Destiny (15 page)

Coming to a stop, Lúthien’s mind raced as her thoughts made the connection her books had only hinted. Suddenly it all made sense! Morwen’s rough hand on her shoulder snapped Lúthien out of her reflection as the Warden’s hard gray eyes bore into her soul. “Wait for me at the entrance to the courtyard. With or without me, be ready to seal the doors at my command.” With a hard shove, she pushed them towards the door at the end of the corridor. “Now go!”

Not waiting to see if they followed her orders, Warden Morwen spun around. Her cloak flapped behind her as she charged into the chamber throwing herself headlong at the Ironidium Knights. Drawing her slim runic sabers, she somersaulted into the air. Lúthien could only watch in amazement as Morwen slammed into the lead knight feet first. As the guard pitched backward from the force of the impact, the Warden rode the armored chest into a forest of deadly blades.

The dance of death was like nothing Lúthien had ever witnessed before. In the blink of an eye, four knights dropped dead as Morwen slid her sabers underneath the gaps in their overlapping armored plates in a wild spinning attack. Tears ran down the Warden’s face as her blades flashed into the armored waves like a whirlwind as the knights forced her back by their overwhelming numbers. Before Lúthien could see more, her cousin began dragging her away down the corridor. Glaring at Enelya, Lúthien snapped angrily.

“We can’t just leave her.”

Gritting her teeth in pain, Enelya spat back in anger. “If you want to help her, then just do as she says. Otherwise, you may as well have killed her yourself.”

Giving her cousin a sour look, Lúthien took more of Argus’ weight. Quickly they began dragging the Wenci down the corridor as the sounds of combat rang out louder behind them. The ringing sounds of metal on metal were coming so fast that it was almost a steady noise. Glancing over her shoulder, Lúthien saw Morwen forced back into the corridor as the knights poured into the corridor behind them.

Morwen had been called the Mistress of Blades during the Tuonellian War and was a living legend throughout Irlendria as a swordmaster beyond compare. That she could stand against the spell powered armor of the Ironidium Knights, even for a short time, was a testament of her incredible skills, but no matter how good Morwen was, Lúthien knew there was no way she could hope to hold back the force boiling forth from the bowels of the keep.

Reaching the doorway, Lúthien skin crawled as she faced the unnatural silence of the terrible battle. Her heart caught in her throat as one of the knights hooked a gauntleted fist in Morwen’s flapping gray cloak. With a ferocious jerk of its spell powered strength, the knight slammed the Warden into the nearest wall with a loud crash.

Bouncing back to her feet, Morwen’s blades sliced the cloak away from her shoulders as she swayed unsteadily on her feet. Swinging her blades up before her defensively, Morwen fought on with grim determination as the knights pushed on over their own dead without pause.

Leaving Argus with Enelya, Lúthien closed the doors just wide enough for a single Elf to fit through as she screamed to be heard over the crashing sounds of combat. “Morwen, we’re ready!”

For a second, Lúthien thought the Warden hadn’t heard her as she threw herself into the advancing charge once more, but the attack was a feint. Breaking away with a spinning backflip, Morwen turned and sprinted down the corridor as the Ironidium Knights surged after her like water bursting from a dam. As Morwen dove through the opening, Lúthien slammed the doors shut calling forth her power. The spell took shape in her mind as she released the energy flowing through her body with a word of command.

“Galdur Blokk!”

The entire doorway suddenly glowed red as the magical barrier shot across the entrance a second before the doors shivered under the force of a massive impact. Immediately, loud booming blasts began hammering at the doors as Lúthien slowly backed away from the archway. Seeing Morwen unmoving on her knees, she rushed to the Warden’s side speaking quickly.

“Morwen, I don’t know how long the spell will hold against …” Seeing the Warden’s tear stained face and haunted eyes, the words died on Lúthien’s lips as she silently sank to the ground next to the Warden. Finding her voice once again, Lúthien gently put her arm around her guardian’s shoulder speaking softly as Enelya and Argus approached from behind. “What’s wrong Morwen?”

Shaking Lúthien’s arm from her shoulder, Morwen stood up wiping the tears away breathing in ragged gasps. “What’s wrong? Do you not know?” Covering her eyes with the back of her hand, Morwen pressed her gray eyes shut. “I’ve dedicated my entire life fighting against the Tuonellians that slaughtered so many of our people, only to be forced to kill the same people I’ve sworn to protect because of their trickery!”

For a long moment, Morwen’s jaw clenched shut as her body shook in silent rage when the call to arms gong began ringing from the topmost tower. With a start, Morwen lifted Lúthien to her feet snarling. “We must leave now.” Putting her arm under Argus’ shoulder, Morwen headed for the courtyard urgently speaking as they passed in-between the smaller buildings outside the central Keep.

“No matter what happens to me, you are to head through that gate. You must reach the Forest Clan and let King Elladan know that the Tuonellians have returned.” Gripping Lúthien’s shoulder, Morwen pulled her close. “Make him understand what has happened to our people!”

“I don’t understand why you can’t tell him yourself?”

Morwen ignored her question as they passed between the last buildings before the central courtyard, when Lúthien’s breath suddenly caught in her throat as she saw the ranks of Ironidium Knights arrayed in formation before the main gate. Without stopping Morwen headed directly for the middle of the formation turning to Enelya.

“Have you passed the test of Ilmatar?” Seeing the looks of shock in young Wild Elf’s eyes and Argus’ furry face, Morwen smiled grimly pressed her forefinger and thumb together spreading out her hand. “I am Torrakusan, little sister.”

Surprise changed to reverence as Enelya lowered her gaze. Grimacing from the pain, she gasped in short breaths. “Spirit Mother never spoke of your honored status among the Clan, Gray Mother.”

Meeting the Warden’s eyes, Enelya answered the question as Lúthien listened intently. She had never heard of her cousin’s Clan accepting an outsider into their midst, let alone giving them a title of honor. This was a side of Morwen she never knew existed.

“Ilmatar has accepted me as worthy.”

“I need you to perform the Vindbylur?”

Enelya’s eyes flashed towards Lúthien questioningly as Morwen spoke quickly. “You understand what I desire?”

Looking towards the silent line of Ironidium Knights blocking their escape, Enelya nodded her head slowly. “I understand, only I have no spear for the spirit dance, and my body is broken, Gray Mother.”

“Just do your best. A pure heart and a true need are all that Ilmatar requires. Have faith and he will heed your call.”

Reaching the halfway point across the courtyard a shattering explosion suddenly ripped through the air from the direction of the Keep’s main doors as a rasping metallic sound rang out across the courtyard. Fearfully Lúthien watched as the Ironidium Knights drew their massive two-handed swords. As the entire armored line began to advance as one, Morwen hissed urgently.

“Now little sister!” Lúthien staggered as Morwen forcibly pulled her to the Wenci. Quickly they changed position as Argus mewed in agony as his arm was draped over Lúthien’s shoulder. “When I charge, grab your cousin and head for the gates. No matter what happens to me, do not stop.”

Before Lúthien could speak, Morwen had already turned away. As the Warden drew her curved blades from across her back, Enelya began stomping her feet in a quick double-step. At first, her cousin clutched her ribs as she swayed from side to side, her faced beading with sweat from the pain of her internal injuries, but slowly her movements became more fluid.

A moment later, Enelya cried out in agony raising her arms above her head. Spinning around in a circle, she flung her open hands at the center of the Ironidium Knights’ line, screaming at the top of her lungs. “Vindbylur!”

Incredulously, a whirling vortex of air shot forth from her cousin’s outstretched arms. Like a massive hammer, the blast flung the knights in its path into the air, cutting a wide swath clear through the middle of the armored formation. It was like no spell she’d had ever read of before. The magic was different than her own, but none the less powerful. As the power stopped surging through her cousin’s small frame, Lúthien’s first thought was that of shock. Everyone knew Wild Elves couldn’t perform magic. That simple fact alone was the central cause of discrimination most Elves had for their Wild cousins.

Before Lúthien could consider the implications further, Morwen charged as Argus lunged after Enelya, pulling her with him. Before Enelya collapsed to the ground, his silver-furred arm scooped her to his chest. A second later Lúthien felt herself lifted into the air as Argus gathered her up in his other arm. Using the last of his strength, he leaped through the gap as Morwen’s battle cry echoed behind them.

***

Location Irlendria / Morwen Telemnar:

A part of Morwen Telemnar’s mind registered her charges passing through the Fortress’s massive gate as she battled the trickle of Ironidium Knights chasing after them from where they’d been scattered across the courtyard. Her blades cut the guards down before they even knew what was happening.

To either side of her, Morwen saw the separate wings of knights reforming as the King’s Guards from the keep approached the courtyard at a fast jog. Within seconds, she would be overwhelmed from their sheer numbers alone if she couldn’t come up with a working plan. Looking quickly over her shoulder, Morwen saw the girls entering the edge of the forest. Once more Argus hung limply in-between them as they struggled underneath his heavier weight. Without a shadow of a doubt, she knew there was no way the girls would escape if any of the knights made it past her.

Taking a deep breath, Morwen cleared her mind preparing for what was to come. Stepping back until she stood in the Fortress’s massive entrance, Morwen held her sabers at the ready. At least, she could take away their advantage in numbers by fighting from inside the archway.

The Ironidium Knights she killed had been fighting as individuals taken by surprise. Only her skill with the blade and knowledge of the spell forged armor’s weaknesses had allowed her to kill them so easily. This next attack would be different. Prepared for battle with their fellow knights backing them up was another matter altogether. Arranged in formation their armored lines would be nearly invincible.

Morwen’s heart ached again as she recognized the individual emblems imprinted on the chest of knights heading for her. She’d fought side-by-side with many of these warriors for most of her life and knew each and every last one of them by name. For many centuries these Elves had been her only family in a world full of death and destruction. Seeing the knight with the symbol of a double crosshatch through a mountain leading the charge, Morwen felt the bitter sting of anguish bite her soul as she recognized Field Commander Rogaulse, her sometimes lover. Throwing her head back, she cried out in grief.

“Great Tapio, give me the strength for what I must do.”

Tears streaming down her face, Morwen leaped forward. Deflecting the larger sword’s swing with a deft twist of her blade, she slammed her booted foot into the center of Rogaulse’s armored chest. Morwen felt the jarring impact all the way through her body as she flipped into the next knight. Using her momentum, she swung around the guard’s neck in a tight circle, redirecting him into his battle mates as she sprung from his back in one smooth motion.

Metal rang out as Morwen knocked the next knight’s swinging sword wide. Leaping over the top of the guard’s head, she looped her forearms around the armored neck as she jacked knifed her feet to the ground. Her momentum ripped the knight off his feet and over her head into the guards on the other side of the formation with a terrible crash. Spinning around, Morwen swept her slim blades out to either side of her. With a twist of her wrists, she deflected the overpowered swinging blades effortlessly as knights tried to flank her in a pincer attack.

Seeing a blade plunging for her unprotected head, Morwen threw her weight backward. Flipping into the air, she dodged the attack a split second before it crashed into the ground where she’d stood a second earlier. Before she could land on her feet, Morwen saw Rogaulse lung for her. In a blur, his armored fist last out. There was a flash of light as the air whooshed from of her lungs.

Vaguely Morwen remembered bouncing off calcimite stone of the archway as centuries of training and combat took over, her body continuing to function even as the air blasted from her lungs. Rolling to her feet, Morwen swung her blades up in a defensive block just as another gauntleted fist crashed into her. The terrible blow blasted her from her feet, before slamming her to a stop against the opposite wall.

This time, Morwen felt the blood running down the back of her neck as she instinctively landed on her feet. Defensively she arched both blades above her head as Rogaulse’s great sword sought to split her in half once again. Without thought, she drove the blade into the ground beside her as she saw another armored fist heading directly for her.

The next thing Morwen knew, she was lying on her back looking up at the top of the archway. Slowly her eyes focused on the taut chain to the Fortress’ massive portcullis as she breathed in labored breaths. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. The scraping metallic ring of the knight’s approaching footsteps sounded as if from far away as Field Commander Rogaulse’s armored form swam into her field of vision.