by Sanders, Dan
The afternoon wore on and the sun glared a red eye over the bloodied and scorched plains. The giant fire-ants quickly overran the confederation soldiers, with many soldiers fleeing into the river for safety, only to be shot by the crystal shafts of the CIS soldiers.
Bevan rose in the air leaving Daimon in his deadly but ultimately futile assault on the Paytah. Bevan couldn’t see Lupi anywhere. Was she—? He couldn’t finish the thought.
Kato chased down the Paytah with speed and ferocity, while protecting hundreds of soldiers with her fire shield.
Hope drained from Bevan’s heart. His knuckles were white with anger at failing to hold the tide. His army was no match for Torek’s dark control. How was he accomplishing such a feat?
In a futile attempt Bevan commanded his sky-chariot to reach the clouds. A smoky wind buffeted his hair. He pointed his Reven blade towards the Annwynian sun and channeled his mind’s power through his ancient gift. His mind Thoughtscreamed into the vast reaches of Annwyn, “Agramond, where do you fly? The land is in need!”
To the rock people, Bevan roared, “Reven, rise up and defend the Treebith, the tortured beings of Earth Lore. They are your kin.”
And to Sabina he left his final cry, “Sabinalel, one of water AND land, have you and your Styx forsaken us? The defence of your land needs you.”
Bevan slumped in his sky-chariot from the mental exertion of the Thoughtshout, and the blistering sun dried his numb skin. His sky chariot drifted among the clouds that closed around him.
Through the cries and clicking of the Paytahs’ deadly assault, Bevan heard another sound. A song drifted on the winds, caressing his ears. Hope rose in his heart. He leaned on the wall of his chariot and saw a swarm of Agramond riding on clouds, the late sun sparkling off their gossamer wings, carried by raging winds as the engine that drove them to Bevan’s aid. He couldn’t believe his eyes. Gliding on either side of the Air-Elves came a flock of a dozen giant white eagles, the sun glinting off their golden beaks and golden claws, their wing spans as large as the clouds the Agramond called their home.
His heart lifted. He wiped his dry mouth. He leaned into his sky-chariot and rocketed across the sky and away from the battle. As he drew closer he saw Lupi standing on an angry cloud next to an aged Agramond in purple silky robes with golden wings and silver hair. The Queen herself had come in the land’s darkest hour.
Chapter 48
The Agramond Lend A Hand
HAVENDEL–Eostra’s City
ANNWYN
When Emily heard from Rupurt that the Agramond had arrived and were accompanied by the Fistur, a plan developed in her mind.
In order to distract Rupurt, Emily asked him to find Elleran, but he told her the Melder was leading the Ibaloth mind shield and couldn’t be disturbed. She then asked Rupurt to fetch the Ibendari general as she wanted an update on the status of the battlefield. This was the truth. She was desperate to find out news of her fellow companions of the Circle. She had hopped on and off the great Annwyn Map table more times than she could count, and she thought that was a pretty large number. Rupurt sternly told her she would have to be satisfied with the reports she already had, as the whereabouts of the general was not known.
In the end, Emily decided a more direct approach with Rupurt was required. She asked him to take her to the battlement on top of the wall facing the Galdiel Plains. She said she needed to see for herself or she would collapse from worry. He reluctantly agreed and took her to the parapet.
Nothing could have prepared her for what she saw. The red sun had begun to sink, and a grey yellow haze hung on the land like a sickness. Gone was the pristine grassy carpet of Galdiel; it had been replaced by bodies and blood and molten rock. Gone were the sweet smells and gentle breeze from the Filderma River. The air stank of sulphur and charred flesh. The land had been laid waste. She hopped up and down in anger at the sight of the burnt Treebith, their branches and roots lying in mangled pieces next to their charred bodies. It was just like the destruction of Alendi. Darkness and disharmony was on their doorstep.
“Where are the Agramond?” she yelled at Rupurt.
Rupurt pointed to the clouds above. Her heart sank further. What looked like ashes floating on currents of air were the specks of the Agramond in fervent battle with the Faoir.
“We have to help them,” she cried. She wanted to heal them, give them hope, something.
“We must stay here, Emily. You know the risk is too great for you out there. You will draw attention from the dark Melders.”
“I won’t,” Emily argued, but she was afraid her little blue friend was right. A fireball exploded in the distance. Two specks of blue ash floated to the ground. They were Agramond falling from the sky.
That’s it, she thought. She crossed her paws and reached out in Thoughtspeak. “Arun, mighty Fistur, it is I, Eama. Are you there?”
An excited reply bounced into Emily’s mind. “Eama, I am in the clouds with my brood. I await your instruction, as Melder Whiteoak gave my service to you and none other.”
For a moment she thought it strange he would be so specific, but was too excited to give it more than a passing thought.
“Fistur, I am on the great parapet guarding Havendel. Don’t be seen, and hurry.”
Emily kept the mind link to her eagle open, and when she knew the Fistur was directly above the wall but high in the clouds she distracted Rupurt. “Rupurt, what is that on the other side of the wall? Is that the Ibendari general near the lake?”
When Rupurt hopped over to the other side of the wall to investigate, Emily signalled for Arun to dive to her level. She bounded in one of her giant leaps out into the sky expecting the giant eagle to catch her. She held her breath and stretched. It felt like flying. She ignored Rupurt’s screams at her. She couldn’t see the Fistur. Her flight ended, she paused and started the descent to the rocky ground below. Her heart raced. Thoughts of death had filled her mind when suddenly she thumped onto Arun’s white back and rose rapidly into the air.
Emily turned and waved to Rupurt with a smile of apology. With only a nudge of Emily’s thought the young giant eagle took her into battle.
In a few powerful strokes, they reached the highest clouds where the last light of day streaked across the pink sky. Emily was puzzled at first until she realised what the other giant eagles were doing. In a dazzling display of accuracy, the white hunters with golden beaks would wait for the right moment before attacking the Paytah, as if hunting for food. Their golden razor talons and blistering speed would crack open the red and black shell of the deadly fire-ants, exploding in a fist of latent fire energy, before swooping away to rise on the smoky winds to repeat their attack. Emily was thrilled until she realised the handful of Fistur were no match against the thousands of fire-ants clicking across the carpet of confederation soldiers.
Using Assumation Emily connected into Arun’s mind. The power of the Exotic eagle’s eyes instantly became hers. She could watch what was happening with ease. The plains of Galdiel flickered with red light from the explosions of raw energy that dripped from the sky.
Bevan’s strategy of splitting the Agramond into three legions was working. One wing of the Agramond took the Adros-made crystal bombs and rained pure light-blue energy onto the soldiers and fire-ants.
Another legion of Air-Elves directly battled with the Faoir. Against the darkening backdrop of night, Emily saw the Faoir with their long red wings and ruby hair angrily swarming in packs, shooting bolts of fire at the smaller Agramond. The Air-Elves marshalled walls of air in their defence, trying not to harm their enemies.
Confusion reigned. Faoir were torn between their attack on the Agramond and defending the ancient beasts of the underworld.
Emily saw Kato streak across the battle lines. Nearly as large as a single Paytah, but with the speed of fire, she would pounce on a fire-ant and sink her teeth into the thin join between head and body, ripping off the offending weapon with a swift flick of her head.
With su
nbeam precision, Emily scanned the skies for Lupi. Closing her eyes and reaching out with her mind, Emily Thoughtspoke Lupi.“Lupi, where are you?”
“Emily?”
“Yes.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“I’ll be careful. I’ll stay up here out of the way of the battle.”
“Stay away… I mean it,” Lupi puffed.“Don’t make me come and get you.”
Using Lupi’s Thoughtspeak connection, Emily quickly located her companion. Lupi was zooming across the ground in the aid of a Fistur under attack. A trio of Paytah had pounced on one of the young Exotic eagles who had fallen to the ground from a Faoir fire-blast. Climbing across the back of the magnificent being, the fire-ants were using their razor-sharp mandibles to bite off its wings.
Without missing a wing-beat, Lupi wove her fingers in the air and created a huge swirling mallet of compressed air. Her deadly aim smacked one of the ants high across the chaotic field of soldiers.
The two remaining ants turned on Lupi, their clicking jaws and screams of anger searching for the Air-Elf. Daimon swooped from his sky-chariot and in a scream of protective camaraderie, hurled his glowing CBlade across the field into the back of one of the fire-ants. The ant exploded in a burst of sapphire lava. The CBlade glided across the air and back into its master’s outstretched hand. A grateful Lupi recast her air mallet, crunching it into the face of the remaining Paytah. Its screeching head imploded into its own body.
Emily dived like a bullet through the clouds, levelling out when she reached the floor of the battle. Gliding across the rubble of bodies she found the muddied feathers of the dying eagle. Emily immediately knew the damage had been done. She felt the being’s pain. Her heart sank and tears burned her eyes. She hopped onto the twitching Fistur. Gold blood oozed from the wing that clung half-dangling next to the body. Her golden beak lay on the flattened grassy ground. The eagle bravely lifted her head and looked at Emily before letting it fall to the earth. Without thinking Emily placed her paws on its wing and reached her mind out to the giant eagle, into her body, ignoring the screams for help from the soldiers around her.
Emily’s mind saw a new enemy. The fiery poison from the Paytah was like liquid lava, alive, eating at the edges of the Fistur’s wing, weaving its way into her massive feathered body. Emily laid her head on the wing, spread her paws across the huge feathers, and pictured the elements. She was the symbol of spring and this was her calling, to give new life.
Remembering Sabina’s instruction, and all she had learned while on the magical world, Emily drew power from the energy around her; first the Fire Lore, the good, uncorrupted Fire Lore, and thrust it against the corruption killing her new friend. The red enemy retreated, healing itself. Emboldened, Emily reached out with her mind to the ground, ancient Earth Lore and then she reached out to the air to heal the bones. Slowly her mind’s eye watched the particles of the bones and sinews and blood close and join. She watched as she breathed life into the newly formed wing.
She felt the pain from her patient recede into a dull ache. Exhausted, Emily withdrew, patted the young Fistur’s wing and hopped back onto Arun. The young Fistur trembled with its new wing. It fluttered and scraped back onto its claws. In a single swipe and eagle screech it disappeared into the orange-blinking night sky.
“Thank you, Eama,” Arun Thoughtspoke Emily.
Lupi beamed at Emily, just as the Agramond used her air-mallet to explode another Paytah into the night.
Emily didn’t have time to thank Arun as she was suddenly set upon by a wave of Faoir who had recognised the Chosen One in their midst.
Arun flew away with all his might, tilting and winding on air currents, losing the Faoir under the cover of an ashen cloud. Emily heard the screams from the Faoir gleefully revelling at Emily’s involvement in the war.
“You have been exposed, Emily,” Bevan Thoughtspoke her. “You must return to Kalen-Na now.”
“Didn’t you see what I just did?” Emily Thoughtshouted back. “I can help. I can heal.”
“There are too many and the risk too great.”
“He’s right,” Lupi called to Emily.
Hovering on a wind gust, Emily used her eagle eyes to examine the fluttering lights of the battlefield below.
At first she couldn’t believe her eyes, or Arun’s eyes as they now were. Coming from the south-west of the plains were seven Reven, their stony bodies like small moving mountains. Her heart soared. They were the Reven from Storven. She had known them.
Emily screamed in Thoughtspoke to the Circle, “Beven, the Reven heed your call. They are at the western edge of the battle.”
“By the winds of Arwin, there is hope,” Lupi said.
Emily watched as the ground rumbled under each step of the giant Exotic beings. The Faoir momentarily stopped in mid-flight when they saw the rock beings enter the fray. With a single swipe of an arm, a Reven would brush aside two fire-ants. When ants climbed on a Reven, giant stony arms ripped the Paytah in half, and tossed it aside.
Even the tormented fire blasts from the Paytah were simply absorbed by the ancient beings of Rock Lore. Two of the Reven absorbed such vast quantities of fire, they glowed a dull red, shining beacons of Exotic victory.
In a surprise move, two Reven split from the group and marched to the back of the field, close to Havendel, and collected the charred bodies of their Earth Lore comrades.
“What are they doing?” Emily Thoughspoke Kato.
“They are collecting their companions of Earth Lore.” Kato was moved by their actions. “Their bond is beyond this battle.”
The success of the Reven buoyed the spirits of the confederation army and their Exotic companions. With renewed vigour they joined with the Reven in forming an impenetrable front line against their enemy.
As the battle paused and the night blackness grew, Emily joined the two Reven in collecting parts of the Treebith, using Arun as a vehicle for ferrying parts back into the gates of Havendel. Bevan dispatched a battalion of soldiers to carry the bodies of confederation soldiers to be rejoined in dignity.
Tiredness ached Emily’s bones. She lay down on Arun. He gently rose into the clouds on the evening gusts of air, letting her rest in safety. The Fistur she had healed hovered on neighbouring clouds in readiness to protect her healer. Emily leaned over the basket and watched events unfold.
The remaining soldiers hustled on the plains, their crystal shields lighting the darkness with a multicoloured hue.
Emily extended her gaze into the other side of the plains and noticed the Paytah seemed confused, blasting each other, even their new masters the Faoir, with balls of fire.
She saw Daimon hovering with Bevan and the Ibendari general. She Thoughtspoke Bevan.“What’s wrong with the Paytah?”
“They are controlled by the Faoir. They are losing their hold, and that scares them.”
“Why?”
“Under no master, the Paytah will turn on them. They hold no real allegiance in this battle.”
Emily’s weary heart beat a little faster. She watched the Reven force the Paytah back on themselves in panic. The Faoir leader, a man with glowing eyes and jewelled vest, ducked a wild fire-blast from an attacking Paytah.
Just as Emily thought she could head back to Havendel for much needed sleep before her final task, she saw one of the Reven sink into the ground.
“Beven, look, the Reven.”
Bevan and Daimon glanced across and saw the Reven press its arms on the ground to prevent itself from sinking into a growing pool of quicksand.
“What’s happening?” Emily yelled into the air about her.
“It is the Zerali,” Arun said. “Turn your gaze to the western edge.”
Emily connected to Arun’s vision and saw the danger. Hundreds of Zerali mud people rose from the battered earth and created swirling pools of quicksand. They would momentarily vanish only to reappear to create another pool. Soldiers were drawn in by the dozen, gurgling as their faces and glowing s
hields disappeared out of the night.
Bevan and Daimon swarmed around the Reven, trying to slice into the Zerali, only to find the mud creatures reform before their eyes. They had experienced this before.
“Emily,” Bevan Thoughtshouted, “Get the Fistur to lift the Reven off the ground.”
“What?” Emily said, “Supposing we could, where do we put them?”
“Into Havendel.”
“You’re mad. Without the Reven we would be—”
“Do it!”
Emily swept around the skies, gathering the Fistur in groups of three. Using vines wrapped around the Fisturs’ golden claws, they eventually succeeded in lifting the gargantuan rock beings just off the ground.
The Faoir were emboldened by the unexpected support from the Zerali and rallied their control of the Paytah. Within minutes, the confederation army was completely overrun by the Paytah and the CIS armies.
The Ibendari general retreated his armies in defeat. Emily’s heart sank. She realised their worst nightmare had happened. The glowing sky-chariots of Bevan and Daimon frantically bobbed around the inky battlefield.
Emily didn’t know what to do. Rather than be taken inside Havendel, the Reven demanded to be placed at the foot of the great Havendel wall, away from the advancing armies. They stood guard, ready for the final confrontation.
Bevan yelled to the confederation armies in Thoughtspeak, “We have been bested. We held on valiantly, with the morning sun only hours away. Confederation armies, hold fast to the end. To the members of the Circle, you must report in the Celestial Room of Kalen-Na.”
Emily was angry at how close they had come. Sitting on the clouds she saw the first stirrings of the new dawn. She let her mind roam free for a moment, to touch the land, and she felt a surge more powerful than she had ever felt. It was rising with the dawn. The land was urging her to touch Eostra’s Egg, calling her to connect it to the Earth.
Just then she felt something else. She turned her eyes across to the western skies and saw a light surging along the Fildermur River. As it drew closer, she realised who it was.
