Chapter 68 Elara in Battle
Elara's POV
Five dark mages attacked simultaneously. Their magic hit my golden shield like hammers. Cracks appeared.
"I can't hold this!" I screamed.
"ELARA!" Faye burst through a side door. Ice magic blazed from her hands. She froze two mages solid before they could react.
"How did you..."
"Later! Right now you need to learn to control that power!" Faye grabbed my wrist. Her magic flowed into me. Cool. Guiding. "Feel it? That's your magic. Your grandmother's royal blood awakening."
"I don't know how to use it!"
"You don't need to! It's instinctive!" Faye pointed at a charging mage. "Just feel protective. Feel like you need to save everyone. The magic will do the rest!"
The mage threw a fireball at us. I thrust my hands forward desperately.
Golden light shot out. Met the fireball. Exploded both spells mid-air.
"I did it!" I gasped.
"Keep doing it!" Faye created ice walls. "I'll teach you basics while we fight! Think of your magic like... like your emotions given form!"
Another mage attacked. I blocked. My shield held stronger this time.
"Good!" Faye shouted. "Now children! Go! Run to the throne room! Drakon's forces are there!"
The children fled down the stairs. Lily ran with them, looking back at me with wide eyes.
"I'll find you!" I promised. "Go!"
She disappeared down the stairs.
"Two mages left," Faye panted. "And they're not happy."
The remaining mages circled us. Dark magic swirled.
"Why are you defending the imposter?" one demanded of Faye. "She betrayed you all!"
"Because she's my friend!" Faye shot ice at him. "Because she's trying to make things right! Because everyone deserves a second chance!"
"Noble words from a dead faerie."
Both mages attacked. Their combined power was overwhelming. My shield cracked. Faye's ice walls shattered.
We were losing.
"Elara," Faye gasped. "Combine our magic. Together. Like I'm doing with you now but... bigger."
"I don't know how!"
"Trust me! Trust yourself!" Faye grabbed my hand. Her ice magic flowed into me. Met my golden light.
The two magics swirled together. Gold and blue. Light and cold.
"Now!" Faye screamed. "Release!"
We thrust our joined hands forward.
A massive wave of ice and light exploded from us. Hit both mages. Froze them solid. Knocked them through the wall.
I collapsed to my knees. "That was... that was..."
"Amazing," Faye finished. She fell beside me. "You're a natural."
"I'm exhausted."
"Me too. But we're not done." Faye pointed at the window. "Look."
Below, the battle raged. Castle servants and children ran through the courtyard. Enemy soldiers pursued them.
"They need help," I said.
"You can barely stand."
"Doesn't matter. These are my people attacking. This is my fault." I forced myself up. "Let me help fix it."
Faye smiled weakly. "You're either very brave or very stupid."
"Can't it be both?"
We stumbled down the tower stairs. Into the courtyard. Into chaos.
A servant woman ran past us, carrying a crying baby. Three soldiers chased her.
I thrust my hand out. Golden light knocked the soldiers down.
The woman stared at me. "You're... you're the traitor. You're helping us?"
"Yes. Now run! Get to safety!"
She ran. I turned. Found more people to protect. More enemies to stop.
My magic was weak. Unpracticed. But it was enough. Barely.
Faye fought beside me. Together we created a safe corridor. People fled through it. Toward the castle. Toward safety.
"Behind you!" someone shouted.
L
I spun. A soldier with a massive sword swung at my head.
I couldn't block in time. Couldn't dodge. Couldn't...
Drakon appeared in dragon form. Snatched the soldier in his jaws. Threw him away.
He landed beside me. Transformed. "You're bleeding!"
"I'm fine."
"You're not fine! You're covered in wounds!" His hands touched my arms, my shoulder, checking for injuries.
"The children?" I asked desperately.
"Safe. All of them. Thanks to you." His eyes met mine. "You saved them. You saved Lily."
"I almost got them killed."
"But you didn't. You kept them safe until we arrived." He pulled me close. "You proved yourself today. Proved you're not a traitor. Proved your loyalty is real."
The golden thread between us pulsed. Warmed. Strengthened.
"I just did what needed to be done."
"You did more than that. You..." Drakon stopped. His face went pale. "No. No, no, no."
"What?"
He pointed at the main gate. At a figure riding through on a black horse.
Queen Morgana. Surrounded by her personal guard. Coming straight toward us.
"Everyone fall back!" Drakon roared. "RETREAT TO THE INNER CASTLE! NOW!"
But Queen Morgana raised her hands. Dark magic exploded from her. Not toward the soldiers. Toward the retreating civilians.
"NO!" I screamed.
My golden light shot out. Met her dark magic. The two powers crashed together mid-air.
Queen Morgana's eyes widened. Then she smiled. That terrible, cruel smile.
"Well, well," she purred. Her voice carried across the courtyard somehow. Magic making it louder. "The dormant blood has awakened. How delightful."
"Stay away from them!" I shouted.
"Or what? You'll fight me?" Queen Morgana laughed. "Dear child, I've been studying dark magic for thirty years. You've had your power for thirty minutes. This isn't a fight. It's an execution."
She raised her hands again. More magic. More power. More than I could possibly block.
"Elara, run!" Drakon pushed me behind him. Started to transform.
But Queen Morgana's magic was faster. It hit Drakon's chest. Wrapped around him. Held him frozen.
"Let him go!" I attacked with my golden light. But it was nothing compared to her power. Like a candle against a wildfire.
"I don't think so." Queen Morgana walked closer. Her guards surrounded us. "You see, this war was never about conquest. It was about breaking the Dragon King. And you, my dear imposter, gave me exactly what I needed."
"I won't let you hurt him!"
"You already have." Queen Morgana's smile widened. "You broke his heart. His trust. His spirit. I just need to finish the job."
She raised her hand toward Drakon's frozen form. Dark magic swirled. Deadly magic.
"This ends now, Dragon King. Your kingdom. Your life. Everything."
"NO!" I threw myself in front of Drakon. "You want to kill someone? Kill me! I'm the one who helped you! I'm the one who gave you the maps! Let him go and take me instead!"
Queen Morgana paused. Considered. "An interesting offer."
"I mean it! My life for his! Let Drakenmoor survive! Let Drakon live! Take me and end this war!"
"Elara, don't," Drakon gasped behind me. The spell holding him was weakening. "Don't sacrifice yourself for me."
"I already sacrificed you once," I said quietly. "I won't do it again."
Queen Morgana laughed. "How touching. How noble. How utterly pointless."
She raised both hands. Magic built. Massive. Overwhelming.
"I'm not letting either of you go. I'm killing you both. Right here. Right now. Together. And then I'm burning this entire kingdom to ash."
The magic exploded toward us.
I closed my eyes. Waited for death.
And prayed that at least Lily would survive this.
At least I'd saved her.
That had to be enough.
The magic hit us.
And everything went white.