Immortal sacrifice, p.33
Immortal Sacrifice, page 33
Zamara’s ring began to glow. Then…nothing…
Standing back in the Pools of Fate, Zamara blinked a few times to tame her hazy vision. When her eyes finally focused, she snapped at Mani. “I thought this was supposed to show me how to stop Kain.”
Mani nodded. “It did.”
“I died. Kain killed me.” Rose lived. The others…lived. Kain and his army were sucked in.
“I saw it.” Mani’s face was pale and covered in a sheen of sweat.
“So, to stop Kain and set everything right, I have to die? That is the sacrifice you were talking about in the Fenix Fires?”
“I didn’t know it then, but I believe now, yes, that is the price the Fates demand you pay for Kain’s life. You must sacrifice yourself. What happens after that, where your soul goes, remains to be seen.”
Zamara frowned. “What do you mean?”
Mani shrugged. “That was just the end of your immortality, where your soul goes from there remains to be seen. You may fall to the Neverworld. The gods might accept you into Asendia. Your soul may very well decide to stay with its Ceterus. We just don’t know. You must finish this journey on blind faith.”
Zamara widened her eyes and grabbed the goblet. “We could look again. If I drink more, I might see more.”
“No.” Her uncle shook his head. “The Fates are fickle. Looking upon them more than once in a visit is forbidden. They have shown all they are willing for you to get it done.”
She dipped the cup. “What are they going to do? Spank me?”
Mani sighed, “Doing so could scramble your brain and leave you paralyzed.”
Zamara bit her lip and set the goblet down. “Alright, uncle.”
“Anything else?”
“Yeah, you said my soul might want to stay with its Ceterus. In my vision, I died but Cassian and Sideon did not, but we are bound. Why?”
“I cannot tell you that, either.”
“You don’t know much for being a god.”
“I am a servant of the Fates, niece. We all are. We know only what they show us.”
She raised her eyebrows and waved her hand around. “Do you have any ancient familial advice before I embark on this quest to my doom?”
“Take something for the pain before going into battle?”
“Great. Well—” Zamara turned her back on her uncle and walked down the steps. “I will see you around then. Thanks for the help.”
“We can’t.” Sideon placed his hand on her shoulder. “If you tell Cassian that you must sacrifice yourself, he will lock us both up until my father either attacks or gets bored and goes away.”
“He deserves to know. No more secrets between us. If we cannot trust each other, we doom ourselves to failure. He deserves to have all the information available and to make his own choice. I trust him to make the right one. The vision showed me nothing beyond Kain and the reapers getting sucked into the amulet. But I have faith this will all work out in the end. I have faith that the Fates have guided us to exactly where we need to be. If it’s my time to die, if this is my true end, then… so be it. If I must do it, then I choose to go out in a fiery blaze. At least my death will mean something. I can only hope you and Cassian choose to respect my wishes.”
“Even if it sucks us in with you?”
“The pool showed only Kain going in.” Zamara spun the ring on her finger. “I think it has something to do with this ring. This is where I ask you to blindly trust me.”
He stepped forward and grabbed her face. “You are asking me to let the woman I love charge headfirst into her own death!”
Her nostrils flared. “Would you do it for Merida?”
Sideon narrowed his eyes. He pulled her into him, wrapped his arms around her and cradled her head.
She inhaled the scent of mint and saltwater. Her body melted into his solid embrace. She took comfort from his strength.
“I can’t.” He whispered.
“You must.”
“Gods.” His arms tightened around her like a python squeezing its food. “I will bring you back, Zamara. This I swear. Even if I must tear a thousand realms to shreds, I will find a way to get you and Ander back.”
She smiled into his chest. “I know you will.”
Sideon took a shaky breath and grabbed her hand. “Let’s get you topside. It would seem I must help my Ceterus pick a fight to the death.”
1 Hour ‘til Sundown
“Alright, well…” Zamara raised her eyebrows and rubbed her forehead. “We are under siege. So, the strategy is going to be pretty basic. It’s nothing any of you aren’t familiar with. Our first objective is simple, hold the wall. Which should be easy enough with the Trisector’s energy shield.”
Zamara and her company stood around a map table of the battlefield and surrounding areas. Miniature donkey figurines represented Kain’s army.
“Our second aim is this: clear the field, kill them all. In chess, it’s called an Immortal Sacrifice. In war, we say take no prisoners. We need to kill as many reapers as possible so I can get to Kain and trap him. The amulet will take care of the rest.”
“Trap him.” Cassian snorted. “That’s what we’re calling it?”
“Kyashe,” Zamara laid her hands on the table. “Let’s go over the Nirumbee’s plan for everyone.”
Kyashe stood on a stool and ran pale spindly fingers along the map. “My dwarves are digging pitfalls and trenches in the battlefield. Once the pits are full, my scouts will light the trenches along the sides, funneling the enemy army. Once that happens, my army will charge from the East, pushing them forward to trap them against the wall.”
Zamara frowned and pointed at the fake fire trench towards the South, “Is there any way we can put a hole here for deserters to escape through?”
“You want to let them escape?” Aera looked at her like she was an idiot.
“A Golden Bridge,” She nodded. “Armies who are completely trapped fight with a harder fervor. We may not have a unit stationed in front of the wall, but we still have the Nirumbee to worry about. If any deserters cross the bridge, Boss, Commander Engor, Scandronn and the cavalry are lying in wait in Oryn Forrest. They will push from the south and act as our annihilation wave. After that, the field should be clear enough for us to reach Kain and finish this once and for all.”
Nevrine looked at her with something like pride. “That can be done. I will station some of the Magai on the ramparts with Red and the archers.”
“Which brings me to that. Once we soften the battlefield up, Red and Aera will take command of the archers. Sideon and I will make our way onto the field. Where I trap Kain and the remaining reapers in the amulet. Now, he and Rose could still be bound, so let it be known that if anyone—anyone—makes a move on Kain’s life, I will strike them down. Trapping them is the only way to ensure everyone’s survival.”
Cassian barked a laugh. “Not everyone’s.”
“Cassian,” Zamara swallowed a lump in her throat and took his hand. “I need you to be okay with this if we are to continue. We talked about this. You told me you understood.”
“I do understand.” He squeezed her hand and flared his nostrils. “I hate the plan, but I understand. We can continue. I will try to keep my commentary to myself.”
She looked to Sideon. “What do you think? Will this hinder Kain’s army enough to get to him?”
Sideon said, “I guarantee you every strategy you can think of, he has already carried out. Nothing will surprise him. All we can do is pick one, stick with it, and hope the gods are with us.”
“They are.” She smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. The truth was, she was terrified. She hadn’t exactly lived an innocent life. What if they weren’t with her? What if this was all some elaborate smoke show? What if she sacrificed herself for nothing?
Nevrine tapped the table. “Don’t forget, he also knew how to render the shield in old Magai territory useless. He could again.”
“That is why you will be leading the rest of the Magai and the Guard behind the wall as foot soldiers in case the worst happens. But even without the shield, we have the strongest wall in all Karth. In which case we just go to normal siege tactics. Red and his archers will be ready for that.”
Red snorted. “They aren’t getting past the wall.”
“Xiao,” Zamara said, “You oversee Dragon Tower and the citizens. Take some of the healers and set up a med bay in the main hall. If the walls are breached, evacuate as many as you can.”
She nodded and placed her fist over her heart. Her eyes shone with despair, but she was brave. My beautiful, loyal Xiao. Besides Nevrine and Cassian, she has been with us longer than any of the others. Zamara gave her ex-wife a reassuring smile and placed her fist over her heart.
They all mimicked the motion.
“It’s been a great honor to serve with you all these past centuries. Mystic Lake wouldn’t be anything—I—wouldn’t be anything without you. You are all my family. I love every single one of you—with all my heart. If we don’t all make it tonight, may we meet again in the afterlife. If our alliances, our friendships, remain unbroken, there is nothing that cannot be accomplished. Even if we don’t all survive, the ones who do must continue, for the sake of New Hallha.”
Her heart ached. But it was bittersweet. She looked around the table at her councils’ somber faces. Tears streamed down Xiao’s porcelain cheeks. Boss sniffed.
She meant something to them. She could feel their love. They would go on without her. They would find a way. Their love gave her the strength to soldier on. To meet her destiny with a smile on her face. Her only regret was she would not be able to see her sister one last time.
She turned to Cassian and gulped past a lump in her throat. “Take care of Rose for me. Tell her how much I love her.”
Xiao sobbed into Scandronn’s chest.
“I will, little one.” Cassian drew her into his arms and cradled her head with a trembling hand.
“I will.” His voice broke. He squeezed her in his iron grip and planted a kiss on top of her head.
Cassian held her like that for some time. She didn’t pull away. She closed her eyes and relished what was probably their last embrace.
When they finally pulled away and composed themselves, they headed out the door towards their stations.
She had a date with destiny.
Sundown
Zamara looked out across a blue tinted battlefield as a full moon peeked over the horizon in the east. Seventy-five thousand reapers stood in formation, staring back at her like a sea of faceless corpses. Chills whispered down her spine.
An owl hooted in the distance.
Zamara strolled along the ramparts with Sideon, giving words of encouragement and conveying battle strategy to the soldiers. Her blood sang with excitement despite her looming death. This was her element.
They climbed the stairs to the battlements and came to rest by Red.
Zamara took a deep breath, laced power into her voice and bellowed down the line of archers. “They outnumber us ten to one—but do not let their numbers fool you! They are mindless drones following a master’s bidding! We have every advantage! The gods are with us. Our walls have never been breached and they will not be tonight! They want what is ours! But they cannot have it!”
She drew her Khannas. “This is our home!”
The soldiers cheered.
“Our loved ones!” She paced the battlements.
Shields banged.
“Our freedom!”
The war horn blew.
“Slay the demons!” She slammed her Khanna into the air and released an explosion of Akashi into the shield, lighting it up.
Cassian took flight and belted fire into the skies.
Deafening battle cries ripped through the night.
The beast ravenously fed from it, wide awake and frenzied with bloodlust.
Zamara’s veins hummed with energy.
The battle began. Kain’s trebuchets launched massive chunks of metal. They penetrated the shield and cracked into the wall. The stone at her feet trembled. Where the projectiles hit, gaping holes remained in the shield.
Her eyes widened and her heart picked up speed. Dagdum ore–no! Where did he get that much of it?
Kain’s army charged.
Zamara leaned over the parapet and bellowed orders to the Magai soldiers below, “Teams of twenty. Cover the holes. Kill anything that steps foot past that shield!”
She stood at the end of the line of archers. “Nock!” The soldiers nocked their arrows. As the harpoon teams loaded their missiles.
“Draw!” She raised one Khanna in the air and lit it up, Akashi sparking from the blade. Blue light washed over the scene, gleaming off steel and reflecting in the eyes of her soldiers.
The archers simultaneously raised and drew their bows.
Harpoons were aimed and lit on fire.
“Loose!” She brought her Khanna down and stifled its light.
Arrows whirred in a wide arch and blotted out the moon.
Harpoons dotted the sky like fireflies and exploded on impact, sending reapers and body parts flying.
Traps were sprung.
Reapers charged to their deaths in the Nirumbee’s pits of spikes.
The trenches they dug were set ablaze, casting an orange glow over the battlefield, lighting up Kain’s army of decay. They were fast, like thousands of ants scurrying toward her walls in a tidal wave of evil.
Zamara lowered her chin and grinned at the oncoming army. Her skin tingled with anticipation.
“Nock!” A line of new archers replaced the old and nocked their arrows.
Teams of two loaded new harpoons into their rigs.
“Draw!” She raised her Khanna and lit it up.
“Loose!” She brought it down.
The reapers reached the shield, colliding with the Magai teams. A crack of clashing shields ripped through the air.
“Fire at will!” She placed her hands on the rough granite in front of her and watched the reapers funnel through the shield’s holes only to be struck down by the Magai.
A horn blew from the back of Kain’s army and flares shot into the sky, signaling the advance of the Nirumbee’s flank.
The Magai holding the shield began to tire. Unnecessarily. “Fall back!”
They ran into the bailey. About one-hundred reapers at their heels. The gate dropped on top of the wave.
The Magai behind the wall slaughtered the ones who pushed through. Screams ripped through the air.
Reapers pushed ladders and siege towers against the wall. Wooden ones.
Zamara smirked. “Ready the emerald fire!”
Teams of two hauled metal barrels to the parapets. It wouldn’t burn the granite, but it would incinerate their ladders and destroy anyone trying to climb up.
“You’re up, Red.” She turned to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. “We are prepared for this. Execute normal siege tactics.”
She turned and grabbed Sideon’s hand. “Ready?”
The world blinked out of and into existence as Sideon veil-walked them onto the battlefield.
Back-to-back, the pair began their dance of death, stabbing and slicing through every reaper that came within arm’s reach.
Slowly, they gained ground towards Kain.
Cassian hammered the demons from the sky. He saw a wave of them escape through the golden bridge and disappear into the forest beyond. He watched them climb trees and get into position to ambush Boss and the others.
He banked right and found that Boss and the cavalry were on the edge of the woods. They would be taken completely by surprise. In a split-second decision he did a quick fly over and lit the forest canopy ablaze before flying back to the battlefield to continue the fight.
He could see the different colors clashing on the ground. Zamara with her glowing indigo, Kain with his darkness. He and Sideon veil-walked everywhere. They were hard to keep track of.
Cassian had one thing on his mind, protect the woman he loved.
He watched Kain sneak onto the bridge. Sideon and Zamara gave chase. Panic slammed into his chest. They are going to get themselves killed for nothing if those trees come down on them! What are they thinking?
Something heavy slammed into his back. He belted out a roar as he plummeted to the ground.
Zamara sliced the head off a reaper and pivoted for another when Sideon appeared at her side and grabbed her arm.
“Kain is getting away!” He pointed in the bridge’s direction.
She glimpsed Kain’s sneering face. They locked eyes from across the field. His face was distorted and wild in the flames. He pointed his sword at her, turned, and disappeared through the flames.
“Come on!” Sideon grabbed her hand and took off running. “We can’t let him get away.”
Sideon dragged them into the middle of a burning forest. A flaming branch fell in their path. Zamara whipped around to find another way. The smoke grew thicker. Her lungs burned.
“What happened to your sword?” She frowned at Sideon.
Now that I think about it, why didn’t we veil-walk here? Why can’t I feel his energy?
Sideon’s eyes flashed black, and he laughed. “This was too easy.”
Zamara’s eyes widened as realization dawned on her. She stabbed the ground with a Khanna and released a blast of Akashi. The reaper in front of her burst into ash. Its horrid screech cut short.
“It’s just you and me now, little queen.” Laughter slithered through the smoke. “I’m honestly disappointed that this went down exactly as I pictured, right down to the locale of the final showdown. I thought if anyone could surprise me, it would be you. Your father would have understood and respected that strategy pumps through his opponent’s blood. He wouldn’t have done everything so by the book. He would have tried to switch it up a little. You are stubborn, just like him—And just like him—I am going to slit your throat and watch you die.”
