Realms

by Kit Bladegrave

  A horn blasted somewhere in the fortress, and the two of us shot up in bed, looking around wildly as we waited to be attacked.

  “Wait here.” Forrest climbed out of bed and hurried to the door. He yanked it open, and I heard him talking to someone out in the corridor. The conversation only lasted a few seconds, then he was back inside, tossing my armor at me. “We have to go.”

  “What’s wrong?” I hurried to get out of bed and started to strap on my leather armor as he did the same.

  “The frontline, it’s being attacked,” he growled furiously. “They’re going to be overrun if we can’t get to them, lend some aid.”

  “He’s attacking them full-on?” I asked confused. “Why?”

  “Don’t know, but I hope you’re ready with this plan of yours. Looks like it’s about to happen early.”

  We moved as fast as we could, helping each other lace and tie leather bindings and bits of chainmail he insisted I wear, just in case.

  He was finishing up getting ready when he paused, and our gazes locked across the room.

  I stilled, and my breath caught at the raw love and fear in that look so like my own right then. So much could go wrong the second we left this fortress. There was a chance either one of us would come back dead, or both. Like we were pulled by strings, we rushed to each other, closing the distance between us in one quick movement. His lips found mine, and I kissed him deeply, holding onto him as tightly for as long as I could, searing this moment in my mind.

  A knock sounded at our door and Forrest’s arms enclosed around me tighter.

  “You two ready to move out?” Craig asked, not sounding happy about it.

  “Yes, we’ll be right out,” Forrest replied. He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me once more. “Whatever happens out there, I’ve got your back, and you are not to engage Baladon unless you have no other choice. Swear it?”

  I was never one to make a promise I might have to break, but as he stared into my eyes, I found myself swearing to him I would stick to the plan. A sudden foreboding gripped my chest at the idea that Baladon might be out there, that we might wind up facing him down tonight. Was I ready? Gods no, I wasn’t ready for any of this, but I had no choice. He sheathed his sword at his hip, and I took the few daggers from the armory and tucked them in their holsters along my ribs. When I was plucked from the sky so many centuries ago, I never imagined I’d be going to war.

  Now, I was making ready to march into the war to end all wars, a war to save the realms. Or watch them fall forever into darkness.

  At the front entrance to the mountain fortress, we met up with all the fighters willing to head out into the night and the frontlines. I watched, my heart aching as wives and husbands parted, as children were handed over to those too old or too weak to join the battle. Tears streamed down the faces of all those left behind, but for those of us marching off to war, there was no room for such emotions. Now was the time to be strong. The six of us led the way out of the fortress, side by side, and into the night.

  The moment we came within sight of the frontline and the trench the warriors had dug into, my jaw dropped, and my fury rose. Starlight pulsed through my skin and burned my palms, eager to be used to destroy the monsters attacking in an endless line against those I was meant to protect.

  “Stick to the plan,” Forrest said, taking my hand for a brief moment. “We’ll use the fire to push back against Baladon’s forces, draw him out.”

  I kept my mouth shut, not about to say we needed a new damned plan. Shouts of the dying and wounded had me rushing toward the entrance to the trench, ducking low to avoid being turned into a pin-cushion by arrows from the advancing enemy.

  When a horn blew across the stretch of field, though, my blood ran cold, and my head shot up until Forrest yelled at me and yanked me back down.

  “What are you doing?” he growled furiously.

  “That horn… I know it,” I whispered.

  “And?”

  “Gargoyles,” I whispered, looking horrified toward the battlefield. “He’s brought back the gargoyles.”

  “What? How? They’ve been extinct for thousands of years, before the orcs were even killed off.”

  “I don’t know, but that’s them.”

  Gargoyles were ruthless, and unlike the stories told by the humans, they did not turn to stone with the sunrise. Not even close.

  I stared up at the night sky, where several sets of red eyes pierced the darkness as their large form swooped low. We hadn’t counted on gargoyles. Other monsters yes, but not them. And from the number of shadows filling the sky and blocking out the stars, there was a whole army of them.

  “What’s going on?” Sabella hunkered down beside us.

  I told her about the gargoyles, but she only looked more determined.

  “Doesn’t change the plan, right? We’ll start fighting back, cause the distraction. You need to get to the abyss, don’t stop for anything,” she said as Tristan nodded beside her.

  “We can’t leave you two here.”

  “You don’t have a choice,” Tristan growled. “Seal off the abyss, Mori, or we’re going to lose the war, remember? Now get out of here, go.” His eyes flashed bright yellow right, then he shifted.

  Sabella handed out the bottles filled with captured dragon fire.

  Catapults launched flaming boulders toward the trench, shaking the ground as we struggled our way through the channel. Arrows flew overhead constantly, and I kept myself as low as possible.

  Forrest cursed and shoved me against the wall just as a taloned hand reached down, ready to snatch me away. The gargoyle snarled at missing his chance to snag me and flew higher up into the sky, circling back around.

  “Keep moving,” Forrest urged, his hand remaining on my shoulder.

  Screams filled my ears, and the deafening sounds of battle surrounded us. Already, the trenches were filled with the injured and dead. I staggered over a body and fell over.

  Forrest was right there to get me moving again, telling me to keep looking straight ahead.

  My fear was replaced with anger as I’d never felt before, and soon I was sprinting as fast as I could to reach the other end of the trench. The fighting was less here, and by the time we poked our heads out and glanced behind us, several massive explosions of dragon fire rocked the field. Gargoyles fell from the sky as the flames shred their wings and the line of monsters and minions attacking was shoved back long enough for our army to begin to make a stand, now that they had reinforcements.

  “Anything?” Craig asked from behind me and Forrest as we took a long moment scanning the trees. “Scouts, soldiers?”

  “Nothing. It looks clear,” I whispered. “Let’s move.”

  Our group crept into the trees, using the night to aid in keeping us hidden. The fight raged on to our left, and another bright burst of dragon fire lit up just how intense the fighting had become. The sky was filled with gargoyles and other flying beasts as the minions, spiders, basilisks, ghouls, trolls, and all manner of creatures rushed the trench. Our time was short, very short.

  “They need Baladon,” I hissed as we ran. “Where the hell is he?”

  “They’ll draw him out, just give them a chance,” Forrest replied.

  “We don’t have much time.”

  He said nothing in response, and we pushed deeper into the trees. I knew the way, but the four of us were not alone. Luca, Danielle, Bear, and Lucy insisted on coming to the abyss with us to act as extra protection for me while I recited the ritual that would close the portal.

  I felt the opening before we saw it and clutched at my chest as an overwhelming sense of depression weighed me down. My steps grew sluggish, and it was hard to breathe.

  Beside me, Forrest grunted, having the same troubles. I reached for his hand, and our combined strength bolstered us until we were able to reach the edge of the trees that lined the abyss.

  “Shit,” I whispered, dropping to the ground.

  Four trolls guarded the abys
s. Joining them were two gargoyles, their wings spread and ready to take flight if need be. We had not counted on guards, since there had been none earlier.

  Danielle motioned to Luca, and he nodded. They drew their swords silently. I started to get up to attack with them, but Forrest held me back.

  “Stay here, stay out of sight,” he ordered. “We’ll handle them.”

  “I can help,” I argued.

  “No, we need you to do the ritual. You’re the only one who can. Wait for Baladon to hit the battlefield then start, understand?” He kissed me quickly then drew his sword and slipped deeper into the trees, following Danielle and Craig; Luca, Lucy, and Kate headed the other way.

  I kept my gaze focused on the battlefield, waiting to see the god himself make an appearance, until a thud had me turning around in time to see one of the trolls being dragged back into the trees, dead. The other three whipped around confused, but they were too slow to see where their companion had gone.

  The two gargoyles growled, their wings rustling in agitation as they sniffed the air intently.

  “Dragons,” one of them growled as his eyes flared red. “Find them.”

  The three trolls spread out as the two gargoyles moved in closer to the abyss. Any nearer and they’d fall in, but until the ritual was completed, they would wind up just flying back out.

  I glanced at the battlefield again. More dragon fire made me wince and I had to hold up a hand to shield my eyes. But this time, the blast was much closer to the main encampment. The flames reached the tents and set them alight. Fire spread quickly as our army pushed back against the enemy.

  A massive swirling storm of shadow manifest in the center of the field, roaring.

  It was Baladon. He’d arrived.

  He slammed his staff into the ground, sending a shockwave that reached all the way to the trench.

  I gasped, heart pounding as our people were thrown to the ground. Baladon pushed onward, swinging that staff, but he was distracted.

  This was my only chance.

  The two gargoyles were still there, and I drew on my starlight, making ready to strike them as hard as I could when a sword sailed out of the trees, embedding itself in the chest of one.

  “The ritual, Mori,” Forrest yelled as he charged out of the trees for the second one, tackling him to the ground and landing so close to the portal. “Do it.”

  I stepped out of the trees, running to stand at the edge of the dark, cracked earth. The abyss howled as if sensing my presence.

  For a second, I was taken in by the sound. I stared into the darkness that awaited me and felt myself drawing closer to it, wanting to become a part of it.

  Forrest snarled, and his grunt of pain was enough to dislodge me from my urge to step into that shadowy realm forever.

  I raised my hands high, calling on all the starlight within me and what I was connected to here in the realms. My skin pulsed with a pure white light that drew the attention of the gargoyle wrestling with Forrest. He gnashed his jaws, digging his talons into the dirt as he dragged his body toward me. The words were already on my lips for the ritual, and as power flooded my body, I directed it to the abyss opening and was instantly lost in a trance.

  I could still hear and see everything, but my body was no longer fully under my control. It was like I watched from afar, but right in the thick of it at the same time. I drew one of the daggers from my side and slashed at both my palms, letting my blood drip against the abyss’s edge. It burned the ground where it fell, stars erupting from each drop.

  A howl erupted from the pit, and the first rush of darkness rose up, reaching out toward me. It hit my starlight, fueling the magic, and the light transformed from pure white to blood red.

  Forrest yelled my name. The gargoyle went sailing past me to land in the trees.

  I wanted to speak, but the words wouldn’t come out. All I could do was blink as I held the dagger in my right hand and my left hand was outstretched. Old words fell from my lips and my blood continued to ooze, falling to the ground. It gave a mighty heave, and the cracks burst with black smoke, spreading through the trees. When it gave another loud rumble, and the cracks opened wider, Forrest shifted to his dragon form and roared, calling for Kate to do the same.

  They had to hurry. Forrest glanced back at me once, then took to the sky, soaring for the camp, Kate right behind him.

  “We’re here, Mori,” Craig growled. “I’m tying you down, alright?”

  I blinked, the only thing I could do in response as the magic tugged at me—

  Suddenly, I was no longer in the abyss.

  I was back in that vision of the final battle, watching as Baladon attacked us. The world was in chaos around me, fires burning everything in sight, as the air was filled with the screams of the dying. I wanted to fight, but all I could do was stand and watch as the end of the realms materialized in front of me. All around me lay the dead, and as the smoke and fog of war began to clear, I saw familiar faces, all those I knew. All those I cared for. I stumbled back at the sight of Kate and Craig, then Sabella. Tristan’s dead wolf form lay nearby, broken.

  It was too much, and none of it could be real. The battle still raged on, right? This… this was all in my head.

  My foot caught on another body, and I froze, staring into Forrest’s wide open, dead eyes. I fell backward, scrambling to get away, as his body suddenly jerked to life and ambled toward me.

  “You failed us,” he whispered. “You did this to us.”

  “You’re not real.” I shook my head. “You’re not. None of this is.” I gasped when I fell back again, and my hands hit the ground. They bled from deep slashes in my palms. “Blood… the ritual… ”

  I shut my eyes, tuning out Forrest’s continued blaming and heard someone else calling my name overriding all other sounds. Craig? It was his voice, joined by another’s. There was fighting and dragons roaring. I forced my eyes to stay closed, not even opening them when I sensed Forrest was close. This wasn’t real. The ritual, the abyss, that’s what I was doing. That’s what put these images in my head.

  “Mori!”

  I sucked in a deep breath as my eyes opened in time to witness Forrest and Kate driving an entire troop of minions straight into the abyss. Craig and Lucy were right behind me, Luca and Bear were busy herding the minions together, killing any who managed to break free of the flames driving them closer to the pit.

  “When it starts to close, run,” I yelled to Craig.

  “We can’t just leave you here.”

  “I’m tied off, I’ll be fine. You have to run, Craig.”

  The ground spewed black smoke, and a howling sound had me covering my ears with my bloody hands. The trance, I felt it calling to me, but I could move again, and the magic seemed to still be working. The minions were close, so close now. I spied Forrest through the trees, and his eyes found mine. He let out another long burst of fire. I nodded, holding my hands out, ready to finish the ritual.

  As soon as my hands glowed bright white with my godly starlight, the first minion hit the edge and tumbled over. Light burst forth, attacking the abyss and the howling grew even louder. I winced at the sound that was driving me to my knees, but I had to keep pushing the power out until it sealed off completely.

  I expected Baladon to take notice and come after us, but as more and more of his minions were sacrificed to the portal, I saw no sign of him.

  It nagged at me that I should worry more, but until the ritual ended, my feet would not move from this spot.

  The cracks furthest out from the portal slammed shut. I yelled for Craig to get away and take the others. The main opening grew smaller in front of my eyes, but it was not going away easily. My power disappeared into the black void as a whirlwind of shadow suddenly burst out from its center. Those minions too close were immediately sucked in, and if I hadn’t been tied off, I would have been too.

  My feet left the ground, and I cursed, praying the rope held as I watched another few of Baladon’s precious soldi
ers were pulled into the abyss, forever.

  The rope began to fray. Craig was yelling, but the howling and whirling wind was too loud to hear him.

  The rope frayed more, but still, I kept my hands aimed at the portal. Just when it came apart completely, and I felt my body soaring toward the part of the opening that remained, two strong hands reached out and grabbed hold of my waist, pulling me back down.

  Forrest held me against his chest, wrapping his arms like iron bands to keep me in place.

  “I’ve got you,” he yelled.

  I believed him.

  It was almost over… almost over… there was a final loud pop and then nothing. We fell to the ground in a heap as the wind abruptly died. I shoved my hair from my face, desperate to see if it worked or not to find nothing there but a burnt circle in the dirt.

  “We did it,” I whispered, stunned. “We did it. The portal, it’s closed.”

  Forrest sighed in relief, helping me up.

  Lucy, Luca, and Bear stood nearby, pulling leaves and twigs from their clothes and hair. Craig and Kate were laughing as they kissed, holding each other close.

  But Forrest was not smiling. Instead, he was hurriedly untying the rope from his waist and rushing to the tree line.

  I stayed on his heels, running into the back of him when he skidded to a stop, cursing vividly. My jaw dropped when I took in the sight, not believing what the battlefield below looked like. The trench had been overrun, several bright white flashes of light retreated back toward the trees.

  “Sabella, she’s pulling them back,” I murmured. “We have to go help.”

  Forrest and Kate shifted without wasting another second and with us on their backs, took off toward the sprinting line of warriors that were pulling back from the frontline.

  I scanned the ground below for any sign of Baladon, but he was still missing and the worry I’d felt earlier grew into paranoia. Forrest and Kate landed, immediately unleashing a fiery hell on the advancing army, giving the retreating soldiers a chance to get farther away. I ran to find Sabella and together, we joined the two dragons, using our light to fight.