Fulcrum of Light (Catalyst Book 2) C.J. Aaron (unputdownable books .TXT) 📖

The impact was deafening. A single panel of the gate buckled inward at the middle, severing the thick support beam behind it. The large wooden door split from its hinges, bending the heavy metal in the process. Free from the wall, the large wooden panel launched into the interior of the complex. Ryl heard the screams as the guards on the other side were tossed helplessly by the slab and splinters of wood.

Ryl was through the gate before the last piece of wood had struck the ground. The bodies of half a dozen guards tumbled painfully among the shrapnel strewn across the small courtyard. The area behind the wreckage of the gate was narrow, stretching the entire length of the complex.

There were three buildings inside the gate. A stable sat along the left wall, while the entrance to the main facility was straight ahead. A modest building along the right wall served as the barracks for the guard currently serving the facility. Aldren’s wagon remained motionless in the center of the courtyard, though the merchant was absent.

Parked along the side of the stable was a black carriage that sent a shiver down his spine. He recalled every moment of his trip inside a similar, sweltering, putrid-smelling cell. The anger swelled in him at the sight.

To his left, a staircase ran up the exterior of the outer wall. The archers had turned as fast as they could, desperately striving to train their arrows on him. His movements were a blur to their wide eyes. Their attempts, though valiant, were futile.

Ryl wanted no more bloodshed. This wouldn’t be a fight; this would be a massacre. The thought sickened him.

He counted fifteen soldiers standing at arms along the wall, seven with bows. All of the archers and all but one of the soldiers stood between him and his friend. Andr struggled to rise. He'd reclaimed his sword, admirably fending off an attack from the single, determined guard that remained between him and the gatehouse.

Ryl took the steps in two bounds; he ducked and weaved through the line of guards with little regard for their heartfelt attempt to prevent his approach. As he passed, the shimmering green blade of his weapon passed through the taut arms of the bows, scorching the wood as it severed it in half. The now useless pieces of the weapons snapped back. The archer’s arrows careened off at drastic angles, destined to fall harmlessly to the ground.

He reached his friend’s side as the guard readied for another vicious strike. Andr, still pinned under the limp body of the dead guard was in a hopeless position. One last burst of speed pushed Ryl past the solitary guard to the wall of the gatehouse. Without slowing, he planted both his feet on the stone of the wall, pushing back in the direction he’d come. His body went airborne as he extended his legs toward the back of the unprepared guard.

As his feet caught the guard in the center of his back, Ryl kicked out with all his might. The unprepared guard careened over Andr, tumbling once before crashing into his companions, who were still bunched along the narrow walkway of the wall. The guard’s sword clanged harmlessly to the ground, sparking as it skipped along the rock.

Ryl landed on his feet, facing the guards with a menacing look. He let go his hold of the speed. His cloak snapped out before him as the world resumed its normal pace. Outside the wall, Kaep stood like a statue, the Vigil at her side, their bows trained on the wall. Inside, Ramm stood at the base of the stairs, tapping the shaft of his warhammer on his hand. Ryl slowly, purposefully reached his right hand behind his back withdrawing the second half of the Leaves. His lips curled into a wicked snarl that was disturbingly visible from under the shadow of his hood.

The clang of their swords hitting the stone resounded through the courtyard as the guards wisely abandoned their weapons.

Chapter 54

After relinquishing their weapons, the guards were rounded up with ease. The Vigil and the villagers who’d accompanied them stood guard while they hastily tended to their wounded comrades. A brief interrogation of the ranking officer assured them that all guards were accounted for. The facility maintained a single team of seven Lei Guard on permanent reserve and those had left with haste as the phrenics had appeared within the village. Ryl confirmed this with a scan of the area. The guards swore that they would find no resistance within the facility as none other than a team of three menders resided inside.

Andr winced in pain, limping along at Ryl’s side as they walked with the phrenics toward the entrance to the main facility. Dav had quickly dressed the slash on his leg, and the mercenary expectedly ignored the suggestion to rest. Aldren was still nowhere to be seen, though the guards had reported last seeing the merchant entering the main building.

Wary of a surprise attack, Ryl cautiously tried the handle of the door, unsurprised to find it locked. He knocked quietly. Only silence returned his call. The exterior of the wide building was constructed entirely of stone, save for the wooden door. No windows broke the monotony of the drab exterior.

“Ramm,” Ryl said. “The door again, if you please.”

The phrenic nodded as he stepped forward. His swing was delicate compared to the one that had brought down the previous gate. The pointed hook of the reverse side of the hammer punched through the wooden door. With one fluid motion, he tore the door outward, shaking the wooden slab from his hammer as if it weighed nothing.

Inside, a long, yet shallow room stretched out to either side. A pair of long tables dominated the space, and an alley between them led to another closed door. The plates on the table still contained scraps of uneaten food, as if a meal had been