“You would put an end to Telluris, just so the Caelestan’s and Aequoran’s may continue on?” The king seemed appalled at the idea, even as his face grew pale, and the women knew he was losing the fight.
“We ask the same of you, King Armand. You would put an end to Caelestis and Aequoris, just to make sure that Telluris would continue? Why not put a stop to all of this now, and allow all three kingdoms to exist together again?”
The king’s pallor was changing by the moment, and they knew they didn’t have much time before he breathed his final.
“Fine, I will call the truce. Mount me on a horse and lead me closer. I will call it.” he could barely keep his eyes open.
Hekla, though she hated all that he had done, could not find it in her heart to allow him to die, “King Armand, I will heal you, though not completely. We do not wish death upon you, only that you would take the power you have and bring peace.”
Svana and Astrid joined hands, nodding at Hekla to go on with what she must do. Hekla waved the hand-carved staff above him and chanted. She waited until some of the glimmers of purple and iridescence touched his skin, and she chanted. Then she pulled away.
“There, that should be enough to help you recover some of your strength, I will complete this when I know that you have all of our best interests at heart.”
“Gill, let’s mount him on that horse, and please hurry. We’re running out of time.” Svana pleaded.
It should have bothered them, that the battle had continued unabated even as the king himself was not present in it. Only the soldiers kept fighting, their focus on death as they merged forward Caelestan on Tellurian, Tellurian on Aequorian. Bodies, as far as the eye could see.
When the king was secured, Astrid and Hekla stood on the right side, Gill and Svana on the left side. They marched toward the battle, the brutality of all that had occurred, not lost on them as they approached.
5
Svana
Not all people are created the same. Everyone has differences. They have good qualities, and bad. Separated, they let their weaknesses overtake them, but united, they let their strengths flow through them.
Nuldronian, The Protector, Fifth Dragon Elder, Sixth Age of Verdil
They garnered the looks of many soldiers as they got closer, some stopping to see what the commotion was about. Others stopped altogether, tired and worn down from hours of relentless fighting. Seeing the king ride toward them with the sisters of blue, green, and red on either side was a welcome relief. As they got closer, Caelestan’s and Aequoran’s alike ran out from the fighting and came at them.
“Wait, my people!” Astrid raised her hands to them.
“Please, hold back,” Hekla cried out.
“We have news for you,” Svana shouted, walking before them, the king and his horse, and her sisters behind her. “Please, stop fighting, my people!” she cried out. Her cries fell on deaf ears.
Having regained some of his strength from the partial healing Hekla had given him, the king yelled loud and clear, “my people, I ask you, stop this fight. Stop killing. I call a truce!”
His words gained a few looks, and some of the Tellurians dropped their swords to the ground or sheathed their bloody instruments. The collective sound of people falling to their knees in exhaustion, could be heard. Though the clanging of metal against metal continued.
“I said, stop this fighting! I call a truce! Tellurians, return to your homes, your lives. Those of you who are injured, come to the castle infirmary and seek help. The rest of you, return to your kingdoms, this fight is over.”
A few of the Tellurians who had not given up completely, hurried to the king’s side.
“Is this true, my king? You truly call an end to this?” a solider asked.
“Yes, I do. Now, get me out of here. I need to rest.”
The soldier nodded, and a few others joined him. They gathered their horses, and with Hekla’s permission, took King Armand back to the castle.
“Are you sure this is a good idea, Hekla?”
Hekla nodded her head. “Svana, he has internal injuries. A simple rest will not heal him internally. It will only give him enough energy to keep fighting, however, without my healing, he will die. Rest assured, and when his soldiers realize that, they will do anything for him. For now, I must get to the people. I have to try to save as many of them as I can.”
“Yes, Hekla. Go to them. I am going to try to keep the peace now that the king is headed back to the castle,”
There is more at work here than meets the eye, Svana. Do not forget that.
What is this you speak of? Svana spoke internally to Lingaria, genuinely curious as to what he was talking about.
I do not know exactly, but there is something dark at work in the King’s mind. I cannot place it, and I cannot figure out what it is. There is a shroud around it. I don’t know if it’s magic, but it is not good. You must always be on your guard; I beg this of you.
Of course, Lingaria, am I not always? she asked him.
Even more so, now.
“What happened? What is going on in that head of yours, Svana?” Astrid asked, her bow raised, in case the fighting resumed.
“I cannot speak of it here. When we get a moment in private, I will tell you.”
“Lingaria?” Hekla asked.
Svana nodded her head. “Now, let us try to contain some of the damage done here this day.”
“What do we do with those still fighting?” Hekla pointed her orb to the small group that were still battling. There were some Tellurians who were willing to fight to the death, even more so, who didn’t care anymore. The expressions on the faces of the Aequoran’s and Caelestan’s, whom were the object of the rogue Tellurian’s anger, was of pure hopelessness.
“Stop at once,” Svana called out, “the king has declared a truce!”
Hekla rushed forth, pointing her orb toward them. “Tranquis Impartum Expandum!” she yelled loudly, stunning all those who still fought.
“Thank you, Hekla! Now, tend to those who are injured. They need you.”
Hekla nodded, motioning for Astrid to follow.
“My people, it was never my intention for us to fight one against the other. My desire was always to bring peace,” Svana said.
They looked at her unblinking, and still unable to move.
“Now, when the spell releases you, please return to your homes, and await the healing of your friends and loved ones. Let us be thankful that the king called a truce and no more lives will be lost today.”
One of the Tellurians was the first to move, and the anger evident in his eyes was impenetrable. “The king made you head Captain over all of his armies, and this is what you choose to do? Peace? Peace is for the weak,” the soldier yelled through gritted teeth.
“I am the Captain, and you will listen to me!” she demanded.
“No, my loyalty is to the king!” his arms began to move, and soon-after, the rest of soldiers were capable of movement as well.
The soldier raised his sword and came after her. “not to you!” he finished. He raised the blade overhead.
Svana barely had enough time to withdraw her sword and block his strike. The sound of the two metals clanging echoed through the air, cutting through the silence.
“Just stop!” she yelled out.
“Not until the ground runs red with your blood!” His eyes squinted angrily, and his teeth bared, he ran full force after her.
Svana raised her sword again to deflect the blow, the vehement force with which he hit her knocked her on the ground.
“Hey, leave her alone!” Astrid yelled out, loosing an arrow that hit him in the thigh. He didn’t even flinch, only kept swinging at her.
“Aquum purum orbium containum,” Hekla said, thrusting her staff forward.
An electric bolt of blue light emerged from it, and then the air was filled with water droplets that wrapped themselves around the man, when he was completely encased in water, she moved her scepter upward
, lifting him up above the ground, suspending him mid-air.
“He’s going to drown!” Svana yelled out.
“Hmm, good point. Rescindum Enchantum,” Hekla said. The water orb disappeared, and the soldier fell to the ground. “All right, I vowed never to do this again, but it’s just temporary, Levitatum Personae.” The soldier lifted, his face paling the higher he got off the ground.
“Someone help me restrain him,” Svana called out, and Astrid stepped forward.
“Can you lower him slowly, so that we can help you?” Astrid asked.
Hekla nodded. “you’re going to have to move quickly.”
Astrid nodded. “Quick, I need something to tie him down with.”
An Aequoran soldier tossed blue leather straps to her, and she caught them mid-air, handing one to Svana.
“Here, all right, lower him slowly, Hekla.”
“I’m going to drop him, and then stun him again. Be ready!”
“Even better.” Svana nodded.
“Rescindum Enchantum, Tranquum Impartum!” Hekla yelled abruptly.
Svana and Astrid moved like lightning, tying the man’s stunned arms and legs quickly, before he could move again.
“Yes, we did it!” Hekla pumped her fist in the air.
“Now, anyone else care to go against the King’s request?” Svana yelled out, sword drawn, and opposite hand on her hip indignantly. No one responded, so she continued, “now, I need someone to take him back to the castle and make sure he is jailed until he’s cooled down. If you let him free, I will personally see to it that you take his place with a double sentence.”
“I think you should take him,” one of the Aequorans yelled out, his pale face, and seaweed colored hair standing out against the setting sun.
“I will not leave them,” she pointed to Hekla and Astrid. “Are you volunteering soldier?”
The Aequoran shook his head.
“I can go,” Gill said, “and I’ll take them.” He pointed toward two Tellurians who had moved off to the side, looking frustrated and confused.
“Thank you, Gill. I owe you so much. Please check in with the king, and alert me to his status the moment you can. Once this is dealt with, Hekla will be there to help heal him.”
Gill nodded his head. “Yes, Captain Svana. I shall see you back at the castle.”
“Thank you, my friend,” she placed a caring hand on his shoulder, and then him and the two unnamed soldiers, lifted the bound man onto a horse, and they headed off toward the castle.
“Aequorans, Caelestans, and Tellurians… is there anyone else who wishes to continue fighting?”
None spoke or moved.
“Thank goodness, please... return to your kingdoms, and trust that Hekla, Astrid and I, are fighting to restore unity to the kingdoms. You have my word.”
“And what of our dead?” a young male Aequoran asked.
“What would you have us do? There are many who were lost today, and the longer we stand around, the more we lose by the moment.” Svana turned to Hekla. “Please, do what you must. They need you; I will deal with the people.”
Hekla nodded, rushing to the closest body to begin her work.
“What, dear Aequoran soldier, would you have me do?” Svana asked. “I want to be respectful, but if there are many, we must think about the sanitation and health of our kingdoms.
“If there is true unity, then let us have a burning of all the bodies together. We shall use the time to feast and show that there is true unity among the kingdoms.” A Caelestan female stepped forward, her lithe form, tall and billowy in the breeze as she removed a pale blue helmet from her head.
“That is atrocious,” the young male Aequoran yelled out. “It’s disrespectful! We have our customs!”
“Not to mention that a Tellurian soldier will not be burned or buried in the same capacity as the sea garbage or the sky trash!” Of the few remaining Tellurians, the one who yelled out appeared older than most who had fought.
“Men, women, if we are to create unity, and peace, this seperation between us must stop. You must not put each other down or look down on one another. It has to stop, and if it doesn’t stop with you, it will never stop within the kingdoms, or with the kings,” Svana protested.
“Fine, then prove there is unity and let us have a mass ceremony to deal with the bodies. It is the one thing that will prove that we are united. We all have our own burial ceremonies, and we all have our own rules. By doing this together, even though our battle against one another has led to death, it will show the kingdoms that we are moving into a new age.” It was the female who spoke again, and Svana had to give her full marks for bravery. She was speaking out, in front of strong male figures, men who wanted nothing to do with her suggestion.
“Fine,” the angry Tellurian said. “We can do this, if you can get the kings to agree to it.”
“Agreed,” the young male Aequoran said, “all three kings must agree. It’ll never happen, but I think it’s the best solution.”
The two men nodded their approval, and the female huffed. “Fine, if that’s how you want it.”
“Excellent, then we will talk to the kings after we have saved those who we can, and we will get their approval.” Svana was certain that if she and her sisters could do anything, it would be that. “In the meantime, I will summon soldiers to get the bodies to the edge of town near the woods, closest to Aequoris. It will be a middle place between the three kingdoms.”
Everyone nodded their agreement, and all parties went on their way. Hekla continued to move from person to person, tending them, and chanting until they were healed. As they regained their strength and stood up, looking disoriented and confused, Astrid explained what had happened and directed them back to their homes.
“Svana, this one is asking for you!” Hekla had made her way across much of the battlefield, her voice nearly drowned out by the wind.
“I’m sorry?” Svana asked, “I didn’t hear you!”
“Come here! This one is asking for you.”
Svana rushed to Hekla to see who it might have been that would have been calling for her, and the moment she was just a few feet away, she recognized the strong build, olive skin, and messy dark hair.
“Captain Tristan!” Svana knelt next to him, studying his injuries. “Can you help him?”
“His injuries are great, but I can help him. However, if I do, it will take all that I have left to save him, and I’ll have nothing left for anyone else.”
“What do you mean? You’ve been saving people all night?” Svana prodded, confused about what could stop her sister from being able to heal him.
“Svana, he’s near death. If I save him, it will take me hours to recover, and by then we will have lost half of the people here.”
“Can you just bring him back a little, like you did with the King?”
Hekla had to think about what that would mean, but she nodded her head at the request. She chanted over the man’s body and waved her scepter.
After a moment, Hekla sighed. “I’m sorry, Svana, that is all I can do.”
Svana watched in dismay as the purple sparks descended on his body, and then disappeared.
“I have to get him back to the castle,” Svana said softly, knowing that was his only chance of survival.
“Svana! What happened?” Jasper had returned, and at his side, Emmeline rode in on her beautiful white steed.
“Emmeline, I’m so glad you’re here.”
Emmeline dismounted her horse and rushed to Svana.
“Tristan!” Emmeline cried, her face reddened.
Emmeline’s expression soon turned white, all the red draining from her face as she stared down at Tristan, holding his hand. Her eyes watered, teardrops forming at the corners of her eyes. Taking a deep breath, her lip quivered and her hand twitched as she clutched Tristan’s tighter.
“Hold it in, Emmeline. Let’s get him back to the castle.”
Emmeline nodded, and Jasper helped hoist Tristan onto h
er horse.
“Go, I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Svana urged them.
No sooner as they had arrived, then Emmeline was galloping away with Tristan, and Jasper followed.
6
Hekla
The eyes of the wicked look normal. However, it is their soul that doesn’t look right. The trick is knowing how to look through their eyes, and into their soul.
Eonnueth, The Clever, Sixth Dragon Elder, Seventh Age of Verdil
Hekla folded her pale thin arms across her chest, as she watched the group of them ride away. She didn’t believe the man called Tristan could be saved, but she had seen the flash of deep-rooted emotion in Emmeline’s eyes, and hoped for that woman’s sake something could be done. As for the king, there was something there that Hekla did not understand … something so sinister that it had caused her magic to retract.
It had even caused Speltus to retract. What could be so dark, that Speltus himself would refrain from it? She needed to talk to him.
“My sisters, I have done all I can do here today. For now, a truce has been reached. I need the two of you to tend to the people. Get them back home, to their loved ones. Send the Tellurians to the kingdom. I must tend to the king,” Hekla brushed a single tear from her eye, and tucked her sapphire locks behind her ear.
Astrid stepped forward, putting a gentle hand on her youngest sister’s shoulder. “You’ve done so much for our people. The truce we have reached is more than can be expected. Melifera and Palladin would be proud of you.”
“Thank you, Astrid, but our work is far from done, and the truce is only for a time. The moment he is well, he can lift the truce, and do as he wishes. The truth is, we know nothing about his true intentions. For the time, the king relies on me to save him. The king would say anything to protect himself,” Hekla shook her head. Her voice had begun to raise an octave, becoming more frantic.
Dragon Bow Page 4
