Peter Koevari - Prophecies Awakening

Andrielle pulled hard on her reins, causing her horse to rear up high on its hind legs and send a loud neigh into the air. She raised her sword high and cast a spell.

“ Spatha mei galbine flagrat! ”

Her sword burst into green flames, which was the signal they had been waiting for. With a loud cry of “ Forward!” escaping the forest, Andrielle’s army began their march out from the darkness and protection of the trees. Kassina watched as thousands of them came into her view, heavily armoured and many armed to the teeth with weapons made from otherworldly materials and colours. The front lines of Andrielle’s army ceased marching, standing in a linear formation a few short paces behind Andrielle.

“Dragons, take formation! The elven army has arrived!” cried Karven.

The remaining dragons flew high into the air and circled the army from above, regaining their strength as they hid themselves in the darkness. Kassina turned her view to the skies, where the battlefield was watched closely by the gods, but also by the darkest and most deviant of eyes.

Suddenly Shindar's voice filled Kassina’s mind. Kassina, your time has come. The prophecy can finally begin its fulfilment. The power we need to bring me back into this world lies in the souls of those who stand before you. Kill them all and we shall rule this world together in the time of the Blood Red Moon. You have done well and have served me with strength — now finish what you have started.

“To victory!” cried Andrielle and Helenia in unison as they and their accompaniment marched forward, leading the army into battle.

The force of their charge rattled Kassina’s cart, and she leapt off it before turning to her Forces of Darkness.

“Kill them all, and let there be no mercy!” ordered the dark sorceress with glee, as they in their turn marched to meet the elven forces in the middle of the battleground.

Karven led the dragons from the sky in a linear formation and they descended in an attack to run over Kassina's charging forces. His voice boomed over the battlefield. "Take out as many as you can, and watch for crossfire!"

Nymira leapt from the ground and took flight with all her strength, her enormous wings clawing their way into the night’s twinkling sky. She turned sharply into the path of the flying daggers, twisting her body on its side so that her armour deflected most of the sharp weapons as they rained down.

“No! Nymira!” screamed Vartan, as some of the blades landed deep in her unprotected scales and she winced in pain. She roared in response as she once again landed behind them both, shaking her head in anger. Quickly, she used her teeth to remove the embedded daggers from her scales and spit them to the ground, growling at their enemies in defiance.

Vartan and Leon stood ready to face down the vampire army that now stood abreast of the assassins, anxiously awaiting further orders. The night air was filled with the sound of shrieks and vicious hissing as the vampires eagerly eyed their prey and licked their lips in anticipation of fresh blood.

Vartan, I have a bad feeling about this, said Keturah.

“There’s too many of them!” exclaimed Leon. “Even if we were the best fighters in Marithia, we can’t take them all.”

“Then we shall take down as many of these bloodsucking bastards as we can,” responded Vartan. “I won’t die without a fight, and they will not kill me easily!”

Nymira bumped their shoulders with her nose before addressing them, the nudge startling both of the men. “We don’t need to fight these creatures. This must be a planned diversion in her battle plan, and we risk falling into Kassina’s web. Climb aboard, and let us join the fight where we are surely desperately needed. We are done here, and are running out of time.” She lowered her body in preparation for her riders.

A concerned look passed between father and son, both of them unsure as to the wisdom of her decision. They took a quick moment to gaze far into the distance, where flashes of light and distant rumbles surrounded the Elven Woods. Dark clouds of smoke filled the sky and greyed out the full moon.

They looked at each other knowingly and nodded before mounting the waiting dragon. Seeing this move, the assassins pointed at the dragon and blew their horn, once again giving their attack signal. The vampires snarled and charged at their position, at full force and with unnatural speed.

“This will be rough. Protect yourselves as best as you can,” said Nymira.

The great dragon beat her wings as fast as she could to rise from the ground vertically, changing her scales to hide them in the night as she twisted to keep the men out of the vampires’ view. Leon and Vartan groaned with pain, their arms barely able to hold on to her armour with the force of her ascent.

“Don’t let go!” yelled Vartan.

Do you go to special lengths to point out the obvious? Or does that gift just come naturally to you? asked Keturah.

Vartan growled. "This is not the time to be smart, Keturah!"

The vampires responded by throwing every weapon they could muster into the night sky, in the vain hope of injuring them. A silver dagger shot past their heads and barely missed Leon’s face by a hair’s breadth.

“Damn, that was close!” he exclaimed.

Quiet down back there! snapped Nymira. You will give away our position.

Vartan pursed his lips at his father, and Leon nodded knowingly in response and held on tightly.

Nymira, we have to avenge Tusdar’s death. I don't think he should have died for nothing, pleaded Vartan.

Nymira slowly levelled out her body and turned back to circle high above the confused vampires below. They waited on the ground like rats, sniffing at the air and hungry for blood.

As you well know, our magical powers take time to build. If I were to cast a spell of the highest order, it would completely drain me and I would be all but useless in the battle ahead of us. However, I can wipe out the vampire army below us. It is entirely up to you. I would have just enough strength left to fly us to Kassina’s front door. I will do whatever you think is best, said Nymira.

Vartan turned to Leon for an answer and was about to speak when his father’s voice filled his mind.

Son, if we don’t stop them here, we will have to face them in the Elven Woods. You have seen how fast they can run.

Vartan’s pale face said it all as Leon muffled a laugh.

Don’t forget that within my fragile human shell beats the heart of a dragon, said Leon with a grin.

Nymira, said Vartan, do what you can. We will deal with them here before we join Andrielle in the fight against Kassina. These are all the dark sorceress’s creations and must be destroyed to save them flanking us later.

As you wish, Vartan. Cover your eyes as best as you can. The dark sky will be bright tonight, said Nymira.

She circled high above the vampire army and focused on casting her spell.

“ Elemento incendii de stellis animus phoenicis evocat, ” chanted Nymira.

Out of the corner of his eye, Leon noticed that some stars began to pulsate in the dark sky and then started to change colours.

Vartan, look at that! he said with amazement as he pointed at the night sky.

Vartan glanced up and watched the beams of light shoot down from the stars and ignite into pillars of blazing fire as they entered the Marithian atmosphere. Nymira lifted her head towards the heavens as she opened her mouth wide to accept the spell’s power.