watching carefully for the slightest chance that the girl and her knight had not left yet.

  Yet, as he approached the shore, he found there was no boat there. The others had left. The fog had lifted, and he could clearly see the opposing shore ahead of him. Phaedria’s magic had faded. It was no longer necessary now that the amulet was gone.

  “Archimago?” came Phaedria’s voice. He turned to see her coming towards him from further d
own the shore. “What happened? I felt a great power approaching, and I hid myself.”

  “You did well,” he said. “If you hadn’t, you might be dead right now.”

  “The others?” she asked.

  He shook his head slowly. She put a hand to her mouth, as the revelation set in.

  “We have to do something about this,” she said. “We have to tell Acrasia.”

  “No,” said Archimago, taking a few steps towards Phaedria. “We cannot tell anyone.”

  “Of course we do, how else are we going to warn her about the coming danger?”

  “Don’t you see?” Archimago took another step forward in earnest. “If we tell them, we’ll take the blame for it. We’ll be tortured to death.”

  Phaedria didn’t look all that worried. She waved a hand in dismissal. “We did all we could. We’ll only see punishment if we do not warn Acrasia immediately.”

  Archimago stared at the ground, breathing hard and thinking. Phaedria was delusional if she thought she would live to see another day after telling the Sins what happened. They would be accused of cowardice for leaving with their lives instead of hunting the amulet down till the last. It’s what they would have done.

  Indeed, that brought up a greater problem. If they knew that he was alive and on the run, they would stop at nothing until he was caught. Oh he might live free for a while, until the Sins had control of this world and everything in it. Then they would hunt him down until he had nowhere to go. And that was if they waited until their hold on the world was greater. Chances were he wouldn’t live to see the next summer.

  “Phaedria,” he said, a thought coming to him. “You’re skilled in Conjuring, are you not?”

  She smiled and lightly shrugged. “It’s something of a specialty. Where do you think all that fog came from?”

  “Good, I need you to conjure a likeness of me.”

  “A...a what?” Her eyes narrowed in confusion.

  “A likeness, just a body that looks like me. It doesn’t have to be alive.”