As they cleared the canopy of Greenhaven’s hills, the fallen city and black clouds of smoke came into view. The section of land where Tusdar and Aidan fought the golem was almost completely empty, save for some defeated skeleton warriors that still clung to life. Fired arrows remained unclaimed in the ground. Vartan shared a glance of confusion with Tusdar, but as they flew over the city, they immediately understood why it was so barren. They could only observe below them as the last group formation of Kassina’s Dark Army marched over the still-lowered gate of Greenhaven.
“May the gods help us. That is a huge army. Where are they all going? I thought it was Greenhaven that they were after,” asked Tusdar.
"So did I," said Vartan. He concentrated hard and chanted the words to the spell of Farsight.
“ Permissum meus opto eo ulterius quam meus animadverto. ”
Vartan opened his eyes again and his vision soared through the air with blistering speed towards the marching Dark Army. Thousands of skeleton warriors and archers in battalions of hundreds marched in formation, and in between those forces was the golem that had captured Aidan. With each step of the golem, a thunderous beat filled the air and set the marching pace for Kassina’s Dark Army.
“I can see the golem and it marches with her. There are thousands of them, Tusdar, but I cannot believe Kassina left Greenhaven undefended. I wonder just how strong her forces are and if any are left behind,” said Vartan. As he pressed his vision forward, Vartan saw many immense wooden catapults being dragged heavily on the ground. The warriors pulling them alongside carts of ammunition were visibly struggling with the burden.
“It looks like they are prepared for a siege, but I am not yet sure of where they are going,” said Vartan. “That is strange; I’d have thought they would use horses to move their weapons.”
Nymira replied, “It is likely they drained all the horses in Greenhaven of blood, or the horses may have been slaughtered in the fall of Greenhaven. From memory, the forces are marching in the direction of Veldrenn, and I think we all know what that means. Vartan, should we warn them?”
Vartan went silent as he carefully considered his next move. The vision of his parents still troubled him deeply, but was it just a dream? He could not be sure. He could never live with himself if he didn’t save his parents when he had the chance.
He spoke softly. “At their speed, they are days out from reaching Veldrenn. It is most likely that Andrielle already knows they are coming; the elves have their own scouts. I must see to my parents’ safety, and then we will return as soon as we are able to warn them. If they have deserted Greenhaven… they must have taken Aidan with them, let me see."
Vartan looked further into the marching army and caught sight of Kassina’s cart as it moved through the Dark Army’s ranks, dragged by two oversized, undead horses. Just beside the dark sorceress’s cart, Aidan lay stretched out on a makeshift rack. He was held tightly by harsh ropes that were tied firmly in place, cutting through his flesh. Surrounding Kassina’s cart stood a legion of raised undead knights, who mindlessly obeyed her every barked order. Their armour was rusty and showed signs of decay from being resurrected from their burial grounds. Two of them carried Aidan’s rack and were slowed from its weight. Aidan struggled fruitlessly against the ropes, causing them to dig further into his torn flesh. Vartan heard his strained voice as his vision neared the cart.
“Damn you to the fires of Mount Wayrin, you wench, Kassina! I hope your end comes soon and I get to watch your flesh melt from your rotting bones!” screamed Aidan.
Kassina’s mocking laugh echoed through the thick forest. She turned to Aidan and snarled, “Shut your trap before I order one of my knights to shut it for you! I found a use for you for the time being, but don’t tempt me to change my mind. Forward! We will crush this so-called ‘Elven City’ beneath our feet.”
Vartan reeled back his vision as if his sight was tethered to a long rope. His vision snapped back into his skull and the discharge of the spell disorientated him momentarily. He shook his head and refocused his attention to the path ahead of them.
“They have Aidan with them. He’s still alive and looks mostly unharmed. Nymira, I need you to move as fast as you can,” said Vartan.
“Of course, Vartan. I suggest you both hang on as tightly as possible-and try not to scream when we are so close to Kassina,” said Nymira.
She ascended into the sky before suddenly diving towards the ground, letting gravity give her a burst of speed.
The rumble of the approaching army's march shook their bodies and vision as they hung onto the tree branches. Nicolai wiped a cooled tear from her face as she turned to her fairy soldiers. They were all dressed in golden armour, and wielded small silver swords and shields bearing the mark of a leaf.
She lowered her golden helmet onto her head and shouted, "Fairies of the elven forest, we knew that this moment would come since their scouts found us. We have already lost some fairies dear to all of us, and I will not allow their deaths to be in vain. Our homes are in their path and beyond that lie our greatest allies, the elves. We have to do everything we can to stop them and to buy Queen Andrielle some time. We may be small in size, but we can make a big difference. We all know what we have to do, so let's fly together and fight together."
The fairies clicked their tongues and cheered. The forest filled with their cries as Kassina's army neared. Nicolai drew her sword and yelled, "Fairies, attack!"
The forest edge lit up with their glistening armour reflecting the moonlight as the swarm of fairies drew their swords, flew high and charged at Kassina's army.
The queen of darkness stood wide-eyed. She had only moments to react before the quick-flying fairies reached her front lines.
" Fairies are attacking us? Kill them all!" she growled, dismissing the attacking army with a flick of her hand.
The flying army landed on the helmets of the Forces of Darkness and stabbed wildly at their glowing eyes. The dark army’s shrieks filled the air as they swatted at the fairies. Some of Kassina’s forces drew swords and smashed them into their own helmets in an attempt to kill the attacking fairy army. The comparatively large swords were easily evaded as the faeries leapt between their targets, sending her ranks into disarray.
Kassina's rage filled her body as she launched to her feet, swung her arms and pointed with her fingertips to burst a fairy open with a bolt of lightning. Its armour shattered as its body evaporated into a cloud of blood. Kassina boomed, "Do I really have to do everything myself? Archers, take aim and fire!"
Nicolai flew through the path of the resulting blood cloud, grunting as she spat the metallic taste from her mouth. She heard only her breath as she surveyed the situation through her helm, helplessly watching as another fairy was destroyed by Kassina’s hand. "Retreat to the cover of the woods, now!"
The fairy army flew upward and a volley of arrows followed the shiny cloud of fairies. A few unlucky fairies were speared by the arrows and plummeted to the ground, whilst the rest disappeared into the safety of the forest canopy.
Kassina's snapped, "So the little insects have run away to hide. Get back in formation! Let's see how much of their forest will remain when we are done with them. There are many ways to flush out our enemies!"
Chapter 14: Rain of Fire
“Dreams… will I ever realise them? Can I even have them anymore?
Everything that I knew of my future has been shattered like a broken window. I have to sacrifice the future with Helenia that I always dreamed of to save our world.
How am I ever going to tell her?”
(Sir Vartan of Greenhaven)
Helenia took in a deep breath and refocused on her fighting stance, steadying herself and placing her legs far apart. Sweat dripped from her chin. Wearing armour for the first time made sword fighting difficult for her, and she quickly tired with its weight.
“Now Helenia, listen to me. I want you to hit me like we practiced earlier. Remember your training, and most of all, do n
othing else but focus. Clear your mind,” said Faowind, holding his sword in a defensive posture.
Come on, Helenia, you can do this, she thought as she tightened her grip on her sword. With a deep grunt, she swung her sword with all of her strength. It struck Faowind’s in a fiery clash of metal.
“That’s very good, Helenia. Now follow up with combination attacks. Keep moving and hit me as hard as you can. You are doing very well,” said Faowind with an approving smile.
Andrielle stood on the outskirts of the training grounds, near Karven’s mighty form, watching her daughter train for hours with Faowind.
“You know,” said Karven, “she really does have great potential as a fighter. You must be very proud of her.”
“Of course I am proud of my daughter, but although I have allowed her this special request, I am only letting her to train for the direst of circumstances,” said Andrielle. “Can I ask you to watch over her when we are attacked? It is inevitable that war is upon us, but we need at least one royal to live through it.”
“Do you really need to ask? Of course I will watch over her, and protect her with the best of my abilities during battle. I will, of course, also be watching over you,” he replied.
“Your words warm my heart, dragon king. But I want you to know that I would gladly put my life before hers and will do so without hesitation. If my life is taken from me, can you please do me the favour of taking her away from all of this? I can’t bear the thought of us both dying out there,” whispered Andrielle.
“Great Elven Queen, I would do almost anything that you ask. But do you really want your army to be deserted if Helenia were to become queen on the battlefield?” asked Karven.
“No. I suppose you are right, Karven,” sighed Andrielle. “Let us hope that it does not come to that decision.”
Helenia swung her sword above her head, then let it come crashing down on Faowind’s weapon with an impressive display of sparks. She narrowed her eyes and growled, "This is useless practice! How will this prepare me for the realism of war? My enemies won't be so careful not to hit me. Show me something real!"
"As you wish, princess," Faowind replied firmly. He swung around and, hit Helenia hard in the stomach with the butt of his sword. Twisting his body in the other direction, the back of his hand connected with her face and sent her to the ground like a fallen sack of potatoes. Helenia cried out with the sharp pains searing through her body.
She struggled to regain her breath, using her sword to lever herself back onto her feet. Helenia was visibly hurt, and even a blind man could see the anger blazing within her eyes like a wild furnace. She raised her sword in the air with determination and chanted a spell: “ Iuxta bolem involam. ”
Her sword hummed and ignited with fire from the hilt, the heat distorting Faowind’s view of her. Her armour emitted a slight white glow. Helenia sprinted at him as if she had complete freedom of movement, cutting her sword through the air with inhuman speed. Faowind barely had time to think or react, only just placing his sword in her path to defend himself in time. Flames burst from the impact of their weapons and lit small fires on the ground near their feet.
“Helenia! What are you doing?” yelled Andrielle, running towards her daughter.
The queen noticed a crowd gathered to watch the battle, cheering from the excitement.
Faowind knew he had to do something to stop Helenia's fury and quickly ducked out of her path. He closed his eyes to cast a spell of his own.
“ Ex caelo phasmam fluminis evoco.”
A distant scream erupted from the sky and the entire city turned its gaze to the canopy and waited, whispering to each other in fear. A water spirit burst from the clouds, her liquid face scanning the ground for the enchanted sword. It instantly located the magic emanating from the enchanted sword and with a gurgling hiss, it reeled back and lurched forward at full speed towards Helenia’s position.
The crowd began cheering with excitement and encouragement at the fierce fighting before them. Faowind used all of his strength to deflect Helenia’s attacks and keep her at bay. Helenia leapt into the air, swinging her sword in a circular motion and narrowly missing Faowind’s head as he ducked out of the way of the flames above him.
"Helenia, stop!" yelled Andrielle.
The water spirit fell hard from the tree canopy and crashed into Helenia’s body, sending the princess plummeting to the ground yet again. A large gush of water spread over the grass and put out the small fires that had begun to build. Helenia coughed up water from her lungs and dropped her drenched sword to the ground beside her, her hand cramped from battle. She eased herself up to a crouched position, shaking her head in pain and confusion.
“My goodness, Helenia! I had no idea you had the ability to use magic, let alone fight with such ferocity. If your powers are that strong, we certainly could use you in the battle ahead,” said Faowind, struggling to regain his breath.
“Neither did I, Faowind,” said Andrielle, nearing them with Karven beside her.
“The spectacle’s over,” said Karven. “Everyone get moving, now! This is not the time for standing around and watching. We could be attacked at any moment and these are the opportunities Kassina is waiting for.”
The crowd began to disperse through the city at the order from the King of Dragons. Andrielle helped her daughter back to her feet, dusting off the dirt from her shoulders. The princess stood gracefully for a few moments before falling back into the mud in sheer exhaustion. Faowind quickly picked her up off the ground and gently slung her over his shoulder.
Andrielle's face dropped as she spoke through a sigh, “Oh, Helenia. I have been far too protective of you. If my protection has forced you to keep your powers a secret even from me, then it is about time I took a step back. Faowind, take her to her room and find an elven healer to return her strength as quickly as possible."
“Of course, my Queen,” said Faowind with a smile. He turned and marched towards Helenia’s room, with the princess dangling weakly in his arms like a stuffed ragdoll, as Karven turned his attention to Andrielle.
“To cast two spells of such magnitude takes one who is not only born with great powers, but who is exceptionally powerful. And to have cast them without any formal training is phenomenal. Dare I say it, I doubt that she needs protecting from anyone,” said Karven.
Andrielle stared at the ground and could not look the dragon in the eye. “I know; you are right. I realise this now. But I am always battling my motherly instinct, and the wisdom that I have learned over the many years as queen."
“I now completely understand the attraction between the princess and Vartan. They are drawn together by forces that are beyond their control. It is a shame indeed,” said Karven.
The ground suddenly trembled beneath their feet, sending a shower of leaves raining down into the city from the canopy of the trees. The whispering of the inhabitants slowly erupted into a mixture of panic and excitement.
“ Longinque animadvertam, ” chanted Andrielle.
Her vision flew through Veldrenn in the direction of Greenhaven. She continued her farsight through the countless trees, past the elven guards who had swords drawn at the ready in their fighting positions. Andrielle panicked and sped further, towards the flashes of fire leading to the outskirts of the Elven Woods. Battling fairies zipped in and out from the forest’s edge, resting momentarily behind trees for cover before engaging the forces of darkness. The chaos that was suddenly before her hit her like a wall in her face.
Bang!
A burning missile from Kassina’s catapults exploded spectacularly into flame, sending screaming fairies fleeing from tree to tree in desperation as they struggled to find safe shelter and prepare for another attack. Andrielle focused her mind to send out a message to the fairies.
Do not attempt to stay in the path of the Dark Army. There is nothing more you can do. Come to the safety of the city, brave fairies. Quickly now.
The fairies all stopped in mid-air momentarily and look
ed to their queen, Nicolai. Only the crackles of fires and trees burning could be heard. Nicolai nodded knowingly and they suddenly flew as fast as they could towards Veldrenn. A flurry of glowing fairies lit up the forest. Andrielle sighed with relief and allowed her shoulders to relax momentarily.
However, the Elven Queen was not as lucky as she had hoped. Her message was also heard by unfriendly ears.
Kassina turned to her catapult teams and laughed with delight.
“Keep up the bombardment, but don't stop moving! Fire and move forward before firing again. We have them on the run!” She turned her attention to her golem. “Glaucus!” she barked. “Start clearing those trees!”
Glaucus grunted as he made his way to the burning wall of trees ahead of them. With a horrible cracking sound, he tore the first burning tree in his sight from the ground and held it up in the air. He turned to Kassina with a look of confusion on his face. She smiled back at her summoned pet as she calmly relayed her order with an ominous voice. “Every tree you rip out, throw it ahead of us as far as you can. The elves can keep their treasured trees."
Glaucus grunted as he took a few heavy steps back. The surrounding army steadied themselves from the shaking ground. Glaucus swung the giant burning tree behind him and then launched forward. The tree tore through the air like a burning spear, flying in the direction of Veldrenn.
Andrielle returned her vision and turned to Karven with a paled face. “We need to get ready for battle, now — and we need dragons in the air,” she said, with a slight hint of panic in her voice.
“And why do you need my dragons in the air already?” asked Karven warily.
The canopy of the city shuddered loudly. A burning tree crashed through it and smashed violently into one of the houses below. The screams of the elves within were blood-curdling as they began to burn alive. Elves and humans rushed to the water wells in a vain effort to save them.
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