Gates of Ruin (Magelands Eternal Siege, #6) by Christopher Mitchell (top 10 books of all time .TXT) 📗

circled one more time, then descended into a clear area of the vast yard. Aila slid and clambered down from Frostback’s shoulders and ran towards the heap of rubble. The charred and blackened bodies of the soldiers were spread across the remains of the tower, and she struggled up the slope. Corthie saw her, shouldered the Clawhammer and rushed down towards her. He scooped her up in his arms and held her close, the stench of death and ash filling the air around them. She didn’t care, her head buried into his chest as he held her tight. He kissed her face and her neck, then pulled back so he could gaze down into her eyes.

‘I was supposed to rescue you,’ he said; ‘and here you are, with three dragons.’

‘And Kelsey,’ she said; ‘your sister’s here too.’

‘You again?’ said Sable, as she reached them.

‘When we parted,’ said Aila; ‘did you know we’d meet here?’

‘I knew there was a fair chance. Sanguino’s a mile away; I need to go to him.’

Deathfang approached. He turned to Halfclaw. ‘Go, and fetch Sanguino. Remember his blindness, take it slowly, and guide him here.’

Halfclaw tilted his head. ‘Yes, my lord.’ He beat his blue wings and rose into the bright morning sky, then flew to the south.

Belinda walked down the slope and went to gaze at the place where the god had been consumed by flames. Corthie, Aila and Sable joined her.

‘Which one was it?’ said Corthie.

‘Leksandr,’ said Belinda. She glanced up at the two dragons. ‘You killed an Ascendant.’

‘Did we?’ said Deathfang. ‘The glory of this morning shall never be exceeded! An Ascendant!’

‘Don’t celebrate just yet,’ she said. ‘Old Alea is crumbling. Lostwell has only a few hours left to exist.’

‘What?’ said Aila.

‘The Second Ascendant has destroyed Lostwell,’ said Corthie. ‘Did you see the rest of Alea Tanton?’

‘We did, but… Lostwell… I can’t believe it. Why?’

‘Edmond hated Lostwell,’ said Belinda, ‘because Nathaniel made it.’

‘Has he gone?’ said Aila. ‘The Second Ascendant? Did he have a Quadrant? When the flames died down, there were only two gods there, not three.’

‘Yes,’ said Belinda. ‘The one who ran away on foot was Bastion. He also has a Quadrant; perhaps he’s on his way to collect it now.’

‘We need to find him before he does,’ said Aila; ‘otherwise… otherwise, what happens next?’

‘We all die,’ said Sable.

Kelsey joined them. ‘I have a dragon,’ she said, her eyes glowing; ‘did you hear? Brother, it’s good to see you and everything, but I have a dragon!’

Aila frowned. ‘Not for long, it seems. Lostwell is in the process of being obliterated. We have hours to live.’

Kelsey staggered back a step. ‘What?’

‘We still have the Sextant,’ said Sable; ‘it’s our last chance.’

They returned to the mountain of rubble, and enlisted Frostback to assist with clearing the boulders and broken masonry from around the Sextant. Despite the collapse of the tower, it appeared to be without a single scratch.

‘How’s it supposed to work?’ said Kelsey, as they gathered round it.

‘Belinda’s sword,’ said Sable; ‘that’s the key. It has to be inserted somewhere into the mechanism, and then, I guess, it activates.’

Kelsey frowned. ‘A sword?’

Belinda drew the Weathervane. ‘This.’

‘There are lots of places where it could fit,’ said Kelsey, as she crouched by it.

‘I know,’ said Belinda. ‘We’ve tried more than a dozen.’

Kelsey extended her hand. ‘May I?’

Belinda handed her the weapon hilt-first, and the young Holdfast woman took it.

‘Excuse me,’ said Sable, glancing up; ‘my dragon’s here.’

She scrambled back down the slope, passing Frostback, who was watching the Sextant closely, and reached the bottom as Sanguino descended. Halfclaw was only yards from him as he flew, and they landed together.

Sable ran up to the dark red dragon, just as Sanguino opened a forelimb, releasing Van from his grip. The former mercenary collapsed to his knees, and Sable reached out a hand and helped him up.

‘More dragons?’ he gasped.

Sable pointed at the heap of rubble. ‘There’s a young woman up there whom I believe you are looking for.’

Van squinted. ‘Kelsey?’

‘Yes. And see that silver dragon close by? Whatever else you do, I recommend that you are very polite to her. She and Kelsey have bonded.’

Aila watched from the top of the heap as Van hurried towards them.

Kelsey hefted the Weathervane as she peered into the mechanism. ‘What about this side? Have you tried here?’

‘No,’ said Belinda, ‘not yet.’

‘Kelsey!’ cried Van, as he reached the top of the heap.

She raised a finger. ‘One moment, Van; I’m concentrating.’

The former mercenary looked a little disappointed, but said nothing, and they all watched as Kelsey slotted the dark-bladed sword into the side of the Sextant.

‘Nope,’ she said, trying another place; ‘nope, nope, nope.’ She tried a fifth position, halfway up the side. She pushed the sword in, and the Sextant began to emit a low hum. She glanced up, and winked at Belinda.

‘Everyone, stand back,’ said Belinda. She approached the device and stretched out her hand towards it. She slid one finger under the glass panel on the top of the Sextant, and lifted the entire device clear of the ground. She laughed, then placed her palm onto the surface of the device, her eyes closing.

‘Is it working?’ said Aila.

Belinda nodded, as a tear slid down her cheek. ‘I can sense… everything; everywhere. I can see the endless plains of the Holdings, where horses are running over the grass, and I can see the Great Fortress in Plateau City, and the Empress.’ The tears came quicker, and Belinda’s head fell a little. ‘I’m sorry, Bridget, for all the pain I caused you. I can also see the City of Pella,’ she went on, ‘and all of the empty spaces in the Bulwark. The greenhides bodies have gone, but so have the Scythes. And, I can see other worlds too, many other worlds, including Dragon Eyre.’

‘This Sextant made Dragon Eyre?’ said Sable, who had returned to the top of the heap.

‘Yes, but not by Nathaniel, by another hand, many long millennia ago. I can also see Lostwell. There is no