Sisters in Arms

Alis, Siris and Eioldth are forced to battle a Demon Lord.

15.

Sisters in Arms

(Alis, Siris and Eioldth)

 

Her magic was failing to keep the Demon Lords and their minions back, and Queen Eioldth turned with an anxious look to the two women charged with protecting her.

“They’re moving around it!   We’ve got to retreat and regroup!”  The Elven lady began backing up slowly, still holding the palm of her hand out in front of her, which caused the huge ghostly hand to do the same.

Alis heard the flap of leathery wings and looked up just in time to see a Wyvern trying to dive at Eioldth from the rear flank.

“Eioldth!  Wyvern!”  She screamed out and the Queen instinctively ducked, putting both hands over her head.   The Wyvern slammed hard into the magic hand that had moved as the Queen moved, breaking its neck.   But the barrier was gone now and the undead hoard charged forward.  

 

Siris killed two ghouls with impressive speed, and then it was Alis’ turn.   A Wight ran right at her, but Alis had her shield up and blocked it from touching her.   She swung the long sword that had been Aurei’s aunt Tholmi’s weapon - a twin of the one Aurei carried- and the creature cried out and fell dead at her feet.  

She loved the Drow weapon with its amazing balance and light weight.   Aurei had insisted she take it as its enchantment caused it to be more lethal to undead.   Thankfully she had packed it with her armor for the trip.  

The trip that was supposed to be a joyous one as she and Aeric began a life together.   Now that day was utterly marred by war.  

A trio of zombies lurched at her, and Alis swung aggressively, venting her frustration at the slow-moving corpses.   They went down in three quick strikes, but there appeared abruptly in front of her three ghostly figures, each reaching for her.   She swung at the nearest one, striking its arm, but it continued to grab for her.  She pulled her shield up, but its hand went through the shield as if it was air.   

Then an arrow whizzed past her shoulder and somehow embedded the shaft into the neck of the spirit, which groaned once and disappeared.  

 

Alis did not pause but swung at the next Spectre, her sword hitting it, but still it clawed at her.   She dodged the ghostly hand and slashed at it.  Again she hit the spirit, but did not destroy it.   It reached for her, but she jumped back out of its range.   Siris’ next arrow hit the Spectre behind Alis’ attacker and it vanished without a sound.   Alis next sword stroke caused the apparition to slowly fade away.  

Queen Eioldth was back in motion, using the magic hand to snatch Wyverns out of the air and violently slam them to their deaths.  

Three of the reptiles were killed before her actions attracted the attention of their master.  With a mighty flap of his wings, Valliex the Great soared over the gang of undead fighting against the King’s forces and landed in front of the three women. 

 

Immediately it uttered an ear-splitting screech that made many of the living around them reel with pain.   But the Demon’s plan failed against the three women, who were protected by Zeatt’s protection spell and were unaffected.

 

Alis struck first, swinging her sword with all her might at the thing’s neck.   Valliex screeched in pain, and at that same moment Eioldth released a missile of energy that exploded in the chest of the Demon Lord.   He staggered backwards, but whipped out his long tail, snapping it at the Queen. 

Eioldth avoided it and with her magic ring, brought forth the magic hand, forming it into a fist and smacking Valliex.  The blow only grazed him, but Alis leapt forward and struck.   Her blow did not pierce his hide-like skin.   Siris had dropped her bow and had taken up her long sword and she cut at the Demon’s legs.  

 

Valliex zeroed in on Alis and two terrible claws slammed in to her, knocking her to her knees.   She jumped to her feet as Siris attacked the Demon, but her sword had no effect this time.   Eioldth punched at Valliex with her arcane hand and the huge fist hit the Demon square in the head, sending him to the ground, stunned.  

Before they could move in for the kill, however, six of Valliex’s Anthrodracoi ran in front of their master, forming a protective wedge around him.   Siris and Alis struck at the nearest Dragonmen, injuring a pair of them.  

 

With a gasp, one breathed fire on Alis.    The half-Elf girl screamed in surprise as the fire enveloped her face, but suddenly she vanished.   There was a loud sound that shook the ground and the six Anthrodracoi fell to the ground dead.  

 

“Autocaster ring!” Eioldth yelled to Siris as together they struck at the stunned Demon Lord.   Siris’ blow bounced off the thick hide of the Demon’s wing, but her next blow cut him deeply.  

Eioldth punched him twice more with the huge hand, but the fiend swung back.   His blows could not get past the spectral hand though and missed her.   Siris thrust her long sword forward running it deep into Valliex’s gut.   He staggered backwards, causing the Queen’s next blow with her magic hand to miss.  

Valliex knew his injuries were grave and uttered a short, whistle-like chirp as Siris and Eioldth again attacked.  

 

The Orc lady’s blow did not penetrate the skin, but the Queen’s punch knocked him to his knees.   He swung both of his claws at the Elven queen, one connecting, knocking her backwards.   But then his tail snapped like a whip, pricking her on the leg. 

 

She cried out just as Siris’ slammed her long sword down on the Demon Lord’s head, shattering the blade from the force of the impact.   Valliex began a piercing howl, but abruptly vanished with a pop and the smell of brimstone.

 

“Eioldth!”  Siris cried, dropping to her knees next to the Queen.   The Elven lady’s lips were turning white and she trembled violently, as her eyes glazed over.   “Poison.” She whispered, weakly pointing to the wound in her leg.  

“Yesh!” Siris called frantically thinking of anything she could do to save her.

She pulled her scabbard belt off, planning to try a tourniquet in desperation to stop the poison; though she already feared it was far too late.

“No.” Eioldth gasped, weakly touching her hand.

“Autocaster… like Alis… healed… when… unconscious.”

“But what about your baby?”  The Orc lady touched the Queen’s protruding belly.

“Don’t… know… hope… healed…too.” Her voice trailed off and her pupils dilated to Siris’ horror.   All at once, she wasn’t there.  

 

Siris jumped in alarm, but recalled what the Queen had told them about the Autocaster rings.   It had been the Holy Word spell that had destroyed the Dragonmen when Alis fell.   Since Alis had disappeared too, she should be safe and well back in Westmark’s church sanctuary.   Hopefully where the Queen was taken too would also be safe.

 

“Yesh, protect the life she is carrying.”  Siris prayed, caressing her own pregnant abdomen.   She prayed only for an instant, for the Wyverns called by Valliex before he was sent back to Hell, finally reached the location of their master, and, not finding him, in rage attacked the nearest creature.  

Siris ducked down low, remembering then the ruby and silver cross that Eioldth had given to her to protect her baby when he or she was born.   She wore it around her neck, and she touched it as the Dragon-like creatures swooped in upon her.    Siris thought of protection and immediately a shimmering silver sphere surrounded her.

The Wyverns, sensing the magic of the amulet, veered off, leaving Siris for a moment’s rest to catch her breath, pray for her fallen sisters in arms, and prepare to rejoin the fight.

 

***

 

In Westmark, Alis jumped to her feet, looking around in uncertainty for a moment before she recalled the spells that had been placed in her Autocaster ring.   She was alive and healed, but she also was a long way from the battle.   Going to her knees in the sanctuary, she feverishly prayed for safety for her new husband but more urgently for Eioldth and Siris who were left fighting the Demon.

“Keep them safe.” She asked Yesh, and a calming feeling came over her as soon as she uttered the words.   Taking a deep breath, she relaxed some, and resumed praying, thankful for the sign of reassurance.