Johan, Sabina, Gerard and Peewit were bound, gagged and placed in front of the captured main hall, on display for the survivors to see. The hall itself was being used as a dressing station for Lothar's wounded men, with captured village women conscripted to tend to them.
The defeat was painful to endure for all of them, but most of all for Johan, who watched the flow of wounded men, looking for his father. His face was grim; either his father would be brought here with the wounded, or he was lying dead somewhere, along with the others who had trusted them and died.
Lothar gloated over their capture and planned the fates of each one aloud. It didn't matter to him that he was about to dispose of a king, princess, and the trusted friend of another king; once he was able to use the weapon in his hands, he would be the right-hand man of a great sorcerer and conqueror; kingship was theirs to seize. …His to seize, if he could figure out how to use this weapon, if it were truly as marvelous as Balthazar had cryptically described. Why did he need to be content assisting an insane despot? Why indeed, if he could figure out how to control the weapon first?
"My Lord, we've found Sir Gerlach. He's dead." Two soldiers carried a body wrapped in a bloody cloak.
"How?"
"It looks like he was mauled, by a bear, or a large wolf."
Lothar looked very agitated as he unwrapped the cloak, then re-wrapped it quickly.
"Her," he spat, clenching his fists. "Burn the body. I don't want to take any chances."
"But M'Lord, we should…"
"Do what I say! After we're done with these four, toss him in a house and burn it. If you find any more mauled men, do the same."
Lothar left the men holding Gerlach's body and stalked to the main hall, then returned, holding the puzzle box.
"Break this open. I don't care how. I want what's inside."
The men took club-like morningstars and began to attack the box with glee. In no time it was reduced to splinters, and the Eye of Balor rolled out.
He eyed the four youths evilly.
"Now, to give you a peek at the future. Oh, don't scowl at me like that! I've seen it, in all its fire and death."
The Smurfs picked their way back to the main hall, trying to stay hidden from soldiers collecting stragglers, bodies, and wounded. The Clockworks had met up with Papa and Handy. They had fought fiercely, but like the others, they were outmatched by sheer numbers and had gotten separated from their humans in the confusion of battle and the trampling of horses' hooves.
"This is horrible. We have to do something to help our friends," Handy whispered to Papa.
"We can go and try to release them, before it's too late," replied Papa.
"We just need to take care not to be seen. Their leader is one of Balthazar's men, they know about us and who knows what he'd do with a captured Smurf."
You are needed elsewhere, Smurf.
The Smurfs leaped in horror at the dusty dry voice behind them. They slowly turned around to see a boar, standing in the rubble, next to a lifeless archer riddled with arrows.
"That's…not a boar, is it Papa Smurf?"
"No…no, it isn't. What do you want with us, Bog Wight?"
The boar snorted indignantly.
I come at the behest of my Lady. There is a human who she cannot heal, nor take to the Field of the Host. She wishes you to heal him, friend who serves The One.
"What does this human look like?"
An Aetheling from the north. The Roman is with him. She begged our Lady to save his life.
The boar took the Smurfs flying though the wilderness, until they came to the fen where Maenad and Edelhart were. He was sprawled out on the ground, ash-grey and motionless, Maenad rocked on her haunches next to him, a dazed, blank expression on her face.
"Great Smurf, what happened here?"
"I…don't know…I was fighting with Sabina in the village. And then…something came over me…it happens sometimes…and then… I was here, holding Johan's father with a knife in his back."
"Oh, my. Oh, my…Clockworks, fetch me some yarrow, hurry! It'll have to do until I can get a spell going. Let's see...Handy, I'll need you to construct me a charm. Use whatever you can find, so long as it has the following components…"
Maenad watched, still in a daze.
"Is the village safe?"
"No…it's not. And as soon as you feel able to, I'd like you to smurf back there as quickly as you can. Gerard, Sabina, Johan and Peewit have been captured and are all in terrible danger. Prince Lothar has them."
Lothar lined his prisoners up, and loosened their gags. He preferred to give them a sporting chance to curse him or beg for mercy before they died. Rolling the Eye around in his hands like a juggling ball, he paced in front of them, his officers standing behind his chair, ready for a show.
"Which one of you should I try this out on first? I'd have liked your wolf girl to be here to do that honor, but it seems she crawled off into the swamp somewhere. So I'll have to make do with you four."
"Johan! You've been a thorn in my side and my Master's side for years. Yes, he told me about you. I should dispatch you first. Or…" He looked at Sabina and Peewit, "I could kill you last, and really make you suffer."
He knelt by Sabina, and brushed iron fingers on her cheek. "Pitty to kill you, though. It seems like such a waste."
"Go to Hell."
"Such language! Still, there might still be some salvaging you."
"Take your hands off of her!"
Lothar grinned.
"Her first! Put her over there!"
A soldier tossed her over his shoulder, and dropped her down, still struggling and cursing, in front of a wall made of oak timbers. He sat casually down, held the Eye in both hands, and gave it a little twist. Sabina flinched…and nothing happened.
The fallen prince continued to twist and jerk the stone relic, looking more and more frustrated.
"Maybe I could help you, sir?" The soldier who had moved Sabina offered.
"No! Don't touch it! This is mine to use, mine to return to Balthazar! Kill her, damn you!" he continued to struggle.
Peewit, who had kept his eyes shut tight when it looked like Sabina would be the Eye's first victim, had a flash of memory when the soldier offered to help.
Four servants, Lutin's son. Call them and I will lend them to you.
Four servants…that's why it didn't work.
"Help! Help us, Magic Star Cat!"
Out of nowhere, four eerie figures appeared between Lothar and Sabina. Two men and two women, all young and beautiful, they were dressed in ancient tribal dress, rough-spun plaid wool and hide cloaks.
The Slaves of Nerthus. But where they had looked dead before now they looked very much alive, with gleaming torcs around their necks where nooses hung the last time he saw them.
"Who dares to slaughter them while our Lady walks the marshes? All the people know this is a crime deserving death!" One of the female Slaves addressed Lothar sternly.
"Stand aside, peasants. Your village is defeated, and I rule these lands now. Guards! Seize them!" The guards were hesitant, as these villagers had a frightening presence to them.
The women vanished into mist and reappeared at Lothar's side, plucking the eye from his hands. They faced him, scowling. Behind him, the officers drew swords. They did not want to fight these strange people, but they would if they had to. The men moved next to the women, and placing four hands on top and four hands on the bottom of the relic, they pried it open.
An intense ice-blue light, like an ocean wave emanated from the Eye. It enveloped Lothar and his cowering men and blinded the four prisoners. Shrieks filled the air, followed by gasping.
When the humans' sight returned after a few seconds, the Slaves stood serenely holding the now closed Eye. Behind them, lay the dessicated remains of Lothar and his men. It was as if the life had been drained out of them, leaving withered husks. The Eye looked more fleshy and less stone-like. It suddenly seemed to radiate power.
"Our Lady thanks you Lutin's son. You have used your gifts well. We shall not forget this."
"What are you going to do with that…that thing…"
"It's not safe in this world. You see, it grows stronger with every feeding." The Eye twitched in the Slaves' hands, as if dreaming.
"We will see that it is taken back to its rightful owners." And with that, the Slaves vanished, leaving a heavy mist and the smell freshly turned earth.