Read Online To Darkness Fled by Jill Williamson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jill Williamson
Ads: Link
even one lesson.
The black knight pursed his lips and blew. A ribbon of green light spewed from his mouth and flowed toward Vrell. She backpedaled, looking for her sword. It had landed several paces away, behind Sir Gavin and his opponent.
The light curled around her waist as if to hook her. She froze, waiting to see if it had done anything, but the ribbon of light continued to snake round her like coiling twine. Another rock shot toward Vrell. She lifted her hands to block her face, and the stone clipped her knuckles. She cried out.
"The light is only being an illusion, boy. Don't be giving in to it." Inko struggled to a sitting position.
Vrell broke through the green strands and sprinted toward her sword, but the black knight cut off her path. Just as another rock rose between them, one clunked off the back of the knight's helmet.
"Hey!" Achan pitched a rock. "You only fight little boys or what?" His first attacker writhed on the ground behind him, the visor of his helmet dented into his eyes.
Blood and dirt covered one side of Achan's face and his tangled hair hung loose. He raised his sword like he wasn't the least bit winded.
Vrell released a shaky sigh as the knight approached Achan. She marveled at Achan's confidence. At sixteen--nearly two years her junior--Achan considered himself the man and Vrell the scrawny boy.
Sir Gavin and Sir Caleb were still fighting, but now Sir Gavin fought two opponents and Sir Caleb fought one. Sir Caleb plunged his sword into the torso of his attacker, and the black knight vanished in a puff of green smoke. Only an ebony gowzal remained once the smoke cleared. It squawked and flew over Sir Caleb's head. Sir Caleb crouched, watching the bird, waiting with his blade beside the edge of his shield. The black knight reappeared behind him, and Sir Caleb spun around in time to block the knight's blade with his shield.
What magic was this?
Inko struggled to his feet and inched toward his sword on the ground a few paces away. Vrell scrambled after her own weapon and ran to the edge of the clearing in time to see Achan cut through the black knight who had been throwing rocks. He disappeared into a green mist and, with the cry of a gowzal, reappeared at the opposite edge of the forest.
Vrell no longer cared if she was discovered. Mother! There is a battle. Black knights. What can I do?
Stay back, dearest. A battle is no place for you. Can you hide?
Is there a way I can help? As soon as one is defeated, he turns to smoke and appears elsewhere. How can that be? Are they men or magic?
It is difficult to say with black knights. There may only be one. Some have the ability to duplicate themselves.
But surely only in illusion?
Yes, unless they have called on dark spirits to aid them. Then they can give their illusions physical form. Black knights use the darkest magic. Can you guess the leader? Does one appear stronger than the others?
Vrell peered around the tree. I cannot tell good sword fighting from the bad. I--wait. Four of the knights look identical. They all have the same beard. The fifth looks different, and he is on the ground, crawling toward the trees. Achan felled him.
The others are likely apparitions from a mage. Do you see another person, maybe standing a safe distance away?
Vrell scanned the tree line. A pale, raised hand and a set of eyes glinted in the green glow, back where she had made her privy. A sixth man, barely discernable in a long, hooded cape.
An unarmed man stands in the trees.
Does he see you? Move to a safe place, quickly!
Vrell darted back behind the pitchy tree truck.
I am going to step through your mind, Averella. I need you to focus on the unarmed man.
I understand. Fear prickled up Vrell's arms. Mother wanted to jump through her. Vrell had tried it before and failed. But Mother's strength far exceeded her own. What did Mother hope to accomplish by entering this mage's mind? Master Hadar taught me of this technique.
Very well. Prepare yourself,
The black knight pursed his lips and blew. A ribbon of green light spewed from his mouth and flowed toward Vrell. She backpedaled, looking for her sword. It had landed several paces away, behind Sir Gavin and his opponent.
The light curled around her waist as if to hook her. She froze, waiting to see if it had done anything, but the ribbon of light continued to snake round her like coiling twine. Another rock shot toward Vrell. She lifted her hands to block her face, and the stone clipped her knuckles. She cried out.
"The light is only being an illusion, boy. Don't be giving in to it." Inko struggled to a sitting position.
Vrell broke through the green strands and sprinted toward her sword, but the black knight cut off her path. Just as another rock rose between them, one clunked off the back of the knight's helmet.
"Hey!" Achan pitched a rock. "You only fight little boys or what?" His first attacker writhed on the ground behind him, the visor of his helmet dented into his eyes.
Blood and dirt covered one side of Achan's face and his tangled hair hung loose. He raised his sword like he wasn't the least bit winded.
Vrell released a shaky sigh as the knight approached Achan. She marveled at Achan's confidence. At sixteen--nearly two years her junior--Achan considered himself the man and Vrell the scrawny boy.
Sir Gavin and Sir Caleb were still fighting, but now Sir Gavin fought two opponents and Sir Caleb fought one. Sir Caleb plunged his sword into the torso of his attacker, and the black knight vanished in a puff of green smoke. Only an ebony gowzal remained once the smoke cleared. It squawked and flew over Sir Caleb's head. Sir Caleb crouched, watching the bird, waiting with his blade beside the edge of his shield. The black knight reappeared behind him, and Sir Caleb spun around in time to block the knight's blade with his shield.
What magic was this?
Inko struggled to his feet and inched toward his sword on the ground a few paces away. Vrell scrambled after her own weapon and ran to the edge of the clearing in time to see Achan cut through the black knight who had been throwing rocks. He disappeared into a green mist and, with the cry of a gowzal, reappeared at the opposite edge of the forest.
Vrell no longer cared if she was discovered. Mother! There is a battle. Black knights. What can I do?
Stay back, dearest. A battle is no place for you. Can you hide?
Is there a way I can help? As soon as one is defeated, he turns to smoke and appears elsewhere. How can that be? Are they men or magic?
It is difficult to say with black knights. There may only be one. Some have the ability to duplicate themselves.
But surely only in illusion?
Yes, unless they have called on dark spirits to aid them. Then they can give their illusions physical form. Black knights use the darkest magic. Can you guess the leader? Does one appear stronger than the others?
Vrell peered around the tree. I cannot tell good sword fighting from the bad. I--wait. Four of the knights look identical. They all have the same beard. The fifth looks different, and he is on the ground, crawling toward the trees. Achan felled him.
The others are likely apparitions from a mage. Do you see another person, maybe standing a safe distance away?
Vrell scanned the tree line. A pale, raised hand and a set of eyes glinted in the green glow, back where she had made her privy. A sixth man, barely discernable in a long, hooded cape.
An unarmed man stands in the trees.
Does he see you? Move to a safe place, quickly!
Vrell darted back behind the pitchy tree truck.
I am going to step through your mind, Averella. I need you to focus on the unarmed man.
I understand. Fear prickled up Vrell's arms. Mother wanted to jump through her. Vrell had tried it before and failed. But Mother's strength far exceeded her own. What did Mother hope to accomplish by entering this mage's mind? Master Hadar taught me of this technique.
Very well. Prepare yourself,
Similar Books
