Sons of Ironstorm - Book 4: Griffon's Stand

In Defense of the Dagger

Then Patrik, Aerulin and Jaeda exited the tower to stride quickly towards them, his brother's face hard as he considered what they'd do when the Abysslords launched their attack against the ancient fortress.

"Looks like we've got trouble, Shawn," he noted grimly when he drew close enough, the Earth shimmering with runic power in his fist. "The Earth isn't as aware of shifts in Reality as the Star is, but she just confirmed what your weapon told you about the Abysslords. They have, indeed, brought their attention to bear on the Dagger."

"But not, as yet, their armies," Shawn replied with a frown, looking back to the east where the black clouds were visibly roiling, marking where the Abysslords were interacting physically with reality.

Without warning the Dagger's energy shield, a vast bubble of shifting light and power that formed over the sprawling fortress at the first sign of danger, flared to brilliant life, runes dancing over the massive walls. Unable to penetrate the energy field, the rain that had been pouring down onto their heads abruptly disappeared as well, mute testament to the shield's ability to block solid matter as well as magic.

- The Abysslords probe the fortress's defences, - the Star reported tautly. - Their dark touch has activated the fortress's main shield. -

"I don't think I've seen that before," Patrik muttered, eyes wide as he looked up at the bubble of light now covering them a good five lengths above the fortress's tallest tower. And thus he was in the perfect position to see dark spots appear and disappear on the bubble's outer surface overhead and clustered together in groups of five, as if they were literally the tips of a giant's fingers, brushing over the bubble of light to test for weaknesses.

"By the Great Sea!" he breathed in astonishment at the sight.

"Will ... will they break through, Shawn?" That from a visibly frightened Aerulin, who had moved close to the powerful young Wielder of the Star to slip her hands into the inside cleft of his elbow and pull herself up against him even as she stared with wide eyes at the shifting shield above them.

"They're not physically here, so no," Shawn replied with a frown, eyes narrowed in thought as he too watched the dark spots appear and disappear across the shield's face, evidence of the Abysslords' efforts. Physically not here, but he could feel their malevolence like a dark weight pressing down on them.

"They haven't enough strength to reach out of the Abyss and penetrate the shield at the same time." He abruptly grimaced. "At least, not right now."

All across the massive fortress, her defenders now stared upward at the bubble of light that lent them its protection, eyes wide with wonder. And not a few whispered between each other of the impending battle, the one they all now knew would happen shortly between the Abysslords and the two Wielders. Those that whispered of the battle numbered Ciradaan, Fenoran and Najthin amongst their number.

<<An energy field, magically protecting the fortress,>> Fenoran breathed in delight and astonishment as he joined other defenders in staring at the bubble of light from their vantage point on top the northwestern wall. <<How mighty were the ancients to have wielded such power!>>

<<How mighty, indeed,>> Ciradaan agreed in a wide-eyed whisper, not needing to look at the Sword of Aesthegon to know its blade glowed brightly in response to the fortress activating its defensive magics. It took an effort of will to tear his eyes away from the energy shield to look down into the courtyard in an attempt to find the Wielders.

There! Shawn and Patrik, along with Shiana and one of the Covenant wives, Aerulin, by the looks of it. The two Wielders were in deep conversation, both looking at the energy field with thoughtful expressions on their faces. Were they planning a defence against whatever triggered the fortress's defensive magic? One could only hope so. Then a motion on the edge of his sight drew his attention to a tight knot of elven women moving with a great deal of determination towards where Shawn and Patrik now stood, led by none other than Kordin's daughter, the Lady Dezinor. The dark elf wore a determined expression on her face, as if she had been told to do something she was unwilling to, and was preparing to argue against it.