by John Grover
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An Ebon warrior fought his way through the carnage and roared straight for Edon. The smaller, battered elf caught sweeping motion from the corner of his eye and turned sharply. A battleaxe screamed through the air. Edon thrust his shield in front of him and the axe plunged into it, nearly shattering it. A crack splintered through his protection, but it stayed intact. The axe, however, remained stuck in the wood. Edon fell off his feet, as the warrior stomped closer still.
Cyan catapulted herself off a spitter spider, slashed its legs off, and finished it before noticing Edon in trouble. She flipped over an oncoming lizard man and thrust her sword behind her, impaling the beast. Then Cyan pulled her sword back and raced to Edon’s aid.
The Ebon warrior reached for the prone elf, but Cyan stepped in its way. It halted and gazed at her with a face of armor and iron. Red eyes blazed behind a masked helmet crowned with studs and barbs. Cyan lifted her sword, but the warrior took hold of her and hurled her out of its way.
The amazon slammed the ground hard, rolling across the battlefield as scavenger spiders nipped at her feet. She pulled herself up, and raged after the hunk of armor again as it pursued Edon relentlessly.
Cyan launched herself into the air and landed on its back. Barbs dug into her bare legs, drawing rivers of scarlet. She curled one arm around the warrior’s throat and drove her sword through its back with the other.
The Ebon warrior bucked and thrashed. It stumbled over lifeless bodies then flung Cyan over its head. She hit the ground again, but the blade of her sword protruded through the warrior’s chest this time, leaving her unarmed. The wind was knocked out of her. The warrior lifted its plated boot over her face
Edon crashed into the warrior headfirst, tackling it to the ground. He brought up the axe he had managed to dislodge from his shield. With both hands, he brought it down, beheading the warrior.
He extended his arm to Cyan, who took it graciously. They stood side by side, surveying the battle. The tide had turned against them.
“We are taking heavy casualties,” Edon said. “And are greatly outnumbered.”
“Think of the ancestors. They defeated her. We can defeat her too. Our leaders will not fail us.”
“White Fern may fall before they succeed. My nightmares are before me.”
“Then be not afraid. All nightmares come to an end.”
They smiled at each other and prepared to face the darkness, when a whistling caught Edon’s ears. He looked up to see a lizard man’s trident scream through the air. It caught Cyan in the chest, taking her off her feet.
“Cyan!” Edon watched her fall in slow motion. Her eyes rolled back in her head. Her face was a mask agony. The amazon's sword tumbled from her grip in a horrible dance. Blood painted the ground red. She crumpled, and the foul weapon ripped through her shoulders and back when she hit the dirt.
Edon ran to her side. His heart dropped into his stomach, as he vibrated with rage and grief. His eyes welled with tears. He bent to his knees and took Cyan’s hand. Her breathing came rapid as her chest heaved. “I will not lose you now. Not here. Not like this.”
“There is still breath within me,” she whispered. “I will fight until my last, as I have vowed.”
Edon nearly laughed, despite the horror around him. “That is the amazon in you.”
“I am your amazon.” She smiled weakly.
“By all of Orum…I am losing everything.”
Edon wailed uncontrollably. He heard Sinnia’s forces all around him, closing in on him and Cyan, pushing back his valiant armies and drawing closer to Loden Forest. He looked up at the trees and screamed. They trembled. A low rumble reverberated throughout the forest.
Movement flickered through the woods. Edon opened his eyes to witness the last of the fairies spring from the forest, soaring on gossamer wings that caught the weak rays of Orum’s sunlight.
The fairies, hearing of the battle on the plains, joined the final fight, streaming into battle with full force. Male and female alike brought their halberds, spears, and sabers. Their light blue flesh darkened with bloodlust, as they clashed with lizard men, spiders and hulking warriors. They pushed the dark forces back from the edge of the forest, renewing the fight in the elfin and amazon army.
Edon could not believe his eyes. His heart sang. His blood warmed his body as hope filled his soul.
He gazed down at Cyan as she clung to life. Her skin grew pale now. “I must get you to safety.”
“Leave me…” she murmured.
“Never.” He lifted her gently into his arms and carried her away from the battle, into the forest. He set her down beside Juni in a makeshift tent the elfin women had built under the great trees. Before racing back to the battle, he kissed her cheek.
Cyan prayed for his victory even as she lost consciousness.