Omnixius
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5-35 I am Ulustrahs wrath
🕑 Added 2020-10-04 21:17:05 +0000 UTC
Gersius was tired of planning meetings, but he was using them to play his strategy. He went out of his way to invite Yarvine to any meeting that would be full of boring reports or predictions. He even went to some length to include her, asking her opinion on decisions and bogging her down in minute details of logistics.
She argued many points, but he was beginning to build a picture of her plans. She wasn't after control of the army at all; she was trying to delay it. The battle for overall leadership was just a distraction, something to use to keep him distracted. He tried his best to watch her aura, but it never betrayed anything but annoyance. She was civil most of the time but stressed again and again that she was the highest-ranking member of Ulustrah's order. She should be leading the women of the camp, and Thayle should answer to her.
Gersius took a diplomatic approach, pointing out that Thayle had to appear to be in charge. When the bloodshed started, her commands needed to be followed swiftly and without looking to Yarvine for verification. He used examples of his own campaigns where the delay of command cost lives. Surely she wouldn't risk the lives of her order just to appear in charge?
To her credit, Yarvine seemed to agree, but then pushed that Thayle was very inexperienced. She wanted Chiune to take command of the forced. Again Gersius held his tongue and stressed that Thayle had been before Ulustrah herself and set on this path. She had even been given Ulustrah's holy weapon as a symbol of the goddess's approval. Yarvine's eyes narrowed, and her aura wavered with deep purples. He wasn't familiar with this reaction and wished he had Thayle to explain it.
Yarvine then did something he hadn't expected. She demanded the sword be kept in Ulustrah's camp, not his private quarters. She argued the blade belonged to the whole order, not one single person. This almost became a point of contention when Gersius flatly refused, pointing out that Thayle routinely displayed the sword and its power to the camp. When Yarvine pressed that such displays were not good enough, he tried another strategy. He suggested Ulustrah wanted Thayle to have the sword, and so she did. To give it up would be an insult to Ulustrah, by suggesting her choice of carrier wasn't worthy.
It was a clever ruse and one that left Yarvine no room to argue. She still wanted to see the sword, and Gersius told her he would arrange for Thayle to show her. This, of course, led to the question of where Thayle was. Gersius knew how the aura's worked, so he chose his words carefully. He explained that Thayle was working with some women to prepare for the march on Calathen. She wanted to make sure they would be ready when the time came. It was the truth after all and didn't hint that Thayle was out of the camp. He had also wisely chosen not to include Lilly in many of the meetings so he could point to her absence. He cited that both women had a great many responsibilities and were often very busy.
A dozen meetings later and Yarvine was starting to grow tired of them. She had little impact on decisions, and Gersius discovered that asking her for needed information agitated her. When he asked if the first company could be broken into smaller units, she told him to ask Chiune instead. When he pressed her on the requirements of prayer services, and if she could lead them, she nearly became hostile. She reminded him that she was a prime, not a temple priestess. She tried to turn the tables by saying Thayle should have arranged all that already. Gersius pointed out that she had, but since a prime was present, they could use that further improve morale.
Sarah stood with him for every meeting she could. Offering advice and helping him face Yarvine. She played the role of being hostile, so Gersius could appear as the mediator, showing his intention to work with Yarvine. It worked perfectly, and Sarah played her role with skill, mostly because she was hostile. She questioned him after every confrontation asking why he tolerated her. He assured her that this was a game. He needed to keep the peace until Thayle was back, and then he could do something about Yarvine. Sarah wanted to know what he had planned, and he confided in her that he suspected Yarvine was untrue. He explained the magical protections on Yarvine's wagon. He then explained how she kept a scryer hidden there and had more bodyguards than she admitted. Sarah took all this to mean the woman was keeping secrets that could only mean trouble. He agreed, and they spent nearly a day discussing ways to keep the woman busy. If Yarvine had a slew of problems to solve, she wouldn't have time to make any. He requested Yarvine arrange demonstrations of the wall crossing maneuver Chiune used. She, of course, asked why Thayle couldn't arrange it. He explained Thayle was busy on another more important task.
Sarah and Numidel sat with him and Lilly for meals, discussing the problems, and offering solutions. Lilly enjoyed every minute of it, often sending him silent encouragement to share with Sarah. Numidel seemed to be suggesting the same, as he smiled beside Sarah and encouraged her. Gersius saw the light as well, flowing in great torrents to he and Lilly. Lilly even tried to play with them at one point, waving a hand in the air to brush them around. Sarah asked what she was doing, but Lilly smiled and leaned into him and told her nothing.
None of them slept, and he spent the night with Sarah at a forge. She worked on sharpening the falcon sword, while he continued the manufacture of armor for Lilly's army of Balisha. Sarah was rather impressed that Lilly had a small combat-ready force. She was having slow progress with the women of Astikar and lamented that many had doubts. Gersius understood her struggle. The name of Astikar was linked to so many terrible things done to women. While some could logically see passed it and begin his worship, there would be doubts in their hearts. These would hinder their growth tremendously, as faith was a matter of conviction, with no room for doubt.
They spent the night talking and sharing, and she smiled whenever she caught him looking at her. He began to wonder why he hesitated? Sarah was a wonderful woman. What had he seen that caused him to stay his hand? Surely the divines had sent him visions about her and her place in the family he shared with Lilly and Thayle. As the red-haired beauty sharpened a blade using a stone, he wanted to ask her right there. If Thayle were at his side, he would take Sarah that very night, but she was away. Thankfully Lilly had already left to reclaim her, flying early into the night anxious to recover their missing wife. He wanted her back as well. Having Thayle away was like a part of him missing, and he longed to have his arms around her. He told Lilly to tell Thayle she had been away too long, and he needed her at his side.
Unfortunately, there still wasn't a reply to the message about Yarvine. He pressed Jaylis to send it again and request an immediate answer. One way or another, he was going to hear from the other primes about what was to be done with Yarvine. He hoped they would insist she be sent on to Eastgate, or at the very least, provide some clarification as to who was truly in charge. He hoped to send Lilly with word of the answer, but there was nothing he could do. Thayle would have to deal with it when she returned, and hopefully, the new request would be answered.
When morning came, Sarah was no longer sharpening her sword. Instead, she was helping him at the forge to craft the armor. She liked his design and the use of thin plates and scales. She was rather fond of light, highly mobile units over slow, heavy formations. She explained that in the old war, slow formations were easy prey for attacking dragons. She said the sound of their screams was deafening.
He dismissed the image of men cooking in their heavy armor as a red dragon drenched them in flame. He didn't like the idea of anyone suffering such a horrible death, even his enemies. As the sun rose over the camp, the men of Astikar began to chant, and Sarah wanted to join them. Gersius took this opportunity to go with her and chant as well, thanking the god for putting him on this path and forgiving him for the pain it caused. Sarah was deeply touched by that and readily accepted his company. The two walked side by side, smiling as their escorts followed along, both wishing for Lilly and Thayle to return.
Thayle prayed before the green basin as the morning’s light crept over the rooftops. Today was the day Lilly would arrive, and one way or another, Alayse was going to see reason. If Lilly wasn't enough to make her understand, she would have to call on Ulustrah. She hated the thought of Alayse being punished like Rachel and wondered if she would use a vial of blessed water to restore her. Was Alayse and her stubborn anger worth another tear? She had no qualms about accepting another for the right reasons, but Alayse knew the truth and was ignoring it. Perhaps she wasn't fit to lead the second company, and punishment was deserved. Another thought along that line was Yarvine. If the woman insisted on challenging her and Gersius for leadership, Thayle would have to face her. If push came to shove, she would call on Ulustrah to settle it. Though it wounded her heart to battle a prime of her order publicly, leadership had to be established. Even if she won, there would be women who were insulted that a prime was brought low. The very fact that Ulustrah chose the primes meant they were infallible. Any attack on a prime would be seen as an attack on Ulustrah herself. What Thayle needed to do was convince the new women that she too had been chosen. Her role was as champion put her above the primes and hence Yarvines authority.
“Excuse me, priestess,” came a soft voice that caused Thayle to look up from her meditations. She saw the face of the young woman who had asked her why she wore a dress in time of war. The woman had begged for forgiveness when Thayle recounted how many battles against Astikar she had already fought. Now she faced Thayle, who wore the dragon knight armor, and marveled at its impressiveness.
“Yes, child of Ulustrah?” she replied with a smooth voice.
“I heard that you were waiting for word of the messengers,” the woman began. “We just received a report that they are a few miles outside the city. They should be here soon.”
“Thank the goddess,” Thayle sighed. Maybe this whole mess was about to be resolved peacefully without a dragon to force the issue. “What made you decide to tell me?” she asked.
The woman smiled and dared to step closer. “I saw the truth in your aura, and some of the others are whispering that you’re Ulustrah's champion. Alayse says you're making it up and hiding the truth somehow, but her aura looks false when she says that.”
“That’s because she is afraid of the truth,” Thayle said with a toss of her hair. “But she is a good leader with a heart for Ulustrah, and we all are afraid of the truth sometimes.” The woman smiled and went to say something as a bell began to ring.
“Oh no,” the woman gasped and ran to the railing.
“What is that?” Thayle asked as the woman looked down into the yard.
“All sisters to the yard!” a voice shouted from below. “Our messengers are under attack!”
“I have to go,” the woman said and ran for the doorway as Thayle looked down from above. Alayse burst into the yard and started barking orders, quickly gathering up the bulk of the women to lead them out. Thayle was shocked by the number she was gathering and immediately saw the danger.
“Alayse, what are you doing?” Thayle shouted from the third floor, drawing the woman's attention.
“You keep quiet!” Alayse shouted back. “I am doing what you were always too afraid to do, riding out to meet the enemy.”
“Your first responsibility is to this temple,” Thayle shouted back as Alayse waved her off and continued ordering the women to assemble. “You can’t ignore me!” Thayle shouted in anger as Alayse did just that.
Thayle realized it was the desert all over again, with Alayse rushing out to find battle while Thayle stayed behind to protect the temple. She watched in amazement as Alayse stripped the walls of women, leaving behind only a token force. She then marched three hundred women into the streets, vanishing out of sight.
“Seal and guard the gate,” a sharp voice yelled from below.
Thayle looked down to see a woman she didn’t know giving commands to the twenty or so women left behind to guard the most precious temple in Ulustrah’s order. The woman left only four to watch the gate and spread the rest along the walls. She was dividing up the women she had so that somebody was watching every approach. The few women were spread so thin they could easily be overwhelmed by a concentrated attack.
“You there!” Thayle yelled to the woman giving orders. “You are spreading them too thin! You should seal the gate and retreat the temple entrance where you can concentrate them all.”
The woman looked up with a frown on her face and folded her arms. “I have been ordered to ignore anything you say. If you make a nuisance of yourself, I will put you in a cell.”
“At least send word to the temple guards on the city walls and have some of their numbers brought back to protect the temple,” Thayle argued.
“Do not pester me again,” the woman replied and waved her off, returning to her duties.
Thayle silently wished for Lilly to arrive this instant and see how brave these few women were. She could feel Lilly more strongly now, coming closer with each passing moment. She was still too far to help now, and Thayle's worry began to eat away at her. Gersius described a situation like this before, draw the main force away and then attack the real target, the enemy's camp. It was possible this was just such a maneuver, and soon an attack on the temple would commence. She knew the target would be the emerald bowl of Ulustrah and steadied herself. She would stand here and guard the bowl against anyone foolish enough to enter this sacred space.
As the minutes ticked by, nothing happened, and for a moment, she wondered if she was worried over nothing. Then a rider in green rode to the gate and said something to the women on the wall. One of the guards ran from the wall and headed into the temple to find her captain. Thayle watched as the captain came to the gate to speak with the rider. The two exchanged animated words, and the rider saluted and rode off.
“What did that rider say?” Thayle called down.
“None of your concern,” the captain called up.
Thayle struggled to contain her anger as she glared down from above. “Sister, if you force me to come down there and beat the answer from your hide, I will. Now, what did the rider say?”
“Our forces were ambushed outside the city, Alayse is batteling a large force of priests of Astikar,” the woman replied in a dark tone. “Some of the temple guards are returning to the temple just in case. Are you satisfied?”
“You can drop the bile in your words,” Thayle said. “When this is over, you will regret speaking to me this way.”
The woman waved her off again and gave orders to open the gate when the temple guard arrived. Thayle waited anxiously until a dozen men and women in the green of Ulustrah appeared in the street. They marched for the gates in perfect formation, but something seemed off. She looked over the line of advancing soldiers to realize that more than half their number were men.
“Bar the gate!” Thayle yelled from above as the women below looked up, confused. “By the power of the Goddess, I command you to seal that gate and deny them entry!”
“I told you to be quiet!” the captain yelled from below as she stormed out of the temple. Everything seemed to move slowly as the first hammers of Astikar swept women from the walls. The open gates were rushed, and before anyone knew what was happening, they were spilling into the yard. Thayle saw the captain draw her sword, but she took a hammer to the chest a second later. Women screamed as they were overrun by superior numbers; their lines spread too far.
“Fall back into the temple!” Thayle shouted. “Bar the inner doors! Use your vines to choke the yard!” She ducked back as a hammer of Astikar shattered the rim of the balcony and pelted her with a hail of stones. She dared a look over the railing to see priests in the full colors of Astikar pouring in behind the disguised soldiers. A quick count showed at least fifty, and a good ten dead women in the yard. Half the temples guard was already defeated and on the run. She gripped her sword as the screaming went on below and prayed enough of them would reach the temple doors to mount a defense. She briefly considered racing down to aid them, but there was no guard at the bowl. As more cries for help rose from below, she gritted her teeth and ran, hoping to save somebody.
It took her a full minute to run down the halls and stairs to the lower level, where she found women trying valiantly to hold the temple doors, but there were only six of them left. One of the doors was broken but had thankfully fallen sideways and remained a barrier. Women used vines to brace it in place and prevent the doors from being thrown wide as they shook from impacts.
“Get away from the doors!” Thayle shouted as she arrived in the temple. She drew her sword and focused on a prayer before plunging the point into the temple floor. Vines sprouted around her blade, cracking the stone as they leaped and raced for the doors. Women fell away as the vines pressed into the wood and swelled, sealing the entrance completely.
“How did you do that?” a bleeding woman asked.
Thayle ran to the woman and put a hand to the gash on her arm, singing a tune and melting the injury away in a moment. “I did that because I am Ulustrah’s champion,” Thayle replied. “And I am loved by a dragon.” The women looked confused as thumping echoed in the chamber.
“What are they doing?” A woman asked as she backed away.”
“Throwing hammers against the outer wall in frustration,” Thayle replied and looked about. “We need to get word to the temple guards on the city walls, and then to Alayse.”
“We are trapped in the temple,” a frightened woman with short blond hair said. “And they are much better soldiers than we are.”
“There must be a way to get one of you out,” Thayle insisted as the hammering continued.
“There is a way,” one of the women volunteered. “Alayse had a tunnel made to connect the temple to a house behind us.”
Thayle wanted to kiss the woman, but the hammering reminded her of the danger. “Do you know where this tunnel is?”
“I do,” the woman said with panicked eyes.
“Go, get to the walls, and tell our temple guards the enemy is inside the temple. Ask the city guard to send a rider after Alayse with the same message, tell her the temple is nearly lost.” The woman nodded and ran as the walls shook, throwing dust into the air.
“We should all go,” another said. “Get out before they come in and kill us.”
“Stand your ground, child,” Thayle sighed as she considered her position. The temple was too large a space to mount a defense. With only five women, she could not hope to fight here. She needed to funnel the enemy into a narrow passage where no more than three could fight. She realized the only logical place was the stairwell to the third floor and the emerald basin.
“We can't fight them here, all of you with me,” Thayle said and led them deeper into the temple. She divided them into two ranks with three in front and three at the rear. She instructed the three in back to use their warding shields to catch hammers, while the three in front fought. Any woman who was injured was to fall back and heal herself before joining the battle again. She gathered them at the very top of the stairs and waited, standing in the front row to make her last stand. Minutes later, there was a sound of crashing doors, and curses echoed in the halls.
“They are inside!” a woman cried.
“Be calm,” Thayle urged. “Our sister escaped many minutes ago. She is likely already warning the guards on the walls.”
“But what if they captured her?” the woman said as her hands started to shake. “What will those men do if they capture us?”
Thayle didn't want to think of it and tightened her grasp on her blade. “All of you listen to me. We stand and fight as one. All we have to do is delay the enemy as long as we can. Our guards will arrive and even the fight, then Alayse will wipe them out.”
Women nodded, but it did little to soothe nerves as the calling voices got louder. Thayle readied herself as footsteps echoed on the floor below. When the first man appeared on the stairwell, he smiled to see them and then threw his hand, sending a hammer flying. Thayle didn't blink as a green shield formed, and the two exploded in a hail of orange and green fragments. He drew a spear and raced up the stairs as three more fell in behind him.
Thayle saw the red raven’s head on his shoulder and the wicked grin he carried up at them. She waited motionless until he was nearly to her when green chains wrapped around him. Thayle smiled back and stabbed as he looked on in anger before her blade cut through his throat. Blood was spilled, and his body rolled down the stairs as his comrades struggled to cross over him.
“Use the chains,” Thayle said with no emotion in her voice. “Slaughter them if they try to press the stairs.”
The next two met the same fate, the chains holding them fast as the women cut them down. The third man got into range, attacking with a strange hooked blade. Thayle and her two women met him as one, and he quickly discovered he was no match for three. He rolled the steps to join the others as even more arrived below. There was a loud cry of alarm from outside, followed by shouting, and Thayle wanted to cry. The temple guard was arriving, and the enemy would not be able to focus everything on them. It also meant that word was going to Alayse that she had been tricked.
“Hold here!” Thayle shouted as two women appeared below and fired crossbows. One was caught in a shield, but the other bounced off her armor. The two women then darted to the side as five others rushed the steps with tower shields raised. Thayle lifted a hand and began to chant, raising a green shield of her own, one large enough to fill the whole passage. The man slammed into the shield and fought to push through as the women looked on in awe.
“How is she maintaining a shield so large?” a woman gasped.
“She really is Ulustrah’s champion,” another added.
Thayle held her hand aloft and felt the power flowing through her body. She opened her soul wide to Ulustrah and suddenly felt Lilly. A great swell of power filled her, and she shoved the shield throwing the men back to tumble down the stairs. She lost control of herself and ran down after them, sword raised in a battle cry. She took the stumbling soldiers below completely by surprise, cutting two of them down before they regained their feet. A third she met in a short sword duel, but Gersius's training paid off, and he fell before her blade. Two of them tried to corner her, but green chains from above tangled one, and Thayle wasted not moment. He bled as she turned on the last man, his eyes fixed on her with hatred. He raised a curved sword like her own, and they met in the dance. Slashes and cuts were matched by deflecting blows or simply avoided as the two looked evenly matched. She noticed that this man's armor didn't have any ravens on it. Instead, it had a black moon on a dark blue diamond. She recognized the ancient seal of the assassins, as a crossbow bolt deflected off her armor again. A quick glance showed the two women were hiding in a doorway to a nearby room, one reloading while the other aimed.
Thayle rolled away as a bolt fired and raced over her back. She came to her feet and met the man in the center of the room. He laughed and tried to use his strength to overpower her. However, she was still drenched in the power that flowed from Lilly and, with it, dragon strength. She easily held him at bay and threw him back just in time to see two of the women from above join the fight. With three on him now, he lasted only a few moments more. Thayle then turned her attention to the two women who ran for the window and jumped from the third floor.
Thayle looked out the window to see both women rapidly descending on thin ropes anchored to the windowsill by hooks. Below them was a courtyard filled with death as temple guards flooded the streets and fought their way into the courtyard. She also realized that most of the men in the attack were either assassins or mercenaries. Very few of them were raven guard.
“What do we do?” a woman behind her asked, drawing her attention back to the immediate situation.
“Get back to the stairs,” Thayle said. “The temple guard is here. We need to hold on a little longer.”
“The room is clear, maybe we should go down and help,” the woman argued.
“No, we stand and protect the emerald basin,” Thayle ordered. “Nothing is more important.”
The women nodded, and Thayle ushered them back to the blood-soaked steps. The women at the top were relieved to see them all return as Thayle stood in front with her weapon dripping of blood.
“Where did the others go?” one of them said. “There were a lot more than this.”
“Many of them are fighting in the yard,” Thayle replied.
“But there were still more than enough to fill the upper halls,” the woman insisted.
Thayle hated to admit it, but the woman was right. The small number that arrived at the stairs seemed under strength. Surely there were twenty more someplace inside. She tried to reason that maybe they were searching the temple for the emerald bowl, but that was silly. It was public knowledge where it was, and visitors were often welcome to see it. It would have been easy to get instructions on how to navigate the temple and reach it. This meant that those missing soldiers were someplace else, or found another route. She looked over her shoulder down the long hall to the doors and felt a sudden sense of alarm.
“Stay here,” Thayle commanded. “Don’t move from this spot until the temple guards relieve you.” She turned and ran a few steps down the hall as one of the women called after her.
“Where are you going?”
“To check on the emerald bowl,” Thayle cried back and broke into a full run. Her mind began to work on ways the enemy could have reached the bowl without her knowing. This was the only hallway to the front chambers before the balcony and the only way in. The could have gone to the higher floors, but what good what that do? Then she remembered the hooks and ropes the women used to escape. An enemy could have dropped from the levels above and be defacing the bowl at this very moment!
Thoughts of having to report the holiest relic of the goddess destroyed haunted her mind. What would it say about her right to lead If she failed to protect the bowl? Yarvine would use it as a war cry to say she was unfit to command, and chaos would dominate the camp. Alayse would use it against her as well, adding more reasons to hate her to the list. Her feet picked up speed as she ran for the doors, praying it wasn't already too late.
She threw them open and immediately saw a rope as a dark form moved on the other side of the bowl.
Thayle raced across the courtyard as a priest in black armor raised a great hammer that took two hands to wield. He held it high, determined to shatter the hold relic as she ran, throwing herself into him, causing his blow to miss.
“Ulustrain bitch!” The man called out, swinging the hammer wild as he stumbled to the side. Thayle had to dash away, or the hammer would have caved in her head. Now she stood panting as she faced a man in the dark armor of the raven guard.
He was easily a foot taller, with long golden hair that hung to his shoulders. His steel-gray eyes fixed on her with a glare of annoyance as if she was nothing but a delay.
“You will never defile the sacred relic of Ulustrah!” Thayle roared, putting herself between the bowl and the priest.
“Step aside, girl, and I won't have to kill you,” the man said in a firm voice.
“If you plan to stay in this holy place a minute more, I will kill you,” Thayle replied.
“Your order abhors killing, Priestess. Where is your stick?” he asked, noting the long slender blade she held in her hand.
“I have special favor with Ulustrah, and I am free to kill whoever I wish!” Thayle said, locking his emotionless glare. “Besides, we are at war; the time for sticks is passed.”
“Your order has allied with the false dragon knight, you will be brought down, and your shrines will burn,” the man said, taking a step toward her. “I would say I will regret killing one so pretty, but there is always another pretty girl.”
His arms tensed and sprung with amazing speed, the hammer he held with both hands came at her so fast she could hear the air screaming around it.
She danced back as the head of the hammer scraped her armor, throwing her to the side. She tried to spin with the blow and struck out with Glitterroot, the weapon's blade making a screeching noise and threw sparks as it clawed at his armor.
To her surprise, the man let the hammer go and uttered a word of power. He grabbed her with fantastic strength and threw her across the courtyard into the far wall. She slammed into the bricks with great force producing a groan as she crumpled to her hands and knees. Her armor protected her, but she was still dazed. As she lifted her head, the man reached out with one hand, and an orange whip of light lashed around the handle of his hammer. It drew the weapon to him as he stalked towards her, intent on finishing the task.
A sense of fear gripped her now. Twice she had faced the elite of the raven guard one on one, and twice she had nearly died. If she had but one of the women from the stairwell to slow him, this fight would be easier. As he drew closer, she saw flashes of the battle with Tull. He knew exactly how to dismantle her defense and almost killed her. Would this man prove to be just as deadly?
Thayle used her position to run at him. He pulled the hammer shaft to his chest and used it as a guard as her sword flashed again, deflected by the weapon's grip. He turned as she went by and tried to catch her in a swing. When that missed, he sang out again, as an orange light appeared in his other hand. He let his momentum turn him around and let loose a hammer of Astikar. Thayle sang her own musical tone, and a green barrier of glass appeared before her, both hammer and glass shattering in a shower of glowing shards. Thayle danced back in hacking at the man as Gersius had shown her. He countered with the hammer using its long handle as both defense and offense, sweeping at her whenever she presented an opening. Still, it was clear her training with Gersius, coupled with the knowledge she gained by sharing the bind with him, was helping. Gersius showed her how heavy weapons were slow and best defeated by getting in close. She decided that was exactly what she was going to do, using her sword to keep him moving, unable to plant his feet to make a powerful swing.
“You're better than I expected, girl!” the man called as sword and hammer met again in a ringing clash.
“My husband trained me; he is a master swordsman!” Thayle said as her blade flashed around him, looking for an opening.
“What's this swordsman's name? Anybody who could teach a woman to fight like you must be well known,” he asked as he tried to sweep her legs out with a low circle of the hammer.
Thayle leaped backward away from the sweep and then spun back in.
“I am sure you have heard of him,” she said as her blade cut another long scratch over his armor.
He called out another word of power, and Thayle dived out of the way as divine strength turned his hammer into a crushing blow shattering the tile floor of the courtyard and throwing rocks and debris in every direction. She silently thanked Gersius for teaching her the chants of Astikar to know what they were calling on. She realized this practice needed to be extended to all the women of Ulustrah, to give them an advantage.
“You know our combat prayers too, you know when to dodge and when to block,” he said as they eyed each other with lethal intent.
“Yes, my husband taught me that too,” Thayle said, her sword raised in defense.
“So, who is this great teacher who wastes his training on women?” the man said, trying to anger her.
“My husband, Gersius, the true dragon knight.”
The man's eyes burned with rage, and his face took on a menacing scowl. “It will be my great honor to be the man who kills that coward's wife!”
“It will be luck if you manage to leave here alive!” Thayle said, defiantly playing his game back at him.
He raced in, the hammer coming down in a sweeping blow that drove Thayle back again. She knew she could not match his strength, but he needed more room to maneuver, and she was faster. She put that training to use and closed the distance, getting inside his swing to slip glitter root under he armor at his shoulder. She was sure it was successful for a moment, but he suddenly reached out with one hand and grabbed her hair. He yanked her back violently and used his momentum to spin her around, colliding into the side of the emerald basin.
Thayle groaned as her face hit the stone and went down. She struggled along the ground to regain her senses as her vision filled with black dots.
“Must be my lucky day,” The man said as he stepped on her sword hand. Thayle groaned in pain as the man drew a dagger and leaned over to slit her throat. “Don’t worry, Gersius will be joining you soon,” he said as he reached down.
Thayle uttered a word, and with her free hand, a ball of watery light appeared in her palm. She reached up and shoved the water into his face blinding his eyes. He stumbled back with a cry of surprise and clawed at his face to try and clear the light. She was done playing his game and scooped up a small stone and sang a quick prayer.
“I am going strangle you!” he roared as he cleared his sight in time to see Thayle leap right at him. She tangled herself in his arms and dropped the stone through the gap around his neck under his armor. He grappled her, pulling her down and pinning her arms. She looked up into a face that glared back at her with death in his eyes.
“Your tricks can’t save you now,” he laughed.
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that,” Thayle replied with a smirk.
“What...” The man suddenly had a pained look on his face, and he reared back up, calling out in agony as his hands dug at the sides of his armor. Thayle rolled to the side and grabbed glitter root, and scrambled to her feet. “You little witch!” the man roared. “I am going to make you eat this stone!” he said as he finally fished the red hot rock from under his armor.
Thayle tensed and leveled her sword at the man who now knelt before her. Their eyes locked, and Thayle smiled to see that he was in no position to defend, his weapon lying on the ground behind her. He suddenly reached out, and an orange whip of light raced to his weapon and pulled the hammer to him. It raced from behind Thayle and swept her off her feet as is passed, throwing her to her back. He jumped up, calling for strength again and shattered the ground where she was a moment ago. Rolling Thayle scrambled up and turned to face the man who pressed in with a face full of anger. They danced again, weapons clashing as Thayle tried to find an opening.
“You're his wife then?” the man asked as they battled.
“I am his second wife,” she replied, dancing away from another heavy strike while trying to focus. Her vision was still cloudy, and blood ran down the side of her head. She needed to keep him talking to give her senses a chance to return.
“His second wife?” the man in black questioned as she ducked inside his reach and slashed.
“Yes, he is married to Lilly as well,” she said, making another deep scrap in his armor.
“He’s married to the dragon?” the man asked as Thayle stepped away.
“Lilly is a wonderful wife,” Thayle said, forcing him to dart away from a sword slash to the face.
“Well, at least he will have one left to comfort him when you pass on,” he mocked.
Thayle smiled as she ducked under another attack and tried to take out his throat again.
“Getting close, but your still no match for a veteran brother,” he said, swatting her out of the way with a metal-plated fist.
She stumbled a dozen paces, the blow renewing the dizziness in her head. If only she had a moment to heal, she would be fine, but Gersius warned her about trying to heal in the middle of a fight. It left her too vulnerable; better to deal with the threat first, then worry about healing after.
“Once I kill you, I am going to smash your worthless Goddesse’s shrine,” the man said as he too caught his breath.
Thayle felt her blood boil at his vulgar words. Her strength was fading, and the blows to her head were taking its toll. She wanted to pray for a blessing, but he would know to attack the moment she did. Instead, she reached across the link and felt Lilly. She was distant, but Thayle could still feel her love and silently drew on that great strength.
Her eyes began to glow with blue fire as the haze cleared. The hammer came around, but she ducked under the blow and came up with the strength of a dragon. The metal of his armor made a screech as glitter root bit into the man's shoulder. He called out, dropping his hammer and issued a word of power she knew was a call for strength. His hands clenched over hers as his strength soared, but all his might didn't even budge her.
“How are you doing this?” the man roared as Thayle drove him back with the point of her sword digging further in.
“I have the strength of a dragon!” Thayle said, her voice sounding like two.
“I have the strength of a God!” the man shouted back as the two struggled in a test of might. His eyes began to glow red as he drew on more power, reaching out for the might to counter hers. Thayle smiled a wicked smile and suddenly relaxed, letting him thrust her back. His strength wrenched the sword from his shoulder but also threw her out of his grasp. She spun around in one fluid motion, using the momentum to bolster her speed. His eyes filled with shock as his head fell from his shoulders to roll at her feet.
“Your luck has run out, human,” Thayle said with the dual voice as she stepped back.
She turned to the basin and knelt, uttering a prayer of praise to Ulustrah. She lifted a hand to her head, where a trickle of blood ran from the impact and channeled Ulustrah's healing, quickly soothing the wound. As the pain faded, she looked up to see there were no others about to descend on ropes. The sound of women screaming and dying echoed from below, and her heart ached with a desire to help. She couldn't stand the thought of staying here and called to the women guarding the stairs. She set them to guard the bowl instead as she went to stand at the shattered railing.
“What are you doing?” one of them asked as Thayle looked down at the battle below.
“I need to get down there and help,” she replied as her mind considered an option.
“What if you are attacked in the halls while alone?”
Thayle wasn't planning to use the halls. She had another idea but wasn't sure how feasible it was. She looked at the distance as her heart started to beat faster. Every moment that passed, another woman died, and the decision had to be made now.
“You are about to see something you will not believe,” Thayle said without looking back at them. “Please do not be alarmed. Remember, I am Ulustrah's champion.” With that, she looked inward to the mist that was her soul and saw a shadowy image. With deep focus, she reached for he image and pulled it forward to take her place. Women gasped as a white mist crawled over her skin, and a cloud of swirling white engulfed her. A flash of light later and Thayle nearly panicked to realize she hadn't taken her armor off. She worked her wings to realize they were perfectly functional and then looked over her shoulder. The back of her and Gersius's armor had always contained two narrow metal plates that could be pushed up from inside. She realized that her wings now protruded through these openings, allowing her free movement.
“What are you?” a woman cried as Thayle turned around to look at them.
“I am a dragon bound champion of Ulustrah, and this is the gift of a dragon's love,” she replied before spreading her wings. She sounded bold, but in her heart, she was terrified. Thayle had no idea if she could fly, and the thought of stepping off that ledge sent panic through her spine. As another woman screamed from below, she trusted in fate and leaped. Instantly she knew she couldn't fly and plummeted like a stone. In a panic, she spread her wings wide to discover they caught enough air to slow her descent. She glided down, struggling to turn for a raven guard priest who was barking orders in the courtyard. With a roar, she descended on him from above, and in an instant, he was dead, her sword buried into his neck.
“By the divines, what is that?” a nearby soldier called as they saw the creature that killed their captain.
Thayle turned on them, well aware her appearance with blazing blue eyes, horns, and leathery wings made her look frightening. “I am Ulustrah’s wrath, and your doom!” she roared in the dual voice and charged. Orange light flashed as hammers were thrown, but she met them with Ulustrah's green wards filling the air with explosions of sparks. She closed on the three nearest raven guard and took them into combat. All three used sword and she danced into them, spinning and slicing. She took one man down immediately by sweeping him with a tail none of them noticed until it was too late. He hit the ground, flat on his back, and glitter root followed quickly, removing his throat.
“It is some kind of Ulustrian devil!” one of the remaining men shouted as Thayle pressed them. She swept a sword wide and raced in, catching one man by his throat before hoisting him off the ground with one arm as she squeezed. The dragon form was much stronger and moved with terrible speed. She felt so alive and powerful, like a goddess standing among ants. The remaining man rushed in, but Thayle battered him with the man in her hand, sending them both to the ground. She glared at them in rage as they tried to right themselves, and she took a deep breath. Blue frost flew from her mouth, coating the men in biting cold. They wailed in pain as they tried to escape the blast, but it was too late. When Thayle stopped, only one of them was moving. He begged for mercy when Thayle hovered over him.
“Ask your God for mercy,” she said before glitter root bit right through his breastplate and buried itself in his chest. She looked up from the kill to see men backing away from her or outright running. Her presence in the yard turned the tide as men fell away from her in fear. She chased a few down, using her size and appearance to intimidate them, shouting all the while she was Ulustrah's anger come to slaughter them. At one point, she took a hammer of Astikar to the side, but she kept her feet, turning to face the bold man. He met her charge with a wicked ax and shield, and for a moment, they squared off. Thayle finally beat him with her breath again, causing more men to falter in facing her. Minutes later, the fighting was over, and women began to tend to the wounded while giving her a wide berth.
“Get ready!” she heard a voice call and turned to see a dozen women of Ulustrah preparing to channel at her. Thayle stood tall and lowered her weapon, defiantly staring at them with her blazing blue eyes.
“Is this the thanks I get for saving you?” she asked in her dual voice, causing many of them to flinch. They hesitated, and one of them, a priestess in full plate armor, stepped forward. She reached up slowly and took her helm from her head, allowing golden hair to fall about her shoulders in gentle curls.
“Who are you?” Alyase demanded with anger in her eyes. “Why do you claim to be Ulustrah’s wrath?”
Thayle was rather enjoying this moment and smiled with a sharp-toothed grin. She looked about the yard to see women all around watching in awe as Alayse stood ready to attack. Thayle sheathed glitter root and folded her arms, standing tall to maximize her size. “Surely you remember me, or have you forgotten the love we once shared?”
Thayle smiled again as she heard sudden whispers and saw the glances the others gave Alyaise. The look of shock that now covered Alayse’s face made the whole moment that much more satisfying.
“I have never loved a beast,” Alyaise said in angry defiance as she raised a sword menacingly.
“How fortunate for you, I am not a beast,” Thayle replied. “Are you so dense that you cannot see who I am? Does this armor mean nothing to you?”
Alayse looked her up and down, and Thayle could see her aura twisting in anger and confusion. She really didn't know who she was looking at so Thayle decided to help her see.
“Look past the eyes and the horns. See me as the human underneath.”
Alyaise glared at her a moment longer, and recognition dawned on her face. Her mouth dropped open, and her sword started to shake.
“It can’t be!” she shouted. “It is some trick!”
“It is me, Alayse. I’m Thayle.” Whispers broke out again as Alyaise's face twisted in a scowl. She looked as if the world had fallen in on her as she steadied her hand and resumed pointing a sword.
“How?” she demanded to know. “How have you done this? What monster did you promise to serve to get such power?”
“Watch what you say! I am dragon bound and gifted the ability to draw on the power of the dragon that loves me. I am a servant of Ulustrah, not some dark power.”
“You lie. You have turned your back on Ulustrah. Not only is this form an abomination, but the proof is on your face, you are twice marked! This power must be why Ulustrah punished you. You sought out other means instead of trusting in her.”
The hate in Alayse's words stung her heart and wore at her patience. She was tired of this refusal to see the truth even though the light of her aura revealed it. If Alayse wanted to spout foolishness, then she would show the whole compound who Ulustrah loved. Thayle threw her head back and began to sing, holding her hands up and letting the power flow. All around, flowers began to blossom and bloom, and the green light of Ulustrah’s blessing filled the air around her. They grew larger and lusher than any ten women working together could manage, pushing stones out of the courtyard to find more room to grow.
“She has Ulustrahs blessing!” a woman yelled.
“No, she has power like Ulustrah herself,” another said.
Thayle let the song go and glared back at Alyaise. “As you can see, Ulustrah still answers my call.”
Alyaise lowered her sword with a frown on her face. “How do you still retain Ulustrahs love?”
“Because I am ever devoted to her,” Thayle replied as she lifted her arms. “This form is part of her blessing, born of the love she told me to share.
“But this form you take defies the natural order.”
“Alyaise, it is a simple power born of my bind to a dragon,” Thayle said, folding her arms over her chest. “I can release it any time I want, but the eyes need time to fade.”
“Will your marks of shame fade?” Alyaise said, her voice still defiant.
“No, those are mine to keep, but I feel no shame over them. Each one represents a moment in time where I sacrificed myself for the benefit of another. I would do so again willingly in the future and wear three marks with pride.”
“They mark you as failing Ulustrah!” Alyaise said, her voice pained.
“And yet, I have full access to her power and gifts.”
“Because you bear the marks. You accept the shame to get your power back!”
“There is no shame!” Thayle shouted. “Even if there was if Ulustrah can forgive me, why can't you?”
Alyaise looked at her with narrow eyes as she frowned. Thayle could see the rage in her aura and knew this confrontation was going to end in violence. She didn't want to have to battle her sisters, who would almost certainly come to Alayse's defense. Lilly was still too far away, but much closer now. She would bide her time and confront Alayse when there was something even more threatening to make her point.
“You can't see past the dragon gifts, and your heart is not ready to accept me,” Thayle said, looking away. “I will go away and give you time to clean up the mess you made.”
“I went out to face the enemy!” Alayse shouted.
“I have no intention of having this discussion with you now. Thanks to your rash actions, a priest of Astikar made it to the sacred basin. Thank the goddess I killed him before he damaged the bowl. I want it cleaned up, and the body removed before I come back.” Thayle said as she turned her back on them. She walked away, burning with anger at the woman who stubbornly refused to believe the truth all around her. Soon Lilly would be here, and then she would make Alayse and every woman in this temple take a knee. If they didn't, she would remove the problem and find somebody else to lead the second company.
Comments
Edited 10-30-20 to fix the long list of errors, including some that were not pointed out. Than you again WhiteRabbit
Thank you for pointing all that out. This just shows I am tired and writing to quickly. Unfortunately I am working 7 days a week now, and my wife is disabled. She requires a lot of assistance while I am home, and there isn't any time to write in peace. I will think of some way to manage it all eventually. Just gotta push through and do my best, it will work out in the end. Thanks again.
WhiteRabbit
Ulustrahs wrath -> 's improve moral. -> morale role of hostility-> this part is unclear, she could be hostile, but is not the concept of hostility. mornings light-> 's ravens head-> 's taller than her , with -> don't need a return here glitter root-> Glitterroot? deep scrap in his armor. Before dashing -> deep (scratch?) in his armor before dashing worthless Goddesses-> Goddess's Ulustrahs-> 's Ulustian-> should this be Ulustrian? m, Alyaise-> me whyUlustrah -> space
Believe it or not I had to shorten this. When I was done writing it, it was 14k words long. I took a big bite out of the end and moved it to the next chapter, and cut out some confrontations with Alayse. Also I have noitced I spell her name Alayse, Alaise, and Alaiyse. I tried to root all that out here, but if you notice anything but Alayse, please point it out. Just more signs I am writing while tired and losing focus.
