Liam could feel himself growing weaker. He glanced at Rowe. “Can I count on you, Rowe, if this kills me? Will you break your vow and use your power?”
“You’re not dying today, my friend. My vow is safe.”
Liam reached his other hand out and blew it. A cloud of black smoke flew from his palm, encircling the pack of wild beasts. Their nostrils sniffed the air and they were immediately drawn to Liam, angry and with purpose.
The giant growled. His blunt teeth curled into a snarl as the smoke lured him in as well. He raised his ax high into the air, and swung it at Liam.
Liam grinned despite himself. He was amazed that his Vex worked. He never tried it before, and now he had all of their attention. Now, the beasts would focus only on him, leaving his men free to strike without opposition.
Liam took in a quick breath as the beasts began to close in. They were coming fast. Their clawed feet kicked up dirt as they ran. He ducked the giant’s ax as it scooped up some of his men, tossing them into the air.
Liam cursed under his breath, seeing them fall to the ground with a crash. He rolled his wrists, the sword immediately creating a shield-like bubble around him, as the riestlings descended upon him. When he sank his blade into the ground, the shield was complete.
A glow stretched from Liam’s body, feeding the shield as the creatures began nipping and clawing at it. The Vex had put them under a spell of blind hatred, and they desperately wanted nothing else but to rip Liam apart.
The giant beat on the shield that encircled Liam as though he were possessed. It was the perfect opportunity for the other Tryans to attack while the beasts were all focused on Liam.
“What are you fools waiting for? Kill them!” Sona shouted as she ran to tear the beasts apart with her dual swords.
Liam squeezed his eyes shut to stay focused. He felt no pain, and would absorb all of the damage for the others. They had to kill the beast, because the Nostfar giant would devastate the surrounding villages. Liam was still surprised that he had created such a shield, but knew that he couldn’t keep it up for much longer. Nani must have sensed this too, as she was at his side in a flash.
Her wings flapped in a frenzy, like those of a hummingbird. Nani’s eyes narrowed as she fed energy to Liam; he didn’t need healing, but her powers would rejuvenate him. Shards of thin, golden light traveled from her fingertips to his body, but bounced off of the shield. She tried harder, only to realize that it was impenetrable.
Liam watched as Nani changed her target to Rowe, making him stronger and faster so that he could quickly kill the beasts and get them off of Liam.
Nani’s energy filled Rowe, and he chopped away at the riestlings until all sounds of their growls and squeals of pain had ceased.
Sona was already climbing the giant, who paid her no mind. His was intent only on Liam, slamming his ax onto the shield, causing it to spark from the impact.
Liam could feel only the pressure from the ax as the giant struck again and again. It vibrated the shield, making Liam’s bones and teeth chatter. He dug his feet into the dirt to keep his balance. Liam squeezed his eyes closed and sweat dripped from his head and down his chest. He was weakening with each blow.
Sona was fast. Once her mind was set on something, she would never stop. She was upon the giant’s shoulder in no time. The other Tryans below stabbed at the giant, with little reaction from it. They barely weakened him, but Sona seemed to know exactly where to strike. She was at his neck with her glowing swords.
She clenched her teeth and used all of her strength to slam her sword his flesh.
“Die you stupid creature,” she panted with each saw of her blade across his neck.
Each second that passed by made him weaker.
Finally, the other soldiers made way as the giant wobbled and fell to the ground.
The entire valley shook as he collapsed with a loud thud. Sona hopped off and rolled away just in time, as the giant’s head crashed into the ground with a heap of dirt and rocks tossed into the air at the impact. She sprang to her feet and checked to confirm that the giant was dead. She nodded to Liam, her blue eyes meeting his.
Liam pulled his sword from the soil and slumped to the ground.
“Liam!” Rowe called, pushing through to get to him.
Liam held a hand out to keep Rowe away. Liam could barely see anything and felt nauseous. His body tingled all over as if tiny bees stung at him until he was nearly numb. When he opened his eyes, he saw only colors and then darkness.
“I’m fine,” Liam said. His voice was raspy as he slowly succumbed to the darkness. His body felt heavy, his mind being smothered by an intense weight. He didn’t realize that he was crashing to the ground. “Don’t worry about…” his voice trailed off as his eyes fluttered closed.
Chapter 8
The sun beamed down on Liam’s face, warming his skin. He opened his eyes and squinted, shielding the red sun’s rays.
Red sun? Liam thought as his head lolled to the side.
He groaned. He wanted to go back to sleep. A blue and orange butterfly flew right onto his nose. Its wings seemed to make the air glitter around it. The moment it landed on Liam’s nose, memories of what had happened came back to him in a torrent of images and sounds. He sat up, and winced at the throbbing in his head.
His head whipped to the side as he took in his surroundings. Rowe, Nani, Sona, and the others were nowhere to be seen. Panic filled him as he came to his feet, and realized that he was no longer in the valley with his friends.
Where is everyone? Liam tried to stay calm as his eyes scanned his surroundings. He stood in the middle of a meadow, a soft breeze rustling through so that the tall deep-green grass swayed gently.
Liam examined the scenery. This place was like nothing he’d ever seen. He looked out toward white snow-capped mountains, the icicles reflecting the sun’s rays so that it appeared as though the mountain was covered in jewels.
Looking down at his body, Liam realized that he wore a white tunic and white linen pants that swayed in the breeze. A simple gold band was wrapped around his waist and his bare feet felt the soft, cool grass beneath the soles of his feet.
His feeling of worry deepened. His stomach twisted into knots as he feared the worst.
Am I dead? Liam swirled around, looking for clues as to where he was and what had happened. He had to get out of there—wherever he was—and get home. His people needed him.
Liam stopped abruptly. He could feel eyes on him. He turned and saw someone standing across from him in the distance.
It was a girl.
His worry and fear dissipated as he looked at her. She calmed him somehow. Liam felt self-conscious as her eyes examined him. He straightened his tunic. He felt naked without his sword, but he didn’t sense danger as she approached him.
She wore a white gown that billowed around her thin frame. A similar gold band tied her dress at her waist. She was tall, nearly as tall as a Tryan woman, but clearly not of his race. Her skin didn’t glow like a Tryan woman’s, but she was no less enchanting.
He gasped when she stepped closer, the light of the sun illuminating her fire-red hair. It was odd. Her hair was scarlet, but gold strands stood out as the wind tossed it around her delicate face.
Liam’s throat suddenly went dry. Though he was from a land where most of the women were natural born beauties, there was something special that drew him to this woman.
“Who are you?” He pursed his lips, surprised to find that he couldn’t hear his own voice, and neither could she. He noticed that she desperately tried to have her own voice heard.
After a few attempts, it seemed as though they both gave up on being heard, and focused on each other. Liam felt compelled to walk toward her and she did the same. As he got a little closer, he noticed that she was as confused as he was, and as cautious. Still, nothing stopped them until they were merely a few feet apart, facing each other.
He was oddly glad that they couldn’t speak to each other. For once, Liam d
idn’t know what he would say to her. If only Rowe could see this! This was the first woman to leave him awestruck.
Her jade green eyes were flecked with hazel and drew him in like a spell. Liam felt an intense desire to touch her. He took a deep breath and reached out.
She looked up into his eyes, a little unsure, but equally curious. She reached out and the instant their fingertips grew close enough to touch, a blast of light struck them, separating them.
Liam woke as though he’d been drowning. He gasped for air as his eyes opened to see Nani’s face leaning over his. Her eyes were closed as she focused her energy on healing whatever damage he had received. The instant her lids fluttered open, and she saw that he was alive, she tackled him, straddling his body and squeezing him in a firm embrace.
He realized that he was back where he had fallen, the other men standing around him. Every one spoke at once, asking what happened and if he was all right. He simply wrapped his arms around Nani’s small body.
Liam closed his eyes, overwhelmed with joy at being alive. He buried his face in her hair and sighed with relief. The scent of pine filled his nostrils. He thanked the Ancients for bringing him back to his friends. Still, the girl’s face haunted his memory, and he sensed that he would see her again.
Chapter 9
Another month passed, and finally they found a suitable village. Lilae and the others passed by many small towns along their journey that the girls all thought would be perfect: quaint little farming villages or large cities filled with friendly people. Each time, Delia took one look and shook her head no.
They were all weary of sleeping in the forest. The hard forest floor and the threat of wild animals while they slept had everyone on edge and irritable. Their arms were covered in mosquito bites and Lhana’s special ointment barely eased the itching.
The dense evergreen forest finally opened up to bright sunlight and a wide-open dirt road. It seemed heavily traveled because of the deeply embedded wagon and foot tracks. Fluffy white pollen spores fell from the trees like snow.
They had never seen a spring like that. Living in the north was always cold. There was so much green and orange around them that they felt out of place. The purple and yellow flowers bloomed and the birds flew ahead in packs by the hundreds.
Lilae looked in awe around her. She sighed in content. The sun’s soft rays on her cheeks felt good.
Golden wheat reached for the sky on both sides of the road, and tall trees bowing low from the weight of their apples. Risa and Jaiza wasted no time in picking the apples and bit greedily into the crisp flesh.
Lilae cautiously followed them. Her stomach growled loudly in her ears as she looked up at the trees that were heavy with ripe fruit. The apples were plump and red and smelled delightful. The first bite was the best. The taste of something sweet, and fresh reminded her of better times. She didn’t care that the juice dribbled down her chin.
“Lowen's Edge,” Delia read from the sign posted on a stake in the center of the road.
“Partha,” Pirin said as he walked beside her. “It’s a commercial village, they forge weapons and sell goods, but Partha has a strong military.”
Delia nodded. “Fine, we can stay here, for a while.”
Lilae could already tell from walking along that Lowen’s Edge was much bigger than Sabron, their last village.
“It seems nice here,” Lhana remarked.
“I’m just glad it’s not so cold!” Risa added. “I am sick of snow.”
Jaiza nodded. “Me too. I just hope the boys are cute and the girls are plain and frumpy.” She and Risa snickered.
Lilae smiled to herself. She wasn’t jealous. She wanted them to be happy. The twins would have no trouble finding doting boys.
Pirin shook his head at Jaiza’s comment, but Lhana smiled. She reached to hold his hand.
They walked alongside a log fence that contained a large bull and a herd of cows. The farmers noticed them and slowly came to their feet. They stood with their wooden pitchforks and watched with curious eyes as the family passed by.
“Hmm, the cattle look healthy here,” Lhana mentioned, pausing to view the herd. She sounded happy. “Though a lady, I used to run down to my father’s land worked by the farmers. I always loved animals and would help out sometimes.” She looked off as she reminisced. “The farmers would let me help milk the cows and feed the chickens.” She smiled to the twins. “I used to name them, sometimes.”
“I bet they were delicious,” Risa joked.
Lhana ignored her. “The land must be fertile. Fertile land means healthy animals, which in turn means healthy people.”
Lilae looked back at the women who whispered to one another as they looked on. They wore scarves covering their hair and aprons over their simple brown gowns. They carried baskets of bread and jam and jugs of water to the farmers.
Lilae heard their chatter. They mocked her for the way she dressed. They wondered if she was a boy, but clearly, she was not because of her hair and delicate features. Lilae self-consciously tightened her hood and walked on. She tried to keep from staring back, but found herself glancing at the villagers.
They made their way down the heavily traveled path and toward the gated village. Lilae turned around curiously to the sound of heavy footsteps. She turned to see men on horseback riding toward them. Four, she counted to herself. Swords, armor, blood on their boots. She noted everything about them before they even approached.
Jaiza perked up. “Look, Risa! Boys!” She grinned. She turned to her sister and grabbed her by her shoulders. “How do I look?” The men were getting closer.
“Dirty,” Risa replied, and smirked.
Jaiza’s smile dropped and she punched Risa in the arm.
“So do you!”
Risa laughed and shoved her back.
“Hush girls,” Lhana said softly. “We’ll all be clean again soon enough.” She straightened her own clothing.
“Halt!”
Lilae felt her jaw tense at the lead horseman’s demanding tone, and she reached for the dagger in her boot. It was purely instinct. Pirin placed a hand over hers, stopping her. She stood slowly and looked at the men closely. They were dressed in uniformed hides that were dyed green.
For village folk, they appeared quite impressive. Each wore leather gaiters that looked of good quality and matching brass breastplates. They wore supple leather gloves and boots and each donned a sword and plate shield. Not cheap.
A brawny man with a thick, closely cut beard stepped forward. Even upon his horse, Lilae could tell that he was much shorter, and wider, than Pirin.
“I am Lukas, High Regent of Lowen’s Edge. Better you deal with me than the Parthan soldiers,” he said, and nodded to the armored men standing at the entrance to the gates. “Their interrogations are much more severe.” He looked them over. “We are on the lookout for Imperial spies. But, I can tell just by looking at you that you’re definitely not Avia’Torenian. Which clan do you hail from?” he spoke to Pirin directly.
“We do not belong to a clan anymore. We do not owe allegiance to any king. We travel alone,” Pirin said. He stretched his arm around Lhana’s shoulders and nodded to the girls. “My family and I just want to work for a while and we will move on. We do not look for trouble and we have no plans to stay for longer than a year.”
Lukas nodded, as he looked them over. His eyes passed by Lilae and went to Jaiza and Risa as he stroked his graying beard. Lilae noticed that the other men all stared at the twins as well. They looked much younger than their leader without a lot less hair on their faces.
“Too bad,” Lukas said finally while shaking his head. “Perhaps if you were allies with Partha we could negotiate a temporary citizenship.” He hopped down from his horse and approached them with an easy gait to his stride.
He stretched his fingers from holding on to the reins of his horse for so long and stood before Pirin. “Trust me. I want to help you all, but you make it hard when you do not belong to a clan.”
r /> Pirin looked to Delia who nodded. “We are from the North.”
Lukas nodded. “This is good news. It could help your case.”
“We will stay no longer than a year. We are all good workers. My wife bakes the best pies and bread you've ever tasted, and my daughters all know how to help with the harvest, or anything in the fields or barns.”
Lukas stroked his beard. After a moment of thought, he cracked his knuckles. “Why are you traveling?”
“We are taking a pilgrimage to the South. I want my children to see the Holy Temples of Shi’Yen.”
Lilae almost laughed but restrained herself. Pirin cared nothing for the Holy Temples. He felt it was unnecessary, a way for the monks and priests to control those who were uneducated.
“What an ambitious journey,” Lukas remarked. “But you’ll want to stay clear of the eastern territories.”
Pirin raised an eyebrow. “Why is that?”
Lukas lowered his voice. “Avia’Torena controls the entire East, the Guardians have unlocked the doors, and now all sorts of creatures are spilling through.”
“What?” Risa and Jaiza said in unison. Lhana’s face paled as white as ever.
Lukas nodded and sighed. “I’m afraid they have, girls. Soon, we’ll be in the midst of all sorts of evil. I tell you these things the same way I tell the other foreigners who come through here seeking refuge, but I feel especially inclined to warn you. Such lovely young daughters should be kept away from unsavory beings. There are rumors that Swartelves are already getting free from The Barrier, through those doors.”
Lilae’s interest grew, as did Delia’s. Swartelves was just another name for the Shadow Elves who lived in the Nostfar realm. For centuries, they were confined to their own realm, keeping humans safe from their terrible power and ambitions.
“The Guardian’s unlocked the doors?” Lilae whispered to Delia. “Is that possible?”
Delia held a hand up. “Shh, Lilae. Not now.”
Lilae bit the inside of her lip. She was really worried. She knew more history than most people did. She knew all about the Great War. These people had no idea what was coming.