The Lightning Witch

Black Lightning on the Horizon

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Jason tucked his wife closer to his side and did his best to shelter her from the pelting rain that was half a winter's breath from being sleet.

It didn't work much, but Dara shuffled until she could fit inside his coat with him, and that was warmer, even if they were both soaked.

"What's going on?" He asked into her ear. The whole town had been ushered into the square by armored soldiers. A LOT of armored soldiers- who seemed to be looking for something.

Or someone.

Jason had a bad feeling about all this.

"I don't know," Dara whispered back. She was afraid, and her fingers tangled in his forge-singed shirt. "They rounded up everyone. I was at home making a potion for Yenna."

Their cottage was out on the very edge of the forest. Not a long trek, but not one that was easily found if you didn't already know where it was.

A man, taller than the rest and clad in golden armor, stepped up on the stage they usually used for musicians during feast days. His hair was as pale as his skin and had a strange way of making him look like a ghost-made-man.

"I am the Hammer of the Sun," he announced regally, and Jason's bad feeling turned into full-on alarm. "My name is Aur. I am the king of these lands and was chosen by divine right!"

His words got a mixed reaction from the townsfolk, as the few who knew the Prophesy shifted nervously, and everyone else tried to figure out why their mages suddenly looked so shifty.

Jason pulled his wife closer and started looking around for a quick way out of the square.

The Hammer of the Sun was supposed to be the enemy of the Lightning Witch.

The same Lightning Witch who trembled like a leaf against his chest, and who put off little bolts when she laughed so hard she cried.

They could have his wife over his dead body.

"I have come to deliver you from her tyranny," the king continued like he was just warming up. "Even in Sunhold, I have heard that the Witch is here."

They were almost to the edge of the square, when the tomato flew out of the cloud and splattered against the golden breastplate with unnerving aim.

"You leave our witch alone!"

It was Yenna. Heavily-pregnant Yenna, who was a fair hand with a mace, and had biceps like corded steel from a lifetime as a baker. Yenna, who's morning sickness was only eased by Dara's potions.

Dead silence filled the square, and then soldiers began pushing through the crowd towards the pregnant baker. Jason froze, torn between protecting his friend, and protecting his wife.

Daramethe had no such compunctions.

As the first soldier went to grab the pregnant woman, a flash of lightning split down out of the sky and left ozone and blackened stone in its wake even as thunder roared so loud it nearly flattened the crowd.

"Leave her alone!" Dara cried fiercely. The townsfolk scattered back from her as little blue bolts began crawling over her skin and down her hair. "I'm here!"

Aur wasted no time. He drew his sword and lept off the platform. The crowd swirled, and angry shouts filled the air, but no one wanted to charge the well-armed soldiers with nothing but what they carried.

"Kill her!" Aur roared, and Jason only had enough time to grab up a long board to stop that heavy sword from coming down on his wife.

"You're not the Hammer of the Sun," he grunted, and got his footing. Aur stares at him, and tried to free his sword from the hardwood plank. With his feet planted, Jadon wasn't going anywhere, and when he brought his own forge-born strength to bear, the golden-armored man slid back step by step no matter how much he scrambled. "And if you lay a single damn hand on my wife, I'll melt down your armor with you inside it."