The Gathering (62 page)

"C'mon, you old bitch, let's have a go."

Alisha stood holding her sword and staring at Rona.
 
Rona nodded and smiled.

"Sure, you’re so much like your mother…it's sickening," she replied.

"Thanks, Cow," Alisha retorted.

Rona attacked, bringing her swords down on Alisha, who deftly countered and thrust.
 
She and Rona were oblivious to all around them.

Coeli and Sam came running from the crowd, just in time to see Scott get hit and go down.
 
Without thinking, Sam jumped in and slammed into the Hordesman, knocking him over and then he grabbing a knife and stabbing him.
 
His hands were covered in blood.

Sam looked over at Scott who shook his head and smiled at Sam.
 
Sam then looked over at where Coeli had been standing, but she was gone.
 
He looked around and saw another Hordesman carrying her off, her mouth covered.
 
Sam jumped up and tried to get to her, but several of the Black Hordesmen stood between them.
 
Then he saw Chelsea go running at the abductor.
 
She had a dagger and lunged at him, slicing him across the back.
 
He stumbled and dropped Coeli.
 
Chelsea reached around and grabbed her friend, and Sam smiled as they started to take off running, but then another invader with icy blue eyes appeared in front of them, smiling and reaching down.

The girls struggled against him and he strolled towards the gate and handed them to the waiting Hordesmen.

"Take them to the horses and get a move on!"

He watched them start to leave and then stopped them.

"Hey!
 
If any of them are touched, he'll fry your nuts for brunch, got it?"

The Hordesmen nodded and took off.
 
Blaylock turned back around and looked over at Alisha.
 
Then from the distance he could see more Fail soldiers running towards them.

"Time to go, Rona."

Rona glanced over at him and nodded.
 
She and Alisha were toe-to-toe.
 
Then Rona saw Lisa and Brandon and smiled.
 
She again blew the flame against her sword and lunged for them.
 

Sean came around the bend and saw Blaylock.
 
There was something familiar about him, but he couldn't remember why.
 
He yelled and charged him.
 
Blaylock turned to see Sean and his face turned white.
 
He drew his sword to block Sean's attack and the two clashed.
 
Sean moved quickly and deftly, striking hard and fast.
 
Blaylock blocked but moved backward, obviously intimidated by Sean.
 
Sean was about to deliver a powerful blow, when he was struck in the back.
 
He groaned and fell to his knees.

Blaylock saw the giant golden fist dissolve into the air, as Rona turned back to her fight with Alisha.
 
Blaylock smiled and raised his sword.
 
Sean reached for his weapon, but it was too far away.
 
As Blaylock brought the sword down, Sean was pulled away.
 
The blade connected with the ground and Blaylock looked over to see Stephan pull Sean out of the way.

"Get out of here, Stephan!"
 
Sean yelled.

Stephan Merganser handed Sean a sword and then moved towards Blaylock.

Alia and Janeen had met up with Connie and Duncan.
 
Together they had found the Black Hordesmen who had attempted to go deep within the village and dispatched them.
 
They now came running around the corner.
 
Connie and Duncan jumped into the fight as Alia looked at Chris and Tanner on the ground.
 
Then she saw Sara and Kaley trying to help the wounded soldiers and she could see Rebecca was in the Dining Hall with Brian.
 
Sean was trying to get up as Stephan attempted to fight off the man with those icy eyes.
 
Then she saw them.
 
Rona was going for Lisa and Brandon.
 
The twins were screaming as Rona's sword came ever closer to their young flesh.

Alisha ran to the children and turned around, pushing them back in the other direction, where Vance was fighting.

"Vance!"

She looked up at him as he turned and caught the children.
 
He looked at Alisha and saw a tear fall from her eye.
 
Then he saw the point of a sword and a blue flame come from her chest.
 
She smiled at him and the point disappeared.
 
Janeen grabbed the twins.

"NO!!!"
 
Vance cried.

He ran to her and caught her in his arms.
 
Alia was running at Rona and Blaylock looked over.

"Let's go now, Rona!!"

Rona smiled and ran towards the gate as it started to close.
 
Blaylock turned and smiled at Stephan.
 

"I guess your old lady was wrong.
 
I guess you do have balls."

Then he lunged and knocked the weapon out of Stephan's hands and thrust the blade into his side, as Sean was able to finally stand and run over to the fight.

"No!"

Blaylock pulled out his sword and ran to the gate.
 
Stephan collapsed and fell into Sean's arms as both Rona and Blaylock jumped onto waiting horses and started to ride off.
 
Alia ran after them, but Connie chased her and held her.

"You're dead, Rona!!
 
I swear it!!!"

Rona stopped her horse and turned around.

"Can't wait!!
 
Just so you know, we have three of the girls.
 
Come to San Bernardino, the black castle, before the Mourning Moon, or they're all dead!!
 
You do understand, don't you, Alia?"

Then Rona turned and she and Blaylock rode off.
 

"ARRGGHH!!"

Alia felt her blood boil and then she turned.

"Alisha…Chris…"

Alia ran towards her son and seeing his eyes were open and alert she ran to her daughter's side.
 
Tanner helped Chris stand up.
 
Vance held Alisha, softly caressing her face.
 
He smiled at her.

"Everything is gonna be fine, Babe…the healers are coming…they're gonna fix you right up."

Alisha shook her head.

"My dreams…I couldn't tell you…I love you so much."

Vance began to rock and he shook his head.

"No, no, you're gonna be fine."

"Mommy…Mommy…"

Alia touched her daughter's face.

"I'm here, Baby…Mommy's here."

"I'm sorry, Mommy.
 
I'm so sorry."

Alia shook her head.
 
She knew this feeling, she knew what was happening.

"Sorry?
 
For what, Baby?"

"For lying to Amanda, for leaving."

Alia felt pain take over as she and Vance held Alisha between them.
 
Alia turned her head and screamed.

"Beverly!!!
 
Beverly!!!"

Alia turned back around and kissed Alisha's forehead.

"Vance is right, Baby, everything is gonna be fine."

Alisha smiled and looked at them.
 
She then looked over at Lisa and Brandon, who were sobbing.
 
She reached out her hand to them.

"Oh, Sweeties, don't cry."

Lisa rubbed her eyes and fell to her knees as Brandon took her hand.

"We're sorry! It's all our fault! Don't go away, Lish, please don't go away!!"

Alisha felt the life draining from her and she squeezed Brandon's hand.

"You listen to me, ok?
 
It's not your fault and I don't want either…either of you to ever think that.
 
We are… are all called home…when it's…our time to go…we go.
 
I love you both very much…never forget that."

They both continued to cry as Alisha noticed that her siblings were all around her now, save for Coeli.

"They took Coeli…Mommy, they took Coeli."

Alia felt helpless as she held Alisha's hand.

"I'll get her back, Baby, don’t you worry about that."

Alisha touched Vance's face and her breathing became shallow.

"I love you…"

Vance shook his head and looked down at her face, forcing a smile.

"I love you, Babe."

Alisha smiled as she stared into his eyes, then her head rolled back and she was gone.

"NO! No, No!
 
Baby?
 
Wake up!
 
Alisha!!"

He held her against him and rocked her back and forth.
 
Alia held on to Alisha's hand and lightly stroked the back of it, shaking her head.

Sara, sobbing, grabbed Lisa and Brandon, who were screaming, and took them back towards the castle.
 
As she moved towards the building, Beverly and the other healers came around the corner.
 
Beverly stopped and her hand came to her face.
 
She walked over to Alia.

"Alia…"

Alia turned to look at Beverly and fought the urge in her to yell and scream at her.
 
Where was she?
 
Why hadn't she gotten there sooner?
 
Her eyes were red and swollen as tears continued to fall.

"We had to help others, Darlin', I'm so sorry."

Alia nodded and continued to stroke Alisha's hand.
 
Duncan and Maggie tried to help their son, but Vance wouldn't let go of Alisha.
 
They finally convinced him, as Myron gently picked up Alisha's lifeless body, Alia felt her daughter's hand slip from her own and she watched as Myron carried her towards Healer Hall.

88

Elian watched as the healers carried his father towards the hall and then looked over at the crumpled body of Darla Hatchett.
 
He walked over to her and gently reached down and lifted her head.

He moved the hair from her face and wiped the blood from her cheek.
 
She slowly opened her eyes and he smiled at her.

"I’m so sorry…" she began.

Elian shook his head.

"Don't try to speak, the healers will come and take you to the hospital."

"No, not me."

"Of course they will…"