Chapter 12: Fight to the Finish
~Everything seemed to happen at once. The arc of the light linking Dalton and Princess Renesmee suddenly divided in two. With a rapid whooshing sound, both beams of light shrank and transformed into glittering silver swords in their hands. Dalton reacted immediately. With a triumphant shout, he held his weapon aloft and led the forest-folk and Rainbooms in a wild charge down the hillside.~
Ingeus took one look at the assault. "Attack them!" he screamed. "Don't let them get the princess. I want her taken alive!"
~He leapt forward to seize Renesmee. Lightning, seeing what was happening, reacted at once and lashed out with her feet from where she lay. The goblin stumbled and cursed. His face twisted with hatred.~
"Ulris, kill her!" he commanded.
~Instantly, the leader of the wolf pack leapt towards Lightning, his wild yellow eyes blazing and his terrible fangs glinting in the sunlight as he pounced for the kill.~
"Look out, Lightning!" Princess Renesmee cried.
~Mumble seemed to take ages working at the knots, but actually, it was only a matter of moments before the intrepid sprite succeeded. To Joskye's immense relief, his bonds fell away, and once they did, he sprang forward and faced the snarling wolf as Lightning scrambled to her feet. With a desparte twist of the body, he threw Lightning and himself to one side. The wolf's claws missed by millimetres and Joskye and Lightning felt the brush of fur against their faces. Renesmee joined them. Ulris' hackles rose, his eyes grew slant and every muscle tensed within his lean frame. The princess flicked a glance at the gleaming sword in her hand. It tingled in her grasp. Her heart thumped wildly. She knew one of them would have to die. They circled one another warily, all looking for the moment to attack. The wolf seemed to grow larger and more powerful in Princess Renesmee's eyes. Some terrine spirit glowered from within him and for a second her heart quailed. Ulris sensed it and seized his opportunity. Uttering a soul-destroying howl, he hurled himself at the princess's throat.~
"No!" screeched Ingeus. "I must have her alive!"
~He was too late. The wolf had leapt to kill. A huge shadow seemed to envelop the princess as she felt the full unearthly force of the wild wolf-spirit. She fell back and in one final, desperate gesture she thrust upwards with her sword. Then that blade, surely forged by the magic of Merrdom, and burning with a fiery light, plunged into the heart of the wolf. Ulris gave one last howl, twisted away and fell, to rise no more. Princess Renesmee lay panting on the ground. She looked at the sword then at the dead wolf. A tremor ran through her body as she thought of what might have happened. She wanted to cry, but there was no time for that. Lightning and Joskye were by her side, helping her to her feet. Dalton and his troops were upon their enemies, and already a fierce battle was raging all around them. At once, the princess found herself in conflict with a Zard, but his blade was no match for hers and he fell, mortally wounded. Joskye seized the dropped sword and he and Lightning began to fight alongside her. Altogether, they tried to slash their way through the enemy to where they could see Dalton's sword flashing in the sun. Meanwhile, Mumble had not been idle after he freed Joskye. He had released both Swift and Argie, but being unarmed the three of them stood in great danger.~
"Joskye! Girls! Help!" yelled Swift above the din of the battle.
~The Rainbooms turned at the sound of her voice and immediately began to fight their way across to their companions' defence. Yet they need not have worried, because at that very moment, two elves leapt to their aid, armed with fearsome battle-axes and crossbows. Behind them came a brave and defiant sprite with a scarred ear who cheered them on. The heat of the battle rose. Swords clashed and the cries of the warriors filled the air. Wolves hurled themselves into the fray, intent on avenging their leader's death. Zards thrashed their reptilian tails in deadly sweeps. Their combined forces outnumbered the brave forest-folk almost two to one but, urged on by Dalton, the woodland creatures stoutly stood their ground. Tig wove in and out among the foe. His sword thrusts were deadly and many a Zard regretted having confronted the fearless elf. A cry for help caught his attention. Fumble was in trouble. Inevitably, he had fallen and three Zards surrounded him, intent on his death. Tig leapt to his comrade's aid. His sword sliced through the air and one of the Zards fell.~
"That evens up the score a bit," he cried. "Come on, Fumble. On your feet."
~The sprite leapt up and together they enraged the two remaining Zards. It didn't take long to defeat them.~
"Thanks." puffed Fumble. "I thought I was done for just then."
"All in a day's work," Tig laughed. "Hey, there's Dalton! Look at that sword! Have you ever seen anything like it?"
~They watched for a moment. Dalton's gleaming blade seemed to crackle with fire, scarcely touching his adversaries before they fell. It looked as if nothing could stop him.~
"There's a wolf after Sunset," exclaimed Grumble who had joined them. "We'd better help, she's only got a club."
~They dashed to the fiery girl's assistance, but a deadly purple bolt from Twilight put paid to the wolf before they could reach her. Ingeus stood heavily defended by his guards, from where he continually shrieked orders to his troops. He suddenly noticed that up to now the pirates had held back from the fighting.~
"Come, you cowards!" cried the goblin. He pointed to the figure of Dalton. "A thousand pieces of gold to whoever kills that man! And two thousand to whoever takes the princess alive."
That did it. "Come on, me hearties!" cried Captain Sirt. "Let's kill these landlubbers! Slit their throats!"
~The band of brigands drew their knives and advanced into the fray, full of menace. Hardly had they started fighting when something happened that changed their minds completely. An awesome, multi-coloured laser cut through the air and they saw the mighty Rainbooms sweep into conflict. Huge diamond shields, conjured by Rarity, thrashed as they created havoc among Ingeus' gang. Fluttershy's eye was on the wolves, her fierce stare plunging into one wolf after another, bringing instant fear. The band of pirates halted in their tracks and hearts sank in the faces of these terrifying adversaries.~
"Come on, lads, let's get out o' 'ere!" shouted one of the pirates. "Never mind the gold. I want to keep me 'ead!"
"Hold yer ground!" Captain Sirt commanded his men, but the pirates had seen enough. As one, they turned and fled for their lives.
"Come back, you fools!" screamed Ingeus, but even he could not match the terror of the girls.
~Captain Sirt hesitated for a moment but realised everything was lost. He joined his fleeing crew. Nobody ever knew what happened to those cruel cutthroats. Rumour has it that their flight took them to the marshlands. It may be that the lands claimed the pirates as its victims, but whatever the truth, they were never seen again. The battle was turning in favour of Dalton and his companions. The remaining Zards and wolves were weakening under the onslaught. Soon, even the ones defending Ingeus had endured enough, In spite of his threats they fled the battlefield, though many could not outrun the vengeful arrows of the two elves. It was all over.~
"It's over, Ingeus." Applejack spoke up firmly.
"So, Surrender!" Argie ordered.
~The goblin remained silent. But, then, in the flash of an eye, he ducked down and a Zard behind him threw his blade ahead. It was aiming for Lightning, but in an act of sacrifice, Joskye threw himself forward and took the knife plunge into his chest instead. He fell down like a stone.~
"Joskye!" Lightning screamed.
"Joskye!" Swift followed on.
Argie gasped. "No!"
Lightning dropped to her knees. "He's unconscious. Joskye! Joskye! Wake up!" she lightly shook his shoulders.
"Oh no…" Tad gasped.
"Quick, we need to stop the bleeding!" said Sunset.
"Well, yeah, If we want him to live!" Rainbow replied.
"What are we going to do?" Swift cried in alarm. "He'll die!"
~Lightning tried at once to lift Joskye's head up on her knees but she found to her dismay that she could not do so. In minutes, he'll bleed to death. She motioned urgently for her friends to help, but what could they do? None of them have healing powers. Frantically, her fingers ran across his cheek. No one breathed a word as they gazed upon his pale, perfectly formed features. Swift thought Lightning must surely fall in love with him at once. His skin was becoming whiter.~
"I don't think he's breathing," gasped Argie. "Do something quick!"
Lightning could only stare helplessly. "I…I..."
"Lightning, kiss him." urged Swift. "That's what they do in all the fairy tales."
Lightning gave her a puzzled look. "Okay, First of all, it's supposed to be the other way around. Second of all, I'm not gonna kiss a corpse. Third of all, I'm not a princess and he is not a prince. Fourth of all, and finally, he's not in a magical deep sleep; he's been slashed, so how is a kiss going to work?"
"Oh, just do it, Lightning!" Rainbow cried.
~Lightning sighed, but bent down and gently kissed Joskye's cold lips. She made it last for a few seconds, then stopped. They watched anxiously for signs of life. Nothing happened. He continued to grow even more white.~
It was then that Twilight had another flash of inspiration. "The ring!" she cried. "Use the ring!"
~Dalton took the ring from his finger and handed it to Lightning. She touched it to Joskye's lips, and she kissed him once more for good luck and hope. She felt love. She felt her cheeks spread pink and butterflies in her stomach. She wished Joskye would be alright. The ring glowed and at once, Joskye showed signs of life and began to breathe. The blood gushing out of his chest stopped and his wound magically stitched back up. Slowly, whiteness disappeared and his cheeks began to colour, first pale, and then a delicate flush of pink.~
"He's alive! Joskye lives!" Dalton cried.
~A great cheer arose from all the people and creatures gathered around. Lightning peered anxiously at his face. His eyelids fluttered for a moment- and then they opened. To her immense joy, his face broke into a radiant smile.~
"Lightning…" He whispered. "I always knew you loved me."
~She blushed and nodded. For a moment, she was so overcome with emotion that she had no words to say. Joskye took her by the hand before he leaned forwards. Lightning was about to do the same, until she noticed the crowds' eyes staring at them with big cheeky grins.~
"So, are you two gonna kiss again or what?" Argie smiled.
Lightning drew back. "Not in front of the young ones…" she answered at the fourth wall.
~And with that, she helped Joskye up and returned Dalton's ring.~
As the two stood up, Tig found himself next to Lightning and Joskye. "Just like old times," he laughed. Joskye grinned and wiped the sweat from his brow.
"You were fantastic." raved Argie as he, his sister and the Rainbooms joined them.
"I really thought Ulris or Ingeus had got you." said Swift, putting her arm around Joskye's waist. "I'm glad he hadn't."
Joskye smiled. "So am I!" he said with feeling. He looked towards Princess Renesmee. "Still, it's done now. They're all dead."
"Except for Ingeus," said Argie. "Look, Dalton and Renesmee have got him."
~The Rainbooms, the Whites and Tig picked their way through the fallen bodies to where Dalton and the princess stood with their captive. The goblin was sullen.~
"Well done, all of you." said Dalton. "You have shown great courage."
"Yes," said a grateful Princess Renesmee. "If you hadn't been here I would have lost everything. I really don't know how to thank you enough."
The teenagers felt a bit sheepish all of a sudden. "Oh, it was nothing really," Lightning muttered.
"Nonsense." Dalton declared. "Once more you have come to our aid. Merrdom be praised for sending you."
"Hear, hear," piped a small voice.
"Hello, Mumble." said Dalton. "You too have done well. You were very brave to go into the enemy camp like that. I am proud of you, my friend." The sprite mumbled something in reply. The others laughed. Dalton nodded appreciatively before asking Tig, "Are many of our folk wounded?"
The elf looked around. "Very few, I think, sir, but I'll go and check."
Everyone turned their attention to the defeated goblin. "So," Dalton said, "This is where it ends…and not before time, either." Ingeus scowled. Dalton scanned the battle field, and turned back to Ingeus. His tone was severe when he spoke. "None of this would have happened if it were not for your insane greed. And to what end? The Sodal Marble would have done you no good, for it was never destined to be yours. You were doomed to fail, and fail you have." Dalton gave a deep sigh. "You are finished, Ingeus. Unless, perhaps, you are able to renounce your desire for the jewel."
~This was too much for the defeated goblin. A rattling sound emerged from his throat and his bony hands clenched and unclenched, as a final madness came over him. He stared at Princess Renesmee and his eyes bulged wildly. The Sodal Marble around her neck radiated its blue fire, more beautiful than ever before. The crazed Ingeus seemed to be hypnotised by it's splendour.~
"No! I have come too far! I must have it!" he screamed. "Give it to me! Give it to me!"
~Before anyone could stop him, Ingeus stumbled towards the princess and with one last, desperate cry he flung himself upon her. She gasped as his greedy fingers closed about the jewel. With a savage wrench, he tore the Sodal Marble from her neck and staggered away, clutching his glowing prize.~
"...It's mine!" he gloated. "The Sodal Marble is mine at last!"
~Everyone was stunned by his sudden action. Princess Renesmee could only stare, horror-struck. She clutched at her throat and a terrible feeling of foreboding came over her. At once, Dalton went for the goblin but the evil creature turned on him.~
"Do not touch me!" he snarled. "You were mistaken! You, and your friends. Nobody can stop me...aargh!"
~Ingeus screamed as white smoke began to pour from between his fingers. His face contorted and his body writhed in agony. Desperately, he tried to fling the Sodal Marble from him, but found he couldn't. It seemed stuck to his hand. The smoke gave way to a brillant blue light, which dazzled the eyes of the onlookers. They heard a long, final wail of despair from the goblin, then a dull thud. The light faded and there on the ground lay Ingeus, the Sodal Marble by his side. He was dead. In the silence that followed, a mourningful howl sounded from the north. Everyone spun around to see what it was. To their dismay, they saw the twisted, grey funnel of a whirlwind racing across the waste plains. They were right in its path! A sense of cold, hard evil filled the rushing air.~
"Merrdom's work!" muttered Dalton.
~He strode forwards to where the Sodal Marble lay and touched its broken chain with the tip of his sword. There was a hiss and a bright spark. In an instant the chain was restored- but Dalton did not dare to pick it up. Instead, he turned to his sister. Princess Renesmee seemed to be in a trance. She stared wide-eyed at the fast-approaching whirlwind.~
"Renesmee!" shouted Swift. "Pick up the Sodal Marble! Quickly!"
~She gave the girl a hefty shove that sent her staggering towards it. The princess gazed at the dead goblin and the marble. Everyone waited with bated breath. What would she do? The whirlwind was almost upon her.~
~For an agonising moment, Renesmee hesitated. Then, making her decision, she stooped to pick up the Sodal Marble. To everyone's relief she replaced it about her neck, and smiled. The whirlwind died down almost instantly, and with it an eerie whisper. What remained of the funnel of debris reached them, but instead of going for the princess, it hovered over the dead goblin. They all watched in awe as green smoke streamed upwards from his body.~
~Moments later, the small whirlwind sped away northwards. All that remained on the ground was an empty black robe.~
"Whew! That was close!" gasped Joskye.
"You're telling me!" Swift retorted.
Dalton and the princess were silent, until Renesmee said quietly, "I think I feel safe at last."
"I think so, too." Dalton grinned, and they both laughed. Everyone else soon joined in.
"Hey, where's Lightning?" Pinkie asked. "Did she just leave to find the way home?"
"I don't think so." Sunset answered, her face glued up towards the sky. "Look."
~They didn't have to wait long. The raccoon girl came swooping back, carrying something in her arms, which she dropped at Dalton's feet.~
"Found him circling us from up there." she spoke to him coldly.
"Ah," said Dalton. "Renesmee, come and see this."
The princess turned. "Crow!" she exclaimed. The limp bird groaned as he looked up at the princess, his black feathers were an utter mess. She eyed him sternly. "You're a traitor, Crow. You have betrayed me. You have caused much suffering both to my friends and myself. You are nothing but an evil servant!"
~Lightning towered over the beaten up bird. She waited to deal the death blow to the treacherous creature, but Princess Renesmee held up a restraining hand.~
"Go to your masters," she commanded. "Tell them that Renesmee lives, and she lives to serve Merrdom." Crow nodded meekly. Princess Renesmee continued. "As for you, you are banished forever from our kingdom. Should you ever dare return, you will be hunted down without mercy. Now, leave at once!"
~The last anyone saw of Crow was a small black dot disappearing into the north. Lightning's keen eyes and ears never left him until he passed over the distant mountains.~
~An hour later, The Rainbooms, Joskye, Swift and Argie, together with Princess Renesmee and Dalton, found themselves back at Lord and Lady Tad's cottage. Tad was delighted to hear of 'the successful outcomes of the matters' as he put it.~
"But, tell me, Princess." he inquired. "What made you decide to keep the Sodal Marble after all?"
"You know, I'm not really sure myself." she answered thoughtfully. "You see, the news of who I really am- I mean was- came as a great shock. I honestly didn't know what I would do when I met Ingeus. I suppose it was when he seemed to turn. I knew I couldn't resist and I was about to obey him." She turned to smile at the Rainbooms and the Whites, Lightning and Joskye specifically. "That's when everyone, especially Lightning and Joskye, so bravely came to my help." They fidgeted awkwardly as she continued. "I knew then that I had real friends: people who were loyal, generous, honest, funny and kind, people who would even risk their lives for me."
"Those are the ways of Merrdom." Tad murmured, with a smile.
"And the magic of friendship." Sunset added.
Princess Renesmee nodded. "I know that now." she said. "But there's something else, too. It dawned on me that if I gave in to Ingeus, I would have become like him. I would have turned evil if I lost the Sodal Marble. Suddenly, I saw what that really meant. I would have to kill the Rainbooms to prove I was truly following him…and that would have been just the beginning."
"I'm glad you didn't do that!" gasped Fluttershy with relief.
"So am I." she replied with a wan smile.
"Wasn't that horrendous though?" Swift added. "The way he died?"
"Ingeus was destroyed by his own greed," said Dalton. "But, he very nearly got his chance. I don't think any of us expected that whirlwind. You did well." Everyone smiled.
"I felt so exposed, it was so…" began Princess Renesmee.
"Well, that's all in the past." Tad interrupted gently. "Now, what's next?" he glances in Dalton's direction.
"I think we must get my sister back to Asteral as soon as possible," he answered. "Our parents will be very concerned and we should not delay."
"Ooo! Can we come too?" Pinkie asked.
"And us?" Joskye added. "We've never been to Asteral."
Dalton smiled. "But of course! Indeed, it is a high time I paid to visit myself. We shall journey together."