The ground shuddered beneath Alianna’s feet as all at once, the crowd erupted as one: “We will fight with Lord Rionan!”
“Will you stand against chaos and corruption?”
“We will stand against chaos and corruption!”
“Will you stand proudly and unite, in life or in death, as Warriors of Xanthia?”
“We stand proud as Warriors of Xanthia!”
Alianna felt the swells of power being cast out by Thallax hit some sort of barrier around the gathered host of Xanthians, and it crashed upwards, like waves hitting against rocks. Thallax turned slowly to Rionan, giving a firm nod.
“It’s time,” Rionan breathed, gripping Alianna’s hand. He turned to the right, as if he could see beyond the mountains that sheltered them and was looking into the distance. Looking for some long-treasured palace, and for an enemy host that was prepared to march on it. “Stay with Ulreah. Hide if you need to. Flee if you need to.”
“I know,” Alianna replied. She raised her other hand to her side, patting the leather satchel she now carried, to ensure her cargo remained inside. Rionan turned to her then, his face a mask of violent focus, and he closed his eyes.
The world around them seemed to still. Rionan let out a slow exhale, and Alianna could have sworn that she felt the mountains tremble around her, as if they were being awoken. The air crackled with static electricity. The stars in the sky seemed to flicker more brightly, and the evening wind warmed against her skin, as if it were welcoming an old friend home.
Rionan snapped his eyes open. His eyes, usually that piercing, pastel blue that Alianna had found herself coming to adore, were gilded with a bright, golden yellow.
The yellow dulled as quickly as it appeared, but she knew in that moment that he had let go of whatever binds he was keeping on his power.
And Rannirr would know, too.
Alianna braced herself for the sensation that she knew was coming, and she searched the area around her until she found Ulreah. His facewas grave, focused, his head tilted forward as if he were focusing on an enemy that they could not yet see.
Ulreah’s eyes were clouded with a dark, stormy grey. Alianna could have sworn she saw flashes of lightning within his irises.
Alianna knew how they would be getting there. Rionan had discussed that they would stand a better chance if they got to Savangrad as fast as possible. They would make the jump again, together, accompanied by Rionan’s council and every member of his army.
Alianna had wondered how he could contain such power, that he was able to transport everyone with him, pulling them through space itself to such a precise location.
She had asked if she would fall unconscious like last time. Rionan had assured her that this was very unlikely, given that they were not going very far and not travelling between realms.
Regardless, Alianna braced herself for the feeling of nausea as she watched Rionan’s face freeze over with icy focus and determination, his power rumbling through the land aroundthem. As if Xanthia was singing to him, to his power, and was welcoming it home.
Rionan let go of Alianna.
He brought his hands together, making a wide movement as he did so. The air around Alianna and the surrounding Xanthians began pressing in on them like they were being jostled together.
With a bright yellow burst, he transported his entire host to Savangrad.
38
Savangrad
Alianna blinked to try to clear her hazy vision, as the silhouette of a large, stone palace loomed in the distance to the left of them.
She could hear the shouts of men, the rushing of footsteps past her.
One particular voice – she recognised it. It was familiar.
Thallax’s voice, she realised. Thallax was commanding the armies of Western Xanthia, ordering them to push through the grounds of Savangrad, to defend all entry points to the palace. To defend the Well Courtyard.
To defend their Lord.
Alianna rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her vision.
The rallying cries of Rionan’s army rang out as they stormed through the darkness, towards the distant flashes of red that were appearing amongst the shadows in the distance, between trees.
