Maybe there was one last thing he could do, at least. Vengeful to the end, as Battu was, the idea came naturally, offering itself up with a malicious wink. Was it wise? He did not wish to give Tyrellan reason to bring him back as an undead slave – and yet maybe that would be a way to escape Assedrynn. At any rate, wise was never a word that had bothered him overly.
Battu released a part of himself, his legacy flowing back into the world. Then the pull became too great, and he journeyed on towards the Dark Gods, in dread.
•
Bit of havoc round these parts , said Fazel, pushing aside a fireball that went roaring away to hit a tree near where Jaya and Lalenda peeped out from hiding.
Some things never change , replied Elessa.
Scant paces away, Fahren and a Sprite woman were locked in their own struggle. Corlas was heading towards them. Meanwhile, Battu’s presence in the trees seemed to have faded. Fazel took no solace from that – such an end was what he had coveted.
A cloud passed over him, and he drew strength from the shade it cast. Dully he knew he was gaining ground. He forced his way forward, thrusting into Elessa’s ward, and curled shadows to rip it apart. She fell backwards onto her rump, her skeletal leg stretched out before her. He had but a moment to press his advantage before she erected another ward …but if he killed her, once again hope of finding peace for himself would be lost. With a heavy heart he extended a finger, yet he desperately did not want to end her, this one who had nearly bested him before.
So he hesitated.
Light expanded from her as she returned to her feet. Fazel stood dumbly, wondering what had happened. There had been a clear opportunity for him to attack, and yet he had not taken it, even though that went against his express orders.
What is this? he thought.
What is what? she responded, though he had not meant her to hear him.
He turned a hand upon himself and, hardly daring to dream it possible, directed a little power inwards. The beginnings of a spell that would destroy his animated bones forever began to form. He expected the attempt to fail, for his hand to turn away of its own accord, as the directives inlaid in him took over – but they did not.
At his feet the Stone flipped over, vibrating.
There is no Shadowdreamer.
What?
His soul has gone out of this world. There is no one tying me to Skygrip Castle.
For the first time in years, Fazel experienced delight. How long, he wondered, had he been free? Since the moment Losara had disappeared into the Stone? Had he simply been following orders out of habit, because he was so used to obeying them? It had not occurred to him for a second that things might have changed.
He increased the power of his spell. All that remained was to release it.
Wait! she sent desperately, even as her beams of light played over his still-standing ward. He could drop it now, he supposed.
What?
Don’t leave me! You cannot leave me!
I must.
You’d consign another to the fate you so deplore?
Fazel glanced at the Stone. Something was happening, for it was thrumming violently, making little bounces over the ground. Not much time, perhaps, until someone came out of it – someone who might constrict him again.
Please , she sent, you share some responsibility for what has happened to me.
No, I don’t.
Please. You were a good man, once.
Her remaining eye blinked, and he knew that if she could have, she would have cried. Then, maddeningly, he remembered himself as the man he had been, who had travelled Kainordas helping his people. He had removed blights from crops, chased down thieves and murderers, beaten back monsters and shadows wherever he found them, healed hurts and overseen disputes …and for some reason, at that moment he remembered a little sundart with a broken wing, too badly hurt to be saved, which he had put out of its misery.
He had been a good man, once.
He sighed.
Hardly able to believe what he was doing, Fazel dropped the spell that would finish him and redirected his attack to her. Hoping to re-create the moment they’d just had, he tried to rip into her ward – but now she was expecting it, and he hit a wall.
They could fight like this forever, he thought despairingly.
A rent appeared in the air over the Stone, beyond which he could see a realm of tumultuous flashing colours. It was happening. He was running out of time.
He dropped his ward and walked towards her.
What are you doing? she screamed.
A light bolt hit his arm, shattering it at the elbow. Ignoring the blow, he strode into her light, and instantly his bones began to smoke. A thousand white-hot spots cooked him, the extremities of his charred body turning to white ash. All his power went into keeping himself moving – it was as if he struggled against a great wind, as her ward tried to fling him out even as it destroyed him. If he could just avoid a spell or two …
She flung a fireball at him, too close for him to push it away. It burst where his stomach would have been, exploding his spine to fragments. His torso hit the ground heavily, and pain thundered in his bones. She stared down at him in consternation.
You seek to end yourself without saving me , she said accusingly.
No , he said, and his remaining hand seized her leg.
Opening the floodgates as wide as he could, he poured his power into her. She shrieked as shadow filled her, her knees trembling as she fell to them. His vision swam with blazing light as he flung his remaining arm around her neck like a grapple, hauling his bones up against hers. Every last drop went into her …all his reserves, and then even the magic that animated him. She shuddered in his grip, her bones clacking against his, her ward failing as she tried to shake him off. He held on as tightly as his fading strength allowed, and her hand came to rest on his chest, exploding it with fire.
•
Fahren heard Elessa’s cries, could sense the fonts of power behind him, but facing Charla and Corlas together was taxing despite their weakened state. Something was happening, however, and he knew his attention was needed. With a great push he knocked Corlas from his feet, the man’s sunset ward seeming to have all but set.
‘Stop this, Corlas!’ he called. ‘I do not wish to kill you!’
‘What a coincidence,’ said Corlas, pushing up on his elbows. ‘I don’t wish you to either.’ He flicked a finger at Fahren, and Fahren tensed for more Old Magic – but nothing came. Corlas scowled, exhausted by the look of him. Charla ran to his side, covering him with her own waning ward. The moment of distraction was what Fahren needed, and he dared to glance at what was happening in the middle of the clearing.
Fazel was wrapped around Elessa, the broken end of his spine wiggling in the air, his once-black bones now seared white. Although she struggled against him, his grip was strong, as if his hand was the last place any strength remained. She was truly undead now, to his eyes as well as mind, for much of her flesh had torn away, her skull revealed down one half of her head. Her hand plunged against Fazel’s chest, and she released a fireball. It burst between them messily, shattering his rib cage and spilling through what was left of his back …and yet they did not fly apart, but embraced each other in the flames. The last of her flesh smouldered to nothing and they collapsed, bones upon bones falling to the ground, puffing to ash as they landed.