JUST AND MAGNIFICENT
Volume 3: The Price We Pay For Love
3.12: The Final Battle, Part 2
Most of Volume 3 of Just and Magnificent takes place in the 3-6 years after the events of the movie. It is the last of three volumes. It is AU and if you haven't figured out, contains slash and incest. Hopefully you find it handled in a way that is as pure as possible.
Summary: Edmund battles a fallen hero. Susan is forced to fight her beloved. Peter faces the one who is many, while a great lion enters the battle.
Warnings: Slash, Incest, Love, Romance, Adventure, Mystery, Action.
Disclaimer: Only characters that are mine are the Pretty Eyes People from Shian! And since they're all dead except Orrin, well I only own him now! Well actually, he's dead now so now I own no one! sniff All the rest belong to that master of awesomeness, C.S. Lewis.
JUST AND MAGNIFICENT 3.12 – THE FINAL BATTLE, Part 2
THE JUST VS. THE SHIAN
"Orrin …" Edmund gasped as the Shian emerged from the heat of battle with Edmund clear in his sights.
Orrin now served, just as Edmund once had, as the leader of a Fallen Army. Where Serfiq once ruled, now Orrin had taken his place. Orrin was now Lejious's champion and Edmund's opposite. However, where Edmund breathed life and only part of him remained fallen, Orrin was a true fallen.
"Destroy him for your lord, Shian. Destroy the Rogue Warrior." Lejious said with a cold echo, "Goodbye, Son of Adam."
Lejious slowly walked away, not bothering to leave Edmund with even a taunt for his trouble. Edmund had little time to turn and stop him, or to feign disbelief at Orrin's return from a place Edmund had no idea he had gone to; Salei Barion. Orrin was already stalking toward him, with a face that bore little resemblance to when he breathed. His face and eyes were cold, and his stare intent. Perhaps even more so than when Edmund was King of the Fallen Army of Beruna.
"Orrin!" Edmund yelled, stepping back as Orrin approached him, "Don't let him control you! You are a Shian! Your people destroyed him in the first age! You know the prophecy! You have a chance to restore the prophecy that he would fall to a Shian! You are not a mere fallen, you can fight him! If any part of you is still the Orrin I loved as a brother, then you will not draw swords against me! Orrin would never serve him! Never! But if there is no part of Orrin left within you, then I will destroy you!"
Impassioned as his words were, Orrin paid them no heed. His eyes did not waver, nor the certainty in his step. Edmund readied his sword, realizing that if Orrin still dwelled within this fallen hero, it was an Orrin he could not reach. As much as Edmund wanted to reason with his fallen brother in law, he knew more than anyone the binds that now commanded him. With a sigh of despair, Edmund raised his sword and locked eyes with Orrin.
"Then let this be done." Edmund said, resigning himself to the duel that would come.
Orrin said nothing, but leaped at Edmund with fearsome speed. His two long swords met Edmund's sword with awesome power, sending Edmund falling backwards. Before Edmund could kick up, Orrin stabbed his swords at the ground repeatedly with the Rogue Warrior barely able to roll out before each strike.
Where Lejious fought with power, Orrin had speed to match Edmund. Edmund barely had a chance to kick to his feet before Orrin was on him again with a series of swift strokes of his swords. Well and truly on the back foot, Edmund struggled to use his one sword effectively against two.
While Orrin fought Edmund, the rest of Edmund's strike force were being wiped out by Lejious. His five forms and lightning strikes from above obliterated all challengers. Yet Edmund could focus little on them, for he had his own obliteration to avoid.
Fighting Orrin was not an eventuality Edmund had prepared for. He had little time to counter with an offense of his own, for Orrin did not let up. Nothing kept Orrin away. Even when Edmund had been kicked through a wall of fallen soldiers and forced to fight them, Orrin came for him.
As Edmund fought a mighty fallen minotaur, two swords pierced the minotaur's torso before they sliced apart, splitting the fallen beast in two. Such was his intent, Orrin would kill his own fallen to reach Edmund. He stalked through the minotaur's remains with eyes locked on Edmund.
Yet now at least, Edmund had time to take the offensive. He did so with a raging battle cry as he leaped at Orrin. It was now Orrin on the back foot, yet he stepped back with little concern, parrying each strike Edmund made. Through the battlefield they stalked and hunted each other, oblivious to the battle that surrounded them.
"Come for me, Orrin!" Edmund screamed, as once again they found themselves separated by a line of charging rhino.
The battlefield was now a mishmash of creatures and beasts, men and women, each serving their own cause. It was often difficult to tell where one frontline began and another ended. At once they would be surrounded by Narnian, by dryad and Calormen, and then by Fallen and Lone Islanders. Yet all through this, their eyes never once lost sight of each other.
Even now with charging rhino between them, Edmund sought Orrin out. He knew his brother in law was lost to him, and fought with rage, intent on destroying this blasphemy of a fallen hero who stained everything Orrin stood for. Edmund ran toward him, kicking off a rhino's back and leaping into the air. Orrin did the same and the two warriors clashed in mid air, sending one another crashing to the ground.
It was Orrin who was on his feet first, and he took the advantage, grabbing Edmund by his breastplate before he could stand up. He threw Edmund off the ground and into a nearby rock face with a mighty smash. When Edmund recovered, he realized his sword was no longer by his side.
Orrin was on him again, but Edmund used his wrist guards to parry his strikes, fighting unarmed against Orrin's two long swords. Somehow he forced the Shian back by sheer force of will, before a fallen ettin grabbed Edmund from behind. Yet Orrin only scowled fiercely at the interruption, and with a flick of his two swords, the fallen ettin fell dead with two long swords cutting its head from its body.
Edmund stared at the dead ettin in horror, freeing himself from the crushing clutch of the dead ettin. Yet before he could break himself free, Orrin was on him, and even without his swords, he proved punishing. His fists smashed against Edmund's skull, before throwing him into the air and jumping at him with a stiff kick to his midsection.
As Edmund rose to his knees, Orrin kicked him hard in the stomach, sending him rolling backwards in agony. He felt the Shian's hands on the back of his head, raising it up before smashing it to the ground and throwing Edmund forward. Crying in pain, Edmund found himself lying next to his sword. He picked it up and used it to steady his ascent to his feet.
He turned to Orrin as the fallen Shian picked up his own two long swords. Hunched over, Edmund forced himself to stand strong. He knew if he did not defeat Orrin soon, he would be the one who lay defeated. Orrin was proving to be indeed Lejious's greatest champion. He was far greater than the former, Serfiq, and on par with Lejious himself.
Edmund stalked his way toward Orrin, his face covered in his own blood. Orrin ran at him and the two met with a deafening clash of swords that sent sparks flying. As battle raged around them, they locked themselves in a duel that would only have one victor.
GENTLE AND MAGNIFICENT RAGE
Likatrik jumped in glee, clapping maniacally as Lejious devastated the Narnian frontlines. He could see Peter in the distance as Lejious stalked toward him. Though Queen Susan had stunned him by making her reappearance, he was confident his dark master would render her army mute with his own hands if necessary. And with the rate Queen Susan the Gentle's Southern Alliance was devastating the Lejious's Fallen Army, it was most definitely necessary.
Lejious stormed through the Carlormen riders, striking them dead before they were in range of striking them. The naiads fared far better, and proved more difficult for the one who is many to obliterate without effort. Their watery forms absorbed and redirected his lightning strikes back at his own army.
Likatrik was so busy watching Lejious's rampant destruction that he did not realize a certain female had set her sights on him. When he heard her voice, his head spun toward her in horror.
"Likatrik!" Susan screamed, pointing her bow at him, "I've come for your haggard little head!"
He barely had time to blink before her arrow shot at him. Only the bold move of a minotaur in front of him saved him from what was a perfectly aimed shot. His eyes wide with horror, he yelled at his soldiers to take her down. Two minotaur charged at her and she ran at them, with her two long swords drawn and a look of mad rage on her face.
Using fury to sweep them aside, she met both minotaurs at the same time, spinning her swords inside their blows to remove their arms. She stalked past them as they stood stunned and limbless. She continued stepping toward the dwarf with little sign of backing down.
Likatrik stared back at her with widening horror. He hurriedly motioned for more of his soldiers to attack Susan, feeling a sudden fear for his life. He watched anxiously as five of his best ogres challenged Susan. Fiery as she was, she could not fight them all so easily.
"Damn you, Dwarf!" Susan scowled as she found herself fighting for her life.
She was forced to turn her attention to the ogres before her. She fought them off with crazed rage, while still trying to send the signal back to her Southern Alliance to come around Lejious and take his army out from a second flank. This proved difficult when one ogre smashed her aside, with her life being spared only because of her armor protecting her chest.
She gasped with pain, pulling herself to her feet as two of her centaur rode to her aide against the ogres. She was about to join the duel when she heard a familiar. A cry of a beaver.
"Queen Susan, behind you!" yelled Mr. Beaver, "Die, you traitorous dwarf!"
Susan turned just in time to see Likatrik coming at her with a dagger. Before she could react, Mr. Beaver threw himself at the dwarf, taking the dagger blow for Susan and striking the dwarf at the same time. Mr. Beaver clawed at Likatrik's neck, causing the dwarf to run for his life. Susan would've gone after him, but realized Mr. Beaver had been heavily wounded. Perhaps even mortally.
She reached for her bow to strike dead the dwarf, but it had been knocked from her back without her realizing. Scowling, she picked up Mr. Beaver and looked up at the sky. She was desperate to save the life of a friend who had saved hers. Yet no gryphon was in sight that was not involved in its own duel against fearsome incubus or manto-raves.
"It's alright, Mr. Beaver. You're going to be fine." Susan said with fear in her eyes.
Yet when she looked over the battlefield, seeing so many Narnian, Archenlanders, Calormene and all manner of creatures who fought for the light, dying and dead, her hopes fell. She wanted to believe Mr. Beaver would survive, but she could see the light fading from his one good eye. She began weeping openly for him, as the trials of battle began to take its toll.
"What about your wife? Who will she have to terrorize her if not you?" Susan cried with a playful smile, "Hold on for me?"
"I dun thi… I … ain't … got … it … in me …" he gasped, broken words coming from his humble lips, "Forgive me, Majesty."
With that, Mr. Beaver's eyes fell cold and he fell limp in Susan's arms. She held him, hoping he'd cough or gasp or show some miracle that he still breathed. Yet he did not. Mr. Beaver had fallen in the final battle, after enduring so much to live to see it.
With bitter tears, Susan gently laid the beaver on the ground. She kissed his forehead before standing to her feet. Her face filled with gentle rage and silent intent. As if something had snapped within her, she drew her swords and turned to find the nearest enemy who fought for Lejious.
Mad with the bloodlust of her enemies and spurred on by seeing Mr. Beaver fall for her, she threw herself into battle. Her fierce sword strikes were matched only by the cries that screamed out of her lips. Enemy after enemy she cut down, with no room for mercy in her heart. When a fallen ogre lay defeated on the ground, she did not pause to show restraint. She thrust her swords into his chest, before thrusting them up and down with ferocity. Even when the ogre stopped moving, she did not move from him until his head had been cut from his body.
"You want gentle?" Susan screamed, as she once again found herself surrounded by the enemy, "I got gentle!"
She charged at her enemies, taking no pause to differentiate between threat levels. She simply fought on instinct and rage. And as she did so, so too did her brother. Across the battlefield, Peter the Magnificent led his army in a bid to close ranks around Lejious's and join up with Susan's.
He could make out his sister, but he could not see Edmund. He could only see Lejious smashing through the light's frontlines. The one who is many was unleashing power the likes that Peter had not seen in their previous duel. Yet Peter knew no fear. Whether or not his Edmund was dead or not, he did not wish to contemplate. His only goal was to destroy Lejious.
Now that Lejious had brought himself to the frontlines, Peter would let nothing stand in his way. As his army fought bravely to hold their ground, Peter set his mind in motion. He whistled for Lise the trusty unicorn to return to his side. As if sensing Peter's plan from years of fighting together, Oreius fell in beside him as Peter mounted his steed.
"Oreius, make sure our lines do not break! Gather the infantry around to make a second advance on their western flank. Do not let them scatter us! There is no surrender today, Oreius. We win or we die! There is no retreat, there is no surrender! It ends today!" Peter yelled above the roar of battle, before calling for a centaur rush to ride with him.
He galloped toward Lejious with one purpose in mind. As centaur to his left and ride provided cover, charged through the battlefield. Weaving through friend and foe alike, he set his sights on Lejious. What Peter did not realize, is that many of his own army had seen his gallant charge and with battle cries of 'For our King!' they charged on foot and hoof behind him.
Yet when he closed in on Lejious, he soon realized he was not alone. Many of Peter's magnificent army charged with him. Yet before Peter could strike a blow to Lejious, he was struck by an arrow that sent him flying off his steed and crashing to the ground. Gasping in pain, Peter was quickly surrounded by dozens of his loyal army, all circling to protect their king.
On adrenaline alone, he stood to his feet, ripping the arrow from his side as if it were a twig. He made out the unmistakable taunt of Likatrik goading him. Though Peter had every want to kill the dwarf, his sights were still set on Lejious. Even when the dwarf sent another arrow his way, Peter did not waver. He simply blocked the shot with his shield and glared back at Likatrik.
Peter's loyal followers were soon bearing the full brunt of a menacing Lejious. Lightning razed the ground around Peter with ferocity. Many of his loyal were struck dead by lightning or one of Lejious's five forms as they tried to form a line to protect Peter. A line that Peter soon broke, giving his loyal the order to break formation and fight on their own terms. He continued marching toward Lejious, just as Lejious began walking toward him.
"Use your tricks if you will!" Peter roared with intent in his eyes, "Or challenge me yourself!"
"I need no tricks to defeat a mere Son of Adam!"
With a mighty battle cry, King Peter the Magnificent charged toward the dark lord, Lejious with his sword, Rhindon, raised high. As Lejious charged at him, shifting his five forms back into one, Peter felt his life flashing before his eyes. He felt hope surging through his veins. He felt destiny calling to him as though perhaps this was how it was always meant to be. At the end, perhaps it was meant to be he who faced Lejious. Though he did not even know Edmund's fate, he prepared to meet his own. Victory or defeat, it ended here. With that thought in mind, Peter's sword met Lejious's, and his fate became one with destiny.
THAT WHICH BINDS US
As Susan fought her way into the heart of the enemy's territory on the battlefield, she could see that Lejious dueled Peter back on the frontlines. Though she found herself wanting to aid her brother, she chanced a glance in the opposite direction, even deeper into enemy territory. The sight that greeted her was that of her brother, Edmund.
She found herself with eyes wide in disbelief, and not for seeing Edmund fighting deep in enemy territory. Rather her disbelief stemmed from who Edmund was currently fighting. Shaking her head and closing her eyes before she looked again, she felt her heart sinking in with disbelief and despair. Despair that made her legs falter.
The man Edmund fought was that of her husband, Prince Orrin. Her dead husband. Her dead husband was so obviously now a fallen. Yet her mind played on just how this could be. She buried him and his grave had not been disturbed for …
Likatrik. She knew he was the one who replaced Mr. Beaver as the last to cover Orrin's casket. He was the one who had tried to turn her against her brothers by fueling her grief with his deceptions and magic.
Yet still she could not help but believe that this could be a sign of hope. Surely if Peter could redeem Edmund from his fate as a fallen, so too could she? After all, her love for Orrin was as strong and pure as Peter's.
She set out toward Edmund, hoping to save Orrin before either of them were killed. Fortunately she was aided by the white dragon, Naes, who carved a path for her with his searing flames. She ran through the charred remains of land and flesh, intent on reaching Edmund and her husband. She had little time to process the sight of her dead husband, and refused to let her emotion distract her yet. After all, she was still in the middle of a battlefield.
When she reached Edmund and her husband, they were locked in deadly battle. A battle that Edmund clearly seemed to be losing. Susan could not remember ever seeing Edmund's face so bloody before. High upon a ridge the pair dueled, free from the interruptions of other battlers. As soon as she made the ridge, she made a closer observation of her husband and realized how cold he looked, how hollow his eyes were. Yet she refused to believe there was not some part of her husband there to save. Surely this was her miracle. Just as Peter had his miracle, surely this was hers.
"Orrin!" She cried as she made the ridge, tears streaming down her eyes, "Orrin!"
Much to Edmund's tired relief and surprise, Orrin paused. Both himself and Orrin turned to Susan. Though where Edmund showed emotional relief to see her, Orrin's face was no less cold than when he dueled Edmund.
"Orrin, you have to stop this." Susan said as she stepped slowly toward him, "I know my husband is in there. Bring him back to me. Don't you know who I am? I am your promised one. I am your Susan. Don't fight Edmund, he's your brother."
Where Edmund's words seemed to have little obvious effect on Orrin, Susan's did. A glint of hesitation could be seen in his eyes, giving Edmund the hope that the Shian could be reached. Yet he also knew that Orrin was bound in a far different way than he had been.
When Aslan had him sent to Salei Barion, it was to return and fight for the great lion. Therefore, he was bound by love and hope. Thus enabling Peter an opportunity to use the bind of the deep magic to give him life. However, since Orrin had been sent by Lejious, Edmund feared his bind had little to do with love. He feared Orrin had as much chance of breaking his binds as the rest of the fallen army did. Yet just like Susan, he had hope at the sign of hesitation in Orrin's eyes.
"Orrin …" Susan said with a broken gasp, stepping slowly closer, "I have not lived without you. I have only existed. We have our miracle. Come back to me. I love you. I love you more than I believed I could ever love anything or anyone. Do not let him control you. Do not. You are my husband. You are my prince. You are a Shian. He destroyed your people. He wiped out your kingdom. He has orchestrated this war for years. He is the one who ordered Rabadash to kill our baby. My Orrin would never serve him! If part of Orrin remains in you, then you will fight his hold on you. You will come back to me where you belong. You will help us destroy him. I love you, Orrin. I am your promised one, remember?"
Edmund's heart broke at seeing Susan having to relive her grief and her despair at this moment. She waited anxiously for Orrin to say something. To say anything. Just as Edmund did. Though unlike Susan, Edmund was ready to take the kill while Orrin was distracted. If her plan failed, he would strike Orrin unawares and end this duel.
"Pro …" Orrin said softly, speaking for the first time since Edmund had encountered him, "Pro … mis …"
"That's it, Orrin." Susan cried, barely steps from him now, "I am your promised one."
"Su … san?"
"Yes." she cried, tears washing away the dried blood on her face, "I am your Susan."
"Lo…"
For all the hope in Susan's eyes, Edmund could only feel a greater sense of despair. Being a former fallen himself, King of the Fallen in fact, he had qualities that allowed him to sense other fallen. It had faded since he rejoined the living, but he could still sense enough right now to know that Susan's plan would likely fail. Orrin served a far different master to Aslan. A master whose power and magic was not based on love.
His fears were proven correct when Orrin's face suddenly tilted up to meet Susan's. As if all her efforts had been for nothing, Orrin's face returned to quiet indifference. The look of despair on Susan's face quickly changed to anger. She stepped forward again, dropping her swords. Yet before she could make another impassioned plea to whatever remained of her husband's soul, the sounds of battle were shattered by a most unexpected sound. The sound of hope. The roar of a lion.
"Aslan!" Edmund said in disbelief, turning to the far south of the battlefield toward Cair Paravel.
There against the skyline the great lion stood, roaring toward the sky. Edmund did not think he had seen a more wonderful sight in his life. Behind Aslan stood Lucy and Tumnus, along with her Fourth Battalion. Only a thousand troops, whose numbers would not seem great in comparison to those in battle, but troops who nonetheless would most definitely be appreciated for the cause of light. Yet not so much as the sight of Narnia's great lion would be appreciated by all in battle. His presence seemed to briefly pause the entire battlefield, while all looked in either horror or stunned jubilation.
"Aslan?" Susan gasped, "He is here?"
"Lucy, you did it!" Edmund cried, before his eyes darted back to Orrin.
Orrin reacted to Aslan's return with urgency, all evidence of Susan's words breaking through to him now clearly gone. He cast one more glance at Edmund and then Aslan, then Susan. Finally, he turned back to Edmund with the same cold stare he first greeted him with.
"Your time is over, Rogue Warrior." Orrin said before lunging at Edmund.
Edmund swung his sword up in defense, but it was no match for Orrin's two swords. Especially not when he was already weary from keeping himself alive deep in enemy territory. One or Orrin's swords swept aside Edmund's defense, while another slashed Edmund's chest. He could barely scream out, before Orrin sent him flying backwards with a stiff kick. His sword still clutched in his hand, he rolled aside as Orrin stabbed the ground where he had just lain.
Susan could only watch on in horror as Orrin and Edmund returned to their fierce dueling. Orrin fought with renewed urgency. It seemed that Orrin's abilities as a fallen champion were overwhelming even Edmund's Rogue Warrior skills. Her eyes flicked back and forth between both Edmund and Orrin, picking up her swords and finding her heart being ripped in two by the choice she knew she would have to make.
Her eyes bore witness to Edmund being kicked backwards and struggling to hold his own. His eyes seemed to plead with her. Plead with her to help him. It was a plea from a brother. A brother who she felt she still had not truly forgiven, but still would not see him come to harm.
With a look of despondence, Susan stepped toward Orrin. She flashed through their life together, and did her best to remind herself that this was not the man she married. This was not the husband whose honor led him to death. Her husband would never serve Lejious. He would never kill Edmund as he now threatened to do.
"Susan, help me!" Edmund cried out, "Please!"
Orrin had Edmund pinned to the ground with his foot. Just as Orrin raised his sword over Edmund's chest, Susan stepped in with a death strike. A strike Orrin blocked with his free sword. He turned his eyes to meet hers and she could not see her husband in them.
The moment of her distraction was enough for Edmund to kick up and swing at Orrin with his sword. In a flash the duel kicked into life, this time with both Susan and Edmund fighting Orrin. They forced him back with unrelenting strikes. Yet he still kept them at bay with the skill of his two swords. Positioning himself between both Susan and Edmund, Orrin fought them both off.
Even two on one, Orrin was still a match for them. His fallen abilities giving him strength and speed that was already formidable when he lived. His skill easily matched Edmund's, and he used it to force the Rogue Warrior toward the rise of the ridge, while keeping Susan behind him.
Edmund fought back with as much rage as he could muster. His heart however, was not in this battle. The first window of opportunity that came, he intended to make the kill. If he did not, he feared he would be the one being killed. He found his moment of opportunity came at the most unexpected circumstances.
"That's it, Shian! Serve your master! Destroy the Rogue Warrior!" taunted Likatrik, clapping his hands with glee before he armed his bow and let an arrow fly at an unsuspecting Susan, "Die, Queen Susan!"
Edmund was so lost in his swordplay with Orrin, that he did not realize Susan had been shot. Yet when he saw her stagger with the arrowhead piercing out of her chest, he knew she had been struck with a critical shot. What Edmund found surprising was how Orrin reacted to her being shot.
Orrin kicked Edmund aside, before turning to duel Susan and realized she'd been shot. She fell to her knees, dangerously close to the edge of the ridge. Likatrik readied another arrow to fire, and Edmund witnessed Orrin staying his sword with his eyes that while still vacant, showed curious observation.
Edmund jumped at the opening Likatrik had inadvertently provided, running his sword through Orrin's back. He was too tired to think about his actions. Too beaten to feel guilt. Orrin barely flinched as Edmund's sword stuck out through his chest.
Edmund knew that as a fallen, it would take more to finish Orrin off, but even now he didn't seem to move. When Edmund tried to grab the sword out of Orrin's back in an attempt to swing around and cut off his head, Orrin stepped aside before pulling the sword out himself. He slammed the butt of it against Edmund's head with enough force to knock him to the ground.
"That's it, Shian! Kill the Rogue Warrior!" Likatrik yelled as four of his fallen satyrs came to stand behind him, "Finish him, and I will finish this bitch!"
Orrin did as commanded and raised his swords over Edmund's chest, sending one through his right shoulder to pin him down. Edmund screamed out in agony, staring up at the Shian with horrified eyes. Orrin held his second sword above Edmund's chest, about to impale Edmund through the heart for the death blow.
"Orrin …" Edmund gasped, "Don't do this! I have to stop him! Look at him! He's killing Peter!"
Sure enough, Edmund could see Peter far off in the distance. He was being brutalized by a Lejious far more devastating than Edmund had ever witnessed. Edmund turned his eyes back to Orrin, pleading to him.
"You are a Shian!" Edmund growled angrily, "How dare you serve him! I saw you hesitate when Susan spoke to you! Part of our Orrin is still in there! He would never serve that demon!"
"Ahh, but he does!" Likatrik taunted, running over to kick Edmund in the head, "You stupid fool, King Edmund. I played you all! Now the Shian fights for us! He is our champion and you are defeated! Your words will not sway him, for he is bound to the dark lord, and you more than anyone should know that bind cannot be broken! Kill him, Shian!"
Orrin thrust his sword down at Edmund's chest, before Likatrik suddenly stopped him. The dwarf snickered, before running over to a Susan who was struggling for breath and life. He punched her in the face repeatedly, taunting Edmund. When Susan managed to backhand him, he pulled out his dagger and stabbed her in the leg.
"Don't you see, King Edmund? Nothing you say or do could sway him. No one breaks the dark magic." He snickered.
"Stupid dwarf. You obviously haven't read your history." Edmund gasped as Likatrik smashed Susan in the face with the hilt of his dagger, "Because the dark magic has been broken before!"
Susan cried out in agony as Likatrik dragged her to the edge of the ridge's rise. His arrow shot had been far too accurate and rendered Susan useless. Likatrik taunted her with his dagger, while holding her at the edge of the rise, threatening to push her over.
"King Edmund, I wish you to witness this! Orrin, come and kill the bitch yourself!" Likatrik snickered, "Witness the power of the dark magic's bind, Rogue Warrior!"
Orrin took his foot off Edmund's chest, dropping his sword to the ground before walking to Lejious's side. He stared at the dwarf, as if waiting for more specific commands. When the dwarf held out his dagger, Orrin took it and held it to Susan's neck enough to draw blood.
"That's it, Shian, finish her!" Likatrik sneered as he clapped his hands, "Kill the bitch!"
And yet Orrin did not move. Susan's eyes shed tears as she stared at him, pleading and declaring at once. Declaring a love and pleading with him to help her. He faltered for a moment, and the dwarf's eyes went wide with horror.
"Shian, kill her!"
"Shian …" Lejious's voice echoed around them, his voice emanating out of the four fallen satyr soldiers, "What are you doing?"
Edmund realized just what was going on. Even as Lejious battled Lejious, he could sense his champion resisting the dark magic. Resisting the bond that bound him as a fallen. Bound him as the leader of the fallen army and a servant to Lejious's will.
"Shian …" Orrin said in almost a whisper.
"Yes, Orrin!" Edmund yelled as he struggled to free himself from the sword that impaled his shoulder, "You are a Shian! Your people destroyed him in the first age! Help me destroy him now and rid this world of him forever!"
"Shian! Kill him now! Kill the Son of Adam!" Lejious's voice boomed angrily through the satyrs, "Kill them both! You cannot break the bonds of the dark magic!"
"Shian …" Orrin said again, this time a little louder than the first time, "I …"
"It's her, isn't it?" Likatrik said looking at Susan as she still struggled for breath.
"Orrin … my heart died when you left me. If you have not come back to me, then let my body die too." Susan cried, barely able to speak through her agony, "If my husband is lost to me, then I am lost too. Finish this."
Likatrik pulled the dagger from Orrin's hand as his head began to shake as though battling in his mind. Edmund knew very well the battle that Orrin fought, for he had fought it too. He willed Orrin on, hoping beyond a hope that somehow the Shian could break free of his binds.
Suddenly, Orrin's head stopped shaking and he stood up straight. He looked at Susan and then at Likatrik. The dwarf took a gulp of anxiety, a little uncertain as to the Shian's loyalties. Yet the dwarf could not believe that anyone would break the dark magic's binds. None of the fallen bound to Lejious could. Not even Serfiq, a once great knight of Aslan, could break his binds before Orrin killed him.
"Forgive me." Orrin spoke finally.
Edmund's heart fell, realizing that perhaps the best chance to bring Orrin back had failed. He fought more than ever to remove the sword from his shoulder, just managing to loosen it. He slowly worked it out, trying his best not to make a sound or alert even the satys.
"You just remember your place, Shian." Likatrik said with a cocky sneer, "Now hurry up and finish the whore off."
"Forgive me …" Orrin said again with a small bow.
"All is forgiven, Shian. Come, we have a war to win and a lion to kill."
"Forgive me …" Orrin said as his eyes met Susan's, "Promised One."
"Orrin?" gasped a stunned Susan, "Orrin!"
"Forgive me, Promised One."
"No!" Lejious's voice screamed out of the satyrs.
"What?"
The dwarf barely mouthed the words before Orrin stepped back as the satyrs attacked him. He met each of their sword strikes with a hand to hand counter, smashing the elbow of one, before backwards kicking another in the chest. Pulling the sword from the first satyr, he spun it around, decapitating all four satyr at once. Their bodies fell to the ground as Likatrik stood mortified.
The dwarf thrust the dagger at Susan's throat, desperate to kill her quickly. Before the dagger reached her, Orrin grabbed him by the throat and hauled him up into the air. He held the dwarf in front of him while slowly crushing his neck with one hand.
"No … you couldn't have …" Likatrik said shaking his head, gasping for breath, "How … could … you?"
Orrin said nothing but continued crushing the dwarf's neck. He narrowed his eyes at the dwarf, scowling silently as he did so. The dwarf struggled fruitlessly to save his life, but soon the air began to leave him.
Before he made the final gesture to snap the dwarf's neck, Orrin found himself being set upon by a horde of ogres and three ettin. The dwarf was thrown free as Orrin suffered the punch of a giant from behind. As Likatrik gagged holding his neck, Orrin was quickly set upon by Lejious's army.
"Kill the Shian!" Likatrik ordered, "All of you! Kill him!"
The dwarf scampered away, holding his neck. Edmund pulled himself to his feet, still marveling at the events that had occurred. Susan was somewhat delirious, but coherent enough to realize Orrin had somehow broken Lejious's bond.
"Orrin!" Susan gasped as Edmund helped her to her feet, supporting her so she could stand, "Edmund, help him!"
The Shian stood slowly to his feet, before turning to face those who now came to destroy him. His eyes narrowed, and though those eyes were still fallen, they seemed more alive than ever. He regarded them with a silent nod before stalking toward them. He stopped to kick up his two swords with his feet, positioning himself between the enemy and Edmund and Susan.
"They come for me, not you. Do not remember me like this, Promised One! Do not!" Orrin yelled without turning back to face them, "Finish him, Edmund! Finish him! Go!"
Before either Edmund or Susan could say anything, the horde set upon Orrin. He fought with as much, if not more rage than he had fought Edmund with. He let none of them get by him and through to Edmund and Susan. Before Edmund could think of intervening, the familiar cry of a gryphon interrupted him.
"Come, Majesties!" Roan cried, gripping both with his talons before whisking them into the air.
"Orrin!" Edmund yelled out, surprised at Roan's appearance, "Come with us!"
"Orrin!" Susan cried out, "Orrin!"
Archers soon readied their bows, but Orrin fought his way to them and cut them down before they could shoot at Roan. He set out after every archer he could, buying enough time for Roan to break to a safe height and distance. He looked up at Susan, his eyes conveying more than words could and even from their distance apart, Susan understood it all.
The last sight of Orrin both Edmund and Susan witnessed was that of him fighting valiantly against a growing horde of Lejious's ettin and giants from the north. As great a warrior as he was, he could not match their numbers. Susan could barely breathe as she witnessed her just returned husband being overwhelmed by the army he had been forced to serve with.
"Orrin …"
HE HAD IT COMING
Likatrik could not believe his luck. Somehow he had avoided death at the hands of the Shian. He still could not believe that Orrin somehow broke free of Lejious's binds.
He ran through his army's ranks, trying to make his way to Lejious. Trying to make it to safety. None could stand up to the might of his master, not even that Shian.
He was certain that lion would soon get what was coming to him. After all, his master was not afraid to face him. In fact, he had expected, perhaps even wanted this moment to come.
"You'll get what's coming to you, Lion!" Likatrik said still holding his neck, "You and all those foolish monarchs!"
He picked up a fallen axe and used it on a helpless Narnian soldier nearby who lay calling for help. Without showing any mercy, Likatrik brought the axe down on the faun's head and cut it off. He snickered to himself as he stood over the faun's body.
"Dwarf!" roared a voice from behind him.
Likatrik turned in horror to see the great lion charging toward him. Falling to his knees, Likatrik held up his hands and begged for mercy. Yet Aslan showed no sign of slowing down his sprint.
The dwarf's last sight was that of a lion's mouth clamping down on his head. The crunch he perhaps heard too, but it was most certainly the last thing he knew before he was ripped in two. Aslan barely broke sprint as he tossed the remains of the dwarf aside and ran toward Lejious.
DARKNESS VS. THE LIGHT
Peter lay a broken mess of flesh on the battlefield as Lejious stood over him. The dark lord grabbed Peter by the throat and held him up in the air. Peter could do nothing but hang limp, having been beaten within an inch of his life by the one who is many.
"I have no champion, and now Narnia will not have a High King to reclaim her. You could have served me, but instead you chose to serve him. Rest in the knowledge that I will send him to the hereafter just as soon as I'm done sending you there. Let your army see what happens to those who defy me! Bear witness to just a sampling of my true power!" Lejious said as Peter began floating up and out of his hand, "Your time has come, Son of Adam. Do you have any last words?"
"My … Edmund …" Peter gasped, blood seeping from his lips, "He … will … defeat … you …"
"You have no understanding of what I truly am or what I am capable of, do you? I have tamed this world and because of it my power is greater than you can ever imagine! This battle is merely a formality for my true plan. You will not be alive to witness it! Die!"
Above the heads of most who battled, Peter hung by a force he could not understand. Lejious held his hand out to Peter and summoned lightning from the sky. It shot down and struck Lejious, charging through his body before he redirected it at Peter.
Peter shook in full view of his army, electricity coursing through his body. The shocking sight drew the attention of the Narnian army, who could barely believe what they were seeing. It broke their spirits and for some, it hardened their resolve. They charged at Lejious, but were struck dead by lightning before they were anywhere near him.
Peter's eyes rolled up into the back of his head as his body shook, his skin charred and blood seeped through his pores. In full display of his army, Peter was being destroyed and made an example of. Yet in that moment, all he could think is whether his Edmund would know how much he loved him. How much his death would be for him. How much his life had been for him.
"Lejious!" roared Aslan as he leaped through a wall of boggles.
"He's already dead, Brother!" Lejious taunted as he turned to face Aslan, tossing Peter's body to the ground with a nod of his head, "And now you come to join him!"
"This is the end!" roared the lion as he sprinted toward Lejious.
"It is!" Lejious yelled as he ran to meet Aslan, "For you!"
Aslan leaped into the air as Lejious ran at him. The two legends came together with a blinding explosion that echoed out through the battlefield. To those who witnessed it, it was not a lion charging a knight that they witnessed. It was the light standing against the darkness. It was hope vs. despair. Not one soul on the battlefield escaped the stunning sight, for reached all, pausing the battle as the light was too blinding. Yet the battle was not over. Indeed, it continued on in ways that all but one person could possibly imagine.
- To Be Continued -
3.12 - The Final Battle, Part 3
The Battle Ends.
A/N:Pretty much balls to the wall here too! Expect that theme to continue. No previews or hints to the next part as it is the climax of Just and Magnificent and this battle. If by some crappy crap Sub writing thing I can't fit it into one more part, I reserve the right to split it again, BUT I will try not to. The dwarf finally bit the dust. Aslan turned up. Peter got the shit kicked out of him. Orrin kicked Edmund's ass and then managed to save it. Expect shit to hit the fan in the final installment of this chapter. It's almost over, so be kind and show me some love if you liked this story.
