by Tony Johnson
For the next twelve hours, from dawn to dusk, the plans were carried out and more and more people continued to join in the preparations, hearing that the coming attack was not something to take lightly. The weather was a cool, sixty degrees with a stiff breeze, which made it chilly at times, but was much better than suffering from dehydration under a sweltering sun.
“So what are you thinking for a weapon?” Ty stood with Shana in the barracks before a large cache of weapons ranging in variety.
“I’ve never even touched one of these before, so I would say whatever requires the least amount of skill would be the one for me.”
That makes it easy. We can eliminate all types of swords. “Oh!” Ty was excited, “What do you think about this?” he picked up a flail - a spiked, metal ball, attached to a stick by a chain.
“I can barely lift this!” Shana struggled as he handed it to her.
Ty laughed, knowing before he handed it to her that it’d be too heavy. “Imagine how fast you could get it spinning with your wind element. You could do some severe damage!”
“How about something more practical?”
“Considering your dart game skills, you could just carry a bunch around and throw them at any monsters that get to close.”
Putting her hands on her hips and shaking her head, Shana showed she was taking the weapon selection a little more seriously and wanted the Elf to do the same.
“Okay, okay,” Ty held up his hands, showing he was done joking around. “Since you’re inexperieneced, I think you should carry a shield. Here,” he stepped over a pile of morning stars to get to the armor pile. “How does this feel?” he handed a shield to Shana.
Sliding her forearm through the rectangular hunk of metal, Shana weighed it and declared, “It’s comfortable. I like it!”
“Alright, so we just need a one-handed weapon for you, something that…”
“How about that?” Shana interrupted him, pointing to a lone, metal spear leaning against the wall. Making his way to it, Ty grabbed it, and tossed it to the Human.
“It’ll work,” Ty stated. “It’s perfect actually. It’s long-range so you don’t have to get too up close and personal with a monster. All you do is hold your shield in front of you and whenever there’s a monster around, just jab your spear into it.”
This is the one, Shana’s decision was made. “I can use my wind element with this to pull off a variety of attacks.” Activating her element through the spear, she watched the color of green swirl over the six-foot shaft, pointed it at Ty, and sent her element at him. A gust of wind hit the Elf, blowing back his long, blonde-hair hair and making him brace himself from falling backwards.
“Okay, I get it!” Ty playfully shouted over her small demonstration of power. “So, what else can you do with the wind element besides mess up the hair of all the monsters we fight? Can you fly?”
“No, but I can hover slightly off the ground, temporarily,” Shana demonstrated her ability.
She must be experimenting to see what she’s capable of, Ty thought, thinking how he’d done the same.
“Could you jump off a cliff and float down?
“I don’t think so. It’d take so much wind to hold me, it probably wouldn’t work.”
“Well, I, for one, can’t wait to see you in action. Please be careful though. I don’t want to have to be the one to tell your mom you were killed in combat. Plus, it’d break my heart if you were.”
“I’ll be safe,” Shana promised. “Have you seen what your new powers can do?”
“Yeah, I’ve run some different tests to see what I can do and what can be done to me.”
“What do you mean?”
“I tested my element on my skin and realized that we’re not like animal monsters that can cover our entire bodies with our element for protection. We’re like Anthropomorphic monsters. We can only turn metal we’re touching into our element to attack or to defend with.”
“So you electrocuted yourself when you touched your lightning powers to your skin?”
“Yes,” Ty admitted. “I zapped myself pretty good, but it showed me any part of our body, even if it’s covered by cloth or metal is susceptible to the effects of an elemental attack. The only way for us not be burned or electrocuted or whatever the affects of the attack are is to have the attack hit our armor when we are covered by the same element.”
“So I always have to watch out for any attack that’s not wind-based?” Shana clarified.
“Right,” Ty explained. “If any other elemental attack hits you, you could get hurt. And you can even get hurt by a blast of wind if your armor isn’t covered in your wind element. It’s similar to Skyfire being hit with fire arrows and being pained even though he was a fire elemental monster. He could only defend against being burned when his element was equipped. We’re similar, but we are only protected where our element is manifested, which is the metal of our armor.”
Thinking more about it, Ty said, “Maybe the reason Oliver Zoran wore chainmail is so nearly every part of his body was covered in one of his elements. He could theoretically have stood in the flame breath of a dragon and not have been injured, if he had his fire element employed.”
“So you’re telling me if I had the element of fire, if I covered myself head to foot in chainmail and metal, I could swim in lava?
“You’d probably be able to,” Ty theorized, “if the weight of the chainmail didn’t sink you.”
“Hopefully none of us will have to worry about getting hit, but we should find chainmail for each of the elect. I’ll look into that,” Shana offered. “And I’ll try and find some time to practice with these and get more comfortable with them,” she held up her spear and shield. “Thanks for the help Ty.”
The Human and Elf headed back outside, and immediately noticed people running for their homes.
“Something’s happening out on Lake Azure!” one of the passerbys shouted to them.
“The aerial monsters are coming to attack again!” cried another.
Not again, Ty was dismayed. Why would they send another group of attackers? They caused enough damage the first time.
“We have to let Steve know,” Shana declared.
“I saw him heading to the infirmary not too long ago to check in on Kari. He should still be there. Come on!” Ty took off running with Shana.
Finding Steve in Kari’s room with Copper and Emma, who was talking to Steve, holding her baby in her arms, Ty quickly told his brother, “Apparently there’s been a sighting of monsters on Lake Azure. There’s a lot of commotion outside, people are running for cover.”
Getting up immediately, Steve breathlessly said, “I’m going to ride ahead on Copper and see what it is.” I hope it’s not another attack. If it is, I don’t know if we can come back from that kind of destruction again.
“We’ll meet you there in a few minutes,” Ty promised, then for a moment in which he forgot the impending doom, he smiled at Emma and the baby, realizing this was the first time he’d seen the baby that would have such an impact on his future.
“I saw some horses outside,” Shana broke him out of his trance, knowing they could use the animals to traverse the city. “Let’s follow after Steve and Copper.”
Blowing past all the people heading on foot either to see what was going on or heeding the rumors and heading to safety, Steve sped up his orange-furred mount to come alongside Rylan, who was already on horseback and heading the same way Steve was. The two warriors rode together down Fisherman’s Pier, where they climbed the lighthouse to get an unadulterated look at what was coming for them.
On the sunset horizon of Lake Azure were dozens of little black specs on Lake Azure. Squinting through the setting sun, Steve was unable to make out any detail other than some of the specs were aerial monsters flying towards them. Rylan pulled out the magnifying tube he used as a sentry and upon realizing what it was, turned to Steve with a pale face and said, “I don’t believe it
.”
Handing the scope to the Celestial warrior, who, instead of losing the color in his face, like Rylan, instead smiled at what he saw.
It’s aerial monsters flying above ships with blue and white flags. “Those colors belong to Almiria. They must’ve survived the attack!”
Chapter 96
“I don’t understand,” Rylan said as he and Steve rode to Port Misthaven where dozens of ships were making their way to the docks. “Almiria must’ve been warned before they were attacked. It looks like most of their city evacuated.”
We’ll find out soon enough, Steve thought, interested to hear what transpired.
“Excuse me,” Steve stopped a warrior on horseback who was watching the ships come into the harbor. “I need you to head into the city and ride around to all the taverns. Get anyone who’s in working to start cooking as much food as possible. These people are undoubtedly starving. Also, we’ll need all the rooms they have to be prepared for guests.”
“You might also want to head to the barracks near the arena,” Rylan suggested. “We can put people in the bunk beds the Boot Camp trainess have been using.”
Hours later, Steve stood with Ty under a darkened sky. They stared at thousands of tired, weary faces of Almirian men, women, and children as the refugees got off their ships and headed into the city. Shana and the other two aides that had been employed by Mayor Hughley were leading the large groups of people to where food and beds awaited while Rylan directed Almirian aerial monsters to a still-standing stable in the northeast part of the city.
With ships still unloading and Port Misthaven’s docks wholly filled, the last few ships were forced to anchor their boats out on Lake Azure and send lifeboats back and forth to get their people to land. The last of the refugees to arrive were the Almirian warriors, who prioritized allowing the civilians to get food, water, and rest before them.
“Follow the crowd,” Ty moved his arm in a full, circular motion, encouraging the warriors to the mess hall.
At the very end of the group of warriors was the last man to disembark a lifeboat. Decked out in an armor set painted white and blue, Steve instantly respected who he assumed was Almiria’s Warrior Commander. He patiently waited until everyone under his rank and the people he’s sworn to protect were on dry land before worrying about himself.
Walking forward with Ty to meet the man, the aged warrior confirmed himself as the Almirian leader when he introduced himself as, “Naval Leader Commander Artazair.”
After Steve and Ty explained who they were and why they were greeting him instead of any of the Casanovian Commanders, Artazair disappointingly said, “So Lockland and the others are dead? I guess this city has suffered too.”
“I have so many questions for you,” Steve stated. “I want to hear all about how you knew of the attacks and how you were able to evacuate.”
For a moment, the commander looked confused. “We sent men on aerial monsters to come here and tell you we had evacuated and were coming here. You never spoke with them?”
Looking equally confused, Steve confessed, “No, no one ever came. I’m sorry, but we had no idea of your arrival until we saw the flags of your ships on the horizon.”
“Maybe those who flew here were attacked by the aerial monsters that attacked Casanovia,” Ty presumed. “If they would’ve crossed paths with them, there would’ve been no way to overcome their number.”
“It appears we have a lot to tell you then, and a lot for you to fill us in on,” Artazair reasoned, stroking his mustache.
“We can talk over dinner,” Steve suggested. “You’re probably hungry, and we haven’t eaten yet either.”
All over Casanovia, this is what it must look like. Taverns, homes, and temples filling up, taking in those in need, Steve thought as he sat with Commander Artazair and the top Almirian captains at a table in the back of the warriors’ mess hall. Before them were hundreds of Almirian civilians squeezed together, some finishing their meals while others waited for direction from Ty, Shana, and others who took charge of finding people places where they could retire for the night.
It took Steve fifteen minutes to explain his and his companions’ journey to Casanovia to the men he sat with. Once he finished, Commander Artazair shared Almiria’s story.
“Ten days ago, two boys rode nonstop through the night after their city, Serendale, was attacked. They told us a giant python and goblins had killed everyone and they had overheard they were heading to Almiria to meet up with an army from the south and attack our city.
“We sent out sentries to check, who confirmed a monster army was coming from Celestial to us. Seeing their numbers, they knew we couldn’t defeat them, so we evacuated the city within hours. We put women, children, and elderly on ships, and then once they were set, we allowed men to board. It wasn’t long before every single ship, both those under my command, as well as civilian’s boats were filled to maximum capacity.”
That explains why I saw all sorts of ships in the harbor, Steve thought back to watching them all come in. Some were large warrior vessels, some were fishermen’s ships, and others were small, civilian recreational boats.
“We had to leave many men behind. Some of them escaped into the hills around Almiria, but others stayed and joined the group of people who refused to leave the city.”
I’m sure it was just like the conflict between Nereus and myself here, Steve imagined.
“In total, we brought around seventy percent of Almiria’s population with us and about half of our warriors and aerial monsters. It was up to me to lead them here as the Naval Commander since our Aerial Commander stayed to fight, and our Land Commander led people into hiding in the western reaches of the Evergreen Forest.”
“There’s one thing I’m confused about,” Steve questioned. “If Silas’s army found so many people missing from Almiria and all the city’s ships gone, wouldn’t he have sent out his monsters to fly over Lake Azure looking for them? How were you not seen?”
“I considered that the moment we set out for Casanovia,” the white bearded commander explained. “Instead of sailing the direct path here, one that I knew the monsters would follow as they came after us, I instead purposely headed west and sailed our fleet along the coast. Although it added a bunch of days to our trip, it allowed us to avoid being spotted, and we could stop at villages and towns along the way to get food and rest since we were so close to land the entire time. I figured, ‘better safe than sorry.’”
“Those two boys from Serendale that alerted you to the attack, who were they?”
“Captain Connor,” Artazair got the attention of one of his warriors at the end of the table and then pointed to the middle of the mess hall, where a Dwarven and Human boy sat, eating with others. “Bring them here.”
As the captain led the two saviors of Almiria towards him, Steve noticed one was a Human around the age of sixteen, while the other had dark-brown skin, looked to be about only five-years-old, and was walking with crutches.
“This is Dart Mcvaughn and Nash Grindstone,” Commander Artazair announced. “Boys, this is Mr. Brightflame.”
“Are you Grizz Grindstone’s son?” Steve asked Nash in bewilderment.
“Yes, do you know my father?” the Dwarven boy asked.
“I do,” Steve responded, “He is on his way to Misengard right now. I’m assuming you want to go and be with him.”
“Yes!” Nash was almost in tears, having feared his dad had died.
“We’ll make that happen soon enough, don’t worry.”
“Hey,” Nash came to a realization, “Your name is Brightflame? Were you Celestial’s jouster for the Tournaments?”
“Yeah,” Dart chimed in, “I thought I recognized that name.”
“Yes, I was,” Steve smiled, reminded of the many kids who rooted for him since he and Clyx were underdogs. “Why don’t you guys go finish your dinner and I’ll talk to you later. Ma’am?” Steve called to one of the volunteers ser
ving the food before Dart and Nash had left. “Would you take these two to where the dessets are kept and let them pick out whatever ones they want?”
“Sure, I can do that!” the woman happily escorted the boys.
“Thank you, Mr. Brightflame!” Dart and Nash said as they left.
“You both deserve it. Enjoy!” Steve said, and then thought, I hope they know their actions saved an entire city.
Turning back to the commander and captains, Steve continued, “Let me bring you up to speed on our plans, and we can discuss how to incorporate you all, the rest of the warriors, and any other Almirians who might be willing to join in the fight against the army that attacked your city.”
It was near midnight when Steve finished meeting with the men. Heading to the same spot he had been for the past several nights, he collapsed into the chair next to Kari's bed in the infirmary.
“Everyone from Almiria has full-stomachs and a place to sleep,” Ty, joined by Copper, came in to inform Steve, looking tired himself from having spent the past several hours helping make accommodations for nearly an entire city of people.
“How did your meeting with Commander Artazair go?” he propped himself up on the windowsill to sit, as he usually did when he visited Kari’s room.
“It went well. You’ll never guess who alerted him that Almiria was going to be under attack.”
“Who?” Ty was intrigued.
“Nash Grindstone.”
“Grizz’s son?!”
“Yeah, the kid is still alive.”
“Should we send someone to fly after the caravan that left for Misengard to tell Grizz and maybe see if they’re willing to turn back and help fight now that we have more numbers?” Ty asked.
“No, they made their choice. I think what we’ll do is send a dove to Misengard so Grizz will know of his son’s survival upon arrival.”
“Alright,” Ty understood, telling Steve he’d take it upon himself to ensure the message was promptly sent out. “What about the rest of the meeting? What do they think?”
