Play With Fire

The way in is shut, barricaded as the warriors keep charging at the door, slamming the bodies against it as dust falls from the ceiling of the old tunnel. Over and over, our men have tried to get in, trying to tear apart the wooden frames, trying to slam down the door, trying anything we can think of as I lean against the cold stone wall of the tunnel, looking out to the surface of the world as the distant battle can still be heard from here. My eyes gaze over to Zion, his body tense as I know he is stressed, for every minute we are stuck out here, Lily is closer to getting what she wants. "We could try ramming it with a log," I suggest, looking over to the warriors.

"We would need to cut down a tree for that. We don't have the time or tools," one warrior replies to me, looking back to the door as I know these men do not like talking to me. Ever since they noticed me, they have been on edge, unsure of if I really died and came back to life...or if my death was all a hoax for some greater conspiracy theory to take form. If they make it out of here, they will spread word of my existence, word reaching those who would want to put me in trouble.  Yet these warriors could remain loyal and not speak a word of who they saw and fought beside in the palace, willing to keep me safe. There is always a chance of betrayal, for this world is cruel.

Zion suggests a different method, for half of the men to push at the door while the others ram into it with their bodies. They repeat this strategy a few times, the warriors running out of breath by the fifth go at the door. Taking in a deep breath, I know I cannot help too much, but I join in and push at the door, ignoring the splinters which dig into my fingers. The more we continue, the more I can feel the door begin to weaken. Another blow to the door and it shakes, a few wooden boards falling apart as I can see the other end of the tunnel.

"We are almost there. Let's go again," Zion shouts, helping to get the spirits of the warriors up as we take three more rounds, the door almost down as the mid to top half of the door breaks apart, revealing heavy stones to have been placed against the tunnel door, taking us a good thirty minutes to knock down to the ground. Zion looks confused by the rocks blocking the way as the warriors jump over the lower half of the door. Looking to me, Zion shakes his head, "these tunnels were made for the elves to enter through when seeking shelter centuries ago. It was a royal decree made that they should never be blocked. Laraxis went against this for some reason."

Helping me over the fractured door, Zion is the last to get over the door and comments for us to continue forward, to look prepare for witches in the palace. We run down the dim-lit tunnel, my eyes not adjusting fast unlike the others as their wolves have come through to provide their human form with better vision in the dark. Zion holds onto my hand to lead me along the way, the palace itself getting closer as I fear Lily will already be inside by the time we get here.

As we come up to a set of stone stairs, Zion takes the lead, cautious as he makes his steps light, looking around the corner as we move up the flight of stairs. I believe us to be at the eastern wing of the palace, located near the garden where Zion proposed to me years ago. We emerge from the tunnel, Zion opening a wooden door to reveal a long hallway filled with old paintings made by famous werewolf painters who passed away centuries ago. The ceiling is painted with the night sky, the stars shimmering among the dark colors of the night sky, acting as the lights to the hallway as we walk on the marble floor. I had forgotten just how ostentatious this place was.

Holding up his hand, Zion stops us all in our footsteps as we can hear in the distance the sound of men screaming out in pain. "Lily has gotten to the royal guards. She is in the front courtyard."

"What should we do?" the same warrior from before asks. Zion asks for his name. "Nile, Alpha King."

"Nile, you don't have to address me as such," Zion corrects. Nile called Zion by his past title, showing that he still holds respect for Zion even all these years later. "As for what we will do next, we can get into position for when Lily and her group enter into the palace and at least have the element of surprise on our hands."

"She has witches with her," another warrior comments, his voice hushed as I can sense fear in his voice. These men have never fought witches or anyone who uses magical spells. I do not blame them for being afraid. They fear these witches could tear their insides out of their bodies and leave them to die painful deaths. "How do you attack witches when you do not use magic?"

Zion motions for the men to follow him, gathering us all together into another hallway as he stands before a long tapestry. Pulling the tapestry up, Zion shows us a small dugout in the wall of crossbows and shields. "Much of this palace has hidden weapons. Tapestries are what these are hidden behind. If any of you find yourself needing weapons, look for a tapestry." Pulling the crossbows out, Zion begins to hand them around, next offering the warriors knives and then a few of them shields. "The shields can protect you from spells, just make sure to be quick enough when one is being cast."

As he looks to me, Zion pulls out from the storage area a set of silver knife blades, one several inches long. Instructing me to not touch the blades, I take them carefully and place them in my jacket where there are builtin pockets for these things. I still have the fire bomb Zion provided me with earlier, knowing not to use it unless truly needed.

The sudden sound of a crackling sound ringing throughout the palace, people turn rigid as Zion pulls down the tapestry. "They have made it into the palace itself. Let's go and find a few balconies to attack from. Those who have crossbows should be on the balcony and hide behind pillars."

My body seems to be set on air pilot, my legs taking me where the others go as I look around the palace, memories coming back to me as they make my heart pound in my chest, tears wanting to form. "Sybil, you okay?" Zion asks, taking my arm gently as I look to see we have made it to a balcony, the men with crossbows taking position as many of them see to be trying their last form of relaxation.

"I'm fine. Just stressed," I reply, looking over the corner of the hallway as I spot a small group of men and women enter into the opening of the room below. "They are here."

Zion pushes me back away from the balcony and into the hallway, telling me to stay here unless I need to run. Taking up his own crossbow, he crawls behind the balcony to join the men. Four warriors are left with me on the sideline, each of us nervous as Zion gives the nod to begin attacking.

Arrows are fired, commotion erupting below as I take in a deep breath, pressing my back against the wall firmly as I remind myself to take in steady deep breaths. Sudden bursts of fire are shot at the balcony, one of the warriors groaning in pain as his leg is burned by the fire. The witches have cast their spells.

I take a peak to look below, seeing three bodies laying on the floor with arrows having pierced their bodies. One of the witches shields the others left, but her shoulder is also pierced with an arrow, her shield almost glitching as she is losing her strength. Looking closer at the people protected by the shield, I notice a familiar face as Fiona casts a spell, a fiery streak shooting out from her hands as it heads for the warriors, yet it does something no one expected, for it explodes like a firework over the two warriors, catching their bodies on fire as they try and put out the fire, only for them to burn to death.

"We need to go down and fight," Nile informs the warriors on the sideline with me. Looking to me, he seems to look for my approval. Nodding, I give him the go ahead, knowing we need to stop the witches from casting spells. "You going to stay up here?"

Zion told me to stay put and stay safe, but I want to fight too. I know I cannot take on the witches, but I know I cannot be harmed by their spells, for Keva was thinking of me. Twisting the piece of jewelry around, I nod, following the men as we leave the others up here.

Going down a set of staircases, we make it to the same room the witches are, hiding behind the last wall we have available. Nile informs his men to stand in a square formation, to hold two shield in front and two above to protect from spells which are cast above us. As they set their shields up, I stand at the back of the formation, keeping my body close to theirs as we make our way into the opening.

A powerful spell knocks the men back a little, the shield formation not breaking yet as Nile reminds us to remain calm and to get ready to attack. Another spell is cast at us which erupts overhead, the fire falling down on us like rain, only to do no harm as we remain safe. Holding my breath, I know we are close enough to attack now. Nile informs me to stand beside him, to let him shield the two of us.

We break the formation as we are close enough to attack, each of us behind shields as we attack the witches. I hold onto Nile's jacket, keeping myself close as we move in, watching the others use their knives to dig into the witch holding up the magical shield. As the shield disappears, Zion and the warriors above begin firing once more.

A spell hits Nile's shield with power, knocking us apart from one another as he uses the spell to attack, knowing the witch needs a few more seconds to cast the next one. He uses his shield to knock her off her feet and slams the edge of it into her neck, breaking it with one stroke as I scramble to my feet. I am left without a warrior to aid me as I stand up, looking to see who is left to attack.

Familiar eyes meet mine and I know who exactly will be coming for me.

Fiona takes out a blade, slicing a warrior's neck who was once beside me, his body falling limp as I can feel my skin paling. Casting a shield of protection, arrows meet the shield and shatter as I spot Zion firing at Fiona. "All alone without aid," she comments, a smirk pulling at her lips. "I always wanted to kill you, Sybil. Zion took too long to lift the curse on my coven and we both know those threats I made to you were never empty."

Lunging at me with her blade drawn, I jump out of the way, leading myself down a hallway unexpectedly as I spot Fiona blocking my way back to the availability of Zion to shoot her down. "Alone once more." Fiona smiles, casting another spell, focusing her spell upon the archway which leads back to the fight scene. I spot Nile behind her, his eyes meeting me as he throws his knife at us, the knife flying across the room at the same moment the archway begins to crumble down. Just as the marble stone holding up the archway collapses, blocking our way back out, Fiona cries out in pain, Nile's knife landing at the back of her shoulder as she looks up to me.

Pulling out the knife, Fiona throws it to the ground, her hand covered in blood as she begins to form a spell and I take out a knife. As I lunge forward at her, she casts her spell, one of black smoke, but it breaks apart a foot away from me. She is shocked as I leap onto her, straddling her as I thrust my knife at her throat. Catching my hand, Fiona begins to push my hands away, the tip of the blade getting further away from her neck as she spots the piece of jewelry protecting me from her spells.  "You little bitch. You think that thing will protect you," she exclaims, shoving me off of her as she comes at me again, weapon drawn as she is now the one on top of me.

I scream out in pain as the blade meet my shoulder, an inch into my flesh as my jacket helps to make it harder for her to push it into my body. I land a punch to Fiona's jaw, another one to her nose as I am able to get back to my feet, pulling the knife from my body as I cry out. Taking her knife in my hand, I hiss as it burns my flesh, her handle made of silver. I throw the knife down the hall and away from us, my hand burnt as Fiona comes at me again. "You do not deserve to be alive. Zion does not deserve to be alive. His entire family has met gruesome endings and I will continue to make sure that happens. His line ends here today with the two of you."

Fiona holds out another blade, this one made purely of silver as I know if that meets my skin, I will be in more pain than imaginable. Holding my chin high, I take out a knife as well and recall what Zion taught me over the past few days when we practiced fighting. She swings her black, my body leading back as I hold the blade at the height of my hip, sliding it forward as I graze her torso. Rather than let that stop her, Fiona casts another spell, trying to make it hard for me to see as I continue forward, making another move at her as I miss her throat.

That's when she knocks me off my feet with the swing of her leg, my head knocking against the marble floor as I can hear Zion shouting out my name from the other side. Fiona lands the silver blade just below my stomach, the burning sensation causing me to scream out in an ear-piercing scream, Fiona twisting the knife as it is still lodged in my body, the blade not smooth, but serrated as I know it will be a pain to pull out. The burn continues through my body, as if poison has been flushed into my system. My bones ache, my blood feeling as if it is boiling, and as Fiona pulls away, keeping the knife in my body, she stands back, smiling as she moves to my hand.

My fingers can barely move without horrible pain as Fiona slides off the jewelry which Keva gave me, taking away my only defense from her spells. Fiona walks back to the archway, a good ten yards from where our fight as seemed to have ended. I know what I have to do here. I whimper as I move my hand, knowing I need to fight through the pain as I reach into my jacket for the one item I did not want to utilize.

Taking in a deep breath, I watch as Fiona begins to form her spell. I pull at the bomb, using what strength I can muster up as I toss it low to the ground, the bomb rolling forward as it gets just near her feet. Just as Fiona finishes casting her spell and it begins to leave her hands, the bomb goes off, fire shooting up as the archway is on fire, the ceiling beginning to catch on fire as well as a loud boom erupts throughout the palace, my ears in pain as they begin to ring, unable to hear anything else.

Feeling the heat of the fire grow close, I know I need to get out of here. I cannot just remove the blade though, the sliver lodged in my flesh as I scream in pain as I rise to my feet, my body extremely weak as I stumble a few times, relying on the stone wall to keep me up. Each step I take is one of pain, a staircase just before me as I know I need to get out of here and going up would lead me back to where Zion could see me.

I can barely walk up the stairs, my hands holding the blade of the knife as it begins to burn my flesh. I know I cannot continue with silver in my body. I will begin to bleed out, but I can try to stop the bleeding at least. Each tug at the knife feels like I am being stabbed all over again. I cry out, tears streaming down my face as the fire grows closer. Taking in one more deep breath, I take out the rest of the knife and it falls to the floor, my burnt hands moving to my open wound as I try and apply pressure.

Blood leaks out onto my hands as I climb the stairs, my body growing weaker as I make it to the top of the stairs, but not to the same hallway.

I am separated from Zion, unable to remember the palace well enough from here to find my way back to him. Crying out his name, I call for him over and over again, my voice weakening as I continue to move forward, seeing an opening to the palace gardens as I stumble to the doorway. A bench is near me, just by the opening where Zion proposed. Moving forward, I can barely move my legs anymore as I get to the bench as my body falls onto the bench, my burnt hands covered in blood as I try and tear apart a piece of my shirt. Ripping the bottom of my shirt, I begin to form a bandage, wrapping it around my torso slowly as I apply as much pressure as I can to the area with the bandage, my eyes looking up to the sky as my vision begins to blur.

"Zion," I call out once more, my voice no more than a mere whisper as it is too weak, my body losing what strength I had before. "Zion."