"Sernin Crouzar," Achtisanor said.
"Claude Achtisanor," Sernin said with his rough voice and hid the horn in the folds of his robes.
"Where did Highmage Scroo disappeared? What have you done to him?" Krunch called.
"Highmage Scroo is standing right in front of you, Krunch," Achtisanor said.
"What?" Krunch said in surprise, and suddenly he understood why Highmage Scroo covered his features all the time.
"S. Crouzar," Krunch muttered, "S. Croo. I should have guessed. You lowlife and wicked creature, you are the reason that the wizard betrayed us."
The grey elf clapped.
"Finally, you understood, Krunch," he said, "and because of you, we have succeeded…"
"Because of me?" Krunch said.
"You think that I gave you the high position in the Academy for your skill?" Sernin snickered. "I knew that you would lead me to my goal. For thirty years, I have been waiting for this moment. After Patrickiomaris turned the draconic fireball at me during the battle of Bjorn, I have teleported myself to Sahoun desert. I laid wounded until Omar, a Language monk, found me."
"The translator," Achtisanor said.
"I really felt sorry when I returned to the desert to kill him before you've reached him, Achtisanor. After all, Omar healed me and took care of me for three years," Sernin continued. "He taught me the tongues lore and the magicks of good. This was a good opportunity to blend in with your society.
"A day before I left him, Omar saw a vision for me. He passed it to me in a scroll."
"The dark tongue," Achtisanor hissed. "You murdered Patrick."
"That's right," Sernin smiled wickedly, "I needed to fulfil the prophecy. I needed to initiate the birth of the Orostone, and I could not think of a better revenge – to rape the wife of the elf that has wounded me in front of him… ha, ha, ha," Sernin cackled a horrible laugh. "Afterwards, I have murdered the headmaster of the Sorcerer's Academy, and from there it was a short road since I was elected to be the academy headmaster and started to build my wizards' army… Of course, I hid the sweet news that by fulfilling the prophecy, I will eliminate the dragon that killed my father."
Achtisanor leapt with a shout of rage toward Sernin. Sernin closed his eyes, lifted his hand and pointed toward Achtisanor and Kiril.
"No," Krunch lifted his own hands.
Achtisanor and Kiril froze.
"Ha, ha, ha," Sernin's cruel laughter sounded when Achtisanor and Kiril stopped in their places, "don't you dare do a thing," he pointed at Krunch, who lifted his hand in retaliation.
"Of course I will dare," Krunch called. "Come wind and gather storm. Hit him hard as you are born!" Krunch pointed toward Sernin. A great wind blast threw Sernin back and pinned him to the room's ceiling.
At the same moment, Sernin disappeared, and his laughter was heard from Krunch's left. Lightning bolts sprang from his fingers toward Krunch, who turned around in panic. Krunch hid quickly under the large desk.
"Hit so hard, table and chair, show him the fury of furniture," Krunch called. He rose quickly and gestures with his hands to all the corners of the room. Artefacts from the desk, chairs and boxes surrounded Sernin before they hit him from every angle.
A scream erupted from Sernin’s throat. He lifted his hands, and all the furniture was pushed away from him and crashed into the walls around him. A black ray sprang from Sernin's finger and hit Krunch's brow.
Krunch tried to murmur something, but fell to the floor and stayed still.
"Potion teacher…" Sernin chuckled at Krunch and turned to frozen Achtisanor.
"Well," Sernin said in his rough voice, "such a shame. First, you master and adopting father, Patrickiomaris, and then Carinian, your beloved – she died by mistake. I have waited for you that night, but after I saw her enter instead of you, I could not think of a better target. It was a sweeter revenge, and after all – I have got exactly what I wished for. You quitted the guard, and all my troubles ended. And now, you've come back, straight to my hands, ha, ha, ha…"
Achtisanor’s eyes burned with rage, his lips did not answer his commands.
"What?" Sernin said with pleasure, "Do you want to say something? Oh, I see that you have trouble with speaking. If my memory serves me well, Patrick also could not move or talk when I slowly moved the knife across his throat. You thought this would be a happy end… well, I am glad to give you one last sad ending."
Sernin approached the large desk and took from his drawer a bright silver dagger.
"And your end will be the saddest of them all, Achtisanor, and this gives me comfort," Sernin continued, "the knight who failed in his last missions, and he will be the one to answer the gods why he had failed – and caused the destruction of the universe."
Narook suddenly entered the room from the north door.
"Narook," Sernin said, turned to his son and laid a hand on his shoulder, "I want to introduce you to Kiriliosmaris." He turned to frozen Kiril, "This is my son Narook, or perhaps you recognize him, since you left him in the forest to die not long after he emerged from your mother's womb."
"Hmmm…" Narook approached the petrified golden elf and looked at him with burning hatred. "So this is my scum of a brother that left me helpless near a roaring river. It seems that you are the helpless now," he slapped Kiril with all his might.
Achtisanor was appalled when he saw Narook. He looked so much like Logan; so it could not be a coincidence.
"Did you think that I would abandon my child?" Sernin said. "Of course I would take good care of him, I worked so hard to bring him into the world – you mother was not so compliant that night, especially since your father was there to watch the whole thing," he smiled.
"By all forces of heaven and hell," a low voice was heard from the corner of the room, "I command to break this spell." Krunch's little hands were lifted and pointed toward Achtisanor and Kiril, and he passed out again.
At the same moment, Achtisanor jumped and hit Sernin on his head with his sword hilt. Kiril and Narook started fighting with their swords.
Sernin lifted his head and saw Achtis moving toward him. He disappeared. Achtisanor looked around in surprise, wondering where Sernin had gone. A painful jab came from behind.
Narook and Kiril continued fighting, destroying every piece of furniture that got in their way.
"Are you sorry that you did not kill me then?" Narook said behind clenched teeth.
"No," Kiril said. "When I kill you today, my conscience will be clearer."
"I wonder what Logan would have said if she knew that she exited the womb along with me," Narook said.
"Don't flatter yourself," Kiril said, "only when Logan opened her eyes, we decided that we cannot kill you and chose exile, you small and horrible grey stone."
The two of them fought for a long time. Kiril jumped on the desk and from there to Narook's back. He kicked Narook, threw him to the ground, and pointed the sword at his throat. Sernin turned his attention from his fight with Achtisanor and shot a magic arrow toward Kiril. Kiril tried to leap away but reacted too late: the arrow was lodged in his thigh.
Achtisanor waved his sword toward Sernin, but Sernin ducked, kicked him in the gut, and pushed him back. Another arrow was shot toward Achtisanor, but he managed to lift a chair and block the arrow with it.
"Sernin Crouzar!" a voice echoed in the room.
"Lagwanamaris," Kiril called with joy when he saw his sister. She took Narook throat in her hands and threatened him with her sword.
"Lagwanamaris," Sernin smiled when the fighting stopped, "I see that you have wisely chosen your weapon."
"Shut up," Logan called. "De-Stik, go and check Krunch."
"It seems that his situation is not that bad," De-Stik said when he examined Krunch. "He is just unconscious, probably from a hit on his head."
Achtisanor rose and laid Achtis on Sernin's chest.
"You are too late, all of you," Sernin called. "By the second call, the dragon was destroyed by my son Narook the bloodsto
ne," Sernin said proudly, "exactly as the prophecy foretold."
Narook was silent.
"You are wrong," Logan called, "I killed him."
"Is that so?" Sernin turned his eyes to his son, who nodded in fear near Logan's invisible blade.
"Ha, ha, ha…" Sernin laughed, "And you thought that by doing so you will stop the prophecy from being fulfilled. Ha, ha, ha…"
"And this is what I did," Logan said.
"You are wrong, my daughter," Sernin said. "You are my blood, Orostone, just like the twin brother you threaten to kill."
Logan was shocked and looked at the older grey elf standing in front of her. She did not know what to think. She looked at Kiril, but he just lowered his eyes in shame.
"Nonsense," Logan called. "My father is Patrickiomaris."
Sernin continued to laugh, "How could Patrickiomaris be your father, when he was tied to a tree all the time I raped your mother?"
Logan threw Narook to the floor. They looked at each other. "The dreams…" Logan said, "The visions… it was all real… I looked through your eyes."
"My daughter…" Sernin said.
"I said shut up, you monster," Logan called.
"In order to create chaos in the universe," Sernin said with a mocking voice. "It is enough to start by creating chaos in one good family."
"The horn?" Logan asked.
"In his robes," Achtisanor said. "Take it out."
Sernin reached his hand into his dark robes and took out the horn. Achtisanor approached Sernin and tried to take the horn from his hands, but Sernin retreated.
"No," Sernin shook his head and a grin split his face. "Look over there," he said to Achtisanor.
Four goblins, Zed among them, stood at the west door of the room. Their crossbows were loaded and pointed toward Logan, De-Stik, and the unconscious Krunch.
"Well," Sernin said, "It seems that the tables have turned."
Logan took Narook and turned toward the goblins.
"Give up, Logan, and put down your sword," Sernin called.
Logan lowered slowly her sword and so did Achtisanor. Sernin took Achtisanor's sword from his hands and threw it down the staircase. "I am glad that I have all the members of Tigertief and my extended family in this room," Sernin said. "Thank you, Tigertief, for delivering the horn from the castle of reflections, and I thank my daughter, Logan, for killing the stupid dragon. Now you can see my anointed as king, and how the chaos will reign over Nature and this entire dimension."
Sernin pressed the horn to his lips. Logan suddenly leapt from her place, landed beside one of the goblins, and moved his hand so he shot his friend. With a dizzying speed, she turned toward another goblin and left his body on the floor. De-Stik also reacted quickly and landed his heavy quarterstaff in a third goblin, grabbed Zed, and lifted him high.
"You have just won a quick lesson in parachuting. Remember first to duck," De-Stik said and threw him through the great window, "farewell and good luck."
Narook looked around in amazement. Achtisanor leapt on Sernin Crouzar, took the horn from his hands and smacked him right on his face.
"De-Stik, get Krunch and leave this place with Kiril. Logan and I will follow you," Achtisanor called and tucked the horn in his sleeve.
De-Stik took Krunch with one hand and with the other supported Kiril. He began running to the west door and climbed with them on the staircase.
Lightning bolts leapt from Sernin fingers toward Achtisanor's chest. Achtisanor was thrown from his place and landed on the floor next to the north door of the room. Logan ran to him and stumbled on Narook's leg. She raised her head in anger and looked at Narook, who managed to grab his sword.
"Well, twin. It seems that I need to exact the punishment on you," Logan leapt to her feet and started duelling with him.
Sernin continued to hit Achtisanor with a lightning bolt, again and again, without pause or remorse. Achtisanor looked for Acthis down the stairs. His body shook with each bolt, his heart fluttering in pain.
After shooting dozens of bolts and arrows at him, Sernin approached Achtisanor, who laid on the floor, his body still and eyes closed. "This is your grim end, Achtisanor," Sernin told the bleeding knight. "In the play of your life, you are a tragic hero."
Suddenly, an unknown figure put a cold metal in Achtisanor's hand. Precisely at the same moment that Sernin bent to retrieve the horn from Achtisanor sleeve – the final word was uttered:
"And here is your end," Achtisanor said in a whisper and stabbed Achtis in Sernin Crouzar's chest. "To the memory of Patrick," he called and pulled the sword from Sernin's body with his two hands. "And to the memory of Carinian," he yelled without strength and stabbed the sword again, leaving Sernin a dead husk.
"Father," Narook called, and his sword fell from his hand.
Narook looked with shock at the body of his father. Then he looked at Logan's eyes and started running to the west door.
Logan's sword went after him, flying through the air, but it refused to hit him, and it swerved upward and hit the wall above the door. The stone bricks cracked and fell on Narook, burying Narook under them.
"Thanks," Wounded Achtisanor whispered and looked back.
"Y… Yer welcome, Achtisanor," Serdamus said, standing on the staircase next to the Dunlop, looking stunned in the broken room.
"Achtisanor," Logan called and went to him.
"Logan…" Achtisanor said in a weak and hoarse voice.
Dunlop and Serdamus entered the room and looked around in disbelief. Dunlop’s notebook shook in his hand, and the coal in Serdamus hand refused to scribble on his pages.
"You are brave, Logan, braver than any creature I've known," Achtisanor whispered and his body shook with pain. "The horn is in my sleeve. Take it and complete our mission."
"You are coming with me, Achtisanor," Logan said and tried to lift him.
"No, Logan…" Achtisanor said, "I… I have fulfilled my mission."
"Achtisanor," Logan called.
"Return Acthis to Domarwink…" Achtis said, "Tell him that… it was not revenge that led me on… but love." Salty tears choked Logan's throat. "Take care of Rood for me… and… take care of the two…" Achtisanor's head fell back and his sword fell from his lifeless fingers.
Chapter 39 - The Battle Rages On
Torches burned in the warriors' hands. The horses neighed and jumped in fear. They heard from afar the cheers and the terrible battle roars of the dark army approaching their lines. The hungry wargs’ cries joined the horn call.
"Hold," Domarwink called his army.
Wargs riders crossed the field. The soldjas and gnolls ran after them with hateful cries and waved their swords in the darkness.
Many flashes of bright lights were seen at the battlefield from the blazing mines that the squibs planted in the place.
"Cannons," Domarwink said.
"Cannons," Alystus called, "fire."
Dozens of catapults and fire ballistae shot rocks and flaming oil barrels toward the dark army. The archers shot a deluge of arrows after them. From the opposite side, the dark army shot fireballs, ice blocks and knives on Nature army, and wounded many of the warriors and knights.
"Who is hitting us?!" Alystus called.
"The wizards," Domarwink yelled. "For Nature, fight for your lives," he enflamed his people and rode at the head of the army toward the dark mass.
Sword clashes, metal scraped against metal and terror cries were heard in the dark battlefield of the bistons mines. The wizard army attacked ceaselessly Nature warriors. The warg riders ran toward the infirmary tents and destroyed everything in their paths.
Domarwink fought valiantly against the many enemies that sought to kill him. Alystus did not leave his side and defended the king.
Smord waved his axe at the centre of the battlefield, hacked and slashed everything that stood against him. The soldjas trampled many of the warriors.
A green flare was shot into the sky from Domarwink sceptre.
A moment
passed, and trumpet calls were heard from the north of the battlefield.
"Attack," called Genghis, lord of the bistons.
From behind him came the four members of Iron Fist and four well-armoured, axe-wielding dwarven battalions.
"Throw them to Zooloo chasm," Genghis called and caused the army to cheer.
A biston battalion ran toward the wizards and attacked them without mercy. The soldjas and gnolls screamed when they saw the burly army running toward them, and scattered in all directions, the warg riders also retreated.
"Fight, you cowards," Smord screamed when he saw them fleeing the field. "Fight, die for Klaxes…" darkness engulfed him.
Long minutes that seemed like an eternity passed when the bloody battle raged on.
"Victory for Nature," Alystus's voice pierced the darkness.
"Victory," Domarwink called.
The warriors gave a great cheer and the bistons started dancing in the battlefield.
"Return to camp and regroup," Domarwink called. "The battle is not yet over."
Nature army warriors returned to camp. Strange voices were heard above in the black sky. The archers looked up in fright.
"What is this noise?" Some of them asked.
"Domkachil," the shouts were heard from the sky, and a large war bat passed over them.
Buzzes were heard from beneath the scorched Nessit field. The noise grew stronger. In the light of the fires burning on the battlefield, thousands of skeletons, carrion eaters, spectres and liches arose from the ground. "Domkachil," the cry was heard again, answered by the masses of undead warriors.
"Abirino Diltogos," the call echoed on the battlefield, and to the surprise of Nature's warriors, the dead rose to their feet, along with the many soldjas and gnolls corpses. Skeletons, liches, grey bistons and dead spirits of all the races of the earth.
"Zombies," Domarwink called, "Hubris's undead army."
"Gods preserve," Alystus said.
"They number much more than us," Genghis said.
"Nature warriors," Domarwink said to his army. "This is the last battle of the war. They are many, but we are braver than they are. I am going to ride on the most important fight of my life, and I will fight until I die."
Logan Marsh: A Thrilling Fantasy Novel (Action Adventure,Mystery, Y/A Book 1) Page 23
