Thunderspire
By Emily M. Hanson
Part 4
* * * * *
Late that evening, the adventurers left for the Stormy Wilds. Kip transformed into his gold dragon form so the others could ride on his back. He had prepared several protection spells necessary to keep them safe. Erius had been willing to provide him with the needed components. Trin had taught Aliya a few meditative techniques that she could use to overcome the magic’s overwhelming power. Tanith had sharpened Sirocco. Fenrek had purchased more arrows, some of which had been enchanted so they could be set ablaze. They were all prepared.
The sun setting created a beautiful landscape. Crimson, amber and golden hues painted the clouds. As they approached the Stormy Wilds, the clouds grew increasingly darker. Those who could work magic felt the power flowing through their veins strengthening, and they also felt electrified by the energy.
Before the clouds became completely dark, Kip stopped and hovered. His draconic voice rumbled while he chanted the spells to protect them. Some of the effects were immediately apparent. They all felt calmer. The air was a little thicker and occasionally shimmered, as if a magical shield surrounded them. There was a long silence.
“Let’s go in,” Tanith finally said.
“How will we know where the lair is?” Aliya inquired.
“It is probably in the center,” Trin replied, and everyone except Kip turned to look at her.
“Why?” Aliya asked.
“Because it’s most likely the least dangerous place to build a lair.”
“She has a point,” Fenrek responded.
“Makes sense,” Tanith remarked.
“Good thinking,” Kip rumbled. “Off we go, then. Hang on!”
He soared into the ominous sky as the others held on tightly, wondering if this would be worth it.
* * * * *
In Rivenshade tower, Calduris was gazing into a scrying bowl. The dish made of pale blue quartz and filled with enchanted water showed the adventurers crossing the border into the Stormy Wilds. So they thought they were protected, did they? Soon they would learn otherwise.
“Guards,” Calduris exclaimed.
The guards positioned outside the room entered. “Yes, Lord Calduris?” they asked.
He gestured to the scrying bowl. The guards looked. “Prepare an ambush for the intruders. Don’t let them reach Rivenshade tower.”
“As you command,” the guards replied, bowing.
* * * * *
The sky darkened considerably. Wind howled all around. Lightning arced across the heavens and branched off into sharp, jagged electrical spikes. Eerie glowing sparks and spirals of magical energy also flickered around them. Tanith shuddered involuntarily. She had never been comfortable with heights, and being above the ground in the middle of a storm was extremely disconcerting.
Fenrek was trying not to look down. Below them, black clouds stretched like a canvas across the sky. It was like looking into a swirling void that would swallow you up if you were stupid or unlucky enough to fall into it. To distract himself, he stared at the dragon’s gold scales, which appeared dull brown in the darkness. The Melosean vowed that if he ever got home again, he would stay on the ground, where mortal beings were meant to stay.
Trin shivered. She was cold. The protection spells helped to dampen the cold a bit, but they didn’t block all of it. They were mainly designed to keep out the magical energy and lightning.
Aliya gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. She, too, wished that she were back on solid ground. Well, that would happen soon enough.
Kiperreth was the only one who seemed to be calm. The dragon soared through the tempest, keeping an eye out for any trouble. He expected some sort of an attack from Calduris. It was a wonder they’d gotten this far without any major difficulties. The sky grew darker and the storm intensified as the dragon flew.
Without warning, a contingent of enemy guards attacked them. There were a dozen of them. The air elementals appeared suddenly, bursting through the sky. Their cloud-like bodies crackled with electricity. They held spears and swords that glowed with electricity. The leader struck with his spear. Lightning leapt from it into the sky as the spear hurled toward the dragon. Kip dodged it.
Fenrek raised his bow, gripping Kiperreth’s back with his knees. The magical arrows he’d picked up at Thunderspire should do the trick. He picked one up, rubbed his finger across the runes, and mumbled a magic word to activate it. The arrow glowed with golden light as he attached it to the bow.
Several other elementals attacked with their glowing spears. Trin concentrated to strengthen the protection spell. Kip dodged the spears. Fenrek loosed his arrow while the spears soared through the ominous sky. The arrow hit one of the guards and exploded into flames. The air elemental howled with rage.
The rest of the guards who had spears threw them. They ascended into the air and then arched downward. Kip did his best to avoid them. Lightning branched across the magical shield, which rippled as it absorbed the electricity.
The guards carrying glowing swords glared at them. The others were busy unsheathing their spare weapons.
Fenrek loosed two more arrows. They exploded into flames as they struck their intended targets. One air elemental disintegrated. The other appeared wounded. Smoke curled from his shoulder, where the arrow had hit him.
Aliya wished there was something she could do. She dared not use her magical abilities here, though. She would probably lose control. The wind sang to her like a siren. Magic pulsed through her veins. Still, she resisted using its pull.
She took deep breaths and closed her eyes, visualizing a white rose as Trin had taught her to do. The meditation technique was simple and usually the first one taught to faery children. They had the benefit of not having to use it under life-threatening circumstances. She didn’t. It was slightly calming, however.
The remaining guards charged them with swords of lightning that glimmered and sparkled in the darkness. Fenrek held his bow with one hand and gripped the dragon’s back with the other. Tanith unsheathed Sirocco and stared at the elementals.
Trin chanted, conjuring a magical fireball about the size of an apple. It hovered just above her hand. The fire didn’t burn her, but she felt its heat. She flung it at the guards.
A brilliant explosion blasted the air elementals and lit up the heavens. Three of the guards vanished, screaming in agony.
Fenrek let his arrows fly. He aimed for the guards that were already wounded and managed to kill two of them.
Tanith brought Sirocco up and sliced through one elemental, but to her shock, discovered that her opponent was not even wounded.
“Apparently only magical energy can harm them,” Trin observed.
The flame-haired warrior nodded. “I will save Sirocco for another time, then.” She sheathed the scimitar and held onto Kip’s back.
There were six enemies left. The dragon maintained the protective shield while dodging the incoming blows. Trin threw another fireball and took out two of the remaining elementals. Fenrek loosed another flaming arrow, which struck one of the opponents in what would have been his chest, had he been human. However, it survived.
Aliya was startled out of her meditative state when one of the air elementals struck her arm. The shield kept out the lightning, but not the physical pain. She screamed. Her flesh was cut almost through to her bone. The guard laughed.
The pain became a torch igniting the magic in Aliya’s blood. It was impossible to resist the lure any longer. She felt pulled towards the storm, as though it was draining her spirit out of her body. Perhaps it was. The storm’s wild magic called to her power. They were like kin, made of the same essence. The tempest strengthened around her. Even the remaining air elementals looked wary.
“What’s happening?” Fenrek exclaimed.
“It’s her,” Tanith replied, shouting to be heard over the howling winds. “It’s Aliya!”
Aliya didn’t hear them. She was one with the storm now. It felt alive, and pulsated in time with her heartbeat. The energy grew thicker. Electricity tingled everywhere. Suddenly a pocket in the clouds opened up to reveal a patch of night sky and the full moon.
That was odd, Trin thought. The moon shouldn’t be full. It would have been waning on Earth. Yet the girl had somehow managed to conjure a full moon.
Moonfire rained down in blazing silver-white drops, striking the air elementals. The magical shield kept the adventurers safe, although it was taking a beating. Air shimmered and rippled as moonfire hit the shield and was absorbed by it. The enemy guards howled as they disintegrated.
Then the clouds parted slowly. A path opened up in the storm, revealing the obsidian tower. It spiraled high into the darkness, obliterating the stars. Rivenshade was a forbidding fortress in the night.
Aliya slumped over, clearly unconscious. Trin rubbed her shoulder, but it did no good.
“Is she alive?” Fenrek asked.
“Yes. But I don’t know whether she’ll wake up soon.”
Tanith shivered. The amount of raw power that Aliya had unleashed was spectacular. It was truly a wonder that they had not been harmed.
“I’m glad she’s on our side,” Fenrek muttered.
“Indeed,” Kiperreth rumbled. “She knows not how much power she commands. Let us go now and find Calduris so we may return to our own realm.”
The dragon turned and flew toward the looming tower. Rivenshade awaited them.
* * * * *
