Ring of Power

Chapter 23: The Wraith

     Emerald quickly grabbed her cloak and put it on, pulling the cowl up over her face.  She donned all her weapons and made sure all was ready to go. 
     She crept to the door and unlocked it, slowly pulling it open so that it would not creek on its hinges.  She looked both ways to insure no one was coming and slipped from her chambers, tip-toeing down the hall.
     She left the castle and walked quickly through the courtyard, unknowing of the eyes at her back.
     Once she entered the surrounding forest she headed toward The Wraith's castle, to rid the world of him once and for all.  She ran north at full speed, determination the only thing keeping her going.
     Emerald ran for what seemed like hours, the sun began to rise and she knew she needed to rest.  She came upon a clearing and sat down to rest.  She leaned against a tall tree and closed her eyes, drifting directly off to sleep.

     Emerald woke a few hours before dusk.  She jumped up and began running once more.  As she got closer to the castle, dark clouds appeared overhead.  They swirled, constantly moving.
     She slowed as she neared the tree line and looked out at the old tower in front of her.  What once used to be a magnificent thing of legend from hundreds of years ago, before Tyreenion, was now rebuilt and cast in shadow.  The entire castle seemed to be constructed of black stone.
     Emerald hesitated at the tree line when she saw the castle before her.  It was an ominous sight and she now realized how dangerous The Wraith was.  She needed to save Xavier as soon as possible.
     She took a step into the open and jumped when a firm hand grasped her arm, pulling her back and putting another hand over her mouth.  She stumbled and fell into them and as they released their grip on her, she pulled her dagger from its holster and pointed it at their throat. 
     The stranger raised his palm in defense and she hesitated, seeing something familiar in their eyes.
     "I would not do that if I were you." He whispered.
     She pulled the dagger back in surprise, putting it away, "Arigorn.  You followed me."
     "I had to.  I told Xavier I would look out for you, so here I am."
     "How did you know?"
     "I knew you would want to save him, no matter what I told you.  I saw you leaving the city."
     Emerald hung her head, "I'll wager there will be no persuading you to return."
     "Nay." He said, grinning slightly.
     They stood together then headed to the tree line.  They watched the dark castle as a small patrol of black clad soldiers walked across the front of the gate.
     "It is all cast in his evil." Arigorn said, looking toward the black castle and surrounding clouds.
     Emerald nodded and stepped out into the open once the patrol was out of sight.  She looked back at Arigorn and waved when he yelled for her to get down. 
     She turned as a bolt of lightning came from the left spire in the castle.  She watched as it got closer, waiting to push it aside with her power, but was she strong enough?
     Just then Arigorn jumped from the tree line and pushed Emerald from the bolt's path.  He yelled as the bolt hit him in the back, just between the shoulder blades and near his heart and lungs.  The bolt electrocuted his body and shortened his breathing.
     Emerald got up and ran to Arigorn's side.  She rolled him onto his back and clasped his hand in hers.  He was already beginning to sweat, so his hands were moist. 
     He squeezed her hand and smiled, coughing viciously.  Tears began to stream down Emerald's cheeks and Arigorn reached up to wipe them away.  It all happened so fast, she didn't know what to do.
     "It will be alright." She said shakily, pulling his hand up to her mouth.
     He brushed her hair from her face, "You were like kin to me... Xavier too."
     He began coughing once more, unable to breathe from the power in the bolt, and she just nodded, crying.
     "I want you to be a Seeker, Emerald."
     "No," She said, "You will be okay, everything will be okay."
     Arigorn shook his head and looked her in the eye.
     "It has been a wonder being with the two of you for the past few weeks.  I want you two to be the next generation of Seekers," He put a finger to her lips as she began to protest, "I have been thinking of this for some time now and could not, nor would not, trust another soul with my secret but the two of you."
     He began to cough once more, reaching a shaky hand into his pocket and removing a small key with a dragon head on the top.  He placed the key in Emerald's wet hand.  She looked at it as more tears streamed down her cheeks and splashed on the key. 
     "Thank you." She said, breath shaking.
     "There is a box with a matching dragon, in that you will find... a map.  You... will know what to do, young girl.  Take good care of yourself and that... boy of yours.  I love you... Emerald." Arigorn coughed once more, a tear cutting a path down his wrinkled cheek as his soft eyes focused on Emerald's.
     "Thank you." He whispered, "For making me feel young... and free again.  Now, I go to join my family... and my sweet Anngella." At that, the last shaking breath left his lips. 
     Emerald reached down and closed his eyes, placing his hands over his breast.  She placed the key in her pocket, wiped the tears from her cheeks, and headed toward the tower looming ahead.
     She was upset about Arigorn's death, but now was not a time for mourning, it was a time for revenge and salvation.
     She reached the bottom of the tower and pulled two arrows from her quiver.  Placing the arrows in between the stones, Emerald began to scale the wall of the castle.
     She reached the ledge and pulled herself through the window and into a dimly lit room.  She looked around and saw Xavier slumped against a wall, hands chained in his lap.
     "Xavier!" She ran to his side and patted his cheek, "Xavier," she whispered into his ear.
     Xavier began to stir and looked up at Emerald, fear evident in his eyes.
     "Emerald!  You shouldn't be here it's... a trap." He gave her a concerned look.
     Emerald turned as the room lit up and a dark figure with red glowing eyes stood in the doorway.  She stood and drew her sword, pointing it at the cloaked man.
     "The Wraith." She said with venom in her tone.
     "Yes." He said in a deep, gurgling voice.
     He drew a black bladed sword from his waist and touched the tip of her blade with his.  The Wraith swung his blade and she deflected, with a sound of metal hitting metal, the battle began.  Each determined to destroy the other that night. 
     Emerald parried each blow, and each of her blows were parried by the dark figure.  She swung toward his torso and arms and with each swing he blocked and parried her sword.  He would swing so quickly that it seemed like there was nothing there before.  She could barely parry his sword, the cuts and brushes on her skin became too numerous to count.
     The sound of ringing metal echoed off the stone walls in the tower of the dark castle.  The Wraith began to swing quicker when he noticed that Emerald was becoming tired.  He swung twice, in quick succession, and on the second swing the edge of the blade made contact with her shoulder, cutting the skin and causing blood to seep from the new wound.  She cried out and Xavier screamed.
     The Wraith pulled a dagger from his belt and prepared to throw it at Xavier when Emerald stepped in front of him.
"No!  He has done nothing; I beg you let him leave." She said, holding up her hands.
     The figure looked at Xavier, putting away his dagger, and nodded, "Only if you give me the ring," He demanded.
     "Why do you want it?"
     "With its power I can turn all of Tyreenion evil.  I can control the minds of all beings and they will have to bow down to the power of The Wraith!" He exclaimed.
     Emerald felt the ring grow warm on her hand and looked at Xavier, who shook his head, dried blood on his cheek.  She looked back at The Wraith, whose hand was outstretched and pulled the ring from her finger, placing it in his black, twisted hand.
     The Wraith nodded and soldiers rushed into the room to undo the shackles binding Xavier's wrists.  They lead him from the castle and Emerald watched out the window as Xavier was pushed toward the tree line by the soldiers.  He looked up, worried, at the looming tower before disappearing into the tree line. She smiled slightly, then turned back to face The Wraith. He laughed a hideous, gurgling laugh and looked at Emerald, fireball now in his gnarled hand.
     "Now I can kill you."
     He threw the sizzling ball and Emerald jumped out of its way, hitting the ground and knocking the air from her lungs.  She looked at The Wraith and concentrated all her anger and energy into her power, feeling it swirl and grow.  Suddenly, a fireball materialized in her hand and she smiled, then she threw it at the cloaked figure before her.
      He avoided the ball, but barely, surprised that she used her magic without the ring so easily.  The edge of his cloak caught fire and he patted it out quickly, irritated. 
     Emerald accumulated many more scrapes, bruises and now burns, but she couldn't get to The Wraith.  His power was much stronger then what she possessed. She drew her sword once more and they began to duel for hours on end as the sun rose and moved through the sky, neither gaining on the other, but unlike The Wraith, Emerald was growing tired and quickly.
     "You will not best me little girl, you begin to grow weary." He hissed as he swung once more.
     Suddenly Emerald had an idea.  Since magic was not working, nor arms, perhaps she could combine the two stengths into one to use against him.  She closed her eyes and concentrated on her power.  Her hands began to grow warm and her blade caught fire, she grinned and swung at The Wraith.
     He blocked her blow, stunned by her fire covered blade, but while he was distracted she spun and finally dislodged the sword from his hands, throwing the blade across the room.  He pulled a dagger just as she stabbed him through the stomach with her flaming blade. 
     The Wraith pulled back, startled.
"NO!" He screamed, shaking the castle with its mught.
     As he began to weaken, he lunged unexpectedly at Emerald and landed the dagger in her side, just below the ribs.  She screamed in pain and he laughed, then he exploded into a display of grey ash, throwing her back to the wall.  As the ash settled to the floor Emerald placed her hand to her side, touching the dagger that resided there and covering her hand in blood. Her head was spinning but she stood, limping over to the pile of ash and seeing her ring amidst the debris.  She picked it up and placed it in her packet, not sure what she was going to do with the small trinket now that she had no use for it anymore.  Going over to the window, Emerald carefully climbed down the castle wall.
     At the bottom she barely felt firm hands on her hips to help her off the wall.  She turned and saw Xavier behind her, his firm arms around her waist.  He looked at the dagger in her side, worry crossing his face as he touched the bloody hilt.
     She winced and he helped her to the tree line and leaned her up against a thick tree.
     "What happened? I came running when I heard the scream." He said, frantic.
     "I beat him." She said smiling, but breathing heavy.
     He nodded and looked at her, scared.
     "I... will be fine."
     "We need to get you back."
     She nodded, trying to get up, then a thought hit her and tears welled in her eyes, she looked at Xavier.
     "Arigorn..." She started, tears now running down her cheeks. 
     "I know," his face fell and grew pale, "I found his body."
     "We need to stay until I am well," Emerald said, changing her mind, "We have to take his body back to Elensdor with us.  If anything he deserves a proper burial."
     Xavier smiled a thin smile, agreeing. Emerald sat against the tree and he went to collect supplies for her wound.  When he returned with the materials and some plants he created a salve.  He put his hand around the hilt of the dagger, shaking.
     "You ready?" he asked her, although he may not have been ready himself, and Emerald nodded, squeezing his hand. 
     He pulled the dagger quickly from her side and she screamed, squeezing his hand as hard as she could, tears escaping from her eyes.  He ripped a piece of fabric from his shirt and placed it on the wound firmly until the bleeding slowed and finally ceased.  He put the salve over her wound and sat back.  He cut cloth from his shirt and tied it around her waist to cover her wound and keep the salve in place.
     "That's all I can do for now.  You need to rest."
     Emerald nodded, silver streaks on her cheeks from tears, and closed her eyes, falling into a deep sleep despite her pain.

     Emerald woke with a slight pain in her side where the dagger used to be, but nothing more.  She looked down at her side, which was almost completely healed.
     "It's a miracle." Xavier said, smiling at Emerald.
     She looked up, smiling back and he hugged her tight, kissing her on the lips and holding it firmly.  They pulled back and looked into each other's eyes.
     "How long was I out?" She asked, looking up at the sky noticing all the dark clouds were gone. 
     "The dark clouds dissipated just after you fell asleep," He noticed her looking at the sky, "And just a few hours truthfully.  I was at your side the whole time."
     She smiled and blushed.  "Thank you."
     Xavier pointed to her side where the dagger was, "How..."
     Emerald cut him off with her hand and grinned, "Magic, I would presume." 
     She stood and looked at the tower, taken aback by the sight she saw. The dull black stones that were there when she entered were now a sparkling marble.  The sun bounced off the tower, making it glow in the light. Her mouth dropped open in disbelief at what she saw.  She remembered what Arigorn had said about the tower being shrouded in darkness from the evil within.  Now that evil was gone and the light has returned to the tower and to the surrounding land once more, it was a beautiful sight.   
     Together they turned and found a horse nearby tied to a tree.  Xavier had taken it from the castle stables while Emerald was fighting with The Wraith.  They untied the horse and put Arigorn's body on it, ready to begin their journey back to Elensdor. 
     The next day they arrived in Elensdor, they took Arigorn's body to the castle and had a servant get the Duke.  It was getting late and Emerald and Xavier needed to rest, the trek back to Elensdor was long and warring.  Once Arigorn was found and they made sure he was properly taken care of, they went to their chambers for well needed sleep.

A/N
Sorry about the battle scene... I re-wrote it so many times and still am not satisfied. But oh well, here goes nothing.