Belford's Heart

Chapter 17: Reclamation

Evelyn focused her strength into her core, pushing the rebirth that had been held silent since they entered Dania. The light reflected from the twin moons was all that remained to light the sanctuary as two figures appeared in the doorway. Their silhouettes were all they could see as they approached. The familiar tall and wiry frames topped with swirling horns approached them like shades. Her eyes erupted once more in violet light, illuminating the men in their approach as their eyes began glowing gold back toward her.

"And to think we spent all this time in our search when you came willingly to us." The man on the left drew a long sword from his waist. Its blade was narrow with a point like a fang. "Terrible thing to bring your friends along with you."

Belford stepped between them. "You will not have her." He punched himself three more times in the chest. He focused his every sense on the two men approaching them as his heart began to pound within him. "May she forgive me as you lie dead in her temple."

Belford leapt forward toward the bladed man, the blade of his ax meeting the narrow blade with a spark. The second man began to pull a staff from his back, lifting it above his head and calling upon ancient words to summon a black orb from the orb at the top. Before he could finish his words, a ball of flame erupted on his chest, burning away the fabric of his robe. The orb he summoned flew off in a random direction upward, colliding with the chain holding up the first brazier to the right and sending it crashing down onto the sanctuary floor.

Embers flew into the air from the brazier, and Philip quickly focused upon them as they each became orbs of heat quickly turned into a barrage at the man trading blows with Belford. The man cried out in pain, but his eyes brightened as he stepped into another swing toward Belford. The thin blade created a quick rhythm of clanging metal with sparks to follow them to the ground. Belford shouted, kicking the man in his midsection with his left leg, but having the nails of his left hand dug into his exposed flesh.

The sorcerer turned his attention to Philip as he threw his burned robe to the floor. He slammed his staff to the ground three times, each sending a purple glow to the orb at its tip and ending in a blinding flash of light that sent Philip reeling backward into a stone bench at the outer edge of the room. As he made his approach toward Philip, Grifford called into the sanctuary with the roar of a hundred eagles as it bounced back from the high ceiling and surrounding walls. He dove forward with his beak, landing with the man's open arm held tightly within it at his shoulder. He bit down, piercing the skin on both sides and sending pearl-white blood falling to the floor.

Evelyn watched as Belford fell back from the wound in his leg, focusing her light into the sword hand of his attacker and holding it in place long enough for him to collect his ax once more. She held for as long as the man's will overcame her, but long enough for Belford to score a slash on the entirety of the man's midsection. Belford swung again to end him, but was met with the point of the long blade buried deep into his shoulder.

'Belford!" Evelyn cried, her eyes and mouth erupting in violet as she took claim of Grifford's will and released the sorcerer from his beak. Grifford leapt quickly, slamming into Belford's attacker and pinning him to the ground as his beak pierced his throat, and then his stomach. Three more powerful pecks rid the man of his golden eyes, and three slashes turned him into a mess of emerald blood filling the area around his fallen body. Belford collapsed along with him, the blade sticking up straight into the air as he fell to his back.

Grifford turned quickly back to Philip who had regained himself and threw flame after flame at the sorcerer. The man began his retreat, running for the doorway and shouting his ancient tongue into the air of the courtyard as a small tempest of black and violet formed before him. Philips barrage was met with an unseeable wall of energy to stop them as they erupted and fell to the ground as dissipated embers.