Theyhadn’t attempted to cross the bridge yet, taking the time to regroup before making the assault on the gates. "Wewill hold them off,”Abraxasreplied without looking at me, his voice a low rumble.
“Forhow long,YourMajesty?”Avlynspoke behind us.
“Untilnone are left standing or untilIno longer draw breath,” he replied.Mychest tightened.Itried to draw power from the earth, but it had nothing to give.Itcertainly wasn’t enough forAbraxasto transform.Itwould be my swordIwould need to rely on.
Thesound of armored footsteps sprung to life, and that great golden mass moved towards us.Iheard hundreds of bow strings pull back from the parapet above.
“Loose!” a lieutenant on the wall called, and now our arrows were the ones to blot out the sun.TheGoldenArmyraised enormous shields overhead; our arrows bounced off the gleaming metal harmlessly.Thisis what they must have been waiting for.
IheardAbraxas’ grip on his sword tighten.Ikept my sword at the ready but reached down our bond and gave a gentle squeeze.Hiseyes softened, and he returned it.Onmy left,Junshifted.
“Jun, perhaps you should go back and joinPallas.It’snot safe up—”
“Youare out of magic, aren’t you?YouandAbraxasboth.”
Myeyebrows shot up.Inodded.
“I’mnot.”
“Jun, it’s too dangerous.Please, stay withPallas, keep her safe.”
Helooked at me, and his face was unreadable, but he turned around and headed away from the front lines.Ilet out a long sigh of relief.
TheGoldenArmyhad passed the midway point of the bridge, descending on us.Theirshields continued to block any arrows that flew at them, and down the center of their ranks, they carried an enormous battering ram.Ourportcullis was reinforced with iron, but it wouldn’t last long against this.Theirnumbers had dwindled.Ifthey broke through, we would likely be able to drive them back eventually, but at what cost?Howmany innocent lives would be lost before that happened?
Ifelt another tug at my heart, andIlooked atAbraxasagain.
“Untilthe world breaks, my love,”Ivowed.Hegave me the smallest of grins.
“Together.”
Archersfrom the back of the golden ranks let loose their arrows.Weducked behind the parapets.Itwas mostly a distraction, but one that could turn deadly quick.Iducked down behind the stone wall when my brother came up beside me again.
“Jun, get down!”Itried to grab him, but he moved out of my reach with methodical purpose.Hestepped up onto the outer wall andIlooked on with horror.
“Stop.”Itwasn’t even loud, but his power resounded through the air as every arrow froze in place.Iheld my breath as they slowly clattered down.Thearmy did not stop; the footfalls resonated through the arches of the bridge.
“Jun, what are you doing?”
Helooked down at me with shadowed eyes. "Trustme,Tori,” he said with a strange command that held no magic but had me entranced, nonetheless.Hiseyes closed, and the gatebelow us shook as the ram made its first strike against the gate.Hiseyes flashed open, glowing a bright white and his voice carried an ancient power.Itresonated around us, vibrating through the very air. “BREAK.”
Jun'swords, strange and melodious, seemed to seep into the stone of the bridge itself.Crackswebbed across its surface, spreading like wildfire, and the entire structure shuddered under the weight of the charging soldiers.
Thebridge gave way with a roar that drowned out the cries of theGoldenArmy.Stone, metal, and men fell into the river below, a horrifying descent that ended in silence far beneath us.Manywere crushed beneath the falling debris; many others were dragged under the water by the weight of their armor.Afew souls managed to float or find dry refuge when tendrils of water rose up behind them, forcing its way into their mouths and lungs and pulling them under the surface.Iturned to seeAvlynsweating with exertion.
Asthe dust settled, those members of theGoldenArmywho hadn't fallen with the bridge stood frozen in shock on the opposite side of the now impassable chasm.Juncoughed andIheard him whisper, “Run.”Itfloated across the freshly rendered ravine on the wind, and the few souls who remained fled the city.
Iwas so stunnedInearly missedJun’seyes rolling into the back of his head as he swayed dangerously.Luckily,Abraxasgrabbed him, cradling his body gently in his arms.Ipushed back the hair from his face, which had lost all color.
“Jun!”
Hegave a soft grin, andIheardAbraxaschuckle, “Youdid well.”
Chapter 41
Hadeon
482 years ago
