Azurite (Daughter of the Mountain Book 1) (30 page)

Accompanying them were two Misou mercenaries dressed in black leather armor that sat against their muscular bodies, and no plate protection was visible.  The men had long black head coverings wrapped around their faces so that Liam could only see the brightness of their eyes peering about in the gloom. 

Darkness and shadow completely enveloped the open swampland, and the faint movements of his enemies loomed among the night shadows.  The only visible light came from a full moon in the clear sky and a few lanterns held up by three of the soldiers.  The leader of the group came forward and dismounted his beast.  His iron chainmail clinked loudly as he walked around the edge of the water to survey his surroundings.  Liam withheld a gasp when the moonlight hit his angular face and illuminated his bird hooked nose set underneath beady eyes.

“Are you positive you saw them come this way?” Spencer DeVore asked in an irritated tone.  “Because they’re not here, and there is nowhere else for them to go.  The bayou empties into nothing but a watery graveyard after this.” 

Spencer continued to walk around their temporary camp inspecting every small detail.  One of the Misou men also dismounted his horse and came over to Spencer’s side.  His was small in frame but his agile and quick movements told Liam he’d be a deadly contender in a fight.  The Prince poked his foot into the still warm ash from the fire and looked around in aggravation.

“No one is permitted to pass through Cara undocumented and at free will.  Find out who they are and apprehend them!”  He removed his helm, revealing a flattened bowl of sweaty hair, and parked it underneath his armpit.

“Did you bring the Manchineel Dust, Dakota?” Spencer inquired.  The Misou mercenary, who had a long scar that ran down the edge of his face, nodded.

“Of course, My Prince, as you instructed,” he said as he patted the swollen pouch attached to his hip next to his spiked battle mace.  Spencer nodded then addressed the other Misou warrior.  “Yanisin, prepare the thuribles,” he commanded.  “We’ll smoke the
Slythos
out if we have to.”

  “George!  Mark!  Retrace our steps and scout out the wetlands behind us.  They can’t be far.”  The two soldiers garbed in plate armor saluted the Prince then retreated back into the swamp outside the enclosure leaving Spencer alone with the two Misou. 

As soon as the Prince spoke the dreaded word Manchineel, Liam could feel surges of fear and emanate death seep from his fellow Wardens’ minds into his own.  Captain Maddox was quick to combat the swelling surge of terror because a message appeared on all of their arms at the same time.

If the Dust reveals our position, wait for my command to attack.  Use Ithillium if you must, but not until I say so.  We cannot let them get control of us.

Dakota walked around the perimeter of the lagoon, opposite of where the men were hiding, and faced the shadow of the red cypress trees.  He tugged his head covering from over his face and folded it under his chin revealing copper colored skin.  The mercenary sniffed the air, closing his eyes to enhance his sense of smell.  When he opened his eyes, his predatory gaze Zoned in right where Liam was hiding, causing needles of fear to prickle across the Warden’s neck. 

Dakota rolled back his lips and snarled into the night.  He reached into his pouch and withdrew a fine white powder that he flung into the shadow of the trees.  The ivory hue of the Dust stood out vibrantly against the brown sullenness of the swamp.  The delicate particles swirled around like a school of fish, flying in and out of the tree’s crevices and hiding places, intent on finding its target.  Dakota studied it closely as the Dust sank lightly to the ground and scattered lifelessly in the mud. 

Liam held in his breath as he watched Dakota make his way closer and closer to the cluster of concealed Wardens.  He’d already reached out and Bonded with Ithillium.  The energy of the magic engulfed his inner Vim while the need to expel such a force sizzled at his fingertips.  He did this as soon as he saw Dakota approaching, knowing that with the weapons their opponents possessed, it would be the only thing that could save him.

Yanisin, the other Misou mercenary, had returned to the horses and withdrawn a bronze thurible from his saddlebag.  Liam watched as he loaded it with Manchineel leaves and began placing the coals on top of it to begin smoking.  The Warden looked around frantically for Captain Maddox, wondering why he wasn’t instructing them to disarm the group of Misou mercenaries who possessed the Manchineel Dust.  Meanwhile, Dakota was gaining on his location as he cast the soft Dust into the shadow of the trees looking to reveal the Wardens’ hiding places.  Liam grabbed the hilt of his scimitar with his other hand so he was ready to slash the Misou wide open when he finally reached his hideaway. 

Suddenly, an arrow whizzed past Liam’s ear and collided with the thurible held in Yanisin’s hand.  The object clamored to the ground, spilling red-hot coals and clouds of toxic smoke along with it.  Aaron had inched over to Liam and was standing with another arrow ready to fly.  He glanced at Liam and gave a small shrug.

“Ooopps,” he said.

They both watched as the deadly fumes caught flight in a northerly wind and flew away from the team of Wardens.  Spencer and Yanisin stumbled back from the surprise attack, but it only enraged the young Prince further.

“Find them, you imbeciles!” Spencer hollered, placing his iron helm hastily back on his sweaty head.  Dakota called out to Yanisin in their native tongue, and the other man came rushing over to help Dakota continue casting the Manchineel Dust.  Spencer unsheathed his sword and stalked over to the hidden cluster of Wardens, scanning his surroundings as he did so.  Liam breathed slowly as Spencer neared his hiding place.  Even in the minimal amount of moonlight, the Warden could see a milky white substance coating the edges of Spencer’s blade.  It was indeed Manchineel poison, which could cause immediate death to any sorcerer exposed to it.

Liam quickly communicated with his fellow Wardens.

Their weapons are coated with Manchineel poison.  We have no choice but to defend ourselves.

Liam watched Spencer’s hateful eyes roll over his hiding place, unable to detect Liam’s concealed position.  The arrogant Prince’s narrow face was tight with malice, as if it was his sole purpose in life to eradicate those who could channel Ithillium.  Liam gripped his scimitar harder, preparing to let it loose.  Behind the young Prince, Liam could see Yanisin and Dakota recoating their sword blades with the sticky Manchineel poison till it dripped along the edges.  Then they advanced to Spencer’s side.

Liam doggedly clenched his jaw, unwilling to let Spencer DeVore gain the upper hand on him.  He couldn’t take the suspense anymore.  From underneath the shadow, Liam lunged at Spencer, crying out as he swung his sword at Spencer’s exposed neck.  The Prince staggered backwards but quickly regained his fighting stance.  He blocked Liam’s thrust with his own sword as the clashing of metals rang out into the still night.  Spencer’s dark eyes glared at him spitefully beneath the iron helm.

“
Slythos
,” he hissed as spit flew from his mouth into Liam’s face.  “I knew it!  How dare you show your face on my land! You won’t get out of here alive, spawn of evil!”

With those words, the fight between Commoner and sorcerer broke loose.  All of the Wardens flew out from their hiding spaces with weapons drawn, slashing at their oncoming opponents, trying to instantly disarm them.  Dakota and Yanisin bolted over to Spencer’s side to help combat the attacks from Liam and Aaron.  The Carian soldiers heard the commotion from beyond the lagoon and rushed back to their Prince, immediately jumping into the chaos with weapons prepared to fight. 

Spencer was a well-matched opponent for Liam, and his strikes were quick and methodical.  The Warden was forced to sidestep, dodge, and duck the continuous blows coming from the plate-armored soldier until sweat dripped into his eyes.  He parried back, deflecting the man’s strikes with his scimitar, which were becoming quicker and more violent as Spencer tried desperately to wield a fatal blow to the Warden.

Liam used every defensive move he knew to keep Spencer’s sword from making contact with his skin, for the Manchineel poison caused an agonizing death.  Liam’s lungs burned from his quick breathing as he parried endlessly with the young Prince who didn’t seem to tire.  He was waiting for the perfect moment to disarm Spencer, but his opponent was too skilled a swordsman to let that happen. 

All around him the sounds of battle consumed the silent swamp: the painful cries of fighting men, the clanging of sword upon sword, the curses of those being beaten down.  Liam glanced over to the right to see each Warden fighting desperately with an opponent who all possessed poison covered weapons.  Liam watched as Maddox, the strongest and most skilled of the group, defended himself relentlessly against Yanisin, the Misou mercenary who was half his size. 

He had several chances to end the Misou warrior’s life, but instead of killing him, he continued to try and disarm him.  The Misou enemy didn’t seem to weary from the power struggle.  Liam knew all of the Wardens could subjugate their opponents.  This fight should have been over before it began, except for the fact that Maddox had told them not to hurt the Commoners.  The Wardens were blocking the Carian and Misou soldiers’ blows instead of fighting back.

What are we doing?
  Liam suddenly realized.
  We have to get rid of them!

Liam felt his shoulders and triceps scream from exhaustion as he danced around Spencer’s attacks.  He knew he wasn’t supposed to use Ithillium, but he needed a moment to devise a new plan to deal with the Commoners.  With the Bond already created and the hot energy of Ithillium flowing in his veins, Liam quickly ducked one of Spencer’s blows, scooted to the left and kicked Spencer in the torso.  He used that moment of surprise to blast an orb of energy at the man, lifting him off the ground and throwing him several yards away with a howl of pain.  Shards of color rained down on the lagoon as Liam’s energy absorbed into the atmosphere, and Spencer lay momentarily motionless on the ground across from him. 

Feeling the heat of Ithillium’s power being summoned by the other Wardens, Liam watched as all his Brothers followed suit, channeling Ithillium to prevent their attackers from gaining more ground on them.  Like a domino effect, all of Spencer’s men flew through the air and landed on the banks of the lagoon with cries of pain and outrage.  Waves of heat and rainbows of color shot through the night air, blinding out the brightness of the white moon as the Wardens channeled Ithillium through their powerful beings. 

Sariel!
  Liam called out silently to his Guardian. 
Come quickly! We’re under attack!

Dakota and Yanisin were the first to recuperate from the Wardens’ formidable attacks.  They scrambled up and scurried back over to grab long bows hanging from the saddlebags of their scared horses.  “Grab the arrows!”  Spencer hollered.  “And regroup!  We cannot let these sorcerers escape unscathed!” 

Once rearmed, all five Commoner men bolted behind a jagged formation of coquina rock that was sunk into the mud.  In unison, they all loaded their bows and placed them on top of the rock wall, aiming them at the Wardens across the lagoon, ready to let loose on demand.  Liam looked over at Aaron who still had his bow strung, but the chord was white hot with Ithillium’s power as it leaked forth from the man’s hands and into the inanimate object.

“Fall back, Brothers!” Captain Maddox suddenly called out.  “And gather together.  We must retreat!”

Liam glanced around the sky impatiently, trying to feel for Sariel’s closeness or listen out for a response to his initial plea.  His Guardian was always quick to respond and always remained nearby for when he needed him.  Like clockwork, the brightness of the waning moon was suddenly obscured by a great muscular being flying overhead.  All the Commoner men peered at the sky in fear.  It descended quickly on the group of battling Commoners with its vast wingspan spread open like a great prehistoric bird. 

A musical call erupted from the Guardian’s mouth like an amalgam of brass trumpets reverberating into the night.  Sariel landed softly on the earth, his silver hair wafting around his stone cut face.  He pulled forth his leather whip with a blown glass handle and snapped it dangerously next to his side.  He glared at the group of Commoners who’d assembled back together, each one now in possession of a wooden bow and notched hazel arrow ready to fly.

The sound of thick wings beating in the air suddenly overtook the battle scene as additional shadows appeared, cloaking the swampland in even more darkness.  The responding cry of six Guardians sounded like an overpowering brass orchestra as they descended, one by one, next to Sariel.  Liam quickly counted them; seven total.  Apparently each of his Brothers had also called upon their Guardians to protect them as the Oath required.  The group of ancient protectors cried out vengefully with a musical tone so loud it hurt Liam’s ears.

“Attack!” Spencer yelled.

The small space was immediately overtaken with a continuous stream of bodkin arrows.  The deadly objects deflected weakly off of the stone carved Guardians when they made contact, leaving their smooth exteriors unharmed.  The Guardians were advancing on Spencer like a fearless army, now in a V shape formation with Sariel at the forefront.  They marched like a well-trained killer force, each foot hitting the ground at the same time and each face ready to engage.  Another wave of arrows arched through the air, but this time Sariel caught one specifically aimed at him before it made contact.  He crushed it in his fist, tossing the splinters to the side like rubbish.