Everyone had much despair in their hearts as they realised the situation was troubling. Kemi looked at the soldiers that had been infused with the shadow stone’s power and wondered what would happen if she could wake all those that had died on the battlefield. The soldiers in front of her looked unafraid and stood silent waiting for her orders. Down below on the other side, there was a sense of confidence that had been increased with the apprehension of the earth stone. All of the soldiers knew before coming that Redonia held power but very few had before today ever seen or heard anything about the magic stones.
After witnessing what their leader could do, there was much positive feeling that was being spread around everyone. Amaya was sitting on a chair and was looking at the earth stone that then lay in front of him on a table. The knight told him the assassins could have made it back to the castle if they would have been more lucky. He told Amaya, with a little anger in his voice, that he should have been the one to oversee that the earth stone would have come back safe from the forest. Amaya nodded but said he needed him there so he didn’t wish to hear more about it. The voice coming from the helmet on the knight did not show the respect Amaya would usually get from everyone else. Very few would dare to speak to the general in such way but the knight did.
The six soldiers guarding the other stones were larger than the knight but none of them would dare to speak up against him. The knight left angry and hitting an oil lamp that broke on his way out, as well as kicking some swords that still burned a little of the shadow stone’s power. Amaya shook his head and turned his attention towards the earth stone. He now had three of the seven Alumrylite stones and he brought his master of knowledge to him. Hoseki was an old man that had worked for both Amaya’s grandfather and father. He knew the power of the magic stones very well and told Amaya that the earth stone had the abilities of growing trees as its lowest power but could create earthquakes as its most powerful ability as his nephew, Prince Theran got to experience.
Combining the wind and earth stone would cause a wave of destruction on land. Combining the earth and fire stone would create lava from below the enemy’s feet. Amaya already knew the combined power of the wind and fire stones since he had himself created the fire tornado many times before. He already knew of the other combinations and would love to try them out. He asked Hoseki if the power between all three of them would do anything but Hoseki said the magical stones usually only worked together with one other element but according to the old scripts, if the seven came together, the land got destroyed and rebuilt differently. Anyone in its radius would perish with the land to be fertiliser for the new land but he also added that it was only what had been deciphered from old texts that had been deciphered from even older texts. It was possible that nothing at all would happen.
Amaya nodded and said they might never find out but perhaps they might add yet another Alumrylite stone to their collection. He knew Kemi had the shadow stone and had seen the reaction to the swords that he had beside him and asked Hoseki what else it reacted to. The knowledge master said the shadow stone would react to living tissue and took it over to finally replace it. Hoseki said that he hoped Kemi had not learned about its most powerful magic of poison that would kill the land and consume its people to change as well. Amaya remembered what he had read and asked what Hoseki suggested if that happened. Retreat was the only thing the old knowledge master responded with. He told the general, however, that if they would be able to get the shadow stone, they would be invincible in the world of Taroo.
Hoseki said the shadow and light stone would not do anything to other Alumrylite stones what he remembered but combining shadow and light together with another Alumrylite stone would bring someone back to life. He was not sure if that was true or what the final Alumrylite stone would be, but he hoped to one day find it. Amaya looked interestedly at him and said it was too bad they couldn’t bring back some of the greatest generals or kings from before. Old master Hoseki told him there were notes if it would be possible they could bring something else not lived in this world for long time. He said it could prove highly dangerous to bring the wrong person back from the afterlife. No one could know if the person would be themselves or something different.
Amaya thanked his knowledge master and said he would wait no longer for the surrender of the castle. Since Kemi then attacked them, the time he gave them to surrender had passed. He would presume she won’t give herself up so he must act. He exited his tent and walked under cover of some shields built as a roof for the highest ranked in the army carried by some soldiers. He had a pigeon delivered to him and he attached a note to it. Kemi asked the wise men about anything found but at this time, every book had been searched and the lack of information was most likely because of the magical stones not being part of the history of the land. Most of the books had been brought to the land by others living in those countries that had the magical stones already. The few books that held any information had now been read and left them with nothing more to discover.
The forest people said their ancestors used to live in another land across the sea as well and were almost wiped out according to the old stories. The water stone would have been a great asset to have then and considering that Amaya most likely didn’t have it, the location of it must be somewhere there was water. Kemi held her head in her face and heard only half of what everyone was saying. She couldn’t think straight and didn’t know what to do with a magic stone that was unable to be controlled. She closed her eyes and then came to a decision. She asked for silence and then told her advisors and soldiers that she would give herself up to save them. One of the officers that had been healed by the shadow stone wanted her to use the magic of it to bring the attacking soldiers down. His voice had changed and he didn’t seem to blink anymore. The wise men told her to not use the powerful magic since the text from the Redonian songs told about poison and horror when used. She looked over the people that were standing outside the houses and over to her castle further away.
Jay looked like he was looking into nothing and so did the other soldiers that had been treated with the magical stone. Jay told her he wanted to attack and many of the soldiers told her they would die for her if she wanted. She smiled and was happy for the support but told them to let her go and only attack if the general broke his word. She was given a flag that was shot with an arrow, that would have to be held up to signal that she was giving herself up. The pigeon from Amaya landed just then next to the wise men who was watching the ruler of the Grasoll land, getting ready to give up her throne. He opened the letter and ran to Kemi to show her the letter. It said that the time was up and the castle would be taken by force. They suddenly heard the canons roar down at the kingdom bottom outside and one of the scouts said all the Alumrylite stones were being brought out.
Kemi hurried to bring the flag up and ran to the edge of the wall. She held it up so they could see it and some canons stopped. Amaya saw the flag and asked the knight next to him if he wished to let them live. The knight looked at him through the small hole in the helmet and then raised his arm so every single archer aimed for the castle. Amaya had also no interest in the surrender anymore as well and told the knight to let them fly. The arm of the knight lowered to give the archers command to open fire. The arrows went off at once from all the archers who all aimed at where they knew the queen was located. Everyone immediately took cover but it was not enough for all those above. Many got hit by the arrows and the archers below continued to unleash more arrows. A few of the soldiers that had been infused with the shadow stones power made no move even when the arrows penetrated their bodies. They simply pulled out the arrows and threw them to the side. None of them seemed to want to help anyone and none of them came to their queen’s aid.
The canons went off below and much destruction hit the kingdom of Grasoll. Some tried to respond with their own arrows but many got hit or had no chance to do anything. Most of the people could only hide away as their kingdom received heavy damage. Kemi
desperately tried to hide away but there were too many dangers around her. The soldiers wanted her to flee to the castle but it was too late for that. A commander that tried to provide protection for his queen got killed when a blast from below made much of the wall collapse. He fell through the cracked wall and screamed to his death. Without any where to go, the unavoidable happened for the queen that had nowhere to escape to. In front of the soldiers and people of the kingdom that were hoping for a peaceful ending, a sight that proved the end for the war was shown to everyone.
Kemi got hit by several arrows that penetrated her in many places. She breathed heavily and was hardly moving. Jay walked calmly up to her while being hit by another arrow that ended up in his back. He grabbed her arms and dragged her away while she struggled to breathe then. The attack left her with four arrows sticking out from her body. The soldiers were furious and all drew their weapons and were ready to run outside. They would rather die fighting than waiting for death in hiding. Kemi whispered to Jay to guard the castle at any cost and save the people because she would soon not be able to. Jay was silent and gave the order to bring the shadow stone up.
Kemi was slowly losing consciousness but could hear Jay say he could also hear the voice in the Alumrylite stone calling to her. She looked at him, knowing fully what he wanted her to do. She nodded but she had not have long to go then. When the shadow stone finally came up, she was almost completely gone. Jay asked her to put her hands out to the shadow stone and she was quiet for a few seconds while she mustered strength to speak. She asked Jay how he felt and he responds with that he could take on the world.
The walls crumbled from the constant canon loads from the large machines below firing. The soldiers screamed that the Alumrylite stones below were being placed in the front of the castle. They could see Amaya put his hands on the earth stone and the ground started to shake shortly after. Some houses in the city that were built lightly, were falling apart. The wise men wondered how Amaya could control the power of the magical stone so easily without any special potions like the forest people used. The high officers said the general would kill them all if the attack continued.
Kemi looked in Jay’s empty eyes and had decided what she must do to save her people. She grabbed Jay’s hand and told him she always liked him and was jealous when he married Nami. She then grabbed an arrow with the last of her power and pulled it out, causing the blood to hit the shadow stone. The shadowy mist was once again following the blood to its source but this time, colours of red and shades of green came as well. Kemi touched the magical stone and saw darkness all around her then. She could see the figure again and her pain was disappearing from where the arrows were. She almost stopped breathing as she passed out from the blood that was pouring out fast but before she completely lost her consciousness, she heard the voice from a girl coming from the Alumrylite stone that told her to not accept the power. Her breath became slow and almost silent as she wondered why the girl told her so. Did she wish for her to just die and was she not worthy of the powers that had been given to the soldiers, she thought.
Her head spun and she felt calm around her with a warm feeling. The voice was there again and it again told her to just accept death and leave for the afterlife. Kemi thought about her father and how it would be nice to see him again as well as her mother. Seeing all those she had seen pass away during her life would make her happy. She then thought about what else she had done during the years and what she had given orders for. She got an uneasy feeling and became angry because she wondered why she would have to die when the others were allowed to live. The voice came again and told her she could choose to die and live in the afterlife or live to become dead inside. Kemi screamed out that she decided herself what she wanted and that she was the ruler of the Grasoll kingdom. She was angry and felt the warmth change to a cold around her.
With the words coming out of her mouth, she told the voice she choose to kill her enemies. In that instance, she gained an enormous boost of power that filled her up. She felt strong but something was pulling her soul out of her, it felt sad and painful but also relieving as she got a clear mind. The mist was all around her and suddenly, she opened her eyes. They were black as well and the arrows were being pulled out of her by Jay. She looked at him who helped her up onto her feet. The soldiers look at the much alive leader of the land that was almost dead before. The attack had, for a short instance, stopped which she made use off. She walked up to the ledge again and watched the army prepare for the next attack. The earth stone was working its magic and was only warming up next to the fire stone.
Amaya was planning to use the two magical stones and create lava in the castle. Kemi looked at her soldiers who seemed scared of the situation and then walked up to take the magic stone. The wise men knew what she was about to do and begged her not to use its power. Two of them grabbed her but were taken away by some of the soldiers already tainted by its magic. They called out for reason but she ignored them. And when others that had realised what was going to happen, tried to stop her, the other soldiers stood in the way with Jay in front, holding them back. Kemi lifted the shadow stone and felt inside her how she could open up the powers inside of the Alumrylite stone finally. She then saw the being inside and noticed it was, indeed, a girl looking back at her.
Amongst the noise, Kemi heard the power of the shadow stone said it was greater than her and she would end up killing everyone around her. Kemi ignored the voice and said she only cared about taking revenge against those coming for her. As soon as she said that, the shadow stone ignited into a dark flame then released the magic. The sky turned from blue to purple very fast. Hoseki that had been watching from his seat with his looking glass, told Amaya that the shadow stone was now activated and trouble would follow. He said Kemi must die fast and the Alumrylite stone taken of the kingdom or they might meet a greater resistance than ever before.
Amaya used the earth and fire stone right away and gave orders for all soldiers to retreat back. The ground started to make sounds and with the help of the directions of the knowledge master, Amaya was able to direct the magic with moving the Alumrylite stones in position. In the castle, Kemi ordered the soldiers off the ground when she saw part of the ground open up and getting closer to the castle. The small cracks had smoke coming up and the cracks got closer to the kingdom walls. The black mist from the magical stone spread further and was now covering the top of the walls. Many of the soldiers were inhaling the mist that was moving fast. As the mist spread, more and more of the soldiers got their eyes colour to change. Some of the soldiers became afraid and backed off to not get the mist over them. Some soldiers start to fight as some tried to stay away from the mist and others making them stay since they had already inhaled the mist or got treated by it.
The soldiers from so many different places on Nanta no longer held the wish to fight and many fled towards the exit at the back. And since the soldiers outside had moved away, the fleeing soldiers could leave out the back. The forest people also headed for the exit but some were trapped with the canon that had been put high up. Hun told them to flee but they were cut off completely. They had no choice but to run through the mist but never emerged out again to follow their friends. A lot of the remaining people that decided to stay in the city before the war started, also decide to leave then. After the soldiers moved off outside, there was a big group of people running out of the castle that would take-off against the outer parts of the kingdom lands.
There was a constant flow of people and soldiers that exited the kingdom. The high officers of Amaya’s army were ready to engage the running people but Amaya told them to stand back and let the people go. Hoseki said that if the shadow stone was not stopped, then they would have to leave to save their own army from being infected by the mist. The earth and fire stone then sent its power in the castle and several buildings started to have smoke coming out of them. Any people that had hidden inside would have to leave when the ground opened up.
Some of th
e lava started to flow up outside and started getting closer to the kingdom. Amaya had ordered every single piece of arrow and canon load to be fired at once at the same place and gave the signal. There was almost a cloud of arrows landing on the soldiers on the kingdom walls. The canon loads injured the wall badly and much of the wall got so damaged, that bigger part of it fell down. Many of the soldiers hit were already infected with the mist and seemed to be healed fast in the mist that was spreading fast. Other soldiers not infected, were injured or killed and the injured hurried to the mist as they knew it could heal them. Screams were heard from below as some houses burst into flames and lava was coming up. Some unsuspecting people in the city got trapped and burnt alive by the lava.
The people leaving the kingdom increased at the back of the castle with many forcing themselves out. Kemi, who held the magic stone, then said she could feel the power of it but did not hear the voice inside it anymore. She said she could control it and held the magical stone up. Amaya sent another wave of arrows and other projectiles but when the second landed, an enormous boom was heard. The shadow stone created a barrier that went around the wall of the kingdom. Anyone still inside, felt the power of the Alumrylite stone infecting them then. People who were trying to go out suddenly stopped moving as soon as the mist hits them and people who got hit by the barrier when they ran outside, then walked back to the castle.
Hoseki, who stood next to Amaya, looked at the barrier and said they must leave because the people inside were already doomed. Amaya wondered if the barrier would stop the other Alumrylite stones power but got the answer when the smoke from inside stopped as well as the fires disappeared in the kingdom. The lava seemed to not move any further than to the barrier and it was clear the other magic stones did not work there anymore. Hoseki thought the shadow stone, that was more powerful, most likely had blocked the power of the other two Alumrylite stones.
World of Taroo Page 51