Ivan led a small group consisting of two other warrior scouts to retrieve Red and Britt’s party who were waiting with the ships. Ivan instructed them to stay out of sight, keeping within the low wrinkles in the hillside. Before they left, Ivan made sure the Rollo leaders knew where to organize their ranks.
“Form your lines just over this hill,” Ivan pointed ahead of the mass of men and women, who stood clad in their leather-plated armor awaiting orders and armed to the teeth with freshly sharpened swords, axes, daggers and spears. “A fan of rocks juts up out of the foothills. That is the closest and best concealed place to prepare for the march across the valley.”
Jorgen nodded, understanding where he was to bring his people while they waited for Ivan’s return. “Come back safely, with my son,” he said to Ivan when he had finished delegating responsibilities to his troops.
“I will, you have my word,” Ivan responded seriously. Ivan turned to Anders and gave him a nod before leaving with the two scouts.
Anders and Max fell in with the Rollo forces as they began to move over the hill and down to the hiding spot. As they crested the hill, Anders laid eyes on the vast expanse of the Eastland Territories for the first time. The setting sun at their backs created a rainbow of colors across the landscape before them. Yellows, oranges, pinks, purples, and blues mixed in a changing blanket of light that darkened as it shrank, fading into night. His eyes remained transfixed on the towering fortress in the distance.
That’s Merglan’s stronghold, Anders noted to himself.
The fortress was built seaside along a band of cliffs that extended down to the murky bay below. Smoke billowed from the chimneys scattered throughout the fortress. He could hear the faint sounds of shouts and metal tools banging against rock. Anders wondered what Merglan was doing at this moment. He hoped that whatever it was would be enough of a distraction that he wouldn’t notice the army of men, women and, hopefully, elves hidden along the mountainside just across the valley.
“That’s some view,” Max said, waking Anders from his momentary trance. “Do you think the elves are really going to show up and help us?” he asked Anders.
“I really hope that all elves are of the same mind as Nadir,” Anders said. “I honestly don’t know what to expect, but it sounds like we’re going to need their help.”
“The orc attack was overwhelming for us at first. I think an army of orcs and kurr will be even tougher to handle,” Max said.
“If this doesn’t work and if the elves decide to pull one over on the Rollo warriors, I’m afraid this fight will be over quickly, and not with a good ending,” Anders said.
They walked down the face of the mountain. The cliffs blocked their view of the valley as they descended into their designated hiding place. The mass of thickly leather-bound warriors carrying shields, spears, axes and swords gathered into their respective groups. The lead captains were spread out evenly among the ranks. All other captains and their crews formed lines directed by each leader. It took them several minutes before the ranks were sorted out.
Anders and Max joined in with the group previously captained by Britt. Max and Anders had fought with them once before and trusted that crew more than the others. Anders knew he could count on each one of them to watch his back during any fight. They stood near the center of the forces, next to Red’s father. Huddled together in the twilight, they anxiously awaited the return of Ivan with Red, Britt and the others.
“Something must be holding up the elves,” Anders said to Max in a low whisper so others around him wouldn’t hear. “I’m confident they wouldn’t betray their word with Ivan. The elf king seems to hold him in a high regard.”
“I just hope they make it in time to help us,” Max said worriedly.
Darkness surrounded them as they waited behind the cliffs at the base of the mountains. They stood in silence; orders to avoid making excessive noise were given prior to assembling in their formations. Anders heard rustling and whispers from the men and women around him. Ivan had returned with the captains and the two scouts. They pushed their way through the crowd to join in with their respective crews. Anders and Max welcomed Britt with full arm handshakes and beaming smiles.
“Glad to see you both are here to fight alongside us,” Britt said proudly.
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Max said, giving Anders a glance.
The rest of the crew was glad to see Britt back in command. Anders looked over and saw Red standing near him. He gave Anders a glaring look, a certain harshness in his eyes. Anders returned the glare, no less harsh. Ever since the competition at Grandwood, Anders didn’t particularly like the brute, but he respected his loyalty to his people and his fighting ability.
When the mass of warriors began to move, Ivan pushed his way through the crowd to Anders.
“Shouldn’t you be at the head of the army with Red’s father?” Anders asked. He expected Ivan would be leading that march alongside the leaders of the army.
“He knows what to do,” Ivan responded. “This is not his first battle and, with any luck, it won’t be his last. Besides, I was the one who brought you on this journey. It seems fitting that I should be by your side at the end.” Ivan gave him a half-cocked smile and started marching with Anders and the others right behind him.
The cool night breeze swirled around them as they emerged from behind the cliffs. Anders was more nervous than he’d ever been in his life. He didn’t know if he’d survive the night. Especially with the absence of the elves, he wasn’t sure if any of them would. Still, his focus remained on his two cousins who’d been abducted by Thargon. He would stop at nothing to get them back and away from Merglan’s grasp. The normal weight of his leather armor felt lighter than it ever had. Britt’s crew had given him and Max the leather body protection; they had some to spare after suffering the losses at the Glacial Melt Bays.
The valley was now blanketed in darkness. The moon had set and clouds covered the stars. Their army marched in silence out onto the grassy fields that sprawled between the mountain’s edge and the dimly lit fortress in the distance.
They hadn’t traveled more than a mile from the foothills before those in command halted the army. Anders heard gasps from those around him. He turned to Ivan who he saw was looking toward the cove where their ships remained hidden. He cursed as Anders first saw what everyone else was looking at. Bright yellow and orange flames licked the air above the ships’ location.
“We’ve been made,” Ivan said loud enough for Red and the other captains around him to hear.
“Somehow they knew we were here. Now we have no escape,” Red said.
Anders heard Jorgen shout, “Prepare for battle!”
Anders drew his sword along with everyone else. Those along the army’s edges locked their shields together in front of their torsos. Those next in line locked their shields atop the first row, forming a six-foot-tall shield wall around the Rollo forces. Anders looked through the gaps in the shield wall to see what was happening in the dark space beyond. Not seeing anything advancing at them he looked behind him. Several rows of archers stood at the ready, arrows nocked. Behind them more warriors created a wall of shields at the army’s rear. He still couldn’t see anything coming toward them.
“Hold the wall and continue marching!” Red’s father commanded. Making as little noise as possible, they continued forward into the darkness, ready for an attack from any direction. The command for the army to halt came once more. Anders’ heart beat so hard he thought it was going to come right out of his chest. Next came a rushing noise through the air, like wind blowing rapidly through the trees.
All of the commanders shouted in unison, “Shields up!” which cued everyone who was holding a shield to place it up over their heads. A blockade of wooden shields clashed together over their heads, nearly immediately followed by the sound of arrows thudding against them. Those who didn’t raise their shields soon enough suffered the consequences; the arrows pierced many of them. Some arrows made it through the gaps near Anders and Max, lodging firmly in the ground alongside their feet. Max looked at Anders wide-eyed and Anders back at him.
Now hundreds of footsteps rumbled the ground in the distance. Anders tried to see where they were coming from, but the night remained too black and he couldn’t see a thing.
“Archers!” Anders heard Jorgen command. Well trained, the army re-formed the shield wall once the arrows had stopped raining down on them. The Rollo archers behind Anders stood drawn and at the ready.
“Aim,” the command came loud and clear. The archers pointed the arrows up over the heads of their army. Anders waited eagerly for the command to fire. The thundering of footsteps grew louder. At last Anders could see where they were coming from. Orcs and kurr together, blades drawn, ran in an ugly mess toward them. The kurr stood taller than the orcs and resembled Thargon. Anders gulped hard as he heard the command to fire. In unison, the twanging of bowstrings followed. Arrows whizzed across the night sky toward their enemies. He watched as the first row of charging orcs and kurr dropped, riddled with arrows.
“Spears,” Red shouted. Those up in the front at the shield wall lowered their spears through the small gaps.
“Brace yourselves!” Ivan and Red shouted together as the wave of orcs and kurr came rushing at them head on.
The clash of flesh and steel on the wooden shields was deafening. Those at the front shouted as bodies came flying into them. Several warriors in the front lines were knocked over as the large kurr charged into them. Wherever the line broke, the warriors next in line quickly filled the gap, trapping whoever broke through into their ranks. Anders watched Red hack the head off a kurr who broke through, killing five of the men behind the wall.
On their captain’s command, the shield barriers would open slightly so a host of slashing and stabbing could be delivered at the orcs and kurr pushing against the shield wall. Ivan would command them to open the wall and let in several at a time. He would quickly dispatch them with his skilled swordsmanship. Others saw him doing this and began to follow suit.
Britt shouted at the members in her crew to open the wall and let some through. Anders and Max raised their swords. Five orcs came tumbling through the wall, which quickly closed behind them. Looking startled as they fell into the midst of their enemies, the orcs hesitated for a second. Both Anders and Max saw this and struck out at them. They quickly stabbed two of the orcs. Britt took care of another. The two remaining fought back. Anders blocked the wild swings of the orc. Ivan came down on him hard with his blade. Max and Britt together slew the fifth.
This strategy carried on for what seemed like nearly an hour. They pushed forward stepping over the dead bodies from both sides. Anders thought the battle was going well for them when he heard a thunderous voice calling the enemy to back away from the shield wall.
The warriors held their ground as the enemy stepped back almost in unison from the shield wall, leaving several yards of open space between them. Anders noticed Thargon, who rode his giant hound, the fairnheir. He waited for Ivan, Red or Jorgen to command them to charge, but none came. Instead they held their position.
Thargon ordered the orcs and kurr to surround them. It wasn’t until the enemy’s front lines backed off and began to circle them, that Anders saw the full scale of their opposition’s army. A sea of orc and kurr heads extended back into the darkness, their torches glowing as far as he could see. Anders felt sick at the overwhelming odds. There was no way they would be able to defeat such a force. Even if they had been able to keep up their shield wall strategy, pulling them in a handful at a time, there were just too many.
Red’s father barked orders for the archers to fire at will. They did as they were commanded and were able to knock down some of the enemy that surrounded them, but more just replaced them. Anders watched as the arrows shot toward Thargon. Any arrow that came close shattered to pieces and deflected away from him.
He has powerful magic, Anders thought. If only the elves were here; they could improve the odds greatly. He looked out to the darkened mountains behind them, but couldn’t see any elves.
Ivan turned to Red and shouted, “If we are to have any chance, we must break the wall and charge them head on. Cut the head off the snake and they will break. If we remain like sitting ducks any longer, they will squeeze us in on top of one another until we trample each other to death.”
Red looked around and saw his father give him a nod of approval; then he shouted so all could hear, “Shields down!” Those who made up the wall separated back into marching formation. “Draw your swords!” They drew their swords in unison. “CHARGE!” Red shouted, sounding half crazed.
Anders looked at Max and said, “Good luck,” then screamed and rushed forward.
He didn’t care for his own safety; he just knew that if he fought as hard as he could, perhaps they would make it out of this alive. He rushed alongside Ivan, Red, Max and Britt. They crashed into the awaiting arms of their enemy. Anders blocked blows and struck out at every orc and kurr to appear before him. He focused only on his blade and where it was going. Ivan stayed close to him and together they fought into the thick army ahead of them. Using the limited magic he could muster, Ivan was able to kill more of the orc and kurr than the other warriors. For now, it was working. Red, Max and Britt got pushed together and retaliated as best they could. Over the heads of orcs and kurr, Anders could see Thargon commanding his forces.
Anders slew an orc, yelling at the top of his lungs as he did so. He became so enraged when he saw Thargon that he began to push farther into the mass of orcs and kurr ahead of everyone else.
Ivan saw Anders making a push for Thargon and shouted to anyone who could hear him, “With me!”
Red and Jorgen were quick on Ivan’s heels and rushed toward Thargon. They sliced their way through the group of orcs and kurr that separated them and caught up to Anders. Being held up by a particularly difficult group of kurr, Ivan called to Thargon who was now no more than twenty yards away.
“Thargon!” he bellowed, making his voice heard over the clash of battle. This got Thargon’s attention and he turned to look at Ivan and the others who dispatched the remaining kurr they were fighting.
“Ivan,” Thargon replied, spitting on the ground at the sight of him. “I should have known you would be here.” He led his hound toward them and bound through his forces, not caring if they got out from under his fairnheir. The giant hound he rode toppled over orcs and kurr as he charged at Ivan.
Ivan muttered something under his breath as Thargon drew near. As the phrase left his lips, Ivan quickly pulled a dagger from his belt and threw it at Thargon. The blade flew straight as an arrow, glancing off Thargon’s invisible barrier, and striking his hound squarely in the head, and digging the blade hilt-deep into the fairnheir’s skull.
Thargon leapt off the beast as it crashed to the ground and landed at a dead sprint, seemingly unfazed by the death of his hound. He barreled into Ivan, tackling him to the ground. Having no time to react, Ivan was sent flying across the ground wrapped tightly in Thargon’s grasp. Anders ran to them and brought his sword down as hard as he could on Thargon’s body. Just before digging into Thargon’s back, the blade glanced off to the side striking the ground with great force. Anders was frustrated; how could he deliver a deathly blow if every time he tried to attack, Thargon’s magic succeeded in protecting him?
Thargon felt the attack and while keeping an arm firmly gripped on Ivan, dealt Anders a hard backhand blow that crashed into his ribs and sent him falling backward. Thargon rose to his feet, towering above Ivan, who lay unconscious. He turned to Anders and sniffed the air.
“You!” Thargon said in a dark and powerful voice. “It’s you. I can smell it.” He rushed at Anders, his axe held high above his head.
Just as he brought it down, Jorgen rammed into the giant kurr, knocking him to the ground. Anders clambered to his feet to see Thargon take Jorgen by the head and snap his neck violently. Red’s father, the respected leader of the Rollo people, fell lifeless to the ground. Anders heard Red’s cries from behind him. He’d gotten separated from them and was fighting a large group of orcs on his own.
Anders gripped his sword tightly as he faced the beastly Thargon head on. “You killed my uncle,” Anders said through his gritted teeth.
“I greatly enjoyed killing that puny, pathetic, shrimp of a human,” Thargon said coldly. An orc charged from behind Anders, attempting to kill him while his back was turned. Thargon stuck out his arm and swept it to the side, sending the orc flying in the other direction. Then he shouted to all those around them and pointed at Anders, “No one kills this one. He is mine.” Thargon bent down and picked up the axe he’d dropped when Jorgen tackled him.
Anders took the opportunity to charge the large kurr. Thargon blocked Anders’ sword and kicked him hard in the chest sending him flying backward again.
“My master wants me to keep you alive and bring you to him,” he said as he approached Anders. “I don’t see why he thinks you’re so special. You are pathetic and weak, just like your uncle. After I kill you I’ll tell my master you were slain by an orc and you were not the warrior he claims you to be.” With that Thargon raised his axe and swung it at Anders. Anders met the falling axe with his blade, knocking it to the side. The deflection saved him from being hacked in two, but the blow was delivered with so much force it shattered Anders’ sword in half.
Thargon raised his axe again. Anders reached for his dagger and threw it quickly and accurately at Thargon as he rolled away from the kurr’s attack. Just as he expected, however, the dagger was blocked by Thargon’s barrier and Anders was left with just his knife. Drawing it from the holster at the small of his back, Anders stood alone clutching the knife tightly in his hand. Thargon laughed and attacked Anders. He was able to dodge a few of Thargon’s swings, but the kurr swept his leg under Anders’ knocking him flat on his back. Anders watched helplessly as the axe came barreling down on him. He thought surely this was the end.
Suddenly, the axe stopped just before it split Anders’ chest in two. He looked at it frozen in mid-air, and then looked at the expression on Thargon’s face. Confused, he tried harder to force the axe down on Anders.
A deafening roar caught everyone’s attention. Anders saw a large pair of wings sail right over the top of him as a dragon landed on the ground next to them. Zahara.
Anders watched her thrash her body, clearing out all the orcs and kurr surrounding them. She whipped her deadly tail and gnashed her teeth, killing many orcs and kurr with ease. Thargon’s axe remained frozen near Anders’ face. He could see Thargon was struggling to move the axe or let go of it, but some invisible force kept him locked in the same place. Anders rolled out from under the axe and rushed to Zahara’s side. As he ran to her shouting her name in surprise and joy, she engulfed him with her expansive wings. Anders wrapped his arms around her neck feeling her warm embrace. Within the heavy cloak of Zahara’s wings, Anders found himself separated from the chaos around them. He was encapsulated within the safety of her grasp. As Zahara again lowered her wings, Anders could see the horde of the enemy army attempting to attack them and he became fearful once again. To his surprise, however, they were unable to strike. He and Zahara seemed to be held in a protective bubble where no harm could befall them.
Anders let go of Zahara’s neck and tried to pull away but something drew him back, forcing him to remain near the dragon. Without thinking he instinctively leaned his head toward hers. Placing his forehead against the large flat surface of Zahara’s brow he felt a calming sensation wash over him. Somehow, he knew they belonged with one another.
Anders closed his eyes and felt a surge of energy pass between them. An electric flow of energy more powerful than any of the other times he’d been with Zahara; it was unlike anything he’d ever felt in his life. For a moment the surge of energy scared him, but once it took hold of him, he put forth no resistance giving himself fully to the force consuming his body and mind. The exchange of energy flooded into him like a tidal wave and he felt Zahara’s spirit binding with his. Syncing their bond, their consciousness melded together as the raw energy of the magical force that bound all living things together coursed through their bodies. In that moment, Anders’ bond with Zahara heightened every sense to a new threshold. Their separate heartbeats syncing as one, every breath warm with the dragon’s fire; Anders knew his life was forever changed. Zahara’s gift was his to cherish for a lifetime.
With a blinding white flash, their foreheads pulled apart from each other and a shock wave rippled out from between them knocking over everyone around them.
“Did you just,” Anders asked her as he peered into her eyes. She nodded in response and he knew what had happened. Zahara had chosen him to be her bond, her other half, and by doing so gifted him with magic.
The shock wave broke the curse that had caused Thargon to be held motionless and Anders saw him charge at them out of the corner of his eye. Anders turned and called upon his new powers. A trembling energy within him began to boil upward, flowing through his body. He held out his arm, releasing the building energy inside him at the charging kurr. He watched as a jet of energy exploded out from his arm and sent Thargon spinning across the battlefield in the opposite direction.
Anders stepped forward and picked up the axe Thargon had wielded in attempt to kill him and ran, bounding after the kurr. Just as Thargon was rising to his feet, Anders pushed off his left foot, leaping through the air while raising the axe high above his head. As he descended, Anders brought the axe down hard on Thargon’s body. This time the axe passed right through Thargon’s invisible barrier, separating his head from the rest of his body. He watched as the lifeless kurr dropped to the ground in a limp pile.
Realizing that he’d managed to cut through Thargon’s magical barrier, Anders could not believe it; Thargon was finally dead. He turned to see Zahara chasing a large group of orcs and kurr. The orc and kurr army fell into disarray after watching their leader fall in battle. Anders heard the rallying cries of the men and women near him as they began to fight harder, driving the enemy forces back. Anders returned to the spot where Ivan had fallen and was surprised to see him standing. Knowing that Ivan was back on his feet again, Anders rushed back to Zahara who was now waiting for him.
“How did you do that?” he exclaimed.
She smiled, It just happened. I knew the moment you left that we were intended to be bonded. Anders couldn’t believe what had just happened. Climb on, she said, lowering her shoulder so he could scramble on top of her.
“Are you sure?” he asked. He never thought he’d have the opportunity to ride on the back of a dragon. He wasn’t sure if there was a formality to it or some kind of sacred dragon ceremony he must complete before he could climb atop her scaled back.
Anders, trust me. You and I are one now, and hurry up before an orc tries to shoot you with one of their arrows.
Slightly surprised by her informal approach in dealing with the situation, Anders did as she told him.
Anders placed his left hand on Zahara’s wing where it attached to her body and used his right hand to grip a hard scale on the leeward side of her back. He hoisted himself up onto her spine and positioned himself between her shoulder blades. He hooked his legs snuggly into the pits of her wings.
The moment he was situated, Zahara said, Hold on tightly.
Before Anders knew what had happened, she’d bent her knees and pushed up off the ground, flapping her powerful wings and climbing into the sky.
The force of taking off so suddenly pulled his upper body down hard and Anders would have fallen off, toppling forward had Zahara’s thick neck not stopped him. With his face pressed firmly against her tough scales, Anders could just see around her neck the masses of orcs and kurr below. Anders placed his hands on Zahara’s neck and pushed himself up, to a seated position. He’d ridden many horses and several ox, but nothing could have prepared him for this. Anders became aware that he could feel her wings beating against the early morning air as if he were working them. He looked to his shoulders to make sure his arms hadn’t turned into wings like hers. A sigh of relief came to him as he saw the familiar bulk leading down to his hands. Yet he couldn’t understand how he felt her body as if it were his. He could feel her tail swaying to balance herself in the air. Experiencing their bonded connection for the first time, it surpassed anything he’d ever thought possible.
Zahara, I can feel your body as if I were the one flying, Anders said as they flew over the battle.
It’s our bond. You can now feel what I’m experiencing and thinking.
Whoa, that’s amazing! Anders exclaimed.
We’re connected in a way no other animals can experience; we are bonded.
Anders clung to Zahara as they soared through the air. The morning sun was just beginning to emerge in the east as they leveled out high over the valley. Anders could see the entirety of the battlefield now. Dismembered and mangled bodies lay thickly scattered along the grass, leaving a trail of blood and horror from the battle’s starting point. The orc and kurr army had outnumbered their band of Rollo Island warriors and stragglers by three to one. Anders gawked at the size of the enemy’s forces. He watched as the Rollo warriors advanced further into the enemy’s ranks.
Zahara, the orcs are retreating! Anders exclaimed through their connected minds. And look, Anders pointed. The Elves have arrived! Nadir found them!
The mass of the elf army swept in from the northern reaches of the valley forcing the orc and kurr forces to retreat.
I came with the elves from Cedarbridge, Zahara told him. When Nadir sent for the elf army, I knew I must to come to your side.
Why did it take you all so long to get here? Nadir said the elves would meet us before we marched.
Merglan headed us off before we reached the mountains. He somehow knew we were coming and attacked us on his dragon, she said.
How did you escape him?
Two other dragons and their riders accompanied us. They knew I needed to reach you, so they distracted him while I escaped.
I can see the elves made it past him, but I don’t see the dragons, Anders said.
They might have led him away from here in their attempts to distract him.
Why would Merglan let himself be led away so easily?
I’m not sure. All I know for sure is that the riders were with us when I escaped and now the elves have made it past him. I would bet they somehow convinced Merglan to follow them.
Anders noticed Zahara had begun to fly south, away from the battle and toward Merglan’s fortress. Shouldn’t we go back and help them win the battle? Ivan, Red, Max and Britt might need our help.
Now that the elves have arrived, we’ll have no trouble winning the battle. There is something else we need to do, that I must do for you, she said while flying toward the fortress.
Anders tightened the grip of his legs around her as she surged faster. All he could do was trust that Zahara knew what she was doing.
Approaching the fortress, Anders could begin to see over the massive walls that loomed over the dark fortress. Somehow the tall towers climbing toward the sky seemed hollow and empty. He sensed an absence from the stone buildings and at the same time a familiar warmth that he hadn’t experienced since he left Grandwood.
Zahara flew over the walls of the fortress and they could see groups of people huddled together.
The prisoners taken from Grandwood, Anders thought.
Your family is here, Zahara said. Through the heightened connection of their bond, she felt his hopes of finding his cousins alive. I must repay you the favor you did for me, but first we need to rid this place of the evil people who’ve kept these innocent people enslaved here.
Anders understood her exactly. They dove down together at the few armed guards who’d stayed behind to keep the prisoners in line. Zahara streamed into the fortress coming down on the prison guards with hell’s fury on her wingtips. She loosed a deafening roar as she chased the fleeing guards. Protracting her large talons she skewered Merglan’s men as she turned back toward the sky.
Anders hesitated for a moment, just trying to hold onto Zahara as she darted through the fortress. Realizing he too could be useful from her back, Anders called on the new magic running within him. Focusing on one guard at a time, Anders targeted them, snapping their necks and bringing them to a swift death. It didn’t take long before the prisoners within the fortress joined in the fighting. The prisoners now outnumbered the guards. Seeing that they had help, the prisoners began a full-scale uprising within a matter of minutes.
Anders watched as unarmed men and women rushed armor-plated guards with swords in their hands. Their bravery was devoid of reason as they bombarded the armed men. Several men and women sacrificed themselves so others could overtake the guards.
Zahara landed lightly in the middle of the courtyard. Climbing off, Anders began searching through those who rushed past him. He shouted his cousins’ names but was met with the blank stares of people he didn’t recognize. Panic began to set in. Had Kirsten and Thomas been killed on the journey to the fortress? At least a month had passed since he’d seen them and he had no way of knowing if they’d made it there alive.
Finally, he saw a familiar face, Bo. Max’s younger brother waved him down. Anders forced his way past a host of prisoners rushing past him toward the fortress gates.
“Bo! You’re okay!” Anders exclaimed. “Where are my cousins, Thomas and Kirsten?”
“As of yesterday they’d were assigned to mining duty,” Bo pointed a grimy finger toward the pit that lay just beyond the courtyard.
“Are they there now?” he asked.
Bo shrugged, “Could be anywhere. Once everyone realized you weren’t Merglan returning, all hell’s broken loose. Anders, where’s Max? Did he make it home to Brookside?”
Anders realized Bo had no knowledge of what had happened to his brother since the attack on Grandwood. “Yeah. He’s with the Rollo warriors now. We marched on the fortress and, with the help of the elves, pushed Merglan’s forces back.”
Bo smiled from ear to ear, “I knew Max would come for me.”
“Yes, he has. And now I must find my family.” Anders nodded his thanks to Bo and called for Zahara.
He climbed onto Zahara’s back once more and they swooped over to the far side of the pit. Anders strained his eyes as he scanned the terraced slopes. Each terrace had dark shafts that tunneled down, deep into the slope. Anders heart leapt when he spotted them.
Kirsten cracked a bullwhip as she chased down a guard. Anders grinned at the tenacity of his younger cousin. Thomas and Maija had just finished running off another guard, kicking him in the rear as he stumbled away. Anders steered Zahara and they flew in low over their heads. Kirsten cracked one more whip of the bullwhip on the guard’s behind before seeing Anders on the back of a dragon. She halted her pursuit and dropped the whip.
Zahara banked around, coming to land lightly along the terraced slope. Anders could see the bulging eyes and dropped jaws of Maija and his cousins as he dismounted Zahara. He realized she would be a shock to them, but he was beginning to think they might be dreadfully intimidated by her presence. He held the wide grin on his face and after several moments, Anders saw the joy of their long-awaited reunion grow on their faces.
Kirsten shrieked with glee and led the charge as Thomas and Maija followed her in a run to greet him. Anders met them with open arms, beaming as he held them tightly in a group hug. Tears of joy streaming down all of their faces, even Zahara became emotional and Anders could sense her happiness toward them.
Wiping away the tears with the back of her grimy hand, Kirsten sniffled, “I knew you’d come for us, I knew it.”
“We’ve missed you terribly,” Maija’s glossy brown eyes fluttered at seeing Anders again.
“I have so many questions, too many to comprehend right now,” Thomas added with a nervous laugh, one of relief after so many tribulations.
Anders sniffled and gave them a broad smile. “I’ll explain it all later.” He wiped his nose with the sleeve of his leather cuff and attempted to straighten his face into a more serious expression, “Well, lets get you out of this place.”
“Anders, wait. There’s powerful magic imbued into the walls of this fortress. Even the gates are enchanted,” Kirsten warned him.
Anders grinned, “Don’t worry; Zahara and I can get you out of here.”
“You’d better hurry. Merglan left a while ago and could return any minute,” Kirsten said.
Nodding, Anders returned to Zahara’s side and climbed onto her back. She leapt off the flat step and opened her wings to their full expanse. She soared effortlessly out over the people gathering in the courtyard, gliding toward the fortress’ main gate.
Kirsten, Thomas and Maija stood still, jaws hanging open while gazing at the sight of someone they knew sitting atop a real dragon. After a moment of bewilderment, they began to make their way to the courtyard.
Once at the main gate, Anders and Zahara worked to break the spell that held Anders’ cousins within the fortress walls. They drew on the force of energy that flowed within them and tried to focus it on breaking down the tall iron gates. Anders couldn’t quite hold his grip on the amount of energy they were producing. Each time he attempted to channel it on the gate’s hinges or lock, he’d become overwhelmed by the power surging through them. When he tried to lessen the force of magic he drew on, the spell Merglan placed on the gates remained too strong for them to break.
The magic on these gates is too strong for us to break alone, Anders said. We need help if we’re going to bring them down.
We’d better hurry in case Merglan returns, Zahara agreed.
Before leaving again, Anders found Kirsten, Thomas and Maija amidst the crowd gathering near the gate.
“This magic is too powerful for us to undo alone. Zahara and I are going to get help from Ivan, he’s an old rider who might be able to help us.” Anders looked sorrowfully at them and continued, “I’m sorry. I wish we were stronger, but our powers are new and I’m not trained in how to use them properly. We’ll be right back, okay?”
Thomas, Kirsten and Maija nodded understandingly.
“Hurry back,” Kirsten called to him as he bid them farewell and saddled Zahara’s neck.
“I will, I promise,” he called back as Zahara took flight once more exiting over the fortress walls.
By the time Anders and Zahara returned to the battlefield, it was over. The elves and Rollo warriors had made sure the enemy’s armies were no longer a threat by forcing their retreat. Anders could see the last of the orcs and kurr running away across the valley as they flew in for a landing. The host of the Rollo warriors cheered victoriously when Anders and Zahara returned to them.
“Ivan, Nadir,” Anders said as he ran to them and hugged them tightly; happy to see they were alive. “We need your help. My cousins and many others are locked in the fortress. The magic binding the gates is too powerful for us on our own.”
Ivan understood the haste required by the situation. Combining his dwindling magical abilities with their untrained energy, they might be able to break down the gates to free the trapped prisoners inside.
“Zahara, can you carry us both?” Anders asked out loud so Ivan could hear.
Of course I can. I’m not a weakling, she replied.
“Okay, I just wanted to make sure,” Anders said. I’m new to this and didn’t know if you’d be offended by letting Ivan ride you as well, he said to her with his mind again.
I appreciate you asking, but in this time of urgency I don’t need to toil on proper customs and all that nonsense.
Anders led as he and Ivan hoisted themselves onto Zahara and she returned to the sky. Within short order, Zahara was landing just outside the main gates to the fortress.
“You and Zahara try to focus your energy as best you can. Summon all you are able and I’ll help you to control it,” Ivan told them once in front of the gate.
Anders and Zahara drew on their powers and the well of magical energy within them bubbled to the surface before they let the full store of magic loose. Anders couldn’t control it, it came from his mind in wild flashes, but suddenly, he could feel Ivan’s presence. Like standing in the eye of a hurricane, Anders suddenly felt the calming sense of control he’d been lacking. Ivan allowed them the control they needed to focus on bringing down the gates. The three of them pried open the lock that held the two iron gates in the center. With a slow creak they began to open. The crack turned into a gap, and then a wide space. Then suddenly the spell holding them broke and the gates rocked open, slamming into the dark stone walls of the fortress.
By the time the gates fell, both human and elf armies had gathered outside the fortress. The newly freed prisoners rushed out as soon as the gates opened. Anders watched as Rolloan families began to reunite all around them.
Anders scanned the faces of the freed prisoners as they flooded out from the fortress. Anders’ eye caught a familiar face and watched as Bo saw his older brother for the first time since being taken captive. His gangly, dark-haired friend ran to Bo and hugged him tightly. It gave Anders great satisfaction to witness the two brothers reunite after the long struggle to free those taken captive from Grandwoods shores.
Pulling himself away from his brother’s grip and holding him at arm’s length, Anders overheard Max say through tears of joy, “You smell like crap. Have you been locked in a prison cell for the last month or something?”
Anders burst out laughing at the insensitive joke he’d grown to expect from his dark-haired friend. At that moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of pride.
As he chuckled off Max’s insensitive joke, Anders saw Kirsten and Thomas come running out through the gates with the crowd. He shouted their names and ran to meet them. With their second reunion, Anders composed himself. He laughed and hugged his cousins again.
“I can’t believe this is happening,” he said, as he looked them over.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, I thought it would never come,” Thomas said.
Getting a second look at them, Anders became more aware of Kirsten and Thomas’ ragged appearance. Their clothes were haggard and worn. Their skin bruised and scabbed from weeks of rough treatment.
Kirsten must have noticed Anders’ stare at their wounds and asked, “How did you manage to find us?”
“If it weren’t for Ivan’s help, I wouldn’t have had a chance of finding you,” Anders motioned to Ivan who stood near Zahara’s side.
“I’ll need to thank him for helping you,” Kirsten said.
“And Zahara,” Anders added.
“That’s your dragon?” Thomas asked.
Anders nodded and looked over to Zahara, “She’s a lot more than just a dragon. She’s family.” He knew Thomas and Kirsten wouldn’t understand what he meant by it, but soon he’d explain everything. Before he could, though, there was another person who he’d been longing to see and talk to. Anders had noticed that Maija was standing awkwardly behind them, unsure if she should interrupt their family moment. He excused himself from his cousins and jogged the short way to where she stood. Coming near, Anders wrapped his arms around her and she gladly held his embrace.
After a long moment of holding each other tightly, Maija said, “Well Anders, it would seem that I am, once again, in your debt.”
He smiled, “That may be, but I think there is still one more thing I must repay you with.”
“Really. And what might that be?” Maija asked playfully.
“This…” Anders leaned in close to Maija. Her full lips locked with his and for a moment, he forgot all about the war, the magic, and the hardships he’d endured to get there. It was just the two of them, kissing beneath the morning sun.
A combined group of cheers and whistles brought them back to reality. He turned to see Thomas, Kirsten, Max, Bo, and Ivan all shouting for them. Even Zahara was roaring loudly to join in the cheering. He felt his cheeks burn and saw Maija was blushing too. The two held each other close; one arm wrapped around one another as they joined in with the group of friends and family.
Anders watched as everyone around them hugged and smiled, happy to be reunited with one another. As he looked at the familiar faces surrounding him, he knew everyone in the world who he cared about was right in front of him, and he was happy. Though the threat of Merglan’s return still loomed over their heads, Anders didn’t allow it to bother him for the moment. He looked to see Ivan place a gentle hand on Zahara’s neck and give a meaningful nod to Nadir, the elf prince. The look he gave Nadir told him that Anders and Zahara had fulfilled the prophecy Merglan had been attempting to prevent; at least for now.