Pain lanced through her as she felt something draw power from her. Frantically, Jala searched the field beyond trying to spot who was siphoning from her. Another wave of pain followed quickly by another nearly sent her tumbling from her horse and spoiled her next spell. With a snarl, Jala wrapped her hand tightly around the magic filled staff and drew enough power to try to shield herself. She had barely managed to get the spellshield up when the next wave hit her and shattered her shield as if it were nothing more than a child’s attempt at magic. No matter how hard she searched, Jala could not spot her assailants and she knew by the frequency of the attacks there was far more than one. “Seth,” Jala gasped as the assault came again, latching onto her like leeches rather than the quick fleeting attacks they had begun with. She wasn’t sure if Seth would answer her call but her desperation was growing. They had sensed her weakening strength and were moving in for the kill.
A flash of black feathers drew her eye and Seth rose from a crouch beside her. “Magebreakers,” he informed her as he settled beside her horse.
“Kill them please,” Jala begged. She had to drain the staff just to manage enough strength to remain sitting. Neph had warned her about Magebreakers in their lessons. They were specially trained mages that honed their talents for the singular purpose of killing any who worked magic.
“I will do what I can,” Seth promised her as he disappeared into the chaos of the fighting beyond him.
Jala take my strength until he finds them, Marrow commanded, his voice sounding desperate in her mind.
Shaking her head, Jala gazed upward, her eyes locking on the one thing she knew that held more power than even a trained company of Magebreakers could handle. Slowly she dismounted from her horse and stepped away from the gelding, her gaze still fixed above her. Do you remember when you spoke of my family's gift, Marrow? You said it was what they wished for that brought them low, Jala began, the idea blooming further in her mind.
Jala now is not the time to test such theories. Drain my power and let Seth deal with them, Marrow’s voice was desperate as he tried to force his strength through the bond toward her.
It wouldn’t be enough Marrow. And despite my wishes, Seth will never reach them all in time. There are too many, Jala said softly as she stretched her hand up above her head toward the distant sky. “I wish I could save every man woman and beast that fights on my behalf today,” she whispered as her outstretched magic reached her target. Pain ripped through her entire body as she drew power from the Barrier surrounding Sanctuary. She felt the Magebreakers desperately trying to pull back from her and latched onto their magic, refusing to let them escape. Roaring filled her ears as she channeled the raw power through her. The pain reached agonizing levels and she felt the Magebreakers fall one by one from the force of the magic she channeled into them. A scream burst from her lips, as the agony grew and she struggled to regain her focus through the blinding pain. With sharp gasps she extended her sight over the battlefield and sent healing magic pouring over her people and allies. The pain lessoned as her spell drew some of the power from her body then returned two fold as the full strength of the Barriers magic crashed down on her once again. In essence the Barrier itself was like Barllen and the power it held had been building since the creation of Sanctuary. Laughter bubbled in her throat as her mind frayed from the pain. “You will not win!” Jala screamed her defiance as the pain became blinding. Calling on her magic she lifted her hands before her and sent death hurling down on the Rivasan forces. Dimly she noticed the ragged breaks in her skin and the bright light shining just beneath. Her body was failing and she didn’t have long left. She was channeling more magic than her flesh could contain.
“Jala!” Valor’s voice rose above the roar of magic in her ears and she watched as Noble and Havoc struggled to restrain him before he could reach her. “Jala!” He screamed again.
“Valor,” Jala breathed as the pain rose again and her body convulsed as the power ripped her apart from the inside. Raising her hands once more she cast a final spell over her people urging the souls of the fallen to rise once more. “Sorry, Finn, but they aren’t done here yet, either.” She whispered the final words as her world dissolved into blinding white light.
Jala had expected to find herself in Finn’s hall once more. Instead, the world around her was bright with light and nearly blinding. Echoes of voices rose around her and she stared in wonder at the countless threads of magic that wove through the air surrounding her like thousands of spider webs. Hesitantly, she brushed her mind against one of the threads and felt an instant connection with a mage struggling to master his spells in Faydwer. His thoughts, ambitions, longings, and dreams filled her like a flood until she knew every desire and fear the man held.
“I’m in the barrier,” Jala whispered, her eyes scanning over the threads of magic once more. She moved from thread to thread, her spirit reaching out to touch the strands until the understanding of how they worked settled in her mind. “Marrow was right. It does depend on what you wish for,” Jala whispered as she sent her mind racing through the webs to settle on the threads that represented the Blights plaguing the world below her.
Jala was about to send her magic coursing down to destroy the creatures when a faint longing for safety reached her mind through one of the strands of magic. Focusing on the thought, she scanned the creatures mind and realized with dismay that Emily was not alone in her rebellion against the Blight instincts. Slowly, Jala pulled back the destruction she had been about to unleash on the creatures and examined their minds closer. It was not her right to perform genocide on the creatures and the realization of what she had almost done sickened her. The Blights were a part of Sanctuary now and there was nothing anyone could do to change that fact. Just like everything else in the world, they existed in shades of grey. All she could do now to help her people was cleanse the darkest of them from Sanctuary and hope they could find peace with the Blights she spared. Her attention rose past the Blights and she studied the countless threads before her. The Blights weren’t the only monsters on Sanctuary and she wouldn’t limit her cleansing to just them. She apparently had all of the time in the world to work, though.
“May you return from the life stream to a better life,” Jala whispered as she began the first of the cleansing with the Blights. Her magic coursed down through the strands of magic in bright lances that would kill the creatures instantly. She had seen enough suffering in Sanctuary and despite the turmoil that had dwelled in her chest while she still breathed she no longer wanted Vengeance. All she wanted now was peace.
With a deep sigh of contentment, Jala turned her mind to her task, her magic searching for the darkest strands that touched the barrier. Within what seemed like only a breath, her magic faltered as it traced across strands buried far beneath the other webs. Her curiosity peaked, she moved closer and gazed down at the tangled strands that lay so well hidden. Brushing her mind against them, she tried to find the souls they belonged to but the minds were blank as if those attached were dormant. Even a sleeping mind held thoughts, but these were simply blank. Jala’s confusion grew and she brushed the strands again trying to determine what lay behind them.
“Momma,” The single word shattered her concentration and Jala pulled back from the threads, her mind desperately seeking where Legacy’s voice had come from.
Jala if you can hear me, follow my voice. It was Valor this time, and Jala raced toward the sound of his voice. She slowed as she neared the threads that hummed with the life of those she loved more than anything else in the world. Strength filled her as their voices grew louder in her mind. They are praying to me, Jala realized in shock. She could feel their love and thoughts pulling her back toward the world below. Longing and duty warred in her heart as her gaze returned to the tangled black webs behind her.
Momma you promised you would come home soon. Legacy’s words shattered all thoughts of remaining. The webs might very well be a problem in the future, but she would face them below in
the sunlit world with her friends beside her. Drawing her power around her she focused on their voices and used their strands to guide her back to the world below.
The blinding white light faded and sunlight slowly filled her world once more, as she guided her magic through the spells needed to create a body to replace the one she had so carelessly destroyed. Her eyes opened slowly to stare down at the kneeling forms of Valor and her son. Both had their heads bowed and eyes squeezed tightly shut and Jala smiled at how her son mirrored the knight in both posture and the expression on his face. The two Bendazzi sat silent behind them watching her with their bright yellow eyes.
Welcome back. You were sorely missed, Marrow said gently and the sound of his familiar steady voice in her mind brought a smile to her lips.
Silently she pulled on her magic once more, summoning a dress in the Firym style such as she used to wear in Sanctuary before armor had become a necessity. The deep purple silk clung to her form as she stepped toward the two of them and she bent gently to place a hand beneath Legacy’s chin. Tilting his head up slowly she smiled into his wide violet eyes that mirrored her own so perfectly. “Forgive me for being late, Legacy, but I’m here to keep my promise now. I was lost for a time, but you helped show me the way back,” she whispered. Tears filled her son’s eyes as he jumped to his feet and wrapped his arms around her. Reaching down, she lifted him and wrapped him tightly in her arms.
“They said you were dead, Momma. They all said you weren’t coming back. All of them but Valor said you were dead. I didn’t give up. Valor said we had to believe in you no matter what they said.” Legacy’s words poured out of him like a flood, only faltering slightly from his tears.
“You did so well, love. Thank you for believing,” Jala whispered as she kissed him gently on the top of his head. Her gaze rose slowly to Valor and she could see nothing but love and happiness lighting his dark blue eyes.
“Welcome home, Jala,” Valor said quietly, his voice thick with emotion.
Raising her eyes, Jala turned to look back over her shoulder at the rolling hills of Merro and the tiny town below the buildings bright with fresh paint. It was a perfect echo of War’s last waking dream. He has spoken the truth to her with his parting words. Happily-ever-after had been waiting at the end of her trials.
Turning back to Valor, she smiled and moved to wrap an arm around him, pulling him into the embrace. “I’ve waited most of my life to hear those words,” Jala whispered.
The memory of the dark webs crossed her thoughts and she pushed it back once more. That was something she would face another day, or perhaps not ever. There was a chance that someone else would rise to face that threat. For now, all that mattered to her stood wrapped in her arms. She was home and those that meant everything to her were safe in her embrace.
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The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes Page 56
