Heir to the Sundered Crown (38 page)

Cliria didn’t wait for him to respond. She rained fireball after fireball at him causing the magical barrier to shrink until it was just a few inches from his body. He gritted his teeth and focused channelling all of his power through the staff. With a shout he expanded the shield outwards to push the deadly flames back towards their caster.

Cliria batted the returned flames aside as though swatting a fly.

Luxon looked around all the while maintaining his concentration on the shield. He smiled as he spotted the remnants of a shattered house.

With a flick of his wrist the rubble floated into the air and with a thrust of his arm he sent the debris flying towards Cliria. The witch’s eyes widened in surprise as the heavy stone and timbers came hurtling towards her. The flames ceased as her focus shifted to blocking. With expert skill she cast her own shield which vaporised the incoming debris.

“Nice try boy!” Cliria hissed. “But you are no match for the power of the N’gist.”

She whirled Aljeron’s staff above her head and muttered a dark incantation. Darkness seemed to engulf her before she thrust the staff down into the ground. Black tendrils of energy spread out from the staff to envelope the dead dragon behind her. Luxon stepped back as the tendrils slithered and crawled towards him.

The bodies of ghouls, and fallen warriors were devoured by the blackness.

Then they began to stir.

To Luxon’s horror the dead men began to twitch until they slowly began to rise. Their cold dead eyes focused upon him. They let out an unearthly scream before shambling towards him. The rising dead men were bad enough, but then the dead dragon began to stir.

He planted his feet and raised his staff. Memories of his lesson in the void and the spell Danon had cast entered his mind. Sure enough a wind began to blow. Fire sprang from Dragasdol to blow in the wind. The dead drew closer. He closed his eyes and concentrated; he pursed his lips and blew.

The wind turned into a howling gust the fire joining it until a tornado of fire roared into life.

With one hand Luxon pushed forward sending the whirling flaming vortex into the un-dead.

The howling winds knocked them off of their feet setting them ablaze and sending them flying in all directions. The now un-dead black dragon staggered onto its feet. With a roar it reared back onto its hind legs unleashing fire of its own.

Once again Luxon cast a shield spell. The dragon fire knocked him backwards. Desperately he tried to refocus but Cliria launched another assault with her own magic. Luxon cried out as the shield almost buckled.

The stone beneath him cracked and splintered as he dug his heels in.

“Fear not Luxon!” a deep voice boomed.

Luxon looked to his right and sighed in relief as Umbaroth staggered back onto his feet. The silver dragon roared and lunged at the black dragon, his jaws once again clamping tightly over its throat.  The dragon fire stopped, easing the pressure upon Luxon.

He dropped the shield and swung Dragasdol like a bat sending Cliria’s magic back at her like a missile. The witch screamed as her own magic rebounded back at her at such speed that she couldn’t block it. The fireball struck her solidly in the chest setting her clothes ablaze and sending her flying backwards to crash into a heap.

Umbaroth meanwhile defeated the black dragon. With a sickening snap the beast’s neck broke. Umbaroth released his grip before destroying the carcass with his own fire.

Luxon pressed his attack. He ran at the downed witch and leapt into the air. As he went, he cast levitation to keep him off of the ground. He floated above her.

“It is over Cliria. You are beaten,” he said coldly. He raised a hand summoning the staff of Aljeron into it.

The staff flew into the air to land in his grip.

The witch glared at him. Her face was burnt and her clothes were singed. She staggered onto her feet.

“It is not over fool; even if you destroy me, things have still gone to our plan. My beloved is back; his dark glory will consume the world. You think that by besting me you have changed anything; there are many others like me, servants to his will.” Cliria spat. 

Luxon floated to the ground to stand before her. He looked at the vortex above them. There was no other way. He swung the staff of Aljeron smacking the witch back onto the ground. Then he placed it to her head.

Cliria cried out in terror as he stood over her. Her face shifted and changed. Instead of the eyes full of malice and hate were eyes wide and innocent.

“Where...Where am I? The last thing I remember is walking through the Great Wood collecting mushrooms for grandmother and then...nothing,”

Luxon hesitated. Cliria had said that she had possessed the body of a girl.

“Alira?” he asked cautiously.

The blonde girl nodded her eyes full of fear.

“Do not fear. I will set you free,” he said. His mind raced. Now was his chance to rid the world of the witch forever. He leant down so that he whispered into the girl’s ear.

“I know you are still in there hiding Cliria. I will do to you what you did to me. You will seal the void witch. With no body to call your own you will be trapped there for all time, and this girl will be free.” he whispered.

He stood back up and prepared himself for what he had to do.

Behind him the girls eyes darkened, her face contorting into that of the witches once more. Reaching into her clothes she pulled out a dagger. With a scream she leapt to her feet and launched herself at him.

Before she could plunge the blade into his back an arrow flashed past him to strike the girl in the hand. With a scream she fell to the ground weeping.

Luxon spun around sighing in relief as Sophia stepped out from the shadow of a fallen building.

“She’s good at that,” Ferran chuckled as he too emerged from his hiding place. 

“Do what must be done” Kaiden said. He knelt down next to the girl. He stroked her hair tenderly. “Free her from the witch’s foul taint.”

Luxon took a deep breath and placed Aljeron’s staff to the girl’s forehead.

“I the descendant of Aljeron use this staff and the power of this foul witch to seal the void and banish her blackened soul for all time,”

The staff began to glow until it became blindingly bright.

The girl screamed as the witch was purged from her body.

More and more fell beasts were falling through including more dragons their roars echoing across the mountains.

Luxon raised the staff and aimed it at the breach.

“Seal it!” Luxon shouted.

Light shot forth from the end of the staff to strike the vortex.

Thunder rumbled and lightening flashed as the sky itself seemed to shake.

The vortex sputtered for a moment before it imploded with an intense flash that caused Luxon to shield his eyes.

Slowly he lowered his arm.

The sky was blue and calm once more.

The threat from the void was ended.

*

Danon stood in the castle courtyard. Scattered around him like discarded toys were the charred bodies of the defenders. Rangers, soldiers and knights had all tried to stop him. They had failed.

He looked to the blue sky in irritation; his plans for the void had been thwarted but the heir was in his grasp. With a flick of his wrist he ripped the heavy wooden doors leading inside from their hinges. Panicked screams from the refugees cowering from within could be heard as he stalked inside.

Baron Lido charged at the monster coming for them but was swatted aside like a bug to slam into the wall.

A group of women and children huddled together before him their pitiful begs for mercy sounding sweet in Danon’s ears.

Soon the whole world would be doing the same.

A young woman stood at the front to the cowering group.

Holding tightly to her hand was a small boy, a boy who watched Danon with no fear in his eyes.

Alderlade tugged on Elena’s sleeve causing her to look down at her charge. Terror gripped her as the Lich stared at the boy. Somehow it seemed to know who he was.

“Lena, give me the shiny rock,” the little boy said his features set in a look of determination. Something in the lad’s eyes caused her to reach into her pocket and pull out the strange stone. As she did so the stone began glow as it had done before. Soon it grew unbearably hot to the touch.  Quickly she handed it to Alderlade.

Danon glared at the stone.

“The key...” he growled as he recognised it from ages long past. The last time his eyes had set upon it was when Zahnia had used it to retrieve the sword.

Danon stepped backwards as visions of pain and light flashed before his eyes.

Alderlade toddled forward holding the now brightly glowing stone before him.

“Be gone bad man! Leave us alone!” the boy yelled.

Danon backed further away from the stone. Its light hurt his eyes and for the first time in countless years he felt fear. With a hiss he spun away from the boy and the painful light.

“Go away!” Alderlade screamed. The stone shone brighter and brighter until it was blinding. With a final flash the light faded to reveal that Danon had fled.

Elena hugged Alderlade tightly.

It was over.

*

The soldiers of Balnor moved into Eclin. Survivors of the siege emerged from their hiding places stunned at the damage wrought upon their city.

Luxon and the others stood in the city centre. The wide square had been converted into a makeshift infirmary with mages and healers hurrying about aiding the wounded. Umbaroth lay at one side of the square his loud snoring echoing in the open space.

“Well we did it. Danon is defeated, Cliria is banished and the heir is safe and well. All in all I’d say that was a good day’s work,” Sophia said cheerfully. Her face was covered in soot and a livid red cut was on her cheek.

“And none of us died which is always a bonus,” Ferran added with a chuckle. Sophia smiled at him and wrapped an arm around his waist. “Also helps that Luxon seems to be invincible.”

Luxon smiled at his friends.

“I wish. I’m just glad to be home.”

“A lot of things will change now that there is a wizard back in the world,” the Nightblade said. “The mages will no doubt elect you as their new leader.”

Luxon looked away awkwardly.

“I don’t know about that. I just want to go home and have a long rest.”

“Back to Hannah more like,” Yepert chimed in.

The boy hadn’t left Luxon’s side since Cliria’s defeat. He had vowed to never let his friend out of sight again.

“Where’s Kaiden?” Luxon asked flashing his friend a grin.

“He’s not left Alira’s side since the battle. With his order wiped out he’s got a lot of thinking to do,” Ferran replied.

They looked up as Davik approached them a wide smile on his face. In his arms was a small boy.

“The Prince here wanted to meet the mighty wizard,” he said jovially. Luxon shook the boy’s hand causing the prince to giggle in delight. The others bowed.

“It is an honour to meet you my King,” Luxon said smiling at the boy. “I hear it was you who scared off Danon. I’d love to know how you managed that,” he added.

“I used this!” the boy said with a laugh. In his hands was a stone covered in runes. The shape of a sword glowing faintly on its surface.

“May I?” Luxon asked. The boy frowned a moment before handing over the stone. Luxon gasped. As soon as he touched it he felt powerful magic coursing through it.

A vision flashed into his mind.

‘A golden sword cast back a cloud of darkness, images of a ruined tower nestled in the heart of a dark forest. Serpents writhed and fought; men in strange armour march over desolate battlefields and wage war. A huge lock with a square shaped lock, the stone belongs within it on the other side of a mighty stone door lies the sword of the gods.’

Luxon staggered backwards dropping the stone.

“What is it?” Yepert asked his tone full of worry. He took Luxon by the arm and held him steady.

Luxon looked at Davik.

“It’s a key...” He muttered. He shook his head to clear it. “Keep that stone safe.”

Davik raised an eyebrow. He lent down and picked up the stone. Alderlade snatched it back to hold it tightly to his chest.

“Whatever you say...wizard,” the old warrior replied uncertainly.

***

45.

Sunguard

Cheering crowds lined the streets of the capital, ticker tape streamers filled the air and fireworks exploded noisily casting dazzling light above the city.

Coming down the main avenue which led to the city’s heart was a procession led by Archbishop Trentian. The old man held his head high as he walked, his long gold inlaid ceremonial robes glinting in the hot midday sun. A smile was on his face as he savoured the joy coming from Sunguard’s citizens. The tyrant Rason was gone and the true heir would sit upon the throne.

Behind were a hundred other priests in similar garb and behind them was a large horse drawn carriage. Inside sat Elena, Davik and the soon to be anointed King Alderlade the First. The little boy waved happily at the crowds.

Behind the carriage rode the Barons of Champia, Bison, Blackmoor and Robinta. Each man wore their finest clothes and each had a highly polished sword on their hip. The child baron of Balnor rode alongside them his face red with embarrassment.

Noticeable by his absence was the Baron of Retbit.

Luxon and the others were amongst the excited crowds.

He felt pride at having achieved what he had done.

There would be a new King, one that would be guided by wise and noble men and one that would give hope to the people.

“Retbit didn’t yield,” Ferran muttered darkly. “The fool will still press his claim.”

“With the rest of the realm arrayed against him Retbit will not last long,” Kaiden said placing a hand on the Nightblades shoulder.

“He still has a large army and rumours abound that fell things are afoot in his lands.”Ferran replied.