Expedition Read online

group, down to less than half the size they had set out with, and looked them each in the eye.

  “All right men. I know this looks bleak but we can manage to pull out of this,” he said, hoping to instill some sense of hope in his battered troops. “How long will this wall last, Argonnoth?” Franz asked as he went over to one of his fallen soldiers and retrieved their sword and returned to the group.

  “It should stay up for a full minute unless they can dispel it,” he replied.

  “I'm going to try and scale the barracks sir,” interjected Loff, “from this side of the barracks sloped roof I should be able to get a good shot on their snipers.” Franz looked at the boy and nodded.

  “You do that, lad.”

  Loff ran off to the side of the building, slung his bow over his shoulders and started his way up the uneven stone wall.

  “How will the mage fair, girl?” Franz asked Cecilia.

  “I'm casting an antitoxin spell that should have him cleaned up in just a few more seconds. The arrow wound is fairly deep though. I won't be able to fully heal it until we're out of here. It might hold him back a bit but he can still cast.”

  “Good.”

  “Fifteen seconds sir,” Argonnoth said.

  “Okay, everyone, we’re going to blitz down the Senshin before their snipers can even get off another shot. Lentess, use your spells to protect Cecilia, and Argonnoth use yours to keep me up. I'm our only melee fighter left so I need a lot of cover from your spells to back me up.”

  The group took up positions in front of the wall. Loff loosed his first arrow and bones crumbled in the distance, echoing off the hovels.

  “One down, sir!” he called from the rooftop.

  “Get me that second one!” Franz called up as the magical wall began to crumble and fall away. The Senshin charged through the falling rubble with a speed that belied his grievous wound. Franz worked quickly to match the demonic pace and keep the thing away from the less armored members. An arrow from a hovel flew through the air and collided with the magical protections Argonnoth had erected around Franz. It stopped the arrow in the air while the magical flames from Rowen's shield burnt it to ash. Again a bright blue light flashed from the spot in the air where the arrow had struck and a bell rung out through the ruins. Strength and vitality flowed into the humans. This time, unfortunately, the Senshin was not affected. The bloodlust in its soul and adrenaline in its veins prevented the sound from registering in its brain.

  Loff's second arrow arced through the air. Again the telltale sound of crumbling bones told them all that the arrow had found its mark. A cheer from Franz and Loff sealed the restoration of morale and everyone turned their attention to the Senshin.

  Lentess dropped her protection from Cecilia and started a new prayer aimed at the demon. A pure white bolt of holy energy zipped from her hands and slammed into the gold chain mail of her target. The beast yelped in pain as the magic melted through the armor in the center of its chest.

  “I've opened a spot to attack its vitals!” she called to Franz.

  “Good. We can finish this damn beast off now, just as soon as I have an opening,” Franz replied while hoisting his shield up into the path of two black blades.

  “If someone can stop it from moving I can shackle it to the ground,” Lentess said. Another blue light flashed from Franz' armor and a bell tolled throughout the ruins as one of the demon's blades collided with the magical shield protecting the captain's body.

  “Even with all these wounds the blasted beast is still fighting as ferocious as ever,” Franz called in between his attacks and blocks.

  Rowen's eyes opened and he looked up to see Cecilia hunched over his abdomen. He was still in pain but his veins no longer burned from toxin. He tried to sit up, but a startled Cecilia tried to stop him. He waved her away and she reluctantly nodded and stood up. She grabbed Rowen’s hand and pulled him up after her. Rowen brushed himself off and eyed Franz and the Senshin. They still danced in a flurry of steel.

  “I can root him in place, with Argonnoth's help,” Rowen said before turning his head toward Cecilia. “Can you switch with Argonnoth and keep Franz alive until we get the demon rooted?” he asked her.

  “Yes,” was all she replied before she turned toward the armored captain and folded her hands in prayer. “I'm ready,” she said moments later and Argonnoth dropped his staff and concentration. He looked at Rowen.

  “So what's your plan?”

  “I'm going to cast a ring of fire around the Senshin to keep it in place,” Rowen said. “If you then summon some vines to hold down its legs, that should give Lentess enough time to shackle it in place. That will give us the opportunity to finish it.” A series of flashes came from Franz and Cecilia winced under the mental strain of keeping her protection spell up through the brutal assault. Franz started to slow and his defense could no longer keep up with the demon commander. Their shields prevented the blades from cleaving the commander in half but the force behind could still break bone. Lentess put a hand on Cecilia's shoulder and whispered words of encouragement in her ear. The young acolyte stood up straighter and gritted her teeth.

  Rowen wasted no more time in beginning his spell. For the fourth time that day angelic words sung from his lips and his hands moved in conjunction with his staff. A waist-high wall of flame sprung up several feet from the Senshin, encircling the demon. The demon slowed in its frenzy for the first time since the wall crumbled. It panted like a dog. Fresh blood flowed from its thigh. Burn marks from Rowen’s fire shield spell had scorched its forearms. Its whining was barely audible over the roar of the flames. Still it refused to fall, a testament to the brutal strength of demons.

  Argonnoth finished his spell and several thorny vines broke out from in between the cracks of the ground. The vines wound themselves around the lower legs of the Senshin. Their thorns drew even more demonic blood. Lentess didn't need to be instructed to start her prayer and she bowed her head over her folded hands and prayed. Golden chains erupted from the ground and clamped onto the Senshin’s wrists. They pulled each arm in a separate direction with immense strength. The Senshin’s corded muscles flexed as it fought to keep its shoulders in their sockets. Two more shackles clamped over the beast’s ankles, pressing the thorns from Argonnoth’s vines even deeper. The Senshin’s barks and yelps were silenced when a large muzzle shaped shackle clamped down over its mouth, causing the Senshin to accidentally bite off part of its snake like tongue.

  With the Senshin immobilized, Franz fell to his knees. Cecilia rushed over to heal him. Lentess remained rigid, the golden shackles taking all of her concentration to maintain.

  Rowen and Argonnoth exchanged quick nods before heading back into casting. Rowen's fifth spell flowed from his lips and a tiny speck of flame at the end of his short staff appeared. It grew until it was the size of a large man's head, at which point Rowen pointed it at the Senshin's exposed chest. The flaming orb sailed from the staff tip and struck the demonic flesh, exploding on impact.

  Argonnoth conjured a spike of earth from the ground at his feet with a deadly tip. With a thrust of his hand he sent the spike through the Senshin’s exposed chest. It tore through burnt flesh and organs, even the demon’s backbone. Lentess dispelled her magical shackles and the hulking Senshin fell backwards onto the cobblestone with a heavy thud.

  Rowen collapsed from exhaustion.

  When Rowen came to, Cecilia and Lentess leaned over him, their hands humming as they worked their healing magic. Relief covered their faces as they let him sit up. They were still inside Bracken Hold Ruins but the ominous cloud overhead and wall of fog at the entrance were gone, and the sky was awash with orange and red as the sun set. A new bonfire had been constructed and Franz and Argonnoth sent the last unfortunate soldiers off to the afterlife in Althera's care. The air stank of death and burning flesh.

  After that they packed up and started on the journey home. No one said a word to anyone but themselves, whispered apologies to those who died so they could live. T
hey arrived at Lennendell late that night with the moon high and shining in the cloudless sky. Rowen and Cecilia both opted to stay at the barracks that night. They weren’t in a mind to deal with their families, and they sat in uncomfortable beds, unable to sleep. Rowen’s mind was afire with thought, the previous day had taught him a lot about the world.

  Morning came as usual and with it the official graduation parchment from the academy handed to them unceremoniously by Franz.

  “I'm sorry you three,” he started. His solemn voice hung heavy in the air. “It isn't supposed to go like that. If I had lead us better and spotted the trap sooner, we all could have escaped and brought reinforcements.” Unable to say more, Franz dismissed them and left.

  “Well, I'll probably see you two around,” Loff said. “I'm going to head out to the militia house and see if I can't join their scouting ranks. Maybe I can find out how the demons got so close to Lennendell without anyone noticing. And maybe, just maybe, I can prevent anything like this from happening again.” Rowen and Cecilia said farewell and Loff went out.

  Rowen and Cecilia both decided to head to the kitchen for breakfast. They spent the majority of the time in silence until Rowen spoke up.

  “So, um, do you still want to join the Vanguard after yesterday?” he asked Cecilia. “You'll be