Alona focussed hard as she walked, controlling the roots and branches of the trees and bushes around the yard. Every Kolle and guard out in the open was struggling against the roots and vines that had appeared from the ground, as the undergrowth attempted to snare them where they stood. The one exception Alona noticed was a big woman off to one side who had the strength to break free of her bonds.
This big woman with supernatural strength, realising the source of the threat, charged headlong at Alona. Picking up speed, the female guard raised her fist high in the air, intent on smashing the small Dryad woman into a pulp.
Alona just calmly stood there. She didn’t flinch as the approaching strength affine neared her position. She didn’t even try to dodge or back away, she just calmly maintained her focus on the plant life in the unkempt yard. The charging strength affine guard couldn’t believe her luck, thinking the annoying tree lover hadn’t noticed her.
But as she went to pummel the small little woman into the ground, she realised her fist wasn’t moving. In fact, her whole body was no longer moving at all. A huge Barbarian had stepped between her and the small woman. The Barbarian had gripped her wrist with one hand and stopped her fast in her tracks with the other. She immediately tried to pull her arm free but it didn’t move. She looked at the Barbarian in pure shock. She had never met anyone stronger than her, let alone someone with the strength to hold her with the ease this Barbarian held her.
She then screamed as the Barbarian gripped the front of her tunic with one hand and her belt with the other and hoisted her above his head, as if she were a little child.
Bolo held the female guard there screaming and kicking for a few heart beats before bringing her down with a crunch on his knee. Her back snapping with an audible crack. The guard screamed an ear piercing scream before lying motionless on the ground at Bolo’s feet.
Those caught in the vines and roots, struggled even more wildly to get free, now. The loud cracking noise and subsequent scream had significantly intensified the atmosphere of fear in the yard. And all the time, Alona was bringing more and more roots up from the earth until the whole yard began to look like a writhing snake pit. More and more guards and Kolle were finding themselves held fast by the vines.
Tiel had seen Alona in action many times before, but he still marvelled at the way she somehow managed to control so many vines simultaneously. Her power was impressive. There must be thirty plus people in the yard tangled up in the undergrowth, yet the fully focussed Alona wasn’t letting any escape. And she did all this while striding cooly towards Celie. Alona was definitely something special.
Tiel kept step with Alona and only stopped as they reached Celie, calmly surveying the scene in the garden. It was then he noticed the fire burning around the feet of the small merchant, standing in the house doorway. Hmmmm, thought Tiel, there you are.
Having burnt himself free of Alona’s roots the merchant could have made a run for it and may have even escaped. But Tiel smiled as he noticed the man was still standing there, preparing to fight back. He was mouthing some kind of incantation, Tiel responded in kind with an evocation of his own.
And as the big fireball flew from the merchant at him, Tiel released his own magic and created an ice dome around the four Seekers and the girl. The fireball slammed into the ice dome with considerable force, killing any guards or Kolle outside the icy dome in the vicinity of the blast. But the force of the explosion wasn’t enough to penetrate Tiel’s shield. Not even close.
Alona, trusting in Tiel to protect her, as she had trusted Bolo earlier, ignored the fireball hurtling its way towards her and focussed her attention on the fire affine.
Locking her eyes on the small affine, she thought, mirroring Tiel’s thoughts of earlier, you should have run while you had the chance. Her vines quickly wrapping themselves back around his ankles, pulling the fire affine from his feet. Other vines snaked around his legs, arms, body and neck and then finally into his mouth. Effectively gagging the affine and silencing him.
Alona nodded to Tiel, happy the fire affine was secure and wouldn’t be invoking any more fire magic, not with a mouth full of roots and dirt.
Tiel released the protective dome from around them and helped a struggling Celie to her feet. A terrified young girl clinging to her like her very life depended on it.
Tiel smiled at the girl. “Don’t worry it’s nearly over,” he said.
With that he gestured for Bolo to bring the fire affine to him. Bolo stepped over the paralysed and likely dying strength affine at his feet. All eyes in the yard followed Bolo as he walked calmly up to the fire affine. He clamped his hand firmly over his mouth and nodded to Alona.
She released the binds and Bolo picked up the man as easily as if he was a baby and carried him to Tiel. Bolo held the fire affine up before Tiel his hand still secured firmly over the affine’s mouth.
Tiel then said in a clear loud voice to all the captive guards and Kolle in the yard, “You have seen what we can do.”
He gestured to strength affine lying helpless on the floor and myriad of dead bodies littering the yard.
“This man here tried to kill us,” Tiel continued gesturing towards the affine caught in Bolo’s grasp.
Alona whispered to Celie, “Don’t let the girl see what comes next.”
Celie, whose head was still throbbing from the explosion, didn’t question Alona, and turned the girl so she was facing directly away from the fire affine suspended from Bolo’s hands.
Tiel noticed what Celie was doing, and paused a couple of seconds before nodding to Bolo. Bolo snapped the man’s neck as easily as a twig before dropping him onto the floor.
“Like I was saying,” Tiel continued, “this man tried to kill us. He is now dead. If any of you try to harm us, a similar fate will await you.”
Tiel let his words sink in before continuing “However, I am feeling merciful today. I will release most of you and allow you to go free, provided you run as far and as quickly away from here as you can.” Again Tiel paused making sure his words were fully understood.
Tiel turned to Alona and said, “Please keep me two Kolle and two guards for questioning. The rest can go.”
Alona simply said “OK,” and released the remaining prisoners except the unlucky four.
The freed guards ran out of the gates, without even a glance over their shoulders. The freed Kolle fled through the trapdoor into the tunnels, their eyes, too, firmly fixed on where they were going.
A haunting silence then descended on the yard as the footsteps of the final guard disappeared into the air. A scene of destruction met Tiel’s eyes, dead bodies littered the yard and most he noticed had arrows sticking out of them. Despite the horror around him Tiel liked these moments of quiet. The short periods of quiet reflection, after a job well done, before the burdens of his position started to weigh down on him again.
He took a couple of long breaths before turning to Celie, “How are you feeling?”
“A little better,” Celie replied honestly. The girl held Celie’s arm tightly, still clearly afraid.
“Don’t worry,” said Tiel, addressing the girl, “You are safe now.”
Turning to Celie he then said, “Take her back to her father in the Inn. Your work is done here.”
Celie looked at Tiel not quite believing she was going to say this. But the words, “Thank you,” came out of her mouth.
Tiel just shrugged and said, “No biggie.”
He then started towards the front door saying to no-one in particular, “Now let’s take a look around and see what those four over there have to say for themselves. I’m curious. This is the second time I’ve ran into Kolle and Terrons fighting together. I suspect it’s not a coincidence.”
YOU ARE READING
Chasing Sparks
Fantasy[Completed] [The Affinity Series: Book 1] The affinities are echoes of magic from a time long past, giving enhanced powers to those that have them. And for any affines that bond with a spark, their powers are increased. One such sparked affine is Ti...
