Two of the enemy break through the lines of defenders and come straight toward him. Jorry and Uther move to meet this threat and quickly take them out.
The contest of wills between James and the Empire’s mage continues, as each tries to get the better of the other. Suddenly, the resistance eases up and James is able to finish his spell.
Crumph!
The area in front of the bridge explodes upward, enemy troops are flung into the air. Suddenly, the prickling starts again and before James has a chance to recover, a bolt of force strikes him in the chest and knocks him backward off the wagon.
Hitting the ground hard, he has the wind knocked out of him. Coming to his knees, he tries to get his breath back as Jiron comes to his side.
As Jiron helps him to his feet, he sees Miko running toward the fighting at the gate, sword in hand. “Miko!” he tries to yell at him, but he can’t get the volume needed to be heard. He watches as Miko begins to wade into the attackers, his sword moving so fast that the eye can hardly keep track of it.
“We’ve got to help him!” James cries out to Jiron.
“He’s too far away,” he replies. “We’d never be able to get to him!”
James watches a moment as Miko, in the state he’s in, inadvertently kills a defender that had been coming to his aid.
The dust clears from where the explosion had occurred and they see that the bridge and the mage are still standing. More troops are pouring across the bridge and working their way through the hole he’d just created to continue the attack on the defenders.
The attackers fall like grain to the scythe as Miko strides into them, totally oblivious to the many minor cuts he’s receiving. The line of soldiers that were pushing the defenders further into the city, buckles as Miko cuts a swath through them.
James tears his eyes away from Miko and back to the mage. The prickling sensation spikes again and another bolt of force flies toward him. Ready for it this time, he’s able to deflect its trajectory and it passes by harmlessly.
He throws two stones in quick succession but they bounce harmlessly off the invisible barrier. Though the mage was untouched by the missiles, he does have the minor satisfaction of seeing them striking soldiers next to him.
The attacker’s push into the city is at a standstill with Miko there. No one can stop him and the defenders are rallying around him. More archers are arriving from their positions on other parts of the wall and their arrows are having a devastating effect.
Lord Pytherian can be seen there amidst the line of defenders as he encourages them on to propel the invaders back. His sword is almost as deadly as Miko’s to anyone who comes close.
James sends his senses out to the barrier around the mage, trying to understand it and find a weak point that can be exploited. Suddenly, he finds it and realizes he should’ve thought of it before.
He redirects his senses, searching for what he needs. When he finds it, he lets loose an enormous surge of power. The one place the mage’s barrier does not cover is the soles of his feet.
Suddenly, an old root from a bygone tree breaks through the ground under his feet. The force of it hitting the mage’s foot sends him reeling, the unexpectedness of it breaks his concentration. When the prickling sensation stops completely, he knows the barrier is down.
He cocks back his arm and with another great surge of power, sends a slug speeding toward the staggering mage. The mage tries to erect another barrier but is too late. Striking his upper chest, the slug blasts through and he topples backward into the river.
A cry rises from the defenders when they see him fall, and Lord Pytherian shouts above the din, “Now! Beat them back!” With unbridled ferocity, the defenders wade into the attackers.
James, fatigued and staggering a little, looks over the battling fighters. Miko stands near the gate, momentarily still as the attackers keep their distance. They’ve learned that to come near him is to die. His sword periodically moves in a blur as it strikes a bolt out of the air as it flies toward him.
“Come on!” James cries to the others. “Now’s our chance to get him out of there!”
Running toward the fighting, James steers around pockets of fighting as he tries to get close to Miko.
Jorry, Uther and the others form a ring around him, taking out any attacker who gets close. Jiron, with knife in one hand, runs next to James. “Will he leave the battle?” he asks.
“I hope so,” replies James. “If he gets out of the gate, we’ll never get him back!”
“James!” he hears Lord Pytherian shout. He looks back and sees him pointing out of the gate. Turning his attention to the gate, he sees a large group of Parvatis coming across the bridge. If they get in it might turn the tide against the defenders.
“Jiron!” he exclaims. “Stop them!”
“How?” he replies. “I’ve only got one arm!”
“You’re the Shynti, remember?” he explains.
Jiron suddenly understands what he’s talking about. Reaching into his tunic, he pulls out the necklace with the three stones. “Right!” he says. To Jorry and Uther, he says, “You guys come with me, the rest of you stay with James.”
Jiron makes for the gates with Jorry and Uther who deal with any attacker foolish enough to come close.
James hurries over to Miko where two attackers have engaged him. James is startled when he realizes he’s grown another couple inches and has developed muscle mass on his arms and chest. Battling is causing this!
Miko cuts the head off one and comes back with a slice that takes off the swordarm of the other. Before he has time to realize what’s happened to him, Miko strikes out twice more, taking off a leg and putting his sword through the man’s chest.
As the man hits the ground, he hears James and the others coming up behind him. He turns quickly and holds his sword at the ready.
“Miko!” James hollers to him, looking him eye to eye. It might be just his imagination, but it almost looks as if there’s a red flicker within his pupils.
Enemy soldiers attack James’ group while they’re standing there staring at each other but Illan and the rest move to engage them, keeping them back while he deals with Miko.
“Miko!” he cries one more time. Miko’s eyes blink and his sword lowers a fraction. “It’s James! Time to go!”
His sword drops lower as he says in a barely audible whisper, “James?”
Nodding his head, he says more softly, “That’s right, it’s me.”
A confused look comes over his face as he gazes at the dead stacked around him. When his gaze finally comes back to James, a tear begins to well in his eye and a frightened look comes over him.
Dropping the sword, he moves to James who puts his arm around his shoulder and leads him away from the battle. Illan and the others fall back with him until they’re once more behind the lines.
James suddenly remembers Jiron and looks to the gate. He sees him standing there in front of the Parvatis holding the necklace out to them. Jorry and Uther are watching his back as their leader pauses and examines the necklace. James can see him nodding his head.
“Milord!” he hears someone holler from the gatehouse. “It’s fixed!”
“Understood!” Lord Pytherian shouts in reply. “Fight ‘em back boys! Let’s get this gate closed.”
While Jiron and the Parvatis are standing before the gate talking, they’re blocking the way for the enemy soldiers behind them who are trying to get through to continue the attack. As the last of the attackers fall within the city and the defenders begin to close the gates, Jiron says something to Jorry and Uther who move back within the city. Jiron goes with the Parvatis away from the gates, back toward the bridge.
The gates finally shut with a bang and the locks again fall into place. But Jiron is still on the other side!
“Stay here!” he tells Miko. When he gets a nod in reply, he runs over to Lord Pytherian.
“Milord!” he cries out to him.
Turning to see who it is, L
ord Pytherian gives him a smile and says, “We did it! With you and your friend there, we got it closed!”
“But Jiron is on the other side!” he cries out.
The smile disappears from his face and a concerned look replaces it. “I know,” he says. “I don’t know how he did it, but stopping them most likely saved us all.”
“We’ve got to get him back,” demands James.
Shaking his head, Lord Pytherian replies, “The only way is to open the gate and we can’t do that while that army is camped out there.” He turns to an aide and says, “We got a man out there with the Parvatis, make sure the archers on the walls don’t hit him.”
“Yes, milord,” the man says before running toward the stairs leading up to the walls.
Turning his attention back to James, he says, “That’s all we can do now.”
From the wall over the gate, a man cries out, “Milord! They’re pulling back!”
“Where?” he hollers up to them.
“Back to where they were before,” the man replies.
“Let me know if anything changes,” he orders.
The man salutes him and goes back to watching the enemy.
James gestures for Fifer to come over. “You saw Jiron with the Parvatis?” he asks.
“Yeah,” Fifer replies.
Pointing to the wall over the gate he says, “See if you can get up there and find out where he’s being taken.” Turning to Lord Pytherian, he says, “With your leave milord?”
When he nods, giving his permission, Fifer runs to the access stairs to the wall.
“We still have a little problem with this Councilman Rillian,” mentions James.
“I realize that,” Lord Pytherian says. “But it’s doubtful anything will be brought against you and your friends now. The soldiers here saw you take out the mage and Miko there almost turned the tide by himself. He’s quite good isn’t he?”
“Uh, yeah,” replies James, “he is.”
“So I think you’re safe from any accusations he might make about you being agents of the Empire,” he assures him. “I seriously doubt if anyone here would give credence to it.”
“But what are you going to do about him?” James asks.
“That’s for the Council to decide,” he says, “and I’m not on the Council. I figure it’ll be taken care of quietly.”
James nods, understanding. “But what about Jiron?” he asks.
“I hate to say it, but there’s nothing we can do for him now,” he replies. “We’re not going to take the fight to them for one man. Do you understand?”
“Yeah,” James says, though not very happy about it. “I understand.”
“Good. Now I’ve got to see about the men and wounded, so you’ll have to excuse me,” he says.
“Yes milord,” he replies.
As Lord Pytherian begins calling for casualty reports and status, James goes back over to where Miko and the others are waiting. When he sees Jorry and Uther there he asks them, “What happened?”
“I thought we were dead for sure when I saw where he was heading,” Jorry replies.
“Yeah,” Uther adds. “But when he showed them that necklace, they stopped right in their tracks.”
“We heard those behind them shouting and screaming for them to move,” Jorry says. “But they just ignored them.”
“What did they say to him?” James asks them.
“There was too much noise so we couldn’t hear what was being said,” explains Uther. “But before he left with them he said to tell you that he’d be okay and that he’ll be back.”
Nodding, James begins to relax somewhat. “He’s their Shynti, that’s a rare honor among them,” he says. “I doubt if they’d let anything happen to him while he’s with them.”
James glances up to the walls and sees Fifer begin to come back down. When he joins them he says, “He went with them back to their camp.”
“Is he okay?” James asks.
“Looked like it,” replies Fifer. “The other soldiers out there were upset with them but they just ignored their cries of outrage and went back to their tent area.”
“The Parvati have some peculiar laws and customs,” James tells them. “Let’s find someplace to rest.” Turning to Yern, he says, “Would you mind staying here and keep an eye out for him?”
“No problem,” Yern says, nodding. “But how’ll I find you if he should somehow return?”
“Once we’re settled in, we’ll let you know where we’ll be,” he tells him.
“Okay,” he says then moves to the wall access.
To the others he says, “Now let’s find an inn.”
Chapter Twenty Nine
They find an inn with enough room for all of them, though it’s pretty pricy. Fifer and Keril, the youngest member of Miller’s band, went to relieve Yern on the walls. James and Miko have their own room while the rest are crammed into two others.
Once within their room, Miko lies down on one of the beds while James sits facing him on the other. “I’m so tired,” Miko says as he glances over to James.
“Understandable,” replies James. “You’re going through a lot.”
“What’s happening to me?” he asks, voice revealing a trace of fear.
Lowering his voice, he says, “It’s the Fire. That gem you’re carrying.”
“What?” he asks. “How?”
“I’m not really sure,” James answers. “But every time you’re in a battle, it appears that the Fire is taking over. When the Fire has control, you are unbeatable on the battlefield.”
Miko’s eyes widen in wonder as he continues, “Today, your sword was moving so fast I had a hard time keeping track of it.”
“Unbelievable,” Miko breathes.
Nodding, James says, “I wouldn’t have believed it either if I hadn’t seen it myself. There’s something else going on too.”
“What?” asks Miko, worriedly.
“You’re growing,” he says. “Since you’ve been carrying the Fire, you’ve grown almost six inches. Heck, you’re almost as tall as I am now. Plus you’re gaining muscle mass faster than normal.”
Miko looks down at his arms and chest as he moves his hands over them, feeling the muscles beneath. He looks to James and asks, “What should I do?”
“When we get back to Cardri, we’ll find a place to hide it and you could possibly go back to normal once you’re rid of it,” he tells him. “At least you won’t change any more, I hope.”
“You hope?” he asks. “What does that mean?”
“It means that I really don’t understand what’s going on,” he explains. “I believe the Fire is some sort of a focal point of Dmon-Li here on earth. What it does, how it does it, or what it might do in the future, I have no idea.”
When Miko casts him another look full of worry and fear, he says reassuringly, “But as long as we keep you out of battles, nothing seems to happen. All the changes take place while you’re in battle and under the influence of the Fire.”
He lays his head on the pillow and says, “Okay.”
“Get some rest,” James says to him. “Not sure just what’s going to happen next, but we’ll need our rest.” He glances over and sees his eyes have already closed.
James lies back and rests his head on the pillow. Though he’s tired, thoughts of Jiron run through his mind as well as concern for Miko. Korgan is still on the loose as well, at least his plans were foiled, this time. Going to have to track him down if he’s still here. Not just because he’s a danger to the city, but because he owes him.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Suddenly brought out of a deep sleep by someone knocking on the door, James holds his head as a headache blossoms to life. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he looks over to Miko, but he’s still asleep.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Getting up, he goes over to the door and opens it. “Yes?” he asks.
Outside the door is a boy about eleven or so. His clothes mark him as a page from the c
astle, he’d seen a couple of them when he’d been marched through the castle on the way to the dungeons. “Are you James?” the page asks.
“Yes,” sighs James, “I am.”
“Your presence is requested at the castle,” he says.
“By whom?” he asks.
“Lord Pytherian, sir” he replies.
“Alright, let me get ready,” James tells him.
“He said it was urgent,” the boy says, urging him to hurry.
Glancing back at Miko who’s still sleeping, he says, “Let me tell someone where I’ll be so they’ll not worry.” Stepping out into the hall, he goes to the next door and knocks.
When Uther opens it, he says, “I’ve been summoned to the castle.”
Coming instantly alert, Uther asks, “Trouble?”
“I don’t know,” he replies. “The page said it was urgent. Lord Pytherian wants to see me.”
“Do you think we should come with you?” he asks.
Shaking his head, he says, “No, I don’t think that will be necessary. Besides, you weren’t requested, just stay here and wait for Jiron. When Miko wakes up, let him know where I’ve gone.”
Uther glances at the page standing behind him and then says, “Okay, good luck.”
“Thanks.” Turning back to the page, he says, “Alright, let’s go.”
With the boy in the lead, they leave the inn and work their way through the streets to the castle area. “What’s the enemy doing?”
“Rumor is they are waiting for reinforcements,” the page explains. “They’ve also begun constructing defensive fortifications and from what I’ve been told, it looks like they intend to stay out there for a while.”
“Since they can’t take the city, they’ll just maintain a presence there?” he asks.
“That’s what they’re saying,” he replies.
They pass through the gate leading into the castle area and when they get to the courtyard, he notices how they’ve turned it into an area for the wounded. Tents have sprung up and everywhere are men with bandages or lying on cots.
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