by B. C. Morin
“Promise me that you will not leave me alone.” She whispered onto his neck, her voice shaking slightly.
“I promise.” He pulled back, leaving his face inches from hers, his fingers caressing her cheeks and jaw line. “No matter what happens, I will always be there to protect you.” He pressed his lips gently against hers, cupping her face in his hands.
Magister Torin turned to address all that were there.
“We will journey through the clearing in front of the mountains as that will be the fastest way to arrive at Caelestis. If we can help it, we will need to stop infrequently in order to arrive at the tree line by nightfall and make camp.”
With a smooth motion he glided onto his horse. “Make ready.”
With that, the other Magister, guards and three remaining fae mounted their horses.
“To Caelestis” he said loudly as he commanded his horse forward.
The Legend of the Mallafay
Centuries ago, in the mountains of Exitium, a young faerie, held captive by evil trolls, gave birth to a son. His name was Samil. Soon after giving birth, his mother escaped, only to be hunted down and killed. The trolls, who hated all fae people, took Samil and trained him to hate, as they hated. To assure that evil was deeply rooted and made manifest, many dark rituals were performed on baby Samil.
As he grew, the trolls used Samil’s magic for their own benefit, making him build a castle where they would live completely within the mountains. Samil enchanted captured faeries to make them follow him and do his bidding. These enchanted faeries became known as the Mallafay.
Samil’s evil power grew ever stronger. By the time he was fully grown, the enchanted Mallafay formed the core of his own army. He hunted any and all creatures he thought might be of use to him, recruiting those willing, and forcefully changing the minds of those who were not. He practiced his black sorcery daily, calling upon spirits known to his race as dark and evil. He would invoke demon spirits to reside within him so that he might take on their strength. But he needed more, always more.
But there was one captured faerie who did not fall to the power of Samil. Dergan was born with two special gifts – the ability to guard his mind, and the power of speed. Captured along with his fellow fae, he used his ability to guard his mind to escape Samil’s enchantment. For over a year, Dergan carried out this pretense, waiting for the opportunity to escape. While he waited, he listened, and he learned. When the time had fully come, Dergan used his gift of speed to escape, running to warn the five kings of the five faerie kingdoms that Samil had amassed an evil army to march against them.
Dergan related all he had learned about Samil. He told the five kings about the enchanted Mallafay and others forced to fight at Samil’s side. Most importantly, he told them of Samil’s battle plans and the time of the impending attack. In the weeks to come, armor was forged, swords were sharpened and fortresses were fortified.
Alas, Samil learned of the battle preparations being made by the five kings and of Dergan’s hand in it. Samil could delay no longer. The element of surprise had been taken from him, but he could still choose the time and place of the ensuing battle. And he could still choose his method for delivering that message.
Fear can be a paralyzing thing. Samil intended to strike fear in the heart of every faerie within the five kingdoms. A Mallafay faerie was chosen to be the bearer of that message. The cursed slave wound his way out of the mountains and into the clearing which bordered the forest of the faeries, whereupon he collapsed within sight of a kingdom guard.
The guard ran to render assistance, but was stopped short by an invisible wall that surrounded the fallen faerie. As he watched in horror, the bare chest of the fae was scored, as if by magic. Word by agonizing word, the message was revealed: “Prepare to die on this battlefield two mornings hence. Samil”
Samil’s deep-rooted hatred was about to culminate in the obliteration of the entire Fae race. Victory was at hand – or so he thought.
But each of the five kings, with each of their five kingdoms, brought something unique to the battle – their own individual strengths to strengthen the whole:
The Warrior Faeries from the Kingdom of Anrad, were the largest in stature of all the faeries. Their muscular frames were evidence of the grueling training they underwent since childhood. They were formidable foes.
The Spirit Faeries of the Kingdom of Spiritus possess an exceptionally deep level of magic and concentration. They can turn from faerie to spirit, at will.
The Elemental Faeries of the Kingdom of Talom live with Dragons and possess all the powers relative to the elements.
The faeries of the Kingdom of the Magi have the magical ability to go into the mind of others. Moreover, they have continued to develop potions and spells unknown to any other creature or fae kingdom.
Finally, the Kingdom of Meira, is the largest of all the fae kingdoms and holds the largest array of powers.
The five Kings had been forewarned. Armed with the knowledge of Samil’s power and abilities, they planned their own strategy down to the tiniest detail. Building upon each of their own strengths, and weaving them together like the strands of a rope, they fortified themselves far beyond that which they could achieve separately. It was determined that, united, they would stand.
The morning of the Great Battle dawned. Samil cast his spells. He raised invisible shields of protection against the Faeries. He called upon the demons from within. But Samil had grossly underestimated the combined power of the faeries. As the battle raged on and on, he was forced to release the demons he held within himself. With each demon that left him he grew weaker, until finally, he lay dead on the battlefield of his own choosing.
Samil’s body, and all the dead of his army, were piled together and lit ablaze. What remained of the ashes and bones were taken to a valley far away and buried. The faeries then cast spells on the burial ground to deter anyone who tried to resurrect the bones for the magic that may still live within them. For, though Samil was dead, evil was not.
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