The Gathering (87 page)

“Now!”

From the trees came Coeli and Schepta, followed by the unicorns, their blue and gold eyes blazing red in the dusk.
 
White and silver flashed as horn and hoof struck against the Black Horde.
 
The clashing of silver and horn was amazing as Alia spun to see her daughter and her friends engage and fight.
 

Tanner saw Chelsea and ran towards her.
 
She had a sword and was fighting a Horde soldier, but she was unaware of another who approached her from behind.
 
Tanner lifted his hand and threw a spell.
 
Light flew from Tanner’s hand as green fire wrapped around the Hordesman like a snake and constricted around his neck until he finally dropped to the ground.
 
Tanner continued running and as he reached her, she had run the other Hordesman through.

"Chelsea!"

She turned and threw herself into his arms and kissed him long and passionately.
 
Todd and Quinn were fighting off several other Hordesmen.

"Really? Now?"

Tanner reluctantly pulled back and grabbed Hannah.
 
She hugged him and looked at him.

"Is Chris here?"

Tanner shook his head, but was drawn back to the fight as several of the Hordesmen came at them and attacked.
 
As he fought them off, he explained that Chris had stayed behind to protect the Fail, Alia’s orders.
 
He couldn’t bring himself to tell her that his brother and best friend might be dead.
 
He dispatched the Hordesmen with another burst of magic and came back to the girls.
 
They were staring mouths agape.

“That’s new."

Tanner smiled and looked at Chelsea.

“You should see your brother.”

As if on cue, Sam threw bits of red and orange fire at the Horde soldiers he had been fighting against.
 
The bits of fire turned into flaming spiders, which ran into the eyes and mouths of the Hordesmen.
 
Several dropped their swords and either fell to the ground writhing or ran off to the woods, screaming and on fire.
 
Chelsea and Hannah stared in awe.

"How the hell did he do that?"

Larry Hearst had come up behind Chelsea and Hannah, followed by Grant Turner.

"Daddy!"

The girls ran at their fathers and threw their arms around them, both men holding tightly as Sam and Tanner kept the enemy at bay.
 
Larry Hearst looked at his daughter.

"You girls have to get out of here."

Chelsea shook her head.

"Sorry, Dad, but we're not going anywhere."

Tanner looked at her.

"Listen to your father, Chels, please."

Alia then grabbed Coeli and Coeli swung her sword around as her mother blocked the attack and smiled.

"Easy, Sweets."

Coeli lowered her sword and rushed to her mother's arms.
 
Alia reveled in the way she felt and all she could think of was the day she had been born, so small and innocent.
 
Coeli looked into her mother’s eyes and let the tears fall again.

“Alisha…what happened?”

Alia smiled sadly and shook her head.

“There’ll be time to tell you everything when this is over, Shay.”

“But, Mommy…”

"Baby, you have to get the girls and the unicorns and gather up the wounded.
 
You have to take them home."

Coeli shook her head.

"All or none of us."

Sam had greeted his father and now made his way to Coeli and he grabbed her arm.

"Do as your mother says, Shay…please.
 
You have to get these soldiers out of here and home."

Alia lightly stroked Coeli's cheek.

"You kids are the reason we're here, Baby.
 
Please take the wounded back, you know the unicorns can't teleport individually."

"No, I won't leave you!"

Alia took Coeli by the shoulders.

"Baby, you have to…I need you to take them home."

Coeli began to sob.
 
She was so tired.

"No…no you have to come…please, Mommy!!"

"Coeli… do as I say, please!"

Reluctantly, Coeli called to Schepta.
 
She whinnied and called the other unicorns to cease fighting and round up the injured.
 
They did and returned to the woods, fighting only as was necessary.

Sam took Coeli's face in his hands and kissed her.
 
Her eyes implored him to come with her and without a word he shook his head.

"I'll be home later…now go."

Schepta stood behind Coeli.

“Come, My Friend.
 
We have to go home.”

Coeli looked at the ground as Sam kissed her forehead.

“But my dreams, Schepta…they’ve all come true…what if…”

“Have faith, Coeli.”

 
Schepta nudged Coeli's hand and led her back to the battle to gather the wounded as Tanner kissed Chelsea goodbye.

"I don't want to leave you."

Tanner smiled.

"Just for a minute, Chels…we'll be right behind you."

She forced a small smile and reluctantly let go.
 
She ran to Sam and threw her arms around his neck.

"Come home, please come home."

Sam pulled away and looked at his little sister.
 
He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"I promise."

She smiled tentatively at him and backed up as Hannah, crying, let go of her father.
 
Grant nodded.

"I love you, Little Girl."

"I love you, too, Daddy."

Crying, Hannah took Chelsea's hand and they walked towards the trees.
 
Alia, Sam, Grant, Larry and Tanner turned and stood between the forest and the enemy as the other Fail soldiers regrouped and stood alongside them in formation.
 
Myron, Vance and Connie stood directly behind the queen as the presidents and their men fell in behind the Fail soldiers.
 
The Black Horde had also re-grouped and each team was breathing heavily, laced with blood and dirt.
 
The fire of the setting sun glittered against the silver and red of the blood-drenched metal like a macabre dancer ushering in the night.

Todd and Quinn stood on the left side of the queen and Molly and Jones on her right.
 
Alia yelled to her soldiers.

"The time to go home, Ladies and Gentlemen, is now. The last bus leaves in five minutes."

None of the men or women moved.
 
They stood their ground and held their weapons in front of them.
 
Todd nodded and as he stared at the enemy in front of them, spoke.

"We go where you go, Ma'am."

Quinn looked at her.

"To the death, Ma'am."

Alia looked back at him and then over at Molly and Arthur.
 
They nodded.
 

"To the death!"

Myron's voice boomed from behind her and she choked back emotion, and as she looked over at Grant and Larry, they smiled and nodded.
 
She knew the time to end this was now, so she turned and looked at their enemy.

"So be it…to the death!"

"To the death!"

They ran towards the Horde and just as they reached them, from the woods came a mighty flash.
 
Darkness fell and the battle continued.

132

Inside the castle, Anne Merganser wiped her tear-stained face as she grabbed clothes and items and threw them into a bag.
 
She reached for a ring, spun it around her fingertip a few times and then slid it onto her finger.
 
The door swung open and she spun around, dagger in hand.

There stood Rona, her eyes red and puffy.
 
Anne almost felt sorry for her, but then she remembered what Rona was really like.
 
She turned back around and placed the dagger on the bed and continued packing.

“Where have you been?” she asked.

“Watching.”

“Well, it's all yours now… all of it.”

“What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm outta here.
 
The Master and whatever's left of him is all yours."

Rona looked down the hall to the Master's room.
 
She glanced back at Anne, who continued to pack.
 
Then she walked towards the room and waited at the door.

The Shape was focused on the potions in front of him, but felt Rona behind him.
 
He turned and looked at her tear-streaked face.
 
She was beautiful, obedient and loyal.
 
She had always been loyal to him.

"What is it, Child?"

"Tommy's dead, My Lord… she killed him."

The eyes in the darkness under the hood blazed as the Shape allowed himself a moment of anger.
 

"And Gary?"

Rona shook her head.

"I don’t know, My Lord.
 
He went after the children."

The Shape turned and walked to the window. There he saw Brollen lying still and lifeless in his own blood.

"Dead… where is Anne?"

Rona wiped her nose and motioned down the hallway.

"She's packing, My Lord… she says she's leaving."

Again, the Shape’s eyes blazed and he reached out a hand.
 
Rona cringed, but relaxed when the Master gently stroked her face.

"Rona, it's time for you to take your place by my side.
 
Please remove Anne for me… she is no longer wanted here… or anywhere for that matter."

"Kill her, My Lord?"

"Please, My Dear."

Rona's demeanor changed and she smiled.

"Of course, My Lord.
 
Anything for you."

She knelt down and kissed the Master's hand.
 
He gently stroked her hair and as she stood up he pulled her into his darkness.
 
She was heady and her senses pulsed as she felt his lips against hers.
 
When he pulled back, she opened her eyes and smiled.
 
He nodded as he handed her two blades.
 
She took them and turned around.