“Zege!” screamed Keb defiantly. Unquenchable fire burst into life along with a rush of water heading in the opposite direction of the fire. Wind ripped through the belly of the beast as massive boulders appeared out of thin air and began to roll both directions. Keb dislodged his claws from the sides of the snake and transformed the claws into hands again. He clapped his hands together is one swift motion, and all of the elements converged together at a point in front of the Elemental. An explosion of the four elements ripped the snake in two and consumed it entirely after the collision.
Lord Keb stood in the now silent cavern covered in slime and other nasty pieces of the deceased reptile. He waited a moment to see if the wraiths would return after the demise of the snake. As he pondered on this thought, he began to wonder why the specters were afraid of this beast. It could not have harmed them. They have very little substance and could easily avoid the creature. Bewildered by this he turned his attention to escaping the cursed mountain. He tried to use his psychic powers to see if he could send a message through the earth to one of the other Elementals. It was then that he realized that Kana’s magic was not blocking him. There was a much more evil form of magic being used to deny him the ability to communicate to the outside world. He then realized that the walls also had a magical barrier that would not allow him to leave the cavern. The wraiths were allowed to exit because they served the power that was holding him captive. I am trapped!
***
Lord Neb was warned by Mistress Khalida that the southwestern part of the Black Forest was ablaze and that there were several fires burning in Tarisdell. She had asked him to put out the fire that was threatening the Seda’s home because she did not want them to venture outside their domain. It would not bode well for either side to have them on the loose and unchecked. They were powerful beings that had helped the guardians in their fight against evil many years ago, but they had isolated themselves because of their mistrust for every living thing. They did not take sides anymore, and anyone who was unlucky enough to cross into their realm either died or was not right in the head ever again. Khalida believed that if the fire that was burning their home was put out at once that they would not become involved in the battle for Renshaw.
Lord Neb caused dark rain clouds to appear over the area that was burning out of control in the southwestern part of the Black Forest. He caused an unrelenting downpour to be unleashed, and the blaze was put out within a few hours. Neb stayed for a while in the rain clouds to make sure that the Seda stayed put and did not venture out. He watched them for a few days with no visible signs of them leaving their home. Once he was satisfied with the result, he reported back to Khalida that his mission was successful. She was very pleased with his work and told him to move on to Tarisdell and put out the fires there.
The massive storm cloud moved slowly toward the melee that had engulfed the elven capital. As he reached the southern end of the city, he unleashed such a fierce downpour that the elves, giants, and orcs ran for cover. The fires were put out instantly, and the raging battle ceased for the moment. As the clouds made their way over the rest of the city, the inhabitants and the soldiers headed for cover. When the storm reached the northern outer wall, the high elves, elves, and giants ran for it. The rain was coming down so hard that it would literally hit the soldiers from the different armies as hard as an arrow shot from close range. The city of Tarisdell was covered in darkness by the black clouds while rain continued to pour down for several days. Lord Neb communicated telepathically with King Ciel in the midst of the torrential downpour. He told the king that he was to take his people and depart at once for the High Plains of Landen. He was also ordered to take the giants with them. The elven king was told to ask King Angus to protect the rear while both groups retreat.
After he had effectively communicated with the elves, he reported back once again to Khalida. She was pleased with his efficiency and timing. She then informed him that he was needed in Nairi to deal with a situation that had spiraled out of control. The people of Nairi had been driven from their homes and had been pursued all the way to the country of Landen. General Yukio’s army had successfully driven back the high elven army once they had taken defensive positions along the cliff walls in the north, but their homeland was still in the hands of their enemy. Neb instantly knew what was needed, and it would take some preparation before he could accomplish his next mission. He would need the help of Lady Hilzarie to carry out Khalida’s orders. He was told to seek her in the south. She was on a mission in the lands south of Tuwa to make sure that there were no more orcs, goblins, or rock trolls gathering down there. She was also supposed to look for signs of any other people or group of animals that may join in the fray.
As Lord Neb left the scene at Tarisdell, he contemplated the plight of the good peoples of Tuwa. He wondered whether they would triumph over the evil designs of the axis powers like the last time. The first war of Tuwa was still fresh in his memory because the concept of time was foreign to an immortal being such as him. He knew that this time the situation was slightly different because the evil armies had an ally that they did not have before. Last time they had the dark lord, but he did not help them in the end. This time they had an Elemental on their side, and she would not quit until she had achieved her designs. Kana wanted control over everything and everyone. He had learned of this plan from the whisperings from the peoples of Tuwa and the creatures that would speak with him. I wonder where my dear friend Keb is. I have heard nothing concerning his whereabouts. I hope that our fallen sister has done nothing to him.
After traveling at an unbelievable rate of speed, he had reached the lands south of Tuwa via an underground waterway. These remote areas were unknown to the races of Tuwa, which is why they had never been mapped out. The peoples who lived in the south were uncouth and wild. They bore little resemblance to men, elves, or dwarves. There was a different breed of orcs and goblins living there, though scattered and unorganized. There were all manner of trolls that roamed the lands in small tribes. There were no governments or civilizations among any of these primitive peoples. The animals were just as wild and ferocious as the people. Lord Neb could see that the inhabitants had no interest in the north lands and were unaffected by its current unrest.
It did not take long for him to find Lady Hilzarie because she was floating over a large group of creatures that Neb did not immediately recognize. He had seen them in the beginning, but they had been altered or had evolved into a form that he did not readily identify. His fellow Elemental turned to face him as he approached. She had a bored look on her beautiful face as she looked around at her comrade. She did not need to say anything because he had already seen for himself that these vast lands posed no threat to the situation in Tuwa. Neb smiled understandably at Hilzarie to show that he understood her disposition.
“You need not say anything, little sister. I know that these primitive creatures pose no threat. Have you completed the task that was given to you?” he asked smoothly.
“Yes, I have verified that these southlanders are not interested in the war in Tuwa and the beasts are only interested in killing one another or finding a suitable meal. None of the inhabitants have even approached the north land during my visit,” she replied.
“Well, let us leave this dismal place and report back to Khalida. She will be expecting us.” He knew that Hilzarie’s task was needed, but that did not mitigate the fact that it was a dubious one.
“I agree with your assessment of my assignment.” Hilzarie gave Neb a quick and infectious smile. She could always tell what Neb was thinking. He had always trusted her and treated her like a sister. As a result of this, he did not protect his thoughts or feelings from her when they were alone together.
Neb did not say anything in return; he merely smiled at her. As they began their journey back to the north land, clouds surrounded them and a strong wind blew from the south, driving them at an incredible speed. They had to meet with Mistress Khalida that evening in Lan
den and report their findings. They looked forward to the meeting and knew that Lady Necia would probably be there to report on her visit to the icy north lands. They both hoped that the guardian would surprise them by being present, but they knew that their great leader had many places to go and many allies to procure. He had a daunting yet vital task. His success alone would likely save them all.
Retreat
General Verandos had already changed into his bear form and was helping the giants defend the rear as the armies of elves and giants made a full retreat. They were heading due east toward the Blaine River where some of the soldiers had already arrived at one of the bridges. They had crossed the river and set up defensive positions to cover those who had not crossed the bridge yet. The people would then continue along the southern end of the cliffs to eventually gain entry into Landen. Some of the giant soldiers had joined the elves in their positioning on the eastern bank in order to provide some serious artillery support. The armies moved at a steady pace and did not show any signs of panic. Lord Neb had made it clear that this was a strategic move and that they could have fended off the orcs and high elves if they had stayed where they were. However, the only way to save all of the good races in Tuwa was to unify their armies in a strong defensive posture. Landen was the perfect place to do just that.
The druid general had placed a magical barrier between their defensive positions and the approaching orcs and high elves. Lord Marcello had reinforced this shield and was posturing himself for a massive attack on their pursuers. He was waiting for the command from General Verandos and General Lang to begin the offensive. The army of elves had made it to the river by this point, and the elven citizens had already crossed the blustering Blaine River. They were heading for the southeastern entrance to Landen surrounded by the entire elven army. The giants that were left to aid the crossing of the elves took complete control of the defenses. The elves that had been helping them joined their army on their trek to the southern gate. The bridge that had been used was no more because the giants could wade across the river with little difficulty, so the giants had destroyed it as they waded across the Blaine. This would make it slow going for the orcs and high elves in the attempt to cross the river.
“Lord Marcello, please welcome our uninvited guests,” ordered General Lang sardonically.
“Be sure to give the high elves the warmest of greetings,” added General Verandos snidely.
Lord Marcello raised the massive oak tree staff high into the air and began to twirl it around over his head. He muttered under his breath, and the staff began to glow an icy blue color with a hint of green color to it. A mist of the same colors appeared as he continued to twirl the staff faster and faster. Finally Marcello pointed his staff at his foes, and the bluish green mist shot like a bolt of lightning at the orcs and high elves. The mist froze everything in its path, and the greenish mist poisoned the troops affected by the freezing spell. About one-third of their front lines were affected by this ingenious attack. The poison killed about half of those that were infected. Those who did not die from the attack ended up making slow, painful recoveries. This surprise attack stopped the axis armies in their tracks and gave the giants the chance to retreat back to the other side of the river before the orcs and high elves resumed their march.
Once on the other side of the Blaine River the giants entrenched themselves into even stronger defensive positions. They rummaged for all sorts of projectiles while they waited for the massive armies to approach. Lord Marcello took a position in the back to regain his strength. He knew that if he kept on using magic at such a powerful level that there would be a hefty price to pay. Like any magic wielder, there was a cost associated with any use of magic. It felt like losing blood with each use and would prove much more severe the greater the prolonged usage. However, Marcello was also a giant, so his own blood fought the effects of his magic. This drained the venerable wizard to deadly levels and required much longer recovery times. He had killed several thousand orcs and high elves in his attack, so he felt the sacrifice was worth the pain.
The armies of the orcs and high elves did not approach the river for several hours, which allowed Lord Marcello time to fully recover. Once the armies finally came into view through the trees, the giant wizard sprang into action again. He began to twirl his staff all around his body in fluid motions that caught everyone’s attention. The axis armies stopped in their tracks to watch what the enormous giant was doing. They thought that they were comfortably out of range, so they stood there casually waiting for something to happen. As the motions of the staff intensified, a dense silver mist appeared above the waters and over the ruined bridge. Within a few minutes, the river was covered in the thick fog for miles in either direction. The cost for this bit of magic was not that high because of the simplicity of the spell. The silvery mist transformed anything that came in contact with it into stone. The giants were encouraged by this ingenious use of magic by their leader. They left their posts and marched at top speed toward the southeastern gate to Landen.
The elves reached the southeastern gate without incident or any signs of their enemies giving chase. As they entered Landen, they received a warm welcome from the sentries that were stationed there. They had orders from King Leroy to welcome the armies of the giants and elves as if they were expected. The soldiers did not know how the king knew about their arrival, but they did not question his insight. They could tell that the elves had experienced some pretty difficult times just from their attire and the looks on their faces. The elven army was shown the defensive positions at once so that they could ready themselves to use them. The elves explained that it was likely that the giant army would be closely followed by an innumerable orc army and a high elven army. They had to explain what high elves were at first because that information had not been explained to the ranks of the Landen home guard.
The general population of elves went to designated homesteads that had been vacated for their occupation while the threat of war lasted. As the non-military people made their way to their new homes, the elven army prepared the defenses for immediate use. The entire southern cliff’s defenses were filled by their soldiers. This enabled the knights of Landen to bolster their cavalry ranks. This brought the number of horse riders to one hundred fifty thousand strong. The size alone would enable them to take on the entire orc armies by themselves, especially after Lord Marcello’s magical attacks that had seriously reduced their ranks. A few hours after arriving at their new posts, the elven army spotted the giants retreating along the base of the cliff at top speed. It appeared to the defenders that they were being chased. After a few minutes, it was clear that no one was giving pursuit just yet.
It did not take long for the giants to traverse the desolate plain below the southern cliffs. They barely stopped at the gate to give a greeting and explanation of where they were going. They wanted to take up their posts along the western cliff. They were still running because they felt that they might be able to catch the orcs and high elves at the crossing. They thought they might be able to take advantage of the stone mist by throwing projectiles through the magical haze. Their missiles would turn into stone and bludgeon their unsuspecting foes. The giants were almost giddy at this thought and picked up the pace even more so because they believed they would be able to catch their quarry unawares. General Lang was outpacing everyone as his mind raced over the possibilities. If we could get to that bluff in time to find those fools still trapped behind the wall of Marcello’s mist, we could give them several reasons to turn back!
As the giant army reached the bluff of the western cliff and began to take their defensive positions, there was a collective intake of breath. The armies below were no longer shrouded in the silvery mist, and they were not nursing wounds. They were building siege works. There was one figure who was standing at the edge of the water who appeared to be staring right back at them. General Lang began to shout orders and encouraged them to stick to their plan. After a few more minutes of pr
eparation, the giants were ready for the assault. The soldiers waited patiently to begin the aerial attack on the little orcs and wicked elves. After a few more tense moments, General Lang barked, “Fire!” Missiles of every kind flew through the air toward the defenseless armies below. When the deadly objects reached the river, they literally stopped in midair. It was as though they had hit an invisible barrier. The giants’ missiles smashed into nothing as they continued to hit this apparent magical wall.
“Lord Marcello!” boomed General Lang’s voice. “Come here at once!”
The massive magician moved swiftly to stand beside the enraged general. “What is it, Lang?” he queried calmly.
“Kill that little wicked elf that has created this magical barrier,” he ordered, pointing at the now-infamous Lord Dukker.
“I will see what I can do,” replied Marcello simply. He had a look of intense concentration on his face as he sized up his opponent. This is a formidable foe if he could have removed my silver mist so easily. This invisible barrier is difficult to create and even more laborious to maintain. How has he managed this?
“Are you going to attack him or just stand there thinking?” blasted the impatient general. Lord Marcello did not pay him the slightest bit of attention as he raised his arms to the sky. He began to mutter a series of spells under his breath as he arched his staff toward a point in the sky high above them. Clouds did not form, but the sky became full of lightning as though a massive storm was about to be unleashed. Marcello knew that his first attack would do very little, but he wanted to get the warlock’s attention.
Lord Marcello closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them abruptly. They had turned bright yellow and were making odd crackling noises. He angled his staff toward the high elf below him, and several bolts of yellow lightning struck him where he stood. The blackened figure staggered slightly at the repeated attacks on his person. Then he seemed to right himself and threw up a personal protective barrier. This was exactly what Marcello was hoping for. He knew that the little warlock could not keep a massive barrier up at the same time protecting himself with a smaller more intense version for himself. The gigantic magical wall dissipated with a faint pop. Marcello slammed his staff down to the ground and bellowed, “Fire at will!” Missiles filled the air once more, and this time they struck several of their targets. The wicked elves did not have time to finish their additional siege weapons, so they began to move the ones they had toward a makeshift bridge.
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