Awakening (Telindell Book 1) (32 page)

Sarath’s mouth dropped open for a moment.  She glared and shouted, “I will not!”  She gritted her teeth while Lian looked away.  “I refuse!”

Lian took a soft breath, looking down to Kane, then toward the army encampment.  “I don’t want you to become one of those faces.”

Sarath growled a bit as she dismounted the horse.  “I’m not leaving you now.  I’m not leaving you tomorrow.  And I’m sure as hell not going to die.”

Lian dismounted the horse and looked at her sternly.  “I may not be able to protect you.”

Sarath shoved Lian.  “We’ve already had this conversation!”

Lian held his hand to the sky.  Moments later, Shinaugra landed behind them.  Lian turned to the dragon.  “Take her to Alinshahar.”

Shinaugra slowly nodded his head.  “Yes, master.”

Sarath grabbed Lian and jerked him around.  “I’m not going.  I refuse.”  She turned away from him.  “You can either take me with you…”  Sarath glanced back with a smirk.  “Or, I’m going to march right over there and get a sword and some armor.”

Lian shook his head and turned to Shinaugra.  “Dammit,” he said to himself.  He looked at the dragon.  “Keep an eye on the area.” Shinaugra nodded and took to the skies once again.

Sarath turned towards Lian.  “I knew you’d see reason.”

Lian glared at Sarath.  “You don’t give me much choice.”

Sarath smiled.  “I’m not leaving you.  We’re in this together.”  She looked down to Kane.  “Right?”  Kane snorted and nodded in agreement.

Lian placed his hands on Sarath’s shoulders.  “Just stay close to me.”

Sarath looked into his eyes.  “I don’t want to be anywhere else.”  A sultry grin crossed her face.  “Besides, you’re going to look great in that armor.  I can’t miss that.”

Low, dark clouds blackened the afternoon sky.  Echoes of thunder could be heard across Allendale as the Elven army marched across the land toward the castle that lay in the distance.  Oryn stared toward the castle, listening to the sky’s cries of unrest.  Flashes of lightning illuminated the field before Allendale and its castle.  Oryn looked to Lian, who was now wearing armor over his normal clothes.  The collar wrapped around Lian’s neck loosely.  Black plate clad his upper body, with silver studs arranged neatly in rows along the armor.  The plate skirt hung halfway down his thighs.  More plate reached halfway down Lian’s biceps over thickly knitted sleeves that extended to his wrists.

Oryn took a breath and noticed the chill in the air.  A snowflake touched down on his outstretched hand.  Taking another deep breath, he looked to Lian.  “Do you feel the chill in the air?  She prepares her attack.”

Lian looked around and saw more snow beginning to fall amidst the thunder and lightning.  “Yes.  It is time.”

Sarath shivered while she leaned over and looked into the distance.  “Where’s her army?  I thought we’d see them by now.”

Oryn turned his head back to the castle and fields that lay ahead. “Not to worry.  They are coming.”

Elinar looked into the distance and saw nothing.  He glanced to his father.  “I don’t see anything.”

Lian pointed at the crest of a hill in the distance.  “There.”

They all turned to face in that direction.  Oryn held up his hand and brought the army to a halt.  A cloud of dust rose in the distance as the massive horde of black figures quickly approached.  Roxees’ Enforcers had come.  They let out spine-tingling roars one after another and drowned out the cracks of thunder that shook the land.

Oryn looked to Lian sternly and shouted, “Now, go!  Advance on the castle!  You must keep Roxees out of our fight here!  That is the only way we will have a chance!”  Oryn clenched his fist and looked at the monstrous enemy force.

Lian nodded, raising his hand to signal Shinaugra.  Lian glanced down to Kane.  “I fear our dragon may need all four of his claws.  Stay behind and protect Elinar.  If he dies, Teelia will kill us.”  Kane looked up at him and nodded.

Elinar looked over to Lian.  “I appreciate the sentiment, friend.  I’ll do my best to look out for Kane as well.”

Sarath looked to Kane as he turned toward to Elinar.  “Fearless leader!”  He turned his head and looked upon Sarath.  She smiled towards him.  “Don’t you get yourself killed!  We’re nothing without our furry leader!”

Kane flicked his ears and nodded toward her.  Wind from Shinaugra’s approach gusted through the area.  His claws dug deep into the ground as the winged beast came to a stop in front of Lian.  Shinaugra let out a mighty roar at the sight of the approaching Enforcers.  Lian and Sarath quickly dismounted their horse.  Lian climbed upon the mighty dragon and pulled Sarath up with him.

He felt her grasp him tightly from behind and glanced back. “Hold on, alright?”

Sarath squeezed him tighter and giggled.  “I’m not going to hold on at all.  That seems the smart thing to do.”  She looked Lian’s armor over.  “You know, I preferred you without this hunk of metal.”

Lian chuckled, then let out a sigh as he shook his head.  He looked to the approaching Enforcers, now only a few hundred yards away.  “Shinaugra, let’s go.  Burn a few of them along our way.”

Shinaugra roared fiercely.  “It would be my pleasure, master.”  The mighty dragon spread his wings and took flight.

Oryn watched the dragon soar into the sky.  He looked to Elinar sternly.  “Take the Riders to our right flank!  Hold position until I give the command!”  Oryn looked to Alisia.  “Command Sorceress, have your magic wielders assemble in the middle of our formation.  Once they are in range, hit them with everything you have!”  Oryn then looked to Stala.  “Have the archers and catapults fire alongside the magic wielders!”  Facing forward, he said, “I will lead our infantry forward once they draw close to our line.  Do not stop firing upon them, even if it appears you will strike us.”

Oryn drew his large, long sword from its sheath.  He raised it high into the air while his horse took a few steps forward.  Then, he turned to face his army and shouted, “Today some will live!  Today some will die!  Today we will claim victory!  Victory for Alinshahar and for the world!  I ask you all, for whom do we fight?”

The sound of swords being drawn echoed through the ranks.  Thousands of blades rose into the air.  Soldiers cried out in thunderous unison and shouted, “Alinshahar!” followed by many shouts and battle cries.

Oryn looked to his commanders.  “Now go, to your positions.  They are closing in fast!”  Oryn dismounted his horse and handed the reigns to Elinar.  Oryn gripped his sword tightly and looked at the Enforcers, who were now no more than five hundred yards away.  He turned back to his commanders and shouted, “Hurry!”

Elinar took his father’s horse as well as the reigns of Lian’s horse.  “Come!” he called to Kane.  Elinar kicked his horse and broke into a sprint while Kane followed closely behind.  Elinar looked to the riders that were streaming along the army’s front line.  “To the flank!”  The riders shouted and echoed the command while they broke their formation to follow Elinar.

Alisia and Stala rode side by side with haste.  The formation of Elven soldiers made a path for them while they rode toward the center of the formation.  Alisia looked to all the magic wielders and shouted, “Magic wielders on me!”  Echoes of the command were shouted all through the formation as ranks broke and magic wielders formed at the center.

Stala gripped the reigns of her horse tightly while she screamed, “Archers ready!  Catapults ready!”  In perfect unison, the archers drew arrows from their quivers and pulled them back tightly.  Clanks of the catapults locking into positon were heard.  Large chunks of oil-soaked rock were loaded into the arms and lit ablaze.

The Elven infantry formed a line of ready and willing warriors.  They gripped their swords tightly and raised their small, nimble shields.  The Enforcers were now clearly visible.  The horde darkened the battlefield with their numbers.  They were legion.

“We must not be overwhelmed,” Oryn said to himself as he estimated their numbers.  Oryn looked back to his forces while thunder cracked loudly.  The snow flurries had turned into a gusting snow storm.  Oryn looked toward the approaching enemy.  “Almost in range,” he said to himself.  He glared and gritted his teeth, ready for battle.  Oryn watched while Shinaugra swooped down on the horde and showered them with hellfire in the distance.  At that moment, a burst of red energy exploded from Allendale castle.  The sound of the explosion echoed for miles.  It was followed by the horrid shriek of the black dragon that had terrorized Allendale for years.  Roxees emerged from the castle rubble in all her dreadful splendor.  Oryn watched Shinaugra withdraw from the Enforcers and move to engage Roxees.  “Roxees…” he said.

Alisia watched the Enforcers from horseback.  “They are in range!”  She turned to her magic wielders and screamed, “Now!”  A sea of fire erupted into the sky from the magic wielders and hurled towards the enforcers.

Stala looked to the fire-filled sky.  She took a deep breath and screamed, “Catapults, fire!”  Snaps of the releases from the catapults were heard one after another.  Flaming boulders launched into the sky with great velocity.  She looked to her archers and once again screamed, “Archers!”  A legion of arrows soared through the sky.

Oryn watched overhead while fiery attacks and arrows soared over the front lines.  He shifted his gaze to the Enforcers, now only two hundred yards away.  Fiery eruptions littered the enemy horde while magical attacks rained down on them.  Oryn could hear roars of anger from the horde.  Shortly after, the catapult fire began slamming into them.  Dirt flew into the air under the impact of the flaming stones.  Oryn watched intently, their numbers beginning to thin slightly.  “They should not fall this easily…”  He gripped his sword tightly.  “They must be weaker than the Dalron Enforcers…”  The enemy closed in, now less than one hundred yards away.  Oryn turned to his infantry while he raised his sword high into the air and took a deep breath.  “Cha’leth!”  He turned and ran toward the enemy with his sword gripped tightly in both hands at his side.

Elven soldiers echoed his command in thunderous splendor.  They broke ranks and charged behind their General.  Oryn drew closer to the Enforcers and took in their dreadful size.  They towered over any man or elf.  The soldiers strengthened their resolve and charged forward.  Enforcers let out angry roars.  They still wore the tattered and stretched remains of Kynlynn armor and bore their swords.  The Enforcers raised their free hands toward the charging Elves and unleashed small blasts of fire at them.  The Elves quickly raised their shields to stop the approaching onslaught.  Some were able to deflect the fire, others were burned to death almost instantly.  Oryn gracefully sidestepped blast after blast.

The two forces were upon each other and just moments away from clashing.  Battle cries from both sides echoed through the land.  Arrows and hellfire rained from the sky.  Oryn let out a yell, raising his sword and swinging it with all his might as the opposing lines collided.  The Enforcers cut through the Elves with ease.  Oryn could hear the screams of the fallen clearly.  His sword smashed against the arm of an Enforcer.  Oryn’s enemy roared and swung his arm to deflect the sword.  Oryn grunted as he clung tightly to his sword.  The Enforcer swung his own sword toward Oryn.  He quickly pulled his blade into the path of the enemy weapon.  The force of the vile creature’s strike knocked Oryn to the ground.  He gasped at the impact and looked up to see the enemy’s weapon quickly approaching once again.  Oryn rolled out of the way just in time as his enemy’s blade pierced the ground.  Oryn saw his opportunity.  He yelled loudly, rushing to his feet.  Oryn swung the sword toward the Enforcer’s neck with all his might.  Blood sprayed into the air while the monster’s head fell to the ground.

Arrows, stone, and fire continued to rain down onto the battlefield.  Oryn heard the whoosh from a magical attack overhead.  It impacted nearby with a great explosion that destroyed many enemies.  He raised his sword and quickly glanced around the battlefield.  The dead littered the ground, elf and Dalronian alike.  His people were fighting valiantly. “We are holding… for now…” he said.  Oryn heard thunderous roars in the distance.  He looked to the sky to see Shinaugra and Roxees waging a fierce battle of their own.

Shinaugra took to the sky.  Lian glanced back to the Elves who prepared for the imminent battle.  He felt Sarath’s tight embrace and her head buried into his back.  “You alright?”

Sarath heard Lian’s question.  She remained silent for a moment while she weathered the cold.  “I’m fine, just trying to use you as a shield.”  Sarath laughed.  “Not working.”

Thunder cracked loudly while Shinaugra soared over the Enforcers.  Lian and Sarath looked on in astonishment at their numbers.  They blanketed the land between Allendale castle and the Elves like a black sea.

Sarath shook her head with widened eyes.  “How… How are they going to fight that?”  She squeezed Lian tightly.  “It just doesn’t seem possible!”

Lian smacked Shinaugra’s back.  “I suppose we had best give them a hand.”  Shinaugra roared loudly and began to dive toward the enemy force.

Sarath clung to Lian tightly and buried her head into his back once again.  “About time!”

Shinaugra tucked his wings tightly as he dove toward the ground.  He spread his wings fully and leveled out just above the horde.  He roared viciously, then unleashed a wave of fire.  Hundreds of Enforcers were engulfed by the flames and fell to their deaths.

Sarath let out a victorious shout.  “Take that, you bastards!”  She raised her arm victoriously as more of the horde fell victim to Shinaugra’s deadly blaze.

Lian looked on as the fiery onslaught destroyed their enemies.  “They should be stronger!”  Lian gritted his teeth.  “They shouldn’t fall this easily!”

Sarath wrapped her arms around Lian.  “Stop complaining!  We might win this!”

Before Lian could reply to Sarath’s optimism, a blinding red light engulfed Allendale castle.  An explosion erupted from the castle, destroying much of it.  Stone debris rained down around Shinaugra while he flapped his wings and gained altitude.  Roxees’ shriek echoed through the air.  The devilish black dragon took flight from the ruins of the castle.  Roxees was heading straight for them.

Lian snarled and pointed at the black dragon.  “You were saying?”

Sarath watched as the winged monstrosity eagerly approached them.  “Shit!”

Shinaugra let out a mighty roar and increased his velocity toward Roxees.  “Fiend!  You are no Dragonkin.  I will destroy you!”  Shinaugra roared once again as the dragons drew closer to one another.

Lian looked at Roxees’ glowing demonic eyes, glaring.  “You will pay for my mother’s life!”  An aerial collision was imminent.  Lian looked back to Sarath.  “Hang on!”

Sarath squeezed him and lowered her head.  “I wouldn’t dream of doing anything else!”

Roxees closed in on Shinaugra.  Shinaugra focused on her while he opened his large mouth.  Roxees let out a shriek as she came into contact with Shinaugra.  Shinaugra roared as the two collided.  They began twirling downward through the air while Shinaugra snapped at her dark wings.  Roxees let out a shriek of pain and snapped her mouth onto Shinaugra’s rear leg.  Shinaugra roared while the two left each other’s grasp and once again took flight just before impacting the ground.

Shinaugra climbed through the air and banked around, searching for his winged enemy.  Roxees let out another shriek, and Shinaugra focused in on her.  Roxees opened her mouth and fired an inferno toward the opposing dragon.  Shinaugra roared and unleashed his own hellfire.  The two beams of fiery death collided with one another.  A massive ball of fire formed and exploded with massive force.

Lightning flashed and thunder cracked.  Shinaugra and Roxees stared one another down in midair.  He growled loudly.  “She is far more powerful than any Dragonkin!”  Shinaugra flapped his wings and took flight towards her.  “No matter, she will perish all the same!”

Roxees answered his charge with one of her own.  She collided with Shinaugra and clamped her claws into his legs.  Shinaugra let out a roar and snapped at her head repeatedly.  Their wings flapped thunderously to keep them in the air during their battle.

Sarath clung tightly to Lian.  “This is insane!  I don’t know how much longer I can hold on!”

Lian held tightly to Shinaugra’s neck with one arm while gripped Sarath with the other.  “I got you!”

Roxees heard Lian’s voice and craned her neck around Shinaugra’s deadly mouth to see him.

Lian watched Roxees thrust her mouth toward him.  Sarath let out a scream.  Lian quickly drew his sword just as Roxees’ mouth clamped onto his armor.  He screamed stabbed his sword into Roxees’ left eye with all his might.  Roxees let out a shriek of pain and released him.  He pulled the sword from her eye and looked down at his badly damaged armor.  It had saved his life.  Shinaugra quickly took advantage of Roxees’ lowered defenses.  He latched his mouth onto her neck and blood sprayed into the air.  Shinaugra bit harder, pulling her downward.  They spiraled with great speed toward the ground.  Roxees finally released her grip on Shinaugra’s legs.

Shinaugra took his now free claws and sunk them into Roxees’ body.  He released his jaws from her neck.  “Be crushed against the stones!”  Shinaugra let go of her body close to the ground.  He spread his wings and took flight into the air just as Roxees’ body impacted.  Shinaugra quickly turned to face the dust cloud rising where Roxees had smashed into the ground.  He opened his mouth wide and released a blast of hellfire, covering the entire area.

Sarath let out a sigh of relief.  “Good going.  Poke that bitch’s eye out then roast her!  Win win!”  She squeezed Lian tightly.

Lian sheathed his sword.  He stared at the flaming area where Roxees had been engulfed.  “She may be injured… but I don’t think this is over.”

Shinaugra glared at the burning rubble.  “It is over.  No creature could have survived that.”  He let out a roar of victory.

Smoke and flames covered the ground below.  A loud shriek echoed through the area.  The gusting snow flurries in the air turned to a brutal blizzard of snow and ice.  The flames that engulfed Roxees flash froze and shattered.  Roxees took flight.  Plates of ice froze around her body while ice extended from her horns and claws.  Roxees would not be defeated so easily.

Shinaugra quickly turned and flew away from her.  “It is impossible!”  He growled loudly and he banked around to charge Roxees once again.

Roxees stared at her enemies, eager to rip them apart.  She flew with great speed towards Shinaugra.  Roxees opened her mouth and emitted a blue glow.  Flames of icy death swelled within her.  Shinaugra watched her closely, knowing this might be his last charge.  Roxees prepared to release her attack.  Blue flames and deadly frost started to spew from her mouth.  A boulder suddenly crashed into her head, interrupting the attack.  She glanced to the side just as another struck her.

Lian looked on in disbelief.  He turned to see the Elves still locked in a desperate fight.  The aid had not come from them.  Sarath grabbed his shoulders and pointed to the west.  A large army was approaching the battleground.  Elephants carrying soldiers stampeded toward the battlefield along with thousands of charging infantry.  Shinrok had arrived.  Their catapults volleyed boulders toward Roxees.

Sarath let out a laugh, followed by a shout.  “It’s Ceriene!”  She hugged Lian tightly.  “It’s time to finish this!”

Lian smiled as lightning flashed in the sky.  The clouds began to emit a dim green glow.  He pointed to the clouds.  “Elintae has arrived as well!”

Sarath shook her head. “About time!  Just because she’s a woman doesn’t mean she always has to be late!”

Shinaugra looked upon Roxees while she struggled to stay in flight.  The barrage of boulders had left her heavily disoriented.  He squinted is shimmering green eyes at his target and roared, “It has been my honor, master Lian.”  He spread his wings and charged Roxees.

Sarath gripped Lian tightly.  “What?  What’s he doing?”

Lian let go of Shinaugra and grabbed Sarath’s arms.  “Get ready!  I think this is it!”

Shinaugra roared, once again colliding with Roxees.  He turned down and dragged her along with him.  The two dragons barreled toward the ground.  They were less than one hundred feet away.  Lian quickly turned and wrapped his arms around Sarath.  He held her tightly and leapt from Shinaugra’s back.  Sarath screamed as they fell through the air.  Shinaugra crashed Roxees against the ground with devastating force.  The mighty dragon tumbled along the ground and rolled to a stop.  He lay motionless, killed by the impact.  Lian held Sarath tightly while they crashed to the ground.  He let go of her as he bounced on the ground and screamed in pain.  Sarath rolled along the ground and crashed into a pile of stone rubble. 

Sarath whimpered in pain and gasped for air.  She collected herself and struggled to stand.  Sarath looked around the area and saw the lifeless Shinaugra.  “No…” she said to herself.  She then looked to the area where Roxees had crashed to the ground.  There was no dragon, just the white-haired, grey-skinned monster who was struggling to stand.  Sarath then looked to see Lian lying upon the ground breathing heavily.  “No!”  She ran to him, clenching her side.  Sarath dropped to her knees next to Lian.  “Don’t be dead!  Don’t be dead!”

Lian opened his eyes and gasped for air.  He looked at Sarath hovering over him and mumbled, “I’m not dead.  I’m breathing.”  Lian struggled to sit up.

Sarath took a deep breath.  “Right… I knew that.”  She then looked to Roxees who still struggling to stand.  “Guess who else is breathing?”

Lian quickly stumbled to his feet.  He reached for his sword but found nothing.  It had fallen from his back during the descent.  He gritted his teeth and pulled the broken armor from his body.  “Dammit…”

Sarath stood and looked to Roxees.  She was now on her feet and staring at the two.  Blood dripped from Roxees’ face and neck.  Snow blew heavily all around them while wind tugged at her white hair.  The vile sorceress snarled at Lian and Sarath.  Sarath stared in horror at Roxees’ true form.  She glared at Sarath with her blood red eyes as if she were peering into her very soul.

Sarath looked to Lian, who was returning Roxees’ glare with one of his own.  A smirk crept across Sarath’s face.  “Find your sword.  She’s all beaten and bloody.  She can’t be that tough now.”  Sarath turned and charged towards Roxees.

Lian’s eyes widened, shocked at Sarath’s actions.  He reached out his hand.  “Sarath!  No!”

Roxees watched her charge, her grinning face shadowed by evil and malice.  Roxees held out her hand towards Sarath.  Dust flew from the ground around Roxees, followed by a shockwave of magical Energy.  Sarath floated into the air, suspended and unable to move.

Roxees laughed as she looked at Sarath.  “This is the thanks I get for helping you?”

Sarath grunted and struggled against the sorceress’s grip.  “You bitch!  Lian, I can’t move!”

Lian watched in horror.  He was certain Sarath was about to lose her life.  Lian’s eyes narrowed and his lips quivered.  “Don’t you…”  He clenched his fist tightly and closed his eyes.  “Don’t you dare!”

Roxees once again burst into laughter while a red aura surrounded the sorceress.  The blood vanished from her skin and her wounds closed and disappeared.  She looked past Sarath to Lian.  “I am not so easily persuaded, unlike this whore.”

Sarath gritted her teeth, looking upon Roxees with hate and anger.  “You used me!  I would never have killed him!  That was
your
doing!”

Roxees glanced to Sarath.  “I didn’t cut out his heart or slit the throat of his innocent bride.”  Roxees returned her sinister gaze to Lian.  “Now, surrender your life or she dies, slowly.”

Sarath gasped at Roxees’ demand.  “Lian don’t you dare!  If you die, we all die regardless!”  Sarath smirked.  “Now, I suggest you come do your hero thing and kick her ass!”  Roxees glared at her.  Sarath stared at Roxees while her smirk became a mischievous grin.  “She was an eyesore before.  Now, she is just hideous!  I’m getting tired of looking at her.  Now, hurry!”

Roxees snarled at Sarath’s remarks.  “Now, you die.”  Roxees clenched her outstretched hand into a tight fist.  Sarath’s body tensed as excruciating pain shot through her every nerve.

Sarath’s cries of pain pierced Lian’s ears.  He gritted his teeth as his eyes widened.  Lian’s mind raced back to Elintae’s words.  Without his sword, he could be consumed and destroyed by his power.  Lian shook his head and tightly closed his eyes while he screamed, “I don’t care!”  His muscles tightened while the very world shook beneath him.  The blonde streaks within his hair began to glow red.  Red lightning circulated around his body and radiated from him violently.  Lian opened his eyes, and now the entirety of them were glowing a bright red.

Roxees’ grinned at Lian.  “Try if you dare.”

Roxees quickly tossed Sarath to the side.  She flew through the air, crashing into a pile of rubble.  She closed her eyes and let out a shriek of pain before settling in the rubble.  Sarath slowly opened her eyes and looked toward Lian and Roxees with blurred vision.  She let out a gasp and muttered, “Kill that bitch…”  Sarath slowly closed her eyes as her head fell back.