The Gathering (89 page)

"I wasn't ordered to kill her you know?
 
It was just for kicks really."

Rona laughed harder and coughed up some blood, which made her giggle more.
 
Vance's fury was more than he could stand and he walked over to Rona and grabbed her by the hair and smiled.

"I almost forgot… I just love being cliché."

The evil smile on her lips turned to terror as Rona saw the dagger in Vance's hand.
 
She shook her head and tried to push his hands away, but as the last vestige of life ran from her body, she felt the blade cut deeply into her scalp and the last thing she heard was her skin being ripped from her head.
 

Vance held her scalp aloft and gripped it tightly in his hand.

"AARRGGHHH!"

Tanner felt a tear roll down his face, not for Rona, but for Vance.
 
It was then Vance let his tears for Alisha come as he tied his scalp to his belt.
 
Neither said a word as they walked back into the battle.

133

They held tightly to the unicorns' manes.
 
Coeli wanted to look, but she couldn't.
 
The air around her seemed thin and cold.
 
Then everything stopped and she opened her eyes.

They were all in the clearing.
 
She looked at Schepta and then looked around to make sure everyone had arrived.
 
Chelsea let go of Schepta's mane and hugged Coeli.

"We're back."

Hannah laughed as she ran over and joined her friends.
 
They all laughed and then remembered the wounded.
 
They helped Albie get down from Schepta's back and as he leaned on Hannah, she smiled.

"C'mon, Al, let's get you fixed up."

He smiled and nodded.
 

From inside the Fail, the soldiers stood poised with bow and arrow.
 
They had seen the light come from the forest, but couldn't see what had caused it.
 
Sean ran up the stairs and watched.

They saw movement and rustling.

"Sir?"

"Hold your fire, Soldier."

They all stood silently watching, when from behind them, they heard Beverly.

"Open those gates, Captain!!
 
It's them!
 
Open the gates!!"

The healers were rushing towards the gates.
 
Sean gave the command for them to be opened, but turned back towards the sentries.

"Stay sharp, but no one fires unless you hear from me!"

They all nodded and took their places as Sean ran back down the stairs.
 
He met up with Beverly.

"Who is it, Bev?"

She smiled as they walked towards the trees.
 
When Sean looked again, Coeli was walking out of the woods, helping a wounded soldier, followed by Hannah, Albion, Chelsea, the rest of the wounded and the unicorns.
 
Sean's heart leapt as he turned to the gate.

"You men, get more recruits, we've got wounded out here!"

Beverly reached Coeli first and helped her put the soldier on the ground, then hugged her tightly.

"Are you alright, Sugar?"

"Yes, Ma'am, I'm fine, but they're all hurt."

"Thank you, Darlin', we're on it.
 
Evelyn, let's get these folks back in shape."

Evelyn Tran started pointing to the soldiers as the healers took off running in all directions.
 
Chelsea helped Hannah set Albion on the ground as Beverly looked at his wound.

"My goodness, Mr. Merganser, what did you do?"

"I'm not a very good fighter."

Hannah smiled.

"Not true, he did a great job.
 
He rescued us."

Beverly smiled.

"Well then, let's get you all fixed up."

Beverly began to cast as she held her hands above Albion's side.
 
Coeli looked over at Sean.
 
She smiled, and then leapt into his arms.
 
He held her tightly as she cried.

"Coeli!!!"

Kaley, Rebecca and Sara pushed their way past the Fail soldiers and ran to their sister.
 
Coeli looked at Sean as he smiled and let her go.
 
The sisters embraced and laughed, and soon
they were joined by Ellen and Ian Turner, as well as the Hearsts
.
 

Rebecca looked over at her best friends.

"Hannah!!
 
Chels!!"

They all lunged at each other, but didn't fall over until Rachel Levine ran at them and jumped on them.

"OH MY GOD!!
 
I've been so worried!!!"

Rebecca nodded and smiled.

"We all have… I love you guys so much!!"

The girls all cried again.
 
Albion watched and then looked at his side.
 
The wound had healed over, but it was still tender and sore.

"There you go, Son.
 
Now you just rest a while, alright?"

"Ms. Watson?"

"Yes?"

"My father and my brother…are they…"

"Come now, Young Man…"

Beverly held out her hand.
 
Albion reached out and took it, then felt someone behind him helping him up.
 
Once he was standing he looked behind him.

Elian Merganser was smiling at him.

"Elian?"

Elian pulled his brother into an embrace and Albion felt himself start to cry.

"It was my fault… I let her out… I didn't mean for it to happen like that… I'm so sorry…"

"Son?"

Albie looked up to see Stephan walking towards him, leaning on a cane.

"Father!"

Albion lunged at his father who held him tightly.

"They said you were dead… I'm so sorry… I just wanted to see mother again."

"It's alright, Son.
 
It's alright."

Sean reveled in the joy of having these few back, but then he looked to the east and sighed.
 
He would need to wait.
 
They promised.

134

The Shape had finished his spell, a potion made from the blood of the unicorn and the blood of the virgins.
 
He had consumed most of the unicorn blood, but there had been enough left to make the elixir.

He left the room and made his way down the stairs.
 
When he got to the bottom step he turned and looked around the throne and table, until he found what he was looking for.
 
He walked over to Blaylock's body and looked at the wound at the top of his head.
 
He smiled and held the glowing compound over Blaylock's head.
 
Then he let several drops fall into the wound and stepped back.

The elixir bubbled and foamed as it reacted with the dead gray matter of Thomas Blaylock's head.
 
Slowly the icy blue of Blaylock's eyes became less hazy and eventually cleared.
 
The wound in his head healed over and he lifted his head and looked at his Master.

"Hello, Thomas… I'm afraid you're not done here yet."

Blaylock pressed himself against the wall and lifted himself up.
 
He moved his head from side to side and his muscles and bones cracked as he stretched.
 
Then he smiled.

"Excellent."

The Shape smiled as he held up his hand.

"No, My Friend… I need you to take the book and the trunk to the other place.
 
I need them to be safe as we are done here."

"What about her?"

Blaylock's eyes narrowed.

"There will be another time, Thomas.
 
Now, we must get to safety… re-group…"

A young Horde soldier burst into the castle and ran a Fail soldier through.
 
The Shape looked over at him and the youth fell to one knee.

"You, Boy, where is Rona?"

The soldier shrugged.

"I don't know, My Lord."

"Find her and bring her to me… quickly!"

"Yes, My Lord."

The young man ran outside as the Shape turned back to the recently re-animated Thomas Blaylock.
 
Although his eyes were clear, they did not hold the signs of any life.
 
They were dark and cold, more evil than before, but Blaylock nodded and moved towards the stairs.

"They are in my room, Thomas."

He watched as Blaylock moved deliberately up the stairs.
 
As soon as he reached the top, the main door again opened.
 
The young soldier was carrying Rona's lifeless body.

The Shape ran to her and took her gently in his arms.
 
He stroked the section of her bloody and exposed scalp.
 
Her brown eyes were cloudy and dull.
 
He again removed the elixir and poured it on her head, her chest and into her mouth.

Again the elixir bubbled and foamed.
 
Her pale skin healed over becoming warm.
 
The elixir was stolen life, the life of Ferage.

Rona coughed and sputtered as she started to wake up.
 
She flailed as she struggled.

"Shhh, Child… you are with me."

"Maaassstterrr?"

The word was an effort.
 
He looked at her wrist and saw that her hand was missing.
 
He helped her up.

"Come, Rona, we are leaving."

He turned to the young Hordesman.

"Hold her."

The young soldier held Rona as the Shape lifted his arms and yelled an incantation at the wall.
 
From the darkness a portal appeared and a great wind blew about them.
 
Blaylock had returned with the trunk and he stood next to the soldier and smiled at him, lazily.

The Shape motioned for the young man to hand him Rona.
 
He took her and held her close as he turned to Blaylock.