From the Ashes (The Elder Blood Chronicles, #3)(181)
“Apparently they have started to follow your road,” Valor said softly beside her as he watched the Lord walk away.
“May more follow,” Jala whispered.
“Another wave!” Jala bellowed as she moved forward ahead of the lines to block the Rivasan hellfire as it blasted down the valley entrance toward her army. Squeezing her eyes shut she held her hands out before her as the fire boiled against her wall of force. The heat was so intense it felt as though her skin was bubbling beneath her armor. She dropped the spell the moment the fire died away and fell back once more behind the line of archers. “We can’t keep this up,” Jala gasped to Valor who stood beside her, his expression of fury clear on his face.
The Rivasans had used the hellfire to keep them pinned in the valley all morning. For now, her magic was holding it at bay, but it wouldn’t last forever. Bows twanged as her archers desperately tried to use the few minutes they had to bring down a few of their enemies. Her knights were useless in the current battle and the Soulreavers were suffering the brunt of the work as they worked their spirit magic relentlessly against the Rivasans.
Jala growled in fury as the Rivasan mages moved forward once more. “Another wave!” she repeated the call and moved quickly to hold the fire at bay. The fire hammered at her wall but her heart rose as another sound rose above the roar of the flames. Craning her head she listened, desperate to hear the sound repeated. Holding her breath, she felt hope rise in her chest as the drum of hoof beats filled the air beyond the barrier.
“Firym!” A voice bellowed beyond the flames. She knew that voice. Hope soared in her chest as the hellfire died down to reveal the lines of Flameriders charging headlong into the Rivasan forces.
“Mount up!” Valor bellowed at the sight and his Arovan knights scrambled to obey.
“Havoc.” Jala breathed the name like a blessing on her lips. Falling back behind the lines once more she watched as the Flameriders collided with the Rivasan lines. “Support them!” she bellowed to her own forces, but the command was hardly needed. She could already hear the Arovan knights moving forward to join the battle, their horses slowly gaining speed as they cleared the lines.
Moving quickly, Jala mounted her own horse and rode forward just far enough to get a clear look at the battlefield. The two Bendazzi moved out in front of her horse, guarding her from anyone foolish enough to approach her directly. Drawing on her magic she lent her support where she could. The sound of hoof beats behind her drew her attention, but didn’t’ break her focus. Nodding, she watched Zachary Dark approach, her magic still flowing from her like water.
“Goswin is attacking on their flanks and I can see the banner of Delvay there as well. I’m going to hit them on the other side with the Harvesters from oblivion, though I doubt the souls of my people will be strong this far from their home,” Zachary informed her as he kicked his horse and rode hard for the outer flank of the Rivasan army.
Hope rose further in her chest and Jala poured everything she had into her assault. A dragon’s roar rose from the Rivasan lines and she watched as Nigel and the three sisters took wing to meet the newest threat. She couldn’t spare time to watch them, however. She had to trust them to handle their kin while she dealt with the Rivasan mages. Already she was too distracted. It was nearly impossible to keep her eyes from seeking Valor on the field. His knights were thick in the middle of the fighting and her gaze kept flicking in his direction seeking the flash of purple armor to tell her that he still lived and fought.
Pain lanced through her as she felt something draw power from her. Frantically, Jala searched the field beyond trying to spot who was siphoning from her. Another wave of pain followed quickly by another nearly sent her tumbling from her horse and spoiled her next spell. With a snarl, Jala wrapped her hand tightly around the magic filled staff and drew enough power to try to shield herself. She had barely managed to get the spellshield up when the next wave hit her and shattered her shield as if it were nothing more than a child’s attempt at magic. No matter how hard she searched, Jala could not spot her assailants and she knew by the frequency of the attacks there was far more than one. “Seth,” Jala gasped as the assault came again, latching onto her like leeches rather than the quick fleeting attacks they had begun with. She wasn’t sure if Seth would answer her call but her desperation was growing. They had sensed her weakening strength and were moving in for the kill.
A flash of black feathers drew her eye and Seth rose from a crouch beside her. “Magebreakers,” he informed her as he settled beside her horse.
“Kill them please,” Jala begged. She had to drain the staff just to manage enough strength to remain sitting. Neph had warned her about Magebreakers in their lessons. They were specially trained mages that honed their talents for the singular purpose of killing any who worked magic.
“I will do what I can,” Seth promised her as he disappeared into the chaos of the fighting beyond him.
Jala take my strength until he finds them, Marrow commanded, his voice sounding desperate in her mind.
Shaking her head, Jala gazed upward, her eyes locking on the one thing she knew that held more power than even a trained company of Magebreakers could handle. Slowly she dismounted from her horse and stepped away from the gelding, her gaze still fixed above her. Do you remember when you spoke of my family's gift, Marrow? You said it was what they wished for that brought them low, Jala began, the idea blooming further in her mind.