The Mage of Orlon: The beginning (20 page)

Nathan passed within grabbing distance of Ileana.
Ileana sprung from the shadows clamping a hand over Nathan
’
s mouth.
Nathan let out a surprised squeak until Ileana
’
s hand muffled it to nothing.
She spun Nathan around and kissed him.
Ileana inhaled Nathan
’
s breath taking in the scents of where he had been.
She gave herself over to her passions putting a light hand to his face drawing the kiss out like an eternity.

Ileana remembered what Galvin had told her and quickly began to relate the terrible history to Nathan, finishing with the elves use of the mages as weapons.
Nathan
’
s response was not what she expected.

“
I know of some of it like Lela cursing your village, but the Sevol history, and the splintered
’
s creation by the elves is a total shock.
It seems the elves have been misleading me from day one!
”
Nathan
’
s fist tightened, Lela, after all we have been through was just using him as the elves always used the mages.

With a gentle touch Nathan placed the bow back in Ileana
’
s hands.
The flash of red illuminated her eyes; there were no more shadows or empty darkness to hide from Ileana the Demon Archer!
She would take revenge on those that had destroyed her life!
If Lela tried to stop her
…
well she would suffer the fate of all the people who had tried to steal from her!

A sly grin split Ileana
’
s face; Lela didn
’
t know what she had learned.
This was perfect, she had her bow, and all she had to do was wait to be found.
Galvin had left her the moment they had made it outside.
Now was the time to strike, But what about Nathan?
Was he with her or did the wretched elf bitch still have him wrapped around her little finger?

“
Nathan, sweetie, would you kiss me again it was wonderful!
”
Ileana coaxed.

“
Sure
…”
was all he could say before Ileana
’
s mouth covered his.
The sensation felt wonderful!
She really hated having to do what was next.
With a deft movement she spun Nathan around while bringing her arm around his neck with a quick movement her fist was nestled in the crook of her other arm cutting off the air to Nathan
’
s lungs!

He tried to struggle, but the darkness engulfed him.
Nathan had the sensation of falling, but couldn
’
t move his arms to cushion the impact.
Okay he was spending too much time unconscious in this world.
He could no longer feel his body, and imagined he would wake up tied up more than likely.
Lela on the other hand would probably not be so lucky.
Ileana was pissed, and would more than likely confront Lela.
He couldn
’
t help either one if he wanted to, how had everything spun so far out of control so fast?

Ileana lowered Nathan to the ground, he would understand.
He had to.
It was for his own good! She would kill Lela and take him back into her village.
She would explain how much she loved him and in this world you protected those you love, even if it was from themselves!
Ileana shook her head.
He would understand, and if he didn
’
t?
The thought frightened her, she could lose his love forever if she didn
’
t tread lightly.

Ileana pushed all that to the side and focused on killing the elven princess.
Slowly she scanned the area and finally picked up Lela
’
s heat signature.
This was it!
She would kill Lela and take everything away from the elves!
Maybe after she seduced Nathan she would tell the Dark Queen the elves where defenseless.

Lela sensed she was being watched, the Sesquech would feel the wrath of her fire now!
She wasn
’
t as powerful as Nathan, but she could enhance the blade of her sword with fire causing it to slice through the tough hide like it was air!

Slowly she turned with the blade bared, a few words and the blade burst into flames!
Ileana
’
s face was illuminated by the light a split second before the arrow flew from her bow.
Lela blocked the arrow with her sword in a lightning fast movement.

“
Why did you shoot at me Ileana?
”
Lela cried.
Her heart had leapt into her throat with joy when she saw her comrade only to be replaced with bile from blocking a shot that would have ended her life.

“
You and your kind destroyed Santrose!
You created the Sevol, and the splintered, and you are using Nathan as a weapon!
How dare you feign to be the victim when it is the other inhabitants of this world that have been your victims all along?
”
The accusation hit Lela like a fist.
The following two arrows didn
’
t help her understanding of everything that was just said.

“
Who told you this?
Was it the Sevol, or someone else?
”
Lela screamed.

“
None of your business!
”
An arrow zinged passed Lela
’
s head.
Another quick movement and three more arrows sung through the air.
Lela dodged and flipped to keep the fatal bolts from hitting their target.

“
I am sorry, Ileana.
”
Lela dropped her sword.
The flames faded to a dull glow.

Lela was wide open, but why?
Ileana cocked her head.
With all the arrows fired, Lela never once advanced her place.
She stood in the same place the whole time simply dodging.

“
Why didn
’
t you tell me you were responsible for the destruction of Santrose, for Cravenwood being cursed?
Why would you do that to our little town?
We only survived by making hard to get objects, and we never turned the elves away not once!
So why destroy us?
”
Ileana
’
s shoulders began heaving with sobs, but she kept the bow trained on Lela.

Lela sat down in the dirt eliminating any type of dodge for the next arrow, if Ileana fired on her now she would die.
Lela hoped it would calm Ileana down.
She couldn
’
t blame the Archer if she shot her, what had been done had ruined lives.
Looking at her boots Lela began to tell her side of what had happened.

Nathan began to come back out of the darkness of unconsciousness.
He strained to listen, but heard no sounds of fighting.
He was too late, someone would be dead.
How was this going to hurt him?
If it was Ileana then no one would come after him, but if it was Lela the entire elven army would hunt him and Ileana to the ends of this strange world.
If only he could open a way home he and Ileana could escape home.

The thought slapped Nathan across the face.
When had he wanted to be with Ileana?
Since the kiss?
When he saw her naked the first night in Santrose?
What was he thinking she had choked him into unconsciousness! But she has a hot body underneath all those clothes.
Sometimes it didn
’
t pay to be a teenage boy!

Slowly Nathan got to his feet, he was right she had tied him up.
Nathan took a couple steps away from the wall and burned the ropes in half with his magic.
His feet betrayed him and Nathan fell to the ground, the dizziness had returned with a vengeance.

He had to get up and see who his fate would be with.
Both had their plus and minuses.
He might be able to take Ileana to his home, but Lela wouldn
’
t be able to come.
The thought occurred to him and seemed right.
Lela was an elf.
If he sided with her he would be stuck in this strange world forever, and possibly be used as a weapon.
If he took Ileana through the portal she would lose her ability to see with her bow.
Would she sacrifice that much for him?
Did he love her enough to ask her to? The questions chased around his skull like a dog chasing a cat.

Finally he heard Lela
’
s calm voice coming out of the darkened hallway.
The battle that knocked a hole in the fortress must have been tremendous!
Lela sounded so calm it was nearly scary.
He had heard that tone of voice from his grandfather when he was on his death bed.
So calm as if nothing could harm him, and then he was gone!
The lead weight filled Nathan
’
s stomach, Ileana had killed Lela and she was dying!

“
Noooooo, wait!
”
Nathan broke out of the darkness.
Lela was sitting in front of Ileana, her bow sting pulled tight with the anticipation of ending another living being.
Ileana
’
s shoulders were trembling, was she crying?

Ileana released the bow string the arrow sailed through the air striking nothing.
Lela looked up at her would be executioner.
Tears ran down her face.
Lela stayed where she was.
She knew Ileana had thrown her shot, she just didn
’
t know why.

“
I can
’
t do it!
Why can
’
t I do it?
”
Ileana sobbed.
“
You ruined my life, drove off my friends and family.
My father died because we were the only ones left, and now you offer your life to me and I can
’
t take it!
Why Lela, Why?
”

“
You only have killed people when you needed too, but you can
’
t kill me because I offer you my life in payment for all the past sorrow my people and I have caused you.
You are a good person Ileana, and you deserve good things to happen to you.
”
Lela
’
s words were calm, even as she leapt from the ground and drove her knee into Ileana
’
s stomach forcing her to fall to the ground.

The dagger was pulled from her belt and Lela held the blade to Ileana
’
s throat.
With a triumphant sneer Lela said
“
I told you the next time you cross me you would forfeit your life, I think this qualifies!
”

With a sly grin Ileana countered,
“
Watch, both of you as the elf princess finishes me off! She will do it with the ease she cursed Santrose, or helped created the Sevols!
”

Lela looked up to see Ileana and Nathan staring at her, Ileana
’
s eyes glowing red with the bowstring pulled tight.

“
I don
’
t understand how you are in two places at once?
”
The feel of Ileana
’
s skin in Lela
’
s hands changed abruptly scales rippled underneath her touch it was the sesquech!

With blinding speed the sesquech grabbed Lela
’
s hand and pulled her off balance causing her to fly over its shoulder and slam into the packed ground they were knelt on.
The reptilian eyes slits that held back an ancient rage.

“
Funny you do not remember me princess!
That has hurt my feelings so.
However, you were only a little girl when your father thought he had vanquished me!
An impudent new being trying to win its freedom!
Instead I was hunted down and nearly killed by your kind!
”

The realization of what Lela was dealing with crossed her face.
Sheer terror gripped her stomach.
It was the Splintered!
She looked over to Nathan and got out the words
“
Help me.
”
Before the boot the splintered had made laid across her throat.
The face and body changed to that of a knight in black amour, the spikes that decorated his shoulders reached higher than the helm he wore.