PALE REIGN OVER GESHEM - CHAPTER 19 by Abyss DISCLAIMER: All characters and ideas that are the property of Marvel Comics are used without permission, for no profit. This work may not be resold. It may be redistributed in its original form. And on a less formal note, comments, criticisms... even just a short email saying `I liked it.' are much appreciated. Keep the faith. ----------------------------------------------------------------- ------- Samuel had been a knight of the Land for almost two years. He had fought in all manner of battles, conventional and magical. Had he been a mere soldier, he would have been far above average. As a knight, his seven-league boots and enchanted thunderwand he affectionately called Cannonball' made him far, far more. When the Prince-Consort Douglas had rode forth to put down the rebellion, he had been honoured to be called upon to serve, along with his knight-brothers in arms, Robert and Richard. The campaign had been bloody and short, and he was looking forward to returning to the castle, and the company of a certain serving-girl who attended the Queen. In the meantime, he didn't mind volunteering for scouting forays ahead of the larger force. His magic items made him very capable of giving warning should anything threaten, not that they expected much. They were nearly within the lands of the castlerealm itself, and there was little danger here. Still, the Prince-Consort was a careful man, and Samuel appreciated that. "Ho, Pendragon," he reined in the horse. "Looks like there be nothing here for us to worry about. Shall we return to the camp?" The horse whinnied. Samuel chuckled. "Always thinking with your stomach, hey old friend?" The horse didn't deign to reply. Samuel laughed out loud, and pulled the reins back... and then he heard the rumble. It started out like a warhorn, and then magnified, becoming deeper, like distant thunder, only not so distant. The horse whinnied nervously and Samuel looked to the sky. The thick trees of the forest made scanning the horizon and surrounding mountains impossible... for most. He hopped down from the saddle and held out his gloved hand. "Cannonball, to me." From a sheath bound to the saddle, an intricate wood and metal device floated out and landed in his outstretched hand. It appeared to be a smaller version of the massive cannons that defended the ramparts of the Queen's castle. In another world, it would be described as a musket, but this was no product of science... this was a device of magic. Samuel reached out and slapped the horse on the rump. "Home with you, Pendragon, home!" The animal ran off, and Samuel turned towards the distant rumble. The warhorse was trained to return to the larger herd, actually the main army, when ordered home, and would be waiting when his rider returned. *IF I return...* Samuel, knight of Geshem, threw his cape back over his shoulders, tightened his grip on the thunderwand, and sprang into the sky with a roar of explosive force. *** There had been the slightest moment of silence after she had blown the horn. The fierce, pure note echoed across the mountains again and again. Three times she had sounded it... it was the signal the Queen's forces used when marshalling for a final attack on an enemy. For an instant, the sounds of the approaching bandits had ceased, and then with a roar of fury, the men had come charging up the mountain. Lillian slowly lowered Tabitha's still form and rose to her feet. She stepped over and in front of her fallen friend and drew her sword from the sheath on her back. The blade glittered through the blood of the many bandits she had already defeated, and Lillian gave up a silent prayer to the Land that she might take many more of them with her to Hades. The bandits were in sight now, weapons out, speeding their horses across the crevice dividing them from Lillian. She took a fighting stance, blade held back and over her shoulder, point to the foe, standing close to the rock wall, and waited... and then an explosive thunder drowned out the sounds of battle cries and pounding hooves, as the avalanche of rock and debris caused by the magic of the horn's sounding began to rain down on the cliff face. The bandits panicked, trying to turn their mounts and getting in each others way. Even as the first small bombardment began, men and horse were already plummeting to the base of the mountain below. Lillian stepped back over to Tabitha, sheathing her sword. She watched the bandits die, and waited for the same. *Peter, I join you now.* She looked up at the wall of debris rushing towards her, eyes narrow, face grim... until a series of explosions tore the largest of the falling debris to dust. Confused, she blinked as the small fragments got in her eyes. Larger boulders were falling, but for the moment, her death was delayed... and the moment was pushed farther away as a roaring blast announced the arrival of salvation. "Tabitha!" The cry was from a blond young man, approaching through the sky of all places. Lillian might've thought him a threat, but his concern for her friend dispelled such thought. He landed on the crevice and swung a strange weapon to his shoulder. One hand steadied it, the other aimed its long end up the mountain and Lillian watched in awe as balls of magical energy shattered the falling rocks again and again. Four blasts, five, and then he swung the weapon over his shoulder by a strap and gathered up the fallen serving-girl. His eyes, an intense blue, searched Lillian's face. "You serve the Queen?" "I do." "Then grab hold, girl, Cannonball cannot shatter rocks all day, and Tabitha needs a healer." "She's not...?" "Dead? Nay, but she lies close, we must hurray." He turned his back to her and she wrapped her arms around his neck. A moment later, the mountain was rushing away and Lillian had to close her eyes as they flew towards the Prince-Consort's forces. * ** END CHAPTER 19