Keeper of Life - NaPoWrMo Entry

They made to go when a body groaned on the ground. “Commander,” she said as she turned, making ready to extinguish his life for good.

“You,” he managed to say. Blood poured from his words. “You'll never- ugh.” He flinched holding in pain. “The outer wall will never yield to you.”

“We shall see my dear commander,” she said, a satisfied smile trailing across her face. It was then the door opened.

The golden armored guard had only time to register the scene when his neck contorted from the emerald ropes that twisted around him. Soot stained blurs topped and threw their bodies into the room, his corpse sliding across the blood like a curling rock. The girl was pinned under bared fangs. He didn't strike as she cowled though, he looked up, his eyes asking Coal what to do.

Realization lit up. 'A foal here, what is a foal doing here?' she asked herself. She closed the door again in panic. 'Damn,' she cursed.

“Lilly?” a voice groaned from the floor.

'Oh no,' she thought.

“Please spare her, just let her go,” he instantly pleaded. He was no longer the stern and arrogant commander of the guard, now he was a father.

Coal's lungs ignited, fueled by the pain that already threatened to consume her. Her left front leg howled in pain as she moved and was sure it was broken. 'Think Coal,' she told herself through the throbbing in her head.

“I'll do anything, do what you want with me. Just, let her go,” he whimpered again knowing that he would die from these injuries anyhow.

“Where are my underlings?” she asked.

“Inside the wall, he's inside the inner wall,” he said then noted her face. “We only captured the one.”

“And the city wall, is there another entrance?” she asked.

“Daddy help, please,” she called from the other side.

“I'll tell you, just, do you promise to let her go?” he asked. Tears meshed with the blood that trailed down his face, his voice a garbled mess.

“Yes,” she said, “and if you lie.”

“I know, I know,” he said trying to nod. “There's a sealed gate, it's hidden but marked with two lanterns hung closer together then the rest, you can tell from pacing. It sits right in the middle past the mess hall, east.”

“How far?” she asked.

“Not close, but... close enough,” he said knowing they were fighting time. None of that mattered now though, he would sell the soul of the city for his daughters life, but what father wouldn't. “The first lamp twists, that'll open it. Now please,” he said.

She nodded. “Very well, know she will be safe then,” she lied. The muscles in her neck twitched as her horn lit up. The action was delicate sending him to his death.

Walking over to where the the tiny figure lay, huddled under Claw's body, was painful. Not because of her wounds but for what she must do. Her limp caused distorted echos and mingled with her weeping.

Coal's mind spun and lied to itself over and over. 'You can alter her mind, you can trick her, just let her go,' it said. The voices were not hers, they were not voices of reason. Those roads led to death and worse, failure. As she nodded Claw unmounted her, but the little body didn't move, it only quivered.

“Lilly,” Coal said. Saying her name caused pain to erupt inside her again and made her mind twist.

“Yes?” an even smaller voice said.

“I...” Coal tried. “I need you to be brave, for your father, okay?” The sea of Lilly's eyes attempted to drown Coal as she stared into them. They were locked together in that moment, both with the dreadful knowledge of what must be done. She had been brave, she had set out here all by her self. She had tried to conquer her own nightmares and face her own fears. She had been brave and now she must be again. She nodded. “Now close your eyes and think of a happy place,” Coal said.

The movement caused a burst of stars to ignite Coal's vision and sent a ripple through her legs that sent her down. It was as swift and precise as she could have possibly been but it was not pretty. Lilly's head was twisted, looking almost at the floor. Despite the fire in her lungs Coal forced the head straight again. It produced a sound that made them all cringe. 'Stupid,' she thought. She knew what she was here to do, she knew what bringing down the barrier would cause. She understood how many lives would be lost and how much the inhabitants of the city would suffer. So why, why did it have to hurt so much?

“There was no other way Lady,” Claw said. “She would have alerted-”

“I know Son Claw,” she said, “but thank you.” Regaining her legs and command she said, “Now you both know where we have to go, we must be swift but carelessness now will cost our lives.” They both nodded, stopped, listened, then opened the door and made into the night with the speed their injuries allowed.