Revelyn: 1st Chronicles - When the last arrow falls (78 page)

On Rema’s command the twelve, looked straight ahead and marched quickly to the front lines where a loose wall of lancers stood and sat and gaped open mouthed at what advanced upon them. They pushed aside the spears and then with deadly force slew all who were before them. Sylvion advanced behind holding up the Shadow Blade and waving it back and forward so that the show of light danced beautifully to the heavens. Reigin kept pace just to her fore, and so they advanced deep into the ranks of their enemy and by the sword cut a mighty swathe into the heart of the encampment.

Further up the slope the king and Zelfos watched once more in dumbstruck awe as this deadly light came toward them. They were far enough distant to escape the deadly thrall which it cast about, but each found their mind was slow and Leander seemed unable to give an order, for his speech came stupidly to his lips as though a hundred wasps had stung and swollen them into a bumbling mess.

At the centre of the deadly light Sylvion stood and saw things which no human should ever see. Her mind seemed so much faster than all about and everything which happened took place so slowly that time itself seemed almost to have come to a halt. 

She knew then that they could slay the whole army, for none could stand and fight. Victory was but a short time hence. And then without warning, suddenly amidst the slow and grotesque horrors which surrounded her, came the visions which sought to save her soul. As Sylvion  stood and wielded that mighty blade and looked upon the falling foe, she saw flashing before her, the lives of those which were being taken so easily and swiftly as the swords swung and hacked and pierced and let loose the life blood from within.

She saw a young man gasp and look in disbelief as a blade went clear through his body. She saw the last thoughts of this dying man, his wife and child alone in grief, and then another fell and as she looked upon him she saw the hopes he held for his parents and the young woman he loved and would now never lie with. All about came these crushing images which she was stealing from these ordinary men. Love and hope, life and pleasure; they too all fell before her. She was their thief and they were defenceless against her
Shadow Blade
, and suddenly she knew that she too was unable to stand apart, for the more they slew the harder grew her heart and there was danger that she would end up in victory as cold as the ones she sought to overthrow.

Am I no different now than Zelfos or the King?

This thought came to her amidst all the carnage, as she sought to weave her light, which so powerfully held their enemy in deadly thrall. The awful visions of great and inconsolable grief came as thick and fast as those that fell slain and mortally wounded all about. She felt a cold hand reach for her heart. She cried out in denial but it would not be denied.

Reigin sensed it first, the light was fading, and those about seemed more able to stand and fight. An arrow came flashing across the circle which they had formed about her. It creased his shoulder and left a bright flow of blood. A sword struck at Anderlorn although he parried it easily enough.

‘Sylvion, what is wrong?’ He called back but dared not look around.

‘I cannot hold this longer,’ came her sad voice. ‘It will take my soul. Please help me Reigin. We must not follow this path further. Tell Rema I have no more hate.’ She spoke so desperately that Reigin called to Rema.

‘Rema, Sylvion is tiring. She can no longer wield the blade.’

These words hit Rema like an axe for they were deep within the enemy camp. Without the Shadow Blade they would be quickly overwhelmed. He cursed himself, for he had suspected that she would struggle in this action.

Sylvion saw a soldier then, hardly more than a youth, for the hair upon his chin was thin and sparse. He watched her blade in utter fascination, held in the mighty light which danced and crackled before him. An
Edenwhood
sword took off his head and in that moment she saw a mother standing desolate and inconsolable. A great pain pierced her heart.

Was not this the pain she had felt when her kindma had fallen?

And suddenly the light was gone and a mighty blackness overtook them all.

Rema knew they had a moment and no more in which to flee. He called the twelve together and with Reigin leading the distraught Sylvion they sprang back towards the front line. The enemy was not sure what had come about and struggled at first to understand what they should do, but as minds cleared and bodies moved more freely a cry of anger went up, for the slaughter of their friends was clear enough around them.

‘Fly my friends!’ cried Rema, and so they did. The
Edenwhood
were fast enough but Rema and Sylvion struggled to dodge and weave through the fallen and the enemy who began to form a deadly wall before them. Anderlorn wielded Anderwyn at their fore and hacked a path with help from his men. A volley of arrows flashed toward the group and three
Edenwhood
fell dead.

They reached the front line and suddenly there was open ground before them. As arrows rained down and spears came hurtling through the night they made their escape. Another
Edenwhood
fell and Rema felt an arrow brush his cheek. Reigin’s injury soaked his tunic with blood and even Anderlorn was surprised by the appearance of a deep welt across his neck. There was no pursuit for there was a great fear upon the enemy. The deadly Light might reappear and none now wished to be the first to see it.

The weary party returned in silence to
Fellonshead
and fell exhausted upon the ground. It took a long time before any had the energy to speak. At last it was Sylvion who did so, for she knew that her weakness had endangered them all, and indeed four of their number had paid with their lives. Her voice was from far off, and in her mind she still saw the deathly sad visions which had haunted her in the battle, replaying over and over again. A desperate sadness gripped her soul.

‘I am sorry to have let you down,’ she whispered. ‘Before this day I thought I could wield this blade and turn the land upon its head. I did not know that it would steal my soul. I did not know that I would witness such visions as I now cannot seem to put away. I cannot see so many slaughtered whilst others are to blame. I cannot do this. I am sorry. We must find another way.’

She sat then upon the ground and resting against a fallen wall closed her eyes and cried soundlessly in grief. And such a deep grief it was. That day she had witnessed the death of the
Equin,
and seen battles so bloody and awful that her very being was seared by the reality of the dreadful things which men could do to each other.

Rema shook his head in sadness and went to her. He held her and soothed her as best he could.

‘I am sorry too Sylvion.’ He whispered. ‘We did not know what the cost would be to you, or to any of us. The
Shadow Blade
is a fearsome weapon, and without it I do not yet know what we can achieve. What other way you speak of, is not clear to me but I have no wish to see you so distressed.’

The others of the party said nothing but Anderlorn quietly led his men off to rejoin the other
Edenwhood,
and Rema wondered what the Elder might wish to say on what had come to pass, for he had lost many men. But he could do no more then than comfort Sylvion and think upon a day which had seen so much bloodshed, and all the while his mind kept returning to the dreadful news of Serenna, and his heart broke with the sadness of her loss.

What will the morning bring?
He wondered. Finally, well after midnight he fell into a fitful sleep, his face wet with tears; and so they spent the night that way, each in the other’s arms and dreamed awful things which would not let them be until the first rays of sunlight filtered gently down into the ruined city.

Reigin did not sleep. He stood watch through the long night upon the ramparts of
Fellonshead
overlooking the plain. He felt that death was close upon them now and wondered what dying might be like; this was another new idea, for till then he had only ever thought of serving death on others.

But this great man had also thought long and hard upon Sylvion’s words.

 
There had to be another way.

He felt he owed her a great debt for opening his mind to truths which he had never before thought to entertain. Without her, he would never have found the
Edenwhood
and where his own truth lay. It was a debt which he had no means to repay but perhaps this need offered him some way of helping her distress. So for all that long night he considered what might be this other way. He had sensed that Sylvion had changed since she had used the
Shadow Blade
, for she had become more distant and colder of heart; more absorbed with revenge and setting Revelyn to right, and her gentleness had suffered much as a result. To hear her talk of the awfulness of her ordeal that night had confirmed his thinking and he grieved for her, but he was a warrior, and knew that to defeat the evil which stood against them meant many had to die. This was the reality, but his intelligent mind would not let the matter go. He recalled what Rema had told him of the things which the great El-Arathor had spoken of, and by the time the morning sun warmed his body where he sat upon the worn and broken stones, he had a plan. He knew it stood little chance of success, but in the end they had very little choice.

He climbed wearily to his feet and went to find Rema.

*

Estreedian the eagle returned to Fellonshead with the news which Rema had requested some time before noon. Anderlorn the Elder, Rema and Reigin had stood and watched as the mighty creature had swept away into the chill morning air and flown endlessly back and forward over the rear of the enemy camp, right along the where the trees and tangled forest of the
Vaudim
mountain gave way to the slopes of the Plains of Amrosi over which it stood watch.

The great eagle landed effortlessly on a rock, and with a cry, folded its wings and stared fiercely about as Rhyander sprang from his saddle and stood before the three.

‘I have discovered the path,’ he said. ‘It lies a hundred paces to the north of the King’s pavilion. The trees are thick, but there lies beneath them a stony path which is of a different colour to the rocks on either side. I am sure they have been placed there from another source. The path leads up into the mountain but I could not follow it far. Estreedian did not seem willingly to close upon the mountain, and I too felt some strange repelling force. I could not get closer.’

‘You have done well, Rhyander,’ Rema said. This information is our last hope. Is there anything else you could discern?’ Rhyander nodded.

‘Low down by the camp I saw three fell creatures in the shadows. They lie in wait and cannot be easily seen. I circled over them for some time but the more I looked the more I saw just shadows; but I know that there is some presence there.’

‘The
Shadow Hunters
.’ Rema whispered, and they all shivered a little at the vision which this news brought them.

If what El-Arathor told you is true Rema,’ Reigin spoke after a time with great seriousness, ‘then this path leads into the
Vaudim
, and by some magic which he spoke of, it  might even the battle and prevent the slaughter which last night seemed the only way to defeat Lord Petros and his army.’  The others considered his words.

‘He did say this,’ Rema replied, ‘but even he was unsure of what magic remained there.’ He paused and shook his head, before continuing sombrely.  ‘It is a big risk which you have suggested we take Reigin. What do you say Anderlorn?’

The giant Elder walked to the edge of the high ruins on which they stood and looked hard into the distance at the mighty
Vaudim
which loomed over the plains to the west. After a long time in which the others respected his wish to think upon the matter, he spoke.

‘Our history carries stories of that place; but we lost much when the
Edenwhood
departed from this land and went to live in AlGiron. The stories have fallen into shadow, but there is truth to them I am sure. If one such as El-Arathor drew your attention to that place Rema, then this is enough to recommend we act upon such small advice. It seems we cannot slay the whole enemy, although for a time last night I felt we would. If that path is no longer open to us, then I would do as Reigin has put forward.’ He nodded. ‘Yes I am able to agree to his plan.’

Rema took a deep breath and nodded as well.

‘Then it is agreed. We will trust ourselves to El-Arathor and what magic is left in the
Vaudim
.’

With this the three stood and looked upon the mountain and wondered what deliverance or doom it held for them.

Rema finally gave the order.

‘Reigin you prepare those whom we have chosen. A score in all. I will speak once more with Sylvion for her blade alone will get us through the enemy to the
Vaudim
.’ He turned to the Elder of the
Edenwhood
and bowed.

 ‘Elder Anderlorn, you have served this cause mightily. With your sword Anderwyn I cannot imagine a warrior who could stand against you, but you have done enough and your people will need you if we fail. I ask you to wait with your
Edenwhood
for news of what will come to pass. If it goes badly, take your folk and return to AlGiron. Seal the gates and pray perhaps that what evil overtakes these lowlands has no eye for your beautiful land above. I thank you for all you have done.’ The two men gazed upon each other full of deep emotion, and then grasped hands as warriors do. With a grip held firm for a time they acknowledged silently what had passed between them, and then with a quick nod they departed.

Within two span the small force which was to brave the wounded army that blocked their way to the
Vaudim
had gathered on the grasslands under the shadow of
Fellonshead.
Both Thunder and Sadeye had survived the night and seemed strong enough for one last effort, although it was clear to Sylvion this would be their death. She grieved deeply but had spent much time with Thunder that morning and understood that he was choosing to join his fallen kin. Her tears had wet his mighty flank and he had nuzzled her gently like in times past. No more now could be said or done.