Taylon (20 page)

It sounded like a plan, but the first step was one
that would be the beginning of the end.

Chapter Eighteen

Taylon and Kara arrived on the outskirts of what used
to be a thriving market. Pandemonium still bloomed deep within.
Fires sent up black smoke. Bodies littered the ground.

“You must go in, to the middle. There you will find
your friends,” Warren said standing up in her pocket. His tone had
no pity or remorse for the carnage before him. He spoke as he
always did. Taylon didn’t question it. He drew his sword ready to
protect Kara. She did the same, drawing out the katana.

They moved slowly at first, not sure what dangers
lurked the deeper they went in. Most of the merchants and patrons
had fled or been killed. Booths lay empty and ransacked. Farther
down on their left, two sides fought: human and elf.

Skulking between aisles was, at times, difficult. A
few of the booths remained standing, while others dissolved to
piles of rubble. It was as they made their way through a pottery
stand they encountered their first foe.

“Halt!” An elfin archer had an arrow nocked and aimed
at Taylon. He raised his hands up in surrender.

“I mean you no harm. I’m just looking for my
friends,” Taylon said quickly. He could sense the elf was young in
his training. A skilled soldier would have taken out the enemy
quickly. Kara remained hidden behind a pot.

“Your friends? Your friends are all around here
tearing the market to pieces!” The elf spat on the ground to
emphasize his point. Kara tried to move through the pottery, but
she had difficulty navigating the clusters of pots.

“But why are you so far from the fighting?”

Anger and fear passed through the creature’s eyes,
making him take a step closer. “My honor and bravery are strong!
Don’t you ever question that.”

With his foot, he knocked over a clay jug in front of
him. The elf’s aim, dipped to the crash and then quickly back up
again. “Oops. I am just a little squeezed in here.” Taylon shuffled
as he made his apologies.

“Don’t move!”

Taylon knocked over another pot. Kara followed suit,
thinking Taylon was trying to cover for her. But her little pot
started a chain reaction that made every single pot fall. The elf
was so busy watching the pottery topple, Taylon was able to pounce
on him. He knew he didn’t want to kill; Euphoria would have
commanded death.

The elf was taken by surprise, his bow and arrow
thrown to the side as he grappled with the human.

“Rope!” Taylon called out, doing his best to keep the
young elf pinned.

Kara stood and searched for rope. She quickly found a
coil amidst the broken pottery. After a few tries, she was able to
tie it around one of the elf’s forearms.

“Kill me!”

“No!”

And in a matter of minutes, the elf was bound. Kara
picked up the bow and arrow.

“Why? This is war! This is a battle! Kill me!” The
elf struggled.

“I said I meant you no harm. And I mean what I say.
This battle has been lead by evil. I’m just trying to do what is
right.” Taylon stepped over the elf and motioned for Kara. She
began to drop the bow. “Bring it. We don’t want to be shot in the
back when he comes looking for vengeance.”

They headed forward, toward the darker smoke. One
enemy down, only a thousand more to go.

***

Nonk could not believe his eyes. They fought back the
elves, enemies dwindling out quickly. Usually in war, the enemy
only lessened when they were defeated or retreating. Were the elves
retreating already?

But then he saw the creature.

It, or rather she, stood over some of the booths.
Dark milky skin gave her the presence of being human, but the ears
were that of an elf. A mix of chocolate and black hair cascaded
down covering the creature’s breasts and naked back; strands were
still burnt yet repairing themselves too. Powerful arms reached
down at something in that aisle. Screams echoed, arrows flew—yet
bounced harmlessly off it.

Nonk stood frozen to the spot, not out of fear, but
out of confusion. The face reminded him of Queen Euphoria. His
soldiers also stared.

The creature saw the petty humans and stopped her
attack on the elves. She tore aside the booths that blocked her
path. From this angle, the creature didn’t resemble Euphoria as
much, yet Nonk noted that the necklace seemed similar.

I see you have come to join the party Nonk.
Its voice was that of madness, and echoed as if in the castle’s
dungeon. Nonk wanted to cry out for it to stop. Some of his
soldiers ran.

We have won the battle. These elves, these beings,
are no match for me now.
The creature cackled, driving nails of
pain into all who heard.

Elves continued to be vigilant and attack, but all
who came close withered. The necklace’s stones pulsed with each
life claimed.

Nonk couldn’t think. The ringing pounded in his head.
A third of his force now ran away in terror, and the ones who
stayed also felt the pain in their heads. Was this his queen,
somehow transformed? But how?

Slowly, Nonk studied the beast again. She looked down
expectantly, as if waiting for him to speak. “Who…?” But that was
all he could get out before his own voice caused a painful
sensation in his ears.

The creature stood to her full height. When she
addressed them, her tone was softer. “I am your queen.” The voice
sounded like Euphoria’s.

But then the creature turned to the elves. “And I am
your mistress.” Nonk did not recognize the voice, but it appeared
the elves had.

“My ancient name is Lyra. Bow to your empress.”
Lyra’s last voice was a blend of the two. She stood with her arms
raised, as if ready to receive praise. Neither elf nor human did as
she asked. All stood, confused.

Lyra opened her eyes and looked down. There was a
hint of surprise on her face when she saw no one was bowing. Her
face slowly contorted into rage.

So be it.
And she unleashed a fireball on each
group.

***

Lyra? Chele’s mind quivered as the haunting voice
rumbled inside her head. Queig must’ve felt it too. He gripped the
side of his head when the thing spoke.

Luckily for them, they had moved away from the elf
army before the fireball struck the warriors down. Chele still felt
the heat blast from the attack, but she was unharmed. Helplessly,
they watched the empress destroy everything in her path. The geth
barked at her heels, and Queig tugged on her arm. The fire spread
and headed right for Chele. She was led to the side, Lyra’s massive
back towards them.

“What…what are we to do?” Chele coughed up smoke. The
destruction around them was becoming unbearable.

“I think we need to save ourselves. I don’t think
there is anything we can do. If the whole elven army and human army
can’t stop it, then how are we going to save the market?”

Queig did have a point, but her heart was telling her
to stay. She had been a coward too long, and it was time to change
that. The goblin stared up at Chele. A black tear trickled from her
eye as she readjusted her grip on the lava sword.

“No Chele. It would be foolish. A true warrior waits
’til the moment is right. If we are staying, then we wait to
attack.” His slimy hand found her leg. Its touch held her back. The
geth barked as if in agreement.

Chele lowered her sword.

They ducked in a nearby booth, watching and
waiting.

***

Lyra. Lyra. Lyra.

Icy fingers of fear massaged Fret’s heart. He
remembered, remembered it all. And he was afraid.

The group came up the aisle, expecting to find it
difficult to progress. Other than the debris and the bodies, no one
hindered them. Lyra came into view as they passed a burning food
booth, its black smoke camouflaging the large empress. She turned
her back while she addressed the two armies.

Ra’na gasped when she heard her mother’s voice. The
shock quickly turned to visible rage. “No…” Hambone held her back.
She struggled for only a moment, and then wept in his arms.

“Oh…crap,” The wizard muttered when the fireballs
were unleashed. Lyra had not seen the group yet, but it was only a
matter of time.

Fret turned to Ynob. “We need a defense. What should
we do?” But the wizard stared on. Roberto buzzed around Ynob’s
head, which finally made the ghost come to.

“Hold out your hands. I can try to put up a shield
like last time, but it…she could be too powerful,” and instantly he
began chanting. Fret did as instructed.

Jesset watched the boy as a glow appeared around his
hands. Fret, too, was amazed but held his hands steady. Hambone and
Ra’na soon parted, watching in amazement.

Lyra turned, and saw the group. She let out a deep
sigh. All eyes went up toward the naked, self-proclaimed goddess.
Ynob did not break stride.

“And here I thought I would have to search harder for
the magic.” A smile crossed her face. It was a beautiful face, yet
as Fret stared up there was a flash of something hideous behind it.
The necklace hung between her breasts, his shard embedded into it.
It pulsed and called to him.

Ynob finished his chant, exhausted. There was a
woosh
and the glow around Fret’s hands disappeared. The
group looked around.

“How pathetic! Such a feeble attempt to do magic,
dear Fret.” She laughed heartily. Ra’na looked to Fret, who was
only able to shrug. The wizard had his hands on his knees. Fret
turned to ask, but he saw Ynob’s exhaustion.

Ra’na stepped forward. “What did you do to my
mother?” She had her swords out, wielded in each hand.

“Why, nothing that she didn’t want to happen in the
first place. Didn’t you realize she was so motivated? Now, begone,
girl.” Lyra made a gesture with her hand, and an invisible force
threw Ra’na to the side. She crashed into a nearby booth causing it
to collapse inward.

“No!” Before anyone could respond, the Dwarc charged
the empress. Fret and Jesset knew he shouldn’t, but their voices
didn’t react in time. Hambone had his huge battle-axe cocked, ready
to strike. Each powerful step brought him closer.

Lyra waited for the wild Dwarc to approach. A hint of
a smile crept across her face.

When he was about ten feet away, Hambone felt the
first of his life energy slip away. Watching from afar, it appeared
the Dwarc aged rapidly. At five feet away, he knew his attack would
be useless and his life given in vain. Hambone, what was left of
him, fell forward. The axe barely scratched Lyra’s leg as it came
to strike the ground. A small drop of blood oozed from the wound,
before it instantly healed.

Fret and Jesset looked on in horror. Only Lyra’s
voice broke through. “Mmmm… As you see, I am invincible. So you
might as well turn over the magic and beg for my forgiveness.”

Arrows began to pelt Lyra from behind. Her face grew
annoyed as she turned around. She unleashed another fireball toward
the elves. The human army also tried to attack, but they too
received the gift of fire for their trouble.

It was when Lyra released the second fireball that
Fret saw her weakness. A lone arrow struck her shoulder as she was
unleashing her magic. It wounded her, unlike the previous arrows
that bounced off.

“Jesset! I think I know how to stop her!” Fret
exclaimed excitedly. As if in answer to him, a crow cawed high in
the sky.

***

Burning flesh assaulted Kara’s nose as they crept
through a half-ruined blacksmith’s stall. It was impossible not to
hear Lyra’s speech and the screaming afterward. It wasn’t until she
and Taylon made it to the current lane that she realized what the
screaming had been about.

He crouched, his eyes darting back and forth, as if
he would flee at any moment. Kara reacted similarly. They didn’t
talk about it. They moved forward, toward the chaos.

Human soldiers still burned when Kara and Taylon made
it to the aisle before Lyra. Kara had to look away from the horror,
as the flames brought back memories of home.

Taylon wept. These were his men that roasted alive.
Many had fled, but still there were some that pressed forward,
aggravating the goddess or whatever she crowned herself as.

When the second fireball attack came, they felt the
heat of the flames. Kara tried to focus on the giant. Last time she
brought down Euphoria, she had the necklace. This time it looked as
if roles reversed. Lyra had the necklace now.

Kara wracked her brain, trying to remember why her
attack worked last time. Why she was able to shatter the mirror,
when the wizard couldn’t?

A burnt soldier ran by screaming, half his face a
blackened mess. Kara saw Taylon’s eyes follow the man. She
recognized the need to help. Too much interference would draw
attention to their presence. What could they do to bring down the
beast?

Another soldier fell into the booth. He looked back
and saw the ex-captain. His face was puckered red on one side, and
the other faded into a dark charcoal. One eye was barely open,
while the other looked wide enough for it to pop out. The soldier’s
eyebrows, hair, and eyelashes were gone.

“Taylon?” His voice was hoarse and throaty. Taylon
stared for a while at the man, trying to reconstruct him.

“Nonk?” It was probably one of his officers.

“Come to join in the fight?” Nonk smiled revealing
several missing teeth behind blood-caked lips. A gash across his
face oozed scarlet.

“Why are you still here? This is crazy.” Taylon crept
out a bit farther, but remained partially blocked. Nonk took a
moment, drool dripping out of his mouth. “She used us…Euphoria. I
don’t take kindly to that.” Without waiting for an answer, he ran
forward, between two booths.