Sam Bowring - Soul's Reckoning

Mages began to channel and, shadows in the night, speed west. The soldiers were taken care of by the more powerful, and Roma helped boost Tyrellan along. Losara lifted off the ground with Lalenda and, hand in hand, they flew over the departing mass.

‘Look at that,’ said Lalenda, and he followed her gaze. The shadowmander had no problem keeping up with Tyrellan as he bounded across the plains next to Roma. ‘Such a powerful weapon you have created, my lord.’

‘It has its flaws,’ said Losara.

‘Surely,’ she said, ‘it will be enough. You will not need to try the other way.’

‘I hope not, my love. I really do.’ He squeezed her hand. ‘Let us see how we fare at the Shining Mines.’

Bel moved through the camp in the early morning. Fires were being stamped out and horses loaded as the soldiers made ready to ride to Brahl. Of the wounded, most could now ride, or at least suffer being strapped to horses’ backs. Only a few had been beyond saving by Nicha’s mages, and these now rested in the ground.

As he glanced around for Jaya, he saw a scout gallop into camp at full pelt and drop from his horse before Nicha. The man seemed excited and, as he spoke, Nicha glanced over to Bel. He raised a questioning eyebrow and she gestured at him to approach. He did so, arriving as the scout departed.

‘What’s happened?’ he said.

‘You wished to be informed if there was any change at Holdwith?’

‘Indeed.’

‘The scouts report no one mans the walls this morning. Not only that, but there’s no sound from within. And the south gate is lying open.’

Bel experienced a sinking feeling. ‘He’s gone.’

‘Yes. It seems the shadow has abandoned Holdwith.’

‘Any sign of the mander?’

‘None.’

Bel rubbed his eyes. So Losara had snuck away in the night, almost certainly to join his army – the army that was closer to the Shining Mines than Brahl was. Yesterday Nicha had voiced her hope that the soldiers already stationed at the Mines would be able to hold off the enemy until the rest of the Kainordan forces arrived, but if Losara had the mander in tow, Bel feared the worst. He had been hoping that the creature was somehow tied to Holdwith, because it had not been able to cross a kind of invisible line when last he had faced it. Now he knew it must be mobile somehow, and Losara had taken it …and there was only one way he could think of to ward it off.

‘What do you wish to do?’ said Nicha.

Bel made a snap decision. ‘The rest of you join Brahl as planned,’ he said. ‘As for me, I will require your fastest horse, and whichever mage is best at increasing its speed.’

Nicha looked surprised. ‘You will not come with us?’

‘No,’ said Bel, and glanced around. Where was Jaya? Then he spotted her, strapping her pack onto a horse. ‘Be quick, Nicha,’ he said. ‘There’s no time to lose.’

Without waiting for her reply he headed to Jaya, who smiled at him until she saw his expression.

‘What is it?’

‘Losara has gone to his army, with his creature.’

‘Oh,’ she said, seeming confused by the implications.

‘I must ride straightaway to the Mines. I’m sorry, Jaya, but you cannot join me on this leg.’

‘What?’ she said. ‘Why?’

‘Because I must be as swift as I can, and any more horses, and mages …well, it’s just more variables, and variables might slow me down. I know you will fight me on this, but Jaya, please, I have no time.’

She seemed to struggle with something interior, then an odd expression took over her face. ‘Very well,’ she said.

Bel was surprised by her acceptance, but glad he did not have to argue. ‘Thank you,’ he said. ‘Go with the others to Brahl, and Arkus willing I shall see you soon.’

‘Be careful,’ she said softly, and stepped closer to embrace him. For a moment he allowed himself to hold her, savouring the warmth of her body. He felt like a feather in the eye of the storm, still for a moment, yet about to be swept away.

‘What are you going to do?’ she asked.

‘Stand in Losara’s way.’

‘This is Querrus,’ came Nicha’s voice. She stood with a young man, dressed in red lightfist robes. He was lean and muscular, with bright blue eyes and a shorn head.

‘Greetings Blade Bel,’ he said, and bowed. ‘An honour to do you service.’

‘I see you’ve no hair to weigh you down,’ said Bel. ‘Truth be told, I have sometimes considered the same.’

Querrus grinned. ‘Hair gets caught in the wind. It only impedes.’

‘My kind of mage,’ said Bel. ‘And the horse?’

‘Right this way,’ replied Querrus, holding out a hand.

One last time Bel turned to Jaya, clasped her forearms. ‘I will see you soon.’

She nodded, still seeming unsure about whether to insist on coming or not, but Bel did not intend to give her the chance to reconsider.

‘Come!’ he said. ‘We may already be too late.’

Querrus led the way to a brown plains mare, dappled with white splotches, and as lean as he was. ‘This is Taritha,’ he said. ‘We’ve known each other only a year, but together we’ve travelled great distances.’

‘Where is it best for me to sit?’ said Bel.

‘Up front. You can steer her, and I can concentrate on lending her speed.’

Bel swung himself up into the saddle, then reached down a hand to Querrus. Jaya appeared by his leg with his pack.

‘Do you want to take this?’ she said.

‘Strap it quickly,’ said Bel, more brusquely than he intended, and she set about strapping it to the horse.

‘Ready?’ said Querrus.

In answer Bel slapped down the reins, and Taritha obediently broke into a canter. They moved out of the camp, attracting curious glances, and as soon as they were clear of the trees Bel urged the mare into a gallop.

‘All right,’ came Querrus’s voice in his ear, ‘be prepared for a jolt.’

Bel jerked in his seat as suddenly Taritha was moving unnaturally fast. The plains opened up before them, wide and dusty, and soon the wind was whistling in his ears, every step the horse took seeming to cover greater distance. Bel felt a surge of hope – he had been delivered excellent allies.

‘How long to the Mines?’ he called out.

‘Maybe a day, if we can sustain our current pace!’

‘And can we?’

‘It will be a sizeable drain on my power – I just might not be much good to you at the other end.’

‘Never mind that,’ said Bel. ‘Just get us there.’

•

As the wind swept back his golden hair, Fahren kept power streaming into his steed, spurring her to chew up the leagues more swiftly. He could sense her joy, helped by his mental reassurances that all was well, that she should enjoy the ground flashing past at a greater pace than she had ever experienced before. He steered her wide to avoid Drel Forest on the right, seeking to keep to open plains, while lamenting that he could not share her happiness – for both the aim of his journey and his companion kept him from that. Battu rode by his side, more careless of his horse’s feelings, less comforting. Fahren had, more than once, stolen over to the beast’s mind to whisper that there was no need to be afraid. If Battu sensed him doing it, he made no mention. The once-dark lord of Fenvarrow was surely distracted, for the place they headed towards must be the birthplace of his nightmares …and yet it was testimony to Battu’s newfound loyalty that he did not complain, instead facing the journey with steely determination. Fahren took Battu’s presence as a sign that fate was on their side, despite the fact that he did not entirely trust the man, and doubted that he ever would. It had been with some trepidation that he’d ordered his guards to remain behind in the Open Halls, but more horses would only slow them. The need for haste was extreme enough to warrant the risk, for in his mind’s eye Fahren could already see a huge shadowmander climbing the walls of the Open Halls. The light and fire that converged upon it were no more a hindrance than a barrage of promises, and too easily the creature penetrated their stronghold, destroying that which had stood untarnished by the shadow for a thousand years.