Chapter 37 #2
“What of the Northern Lord?” Alianna demanded, anger rippling through her voice. “Doesn’t he send anyone to fight? Send any aid?”
“The Northern Lord and his people remain hiding in the far reaches of his territory. You must remember that he cares for my women and children, Ali. As much as I wish to remain in contempt, I do not. He has decided what his role will be in this war – and I have decided my own.”
“He’s decided to be a coward,” Alianna spat, and Rionan offered a contemplative look.
“That may be the case. Only time will tell which decision was correct: mine or his.”
The light was beginning to fade from the sky, signalling that it was time for them to move.
Rionan had asked Ykava to return to the council tent once more to check Alianna over for a final time.
When she had finished, nodding silently to her Lord to signal she had everything she needed as High Healer, it was time to leave.
Rionan retrieved the stone from the chest that he had kept it locked away in since their arrival at camp.
He placed it in a leather pouch, which he secured across Alianna’s body and buckled closed.
“Slightly more hardwearing than canvas,” he offered with a small smile that did not meet his eyes. An attempt at humour in a difficult situation.
“A little more.” Alianna smiled back. She reached up a hand and cupped his cheek, looking into those mesmerising blue eyes that shone with such a strange mixture of affection and pure fear.
This would not be goodbye.
This would not be the last time they saw each other. Held each other like this.
Alianna told herself this over and over again, trying to keep her heartbeat even in her chest, although she knew that she could not fool Rionan into thinking she was not worried.
Rionan placed his hand over Alianna’s and stared at her for several long moments, an aching blooming in his chest, before Ulreah stepped up beside them.
“I will stay with her, My Lord. As I promised,” he nodded, looking from Rionan to Alianna.
“Ulreah,” Rionan started, looking to his friend. “I shall tell you the same as I have always told Thallax. Even on the battlefield. Please call me Rionan.”
He pulled his friend in to an embrace that seemed to shatter Ulreah’s consistent, cool composure, and for the briefest of seconds, they were not Lord and Stormbringer. They were Rionan and Ulreah – two friends who had found themselves in this awful situation.
“Thank you,” Rionan said quietly as he pulled away from his friend.
The three males looked at each other – Ulreah, Rionan, and Thallax, who was standing nearby, at the front of the assembled infantry. When Rionan nodded to Thallax, Thallax’s voice boomed through the air around them, as if being projected.
“Soldiers of Western Xanthia,” he cried, and all at once, everyone’s attention snapped to him.
He stood before the assembly, head held high.
Alianna could sense a strange, rippling energy flowing from Thallax, touching every member of the crowd gathered before him.
“Our Realm has a dark cloud hanging over it, casting shadows on everything it touches. Our people cower in fear of the Lord of the East. Yet we, Warriors of the West, say no more. We shall not cower in the face of injustice. We shall not hide from the enemy of peace. We shall not leave, in fear, knowing we could have secured a better future for the next generation of young Xanthians.”
Alianna felt a shudder run through her body as that ripple of power from Thallax continued to flow outwards, in waves across the vast number of warriors that were gathered to hear their general speak.
“Today, we unite against Rannirr and his armies. Today, our Lord leads us into battle, empowered by ancient magic that will allow him to destroy the forces that seek to take your liberty. Today, we make history, and you will be remembered as those who freed Xanthia from the claws of tyranny. If death comes for us, then we welcome it with open arms, for we know that our death brings a new dawn for the Realm of Xanthia. I ask you all now – will you fight with our Lord Rionan?”
The ground shuddered beneath Alianna’s feet as all at once, the crowd erupted as one: “We will fight with Lord Rionan!”
“Will you stand against chaos and corruption?”
“We will stand against chaos and corruption!”
“Will you stand proudly and unite, in life or in death, as Warriors of Xanthia?”
“We stand proud as Warriors of Xanthia!”
Alianna felt the swells of power being cast out by Thallax hit some sort of barrier around the gathered host of Xanthians, and it crashed upwards, like waves hitting against rocks. Thallax turned slowly to Rionan, giving a firm nod.
“It’s time,” Rionan breathed, gripping Alianna’s hand.
He turned to the right, as if he could see beyond the mountains that sheltered them and was looking into the distance.
Looking for some long-treasured palace, and for an enemy host that was prepared to march on it.
“Stay with Ulreah. Hide if you need to. Flee if you need to.”
“I know,” Alianna replied. She raised her other hand to her side, patting the leather satchel she now carried, to ensure her cargo remained inside. Rionan turned to her then, his face a mask of violent focus, and he closed his eyes.
The world around them seemed to still. Rionan let out a slow exhale, and Alianna could have sworn that she felt the mountains tremble around her, as if they were being awoken.
The air crackled with static electricity.
The stars in the sky seemed to flicker more brightly, and the evening wind warmed against her skin, as if it were welcoming an old friend home.
Rionan snapped his eyes open. His eyes, usually that piercing, pastel blue that Alianna had found herself coming to adore, were gilded with a bright, golden yellow.
The yellow dulled as quickly as it appeared, but she knew in that moment that he had let go of whatever binds he was keeping on his power.
And Rannirr would know, too.
Alianna braced herself for the sensation that she knew was coming, and she searched the area around her until she found Ulreah. His face was grave, focused, his head tilted forward as if he were focusing on an enemy that they could not yet see.
Ulreah’s eyes were clouded with a dark, stormy grey. Alianna could have sworn she saw flashes of lightning within his irises.
Alianna knew how they would be getting there. Rionan had discussed that they would stand a better chance if they got to Savangrad as fast as possible. They would make the jump again, together, accompanied by Rionan’s council and every member of his army.
Alianna had wondered how he could contain such power, that he was able to transport everyone with him, pulling them through space itself to such a precise location.
She had asked if she would fall unconscious like last time. Rionan had assured her that this was very unlikely, given that they were not going very far and not travelling between realms.
Regardless, Alianna braced herself for the feeling of nausea as she watched Rionan’s face freeze over with icy focus and determination, his power rumbling through the land around them. As if Xanthia was singing to him, to his power, and was welcoming it home.
Rionan let go of Alianna.
He brought his hands together, making a wide movement as he did so. The air around Alianna and the surrounding Xanthians began pressing in on them like they were being jostled together.
With a bright yellow burst, he transported his entire host to Savangrad.