Eternal Forest: Savage Rising (30 page)

             
“We are here…to warn you,” the soldier said in a raspy, hissing voice. “They…are coming.”

             
“Who?” Silvermist questioned. “Who is coming?”

             
“Not who, great one,” another soldier said. His voice was deeper than his comrade’s was, but still carried with it a great deal of anguish. “What.”

             
“Fine,
what
then?” she continued.

             
“Demons,” the first soldier said. His words led into a series of violent coughs. Flecks of blood flew from his lips. “An army…of demons.”

             
Zehlyr and Azalea looked to their friends in alarm. Everyone was thinking the same thing. “Killika must have summoned more of those creatures in Moon-hollow,” Zehlyr said.

             
“How many?” Azalea questioned. “How many did he summon?” She quietly cursed herself again for not killing him in elven forest.

             
The balisekt on his knees let out a sigh. A trickle of blood ran down his scaly face from the corner of his mouth. “Thousands, dryad. Thousands more.”

             
Viyana clenched her fists at her side. “His army is divided, and no doubt their civil skirmish has greatly diminished his forces,” she said.

             
“An army of demons that size will turn everything it passes into a pile of ash,” Zehlyr said. “That’s the whole reason he wanted Azalea in the first place.”

             
“Killika will not stand defeat as long as he draws breath,” Heeska said. “He would rather destroy the forest than let it slip from his grasp.”

“How soon will they be here?” the Grand Seryan questioned

“This time tomorrow,” the second soldier replied. “They march through the trees as we speak. They will have no need for food or rest, and they will not be weary when they arrive.”

“Why tell us this?” Silvermist demanded. “You are battle weary and the journey here seems to have nearly killed you all. Why risk your lives to come here and warn us of the danger?”

“We want peace,” another balisekt declared as he moved slowly to the front of the group. He was smaller than most of the others, and obviously much younger.

“Peace?” the general questioned.

“We wanted no part of Killika’s war,” the second balisekt said. “We were forced under pain of death to join his ranks. There were revolts at first, but then he began summoning his demons.”

“An eternal fire…burns in our homeland,” the first balisekt said. “He…they…”

The second balisekt put a hand on his injured comrade’s shoulder. “Killika and his Shadow Chasers practiced their dark summoning rituals for months,” he said. “Those unwilling to fight in his war were fed to his creatures. Fear beats the drum to which we have marched.”

“We want what she offered,” the young balisekt said hopefully. “We want a nation of our own, out of the Savage Lands, where we can be treated as equals.”

“Balisekts? Equal to the Civilized Tribes?” Silvermist questioned.

“These creatures are not savages,” Azalea said lovingly. She reached out, taking the injured, kneeling balisekt by the arm and helping him to his feet. The creature towered over her, but she worked to help him say upright. Zehlyr moved in on the other side, helping to prop the weary soldier up. “They have a real culture,” she continued. “They have a sense of community. Surely a creature so miraculous is blessed by the Lady herself.”

“Indeed,” Viyana said as she made her way off the bridge. She turned, standing proudly alongside the balisekts with her hands on her belt and her head held high. “As Lady of Meadowgold, I promise to pledge land holdings to the balisekt nation.”

“As will Moon-hollow,” Sunrise said as he, too, joined their ranks. “I will see to it personally.”

“If balisekts fight for the faerie nation, then the faerie nation should fight for them,” Firefly said, hovering over to join her friends. “I know I will.”

Silvermist seemed at a loss for words. Her face twisted in confusion and shock. The entire spectacle was simply beyond comprehension, and certainly beyond anything that had ever happened in the history of the Lands of Order. At last, she sighed and nodded her head. “Very well,” she said regally. “As Grand Seryan of the Lady’s Temple, I hereby welcome the balisekt nation into Her fold. You will forever be citizens of the Lands of Order.”

A joyful chorus of cheers swept across the battered army, lifting spirits and filling hearts with glee. The weary soldiers hugged one another, as well as their newfound friends.

Pleased as she was to witness the spectacle, Azalea hopped up onto the wall of the bridge and lifted her hands into the air. The crowd was quieted and all eyes were upon her. “I know you are all elated, but the celebration will have to wait for now,” she said. “War is coming, and we must prepare for battle.”

Chapter 30

             
Firefly couldn’t help but detect a terrible sense of irony in her situation. It wasn’t just the physical beauty of Tranquility that moved her, it was the history. Every time she would look across the lake, she imagined the dried, empty bed it was 200 years ago. It was in that lakebed Shimmer and her army of dryads did battle against the forces of the Vailrock. She’d always held those stories close in her heart, wondering what it was like on that fateful day.

             
Now, she was standing on the shores of Tranquility once again, and like the great elf, Shimmer, she was about to go into battle. Moreover, like Shimmer, it would be a battle with terrible, demonic creatures. A part of her wondered if this was fate playing a cruel trick on her.

             
The other part was terrified.

             
The weather was beautiful, as it usually was in Tranquility. She wasn’t sure if it was by natural forces, or the Lady’s grace, but rarely did this sacred place receive any kind of terrible weather. It rained only enough to sustain the plant life, and the wind never seemed more than a gentle breeze. It was paradise in every way. The fact that the coming hours would be filled with bloodshed and death seemed inconceivable.

             
All these things Firefly contemplated as she sat perched on the wall of the bridge on the backside of the Temple. The sun was high, casting its warm rays upon her face and heating the stone surface beneath her. It had been a long and restless night for all. The balisekts had been housed and fed, but they were still weary from their battle some days before. Using her power, Azalea had healed them as best she could, but they were still far from prime fighting condition.

Their size was small, too. Those that made the trek to Tranquility only numbered around one thousand. Still, they were eager to turn their swords and their spears against their cruel, tyrannical master, even if death was inevitable

              Not knowing the size or the strength of what was to come; only one battle plan could be conjured. Though Killika’s demonic creations were formidable, they seemed only intent on carrying out the will of their master. The hope was that, if Killika were to be eliminated, his demonic army would simply stop fighting, perhaps even be destroyed. It was a plan with no guarantee of success, but even the balisekt rebels and the Lady’s army combined could not hope to outlast an entire legion of those terrible creatures in a long, drawn-out battle.

             
It wasn’t a great plan, but it was a plan, and it was all they had.

             
“Firefly,” Sunrise said as he appeared at the top of the bridge.

             
She turned to face him, giving a look of both uneasiness and worry. Since her dramatic announcement in the Wilds, they had been avoiding each other. Even now, she knew he was going to tell her things she didn’t want to hear, but seeing how these could be their last moments in the Lady’s forest, it was truly now or never. “Have a seat,” she said with a polite gesture.

             
“It’s eerily peaceful,” Sunrise said as he sat on the wall next to her.

             
Firefly laughed. “I was just thinking that.” It felt good to have small talk with him again.

             
“Listen, Firefly,” Sunrise said. His foot scrapped casually against the stone floor of the bridge. “I want to ask you to do something, but I know you will want to resist.”

             
“I’m not coming back to the Temple,” she said without turning to look at him. “I will never be an acolyte.”

             
Sunrise chuckled a bit. “You may be surprised to hear that wasn’t it.”

             
He was right. She was surprised. “What is it then?” she asked.

             
He sighed. “I don’t want you in this fight,” he said.

             
Firefly lifted off the wall in surprise. Her wings held her aloft near Sunrise’s face. “What do you mean?”

             
“When the fighting starts, I want you to head into the Wilds and make your way to Windsong. Live out your life in the faerie city and never look back.”

             
“I will do no such thing!” Firefly snapped. Her hands opened at her sides, letting a fury of sparks dance between her fingertips. “I am finally powerful enough to fight the Lady’s enemies and you want me to run and hide?!”

             
Sunrise threw his hands up, trying to shield Firefly from view of the Temple with his palms. “Stop that!” he whisper-shouted. “That’s exactly why I want you to run.”

             
“You’re not making any sense,” Firefly said.

             
“Don’t you get it?!” Sunrise snapped. “For all of recorded history, no creature has been able to wield the Lady’s magic without sacrificing their life to Her path. Only a priest, priestess, acolyte, or seryan is supposed to be able to cast spells.”

             
“So, why can I?” she questioned.

             
“I don’t know,” he admitted. “All I know is if the Grand Seryan sees you performing magic, having abandoned your acolyte training, there’s no telling what she will do.”

             
“She would never do anything to harm me,” Firefly said, though the inflection in her voice gave away how unsure she was in her own statement. “Why would she possibly…?”

             
“Acolyte Sunrise,” a dwarven soldier said from the top of the bridge.

             
Silencing their conversation, Sunrise and Firefly turned towards the soldier. His hands shook nervously at his sides. Beads of sweat on his forehead reflected the noonday sun. “What is it?” Sunrise asked.

             
“The scouts have identified the coming army and our front lines are marching into the Wilds. It is time.”

             
“Return to the army and prepare to fight,” Sunrise said. “I will be right behind you.” The soldier bowed and hurried back around the Temple. Assured that the soldier was out of earshot, Sunrise turned back to his faerie friend. “Please, Firefly, take my warning to heart and—” She was gone. His head darted around, his eyes scanning the trees and sky for any sign of her, but he could find none. Silently he cursed her for her foolishness, but he also asked the Lady in prayer that she be kept safe.

~~\*/~~

              Deep in the Wilds north of Tranquility, the Lady’s champions made their way through the trees. With balisekts marching side by side with Tranquility’s established army, their numbers were nearly ten thousand strong. It was a respectable force, but never one intended to fight a war on such a grand scale. The army was designed as a deterrent, a means of keeping the savage tribes from launching any kind of full-scale assault on the Lands of Order. It was thought that no tribe of the Savage Lands would ever have a force large enough to pose a threat.

             
They just hoped their shortsightedness would not be their downfall.

             
Viyana stood at the head of the front line. Determined to lead the charge, the soldiers of Tranquility had given her a new suit of armor. The metal surfaces of her breastplate, limb guards, and helmet had been polished to a mirror shine. Her sword was sharpened and cleaned. It could cut through a five-inch thick branch in one swing, and she was eager to put it to good use. Zehlyr and Azalea were to either side of her, both with swords in hand and a steeled look of determination on their faces.

             
“Azalea,” Viyana said as they marched.

             
“Lady Viyana” she replied.

             
“In case this is my last day in Her forest, I just want to apologize for all my people ever did to you. You have been a great blessing, and I hope to see you returned safely to where you belong.”

             
Azalea opened her mouth to respond, but a dark shadow in the trees ahead held her tongue. The army stopped and gazed through the wilderness. Up ahead, the demonic army crawled slowly towards them. Numbering in the thousands, the blackened creatures with their coal-like hides came in all shapes and sizes. Many moved on all fours, some on two legs. Azalea looked up as a spider-like demon as tall as a maple tree crashed through the foliage, its skin burning the leaves to dust as it passed. There were balisekt soldiers marching with the demons, and though their numbers were far smaller, they were still a formidable enemy.

             
The Lady’s soldiers stood there, mouths agape and swords trembling.

             
“Soldiers of Tranquility!” Viyana bellowed as she turned to face her platoons. She held her sword high in the air, letting the sunlight reflect off its polished surface. I see the fear in your eyes! I feel the doubt in your souls. For many of us, this will be our final stand, and soon we go to our eternal rest, but know that the Lady is on our side! We fight to defend Her forest! Let Her bravery wash through you! Let her strength give you strength! Tranquility did not fall to the Vailrock in the blighted days, and it will not fall now!” She turned again, lowering her sword towards the demonic creatures now charging at full speed. “Charge!” she shouted.

             
A loud cry sounded throughout the army as they raced through the trees towards the enemy. Swords were waved furiously in the air as shields were hoisted up. The two factions struck each other in a spray of blood and ash, but the battle quickly favored one side. Soldiers fought bravely against the demonic creatures, but were quickly overpowered.

             
Zehlyr swung his sword down hard on the back of a cat-like demon’s neck. As its head rolled away, a balisekt soldier leaped over the carcass with a spear held high over its head. He stepped to the side, letting the balisekt land hard on the ground and shove the spear tip into the mud. Before he could pull it free again, Zehlyr slashed his sword across its back.

             
“Watch out!” Azalea cried out as she pulled her sword free of a bipedal demon’s throat. Zehlyr turned just as a demon resembling a massive bear came charging towards him. He rolled across the ground, letting the creature pass him by with all the strength of a landslide. Fresh from dispatching a trio of balisekts, Viyana pressed her foot off the back of a slain demon and launched herself onto the bear-like demon’s back. Its flaming hide burned her exposed skin and heated her armor, but she managed to climb up to the beast’s neck.

             
As the bear-like demon bounded towards her, Azalea held out her hands. As she slowly brought them together, the branches of two nearby trees began to reach out towards one another. They formed a web-like wall, but it only held the creature back for a few moments. As its flaming hide pressed against the branches, they soon ignited and burned away.

Freeing a small dagger from her belt, Viyana slashed at the back of the demon’s head. A shower of sparks and ember flew into the air as the creature fell like a stone. Viyana dove from its back as it hit the ground. Rolling to her feet, she collected her sword just in time to slash through another demon attempting to pounce upon her.

Farther back in the chaos, Sunrise made quick work of destroying the charging demons with his spells. He was in good company, too. All the acolyte and seryans from the Temple were at his side. Standing together, their fire, wind, and lightning spells struck down wave upon wave of demons and balisekts as they blasted through the front line. Even as he engaged the enemy, his eyes continuously scanned the chaos for any sign of Firefly. He prayed she’d taken his advice and fled to safety, but he also knew her better than that.

Though fighting for his life in the most unfavorable of situations, Heeska couldn’t help but feel a surging sense of pride and excitement. He’d spent three years in exile, hiding from the nightmare Killika had made of his home. He’d always known there were balisekts amongst the tribe who wanted to stand against the tyrannical
lord, but he never dreamed that, one day, he and those brothers in arms would be fighting side-by-side to defeat him. Win or lose, Heeska counted himself lucky to have lived to see this day. Standing together with his fellow balisekts, they tore feverishly at the oncoming enemies with their claws, spears, and swords.

“Where is Killika?!” Viyana shouted as her sword lobbed the head off a charging balisekt.

“I don’t know!” Zehlyr yelled in response. Their entire battle plan hinged on finding and defeating the Balisekt Lord. With him nowhere in sight, he was beginning to fear Killika had guessed their strategy and was fortifying himself far from the battle. If such were the case, things would truly be hopeless.

“Watch out!” Azalea shouted as she pointed up towards the treetops. High above, the spider-like demon marched right over their heads. Its legs were each ten feet long and its body was larger than two stout centaurs. Azalea watched on in horror as the creature opened its mouth and lunged forward. Its flaming jaws snapped shut around the body of an unfortunate elven soldier. The elf cried out in pain as his body burst into flames.