Free Erebos by Ursula Poznanski Page B

grow on —’
    The attack comes without any warning, from the water – even worse, it’s the very water that attacks. The glowing blue river makes towering waves, and the waves become gigantic female figures who leap onto the shore with one bound and submerge everything in surreal blue light.
    Sarius tugs his sword out of its sheath, although he feels like running away. It’s water, just water.
    Unfortunately his blows go through his attackers’ bodies as if through water too. There are seven of them, and they outnumber Tyrania, Drizzel and him terrifyingly. Xohoo must have slipped away; he’s nowhere to be seen.
    Sarius tackles the smallest of the water women. He swings his sword against her body, searching for a vulnerable spot, but there’s nothing there. His weapon glides through her leg, stomach, and chest with a soft smacking sound. For the life of him he can’t reach any higher.
    Well, at least we’re not hurting each other, he thinks. Not I her, nor she me.
    The next moment the woman takes a big step towards Sarius – no, onto Sarius – and stays there. Her leg imprisons him like a shining blue column of water.
    The agonising buzzing in his ears is there again, drilling into his brain. He sees the life draining from him. I’m drowning, he realises.
    A step to the side, another. The giant follows him effortlessly. He’s trapped in her and can’t get out, no matter how wildly he thrashes about him with his sword. Tyrania is in trouble too, whereas Drizzel has reached the safety of the trees. Sarius sees him disappear in the darkness, wants to follow him, but can’t. The five attackers who haven’t found opponents glide back into the river. He manages to take that in as the high tone in his head reaches an unbearable level.
    The fire spell, thinks Sarius. Fire against water. He has to figure out how it’s done; he’s never lit a fire before. It will have to be quick though – his belt is almost completely black. Quickly!
    There’s a sizzle, and steam rises. The water giant gives him up with a sound like storm-tossed waves, flows apart and reunites with the river. A few moments later the same thing happens with Tyrania. She copied my trick, Sarius thinks, miffed.
    To his annoyance she’s in much better shape than he is; she’s barely lost half her energy. As for himself, Sarius sees only now how little life is left in him. He hardly dares to move. In any case he’s paralysed by the high tone that came with his injury, like last time. He’s probably going to croak when the last bit of red disappears from his belt. But that mustn’t happen, it can’t. So he’s not going to take any risks now. Sarius stands there motionless. Who knows: probably even just stumbling might be enough to send him to the hereafter.
    But it seems that he’s not going to be granted any time to recuperate. Someone is approaching – Sarius can hear hoof beats. Is it one person, or several? Now he does move, drawing his sword and walking slowly to the forest’s edge. Drizzel vanished in there just before, and Sarius plans to follow suit. He can’t afford courage any more. Damn, why couldn’t he have been more careful?
    He’s already standing in the shadow of the trees when he recognises the messenger’s armoured horse.
    â€˜Sarius,’ he hears a whispering voice. ‘Come out.’
    The messenger brings his mount to a halt right on the spot where the fire had been. The yellow eyes under the hood are looking directly at Sarius’s hiding place.
    He steps out reluctantly from the protection of the trees.
    â€˜The water sisters inflicted considerable damage on you both,’ the messenger states.
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜You faced them on your own, you and Tyrania?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Were there no other fighters nearby?’
    Sarius says nothing, but Tyrania is eager to inform