Abigail

10 - Abigail Leads the Troops

"Oh you poor little child," he said, his voice lilting. "Why on earth did you come here?" He waved a hand and rocks fell again. She tried to move, but she was not quite fast enough. They caught her right shoulder, and she fell to the ground in pain, sword scattering just out of arm's reach. "Did you really think you could beat me?" Abigail heaved her breaths now, pulling out her dagger now. He kicked the weapon out of her hand; it spun away on the stone floor. "You who have never fought in battle before?" He waved his arm again and electricity burned her to the very core. She screamed in pain; she could not move. "You who are barely a pup in a world of men?" He kicked her in the stomach, and Abigail heard the crack of her ribs and saw the edges of black before she registered the pain. She heard a scream of agonizing pain and realized it was her own. "You risked your whole life over that rumor," he said, and lazily swept another kick. She screamed again, saw the edges of blackness again, and almost wished for it, wished for the peace of no more pain. "Did you think there was glory to be found here? Money? A song from the bards?" His boot landed on her legs, her midsection, her head. "Or was it really all over love," he laughed the last word in disbelief.

"Abigail!" Laz was running towards her.

"No!" Abigail croaked. Nefarious lifted an arm and Laz flew backwards, falling in a heap.

Abigail panted, her head ringing. She was barely able to form the words. "I did it for... my... dad..." she said, sure to be loud enough that the man in the cell behind her could hear. Sure enough, she heard the sharp intake of breath behind her.

He snorted and shook his head. "You are more of a fool than I thought. You have come, and you will make me stronger." He laughed, lifting his leg back to kick her head again, and Abigail looked up. His lifted laced boot, the stench of prison: so this was to be the last scene of her life.

But the kick didn't come. Nefarious screamed and clutched his face. Abigail turned to look at her father. He had torn a single thread of metal out of the prison bars and somehow fashioned it into a weapon, albeit one smaller than a hair piece. His hands were still bloody with the effort.

"You will pay for that!" Nefarious screamed, charging towards him with teeth bared and knife outstretched.

The clang of metal meeting metal sounded through the prison. Iron arrows flooded Nefarious, who did not fall but was slowed by their approach. Another volley of arrows hit, and a song arose.

Lazarus played an intricate tune, eerie like wind through the trolls and faster than should have been possible. Beside him, of course, was Xander. The effect was almost immediate: steel bars burst into dust, and thirty-nine righteous men stepped out.

Abigail's father scooped her up in his arms, and he pulled her away from unfolding fight. For a moment, she relaxed into the hold. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," he said.

"Don't," she said, a cry in her voice. "Don't. Ten years," she breathed. "I can't imagine." And her father's eyes met hers appreciatively.

"It doesn't matter, Phantom Fighter," Nefarious spat. "I have my own men!" He snapped his fingers and they came from every opening of the prison. "Now as for you," he spat, moving toward Xander. "You will die!" Their blades met in a dance that could not be adequately recorded here. Parry met parry, block met boulder.

Abigail pulled away and to her feet, every rib feeling crushed and every causing pain. She bumped into someone behind her. "Abby," Laz said, clutching her shoulders in horror. "You look terrible."

"Not too much better yourself, idiot," she said, eying his form covered in dust and sweat, bruised and bloodied.

"Sorry," he said, and she laughed though it ran pain through every inch of her body.

She looked up and saw Ethan the Strong watching them, a sorrow set in his features.

"Run," Xander said to them quietly, sternly. "It is time for you to run."

Abigail stared horror struck at him. "Xander, you won't —"

"Lead them, Abigail," he said, swinging at Nefarious who was now in the form of a tall, willowy woman. "They can't get through the tunnels without you. When you get out, tell Laz to play. He knows the song. Now run!"

"We won't leave you, Phantom Fighter," one man said, and it was echoed by all.

"Make my sacrifice mean something," he said. "Follow the girl!"

She could scarcely tear her eyes off him. Men were filling the dungeons quickly, but without rush. They had the swanky confidence of men who know they have already won. The prisoners ran, and Nefarious's men followed. At least by running, they drew men away from Xander. Only Nefarious remained to fight him.

Abigail looked one last time at Xander's form in battle one last time before grabbing her brother and gesturing to the others. They made their way through the hallways in a rush slipping back down into the tunnels they had come from.

Abigail and Laz led the prisoners through the tunnels, a storm of an army at their tails, until finally they arrived at a hole of safety to ground above. The siblings waited as one after another, men climbed out back to fresh air. Finally, only Laz and Abby were left.

It was only Laz and Abby left, and the roar of Nefarious' men was almost upon them.

"Just play it now, Laz! PLAY!"

The tune arose from Lazarus's flute. It was a new kind of melody: one pattern, endlessly repeated. Soft, then loud, then soft again. Low pitch, high pitch, low, high. A bird's whistle that broke the world apart. Abigail gasped sharply. Cracks like rivers sprawled through the rocks. They groaned. They exploded.

She screamed, a flurry of stones falling like snow beside her. Laz grabbed one arm and tugged her toward the center.

"That's it," he said shortly.

The tunnels were collapsing with all of Nefarious' men inside them.

He tossed the flute to ground level and hoisted himself out of the tunnel, dropping an arm to pull her to freedom.

"Come on!" he said.

She shook her head, trying to clear the confusion. The opening was at just arms-length, and she grabbed the edge with one arm.

"Abby!" He looked so afraid.

She paused, clenched fingers on the rocky edge. Behind Laz, the second sun was setting in a vast expanse of unclouded sky. A sea of bearded faces and weary eyes waited for her. Counted on her.

Safety beckoned.

And somewhere behind her, Xander was—no, she wouldn't think that. She couldn't let it happen. Her feet burned, but it was her heart that she followed.

She let go.