Taylon (21 page)

Kara watched him go. Her eye caught a twinkle from
one of the nearby stalls—a sword reflected in the firelight, but it
triggered a memory.

“I think I know how to stop this thing.”

***

Lyra surveyed the destruction and found it was good.
Most of the elves had retreated after the second blast. She scooped
up a few warrior nymphs and sucked them dry, refilling her
reserves. She felt powerful, ready to take on anything.

The boy still cowered with his precious magic,
whatever it was. The old human with him had a trace, an appetizer.
She turned to look at the human army side. Most had been toasted,
the life snuffed out of them. Captain Nonk was still alive, but he
was more an annoyance now.

As she turned to face the boy, she caught sight of
the girl, and then him.

“Kara…” it came out in a whisper. The girl who had
stopped her reign short, in the beginning. Oh, how sweet it would
be to finish her. And Taylon, the one that had defied her. It was
he who scattered the pieces of her true power. Soon she would seek
to reclaim them.

“Taylon…Kara. Come out from hiding. I know you are
there.” Lyra swatted debris out of her view. She grabbed a nearby
satyr and threw him into the aisle where the two traitors hid.

Slowly, Taylon emerged first. He shielded Kara. His
only weapon was an elvish bow and one arrow. Lyra smiled.

“So you have come to slay me. You believe one arrow
is enough?” The giant laughed. Taylon did not say anything, his
eyes trained on her. Kara did not look up. Fear, that’s what it
was. Lyra knew how these humans felt.

“Then come, take me down. I have already vanquished a
few of Kara’s friends. What’s one more?” Lyra released another
fireball to solidify her intent.

***

Chele knew her chance was at hand when a third
fireball unleashed. She had been studying her enemy and knew the
withering force field cut off whenever the creature used magic. The
human ran forward, ready to slice off Lyra’s foot.

As she cocked the sword back ready to swing,
something fell and dropped between the giant’s feet. Chele didn’t
stop to think. All sound and all words were meaningless, as she
swung her sword with all her might.

The lava sword hit flesh and sizzled as it cut, but
it was not a clean slice. Half way through, Chele felt immediate
resistance that threw her off. A horrible scream penetrated the
air. Something bloody, shiny, gleamed by the wounded foot.
Instinctively she reached out, grabbed it, and turned to run.

Queig was halfway to rescue her when she ran into
him. They stumbled a bit, but then ran full out. The geth followed
their retreat. Their ears rang with pain, but they kept running.
They kept running.

***

It all happened so quickly, and not at all according
to plan. Fret schemed with Jesset to get rid of Lyra’s necklace.
That was what held the power. He told how the force field went away
when she used magic.

“So I will taunt her, and you have Reggie swoop in
and snag the necklace.” Jesset signaled to the bird, and it came
quickly. It landed on Jesset’s shoulder.

Fret turned to Ynob, who seemed to be somewhat
recovered. “Does that sound like a good plan?”

“If you want to poke the evil creature with a stick,
go right ahead, but count me out.” The wizard stood, but it still
seemed to be a chore for him.

“Taylon…Kara…” The rest of what Lyra said was lost to
them. Reggie had flown off into the sky, his part in the plan
secured.

“Kara! She’s here?” Jesset cried out. The wizard
appeared startled too. Fret looked between the two. He had heard of
her, but never met the girl in person.

Lyra’s voice boomed as she talked, but none of the
group paid attention.

“We can’t worry about it now! Hambone’s gone, Ra’na
is probably gone. We are the only hope of—” Fret’s speech was
drowned out by the eruption of a fireball.

He turned and saw the magical blaze hurl toward the
human side. Reggie, following the plan, swooped in under Lyra’s
neck and snagged the necklace. But something shot from the fire—an
arrow. It twinkled before it impaled the crow.

Fret’s mouth dropped open. The bird and the necklace
fell to the ground.

Then from behind the giant, someone that looked
human—except for the violet skin color—attacked Lyra.

“What…?” Jesset said beside him and his concentration
broke. He looked at the old man, who had been watching what was
going on. Fret glanced back at Ynob, who was back on his game. The
wizard was chanting.

Fret turned back to Lyra, extending his hands.
Hopefully this would work.

***

Lyra felt the necklace snap and something strike her
chest before it tumbled to the ground. Her whole focus had been on
Taylon and Kara, and she let down her guard. Before she could
reclaim the necklace, pain shot through her body. Something severed
her leg muscle. It burned intensely, pain like never before. Lyra
felt her leg begin to collapse. Her balance shifted. She tried to
brace herself, but the fall was inevitable.

As she fell, Lyra glanced toward her other enemies,
the boy with the magic. Her eyes widened more than the shock of
seconds before. Lightning shot from Fret’s outstretched hands
directly at her. She tried to conjure a shield or even yell, but it
was too late.

White-hot fire engulfed her. The burning only paused
for a second as she crashed upon the market floor. She made to call
out, but everything went red, then black.

Chapter Nineteen

The survivors huddled together around a fire made of
salvage from the market. It was a communal fire for those still
left after the destruction of Aladedas. The fighting had ceased.
What was left of the human army had retreated. Someone said the
captain was still half-alive, leading them home. The elf army, the
ones who remained, had gathered under Gantha’s direction. With the
truth told, the elves stood behind the remaining council member.
They now carried the slain to the flames.

Jesset sat on a log next to a wounded gnoll. Neither
spoke as they watched the flames from the salvage fire flicker.
Lire wolves howled in the distance, but none came near.

Fret continued to help the elves. His main motive was
to locate Ra’na. They had not yet found her among the wreckage.
Only a few clothes and an axe were all remaining of the Dwarc.
Jesset kept them by his side in case they found Ra’na. They both
agreed she should be the one to burn them.

Gantha lent a hand wherever he could. A few of the
shop owners lay trapped underneath their booths or other debris. He
teamed up with a scarred nymph rescuing these survivors. Even
though partially burned and having a few visible cuts, Gantha
smiled as a nymph passed by, Fret shook his head at the sight too.
He had to admit the nymph still looked beautiful amongst all the
destruction.

Most survivors were silent as they stood or sat by
the fire. Some wept because they had lost everything. Some seethed
internally, angry at it all. But most were morose, staring at the
flames, watching the dead go to their final resting place.

Kara stumbled out of the wreckage shortly after the
fall of Lyra. She told of how Taylon saved her life, as his body
took most of the fireball’s impact. His aim with the bow had been
true. A crystal tipped arrow….

“After the strike, there wasn’t any life left in
Taylon. He had gone out like a true warrior.” Later, she placed his
body on the fire. Kara told of her brownie friend, Warren. She
wasn’t sure when the brownie had left her pocket, but he had been
gone after the fall. Fret noticed her staring off in the
distance.

Kara found Jesset and they hugged like never before.
Fret watched them, delight filling his heart once again. After
introductions, both smiled. There would be more time for talk
later.

Once Lyra had fallen, the battle stopped. The
lightning bolt had blackened the body, but the remaining victims
were the ones to fully finish her off. Every piece of flesh burned
in the salvage fire. Orcs, satyrs, elves, gnomes, and sprites alike
took their piece as vengeance. Gantha came on the scene when there
was very little left.

One of his warriors brought him the lava sword Chele
had left behind. He saw it as a fitting gift, raised it high in the
air for all to see, and dubbed it Wraith Killer. It was then
everyone knew the terror was over.

Roberto buzzed through the survivors. He also joined
in the search for Ra’na. And he found her.

She was two aisles over covered with furniture. The
stall had collapsed upon her, a broken solid oak table lay on top
of her body. Ra’na was alive, but barely. Fret and Gantha gathered
at her side. Bones were broken, there was no doubt. The councilman
had called his healers to do their best job with her, but their
prognosis wasn’t reaffirming.

“We found her.” Fret came to the fire to tell Jesset.
He looked up, his eyes old and sad. “She’s alive, but barely.”

“Can the wizard help?”

Fret looked around, stunned for a moment. But then
his memory flooded back. “I…haven’t seen him since the lightning
strike. Maybe he’s gone.”

“That’s too bad.” Jesset lowered his head. He patted
the gnoll on the back and continued to stare at the fire. He laid
his other hand on Hambone’s clothes.

Kara approached the two. She had already heard about
Ra’na. “The necklace?”

“Someone ran off with it. The girl who took down
Lyra.” Fret said and shuddered. The name still sent ripples of fear
through him, even though he knew she was gone.

“But this could start all over again. We need to find
her.” Kara looked around thinking she might spy that familiar blue
glow.

“She’s gone. At least that is my best guess. Fled
back to where she came from. And I don’t blame her.” Fret said
solemnly. Jesset turned to look up at Kara. “We can only do as much
as we are able. No more and no less.”

Roberto came and buzzed around them. He stopped and
twittered something in front of them. They all stared, and then
laughed not understanding the sprite at all.

“Sorry, but we don’t understand you.” Fret tried to
stifle his laugh. It did feel good to laugh, but not at the expense
of the poor sprite.

Kara grabbed a nearby elf, and he helped translate
for them. “He says he wants to thank you. Especially you.” The elf
motioned to Kara.

“Me? I didn’t do anything.”

More chirping from Roberto. “He says he is in
indebted to you just like his sister was.”

“Sister?” Kara asked, but then it dawned on her.
“Grace! You’re Grace’s brother!” If she could have hugged the
sprite, she would have done just that. Roberto flashed many colors
as he flew around her. The elf nodded before moving off.

As the excitement ended, Fret looked at the fire.
“But what about the prophecy? Wasn’t there still something left
about the third full moon?”

Jesset was the one to answer. “You know what Ynob
would say about that? Screw it, it is only prophecy.”

The group laughed, and Fret decided everything would
be all right. At least for now.

***

The goblin was pretty much pulling her through the
forest. They had not waited for the giant to fall, which Chele knew
Lyra was going to do so. The goblin wanted out of there. Chele
shared the sentiment. Too much evil, and too much danger.

Chele had thrown the necklace, crow and arrow into a
pouch as she ran with Queig through the market. Miraculously, their
horse and cart were still intact. Quickly they boarded and headed
home in the dark. The geth followed even though Chele did her best
to discourage it. It jumped upon the cart and rode with them.

“Katrena will be displeased about the loss of her
merchandise.” The goblin said as he drove the horse harder.

“Is that all you can think about? We almost died in
the market. I took down a giant…whatever she was. Doesn’t that
count for anything?”

The goblin shook his head.

The trip home was uneventful. Chele let Queig tie up
the cart as she went into the house. It was where the goblin found
her, frozen, looking down at the slain elf.

“Mistress!” But even as the goblin bent to check, she
knew that it was too late. He wept softly. Chele stood, not knowing
how to feel. Relieved? Scared? Joyous?

She left the goblin and found a place to sit down in
the kitchen. The geth was at her feet yapping, looking hungry.

“I don’t think I have anything for you to…” But her
arm bumped her sash and she remembered about the thing she had
picked up. Pulling it out, she grimaced a bit. It was a funky
necklace that had been stabbed by an arrow that went through a
crow. Blood had dried around the bird.

Chele pulled the arrow out of the necklace and
dropped the crow to the ground. The geth instantly pounced on the
bird, eating heartily. The necklace’s chain was broken, its center
stone horribly cracked. She traced her finger over the intricate
pendant.

“Ow!” A sharp edge on the stone cut her finger. Her
blood smeared the stone for a moment, before it dissolved in a
glow. A blue glow, a warm light. When Chele looked at the necklace
again, the crack was gone. Even some of the stone that had been
jutting out seemed to have smoothed itself over.

Chele could only stare down at the necklace in
wonder.

Chapter Twenty

The camp was dark. Most of the rebel elves slept.
They had deserted the army on the long hike to Aladedas. Why fight
and die beside your enemy when you could just wait and see who
survived?

Kerlick returned to the camp earlier that day in a
bad sort. He brought with him books, which the rebels just tossed
aside. Their leader was injured, and they needed him alive.