Chapter 32, Bonding

Erkut fell to the ground, and Nera who had taken to the air fell on top of him. Sudden pain flowed through their heads.
Everyone else collapsed or grabbed their heads in pain.  Even Lowenna had to close her eyes and covered then with her hands, not knowing where the pain had come from.  It felt like someone had just thrust a red-hot poker through her skull.
As the pain started to subside, she looked over to Darcariel, looking for answers, but something was wrong.  Where was her beautiful queen?
Where Darcariel had been standing now stood a hideous crone.   Her worn hands withered, her fingers bent, her nails black.  Her diseased skin showing boils and weeping blisters.  Her face looked so old and wrinkled.  There were gaps in her teeth, and the remainder were black.  One eye looked bigger than the others swollen red and weeping.  It was possibly the worst thing Lowenna had ever seen, even uglier that the spider monster she had fought.

"Damn you to the dark realm!"  The crone shouted as she ran at Lowenna, a dagger in her hand.  Lowenna couldn't move, was this Darcariel?  This hideous creature?  A sudden feeling of loss hit her hard. 

The crone drew the dagger and was about to strike, Lowenna was unable to defend herself.  Suddenly Darcarial was knocked off her feet.  Lowenna looked at her for a moment before looking up to the left.  Up there was a lawman with a bow.  "Azmil," Lowenna whispered as she turned back, to face this woman.  
Lowenna drew her dagger, as the crone charged again, an arrow poking out of her chest.  Lowenna blocked the swipe easily and took a step back.  "You ruined everything!  I was queen!"  She screeched, bitterness and anger in her voice.  Lowenna blocked another swipe, but Darcariel suddenly pushed her hand towards Lowenna, and she was forced back.  
Lowenna looked behind her.  She was on the edge of the abyss.  Everyone was watching, recovering from the pain and loss from the destruction of Dalennas's crystal.  Darcariel screamed in anger again charging at Lowenna dagger in one hand, the other outstretched.  Lowenna could feel the magic pushing her over the edge of the abyss.  
Lowenna took a step back, but there was nothing to stand on.  She dropped the dagger and grasped her crystal before throwing her hands back behind her.  Her magic launched her over the hideous woman.  She landed just a few steps away, turned and pushed her hand towards Darcariel.  
A  shockwave erupted from Lowenna's hands, knocking Darcarial off her feet and sending her over the edge.  She screamed as she fell, cursing Lowenna and the others until they could no longer hear her.  After a few moments, it went quiet.  Lowenna didn't know if Darcariel had hit bottom, or was still falling, but Lowenna knew she was gone and wasn't coming back.  Just like her friend.
"Rique!" Lowenna suddenly shouted, feeling the loss, as she looked over the edge hoping for some sign of the young Mavon.  
There was a light heading towards her.  She felt a gust of wind blowing up from the abyss.  Was Darcariel coming back?  
Lowenna readied herself, before Rune flew out of the chasm, carried by the wind, followed by Rique’s body.  Rune used the wind to slowly lower Rique’s limp body down to the floor.  Lowenna stroked her crystal and placed her hand on her blood-soaked shirt.  Her hand glowed, but the magic failed to enter her body.  She was dead.  
Tears started flowing down Lowenna's cheeks.  She had killed her friend.  "I can save her,"  Rune said smiling at Lowenna.
"Please," Lowenna begged.  The guilt was so intense.  It felt like it was burning through her.
"It's quite dangerous, and you will have to do something for me," Rune said still smiling.  
Unknown to Lowenna Grilk and Azmil had joined them.  Grilk was fighting back the tears.  He too was feeling guilty.  Not only had he tried to kill Lowenna, but he hadn't been able to save his friend.
"I will do anything.  Please save her..." Lowenna begged, desperately.
Rune placed her hand on Lowenna's chest and one on Rique’s.  Her hands glowed, and Rune closed her eyes.  He skin glowed goldenly, and she started to hum.  Everyone else took a step back.
Lowenna, all of a sudden, felt the urge to breathe out and as she did a little purple mist came out of her mouth, the same happened to Rune, both veils of mist mixing, before entering Rique’s open mouth.  "Keep your hand on her,"  Rune said, and Lowenna did, but it was a very wired feeling.
Rique’s body started to glow.  Lowenna's magic began to heal her, and Rique slowly opened her eyes.  Grilk and Azmil couldn’t believe it, but Rique smiled at Lowenna.  "I saved you?" she asked.
"Yes," Lowenna replied, remembering all that had transpired while fighting back the tears.  "You saved me and everyone else."
Rune grinned at Lowenna, "We are now bonded, two lives shared between three.  If two of us die, then the third will also pass.  You both owe me a debt, and I will collect soon.”
Grilk suddenly fell to his knees, tears running down his face. “Me so sorry Wenna,” he said, sounding so sad.  “Me couldn’t fight bad queen.”
“It's alright Grilk,” Lowenna replied trying to make her friend feel better, “I couldn’t fight her either.  And I am sorry I dropped that ceiling on you.”
Grilk still looked sad, Lowenna didn’t know what to say, but Rune pointed at him “Grilk you are a strong warrior and honourable, and Lowenna and Rique are lucky to have such a loyal friend.” She smiled at Grilk her hair still glowing.  “It was a powerful accent magic, no one could resist, but Rique saved us all, and almost paid the ultimate cost.”  
Grilk nodded, “Me always stay with Wenna and Rique.  Me help them if me can.”
“So you will help me too?”  Rune asked smiling.
Grilk thought about it for a moment and then smiled.  “Me follow Wenna and Rique, if they help you, me help too.”
Suddenly, something knocked Grilk and Lowenna to the ground.  Nera stood over the orc, her gauntlet charged with magic and Zenith now stood between Lowenna and the others.  Neither looked proud of what they were doing.
Rune kept her hands pointing at the injured Rique and Lowenna, maintaining the bond between them.  Azmil grabbed his sword's handle, but Zenith pressed her sword against his chest.   “Please, don’t Azmil.”  He wasn’t listening to her.  He was staring right passed her, at Erkut, who was kneeling on Lowenna’s back.
“Just try it Lowenna,” he shouted at her as he pulled and twisted her arm behind her back.  Lowenna cried out in pain.  “Try anything, and I will break your arm.”  He grabbed her other arm twisting it till they were together.  He clipped her arms together, with a bracelet, and laughed.  “Got you bitch!”  He roared in triumph.  “That is an anti-magic restraint.  You will be returned to Penbirth, and locked up for all the troubles you have caused.”
Lowenna was hurt, Erkut lifted her head up so she could speak, “I haven’t caused any trouble.” Lowenna tried to shout, but Erkut slammed her head back into the ground before she could finish.
Rune looked very concerned.  “If you take her before the bonding is complete Rique will die.”  She said.  Grilk tried to get up, but Nera sent lightning into him, keeping him down.  
Erkut lifted Lowenna by her arms while looking at Rune, “Not my concern.  I was charged by a bearer of a Lords ring, to capture this Lowenna and return her to Penbirth.” 
Rune tilted her head, but there was no longer a smile on her face.  “The woman who saved you will die, and Lowenna has done nothing to warrant what you are doing to her. “
Erkut smiled as he turned his head to look at his prisoner, I don’t care, my orders take precedent.” He triumphantly shouted as he started dragging her away. 
Lowenna couldn’t fight, the bracelets were too strong, she was cut off from her magic, and she couldn’t save her friend.
“Let her go,” a voice echoed, through the chamber.  
Erkut growled in anger as he turned to see who dared to try and stop him, but he froze when he saw Lord Thomas and the Lawman in red in his way.
“You will release the Lowenna at once,” Lord Thomas said looking straight at him.
Erkut didn’t move.  “I have a charge,” he said, but Lord Thomas did not look pleased.
“My orders take priority over a ring bearer, thus as long as Lowenna is here within the city of Hymdale, she will NOT be taken by you or any of your lawmen.  Do you understand.”
Erkut looked positively sick.  He didn’t say a word, turning his head to look at Lowenna.
“Release her at once, and then you will leave the city, do I make myself clear!”
“Yes my lord,” Erkut, growled through his clenched teeth before he placed his key on the cuffs and they fell off Lowenna.  He turned and stormed off not looking at anyone.  
Nera and Zenith looked at each other, then both smiled and nodded at Lowenna, before following Erkut at of the chamber.    
Lowenna rubbed her wrists, her arms still hurt, but she wasn’t taking her eyes of the Lord.  What did he want?  No one had done anything to help her since waking on the beach.  Why had the Lord ordered her release?  “Not that I don’t appreciate it, but why did you help me?”
Lord Thomas looked carefully at Lowenna, and then Rique and the others.  “You and your friends freed me and everyone from Darcariel’s control, and I knew another Lowenna once.  I owed him, and I like to repay my debts.”
Lowenna nodded the Lord, “Thank you.”
Lord Thomas nodded back.  “Just don’t outstay your welcome in my city Lowenna.”
He turned to the lawman in red.  “Now get me out of here!” he said, showing his anger, but trying to keep quiet.  The lawman in Red nodded, before escorting the Lord out of the chamber.  
Grilk was now standing looking angry, “Me hate magic!”  He stated, before, he gently helped Rique up.  
“Thank you Grilk,” Rique said as he put her gently on her feet.
After a few moments, Rune’s hands stopped glowing, and she smiled “The bond is complete,” She said, “And hopefully you can hear this.”  
Lowenna didn’t understand, but Rique looked a little surprised.  “Well Lowenna, can you hear me.”  
Lowenna suddenly realised Rune wasn’t moving her lips.  The voice was in her head.  “How?” She asked unsure what was going on.
“It a sprite ability, a side effect of being bonded.”  “We I will now be able to feel each other's emotions, and I will be able to talk to you in your mind.  I will also be able to read your replies.”
“That’s amazing!” Rique said, making Azmil and Grilk look at each other, confused by what was going on.”
“Will I be able to talk to you and Rique too?” Lowenna asked.
Rune smiled.  “With practice, you will be able to talk to me, and maybe Rique too, the bond between us is very strong, stronger than I thought possible.  The Angelous have brought us together.  For now, I will be able to sense your thoughts and locations, and you will hear my voice in your heads.”
Grilk suddenly grabbed Lowenna and Rique, hugging them both.  “Me thought me lose you.”
Rique hugged the big orc back. “It's ok Grilk, we are back, and nothing will stop us.”
Grilk put them down, and Rune walked over and hugged Grilk to.  “You right he’s a big friendly softy,” she said to Rique.  “It's nice to meet you properly Grilk.” She said looking up at him.  “I’m Rune, and I believe you will be helping me.”  She turned her head and nodded at Lowenna, who nodded back, but Grilk was no longer smiling thinking about the “softy,” comment.

Everyone headed after the Lord and Erkut.  Azmil was in front lighting the path with his magic, as the glowing rocks were now dark and lifeless.  The passage led to a long flight of steps.  There were symbols on the walls, “old elvish” Rique said.
It was a long climb, and once they got to the top there was still a maze of tunnels, but each door was marked with a symbol.  Rique knew what the symbols meant and explained it to Lowenna and Grilk as they made their way slowly through the passageways.  There was no sign of any monsters, but Lowenna didn’t want to catch up with the others
Eventually, they came to the tunnel, which led upwards.  “Not long now,” Rune said, but Lowenna was still thinking about what had happened.  Rique had saved everyone.  Lowenna had tried to kill Grilk and Rique and had killed Callan and the guard with the golden armour.  Rune had saved Rique when Lowenna had not been able to.  She owed them all a debt, and even though she couldn’t remember her past, she knew, she always paid her debts.  No matter what, she was going to help Rune, and Grilk and Rique would stay by her side.
Lowenna looked over at Azmil, who was a few steps ahead.  He was being very quiet.  He was a lawman, and she was a Lowenna.  She needed to talk to him.  She walked faster to catch up with him.  Deep down she had feelings for him.  She couldn’t deny that.
 “And what of you Azmil?”   Lowenna asked.  “Do you still want to take me, prisoner, will you help Erkut capture me as soon as we leave the city?”  Azmil stopped, and Lowenna looked at him.
Azmil looked a little awkward but looked straight at Lowenna standing close.  “If I defy the orders of a ring bearer, I will be removed as a lawman.  I will become a morlaw.  A disgraced lawman.  And if Rique doesn’t go back and take the oath, she becomes a morlaw too.”
Lowenna nodded, she understood.  Azmil couldn’t be part her world.  Suddenly he leaned forward and kissed her.  She didn’t know what to say, but Azmil smiled.  “And maybe just maybe It’s worth it for you Lowenna.”  He leaned forward and kissed her again.  Lowenna savoured the kiss, returning it.  It was better than she remembered from her vision.
Azmil stood back up, and Lowenna smiled, that was what she had wanted.  They followed the others hand in hand, Lowenna glancing at him every so often.  This man had been an enemy, an antagoniser, an ally and now someone close.  She wondered what would happen next, and what Rune had planned for them but for now, everyone was safe.
For the first time even though it was uncertain, Lowenna was looking forward to their future.

END!