The Legends of Valoria Book Two Rise of the Divine Knight
Chapter 22

Talia writhed about on the ground as her body continued to burn in anguish. All about her, the scene was set by the screams of the dying. Talia did her best to close her eyes to spare herself the horror, but her body was being driven to action by pure instinct. Adrenaline was coursing through her bursting veins as her heart threatened to stop from sheer shock at any moment. In the back of her mind, she could still hear the anguished screams of the others as she tried to bring herself to her senses.

“Tis just an illusion. A trick of the mind,” she told herself as she fought hard to release herself from the illusion. Talia screamed in agony as her body twisted and contorted in pain from the fire coursing through her veins. She tried to force her eyes closed in order to distract herself from the illusion, but her entire body disobeyed her commands. Instead, she looked away from her festering wounds and looked towards the others. Eliza and the others were still either incapacitated or writhing on the ground along with several villagers as Caliban stood tall, bearing down over everyone.

“Come now, Lady Divine. Embrace my madness and the torment shall end. Give yourself to the dark and you shall be spared when my army arrives.” Talia turned her head towards Caliban and reached out her hand and attempted to raise herself.

“It does not matter how much pain I must endure. I will not forsake these people. I will beat you and the rest of your kind; I shall personally plunge my blade into the heart of malice.” Talia’s body pleaded with her to stop but she resisted, rose to her feet and picked up the Sidonis sword. As the blade hummed in her hand, she began to feel stronger, despite still being under the effect of the madness aura.

“You are strong lady divine. Strong, just as my Aenora. Oh Aenora, I am so sorry.” Caliban began to trail off and turned away slightly. Talia raised her shield to her side without looking at her body, which still burned and felt as though thousands of legs were touching it. Talia tested her body and assured that it would obey her commands, stepped forward. Caliban continued to mutter to himself in confusion as Talia slowly approached.

Suddenly, Caliban was thrust aside by a large kinetic force. Thunder clapped at ground level and Talia’s ears rang from the sound. She quickly rebalanced and saw Caliban already rising to his feet and Zerendil approaching from across the courtyard.

“Do not let his lucid moments fool you. Caliban is even more dangerous when his guard seems down.”

Talia saw Caliban look over to his left as Eliza and the others began to rise. She gripped the Sidonis sword tightly and approached. Eliza pulled her bow and drawing back an arrow, pointed it straight at Caliban.

“Sir Zerendil, what of Alec?” Talia asked.

“I asked for Tear and Oz to stay behind to be certain that he was safe.” Talia nodded.

“Thank you.” Zerendil bowed his head as Talia raised her sword.

What happened next Talia could barely grasp. One moment she was approaching, preparing to deliver the killing blow. In the next moment, she was soaring through the air after narrowly blocking a force infused arrow fired by Eliza. Talia hit the ground hard and barrel rolled sideways before coming to a stop. She quickly cast the wards inscribed on her shield before attempting to rise.

Talia noticed a small spatter of blood fall to the ground and watched as several arachnids stirred within. She was unsure if the blood was a part of the illusion or not, though her head throbbed violently. Talia stumbled backwards slightly as a second force arrow crashed against her ward, but she remained standing and watched as Zerendil came to her defense.

Caliban again rose to his full height and addressed Zerendil and Talia.

“My puppets will not allow you to harm me. They have surrendered themselves to my madness as you shall soon do.”

“I would sooner die.” Talia yelled back. Caliban stared at her with his expressionless face for a moment.

“As you wish, I do not need to take your soul voluntarily. Death shall soon comfort you.” Caliban turned towards Eliza and the villagers who began to close in. Talia and Zerendil closed rank as the crowd swarmed in. Zerendil began to chant under his breath as Talia looked for an escape that would not create a body count.

“Sir Zerendil, what are you thinking?” Zerendil continued to chant without pause. Talia moved herself in front of Zerendil shield raised. Several normal arrows bounced off from her ward, but she knew that a single force infused arrow could shatter it. As the mob formed around them, Zerendil finished his chant and thrust out his hand. Brambles spanning the walls sprang to life and began to ensnare the possessed Valascaans. Zerendil dropped to a knee as the brambles became sufficiently burdened and his strength failed him. As Zerendil collapsed, the numerous bows reappeared and trained themselves on Talia.

“Sir Zerendil, can you stand?”

“I can manage,” he announced as he steadied himself and attempted to rise.

Talia quickly snapped her gaze forward as more arrows began to bounce off her projectile ward.

“Sir Zerendil, you have...GYAH!” Talia gasped as an arrow passed through her ward and struck her in the thigh. As she fell, a second and third breached the ward, striking her in her right shoulder and Zerendil in his outstretched hand. As Talia landed on her knee, she focused her strength back into her ward. Though the vast majority of Caliban’s mob were entangled in the thorny vines, there were still a dozen more plus Eliza to contend with. Talia could feel herself growing more and more fatigued as she maintained her hold on the projectile ward. Talia could hear Zerendil shuffling behind her as she focused forward.

“Sir Zerendil, please let me know that you are still sane. I would greatly appreciate the help right now.”

“Please forgive me, My Lady Divine.” He grimaced as he broke the arrow in his hand and removed it. “The strain from my rune opened my mind to his madness aura. I assure you that I am quite alright now.”

“I am impressed that you yet resist my madness. I expected nothing less from the wielder of Aneira’s sight.” Caliban spoke as he joined the ranks of Eliza and the others. Talia could feel her ward failing and, after it was struck by yet another force infused arrow, was unable to maintain it. Talia ducked behind her shield as she limped her way backwards around the wagon the guards had led through the gates, Zerendil close behind.

“Sir Zerendil, what should we do? We cannot harm our own.” With little hesitation, Zerendil responded.

“That may prove necessary. I can attempt to ensnare some again, but I will be incapacitated for a time.”

“I can defend you if it means my people survive.”

“Alright, it is decided then. Allow me but a moment to tend to your wounds.” Talia still peeking over the wagon looked to her shoulder and thigh and then to Zerendil and nodded.

“Very well,” she took a deep breath, “I am ready.” Before she could finish her sentence, Zerendil had broken and removed the arrow from Talia’s thigh. Talia clenched her teeth and groaned from the pain, but was struck by an idea.

“Sir Zerendil, I need you to pull the one from my shoulder.” Zerendil looked at her with a puzzled look in his eye.

“Lady Divine?”

“If we can enchant the arrows that are not broken, we can use force to fire them back. If we use a lesser force, we may be able to stun them without hurting anyone.” Zerendil’s eyes opened wide as he grasped the idea.

“I believe that will work.” Talia braced herself as Zerendil readied himself to remove the arrow. Talia grimaced as he pulled the arrow back through her wound. Talia watched the mob slowly moving towards her and noticed one among them drop to the ground and remain down. Two more heads jerked backwards violently before falling to the ground.

“Sir Zerendil, something has happened.” Talia spoke and Zerendil looked up as Caliban looked upwards towards the battlements.

“WHO IS IT THAT SNIPS FREE MY MARIONETTES’ STRINGS?” No answer came, and so Caliban raised his hand high. Light compressed around his hand and burst, disappearing. A red hue appeared above the wall, Talia assumed that it was another madness aura. Caliban continued to look around as Eliza and the remaining seven villagers stared at Talia and Zerendil, but did not move. Another head lurched backward and Caliban immediately launched another attack, opposite the first. Talia could hear a woman’s voice yell out in anger, but nothing else followed.

“BREAK PUPPET! DO NOT DENY MY GIFT!” Caliban’s voice grew to a deafening volume. Talia still staring upward watched as a hand whipped over the side of the wall and a rock hurtled down and bounced off from the center of Caliban’s helmet.

“DEATH TO THE MAD KING!” Talia smiled at once hearing the voice of Astraea. No more stones flew over the wall; Talia could only imagine that Astraea was busy fighting off the effects of the madness aura.

“HER MIND WILL BREAK SOON ENOUGH!” Caliban turned his attention back towards Talia and Zerendil and began reaching for his sword. Talia, sensing what the others were staring at turned her attention back towards two lone figures approaching from outside of the city gates, weapons drawn. As the glare of the sun relented its assault, Talia recognized the faces of Rowan and Zelus.

“It seems as though we have renewed hope.” Zerendil spoke. Talia watched as Zelus and Rowan separated, Rowan taking a direct path towards the mob as Zelus walked slightly off to the side.

“We need to get you two away from here, now!” Zelus spoke urgently as he placed himself in between Talia, Zerendil and the Caliban. He looked up at Eliza and shook his head. “Of all the people to have gone mad, why did it have to be her? Why could it not have been Nathan?” Talia despite the current situation, laughed.

“Thank the goddess you arrived when you did. We were beginning to worry that we were going to be overwhelmed.” Zelus looked over his shoulder to Talia.

“Rowan has already filled me in on the details. We need to get you two to Alec while we try and force Caliban outside. Astraea and Colette are already in position to close the gates after we force him out. Once he is outside, his hold on the others will only last a short while.”

“How do you propose we force him out?” Zerendil asked. Everyone seemed to be in a deadlock. Caliban and his legion stood staring at Rowan and the others while only Rowan moved, determining his method of attack.

“WHY DO YOU NOT HEED MY CALL? WHY ARE YOU NOT DRIVEN TO MADNESS?” Caliban asked of Rowan.

“What can I say, some of us were born on the edge of madness. Your madness is simply weaker than my desire to destroy you.” Talia shuddered at the tone of Rowan’s voice. He sounded as if he had, in fact, surrendered himself to hysteria, yet he bore the same tone and expression Talia had seen that night at the banquet. Without looking over to them, Rowan addressed them in a slightly less threatening, yet equally determined tone. “Get them out of here Zelus! Get Eliza if you can. Once I engage him, anyone who gets close will be my enemy” Zelus confirmed that he understood and turned to Eliza and the other members of the mob.

Caliban waved his hand towards Talia and the others and immediately, Eliza and the other possessed turned their attention towards them and tossed their bows aside. Each drawing their own sword or, in Eliza’s case, her daggers, they charged.

“Quickly! Move back towards town!” Zerendil yelled. He and Talia limped towards the far wall away from Caliban and Rowan as Zelus attempted to block the space between. As they all made their move, Caliban and Rowan charged one another. Eliza lunged into the air at Zelus as he lifted his shield high. Talia could sense just how reluctant Zelus was to fight, but knew he would do what was necessary.

Eliza continued to wail against Zelus’ shield in a mindless rage. Zelus easily blocked her attacks but as the other puppets moved in, it would not be long before Zelus was overwhelmed.

“We must help him,” Talia spoke to Zerendil.

Zerendil nodded his head in answer.

“I will channel another rune.”

“Please be careful.” Zelus said. Talia loosened her arms and shoulders as she approached Zelus and held her shield high.

“How do we get past?”

Zelus peeked out of the corner of his eye and frowned at Talia.

“We will have to neutralize Eliza and the others.” Zelus forced out as he continued to defend himself against Eliza’s attacks. Talia drew closer and the remaining handful of townsfolk jumped into the fray. Talia caught several of their blows on her shield, while avoiding the others. She hesitated to do so, but after receiving three more blows whipped her shield arm across her body. The shield collided with the side of a villager’s head and he fell to the ground unconscious. Talia jumped away from another blow and caught a glimpse of Rowan’s battle.

Rowan was jumping and weaving around Caliban’s powerful blows with the speed of a frenzied mongoose. Each time Caliban attempted to land a blow, Rowan did everything he could to steer clear while slowly leading him backwards towards the town gate. Talia could see the steamy red hue of Caliban’s madness aura clouding the view and wondered how Rowan had not succumbed. Caliban swung wide from left to right, leaving his torso exposed. Rowan ducked beneath the blade and swung upward, raking his sword from Caliban’s left hip to his right shoulder. Talia cheered for Rowan as Caliban yelled with anger, but noticed that Rowan’s sword had broken.

“Zelus, we need to help him!” Talia yelled as she blocked a stray blow from Eliza and attempted to knock out another villager but missed.

“Rowan knows that he cannot win. This is his plan, let’s see it through.” He took several pauses as he continued to block incoming blows. Talia knocked a villager sideways and yelled backward.

“Sir Zerendil, are you ready?” No sooner had the words left Talia’s lips when brambles reached out and ensnared four more villagers in addition to the two that Talia had knocked out. A bramble began wrapping around Eliza’s waist, which she hastily cut away. Zelus moved in to restrain her and took a graze on his shoulder in the process. Zelus stepped backwards as Eliza renewed her assault. Zelus raised his shield high again, defending himself while continuing to struggle with what he was about to do.

“Thwack!” Eliza’s head whipped backwards and Zelus reached out to catch her as she fell. Talia lifted her head up and turned to see that Astraea had recovered.

“You know she would kill you if you did it!” Astraea yelled down. Zelus bowed his head in thanks as he lifted Eliza up.

“Sir Zerendil, are you alright?” Zelus called back.

“Just catching my breath.” Zelus walked over to Zerendil and sat Eliza down next to him.

“We have to help Rowan force out Caliban. Talia, we need as much help as we can get.”

Zelus and Talia bolted towards Rowan and Caliban’s ongoing battle. Rowan was continuing to dodge desperately, but now less a sword, he switched over to his sickles. As they cautiously approached, Talia could not help but notice that Rowan’s attacks had become much more savage and reckless. She cringed as one particular blow came far too close to striking her enraged friend.

“All we need to do is move Caliban to the gate?” Talia asked as they rounded behind their adversary.

“That is the plan.”

“How are we to do that if we cannot move in on Rowan?” Zelus stopped for a quick moment.

“I need you to stand back and blast at him with your runes. I am the only one that is going to move in on him.” Talia stopped.

“Sir Zelus?”

“Don’t worry Talia, I should not be affected the same as the others. In case I do, however, I need somebody with a clear head to defuse the situation.” Talia nodded her head despite personal objections and watched as Zelus drew his dark blade and walked into the fray. Caliban’s head turned slightly and as Rowan jumped for his opportunity, Caliban kicked him. Rowan fell backwards and landed hard as Caliban faced Zelus.

“TO BE WITH BREATH YET WIELD THE DARK SWORD. THOU ART AS CURIOUS AS THE ONE TO PRECEDE THEE.” Zelus stared curiously at Caliban, but did not halt his approach.

“You undoubtedly are the mad king. You are no longer welcome in these lands queen slayer.” Caliban stopped for a moment and looked up towards the castle tower.

“OH MY POOR AENORA…. I AM SO SORRY.” Caliban moaned to himself as Rowan rose up and jumped onto his back.

“DEATH TO THE MAD KING!” Rowan cried out as he began hacking at Caliban’s head with his twin sickles. Caliban twisted , but appeared to be unharmed by Rowan’s futile attacks. Zelus seized his own opportunity and joined in, slamming into Caliban’s side with his shield. As the result of Caliban’s twist, Zelus stumbled backwards and then steadied himself. Rowan was thrown sideways and Zelus jumped onto the Daemon knight’s back and stabbed with his blackened sword. Talia shielded her ears at the sudden sound of the banshee wail as Zelus’ attack pierced the metal monster’s armor.

With speed Talia had not yet seen, Caliban grabbed onto Zelus’s bandaged arm and threw him hard. Zelus flew through the air and his bandaged right hand hit the ground first and Talia heard the sound of metal screeching against stone as his bandages tore away, revealing the black metal hand that was concealed beneath them. Talia gasped in shock and quickly readied herself as Caliban began to recover.

Talia quickly pressed her hand forward, after finishing her rune, sending out a wave of force that struck Caliban from behind. Caliban stumbled forwards, away from Talia as she readied another blast and struck him again. Caliban dropped to a knee as he continued to clutch at his wounded back, the sounds of the banshee wail still making Talia’s head spin. She cast force once more before she felt the remainder of her energy reserves deplete. Her knees buckled and she noticed with renewed clarity that she had lost a decent amount of blood.

Talia rose to her feet and steadied herself as Zelus and Rowan began to recover. Talia noticed Zelus holding his blackened sword arm and Rowan looked a little shaky. Caliban eyed his quarry through his hollow eyes as the puncture in his armor resealed and the wailing stopped.

As soon as the shrieking subsided, Talia, Rowan and Zelus all bolted towards Caliban weapons at the ready. As Caliban walked towards the center of the courtyard, Talia noticed Astraea coming to the aid of Zerendil, Eliza and the villagers. All three leapt into action at Caliban in unison and he answered by piercing his sword into the ground and quickly raising both of his hands into the air.

Talia and Rowan were both knocked away as Zelus somehow managed to shield himself from the blast attack and landed on Caliban’s back again. Talia hit the ground hard but rolled her head enough to see Zelus tear away one of the armor plates with his blackened hand. She covered her ears as almost immediately she began to hear the sounds of the banshee wail.

Again, Caliban managed to shrug Zelus off with his superior strength and throw him a great distance before he too dropped to a knee, clutching at the gaping hole in his back. Talia had almost preferred the madness aura over the wailing as her head throbbed unmercifully. As she attempted to block out the noise, she watched Caliban slowly rise, the hole in his armor already resealing. Talia could feel herself losing consciousness and quickly sheathed the Sidonis sword as Zelus rose and yelled out.

“Giles! FIRE!!!” Caliban turned his head skyward, just in time to see the hurtling bolt fired by Giles from a Ballista on the upper castle wall. The bolt hit Caliban just off to the upper left side of his chest and sent him flying into the vicinity of the castle gates. The bolt lay shattered on the ground as Caliban dropped to all fours. With renewed confidence that they could force him out; Talia, Zelus and Rowan all rose and moved in on Caliban.

“Zelus, let me kill him. Let me kill him here and now.” Rowan continued to rage as they neared the gates. Zelus however halted as Caliban rose and far off into the distance a black line emerged over the horizon. Though they were an hour’s march away, the Forsaken army had arrived.

“Giles! Load another bolt and take aim!” Rowan turned to Zelus.

“NO! WE CAN END HIS REIGN FOR GOOD!”

“We cannot afford to lose our ground and have that army arrive to open doors.” Zelus yelled back as he pointed east.

“ARRRGGGH!” Rowan growled with anger as he bolted at Caliban and renewed his assault.

“ROWAN WAIT!” Talia yelled as Rowan began striking at Caliban relentlessly. Caliban whipped his massive weapon around fiercely, defending himself as the equally wild Rowan continued to slip deeper into his own madness. He roared with all of his might as he became increasingly more enraged. Zelus quickly turned his head away and snapped backwards.

“Rowan let’s force him out together,” Zelus spoke as he neared behind Rowan and withdrew immediately as Rowan lashed out at him.

“Rowan!” Talia yelled.

“What are you doing?” Zelus yelled out as he became Rowan’s new target. Talia could see the black line on the horizon grow as Zelus began defending against Rowan’s attacks with his black metal hand. Talia had just now realized that something was physiologically incorrect with Zelus’ arm.

“Zelus! What has happened to your hand?” She exclaimed.

“Not important right now!” Zelus growled as Caliban stood back, watching Rowan attack his friend and ally.

“Please forgive me for this Rowan.” Talia spoke as she quickly drew out a rune of force and launched it straight at Rowan’s exposed torso. Rowan flew backwards and Zelus jumped sideways. The sound of a second explosion of wood and metal sounded as a second bolt struck Caliban and launched him clear of the gates.

“NOW COLETTE!” Zelus cried and Talia could hear the machinations of the gears begin to wind as the iron barred door began to lower.

“NO!” Caliban yelled as the gates closed shut between him and his former kingdom. “I CANNOT STOP! I PROMISED AENORA! I CANNOT STOP!” Caliban hastily marched to the gate and, grabbing hold of the iron bars, slowly began to pull it back up. Without hesitation, Talia did the first thing that came to mind. Unsheathing the Sidonis sword, she ran up on Caliban, stabbed through the gaps between the bars and pierced him through the chest. The gate fell closed with a thud as Caliban stumbled backwards. Talia sheathed the sword as she collapsed from exhaustion and watched as Caliban began to slowly shuffle away, the sound of the banshee wail flooring Talia and halting Zelus.

“I AM COMING FOR YOU AENORA! I HAVE BROUGHT A MIGHTY CHAMPION TO HELP ME RESCUE YOU! HE IS BEAUTIFUL AND BRIGHT AND CAN HELP ME DEFEAT THE ENEMY! I AM SO SORRY AENORA! I WILL SAVE YOU THIS TIME, I PROMISE!” Caliban’s cries continued as he retreated while Talia and Zelus quickly moved to pull away Rowan and seal the gates.

The gates closed with a loud, “thud.” Zelus and Talia began moving the large wooden header in place that would serve to hold the doors closed. As they finished, Zelus quickly ran to Talia.

“Talia! Please lend me your cloak.” Talia began to pull it off and remembered Zelus’ arm.

“Sir Zelus, what has happened to your arm? It has turned to metal.” Zelus quickly accepted the cloak and covered his arm before answering.

“Listen, we can discuss that later. Right now, we have to begin battle preparations and ready ourselves for a siege. We do not have time for questions now and Eliza cannot know, not yet.”

“Talia, Rowan, Zelus! Are all of you alright?” Right on cue, Eliza appeared, sprinting into view, apparently back to her regular self. First she ran to Talia and then to Zelus.

“Did I hurt Rowan too?” Talia shook her head.

“No Eliza that was me.”

“I am so sorry,” Talia could see the tears in Eliza’s eyes. “Please forgive me. I am so sorry.”

“It is alright Eliza. You were a victim of the madness aura. Only Sir Zerendil, Sir Zelus and myself were able to move in close and resist.” Giles, Colette and Zerendil all approached. Zelus turned to the group as a whole.

“We must begin preparing the capitol for war. Caliban’s army is outside our gates as we speak and it will not be long before they try and take them from us. Giles, I need you begin rousing any knights left in Valascaa. Tell them that you are under orders from me. Colette begin warning the townspeople and recruit as many to aid us as are able.” Colette nodded and chased off in the same direction as Giles.

“Eliza, I need you to prepare the defenses. Ballistae, melting pots. Anything that you think we can use.”

“Done,” Eliza yelled abruptly and sped off with the speed of a plains cat.

“Sir Zerendil.” Could you please help us in any way you feel best? I know you to have more experience than the rest of us and we replace ourselves in great need of it.” Zerendil nodded his head.

“I will. Please see to it that these stones are divided amongst our men?” Zerendil handed the leather gem pouch to Zelus before walking away.

“What shall I do?” Talia asked Zelus. Zelus walked over to Rowan and, lifting him to his feet, put his shoulder beneath him.

“Please help me with him. I have to go to the council and inform them of what has happened.” Talia nodded and limped over to Rowan and placed her body beneath his opposite shoulder.