The Heart of Trelyssia

by Lisa Chitty

  ‘He shouldn’t even have been fighting. He never fought before we came here.’ Steve’s turbulent emotions had now turned to anger. He gazed down at his friend, the fight between the Baron and Abi temporarily forgotten by all of them.

  Randall looked at Steve and wondered if he could tell him the awful truth. That James had died coming to the aid of Steve. He sighed. There wasn’t any point in telling Steve that. He was upset enough as it was that James was dead he didn’t need to make thing any worse. To try and distract himself he turned his attention back to where Abi and the Baron were fighting and what he saw made his jaw drop.

  ‘What the…?’ Randall was so astounded he couldn’t find any words to convey his amazement at what was happening.

  The others all looked up to see what had attracted Randall’s attention. They all saw a myriad of objects being hurled at the Baron, but could not make out where they were coming from.

  Sasket was the first to realise what was happening. ‘She’s learned magic!’ he gasped.

  ‘That’s impossible!’ Zaria responded. ‘You don’t suddenly learn how to use magic. It’s something you’re born with.’

  ‘Usually,’ Sasket agreed. ‘Or she has found a talisman that enables her to use magic.’

  Zaria’s eyes widened as she looked at Sasket. ‘The amulet,’ she breathed.

  ‘Does it really matter?’ Steve interrupted. ‘It’s fairly obvious she now has a new talent. Lets hope that she knows how to use it well enough to make the Baron pay for what he did to James.’

  ‘Does Abi know that James is dead?’ Zaria asked Randall softly.

  Randall turned to look down at her. ‘She appeared almost immediately after the Baron struck James down, so we’re assuming she knows.’

  Tears shone in Zaria’s eyes as she gazed up at Randall. ‘Poor Abi. She must have thought that she and James would be back together, and then this.’ She gestured towards James.

  Randall just nodded. He could see the irony of the situation all too well. For James to die just as Abi reappeared back on the scene was too awful for words.

  As there was nothing more to say for now, they all turned their attention back to what was happening. Sasket, Zaria and Steve had to strain to see what was happening as a large crowd had now gathered to watch the outcome of this epic struggle. Randall however, due to his height, had no trouble seeing over the heads of everyone to watch the action in front of him.

  The four of them could have moved to find a better spot to watch from. The rebel forces would have certainly let the four of them through. However, there was no way that Steve or Randall were going to move from the side of their fallen friend, and Zaria and Sasket felt with all that they owed them that they had to stay as well.

  Now that Abi was using magic to help her, things were looking a lot better. It seemed that Abi would now have the upper hand, but as they all watched, mesmerised, they soon realised that it wasn’t the case. Abi was no longer the hugely disadvantaged combatant. But neither was she better than the Baron. It was very clear that they were now watching a battle between two people who were so evenly matched that there was no choosing between them.

  ‘There’s got to be something that we can do!’ Randall was desperate to try and help in any way he could. ‘If we leave things as they are, they’re not going to get anywhere.’

  ‘So lets join in!’ Steve reached for his sword and shield, picking them up from where he had dropped them earlier.

  ‘No!’ Sasket and Zaria cried together, going to restrain Steve.

  ‘We have to!’ Steve struggled against the pair of them. ‘The Baron has to be defeated. Abi’s doing her best, but it’s just not enough.’ All Steve could think of was that James had to be avenged somehow.

  ‘I don’t think we can,’ Sasket told Steve. ‘Don’t you think it odd that no one had gone to the aid of the Baron? Usually his personal guard would never have allowed things to go as far as they have. The Baron is in danger, and they’re just watching.’

  Steve turned to look around him. Sasket was right. The Baron’s forces were doing what the rebel army was. They were watching the battle, weapons sheathed. Everyone was leaving it for the Baron and Abi to sort this all out between them.

  ‘But there has to be something we can do. We started all this together, so surely we should end it together.’ Steve was pleading helplessly, knowing deep down that Sasket was right. He turned to look at Randall, perhaps to get some support, but Randall’s attention was very clearly elsewhere.

  Like Steve, Randall was thinking that there must be something that he could do to assist, but what? He pursed his lips thoughtfully and turned his attention away from the struggle and to his surroundings instead. As he did so, his eye fell on the bow and quiver of arrows that Zaria had abandoned earlier when she had come over to them. He hadn’t been that good on the training grounds., but what about now, when the stakes were higher?

  He turned back to where the Baron and Abi were still desperately trying to seek an advantage over the other and measured the distance with his eye. It wasn’t that far, he had the added bonus of his height, and he wouldn’t be directly interfering really, as he would fire the arrow from where he was standing.

  Before he could think about it anymore, he made his decision. Quickly he picked up Zaria’s bow, knocked an arrow on the string and raised it.

  ‘Randall, no!’ Zaria had seen Randall’s movement out of the corner of her eye. ‘You could miss and hurt Abi!’

  But Randall wasn’t listening. Everything seemed to go silent as he drew back the bow and aimed right for the Baron. He knew that it wasn’t going to be an easy shot and he would only have the one chance, but he was ready. He took a deep breath, held it, then released the bow string.

  Zaria and Sasket watched the flight of the arrow with horror, whilst Steve stood silently egging it on. Only Randall was calm. He looked on, and it seemed that time had slowed down as the arrow flew silently on towards its destination. A small thud marked the end of its passage, and Randall smiled with satisfaction as he noted that the arrow had hit home and struck the Baron. The Baron stared at the arrow suddenly sprouting from his left arm and it was enough of a shock to him that as his horse skipped underneath him, he fell from the saddle. Abi now had the edge that she so urgently needed.

  * * *

  Abi was struggling, but she could see that the Baron was too. Now that she had evened up the imbalance between them with her use of the amulet, they had reached a stalemate. Neither of them could gain an advantage over the other and they also appeared to be tiring at the same rate.

  Abi was desperately searching every part of her mind for a solution when the miracle she was hoping for occurred. Abi was just taking a swing at the Baron, trying to unbalance him, when an arrow suddenly appeared, embedded in the Baron’s arm. It had managed to hit home, just where there was a small gap in the Baron’s armour. The position in the saddle that he had taken defending himself from Abi, combined with the force of the arrow hitting him, knocked him from the saddle. Abi now had the advantage that was so vital to her if she was going to win.

  Quick as a flash Abi used the flat of her blade to hit the Baron’s horse on his quarters and send him away. The Baron had been quick to get to his feet after he had fallen and was now facing Abi, sword ready, waiting for her next move. She towered over the Baron urging her mount forward, certain that now he was on the ground she would have the clear advantage. However, this wasn’t the case.

  Abi had the height but she didn’t have the reach to aim at the Baron properly. To make matters worse, the Baron had changed his tactics. He had realised that he wouldn’t be able to get close to Abi without placing himself in danger, so he no longer concentrated on her. He attacked Abi’s horse instead.

  Abi tried for a while to stay on, but the Baron was making his strikes hit home. She was able to use the amulet to some extent to deflect some of the blows, but not by enough. Before long her horse was bleeding from his chest and flanks and A
bi couldn’t bear the sight. She had formed a strong partnership with her mount and to see him like this was too upsetting. She made a quick decision and swiftly turned the horse away from the Baron towards the edge of their battle area. Abi jumped off him and turned back to face the Baron. There was a grin on his face again as he saw that Abi was on the ground, giving her advantage away.

  They walked slowly towards one another to the centre of the circle that had formed around them. Abi held her sword loosely, her eyes never leaving the Baron, waiting for his next move. Although it now appeared they were once again on an even keel, neither of them was that keen to attack the other. This was, after all, a fight to the death, which neither of them wanted to lose.

  Eventually, it was the Baron who struck first. To test how Abi moved on the ground he had shifted himself quickly, going for one side of Abi but at the last moment going for her other side, trying to gauge her reactions. Visions of Abi’s sparring sessions with Theldon came back to her as she fought the Baron off. Even with the amulet, she still wasn’t that good and she could see the Baron realise this. To really test her, he attacked again quickly, and this time his sword hit home. It glanced off Abi’s chain mail, so not really causing much harm. But what surprised her was that it had lacked the strength of his earlier attacks. Abi backed off and studied him for a moment and then it dawned on her. The arrow was still embedded in his left arm and it was causing him enough pain that he was unable to use it. His earlier efforts had been two handed. Now he could only use one.

  Using this information Abi began to retaliate, aiming mainly for his damaged arm. She began to hit him more frequently and as her confidence in her abilities grew, her swordsmanship improved. Each attack she mounted did more damage, but she wasn’t the only one scoring direct hits. The Baron had aimed several blows at her that had connected and she could feel bruises forming under her chain mail. This fight needed to end quickly before Abi became too tired or hurt to defend herself.

  Abi had tried a couple of times earlier on to get the Baron’s sword from his hand using the amulet, but it had been to no avail. She hadn’t been able to concentrate hard enough and he had been very determined not to be parted from his blade. The only way she was going to get him to drop his sword was to physically remove it, so that meant using her own weapon to achieve this.

  Abi switched her attack, using both hands on her sword and aiming at his right arm. She hit him a couple of times but not where she needed to. However, for the first time since Abi had seen him, she saw fear in his eyes. Abi pressed home her advantage, driving him backwards until he made a small defensive error. Seeing her opening, she used the amulet to increase the power behind her strike. Abi brought her sword crashing down on his lower arm. The force of her blow made his hand numb, and Abi saw the Baron’s grip loosen. Abi quickly aimed again, this time at his sword and as their blades connected, his nerveless fingers let go and his sword tumbled to the ground.

  Abi now had to keep him away from his weapon so she attacked and moved round, positioning herself between the Baron and his sword. He was now totally at her mercy, but she still needed to find a way to deliver the mortal blow that would end all this.

  The Baron was running round, trying to dodge Abi and get into a position so that he could regain his sword. Watching him do this, Abi became exasperated. All she wanted was for him to stand still. She was tiring and knew she didn’t have the strength, even using the amulet to stop him in his tracks. But now that he was in fear of his life, Abi was prepared to do something else. Something that would be less taxing and more likely to work.

  The battleground was littered with various discarded items, including arrows that had missed their mark. Using the amulet, Abi selected an arrow and levitated it into position between the Baron’s feet. Her hope was that the arrow would trip him, but instead, it broke under the pressure of him trying to run. Abi bit back a sigh of frustration and determined to try again. She looked carefully around her, and saw a shorter, much stouter arrow. This time, she worked quicker, and as she used the amulet to thrust the arrow into position, the Baron’s legs tangled round it, and he fell over.

  Abi quickly walked over and stood over the Baron as he rolled over onto his back to look her in the face. She lightly rested the tip of her sword at the base of his exposed throat. But standing over him, lying so defenceless beneath her, Abi now lacked the impulsion to finish it.

  ‘What are you waiting for?’ the Baron asked Abi. ‘One more strike with your sword is all it’s going to take.’

  Abi said nothing, not sure what to do. Earlier she had been completely prepared to kill this man who she had now conquered, but now that the moment had come, she didn’t have the courage to go through with it. Abi stepped back a fraction lifting her sword slightly from his throat. The Baron shifted away a little, but Abi didn’t object, as she was still unsure of how to proceed.

  ‘You don’t need to kill me. We could end this peacefully. You could take me prisoner instead.’ The Baron attempted to negotiate for his life.

  Abi still hesitated, and seeing this, the Baron made a bold and quick move. He got onto his knees, and spread his hands out by his sides, palm upwards, as Abi took a step back.

  ‘Look, I have nothing that could harm you. You’ve won, fair and square, I admit that. You have a weapon. I don’t. It couldn’t be easier to end this now, by taking me captive.’

  There was merit to the Baron’s words, and it was a far more appealing option than killing him. Abi began to lower her sword, to accept his surrender, when suddenly the amulet on her chest grew warm once again and her head was filled with images. They were all unpleasant, and featured people being butchered by armed guards, homes set on fire and the people cast out. There were scenes of torture and other atrocities, too terrible to mention, and Abi realised that the amulet was showing her what this man in front of her had been personally responsible for. Not just him either, but the men who had come before him, right back to when the throne had first been usurped.

  Abi was filled with horror and disgust and wanted to make this man pay for his evil deeds. But she still could not bring herself to deliver the final blow. So the amulet showed Abi one last image. It was of James, standing by the Baron’s horse, looking up as the Baron swung his sword, and then James crumpling to the ground. Over and over the amulet played this image in Abi’s head, until she could bear it no more. The only way to stop it was to give the man in front of her the ultimate punishment.

  As Abi realised this the replay stopped and she was able to focus on the evil man kneeling before her as though to ask for forgiveness. Abi suddenly knew that he didn’t mean it and anger consumed her as she looked down at the Baron. Her grip on her sword tightened and she brought her left hand round so that she was now holding it with both hands. Adrenalin filled her veins and pounded through her head. The amulet blazed under Abi’s chain mail, until everyone surrounding them could see its light. It consumed Abi and it appeared as a glowing nimbus around her, turning her at last into the true Fiery Woman of the legends.

  Abi lifted the sword until it was on a level with the Baron’s neck, and gathering all the power in the amulet she brought the mighty sword round, which also blazed with the amulet’s light. With one easy blow, the sword sliced through the neck of the Baron and beheaded him. It was now over, and the rebel army had won.

  * * *

  Abi was dimly aware of cheers from all around her, but she couldn’t take anything in. All she could do was stare down at the body of the Baron and the growing pool of blood that was coming from his neck. She had just slain someone and she wasn’t enjoying the sensation of being a killer. The rebel army might be happy, but right now Abi couldn’t share their joy.

  She felt a touch on her arm and turned round to find Theldon next to her. ‘Where have you been?’ she asked him.

  ‘On the sidelines, making sure that no one interrupted your fight with the Baron.’ Theldon smiled gently at Abi.

  She thought for a moment
before replying. ‘The circle around us. That no one crossed You created that?’

  Theldon nodded. ‘I made sure that you had enough clear space and no one could break through.’

  A frown crossed Abi’s face. ‘But what about the arrow? How did that get through?’

  Theldon grinned wickedly. ‘I was helping you, not the Baron. I wasn’t going to worry about the arrow killing the Baron.’ Theldon paused. ‘Good job it didn’t hit you though.’

  Abi smiled weakly back, but as her gaze once more dropped to the Baron’s dismembered body, she felt sick and her smile faded.

  ‘I think we should leave here,’ Theldon said. ‘After all, there are some people who really want to see you again.’

  Abi nodded her agreement. She did want to get back to Steve and Randall, but more than anything else she wanted to find out how James was. Abi looked up and found that she and Theldon were surrounded and it didn’t look like the crowds were going to let them go anywhere. There was only one way they were going to get away. Abi grasped Theldon’s arm, briefly concentrated, and translocated them to where she had last seen James.

  They landed inches away from where Randall was stood, who stumbled back, shocked by the sudden appearance of Theldon and Abi. He recovered quickly and once he realised who they were he stepped forward and swept Abi into an embrace.

  ‘We thought you were dead,’ he whispered against her hair, holding Abi very tightly.

  ‘I know, I’m sorry’ Abi murmured.

  Randall dropped his arms from round her, pushed Abi back slightly and then grasped her shoulders. He gave her a light shake. ‘How could you deceive us like that?’

  Theldon grabbed Randall’s arm. ‘Stop! It wasn’t her fault. She didn’t want to lie to you, but it had to be that way.’

  Randall stood looking from Abi to Theldon, testing the truth of Theldon’s words. He sighed and pulled Abi back into a hug. ‘I’m sorry. Everything is just a bit fraught at the moment.’