The Exodus Sagas: Book IV - Of Moons and Myth (86 page)

“
Vuumber! Vumber! Vuumber!”
The army was now charging in, rounding the corners of the temple district. Crossbow fire unleashed into the Armondi men from dwarven archers and elven marksmen alike.

James lifted up, grabbing his sword from Dalliunn Cloudwatcher, then his shield from the ground, and raced to the body of Gwenneth in the midst of chaos. He began pulling bolts from her back as fast as he could, took her staff, and held her tight. The staff throbbed with pulsing green energy, yet he only focused on her and his glowing hand. He tried, he prayed, but nothing happened.

“
Retreat, retreat!”
The men, perhaps twenty left alive, ran as fast as they could north now that the archers from the army were within range.
The minotaur was loose, the creatures of the Whitemoon drove them off, and the woman that had fallen from the sky, cut them down like the wind.

“
You had better run!”
Shinayne yelled, as Tubrey unlocked her chains and the lewirja handed her Carice. She took Elicras from where it had been tossed, sheathed her blades, and she turned to Lavress Tilaniun.

“
You are late
.” She stated as she walked toward him, and he walked to her. Both their eyes full of tears. She looked to his amber eyes, and touched his face.

“
I told you to wait for me, Shinayne.”
Lavress touched her cheek
, stared into her aquamarine eyes, and smiled.

“
And I told you I was coming with
.” She smiled back. “
I almost caught you.”

“
I was with you, no matter how far away, or close, you
may
have been, all this time.”

“
I know
.” Shinayne grabbed him by the blonde braids, wrapped her arms tight, and kissed her beloved passionately, as an elven princess had rights to. Lavress returned the kiss, just as fierce, forgetting everything else around them.
Though they did not speak, as their lips would not allow words, they both knew now and again, how strong their love truly was. It was a feeling, between elves, that no one would understand, but them.

The moment came and went, broken by the sobs of James Andellis, the roar of Saberrak Agrannar the gray, and the cheers of an army that filled the entire temple district with nearly two thousand. Shinayne turned and saw Cristoff Bradswellen, the dwarves of Marlennak, Codaius and Jardayne of Evermont, and Kaya T’Vellon. Saberrak walked next to her, put his hand on her shoulder, and nodded.

“It seems we have a following.
This must be Lavress
.” Saberrak huffed as he nodded to the
wood elf. Lavress
bowed to the tatto
o
ed minotaur, and looked to the army before them.

They had no words, seeing so many they had met, here for them, and with an army.
Then, they
saw a dwarf in golden armor
walk forward. Shinayne shook her head, Saberrak dropped his axes and took a knee, and even James looked up as he held Gwenneth.

“
Zen?
Is that you? But you were killed, you…the shield…they brought your…and said…how did you escape her?” Shinayne walked forward, touched his face, it was him.

Azenairk looked up to her with a smile, then embraced her in dwarven fashion. He whispered into her ear and tried not to tear up.
He felt S
aberrak’s strong hand tremble and touch his chest to see if he was real.

“
You killed her, Arabashiel, with Mudren Sheldathain? With the dust, but why can’t you speak? What is…
oh no
.” She looked at his neck, scarred, torn, ripped and healed. But Zen’s throat was maimed indeed.
Suddenly,t
here were elves, Loestal river elves of northern Agara. A sword, glowing white and curved as it hummed in the air
, floating
over them. The elves all knelt, before Lavress Tilaniun.

“My king, take
Loestiri,
the blade of the dancing monarch, blade of the last king of Tintasarn. It calls for you, after two thousand years of our protection, Siril has called it to choose a ruler to wield it and sit on the elven throne once more. We are at your service, your highness.” Arylius and his priests remained still, waiting for a miracle that was their life purpose.

Lavress looked around, then up to the blade s
wirling over him, and reached t
o grab the hilt.

“I wouldn’t do that if was---“ Tannek was not in time.

Whoom, whoom, whoom!

Three times it throbbed and flashed, and Lavress withdrew his hand is it shot sparks of jolting force, knocking his fingers numb. He looked to the elves, just as confused as they were.

“I do not…I do not underst---“ Arylius gasped.

Tannek Anduvann smiled wide. “Lady Shinayne, take that blade for us, will ye’.”

Shinayne reached up, golden light showered in small sparkles all around her, and she gripped the hilt. It was perfect, heavier than Carice, but
it seemed to float in her hand when she thought of the weight. She drew Carice, with her left hand, then switched them, finding the balance with two longblades. The humming
song was undeniable, the blade
wanted her to hold it. She turned to the silent army, and saw hundreds of elves kneeling before her, tears in their eyes.

“Hail, Queen Shinayne of Tintasarn, beloved wielder of Loestiri, we are at your service.” Arylius Diravas bowed, as did his cousin Aariss, and the sword hummed in approval.

“
Elves, ha!
I done told ye’, I did. The blade wanted a woman, whole time, I knew it.” Tannek laughed and received a few smirks and nods from the elven priests. “Well I did, ye’ heard me.”

Just as Shinayne sought many a word and question, the battle horns sounded
from the north, and the marching
of five Armondi legions rumbled
as thunder. Everyone looked, as
the forces of Armondeen passed the outpost in formation and continued toward the city.
They had halberdiers, infantry, even armored cavalry. They saw very few archers though, but many flags and banners with the talons clutching a scepter and a lance.

Cristoff looked north, one bridge over the massive ditch. He looked east, one bridge there as well. He looked west, the same, he knew they would have three places to defend and that was if the infantry did not try to reach them by going through the trench that surrounded the ruins. He counted quick, at best they had less than two legions, against five.
There was no greeting, no salute, as Lord Amirak Harron, Prince Rohne, Bishop Thohne, and Sir Yaelsh drew and pointed their blad
es toward the inferior mumbers
in the ruins. The legions of Armondeen stomped and roared a battle cry
, intent on revenge
.

“
Rah, rah, hoona rah!”
The dust shook on the ground as they marched toward Mooncrest.

Angeline pulled James to his feet, and Tubrey stepped in over Gwenneth. James struggled, then felt peace come over him from her touch. She looked to him, but did not speak.

I am Angeline of Charity, of the Knights Soujan. Tubrey and I will take care of Gwenneth, but you need to fight now, Sir James Andellis.
They need you.

I love her, I have nothing left to fight for, I…

I know you do, I can feel it. She feels the same for you, I am certain. Let us try something, Tubrey and I. You have to stand with your friends, that is what she would want you to do, is it not?

James nodded, looked at Gwenneth and this green robed woman. He did not know why, he did not ask, but he felt that all would be well. He felt the Goddess tell him, he felt Alden say it to his heart, and he wiped his eyes dry. He saluted Cristoff with his griffon hilted broadsword, and five hundred Harlians returned the salute, then five hundred Shanadorians saluted him, and he marched up next to Shinayne, Saberrak, and Azenairk. They looked to him, without words spoken, and they knew he was ready.

Stomp, stomp, stomp!

James glared at the approaching army. He saw them separate. One legion went west, one east, and two made for the north bridge that Zen had created. A reserve legion held back, half mile from the outpost. He glanced over the temple district, all in silence, waiting for an order from someone.
Zen nodded to him, as did Shinayne, then Saberrak. He
looked behind him, r
ec
e
iving the same bows of respect from Codaius, Jardayne, Cristoff, the dwarves, and even Kaya T’vellon. He saluted the approaching forces, eyes on Harron, and
mar
ched north to the bridge
.

Zen whispered to Tannek Anduvann, and marched behind James.

“
Dwarves of King Thalanaxe, to the west bridge, march!” Tannek, Drodunn, and Dalliunn lead the half legion to their left.

“Forces of Evermont, with me, to the east bridge!” Knight General Jardayne saw the Armondi cavalry head east, the reserves were lined up there as well, and if they went for the caravan, his cavalry would be the only force fast enough to reinforce Julia Whiteblade. Sir Codaius raised his blade, and five hundred horsemen headed right.

Cris
toff motioned his blade forward, and the rest went to meet the two legions at the north bridge.
Half a legion of
Harl
ian soldiers with Leonard and Karai
, elven archers, priests of Siril,
two
golden minotaurs,
three
hiroon wolf lords, a unicorn, a cyclops,
a knight of Southwind Keep, a hunter of the Hedim Anah, and Kaya T’vellon
,
all followed the heroes of Mooncrest.

James stood at the edge of the bridge, then Shinayne, then Saberrak, and then Azenairk. James looked to
Shinayne
, and she to him. He spoke softly. “
For Gwenneth, to whatever end.”

“
To whatever end, all the way
, and for Gwenne
.”
Shinayne nodded to Saberrak and drew her blades, Loestiri in her left, Carice in her right.

“
For honor and freedom, and the lady of Lazlette
.” Sa
berrak huffed and looked to Zen, then twirled his greataxes and lowered his horns.

“
vuum…ber
.” He whispered
,
as loud as he could, but they heard him.
He pounded his hammeraxe to the crescent shield, and raised it high.

“Vuumber!”
T
hey roared for Azenairk, it echoed back from the dwarves to the west, then back from the eastern cavalry, then from everyone in the city
that stood in defiance of wicked men
.

Lavress stepped up
next to Shinayne
, then Kaya
next to Saberrak, then Arylius and
Ihros Seeing-owl
as well
. Liogan Andellis stood next to Sir Karai, who was next to Cristoff
Bradswellen
, and then Sir Leonard was next to Aariss
Diravas
.
The sun was forcing rays t
hrough now, six, then seven beams
of sunlight flooded a land that had not seen its warmth in over two milennia.
The
armies
were ready,
the storm was but a memory, and the curse of Arabashiel and Gimmor was undone.
The armies of Armondeen ch
arged them, and they stood
, prepared to die for the lands they had freed, and that so many had come to see them set free.

Some may have thought to run into the city, to hide, but no one spoke it. They knew their heroes were done running.
Then, t
hey all watched as a wolf, a lone gray wolf, ran back and forth in front of James
Andellis
and his compa
nions. The knigh
t of Chazzrynn from
Southwind
Keep
smiled, and looked up to the sky
.
“
May we
live without fear this day.”

South of Vin Armon, Kingdom of the Crescent Moon

“
Redemption is the most painful experience a mortal will
ever endure
, for its necessity is usually realized
only at the end of ones life.”---
Spoken by Tarell of Justice to the conquering Altestani forces, last of the Knights Soujan to die defending the Temple of Mooncrest, moments before his beheading. Circa 1684 B.C.

The Nadderi elf dodged left and the boneblade cut a tree branch in half. He rolled right, just as Kashtamias breathed an acidic black cloud to where he had been. The grass on the ground withered and died with the ash and acidic spray. Kendari ducked the shield of bone, feinted to leap up, and rolled between the demon’s legs. With a
quick
spin and another roll, he cut twice with Shiver and twice with the holy longsword, dropping the knight of hell to his knees as blood poured to the earth.