Part 30 (2/2)
Trigorah turned to the door. A sudden thunderous blow buckled the hinges. A second splintered them free. As the ruined tatters of door collapsed into the room, the hulking form of Epidime stepped inside. Ivy cowered behind Trigorah, who slowly sheathed her weapon.
”What are you doing?! He will kill us!” she shrieked.
”You have made a number of very influential individuals very upset, Teloran,” Epidime scolded with his characteristic coolness.
”I have also captured one of the Chosen, something those same individuals could not do. I think that deserves some consideration,” she countered.
”Ah yes. Ivy, as they call her. Demont's pet project. Tell me, how is it you managed to keep from lighting her short fuse for so long?” Epidime asked.
”Never mind that. It is quite likely that the others are coming, and I do not think it wise to face them here,” Trigorah said.
”Why are you talking to him?! He is evil! We have to go!” Ivy said.
”Why . . . does this little beast trust you? That is a remarkable feat, General,” Epidime admitted.
”Are you listening to me? We need to get to a more defensible position,” Trigorah said.
Epidime still gazed at the trembling figure of Ivy.
”You didn't strike me as though you were in any hurry to leave before my arrival. Besides, I doubt we will find a position more defensible than the city,” Epidime said.
”Up until your arrival I had handled the situation with at least some semblance of tact. We might have escaped notice. And this isn't a fort, Epidime, there are civilians here,” Trigorah protested.
”Collateral damage is a part of war,” he replied.
Trigorah held firm. ”You've seen what they can do. The entire city may be destroyed.”
”Acceptable losses,” came the logical reply.
”Acceptable? Hundreds of people would lose their lives for two? We are supposed to protect these people!” the general urged.
”An end best served by removing this threat to their freedom. Interesting that you are so eager to seek higher ground the moment I arrive. One might almost suppose you have other motives. A less understanding superior might even suspect insubordination. However, that cowering little prototype behind you has earned you the benefit of a doubt or two. Permit me to subdue our present prize. Afterward I will even allow you to tell me what you have learned, rather than simply taking it from you,” Epidime said.
”What? No! NO!” Ivy cried.
She tried to run, but with her mind still set on suppressing her emotions lest she ruin this place, she wasn't fast enough. The gem in the blade of his weapon was brought to bear on her head. A bright, intense flash of light and crack of energy surged forth. A moment later, Ivy dropped to the ground, forced into a deep and unwilling sleep.
Not far to the south, Ether released an ear splitting cry of pain. She dropped swiftly to the ground, crying out and clawing at the mark on her head. Far behind, Lain watched the spectacle. For the last few hours Ether had been leading him like a signal beacon, tracking Ivy through some arcane means, but a gust of wind had brought a trace of her scent to him, and Ether would no longer be necessary. The smell was mingled with others. Hundreds of people. She was in a town. If his sense of direction had not failed him, this was a place called Fallbrook. Two scents a.s.serted themselves above the others. The first was the one that had been missing further south. Trigorah. The other was that of a man he had known as Arden, one he now knew to be General Epidime. Two Generals. The situation smacked of ambush, but there was nothing to be done. For a few moments more he watched the sky ahead. The dawn was throwing a pale gold against the clouds. If indeed the Generals were prepared for him, darkness and the shape s.h.i.+fter would be welcome if not indispensable allies. For the moment, it seemed he had neither. The one piece of luck had been the proximity of this place. Ivy must have been trying to find them to have come this far.
Any hint of cover was left behind long ago. Lain was sprinting across open field. His trained mind cataloged dozens of mistakes he was making. From the deep, distinct footprints he was leaving to the proximity of a well traveled road, he was keenly aware of his carelessness, but time afforded nothing more. His eyes focused on the town ahead, mapping out entrances and exits. Bringing to mind what he remembered of the rooftops and back alleys. Formulating what little of a plan he could. Working out where troops might be hidden, where they might gather and how to evade them. Determining where she would be. No time could be wasted searching. If this was indeed an ambush he would have to know precisely where she was even before he reached the fringes of the city.
After a short distance he found the smoldering form of Ether. She was standing, trying to regain her composure. The state she was in was almost beyond description. It seemed as though she was caught halfway between her stone and flame forms. Veins of fire swept slowly across a black stone body, glowing white hot and flaring every few moments. As she heard his approach she turned to him. Her eyes, glowing like two embers, showed a mixture of fear, desperation, and anger. The sight of him was enough to spur her back into the air, the flame finally regaining its full force.
Ether's cry had not escaped the notice of the Generals. Indeed, every eye in the city was turned to its source. The once nearly empty streets of the place were now peppered with the residents that the war had spared. Whispers pa.s.sed quickly through the crowd. Tales had been told of a monster or demon that had sp.a.w.ned chaos in another town not long ago. It had a.s.saulted one of the King's men. Was this that beast? Trigorah and Epidime reached the street a step behind the last patron of the tavern.
”And you are certain that there are only two coming for her?” Epidime said thoughtfully, unphased by the growing unrest around him.
”The shape s.h.i.+fter and the a.s.sa.s.sin,” Trigorah said. ”A force that I hesitate to face without any reinforcements.”
”There will be reinforcements. For the time being we shall offer up some fodder,” Epidime said.
The imposing warrior forced his way through the roiling crowd to the center of the street.
”Attention! The creatures that approach are enemies of the Northern Alliance. You are hereby drafted into the great Alliance Army. Defend this building with your lives!” he barked.
Fear and doubt turned instantly to pure chaos. Some searched madly for something to arm themselves with. Most ran in panicked mobs seeking some form of shelter to hide from the carnage that was sure to rain down.
”Are you mad? These people won't last more than a moment against them!” Trigorah protested.
”A moment is all that is required,” Epidime stated.
With that the General disappeared inside the tavern. Trigorah's eyes drew skyward. The air was scorching with the heat thrown off by the form that hung in the air just over the street. The burning white slits that served as eyes for the shape s.h.i.+fter came to rest firmly on Trigorah. Pitchforks, random debris, and anything else that the maddened crowd could find were hurled fruitlessly at the powerful being. They merely pa.s.sed through her form, momentarily disturbing it and taking to flame.
”You. Elf. Bring the malthrope here or perish,” came Ether's command.
Trigorah held her tongue, instead raising her sword.
”So be it,” Ether thundered.
In the blink of an eye the fiery form launched itself earthward. The impact threw back the throng that had gathered beneath her. The light from the flames faded and the shape s.h.i.+fter was hidden from sight by the mob. Trigorah issued swift orders to stand aside, but these were no soldiers. No heed was paid as half of the crowd climbed over themselves to get a taste of combat and the other half scrambled to escape. Hammering footsteps rang out even over the roar of the crowd. The now stone form of Ether charged effortlessly through them, those who would stop her tossed aside like dried leaves.
Trigorah's weapon was expertly placed to block the attack, but the force was like that of a charging bull. Ether heaved a backhand, knocking the blade aside. She gripped the warrior by each arm, pinning them to her body and hoisting her in the air. Helpless, Trigorah was slammed against the wall of the tavern, the wind knocked from her lungs.
”REVEAL HER!” Ether demanded.
The wake Ether had left behind her slowly filled in again as the townsfolk flooded toward her. A hundred hands grasped at her, trying to pry her grip on their beloved General free. Their combined strength barely gave the elemental pause. With another powerful thrust against the wall Ether repeated her demand.
”REVEAL HER!” she cried.
”You shall never have her,” Trigorah replied weakly, gasping for breath.
With a cry of frustration, Ether turned, hurling Trigorah into the crowd. The swiftness of the motion scattered the other attackers.
”Careful, shape s.h.i.+fter, I have use for her yet,” came the voice of Epidime from above.
Ether's eyes shot to the roof of the tavern, where Epidime stood smugly.
”And I suspect you still have use for this little creature,” he said, holding forth a sinewy arm and dangling the limp form of Ivy off the edge by her wrist.
As his fist tightened around the unconscious creature's wrist, the mark on Ether's head flared. She dropped to her knees. The crowd swarmed over her. Epidime smiled, heaving Ivy's form back onto the roof. He turned, holding his halberd high. A narrow ribbon of white blue light tore upward. Below, Trigorah was helped to her feet and rushed quickly to the writhing ma.s.s of crowd. Whatever had stopped Ether in her tracks would not last long. She had to take full advantage.
”Stand aside! Quickly!” she ordered, pulling people away.
Reluctantly the frenzied crowd began to spread out. Suddenly there was a brief, sharp burst of wind from inside the center of the tangle of humanity. When the crowd had finally parted completely, Ether was gone. The General gripped her weapon tightly. She'd escaped, taken the form of wind. There was no telling where she was, or even if she was still near.
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