Rise (War Witch Book 1) (69 page)

Ramora landed in a crouch, sword swinging back as the Dark Blessed shoved himself up, his battered face now fresh with blood as it seeped from his lips. Pulling herself up, she gripped her sword with both hands.

"Bitch!" he howled, the word deforming in his mouth. There was no way for him to even cast spells now. The runic words had to be exact. He spat, trying to think of what to do. Ramora only gave him a moment before coming at him, her sword swinging back over her shoulder.

Snapping his weapon up, he caught her attack, again finding himself thrown. The strength behind her blows was enormous? No way was she a normal human. His eyes widened as he saw the glowing runes on her arm, a weave of two spells, lightness and strength.

"Sigil magic?" he gasped. "How can you know sigil magic? It's a lost art!"

Ramora swung at him, not caring what he was saying. She knew what her Rabbit had taught her. Her brave little Bunny, who had sacrificed for her, empowering her spell far beyond its normal limits. Quietly, it sang to her that it would be fine. Ramora heard it, understood, but was enraged anyway.

It had given of its own self. For her. For Leto. Her little Rabbit had suffered. It was too much. It was far and away too much. Too much pain. Too much hurt. She could take no more.

She would rain destruction down on those who brought it, without a shred of mercy. She would make them wish they'd never crawled out of their dark holes. She would drive back the darkness with her own blade.

She would avenge.

Overwhelmed, Renfro tried to fall back, barely able to hold off the massive sweeps of her Heavensteel blade. Growing desperate, he sought any opening, any chance to at least slow her. Every swing, though, left him struggling to recover, unable to capitalize on the few chances he saw.

Over the docks, the citadel drew to a halt. Renfro saw it, and gaped. They were supposed to come to the castle. They were supposed to support him! They were supposed to be his backup! What was Maret doing?

Slowly, Renfro realized the Orc meant to let him die. Terrified of the war witch before him, Renfro tried to stay alive, knowing she was going to kill him. He could see it in those cornflower blue eyes, brimming with divine rage, and righteous fury.

Bringing his Netherspear up, he tried a final, desperate gambit. As she pulled back to swing, he could knock her sword down, still allowing him to thrust forward. She'd be wide open, unable to stop him.

As her swing came, he thrust. Suddenly, carried by the lightness of the magic rune on her arm, her sword wove up, over his blade, slamming it down. Spinning fast, Ramora let her weapon drop, gripping it tight again as the blade pointed down, her arm out, coming full circle.

Renfro's hands tumbled across the walkway between the battlements, his Netherspear fading away.

Screaming, he jerked back, blood pouring from the stumps at the end of his arms. Ramora regarded him with cool disdain as she lowered her sword.

He felt her put her foot to his chest.

How had he lost?

Ramora shoved him over the edge of the battlements, listening to him scream as he fell. The screams stopped abruptly.

A moment later, Rills and his squad arrived as the metal domes that had risen where the parapets once stood began to retract, sinking back down into the wall.

"Ramora?" Rills asked softly, resting a hand on her shoulder.

She nodded slightly. She was all right. Or rather, she was unharmed. She didn't think she would ever be all right again.

"Lieutenant?" Rakin called. "What the Hells is that?"

Ramora and Rills turned to see the massive device revealed as the domes sank away. Three long rails, attached to a wide half cylinder, perched atop a pivot. At the back, a chair with runes glowing on the arms.

Moving to sit, the warrior considered what was before her for a moment. She knew the runes well enough, and as she touched them, found they turned the device back and forth, as well as elevated the rails up and down.

Glancing at Rills, she touched a thumb to the fire rune on the arm, sending a massive bolt of red flame down the rails and out into the sky. Ramora went wide-eyed.

Mystic cannons. Just like Chara's weapons, only on a larger scale.

Looking at Rills, she leaned out, counting five more of the weapons along the top of the wall. He saw the same, and exchanged a quick nod with her.

"I think I can see where this is going," he said. "All right, troops, we've got a way to bring that flying monstrosity down! All of you, get to a... thingy... and open fire"

His squad was moving before he even finished giving the order.

Slowly, the citadel began to turn as cannons boomed.

"Yes!" Chara yelped as she saw the Dark Blessed fall, plummeting to a gruesome end on the street below.

"Archers!" Untar roared a moment before arrows fell, one missing Chara by so little she felt it scrape through her hair.

Swinging her mystic weapons up, she pelted the Demon Seed atop the wall with fire, killing several, and forcing the rest to fall back. Before she could smile, a Doppelganger hit her, cracking her over the head with the pommel of its weapon.

Shana spun, destroying it with a bolt of pure Divine energy before reaching down to help the young woman to her feet. Shaking her head, Chara tried to clear her vision as she felt blood run down her face.

"You okay?" the Ascended asked.

"I think so," she replied before an arrow hit her in the shoulder. She stared at in surprise for a moment, then cried out as the pain hit her.

"Chara!" Esteban bellowed, shrugging off the pelting of arrows that showered him.

"Stand firm!" Untar called, moving quickly to avoid the bolts meant for him.

"We need to deal with them," Leena shouted, pulling free the throwing daggers she'd taken from the armory.

"Hold on," Shana encouraged the young woman she shielded her with her body, bolts of white energy flying as the assassin’s daggers did the same.

A moment later, soldiers loyal to the throne dispatched the remaining archers before darting farther along the wall. The band only had a moment to catch their breath, however, as many of the guards coming towards them from the city were disguised Demon Seed.

"How do we pick friend from foe?" Leena grimaced.

Shana eased Chara down for a moment, then threw her arms wide. A sigil appeared over her head and spread out a good ten yards in all directions. Several soldiers close enough to get caught in it had their true faces revealed, while others stared in horror.

"That'll help," she said. "Gather close! Untar, have your troops start forming a perimeter!"

"Got it," he nodded, barking orders to the stunned troops who found old friends suddenly revealed as Demon Seed.

"Beloved," Esteban cried, kneeling next to Chara.

"I'm fine," she assured him.

"Hang on," Shana said softly, shoving the arrow on through, making the young woman grimace in pain. A moment later, she relaxed as the Ascended poured healing energy into the wound.

"Is she okay?" Esteban mewled.

"She will be," Shana nodded. "I've only patched it, though, so no exerting yourself, okay?"

"Sure," Chara grunted as she rose. "Not a problem. Isn't like we're in the middle of a war zone here."

Heavy booming sounded, drawing them back to the flying citadel as it began turning, raining destruction down on the city. Cannonballs whistled through the air, exploding as they struck, shattering buildings, streets, and people.

"Come on," Chara groaned. "Can't we catch a single break?"

Punctuating the booming, a loud thumping started as one of the mystic cannons atop the walls began to fire on the citadel. It was followed soon by two more.

"How's that?" Shana asked.

"I'll take it.” Chara nodded.

With the real guards beginning to organize, the small group found their first chance to breathe, and tend their wounds. Leena, panting, had blood flowing freely down one arm. Untar had taken a number of hits, though it was hard to tell how much blood was his, and how much had come from the Demon Seed. Esteban plucked arrows from his back, his fast healing tending his injuries. Even Shana was bruised and bloodied.

Chara held her injured arm, the pain reduced to a dull ache, watching as the massive weapons perched atop the walls pummeled the citadel with mystic fire. Around her, explosions crowded the air, smoke rising from all over the city as people screamed.

By the time they managed to destroy the citadel, half the city would be burning. They couldn't let that happen.
She
couldn't let that happen.

"Hey, Shana, you can teleport, right?" she asked.

The Ascended nodded. "Of course. Why?"

Chara looked at the castle perched atop the massive flying cone of rock. "Cause, we need to get up there and slow that thing down."

"What?" Esteban blurted. "Chara, you can't be serious?"

Lifting one of her mystic handguns, Chara nodded. "I'm damn serious. If we can get into wherever they control that thing from, we can do some serious damage."

The big Cat shook his head. "You don't even know if there is one!"

"Something that big, there's got to some sort of central control station," she replied. "How else would they fly the damn thing?"

"She's got a point," Untar said. "I remember, about ten years ago, Rumilla Descartes managed to get inside one. She told me there's a command deck right at the top center of that castle."

Chara sighed. "Her again. I ever meet her, she better be damned impressive."

"She is," Untar assured her. "In her own way."

"Right," the young woman nodded, looking to Shana. "Can you get me in there?"

"Beloved, no," Esteban growled. "You can't do this. It's suicide! How many Demon Seed do you think are there? I won't let you!"

Two more mystic cannons had begun firing, the heavy thudding as they belched fireballs at the citadel almost deafening. Chara shook her head slowly, wishing, just for once, he would have a little faith in her.

"Look around you, Esteban," she said. "Look at what's happening. Lansing is being torn apart. If I can do something about that, then it's my duty, and my responsibility, to Heaven. Right?"

The big Cat glanced about as cannon fire tore at the city, destroying homes, shops, and people. Slowly, he lowered his head, ears falling flat, and nodded.

"Come back to me."

Chara snorted. "Well, that's the plan, yeah."

"The crazy plan," Untar nodded.

"Totally insane," Leena grinned.

"I like it," Shana said. "Let's do it."

Nodding, Chara braced herself. She lifted both her mystic weapons as the Ascended stepped behind her, resting her hands on the young woman’s shoulders. She had time to take a deep breath, and wonder if maybe she really was.

Toms pelted along the walkway for all he was worth, Rakin and Fallows close by him. Huffing and puffing, he berated himself for getting so out of shape. Really, it was his wife's fault. She was such a damn good cook, after all. He'd have to make mad, crazy love to her after this was over.

"First one of those nutty ass things we get to," he panted. "I'm taking it. I don't think I could reach another."

Rakin grinned at him. "You got it, Sarge. Try not to pass out before we get there, though."

"Aw, screw you," he wheezed.

He wasn't about to tell them he was on the brink of it now. They were juniors, and needed him to keep it together. Regardless, his heart was pounding so hard he could feel it, his lungs burned, and his vision was getting dim around the edges. He could see the cannon up ahead, and tried to pump his legs faster, desperate to get to it.

Then the cannonballs started falling. Lansing erupted in fire.

"Be safe, Karie," he whispered, visions of his wife floating through his head.

"Sarge!" Rakin called, jerking on his arm and spinning him around until he thumped against the cannon. "Stop running. We're here."

"Thank the Gods," he gasped.

"Get in," she barked, shoving him into the chair. "You get how it works?"

He fiddled with the runes a minute, then gave her a thumbs up. Nodding, she tagged Fallows and set off at a dead run. Trying to catch his breath, Toms watched them go for a moment. His chest was burning like fire as he swung the cannon around until it faced the citadel.