Disclaimer: see previous chapters

Author's Note: This chapter contains a battle. I have never written a battle before. I do not know whether it is horrible or decent or really great, so please please please tell me! R&R! Flames more welcome than ever! Also, thank you Adrienne D. for editing my story.

The Skull Bearer

            It stood in the doorway for no more than a second, a huge, black, forbidding enigma that stank of evil purposes. Its eyes were red pinpoints of light in the well of darkness that was its face. The mouth was a tight line, the nose impossible to discern among the blackness of its features. Its wings were folded behind it, two or three feet long and ending in wickedly curved claws. The feet were talons that dug into the carpet ferociously, crooked and just as deadly as the claws on its wings. Its legs were covered in scales, as was its chest and back and even its featherless wings. The only thing that was not black about it, the tarnished silver sign of the Skull, was hung about its neck on a black cord. A couple of girls screamed, and even the boys cowered and shuddered with evident fear. My heart was struck to the core with terror, but that was soon forced away in place of hatred-driven determination.

It moved closer and closer towards the center of the room, making its slow way between the desks. Its talons scratched the carpet, and its wings dragged against the floor, creating an ominous scratching sound. I stood silent and still as a statue, awaiting my chance to make myself known. It passed Amanda by, and I sent my strength of will to her, trying to help her stand against the Skull Bearer's all-consuming aura of fear.

Then it was past, and I relaxed a bit. Suddenly, however, the Skull Bearer halted and whirled about, so that it faced my back. I felt its piercing eyes traveling about the room, resting on me for only a moment before moving on. Then it hissed, "I feel the presence of magic. Where is the Heir of Shannara?!"

I turned. "Why do you ask?" I said in a chilling voice.

"Are you she? If you are I must…talk with you." it replied.

"I am no such great person. But I know who you speak of." I retorted, my voice still an icy cold, but with an air of taunting to it.

"You know?" the Skull Bearer hissed. "Take me to them!"

"I could. But I won't." I replied. A wash of unbridled fury emanated from the creature, quickly restrained and buried beneath a wall of evil intent.

"You will, puny mortal, if you wish to survive this day." it threatened.

"No, I won't." I became stubborn.

With a scream of pure hatred and fury, the Skull Bearer's eyes blazed, and a stream of fire shot forth. I flung myself left to the ground with the cry "Leah!" and even as I rolled from the fire, I became the Princess of Leah. "Get under your desks!" I yelled at the class as I freed my sword. "Leeaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!" The battle cry broke from the depths of my soul, ringing against the walls of the classroom. I charged with pretended recklessness, then leapt to the right as red fire speared the air where I had been. I came up against a desk and shot back to my feet, ready for another dodge.

However, this time the Skull Bearer did not try to attack me. We circled about the small space for a few seconds, three feet of air between my death and me. Then it spoke. "Why do you do this? You are a mere mortal. You cannot best me."

"I can protect my friends. It is my duty to do so. I would not be able to live with myself if I failed in this task that I have been set, if they died even as I lived." I replied.

"Yes, but your life is more important than theirs. If you care more for others than for yourself, you will not survive for long in the world." The Skull Bearer's words were venom from the poisonous tongue of the untrustworthy snake, and I recognized them as such.

"If I die today, I will die happier than I have ever been in all my life. This is the moment I have lived for. To fight such a battle as I am fighting now, with sword instead of gun, more free than I have ever been and will ever be in this world. This is what I have dreamed of. I care not for the simplistic life that most of the human race lives now. There is no adventure, no danger, no chance to show the courage that I have always known is within me. Now I have my chance. Will I step down? I think not." I replied, my face brightening, a wild grin spreading over my face. My heart soared from my chest to the tip of my sword. I was free!

The Skull Bearer charged again, fire searing through me. Except I wasn't there. I was never there. It attempted to pin down the agile girl that evaded its magic a dozen times, yet it could not. But I was tiring quickly. My sword was growing heavier by the second, my feet and legs became leaden, and I felt I could leap no more. Yet still I dodged, always just ahead of the Skull Bearer's blood-red fire. Then, finally, as I leapt away once more, the Skull Bearer's flames caught my right shoulder, and I twisted fully about in the air before hitting the ground with a thud. My blood dappled the carpet where I had landed. The fire felt like a white-hot drill was being plunged into my shoulder. I bit back a scream of pain and jumped to the attack once more. But now, added to my weariness was my loss of blood and the pain that lanced through my right arm, my sword arm. I had to get Amanda out now.

"Amanda! Run! Send Allanon!" I cried, and then moved to shield her with my body as she dashed from the room. I could not dodge as I would normally have without exposing Amanda, and so I was hit twice more with the fire. "Run for your life!" I screamed as the door closed behind her, my pain evident in my voice. "Leeeeeeeaaaaaaaahhhhh!" The battle cry of the highlands flew from my mouth again, and again I charged. Drawing strength from my determination and from the knowledge that Elissa was still unaware of her danger, I forced myself to go on. I ducked and dodged several times to avoid the streams of fire the Skull Bearer sent, inching closer and closer, sword grasped tightly in a hand cramped by pain and lack of blood. But I was losing the battle. I knew suddenly that if Allanon did not come in the next few minutes, I would die. This was my last chance.

Finally, I got close enough to swing my sword at the creature, and I threw all my strength and determination into the blow. The Sword of Leah crashed into the Skull Bearer's short neck, but it was coated with hard scales, and my attack did nothing to it. Dismayed, I tensed to leap from another barrage of fire and realized my mistake too late. One scaled wing lashed out at me, and four razor-sharp claws tore flesh from my left arm all the way to the bone as they threw me backwards against the table at which I had stood before the battle. Blood gushed from my arm and from the three other wounds which the Skull Bearer had wrought upon me. Bruises made everything throb. I must get up and make one last stand, I screamed to my mind. Die in battle, and die honorably! But I could not get up, for the pain was too great, and so I waited for the final barrage of fire to finish me off. The support of the table bored into my back, augmenting the pain that already throbbed there. How ironic, I thought then with dry humor. It ends where it began. The room began to spin slowly. Still I waited. Suddenly, I thought I caught a flash of blue flame, but decided that my pain-muddled brain must be hallucinating. Allanon isn't here, I told myself. Then everything went black, and I lost consciousness.