Bane 9
Disclaimer: Se chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.
A/N: Fight scenes are not Frau's and mine forte. So please bear that in mind when you read this chapter. Terms used in this chapter is listed below.
:Mind to mind speech:
Chapter 9
In a small but well disguised clearing sat a gathering of stone buildings connected by covered raised walkways – the Healing complex known only as 'Sanctuary.'
In the middle of the interconnected buildings a small rocky out crop glowed in the afternoon sunlight.
The newly created heart-stone protected the healing complex from the elements as well as offered extra power for those that could tap into it. It had taken over a month for the adept mages of the k'Valdemar Vale to create a dome of magic to enshroud Sanctuary.
Inside this protection, healers, patients and their families, plus a small herd of long-horned deer called dyheli went about their business completely unaware of the danger that was coming.
The head healer Kandace was taking a stroll along the walk-ways enjoying a brief respite in her duties when a very agitated snowy owl landed in front of her.
Thankfully she had the gift of mind speech as the owl screeched at her, flailing his wings frantically.
:Danger comes! Raise shields! Protect nest! Blood-path mage comes with evil! No time! Hurry!: the owl projected at her. :Warn all!: the owl flew off to warn others.
Kandace wasn't a fool. She knew the dangers that came from the forest and the northern realms and its tribes. If a hawk-brother sent their bond bird with a warning, then she had better listen.
Turning towards the center of the compound the head healer started shouting for her assistants. With the number still recovering from this new plague she hoped they could get everyone into the shelters. She prayed, as the other healers hurried to do her bidding, that their defenses would hold.
A dyheli ran up to the head healer she turned to the sentient being. :The owl is correct. Evil comes. We can sense it approaching from the north. We must take cover or flee while we can:
"Can you project anything to the Vale from here?" she asked, aloud.
:It's being sent as we speak but they will not get here in time. A warning has been sent to Erond's Grove as well as the Ghost Cat village:
"Any idea what's coming?"
:Demons.:
Goddess forbid! Although demons were merely legends in Valdemar anyone who had lived, or even visited in the out countries, will tell you demons still exist.
Well, there was no time to be faint of heart.
"Get everyone into the cellars at once! The Veil's too new to hold for long," the head healer snapped at the gathering staff. "Move! Now! There's no time to be standing around like sheep! We've got work to do!"
As others began to heed her orders, she began praying for a miracle. 'Dear Goddess, send help. We won't get everyone to safety in time.'
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Firefox knew that dementors were impossible to kill, they could only be driven off. However, he grew up with stories of Vanyel Demonsbane and other heroic stories of famous mages and heralds. In fact, Firesong was a direct descendant of that famous Herald-mage. However, the more he thought about it, he wasn't too sure that it was dementors he was facing, even if their projected hunger felt the same.
Thanks to his training with Firesong and Starfall, he also knew that most of the spells to drive demons back into the abyss died with Vanyel when he used final strike in the Forest of Sorrows. He hoped he didn't have to use that technique.
'Blessed Star-eyed,' he prayed. 'I could use some inspiration and any help would be nice as well. I hope I reach Sanctuary in time.'
So, as the pair traveled through the trees towards Sanctuary, Firefox mentally went over everything he knew from both his old memories as Harry Potter as well as his new ones. There had to be something he could use.
He went through everything he had learned in Defense, which wasn't much. He had to do a lot of self-study in the subject and the topic of demons just never came up. Dementors – yes. Demons – no.
However, as a master-class mage he knew he could use the ley-lines in creative ways, and with his limited spell repertoire he hoped he was prepared enough.
The aura of evil was moving faster and closer. They were only a few miles from the healer complex.
:You can't help me in this fight.: Firefox sent to Wintersky. :Get to the villages and alert them. You'll only be in the way and the demons won't care. To them you're nothing more than food. I'll do what I can to stall them until you can get help. Go!:"
Wintersky wanted to protest but knew that he didn't have the magic wherewithal to fight against these foes. He was no mage. His talents lay in the forest and in the tracking of prey. However, if a mage says 'go', he had no choice; all he would only be was a liability.
:Don't die. Your fathers will have my hide if you do. Kelvren and that young gryphon will help.:
Firefox smiled as they separated. The scout to warn the villagers and Firefox to hold off the threat. He had no plans of dying, but even he knew that if the Shadow Lover* called, he would have to answer.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The forest was deathly silent. Everything in the area had either fled before the evil miasma that rolled across the sky and land, or went to ground.
Firefox stood in a tree overlooking Sanctuary and noted that the heart stone had been locked down and the safety shields were in place. All the healers had by now moved everyone into the underground shelters. He hoped it was enough. There were few barriers that could stop a demon. According to Anda and Shandi, Karse* is still plagued with them, even to this day.
The magic as well as the different auras that radiated from Sanctuary would be a sweet temptation to anything hungry for such a feast.
A tremendous roar echoed through the trees.
They were almost here.
Firefox jumped down from his perch to stand just outside of Sanctuary's entrance way and waited. His climbing hook and bow were the only weapons he had. He carefully tapped into the small vein of magic that ran underground and back to the main feed. The ley-line recognized his aura as he had been the one that created its banks. The familiar ebb and flow of power gave the young mage the confidence he needed to face what was to come.
Grounding himself, the young master-class mage began to pull more power from the larger pool that was the Vale miles away. He was as ready as he could make himself.
Then he remembered something that Firesong once told him during one of their lessons:
"Firefox, if you want to confuse your enemies ground and center your magic to a place they would least expect, the Void. But take heed, the Void is dangerous. If you aren't careful it could pull you in and you'll never find your way out. But the rewards may be worth it. We can no longer do the great feats of magic because of the Mage Storms but if a mage is clever enough, he can always find a way."
He had just finished re-grounding himself in that place between life and the afterlife known as the Void. He could feel the tugging on the tether that anchored him. The feeling was something he would not describe, even if he could. He knew that he wouldn't use this often and was almost certain that he couldn't use it again anytime soon.
The trees in front of him shook and broke as two huge creatures stepped through.
Demons!
'Blessed Star-Eyed! Be with me this day!'
They were larger and uglier that anything Firefox had ever seen. They definitely were not dementors, even if they gave off the same aura. Not to mention they were larger than the giants that followed Voldemort.
That insane idiot had called up demons and not dementors. 'Why did they feel the same?'
He had no time to dwell on that matter. Too much was at stake.
Hunger radiated from the demonic pair as they surged forward to the feast that waited for them under the protective veil that was Sanctuary.
Firefox raised both of his arms and shouted a word of power. From his fists two huge levin-bolts shot out, stopping the pair in their tracks.
The Blood-path mage skirted around the summoned pair and laughed. "You can't stop them! They're bound to me! Me! And they will sweep away this pathetic place. I'll avenge my father and kill the mage that defeated him Then I'll sweep through the tribes until I am acknowledged as the supreme chief of all the clans!"
Firefox spared no time for the insane monologue as he reached into himself and into everything he knew about demons. He had to break the contract between the mage and them. It was the only way.
Suddenly, an arrow shot through the air and hit the blood-path mage, wounding him. Clutching the arrow that stuck out of his shoulder, the mage shouted another order.
The demons howled in anger as they turned to face their summoner. The mage shouted orders as he pulled out the arrow and waved it at the pair.
Firefox pulled more energy and started to chant. The words didn't make much sense if anyone bothered to listen as they were in Keled'a'in – Silverfox's native language. In the back of his mind, he prayed that this worked as he didn't have a plan B.
The young master-class mage pulled more and more energy both from the Void as well from the ley-line, ignoring the pain of the energy flowing through him. Light from the levin bolts lit up the late afternoon sky as they hit the demons mid-chest. Both demons were almost mad with hunger and pain.
They roared, flaring their auras. Their dark miasma flooded the area, choking all life around them. Their l voices demanded the blood of innocents as they were promised. They would not be denied their prey.
Using mage sight Firefox found the angry red tethers between the demons and the mage. Although the tethers had been weakened by the arrow attack and he knew if he broke them one of two things would probably happen. At least he hoped it would happen. One would be the demons would turn on the mage and return the three of them to the Abyss from which they came. The other would be they would be loosed onto Valdemar – devouring every living thing in their path.
He felt a second presence in the ley-line. Celin. The old shaman from the ghost Cat clan had arrived. Firefox couldn't dwell on the relief he felt as he prepared the last bit of power to cut the demon's tether from the insane mage.
Firefox prayed once more to the Star-eyed that this worked.
There was a loud snap as he collapsed when the tethers broke. The demons roared as they turned on the Blood-path mage whose loud commands were silenced as his body became riddled with arrows.
Firefox paid no attention to the demons as they tore the blood-path mage into bloody pieces before turning their attention back to the dome shield protecting those within.
He never saw the ground opening up under the pair as the light from his chanting blinded him to everything around him. The power of his spell sucked all of his strength, both physical and magical.
Only those that had arrived in time saw the fading images of two avatars who stood, holding the adopted son of Firesong to keep him from sliding into the Abyss.
Darkness claimed him as the scorched ground beneath the young mage's feet closed.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Celin, the shaman of the Ghost Cat Clan stepped out of the forest cover with several clan warriors; only to face a pair of things out of nightmares.
The old shaman had prayed that he would never have to deal with another blood-path mage in his life time. However, he knew there were always those who sought power, and would seek it by any means possible. But as long as there were strong warrior mages like young Firefox, the clan would be safe from their evil ways.
He saw his young student's stand against those nightmares without any help and knew it was worthy of any song that could be sung around the campfire.
He watched in horror as the lad faced the demons when he had arrived with many warriors from the clan. The shaman started to add more magic and his skills to the fight.
Keeping those horrors from escaping before they could be sent back to the Abyss was his only task. Celin left everything else to the young mage and the warriors.
The several warriors that had come with him scattered into the trees to offer what aid they could as the shaman chanted, adding his voice to Firefox's chanting.
The shouted commands demanding obedience from the blood-path mage were silenced as his body was riddled with arrows. One of the demons scooped up the body and began to munch on it, not caring it was its former master.
Ignoring the chaos around him, Celin called upon his clan's totem, along with a silent plea that he would not lose his newest student in this fight.
Suddenly, there was a loud explosion as the area lit up in a bright white light. A roar reverberated off the trees as the ground beneath the nightmarish pair opened, forcing them back into the darkness below.
Celin fell to his knees, his last conscious thoughts were of that courageous young mage-warrior who stood defiantly in front of the holy place of healing.
'Please, please let him survive,' he silently prayed over and over, never seeing the pale ghost cat and two translucent human-like figures standing between the pair and the dark hole that swallowed the spawn from hell.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
The aftermath was very anti-climactic. The Blood Bear clansmen that had followed the mage had been eaten by the demons. Back-tracking them the Vale scouts discovered their scattered bloody remains where the ritual had taken place. Seems the mage needed fresh blood to satisfy his new pets and those who came with him fit the bill.
There had been no sign of the demons after Firefox, with Celin's help, sent them back whence they came. Everyone gave a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens. It could've been a lot worse, much worse.
Once he recovered, Celin said a blessing over the two graves of the gryphon parents, committing them to the arms of the gods they served. The young gryphon stood by Kelvren and Summerfrost.
Kelvren, after Celin was finished, stepped forward and offered his own benediction.
However, everyone's mind was on the young warrior who had been willing to stand in the face of great evil at the cost of his own life. Even now, he was fighting for his life in the place he had saved. Everyone hoped and prayed he would awaken soon.
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A/N: Sorry this is so late. Frau gave us another scare, health wise but she's now home and recovering.
Thank you all for your patience.
Until next time. – GF and The Frau
Shadow Lover – Death personified and is a song with the same title describing death as a lover.
Karse – a country that borders Valdemar. According to Valdemar Wiki: ". . . is considered a tough country with rocky soil and dangerous terrain. The kingdom was plagued by demons summoned by the Sunpriests at night. It had been at war with Valdemar since Vanyel's time. It wasn't until Solaris became the Son of the Sun, and the kingdom was threatened by the war with Hadron (another country), that the fighting stopped and an alliance was formed."
dheli – one of the five sentient nonhuman races that have allied with Tayledras. They resemble deer with white fur and highly intelligent eyes. Instead of antlers they possess long, curved horns similar to an antelope except that they are spiraled. They have large, human-sized heads and enormous brown eyes that provide better forward vision than ordinary cervines (deer-like creatures). They communicate by mind-speech.