Chapter 43
charclone
Well-known member
A.N. Latest chapter I have written for this story (ch 46) was fighting me, but at least I also have an extremely large chapter for Æonian Flame... in about four weeks when I post it. Unless I write more for that story.
Anyway, here is chapter 43. Enjoy. Also, please leave a comment about your thoughts, as I am always curious what people think about the chapters.
She was annoyed with her friend.
Most of the time, it took several decades before they would let a mage-in-training join in battles. Her friend? Only took one to become a fully certified warmage.
The demigoddess had fought two battles against the long-eared foe alongside the king's armies. In the first battle, they had been scattered, and the village fell swiftly, the inhabitants put to the sword. The second battle happened after several more villages had been destroyed. Over two thousand warriors cam pouring into a valley as the elven army marched.
The fighting had been bloody, brutal, and served only to invigorate the elves. Several other kingdoms had pledged their support, with a few smaller ones becoming vassals of larger ones.
The Huntress-Queen seemed annoyed at it. She had forced her 'champion' to kill several envoys, in the wilderness outside the city. It only served to make the other kingdoms more afraid, as an unknown killed stalked their envoys, bold enough to strike deep inside elven territory, even after the Huntress-Queen's people had been so brutally beaten. This in turn made the Huntress-Queen more infuriated.
Thus, a third battle was to take place, fifteen years after the elven village that took in the young girl was destroyed.
The demigoddess glared at her friend, dressed in the full battle regalia of a warmage.
The young elven girl, now a young adult elven warmage just smiled at her friend, dressed in light armour, still with the blessed spear.
"So, the enemy is massed at three times our numbers, across the river?"
The demigoddess sighed.
"Yes. They fortified parts of it. The 'High King' as he is being called now, wants to use mages to brake the fortifications, while the army fords across, as a distraction, while detachments cross upstream to flank them." She shook her head. "Please don't do anything foolish."
"What, like charge into a massed army by yourself to rescue the king?"
The demigoddess glared at her snarky friend.
"I'll be safe, don't worry, but you take care of yourself as well, alright? I… I'm scared at what the Huntress-Queen might make you do, besides killing those envoys."
"You knew?"
Her friend nodded.
"Yes, I knew. I also knew why. I… I've been looking into it. Once the battle is over, we'll talk about it, alright? There is something I want to go looking for."
They both turned to look in the direction of a horn call, blasting out over the camp, calling soldiers to arms.
"Well, I'd best join the other mages." Her friend leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek. "Been wanting to do that for a long time."
The demigoddess stared as her friend fled.
'What foulness. How can you even call it love, and yes, I know you are calling it that in your head. Honestly, you can't even spawn children when it's between two women.' The voice of the Huntress-Queen intruded upon her mind. 'Now, you have a battle to fight. Go, teach my people why they should never had grown soft.'
The fortification, wooden walls built into and atop hills, burst into flame. The eruption didn't destroy them, but they did ignite them with such heat that they became useless as defences. The rabbit-eared warriors came charging down the hill as the vanguard pulled itself from the boats, forming lines that crashed into each other. Spears and blades stabbed, in an attempt to break the shield walls.
The demigoddess leapt from the boat she was on, over heads of the Elven warriors, and scattered the foe as she landed. To her shock, another form landed next to her.
A large, muscled elf gave her a momentary grin, before swinging a massive halberd around, scattering more of the foe. He bellowed a laugh, as he scattered them like wheat, permitting the elven forces to take advantage of the sudden breach. More warriors disembarked from the boats as they arrived at the shore and pressed the advantage.
The demigoddess cast a glance at the unknown demigod and plunged into the fray. Blood began pulling at their feet, as they butchered the foe.
Within moments, the foe broke, and attempted to make a stand on the slopes beyond the riverbank.
The two demigods gave them no chance.
A log was easily torn from the burning fortifications and sent rolling down the side slope. The women warriors screamed in panic and pain, and the elves cheered.
To the demigoddess, it was dull. She could not be killed, she had gotten her fill of vengeance seeing several villages burned, and by this point, she was better a warrior than the fools that tried to leap at her, often failing to land a hit, let alone bypass her armour.
Minutes after the last warrior was off the boat, the sound of hooves could be heard. The battle was decided, even if it wasn't over, as the elven cavalry came charging from upstream. Their spears and speed scattering the disorganised foe like dust in the wind.
The demigoddess sat on one of the hills, watching the foe be butchered, even as they tried to flee. She flinched when a blood-soaked hand landed on her shoulder.
"Ah! What a wonderful slaughter." The demigod grinned. "I love the sight of death. Part of the reason the God of Order chose me as his demigod. My name is Emroy. Who is your patron, round ears?"
The demigoddess glared at the elf. She was still self-conscious about that.
"The Huntress-Queen. She thinks her people became lazy."
Emroy laughed.
"Lazy? Hah! Civilised is more like it. Most of these warriors are from cities to the East. So, how did the demigoddess of the Huntress-Queen end up working with the High-King, my nephew?"
"I… they attacked the village I lived in. I… only lived, and saved the people there, because of her. We… wait, your nephew is the High-King?"
"Yup! My brother had a better head for politics, so I handed the crown to him so I could be a warrior."
Emroy said more, but his voice suddenly became distant.
'Ah… finally, they agree to come together. A new Queen has been chosen, one who is uniting the clans and tribes under her, rejecting the soft ways of the cities. Go to her." The Huntress-Queen commanded. 'She will need my guidance, if she is to be… properly trained, and take the right path. No, I don't care for your… attachments. My people will be strong once more.'
The hand on her shoulder tightened.
"I could stop you, if you wanted me to. Let her plans falter." Emroy gave her a dark look. "My god told me of what was coming to pass. Another massive battle, many will die. What good is deaths without a good life before them? Say the word, and I will help."
She was tempted. But she felt an ache in her spine. A compulsion to go.
A dark thought slipped into her mind, as a plan formed.
"No, but… tell my friend, a young elven mage, what happened, and why I am going."
Emroy grinned, and he pulled his hand away, adjusting the massive halberd on his back.
"As you wish. I will of course support the elves. The god of order is rather opposed to the Huntress-Queen's desire for the chaos of nature."
The demigoddess stood and yielded to her patron's demand, walking in the direction she was told to go. Across the mountains, to the other side of the continent, where a young queen rallied her people, and made ready to wage a war to consolidate her power, and her people, under her ideology.
Anyway, here is chapter 43. Enjoy. Also, please leave a comment about your thoughts, as I am always curious what people think about the chapters.
She was annoyed with her friend.
Most of the time, it took several decades before they would let a mage-in-training join in battles. Her friend? Only took one to become a fully certified warmage.
The demigoddess had fought two battles against the long-eared foe alongside the king's armies. In the first battle, they had been scattered, and the village fell swiftly, the inhabitants put to the sword. The second battle happened after several more villages had been destroyed. Over two thousand warriors cam pouring into a valley as the elven army marched.
The fighting had been bloody, brutal, and served only to invigorate the elves. Several other kingdoms had pledged their support, with a few smaller ones becoming vassals of larger ones.
The Huntress-Queen seemed annoyed at it. She had forced her 'champion' to kill several envoys, in the wilderness outside the city. It only served to make the other kingdoms more afraid, as an unknown killed stalked their envoys, bold enough to strike deep inside elven territory, even after the Huntress-Queen's people had been so brutally beaten. This in turn made the Huntress-Queen more infuriated.
Thus, a third battle was to take place, fifteen years after the elven village that took in the young girl was destroyed.
The demigoddess glared at her friend, dressed in the full battle regalia of a warmage.
The young elven girl, now a young adult elven warmage just smiled at her friend, dressed in light armour, still with the blessed spear.
"So, the enemy is massed at three times our numbers, across the river?"
The demigoddess sighed.
"Yes. They fortified parts of it. The 'High King' as he is being called now, wants to use mages to brake the fortifications, while the army fords across, as a distraction, while detachments cross upstream to flank them." She shook her head. "Please don't do anything foolish."
"What, like charge into a massed army by yourself to rescue the king?"
The demigoddess glared at her snarky friend.
"I'll be safe, don't worry, but you take care of yourself as well, alright? I… I'm scared at what the Huntress-Queen might make you do, besides killing those envoys."
"You knew?"
Her friend nodded.
"Yes, I knew. I also knew why. I… I've been looking into it. Once the battle is over, we'll talk about it, alright? There is something I want to go looking for."
They both turned to look in the direction of a horn call, blasting out over the camp, calling soldiers to arms.
"Well, I'd best join the other mages." Her friend leaned forwards and kissed her on the cheek. "Been wanting to do that for a long time."
The demigoddess stared as her friend fled.
'What foulness. How can you even call it love, and yes, I know you are calling it that in your head. Honestly, you can't even spawn children when it's between two women.' The voice of the Huntress-Queen intruded upon her mind. 'Now, you have a battle to fight. Go, teach my people why they should never had grown soft.'
The fortification, wooden walls built into and atop hills, burst into flame. The eruption didn't destroy them, but they did ignite them with such heat that they became useless as defences. The rabbit-eared warriors came charging down the hill as the vanguard pulled itself from the boats, forming lines that crashed into each other. Spears and blades stabbed, in an attempt to break the shield walls.
The demigoddess leapt from the boat she was on, over heads of the Elven warriors, and scattered the foe as she landed. To her shock, another form landed next to her.
A large, muscled elf gave her a momentary grin, before swinging a massive halberd around, scattering more of the foe. He bellowed a laugh, as he scattered them like wheat, permitting the elven forces to take advantage of the sudden breach. More warriors disembarked from the boats as they arrived at the shore and pressed the advantage.
The demigoddess cast a glance at the unknown demigod and plunged into the fray. Blood began pulling at their feet, as they butchered the foe.
Within moments, the foe broke, and attempted to make a stand on the slopes beyond the riverbank.
The two demigods gave them no chance.
A log was easily torn from the burning fortifications and sent rolling down the side slope. The women warriors screamed in panic and pain, and the elves cheered.
To the demigoddess, it was dull. She could not be killed, she had gotten her fill of vengeance seeing several villages burned, and by this point, she was better a warrior than the fools that tried to leap at her, often failing to land a hit, let alone bypass her armour.
Minutes after the last warrior was off the boat, the sound of hooves could be heard. The battle was decided, even if it wasn't over, as the elven cavalry came charging from upstream. Their spears and speed scattering the disorganised foe like dust in the wind.
The demigoddess sat on one of the hills, watching the foe be butchered, even as they tried to flee. She flinched when a blood-soaked hand landed on her shoulder.
"Ah! What a wonderful slaughter." The demigod grinned. "I love the sight of death. Part of the reason the God of Order chose me as his demigod. My name is Emroy. Who is your patron, round ears?"
The demigoddess glared at the elf. She was still self-conscious about that.
"The Huntress-Queen. She thinks her people became lazy."
Emroy laughed.
"Lazy? Hah! Civilised is more like it. Most of these warriors are from cities to the East. So, how did the demigoddess of the Huntress-Queen end up working with the High-King, my nephew?"
"I… they attacked the village I lived in. I… only lived, and saved the people there, because of her. We… wait, your nephew is the High-King?"
"Yup! My brother had a better head for politics, so I handed the crown to him so I could be a warrior."
Emroy said more, but his voice suddenly became distant.
'Ah… finally, they agree to come together. A new Queen has been chosen, one who is uniting the clans and tribes under her, rejecting the soft ways of the cities. Go to her." The Huntress-Queen commanded. 'She will need my guidance, if she is to be… properly trained, and take the right path. No, I don't care for your… attachments. My people will be strong once more.'
The hand on her shoulder tightened.
"I could stop you, if you wanted me to. Let her plans falter." Emroy gave her a dark look. "My god told me of what was coming to pass. Another massive battle, many will die. What good is deaths without a good life before them? Say the word, and I will help."
She was tempted. But she felt an ache in her spine. A compulsion to go.
A dark thought slipped into her mind, as a plan formed.
"No, but… tell my friend, a young elven mage, what happened, and why I am going."
Emroy grinned, and he pulled his hand away, adjusting the massive halberd on his back.
"As you wish. I will of course support the elves. The god of order is rather opposed to the Huntress-Queen's desire for the chaos of nature."
The demigoddess stood and yielded to her patron's demand, walking in the direction she was told to go. Across the mountains, to the other side of the continent, where a young queen rallied her people, and made ready to wage a war to consolidate her power, and her people, under her ideology.
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