by Aya Knight
“Smart move, kid,” Illadar’s voice caused Kale to start in surprise. “I tried to find you in hopes we could scrounge some armor, but I see you’re already one step ahead.” He grinned.
“I needed to ensure these men are well-equipped before the army of knights arrives.”
Illadar leaned back to peer around a large pillar in order to investigate the new additions to their group.
“’Ey look, boys, Galin is back too!” a blonde-haired man spoke as the others cheered. “Ya’ were the best blacksmith we’ve ever had, I tell ya’! Barniber took the place over, but it’s jus’ not the same. He fled like a coward ta’ the Lord’s house already.”
“Thanks, but this isn’t the time for praise. We’ve gotta’ keep movin’,” Illadar replied.
Kale could tell Illadar forced his face to remain expressionless in order to hide the prideful smile which struggled to reveal itself. Kale had grown accustomed to Illadar’s defensive tough exterior, but knew that beneath was truly a soft and warm individual.
“Kale, this should fit.” Illadar tossed him a chest plate.
“Thank you—we’ve got to get going now.”
Clad with the basic essentials, they gathered at the center of the town square, quickly met by Thomas and Neelan.
“The town has been completely cleared.” Thomas lowered his grey brows. “You’ve brought others?”
“Yes, they are townsfolk who have chosen to stand and fight alongside us,” Kale replied.
“Well, we need to form a strategy as quickly as possible. With more in our party the options have broadened.” Neelan’s voice was calm and serious.
After remaining in heavy silence as they each weighed their choices, Thomas finally spoke. “I believe it would be in our best interest to keep watch, in order to see from which direction the oncoming attack will come. It will allow us a great advantage with defensive tactics when confronting them as they approach. We should separate and take post on each side of the town.”
“That would be a good idea, only…” Kale paused, giving momentary thought to his words, “how will we communicate with one another? It’s not as though we can speak to each other from such a distance. Do you expect us to run halfway across the town to send word the army has been spotted? By then they may already have arrived.”
“A wise perception, young one.” Thomas grinned. “Though, I do have an idea.” He looked toward the group of men who had joined them. “We have more than enough within our party to spread out in pairs.” Thomas then reached into his pouch, retrieving four strips of silky pearlescent cloth.”
“We don’t have time for games, Thomas. Please tell us what you’re up to before we are ambushed.” Kale rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Myself, and you three,” Thomas pointed toward Kale, Neelan, and Illadar, “along with four of the men shall make way to the homes that border alongside the picket wall. We will need to position ourselves atop the thatched rooftops in order to have a clear view of our surroundings.”
“Can’t we just stand on the surrounding perimeter? It would make things much more simplistic than attempting to climb atop a structure.” Neelan placed her hands upon her hips.
“No, dear, that would be far too dangerous. We need the protection of the walls to provide an additional defensive advantage.” Thomas fumbled with the four strips of cloth. “Now, as I was saying, once atop the roof we will utilize these pieces of fabric. They will be used as signals.” He raised his eyebrows, reading the expression upon the others faces. “I do apologize, but it is the best I could do under these circumstances. I assure you, however, they will suffice.” Thomas then bunched the material into his fist as he closed his eyes. With a wave of his free hand, he softly spoke, “Grevorta Kadexia.” An immediate pale glow emitted from between the crevices in his fingers. “Keep these concealed as to not alert the enemy of our presence. Should you see any movement coming toward the town, take the glowing ribbon, and hold it to the inner direction of the city. Through the darkness, we should each see the signal with ease. Using this method we can quickly determine where the attack will first hit. Though, they may enter through the town entrance, regardless, we must be prepared for anything. We do not know what type of weaponry they bring.” He handed a strip of glowing cloth to Kale, Neelan, and Illadar, who eagerly inspected the item before shoving it out of sight.
“How are we gonna’ get atop the houses?” Illadar was still unsure of the plan.
“All homes have a ladder in back for when the roof needs repair.” One of the townsmen chimed in.
“What will happen once one side has revealed the signal?” Kale added to the questions.
“Meet in the town square immediately so we can gather forces. We are useless in pairs once they infiltrate the town,” Illadar commanded.
Everyone nodded in agreement, preparing for their course of action. The remaining men were to station themselves within the square and await further instruction while keeping watch for movement within the town.
“All right, let’s get moving. We’ve already expended too much time here.” Kale motioned for his partner to join him as they began making way toward the eastern wall. The feeling of dread began to swarm around him as he and the townsman approached their destination.
With all the hustle, they had not prepared any strategy for once the army arrived. It seemed as though in the end, it would be every man for himself. The one thing Kale was certain of, above all else, he desired to seek and destroy Malakhar.
Once they situated themselves atop the roof, Kale carefully adjusted his feet to avoid falling through the woven thatch. He glanced at the vast surroundings. As the cool breeze grazed his cheeks, he recalled the night he spotted Neelan perched atop the wall, watching over him. Kale smiled, taking in the moment, and realizing just how much she truly did care for him.
“How do you think this will end? My wife is hiding with the others at Lord Zalimond’s home. I’d easily lay my life on the line before allowing any harm to befall her. She means everything to me.” The slender man who had accompanied him finally spoke. He ran a hand over his short, slightly graying, brown hair. “I just can’t believe this is happening to us. I’m not sure what we’ve done to deserve such an attack, it all seems so surreal.” His eyes filled with worry as he spoke.
Kale dodged the man’s stare, feeling torn and guilty inside. His heart ached at the realization of how much pain and worry he had placed upon the people of Braxle. He cleared his throat. “They should be safe within the hidden room. But, we will need to fight—that much is certain. Without defense, the army will burn this town to the ground.” He glanced toward his palms at the thought of burning. Kale truly hoped the night would prove he had truly learned to master his powers. “You will be in charge of keeping an eye out for other signals. I shall watch for outside movement. Please alert me immediately should you see anything—as will I.” Kale handed the man his glowing strip of fabric, taking caution not to reveal it from concealment at any time. “Please hide this, unless I give word to shine it for the others to see.”
“Understood, Sir,” the man replied.
Kale had never been called Sir before, let alone treated with such formal respect. It made him feel important.
The man sighed, “I don’t really know who you are, but I give my thanks for your return. The fact that you’ve come back here to fight for our town and its people is noble.” He forced a smile. “If it matters any, my name is Forwin.”
Kale couldn’t find the courage within himself to confess that the army’s main motive was to seek him and Illadar. He wished they had known of Malakhar’s plan sooner, or knew more details of their location to ambush the foray of men before they even reached the perimeter of the town. “My name is Kale.” For the first time he looked into Forwin’s eyes. “When the time comes to engage in battle, use your
senses and watch every movement of your opponent. Do not make any rash or foolish moves. You will be no help in protecting your wife if dead.”
They continued to wait beneath the starlit sky; each man keeping a keen eye on their surroundings. With every passing moment their anxiety increased, weighing on them heavily.
Suddenly, the faint flicker of a flame could be seen in the far distance which caused Kale to focus his eyes to further investigate. His heart began to pound against his chest and his breathing intensified. He was certain at this point that what he saw was the army; their torches clear against the sheet of darkness—they wanted their presence to be known.
“It’s them; they are coming from this direction. Quickly, reveal the signal!” Kale commanded.
Within seconds, Kale felt a hand tightly clench his wrist. “I think we are in grave trouble.” Forwin’s voice was hoarse as he spoke.
“What are you—” Kale’s mouth hung open in shock. He was struck speechless.
From each direction, they could see the illuminate glow of the cloth shining back toward them. The army was coming from all sides. A feeling of despair swept over Kale as he fought to remain strong; he did not want to reveal any sign of weakness to Forwin.
The knights moved quickly toward them as they marched to a steady beat—closing in on them like hungry wolves. Kale and his comrades were the prey, trapped within one large cage. Too late to run, too late to plan their next move—the time had come to fight or die.
Chapter 24: The Dark Elf’s Return
“Quickly, make way to the town square!” Kale called out to Forwin.
Upon a final glance, Kale confirmed there were at least a dozen men heading in his direction. He swallowed hard, hoping his friends would return with better results.
Once they made their way down the side of the home and back to the square, the others awaited their arrival.
“This is unbelievable—what are we to do?” Neelan appeared distraught as she tightly gripped her bow. “There will be no way for us to split up and confront each group outside of town. If my calculations were correct, there are eighteen men approaching from my side. The group consists of mostly archers from what I viewed through the darkness.”
“Mine had over a dozen as well, though, I’m unsure of the weaponry they carry.” Illadar added. “They are headin’ directly toward the town entrance.”
Kale grunted. His hopes had been trampled by the realization they were well outnumbered. He had expected a small army; he didn’t fathom such a considerable contingent of forces.
“I believe I have an idea.” Thomas chimed in on the conversation. “Neelan and I will return to our assigned post as quickly as possible. The rooftops are close enough to allow a clear view over the picket tips of the wall. With long-ranged attacks we should have the ability to eliminate some of the incoming targets. Any reduction will be beneficial once they are close enough to infiltrate through the entrance. I do not believe they are aware we know of their arrival, so I’m anticipating this will catch them with the element of surprise. We shall return here once they have moved in close enough to become a threat to our own well-being.” He turned toward Neelan, “Fight cautiously—not recklessly. Go quickly, young one.”
She nodded, dashing off toward the west wall. As Kale watched his two friends leave, he sighed, regrettably wishing he had told them to return safely. He knew Thomas would fend well for himself, but he feared for Neelan. Kale knew she had never used her bow for more than hunting animals. The thought of losing her began to pierce at his heart.
“All right, men, hold a firm grip upon your weapons and prepare to engage in combat. We don’t know their course of action, so the front entrance may be breached at any moment. Though the square allows us more room to fight, along with a broadened perspective of all sides of town, it would be in our favor to move forward and encounter them toward the entrance. The bordering structures will work as a barrier so we can close the area around us. They will be forced to confront us head on and in a more condensed formation. This will save us from havin’ to take on all of ’em at once. It’s too late for us to strategize any form of a surprise attack—especially with the lack of previous skill in battle, it would surely increase the odds of casualties.”
Illadar paced before the group. Having already fought alongside Mirion’s royal army, he was the only one fit to lead. Each man nodded in agreement, prepared to advance forward upon command. Illadar kept his claymore strapped securely to his back and instead withdrew the spiked flail which dangled to his calf.
“Let’s move!” Illadar ordered as he took the first steps toward the town entrance.
Neelan nimbly stood atop the spiked wall as she watched the knights creep closer in the darkness. Because of her exceptional vision, she was able to clearly target each of the men. Neelan bit her lower lip in disappointment as she took notice of the chainmail that covered their bodies. She knew it would prove to be a great challenge for her. She carefully inspected their neck, hands, and a limited section of their faces, making a mental note that these were the only areas where armor was not present. Neelan forced the thought into her mind that these men were just like animals and she was the huntress. I never miss a target. She continued to prep her morale with positive reinforcement. Neelan flipped her cloak over her shoulders as she slid an arrow out of the quiver, resting it precisely atop her fingers as she began applying tension to the string.
She knew that upon first strike, the group of knights would become frantic and quicken their pace to attack.
“Here we go…” she whispered as her fingertips released the string. The arrow shot forth through the darkness toward her first target and Neelan watched as it pierced into his cheek. The knight stumbled back as he staggered in a swaying motion before collapsing to the ground. Before the other men had time to react, she launched another arrow which zipped recklessly past the helmet of another knight.
Concentrate! Neelan tried to focus under the intense pressure, steadying her hand which fought to tremble. Another arrow released, this time landing its mark and striking a knight through his eye socket. Bull’s-eye. She swallowed hard at the realization that she had now killed two humans.
Within seconds, Neelan watched as many of the knights swung objects from around their backs. She quickly realized they were holding crossbows and readying for an attack.
“I am not going down so easily.” She stared forward with resolve as she fired another shot that landed an instant killing blow.
“Fire!” a man’s voice called out.
Before Neelan could react, a bolt flew past her cheek nearly grazing her flesh. Her heart raced and her breathing quickened. She began to fire a series of arrows, sending more of the men to their grave, while giving others mere flesh wounds. She managed to utilize her exceptional senses to dodge oncoming attacks which were much slower than her own.
As the men retaliated with another wave of bolts, Neelan lost her footing while trying to dodge the attacks. The split second in time it took for Neelan to regain balance caused her to lose concentration just long enough to miscalculate her movements. She returned focus toward the attack in time to watch as a bolt pierced through the tender meat between her rib bones. The impact caused her body to fall back as she tumbled onto and down the thatched roof, landing forcefully upon the ground. Pain seared through her torso as the blood began to saturate through her grey bodice. Neelan gritted her teeth as she mustered the strength to snap the bolt’s end off, leaving the tip embedded in her tissue. She knew removing it entirely at this point in the battle would cause her to lose too much blood. Not wanting to cause her friends more worry in the already tense situation, Neelan pulled her beige cloak around her shoulders, which allowed the fabric to drape over the wound.
She inhaled, forcing her mind to change focus from the incredible pain as she ran back to her friends. They ne
eded to be warned of the remaining archers who could easily launch a rain of arrows upon them at any moment.
“Neelan!” Kale’s face lit up as she approached. “I am really glad you are safe. What is the status?”
“I believe nine of the eighteen have been killed, four wounded. Each man wore chain mail, so, as we’ve expected, they are well equipped with armor.” She had a difficult time speaking while enduring the pain.
“Are you all right?” Kale questioned her odd behavior.
“Yes, I am fine.” Her eyes shifted in another direction. “I’m just winded from my run back here.”
They both turned as the sound of rapid footsteps could be heard. Thomas approached, wiping dripping sweat from his face with the sleeve of his tunic. “I come with a positive report.” He heavily gasped for air before continuing on to explain how he managed to completely eliminate all approaching archers from his direction using a spell numerous times which caused the ground to explode from beneath their feet. “There was however, one issue which arose. While I was able to rid the burden of approaching archers, there was one individual who remained unharmed.” He shot a glance toward Kale. “Malakhar was within the group of men. He deflected each blast with ease, remaining uninjured throughout my entire efforts. He still approaches. We must ready ourselves. I believe it would also be wise for me to return toward the western wall to finish off the men Neelan was against. It would be unfortunate if we were caught beneath a sea of bolts.” He glanced down, quickly tucking his hands beneath the long sleeves of his tunic. The poison from exerting his magical abilities had begun to take effect, though not nearly enough to put him at his capacity. Thomas knew he must be able to continue casting to help ensure the safety of his friends.
