WM [4] All Hail

The group broke free of the alley as Viggo’s roar echoed throughout the outer city. More people were on this street than the last, so the swerving intensified. Thorfinn squeezed between other vehicles and drove on the sidewalk, with near misses every few seconds.

The feeling of whatever magic was used to clear the other road intensified, causing people to flee this street en masse. The dozens of darkness constructs that were now chasing them and the massive dragon in the sky overhead probably helped with that, too.

“Tyr, get up here,” Thorfinn yelled.

Tyr did not hesitate for a moment and jumped out of the crowded wagon, using Flash Step to run along the outside and reach Thorfinn faster. Tanisha touched Bjorn as the Marks of Seiðr tattooed across her skin glowed faintly while they moved across her skin. Instantly, she teleported the two of them to the wagon’s roof. Teleporting Bjorn with her was only possible because of the familiar bond and their soul tethering. Typically, teleportation abilities like her Arcane Shift would not work on others.

“Keep going straight down this road no matter what,” Thorfinn said as he handed Tyr the reins. “I need to prepare.”

Thorfinn jumped onto the wagon’s roof before Tyr responded, fully trusting the young man would not let his people down. He only spared Tanisha and Bjorn a cursory glance before he sat down and began his words of power. Three crystals floated from nowhere, creating a triangle over him. A thin but intensely powerful sheet of mana formed between them.

Bjorn gave the mage no more of his attention and looked around at the ever-increasing numbers of Darkness Constructs that moved on thin legs with blade-like arms. The constructs ran, jumped, and climbed on the street, walls, and rooftops. Now and then, Bjorn would suddenly see people in seemingly ordinary clothing ruthlessly attack and destroy several of them with magic he didn’t recognize.

Vines rose from the street with thorns resembling swords and swung around, swatting three enemies simultaneously. Lightning in the shape of chains wrapped around and destroyed anything they touched. Swords with magic crystals for hilts and clockwork gearing that made up the crossguard flew through the air and cut up any opponent unlucky enough to be in their way. The magical effects tore into the approaching constructs and reduced their numbers dramatically.

“Everyone, look out!” Tanisha yelled.

Viggo swooped down, the massive beast’s claws extended. Tyr managed to turn the wagon just in time to avoid being crushed by the creature’s enormous hand. Viggo’s landing caused a tremor that shook the road and ripped up bricks as he launched himself back into the sky.

The ordeal didn’t even faze Thorfinn as he continued his spell unabated. A bright light shot up, and then the triangle of power slowly lowered the thin stream of condensed mana. It encased Thorfinn as if he were being covered in hot glass. Once the process was complete, he was glowing with a soft light.

“Everyone needs to get in, or hold on to the wagon,” Thorfinn yelled. “Now!”

Everyone jumped onto the wagon momentarily, holding on to the sides or joining Tanisha and Thorfinn on the roof. The horses whinnied their displeasure at the added weight but kept galloping. Joha appeared beside Tanisha and Bjorn, still disguised as a random human.

“This is going to feel uncomfortable, but no matter what, hold on to the wagon,” Thorfinn stated as he stood up. The man vanished for a second and reappeared next to Tyr at the box seat. “Get back in the wagon. I will take it from here.”

Tyr looked at him momentarily, nodded, and climbed back into the cargo hold with the women and children.

The gate out of the city was now in sight, only a few blocks away. Viggo flew overhead, seemingly shrinking in size as purple energy sparked through the air. The dragon became more and more translucent as its form collapsed into itself. The creature flew like an arrow to the gate, stopping just in front, striking the ground like a meteor, sending a plume of shattered brick and debris into the air.

Bjorn didn’t have time to wonder what Thorfinn meant by saying it would feel uncomfortable. The air stilled as a figure walked out of the crater left from where the dragon had crashed. It was Ingrid, her formerly graceful features twisted into a snarl. She held a sword far larger than what her thin frame looked like she should be able to wield. She wore plate armor that fused blue steel, orichalcum, and arcane energies. Purple tendrils of power sparked all around her, striking out as they were slowly subsumed into her body.

“First time I got to see the legendary Omega Familiar and the Sword of the Salstar House,” Thorfinn said, low enough that Bjorn thought he imagined it.

A sudden aura washed over everyone. It was dominating and overpowering. Suddenly, the Wendigo woman in front of them looked mountainous. Her gaze was like staring into the abyss of certain death. It became hard to breathe, to think, and even color was muted. Bjorn couldn’t feel anything within himself, not his aether or Failsafe. He couldn’t taste magic either; it was as if it was stripped from him, leaving him exposed and weak.

He had a flashback to the moment in his previous life as Isin, where the many-armed monster relentlessly smashed its scythe arms into the door of his mother’s room, when he had to watch as it mutilated her, helpless to do anything to help her—terror in the face of inevitable death.

Then, he felt something profound inside of himself. The familiar bond still connected him to Tanisha. He felt her emotions; there was no fear inside of her, only determination and anger. He used her determination, a boon granted by the familiar bond that allowed those connected to draw on each other’s strengths.

He looked at Tanisha, who was the only one still standing. Even Joha had collapsed and was forced into his standard form. He was only holding onto the wagon in ragged breaths. Her eyes were locked firmly onto Ingrid. Tanisha was seething with anger, although it appeared that not even her magic worked. Then Bjorn noticed Thorfinn was still glowing, the only color in the monotone world.

He held his hand in front of them as they approached the gatehouse. Bjorn had not noticed that Thorfinn’s crystals were still  glowing. The bright magic conduit’s flew just ahead of the horses, and a barrier formed right as the Sword Ingrid held swung up, then down in a wide arc. There was an explosion of force as two magics collided.

The barrier was destroyed, and the horses was turned into minced meat—a second barrier formed right after, dispersing the remaining force. The momentum of the wagon continued to propel them forward until they passed the threshold of the gatehouse. Instantly, the aura vanished, and Ingrid was no longer death incarnate. She was simply a woman screaming her disbelief and discontent at the events that had just happened in front of her.

“What in the Infernal Planes was that?” Failsafe screamed in Bjorn’s head. “I think I died for a second!”

“Are you okay, Bjorn?” Tanisha asked. Bjorn was unsure but nodded anyway. “Good. Ingrid is a master of Anti-Magic, and that was one of her sealing spells.”

Ingrid used Blink several times to close the distance between her and the wagon, pulling her sword back for another strike. Right before the strike landed, another sword flashed through the air and intercepted with just as much force. This one was thin but beautifully crafted. The impact threw the carriage and all of the people into the air. Bjorn prepared himself to hit the ground but found that he was floating, thanks to wind magic, and he, along with everyone else, was gently lowered to the ground.

“Ingrid Salstar, Loki Dalus, drop your weapons,” a feminine but stern voice ordered. “I will not have citizens of my city assaulted.”

As the dust from the attack settled, everyone bowed—well, everyone but Joha, Tanisha, and himself. The figure that blocked the attack was a woman in the finest plate mail Yuhia had to offer. Her antlers were adorned with flowers made from crystal. Her form was regal and deadly, her gaze piercing and no-nonsense.

“All, Hail!” Thorfinn, who appeared at her side in full Royal Hand regalia, announced, his voice amplified by magic. “First Princess Sigrun has claimed Lavi!”

Ingrid grits her teeth as the sword vanishes, likely into a storage item. She lowered her head in abject defeat. There was relief as the First Princess’ army marched into the city. Soldiers and healers carrying supplies went to aid the Isi survivors.

Tanisha’s glower never left Ingrid; if looks could kill, she would have been dead a hundred times over. Seiðr flowed from her like sparkly maya. Bjorn noticed tension in the air as soldiers stopped to observe her cautiously.

“Sif, calm down.” Joha grabbed Tanisha’s shoulders and physically turned her around.

Tanisha opened her mouth, ready to protest, before looking around and seeing a few soldiers watching her. Realizing she was glaring toward the First Princess, they might have thought she would attack. She nodded, understanding, and promptly walked away to find Tyr and Owen.

Joha looked down at Bjorn. “Keep an eye on her, Bjorn. She’s going to need some support right now.”

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