Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

“Look!”

The call was laced with fear. R’ille turned to see that something was coming over the crest of the crystal span. The Demon Lord’s army was following them. In the forefront of that ugly horde was a massive figure dressed in black armor and wearing a black hood and cloak. Behind him, swarms of goblins and wolf-riders marched down the span in an endless line toward Illianor.

R’ille shouted orders to Brinn’s troops, nearest at hand. “Take up your bows! Do not let them set foot upon Illianor! Hold for my command!”

The Demon Lord continued advancing until he reached the end of the span. He did not yet set foot upon Illianor. He lowered his hood, revealing the headless crown. Speaking in the common tongue, he addressed R’ille directly. “Gathân, do not hinder me. You have already lost that which is worth most, for I possess your soul. Surrender quickly, and all will receive a quick and merciful death.” His red eyes told of other plans.

“You cannot pass here,” R’ille answered in defiance. “This is the sanctuary of Illianor, the land of Ár-Ádun.”

Lucifer laughed, and the sound was cruel and filled with venom. Both sides of the battle grew silent. “Oh, but I can pass here,” he said at the last. “You have given me passage, Gathân, when you conjured this crystal span!”

The revelation made R’ille feel sick. In that moment she fully realized the futility of her earlier choice. She realized that, in trying to save her people, she had condemned the sanctuary of Illianor itself. In that moment, she realized with horror that, giving up her soul, she had made herself just another tool for the Demon Lord; a vessel through which he could wreak his destruction. Her ability to wield the wand of Earth was what felt wrong in this place. She was the blight that marred the virgin landscape.

R’ille’s soul was lost, but she was still an Illuminar, an Immortal. She refused to give in. She resigned herself to at least go down fighting, attempting to thwart the evil that she had brought upon the sanctuary and upon herself.

“Prepare to fire!” she ordered, trying to shake off a feeling of dread.

The Demon Lord just laughed louder.

“Fire!”

The arrows flew in a black wave, but the Demon Lord simply raised a gloved hand and the arrows burst into flames as they came. Nothing reached the Demon Lord but ashes on the wind.

“Your weapons are useless against me. Prepare to meet your doom!”