by BJ Hanlon
The last of the trio was shocked and blocked the sword strike, but Edin wasn’t trying to kill with that. As the man parried the blade to the right, Edin spun the staff, catching it between his own arm and ribs and used the leverage of his twisting body to crack the man’s skull.
He carried through and ended up twisting back toward the man behind him. It was Bolvin.
“Archers above,” Horston cried out, at least he thought it was Horston… the voice was weak.
“Reinforcements,” Grent called. Edin stepped back, taking his eyes from Bolvin for a moment. An attacker dropped out of sight with a blood curdling scream.
Grent was attacking four men—he was on the offensive. Dephina was dancing between two more. He couldn’t see Horston or Bliz. He noticed Hail standing in grass fifty yards away just watching.
“Can’t use your wicked powers boy?” The words made Edin look back to Bolvin. The man smiled. “It was I who caught my brother trying spells…”
“I don’t need the talent, slimeball.” He wasn’t sure where the word came from, but the sweat on that half hanging mustache reminded him of a slug curled up beneath a rock.
Edin heard growls, barks, and screams.
His eyes caught a wan stone on the ground a few yards from him. Bolvin stood over it. The man shuffled forward, didn’t step. He swung his blade hard and fast. But not as fast as Grent or even the bandit in the forest.
Edin dodged the strikes. He danced around in a circle until he was over the stone. Bolvin tried a jab. Edin sidestepped, jammed the quarterstaff into Bolvin’s chest with as much strength as he could.
He saw it pierce the man’s chest and then snap off. Blood began to spurt from around the wound as Bolvin dropped to his knees taking the stick with him as if it were part of his body. “Wicked magus…”
Edin bent down and felt a rush of air past his leg. Gripping the stone, it felt cold, but a different kind of cold than the sapphire. He threw it as far as he could.
Suddenly, a small amount of the energy returned, like energy after a shot of coffee. An arrow appeared in his peripheral vision and he immediately tried to twist. The arrow grazed his hip and he felt the instant burning pain.
The men above were well covered. Edin remembered the thought of the knives, he was hesitant then because he’d pass out. But he didn’t the night before.
Edin formed an ethereal knife in his hand as an archer popped out from behind a boulder. Edin threw it. The man barely had a moment to aim when his body nearly exploded backwards. Blood spatter covered a huge swatch of the gray rock. The next leapt out, saw his friend and tried going back. It was too late. The second hit him causing the same reaction.
The weapons began to quiet. Looking over he saw one man left, his eyes darting back and forth between Grent and Blizzard.
There was fear in them. “Please… I’m not a one of them,” the man said, “I’m just–”
Bliz leapt at the man’s legs, gripping around his ankle, the man turned to try and stab his wolf but Grent was there piercing his chest with his blade.
Only Grent, Blizzard, and Dephina stood. Where’d she come from, and where was Master Horston?
He caught the sight of the old man on the ground, blood seeped from his gray robe. “Master Horston!” Edin screamed. He saw Dephina ran up and knelt next to him, her twin blades were covered in blood. A throwing knife bandolier around her chest was half empty.
It was over. Edin began toward Horston when he heard Grent shout. “More coming!” Edin looked up to see dark figures racing toward them on horseback. They were riding hard. He couldn’t tell how many there were, but it was more than twenty, maybe thirty. Dephina looked up at the approaching riders.
Edin looked to the west and felt the rumble on the ground.
He glanced back at Horston. Blood poured from his chest, bubbling with short pops every time he took a breath. “Run,” Grent commanded.
“Master Horston?”
“He’s dead, and all of us will be soon.” Grent wiped his blade clean on a sellsword’s sleeve.
“I can help…” Edin said. He was panting but surprised to notice he wasn’t too exhausted.
“I followed them, they moved from the pass a day ago,” Dephina said. He looked up at the approaching storm of men.
Bliz stood over Master Horston’s body, guarding it. There were only two horses still standing. Hail and Horston’s.
“We can’t outrun them,” Grent said.
“Are they all Por Fen?” Edin asked.
“Yes, and a Justicar leads them. He just arrived from the south,” Dephina said. “I heard its Merik.”
“He was the one that was there… he killed my mother… Kesona,” Edin said. He could feel a small bit of energy coming back. Not enough.
“No… there’s too many. You need to go, we’ll hold them off as long as we can.” Grent said. “In Carrow, search out the harbormaster, find The Castilander. The Captain is named Ashica; he’ll be wary of you, but you’ll need to convince him you are what you are.”
“How? What am I supposed to do?”
“The mountains.” He pointed up the steep slope. “You’re braver than you know. You can handle the heights.”
“Grent… no.”
The guard looked at Dephina, “I love you.”
Surprisingly, she was the one who turned red but walked up and kissed him. “I love you too.” She whispered. “And I will in the next life.”
“No, we can go, we all can escape,” Edin yelled.
Bliz howled.
Grent jumped on the back of Hail. “You don’t mind if I borrow him, do you?” Grent said taking off Edin’s pack and tossing it at his feet. “I should’ve died years ago, I’m glad I’m leaving the Elori-way.”
He gripped Dephina’s hand as she got on the other horse. Grent booted his feet into the stallion as it kicked off at a dead sprint toward the attacking men.
Edin stared, watching his last two friends in this world ride to certain death. His stomach felt like it was in knots and he blinked back tears. He glanced at the Master, his eyes were open, he lived.
“Master,” Edin shouted. The old man’s lips moved slightly.
Edin dropped down next to him. “Master, you live…” Edin said looking at the old man, he remembered him from before these terrible days and realized for the first time how gaunt his face looked. He was as pale as the snow high above them.
“Where is that gruff blotard?” Master Horston asked.
Edin shook his head.
“Then make our lives worth it. I’ve always loved you like a grandson… I still do.”
Edin smiled, it was forced and hurt his cheeks to do so. “I thought grandparents were supposed to spoil their grandkids…”
“The foolish ones do,” Horston said, blood spilling from his mouth.
Tears began to flow down Edin’s cheeks. He’d lost his mother, his tutor, the girl he wanted more than anything… all because of who he was. Now he was going to lose two more people.
“I don’t want anyone to sacrifice for me.”
“You are dumb.” Master Horston smiled, blood pouring through his white teeth. “It wasn’t your choice boy.” Master Horston’s hand came up as if to slap Edin, but Edin caught it. His palm was clammy and then it went limp.
Bliz howled as Edin sat back and held the old man’s hand. He was almost oblivious to the world. Edin let the tears go as they streamed down his face. Bliz barked and snapped him out of his stupor. Edin wiped his face with his sleeve. Slowly, he looked toward the clashing of swords and the screams of men.
Black robed men were falling from their horses as Grent and Dephina dodged between them. They were hundreds of yards away but he could make out the figure of the heroic warrior and his assassin lover fighting for their last stand.
Edin was trained in the blade, he wasn’t useless. He should be there with him, they both could live. Edin stood.
They’d hate him… was he stupid. His heart wanted to go… but
he knew there was no chance he’d live, no chance he’d be able to seek revenge. The Por Fen were the murderers, the monsters… they were the abominations.
A moment later, a group of horsemen peeled off from the melee and charged in his direction. Grent and Dephina were still on their horses.
Edin gritted his teeth and thought of the old man lying dead. His friend, his teacher…
Hatred, something he’d never truly felt before began to course through his veins. He disliked Dexal, didn’t hate him. He didn’t want to kill the man, or the thieves in the forest and even the jeweler’s guard-turned thief.
These were supposed men of a caring church, spiritual men who believed in right and wrong. He’d done nothing wrong and they hunted him half way across the continent. Killed his family.
Edin stopped and stared at the charging warriors. His heart raced and he closed his eyes. He needed to feel it… feel the energy around him.
It grew stronger, seeping into him. He couldn’t see the particles that Horston had spoken of, but he felt them. So many, and he called them in, all of them and let them fill him up. They seemed to rush at him, some twisting in the wind.
Edin looked up and saw the horsemen were much closer. He focused on them, he could see their faces, and all eight of them wore black and their bald heads shinned in the sun.
Bliz stood next to him, growling.
The first fight with crillio cat came into his mind. What stopped the crillio was the same tactic to stop charging armies or cavalry.
Edin called as much strength as he could. The men were fifty yards away.
A slight pulse, his power ebbed. He had only moments before one of their wan stones cut him off. Edin let it out and a long line of spikes flew out of the ground before the horses.
With no idea they were coming, the horses were skewered. His resolve almost sank when he heard their cries.
Like rocks from a trebuchet, the men were flung from their saddles, some still held onto their reins and slammed into the ground, others flew landing barely five yards from Edin. Bones cracked and bodies went limp when they collided with the hard ground.
Edin’s connection to the energy seemed to be instantly severed. His body felt tired and nearly exhausted from the use.
Crying and moaning came from all around him. Edin surveyed the scene, a man rolled around, another tried to stand but collapsed. More of them were motionless, either dead or close to it.
Bliz leapt toward the side and ran to a downed man. Edin heard a scream, then it was silenced.
Edin walked to one of the Rangers clutching his arm. A bloody bone sticking out of his leg. Fixable, the man could live.
Edin raised his sword as the man looked up at him. His eyes showed fear as Edin slowly pushed the blade into the man’s chest, missing the heart but catching the lungs.
“You’ll die like my Master,” Edin said before turning to another zealot. Edin walked over slowly, his hand was too tight on the sword’s grip.
“I have a family,” the man said in a soft whisper, “a wife and baby boy.” His eyes were just as fearful, but they also held a glimpse of sorrow in them.
Edin glanced at his body, he had broken bones, his elbow was bent at an unnatural way and his shoulder seemed dislocated. Blood came from his scalp and ear. “I had a family too… you’re lucky I don’t hunt yours down.”
The man’s eyes widened as Edin stabbed him in the neck. It didn’t matter anymore, it was them or him. An abomination against monsters.
A man finally made it to his feet and wobbled. Edin felt almost the same. The gold badge of a Justicar was on his chest.
Merik? His grin dropped when he saw it wasn’t. Just another Justicar.
The man raised a sword and stared at him.
Edin raised his blade. “You’re not the Justicar I’m looking for… Where’s Merik?”
“I get to the kill abomination...”
“You’re the abomination… you and your entire order. I will end you,” Edin said.
The man grinned, blood slipping between his teeth. He spat red at Edin and tried to charge. He was fast, terrin fast. But he was injured.
Edin dodged his first slash, the man overcompensated, and probably hoping his speed would keep Edin off guard.
It didn’t. Edin left a low slash across his stomach and swung back around, bringing the blade down on the back of his neck. His head popped off and flew toward the mountain.
“Tell the gods, I’m coming for them,” Edin said.
A moment later, Edin heard a yell from far out. Looking up he saw more horses thundering toward him. Behind them lay a pile of bodies, horses and men. He couldn’t see Grent or Dephina, but he was sure they were among them.
Edin wiped a tear, his body was tired… he couldn’t fight anymore and with so many wan stones around, he couldn’t pull the same trick.
Looking at the steep mountain, he wasn’t even sure he could climb it. He ran to his pack and heard Bliz growling at the new attackers.
Edin turned. “Run Bliz… go find your pack.” He tried shooing the dire wolf. “Go.” The animal didn’t move.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw they were getting closer. A few hundred yards. Edin scooped up his pack and threw it over his shoulders. The ham was gone… no food. He found a single waterskin, barely half full. Edin sheathed his sword and looked up.
The air above seemed much colder.
Bliz howled behind him.
Edin glanced at the riders. At the center was the dark eyes and the bald head of the man who pervaded his dreams... helped to murder his family. Justicar Merik.
“Another time,” Edin said quietly and ran to the edge of the mountains. He heard a bark. Edin turned and saw his friend wasn’t following.
“Run, be free.” The wolf didn’t move. “Go,” Edin yelled, “get out of here.”
Bliz looked up at him and then at the approaching men. Bliz turned around and began sprinting into the tall grass. At least one friend would live.
Edin started to climb. He could barely feel his limbs as he pushed nearly straight up, higher and higher. The rumbling grew louder and he could hear random shouts.
“Loose.” Was shouted from one of them.
He didn’t look back. Edin kept going a foot at a time. An arrow hit the rock a half yard from his head. In front of him he saw a ledge. Edin reached it and scrambled up. It was a yard wide and deep. To his left though, was what looked to be a ridge, thin and precarious. Large and small rocks dotted it like nesting birds.
Edin crouched to make himself as small as possible. He climbed, keeping hands on the rock as often as possible. He heard another command of “loose.” Three arrows shot up at him. Edin watched as his hand drifted to the blue stone around his neck. It grew cold, chilling the air around him. He remembered the canal in Frestils.
Edin reached out and the arrows dropped midflight, shattering on the rock face. Far beyond, in the hills, he saw a gray streak in the green grass. Hail.
“I can control water,” Edin said. He felt his powers… they were weak. Edin stared down at the men as they drew again. Four left, the Justicar and three of his friends.
He thought about what Master Horston told him, the basic parts for water were around us at all times. In one of his dreams, he snuffed out the pyre.
He closed his eyes and imagined small dots in the air, beads of water forming small bubbles like rain drops suspended in midair. He felt the water condense into tight balls of ice.
His head thumped, his mind was straining. “Hail,” he whispered.
Edin raised his hands and the ice balls floated up like on a wave in the ocean. He slammed his hands down and watched as the hard projectiles flung themselves down like meteors.
Merik dove toward a corpse as the other men were bashed and all fell to the ground in broken and bloody heaps.
Edin shivered. The cold around him started to bite. He watched the scene for only a moment then began to climb again. The ledge dropped away and he was met
with another incline, steep but with many handholds.
He felt like a draugr. A barely alive version of himself. His vision blurred, his fingers were bloody though he couldn’t feel them. A cold ran deep in his body. Edin crested a small ridge.
His eyes could barely see more than a few yards, though it looked like open air beyond it. Edin collapsed onto his back. His chest heaving.
Edin closed his eyes, he needed a rest. He was out of the reach of the Por Fen for now, but for the first time Edin was on his own.
Also by B J Hanlon
Link to next book if available or date it will be available or you can check out the ‘site or my Amazon page!
The Timeless Keep Releases 4/15/19
The Isle of MistsReleases 5/27/19
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Woo! That was exciting wasn’t it? Well I know you know the adventure isn’t over just yet. Edin continues on, but first, before delving into the next book, please do me a favor.
*Put on somber face*
I am an independent author with no access to the big publishing mechanisms that drive people to the top of best seller lists and buy them luxury boats or whatever rich people do… I do have you though. My readers and hopefully friends. If you could just do me a favor and write a review for me, I’d be super grateful. Just overwhelmed with the amount of grates.
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BJ
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