Chapter 14

"Cowards die many times before their deaths, the valiant never taste of death but once."—Julius Caesar, Shakespeare (Where Caesar knows he can't avoid death and encourages his wife with these words. He doesn't understand why men fear death so much, when death is inevitable in every man's life. His life has been full of strength and bravery, and he will not waste his last precious hours of life anticipating tragedy.)

Red hair tied to the top of her head like an angry beacon, Captain Mapstone led a small group of her riders to their position on the field. Only the riders who were proficient in the sword were allowed to join, because they had the best chances of survival. In this battle, they would act as a unit of the Light Cavalry.

Sevelon and Karigan rode next to each other. They had talked long into the night and now they were quiet, each preparing themselves for the fight to come. After they were in formation, Karigan surveyed the troops around her. Some of the riders were scared, but just as many wore looks of fierce determination. It wasn't just their duty. This threat to Sacoridia seemed more personal. They had all suffered losses due to groundmite and Second Empire attacks, and they were ready to meet Birch's troops in the field. Their unit was flanked by the King's Light Horse regiment and beyond them Karigan could see the gleam of Eletian armor. The sight made her breathe a little easier. The tiendan were not to be taken lightly. Battle horns started to blow, signifying the battle's beginning. As the last horn rang loud and ominous, Karigan's eyes found Ealdaen. He met her gaze and nodded. Let it begin.

The first charge was a mass of bodies. It was a shock at first, but Karigan soon found herself making a rhythm out of it. She focused on the immediate threat and when that was no longer an issue, she raised her sword to the next opponent. It was messy and she didn't feel any retribution or satisfaction when she overcame an opponent. She just moved on to the next one. She lost track of the time and the numbers, their faces all blurring in her memory.

An attack of groundmites and catamounts on the left flank was a surprise to everyone and it took out a huge section of soldiers. Of all the people imaginable, it was Timas Mirwell who led a group of provincial soldiers to reinforce against the surprise attack; with that action, Timas redeemed himself in Karigan's mind.

It was Birch's third wave of attack that hit her unit hard. The speed and severity of the onrush fractured their group into separate fighting circles. It was then, Karigan found herself isolated in a sea of unfriendly uniforms. Sevelon and her fellow riders were far away and Karigan found herself fighting for her life.

Fighting hard to get to the nearest group of riders, she didn't see the groundmites heading her way until she was pulled out of her saddle. Condor reared to her defense and smashed in quite a few heads before he was stabbed with a crude blade. Furious, Karigan bellowed and jumped at the vile creature. Blind with fury and hurt, she took off his head. She didn't stop. After that corpse fell headless to the ground, she slashed and stabbed at each unfriendly uniformed body that came her way. Disoriented and not really aware where she was going, she just picked a direction and began paving her way through.

She could feel the change in the people around her, and there was a pressure building. Suddenly, the battlefield was quiet and still.

"Hello Karigan." The familiar voice carried over the misty battlefield.

She turned to see Yates standing a few paces behind her. Only it wasn't him. His features were too dark and angular. His gaze was imperial and sharp. He looked much more like the man from the Arcosian courtyard. There was no struggle for dominance within the face of her friend and Karigan knew Yates was dead, even if his body wasn't.

He raised his hand and she felt her sword handle grow warmer, until it was hot. Her gloves made it bearable at first, but it quickly grew to be too much. Still she tried to hold on, but when the handle started to melt she had to let go. Her hand continued to burn after it met the cold air.

He entered her mind and beckoned for her to come. With this intrusion, she felt an automatic twinge of revulsion. She resolutely refused his beckoning.

Alessandros, as he liked to personally identify with her, strengthened his hold on her mind and silently persuaded her. "Your horse isn't dead yet you know. He could still be saved."

"Lie," she thought, knowing he would hear. She knew it couldn't be true, she'd seen Condor fall.

He tutted in admonishment and continued in the silence of her mind, "Aren't you sick of seeing your people die? Think of all the spouses and children you could save from misery, if you ended this conflict."

"This would not stop with me. We are determined." She staunchly told him.

Then he laughed outright. Amused, but tired of her resistance, he commanded "COME." His voice was powerful and not directed at her mind, but rather her body. To her dismay, her feet lifted several feet off the ground and she floated towards him. She could feel his mirth in her mind. "Oh Kari," he said affectionately, "how you resemble Hadriax. I am relieved to have you back as my companion." She thought he must be mad, and this thought only made him chuckle again. Saying, "No Kari, I am quite reasonable."

Out loud he explained in a carrying voice, as if he were in front of a court and wanted all of his subjects to know the good news. "You see, when I became emperor of this land, there will only be two noble bloodlines." He smiled at the people around him, and they stared back with awe and horror-stricken faces. "This is why your very own Karigan el Fex and I are to be married; a joining of these two old kingdoms to form one undefeatable empire!" There was fire in his eyes, similar to when he asked for the mask. He turned his gaze up to the still floating Karigan and tenderly stroked her cheek.

"When we are done, we will be gods." His words were disturbing, because they had a ring of truth to them. If Mornhaven did get such a foothold and resource base, he would not stop until he had complete and unchallenged control.

She remembered Sevelon's words and fought to get them out of her mouth. "You are not born to such power. You must earn it."

His anger was immediate and burned like a slap to her mind, trying to silence her. It made her flinch in the air. Still floating above him, he grabbed her neck roughly. The temporary sweetness that had coated his tongue was now gone and his words were sinister, "I can control your body." He leered at her, "No matter how rebellious you are, your mind will eventually break."

"MORNHAVEN!" The call boomed long and loud through the field. She felt his hand tremble as if he'd just been physically struck, but his hold remained firm.

"MORNHAVEN!" This time it was closer and Karigan felt the sound's power reverberate through her body. It was unmistakably Sevelon's voice, tolling out a final warning. She thought this and then consciously sent Mornhaven the silent message, "Your end is coming." In response, he snarled and increased his grip to press on her windpipe.

Then Sevelon was there. He still wore his uniform, but from the waves of distortion showing in the air, it was obvious he was too powerful to be an actual green rider. No human could radiate such energy. Calmly, he stated, "YOU WILL CEASE."

Still holding her above him, Mornhaven turned and sneered at the threat, "I've seen you in her mind. After millennia over millennia, you've finally found someone you care for. Such a tragedy that she's a mortal." With this, his hold tightened into a death grip and she began struggling violently for air.

"We are linked, she and I. If I die, she dies."

Despite her struggle, she heard his mocking words and Karigan wanted to laugh. If she could have made the choice, she would have sacrificed herself to kill Mornhaven long ago. She could feel the pressure building in her head and she was beginning to black out. This was it. Searching for Sevelon, she met his hesitant eyes. She wanted to tell him that she understood. She understood how he felt for her, but that he had his duty. That he needed to do this for the good of her people. That she was willing to die and held no grudge against his role in her death. For hadn't she always known that she would die fighting Mornhaven?

Unable to let out any more breath, all she could do was try to smile and nod reassuringly. Then there was an explosion of noise and chaos, as if the world had just fallen apart. And everything went black.