Eagle's Path

1. Flight-2

Astrith was the first to rise, crawling on her knees to her Captain’s side and shaking him by the shoulders. He did not stir. Sigurd climbed to his feet and stood between the fallen Rider and the enemy. With a shaky hand he kept his sword raised, but the Brathadair remained prone on the ground.

Astrith drew Ur, the renewer, and placed it lightly on Arthur’s forehead. After a few seconds, he started and lifted his head, eyes racing from side to side. His hands searched for a weapon, but Astrith placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“They are defeated for now,” she said quietly.

“We should go before they regain their strength,” said Sigurd.

Arthur nodded, accepting Astrith’s help to his feet.

Iolair swooped down, perching next to them on the road. Aiden sheathed his sword but stayed in position on Iolair’s back.

“Have you seen the Eagles?” said Arthur.

Iolair shook her head slowly.

Arthur’s brow creased, the muscles in his jaw tightening. He gently placed a hand on Iolair’s beak. “Find them if you can. We must go after Serineth before any more Brathadair come.”

Iolair gave a screech and instantly spread her wings, lifting them into the air.

“Aiden—” Arthur began, but the rest of his words were lost amidst the wind of Iolair’s wingbeats. Aiden leaned forward, but all he could make out was the frown on Arthur’s face.

“Whatever it was,it can wait,”said Iolair,sensing Aiden straining back towards the Riders. “It’s time to find my father.”

They flew upwards, straight and fast, the grey rock of the cliffs racing beneath them. As they moved further round the mountain Aiden caught sight of winged shapes in the air, wheeling around a jagged opening in the rock. Their flight was clumsy, dropping suddenly only to twist again in the other direction. A golden feather floated past him on the breeze.

“Why don’t they fly away?” said Aiden, remembering the weakened state of the Eagles in the cave, the skin and bone visible through the gaps in their feathers. It was a miracle they could fly at all.

“They won’t leave without their Riders,” said Iolair.

Of course, thought Aiden, but if they could barely fly themselves, how were they going to fly four Riders out with them?

Iolair dropped suddenly, Aiden’s stomach lurching into his mouth, the wooden shaft of an arrow zipping by above his head. Aiden clutched at Iolair, shoulders hunching even as he craned his neck, trying to see where the next arrow was coming from. Through the flapping of the Eagles above, Aiden saw movement on the cliff, Riders fighting Brathadair in the cave.

“Hold on,” said the Eagle. “I may have to move quickly.”

“Okay,” said Aiden, reaching for the sword at his belt.

“Don’t bother with that,” said Iolair. “I doubt we’ll be close enough to the enemy, and I’d rather you didn’t hit me with it. Stick with the runes, you’re better at those anyway.”

Aiden shuddered. He was not sure if he wanted to use the runes after what had happened to Arthur. But Iolair was already zooming towards the battle, and the runes might be his only defence.

As they neared the battle, Aiden saw the shape of a person jump from the cliff, flinging themselves far out into the air. They fell for a second, arms outspread until an Eagle swooped underneath them. They landed heavily, the Eagle dropping a good few feet before catching itself. Iolair rushed towards them, Aiden ducking his head as she pushed herself directly underneath the floundering Eagle.

It was enough. The Eagle’s talons pushed into them, one digging into Aiden’s back, the other pressing into Iolair’s wing joint. The Eagle was Kanook, and on his back Halvard clung on, arms wrapped around his Eagle’s neck, his body shaking.

“Thanks,” said Kanook, righting himself, but even still his wings flapped overtime to keep them in the air.

Another golden Eagle joined them, buffeting gusts of wind into Aiden’s face.

“Father,” Iolair screeched.

“Daughter,” said Jormandar. “It is good to see your beak.”

Iolair kii-ed something in her own language, and although Aiden did not understand her words, he recognised the relief in her call. Aiden hoped it would not be too long before he felt that same relief upon the rescue of his own parents.

“Help the others,” said Jormandar. “I will get Kanook and Halvard to the ground.”

Iolair wheeled around. “Arthur awaits in the forest.”

Above them, the rest of the Eagles circled around the entrance to the cave in the cliff. On the rocky ledge stood Mathias, Anca, and Johann. They fought hand to hand with two Brathadair soldiers, ducking often as archers shot arrows from further back in the tunnel. Petrana, Anca’s Eagle, hunched at the edge of the ledge, screeching angrily as arrows shot past her.

“Why doesn’t she fly?” Aiden shouted to Iolair.

“Her wing looks wrong,” said Iolair. “I don’t think she can.”

“How...” Aiden began, but his words were lost amidst the scream of a Brathadair soldier as Mathias knocked him from the cliff. Aiden gulped and kept his eyes up. He did not want to see the man’s fate. It was too close to what might have been after his own jump to escape Dageny. What if Iolair had not been there to save him?

With the cliff edge now clear, Mathias and Johann rushed forwards, charging the Brathadair archers at the far end of the cave. Anca darted to Petrana’s side. Her hand waved in the air, a tiny spark of runelight making a trail in the wake of her fingers, but it was too thin, too weak. It faded before it was even finished. Anca gave an anguished cry.

“Fly closer, Iolair,” said Aiden. He could see Anca was trying to draw Beith, the healer, but something, injury, exhaustion, or that strange oppressive power was stopping her.

On Iolair’s back Aiden crouched, drawing his feet up and underneath him.

“Are you sure, Aiden?” said Iolair.

“Just get me close enough,” said Aiden.

Iolair swooped towards the cave, her wingtips entering its shadow. Aiden jumped, tumbling onto the stony ground. He rolled onto his feet and looked around. At the back of the cave, Mathias and Johann gave battle to the Brathadair. They cut down the first two archers, kicking away the bows and broken arrows. More soldiers quickly filled the void, swords and spears drawn. Anca cried out again in frustration, and Aiden hastened to her side.

“Tell me what to do,” he said.

“Can you draw Beith?” said Anca, her eyes searching his. “Petrana’s wing is broken.”

Aiden nodded. He had not used Beith often, wary of the dangers of not using it properly. He had once healed a cut in his brother’s arm with a large splinter still inside. His father had not been happy about having to cut Andor’s arm open again to remove it properly.

As if she saw the turmoil in his eyes, Anca covered his hand with hers. “Just draw and think of wholeness,” she said. “I will draw with you and try to direct the rune.”

They moved their hands together, the bright shape of Beith, the healer, floating in the air before them. Its glow seemed warm against the cold stone. Anca directed the rune and it fell onto Petrana’s wing, soaking into the bloodied feathers. Petrana flexed her wing, eyes narrowing.

“I don’t know if it will be enough,” Petrana said, a quiet whine escaping her beak as she spoke.

A shout sounded from further inside the cave, a cry of pain that overwhelmed Petrana’s. Aiden’s head whipped up. Only Mathias was still on his feet, dragging Johann along the cave floor towards them. Aiden stood to help them but was knocked down by a gust of wind as an Eagle shot past him into the cave.

It was Arvid. The Eagle hooked his talons into his Rider’s shirt and pulled. Mathias whirled around just as the Brathadair reached them. He parried one blow, then two, then the enemy’s blade caught his arm, slicing straight through skin and bone.

Aiden, back on his feet, drew Eadha, the wind, and sent it hurtling down the tunnel. It passed Mathias and whipped apart, blowing the Brathadair soldiers to the ground, tossing some against the walls and knocking others completely head over heels. Aiden froze momentarily, staring past his hand to the c*****e he had caused. He had never thrown something so powerful before.

“Get out of here,” Mathias shouted, his voice tight with pain.

“Go,” said Anca, echoing him, pointing Aiden towards the open sky.

Aiden turned to the cliff edge. Iolair swooped close, as if she had been watching for this moment. Aiden froze, the image of the falling Brathadair man overtaking his mind. Iolair flew past, her eyes searching his. He had jumped last time, after facing Dageny, not knowing if he would survive. Why was this so much harder?

Iolair swooped close again. Anca was at his shoulder, her hand gripping him. “Ready?” she whispered.

Aiden did not have time to nod before she pushed him. Somehow his legs obeyed,and he sprang forwards off the cliff.There was one sickening moment when there was nothing but air around him, then Iolair’s steady form was underneath him and he buried his fingers into her feathers.

As soon as they were out of the way, Arvid took off, the limp form of Johann clutched in his talons. A great gash scored the Rider’s chest from neck to waist, blood dripping along his dangling arm and into the air. He barely moved, his eyes closed. Aiden wondered if Johann was already dead. Behind them Korak swept in, and Anca gave Mathias a push as he jumped onto the back of his Eagle.

Two arrows shot out of the cave behind them, crackling with the same unnatural light as the rune that had exploded on the road below. Korak swerved, but the arrows sailed on and straight into Arvid’s back. Aiden expected another great explosion, but it did not come. Arvid screeched and twisted only for a third arrow to hit him in the neck. Aiden watched helplessly as the light within Arvid’s eyes grew dim. One moment the Eagle was fighting and the next he was not. His wings went limp, his body floating and twisting as the wind took him. Arvid’s talons came loose, unable to keep hold of his precious Rider. They both dropped, Johann with his tattered clothes flapping around him, Arvid upside down, his wings trailing behind him.

Aiden closed his eyes, unable to watch the inevitable moment when they would hit the ground.There was no way they could survive such a fall.The stunned silence was broken with a great cacophony as the Eagles screeched as one. Aiden felt the sound reverberating through Iolair’s body.

In the cave, the Brathadair archers reached the entrance, but before they could shoot, Anca dived upon them, wrenching the bow from one man’s grasp. They wrestled for a moment until a second soldier came, tipping the balance away from Anca. Her eyes widened as she was grabbed from behind and thrust off the edge of the cliff.

“No!” Aiden cried, hardly able to fathom losing another Rider in such quick succession.

But the Brathadair had not counted on an Eagle’s rage. Petrana burst forwards, spreading wide her wings. She crashed through the two soldiers, sweeping them off the cliff with her. She dropped, tucking her wings tightly to her sides as she sped after her Rider. In an instant Iolair was following. Aiden hunched low against her back, his eyes watering as the wind scoured his face.

Petrana reached Anca, spreading her wings quickly underneath her Rider, the tops of the trees looming dangerously close. Anca collided with Petrana, causing the Eagle to give a screech of pain. Her right wing folded, unable to bear the strain. Iolair spread her wings above them and reached out her feet. Anca lifted her hands, fingers grasping Iolair’s talons, even as they continued to fall. Petrana banked, twisting her body away from the sharp top of a pine tree.

Iolair’s muscles bunched as she took the strain of an extra person. She furiously beat at the air. Out of the corner of his eye Aiden saw Petrana descend among the trees, wings amok, her body tumbling as she hit the ground.

“Let me down,” Anca cried, twisting to see where her Eagle had landed.

Iolair swooped low, letting Anca drop just above the ground. Anca ran away into the trees before Iolair herself landed. Iolair came to a stop, using her wings to slow them. Her chest heaved in deep breaths and Aiden could feel her muscles quivering underneath him.

Aiden looked at his own white-knuckled hands, still buried in the Eagle’s feathers. His mouth felt too dry to speak. He slid from Iolair’s back, his knees buckling as his feet touched the ground. He reached up a hand to the soft feathers of Iolair’s underside. She inclined her head, nuzzling her beak gently through Aiden’s hair. They had both survived, together, and somehow no words were adequate to express the mixture of relief, fear, and sorrow that was laced between them.