Tenth of Frostmaire
Lithmae kept his elves hidden amongst the trees along with the mages. Only Belkai and her two companions were visible, though he doubted that his concealment would do much against whatever otherworldly force would be unleashed. It would have been much easier if Belkai had simply summoned her magic to defeat whatever came, but she needed her energy for when she faced Delorax. Lithmae understood, but they would pay for such concern with the blood of his people. He’d accepted that fact, trusting his lord’s wisdom.
A wail broke his thought and drew his eyes to the strange red tunnel in the clouds. Green lightning flashed, and Lithmae had to fight off the urge to give into his fear and run. Someone did, escaping into the forest despite shouts for them to stay. Another wail came from the clouds, then the first ball of flame roared into view, plummeting towards the clearing where Belkai stood. Lithmae braced himself as he realised just how big the object was, easily enough to crush a dozen of his elves. Belkai must have realised too, as she stepped backwards and shouted for Grishwar. A half dozen purple bolts leaped into the sky in reply, smashing into the flame and revealing it to be a solid boulder that shattered apart from their attack. From it emerged four beasts that continued the plunge, clawed hands and feet at the ready, their own bodies wreathed with flame. The fire demons landed hard, dirt splashing across the clearing from their impacts. Lithmae shouted an order, and they were instantly showered by arrows. He realised his mistake a moment later, but by then it was too late. More of the fireballs erupted from the sky, these ones falling behind his lines.
Only one demon had fallen under the rain of arrows, the other three focused on Belkai. She readied her longsword, now second guessing her decision to avoid magic for this fight. Still, Arak had taught her well, and she dropped to her back as the first demon swung at her, grimacing as its heat passed close by her face. It stepped past her as it tried to recover, and a slash from her sword brought it to the ground. A pair of arrows smashed through its eye, and without looking Belkai knew that Syndra was watching out for her.
For Lithmae, it was as if the world was on fire. The demons stalked through the bushes hunting down those brave enough to stand their ground. They were in complete control of their fire, pushing past trees without setting them alight even as their touch melted flesh and bone. Flashes of red and purple showed where the Correlate and Watchers still fought on, holding their own against Delorax’s forces. A bone-shuddering blast made Lithmae turn in time to see a fireball explode against the clearing, sending Belkai crashing into a tree. She went limp, and Davos and Loranna stayed where they had fallen on the grass. A group of fire demons closed on them, and with a shout Lithmae ran towards them with Syndra close behind. Davos was starting to rise as a demon began to charge, and Syndra cut it down before it made it more than a few steps. Lithmae found himself confronted by a pair of them, narrowly dodging a flaming fist that was thrown his way. His sword cut through the demon’s arm, but a second knocked him to the dirt. It stood above him, its foot covered in flame as it came crashing towards him.
Something flashed in Lithmae’s vision, then an axe buried itself in the demon’s head. It tumbled to the earth, and before it could recover Loranna was there, first pulling her axe out and then bringing it back down in a mighty swing that completely severed the head. The second demon let out a roar and turned away from Lithmae to face its new attacker. He hauled himself to his feet, slashing his blade across its back. As it bent backwards in pain, Loranna buried her axe in its chest. It fell to its knees, and Lithmae finished it with a slash across the neck. He was panting as he nodded to Loranna, then looked up to see Davos helping Belkai to her feet. She looked up at him with wide eyes, and Davos started to shout something at him.
The blow came hard and without warning, a shocking impact that left him dazed as he hit the ground. He forced himself to roll over and saw Loranna take a step backwards as she raised her axe. His attacker came into his vision, and he felt his heart drop. It was as big as a troll, covered in grey scales and five-inch spikes that looked like curved thorns. In one massive hand it held a red serrated sword. It let out a wail as it looked to Loranna, and Lithmae tried to raise himself off the ground. Searing pain ran through his back, and he collapsed back down, helpless to do anything but watch. Loranna ducked as it swung at her and brought her axe around in a crushing blow aimed at its leg. The axe head broke off, flying away to land in the grass a few feet away. A moment later the beast had seized Loranna by the throat and lifted her into the air. Lithmae shouted to get its attention, biting back his agony as he tried to rise. It brought the sword to bear, but its arm twisted unnaturally as Belkai tried to stop it. The beast released Loranna and as she fell it snatched the sword with its good arm. She landed on her knees and looked over at Lithmae as the serrated blade rushed towards her throat. She smiled, and he could see the love in her eyes in the second before steel sliced flesh and she was gone. Belkai was there a moment later, seconds too late to save her friend, but she avenged her quickly as she rammed her sword into the beast’s chest and ripped the blade down, tearing it open down to the stomach. It collapsed to its knees in a wave of crimson, and a second swing severed its head from its body.
“Loranna,” Davos cried out and dropped to his knees beside her body. He looked to Lithmae and shook his head. “I’m sorry.”
There was no time to mourn. A massive thunderclap echoed through the air and Belkai shouted,
“Delorax! Davos, get Lithmae out of here.”
He did so, grabbing Lithmae by the shoulders and pulling him across the field towards the trees. The elf’s eyes were locked on Loranna’s body as he was scraped across the rough ground. Red lightning flashed, and the ground around them exploded as everything faded to black.
***
Belkai braced herself as the Arcane slammed into the ground. She watched in horror as Davos and Lithmae were showered with debris and knocked down by the shockwave. When the dust cleared, Delorax stood before her. She was surprised by his appearance. He hadn’t come as a powerful beast, as Ashelath had done, nor as an otherworldly being like Falkar. Instead, she found herself looking at a black-bearded man with suntanned skin and bright blue eyes. He held a silver sword with a jewelled hilt, his free hand awash in a red light.
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“It is good to finally meet you, Defiler,” he growled in a deep, bass voice. “I have heard so many stories about you.”
“I never wanted any of this, Delorax,” Belkai said and spread her hands out wide, her sword held loosely. “I wanted to be free of Ashelath, that was all. I have only ever wanted peace.”
“You never asked for our help against the Exile.” Delorax looked around the clearing as he spoke. “No, you only ever left a trail of blood in your search for this ‘peace’. And all you had to do was stay in this Forest and respect your rightful boundaries.”
Belkai felt anger rising in her, and for once she didn’t stop it. “There is something you should know about us mortals. If you shackle us, we will break our bonds. If you try to knock us down, we will get back up. I didn’t ask for this war, Delorax, but I swear that I will end it – and you, if you don’t leave my Forest and vow to never return.”
Her hand tightened on her sword. “But you have killed my people. You have shattered my land. And now you yourself defile Narandir with your obsession. I have found the Source of this magic, Delorax, and it was never meant for you.”
“No human wrench will deny me what I seek,” Delorax growled, and his face twisted in utter rage. “I will tear you apart, scatter your bones across this damnable Forest, and then I will feed your precious mixed breed lover to the most depraved beast I can find in this world.”
The red light around his hand flashed, then burst forth as a wave rushing at Belkai. She had no idea what kind of power he’d unleashed, but as she stretched out her hand, a wave of fire erupted and formed a shield around her. Delorax roared and charged forward with his sword raised. Belkai summoned fire along her blade, then parried his blow. He kept his footing, and made a second swing that she only just managed to duck. She sent a pulse of energy out of her hand, knocking him backwards to give her room to manoeuvre. He growled, and another wave of red energy pulsed, this time smacking in to Belkai and throwing her back four feet. She spat blood out of her mouth and stood tall.
“I told you we always get back up,” she muttered, and let her senses reach out and embrace Delorax. Like Falkar, he had no real organs that she could comprehend, but with her power enveloping him she unleashed a blast that would have crushed a troll. He fell to a knee, but began to rise. Massive thorn-studded vines rose from the ground, wrapping around him and pulling him down towards the dirt. The thorns grew, stabbing into his skin as they compressed upon him. Another red pulse blew them apart, and Belkai felt a flash of pain as her connection with them was brutally severed. She surrounded him with a ball of fire and closed it upon him, the grass within three feet instantly turning to ash. She could feel his pain, and increased the heat, taking a step closer.
“Enough!”
His voice was strong despite his pain, and despite Belkai’s best efforts the flames were washed away as they were surrounded by a golden light. She felt herself rushing through the air, and then there was nothing but mist. The air was different here, but she had no chance to consider that as Delorax emerged from the mist with his sword aimed at her throat. She parried, then rolled out of his reach before springing back to her feet. Delorax pressed the attack, and there was no time to think as he rained down blow after blow until finally Belkai’s sword shattered. She threw the hilt aside before jumping to the side, but she was too slow. His blade cut through her side, reopening the wound she’d received in Lustria. She landed on the ground gasping in pain, her hands clutching her bloody skin.
“You have denied me long enough,” Delorax spat as he slowly walked towards her with his blade pointed at the ground. “You have resisted the Arcane long enough, witch. But you are in our world now. You have no authority here.”
That was the difference she’d felt, Belkai realised. It was like the ocean that the portal had opened to. She was in an Arcane plane, somewhere between the physical and the purely spiritual. This was Delorax’s home. But the Ascendant transcends the natural bounds, she reminded herself. To the Arcane’s surprise, she smiled.
“I make my own rules.”
Lordship of Narandir had given her a small amount of control over nature, and she put it to use. She drew the mist in like a cloak, and with Delorax temporarily blinded she pulled her daggers and stabbed them into his legs. He roared with fury, but by the time he struck out she was gone, vanished into the mist as she sought time to build a strategy. The mist acted strange, almost as if it were a living entity on its own. She felt Delorax approaching, but as she took another step she tripped over something, falling hard on the hard rocky ground. The mist cleared a little, revealing a face beside her. Blonde hair covered one eye, and a bloody stump was where the neck should be.
“Agatha,” Belkai whispered. “But why-”
“Yes, Agatha, the Watcher that you had your lover decapitate.” Delorax’s voice was mocking as it cut through the mist. “A strange act for one who claims to be seeking peace. Of all of Ashelath’s enemies, none were so steadfast as those hunters.
“Welcome to my Shadowland, Belkai. My own creation to remind the fallen of their sins.”
Belkai slowly tore her eyes off Agatha’s head and looked into the mist where she sensed he was standing. “My dreams...that was you?”
“I am the Lord of Justice, child,” Delorax snarled. “You will not escape what you have done.”
What I’ve done. Belkai grimaced as she looked at Agatha. This was no more reality than the dreams had been. She knew her failures and crimes. She would forever mourn the innocents that she had killed, and she had never forgotten even a single face of those who had died by her hand. Yet that was in the past. She had to let it die. Her guilt had to become hope for the future. What I’ve done? I have made myself anew.
Agatha’s face disappeared in a wisp of smoke. Belkai slowly stood, closing her eyes and allowing the mist to wrap around her. She held her daggers tight and began to walk forward. The mist had been designed to follow the commands of the strongest will. Guilt crippled the mortal mind, introduced fear and doubts that forced them to be subjected to Delorax. He hadn’t counted on the power of a woman redeemed from her crimes. Belkai sensed his every move before he made it, and when she spoke her voice seemed to come from every direction at once.
“I am more than my failures, Delorax. You are not standing before a peasant girl. I am a Child of the Wind, born of Elkur. I am the Lord of Narandir and its power, and I am the Ascendant foretold in ages past. You have crossed the line and violated the boundaries of your existence. So now I am Elkur’s vengeance.”
She was close now, easily within striking range. At her direction, the mist swirled opposite her, and Delorax turned to face the imagined threat. Belkai seized her chance. She burst out of the mist and before he could respond her blades were buried in his neck. An instant later, Belkai unleashed her fire through the blades, the twin infernos combining to flood throughout his body. Delorax let out a roar that shattered the mist, and as he flailed about he put his sword through her leg, bringing her to her knees as he burned from the inside out. He fell beside her, and reached out a hand to seize her by the throat and pull her face close to his. He was too late to do anything but snarl before Belkai’s senses found his weakened core and ripped it apart. Pain flooded her own chest, and as her vision faded she hit the ground beside Delorax’s shattered, deflated corpse. She stared with dull eyes as a flame enveloped him and turned him into ash that soon faded away.