Within These Tangled Tales

Chapter Two

—The Guardian, Outskirts of Avalenteaux, Korintha, World of Velara—

The ground trembled and heaved. Rolling waves of fire descended from the sky, flooding the churning battlefield below. The air crackled and pulsed angrily beneath a dark and stormy sky, lightning illuminating the destruction that reigned below. Overhead, the silhouette of a horde of dragons danced and dived through the curling smoke, their colossal forms plunging toward the raging battle.

Fire erupted around her, searing in its intensity, but Ori ignored it as she dodged beneath the Immaculate's greatsword. She felt the rush of air over her, the blade missing her by mere millimeters. Her heart leapt into her throat, but she tried to ignore it as she darted forward. Faster! Her mind screamed at her. She needed to be faster! There was too much at stake to allow her enemy one more moment of hope for victory.

For four long years, the Korinthans had forced their hand, waging a war for a throne not their own. Namera had risen to the challenge with far more courage and might than the Korinthans had expected. Beneath the Foscari banner, led by Aer'Avyn herself, the Holy Army of Namera had repelled Korintha's initial invasion, pushing them further and further back until all that stood between them and victory was one solitary fortress that spanned the width of the mighty Aerivid River. The Guardian of the River that Birthed the World, the Korinthans called it. It was their great defender, an impregnable fortress that protected the only route into the kingdom's capital. For a thousand years, it had stood proudly, its massive size resembling a city unto itself, a beacon of strength to the Korinthan people. Never had it fallen to foreign invaders.

But that would change today. Ori would ensure it.

It would be the toughest obstacle they had faced, but it was one they had to overcome to ensure victory. Until the Guardian fell, Korintha could continue this needless war. But in order to succeed, they needed to not only breach an impregnable fortress, but they also needed to defeat Korintha's greatest generals, including the Immaculate.

Excalibur thrummed in her hand, guiding her every movement. She ducked beneath another swing, the pulsing runes channeling her aether into the blade. With a downward swing, she sent a burst of magic rippling outward, knocking the Immaculate off-balance. The large man stumbled but did not fall, his eyes narrowed in concentration as he redoubled his efforts. She managed to parry his next swing, only barely, and raised her left hand, calling down a massive bolt of lightning. But her opponent had been expecting such a move and dodged before the spark could land its hit. Instead, he landed one of his own.

The swing of his greatsword was too fast for her to evade. The brunt of the heavy blade came down on her left arm. The armor groaned at the contact but held. The bone within was crushed, snapping easily beneath the weight. Ori cried out from the pain. The Immaculate took advantage, kicking her in the center of her chest to send her flying. She felt several ribs crack as she tumbled over the ground, the breath knocked from her lungs. One moment, that was all it took for the Immaculate to win the fight.

Ori whimpered as she pushed herself up, erecting a barrier at the last moment to intercept the final swing of his sword. It crashed down upon the barrier, the aether cracking beneath the force of his blow. One arm wrapped around her middle, Ori tried desperately to get away before the barrier dissolved completely. Using Excalibur to stand, she had barely gotten to her feet when her protection fell away, and the Immaculate came at her again. She blocked him this time with her sword, though she felt the juddering vibrations of the impact deep in her bones. Her ribs protested loudly, but Ori grit her teeth and endured the pain. She dug her heels into the earth beneath her and sent out a wave of lightning channeling through his sword.