The Coven of the Black Rose

Chapter Thirteen: The Prince's Forces

    It was also evening, the last moments they spent together. The four of them were escaping from Luison's people. The Forgonians remembered their parents' faces, so they chased them. However, they did not remember and recognize the young faces of Tasra and Tessa as they had their cloak covered their faces. The Hedsens ran across the pavement of western Eclus. They met and passed through the villagers strolling around, who were baffled on why they were being chased.
    Bryllda and Tasra were holding hands while Murray carried Tessa, as she was too young and knew that she might stumble.
    "Bryllda, you'll go to the central state while I will go at the eastern state." Murray said. "Let's split up so we could mislead them. Let's meet at the Black Garden later."
    "Okay." Bryllda and him halted, so did Tasra.
    Murray gave a kiss to his wife and to his son. "Take care."
    Bryllda and Tasra nodded. "Take care, my love." She touched Tessa's soft cheeks and kissed her, without knowing it was the last time she would be seeing her daughter. She gave a nod to her husband before they parted ways. On the crossroad they reached, Murray rushed to a different pavement while Bryllda and Tasra went straight ahead. The crowds of people along their way have delayed the Forgonians. Tasra and his mother glanced back and saw a carriage of knights behind them. Later on, they decided to go in a stone house they passed.
    It was familiar with them because they knew the people who lived inside. Unfortunately, the door was closed, there was no light either from the window. On the house's lawn was a carriage. Beside it was a single horse, bind by lead to a fence. Bryllda dashed to unleash the horse from the fence. She carried her son to mount on first then she followed. Forgonians were still few feet away from them but their eyes were locked on both Bryllda and Tasra. Bryllda kicked the horse. It neighed before it swiftly ran to the pavement. They passed through other carriages who traveled along the street but they managed to not collide with any of them.
    "Are we far enough?" Bryllda asked Tasra. Her son glanced behind and saw the knights' carriage were several feet away.
    "Yes, mom. I think we can get away from them." He replied with fear taking over himself. A small kindle of hope was still alive within him as his arms were holding tight around his mother.
    "Good. We can go through this Tasra. Just hold a little longer." They went on but soon, a searing golden arrow hit their horse's leg. It neighed in pain, and it slowed down. Two more arrows hit the horse's remaining legs. It caused it to collapse on the ground while continuously groaning in pain. Bryllda and Tasra fell as well. Bryllda stood up as fast as she could and helped Tasra to get on his feet. "Get up son. We have to run again — "
    Her words were interrupted when a loud thump hit her on the back. Tasra gazed in horror and saw two more golden and searing arrows hit his mother. "Mom!" He cried. Bryllda fell on her knees, blood started to drip from her mouth.
    "Mom!" Tasra cried again. He didn't know what to do. He also felt that his end awaits, too. He knelt with her, with his teary eyes.
    Bryllda touched his face. "Take care of yourself and your little sister..." She spoke even she was out of breath. "I love you... always... Tasra."
    Tasra witnessed how she collapsed. The carriage of knights was still out of his sight, but he heard it coming. Heavy-heartedly, he left her mother in the middle of the pavement along with the carcass of the horse. Later that night, he was able to find aunt Floressa on the underground stronghold. He divulged her what happened to his mother then he kept looking around if his father and Tessa has already arrived. Later on, Ronan joined the two of them. Distress took over his expression. On his arms, he carried Tessa but his father wasn't there to be seen. Until the morning dropped, they knew that it was his parents' execution, as well as for other warlocks and witches who were caught that time.
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    Tasra didn't notice the tears coming from his eyes upon having a flash of that certain memory. More hippogriffs have followed them above the trees. The sorcerers kept on throwing flames at them. Fortunately, any of these didn't hit them but their blasting has trembled their feet while running continuously. As they got deeper into the woods, the fog started disappearing, too, since Tasra knew that the fog he summoned just covered their entire farmland, and only a small portion of the woods. Two of the hippogriffs tried to get closer, leveling their flight with the trees and managed not to collide on the thick branches. The sorcerers' blasts have nearly hit them. While running, Tasra faced them with an opened palm. "Yelasas, dem brochas."
    Once he spoke his incantation, all the trees and branches beside the hippogriffs snaked around and entangle them, leaving them stuck. The three of them kept going yet he knew that his tricks wouldn't hold their foes for long.
    "Watch out!" Asha called, preparing her spear. Soon he noticed the silhouettes of running wolves on their right.
    "This way!" Tasra waved his hand on the left to lead their direction. Later on, a huge blast of flames exploded before their way. It was much bigger and destructive than the ones the sorcerers have been casting. Its fiery light made them squint. They have no choice but to fall back. Then three large white wolves emerged from the shadows behind them. Growling, the gaze of their petrifying orange eyes locked on them. Tasra, Tessa, and Asha were forced to stop their footsteps. Two more hippogriffs landed several feet away them. The sorcerers remained still, holding their illuminating staffs.
    From above, they heard heavy flaps of wings, then a huge continuous blast of fire rained down on the ground. It left a huge pillar of flame that blocked their way. Tasra glanced above and saw a large dragonhawk. It was big as ten hippogriffs combined and has hawk as its head with shining yellow eyes. Excluding its neck and tail tip which was composed of yellow feathers, the rest of its body has orange scales, and a reptilian belly underneath. It has no legs nor talons. Its large wings has a color shade of orange-to-yellow feathers. Tasra only saw such creature for the second time in his life. In other words, dragonhawks were like snakes with feathery wings and tail but with a head of a hawk. These creatures may be weird to look at, but Tasra knew how powerful and dangerous dragonhawks were, for they were one of the sorcerers' special pets.
    The dragonhawk flew lower, with its wings flap causing strong gusts of wind to swirl around. Tasra didn't know if they stood a chance. He opened his palm as preparation. Tessa just stood there beside him and Asha. She tried to hide her fear as much as she can. Asha raised her spear as it was the only weapon she has.
    Hagan glided from the back of the dragonhawk and planted his staff. The winged-beast screeched so loud, booming the entire area. When the silence was heard again, Tasra saw Hagan and could sense how exasperated he was. "You think you can just run away from us?"
    Green flames grew on his palm then he blasted it to him without hesitation. Hagan reacted swiftly and opened his palm, facing Tasra him. It shone brightly, then a spherical and light barrier covered his entire body. It protected him from Tasra's magic as it can't penetrate through. Tasra was astounded because it was only then when he encountered a light sorcerer using their barrier against his attacks. He kept his hand blasting for more seconds while pouring his concentration and energy upon casting his magic. However, it did not take any longer when his arm got stiffed. It seemed that his magic can't contest his defense for longer, so he pulled his hand back then his flame beam has gone. It drained his strength. Tasra was panting, the flame in his hand was gone. Hagan's palm turned back to normal and the barrier vanished.
    "Are you finished?" The prince asked. "I gave you chances to surrender yet it seemed that you wanted to take this too far."
    "I will never..." Tasra took few steps backward then opened his palm once more.
    "ENOUGH!" Hagan raised his staff then summoned a lightning, smiting the three of them.
    Tasra and Tessa collapsed to the ground. Asha fell into her knees. All of them cannot stand on their feet. Tasra felt that his body couldn't hold for longer. His body was radiating with too much heat. He can't even move himself and opened his eyes. He was half-conscious and could still hear the things around but not clearly. Everything was fuzzy.
    Hagan took a deep breath in satisfaction. "You've exhausted my patience and I don't want to kill you. We needed prisoners to interrogate." He lowered his staff again on the ground. "Usually, the light sorcery's lightning could kill anyone with a single strike, but sometimes it takes two..." He sharply glanced at Tasra's body as his fingers was shaking a little. "Based on what you've shown me, you're too dangerous for us to keep." Hagan shifted his glance to Asha and Tessa. "Perhaps I could have them instead, if they survived."
    Asha was panting and stared at him. Her body was radiating with heat and has bruises. She felt the lightning but, surprisingly, she has still consciousness when it struck her.
    Hagan widened his eyes at her. "Oh, a beautiful lady! How did you survive?" He mumbled. "My lightning is sometimes not that deadly with multiple targets. How lucky of you to survive, eh? Gods, I have to train more." He cleared his throat. "You are not like any of them, are you?"
    "No, I'm not." Asha responded fiercely.
    Hagan laughed. "Good one! So come and join me to the palace of the Highest Forgon. A princess' dress seems perfectly fit with you."
    "Not in my lifetime, foolish one." She picked up her spear and managed to get on her foot.
    Hagan looked pissed. "Oh, right! So you're choosing to be with that witch and warlock? Fine! So be happy to be imprisoned forever in our dungeons." Once more, he raised his staff then the gemstone of his staff shone brightly before he called a lightning. "Any last words, from your lovely warlock?" The wind's blow got stronger, as a sign that he will be summoning another lightning that was definitely much stronger than the ones he used earlier. Thunder rumbled on the heavens.
    Suddenly, Asha stood straight then raised her spear to the sky. A ray of light opened up from the night sky. It was really luminous and was blinding to look at. Hagan was distracted from casting his spell. The wolves, the sorcerers, the hippogriffs, and the dragonhawk squinted, facing away from its luminosity. Afterwards, when the light vanished, Hagan looked at her. His eyes widened astonishment. "Who... who are you?
    Asha was, then, wearing a white dress with a white cloak, covering her long black hair. The spear she was holding earlier has become a staff. It was glowing with yellow aura, too, similar with Hagan's and the sorcerers'
    "Only the royal descendants of the Highest House of Light Sorcery can endure any kind of spell that are casted by a fellow light sorcerer." She replied with a stern gaze at him. The bodies of Tasra and Tessa were covered by yellow glowing aura. "Ever heard of the lost granddaughter of the Second House of Light Sorcery?" She smirked. "That's probably me." The swirl of the wind around them got stronger, blowing her cloak and hair sideways.