Chapter 3
Lorelei awoke with a start, propping herself on the bed with an elbow. As the mists of sleep receeded swiftly, a inexplicable unease flowered in her. She rose and swiftly shrugged into her bodysuit, all the while trying to figure out why the back of her neck was prickling uncomfortably. After her short sword was safely on her hip, she strode over to the door and pushed. It held true. Frowning, she put her shoulder to it and shoved. The door didn't even shift.
"Alvamar," she yelled. "I'm locked in!" It was then she noticed the unearthly silence that enveloped her. No bird song, a truly unusual occurance for this time of year. She darted to a window and tried it. It was sealed too. She put her eye to the crack between the edges of the peeling wood and peered out. All she could see was a hazy blue film overlapping the well in the distance. She yelled for the Alvamar again at the top of her lungs. When no answer came, her unease deepened into a certainty of danger.
She threw herself against the door, her shoulder making a sickening thud as it made contact with the rotting wood. A corner of the door broke off from the rest and hit the floor. She dropped to one kneww to break off more from the area when she stiffened in surprise. In the space where the chunk had been was a pulsing pale blue film that shifted and glowed with a life of its own. The Old One had made another move. She slid a finger through the space, cautiously feeling the film give a little before suddenly firming up and pushing her finger back into the cabin. Dread settled around her heart. The door and windows were sealed against escape. She put her hand to the magic shield slung around her neck. It was obviously not enough to overcome the field. Then an idea hit her.
With a bloodcurdling yell, she threw a side kick at a part of the wall. The sound of splintering wood echoed through the cabin. Another kick and another, while portions of the wall cracked and fell apart. Eagerly, she peered through the crack that had formed. Grass grew a few inches away, glowing a bright green in the morning sunlight. She grinned in triumph before swinging back to her feet and resumed the pounding. As the wall shuddered, cracked and splintered she sped up, ignoring the pain as she alternated legs. Suddenly her right foot went right through the wall and three minutes later, she scrambled through the shattered wall out into the light. Behind her, the blue film still pulsed around the exit points of the cabin
"Alvamar!" The cry rang out into the deathly silence, as she quickly scanned her surroundings. Then suddenly, she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. She swung around, settling into a defensive stance. There was nothing there. Then again, a faint pulling. Uncertainly, she drew away from what ever was there. Another tug, a little more insistant. "Oh Mira!" she swore before sprinting in the direction of the invisible guide.
As she shoved her way through the thicket, she caught a whiff of burning wood. When finally, she crashed into another clearing, the smell was overpowering. Her mind froze as it tried to absorb the extent of the destruction before her. In the middle of the blazing clearing, two figures struggled in a full-scale mage war.
Bolts of blue fire flashed between outstretched hands, glancing off protective shields before falling in a shower of sparks around the pair. There was not a single living thing within a twenty foot radius around them. At the other side of the clearing, sounds of crashing branches reached her as a forest fire took hold. Then suddenly, the Alvamar caught sight of her and gasped. His opponent took his momentary advantage and cast a fire ball at the Alvamar, which knocked him back, his shield pulsing erratically as it tried to keep up with the pounding. The black mage sneaked a quick glance at Lorelei to judge her position. She dropped into a side roll as a flash of blue lightning struck the bushes where she had formerly been. Quickly, she scrambled back into the relative safety of the thicket, wisely realising that she would only be a hinderance instead of help in this fight. With her out of the way, the black mage turned back to his original prey, who had staggered back to his feet. Both mages had burns slashing across their bodies, their clothes smoking from the impact. Once again, they started circling each other, constantly muttering, softly weaving spells to confound, disrupt and destroy each other.
Suddenly the Alvamar yelled something and stretched out one hand. A tree branch came whistling straight at the black mage's head, but he ducked just in time to avoid being brained. The ground at the Alvamar's feet suddenly heaved and opened up, throwing the Alvamar to one side. He lithely curled up into a roll and came up to his feet swiftly before returning a punishing blow of mage fire at his nemesis. It hit the magic shield squarely, causing a ripple over its invisible surface as the shield weakened. Another blow in the same spot and the evil mage staggered back, his ornately embroidered black robes swishing about his ankles. In front of him, the Alvamar was a distinct contrast in his ragged half-robe but he stood firm, ignoring the pain of his wounds and forcing himself to conserve his strength.
They circled each other, ancient words weaving the substance of earth and air into deadly weapons. The elements came at their beckoning. First lightning and hail to weaken, then fire to wound. And with each phenomenal display, they were killing themselves. The black mage's face was drawn, his cheeks hollowing themselves out until it resembled a deathhead. The Alvamar moved like a old man, struggling to keep his balance but the power that moved around him surged and trembled with proud power. Two forces that were perfectly matched. And then there was a shift in the balance.
From overhead, a fierce scream cut through the smoke. From out of the black smoke billowing above the clearing, a large dark shape hurtled towards the Alvamar, wings spread out to the max. Deadly claws sliced right through his shield and ripped into his face and shoulders. The Alvamar dropped to his knees with an agonized scream. Lorelei gasped. Unfair! She took off, drawing her short sword as she sprinted towards the two figures. The black mage let loose a fire bolt which slammed into the Alvamar, knocking him into an awkward sprawl a few meters away. His body twitched once and subsided into unconciousness.
The black mage turned and caught sight of Lorelei running toward him. His eyes rested on her for a brief moment before he raised his hand dismissively. With another blood-curdling scream, the firedrake returned at its master's command, this time zooming in on Lorelei. She twisted to avoid its deadly claws, dropping to a roll to come lithely to her feet again, ready for the next attack. The black mage, satisfied that she was going to be busy for a little while, walked cautiously to where the Alavamar's body lay among the jagged, smoldering ruins of what had once been a meadow. Fire crackled from his hands and he kicked the motionless body viciously. Behind him, the firedrake dropped out of the sky again, streaking down on its victim. The black mage smiled, the last thing he did. The Alavamar's eyes flew open, his hand struck out and the mage bolt that emerged ripped right into the black mage's heart.
Lorelei heard the shrill scream but she had problems of her own. Talons raked into her shoulders, sharp teeth snapping at her face. Steel swung and was rewarded by a scream of fury. The firedrake rose above her a few feet, blood dripping from a shallow gash in its side, hissing angrily. Without warning, it dropped on her again, knocking her on her back, exposing her dangerously to its claws. She kicked to push the flapping, screaming creature away from her and then sprang to her feet, using her momentum to channel force into her swing. The sword sliced into the firedrake's neck, sending a spray of ichor outwards over her. The shocked beast crashed into her, pining her down amid struggling limbs and flapping wings. Hot ichor burned Lorelei skin as she struggled, gasping, out from under the creature. She came to her feet, looking at the two silent bodies lying amid the vast destruction.
She shoved the black mage's body unceremoniously off the Alavamar. Oh Mira, she swore violently. Her hand searched for his heart, and a faint fluttering rewarded her for it. Suddenly he started hacking, blood spilling from his lips..
Continued in Chapter 4
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