Mirror (part 25 of 28)
Back to Part 24The dragon-slave spell hit like a bomb, shattering the massive barrier
the giants had made and sending them flying in all directions. Into the
chaos the four adventurers charged forward, striking out against their
stunned foes with the ease of long practice.
"Amelia, Zel," Lina Inverse called as the fiery haired young woman raced
forward, "take out the human troops! Naga and I'll take the giants."
Amelia blinked as the black haired woman dressed mostly in white asked
Lina, "Are you sure about this?"
"Trust me," Lina grinned.
"Now I know we're in trouble," Zelgadiss muttered, the green skinned
warrior casually defeating a guard with just one blow.
Lina decided to ignore that as she and Naga raced by, hurrying up the
road to where the dragon-slave had sent the giants flying. Despite the
power of the spell the giants were still alive, though their ragged
clothes were smoldering a bit from the hit.
"They're supernaturally tough," Naga warned as she drew her sword, her
short black hair ruffled by the wind, "but that just means you need to
know how to hit them." The woman in simple tunic and pants leapt, her
fur cape swirling as she struck, her razor sharp blade slicing into the
recovering giant's arm.
"Surt's teeth," the giant cursed as he yanked his arm back, blood
beginning to slugishly flow from the wound.
"Explosion Array!" Lina yelled as she detonated the ground beneath a
second giant's feet, sending him reeling backward.
"Die!" he yelled as he recovered his footing, swinging down with a
massive club made from a whole tree.
"Ray wing!" Lina activated the spel, soaring up just as the club
flattened the area shewas standing on. She gestured, focusing her will,
"Fireball!"
The giant howled in pain and surprise as his beard exploded into flames,
beating the fire out with his hands. "That was a dirty trick,
sorceress," he growled out, eyes narrowed in fury, "I'll break your
bones and suck out the marrow for this!"
"I doubt it," Lina responded, energy shimmering around her hands as she
focused her will, "Fireball Lance!"
Unlike her usual fireball this was a concentrated bolt of destruction,
one that was powerful enough to cut through even the giant's resistance
to harm. With a hiss of steam it bore deep into the giant's chest, blood
splashing the snow as it reeled backwards before collapsing dead on the
ground.
"My lord!" the other giant gasped, dodging a strike from Naga as he
rushed the his comrade's side.
"Naga, get him!' Lina yelled as the giant was distracted.
"No," Naga shook her head as she warily studied her bloody foe, "it
wouldn't be honorable to strike now."
"Naga," Lina groaned.
The younger giant looked down at them, his craggy face etched with
grief. "May I take my lord home?" he asked in a rumbly kind of voice, "I
swear we will do no more harm to you and your people."
Lina raised her eyebrows as she looked at her lover, "Naga?"
Naga nodded slightly in agreement as she said, "Go. But if you cross our
paths again, we will not be so merciful."
Meanwhile, Amelia and Zel had proceeded to rout the surviving human
warriors. Wandering up from the wrecked barricade they watched the giant
lumber off, carrying his comrade as the snow drifted down on them all.
"Do you think they'll warn their boss?" Amelia wondered as they all set
off down the road once again.
"I think not," Naga said after a moment, "they seemed honestly
frightened of Lina."
Zel didn't make a smart remark about everyone being frightened of Lina,
though he was tempted. Instead he said, "We'd better get going before
the snow picks up again."
"You had to say it," Lina sighed as more flakes began to fall. Drawing
her cloak around her she continued, "Let's go."
The road up into the hills was still mostly cleared as the four
traveled, boots crunching down the ice and snow. The grey clouds
provided a somber backdrop as the winds picked up, the woods on either
side of the road invitingly dangerous.
"Do you think they're still people shadowing us?" Amelia had to ask as
they crested a rise, a murky shape becoming visible off in the distance.
"Probably," Zel answered, "if I was waiting for a attack, I'd have
scouts out."
"Then let's not disappoint them," Lina said firmly as they continued on.
The castle gradually emerged from the snows as they approached, built in
a commanding position above the road. From there defenders could rain
attacks on conventional foes while remaining mostly safe from assault.
The four turned off the main path and up the road to the castle, each
one mentally preparing for whatever might be coming.
"Not bad," Naga visually assessed the structure as they walked closer,
"outer wall with drawbridge, arrow slits and a walkway for soldiers. And
inside, looks like they have a defensible position too..."
"You don't have to sound admiring," Zel muttered.
"I appreciate good design," Naga shrugged.
Meanwhile, inside the castle Dan and Strife finished delivering the bad
news to the Sorceress Hectate. "I'm sorry," Dan finished, "Inverse used
the Dragon Slave spell to destroy our barricade and then killed one of
the giants."
"Damn," Hectate murmured, frowning as the blonde continued, "good work,
getting the information back to me."
"We saw Inverse on her way here as we travelled through the woods,"
Strife cautioned, the white haired man standing beside Dan, "they should
be here soon."
"Thank you," Jira nodded grimly, the brown haired warrior standing on
one side of the meeting chamber. She looked up at Hectate, "I'll prepare
the defenses."
"Go," Hectate nodded.
Gwenyth offered her mistress a goblet of warmed spice wine as she said
quietly, "I think they ran here, ma'am, they look exhausted."
Hectate gentled her tone as she addressed the two men, "Return to your
quarters and rest a bit, though I'm afraid it won't be too long."
Strife bowed, "Thank you, m'lady."
Whispering to Strife as they left Dan said, "I was worried we were going
to be in trouble."
Strife whispered back, "Hectate's too smart for that. Kill a few people
delivering bad news and eventually no one will tell you what's really
going on."
"Ah," Dan realized.
Just then Jira hurried back into the meeting room, her expression
serious as she went to Hectate's side. "Lina Inverse and her companions
have been spotted on the castle road," she said grimly, "they'll be here
in minutes."
Hectate rose from her seat, drawing her sorceress' garb around her.
"Then let's go meet them," she said, "I'm sure we have much to talk
about."
"And Naga?" Gwenyth asked timidly.
Hectate murmured something under her breath then said, "I've adjusted
the spell to confine her to the inner castle, for now."
Onwards to Part 26
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