24. Rescue and Disaster.

They entered the dark area and stopped, looking around and trying to decide where to go.

"It’s unfortunate that he couldn’t be more specific." said Harold. "How are we going to find anyone in this place?"

As if in answer to his question they heard a voice.

"OW! You stupid cow! Why can’t you just behave."

"It’s not polite to abduct young girls for evil purposes. I don’t think you deserve anything. Thank you very much." said a very recognisable female voice.

"That's my girl." said Maria. "Come on it sounds like they are over here."

She began to run in the direction of the voices followed closely by the others.

"When I am finished here and have what I came for," Isling was saying, "I’ll have enough power to make anyone do what I tell them to."

"But don’t you worry." he said with a more menacing tone. "You won’t have to do anything I say, because you won’t be around much longer."

"You won’t get away with this." said Annie. "There are those who will come for me."

"You mean Maria?" said Isling.

Annie said nothing.

"I wouldn’t be counting on her or the others if I were you." he said. "They are long gone and not in a position to interfere."

"What did you do?’ asked Annie.

"Sent them far away into unknown woods. Who knows, they may have encountered a deadly creature and will never return. I don’t really care either way. Even if they do make it back, it will be too late to stop me."

"I wouldn’t underestimate Maria." said Annie. "She is a little more resourceful than people give her credit for."

"Even when you have a God on your side?" asked Isling.

"Yes." said Maria, as she step out into the clearing the two occupied. "Even with a God on your side."

Isling just stared open mouthed at all of them.

"Hi honey." said Annie. "What kept you?"

"Sorry dearest." she told her. "I was a little distracted. I’ll have you out of here in just a minute.

To Isling she said.

"Your biggest mistake was trusting Weivo, but your worst mistake was involving the people I love."

Isling recovered his composure.

"You still won’t be able to do anything." he said. "I still have backup plans."

He quickly pulled a vial from his pocket and threw it on the ground in front of the others. A Large smoke cloud erupted and when it cleared, there were a half dozen nightmare creature standing in front of them.

Their distorted faces with broken, missing or jagged teeth had horrific facsimiles of smiles on them. Some had several arms, and twisted bodies that still showed the sinew of well developed muscles. Others were small and wirery with sharp claws.

In your dreams they would terrorize you but could not ultimately hurt you. Here though it was a different story.

Before Maria could do anything though, she felt herself being picked up. she looked down to see that it was Paul.

"You take care of Isling." she heard Harold say. "we will take care of these creatures."

"Sorry about this." said Paul, as he threw her over the top of the creatures. She landed at the foot of the flat stone that Annie was tied to.

Quickly she got to her feet and turned to face Isling.

She saw that he was holding her sword and it was now fitted into another sword.

She presumed it to be the one he stole from the Unnameable but had very little time to verify this as he was bringing the blades down to pierce Annie.

Maria threw herself at Isling knocking him away from Annie and knocking the swords out of his hands.

Untangling herself from him she looked around and found the fused swords. She reached out to them and when her hand touched them, there was an audible click and her sword released itself from the other and slipped into her palm.

Her surprise was short lived when Isling pushed past her to take the other sword.

They scrambled to their feet and stood facing each other.

"It doesn’t matter whose blood gets on the swords as long as it is someone’s." said Isling. "Yours will do just as well."

"Let’s see if you are as good at getting it from someone who isn’t tied down." she said.

He lunged at her and she blocked it easily. The sound of the swords striking blended in with the sounds of the fighting happening at the outskirts of the clearing.

Maria spared a glance in that direction and saw that her friends were holding their own. They were hurt but no one seemed in too bad a shape. She turned and feigned a blow to her opponents head, moving at the last moment to strike at his chest, but he countered easily.

"Not bad." she told him.

"I’m no amateur." he said.

"True, but you are outnumbered. It might be better for you to give up now. When my friends have taken care of your creatures, you won’t stand a chance." she told him.

His response was to swing at her legs. She moved to block and ran her sword up his blade to take a slash at his stomach.

He dodged of to the side and spun round bringing the sword slicing down. She brought her sword up and braced. He was strong and the force nearly knocked her down.

This was her second fight that day and only his first. She would tire before he did. She had to do something quickly.

He swung at her side again but this time, instead of blocking, she let herself fall sideways landing on her hip, making it look like she had lost her balance. He was unable to pull the sword back in time.

From her near prone position she stabbed upwards with her sword, penetrating him just below the ribs and upwards. She felt it scrap bone as it exited out his back.

He looked down at her and then his eyes glazed over. She let go of her sword and shuffled away as he fell face down on the ground.

She got her breathing under control and looked around.

The others were just dispatching the last of the creatures.

Still short of breath, she asked, "Is everyone ok?"

"A little worse for wear but on the whole we are fine." answered Harold.

Annie cleared her throat.

"Hello. I am still tied up here." she said.

Laughing a little, Maria stood up and moved over to her.

"All right dearest." she said. "I’ll get you out."

She undid the ropes that bound Annie, who, when freed, threw her arms around Maria and kissed her. Maria leaned into the kiss. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, they broke off a little breathless.

"I knew you’d come for me." said Annie. "Thank you."

"Wild Athachs couldn’t keep me away." said Maria. "Literally."

Annie saw the others and ran to them giving them hugs and kisses.

"And thank you all as well." she said.

"You are very welcome." said Harold. "But, what do you say, we get out of here and go home."

"Good idea." said Maria. "I’ll just get my sword and we can go."

She turned back and stopped with a gasp.

"What is it?" asked Annie.

"My sword is gone." she said pointing to Isling.

He was now lying on his back and the wound could be seen but the sword that had made it was missing.

"Looking for this." said a voice of to the side.

They all turned to see a man wearing hunting clothes of dark browns and greens. His hair was in a long ponytail and his skin was the colour of bark. He stood there with a big smile that reached his near black eyes, with a bloodied sword in each hand.

"Weivo, I presume." said Maria.

"Correct." he answered. "And I would like to thank you for all your help."

"What help?" asked Maria.

"Helping with the sacrifice part of the ceremony." he said, still grinning. "Any blood will do, as long as both swords are dipped in the same one."

He put the two swords together. A light emitted from them and when it subsided, Weivo was holding the fused swords, only this time they had notches and groves cut into them.

"I thought you had to kill the sacrifice with both swords, for that to work." said Warren.

"Not exactly true." said Weivo. "As long as the sacrifice is killed here and the swords covered with the blood, you could use a rock to kill them for all I care."

In the rocks behind him a crack emerged.

"Now once I fit this into there, Fun will be had by all."

"You can’t do that.’ said Maria.

"Why not?" said Weivo. "My fellow Gods are getting a little too complacent. Time to shake things up, I think."

And as they watched. He brought the key towards the lock.