“For the Prince! For Cillitran!” Ern Dwull shouted thrusting his broadsword skyward with over a thousand men shouting his words back to him.
He sat upon his black horse facing the army of Cillitran as it spread out across a small rise looking down at the southeastern tip of the Lyyn Forest. Daybreak was still another hour away, fading the sky from black to a dull grey far to their right. Thin sheets of mist blanketed the grassy plains like rolling steam. The army had massed only a short time ago, preparing to attack quickly, while still under the twilight. They would hammer the forest with fire, catching the Elves while they slept, handing them the repercussion from the Queen. Bowmen lined the front of the mass, notching arrows in their bowstrings, feeling an adrenaline rush as they awaited the command. Men with burning torches stood ready for the word to light the arrow tips, for the word to burn the Elves from their hiding. Men with swords stood ready to avenge their fallen King and Prince.
“Let them remember the day the house of Andelline came knocking on their doorstep!” Ern shouted with vengeance. Then with a swing of his sword he motioned for the arrows to be lit.
“Let them hear our knocking! And let them quiver in fear as we burn their house to the ruins!” A roar from the army followed before Ern gave the order.
“Fire!”
The first wave of arrows flew into the air in a high arching sweep. In a second, the peacefulness of the early morning was invaded by the thunderous wave of bowstrings releasing. The sky above the Lyyn Forest was shredded with streaking yellow dots, covering the night sky in a canopy of burning flame. The Elves would not have time to defend themselves. They would not have been prepared for an assault so early, the Men thought. The army watched with anticipation as the arrows began to descend down to the dark outline of the treetops. The yellow flickering lights rained down like a tidal wave sent to wash the forest clean from its roots.
But something else happened.
Just as they reached the leafy branches, the burning arrows disappeared. It looked as if they were simply swallowed in by the dark. The men took a few seconds to stand in utter confusion, whispering their disbelief, before Ern Dwull was screaming at them to fire another volley.
“Again!”
Instantly arrow tips were ablaze and shooting into the sky. Silence hovered over the army as the mist hovered over their feet. They stood watching the flames rise then arch, falling down now with a look of certain destruction. But before any part of the Lyyn was burning, the yellow fires disappeared again.
“It’s magic,” Lon Ruell cursed as he hastily made his way through the bowmen to stand next to Ern Dwull. “They have a shield of some sort.”
“They knew we were coming,” Ern spit. “But we are not afraid of their magic! We will knock until they answer!”
Lon looked into the commander’s dark eyes and saw bloodlust. “Coordinate the attack as planned. Test their shield.”
Lon retreated back through the bowmen, the lines of swordsmen, back to where the giant wooden-framed catapults awaited. He signaled to the men stationed there, and immediately they scrambled around to begin pushing the towering weapons to the head of the line. Massive wheels creaked and groaned under the heavy strain as several groups of men pushing grunted with exertion. Oil was poured across the giant rock projectiles sitting in a deep wooded box at the end of the long arm. As the catapults ponderously made their way to the front of the army, the ropes and triggers were checked, set to fire.
Lon arrived back to stand next to Ern, who smiled wolfishly. “Their magic would be strong indeed if it could prevent even this.”
Ern shook his head and growled loud enough for his army to hear. “Magic is for cowards! We will smash them into the dirt before the sun rises!”
A roar from the army went up, echoing deep through the Shyl Plains. The catapults were aligned at the front, the fleet of them spaced about fifty yards apart, at a length close to half a mile. Calls were given down the line, each station confirming they were ready. Lon gave the word to ignite the oiled boulders. As the catapults stood with burning projectiles, Ern gave the word to fire.
“Death to the Elves!” Ern shouted. “Fire!”
All together, the locking pins were pulled, releasing the latch that held the long arm down, and the flaming rocks were airborne. Within seconds the massive fireballs were raining down towards the forest like a meteor shower. With high hopes, the men of Cillitran’s army watched the burning shower fizzle away with no more success than the arrows. Their stomachs churned in depletion. Whatever hopes they had clung to about winning a war against the Elven nation disappeared with the arrows and the boulders.
“Again!” screamed Ern Dwull.
“Archers! Ready! Fire!” Lon ordered as well.
Immediately the long line of bowmen strung flaming arrows and shot them into the early morning sky, raining down upon the shield protecting the Lyyn Forest. But before the projectiles could reach their mark, Lon was ordering another volley, and still another. Within seconds the sky over the forest was lit with a soft yellow glow. Ern yelled his vengeance, screaming to the men to reload the catapults and fire at will. But the arrows and burning rocks from the previous round were now disappearing into the darkness. The Lyyn showed no sign of damage; nothing was burning. Their attempts were all in vain.
Commotion filled the plains now as the army voiced their disbeliefs. Ern yelled to silence his men, Lon working on his men as well. But the men of Cillitran saw firsthand what they could accomplish, and they didn’t like it.
“Quiet your fears,” Ern demanded. “Remember the King! His death will not go without vengeance!”
At the very back of the army, the men began to quiet. The hush worked its way towards the front. But it had nothing to do with Ern’s demands. Whispers floated between them of someone’s arrival. Ern saw from atop his horse the army was splitting a passage for someone walking towards him. In the morning gloom, it was too dark to tell who it was. But the voices whispered, and Ern heard a name.
“The Queen.” Ern gasped as Sienna’s body broke from the line of men to stand between himself and Lon Ruell. Ern shivered.
Lon immediately bowed in respect. “My Queen.” Sienna said nothing. She looked a wreck, Lon thought. “You need not be present, my Lady.”
Sienna’s body was heaving as if she was exhausted and her breathing was very unnatural sounding. Lon assumed it was due to her flight from the castle. Ern thought it was something else altogether. She remained silent, standing between them with wide eyes that were filled with unpleasantries.
“We have begun the attack, my Queen.” Lon spoke, unsure of the reason for her visit. He waited for a few seconds, then when it appeared as if she was not going to answer, he added. “The Elves have cast a shield over the Lyyn. We are unable—”
Sienna’s eyes twinkled as if finally coming alive. Her voice was raspy as she spoke, keeping her eyes focused on the forest ahead. “Their shield will fall. I will have it.”
“My Queen?” Lon questioned Sienna as she began to walk downhill.
“Ready your arrows to burn the Lyyn into ash,” she growled back.
Lon turned to Ern, who looked ill. “I will go with her.”
“No.” Ern objected harshly. “Let her go alone. She did not ask for service.”
Lon saw it in Ern’s eyes then. He was scared. “Ern, she is the Queen. I will not let her go it alone!”
Before Ern could object further, Lon was racing away to join strides with the Queen.
Bim stood at the edge of the forest watching the two forms walking down the slope towards him. He knew they could not see him, could not detect any forms for that matter, due to the magic of the shield. It was created in fact to be a one-way screen. The Elves in the Lyyn Forest could see anyone approaching. But those outside looking in could only make out trees and foliage. Bim enjoyed his stance of invisibility now. It was not often that he was fortunate enough to witness a hailstorm of fire rain down above him. And from where he stood, he could also s
ee the agony the army was going through now as they realized that they clearly underestimated their opponent. The army of Cillitran could not penetrate the shield with their fiery assault as they had thought. They understood now that they could do nothing against the Elves now.
“Should we tell Lord Estrial now?” Slina asked, walking up beside Bim. She was taller than Bim, slender with tan skin and short brown hair. Like her counterpart, she was dressed in hunting garb and armed with only daggers at her waist-belt.
“Let’s see what these two want first.” Bim looked away from the army to smile at Slina’s black eyes.
“By the judge of it, I would say they are coming to talk. I wonder who it is that they think will listen?” Slina had a bit of curiosity shining in her eyes. “You don’t think that they have come to surrender?”
Bim shook his head. “Unlikely.”
Bim and Slina stood side by side watching the two figures approaching come within inches of their shield before stopping. They neither said nor did anything. After a few moments, Bim and Slina crept over to where the others stood and faced them closely.
“They can’t see us, right?” Slina asked eerily.
“No. Do not be afraid, Slina. They do not know we are here.”
“What do we do?”
Bim’s response was to walk closer to them. He moved slowly through the deep grass flush with saplings, making his way carefully as though he did not want to be noticed. He reminded himself of the shield’s protection, but he took precautions nonetheless. He crept over to stand in front of the tall woman, whose robe bore the house of Cillitran’s royal insignia. Queen Andelline? Bim could hear the soft buzzing of the shield as it separated the inches between them. He studied the woman’s face for a moment, finding her appearance to be less than adequate. Especially if she was of royal lineage. He stared into her eyes and watched her pupils fix on his own. She smiled then. Bim stepped back in fear. His pulse began racing, his blood pumping in panic.
“She can see me,” he whispered to Slina. “Something’s not right.”
Slina stood by his side at once. Both of them stared at the Queen, who’s smile was still present, evil and cold. Her hands stretched forth then, palms flat, pressing forward. Suddenly blue sparks shot out. The man next to her jumped in response and shielded his eyes. But the woman remained. Electricity raced along her fingertips, down to her hands. It looked and sounded terribly painful. But the Queen only laughed.
“What is she doing?” Slina gasped.
But before Bim could recognize what was happening, blue light flared in shooting sparks at the woman’s hands with the sound of metal grinding against metal. A slight wind pulled from the trees down to the woman’s hands and they could begin to see their protective shield being sucked away.
“Run!” Bim ordered Slina.
Slina drew her daggers and stood ready for an attack. But Bim pushed her back. “Go! Get to Xtalt and warn Lord Estrial! The shield is broken! We’re under attack!”
She hesitated for a moment, knowing that Bim could not handle them by himself, but knowing that he was right. “Do not linger, Bim!” She darted away immediately.
Bim grabbed his own daggers and thrust one into the opening between the Queen’s hands.
Lon Ruell staggered back on his heels. The sparks and the blast caught him off guard. He was not entirely sure that the Queen wasn’t being attacked. Then he realized that she must have found the Elves’ shield. He pulled back his bowstring, trying to aim his arrow for the center of the blue light, when he noticed an elf staring back at him from within the woods. He realized that he was looking in through a window. The shield was being compromised.
Lon quickly looked to the Queen. He thought he saw her face contort and twist in ways that would have left her damaged for life. But he concluded that it must be from the light and the shadows shedding before her. He turned to her hands where the sparks still sprayed, noticing a swirling sheet of mist drawing down from the treetops to her fingers.
What is she doing?
Then the dagger appeared, darting through the hole in the screen to strike at the Queen. Without thinking, Lon released the bowstring and sent his arrow through the window. The dagger withdrew.
Then it all made sense to Lon: the shield, its purpose, the dagger, the Queen. Everything seemed to click for him at once. He didn’t understand how the Queen was removing the shield. He simply understood that she was. And so did the Elves.
“Fire!” Lon turned to scream at Ern and the rest of the army waiting hillside. “Fire! Fire!”
Lon heard the Queen groan something terrible and when he turned to face her again, he saw a bed of arrows lodged in her chest. She remained unraveled though. Her face was bathed in the shining blue light from forehead to chin. Lon didn’t hesitate to launch his arrows inside the woods, firing randomly, firing as fast as he could, firing to stay alive.
Then the light stopped. The Queen cried a terrible wail, a sound that was neither pain nor pleasure, but a mixture of both, before falling to her back.
With the shield gone, Lon could make out a few elves in the woods shooting arrows at the Queen, and now himself. He turned to them quickly, shooting faster than he knew he was able, watching elves drop, others running to hide. Lon could hear Ern Dwull command the army to fire a volley. But he didn’t look up to see, he kept his focus on the elves and what he thought was the last Andelline dying next to him. He moved his stance closer to her, stealing glances at her body, watching it convulse, watching her eyes roll back in their sockets.
Bim broke free from the forest with a dagger in his hand swinging down to the Queen’s throat, but Lon tackled him to the ground just before the elf’s blade reached home. In a tangle, the two wrestled across the grass.
“You don’t know what you’ve done!” Bim cried, his face red with anger. “It needs to be destroyed!”
“Like the King? Like the Prince?!” Lon went for Bim’s throat and began to strangle him.
“Dark Elves…Demons…The war’s…not…with you.” Bim’s words were choked off. He struggled to reach a short dagger at his waist-belt and stuck it into Lon’s left shoulder. As Lon reached for the blade, Bim pushed him off and retreated back into the forest.
Then the sound of a thousand arrows descending on the woods became audible. Lon looked up to see the fires streaking down into the treetops as he withdrew the blade from his shoulder. He saw some of them close-hand burning the grass nearby. A loud cheer from the army suffocated any silence then and the only thing left for Lon Ruell to ponder was the fate of the Queen.
He quickly began to pick her convulsing body up, tossing her over one shoulder, then running as fast as he could up the slope to his army. He ran with the expectance that he would be shot, waited to feel the sting in his backside. But it never came. Once he reached the line of bowmen, he walked several yards further before lying the Queen’s body down. There were too many wounds, he thought. She would not survive.
“Burn them! For the Queen!” Ern shouted. The long line of bowmen launched more arrows with fiery tips, firing relentlessly now as they saw their Queen with a bed of arrows in her chest.
Lon knelt down next to Sienna’s body, gripping her hands within his own. He was surprised when her eyes opened. Her lips began to move. He leaned in close, listening intently.
“It begins,” she laughed coldly.
“My Queen?”
Her eyes went flat again. Lon picked her up. He had to get her back to the medic’s tent. As he stood, he saw that the southeastern tip of the Lyyn Forest was ablaze and a steady stream of fiery arsenal was pouring into it like sheets of rain.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR