A few paces from the sign, the party rested.
William touched both torches, and the fires became white.
"Should the worst happen, you'll return here," the young father instructed. "This light will ward off anything daring to cross by, I'll wait here until morning should you need to awaken."
While everyone got some much needed rest, he wiped black blood from his flail.
Al sat next to him, keeping her voice down.
"This is getting too dangerous," she said, looking at Nathan. "He ought to stay here."
"He stays with me. He's earned that right."
She sighed, "I know you've been through a lot with him, but he's only human."
"And a damn good swordsman."
"I know," she said, turning towards Dany, who slept with a hand on her hilt. "He practiced with Dany every day. Something's changed in her."
He was silent, cleaning his weapon of war and destruction.
Al nudged him. "What happened out there? She told us about Livarza, and your Nemesis, but what's gotten into her?"
"Nothing," he muttered. "She's a warrior."
"True," Al said, leaning her head against him. "But she's so young. She was barely eighteen when she died."
"How do you know?"
"She told me. Her first memory she received, right after she awakened back in the village."
He growled, and Al shook her head.
"You're right, I probably shouldn't have shared something so personal, but, it's because of you. You've got a way with people."
"Aye, I do," he said, grasping his hilt. "Best thing to ever happen to some folk."
"Is…is that sarcasm?"
He figured it was, and nodded. "The Elfstones can't say the same. Two of them died fighting Alrieon, and they won't be awakening ever again."
Allison was silent, then looked towards the palace.
"Legend has it the Lady of the First Sword has a weapon, capable of killing soulless."
"Then you and the lad should stay. This is my fight."
She put a hand on his shoulder. "I wouldn't forgive myself letting you march to your death. Besides, I think Dany may have taken after you."
He looked at Nathan, then Dany.
Much as he hated Al's pestering, she was right, and either he were to do something to drive those two away, or fight harder. The latter would be easiest, but he didn't want to watch anyone else die because of him.
"Whatever's in that overgrown dungeon, I can handle for the most part," he said, wiping out the last bloodstain on his flail. "Just stand behind me, or close by."
"You'll take most of the damage yourself?" Allison wondered. "Bold. Though it suits you."
He'd rather it be all the damage, as he'd fulfilled his duty to help slay a dragon rider.
It was all a mystery, why the Embers would follow him of all people, when they could run off and get themselves killed any other way they wanted. Though Nathan had a soul, unlike the lot of them, and the young father, so he ordered them to stay behind.
"Brother, if I may," Nathan protested. "I've slain plenty vampyres since winter's end, I'd be more than capable o-."
"Shut your fucking mouth," he growled. "Stay here!"
All the party was silent.
Everyone except Dany took a step back, and he scowled Nathan until the lad nodded with a lowered head.
"Protect the young father," he ordered.
"Understood, sir," Nathan agreed.
He reached out, but pulled his hand back.
Instead his hands went to his flail and shield, both with a lightness to them which he thrived in.
As he led the Embers towards the palace winds kicked up leaves. Black leaves, some brown or doused with dirt, all thicker than any he'd seen in the kingdom. It didn't reek of blood as he expected, but something bothered his nostrils. As if the air itself had a pulse, it grew every step closer to the towers of dark steel.
"Energy," Arthur said, spear facing the woods. "Its as if those walls are a living creature."
Walls overtook the towers.
What appeared to be endless grey granite, north and south, were at least a hundred meters high. They were ridden with gems. Black gems, rubies, sapphires, and diamonds along the edges. Every dozen meters was an engraving of the gods, earth, water, wind, and fire. A spiral, carved in black, with deep trenches, and a three pointed star on each side.
So much to see, yet hundreds of meters away, the wall appeared to be touching the sky.
Blue lights waved ahead, torches round an open pavement.
A square, with an altar in the center, surrounded by stone bannisters. Each corner stood a three headed star, at least two meters high.
White silver brim, a black bowl with a three pointed star carved in the center, the altar was cracked along the side facing the wall.
He walked in first, Allison was last, then blue fire rose round the square.
Darkness took the sky, fires igniting the air. Shadows engulfed the altar, smoke-like sludge leaking out all sides. From the darkness rose a red eyed shade, four arms, with a sword in each hand.
Flail overhead, he spun a rapid lash.
The shade swept under his steel. Light shined, Arthur's spear driving forward, yet the shade moved between them all. Dany's heavy longsword crossed metal, and the shade soared back. Eyes ignited, fire beams spurted from them.
Down the center of her breastplate beams pierced right through Dany. She slammed to the ground, yet kept a hand on her sword, cursing with a mouth full of blood.
He swung against darkness, and it snickered as his flail passed right through. Was it really so fast? No, he couldn't hit it. Same as the ghosts before the bridge, yet their weapons were supposedly blessed.
Allison loosed fiery silver arrows. The shade parried them all, then swooped in, burying its blades within her chest.
Arthur took to his side, spear facing out against his shield.
"Easy," Arthur stuttered. "We can at least learn it-."
Swords rattled his shield.
Strikes felt to be like thunder, and he fell back, crushing Arthur.
Upon a knee he raised swung his flail, but swords knocked it out his hand. Shield up, he tried keeping eyes on the shade, but it was a black endless red beaming whirlwind.
Four slices severed his head.
Then the shadows spoke to him, the language of old whispering, "Four soulless leeches! Enjoy your grave…"