Michael Manning - The Line of Illeniel

She shook her head, “No! I have to tell him something! Let go!” She struggled to break the big man’s grip. As she did she met his gaze, and as she looked on his face his eyes widened.

“Your eyes,” he said suddenly. “What have you done?”

“What I had to do!” she screamed at him. With a twist she broke free and backed away, trying to get closer to where Mordecai still stood.

Cyhan’s sword was out and there was a dangerous look in his eyes, “You’ve betrayed your oath girl.” He took a step toward her and his sword flicked out, seeking her head.

Penelope’s old sword was gone, but she had taken a new one, and she met his blade with her own. Though she no longer had the strength and speed the bond had given her she still had learned much about swordplay. “What are you doing?” she demanded.

“What you should have done,” Cyhan answered tonelessly. His sword struck again, almost beating her frantic block aside, and before she could recover his foot snaked forward to sweep her from her feet. Leaping past her he ran for Mordecai’s unsuspecting back.

With a strength born of desperation Penny reached out and caught his ankle, causing him to tumble and fall. As he fell she pulled herself up and struck him solidly in one kidney. Cyhan gasped and twisted catching her across the jaw with a poorly aimed swing. She flung herself at him like a madwoman fighting with all the strength she still possessed.

The fight was over in seconds. The larger warrior caught her by the hair and planted a fist in her belly, doubling her over with pain as the air was forced from her lungs. He rose while she struggled to breathe and spat at the ground, “I taught you better than that.” Before he could strike again, a voice from behind stopped him cold.

“Whose side are you on?” Dorian asked… a quiet fury in his tone.

“Get out of my way Thornbear, your wizard has crossed the line,” Cyhan warned him. Fire flared and an explosion nearby underscored his words.

“Are you alright Penny?” Dorian said, looking past his opponent.

Cyhan struck the moment Dorian’s eyes left him, his sword sweeping up to catch the younger man before he could defend himself. He didn’t count on his opponent’s speed however. Dorian sidestepped the thrust and brought his own blade to bear. Steel flashed as the two men began to fight in earnest.

Penny rose and began to make her way toward Mordecai, keeping a wary eye on the deadly struggle playing out before her. The two warriors seemed evenly matched to the untrained eye, while Cyhan possessed skill and grace obtained over a lifetime of training Dorian had a natural talent with the sword and his youth and speed made up for what he lacked in experience. Penny knew better though, her own training had taught her to read the flow of a battle and she could see that Dorian was close to losing. With each exchange he was left slightly off balance, struggling to get his sword back into position in time to meet the next sweep of Cyhan’s blade.

The two men had practiced together before this, but their faces were a picture of deadly determination now, this was not a practice bout. A silence fell over the field as they fought, as though the war itself had stopped out of respect for their individual battle, then Penny realized what had actually happened. The explosions had stopped. Looking up she could see Mordecai had gone still, his body tense, as if he were struggling against some titanic force while he stood in plain view of the enemy. With a cry she began running, trying to reach him before it was too late.

Meanwhile Dorian continued his losing battle. The man he faced was more skillful than anyone he had ever met and despite his best efforts he couldn’t keep Cyhan’s blade from reaching him forever. Another pass of their swords and sparks flew as the older man’s blade ran along his arm striking the mail Mordecai had enchanted for him. In that moment Dorian knew what he had to do. You better have been right about this armor Mort, he thought silently. Dorian slipped and almost lost his footing, leaving himself wide open on his left side. Quicker than thought Cyhan’s blade was there driving in at Dorian’s unprotected stomach. The force of the thrust was such that it should have gone through Dorian’s armor, but the enchantment held. Instead Dorian felt a blow, as if he had been punched in the stomach, but he had been ready for that. Catching the end of the sword in his mailed fist he swung his own sword downward at the trapped blade and his enchanted steel cut cleanly through it, leaving the older warrior holding a foreshortened stub of a weapon.

Surprise lit Cyhan’s face for a second and Dorian’s sword swung back. If it had connected it might have severed his head but he threw himself backward before it reached him. He was left with a deep cut across his cheek and nose. Gritting his teeth in pain he cast about seeking a weapon as Dorian advanced on him again. He never saw the heavy pole that struck him from behind. He collapsed wordlessly to the ground.

Marcus dropped the heavy pole he had taken from the fallen palisade and gave Dorian a smile, “I owed him one.” His smile vanished as he saw what was happening atop the earthen mound.

My attention shifted as I realized I was no longer the only magic worker on the field. Deep purple auras had sprung up around no less than five men, spread out amongst the advancing soldiers. The closest was no more than fifty yards from me. Before I could react lines of amethyst shot forth to envelope me from different directions.

Sounds of fighting came from behind, but I had no time to think on it. The lavender energies playing over my shield were driving inward with crushing force. Individually none of them would have been much of a threat, for they didn’t seem to be powerful channelers, but together they were more than I could handle. Sweat stood out on my brow as I strove to keep their dark energies from penetrating my defense.

In the distance I could hear singing and a deep drumbeat tone, much like a giant heart. Almost instinctively I knew it was the heart of the earth. In desperation I called out to it, help me! A surge of power rose up from the ground at my feet, coursing through my body and with an exultant cry I shattered the lines of force pinning me. I felt more than saw a massive ballista bolt go hurtling past. It had missed by scant inches as I stood paralyzed in my own battle for survival.

Raising my staff I pointed it at the nearest channeler and flames roared outward. This was no focused line, flames raced outward in a massive cone, incinerating the channeler and everyone within thirty feet of him. The thrill of power erased my fear and I turned to engulf the second channeler in flames. The other three renewed their assault but they were no longer enough to contain me. I refocused the power in my staff and burned them down, one by one, with a tight beam of light and fire.

Before I could move again something struck me hard and I went flying backward, tumbling down the inside of our earthen mound. In shock I saw Penny rise up from where I had been standing, and I realized it had been her that struck me. She shouted something at me, but I couldn’t make out the words. She took a step toward me before the ballista bolt struck her down from behind.

It was a frozen moment of horror as I saw the wide bladed bolt head erupt from Penny’s chest. Crimson blood flew outward as it ripped through her and she stumbled and fell forward, shock and pain on her face. My mouth was open in a wordless scream as I ran back to her, but no sound came out. She lay in a heap, the thick wooden shaft had struck the ground first and her body slid slowly down the thick wood, toward the earth beneath her.

With strength I didn’t know I possessed I pulled her up, dislodging the spear head from the ground. I could feel her heart still beating but blood was pouring from the wound in a red tide. Somehow she was still conscious and her eyes met mine while her lips silently mouthed the words, “I’m sorry.” A second massive bolt whistled by as I awkwardly lifted her up and began running for the castle.