An angel’s road to hell

35. Of beginnings, ends and a little bit of change (2)

Cassandra Pendragon

At first we stood silently on an island of quiet in the surrounding chaos. I felt my mom tense up and without any warning she started snivelling and shuddering in my arms, breaking me out of my stupor. The cacophony of sounds around us assaulted my ears again and I could feel blood dripping down my nose. My right side was burned where I had skittered over the platform and every movement resulted in an ominous crack from my thigh. At least my appearance matched my mental state.

For the moment  the dwarfs and kitsune were locked in a stalemate and even though I dreaded her answered I had to know and whispered into her ear:

“What happened? Where is my father?” She went rigid and even her breath stilled. Her reaction told me everything she couldn’t put into words and I felt tears stinging in my eyes. I pulled her closer until she finally took a shuddering breath and started to cry in earnest. It took every ounce of self control I had left for me to not join her but I knew I’d break down completely if I allowed any emotions to surface now, something I couldn’t possibly afford. I fought down my helplessness, grief, and even rage until I found a resemblance of calm.

I comforted my mother as well as I could but there wasn’t much to say. Our world had been burned, cursed and crushed and now we were starting to lose members of our family. How could words possibly help? Only time would allow the injuries to scar over and for us to move on. Time we wouldn’t have if we didn’t keep on fighting. But we had been outmanoeuvred at every turn, stumbling from one trap into the next. The emperor’s plans had worked perfectly, minor hiccups aside. It was nearly over, I could feel it, our home was no more, Boseiju, our mighty protector, was slowly consumed by whatever curse had fallen upon our lands and the last free people on this island were stuck somewhere between heaven and earth, unable to do anything. Even if we were to slaughter every last one of the turned kitsune, I was convinced it would be for naught. Boseiju had been the goal form the get go and once the nearly endless supply of life force was under the emperor’s control, we would have to flee or perish here and he would have his first stronghold on our continent. An outcome I wouldn’t allow, whatever the cost.

I caressed her hair one last time, wiped my eyes and stepped back, my hands still on her shoulders:

“I love you, mom and I love him, but I need to know what happened. Can you hold on for a little longer and talk to me?” She tried, she really did but she couldn’t stop crying and her body shook like a reed in the wind. All I could do was pull her towards me again and provide a little bit of safety while she mourned her home, her previous life and her husband. A soft touch on my shoulder drew my attention away from her.

Unbeknownst to us, Ahri, Greta, Mordred and Xorlosh had made their way over the platform and lingered close by, unwilling to intrude upon us. It had been Ahri who had finally taken the last few steps and had touched me gingerly.

“I think I can answer for her,” she said in a voice that barely carried over the noise of battle and the still raging storm. I focused on her and nodded while my mom was still trying to control her sobs. “I’m glad you’re back in one piece, Cassy,” she squeezed my shoulder before she released her grip and a left a mark of ash and blood on my shirt. Up close her cover of grime looked like an armour. “As far as I can say, the curse covered the whole island and turned every living thing into a blood crazed maniac. When I returned, Greta had just finished drawing it out of your mother and brother. The dwarfs’ armour provides protection enough so that they weren’t affected but everyone else…” her voice trailed off. Dad, Adam! Again I had to swallow dryly to keep it together. Tomorrow I’d cry for them all, but today I’d make sure we wouldn’t join them. Unshed tears burned in my eyes but I signalled for Ahri to continue.

“When the winds picked up and that smell of decay appeared, the dead also started to rise. We, that is Greta thinks, a large part of Boseiju is already corrupted and his energy is what fuels the turned ones. The only way to get rid of them is to either destroy the body completely until nothing is left or to throw them off the tree, they might survive but they won’t climb up for now.”

“What do you mean? What’s happening in the garden? Is the entrance to Greta’s cavern still there?”

Ahri shuffled her feet before she replied: “the kitsune were turned and fell upon the dwarfs who stood guard. The dwarfs can’t fight an enemy they can’t kill so they retreated up the stairs. The few kitsune you see between them and the rest are the one’s who were resurrected along the way and couldn’t fight their way through. The rest didn’t follow the dwarfs and started to march towards Greta’s cavern. We don’t have exact numbers but most of the kitsune who lived in the garden should be down there guarding the entrance.” Some of the pieces finally clicked together. The emperor hadn’t come through the portal, yet, but he soon would. I gestured for the others to come closer and gently extracted myself from my mom’s embrace.

“Listen, I have an idea, but first let me tell you what I found in the second palace…” Swiftly I walked them through what I had seen and explained what the memories had revealed, especially that the curse contained two distinct parts. “I think he is trying to convert Boseiju into a permanent bridge that can be crossed by people rather than energy. That’s why the archway was up in the tower. I bet he used it as template for the second part of his curse when he feeds all the energy back into Boseiju.” While I had been talking their expressions hadn’t changed much except for Greta’s, a dangerous gleam had entered her eyes: “you want to use the arch, don’t you? If it’s tied to the curse, you will be able to manipulate the enchantments on the arch and thereby change the workings of the curse.” I nodded and added: “we’ll change the destination. Let them open their bridge, we’ll make sure nothing but death and destruction come across from the other side.”

“Is that possible?” Mordred asked.

“Not for me alone, no, but with Greta’s help it just might. I can tear down the safeguards and she can feed the changed blueprint back into the curse. It won’t work if anybody realises what we are doing, though. The second part doesn’t have to be activated, I think. If something’s amiss, they’ll just continue to pour Boseiju’s energy into the turned kitsune and we’ll be overrun sooner or later. We have to make sure there is a need to activate the portal. Reinforcements are most likely stationed at the other end, we have to make him think they are his best option.”

“And how do we do that?” Ahri inquired.

“That, my dear, is where I was hoping you could help. I don’t know the rules for your current state, but if you really have all your memories, it should be easy enough to make him think an angel at full power is attacking the cavern, at least for a short amount of time. Backed up by a battalion of angry dwarfs that should provide for more than enough incentive, no?” She pursed her lips.

“I can’t manipulate energy any more than you at the moment. What do you expect me to do? Burn a hole through his guards and dance around with my wings extended?”

“No, but we still have two capable spell casters,” I pointed at Mordred and my mom, “use their energy. Guide them, they both can link their minds to yours, if you allow it, you will be able to work through them.” She hesitated for a moment but finally nodded her agreement:

“I can try, but you should know beforehand: I don’t have much time left. Soon I’ll lose consciousness and when I wake up, most of my memories will be sealed again. There isn’t much I can do about it now, the fighting around here and the blast in the palace simply took too much out of me. I have half an hour, at best.” She turned to Mordred and my mom: “you should also know that sharing mind space with an immortal is more than dangerous. More often than not you come back changed or not at all. I have more memories floating around my mind than the rest of this planet combined. If you lose yourselves within, you won’t find your way back.” I appreciated her sentiment but I thought we were long past normal safety standards. My family agreed and they both shrugged. My mom had even managed to righten herself and dry off her eyes. She still had a haunted look about her, but the chance to actually do something reignited a part of her fighting spirit. You had to admire the woman.

“Wait a mo’,” Xorlosh made himself heard for the first time: “that sounds horrendous, not gonna lie. Aren’t we all going to count the daisies from below if your plan works? I mean, the fiery lass, the boys ‘n me divert his ugliness’ attention, you change the curse and we all hide behind our smiles and natural charms when whatever monstrosity or force of nature slams through the portal and probably razes this island to the ground?”

“Our home is lost, there is no other way of looking at it.” Nobody contradicted me. “We here and the kidnapped children are all that is left and I don’t mind erasing a doomed place to guarantee we keep breathing. But I don’t intent to sacrifice anyone. Greta, correct me if I’m wrong, but a curse on this scale will take time to manifest or change its structure. Heck, the formation took ages back at the second palace. You have to split your forces, send half of your lads back to the mine and have them prepare your ships as fast as possible. You’ll charge the cavern and we’ll manipulate the arch when they are close to you. As soon as the emperor initiates the second stage you turn tails and run as fast your legs will carry you. I’ll fly Greta down and we’ll join you on a ship. We can admire the fireworks from afar.” I added with a hint of gallows humour.

“Hmm, that still sounds insane. I like it. I’ll send the lads running, unless there’s something else? Good, the drummer will be along. We’ll attack with the next beat. Join us when y’ are ready, me fiery beauty.” He winked at Ahri while he strode off, already yelling commands that easily drowned out the storm. Great, now I had to deal with a pang of jealousy as well. Fortunately I had some practice in ignoring my feelings by now, so I simply shoved it down. In contrast to the emotions I had already stored down there, I had no intention of ever letting it back up. Well, not often at least.

I’d like to say we had the chance for one last meaningful conversation but the circumstances wouldn’t allow it. The noise all around had already forced us to yell and with the continuous tremors, the smell of decay and the fighting dwarfs close by there was no way. I hugged Ahri and my family once more, all I managed to get out was a stifled: “take care.” My mom nodded and handed me another healing potion. “Here take it. It’s the last one. Your father managed to pass it along, before…” she couldn’t go on. She kissed my cheek and turned towards the dwarfs who were slowly changing their formation so that they would have a strong line of defence towards the rear while they climbed down the stairs again. Ahri didn’t hesitated and quickly kissed the other side of my face. “Don’t do anything stupid, my love,” she whispered before she too turned away.

Mordred only slapped my back. He winked and called over his shoulder: “if I don’t make it, you can have my sword.” Unbelievably he made me smile. Despite everything or maybe because of it I had to laugh at his stupid joke. “Thanks, if I die, you can have my wardrobe,” I called after him but he only waved.

Greta stepped up close and murmured, nearly inaudibly despite the close proximity: “now, tell me the truth. What do you intend to do?” “How do you…?” I stammered. “Child, I’m old, maybe not as old as Ahri but I’m not smitten with you either. So spill it, what didn’t you tell us? Your plan doesn’t sound half stupid so what’s wrong?” If she was to come along I would have to tell her everything sooner or later anyway so I answered with a sigh:

“There are two things: first I’m not sure how we can get get to the tower. I can’t fly there on my own but I hope you can help me. I guess you already made it possible for Ahri to use her wings? The storm feels much weaker on the platform than it did in the air. Your doing as well?” She shrugged her head impatiently: “with that I can help easily. What’s the other thing?”

“The arch has served its purpose and is already disconnected from the curse. Unless the emperor is a blithering idiot we won’t be able to reinstate the connection. Unless…” “Unless you use your wings to directly merge the arch with the curse on Boseiju. But than you would have to channel energy through your body to instigate the change, wouldn’t you?” I nodded once. “By the great fox,” she exclaimed, “you won’t survive, you know that, right?” “Why do you think I didn’t tell anyone? I know there’s a good chance I won’t make it. I’m only telling you now because, as you so eloquently put it, you aren’t smitten with me and hopefully understand that there isn’t much of a choice if you don’t want to risk that an ancient warlock turns this island into the first outpost of his empire. Or do you think the last dwarfs and half a handful of kitsune can stop him by force?What do you imagine would happen afterwards, if they couldn’t? The islands aren’t in any position to defend themselves against this kind of power. They would fall, one by one and he would rule.” I paused to draw breath and continued: “I can feel the curse corrupting Boseiju, I can touch and manipulate it, I know it. Who knows, I may even have a chance to channel the backlash into Boseiju and come out smiling on the other side. Will you help me, I have no chance without you but I’m going to try either way.” That wasn’t exactly fair, but… she didn’t even argue. I wasn’t sure but I thought I saw a flicker of mischief cross her face before she replied calmly: “if that’s your wish, I’ll help you with everything I’ve got. Here,” she gave me Mephisto’s tarnished emblem, “take it, maybe it’ll serve as a lucky charm, at least. Cassandra, I’m damn proud of you. I’m usually not one to applaud stupid risks but today is a far cry from usual.” The cataracts on her eyes moved and I was sure she would have cried if she had been able to. “I’m sorry.” I was surprised to say the least, none of what had happened was her fault. But before I could say anything she continued: “I figured someone should say it. I’m damned sorry for everything you and yours had to go through.” She hugged me. Now I was flabbergasted. I knew she could be sincere, but a hug? If I was to analyse her behaviour I would say she didn’t put too much fate in my survival but I didn’t want to crush my confidence completely so I stayed well away from that line of thought. “Thanks,” I awkwardly replied.

“Well then,” suddenly she was all back to normal, “I need a moment to cast some protection against the storm and we can be on our way. Watch closely, maybe you can learn something.” Was now the time? I couldn’t do anything else so I focused on her casting but since I didn’t have any experience of my own, I didn’t understand much and Greta didn’t bother with explanations. 20 seconds later I saw a translucent barrier envelop her, with more than enough room to spare for me.

She opened her arms and gestured for me to come closer: “alright, carry me to the skies, my noble steed.” And for the second time in as many minutes I had to smile.

As soon as I entered her protection spell, the winds, the stench and most of the sounds died away and with a thought I unfurled my wings and catapulted us into the night.