Chapter XLI: (Cont. II)
“Adelia…don’t do whatever it is he says…” Blackheart stared at her with conviction.
She didn’t say a word. What could she do? If she gave herself to Baen, she would probably never be able to break free….but if she didn’t….then Blackheart would die. There was only one choice she could make….it was a gamble…but if she tried….she might be able to save them. All had been lost with Gobudo….the prophecy had called for nine and now there were but eight. Without Gobudo, all was lost….wasn’t it? Perhaps the world would not end, but she wouldn’t let them die. She had to warn them, no matter what it meant for herself……it was time to think of others. She closed her eyes….focusing as hard as she could. Blackheart felt the slice of time and the throbbing image that entered his head…the words echoing in his brain, though he made no sign of it, since Baen seemed unable to have read the message.
“Adelia….” Blackheart began, but was cut off.
“I’ll give myself to you.” Adelia felt the warmth flow back to her limbs and made several steps towards Baen. After a moment, she felt the iron of his gauntlets pulling her towards him, and then he kissed her. She felt the tingling darkness swarm all over her…the flaming pains and power flowing into her and clouding her eyes. She felt her eyes become a murky black as her body slowly seemed to have an aura of shadow begin to gather around her. And then she lost consciousness, falling limp in Baen’s arms.
“ADELIA!” Blackheart tried to move, but could not. He stared at her as she opened her eyes slightly, just staring ever so softly as she tried to fight off the dark sleep.
Baen laid her down, her head facing Blackheart, “Good my dear. And now you will never resist me again.” He turned to Blackheart, “As for you…” He tore the necklace from Blackheart’s throat, turned and glanced down at Adelia. “….I really don’t think she much cares for you anymore. So I doubt that she’d hold this against me.” He turned and buried his sword in Blackheart’s stomach, letting him gasp in deep pain as his eyes clouded over and blood rolled from his lips. “Ta-ta…for now.” Baen smiled and marched away, picking Adelia up and entering the gates of the city, marching straight for the dome of Cion Sky.
Blackheart watched them go, dropping to his knees as the movement of the limbs came back to him and the others. The others gathered around quickly as he slowly fell to the ground, blood rushing from his wound. West stared down in shock, “We have to do something!” He clutched at his gut as he slipped into an unconscious state, the words Adelia said echoing in his head:
Nine strong shall stand and battle Baen,
With sword and bow and hand,
Seven shall the battle claim,
And two alone shall stand.
We have lost….there are but eight remaining….leave me and find somewhere safe to hide until all is over. The world has been failed.
Laura raced over to Blackheart, kneeling down and checking the wound, which seemed to sizzle and hiss as the blood flowed. “Powerful magic has ripped through him….I’m not sure if my magic is powerful enough to counteract Baen’s!” She looked up at the others who stood around Blackheart and then looked up after Baen as he marched off into the city.
West drew his sword, holding it up to himself and watching the light glint off of it, “Go ahead and try to save him. I’ll go and try to stop Baen.” He drew a cigarette and lit it, sliding it between his lips. “If I don’t come back….then avenge my death.” He made a move to enter the city, only to be blown back by a streaking figure that shot straight towards Baen. He landed in the dust, his cigarette rolling away and snuffing out. “What the hell was that?”
All but Laura looked, for she was busy preparing her healing spells. Thyrus adjusted the goggles on his head and slid them down over his eyes, adjusting the rings around them and watching the lens zoom in on the figure. “It looks to be…..Rah, the servant of War, at least he looks like the historical and mythological representations of him.” He slid the goggles up and glanced over at West who was brushing himself off.
“Well, then you’ve been bought more time Laura,” he said, wiping off his pants.
“I’m afraid not,” Samden sighed.
“What do you mean?” Eza fluttered over and landed on his shoulder, glancing out at the horizon line.
“I’m afraid that what’s left of the shadow army is coming this way….right now.”
Thyrus drew his forcepike and glanced over at West, “We’ll have to handle them ourselves.”
West glanced around at the rolling dunes, trying to determine the best mode of attack, it seemed there was none. His eyes scanned the rolling sands and the rocky crags that loomed up off in the distance. There was hardly anyplace to stimy the enemy lines and thus cut them down into small packs of weak and defeatable groups. “Looks like we might have to do this the hard way.”