Return of the Crown (28 page)

He forced a smile, “We wait until just before
dawn. Let’s eat and rest.”

Ravyn put her hand in his and allowed him to
guide her to a small bush growing nearby. They sheltered under it,
hiding from any eyes that might pass by. They nibbled on some honey
cakes and sipped water. The horror emanating from the wall rushed
over them in waves. Ravyn felt like she was drowning in fear and
doubt. She swam against the unnatural dread surrounding her like an
endless sea. “The Light’s blessing we seek,” she prayed, searching
to anchor to peace and calm. The pulses of fear ebbed, and a gentle
glow of Light kept the anxiety at bay. Ravyn nuzzled into Blade’s
strong chest, closing her eyes. Sleep found her, but all too soon
the sky reddened with impending dawn.

Blade hesitated a moment and then kissed
Ravyn’s ash-stained cheek. “Love, it’s time,” he whispered.

Ravyn’s eyes fluttered open, “Blessing of the
Light upon us,” she prayed again. She leaned back, pulling herself
from the warmth and safety of his arms.

Blade stood, facing the fearful wall. He
willed his legs to take him forward despite the revulsion he felt
growing as he neared the towering hate-filled barrier. Ravyn
followed close behind, hiding behind his strength. He placed his
hand into a crack and pulled himself up, feet finding nubs of rock
to balance on. He looked down at Ravyn, “Do exactly as I do. Place
your hands and feet where mine have been. Remember your legs are
stronger than your arms. Use your legs.”

Blade crept up the rock, searching for the
best hand and foot holds. Ravyn scrutinized every move he made,
concentrating on keeping her arms long and unflexed. Wedging her
finger into a small crack, she flexed the muscles, amazed at how
secure it felt.

Blade came to a problem in the climb. The
next handhold was not within arm distance and would be reached by
leaping for the out-jutting spine above. The hold looked large and
secure as long as his feet locked onto the wall quickly.

“Ravyn, this next part is tricky. Do as I do,
and you’ll be fine.” Ravyn watched Blade push hard with his legs,
springing like a frog to grasp the hold above him. She watched him
dangle a moment, her heart pounding like racing stallions. His feet
dug into a little crack, and he scrambled up higher to stand
securely on the hold he’d been hanging from.

“I can’t do that,” she cried, looking down a
hundred feet to the hard ground below. Panic gripped her, choking
off her air.

“No, Rav, don’t look down,” the cry came too
late. “We’re almost there, love, look up. The way above me is easy.
This is the crux. You can do this. I know you can. Remember what
Connor said, ‘Believe in yourself.’”

White knuckles gripped the little ledge.
Looking about in desperation, Ravyn noted a little chink in the
stone near her left hand. She swung her left leg up into the
depression, her heel catching in the little cleft. Pushing with her
leg and her hands, she gave herself leverage, raising her body
above the current handhold so she could easily reach the spine
above. Blade had already advanced higher, so she scrambled into the
secure position he’d left, leaning into the wall to rest, shaking
out her arms.

Chuckling drifted down to her ears. “Ravyn,
that was a beautiful move. You’re a natural climber. I’m sorry I
didn’t see that myself.”

The rest of the climb was as easy as Blade
had said. A series of stones made thin ledges, and the last fifty
feet to the top was similar to scaling a ladder.

Blade sat at the top hammering a spike into
the wall. It had a ring at its top to run rope through. “We’ll
rappel down. It’s much easier than down climbing.”

Perching atop the wall, Ravyn examined the
ring of fire waiting for them. Great flames reached hungry arms
into the sky. It roared like a caged animal, hurting her ears. Wave
after wave of heat rushed them, soaking them in sweat.

A great cry rose up to them from past the
city walls. It drowned out the sounds of the fire. The battle had
begun. Blade pounded at the little ring, each strike driving it
deeper into the wall. A river of tears flowed down Ravyn’s face as
the clashing of weapons and screams of terror rose from the
battlefield. “Oh, hurry, Blade,” she urged.

Zelera watched her army spill out the city
gates. Her Dark warriors charged headlong into the waiting army.
Weapons glinted in the morning light screaming for the kill. She
watched the silvery dance of steel swords arcing through the air,
dancing with death. The song of battle pulsated in her veins,
throbbing with intensity. She squealed in delight as blood began
pooling on the ground. The sounds of battle brought a crescendo of
pleasure she felt wash across her black soul.

Her beasts of the Dark attacked with urgency,
frantic for the kill. But for every kill they made, the rebel army
scored twice. The delight she felt moments before withered, and
disgust filled her heart. She spied Ravyn atop a hill, her telltale
indigo aura pulsing. Zelera called upon the Darkness, screaming out
arcane syllables that had no place in this world. She sent forth
thick acrid smoke that clouded the battlefield. It coiled and
writhed like a living thing, seething over the fighting men.
Ravyn’s army began coughing and choking, dropping their guard.
Zelera’s creatures raced forward to take advantage as the smoke
seemed to cause them no damage.

An icy blast of wind casually tossed the
black ashy mass back toward the castle. Ravyn’s men met Zelera’s
army swords and shields raised, fighting with full intensity once
more. Raising an eyebrow, Zelera stared at the shape on the hill.
With a flick of her wrist, she let the smoke evaporate.

Zelera glared at the slim figure standing
bravely out in the open. She called upon the Darkness once more,
where it seethed and roiled inside her. Hate-filled eyes honed in
on her target. Bolts of lightning crackled from her fingertips,
streaking across the sky at Ravyn and her protectors.

The bolts bounced back, deflected by some
great shield. They slammed into her own army, hitting dozens of her
own warriors. They exploded in blackened sulphurous bits. Gooey
ichor splattered the battlefield; the stench of burnt flesh filled
the air.

“Damn,” she screeched, slamming a bony fist
into the wall bruising her knuckles. “That little wench is lucky.
Let her try this.” Casting her arms wide, stinging hornets flew
from her fingers covering the field in loud buzzing discord. Cries
of agony erupted from the field as the thick cloud of insects
injected burning venom into anything that moved.

Zelera clapped her hands together and
giggled.

Harpies swooped down into the insects
snapping them up left and right. The venom had little effect on the
harpies. Zelera’s giggle erupted into a scream of fury, and she let
the remaining creatures dissipate. The battle continued to rage,
wounded and dying littering the ground. The army of Light gave
little ground and battered against the army of Darkness that
continued pouring from the gates of Veris.

Blade rappelled down the wall, the morning
sun shining on his tawny head. He reached the bottom in a heartbeat
it seemed. “All right, Rav, you’ve got this. Just like you did on
the cliffs during your daring escape.”

Ravyn closed her eyes, turning her face to
the sun. “Blessings of the Light upon those who fight for the
return of the crown,” she whispered. The air about her writhed in
turmoil. The aural field crackled with electric jolts as Zelera and
Connor battled. The sounds of battle threatened to wash her off the
wall. She gripped the rope, wrapping it around her. She stepped
backwards in a controlled fall down the wall, the rope burning a
line across her hands.

“Ravyn,” Blade shouted, panic edging his
voice. She continued her wild descent down the wall. Urgency filled
her, sapping away at rational thought. He leapt forward, snagging
her tumbling form before she crashed into the unforgiving ground.
He crushed her into his chest, squeezing her tight.

“Oh, my,” Ravyn cried wild-eyed. “I didn’t
realize what I was doing. I only knew I had to hurry.”

Blade watched her eyes soften. He set her on
her feet, “We better get going; it’s too hot to stay here for
long.” Heat vapors from the wall of flames licked up the moisture
beading on their skin.

Reaching into her pack Ravyn pulled out Ena’s
skin. Standing close together, they entwined one arm behind the
others’ back. With their free hands, they pinched the cloak
securely together.

Counting out a cadence, starting with their
right feet, they stepped forward into the inferno. “Right, left,
right, left,” Blade chanted. Ravyn concentrated on his voice soft
beside her ear. They could hear the fire roaring at them, mocking
their attempt to pass. The stench of rotten eggs clogged their
nostrils making it difficult to breath. On they continued, “Right,
left, right, left.”

They were sweltering inside the skin and felt
the angry flames licking at the cape. Connor had woven the Light
about their boots. They weren’t burning, but the heat rising to the
soles of their feet was agonizing. They grunted, straining not to
break the tempo of their stride.

“Right, left, right, left,” Blade continued
croaking the mantra. Sweat dripped down their foreheads stinging
their eyes. Their fingers cramped from gripping the skin’s edges so
tight. The heat waned, soon dissipating all together. The roaring
dimmed, and Ravyn heard nothing. Cool sweet nothing. “Blade, we’re
clear.”

Blade eased a finger out past the protection
of the shiny red skin, he slipped it back in flesh intact. He
sighed, dropping his hold on the protective cloak. They collapsed
into a heap, shivering as cool air rushed in to dance across sweaty
skin. Behind them the fire raged at the loss of fresh fuel. Before
them lay a rotting moat of acrid water burbling an invitation to
death.

Dropping out of the sky, Medina settled on a
branch near Connor. “They scaled the wall, and I saw them enter the
fire moments ago. I will return to the sky to watch for their exit.
I just thought you’d like to know their status.” She leaned forward
eyeing the wizard that looked like her friend, Ravyn. She could see
the stress of battle in the eyes that looked like Ravyn’s. She
could see the strain of worry.

“Thank you, Medina. Can you see to the other
side of the fire? Surely you cannot pass through it?”

“I cannot pass through, for the flames seem
to reach the stars, but from far above and away I can see through
the vapor to the other side.”

“Thank you for the report. Could you look
again and return with news when you get the chance?”

She watched the tension uncoil throughout his
body. She smiled to herself, glad to be of assistance. “I’d be
happy to,” Medina said, flapping gently, lifting off the branch.
“I’ll return when I have more news.”

Someone handed Connor a water skin filled
with cool clear water and pressed a beef pasty into his other hand.
“Sir, you must eat. Zelera is keeping you busy, and that’s going to
wear you out.”

Connor looked at the young man standing
beside him. Only a lad really. He couldn’t remember the name that
went with the face. He smiled a thanks and guzzled the water that
quenched the burning in his throat.

The boy was watching Connor and waiting for
some response. From around a large bite of pasty Connor mumbled,
“Yes, until she realizes I am not who I seem.” As he spoke the sky
darkened, and lightning shot from the castle towers. Throwing up a
defensive shield just in time, Connor dropped the bolts back into
Zelera’s own forces. “Keep the food coming,” he ordered, “this is
going to be a long day.” Again, he replenished indigo coloring to
his aural thread, retaining Ravyn’s appearance on more than one
field.

Below the hill that Connor stood upon, raging
forces clashed into each other, the ground muddied and slick with
spilt blood and ichor. The forces of Light were killing three for
every one of theirs taken down. But Zelera’s forces continued
pouring out of the city gates.

The unicorn herd charged into the monstrous
creatures, driving them into the waiting forces of men, wolves, and
elves. The harpies dove down from above, scratching at eyes,
tearing at exposed flesh. The elves’ arrows whistled overhead,
slamming down into Zelera’s forces with deadly accuracy.

But the sheer numbers of Zelera’s beasts
pouring onto the field overwhelmed the untrained men and women of
Aigerach. The forces of the Light were shrinking. Connor shivered
trying to chase away the apprehension that slithered across his
skin.

“Hurry, little bird,” Connor whispered to the
wind.

Ravyn and Blade drank deeply from their water
skins replenishing fluids sapped by the fire’s heat. “Ravyn, you
need to eat. You are wearing yourself out, and you can’t encounter
Zelera drained. Our food won’t be good after we swim the moat
either. I forgot to make our packs water tight,” he said,
wincing.

“Blade, look at the sun. How much time did we
lose?” The sun beat down on them from high above. “It seemed we
were in the fire only moments. We can’t stop; we have to keep
going.”

“Rav, you must eat first. You need strength.
You look like a wilted flower. I need something to give me energy
too. I’m not ready to swim across that,” he pointed to the
putrescent moat.

Without waiting for a response, he dug into
his pack, cramming down the rations within. Ravyn didn’t feel like
eating; the aura surrounding the moat caused her insides to twist
and churn. Reluctantly, she fumbled through her pack, finding dry
bread to force down. Bile gurgled in her throat, threatening to
erupt with each bite.