The Crimson Claymore (40 page)

The mage's productive spell was short lived, however, when a laughing Karceoles blazed an orange flame from the tip of his zylek that spiraled forth, catching hundreds of the creatures and setting them afire, but at the same time many humans were affected that screamed into the wind as they burned from head to toe. The spell proved as effective is it was foolish.

Searon observed as Sh'on watched the wizard and nearly let a lone daerion rush toward his blind side. "Shronan!" he screamed, hoping the mage would notice.

The mage raised his hand in the nick of time for his magic to surround and freeze the blue-skinned creature in place, its scimitar only inches from his face and its horns twitching ever so slightly as it huffed through its mangled snout. A green glow surrounded the daerion as Sh'on lifted his arms out and continued sprinting forward. The creature rose above his head, and he dashed under it. His hands regained their proper hue, and the beast plummeted to the ground behind him in a thud.

Searon fell well back, behind both the wizard and mage that cleared the ranks ahead on both sides. He was amazed by their power and didn't want to get too close to their spells, and so both he and Etherond fought alongside each other in the center ranks behind a force of their own men. Their tactics and element of surprise had them at an advantage, but he knew it would not last for long against the vast numbers of draeyks and daerions.

The warlock was stuck behind the vast amount of creatures in what appeared the back of the battlefield. He pressed forward, trying his best to maneuver through the ranks of his army in order to better attack the force that caught him by surprise. Some of his allies did not move quickly enough for his liking, and he knocked them aside, sometimes using his magic to kill a few until they parted for him. Too many were clustered together, which put him at a disadvantage.

Searon continued to fight well, attacking two or three draeyks at a time with a daerion between. The reptiles seemed to outnumber the blue creatures three to one but were an easier foe to overcome. Welts began to form all about his body where attacks struck him, and although his heavy armor protected him from anything fatal, and Sh'on's protective magic stopped a few when his plate mail sparkled green, many blows still got through. There were too many creatures to defend against, and Searon couldn't stop them all.

After striking down at least a dozen draeyks, a daerion leaped out at him and caught him unaware. Without having the time to think, he pulled out his throwing knife and hurled it at the creature's soft spot between its jaw and curved horn on its neck. After a fierce roar, it came crashing down, colliding with Stripes and causing Searon to tumble onto the ground. Once he rolled and came back up to his feet, he noticed he was surrounded by draeyks with a handful of injured humans on the ground around him from the collision. He held his claymore high and awaited an attack, the ferocity of his blade glowing a brighter crimson than ever seen before, a feat that gave him confidence in his abilities. Two dashed at him that he quickly outmaneuvered and struck down only for the gap to be replaced by three. He took a step back and looked around for an exit.

When Searon looked about, he noticed Etherond charging toward him with a battle cry and a force of five cavalry. They reached him in the nick of time as he defended himself against the growing number of creatures. Etherond led the charge, holding his flamberge tight as he struck down the surrounding creatures with such precision that they had little chance of defending themselves.

Once Etherond was by Searon's side, the two of them fought off a new charge of daerions that rushed at them, creating a blur of deep blue to match the ocean. The captain's skills against such a foe was impressive, as the two of them fought the creatures one by one and after only a little resilience they overcame the force. For most men, it would have taken several to strike down only one of the blue-skinned creatures.

A force of humans charged past them to fight the oncoming ranks, leaving only Searon and Etherond alone in a field of dead reptiles, blue-skinned creatures, and more humans than they wanted to count. Etherond took off his golden helm and smiled as he held out his hand, which Searon gratefully accepted and mounted the horse behind the captain.

"How do we fare this battle?" Searon asked.

"We lose many; at first it looked as if we could win, but now that their ranks are set in place I doubt we will survive the hour. Where are those bloody kheshlars?"

"Do not fear; they will come. Starlyn would not fail us."

"I know you trust her, but if she doesn't return soon with a force, we will be obliterated,” Etherond said.

"I know."

"Your stallion is injured. I sent him back to be cared for. Do you wish another horse?"

"No, I will continue from the ground. Take me to the wizard and mage."

"As you wish, my lord.” Etherond galloped off through the ranks of dead men toward the battle.

Searon could see the progress as they neared the battle, and he watched carefully at how their number dwindled. Everybody fought well, but there were just too many of the creatures to be successful. Their archers were doing an excellent job plummeting arrows into the ranks of daerions and draeyks, but so were the draeyk crossbowmen who felled enough humans to rival. Even with the archers standing on a slope, firing down into the ranks with a few bushes and trunks to camouflage them, they were soon outflanked. Swordsmen stood at the bottom of the slope to protect them, and they returned the favor by helping shoot down their enemies, yet still the draeyks broke through their defenses to the archers, causing them to face close opponents.

On the other side, the warlock, Zergiel, finally broke through to the front lines and got off his black horse, raising his zylek high into the air and slamming it to the ground, causing black swirling magic to shatter from the soil and toss humans like toys throughout the crowd of battle. He began to target humans with magical abilities that Noraes had sent with them, and one by one he showed them that the power of their magic was insignificant compared to his own. Many magical barriers that were on a few of the more cunning warriors collapsed when the men died who created the protection spells. Without the protection of the spells, they began to fall, creating even more openings for the savage creatures to break through. Nobody seemed able to cause a scratch to the warlock, and many of the warriors didn't dare try; those that did became mutilated with dark magic.

Both Sh'on and Karceoles were on the opposite side of the battlefield and more than doubled their efforts by working together as they headed toward Zergiel. Despite their skill, both got cut up as there were simply too many draeyks and daerions for them to fight. Searon noticed what the two were trying to do and urged Etherond forward to reach the mage and wizard, rallying humans as they passed to join them.

With a force of at least fifty cunning warriors behind Searon and Etherond, they were able to carve a path through the thick pool of creatures. When Searon finally reached the mage and wizard, his companions separated out into a triangle of protection around them. Their position wouldn't hold long, but it would be long enough for what Searon wished to accomplish.

"Follow us,” Searon told them and rushed out with his claymore without further explanation.

Neither of them doubted him and kept up on his heels, Sh'on withdrawing a short sword from a scabbard at his side, highlighted in green and hidden between his robes without anybody knowing he had it. Karceoles continued to limp with use of his zylek for a cane against the forest slopes.

As Searon tore a path in the front, he didn't bother making any killing strikes, instead focusing his attention on swinging his claymore with such a fury that he blasted through their defenses, clashing into armor or legs tripping up his foes, making it easier on the warriors behind to finish them. Together, they tore a path without Karceoles or Sh'on having to use much magic except for a few blasts of air to help clear the way. Their progress inspired all of the surrounding humans to fight even harder, creating a push on the dark army to match the start of the battle.

Within minutes, Searon neared Zergiel, headstrong and brave, in all readiness to conquer the battlefield, and he pushed on in hopes to take on the dark wizard himself. Before he could reach the warlock, the warrior noticed the alteration of his zylek that now pointed to him and switched his claymore to his left hand as he felt for the throwing knife at his sash. As Zergiel called magic, Searon launched the small weapon through the air, creating a high-pitched whistle that throbbed his ears. When knife and black lightning bolt collided, time seemed to freeze, and seconds felt like hours until finally an explosion shattered in a white light that knocked everybody in the surrounding area off of their feet.

Dust fluttered about everywhere, falling from the heavens and covering all the warriors, creatures and humans alike, in such a thick soot that everybody appeared to be of the same gray color, with only protruding snouts of lizards or horns of rams defining the races. Violet sparkles drifted to the ground in a powder that made many sneeze as they inhaled it. Even the warlock was knocked from his feet, and Searon seized the opportunity to approach the weakened man.

His claymore sprang forth, glowing crimson with shaking intensity as he reached Zergiel, who still lay across the ground, yet it wasn't fast enough as the warlock rolled out of the way of the strike. As Searon struck a second time, Zergiel was able to pull out his long sword for a block that created echoing sparks, which dazzled to the ground about them. The warrior kept his attack too heavy for the warlock to get to his feet and caused him to drop his zylek in order to defend himself against Searon's raging attacks.

Etherond and the rest of the accompanying warriors kept their distance from the mage but formed a circle of defense around them as they sparred, with Karceoles's and Sh'on's help. Most were out of reach of Searon's vision as he fought, but he felt safe with the protection surrounding him.

After a long few minutes of keeping the offensive against the warlock, he inflicted a few scrapes to draw blood. Many of the strikes were deflected whether they were overhead or slashed from the side, but Searon was able to slice both forearms. Zergiel, desperate, dashed and crawled out of the way, grabbing a fighting draeyk and tossing it toward him. His claymore sank right through the creature's stomach, soaking the crimson glow in black ooze. Zergiel rushed over to his zylek, and shot a quick blast of black flare toward Searon that struck him in the shoulder and tossed him back into a draeyk.

Karceoles and Sh'on quickly stepped forward as Etherond helped Searon to his feet. Colors of green, orange, and black magic flashed everywhere from ice, fire, and lightning. There seemed to always be a point where one of them was blasted off their feet from magic. Zergiel appeared to be losing the battle even though he appeared more powerful. Both the wizard and mage were faster to strike, and with two of them they overwhelmed him. They closed in on Zergiel and didn't allow an exit.

The warlock kept his spells ready as he stumbled forward, drenched in blood, and beaded in sweat that dripped down his pale face. He was wearing down, and it was showing, but he did his best to show an exterior of strength. Even though he appeared to be losing his battle, the draeyks and daerions all around him were tossing humans like a pack of wolves closing around a farm of sheep.

With great concentration, he seemed to catch a blast of green ice from the mage that he directed back toward him, followed by a fireball of black from his own zylek. The deadly duo of magic tossed Sh'on hundreds of feet back into the crowd of humans soaked in water. Karceoles stepped forward with a sigh to duel the warlock. They knew they could not defeat the dark army, yet their goal wasn't to win but to postpone the inevitable until the kheshlarn army could arrive.
If
they would arrive in time.

Both Zergiel and Karceoles seemed to have a constant battle of canceling magic that faded each time it collided. Magic was really all about predicting elements, and as a fire spell hit a water spell it would simply evaporate. However, sometimes a bit of the water from the magic would continue on to strike its foe, depending on how powerful the spell was. It continued on like this for a long while with small residue of spells striking each other with light drizzles of water, insufficient spurts of lightning no more powerful than a positive striking a negative charge when two people touch, or even a small puff of flame that held no more burn than moving a hand too close to an ignited pipe. This kept on until Karceoles shot an ice spell as Zergiel released one of water that blanketed around the ice but froze as it continued on toward the wizard. Zergiel leaped the out of the way, dodging the ice, but Karceoles was not as lucky as the blanket of water became a storm of raging ice that froze him and a dozen draeyks and humans around him into solid ice.

Zergiel grinned as he walked toward the frozen form of Karceoles. He attached his zylek to his robes and withdrew his sword from the ground where it had fallen. With slow approaching steps, he made his way toward the wizard. He raised the sword up high and slashed it down hard in hopes to shatter him; everybody seemed to stop throughout the battlefield to watch. As the blade came crashing down, Searon, who was still injured and watching the battle from the pile of bodies nearby, leaped forth with his claymore out. The warlock's blade clashed with Searon's claymore hard, sliding down the length of the blade and colliding with the side of the warrior's helm, tossing him back into a tree where he hit the back of his head. His body remained motionless as his limp body slid down the tree onto the ground seeing nothing but darkness.

Chapter 43

S
tarlyn strode up to the king's chambers only to be blocked by the guard withdrawing two scimitars. The king’s guard, Vil'ek, stepped forward, eyebrows raised, as menacing as a jaguar prepared to protect its kin. No thoughts protruded into Starlyn's mind other than the fact she had to plead with the king to listen to her demands to help Searon, her friend. Everybody was in danger, even the kheshlars, but she knew that it would be nigh impossible to convince the stubborn king. There was little hope that the kheshlars would rally behind her again after the last time she drove them into battle, yet that wasn't what she wanted. Even though she hated to admit it, she felt that even losing the wizard would be a blow to her heart. She knew Searon well enough by now to know that no matter if the kheshlars came to help or not, he would lead his men into battle in an attempt to at least preserve the kheshlars as long as he could.