The Guardians

Chapter 42

Lyra pulled her sword free from the soldier in Arlan's livery. This one was on a return trip back to the village that was supplying Arlan thus there wasn't anything worth taking. She and Will set the wagons on fire and they left. Lyra checked everyone to be sure no one was injured.

"That went well," Will said. But the five Guardians were suspicious.

"That was much too easy," Saren said. "There should have been more resistance than that."

Lyra nodded in agreement. All of the others had been heavily guarded and armed. This one had been lightly guarded. Suddenly, both Lyra and Saren stopped.

The Paladin's hand went to her sword. "Someone's out there," she whispered.

With their presence sensed, about twenty men emerged from hiding around them. Lyra swore loudly before jumping into action. Will and Lex retreated back to use their magic, the Druid knowing he was no match for seasoned soldiers. Lex could use her staff as a weapon, as she had a blade on the other end, although she preferred to use the magical end. But they outnumbered their small band. Six against twenty weren't the best odds.

"Will, stay behind us!" Lyra called.

Her sword flashed through the air, catching its target at the back of the neck and leaving a crimson trail flying through the air. She spun and kicked back the next one into a tangle of vines that suddenly appeared. The man screamed as he disappeared into the tangle. No matter how skilled her fellow Guardians were each one was sporting scarlet stains, including Lex, who'd had to use her melee skills to protect Will. Lyra felt the bite as a sword cut into her back. She screamed in surprise.

"Lyra!"

"Stay back, Will!"

This was going to call for drastic measures. She was going to have to call upon all of her magic, not just the small amount that she usually did. As much as she hated to, she was going to have to show how powerful she truly was. Lyra darted to the edge of the fray near the spellcasters and held her sword across her body with her palm against the blade. She said the rare spell that only the most powerful Paladins knew. And for good reason. The blade of her sword began to glow as she channeled her magic into it.

"Get behind me!" she called to the others.

All of them knew that she was a spellcaster but none of them knew about this. They retreated towards her, trusting she knew what she was doing. The soldiers gave chase. She held the sword, point up. With all her strength, she swung her sword, the spell flying out of her sword and towards their enemies. The spell expanded, catching several of their attackers and spraying blood. It acted as an extension of her sword but had the danger of draining her of her magical energy. Thus she didn't use it often and why only the most powerful Paladins were taught the spell. Lyra did this several times before their enemies lay dead. It was the most powerful spell they'd ever seen her use. Even the Wall of Stealth she'd used at Arlan's estate wasn't as powerful as this. She released her magic and panted from the loss of energy, thrusting her sword into the earth and bracing herself on her knees.

"What was that?" Saren asked, slowly. Lyra looked at her friends, all of them looking at her with the question in their eyes. She was relieved to see no fear. She sighed.

"A desperate measure," she finally said.

Both Aiden and Lex had suspicious looks on their faces. Lyra was sure Aiden had known all along that she was no ordinary guard and Lex could only suspect she was as powerful as that display just proved.

"I lied about my recruitment. To all of you. I was not some lord's guard. My father didn't beg the captain of that guard to take me in. Hell, my father wasn't even an assassin for another lord." She retrieved her sword, sheathed it and wobbly went over and sat on a rock. The others waited for her to continue. "Truth is, I'm a bastard myself. I don't even know who my father is or was and my mother is as good as dead to me. I'm a Paladin Captain. Or at least I was. That spell is only known to very few of us because of the amount of energy it requires to use."

Lex's eyes widened.

"That's why you stood up to the Paladins like you did," Will said.

"I was a superior officer. They seemed to realize that. I sought refuge among them and it was granted. First Knight Mathros Palini agreed to allow me to join their ranks."

"Why were you needing refuge?" Aiden asked.

Lyra rubbed the back of her neck. "Well...um..." She wasn't ready to tell them everything. "I was actually in a situation that was against my will." She paused again, debating on what to tell them. "I... I was supposed to be the one that tipped the country into civil war. If my willpower hadn't been as strong as it was, this war would have started sixteen years ago."

Aiden gave her an odd look and she hoped she hadn't said too much.

"I don't believe that," Saren said. She gave him a puzzled look. "That you were being forced to do something against your will."

"Magic is potent and there are some spells that leave the victim without any free will."

Will's eyebrows shot up. "Oh!" He knew what spell she was talking about. "How did you break the spell?"

"I was powerful enough to break it." She refused to say no more about it. "It's a part of my life I've been trying to forget and I wish to speak of it no more."

"How powerful are you?" Lex asked. "Obviously more powerful than I originally thought you to be."

"Powerful enough. We'll leave it at that."