THE HIGH LORD'S FAVORITE

Disclaimer: I own nothing, nothing at all. If you recognise something from somewhere else, don't own that either. This is just for fun.

Rating:M

- italic mental communication

italic flash backs


THE LAST STAND

Akkarin and Sonea found Kariko and the other two Ichani forcestriking the Warrior line. With a side glance, Sonea and Akkarin forcestriked from behind.

Kariko and the Ichani immediately turned around.

"Akkarin!" Kariko called out.

"Kariko." Akkarin replied, as he and Sonea stepped closer.

Behind them, another row of Warriors placed themselves, along with the other Warriors, to form a loose circle surrounding Akkarin, Sonea, and the Ichani.

"Ah. And you brought your little apprentice. Do you intend to trade her for your life?"

As Kariko stared maliciously at Sonea, she simply rose an eyebrow, unimpressed.

"I might consider taking her. I never liked my brother's taste in slaves, but he did show me that Guild magicians can be surprisingly entertaining."

Akkarin had to smile a little. If Kariko thought Sonea would submit to him, he would be in for a big surprise.

"Dakova was a fool for keeping me. But then he was always making stupid mistakes. It is hard to understand how a man with such power could have so little grasp of politics or strategy, but I guess that is why he was Ichani, and why he kept me." Akkarin replied calmly.

"And you? If you are such a master of strategy, why are you here? You must know you cannot win?" Kariko frowned.

"Can't we? Look around you Kariko. Where are all your allies?" Akkarin said, raising an eyebrow.

"Dead, I suppose. And you killed them."

"Some."

"You must be worn out, then. This is perfect. I will avenge my brother's death, and then there will be no one left to stop me from conquering your City. And Sachaka will finally have revenge for what your Guild did to our land." Kariko said.

Kariko lifted a hand, and the other Ichani followed suit. Powerful strikes battered their shield. Akkarin and Sonea sent a barrage of their own. The air hummed with power.

"Do not look them strait in the eyes, they may enter your mind." Kariko warned his companions.

Sonea frowned. Akkarin continued to strike only at Kariko, making him frown. Looking over at his companion, the other Ichani stepped closer, leaving only a small gap between their shields.

- Strike Kariko from beneath. Akkarin said.

Sonea sent heatstrikes through the earth, as Akkarin sent more curving down on Kariko from above. The other Ichani shifted their shields to meet Akkarin's strikes, just as the ground began to steam beneath Kariko's feet. Noticing this, the Ichani increased their attack.

Akkarin and Sonea continued to strike at Kariko from all directions. The Ichani leader appeared to have resigned himself to being the target, and concentrated on shielding. Letting the other two attack.

It seemed as though they would stand and blast eachother until one side finally weakened. But then the ground shifted violently beneath Sonea. Immediately she levitated both of them, looking down, she saw a black hole forming.

- Hold the shield. Akkarin told her.

Sonea focused on levitating them and holding the shielding, while Akkarin continued to attack. She moved them back, but the shifting ground followed them. The Ichani were moving forward, this forced the line of Warriors to move with the magicians in order to keep their circle from breaking.

Akkarin glanced at a Warrior. And suddenly strikes began to randomly hit the Ichani from the Warrior line. Kariko sent a blast of energy towards the Warrior line. But their shield held.

The Ichani returned their attention to Akkarin and Sonea, resuming their assault with greater ferocity. Ignoring the weakening Warriors' strikes.

Akkarin threw a rain of strikes at Kariko. Testing his shield. Kariko retaliated with a powerful blasts. Akkarin changed his attack to a net of heatstrikes, curving it around to hit Kariko from all sides.

Trying to hold a constant shield was requiring a lot of energy. The thought of Regin suddenly popped in Sonea's mind. In the Challenge, he had saved his strength by shielding only when a strike hit. But she also remembered how she had defeated him. But maybe if she moved closer to the Warrior line. They could protect their backs.

Sonea levitated them closer to the Warriors. Glancing back, she locked gaze with a few Warriors. Understanding registered on their faces. Sonea focused her will and refined her shield. Leaving it weaker behind and above. She watched the Ichani closely, always trying to enter their mind, but ready to react if strikes should change courses.

- When I say so... wait... Akkarin began to say.

- They are weakening. Sonea finished.

Although Kariko stood straight and smiling. Still avoiding direct eye contact. The rest of the Ichani looked no less confident. But their strikes had weakened.

Sonea and Akkarin took a step forward, then another. Kariko's face darkened. Akkarin and Sonea sent strikes at the Ichani. And as they backed away, the strikes from the Warrior line ceased, as they focused on shielding. Assuring the Ichani had no escape.

As Sonea and Akkarin closed the distance between them and the Ichani, something suddenly sliced up the side of Sonea's calf. She knew immediately that her calf was deeply cut, stumbling forward she heard Akkarin's deafening gasp. Akkarin grasped her arm, his full weight dragging Sonea to the ground. Landing on her knees, she supported Akkarin, preventing him from falling over. His face was white and twisted with pain. Bright red staining his hand, which wrapped around the glittering handle of a Sachakan knife.

The knife was buried to the hilt in his chess.

"Akkarin!"

With Sonea's gentle direction, he rolled onto his back. She leaned over him, trying to pry his fingers from around the handle, so she could begin Healing him. Akkarin grabbed her wrists, stopping her.

"Not yet." Akkarin said, hissing in pain.

Sonea tried to pull out of his grasp, but his grip was strong.

Laughter, cruel and humourless, cut through the silence that had fallen.

"So that's where I left my knife. How good of you to find it for me." Kariko mocked.

Sonea berated herself. She should have seen this coming. It was a trick she had thought of as the earth had begun shifting. And a trick she had similarly used before. Kariko had dropped the blade into the disturbed earth. And as their shield had passed over it, he had sent the knife upward.

"Sonea..."

"I'll Heal you."

"No, take care of the Ichani first. Then Heal me. ...You can end this now." He said, his voice strained from the pain, but nonetheless firm.

Sonea bent down and gently kissed him. Nodding and holding back tears, she looked up.

The Ichani had not moved, too busy taking care of the Warriors. A few moments after Akkarin had rolled onto his back, the Warriors had unleashed a barrage of strikes on the Ichani.

Akkarin pulled Sonea's attention back to him, looking at her, his eyes full of love and confidence.

Sonea felt Akkarin giving her his power, as she realised just how much he was giving. She stopped him, and even sent some back to him in the form of Healing. Before he could do anything to return the energy. Sonea stood up and away from Akkarin.

Sonea struck at Kariko's allies first. For a moment, their shields held, then they collapsed under the intense heatstrike, burning through their bodies.

There was only Kariko left now. Sonea felt her shield waver, it would soon collapse, one more strike and it would. She reached deep into her power and into herself. Raising her arms she produced the most powerful heat strike she had ever mustered. As the heatstrike was ending, Sonea poured what was left of her shield into it. The wave broke through Kariko's shield and swept through him, vaporising him instantly.

Barely able to move and extremely weak, Akkarin had managed to turn his head to watch Kariko die. Sonea had done it. An audible silence fell on Calia, as the remainder of the heatstrike dissipated. Then Akkarin and the other magicians heard the most horrifying sound. A loud thump, as Sonea collapsed to the ground, and the sound of a breath escaping her lungs. Akkarin's heart shattered, as he was filled with fear. Turning his head he saw Sonea close her eyes. She lay only a few steps away. Akkarin tried to muster his remaining strength as he reached for Sonea with his hand. If he could just reach her...

"Sonea...? Sonea...? Sonea..."

Akkarin heard footsteps running towards them. Dorrien slid to Sonea's side and immediately put his hands on her and began Healing her. Warriors that still had energy bent down beside Akkarin and began Healing him.

"Sonea?... Sonea?..." Akkarin called, fear and desperation rising in his voice.

Dorrien looked up at Akkarin, and the look in the Healer's eyes stopped his heart. Akkarin was weak, and despite the Healing flowing through his body, he could not push back the growing darkness tugging at his mind, and he lost consciousness.


tbc...