Una took all of that in without a word before turning back to Envy. "Where is the nearest breach?"
“At Castle Silene," Envy replied without question.
A dark look came over Una's face, and she scowled but turned back to Guyon, Belphoebe, and Brit. "We have to eliminate Duessa, and Envy is right that she will be vulnerable in the Shadow Realm, just as Mammon was."
"It could also be a trap," said Guyon.
"I know," said Una. "But we may never have a better chance."
"Perhaps Una does not need to go," said Britomart. All eyes turned to look at her.
"Explain,” said Una.
"If the rules are different in the Shadow Realm, why do we even need our most powerful magic user? With Envy's help, all we would need is strength of will, as Guyon showed before. He, I, and the Faerie Queen's daughter should be enough."
"It will be too dangerous,” said Una.
"It’s more dangerous to risk the most powerful weapon we have," said Guyon. "I agree with Brit. Besides, we will need you to help pull us out as you did with me on the Idle Isle. We’ll need someone to guard the gateway."
Una glanced at Envy. "Are they right? Will they have a chance against the other Sins?"
"It is possible," Envy remarked with a slight shrug. "It will depend, as your female knight says, on their strength of will."
Una seemed to think it through. "All right, but I will be watching, and at the slightest hint of treachery I will come looking for you."
Both Guyon and Brit nodded in agreement, and Envy only scowled.
Una used her magic to drag Envy out of the dungeon, and the rest of them followed. Guyon glanced at Britomart as they exited the hole Una had made where the door once stood. He said nothing, but Brit understood the implication. And she agreed. Perhaps they had bitten off more than they could chew.
She knew one thing. She had to protect Una in any way, and that meant keeping her away from the Sins. She would not choose to kill her friend unless it was absolutely necessary, and the more she could keep the girl away from evil, the better.
They entered the courtyard of the small castle to find the walls in complete shambles. Bodies of guards lay strewn all about, and scorch marks covered what was left of the stones. Though Brit didn’t see the body of the giant knight she had pursued earlier.
"What happened to Malecasta and her servants?" Brit remarked as she began gathering up armor and weapons to use.
“I did not see them," said Una.
"A few rebelled against me,” said Envy with a slight sneer. "They were punished."
Britomart was stunned into silence as she pondered the implications of these words. She remembered the fear in Malecasta’s eyes the last time they had spoken. She wondered if perhaps she had been too harsh on the poor woman. For now it seemed the lady of the castle had been simply caught up between multiple forces of power, evil that had swept her away, like a dog in a white current.
"It will take us several days to reach Castle Silene," said Guyon, testing a sword from a fallen soldier. "How do you suggest we keep the Sin restrained in that time?"
"I will get us there faster," said Una. “It will not take long at all."
Then with a surge of energy that Britomart could almost feel, like a heaviness in the air, Una shot into the sky with Envy in tow. And before Brit could remark on what she had seen, she too was lifted up by some invisible power, together with Guyon and Belphoebe. The latter let out a soft gasp as the ground slowly shrunk behind them, and they left the castle to fly towards the Forest of Arden.
27
Una tried not to revel in the power she wielded as fierce winds whipped through her hair. She could hear Brit and Guyon trying to say something behind her, but she paid them no mind. She had bested Envy with hardly any effort, and she would take down the other Sins next. Duessa and Wrath were the most important, but she would find the other two soon. Once they were all eliminated the threat would be over, and the Faerie Queen could forget her fears.
She smiled as she imagined Gloriana apologizing to her, telling her that she had it all wrong, that she should have believed in Una, should have jumped to this solution earlier. She imagined the woman begging for mercy as Una squeezed the life out of her like she had with Envy.
Una shook her head to clear it. That wasn’t right. She hadn’t had thoughts like that since before she had mastered her magic. They were foreign thoughts, yet familiar, as if they were coming from a part of her that she never knew existed. She did not hear voices as she had then, but it still concerned her, if only slightly. Right now, she was in full control of her abilities, and that was all that mattered.
She was secretly considering joining Guyon, Brit, and this new woman who claimed to be the daughter of the Faerie Queen. The Shadow Realm was dangerous for her, yes, but who could stop her when she held this much power, even in a place where magic did not operate under normal rules? Could she really trust that her friends could overpower the two greatest Sins on their own? And what of Envy? The woman could not be trusted.
Una nearly overshot her destination, skimming across the trees with the others behind her at such speeds that she almost missed it when the trees dispersed, giving way to a river. That river would take them to Castle Silene near where the main road entered the Forest of Arden.
She was not happy about returning to her old home. The place held too many bad memories, and the last thing she wanted was to be reminded of what her father had done, her adopted father. She half-considered flying off to another breach, perhaps the other one in the Forest of Arden that she had stepped through just hours ago.
No, she needed speed. Duessa and Wrath might not stay in the Shadow Realm long, and they needed every advantage they could get. Besides, one breach was as good as another. What did she care if one just happened to be at Castle Silene?
There. Ahead she caught the first glimpse of the castle’s walls, hidden from the rising sun by a layer of trees. The keep was gone, reduced to rubble from when Una had prevented a new breach from forming, and George had slain the dragon. It felt like so long ago now.
The walls were darker than she remembered, perhaps it was the way the trees shaded it from the eastern sun.
Una narrowed her eyes. No, there was something else, like tar had been strewn all over the walls and courtyard. She lowered herself as she drew nearer.
Her face heated with fury as she realized what she was seeing.
The castle was crawling with beasts and creatures, unnatural monsters that had no place in this world. She couldn’t make out the details, but they were close enough that she could smell them, like rubbish rotting for weeks in a pile, then burned. What were these spawns of Annwyn doing in her castle?
They shot past the walls and Una landed them a safe distance away on the other side.
“We have an additional problem,” said Guyon as he alighted neatly on his feet.
“This place is overrun,” said the Faerie Queen’s daughter, Belphoebe.
“I can take them all,” said Una with a snarl. “The rest of you just need to get to the inner courtyard. That’s where the breach will be. I can hold them off until then.”
Envy said nothing but merely watched as Guyon shook his head and countered, “We’ll need to eliminate any threat before we go through the breach, otherwise we cannot know for sure that you’re safe.”
Una waved a hand in impatience. “I’ll be fine.”
“You don’t know what’s out there.” Guyon emphasized every word. “The whole point of us going through the breach was to keep you safe.”
Una wanted to dismiss him entirely, to even step back on her promises and tell him she was going with them into the breach. But something stopped her. Perhaps it was the concerned look on Guyon’s face, more than just interest in her wellbeing. He was truly upset by the situation, and he was her friend after all. Even she had to admit she’d been too standoffish since she rescued them. Perhaps she could be a little more accommodating.
/> “Fine,” she said finally. Guyon breathed a sigh of relief, and so, to Una’s surprise, did Brit. Why was she so worried? “It shouldn’t take long anyway. I’ve needed a chance to strike at the enemy.”
“And don’t forget about Envy,” said Belphoebe, nocking an arrow in a bow she must have picked up before they left.
Una spared a glance for the Sin. Envy met her gaze with near equal indifference. Yes, she would need to keep an eye on her, which could limit how hard she could fight against the demon spawn. Well, she would do what she could.
“Let’s go,” she said, gathering her magic and taking several large steps towards the castle’s gate.
The gate itself had been knocked down years ago, leaving the courtyard open to the outside. As they approached, Una heard what sounded like a great crowd caught up in drunken revelry, mixed with high-pitched voices and unnatural screams.
She activated her magic, using it to create a ball of hot air in front of her. Once it had fully formed, reaching temperatures hot enough to nearly singe her eyebrows, she hurled it forward. As it sped through the air, it took on the shape of a great fireball, a mass of flame that sped through the gateway and slammed into whatever lay behind.
And all the while, a small part of her brain kept Envy trailing behind them, still cut off from her power.
Shrieks echoed in their direction, and forms appeared from the sides, curious to see who had just sent the fire.
Una walked forward with one arm outstretched, not bothering to slow down. Guyon, Britomart, and Belphoebe followed.
The Otherworld spawn varied from one figure to the next. Some were human, at least in shape, though none of them felt human. Others were black, twisted creatures with varying appendages and great rows of sharp teeth. In the back was a giant with one eye, appearing similar to the giant Arthur had fought in the City of Pride. With the exception of the humans, not one creature appeared the same as the others.
There was one thing Una would make certain. They would all die tonight.
She lashed out again with her fire just as the first of the demons lunged past the gate and directly at her. She was about to reach out towards it, to crush it with a mental blow, before it keeled over, dead. Protruding from its forehead was an arrow. Una glanced over at Belphoebe, who had already nocked another arrow and sent it flying at another approaching monster. Una smiled. She liked that one, even if she was Gloriana’s daughter.
Guyon unsheathed his sword, as did Britomart, and the two of them charged forward. Una watched with interest. Odd to see the two of them working together when not long ago Britomart had seemed unwilling to even acknowledge the man.
But she had no time for idle thoughts. A wave of demons was now spewing out of the castle, and the other three, skilled as they were, would not be enough to handle the onslaught on their own.
Una raised both hands and reached out to the air above the beasts, convincing it to become heavy and fall as a ton of iron on their backs.
High-pitched screams were the satisfying reaction, and Una couldn’t help but smile as they plowed forward. This was exhilarating.
Guyon and Britomart met head on the few demons that Una had missed. Swords lashed out and more demon screams echoed throughout the castle.
But there was more still. Hundreds of creatures poured through the open gate, more than even Una could handle on her own. And more still lay behind, mostly the larger ones. They waited for their chance, waited for their enemies to tire.
Una didn’t think. She just struck. Magic took out enemy after enemy, crushing some flat, burning others, all while Guyon and Brit decapitated many, and Belphoebe took out the rest.
They advanced at a slow but steady pace, but they kept advancing, they had to.
Una’s face was hot, and not just from the effort of expelling so much magic. She was enraged at the way in which Duessa’s forces had taken over her castle. She had expected the Saxons to take possession of it, once it was clear that the dragon was no longer a threat, but she had never expected the spawn of the Otherworld to move in. And the Faerie Queen had likely known what was happening all along, and never told Una, never bothered to mention that what she and George had done by liberating the stronghold had amounted to practically nothing. What was the point of killing the dragon when he would just be replaced by lesser scum?
She channeled that hate into her magic, let it flow through her like she had never done before. Her magic was different now, ever since she had escaped from Gloriana’s stronghold. It now fed on her emotion and grew stronger, and rather than overwhelming her, it only served to make her hungry for more.
In her haste, her grip on Envy slipped.
Immediately, Una spun, forgetting about the other demons so she could concentrate on the Sin. But Envy had not moved. She remained a short distance behind the rest of them, watching as they fought. An upturned eyebrow indicated she understood that her bonds had briefly fallen, yet she had stayed. Perhaps she was willing to help them in the Shadow Realm as she claimed.
That didn’t stop Una from reinforcing the magical cords that bound the Sin. Of all the spawn of Annwyn in this castle, Envy was still the most dangerous. Una could not forget that.
More demons died by her hand and her companions mopped up the rest. They continued advancing, finally passing through the opening that had once been the main gate. The monsters were changing their tactics now, becoming more aware of the terror they faced, more cautious. But their strategy did little to help them, as all Una had to do was seize them in her grip and will their death.
She faced the larger demons watching from the back. There was a giant at least three stories tall, with a misshapen yet man-like face, and wielding a huge axe. Next to him was a two-headed monster similar to a dragon but smaller and without the armored scales. There were others too, and each of them watched her very carefully.
Brit and the others would not be able to handle such foes. And Una guessed they might even present a challenge to her if they attacked all at once. Besides, a throbbing headache informed her that she was beginning to overextend herself. She needed to make an example, set off a display that would discourage the rest from attacking, strike enough fear in whatever passed for their hearts that they would leave and never return.
She seized the giant with power extending from her hand. It resisted, pulling back with unimaginable strength. The mystical energies Una harnessed were powerful, but even they had rules based in real-world strength, and already she could feel her mind straining against the physical force of the giant’s muscles.
Changing tactics, Una rushed at the giant, swatting aside one or two smaller demons who leapt at her. The giant almost smirked, thinking it had won their little strength contest. He was about to be disappointed.
Una let her magic extend from one arm, fashioning something resembling a sword out of air and light.
Una leapt through the air, arcing towards the giant like a creature of myth, pulling her massive sword of light back with its tip pointed forward even as she plummeted back towards the Earth. She landed behind the giant, crouching to one knee. The beast did not move for a heartbeat, then it dropped to its knees, and its head rolled down one arm and onto the ground beside her.
Una stood and faced the dragon-like creature, daring it with her eyes to attack her. There was intelligence in its gaze, and it knew when it was outmatched. The creature retreated, followed by many of the other larger monsters. As if on a signal, most of the other creatures peeled off after it, ceasing their attack on Guyon, Brit, and Belphoebe.
But they did not go far, retreating only 100 yards or so, watching for their next moment.
“They won't stop for long,” said Una, hurrying to the others, and pulling Envy forward so she joined the rest of them.
"Why should we stop at all?" said Brit, waving her sword through the air with a spark of fire in her eyes. "I have never seen four warriors excel against so many."
"We cannot hope to enter the Shadow Realm while
there is any danger left," said Guyon, looking at Una. "I say we retreat and come back with reinforcements."
“There's no time." Una shook her head. "As long as Duessa and Wrath are in there, and we know they are, then we must take advantage of the situation."
She stopped suddenly, spotting something a few yards away, a body that did not match that of the demons strewn around them. This body had on shining mail and wore a white tunic over his torso that looked remarkably like what George wore.
Una left the conversation and immediately hurried to the side of the body. Please, no. It couldn't be him.
As she rolled the body over to get a good look at his face, Una breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't George. He was a man Una did not recognize, with blonde hair shaved close to the scalp, a square jaw, and scars that suggested experience. But he was young, not much older than herself. And he was covered from head to toe in various cuts and bruises, his face swollen and purple.
"I know that man," said Belphoebe. She rushed next to Una, got on one knee, and began feeling at the knight’s neck. "He's still alive. I might be able to help." She began fumbling in a pouch on her belt but stopped just as a groan escaped the injured man.
Everyone froze, and the man's mouth moved. Una bent lower to try and make out what he was saying. His eyes fluttered open and fixed themselves on Belphoebe. "Amoret," he croaked.
"He knows your sister?" said Guyon, standing nearby but keeping a watchful eye on the Otherworld filth that still encircled them.
“His name is Sir Scudamore, and he and my sister had a special relationship," said Belphoebe. "Perhaps he knew she was in the Shadow Realm and came here to find her just like we did."
"Will he live?" asked Una.
"He is hurt badly," said Belphoebe as she inspected the man. "But his cuts are not deep, and it looks like he suffered mainly trauma to the head. I think the creatures might have been playing with him."
Guyon looked directly at Una. "Well that settles it, we can't expect to enter the Shadow Realm and leave this man behind to be slaughtered." Una was about to protest when he hurried on. "And we can't leave you here while there are any demons left to be fought."
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