Sentria: The Knight Prince (Book 1)

Chapter Thirty-One: The Wood Fox

We took off down the Victory Trail at a dazzling speed. Brio was in fine form with all the rest he had gotten in the Village of the Wind. He pushed harder than he had ever done before and that made me want to push harder. We left the Winding Forest behind us and followed a long and path that led the great black tower. It seemed to grow in size the closer we got to it, but I couldn't tell if that was my imagination or if it was her dark magicks. Eldwyn held on tight to me as I leaned my body closer to Brio.

The path became bumpier and rockier and we came upon hills. We took the highest one and Brio accounted for the change in the terrain by taking slower and steadier steps. At the topmost spot on the hill, we looked at the tower. The bottom of it was shrouded in a light fog, it almost looked as if it was smoking. Evil wasn't a word I used lightly, but this was evil incarnate and it needed to be demolished to ruins.

"It shouldn't be much longer now," I said, turning my head slightly to look at Eldwyn.

"Yea, I can sense it," replied Eldwyn in a shaky voice. 

"The tower's presence is very strong. It's like an infection upon the land."

"Are you fearful, knight?" asked Eldwyn.

"Not at all," I said, raising my chin. "I know what must be done and with you at my side, I know we cannot lose."

"Do you mean that?"

"Of course I do. I couldn't have made it without you."

We returned to the trail and traveled towards the tower. It stood in an open field, untouched by civilized man, but the bottom was obscured by the fog. Few mortals had ever journeyed this far from their kingdoms and I had become part of that line. 

Brio stopped and we stared into the dense fog that seemed to hiss softly. Then I saw a small shadowed figure walk towards us. It was the wood fox, pointy ears and all. IIt stopped a good ten feet away from us and stared at us with its big black eyes.

"It's a wood fox," said Eldwyn. "They don't often venture this far away from their woods."

But I stared into its eyes and I knew that this was no ordinary wood fox. This was of another nature. "Eldwyn, dismount. Now!" I ordered and we jumped off, landing on the damp ground. "Brio, hide." I said to my horse and without hesitation he obeyed, galloping a safe distance away.

The fox stood up on its hind legs as the fog swirled around him like a smokescreen. He grew taller and its' shoulders broadened, but the size of its ears stayed about the same. The fox became a robed man and even from the silhouette, I knew who it was: the dark wizard Allaster.

"You were there at the bridge that day watching us, weren't you?!" I asked, stomping my foot.

"I'm impressed that you made it this far," said Allaster, remaining hidden in the blanket of the fog. "Though I suppose I shouldn't be too surprised. You broke out of Cardoth with your lives intact and that's nothing to look down upon. It's important, however, to understand that this will be a different occasion altogether. You see, I held back last time. In a rare fit of ego, I underestimated your youth. Both of you are strong, but once you've swam in the underground fiery lakes of green, you know that nothing can scorch you."

"You are in partnership with the Oblivion Witch," I said, holding my sword with both hands. "Have at us, then!"

"As you wish," said the wizard, stepping out of the fog's embrace to reveal himself in full.

From the corner of my eyes, I saw Eldwyn move his hands around in circles, gathering the wind and focusing on the villain that stood before us.  As I lowered myself preparing to lunge, Allaster sent out a powerful, green blast of energy from his hand that struck hard and fast like lightning, hitting Eldwyn directly in the chest. He screamed in pain as it threw him far back into the distance.

"Eldwyn!" I yelled, as the force of it threw me to the ground as well. I dropped my sword and heard the dark wizard's maniacal laugh that made my blood boil.

"I am not here to play games, children," said Allaster. "The Oblivion Witch will burn Askeran and bring about a new world in which magical beings reign. Relics like Eldwyn will know their power. They will no longer allow themselves to be forced back into nature. We will rule in the day and the night forevermore. The time of man is over!"

Allaster sent a bolt of green energy at me this time, and I rolled away from it, separating me from my sword with a line of green fire. I took out my Sentrian shield, and as he sent another blast, I deflected it, sending it back.

"Ah!" He screamed, as his own magicks hit his shoulder, burning him badly.

I took the opportunity to run at him at full speed. I jumped and attacked him, slashing my sword across his face. It cut into his cheek and I struck another blow with my fist to his stomach. He may be powerful, but he was still flesh and blood.

"That's the Knight Cober's shield...he killed my brother," said Allaster.

"And I'm here to kill you!" I lifted the shield and brought it down upon his head, but he stopped me with his hand pressed up against my chestplate. It glowed green and it burned my skin as if there had been no armor there to protect me. I screamed in bloody pain. It felt like I was boiling from the inside and I let go of my shield.

Allaster released me and I fell to my knees. I couldn't take it anymore...his magicks were too strong.

"No, High Prince Darren," said Allaster. "The time of man's hatred is over. The death of the giants, the thousands of dead magical beings, the deforestation, all of it comes to an end and it starts with you." His hand glowed green again, but as he was talking, the fog had surrounded him. "What's this?" he asked, looking around. 

"If you are underworld fire," said Eldwyn, limping up to me and bleeding badly from his chest. "Then I am ice!" 

The air grew cold and the fog got thicker around the dark wizard and I realized that he was freezing solid. Ice covered his body before he could strike again and in seconds, he was encased in a block of ice. I didn't waste a moment and slashed at him with my sword, shattering him into shards that scattered everywhere. I turned around quickly and saw Eldwyn's body lying motionless on the ground.

"Eldwyn!" I yelled and ran to his side.

"I think I'm dying, knight..." he said weakly.

"No! I will not let you."

"My injuries...they are too great."

"There has to be some way, Eldwyn. Some way to save you. Some magick, some spell..."

"I'm sorry, knight...I'm sorry."

With that, he closed his eyes, and I let out a wail from the depths of my soul, screaming to the gods to save him. But I feared that they did not hear me.