The Nation Charmer-Book 1

Chapter 11

Picture of Helen Flarehill on the side.

Chapter 11

                 A fire ball flew towards Dahlia and there was no time for her to get out of the way. If Troy had kept running, he probably could have stopped the warriors from crossing the moat. Instead, he threw himself into Dahlia again and sent them both to the ground. Another ball of fire hit a nearby Magician of Air.  

               Troy leapt forward, his swords drawn, he was distracted by one of the magicians who had jumped forward and swung a sword at him. He managed to counter the attack and stabbed the magician in the chest.  

               Dahlia leapt up and swayed when she saw that Troy had killed the magician. She managed to catch herself before she fell. She couldn't bear the thought of actually killing anyone but she knew that she had to do it if all the magicians were to survive.  

               "Get the moat!" screamed Helen.  

                She had run out of the castle, clutching a wooden plank in her hands. She hadn't been able to stand in the castle and do nothing at all. Helen swung her plank at a warrior and then ran towards Troy and Dahlia. 

               Unfortunately, the warning came too late. Troy leapt forward but the warriors were already coming over the makeshift bridge. Dahlia got to her feet, inwardly cursing, scolding herself for not being fast enough. Now the clang of swords on swords, spears and daggers echoed around. 

               "Duck, Dahlia!" Troy shouted. 

                Dahlia hit the dirt for a third time and Troy body slammed one warrior away, swinging his swords frantically. Dahlia scrambled out of the way, tearing her blue dress on a fallen sword. She grinned to herself.  

                Five minutes ago, she had looked great, thanks to Edith, and now she was probably the most fashionably-dressed, sweaty, dirty and bloody magician ever. Her dress was torn and tattered from the sword and stones, her tights were ripped at the knee when she had fallen down and her hair had fallen from its coil into a mess. 

               She scrambled up, only to find a sword point at her throat. 

               "Put your weapons down, honey, and I won't have to kill you," the warrior threatened. 

               "You don't want to kill me," Dahlia said, sweetly. "Just put down your weapons and I won't have to kill you."  

               The warrior looked at Dahlia for a minute and then dropped his sword.  

               "Go to sleep," she said and he collapsed.  

               Before she could laugh at how easy it had been to beat him, another warrior lunged at her with an enormous sword. She batted the sword away with her dagger and knocked him down with the butt of her staff.  

              She stabbed him with her dagger and then leapt over his body and towards Troy who was surrounded. Dahlia fought in what seemed like frenzy. Every time the magicians killed a warrior, another one seemed to take his place. It was exasperating. 

               Dahlia and Troy fought back to back, using their weapons to kill the enemy and, in Dahlia's case, she used magic.  

               Luna was still controlling her tornado as it scooped up more warriors. It twisted everywhere, grinding up warriors in its path and spitting out the remains. But Dahlia saw her porcelain-white face growing even paler and she knew that the Magician of Air would not last if she kept the tornado going.