by Alana Grerig
“Sounds like we should maybe avoid that way, then,” Eli piped up.
“Oh, that’s not all. Snare weed is intelligent. It remembers every countermeasure any past traveller has used against it and sets its own traps,” Winter concluded, her pretty countenance marred with worry lines.
“We don’t really have the option of going around it, Eli. Look, it stretches for miles in both directions. You may be able to shift into bird form, and I may be able to fly the ley lines, but there are none of those down here. And, Jericho, Eve and Winter possess no such powers,” Caleb said to Eli, knowing it was not what he wished to hear. Eve scanned the gloomy vista before her; the entire place seemed to be void of all colour and life, apart from the snare weed. Beyond it, the road continued, and she could just make out what she thought was a pair of large gates embedded in a black wall. In all, the distance was no more than four miles.
“This is what we must do: Eli, you can shift into a bird and fly ahead and scout out the snare weed and what lies beyond. The rest of us will make our way along the road and meet you before we enter the weed,” Eve said, taking charge of the situation before her twin lost his nerve again. His voice had only been given back to him at Eve’s request; she could feel his discomfort. Everyone considered her plan.
“It’s a good a plan as any, as long as he actually comes back,” Winter replied, her eyes like ice chips on Eli.
“I would not abandon my sister. I shall stick to her plan and relay all I see to you when we rendezvous.”
Rolling her eyes, Winter bent to refasten her boots. Jericho couldn’t deny that it was a good plan, though he too had his doubts about Eli’s valour.
“Eli, you should leave now. It will give you more time to scout the area as we make our way down. Anything dangerous, you head straight back to us, understand?” Jericho ordered. Eli agreed and very quickly transformed into a black bird and took off.
“We need to move, but remember, we stay together,” Caleb murmured taking Eve’s hand. They followed Jericho out from their hiding place, with Winter bringing up the rear. They cautiously began the descent to the barrier of snare weed.
Eli flew as fast has his wings would allow. Swooping low over the snare weed, he could see that there was no easy path through. It was going to take a lot of patience and teamwork to get through it. Soaring back up into the bruise-coloured sky, he pondered how portals and this whole realm worked. How was it possible to have a sky underground? All of this was giving him a headache. Continuing on, he observed precisely… nothing. The road continued for a few miles until he reached a huge portcullis that was embedded into the thick black walls of what could only be described as a fortress.
The wall was an imposing structure, made from onyx. It rose at least twenty feet into the air. Eli pointed his beak upwards and began to flap vigorously as he tried to reach the top. The air was frigid at this altitude for such a small bird, and Eli’s wings were becoming numb. When he was all set to give up, he spied a grotesque gargoyle a few feet above him, and with one final push, he reached it. Collapsing on its freezing onyx head for just a moment, he used his vantage point to take in the surrounding lands.
What he saw made his little heart flip-flop in his breast. To the east, and heading his way fast, was a vast army. He could not tell what creatures made up the mass, but he was very sure that they were not going to be friendly. Glancing up, he saw he only had another five feet to go before reaching the top of the wall. However, remembering his promise to Jericho, he took one more look at the army and took off, heading back the way he had come.
With his descent aiding him, Eli made it back in double quick time. He could see them; they had almost made it to the weed barrier. Taking a risk, he shifted into a large vulture, which had a larger wingspan. He was soon just meters away from them. Eve’s red hair flashed like a beacon in the barren surroundings. Landing rather heavily, he quickly turned back into his elvish form and jogged to meet Jericho, who was heading the party,
“There… is an army coming… from the east,” he gasped, still breathless, his lungs burning from the cold air.
“How many?” Jericho asked, his calm tone at odds with his clenched fists and tense posture.
“Hard to say… a legion, maybe two? All I know is that when you get through that,” Eli rushed on, pointing to the mass of black foliage behind him. “There are going to be a lot of creatures waiting to kill you.”
Chapter Twenty -Five
Eli took a moment to catch his breath and smooth his hair into a more respectable arrangement while Jericho paced, muttering to himself. They all knew that there was no way to avoid the army that was heading toward them. Going back was not an option, either.
“We have no choice; we have to get through the snare as quickly as possible and get the fortress behind us so our enemies cannot force us back into the thorns,” Winter said, halting Jericho in his tracks. She knew it wasn’t a great plan. At this point, however, it seemed the lesser of two evils.
“I don’t see how that will help us. Surely, staying this side of the weed will be the best option,” Eli muttered to no one in particular; he knew they thought he was a coward, and maybe he was. Battle training was not something that was offered to him at the palace. Turning to him, Winter explained that, although that would seem like the best option, creatures of this realm were immune to the toxin on the thorns; they would simply crash their way through or spread out along the far side, making it impossible for anyone one to pass through.
“Winter is right. We have a chance, however small, of getting to the fortress if we make it through this ahead of the army,” Eve injected. She looked at her friends and knew that she was asking more than she should of them. “I can’t ask you all to risk your lives again. I will slip through, myself. There is a good chance that I can get through unobserved.”
“Absolutely not! There is no way you are going through this only to face an entire army alone!” Caleb protested, his eyes flashing with determination. “We are all in this together, and we shall see it through to the end.” Taking Eve’s hands, he gazed into her beautiful eyes. “I love you. I thought I had lost you once, and it nearly killed me. Where you go, I go.”
Eve was lost in Caleb’s blue eyes. The words she had been longing to hear for so long had now been said, and with such conviction that it took her breath away. Caleb loved her. Her heart swelled with happiness. “Cal, I…”
“Sorry to have to break this up and all, but the army is getting closer, and we still have to navigate our way through that,” Winter stated, crashing right through the tender moment with a hard dose of reality and pointing to the black and purple mass before them. Blushing to the tips of his ears, Caleb dropped Eve’s hands and muttered something about checking that his pack was secure before he bent down and became very interested in the buckles on his bag.
Eve looked over at Jericho, who was smiling at her. Picking up her own pack, she headed over to the dense plant and began to search for a gap big enough to fit through. Precious moments ticked by as each of them searched for any semblance of a path. Eve knew this plant was an effective barrier; its pulsing brown aura gave a very clear warning.
Suddenly, Winter called everyone’s attention. Finally, she had found a way through, and it looked big enough to allow Jericho to pass through as well. Deciding quickly that Eli would shift into a shrew and scout ahead for them, the rest organised themselves into a line. Gingerly, they began to make their way through the organic barrier.
It was dark within the confines of the weed. Caleb cast some witch fire for each of them. The orbs of blue flame hovered at waist height. The weed looked even more forbidding in the eerie light.
“Remember, try not to touch it. We don’t want it to attack. At the moment, it is tolerating our presence. However, that could change at any time,” Winter reminded them in hushed tones.
“Very comforting, thanks,” Jericho replied, rolling his beetle black eyes to the heavens. He wondered, not for the first
time, how had he ended up in such a motley crew. Eli, for once, was proving his worth; his small form allowed him to shoot ahead and then return and use his tail to direct the group to the next passable section. They were about two-thirds of the way through when Winter suddenly hissed. Everyone stopped immediately. Caleb dropped Eve’s hand and drew his athame.
“We need to pick up the pace. Can you hear that?”
“No… wait, is that thunder?” Caleb asked.
“It’s the army; they are getting closer. We need to move,” Winter hissed back, her fangs partly extended. Shuddering, Jericho gave a low whistle. The next moment Eli appeared, his whiskers twitching.
“The army is getting closer, as no doubt you heard. How much further until we clear this infernal plant?”
Eli gazed up at Jericho. Holding up one tiny paw, he turned tail and scampered off back into the dense plant. Thankfully, they didn’t have to wait long for his return. Eli squeaked to announce his return. Thumping his tail ten times, he then pointed back into the weed.
“That is good news, thank you,” Jericho whispered to Eli and then turned to the others to relay the results of the reconnaissance. “This...” he said, gesturing to the bulbous coils around them, “will cease to be a problem in a few feet.”
Sighing with relief, they all moved forward, following the tail of Eli. Caleb waited until the weed began to thin before extinguishing the orbs. The sound of the army was getting louder, like rolling thunder. Finally, they cleared the weed and breathed the slightly dusty air of the open plane.
“The wall is not far. We need to get as much distance as we can between us and the weed before the army spots us,” Jericho instructed as he tightened his pack and checked his weapons. Agreeing, they all began running towards the wall. Eli had shifted into a raven and was continuing in his role as a scout. He was to call twice when the army was just beyond firing range. The ground was grey and dusty. They had decided not to run on the path; it was in even worse state this side of the weed, and they simply could not afford for someone to trip.
The wall rose up before them. Its complete blackness seemed to suck the very light out of the atmosphere. Half a mile from the imposing portcullis, they heard Eli’s call. Picking up the pace, they ran as if the devil himself was chasing them.
The first volley of arrows peppered the ground three feet behind them, far sooner than they had anticipated. The very ground seemed to vibrate under them as the soulless legions gained on them. More arrows rained down. Their tips were barbed, designed to cause massive internal damage. Caleb cast a shield over the group, but it wouldn’t hold forever, and they still had some distance to go before they reached the portcullis.
The general had his orders, and he followed them to the letter. The enemy was within his sights. Turning to his second in command, he ordered him to take his small contingent and herd the group toward the portcullis.
“You may kill all but the Light Carrier. Go now, our master is waiting for his prize,”
Saluting, the demon broke away from the heaving mass of the army, calling his soldiers to follow. The scorpions they sat astride moved at a terrifying speed, the sway of their massive twin tails adding to their momentum.
“Today we shall claim victory over the light. Show no mercy!” Luranthor shouted to his men, who, in answer, raised their bows and swords.
Eli saw the small group break away from the huge mass of bodies and swooped down towards Jericho; he needed to warn him. Landing a few feet in front of the fierce Miscurt, Eli quickly shifted into his elfin form and ran towards him.
“A small contingent of demons has broken away, and they are heading right for us. There are bowmen and swordsmen, and they are astride scorpions!” he panted, his face a sickly grey colour. He decided right then that if he lived through this, he was becoming a recluse and cultivating flowers. Jericho knew they didn’t have long. Slowing his pace, he ordered everyone into a huddle.
“We will have company very soon, and they out-number us. Now we have to split up. I will hang back and hold them off for as long as I can; the rest of you must head for the entrance,” Jericho explained in a rush.
“I will stay with you. With my ability to shift, I can be a terrible nuisance,” Eli said, surprising everyone. Jericho nodded and was about to break away when Winter also announced that she would stay and hold back the oncoming demons.
“I haven’t had a good fight in quite a while; I need to keep my edge,” she added nonchalantly. Eve was torn. She knew there was a high probability that they would die. She also knew that this was the only chance she would ever have to destroy Nimayaorin and possibly save all of Orea.
Thanking each of them, Eve and Caleb broke away from the huddle. Caleb somehow managed to scoop Eve up and ran for the entrance, his newly acquired Vampire abilities aiding him, and soon enough they were within a few feet of the iron portcullis.
Jericho, Winter, and Eli prepared to face the demons. They all knew they might not live for much longer, but each believed that their sacrifice was worth it. A dust cloud appeared one hundred feet away. Within moments, the first of a dozen scorpions appeared, their black bristly exoskeletons making loud clicking sounds as they ran. The giant pincers, that would cut a creature in half, snapped menacingly. Sat astride them were Demons; their yellowish skin was covered in tufts of black hair and putrid boils. The leader held aloft a huge claymore. Its blade was tarnished with the blood of its many victims. He pointed the blade at the trio and sent up a battle cry.
“By the Goddess, we don’t stand a chance!” Eli squeaked, his eyes out on stalks.
“Now is not the time to lose your nerve! We need you to blind them. Just watch the scorpion tails; one sting would kill a giant,” Winter informed him, lisping slightly as her fangs extended fully. She grinned at him and winked. Taking courage in the fact that he was doing this for the greater good, he shifted into a hummingbird and headed directly for the leader of their would-be assassins.
“If we get through this, remind me to thank you,” Jericho said to Winter. Smiling, she looked over at the Miscurt.
“Don’t worry, I will.”
The battle was fierce. The demon archers fired volleys of barbed tipped arrows. One of them grazed Winter’s left bicep. Thankfully, she healed within moments of it tearing through her flesh. Hissing, she leapt at the archer. Her claws slashed at its chest leaving deep wounds that oozed its defiled blood. Growling in pain, it reached for her. Grabbing hold of her ankle, she was whipped back and forth like a rag doll.
“Jericho… Eli… a little… help,” Winter yelled as she swung about wildly by her ankle, the joint screaming in pain.
“I think I will let Kane here give you a sting. You will be more fun to play with then, little vampire,” the demon chuckled as he held Winter up towards the scorpions’ tail. “Go on, Kane, give her a taste of your venom.”
Kane’s tail swayed hypnotically before Winter, the sharply curved stinger wet with venom. Closing her eyes, Winter waited for the bite of pain and the burn of the toxin. The demon laughed as he shook her. Then there was a whoosh, and the laughing stopped suddenly. Just as Kane thrust his stinger towards Winter, she was dropped. Rolling away from her attacker, she was just in time to watch Kane pierce its demon master’s midsection with such force that the tip burst through his chest, pumping venom over his own head. Winter had never heard a scorpion scream. The sound was shrill and haunting, and she was sure it would torment her dreams for the rest of her existence.
Jericho watched as Winter dropped to the ground and rolled out of harm’s way. His throw had been excellent. His knife had embedded itself to the hilt in the demon’s skull. He had killed eight of the creatures so far, nine including the one that attacked Winter. He had not managed to avoid injury completely. A large slash on his thigh bled freely, and the ground beneath his feet was fast becoming slick with his blood. Thankfully, once the demon was dead, the scorpion turned and fled the battle.
Another mounted demon was headed stra
ight for him, sword held high, its muddy eyes manic with blood lust. Jericho prepared another blade, ready to dispatch the creature, when he was knocked off his feet and into the air. He landed heavily on his shoulder. He heard the sickening crack of it dislocating and then felt the mind-numbing pain that came with such an injury. Clutching his shoulder, he scrambled to his feet. If he were to die, he would face death head-on with a blade in his hand and a smile on his face. The demon who he had aimed for was fighting with Winter. He watched as she sank her claws into its chest and ripped its heart out. Out of the corner of his eye he saw another demon, this time on foot, charging him. Jericho threw his knife, but it was deflected by the sword blade. The demon smiled.
“Is that the best you can do, little mouse?”
Jericho knew he was going to die. He had a few blades left, but with the demon approaching so quickly, it was unlikely he would make the killing blow. Reaching for another blade, he tossed it into the air, watching it spin and summersault. As the perfectly balanced hilt landed in his paw, he threw it with all the force he had at the demon. It sailed through the air. The demon swung his blade to deflect the shot. Its hideous features rearranged themselves from an expression of gloating superiority to one of shock and then pain.
Jericho had known he had little chance of making the head shot, so he had thrown the blade at his opponent’s feet. It was a tricky shot but one he had practiced many times. The now screaming demon was anchored to the dusty ground by his left foot. Walking over to his felled opponent, Jericho unsheathed another blade from his belt, tossing it lightly into the air and catching it as he approached.
