Chapter 144

Hands glowed with power as each of the rangers traded surreptitious looks; a pregnant pause full of false peace rested uneasily between them all.

Cid charged, his feet and ankles glowed blue as he pumped kinetic force into his leaping, shooting past Riley and Tobias as if assisted by a rocket.

In a split second, Hilvar was gone with a whoosh of air.

Cid, expecting contact, went careening forward before stumbling, and the rest of the party scattered.

Two bolts of orange flame flew from Hilvar's bracelet, sending balls of fire up into the night, casting the field in hellish shadows.

Fire flew from Tobias' upturned palm while lighting danced from Caedmon's fingers. Eastmund tore up chunks of earth with his magic, each of the magical projectiles streaking with deadly speed.

With another woosh, Hilvar moved, disappearing in a blur, before popping up, as if by teleport at their three o'clock, running circles around them.

"You missed lads! Want to try again?" He taunted.

Sylvanus sighed, "It was my hope you could be reasoned with. At least then your death would have been honorable."

"You're an old fool..." Hilvar spat.

The groans of approaching undead led Riley to crane her head around, only to see the silver eyes of Dame Morgana fixated in a thousand-yard stare on their location, glowing with a preternatural menace perceptible at a distance, until danger more local tore her focus away.

Still, the Zombies came. Caedmon pitched to the right as bolts of electrical energy flew from his fingertips.

The smell of burning flesh percolated upon the air as the zombies fell. Tobias, dashing forward, slammed his boot down on each, crushing their skulls, allowing their bodies to finally rest.

Hilvar, seizing on the distraction, appeared before Sylvanus, thrusting out a heavy boot, cracking into his upper chin.

The joint bent backward, snapping with an audible crack as the bone avulsed through the skin, and blood began to soak into the black material, darkening it as it did so.

His eyes fluttered back in shock.

Cid shared a look with Tobias, who gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

"Riley, we're going to distract. Do what you can for Sylvanus," Came the mental projection of Tobias, lasting no more than half a second, the final syllable falling while all fell into a seemingly coordinated motion.

Cid charged, launching himself forward again, his black blade gleaming in the ghostly blue crystal lamp light, throwing long shadows across the field.

Hilvar flashed away, appearing now at their six o'clock, as Riley rushed over to Sylvanus. Tobias, anticipating the motion, cast fire bolt.

The orange flame seared and sizzled through the misty air of the pre-dawn morning.

"He always moves right, never left!" Tobias projected to the team.

In a scramble, Hilvar jumped again, moving as if he was part clock, before he could raise his arm to fire from their nine o'clock, Eastmund had a large boulder flying to cover the direction.

As they fought, Riley summoned Healing Halo, only for half a corpse to animate, as a bolt of ice careened towards her.

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"Get down!" Tobias cried.

Rilley flattened, the projectile sailed over her by scant inches, thwarting her cast.

The uppper half of a dead and fallen ranger groaned, pulling itself on top of Sylvanus as Riley began to pull at her power again. "Hold on!"

Plant...

Sylvanus, gaze firmed with rage and mad resolve flashing in his eyes like lighting before he pulled a small dagger from his robe, driving it down into the fiend's head again and again, puncturing the skull, making short work of the brain as he plunged it in and out, finding an outlet for his pain.

Riley dismissed the vine she had been summoning while Sylvaus screamed, then rolled, heaving the mass of dead ranger off him.

Taking three quick breaths, he pulled down on his broken leg, the bone and muscle went taut, realigning and setting, as Riley caught the reason he had pivoted onto his left, good side.

He vomited from the shock but, with laser-like focus, locked onto Hilvar as Riley saw the power flicker to life in his hands.

"Brace!" Riley cried, letting loose her healing magics, inspiring another scream of pain as the bone slammed home, knitting back together.

Hilvar moved again, breaking pattern, appearing first at their six but then flashed forward in a burst of wind, appearing next to Riley.

"Bad Move," Riley said, already holding a cast, letting the power flow into plant whisperer.

An ancient tree root rocketed out of the ground, clipping him in the jaw, sending him teetering back, shattering his nose.

Cid dashed forward, slamming him hard in the solar plexus, breaking ribs. "You sent Iskaros! You both betrayed me!"

Another blow to his chest caved it in, "You helped that monster kill my Zorna! You covered it up! You fed us to him! You rotten bastard!"

Hilvar collapsed down on one knee, his left hand raising in one final defiant attempt to blast Cid with a firebolt.

Cid stepped out of the way, grabbed him by the wrist and elbow, and broke his forearm over his knee.

The bone avulsed out of flesh with a sickening crack as Hilvar wailed in pain and collapsed as if no more than a puddle of goo while the rest of the party watched on in horror.

Kicking him in the ribs, Cid pushed him over with his boot, grabbed the old man by his collar, and raised his hand for a killing blow. The power of his kinetic magic danced around his hand as Riley threw up her paws, wrapping Hilvar in vines, wrenching him away."He's beaten. Stop!" She demanded as Cid turned his gaze upon her, full of rage.

"He's killed people I've trained tonight! He helped kill my Zorna! Give him back to me! He dies!" Cid growled.

"Think with your head, dumbass, not your anger! He's an intelligence asset, and we have bigger problems!" She spat.

Cid quaked with anger as Sylvanus pulled himself up, face pale with pain and trauma, "Stand down, Ranger. He's beaten. There was no hope against all of us, but maybe now he can be useful before we take his head."

Hobbling up, still favoring his right leg, he stood between Cid and the wrapped-up Hilvar and set his hand on Cid's shoulder.

"Don't make me make it an order," He whispered, his eyes broadcasting pure and marshall intent, empowered by the years he had spent under command.

"Dead Gods take you," Cid spat at Hilvar, turning his back, holding his sword rigidly at his side.

"He'll get his. Riley heal him enough to keep him alive. I'll remain behind and see to his interrogation, then follow after. You four get to Ashenvale. The dragon is waiting," Sylvanus said, taking command.

Riley sent her healing magic as a scream echoed in duet across the battlefield from Dame Morgana, wards faltering under a relentless barrage.

Still, the dead littered the battlefield, Rangers torn to pieces, rested here and there like discarded toys, littering the space.

"We're turning the tide." She surmised, then caught sight of the dragon.

"Wait a minute! We had a dragon! Why didn't we use the fucking dragon?"

Sylvanus chuckled. "A dragon that has developed a taste for human blood is a bigger problem than these two. Be grateful that she is as committed to her handler as you are to your sorcerer, or none of us would be here to have this conversation. A dragon is never tame, they just have reasons for patience, little one."

"Holy shit..." Riley had faced down zombies, monsters of all stripes, and rampaging insects the size of small cars... She didn't want to think of fighting a dragon. This world had enough horrors as it was.

"Uh-huh... Good call," She squeaked, as her ears went crooked.

Tobias and the others cast their gazes over the fields of dead, and zombied rangers, littering the grounds of Ranger central, as each felt the icy hand of fear grip them.

"This cost us to many men, to many good people," Tobias observed, taking up the battle against Captain Obvious for Riley.

Sylvanus nodded. "But even that tells us things. There is systemic rot in the kingdom, but the rebel position is tenuous. We forced their hand, which gave us an edge. They weren't able to prepare. Though the kingdom is under siege, all is not lost, but you must see to your task while the rest of us see to the traitors in our midst. Go now, rush to Ashenvale, and pray the city holds. May the light of the thirteen shine upon you."

Eastmund held up one finger. "But you were to inform the King. Surely Kivara can handle things here, sir?"

"Circumstances have changed. Hilvar has much to share that the King will want to know. It now falls to me to make certain my report is thorough before I brief our Lord of Ashes, " The old mage's gaze turned icy and full of hatred as he looked upon his former colleague.

"That's enough dawdling! Come on, the mission awaits," Cid ordered, stomping angrily towards the massive beast.