Chapter 22: Sacred Stone

Epilogue

    We returned first to Rausten, giving back the Sacred Twins to Pontifex Mansel. We stayed there for a time, celebrating, and I came to know and like L’Arachel much better than I ever did on the march. Somehow, she also bullied her uncle into letting her become engaged to Rennac. We all heartily wished them both joy.

    This was the time that Ephraim and I pulled Seth aside, in a little room, and began to ‘discuss’ marriage with him. He argued a bit at first, relasping into his old reactions, saying that Prince Innes was a much better match than he. Ephraim yelled at him impatiently, but I showed Seth the ring he had given me, and he shut up. I smiled apologetically and put my arms around him. He returned the embrace, bent his red head and kissed me.

    After a moment, we looked up and saw Ephraim was no longer there. Seth grumbled slightly about brothers-in-law-to-be who run off at the worst times, but I laughed and ran out of the room to find Ephraim to actually plan the wedding.

    At dinner that night, as I waited in the corridor for my turn to enter the banquet hall, Ephraim and Seth walked up behind me, engaged in a technical discussion of lance-work. Seth laid an arm over both of our shoulders and changed the subject. “I still wish you two hadn’t ‘lorded’ me.” We gave him an extra title as an early wedding present. Lord Seth of the District of Pender…

    Ephraim fixed him with a hard stare. “Seth, just how old are you again?”

    “Er… twenty two, Lord Ephraim.”

    “Just wondering. You’re so proper, I didn’t think you had the nerve to initiate… a group hug!”

    After a brief tight embrace, we three of Renais stepped out to take our places at the tables of peace.

Chapter 22: Sacred Stone

Chapter 21: Darkling Woods     Epilogue

Chapter 22: Sacred Stone

There stood Lyon. We three stood still, not moving towards each other.

“Eirika…” he said at last. “Ephraim…”

“There’s no need to say anything, Lyon,” Ephraim said gently. “We know everything, and we’re sorry.”

“You must kill me now. The Demon King will use my body to revive his own…” We stood silent. “You don’t actually know everything. When the Demon King first reached out to me… there was… I must say it… jealousy and envy in my heart. I did not resist as I should have… I am to blame for my unforgivable weakness…”

“No, Lyon. You are not to blame,” I said. “Everyone has weaknesses. I know I do. I’m certain my brother does. We do, we do forgive you.”

“Even now, you are so kind to me…”

Abruptly, the Demon King broke in. “Are you done yet? Huh, making your life over into some sort of epic tragedy… Booooring!”

Ephraim shook himself. “We are going to kill you now.”

“Yes? You think you have the strength to do it?”

Ephraim looked at me, and I gave him a look of determination. “Yes, we can and will do it. You will die this day.” Continue reading →

Chapter 20: Last Hope     Chapter 22: Sacred Stone

Chapter 21: Darkling Woods

    We pressed deep into Darkling Woods, to the west of Rausten. Myrrh led us swiftly, surely, onwards. She said she would take us to an ancient sort of temple building thing, the place where the Demon King had first been destroyed.

    The further we travelled, the thicker the monsters became. At last, Ephraim stopped the army.

    “We’ve got to get a strategy. Just fighting off the random bonewalkers is annoying and stupid. Let’s call it a battle from here on.”

    So, we did. Our winged units zoomed ahead, beyond the rest of us easily. The watery mud slowed our horses slightly. The pegasi and wyvern each carried an extra fighter – magic users and Innes.

    As Ephraim killed the bishop who had attacked us in Rausten, a bishop named Riev who had once served Grado, we gathered outside the temple.

    A damp and ghastly foul-smelling roar swept over us. I saw some of the more delicate members of our army turn away quickly. Myrrh sat on her haunches quickly.

    “What the heck?” Innes swore at the abhomination. A tattered dragon-corpse stood in the gate of the temple, roaring challengingly. Myrrh roared back.

    The two breaths swirled around the two dragons. The draco-zombie caught flame, but Myrrh’s golden brown scales looked paler and greener. She swayed and collapsed sideways. Saleh ran forward with a staff. Artur and Natasha attacked the draco-zombie. It, too, collapsed to one side of the gate. The last shreds of its skin and bones were blown away by the wind.

    Ephraim looked at me. I returned the glance, and, Sacred Twins at the ready, we entered the temple together without a backwards look.

Chapter 20: Last Hope     Chapter 22: Sacred Stone

Chapter 19: Two Faces of Evil     Chapter 21: Darkling Woods

Chapter 20: Last Hope

We travelled the rest of the way to Rausten Court. Many of us, including me, sat despondant and dispairing at the welcome feast and the socializing after. I was extremely grateful when L’Arachel suggested to her uncle that we retire to bed early.

In her room, I tried to discuss Lyon again, but found no more or new hope.

At about ten, I was rested after about three hours of sleep. I got up, dressed, and went down to the throne room. Ephraim, Seth, L’Arachel, and the Frelians were there as well. Ephraim nodded to me as I came in.

“Hello, Sister. Did you sleep?” I nodded. “We were just talking about what to do next…”

A platoon of soldiers rushed in the double doors of the throne room. “Pontifex! There is an enemy at the gates! The outermost guards have been slaughtered!”

“What?” barked Pontifex Mansel, L’Arachel’s uncle and ruler of Rausten. “How could that be?”

“We need reinforcements, milord!”

“We’ll take care of it,” Ephraim announced. “I bet it’s the De- Lyon’s army remnants following us. Seth, go wake up some more troops.”

“Yes, sir.” Seth left at a run. Continue reading →

Chapter 18: River of Regrets     Chapter 20: Last Hope

Chapter 19: Two Faces of Evil

We rode north, reaching the heart of Darkling Woods. I was watching Myrrh. She seemed the same as usual, but a little friskier: she skipped along through the black-trunked trees, holding onto Saleh’s hand, sometimes leaving the ground as she skipped, flapping like a sparrow-dragon-girl. Darkling Woods was an incredibly appropriate name.

Then, the scouts let us to Mt. Neleras. It is a volcano, riddled with ancient ravines and saturated with pools of lava. We didn’t actually climb the mountain, but it rambled up away beside us, shadowing our path from the dying sun.

The three pegasus knights flew above us as I talked to L’Arachel. “Is there anything that can be done to bring Lyon back?”

She was silent.

“Please, Rausten is the centre of lore on Magvel; as their princess, don’t you know of something, anything at all?”

The girl seemed touched by my pleading. “I’m very sorry, Eirika.” Her own voice was much softer and less verbose than usual. “There is nothing that can be done.”

“But… It’s just so horrible to think of him imprisoned like that. He’s such a gentle person…”

“Only a person of strong will can escape; in all of history, there is only one person who was ever able to throw off the Demon King: St. Latona the sure-hearted shattered his fetters.”

“But…”

“Once the Demon King takes control of someone’s body, it’s too late. Their soul is gone. Not even the Sacred Stones themselves can restore a shattered soul…” Continue reading →

Chapter 17: Ruled by Madness     Chapter 19: Two Faces of Evil

Chapter 18: River of Regrets

We passed back through Jehanna, heading east of the Hall, and turned north. We came to the one major river of the desert country: Narube River. Its sad brown waters flowed sluggishly through farmland and low mountains.

“I sent the Frelian army ahead to clear a path for us,” Innes said as we paused next to the southern bank. Ephraim and I were riding our white horses.

“Innes!” called Tana from high up. She sounded panicky. “They’ve been routed! I can only see Syrene’s regiment left! They’ve got civilians with them. Enemy forces are approaching!”

“Calm down, little sister!” barked Innes. “We’ll have to join with Syrene as soon as possible…”

A warp appeared right in front of Ephraim and me. Lyon appeared.

“Lyon!” I cried. He might help us save Lady Syrene and the Jehannian villagers. “Where have you been all this time? Are you well?”

“Wait, Eirika,” Ephraim said, a stern note entering his voice. “Lyon, we met recently in Grado, remember? Do you remember what you told me then?” His voice was harsh, and I shuddered and Lyon flinched, a terrible hurt look on his face. Continue reading →

Chapter 16: Scorched Sand     Chapter 18: River of Regrets

Chapter 17: Ruled by Madness

We approached Castle Renais three days later. As soon as we passed into Renais from Jehanna, the difference became apparent. We could see destroyed villages, some of them still burning, in the distance. Only the ones beside the road were intact, and those housed a sullen, dispirited people who only reluctantly put us up for each night. The fields were abandoned; heaven knew how these people would survive through the winter. Several times, we saw unruly bands of unkempt men, probably brigands, but they always shied away from our large, well-armed group. We did have some run-ins with revenants and baels, mauthe doogs and even mogalls, though. And although the sun shone, there was an air of gloom over the land. Perhaps it was all in my head, but I suspected not.

As we crossed a hill into the valley in which Castle Renais lay, the desolation was just as apparent. The castle town was paved with broken glass, and hardly a face showed at a shattered window in curiosity at our army, or to see the famed, and previously applauded Silver Knight, or at least the Prince and Princess of Renais, not to mention the other royalty. The roads stank.

At last we were through the town and in the mile-long open ground between town and castle. Forests lined the eastern side; nearly two months before? – I lost count, so I was not certain – Seth, Franz and I had ridden in haste through the western side of the valley to escape from the late Valter and his cronies.

The castle was in sad state, with its windows also missing, the white stones blackened by weather and perhaps wanton fire, the flags ragged and drooping at their staffs. The portcullis was sagging in the gate; apparently one of the chains was missing or broken. I shuddered to think what the interior might look like.

Ephraim spoke first. “What has happened to our home? How did it come to be so ruined? So desolate?” His voice was high-pitched with shock and sadness. Continue reading →

Chapter 15: Queen of White Dunes     Chapter 17: Ruled by Madness

Chapter 16: Scorched Sand

I stood at the edge of the ring of palm trees, watching the closer group of enemy soldiers as they watched us. Seth stood behind me. I was grateful the the red-haired paladin for his silent assistance and moral support, not to mention his…

“Princess Eirika?” I groggily heard him say, as if at a distance. I stared through him.

“Princess Eirika!” he cried sharply, shaking my shoulder almost roughly.

I came out of my reverie, shaking my head to focus my thoughts. “Oh… Seth?”

“Yes, it’s me,” he continued, still hurried and anxious. “Please, you must rest. If you continue like this, you’ll collapse in the heat…”

“No… it’s all right. We’re all suffering…” Even with the water of the oasis, Neimi had already fainted three times and was now resting in Danny’s cart. I told her not to fight in this battle. “We’re still completely surrounded by Grado’s armies… We may all die at any moment…” Finished reciting the army’s tale of woes, I turned to Seth. “I can’t lose focus now. Has anything changed?”

“Unfortunately, no. Our allies elsewhere meet defeat after defeat. Rausten’s knights, in particular, are scattered and worn. The enemy is closing in on them.” He prodded a booted toe at the desert floor. “And this accursed sand…” I guessed that if Seth hated anything, it was sand. “It’s slowing down all of our units; they can’t get good footing. Mounted units, especially. Princess Eirika… I must ask once again that you retreat to safety. We’ll hold the foe here with flying units and magic users.”

“No,” I said adamantly. “I will not retreat. If I give up now, my brother would never forgive me. I’m the princess of Renais.” I straightened to my full height, looking out at the Grado army. “I will fight, to victory, or to death.” Continue reading →

Chapter 14: Hamill Canyon     Chapter 16: Scorched Sand

Chapter 15: Queen of White Dunes

We hurried over the dunes. The great brown stone ziggurat that was Jehanna Hall drew closer steadily, though seemingly infinitesimally. The soft sand squished under our feet and the horses’ hooves. Seth and the other knights had dismounted as it was actually faster to go on foot over or around the great dunes. It was hot.

“This isn’t the hottest it gets sometimes,” Ewan said cheerfully. “Sometimes it’s even hotter. Good job we have lots of water.” We did. Besides the water in Danny’s cart, Cormag had generously taken several large waterskins onto Genarog, who carried them without trouble, the rider only warning that someone better take them off if fighting came about.

We paused for only a moment to rest at one of the springs in the oasis surrounding the palace. I was slightly ahead of the other royals, wanting to get inside and find out the worst. Seth moved over to me, looking through the desert palms to the great double doors, and I glanced up at his handsome face.

He returned my gaze, brown eyes meeting blue. “Please, do not overexert yourself, Princess. I cannot have you fainting away in the midst of battle.” His hand brushed mine, as if by accident, but I caught a faint pulse of colour in his face and felt an answering rush in mine.

I smiled. “I will not faint. And I will be careful.” Continue reading →

Chapter 13: Village of Silence     Chapter 15: Queen of White Dunes

Chapter 14: Hamill Canyon

Today, we were descending through a dry canyon as we ascended previously through a wet one. Saleh led us swiftly and surely down the way, choosing always the smoothest paths for the horses. Below us was a green haze, and beyond that was a blinding golden plain: the desert of Jehanna. Innes, with his archer’s eyes, could pick out the palace, no more than a distant speck.

Soon, we passed higher cliffs and could not see our destination any more. We took two days on that downwards road, seeing no other moving things than birds and gophers and the occasional squirrel.

As we found ourselves in a broad valley with worn brown mountains on either side of us, here called Hamill Canyon, Tana pointed at something small, white, and fast behind us.

“Look!” she said. “There’s Julia again!” A Frelian messenger on a pegasus dropped out of the air skilfully beside us.

“What is your news?” Innes asked, interrupting the rider’s raptures at finding her prince and princess alive and well.

“Frelia has invaded Carcino and engaged the traitor Pablo’s mercenary army. With aid from Elder Klimt, we are crushing the foe where we find them. Pablo’s faction is retreating southward, toward Jehanna,” the girl said in one long breath. Tana giggled. Innes frowned at her as he considered his reply.

“Towards Jehanna? They must be planning to join the Grado forces there.”

“Pardon me,” I broke in, “but I must know… is there any word of my brother?”

“Yes. Prince Ephraim has forced the surrender of Grado’s fortress at Rigwald. He is now marching toward the imperial capital.”

I thanked her and withdrew a few paces. Continue reading →