Knight for the Prince

Chapter 14 - The Mountain Pass

The waiting feels like it stretches forever as they wait for lord Ashton's command to continue.

A fine white horse with a slight pinkish hue on its cheeks passes by her with Lord Ashton on its back. Making his way the front of the convoy. He starts chanting something in a soft voice. Light streaks crackle and fizzle from Ashton's hands and spread out like a spider's web in front of him before curving in the air weaving over their heads. She turns in her saddle and sees other elements do the same. She watches as flames, water, sand, and dark magic spiderweb and weaves with Ashton's strange fizzling light magic.

"Prince Arwin, do you know maybe why it is that lord Ashton's light magic is fizzling like that?" Marilyn asks Arwin curiously.

"That is because his base magic element is lightning, not light," he replies while inspecting his gauntlets. Marilyn is surprised that Arwin strapped on his armor so quickly. Especially since he is wearing heavy plate armor.

After what feels like forever Ashton looks over his shoulder and shouts at her. "Sameth, the barrier isn't stabilizing! See if you can add some paladin magic into it! Will it too stabilize the barrier!"

Marilyn does as Ashton asks and watches in amazement as her paladin magic makes the barrier form like a beehive from where her hand makes contact with the unstable barrier. It takes on the shade of caramel and then disappears from plain view.

"It's working, Sameth! The barrier is stabilizing keep it going." Moments later the barrier is completely invisible to the naked eye.

"You can let go! The barrier is in place!" Ashton put his hand to his throat and enhances his voice again. "Company forward!" Marilyn uses her paladin sight and she took in a shuddering breath. She places a hand on Arwin's shoulder and will him to see what she is seeing. A beehive net, the shade of honey envelopes the entire convoy in a long dome like a tunnel that begins in front of Rosy-cheeks and stretches over the entire convoy.

"It looks amazing, Sameth. Thank you for sharing."

"I couldn't explain to you in words so I showed you," Sameth replies with a shy smile. It sends Arwin's heart racing. He tore his eyes away from Sameth and snarls at his own treacherous thoughts.

The convoy's pace increases and soon as they enter the pass. Every soldier is quiet as they wait with bated breath. A cold wind whistles ominously through the pass and buffets the soldiers escorting the convoy. Marilyn prepares the bow that was given to her and tests the tension of the bow. She knocks an arrow in anticipation. She shut her eyes for a moment to try and steady her nerves, but shutting her eyes was the worst thing to do as a million scenarios ran through her imagination.

She opens her eyes and notices movement on the side of the pass. Several rocks tumble down the side of the pass and that is when she noticed the archers line up on the mountain trail. 'Challenge them. A paladin archer can kill from this distance. This will keep their attention focusing on us. Ad some paladin magic to the arrows and will it to ensure accuracy even if the wind blows.'

Marilyn targets a bandit and willed it to meet its target. The arrow becomes a shaft of golden light and she sends it on its way and it hit the unsuspecting bandit in the eye. He cries in agony, before falling from the mountainside. The bandit was long dead before he hits the ground. 'Let the games begin.'

"Unfortunately there is a great deal more where he came from. Ashton brace!"

"No need! The barrier has solidified thanks to your magic. None of their arrows will get through! Great shot by the way!"

"Don't start with the compliments yet! This is far from over!" Her voice was barely cold when the first volley of arrows started to rain down from above. True to Ashton's word the barrier held. The arrows bounced harmlessly of the barrier. A roar made her look to her right and she sees Adriana's paladin tiger viciously strike down a bandit with a single swipe of its massive plate-sized claw. The tiger's claw rips right through the bandit's armor as it is made of nothing more than parchment. Next to it, a golden wolf sinks its teeth into the neck of an archer while Aranorn and Adriana fight side by side cutting down bandit after bandit. Already their sword is painted red with the blood of their victims.