Araman

Chapter Twenty Eight

  Raliena was the first to run forward, followed shortly by Kassen and the rest of the army, including the Lagania. All let out a loud war cry as they launched themselves into battle.

  Lishini’s men were brutal and threw themselves into the fray as readily as those fighting for Verxia. Raliena and Kassen tried to hack a way through to find Dergen, but for every man they managed to kill, another would replace him.

  Still they pushed forward and with the help of the Lagania, eventually Lishini’s men began to fall back to the castle. They were clearly not prepared for the army from the Lagania to join them as they quickly became unorganised and the gates were open for them. But that was only a handful of men and once inside they saw many more were stood ready in the courtyard of the castle where they had more room to manoeuvre and use the funnel of the gate to their advantage.

  Kassen rubbed blood from his eye and kept close to Raliena as they pushed through the gate and slipped to the side with a handful of allies who had the same idea. Kassen was supporting Raliena’s blind spot as she was supporting his. She only needed to use her powers if someone managed to grab her. Her sword was her best weapon and her only thought was of reaching Dergen.

  Eventually, there was a surge forward as the number of people broke Lishini’s lines and people began to fight within the castle walls. Keen to purge themselves of the men that had taken their homes.

  There was a loud screech and Raliena briefly turned back to see that someone had tried to lower the gates again but several swords and other debris had been forced into the gears which had caused the screeching sound and the gate to stop halfway.

  Kassen joined in the renewed battle cry and followed Raliena’s lead as she continued to push towards the castle.

  The once white stone of the courtyard was slowly becoming a dark, burnt red behind them, like their footsteps created a liquid fire that the army from Namare retreated from. It made the stone slippery and the battle quickly became a contest of balance rather than braw. It was one that the Lagania would evidently win, which made it easier to persuade the battle into the castle itself.

  Raliena went forward with the fighting as it broke through the double doors of the entrance hall, losing Kassen behind her in the narrower quarters. Everyone within the halls felt it was too close and soon mutually spread to wider spaces, in the smaller banquet hall and all through the corridors.

  Death was leaking slowly through the castle, making claim to its once joyful walls and painting them with darker colours.

  Raliena found a moment’s pause to look around her and decide where Dergen would have gone. She stood on the stairs a few steps up and saw the door of the ballroom. It would be just like Dergen to want to be where the throne was.

  “The ballroom!” She yelled to Kassen who had just made it through the hall and hit the man he was fighting on the head with the hilt of his sword, splitting his skull. He nodded to her and started pushing forward, assisted by a second surge behind him as more fighters from the courtyard entered the castle.

  A man ran at Raliena as she stepped down the stairs. She deflected his charge by stepping to the side and launching him into the banister so hard, he flipped over it, and landed on one of the men a Lagania warrior was fighting below.

  The fighter saluted her thanks to Raliena before finding another enemy to kill and she recognised her as a much bloodied Yaline.

  Raliena nodded and kicked a man in the chest as she jumped from the third step towards the ballroom, already beginning to fill with people. Seeing Kassen fighting two men at once, she made a beeline towards him and helped him hack down one of the men.

  They were pushed to one side by an opposing charge from more of Lishini’s fighters and stood by as Lagania warriors replaced them to make an impenetrable wall, preventing their enemies from pushing them back and regaining control. The red blood splatters on their white clothing played testimony to their kills.

  Raliena glanced at Kassen in the breather and saw how he was covered in wounds; a cut lip and swollen cheek and a head injury that matted his hair from the blood. She instinctively put out her hand and held his wrist to heal him. He noticed what she was doing when he felt it warm him and pulled his arm away.

  “Save your strength.” Kassen growled, but only in an urgent manner. He was right but at least she had managed to stop his head from bleeding in that brief touch before he was pushing towards the ballroom with her again.

  It seemed forever till they reached it and it took a moment for Raliena to notice she had entered it at all.

  She looked around and spotted her target. Dergen was stood on the balcony of the room studying the mess below with sickening pleasure.

  She slashed down another of Lishini’s men and began to run towards the balcony stairs but faltered when she saw what was stood on the platform by the throne. Three sets of archers at various levels waiting for the signal from Lord Lishini, who was lounging in the King’s chair. She turned round just as the doors were pushed closed behind her, trapping everyone inside.

  Raliena turned back and saw Lishini raise his hand then yelled for people to get down, but it was too late. The first set of archers released their arrows and before anyone realised what was happening the second load were released too, closely followed by the third. Raliena saw people falling around her, comrades as well as enemies.

  She jumped over their bodies to pull the still fighting Kassen to cover, but couldn’t reach him before the first line of archers had reloaded and was ready again to fire from the signal Lishini gave in a lazy fashion, looking almost board by the proceedings.

  Raliena sliced down two arrows heading straight for Kassen with her swift reactions, and pulled him into the wall with her.

  The next two lines released plunged into soft flesh, adding to the pile of bodies.

  Looking away from it as blood from a nearby man splattered her across the face, Raliena saw Lishini raise his hand a third time...

  “Stop this!” Raliena yelled and ran forward into the centre a few metres from the platform. One archer locked eyes with her and aimed his waiting arrow straight for her heart.

  “Stop this now!” She yelled looking up at Dergen and spreading her arms wide as if trying to shield the people behind her.

  “Lishini cease this!” Dergen yelled above the noise of the battle.

  Lord Lishini glanced up at Dergen idly then considered Raliena.

  “Very well.” He said waving his arm for the archers to lower their weapons.

  Raliena breathed heavily but stayed where she was. Everyone had paused in the fighting and stared at one another, ready to start again at a moment’s provocation as the battle continued to rage outside the doors. But the people fighting for Verxia were outnumbered in here and soon they were forced to drop their weapons and surrender to the threat of the merciless archers.

  Lishini made a movement with his hand and two men grabbed General Kassen and brought him forward to the platform, where Dergen was now stood having made his way down the stairs. Raliena dropped her hands to her sides and stared at him, she refused to let go of her sword but kept it slack at her side, its tip bowed to the floor.

  “See how easy it is to show your loyalty.” Dergen announced coming to stand before Raliena.

  “You have what you want, now leave these people be.” Raliena said quietly to him through gritted teeth.

  “You think that is all I want?” Dergen replied just as quietly, once again composed. “Your loyalty?”

  The battle had shown him she was still for the taking. He began to circle her like a bird sizing up its prey.

  “What more is there?”

  “Don’t be naive, Armon. The Lagania told you what I am and what I came here to take, they also told you how to give it to me.”

  “Why would they tell me that?”

  “I noticed your father was not in t
he battle. What would he think of his precious daughter who disobeyed him?” He knew Zinib was with the Lagania, which had been why he was so afraid she had pledged already. Dergen knew that the Lagania would ask this of her.

  “You think I would give someone that power over me?” Raliena replied, now not denying she knew how to complete the pledge. “You know me better than that.”

  “That I do.” Dergen finally stopped circling her, and stopped beside her to look at Kassen, being held firmly by a large man. “And I know how fond you have grown of your dear General.”

  Raliena looked away from Kassen.

  “Tell me what damage I would have to do to him before I felt you could no longer save him?”

  Raliena took a sharp intake of breath from the thought of Dergen torturing Kassen in front of her. He knew he would only have to kill the General to finalize his death, but would torment her even so.

  She could think of no other way to save him.

  “You will not harm Kassen or the people that fought against you,” Raliena began naming her terms and looked Dergen directly in the eye. “And you leave here forever.”

  Dergen returned her steady gaze. His eyes held no remorse, or sense of human compassion. It just held victory.

  “You have my word.” He whispered, a smile growing on his face as he stepped away from her.

  Raliena fell to her knees in defeat, sword clattering to the floor beside her. The sound echoed around the hall where stood still and watchful was the army from Namare. At a stale mate with the Verxian army and Lagania, many who had lost their lives already.

  Raliena put both her wrists before her, crossed over one another, the blue veins beneath her skin prominent as the creeping daylight from outside shone down on her.

  “Raliena! No!” She barely heard Kassen yell above the other protesting gasps around her before a dagger at his throat silenced him.

  Raliena held her head up and stared into Dergen’s cold, anticipating eyes.

  “I devote myself to you.” She spoke quietly and without feeling.

  Dergen laughed wickedly and stepped forward producing something from his pocket.

  “I had a feeling you would.” He placed the gold and silver chain around Raliena’s wrists binding them together; she looked away as he did it. Not bearing to see how she had fallen to him.

  “No.” She heard someone breathe and locked eyes with Yaline stood at the sides, also with a sword at her throat.

  “On, your, feet.” Dergen commanded and Raliena felt her body lifting itself off the ground, her hands pulled above her head, still bound.

  “Now, kiss me.”

  Raliena tried to pull herself back but the urge to do as she was told was too strong, and she felt herself leaning in. At the last moment she managed to resist the command enough to only kiss him on the cheek.

  For a moment he looked angry, then his face split into a hideous sneer and he grabbed her face and kissed her full on the lips. Kassen turned away in disgust and Raliena tried not to gag. When he finally released her she spat on the ground at his feet, but it just made him smile even more.

  “It looks like your obedience is something we will have to work on.”

  Dergen strode away from her and the chain around her wrists snaked down her arm, entwining itself like a bracelet around her whole arm, the end of it making a loose collar around her neck. She was totally bound to him now, till death broke them.

  Raliena’s hands fell to her sides and she put one hand to her throat and stared at the ground, a tear falling down her cheek.

  Dergen strolled over to Kassen who stared at the Master Sinner with such contempt that any normal man would have shied away from it.

  “There will be plenty of time to teach her how to obey.” Dergen sneered then lowered his voice so only Kassen could hear. “On our wedding night...”

  A roar of anger escaped Kassen who released himself from his captors grasp, stabbing the man who held him, with his own dagger.

  Three other men surrounded him and one made to lunge for Kassen and plunge a sword into him.

  “No!” Raliena shouted holding up the arm with the chain on it. The man who was inches away from killing Kassen fell to the floor screaming, his hand grabbing at his heart then crumpled on the floor, dead.

  Dergen laughed in triumph and clapped his hands. “Excellent!”

  “She didn’t touch him?” Yaline questioned with wonder, eyes wide and mouth dropped open. “She killed him without touching him, that can’t be possible.”

  Kassen stared at the man on the floor and up at a shocked looking Raliena, the glowing in her hand subsiding as she lowered it. She shook herself and stepped toward Dergen angrily.

  “Release him now and leave here, Sinner.” She demanded.

  “I plan to,” Dergen said, his smile sickeningly smug. “But in my own way.”

  “You swore you were a man of your word, Sinner!” Raliena yelled, suddenly panicked.

  “I am, dear Armon.” He replied smoothly. “I said I would not kill the General, but promised no such thing of you.”

  Raliena shook her head, not able to get the words out.

  “You would not...” Was all she managed to say.

  “How dare you presume to tell me what I would not do?!” Dergen sneered, his anger rising. “You care too much for this man, Armon. I was prepared to let it be. I realise now he is your last link to here and that I cannot have.”

  “Dergen, do not do this.” She pleaded with him as the words were almost on his lips.

  He looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

  “I want you to kill him, Raliena.”

  “No!” Yaline yelled and struggled to get out of her captors grasp. Lishini’s men had to stop the other warriors for Verxia from fighting their way to the platform at sword point.

  “Please.” Raliena pleaded, Dergen still staring at her but she was looking at Kassen who was the only one not struggling, he just looked at her, forgiveness already in his eyes, his chest pushed out slightly, inviting her to end him as if it was alright to do so.

  “Kill the General Kassen!” Dergen repeated, making his order clearer.

  Raliena sobbed as she felt her arm raising, the chain still cold around her arm, its chill choking and suffocating her, giving life to the pull Dergen’s influence had on her soul.

  Dergen became impatient at seeing her crying over Kassen. “I said kill him! End him NOW!”

  Raliena’s hand began to glow but she could not unlock her gaze from Kassen’s calm expression. Her tears blurred her vision slightly but not enough to block her view when she would watch him die by her hand, her curse.

  All other thoughts were lost then. All except for her and him. The General and Araman.

  Two memories of him merged together in her mind as if they were one. She thought of him when they were sat in the tree together. A warm winter sunrise the backdrop to the moment and she listened again as he whispered sweetly.

  “...the thought of never having you hear it was too distressing to hold onto any longer...”

  Raliena dropped her arm to her side and smiled slightly, her tears already drying on her face.

  “I will not.” She said firmly.

  “What?” Dergen spat in disbelief.

  Raliena turned to him calmly.

  “I love him.” She confirmed, not only to him but to herself. “You cannot make me harm him.”

  A growl escaped Dergen and he strode forwards and grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back. The pain of it and the chain tightening around her neck did not affect Raliena while she still thought about Kassen.

  “I will make you do worse than that.” Dergen snapped, his lip curled in rage while Raliena kept his gaze, her own look of hatred matching his.

  Noises outside made everyone turn towards the large oak doors of th
e hall. The sound of the battle had greatly escalated and the noise of swords colliding and people yelling was coming closer.

  Dergen released Raliena and stepped back up the stairs to watch the door that was now shaking from the impact of someone trying to enter.

  “Leave while you are still able to, Dergen.” Kassen said; a smile on his lips. “It may be your last action in Verxia.”

  “Ye brought Attashar after us!” Lord Lishini exclaimed and grabbed Dergen by the collar. He had been quietly watching with interest the exchange between Raliena and the Sinner.

  “I have what I wanted.” Dergen replied grabbing Lishini’s hands and crushing them with his. Lord Lishini fell to his knees in pain as each finger broke; Dergen’s strength had doubled from the binding to Raliena. “Now, you will have your war.”

  Suddenly, the door swung open, forcing people forwards as soldiers from Attashar surged into the hall and began fighting with the people from Namare.

  Kassen used the confusion to break free of the two men still holding him, and jumped over the dead man on the floor to grab Raliena and run for the door, slashing down people to create an exit.

  Raliena fought with him using her new power to drop people to their knees from intense pain. It came so naturally to her that it almost made her fearful of it, but it was necessary if they were going to escape Dergen.

  “Raliena...” She stopped dead at the faint sound of Dergen’s voice across the hall. It was softly spoken but he knew she would hear it with her heightened sense, and binding to him.

  “We have to get out of here!” Kassen yelled at her, not being able to hear Dergen calling to her. Raliena barely registered he had said anything; her body was listening for its Master, responding to his voice.

  “Come to me now!” This command was louder and so forceful that she had no chance of resisting it this time.

  I am sorry, she mouthed to Kassen who tried to reach out for her but was forced to engage in the battle again, and watch her follow Dergen up the stairs and out of the hall.