Arwick (A Light Of Roria Sequel)

Chapter Fifty-Three

Addisyn

The battle that ensued far from our position rattled the ground beneath my feet as if we were mere feet away. Fire met ice as I watched Joash and Eliora fight in the sky, soaring around each other like a whirlwind of fury and madness.

Elijah, Emunah, Jake, Aziel, and I moved as one, hidden behind conceal magic as we approached the fortress wall. Jake paused, causing the rest of us to stand still, looking toward Eliora. His sword rested on his chest, his body suddenly leaning in her direction. "Come on, girl. You got this," he whispered.

"Aasim and Eliora will both be okay." I had my hand on his shoulder, watching Aasim being ridden by another in the middle of a raging battle. Aasim was exactly where he needed to be, just like we were.

Emunah placed her hand in Jake's, her large eyes full of comfort. "We shouldn't linger."

Jake's lip curved into a gentle smile, staring at their joined hands before Elijah gestured for our attention. He pointed to the wall. "I do not see any guards here. We should ascend now. Addisyn, with your magic, create a rope and hook. Aziel, you place a conceal, like you did for us, over what she creates. We must quietly scale the wall. I will go first. Do not follow until I give a signal that all is clear."

With a curt nod, I called upon Divinity and released shimmering magic, forming a bow. The arrow had a four clawed hook and was attached to a rope that lay in a circular pile near my feet. Aziel's glowing blade pulsed just a shade brighter just as I released the arrow. With a clang, it latched into the stone, and Elijah was quick to begin his ascent. Despite the wall's great height, Elijah scaled it with immense speed, leaping over the top in silent agility. The four of us kept our gaze upward and immediately began to climb when we saw Elijah's hand motioning us to move, Jake first, then Emunah, myself, and Aziel taking up the rear.

As expected, it had taken me the longest to climb. My Arwick friends had been trained since childhood with muscles popping out at every corner of their warrior-like bodies, and Jake was a natural athlete. All things considered, I was thankful Divinity had put me through enough trials to increase my physical strength that climbing a rope was much easier than it would have been several months ago for such a bookworm, couch dweller like myself.

When we all stood upon the stone pathway, Elijah raised a finger to his lips, pointing toward a lone soldier fifty feet from our position. He gave Emunah a knowing glance before she smirked, taking off in a jog so quiet it would not have mattered if she had crossed over sticks and leaves. They would have remained unruffled. Planting a single foot on the wall to her left, she leaped onto his back, wrapping a single arm around his neck while the other lay tight across his head. The soldier's struggle lasted mere seconds before he collapsed, Emunah gesturing for us to move swiftly.

We ran across the stone platform, Emunah and Aziel subduing guards inaudibly along the way. My eyes were drawn to Kane's castle, not far from our position. Every step closer filled me with both fear and hope. I wasn't ready to watch Selah die, but that part was inevitable. I was, however, ready to see his promises unfold.