The Darkness Beyond the Stars

Chapter 33: The plan

We dropped down away from the city, far enough that the palace was a tiny splinter. Ahead of us, the land abruptly dropped away. The sea was below. We'd seen it in the air, grey as iron beneath the clouds. It was a protected inlet, with only one path down the sheer cliffs to the beach. The sea had wormed its way this far years ago, then the land had risen, creating twin cliffs like a giant had poked his finger in the land. A couple rocks were at our back.

I looked around, but there was no Morok.

"The Twisted are hiding somewhere." Raon set me down, and I hated myself for missing the safety that it seemed like I'd had when his arm was around me.

Stupid.

He's one of them.

I turned around slowly, but couldn't see anything but short grass and sky and the rocks between us and the cliffs. I looked back to Raon, and felt my stomach twist. Was this a trap?

He turned around, then shook his head, eyes shut tight. His hand brushed against where he'd been stabbed.

"Raon?"

"What?" He looked at me with bloodshot eyes, hair wild from the wind.

"Are you alright?" ok this was probably a trap. I started to panic.

"I think so." He drew his twin swords, and leapt over the rocks, heading towards the cliffs. "Stay low behind those rocks."

I ducked until I found a crack between two rocks, and watched, hard grass scratching my arms.

He moved to the edge of the cliffs, wings still spread wide, a sword in each hand.

A figure appeared over the edge of the cliff, flying through the air towards his face. He twisted, hitting it with one of his wings, then swung his sword. It sliced along the Twisted's face, just as another Twisted crawled above the cliff. Raon leapt in the air, his wings buffeting the two. One flew over the edge, screaming, but the other made it past, and then another crawled above the edge.

The one left attacked him, hacking at his wings and legs as he flew above. A blow struck Raon's side, and he yelled, dropping and swinging his sword as he fell. The Twisted reeled back, blood splattering across the ground. Raon's sword was embedded in his chest, to the hilt. Raon's back struck the ground as the Twisted fell over the edge.

I leapt over the rocks, ignoring the tear of cloth, and raced over to him.

His eyes were shut tight, skin deathly white, a vein standing out in his forehead. 

"Oh no." Dark blood leaked out of a gash in his armor, right over his lower ribs.

"Raon." I knelt by him, and he pushed himself up on one elbow, other arm pressed to his side.

"Isun...over the edge." He winced.

I ran to the edge, peering over carefully. Isun was huddled maybe ten feet below on a tiny ledge, blood crusted in his hair. I looked around, but couldn't find anything.

"Raon!" I yelped, as Isun shifted, sending tiny pebbles clattering down towards the sea below. The water lashed at the rock, sending up spray. Dark rocks jutted from the water everywhere. There was no way Isun would survive a fall.

There was a rushing noise, and wind battered my back. Something dark hurtled past me, and I saw Raon snatch Isun from the ledge, dropping close to the water, then beat his powerful wings, rising slowly. He set Isun down beside me, then dropped to his knees, one arm supporting him.

I rolled Isun onto his back, but he was unconscious. Or dead.

"Morok will be here soon." Raon got to his feet slowly. "He can take Isun back to the palace. We have to go after the rest."

"Wait." I went to him, but suddenly he grabbed me, flinging me back. His arm locked around me, and we were hurtling over the cliff. He stopped abruptly, and set me on the tiny ledge that Isun had just been on.

"Don't make a sound." He whispered, face inches from mine.

Then he was gone, over the cliff again.

I clung to the rock wall, trying very hard not to look down. The ledge was only about two feet wide.

Silence, but for the sound of beating wings.

Someone yelled above, and there was a ring of metal on metal. I covered my mouth. The rush of wind, an scream, the sound of a body thudding to the ground. My chest constricted.

Someone yelled, Raon I thought, then someone fell, their head and arm over the edge, silhouetted against the sky. Blood trickled down the grey stone. It couldn't be Raon.

No more sound of beating wings.

I waited, but nothing happened. After a while, I stopped panicking and told myself to think. The wall wasn't quite smooth, and the Twisted had to have climbed up somehow. I bent carefully and tore off my skin, leaving only my loose leggings underneath. I tore the skirt into strips, then wound them around my hands.

Then I climbed.

It was much father from below. The rock tore at my hands, and everything was slick from sea spray. Sweat stung my eyes, but I kept going. The sea roared beneath me, calling, taunting me. I pulled myself up, moving one limb at a time. My legs shook, and my shoes tore. The rock in front of my face was stained with blood now, still flowing from the dead Twisted. I pulled myself up, again and again until my hand met grass.

I groaned, and pulled myself over the edge. After a moment, I got up, desperately trying to ignore the body beside me. A sword lay one the ground, stained red, and I grabbed it.

A trail of blood in the grass led towards the left, into more boulders. I followed it, running as fast as I could.

Rocks and dirt tore my feet, harsh grass leaving cuts on my legs. I ran faster. The rock surrounded me, the grass in patches now. The biggest boulders towered over my head. 

I stopped. The bloody trail was gone now. I whirled around. It ended right behind me, but there was nothing else. I crouched, sword ready.

"Lilya!" The voice was ragged, splitting the air.

Someone dropped behind me, and I could barely register black eyes before something lashed around my sword, yanking it away. Another Twisted dropped down beside me, and grabbed my hands, kicking my knees. I fell, hard, my head striking a rock.

My vision was blurry for a moment. I felt something tighten around my wrists and ankles. Then I was shoved against a rock. Three shapes stood in front of me, but they wouldn't stay still.

"Raon!" I wailed.

"No!" I heard the sound of fist against flesh, and a cry I knew was from Raon. Then a thousand tiny snaps like twigs. Raon screamed, and I yelled. Mu vision cleared, and I struggled against the ropes. Three Twisted stood a few feet away, Raon kneeling in front of them, hands bound behind his back. One of his wings was twisted, flopping against the ground. As I watched, two of the Twisted grabbed his other wing, bending it slowly. Raon struggled, but there was a dozen tiny snaps, and the Twisted dropped the wing. It drooped to the ground. Raon sobbed, face to the sky, straining against his bonds.

I struggled, but the ropes were tight.

Then the Twisted spoke.

"Here our oath is fulfilled." The three spoke in unison. The middle one stepped forward, and spoke apart. "And our purpose fulfilled." He drew a sword, and so did the others. I strained against the ropes, falling to my side. But they didn't point the sword at me, or Raon. They placed the tips against their own chests.

"Here it ends."

They plunged the swords into their bodies. Three thuds, three pools of blood formed.

Silence. 

Then Raon stood, flinging the ropes away. When he looked at me, his eyes were black.