Page 108 of Legacy of the Heirs
“The foot soldiers; they are of darkness. Kazaar just killed one with the Sword of Sonos, and it disintegrated.” Larelle scanned the dead copper-clad bodies near them. “But these still have their bodies.” Frowning, she looked at Elisara. “Something is different about our weapons.”
Chapter Sixty
Soren
Agony. Memories. Confusion.
Soren’s mind was an explosion of emotions as she roared her way through soldiers, trying to reach Caligh. A piercing sensation had invaded her mind ever since she stepped foot on the battlefield—ever since her eyes tugged on him upon his horse as though this were but a simple evening of riding. Soren screamed again as the pain throbbed, forcing her eyes to close. She swung wildly with her sword as she did. She had lost count of how many she had killed, spurred on by each new spray of blood. The warmth of their blood distracted from her warring mind as she worried about betraying Caligh by killing his soldiers. But he had so many; she did not think he would care in the long run.
Another memory appeared: a flash of two girls with blonde hair running through grass fields in a rain not too dissimilar from that pouring on her now. It was over in a second as Soren opened her eyes, her brain foggy as she ploughed on. It was the third time it had happened: the pain, the odd memory resurfacing. It was as if Soren’s subconscious tried to convince her of all the good she once possessed before she was obsessed with becoming queen, before the prophecy, and before him.
But Soren had promised. She promised to help him from the very first moment they met. A memory flashed again of two blond girls sitting at the base of a tree with wooden figurines in hand. One laughed lyrically and tossed her curls while the other snorted, her braids falling into her face. The two leaned on one another,collapsing in fits of laughter until one girl disappeared, swallowed by dark wisps, which welcomed the other child and said she was special. Soren cried out as a knife grazed the skin between her armour.
Swinging her sword, she met the neck of the soldier before her. His eyes widened in the visor of his helmet before the life faded from him. She yanked her sword from his flesh. Blood trickled down his copper armour, painting the engraved flower on his breastplate in red. Soren stepped over his body, her eyes intent on the general who was thrown from his horse and now battled every Garridon soldier with ease. Soren screamed in determination, yet her cries were swallowed when a soldier shoved her. She elbowed the approaching soldier and knocked his head back before slicing a thin dagger across his neck.
Her braids hit her face as she spun again, searching for Caligh, yet a memory invaded the present: two blonde women, who were no longer children; they fought, hurling insults at one another.
“To the king!” A soldier roared.
Following the sound, Soren watched as three Garridon soldiers battled to reach Caellum, who fended off three enemies at once. Soren was the closest to him; the others would not reach him quick enough, constantly repelled by the battle.
Another memory—Sadira arriving in Garridon and curtseying to Caellum. Soren shook her head and searched for Caligh. His frame towered above the other soldiers as he hacked away the men in the middle line. When she glanced back at Caellum, two of his opponents were dead, and only one remained. He would be fine. Soren made to step towards Caligh when a flash of copper darted past. She spun as the soldier circled Caellum, creeping from behind.
Caligh,whispered a voice.
Sadira consumed Soren’s awareness as a memory of her resurfaced. It was the first time Sadira smiled in Garridon, peering up at her future husband.Caellum, the voice whispered. Soren lookedat where Sadira stood on the dune, wrapping vines around the soldiers nearest to her. When she turned back, Caellum’s sword was interlocked with a soldier; he did not see the one who approached from behind.You might regret this,she thought to herself.
Soren stormed ahead towards the King. Caellum pushed back against the soldier, his eyes widening when he noticed Soren. She pulled a dagger from her side and raised it to throw. His eyes moved behind her to where she knew Sadira stood, his gaze softening.
Soren’s eyes glowed. She willed dark vines to shoot through the foot of the soldier and hold him in place. Soren threw the knife, grazing past Caellum’s hair and piercing the neck of the soldier just as his foot ripped free of the vine. Caellum plunged his sword.
The pair panted heavily, staring at one another. Caellum nodded.
“You’re welcome,” Soren panted before whirling to find Caligh. He had made it further than she realised and headed for Kazaar and Elisara, who still fought side by side.He will be disappointed in me again.She had not separated them as she promised.
Soren broke into a run down the side of the battle, ducking as a creature swooped overhead, its claws grabbing two Garridon soldiers. Soren ran up the dune to her right for a vantage point, surveying the situation. No creatures were on the other side, and the copper soldiers dwindled in numbers. On the western side, however, the desert swarmed with creatures, outnumbering the Novisian soldiers two to one.
Elisara and Kazaar fought back-to-back with Farid and Nyzaia.Could Caligh face the four strongest fighters?Soren’s head throbbed again, struggling to manage the conflict warring within her: the need to ensure Caligh’s safety and the desire to fight for Garridon, the realm that should be hers.
Soren reached for the dead body on the floor closest and unclipped its copper armour. She pulled back at the sight beneath. The clothing, soaked with blood, pulled away from the fighter’s skin, and blackened veins crawled from the entry point of thewound, spreading across the man’s abdomen in webs. The man’s eyes were wide open, yet he was clearly dead.What are you?Soren thought, though she had no time to linger on it. She pulled off her own breastplate and replaced it with copper in the hopes the opposition would ignore her, while the Garridon soldiers recognised her before striking. Picking her sword back up, Soren ran through the battle, dodging swings between others as she headed towards Caligh. Nobody stopped her. Until he did.
Dark shadows flew up on either side of the cleared centre path, blocking the soldiers until only Soren and Caligh remained. He kept his back to her, his cloak fluttering in the breeze while his focus remained on the Vala and Keres soldiers blocking his path to Kazaar and Eliara. Soren stared up at the walls of darkness, sliding her hands along it. They were so familiar, the same shadows haunting her mind and cloaking him from her. Stepping forward, she called to him.
“Caligh!” He tilted his head, the misty rain landing on his dark hair. She continued her path forward, noticing the greying threads that matched the silvery lines on the back of his cloak.
“Soren,” he said in the same silken voice she was accustomed to in her head. It was him. It was really him standing before her in the flesh. She increased her pace and stumbled, halting, as he raised his hand. The scars were more prominent without the darkness hiding them from her as hundreds of short lashes coated his pale skin. She waited obediently until Caligh sighed. He flourished his cloak, freeing his body to turn to her. He was older than she expected; the grey in his short beard was more prominent than that in his hair. His cheeks were hollowed, his dark eyes wide as they stared straight at her, unblinking.
“They still stand side by side,” he said. Was that all he had to say? It was the first time meeting him in the flesh, and all she had done was disappoint him. Soren straightened her back, trying to move towards him, but her feet failed her. “You still have time, Soren.” He turned to leave when the wall of shadows on either side of herslowly faded. He paused, glancing at something behind her. Soren turned her head.
A tall man with long black hair strode towards them in the distance, with a short boy beside him. They both wore finely tailored black, yet she could not decipher any details, too distracted by the creature they held in chains. It differed from the eyeless ones, with deep black irises, but did not have the gold rings that Larelle described in the creatures that took her. It turned its head to her and paused, meeting Soren’s eyes. There was more to this—another plan—and it dawned on Soren then that she knew little of the true extent of this man or his schemes. They had all been so naïve. The creature cried out as the two men pulled its chains, halting it in place.
Soren winced at the pain in its eyes and looked to her left, where the others flew. Their smooth wings and precise movements were so similar to the one in chains.
“Make the right decision, Soren. It is becoming tiring having to push you at every moment.” Caligh sighed and walked past her towards the two men and the creature.
“I will not let you down. They will be separated by the time you turn for them,” she said, but he did not look or acknowledge her statement. As he left her, she moved, rushing towards the queen of Vala and her commander.
Creatures flew in her path, delaying her efforts and pushing back Nerida’s soldiers. Vala and Keres' soldiers moved to assist their comrades, blocking Soren’s path. She would not reach Kazaar and Elisara in time.
