White Roses Bloom

Chapter Fourteen

     The four friends burst into a clearing and froze as their eyes fell upon what was in front of them. In a cage was a girl, she was tied up and unable to move. The girl looked as though she was struggling to stay conscious. Curly strands of silver blonde hair fell into the girl’s face, nearly completely hiding her pale skin and icy blue eyes. Blood was soaking around her wrists and ankles, right where the ropes were tied too tight. Floating above her was an older looking man. His skin had gone skeletal white. His eyes glowed bright red, casting a crimson light around the clearing. He wore black robes that seemed too airy to actually exist. Long strands of black hair cascaded from the man’s head. His teeth were sharp, two fangs piercing out from his lip and dripping with blood. He threw his hands up towards the air and lightning came out from his fingertips. The lightning sparked up to the clouds, causing another loud crash of thunder.
     The group stared in horror of what was in front of them. They didn't understand what it was, all they knew was it scared them. Carvar and Vidro clutched tightly to their swords, their fists going white from how tight they were holding on. Analise’s face went pale white as she stared upon the man. Anna tensed and looked towards the girl in the cage. She swore she could see small sparks coming from her. That's when Anna realized the man was drawing his power from the girl. Anna dashed forward. Carvar and Vidro tried to catch her as she ran past. The man looked down and shot a spark of lightning to land at Anna’s feet. Anna jumped, refusing to get struck as she ran in desperation.
     There was something Anna couldn't place, she swore she knew the girl in the cage but couldn't place from where. Anna slipped her knife against the bars of the cage and began digging the blade into the ropes, trying to cut the girl free. There was a yell which caught Anna’s attention. Anna looked up to see Vidro sheath his sword and grab a set of throwing knives from his belt. Vidro took one of the knives and threw it at the man. The man’s head turned unnaturally to face Vidro. He pointed his hand to Vidro’s body. Sparks shot out from the man’s fingertips.
     Anna dashed forwards, dropping her knife. Carvar and Analise stared in horror, unable to do anything as the sparks shot towards Vidro. Anna ran out in front of Vidro before the sparks could hit him. The sparks hit Anna straight in the chest. She collapsed to the ground, her body spasming and convulsing as though she was having a seizure. The electric shocks contorted her body and left her on the ground, trembling and barely breathing. The man laughed in a deep, almost demonic sounding laugh. Vidro twitched slightly, feeling an unbridled rage boiling within him. He went to dash forward in a flurry of wild attacks.
     “Stop! You can't beat him! He's a lich! You can't kill him like this! You need a holy trinity to do that! Just run away!” the girl from within the cage screamed. Blood flowed out of her mouth and ran down her chin. The girl coughed and wheezed. Vidro cursed under his breath then ran to his sister’s side. Analise stared at her brother, panic in her eyes. She felt as if there was nothing she could do, hopelessness.
     Carvar pulled something out from under his shirt. A silver cross hung from a rope necklace that was tied around the boy’s neck. He clutched to his sword. “My sword is blessed by the church, by the father, the son, and by the holy spirit. I shall fight in their will to defend his gifts!” Carvar called out. Analise tried to stop the knight but failed as he dashed forward. The lich laughed and cast a flash of lightning towards Carvar. Carvar flipped over the flash, escaping its shock. Vidro passed Carvar one of his throwing knives. Carvar snapped his necklace from his neck and then quickly tied it around the handle of the knife. With a deadly precision, Carvar whipped the knife towards the lich.
     The lich let out a cry of pain as the knife pierced its deathly pale skin. The lich sank down from the sky, coming down to the height that finally the knight could attack. Carvar swung his sword and with one mighty strike, pierced the lich. The lich screeched and screamed. Carvar withdrew his sword as the lich sank to the ground. “May you return to the light,” the knight whispered before plunging his sword into the lich’s heart. Blood pooled out if the wound. The lich twitched and spasmed before going still.
     Carvar withdrew his sword then sheathed it. The knight turned to the prince and princess, who were cutting the ropes on the young woman’s cage. Carvar stumbled forward to Anna's side. She was still laid motionless, except for the occasional convulsion that wracked her electrocuted body. The girl from the cage was quickly freed. Vidro had to hold her up as the girl couldn't hold her balance. As they reached Anna’s unconscious body, she frowned.
    “I know someone who can help her. She won't awaken from being struck by a lich easily. Rarely do people survive a lich attack naturally. My mistress before the lich took me should be able to help. She isn't far. She lives in a kingdom not far from here. If you follow me, I can take you to her, in Risedo,” the girl explained, almost autonomously. The group glanced across at each other nervously. Such a journey without telling anyone where they were going seemed dangerous, but if Anna’s life depended on it, then that would be a sacrifice they were willing to make.