The Akorell Break (The Mortal Mage Book 2)

by B. T. Narro

  “To go to Merejic with him, abandon everyone here. Nothing would make me do that.”

  “Why would he want you to leave with him?”

  “He says I have potential to become something under his guidance. I’m not sure I believe it. He’s probably threatened by us because we can reach him in the other plane. We have to stop him from blocking Basen’s portal, Leida, before it’s too late. Do you have any idea how?”

  “I’ve been trying since the meeting began, but he’s too strong. He forces me out every time I enter.”

  “Have you been able to feel how he’s keeping Basen from making a portal?”

  “No. I don’t feel my father in the other plane at all.”

  Desil thought quickly as Fatholl and Basen seemed to be the only two speaking, Reela and Allephon watching Fatholl intently. Desil wished he knew more about portals, but even Basen didn’t seem to completely understand how they worked. The headmaster was only aware of the rules. Basen must’ve been close enough to the location of each of his portals to unlock the entrance and exit with his mind. Was Fatholl keeping Basen from accessing these points by closing them off from Basen, or was he closing Basen off from everywhere? It seemed that no matter what the answer was, Fatholl had built a mental wall that needed to be destroyed. It was probably the same wall that kept out Desil and Leida.

  Fatholl turned and walked back to his Elves, leaving Basen with Allephon and Reela as the three of them spoke. They didn’t stand there long, soon walking hastily back toward their armies, which remained separated by the dilapidated Kreppen wall. Allephon split off as Jimmin waited ahead of the rest of the troops with a nervous look on his face. Cleve stood in front of the Wind Knights, waiting for Reela and Basen. Everyone crowded behind Cleve as the last two members of their tiny army returned.

  “Fatholl is going to attack unless we give him the akorell,” Basen said. “I would destroy it right now instead, but that’s not possible. We have to make a choice. We either fight with Allephon in an unprecedented battle against the Elves that may create dire circumstances for humankind, or we can give the akorell to Fatholl and hope he will never use an explosion to decimate our people.”

  “What do you want to do?” Cleve asked Basen.

  “Reela and I agree. We must fight them at least until I can make a portal. Then I’ll take us somewhere we’ll be safe from both Allephon’s army and Fatholl’s Elves, and where I know we can obtain the eppil vines we need. We just have to injure Fatholl or distract him enough to stop him from blocking me.”

  “You’re telling me I have to fight with Micklin instead of against him?” Neeko asked.

  “Allephon’s trying to convince him to go after Fatholl. You and Micklin are the only ones who can soar past the Elves to reach Fatholl if he stays behind. Kill Fatholl if you can, but don’t reveal your intentions too early. Stay with us until you find a chance. For the rest of you, keep each other alive. I know all of you have done so in the past and need no instruction from me.”

  The Wind Knights began to chatter as Basen moved through them. He reached out his arms and gathered Desil, Leida, Adriya, Kirnich, and Beatrix in a huddle. “Desil, I want you to be the first one in the portal when I’m able to make it. During the fight, stay close to me and the bags of akorell. How many can you carry?”

  “Three.”

  “Are you sure? They’re very heavy.”

  “I’m sure.”

  “All right. Kirnich, you will go in after him. Take three as well if you can. I’m not sure how long I’ll be able to keep the portal open. Beatrix, you will go third. Grab one of the six bags if any remain. Adriya, you will go next and help Beatrix with the akorell if she needs it. Leida, stay with me until Cleve, Neeko, and Abith have made it into the portal or have shown that they can’t. We will go in after them. I would have you go first, but you’re safer beside me. You and Desil should be separated in case we must communicate with each other. Have either of you thought of a way to stop Fatholl from blocking me?”

  “No, but we’ll keep trying.”

  “They’re charging!” Neeko announced.

  Cleve ordered, “Rally with Allephon’s army now! Follow me.”

  Basen picked up one of the akorell bags as he continued talking to their small group. “Take one each, and stay beside me. Do not let any Elf or any of Allephon’s men take them.”

  Desil wondered if this meant the headmaster was telling them to fight to the death to protect their bags. He still wasn’t sure he was ready for that.

  Basen turned and drew his sword, but as everyone else took out their weapons, he looked back with a frantic expression as if he’d made an error.

  “Call when you need aid. Do not let yourself be outmatched just to protect the akorell.” He reached out and cupped his daughter’s cheek. “You are not to tell your mother that I didn’t try harder to stop you from fighting.”

  She laughed dryly as she put her free hand over his. “I won’t.”

  Everyone had already shifted to join with Allephon’s troops, Basen and his small party meeting the last of them toward the back.

  “Headmaster—” Kirnich complained as the Elves closed in.

  “I know you wish to be at the front,” Basen interrupted, “but I need you here with us. It’s an order.”

  Kirnich looked ahead to the front as if thinking of rebelling. “Fine,” he said as he leaned down and grabbed Desil’s shoulder. “You know anything about battles like these?”

  “What about resisting psyche?” Basen asked before Desil could answer Kirnich.

  Desil cursed inwardly. “Neither.”

  Their troops at the front spread to form a line. Adriya had her eyes on her parents at the center, Cleve in front of Reela.

  “I’m sorry, Basen!” Adriya ran through the disorganized rows to join them.

  “Dammit! Leida, don’t—”

  “I have to!” She ran after her friend.

  Desil was about to follow, but Kirnich spoke up first.

  “Headmaster…” Kirnich pleaded.

  “Fine. Fall back to me as soon as anyone gets through.”

  Kirnich started through the ranks of Wind Knights. Desil followed. His armor and Kirnich’s were still damaged from the Marros, and both of them had blood on the back of their necks, but they were in better shape than any of the Wind Knights, who wore no armor and had probably walked through the night to make it here.

  Kirnich and Desil caught up to Leida and Adriya as the two of them took their places in the third row, just behind Reela. Desil asked anyone who would answer, “How do I resist psyche?”

  No one told him as they stared at the charging Elves, most with long hair like Fatholl and the same slender bodies. Their leather armor allowed them to stay nimble, most with one-handed swords. Some even wielded daggers and nothing more. Psychics. But there were so many of them. One third of the four hundred Elves were psychics? If that were possible, they couldn’t be as powerful as Beatrix or Reela, or there would be no hope of victory.

  Leida looked into his eyes. She seemed apologetic, as if about to give Desil bad news. “To resist psyche, you have to feel something stronger than the pain.”

  Nothing Desil had ever felt was close to the acute agony Beatrix had caused him during her spell of pain. It was impossible.

  There was one thing, actually…when a guard of the king came to tell him and his mother that his father had been arrested for murder and would be executed.

  There was more Desil needed to worry about than resisting psyche. Somehow he needed to break Fatholl’s wall in the other plane. He could see the Elf waiting behind his charging army, watching the fight with folded arms. Desil’s connection to Fatholl in the other plane was stronger as long as the Elf remained in sight, but Desil still felt pitifully weak in comparison. He tried again to delve into the other plane, but Fatholl’s wall also felt stronger now that they were close. Desil searched for a way to get through. He pushed, but it was like trying to move a mountain.


  “Mages, fire!” Cleve ordered.

  Adriya and Leida lifted their arms to shoot fireballs over the heads of those in front of them. The flashes of light blinded Desil for a blink. Explosions cracked among the Elves. Desil knew some of them must’ve been taken down by the force, but all he saw was more Elves charging to take their place.

  The lead Elves with daggers lifted their hands. Every human in the frontline flinched. Many of Allephon’s troops fell with screams. The spells of pain hit those in the second and third row next, Desil included with Leida and Adriya. The three of them yelped as they dropped. Desil didn’t know who it was among the Elves who riddled his body with pain strong enough to make him convulse.

  Get rid of it with a stronger feeling.

  He could barely think. He needed relief from this agony, but that desire wasn’t enough to get him anywhere. He tried to think of the painful loss of his father, but his mind couldn’t get there. He was aware of Cleve resisting psyche enough to engage in sword combat with three pairs of feet shuffling around. Another pair of feet backed up until they tripped over Adriya. Reela fell into Desil’s view.

  Adriya pushed herself up against the spell of psyche, her teeth clenched. She helped her mother up with one hand, grabbing her staff with the other. When both were on their feet, she spun. Desil couldn’t see higher than anyone’s knees, but he heard a crack from Adriya’s staff. An Elf fell between Desil and Leida.

  The spell of pain ended as Desil watched an Elf reach down for his fallen dagger. He picked it up and raised it as if to bring it down into Leida’s back. Desil’s muscles finally worked again, but he didn’t have time to look for his dropped sword. He tackled the Elf.

  A stampede of Elves and men crashed into them. Desil was kicked around, his arms and shoulders taking the brunt of it. He somehow managed to keep from falling flat, which would’ve left him even more vulnerable, but he couldn’t get up farther than his knees.

  Someone pulled him up painfully by his hair. Desil spun around ready to fight. It was Kirnich.

  “Where’s your sword!” the warrior yelled as he kicked back an Elf lunging at him.

  “Lost.” Desil tried to jump back to avoid a different Elf thrusting a blade at his stomach, but Desil’s back slammed into someone else. The blade caught in Desil’s armor, opening a small hole as Desil turned. The Elf pulled back his weapon for another attack, but Kirnich stuck his sword up through the Elf’s chest.

  Kirnich tried to pull out his blade, but he yelled in pain and dropped to a knee before he could. A psychic Elf jumped on Kirnich’s back, driving his dagger into Kirnich’s shoulder. Desil picked up the short sword out of the dying Elf’s hands and drove its point through the neck of the Elf on top of Kirnich.

  Before Desil realized what he’d done, someone struck him in the back with an elbow or a knee and caused him to lurch forward into Kirnich and the dying Elf.

  Desil grabbed the Elf and turned, using him as a shield as another Elf stabbed his sword at Desil, striking his ally in the chest through his armor. Desil rolled away, grabbing another sword off the ground.

  “We need to get back to the front,” Kirnich said as he slashed the tip of his sword down the front of an attacking Elf. “Just run through them now.” Kirnich lowered his shoulder and ran, plowing through several enemies at a time and clearing a path for Desil. It wasn’t long before they were close to Leida fighting beside Adriya and her parents.

  Leida seemed shocked by the sight of whatever was behind Desil. She stepped up to his side and unleashed a jet of fire. It burned three Elves chasing Desil, Leida shifting her wand side to side to spray them evenly. They fell backward to avoid the flames as they cried out, much of the heat blasting Desil in the cheek and causing him to break out in a sweat.

  Cleve fought with the bastial steel sword Desil had seen earlier, swinging it as fast as if it were a light stick but with the precision of a master swordsman. He killed three Elves in the brief moment Desil glanced at him. Reela pained two others coming behind her husband. She stabbed her dagger into the back of one fallen Elf but was knocked down by another. Desil took one step over to help, but Abith Max was already there with another bastial steel blade, thrusting it into the torso of the enemy and pulling it out quickly enough to fend off an attack from behind. He moved with more agility than Desil, even at his advanced age.

  Just beyond the Wind Knights, Allephon’s men were falling quickly. Most of the Elves streamed through the king’s army with ease, coming around toward the back of the Wind Knights, at Basen specifically. Many had their eyes on him as if he was their goal.

  Of course he was! Desil cursed. “We have to get back to Basen!” he announced.

  “The four of you go,” Cleve said.

  “I’m staying,” Adriya insisted. She turned her staff sideways with both hands to block an overhead slash from an Elf, but she cried out and toppled backward as an Elf with a dagger lifted his hand toward her.

  Desil was too slow to help, Reela already paining the Elf and freeing Adriya from his spell.

  “Go,” Adriya told them.

  Desil felt something moving overhead as he weaved through the ranks of men and Elves. He looked back at Neeko soaring right above, two swords floating in front of him. He spun in the air and thrust out his arm, a sword shooting down into the chaos with the speed of an arrow. Blood splattered into the air as the sword returned to Neeko.

  He’s going for Fatholl. Desil caught sight of Micklin flying the opposite way as Neeko, rejoining Allephon’s now retreating army.

  Desil, Kirnich, and Leida came up on Basen and Beatrix. The headmaster stood near the sacks of akorell, fighting off two Elves with his sword. He moved with amazing speed to keep himself alive, even as a third Elf raised his hand as if to pain Basen. All it did was cause the headmaster to grunt as he kept on fighting.

  Desil heard the unmistakable screech of Marros. They came from the northeast, from the Dajrik Mountains. The Elves were first in their sights. The Lmar led the enormous pack of flying creatures, swooping down to where Desil hoped Fatholl to be.

  There were many Elves shouting in their language as some turned back to defend themselves against this new threat. Unfortunately it also meant Neeko had to return, two Marros clawing at him midair. One of his floating swords cut through a wing, but another Marro swiped its claw down Neeko’s unprotected back, causing him to scream as he spun to the ground. At least he seemed to land near Cleve and Reela, who might’ve been the safest two people on the battlefield to be around.

  The Marros brought a moment of reprieve to the battle, allowing Desil to fully focus on penetrating Fatholl’s wall in the other plane. He made his mind a dagger and focused on a single point.

  “Leida, do you feel where I am?” Desil reached out blindly in the physical plane and took her hand. Red bastial energy in the other plane took the form of her body and hair to show her right beside him.

  “I’m here.” He didn’t know if she’d told him in the physical world or the other as both seemed to merge. The familiar ocean of energy took shape, a translucent barrier spread across as far as Desil could see. It made Tenred’s wall look insignificant, towering over him as high as the sky.

  Desil felt Basen just beyond as he worked to pierce the wall, Leida’s support giving him double the strength.

  Fatholl’s wall came alive as the Elf shouted, “Step back!”

  The wall curled away from Desil, strange lumps forming above and below and moving outward as if to swallow him and Leida.

  “I will trap you here as well if you—” Fatholl’s message cut out. The wall thinned and cracked.

  The Marros reached him.

  Desil pushed with all his strength. He broke through, the wall shattering into dust.

  He became aware of Basen’s voice in the physical world. “I’m making a portal now!” Desil let himself slip away, returning to his body as he staggered. Kirnich stabilized him. Leida had her head bowed, her eyes closed. Knowing what was about to happen to
her, Desil got his hands out to catch her. She gasped as she fell backward into Desil’s arms.

  Desil could feel the wind of the portal behind them.

  “Grab the bags and get in!” Basen ordered. “Fatholl’s trying to close it.”

  Desil got one bag on his back. His adrenaline was the only thing that gave him the strength to lift the other two with one hand each, half dragging them into the portal. It sucked him up so strongly he almost lost his grip with his left hand, but he managed to hold on.

  The shift was so disorienting that Desil didn’t try to figure out which way it was to the ground. He shut his eyes and held the bags as tightly as he could as he prepared for impact. When his rear struck the hard ground first, he pulled his head up to keep it from slamming. He rolled over his gorged backpack and lost his grip on both bags he was holding.

  Soon he came to what felt to be a stop, if he were to ignore the feeling of everything spinning around him, and opened his eyes. All he saw was white. He closed them again and held his stomach to keep from retching.

  He heard Kirnich yelling as he came through the portal over Desil, forcing him to flinch and hope the warrior wouldn’t land on him. The glass inside each bag Kirnich carried was louder than any bell. Much of it sounded to be breaking, and Desil realized he’d heard the same from his bags when he’d been tossed out of the portal.

  Something smacked Desil in the leg, possibly one of Kirnich’s boots, though it felt too light to still be on his foot. Desil wanted to help Kirnich as the warrior groaned like he was going to be sick, but Desil could still see only white when he opened his eyes.

  Although his stomach felt hot from sickness, he noticed the freezing cold of this place stinging his cheeks and nose. Beatrix screamed as the portal spit her out next. Desil opened his eyes for one more try, but the spinning white made him want to retch. Even the ground felt to be turning beneath him.

  “We all right?” Kirnich asked.

  “I think so,” Desil answered.

  “I’m going to be…” Beatrix stopped speaking as she gagged.

  Desil listened for Adriya, only to remember that she’d chosen to remain toward the front with her family. Desil’s heart dropped. She probably wouldn’t make it through the portal—would anyone live who didn’t? He listened for Leida to be next, instead.