Knights of Riona Read online

  An angry wail erupted from him as he collapsed to his knees, narrowly missing Philo when he landed. The Knight charged up the Gorum’s back and landed a sound whack to the oaf’s head. Black blood oozed from its ear just as Philo took another swing. The Gorum collapsed to the ground with a thud.

  “We need some of these, back home!” Philo shouted as he dismounted and took off running after the next enemy lumbering nearby.

  The other men laughed and let out a battle cry, running to join the fray. Solon fell victim to the next attack. We were faster and smarter than the Gorum, but they were stronger by far. Our comrade tried to mimic Philo’s plan of attack, but he wasn’t fast enough. Solon ran between the Gorum’s legs only to be squashed beneath his oversized behind when he collapsed. There was no time to mourn his loss.

  We arrived at the portal. Before today, it would have been impossible to detect; the Gorum had literally torn a hole in the veil between worlds. A rip roughly the height and width of the average Gorum was suspended midair. There were hundreds of the monsters lumbering around, looking for something to smash. We were vastly outnumbered. A low rumbling tore my attention from the army in front of us. It wasn’t another earthquake. This time, it was heavy machinery. Rafe was behind the driver’s seat of a crane like we’d used at the construction site hundreds of times before. I grinned when I saw what was attached to the front of this particular vehicle.

  Rafe had their attention. It was like watching a kitten follow a string as their heads swiveled in unison to track the oversized metal ball. I almost felt sorry for them as the ball swung forward, aiming for the heart of the gathering. The sound was sickening; a wet thud accompanied the crushing of bones. Grunts and wails erupted from those who were merely wounded as those around them died instantly. Rafe wasn’t done yet. What goes up must come down, and the ball arched back towards those left standing. Another sweep through knocked more over like a bowler skillfully executing a spare.

  Rafe jumped down from the vehicle he’d appropriated and was greeted with cheers and slaps on the back. Our celebration was short lived as more Gorum burst through the portal. Rafe grabbed a sledgehammer for each hand; he was by far the strongest of our number.

  He ran full speed at the monster closest to him. Philo and Gerrit charged another. I didn’t hesitate as I ran at a third, yelling to distract it. The nail gun did little damage to him, but it did provide enough of a distraction to allow Rafe to rush at him once he’d done away with the first. He swung the sledgehammers with ease, smashing one foot then the other. The Gorum fell to the ground with a resounding thud. I jumped over its arm and slammed the nail gun against its head. We took down three more Gorum and tightened ranks around the portal.

  A voice came over a loudspeaker. “Attention civilians, we thank you for your assistance, but we must insist that you evacuate the premises immediately.”

  I looked up to find we were surrounded by large green and tan vehicles. Some looked like heavily armored cars, others appeared to have a cannon mounted on top of their fully-enclosed roofs. I could still see the flashing of police lights further out, but these vehicles appeared to be more sophisticated. The men I could see on foot wore heavy clothes that matched their vehicles. They carried guns and wore helmets covered in fabric.

  Before I could give an order to my men, a figure hustled across the park behind us. It was Orin, and to my surprise, Sophronia came sprinting in his wake.

  “Orin? I wasn’t sure I’d see you again. Did you have a chance to talk to your wife?”

  “Yes. Listen, we have to find a way to get the military to fall back.”

  I looked around. Helicopters flew overhead, broadcasting the strange scene around the world. I couldn’t imagine what they thought of the strange bodies that littered the open space around us. From a birds eye view, we must be quite the sight; a small band of men armed with sledgehammers and a wrecking ball surrounded by alien bodies.

  “Where is Delia?” Sophronia broke the silence.

  I gave her an appraising look. Her expression changed for a moment, long enough for me to recognize the apology hiding behind it. I may not have trusted her yet, but she was there.

  “She’s with Lonzo. They’re not here yet. I don’t know what’s taking so long.” I told her.

  Orin looked agitated as he broke through our conversation. “I’ve got a plan for when the Sideon come through, but we can’t risk anyone else. They have no idea what they’re dealing with here.”

  “What’s your plan?”

  “We need a power source. Something to draw them in and keep them busy long enough for Delia to get here with the amulet.”

  I glanced around us. “Where will we find such an animal? Last I checked the power was out all over the city”

  “I think I can help with that.” Sophronia said as she started pulling items from her belt.

  “Attention civilians. Put down your weapons and exit the park. You will not be given another opportunity.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not sure what they think they’re going to do about this.”

  “Knowing the military they’re probably going to bomb it and hope that solves the problem.” Sophronia quipped.

  Orin and I looked at each other, it was evident we had the same thought. A bomb would expel a significant amount of energy, it could be exactly what we needed to distract the Sideon when they came through the portal. The only problem was, we couldn’t just leave the portal and hope the military intended to bomb it. We also couldn’t take the chance that the bomb would somehow disrupt or destroy the portal that would take us home. Sophronia continued to look through the numerous pockets attached to her belt. I wondered if we could create our own bomb. One that would attract the enemy but spare the portal.

  “What do you have in there?” I asked the alchemist.

  She looked as though she wanted to tell me to mind my own business. “I can make your bomb. But we can’t use it until we’re surrounded by the Sideon.”

  As if on cue, the light coming from the portal began to dim. The military men around us must have thought it meant the danger was over; they seemed to visibly relax. My men and Sophronia spread out enough to surround the portal as we waited for the most fearsome enemy to make their appearance. Piercing silence fell over the park as we willed them to appear. The first Sideon came through the portal. I chanced a glance at the Earth army; they were clearly wrestling with their fight or flight instincts at the sight of the faceless foe. After the first was through, the rest poured out in a confusing mess. We weren’t sure what to do, we needed them all in one place for the alchemical bomb to work.

  The amulet around my neck vibrated, I fought against the disorientation that was sure to follow but it was no use. A vision burst into my head; Delia was with us. She was running directly at the portal with a reaching crowd of Sideon following in her wake. Her amulet bounced against her chest as she ran; it was much darker than it should have been but it grew brighter the closer she got the to the portal. She didn’t stop as she neared the opening, she just leapt through, followed by the Sideon.

  “Taeren! Snap out of it.” Orin was shaking me.

  I opened my eyes to find myself curled up on the ground clutching my head. My men surrounded me in protective stances. Sophronia stood over me holding two vials in each hand.

  “Nice of you to join us, you’re not going to want to miss this.” She said with a wicked grin.

  “Where’s Delia?” I asked.

  Orin shrugged. “They’re not here yet. We need to get you up. What did you see?”

  I relayed the brief snippet I saw as I got to my feet. My heart skipped a beat as I saw the Sideon around us. We were surrounded. I couldn’t see the Earth military through the forest of Sideon. When I got to my feet, I caught a glimpse of the abandoned heavily armored vehicles; they had fled. I couldn’t blame them. If I had a choice, I wouldn’t be standing against them either.

  “Are you boys ready?” Sophronia spread her arms wide.

&
nbsp; “Is this going to hurt us?” Philo asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

  “You won’t die, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  I could practically hear Philo gulp at her words. I stood shoulder to shoulder with the Knights of Riona, ready to give my life to stop the Sideon. It wasn’t that I wanted to die, it was that I was prepared to do anything to end the war, once and for all. Sophronia raised her arms above her head and brought them down in a swift motion. The vials shattered when they met on the ground. A pungent odor assaulted my nostrils. It smelled like sulfur mixed with the scent of stagnant pond water. A yellow-green light burst from the mixture and thick smoke of the same color covered our number. For a moment, I wondered if that was all, but that moment was short-lived as a wave of energy exploded, knocking me back to the ground.

  The only sound I could hear was the high-pitched whine that filled my ears after the blast. I was weak, I hurt all over. I tried to stand again, but found it to be nearly impossible. Fighting against the overwhelming urge to sleep, I forced myself to my knees. As the smoke cleared, I noticed my men were in varying stages of disorientation. Far more intriguing was the reaction of the Sideon. They acted as though they’d imbibed too many spirits; they wandered about aimlessly or hovered in one spot, swaying with the breeze.

  Sophronia was on her feet, looking around with a self-satisfied grin. Her lips were moving but I couldn’t hear any words coming out of her mouth. I shook my head to indicate she was wasting her breath, but she continued to shout and point. I followed her gesture to see Delia, Lonzo and the woman they called Paula running towards us. They’d made it. We were going to win.

  As soon as we got out of the car I knew we were too late. The Sideon had already made their appearance. The sky overhead was dark and cloudy, thunder rumbled in the distance. It was eerie to see the park completely abandoned. Streets were deserted, buildings were collapsed, and Central Park was full of creepy monsters from another world. Paula hung behind Lonzo; she tried not to show fear, but it was there just the same. Before we reached Taeren and the others, a woman threw something to the ground causing an ear-splitting explosion.

  The smoke enveloped the Sideon in a blooming cloud. The suffocating smell drifted toward us causing bile to rise in my throat. When the dust settled, the Sideon appeared to be confused. I willed our men to get to their feet before the enemy regained their composure. Relief flooded through me as Taeren began to rise from the ground. Despite Lonzo’s warnings, I took off to help them. We didn’t have much time, and I needed to get through the portal if we had any hope of saving both Earth and Riona from a terrible fate. By the time I collided with Taeren, the others had begun to rise.

  “Thank you for believing in me,” I whispered to him as I hugged him tightly.

  It was clear he hadn’t expected an affectionate reunion as he stood stiffly in my arms. After a moment, he returned the embrace, leaning into me for support. When he pulled away he held me at arms-length.

  “Welcome back, your highness.” His smile was just as I’d remembered, kind and genuine.

  “Let’s not celebrate just yet, this isn’t going to last forever,” the blonde woman said as she gestured towards the Sideon.

  Before I could ask who she was, Taeren introduced her. The mixture of emotions I felt was dizzying. I was angry, elated and disappointed all at once. There wasn’t time for questions or explanations about the choices she made with her life. From the uncomfortable way she looked at Taeren I could tell he’d already questioned her enough for the both of us.

  “What exactly did you do to them? To us?” One of the Knights asked.

  “I gave them what they wanted. Power. The Sideon survive by leaching power off the world around them; I gave them more power than they could handle in one sitting.”

  “If you gave them a power boost, why do I feel so weak?” Another man asked.

  Sophronia looked him up and down before answering. “The power had to come from somewhere. If you hadn’t been in the immediate vicinity of the bomb, you wouldn’t have been affected. These ingredients mostly draw from the Earth, but because we were so close, it took from us too.”

  I did my best not to giggle at the affronted look the soldier gave the alchemist. I caught Taeren’s grave expression and knew he must have been feeling the effects of the blast too. He’d changed so much from the sixteen-year-old boy who had taken me from my home; now he was stronger, and somehow wiser. I couldn’t imagine the things he had been through both in Riona and on Earth. I was filled with an immense feeling of gratitude for the man he had become. He turned to help one of the older men stand and I noticed he had an amulet of his own.

  “Taeren, what do you have there?”

  His hand went to the necklace but his eyes flew to the one resting against my chest. “Sophronia made this. It’s infused with my blood. This one will close and open any portal.”

  “Without the need of an alchemist?” Lonzo asked.

  The Great Alchemist nodded. She kept looking at me as though she wanted to say something, but I wasn’t interested in speaking with her yet.

  I broke through the momentary silence. “I’ve got to get through the portal, but we have to wait until they will notice it. Otherwise, we’ll be sealing them on Earth and dooming the people who live here.”

  “Let’s take the opportunity to get as many of us back to Riona as possible. I’ll stay behind with Delia to ensure the Sideon follow us,” Taeren instructed.

  “We’re not leaving you behind,” Lonzo insisted.

  The other Knights chorused his objection, but Taeren shook his head. “Sorry men, but this is a direct order. Get back home, find our people and get them out of the path the Sideon will take as we lead them to their world.”

  I watched the expressions change rapidly on Lonzo’s face. He wasn’t happy about the order he’d received, that much was clear. His respect for Taeren was also evident; he wouldn’t question the command. The men bowed slightly to me as they turned to enter the portal. Judging from the terrified looks on their faces, their first trip through hadn’t been enjoyable.

  “Wait,” I stopped them just before Lonzo led them through. “When I went through the portal I was in a coma for years. How do we know that won’t happen on the return trip?”

  “You raise a valid point, princess. We experienced the same when we arrived. It’s how we met Orin,” Taeren said.

  Sophronia shook her head and reached into one of the pockets dangling from her belt. “Here. Take these, each of you. With these in your possession you will make it through without a problem.”

  She offered each of the men a corded necklace with a smooth purple crystal dangling from the center. She gave one to Paula and offered one to Orin. He offered her a sad smile that made me realize I was missing some vital information about the alchemist and former Knight of Riona. Everyone pulled the necklaces over their heads.

  “Amethyst. It protects you during travel.” She looked at me and Taeren. “I can’t give you one, it will interact with your amulets rendering them useless through the portal. You must maintain physical contact with one another through the portal—only Taeren’s amulet will prevent you from being rendered unconscious.”

  It was probably premature, but Taeren took my hand. Our interlaced fingers took me back to the day my parents died. Memories flooded over me, clearer than ever before. My heart pounding, I gripped his hand tighter. In a moment that seemed only to belong to us, Taeren turned and took my other hand. We stood face to face as though we were alone in the field.

  “Delia? You’re crying,” he whispered.

  “I remember. I actually remember, it’s all clear now.” I looked into his deep brown eyes, the same eyes I’d loved as a young princess playing with the baker’s son. “I remember everything.”

  “Everything?” He wore a face-splitting grin as he released one of my hands and wiped my tears away. “Welcome back, princess.”

  I laughed softly and leaned into him. This time, the
re was no hesitation as he enveloped me in a firm embrace. It wasn’t until someone cleared their throat that I remembered we had an audience. I pulled away from him but still allowed him to hold my hand in his. Paula was watching me—I could feel it—but I didn’t dare look at her. I knew she’d be wearing a face that accused me of being a sentimental girl with a crush on the boy from her past. If only she knew how long this crush had lasted. Only time would tell if it could ever be something more.

  “What are you waiting for, men?”

  The Knights moved at their commander’s question. Lonzo took Paula’s hand and led her to the portal. I waved goodbye as she stepped through with him. The others filed in after them. Soon, Taeren and I were alone with Sophronia and the disoriented Sideon.

  “Are you going home, Orin?” Taeren asked.

  The older man smiled. “Yes, Alice...Sophronia and I are ready to return. Though I’ll admit I wish it was under better circumstances.”