Book 3 Chapter 37

Time passed slowly as Tirr and Torvus waited after watching Silk enter the underground fortress in front of them. Tirr kept his eyes on the walls, and most importantly, the large iron door that blocked the entrance. From what Raife had told him it was a piece of steel more than 3 feet thick... An extravagance that only the Council could afford, a symbol of their superiority and strength.

There were more than enough ways around it, but Tirr had decided to challenge it directly, refusing Raife and Tess’s advice. He wanted something big to draw attention and hopefully give Silk the chance to get the children to safety. And if nothing else… To show the remaining members of the Confederation who it was they had angered.

Ten minutes after Silk had gone in Torvus turned toward him and smiled at him, “Well I’m off boss, try not to have too much fun…” He gave a final wave as he headed off, talking to Raife as he went.

Tirr just snorted, watching as Torvus went and joined some of Raife’s men as they slipped into the shadows. Now Tirr had to wait again, though he knew the time was near. He sat closing his eyes as he felt for his Blessings.

They stood out in his mind as he felt them course through his body… The burning heat of the Blessing of Fire, The cool stream of the Blessing of Water, and most of all the all-healing light of the Blessing of Life. He readied all three, pushing his concentration to the limit as three images appeared brightly in his mind.

As he focused on the images, the air around him started to whisper. On one side, fog and mist collected itself, condensing as it formed the familiar little rain cloud. It spun happily, pleased at being summoned once more.

On the other side of Tirr, the air wavered as the temperature rose rapidly. finally, it sparked into a flame that grew and shaped itself as it solidified. What emerged was a small lizard looking creature with tiny wings and a large head. Its wings flapped frantically as it seemed to steady itself.

As the two aspects settled, the last, a pair of white wings, slowly spread from Tirr’s back. He let out a deep breath slowly opening his eyes. He winced slightly, the pressure of having four strains of thought in one mind making him stop briefly. It would have been unbearable for any human, but Tirr simply shook off the light headache it caused as he stood.

The little wyrmling, excited as it was, flew towards Tirr happily only to stop as it was sprayed with a small stream of water. As it shook itself off, steam rising away from its scales, it glared over at the small cloud that danced gloatingly around Tirr. The young god ignored their squabble, all of which he could feel like his own thoughts.

He looked towards the walls and could see the shadows moving stealthily over, climbing and crawling their way into position. Finally… It was time.

A gentle hum sounded from his wings, and the cloud and the lizard stopped, moving beside him as he started to move down into the cavern towards the stony fortress below. He saw the Confederation’s men notice him almost immediately. They spread the word as they quickly moved about, more and more men appearing on the walls as he walked.

Tirr watched them scurry about amongst the torches along the walls and towers as he drew closer. He walked confidently, his head held eye as he stared at the large metal door. Above him dozens aimed at him with the assassin’s guild’s signature crossbows.

As he took another step, they let loose, the bolts pelting down at him at tremendous speed. Yet Tirr didn’t react, his focus steady even as the poisonous projectiles rained down. Just as they reached him the wings on his back quivered… Gold light sprang up around him forming into a thin dome. The bolts struck it loudly, breaking upon impact as they fell away harmlessly.

The assassin’s guild’s guards seemed, shocked firing again and again as Tirr grew closer. More people moved onto the walls as someone shouted orders from up above.

Tirr ignored them all though as he stepped up to the massive door. He placed a hand on it testing its strength, Raife hadn’t lied, Tirr could feel how solidly it stood, an impenetrable wall... If the Blessing of Life was at full strength, he would have no probable breaking even this thick slab of steel. Unfortunately, though Maria had worked hard, he was still far from where he once was…

Still, he knew how to handle something as simple as this. As bolts continued to rain down at him, he stepped away looking over his shoulder to the small wyrmling there. It let out an excited squawk as it went forward.

The little lizard flew erratically, as if its weight was too much for its tiny wings. Yet when it reached the door it suddenly stopped, becoming as steady as a mountain as it drew in a large breath before letting out a burst of flame. The super-heated fire crashed against the steel, reacting immediately as it started to glow a soft cherry red.

As the door continued to heat, there was a sudden shout above. The bolts that had been coming nonstop slowed as the crash of metal and sounds of flesh being cut filled the air. Tirr simply focused on his own work, guessing that Torvus and the others had begun their job.

As the wyrmling finished, the door in front of them was glowing a spectacular red. Charred flakes of metal fell away from it gradually as Tirr watched, just more proof of its success. The little aspect flew back, boasting loudly as it went.

Now it was the cloud’s turn… It moved forward quickly, eager to outshine its rival. It shot out a cooled stream of ice-cold water, splashing against the heated door while causing steam to explode as the door groaned painfully.

Soon enough the door was covered in a frozen layer of frost and ice, mixed somehow with the bits of still burning metal that lay on the ground. Satisfied, the cloud withdrew bobbing cockily as it went.

Having finished the preparations, Tirr stepped forward himself. The wings on his back glowed as he let go of the barrier around him, concentrating all of his faith into his arm. His hand started to glow brightly as the Blessing of Life grew more and more concentrated. Tirr felt himself becoming lightheaded from the strain, releasing his other aspects as he gathered more and more strength.

Above him, a few of the assassins who hadn’t been brought into the skirmish up top must have realized the barrier was down. They fired down at the child below them and Tirr felt the stinging bolts as they tore into him, their poison spreading quickly…

Yet there was no time or energy to spare on the wounds… As more bolts rained down at him, Tirr suddenly dashed the last few steps towards the door, his wings glowing brightly as his arm swung back. His fist struck forward, hitting the steel door at its center like a bolt of lightning. The metal rippled like water as the vibrations forced the frost and ice to break away…

The impact rebounded through the door from one end to another. Finally, there was a loud grown as the metal gave, shattering into pieces... The impact took a good part of the wall and even some of the cavern with it, causing it to collapse in a sea of dust and dirt.

People on both sides looked in awe as Tirr climbed over its remains, fury in his eyes as he looked into the Confederation’s last stronghold…