Disclaimer: see previous chapters

Author's Note: More battle scenes! More criticism please! Thanks to those that have R&Red!

Rescue and Be Rescued

          I came awake only moments later to Allanon's commanding voice. "Erin! Elissa still needs your aid! Go to her now!" he yelled at me, blue fire darting from his hands to counteract that of the Skull Bearer. They circled slowly, each studying the other, trying to discern some weakness. I stayed only a moment longer, then struggled to my feet. I nearly fell with the pain that bombarded me from every possible point in my body. Erin Ann Warford, you make a fine rescuer! I scolded myself sarcastically, and also a bit unrealistically. Get a couple scratches and then fall down and die while everyone else you were supposed to protect gets killed too! Elissa needs you! Are you just going to let her die? Wonderful friend you are!

I stumbled out the door, sheathing the Sword of Leah as I did. The Skull Bearer saw me leaving, and attempted to stop me with one last bolt of fire, but it hit the door instead as I closed it. I took one deep breath, which ended in a sob, and started off. Every step was an extreme effort of will. Just yesterday Adrienne was questioning my willpower! I wonder what she would be saying now! I wanted to laugh, but kept it in. At this moment in time I needed to be completely silent. Faster! Faster! I urged myself on. I rounded the last corner to the classroom where Elissa and two more of my friends named Sarah and Adrienne were in German. I gained the doorway, only to nearly collapse at the strain of holding myself up. A few heads turned toward me, and eyes grew wide. "OH MY GOD!!! WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!?" cried one boy.

"Elissa…must come…with me…" I managed before a stab of pain forced a sob out of my throat. "She…is…in danger…" I could say no more at the moment.

"Who are you?" asked the teacher, Mrs. Day, surprise and concern evident on her face.

"E…Erin…" I gasped, and began to transform into exactly that. However, the transformation did not close up the wounds, nor did it lessen the pain, which had become nearly unbearable. I have to get help soon or I won't make it out of this school! I warned myself.

"Erin!" cried my friend Adrienne as she dashed toward me, finally recognizing me. Sarah and Elissa followed on her heels. "What happened?! How did you do that?! How are you even standing up! We have to get you to the hospital!" they exclaimed.

I gathered all the strength I could muster and yelled "STOP! NO!" Everyone looked at me, and I channeled all my brain power into my legs, fighting a losing battle to stay upright. "I need…all three of you…to help me…do…something. Elissa…is in danger…from the creatures…that did…this…to me. There are three…of these…creatures…left…Allanon has killed…one. It tried to…kill Amanda…but it didn't…succeed. I…fought with it. There is one…left downstairs.  I must get…Elissa…to the…parking lot. If we…run into…it, Sarah, you…must protect…her with…your life. Get her…to Amanda…in the parking…lot." I gasped out, my teeth clenched against the pain that threatened to plunge me into unconsciousness. "Adrienne…you must…find Allanon…the Druid…seven feet tall…black robes…blue fire if he is…fighting. Bremen's…son. Tell him…to come…to me…because a…Skull Bearer…is trying…to kill me. Last I…knew…he was…in English…Franklin's room…look…there."

I stopped for a moment as my thoughts began to turn into a jumble of incomprehensible mumblings. It was difficult to concentrate long enough to think. Adrienne spoke. "What will you do?"

"I will…fight…the Skull Bearer…until I die…or Allanon comes. If…you want me…to live…find Allanon…as quickly as…you can." I managed before I was forced to concentrate on staying conscious. "Come." I turned away, shrugging off the helping hands of my friends, leaving a stunned German class behind. Most of them could not contemplate that death which I had already resigned myself to. We hurried towards the parking lot, and I lagged behind, herding my friends before me despite their protests. "I…will…make…it." I reassured them until my attention was stolen by the need to stay upright and put one foot in front of the other.

Then a sound reached my ears, like sandpaper rubbing against a wall, one I had been dreading the whole time. "Skull Bearer! Go!" I cried to my friends, turning to face the danger. Adrienne hesitated only a moment before sprinting off towards Mrs. Franklin's room. Sarah and Elissa were gone as soon as they saw the swiftly approaching horror, running as if it were right behind them.

"Leah." I whispered, facing the Skull Bearer with a menacing determination bordering on insanity. I knew that this time there would be little flitting nimbly away from the tendrils of fire. My vision was clouding and I was weary enough that I had not the strength to leap to my feet more than a couple times. I prayed with all my heart that Adrienne would come soon, for I would not last long against this threat. My strength was fading rapidly.

"Foolish mortal, do you truly seek to destroy me?" it hissed.

"I seek death in battle, so that I may never again be forced to endure this life that I now lead." I replied evenly, hiding the fear and revulsion that welled up inside me from my voice. I would not reveal my true purpose, but I would not lie, either.

"Well then, let me deliver it to you." said the Skull Bearer with cruel, mocking laughter. He began to circle me, but my gaze never left it, and I kept pace despite the pain that wracked my body. I locked it from my mind and concentrated on the task at hand.

The Sword of Leah was held before me as I waited patiently for the Skull Bearer to make its first move. After nearly a full minute of circling, it caught sight of Adrienne down one of the halls dashing to find Allanon, and sent a tendril of fire after her. I heard a distant scream and screamed back at her, charging the Skull Bearer. It must pay! It has injured my friend! My mind yelled at me, urging me on.

The Skull Bearer saw me coming and sent two flaming lances in my direction. I jumped aside, landing on my feet but nearly collapsing as pain shot through my legs. Before I could dodge it, another wave of fire rolled my direction and slammed into my chest. It threw me against the wall, dazed and too weak to stand. My will did not seem strong enough to force my body to move. I reached deep within myself and found a few shreds of strength, tying them together into a rope that lifted me from the depths of weariness and gave me the strength to stand once more. But this time I knew the Skull Bearer would finish me. The Sword of Leah had been knocked from my grip in my last fall, and I had no weapon but myself.

Realizing this, I straightened quickly with resolve and lunged for the black scaled thing in front of me. Surprised, my weight nearly bowled it over, and before it knew what was happening I began to claw at its eyes. The fire nearly incinerated my hands, but I was oblivious to the pain. My battle-wearied mind could hold only one thought as it began to haze over, and that was to get rid of the fiery eyes, the eyes that were destroying me. It staggered about, claws shredding my sides and back as it struggled to dislodge me. Something caused it to lose any shreds of balance it had left and it tumbled to the ground, the fall plunging me into welcoming darkness.