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A goblin leapt at his left, and Killian dodged just in time. He sliced at it with his sword, but a purple light glowed, and the wound healed instantly. Meshougi battered its bracelet on its wrist and shattered the stone. The goblin blinked, then disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
“Some evil stays evil,” she said with a shrug. “The goblins were cast with blood magic and made with pain and suffering. Not even that can be redeemed in the end. Hit the stones.”
He nodded, uncomfortable with the presence of evil. He must irradicate it from his land. And as he regarded the animals and ancients, whose eyes pulsed with the same light from the gem, his heart billowed with determination. “We must save the rest.” They were his responsibility now.
The other side of the central scout tower rang out in a surge of clashing sword strikes. Killian and Meshougi ran around the corner and joined the chaos. Most of the creatures faced away, toward a large gate. The fox rushed past and bit down, crushing every glowing gem he could see on the nearby creatures. Several crossbows fired randomly as the goblin holding each one poofed into smoke. Some animals fell back on all fours, shaking their great furry heads. Many of those fighting were not ancient, and ran off, underfoot, to escape.
Killian dove into the fray, piercing the stones and freeing the violent creatures around him, dispatching the goblins that turned his way. Finally, he reached the center of the mayhem where a man and a growling wolf fought side by side, guarding each other’s flanks.
“Phineas!” Killian cried. “Jax!” He rushed to Phineas’s back and patted his shoulder as he moved to stand behind him. “Don’t kill the animals. Crush the gems to free them. They’re possessed by dark magic.”
Jax grimaced.That would explain the blank gazes, the ancients betraying their duty to protect, and their fearlessness.
“Glad you’re not dead,” Phineas called back.
“Me too.” Killian chuckled. “How did you find me?”
“A couple of crazy ladies in the woods,” Phineas yelled as he ducked an arrow. “Let’s get out of here.”
As Killian nodded, the creatures converged on the four of them, and the fight continued.
Chapter 18
Hiding
Killian
Themenandthewolf struggled during the onslaught. Unlike the training fields where each opponent was human, they had to continually adjust their swings to strike knee-high raccoons, human-sized goblins, and chest-tall coyotes all without delivering fatal blows. The precision needed to strike the gems and restore the creatures cost them time and garnered more shallow wounds on their arms and legs, but they persevered. Moving steadily toward the front of the castle, they threw themselves down the stairs to the massive portcullis at the entrance. Meshougi followed behind them, singing gently, as she danced her way through the fallen, confused, or unconscious creatures. She touched the recovering animals and whispered words to revive them before catching up with the trio.
“Past the gate, my dears. This magic cannot cross it,” Meshougi called.
Killian grabbed Phineas’s sleeve and ran toward the twenty-foot iron gate that opened on the enormous stone wall. Spikes tipped each metal bracer at the bottom, looking lethal and ominous as they approached. At the top of the column of stairs beside the gate, a goblin’s sinister smile gleamed before he axed through the lever, releasing the giant chain. The heavy metal gate began to collapse. In a moment of adrenaline, Killian threw his sword. He heard a gentle croaking murmur from Meshougi. The sword glowed and moved slightly to the right, striking true. It held fast in the stone between the chain links. The gate seized and stopped.
Killian glanced at Meshougi who shrugged casually. “It was a nice throw. But even heroes can benefit from a little magical support.”
Phineas yelled as several creatures knocked into him, pushing him over the threshold and through the gate. Instantly, the creatures spasmed and transformed into a mishmash of ancient animals and very confused woodland creatures who quickly shrugged out of their humanesque clothing to disappear into the forest.
Behind the gate, the rest of the horde stood growling and snapping at the humans until those freed by that fox pounced on the other creature’s gems and freed them too. Killian hesitated. He knew what it was to be trapped, and he ached to free them all.
A bony hand settled icily on his forearm. “Even princes need to know when to delegate.”
He snorted. “The ancients have it in hand?”
Her hand spasmed as a mischievous glitter flashed in her eye. “Well … in paw. Zalina approaches. You must head into the forest.” She reached up to grasp Phineas’s forearm. “Come, dear, now is the time to run.”
Killian met Phineas’s amused gaze as the caked ball of blankets with spindly legs led them down the rocky path. Snow scattered around them, pushed by the wind against the crags and cliffs to either side. The snarled trees grew closer and closer until the cloudy sky was obscured and the path was enveloped in shadow. They had sprinted for some time when a piercing scream reverberated through the forest.
Meshougi stopped and looked back. “She is close.”
Jax sniffed.Get off the path.
“No! Don’t!” she cried, but it was too late, the two men and the wolf had already stepped into the shadows. She huffed and went with them. “This is dangerous.”
It is better than being found on the pathway. She comes.
“For someone ancient, you are not wise.”
For someone wise, you are acting foolish. You’ll get them killed.
