Michael Manning - The Line of Illeniel

I ignored her and as soon as we stood in the circle I took us all back to Washbrook. She looked mildly startled at how rapidly our location had changed. “Keep the wagons moving out as soon as they come through,” I told her.

“But! Wait…,” she started to argue. I gave her a push and a slap on the derriere. “Oh!” she exclaimed. Penny and I were gone before she could protest further.

Penny glared at me, “You’re getting mighty free with those hands Mister.”

“Chalk it up to stress. I’m not thinking as clearly as I should be,” I said. I would probably pay for that one later. Fatigue was beginning to wear on me. I had used more power in the last few hours than I was accustomed to. Fear gnawed at me; if I couldn’t move them all there would be serious consequences.

We kept the wagons moving steadily over the course of the next half an hour. Despite my exhaustion I had begun to think we would make it without any more ‘incidents’. A yell from the wall outside put an end to that hope. “Soldiers coming! Lots of them!”

“Shit!” I exclaimed. I was torn, if I went to help ‘discourage’ the king’s men I would have to stop transporting wagons. If I ignored them they might overwhelm my men on the wall. A surge of fear and indecision paralyzed me, and then a hand settled on my shoulder.

It was James. “Keep moving Mordecai. There are only five wagons left. I’ll make sure they don’t get in,” he assured me. I looked at the man who had become almost a second father to me. He looked old, which seemed strange to me. Still, his confidence made me feel better.

“I’m counting on you,” I replied and turned back to move the next wagon. I tried to keep my mind blank; I couldn’t afford to think of anything beyond my immediate task.

Each time we returned I heard things that worried me more. Shouting and voices carried loudly on the cold night air. The duke had tried negotiating briefly; to buy us more time, but it didn’t seem that the king’s soldiers were having any of it. I felt a sense of relief as the last wagon found its place in the circle. One more trip and we would be done. I moved it quickly and Penny and I returned to collect my militiamen.

It was chaos. We left the store house to find the duke’s yard filled with running men. Several were down already and I wondered who else had just died for me. The king’s soldiers had been unable to force the gate and were now climbing steadily over the short stone walls. The house had not been built with defense in mind; the walls were no more than eight feet in height. Not far away I could see one of my men on the ground… an arrow protruding from the face of his helmet.

James stood in the middle of the yard screaming orders. If it hadn’t been for him they might have been lost already. “Get back to the store house! Hurry up!” he shouted. Most of the militia was running in my direction already but I could see some limping behind them. The soldiers crossing the wall were already beginning to follow.

“Lyet ni’Bierek,” I yelled, pointing my staff at the wall behind them. Light and sound assailed my eyes and ears. I repeated the process, pointing at different points along the wall, hoping to slow the men swarming into the duke’s yard. James turned and started for the store house when he stumbled and fell. An arrow was sticking up from his hip. I felt a cry rising from my throat but there were no words in it, just a primal noise full of pain and emotion. More archers were taking aim from various points around the yard.

One of the men that had come with me turned back to grab the wounded duke, hauling him by main force across the yard. The others had by now reached me and were standing within, waiting for me so we could escape. I ran back to help him drag James back to safety.

Before I could reach them more arrows struck. I couldn’t see the man’s face because of his helm, but I wondered at his strength. An arrow had lodged in his shoulder yet he pulled the duke along as though he weighed nothing. I grabbed James’s feet and we ran for the doorway. Arrows fell around us and I felt several hit my shield. Belatedly I thought to extend it to cover James and his unknown savior. I was so tired I could barely manage even that.

We got inside and several hands helped drag him into the circle. A dozen soldiers were charging for us and I knew they would reach us before I could activate the circle. Fear and rage pushed reason from my mind and I stepped out to face them. “Pyrren ni’Tragen!” I screamed. A shockwave of fire and death exploded across the yard. The men charging toward us were incinerated and even those further away near the walls were thrown back. Flames took hold and the single tree in the yard became a bonfire. The duke’s house appeared to have caught fire as well.

My anger had gotten the better of me. I stared at what I had done in shock, despairing at the lives I had just taken. A hand on my shoulder brought me back to myself. “Son we need to go. There’ll be time for regrets later.” It was my father’s voice.

Surprised, I looked at the man who had dragged the duke across the yard with me. Recognition dawned as I saw the beard beneath his faceguard. He tugged at my arm and we started back inside. He jerked and made an odd cry as we started back toward our escape.

In horror I saw a second arrow had appeared between his shoulders. I had released the shield around him when I went back outside… I cursed myself for my stupidity. I grabbed him as he fell, struggling to keep him upright as we entered the circle. Fighting exhaustion I took us to Washbrook for the last time.

Our arrival was greeted with cheers by those waiting, but their rejoicing was short lived. James was badly wounded, and my father… my mind went blank as I thought of him. I gently eased him to the ground, shouting at the people around us to move back. I had to lay him on his side because of the arrows protruding from his back.

Penny gave out a cry of shock as she realized who I was holding, “Oh gods! It’s Royce!”

My mind was reeling as I tried to think. I struggled to focus, to cast my senses into my father’s failing body, to discover the extent of the damage. Someone started shouting in my ear, trying to get my attention. My temper snapped as my concentration broke, without looking I shouted, “Penny! Get everyone back so I can concentrate!” I took a quick look around, glaring at those watching. “If anyone else interrupts me they won’t live to regret their mistake,” I ground out between clenched teeth.

Starting again it took even longer to regain my inner balance. I fought to calm my heart and suppress the rage boiling up within. After a long minute I regained my focus and began examining my father’s wounds. What I found dismayed me. One arrow, the first, had lodged in his shoulder blade. I dismissed that one immediately; it was the second arrow that had done the worst damage.

That shaft had passed between his shoulder blade and spine, the head was lodged beside his heart. It had punctured his left lung and nicked the heart as well. One of the arteries that fed the heart was hemorrhaging badly. The injury was horrifying to my inner sight. I couldn’t repair the lung or the artery until I removed the arrow, and I only had minutes at the very most. He was bleeding to death and drowning in his own blood. It would be a race to see which killed him first.

“Someone find Marcus! I want him here immediately!” I screamed. Panic had given my voice an edge of hysteria. Then my father began trying to speak. His words were soft and wet with blood making it hard to hear him.

I leaned closer, putting my ear near his mouth. “Is there any hope?” he said in a quiet wheeze. Tears began running down my face at the words.