Peter Koevari - Prophecies Awakening

Faowind smiled. “You may just get that chance. They are getting closer."

He gently slid Andrielle’s helm over her head, covering and protecting most of her face, save her eyes. She turned her attention to Helenia and was quite a sight to behold, even for her daughter. The royal battle armour was the prized possession of any elven royal who was privileged enough to wear it. Helenia would inherit her mother’s armour upon her ascension to the throne, but had specially made armour of her own to tide her over. The queen’s armour shone gloriously, and was set with jewels imbued with magical power that she could tap into during battle. Her helm connected to golden scales that draped over her shoulders, and the face of a dragon was carved into the shiny metal of her face plate.

“Faowind, if you would please fit my reserve helm onto Helenia?” she asked with a knowing smile.

Helenia suddenly realised that she would finally have her wish granted. Faowind stood close behind her and slid the heavy helm over her head. Andrielle’s reserve helm was identical to her first, but bore the carved face of a hawk.

Helenia stuttered as her face paled. “Thank you, mother. I–I will not let you down."

“I know you wouldn't. But you will stay close to either myself or Faowind. Nothing is for certain when we reach the battlefield. You have to be prepared for anything. Is that clear?” said Andrielle, raising her sword.

“Of course, as clear as crystal waters,” replied Helenia.

Faowind pulled a slightly beaten sword from the cart and handed it to Trisa. They all joined their queen in raising their swords together.

Bang…

Another rumble sent plates crashing to the ground and shattered into tiny pieces. They all swayed with the force of the impact.

Andrielle spoke again. “In the touching of our swords, we become as one. This is our first and last stand. We have nowhere else to run and we will no longer hide. Our forces will combine our strengths and we will win this day on the battlefield, or die trying. Let us touch swords now.”

In a circle, they touched their swords at the tips, the ceiling of the house lighting up with reflections of forged metal.

Andrielle's voice was firm as she continued. “Victory will be had, or death shall be embraced. For all that is pure!”

“For all that is pure!” they chanted.

They sheathed their swords in unison and took a moment to look each other in the eyes. Fear was overtaken by necessity, and necessity finally turned into determination.

“We all know what we have to do, so let’s go and get it done,” said Andrielle with a nod.

They walked out the door together and made their way to their waiting horses. Andrielle’s army was quite a sight to behold, and covered the majority of the city’s grounds. Mounted on horseback, Andrielle, Helenia and Faowind approached the front ranks of their awaiting men and women. The Knights of the Elves made their way behind their queen.

Some of the army’s soldiers were barely in their teens, yet they held swords and other weapons in their growing hands with the same confidence as their elders. Andrielle lifted her face guard to greet her people face to face.

“The great and honourable Elven Queen, Andrielle!” cried Faowind.

The army responded as one, moving to an attentive stance and speaking with an almost deafening unified voice.

“For the queen!” they screamed, stomping their feet into the ground and banging their swords against their shields.

Bang…

A burning tree tore through the canopy, crashing into a now-empty barracks and setting it alight as if it were a wick for a candle. Unaffected by the interruption, Andrielle addressed her waiting army.

“I welcome all of you, brave souls. Some of you have come from faraway lands to join our fight here today, to join the most important fight of our lifetime. We stand here together, unified against the darkness that shadows over us. We stand here to say that we will live in fear no longer! Today, you will not bow to me as your queen, and I ask for no favouritism. On this day, we will shed blood together, standing shoulder to shoulder. And on this day, we shall be triumphant as equals!” said Andrielle.

The mass of soldiers smashed their shields into the ground, while still holding their disciplined stance. Andrielle spun her horse around and faced the direction from which the burning trees were thrown — Kassina’s direction. She turned her face back to her army and continued.

“Kassina and the Dark Army would love for us all to cower in fear until they can pick us off and destroy us all. Our allies, the dragons, have already begun the battle, and we will help them to win the war! We will not bow to her dark wishes. We will take the fight right to that heartless wench’s lips and tell her, as her armies fall to the ground around her, that we are unafraid!"

Andrielle’s army began a rhythmic beat with their weapons and shields, their hearts racing with adrenaline. Andrielle drew her sword, and slammed her face guard into place with its hilt. She pointed forward through the trees that began to part and open a path for the army to enter.

“Onward to victory!” she screamed.

“To victory!” they all began to chant.

The ground trembled with the movement of Andrielle’s army as they began their march towards Kassina’s waiting Forces of Darkness.

Black clouds billowed into the sky and the stench of smoke stained the crisp night air. Flashes from the battle lit up the tear-streaked faces of sniffling children as the mothers who were either too weak to fight, or needed for the safekeeping of the survivors, made their way toward the glow and skyward beam of She’Ma’Ryn, far from the Battle of the Elven Woods. The women carried heavy packs on their backs with supplies and materials for making shelter. A handful of elven warriors accompanied the survivors for protection.

A woman managed a smile as she addressed the large crowd of children. “Come now, we are under the queen’s orders and we will be safe in the woods.”

The children nodded as they held their heads low and continued the long walk without complaint. “Remember, we have the dragons on our side now,” the woman continued. “And when the battle is won, we will return to Veldrenn to rebuild and celebrate.”

Kassina turned her scowl to her busy catapult crews and viciously spat out an order. “Aim at those damned dragons, or we’ll lose this battle before it has even begun!”

She puffed loudly and collapsed her body into her makeshift throne in annoyance.

Finn dove hard at Kassina’s cart and blew a fiery path towards her position, his eyes narrowing on his target.

“Look out!” exclaimed Aidan from the cart, struggling against the rough ropes to escape. His flesh was torn through and bled into the ropes.

Finn! Be careful, one of our own is beside her, ordered Karven from far above. Watch your fire!

Kassina snapped to her feet and quickly chanted a spell of protection against fire.

“ Celatum sit ignem de corpo mei. ”

In a series of pulses, a large, transparent, glowing sphere covered her entire cart. The red-hot flames turned to steam as they touched her magical sphere.

"Damn you, witch!" growled the young dragon as he circled around.