The Elementals : The Dawn of Darkness

Chapter 32 - The Battle of Truespear Hollow

To say that there was a buzz back at Truespear was an understatement. By the time the three of us burst from the treeline, wheezing and gasping from the pain of the stitch in our sides the population had certainly swelled, to say the least.

As far as I could tell everyone who we had released from Marx's voodoo pit had made it back in one piece and were being greeted by friends, family and even perfect strangers who were weeping at the sight of the all safe and sound. From somewhere on my left a loud thud signified that Jasmine had now de-beared and was now lying face down in the dirt. She was perfectly fine, she just needed a moment and let's be honest, who could blame her?

Lilian and her daughter were stood in the centre of the carnage, slack-jawed in amazement as their eyes fixed on us. Well, Lillian's eyes did. Her daughter had other priorities.

"JAS!" She shrieked and sprinted opened armed towards her girlfriend who had regained her composure and happily got crushed in Tulip's bear hug, both of them sobbing tears of pure joy.

With Sheria and I propping the other up we watched the two limp away to a makeshift medical bay that had been quickly constructed in an abandoned chemist, never letting go of each other for a second. It made being a puppet for a psychopath with a scalpel was seem a bit more worth it.

"You did it." Lillian tore her eyes away and fixed those piercing green lights onto us. "How did you do it?"

It took us a little while to explain what had happened, mainly because we were dragged, rather forcibly, into the medical tent by a short but terrifying nurse who reminded me of Miss Truchbull crossed with Gimli from Lord of the Rings. Oh, and she only spoke Welsh which is a wonderful language where ninety per cent of the words don't actually contain vowels.

Still, the story managed to get across just fine as Lillian went from a wee bit anxious and sweaty to slumped in a hastily fetched stool, wide-eyed and the colour of an overcooked cod.

"So basically, we may or may not have royally pissed the mini monster off enough to send the entire forces of his undead army after us," I said simply.

Lillian gulped, "why do you say that?"

"He's desperate," Sheira said a thermometer dangling from her lips. "This experiment of his is a gamble and it's one that isn't paying off."

"And he's just lost me. Public enemy numero uno and he just let us walk out the door."

"I wouldn't say that..." Sheria started to say. In all fairness, I did threaten to use his own element against him. "But I get your point. His head's on the line unless he pulls something of this scale off and he doesn't have long to prove himself."

Lillian nibbled her lip and nodded curtly. "Alright," she stood up, thigh-length coat sweeping around her and clapped her hands. The sound boomed around the walls. "Last evacuation will take place in an hour, be on that truck or stay here and defend our home. We've got a war coming to our front door."

She was halfway across the courtyard before Sheira and I, finally managing to wrestle away the nurse who was coming at me with the business end of her thermometer, caught up with her.

"Is there any way I can convince you to take the night off?" She said.

Not a chance in Hell, I thought. Instead, I said, "we know what's coming, we can help prepare the troops. If you'll allow it of course."

"You know I will." She glanced towards the packed infirmary and then to the gaping wound in the wall, "were going to need all the help we can get."

Sheira and I shared a glance. "Speaking of extra help, by any chance have you-"

"I'm afraid not," Lillian said. "We've been watching out for your friend all day and he hasn't shown up. We're just going to have to manage without him."