Bastion of Sun

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Death Then Life

Every muscle pushed Balder onward and he heaved himself over stone walls, through disoriented crowds, dashing with his tired old limbs toward the Southern Gate. Toward Lucky. Toward the cries.

Reaver Finn was at his side, barreling through the chaos of the camp.

Many people didn't even seem to notice they were under attack, while others fled with blood upon their faces and arms. Elves came to arms, running at Balder's side, but not enough for his mind.

"Where's Rydel?" he cried, grabbing a Lando who was running at his side. But the elf shook his head, uncertain. When Balder turned back, Finn was before him on a mount, reaching out a hand. Balder took it and Finn sprung the mount to action. They arrived at the Southern Gate in a flash.

It was pure chaos.

Hundreds of villagers, elves and humans, were running away, but still more were packed on the stretch of grass. They had focused nearly all their efforts here—builders, water-carriers, masons and brick builders. Here, their defense was weakest. And here, they were closest to Dryan's dark forest, where the sword of that mad elf could pierce deepest. And the bastard knew it.

Then he saw, over the hundreds of heads, the origin of the terror.

Monsters.

A dozen creatures—tall, with long, spindly, bough-like arms and trunk-like legs. Each was easily two or three men tall. He saw no outward weapons, but they plowed into the defenseless villagers with abandon. They looked like trees come to life, swinging their branches and cutting down swaths of humans and elves. "You find the boy, I'll stop those things!"

"I'll stop those things, you find the boy," Finn amended fiercely. "You're no use against Dryan's forces. And Lucky needs your help. Besides, if I don't stop those now...." He left the rest unsaid.

Balder growled but then nodded.

He dismounted to search the crowds, pressed down his terror as he'd been trained to do when he was in the guard of the Shining City and scanned the faces. Luckily, no children were allowed this close to the border, except the one a foolish old man had sent. "Where is he?" he voiced, afraid.

Something grabbed his arm and he twisted to see a woman's face. It was the same pretty, too-young brown-haired girl who was flirting with him what felt like only moments earlier. "Lucky," Balder panted, grabbing her shoulders, "where is he?"

"I-I'm not sure," the girl answered, panicked.

She was no use and Balder turned away, but the crush of people was overwhelming—he felt swarmed over, his anger and frustration reaching higher as he searched faces and screams clawed at his ear. He moved to leave when the girl suddenly cried out—

"There!"

Balder saw she'd gained purchase on the half-built white wall for vision, and pointed out over the crowds. Balder followed her gaze and his heart sank. Lucky. The boy was stuck between the wall of fleeing people and the monstrosities come to life. Finn was nearly to the towering creatures, but he was to the eastern line of them and Lucky was being flanked from the west.

"He doesn't see him," Balder breathed.

He cried out, trying to get Finn's attention, but it was much too far.

There was no other choice. Balder ran. He felt a presence following him as he tore through the fearful masses, racing to Lucky. Fire ignited the air over the heads of the running masses and Balder knew. Finn. Unearthly shrieks followed. Two tones—the dying of a beast layered with the dying of a man. The oddity struck a nerve in Balder, but he didn't slow.