Flying 111

Thirty guards in all emerged from the wagons, including Anax. They split into two groups. Seven from the second and third wagons advanced to join Anax and fight with Crito. Fourteen ran for the forth wagon to join with the eight from that wagon. Some of the larger guards pulled a pole like structure from its open back door. The others climbed to the top of the wagon and were handed the pole structure which they placed along side the ladder. Both the ladder and the pole reached the overlook window. The two lead wagon guards were already climbing the ladder quickly.

From all open windows came a fuselage of arrows. Some of the guards from the wagons had their shields up to cover themselves and the two smaller guards who were stabilizing the ladder and pole in place. The wagon guards formed a kind of shield tortoise to defend themselves from the hail of arrows. Two bowmen began to fire arrows back at the Keep guards in the windows. Nevertheless, many Keep arrows found their mark. The Keep armor they wore was strong and durable, but not enough to prevent penetration of well aimed arrows from a short distance. But, the armor was strong enough to prevent complete penetration. Arrows began to protrude from unshielded places in the armor: legs, thighs and openings that happened by mistake. Those who had backs exposed even for a second or two drew many arrows. The wagon guards began to look like walking pincushions. And, the arrows had their effect. The movement of the wagon guards was slowed. But, not enough. There was determination and purpose in their efforts.

(to be continued)

Flying 112

Terra heard an urgent shout from Crito. �Close the number five window, now!� She looked at the Keep window guards who had been firing down on the wagon guards who were climbing the ladder. The closest Keep guard reached over to a long steel lever with a red handle, pulled it down, and a large plate of steel began to rumble along iron guides quickly across the open window from its edge. It looked like the plate would make it to close off the opening, but the pole which extended in through into the corridor suddenly shot out steel rods fastened to its top in the form of the skeleton of an umbrella. The steel plate smashed against it, groaned as it tried to bend flat the steel rods, then locked into place. Open.

(to be continued)

Flying 113

Terra and Noesis had tried everything to get back in the secret passage. They had even risked being hit by hidden traps in their haste. Nothing worked and they had set off one spear trap which Noesis had guessed would probably be in exactly the place it was. Noesis had guessed where it was and what it would do; they had dodged it. Even in the fury of haste, Terra marveled at Noesis� capability to think under extreme duress. No question; he was good to be with. They turned quickly when the screeching stop of the window plate gave them a warning that real trouble was about to reach them.

Everywhere they could hear the sounds of raging battle, and the sounds were getting closer and closer. The crashing symphony of sword against shield, giving off deafening bangs of steel in distress from the force of the blows. Cries of pain from wagon guards as they were hit by arrows. The grunts of the Keep guards as they pulled back their strong bows to release their arrows on friends they had once known. The smell of fear sweat, fresh blood and vomit. It was a circus of terror.

Despite the pain, the blood which flowed freely from cuts where the razor sharp blades had penetrated the armor far enough to begin to ravage skin and muscle, the wagon guards fought on under the relentless control of the Wisps. They gave anguished, screeching cries, like the wails of dying horses, as they pressed further up the ladder. Living puppets, driven by a force that was not their own, but that of a will to power. They were but expendable pawns to be used and cast away on the battlefield when used up. Though the courtyard was a melee of confusion, tearing sounds as arrows penetrated armor, swirling dust, and screams, the horses remained stationary. They were trained not to move unless commanded. A paradox of stillness in a tornado of action.

(to be continued)

Flying 114

The first armored head of a wagon guard came through the jammed open window, shield in cover position, sword in the lead. The Keep guard on the right side smashed his sword on the wagon guard�s shield drawing his attention. As the intruder turned to strike at the Keep guard, the other Keep guard on the left struck a terrible blow on the top of the intruder�s helmet sending him back through the window to fall spiraling from the ladder to the ground. He hit with a sickning thud, gave a few gasps, and died. The Wisp tentacle slithering its way from his nostrils. But, no sooner than the one had fallen, two intruders poked through each facing a Keep guard. As the Keep guards engaged in battle, a third intruder came through between the two fighting intruders. He engaged the Keep guard on the right, making the odds two to one.

Terra did not hesitate. Her hand went to the quiver in a flash, took the arrow, notched it, she drew back full length and let the arrow fly. It hit the new intruder precisely at the seam of helmet and neck guard, penetrating a full two inches. A master shot. The intruder dropped his sword and reached for the arrow in his throat. He could not move it and clearly was in pain as he tried in vain to release the pressure from the arrow, for it was slicing his neck, arteries and windpipe with each move he made. He gave one last pull, staggered back in a futile motion to move away from the arrow that was penetrating his throat, then fell sideways on the stone floor with a gurgling sound. For a second, Terra thought that she saw a thin, hardly visible, whisper of blue smoke release from his nostrils. As it left, the intruder�s eyes went from cataract blue, to a dark natural brown, though without motion or vitality, for death had come in a bloodletting horror. There was a loose Wisp tentacle somewhere around in the corridor. She and Noesis must be absolutely careful to ensure the integrity of their armor.

(to be continued)

Flying 115

No sooner than he fell, two other wagon guards climbed through the opening. The Keep guard on the left of the window was still doing battle with the wagon guard that had already entered. The battle was fierce. Terra could see the strike marks on the armor of both, and combat fatigue setting in. She knew that the Wisp would cause the wagon guard to fight until there was nothing left but to drop dead from fatigue and injury. That was an advantage for the wagon guard.

The Keep guard on the right had seen the two new wagon guards and backed towards Noesis and Kinesis while fighting. The Keep guard on the left was fighting desperately and had retreated slightly towards the other side of the corridor. Terra was about to let fly a second arrow when she heard Noesis.

�Don�t shoot until I am there. I will draw the new ones off towards me so that you can have a good face shot at one of them.� Before Terra could stop him, he ran forward. The two new wagon guards saw him and turned to do battle. One of them must have known Noesis for he screamed, �Noesis, you die, you die now!� They rushed pass the Keep guard on the right, who was fully engaged and came straight on for Noesis, the blue cataract stare over barred teeth which streamed the foam of crazed terror.

(to be continued)

Flying 116

Noesis ran forward and met them head on so that Terra could have a straight on shot at the one most open. But, the wagon guard to Noesis� left must have seen Terra in the background. As the two crashed into Noesis, shields up and swords swinging, he faked a second swing at Noesis and went for Terra. The other wagon guard smashed his sword at Noesis� head so that Noesis could not see the move for Terra. It was a powerful blow and sent Noesis crunching back against the wall. Another blow came and Noesis parried it off with his shield and struck at the guard�s right knee with the thick part of his blade. It was a crippling blow for it hit where arrows from other Keep guards had penetrated as the wagon guard had climbed the ladder. The guard went down on his right knee, but thrust up his sword at Noesis. His move enabled him to get his sword underneath Noesis� shield. With a furious jerk, he wrenched back his sword bringing with it Noesis� shield. Noesis made a futile attempt to grab the shield, but he could see that the wagon guard was waiting for that try with his sword in place for a hit to the arm.

Noesis was in dire trouble.

(to be continued)

Flying 117

Without a shield, he would be too vulnerable to continue battle. His only move was to get out of reach of the crippled wagon guard and regain his shield. But, they had fought too close to the wall. His back was against it and to move laterally would be difficult. He would have to defend himself with his sword alone. Which in the long run would be a losing effort, unless he could manage to make a move while using his sword in an unexpected way.

Terra saw Noesis� predicament. It was only a matter of seconds before an endgame series of blows would come. She also saw the wagon guard bearing down on her. Death was coming fast for one of them. She had an arrow notched. Either the guard coming for her or the one fighting Noesis. �Not a good choice,� was the thought that flashed through her mind. She gritted her teeth.

(to be continued)

Flying 118

The blow came after a head feint. Noesis was barely able to parry it with the edge of his sword. He countered with a blow to the stomach area, but the wagon guard�s shield was there to intercept. With a quick shove, the guard pushed his shield and with it, Noesis� sword to the side. He drew back his sword fully to ram it home into Noesis unprotected midriff. Noesis could see it coming. It would be a bad stomach wound. With his armor badly penetrated, if there were Wisp tentacles around, he would become a conscious zombie, fighting badly wounded against his loved ones of the Keep. He reached frantically toward the tip of the sword with his right hand. He knew that it was a desperate chance that he may be able to deflect the blow, but he had to try. If he could, maybe he could bring his sword back into play.

Time seemed to freeze in a morbid snapshot. The cataract bluish doom stare of the wagon guard seemed to reach out and lock into Noesis� mind. The guard�s mouth in a rigid snarl, lips curled in the twisted Wisp joy of inflicting breech in the armor and possessing another victim. The wall seemed to curve around Noesis, pressing against the back of his armor, preventing escape. He saw himself reflected in the shield of the wagon guard and the realization that he was about to die was a metal, acid taste in his mouth. Worse, that he could become a Wisp agent was a horror that brought his stomach to a twisted knot. He would make certain that he would die from concussion blows, not from his armor being penetrated and becoming a Wisp agent.

(to be continued)

Flying 119

The wagon guard started to strike, but stopped. Noesis held his concentration on the tip of the blade. the point of which was pointed at his stomach. In that moment of hesitation by the guard, Noesis swept the front of the blade aside with his left hand and struck downward with his sword with all his might, putting his whole body in the effort so that his feet lifted off the floor on impact. There was a terrible crushing bang as his sword bashed into the helmet and the guard fell over in a dead crumple. Noesis saw the bluish smoke like steam come from the guard�s nose as the Wisp tentacle left the body and the guard�s face relaxed into the peaceful sleep of death.

In that quick moment of reprieve, Noesis thanked his lucky stars that his strategy had worked. He wondered why the guard had hesitated. Then, he saw why. There was a perfect arrow strike in the right eye of the guard. The shot could not have been off by a fraction of an inch to have done the damage that it was meant to do. It was a perfect shot. The guard had been dead before his blow had struck. Only one person could do a bow shot like that. Terra.

(to be continued)

Flying 120

Terra knew that her shot had been true. She had taken the time to wait for the right split second to release her arrow. She saw the arrow fly to its mark and the guard hesitate enough by the strike for Noesis to use his sword. Noesis would make it.

Her attention sprang back to the oncoming attack. Just as she turned her eyes to the charging wagon guard who had been out of her aiming vision, he struck. She managed to bring her right arm up to wield off the blow. Her arm shield sprang open, but it was not enough to fend off the terrible impact. She was knocked to her knees. The pain in her arm was as though her arm had been run over by a caravan wagon. She rolled quickly to her left and just in time. A second blow smashed against the stones leaving a spray of sparks where she had been. In a crouch, she scurried over to the wall and turned to face her attacker. He paused, pulled his shield over his sword hand, seemed to do something, then sprang forward, leading with his shield. When he reached Terra, she braced for another attack. She tried to run, but the guard was faster. He bashed against her with his shield, knocking her completely to the ground. She crawled over to the wall to have her back up against it and defend herself as would a cornered cat. She could not get to her quiver, as it had jammed behind her back against the wall. The guard took two quick steps and stood, towering over her. The blue cataract eyes gleamed with the delight of a wolf watching a rabbit make its last moves. He slowly raised his sword while the frothy dribble oozed from the corners of his crazed smile.

(to be continued)

Flying 121

But, instead of bringing his sword down in a crushing blow, the wagon guard held the top of his shield against his side by lowering his sword arm and putting his shield between his arm and body. He quickly reached for a packet on the back of the shield, opened it and threw the contents on Terra�s front visor. It was a black powder that covered her visor and stuck like paint. She was blinded. She pushed out with her legs to sweep the guard off his feet, but only one foot hit and the guard knocked it aside with his sword. He put his shield and sword to the side. Reaching to his beltline, he pulled out a long dagger. He bent towards Terra�s helmet. Though she was thrashing violently, he could detect the movements and avoid them. He took the top of her helmet bending her head back and exposing the vulnerable joining line between the helmet and the neck armor. It would be over in a quick moment.

(to be continued)

Flying 122

Terra flailed away with her arms and tried to use her bow as a staff weapon. All to no avail. The guard bent closer and put the tip of the dagger right at the seam point of the joint. He gave a strong steady push. Nothing happened. Terra reached for his hand, but he pushed it away, though he had to use considerable effort. He grunted and made guttural growls in the effort. He put the knife blade point back on the spot where he had started his push to penetrate. Terra�s hands locked around his to force it to the side. He put all his weight against the knife and wiggled it back and forth so that the blade would worm its way through the armor. There was a sudden give and the knife penetrated an inch. He twisted it to make a larger hole. Then he quickly removed it. Terra reached her right hand to cover the hole. But, it was too late. The bluish trails of light fog of a Wisp tentacle could be seen sliding into the hole.

(to be continued)

Flying 123

Noesis looked to where Terra had been standing. He saw that a wagon guard had her on the floor and was stabbing her neck joint with a dagger. She had lost her bow and was jammed against a wall. She could not defend herself against his strength.

�Noooo!� cried Noesis and made a quick start to get to Terra. But, the wagon guard that had been fighting the Keep guard closest to him saw his movement and made a low slash with his sword to trip Noesis up. Noesis went down, twisting violently to bring his sword and shield around. And just in the nick of time, as a second blow crashed against his shield. He lurched up with his shield to push the wagon guard�s sword back, then plunged forward with sword with all his might, the tip aimed at the midsection of the wagon guard. The blow staggered the foe and he lost his concentration on the Keep guard he was fighting. With a quick move, that Keep guard brought his sword around with a full swing hitting the neckline of Noesis� attacker. The blow was crippling. Clearly a neck and spinal injury. The guard dropped his shield and sword and tried to stagger to the wall. He fell against the stones and slid down them with a scraping noise. His fingers gave a last flicker tremble. He collapsed head first into a twisted jumble. A blue tentacle mist emerged from his nose and disappeared into the air.

Another wagon guard climbed through the opening and engaged the Keep guard nearest him. Out of the corner of his eye, Noesis thought that he saw three other wagon guards run to the inside wall. One of them did something to it with his sword handle, then they disappeared through a hidden door. The last wagon guard looked strange; he seemed to be carrying some sort of box like backpack. It happened all in a split second, so fast that it was almost a blur.

Noesis heard battle noises from Terra�s position. He wheeled around to run to help Terra. What he saw froze him to the spot.

(to be continued)

Flying 124

Terra was not fighting. She was standing, facing Noesis. She had flipped her visor back exposing blue cataract eyes, eyes that were focused as best they could on his heart. Wisp eyes. The wagon guard that had inoculated her with the Wisp tentacle leaned over to her and spoke something harshly, his spittle covering the side of Terra�s helmet. She reached back to her quiver, took an arrow, notched it and drew back. The aim was directly at Noesis. Frothy dribbles of blood came from her mouth as she chewed on her tongue and lips in agony. Bloody snot issued from her nose.

(to be continued)

Flying 125

Noesis knew that she could not miss from such a close distance. And the arrow would penetrate enough to enter his rib cage. It could kill him were he to move if it made it through his armor. Worse, it would allow a Wisp tentacle to enter if the innerlayer of the armor could not adequately seal around the arrow shaft. She would release soon, but would she go for his heart or another more vulnerable region, such as his neck. He tried to think as she was thinking. �I am aiming at the heart, but that is a sleight. I am really going for the neck. But, he knows that, so I should go either for the heart or the leg. He will move his shield to cover his neck. He could move it only half way and slump covering both neck and heart. I could get him anyway, more than likely, but a leg shot would be totally unexpected. The leg it will be.�

Noesis� right leg was extended towards Terra where it solidified in place when he saw that she was Wisp controlled. Terra, a Wisp zombie. He should never have left her alone. He should never have left her alone! What had he done?

(to be continued)

Flying 126

Terra drew to the release point. She was babbling words of incoherent anger and chewing her tongue, blood running freely down over the front of her lower jaw armor to make streaks of crimson on her neck and chest. The wagon guard barked harsh words at her that she understood but did not understand; yes, kill him, but try to kill yourself, too. Her body shook as a tree in a strong wind, but her aim never faltered. She knew where to strike.

�No, Terra. No! It�s me. Noesis,� he shouted with all his might.

Terra gasped, sucking back some of the bloody froth, to gag slightly so that it came out her nose. She paused, trembled. Looked at Noesis. Heard his pleading cry and the command from the Wisp. And released the arrow.

(to be continued)

Flying 127

�What is happening to me? Who is in my mind?� screamed Terra�s internal voice.

�I am,� said the Wisp. Your mind is mine, yet still yours. You may watch the actions I choose for you and your body to do.� He swirled through her mind as currents of air through trees.

She could remember the whoosh as her suit was penetrated. Then, the burning sensation in her nose. After that, for a second, she seemed to be outside her body watching herself lying on the floor with the wagon guard over her. She returned to her body, but there was more to her. There was a new thing in her mind. In her mind itself. She could hear it and sense it. It was like she was on display at a tournament and she was being watched, but she could not see the person watching.

There was a pain in her head, like drinking too much cold water too fast. Terra could sense the Wisp moving in her mind, probing for information to have it float up from her memory, grabbing ideas and thoughts and putting them together in the patterns it wanted. It was making the ideas happen in her mind. It was like something she had heard about of war veterans who would have other persons in their minds. �Is this what craziness is all about? Is this a loss of self? Or am I dead?� she thought. �No, I am Terra. I am alive, but infected by a Wisp. I will follow my own will. I will fight the Wisp�s will.�

(to be continued)

Flying 128

She tried to resist by thinking against the Wisp�s will. She told herself that she would not obey the surging impulse dictates of the sound in her head. She would will herself not to obey what it was doing or telling her to do in her mind. It was her mind. Her ideas to control.

�Fool of a thing you are to try to resist me,� said the Wisp. �I am the stronger will. Much, much stronger. You can only watch what I choose. You can think that you are choosing; it is not really happening. But, just to let you know that I am in control, I choose for you to chew on your tongue until the blood flows. Ah, yes, try to fight . Yes, good. Choose that your mouth will not move. Now, I tell you to grind your tongue between your back teeth. Taste yourself as you devour your body with my will�s choice. Fool. I gloat at your misery�

Terra�s tongue slid between her back teeth. They came down hard, tearing the tissue and causing blood to flow freely. The pain was terrible. Tears welled in her eyes.

�I will kill myself before I let you take me,� cried Terra in her mind.

�Go ahead and try,� replied the Wisp. The wagon guard gave a guttural laugh at her. He spoke, �Yes, I would like to see you try.�

(to be continued)

Flying 129

Terra reached back and to grab an arrow. She would notch the arrow, flip the bow backwards and release the arrow into her mouth. Her hand felt the feather guide of the arrow. She took it slowly from her quiver and notched it. She was ready to do a quick draw and release. Into her mouth. But when she tried to flip the bow, nothing happened. She watched as her arms drew the bow back to hold position. She willed her death. Nothing. Then she saw what the arrow was pointing at. It was aimed straight for Noesis� heart. She tried to lower the bow, but she could not. She struggled to stop breathing and faint, but she could not. All that she could do was to chew violently on her tongue. She had been doing that the moment the Wisp willed it, but had tried to tell herself that it was not happening. But, it was real. The salty goo of blood and fear spit ran over her teeth and down her chin. It slimed its way down the front of her armor. She was ravaging her own body at the will of the Wisp.

�Kill your friend.� The searing command came from the center of her mind. She heard it inside her head. Her mind was ablaze in ideas that she could not control, only watch or sense. The horror. It was blood freezing horror. She was in her mind as an observer, an observer of total loss of control. (to be continued)

Flying 130

Terra now knew the stranglehold of terror and hopelessness. She would kill her best friend. The Wisp would make her do it. Her true friend. The one she had these strange sensations about. If she could only die now. If she could only die now. She tried to swallow her tongue, but it would not happen. The Wisp just made her chew on it harder.

�This is good,� said the Wisp. �I can relish in your terror and despair. Strange, not any of the other Keep soldiers have given me these sensations. They are different. You must be some kind of new breed of Keep soldier. I will be all the more pleased with your sensations when you experience his death, the death that you have caused.�

The pain in Terra�s head was throbbing with each beat of her heart. If only her heart would explode and she would fall dead. �Let me die. Someone, kill me!� she cried out in her mind. Her mind was in shreds insides as a self. Yet it held the body in place, steady, the arm holding the drawn bow, no shudder or tremble. She could not even blink, not even a split second away from the image of Noesis� heart at the tip of her sighted arrow.

�I shall, but only after you watch yourself kill your friend and others of the Keep. I shall let you live to watch your own death as they finally kill you.�

(to be continued)