Sons of Ironstorm - Book 2: Griffon's Call

Chapter 25: Unexpected Fortune

<<Frost me,>> Feladorn said weakly, his heart suddenly in his throat as he watched the dance of runic light cascading up and down the heavy blade. <<You did it, Shawn. You found the Weapon of Power!>>

<<Aye, that I did,>> Shawn confirmed with a nod, visibly shaking off the effects of Dezi's stunning greeting. <<And I'd be glad to tell you all about it, but not now. First, let's deal with what's outside, yes?>> His eyes half closed as he spoke just under his breath: "Vydem polje."

With a sweeping shift of perception, Shawn found himself looking into the hallway just outside the chamber's door and, beyond that, out into the great open space of the concourse.

<<Frosty hell!>> he husked, eyes flying wide at what he witnessed unfolding there. Then his perception was back in his body, standing in the archival chamber. <<The elven Ka'thesck soldiers are attacking their Tjor'riin comrades in the concourse!>> he announced in an incredulous voice, a look of disbelief on his face.

The five friends rushed out into the corridor where they immediately skidded to a stunned halt as an incredible battle vista unfolded before their very eyes. Shawn was indeed correct; with a fury they had not seen before in the turned elves who swore allegiance to the shadow, they fought the tjor'riin, each span of the voluminous concourse contested with bitter determination.

<<What does this mean?>> Banik said hoarsely, eyes wide as he watched a knot of elves swarmed over by ten times the number of tjor'riin, yet fighting all the way down to the ground, not giving one iota without the fiercest resistance. <<Have the soldiers of the enemy finally lost their minds with the death of their taskmaster, the Shadowmaster?>> The shattered body of the Ka'thesck general hadn't escaped their notice, being that it lay so close to where Shawn had revived them.

<<No,>> Shawn grimly answered, eyes narrowed as he too studied the battle with expert eyes. <<I sense the Star Sword has awoken them to a realization of their treachery with its own reawakening.>> A thin smile touched his lips. <<They now fight to wash the stain of that treachery from their very souls!>>

Even as Shawn made his dark announcement, they watched a phalanx of elves spin into the tjor'riin ranks, screaming: <<For the Light and the Lord Wielder!>>

<<They know you have the Weapon, Shawn,>> Feladorn noted, turning to look at Shawn with wondering eyes.

<<Soon the whole world will know, friend Feladorn,>> Dezi pointed out, stepping up to slip her hand into Shawn's free one, giving it a squeeze. <<And they will know it started here, with the rebirth of the Silver Flame in one most unexpected.>>

Shawn couldn't help the smile that touched his lips as he returned Dezi's hand squeeze. She was quite right; no elf could've believed a human would've found the Weapon of Power. They couldn't even believe one could keep up with their warrior culture.

Yet here he was, Star Sword in hand, not only keeping up but excelling. Who would've guessed fate giving him this? A thought wiped the smile from his face: the prophet of the Norak Utterance had.

<<What are we going to do, Shawn?>> Feladorn continued. <<Do we use the sudden rebellion and the chaos it's creating amongst the Ka'thesck soldiery to slip out unnoticed? Or do we lend the elves a hand? By my count, they're heavily outnumbered and, despite the magnificent effort we're witnessing, they're about to be overcome.>>

<<They're blood traitors and worshippers of the Shadow,>> Thom interjected, his face uncharacteristically hard. <<Regardless of whether they've been turned back to the Light or not, they deserve to die. Let the tjor'riin wipe them out and we'll use the tumult to slip free.>>