Heir to the Sundered Crown (11 page)

Luxon leapt backwards as the debris of the desk and the gory remains of the assassin crashed back to the ground. A red smear clearly visible on the ceiling.

A wave of tiredness threatened to overwhelm him, but Alira caught him before he collapsed in exhaustion. He placed a hand on her shoulder to steady him-self and shook his head to clear the dizziness that threatened.

“Thanks, I forgot how tiring that spell was...” he muttered.

A loud crash came from the hallway outside the chamber. The sound of alarm bells from the city had now been replaced by screams and the sounds of clashing steel. The city was under assault!

A ball of fire zipped passed the doorway accompanied by an agonised scream. A Crimson robed assassin appeared in the doorframe his robes aflame as he writhed on the stone floor. Alira recoiled at the sight and the smell of a man being burnt alive by magic fire.

The Nightblade Welsly stepped over the charred corpse, relief evident on his face as he saw Luxon and the girl.

“Praise be, that you two are safe” he said.

“Welsly, what’s happening?” Luxon asked. The sounds of battle were growing fiercer and louder.

“Caldaria is under attack. Assassins somehow managed to infiltrate the city and open the gates for an army that was hiding in the woods to the southeast. What Nightblades there are in the city will be attempting to retake the gate house, but as for Master Thanos and the other mages I have no clue,” explained Welsly, fatigue evident in his voice. His black leather armour had been ripped by a knife blade.

“Are you hurt?” Alira asked as she noticed the damage. A rivulet of blood was oozing from the tear.

Welsly shook his head in the negative. “No, I’ll be fine, the bastard only dinged me, he took me by surprise is all.’ Tentatively he touched the wound, only for his black gloves to come away sticky with blood. 

Cautiously he leaned out into the hallway before gesturing for Luxon and Alira to follow.

“Stick with me and stay close, these Crimson blades may look like ordinary men, but they move like something unnatural. We need to reach the top of the Arch tower. That’s where Thanos and the other masters are likely to be,” the Nightblade explained as he broke into a run, the others close on his heels.

They passed a number of chambers. In several the unlucky occupants lay dead, in one a mage had taken out several assassins, their charred remains releasing a foul smoke out into the hall. In another a female mage was knelt over a wounded guardsman, the light emanating from her palms was her attempt at healing the knife wound in the man’s chest.

The three continued slowly through the towers lower floor. Despite the carnage all around them they had not encountered any more assassins. Finally, they reached the great stair case which led to the levitation platforms that would take them to the tower’s higher levels.

Welsly crept forward, taking cover behind one of the crystal pillars that dominated the base of the stairs. Each step was made of brightly coloured glass which gave the stairs their other nickname of the ‘Rainbow staircase’. Luxon and Alira both took cover behind another pillar.

Stood at the top of the stairs was a young man clad in steel plate armour, a red bird was emblazoned on his mantle.

“Accadus...” Luxon whispered savagely as he recognised him. The youngest son of the Baron of Retbit was barking angry orders to a half dozen of his soldiers.

“Might explain how they knew how to get inside the walls.” Welsly muttered.

The Nightblade drew the hilt of his Tourmaline blade. The special swords were only used by Nightblades as they were the only ones skilled enough to wield them. Comprised of magical energy the blade was pure magic harnessed through the Nightblades own reserves.

“He’s just an arrogant stupid boy,” Welsly said angrily. ‘Who knows how much blood has been spilt on his account this night?”

Luxon knew what the Nightblade was intending as he saw the man’s shoulders tense. He desperately wanted to stop him but Welsly shrugged off his hand as he tried to hold him back. Luxon grabbed Alira’s hand and pulled her further behind the pillar he was hidden behind. The girl resisted at first but relented as she saw the look in his eyes.

“Accadus!” Welsly shouted as he stepped out into the open. He pointed his sword threateningly towards the boy.

“Well, well, well if isn’t the high and mighty Welsly.” Accadus sneered. The group of soldiers gathered behind their leader swords and spears at the ready. Each wore a tunic with the red bird of Retbit upon the jupon and a suit of chainmail underneath.

“I can take your goons Accadus.’ Welsly said confidently as he stepped closer to the base of the stairs. “Why are you here? What do you want?”

Accadus laughed.

“I want payback for the shame bestowed upon me, I want Luxon and his fat friend hanging from hooks, and oh yes I want the power of the mages so I can give it to my father so he can end the war and claim the Sundered crown and become King!” he shouted, a tinge of madness evident in his rage ravaged voice.

“Kill him!” he screamed.

The Retbit soldiers charged down the staircase, it was six against one but Welsly did not turn to flee. Instead, he readied his blade and waited. As the first soldier got within striking distance the Nightblade raised his left hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning from his fingertips. The blast sputtered out of existence. Welsly’s eyes went wide in surprise.

The soldier smiled wickedly.

“Ok, so no magic...” the Nightblade muttered. With a flick of his wrist his sword struck like a flash to strike the chuckling guard in the throat.

With a gurgled cry the soldier collapsed to the ground his hands feebly trying to close the wound which pumped crimson onto the shiny floor.

The other troops hesitated, a fatal mistake. Like a blur Welsly fell upon them. His bright yellow Tourmaline blade flicked and slashed in all directions as he carved his way through limbs and armour. He parried a spear thrust and lashed out with a blast of flame which blinded his attacker allowing him to bury his sword deep into his chest.

Within moments all six of the Retbit soldiers lay dead at the Nightblades feet. Not a single sword or spear had even come close to wounding him.

“Well done...” Accadus laughed sarcastically, his slow claps echoing up the staircase. “How about you take on someone a bit more akin to your own skills?”

Welsly raised his arms as if to challenge the arrogant boy.

“Comparing yourself to a Nightblade just shows how stupid you are little man. Come and pay for what you’ve done here.” Welsly challenged.

Accadus simply smirked. He clicked his fingers.

Luxon held his breath in anticipation. The sight of the Nightblade in combat had been incredible; Welsly confirmed all of the tales about their legendary feats. He narrowed his eyes at Accadus. The boy had always been a bully, but never had he seen him so cocky, so sure of himself, not even the sight of his men being slain had fazed him. Something was terribly wrong he could feel it. Just as he was about to shout a warning to Welsly a Crimson robed Assassin leapt from the shadows.

The Nightblade swung about to face his attacker but was too slow to counter the impossibly fast dagger thrust. The vicious blade sunk deeply into his abdomen causing him to cry out in surprise and pain. The Assassin pirouetted upon his left heel delivering a vicious round house kick sending the Night blade flying to crash into a heap at the base of the stairs.

Visibly stunned Welsly staggered back onto his feet but before he was able to raise his weapon or use magic the assassin was on him and reigning savage blows. He was being beaten to death and all the while Accadus cackled.

“I must be leaving now Welsly. Send my regards to the other dead mages you’ll soon meet in the afterlife.”

*

Luxon darted out from his hiding place, Alira hot on his heels.

The assassin was focused on the Nightblade who was desperately trying to defend himself. Blood poured from the knife wound, but still he fought. Accadus meanwhile had stepped onto one of the levitation pads and was now flying upwards to the towers upper floors.

Luxon watched helplessly as the assassin parried a sword thrust and grabbed Welsly’s arms. The Nightblade tried to break free but to no avail. The Assassin twisted. A sickening popping noise reverberated round the hall quickly followed by the NightBlade’s agonised screams. Welsly collapsed to the floor unconscious from the pain, his arms flopping uselessly to his sides.

Anger surged through Luxon. He raised his hands at the assassin who now spun to focus on the boy and the girl.

With a roar Luxon unleashed his fury, heat flowed through him until fire erupted from his palms engulfing the assassin and catching fire to the tapestries hanging above the stairway. Within moments the killers robes were aflame his skin blistering and vaporising, his blood boiling. It happened so fast that he didn’t even have time to scream.

The stench of cooked meat almost made Alira vomit but her attention turned to the unconscious Nightblade.

“Do what you can for him’ Luxon panted, his breathes shuddering out of him. His hair and clothes were steaming; Alira winced as she remembered that time on the road when she had used such magic. ‘There’s a medica back down the hallway and through the library. Ask for Hannah she will know what to do”

Before she could ask him what he was going to do Luxon bolted up the stairs and towards the levitation platforms. Accadus would pay.

*

Luxon stepped onto the levitation pad bracing him-self. Within seconds a white light emanated from the floor and propelled him skyward. The feeling of weightlessness was disorienting, but he shrugged it off. Instead he focused on what he might find at the top of the tower. Accadus was too cocky, he didn’t understand how his old foe from Redbit had managed to infiltrate the city of the mages, it should have been impossible.

He glanced upwards. A sense of panic coursed through him as the ceiling rapidly approached. He always hated the levitation pads, always at the back of his mind was the possibility that they could malfunction and leave him as just a red stain on the crystal ceilings surface.

With relief his ascent slowed until he stopped completely to float in midair. He stepped forward onto a solid platform which led into the Arch Chamber, the council room of the mages of Delfinnia.

Being just a lowly apprentice he had never been allowed this high in the tower. Ahead of him was an imposing bluish crystalline door. Angry voices were coming from the other side.

Luxon dashed towards it, slowing as he got within earshot of those in the chamber.

“The other claimants will not stand for this you do realise. Assaulting the mages cannot be ignored; they will not accept you coercing us into using our power for your gain” the calm tones of Thanos drifted through the crack in the doorway. Luxon edged closer until he could peek inside the chamber.

Stood in a semi circle were Accadus, a number of Retbit knights and a short dumpy man with an angry face. The short man wore ornately decorated armour painted with the red birds of Retbit. In his right-hand was a long sword which he pointed menacingly at the other occupants in the room.

Opposing them stood the masters of Caldaria. Thanos, tall and statesman like stood in the middle. At his right-hand side was Master Ri’ges, on the other Master Dufran. The other masters stood behind those three their expressions a mixture of anger and confusion.

‘Why don’t they just strike Accadus and his men down?’
Luxon thought, by all rights the mages should have had no trouble driving off the attackers who had no magic of their own to speak of. Aside from Accadus and the supernatural assassins the soldiers seemed to possess no arcane ability.

“Your powers aren’t that impressive’ the small man tittered. ‘I have rendered you powerless just by using these.”

Luxon squinted to see what the man held. In a gauntleted fist dangled what looked like a necklace.

Upon seeing it Thanos took an involuntary step backwards. Shock was evident in the other master’s as well.

“A talisman of N’gist” the grandmaster whispered in surprise. The tall mage glanced from it to the man.

“Baron. Where did you obtain these?” Thanos demanded disbelief still evident in his voice.

The Baron of Retbit laughed, his goons following suit. Accadus simply smirked.

“A witch told me the secret. I believe they make your spells ineffective...or were it that they drain your kind’s powers? I forget the details” the Baron mocked. “Anyway’ he continued, ‘I am here to exact vengeance for you dishonouring my son’s good name and of course to enlist your aid in the war. With you mages as my servants I will be able to destroy my enemies and finally take the crown that is rightfully mine.”

“You’re mad,” Thanos replied defiantly. ‘We will never serve you nor will we serve any other claimant. We are neutral in this war; the struggle for power is not our concern. The days when mages intervened in the wars of men ended centuries ago. King or no king we will not break our oaths.”

The baron clucked his tongue against his teeth for a few moments. An awkward silence descended upon the room.

“I have three thousand men inside this city all wearing these amulets and another six that are not. If I give the order than every mage, and civilian in this city will be slain and you will be powerless to stop it...unless of course you join me.”

Luxon frowned. The man was lying, he had seen a number of his men being bested by magic; Welsly had slain several with it himself. Unless of course his being close to those soldiers and their amulets had weakened him enough to allow the assassin to strike.

A knot of fear wormed into his gut, the baron had them right where he wanted them. Caldaria would fall and there was nothing the mages could do to stop it.

A memory popped into his head something that Grandmaster Thanos had said;
‘to me, and everyone else magic is something that we must spend decades in near constant practise to bring such power out in us. The magic within you is like a second skin Luxon. It is a reflex to you just like when you blink
 ‘