He sent an explosion of power towards Rionan.
The force of it smacked Rionan in the chest, hurling him backwards through the air. Rionan landed like a cat on his feet, blasting Rannirr with his own power in return.
Rannirr hissed, putting his shield in place with a wave of his hand, deflecting Rionan’s blow, and sent smoky tendrils of red energy shooting out for Rionan’s wrists. They grabbed him, stretching his arms outwards. Rionan strained against them, his eyes fixed on Rannirr, who was stalking in Rionan’s direction. His face was full of disgust.
“You have drawn this out for far too long, Rionan. Let us end this here.”
Rionan tilted his chin down, looking at Rannirr with hate in his eyes.
He waited, his heaving breaths coming steadily.
He waited until Rannirr was three steps away.
Two steps away.
One step away.
As Rannirr reached a hand toward him, Rionan sent his own glowing binds shooting outwards, shining with a glorious light as they wrapped around Rannirr’s wrists, his legs, his body.
Rannirr struggled against them, as his arms were forced to his sides, a look of shock on his face. Rionan broke free of the power which had gripped his arms, his skin glowing brighter now, the power of all of Xanthia flowing through his veins. His eyes were steely with hatred as he took in the sight of his enemy, so delirious with his own sense of power that he had not considered whether Rionan’s newfound strength might be enough to stop him.
He would waste no further breath on this man.
“For Ali,” he muttered as he slammed his palm into Rannirr.
Rionan flooded Rannirr’s body with his power, and the Eastern Lord screamed up at the sky. Dawn was beginning to break now, the stars fading in the sky as the sun prepared to peak over the horizon. Rionan pushed more and more power into Rannirr, as his body was engulfed by the same radiant flame that had overcome their other enemies. Rannirr’s screams ebbed away into nothing, until all Rionan could hear was his own ragged breathing, and the sobs he had not realised escaped from him.
When he lowered his hand, no sign of Rannirr remained.
46
Dawn
Rionan ran along the rampart, not attempting to hide his sobs, and cast his eyes around for any sign of her.
He tried to ignore the burn marks on the stone, where lightning had been striking.
He tried to ignore the patch of blood beneath his feet.
He ran until he reached the turret, grief overtaking all of his thoughts, as he peered down into the courtyard beneath him.
At first, he saw Thallax. His general was covered in dirt, in blood that may or may not have been his own. His eyes were wide as he stared at something Rionan could not quite see.
Rionan gulped, stepping forward to the edge of the turret, and he fought to keep his composure above his men, who were now slowly gathering around the courtyard itself.
Rionan looked down at the Well.
Suspended above it, being cradled by a power that he had not cast out into the world, was Alianna.
Rionan nearly choked on his grief at the sight of her unmoving body. Her arms were draped behind her, back arched as if she was being held by an unseen force. Her head was tipped backwards, her hair flowing behind her, gently moving like it was being kissed by a soft wind.
The sun had broken into the sky, which was bright with colour. The promise of a new age of peace in Xanthia.
The dawn light illuminated Alianna’s body, where she seemed to float in the air above Rionan’s Well. The power within was now of that same iridescent light that he continued to shine with, replacing the yellow he had grown accustomed to seeing.
Alianna looked uninjured. Unharmed.
But she did not move.
