When Akdarosif reached the town, Saraf requested everyone on the tower to go back to give him space, and the Nymph landed on the tower edge.
‘It has been a while since we heard from you’ Saraf said. ‘We were concerned.’
‘You’re not the only one concerned, old friend’ Akdarosif replied, his telepathic voice being perceived by all those present.
‘What is going on?’
‘Nothing good. I have tried to calm down spirits, but most Nymph requested bloodshed. Waiting and seeing I did not consider their opinion, a pretender stood out. Crifius has challenged my rule over the Nymphs.’
‘Crifius …’
‘That’s right.’
‘If you fear you cannot defeat him, I can help you. I will give you energy and strength.’
Saraf had just finished his sentence and Akdarosif interrupted him:
‘I will not cheat in a tradition that is as old as the hills, Saraf. That’s not why I’m here. If I lose, the first thing they will do is attack you.’
‘When will the duel take place?’
‘When I go back to the Nest. Today or tomorrow at the latest.’
‘Old friend, I trust you and your strength.’
Akdarosif nodded, as a token of appreciation.
From the town, another voice was heard screaming:
‘Up in the sky! Coming down from the clouds!’
Everybody looked up. From above, just like rain drops, Nymphs started plunging to the town, followed by Crifius.
‘Dammit, they used the clouds to conceal’ Saraf said.
‘Saraf, let me talk to them. Please, do not harm them!’ Akdarosif begged him.
‘I will not charge, but if they push me, I have to protect my people.’
Saraf started running to the tower edge and shouted at those below:
‘Positions, everybody! Those unable to fight, hide now! Do not attack until I order you!’
His voice sounded strong all over the town.
The Nymphs descended to the level of the town, then started flying around it, but not above it. It seemed they kept a symbolic distance. Crifius landed on the field next to the town, then looked up at the tower:
‘Akdarosif!’ his psychic voice resounded like a thunder. ‘I knew you would run away and ask for the support of your beloved Aorians. Traitor!’
Akdarosif did not reply. There was nothing to say. He turned to Saraf and told him:
‘It seemed the duel will be much sooner …’
‘Let me help you’ Saraf said.
‘No! I will accept no help. I’d rather die at peace than win by cheating.’
‘You can die as you please, but your people and my people’s blood is at stake here!’
‘Blood shall be shed anyway, this is just a delay …’
Akdarosif took off to his opponent and landed in front of him on the field. The Nymphs landed behind Crifius, shouting frantically at Akdarosif and the Aorians getting out of the town. Saraf, Calis and Afaris came to the battle ground immediately.
The atmosphere was extremely tense. The two huge Nymphs cast sharp glances at each other without saying anything. The stakes were obvious. If Akdarosif won, several quiet days would come. If he lost, blood would be shed.
‘You and I, till death, now …’ Crifius told him.
Saraf looked around. The Aorians were ready to fight. They were all holding sharp swords. Behind them, on the houses at the town’s outskirts, there were other Aorians with energy missiles ready, hovering them, ready for the attack. Saraf waved them to keep alert, so as not to be attacked from behind.
Akdarosif dashed to his enemy, striking him at full force. A thud was heard as the two huge bodies clashed. Crifius’s beak reached for Akdarosif’s right wing, but he was on his toes and avoided the attack. He then stroke back with his right wing into Crifius’s chest; his feathers were soaked in blood. He, though, seemed not affected at all. He charged at Akdarosif with both his claws, in an attempt to hit him, attacking from left and right.
The limbs clashed, making a sound which gave on-lookers the shivers. Blow after blow, the limbs became more and more soaked in blood. Akdarosif, taking advantage of his opponent’s lack of attention, grabbed him by the neck and smashed him to the ground.
The Aorians started cheering. They knew the importance of this fight too well.
Akdarosif plunged to his adversary who was nailed to the ground, feet up. The two Nymphs started hitting each another again, Crifius desperately trying to evade his adversary. With an incredibly strong blow, he cast Akdarosif from on top. Akdarosif collapsed.
Crifius stood up and jumped onto him. He bit his wings twice, tearing away feathers and flesh. Akdarosif screamed in pain, then twisted on the ground, hitting his beak with his right claw, but, again, his blows failed. Crifius continued to attack, blow after blow, causing wounds all over his enemy’s body who could not get up. Then Crifius leaped high into the air, unfolded his wings and landed with his back limbs on his adversary.
His claws entered Akdarosif’s flesh who was creaming in fear and pain, then he took off lifting his opponent off the ground. He climbed several meters then dropped him while keeping the grip. He then rose again, repeating the attack.
Saraf turned to Afaris, his face was tense:
‘You do what I do, yes?’
Afaris nodded, mouth open and breathing violently:
‘What are you going to do?’
‘If Akdarosif loses, we must teach them a lesson.’
Crifius dropped Akdarosif and when he tried to get up, he hit his head with his claw with all his force, and Akdarosif’s beak was shattered.
The Aorians shouted with anger behind them, while grasping their swords, prepared by what seemed unavoidable.
Akdarosif collapsed and Crifius delivered another blow between the wings, causing a deep wound from which blood was running.
‘Your reign finishes now …’ Crifius claimed looking at his powerless enemy.
Akdarosif looked up. His look was sad and painful, but not only for him.
‘Just as I lose my life today, so shall you …’
‘I doubt that.’
Crifius continued to look at him in silence. His face read satisfaction.
‘Look at your Aorians, your friends. You’ve lost your life for these awful insects.’
‘I am … but what I see is your death … fools!’
An energy field stroke Crifius from one side making him scream and casting him to the ground. Saraf stood out of the crowd and dashed to Crifius holding an energy sword whose light was intense.
Crifius stood up puzzled, but as he unfolded his wings to regain balance, several energy arrows crossed his wings. They were not coming from Saraf, as expected, but Afaris, who was following his father.
The other Aorians were ready, tense, waiting for Saraf’s orders.
Crifius cried at them menacingly, opening his huge beak, then his psychic voice was heard:
“Charge! Kill ‘em all!’
Akdarosif was lying on the ground in a pool of blood and watching the events with hazy eyes. His seconds were running out fast, and the last thing he wanted before his death was to see his akin slaughtered by his friends, the Aorians.
Saraf lifted the energy swords and shouted:
‘Charge!!!’
The Nymphs dashed upon the rows of Aorians, and they replied with their swords up in the air and shouting their lungs out. Above their heads, missiles were shot at the enemies at tremendous speeds. Many hit the Nymphs, crossing their chest and knocking them lifeless to the ground.
When the Nymphs reached the Aorians they halted in surprise. They were all wrapped in energy shields which they could not penetrate. And whenever their attention decreased, one Aorian jumped on them stabbing them in the neck or back.
Apprehensive, the Nymphs started to shout. It was obvious it was not a fight they could win. They broke their lines and took off. They tried in turns to dive onto their targets, but were taken d
own by energy fields and missiles before reaching the Aorians.
In the meantime, Saraf was closing in on Crifius in a determined matter; the latter was watching him menacingly; he had gone past Akdarosif who tried to say something, but was not strong enough to convey his thoughts.
‘You wanted to kill my friend. And now you want to kill my people’ Saraf shouted bursting with hatred.
He lifted his energy sword and threw it at him with all his power. The sword turned in the air and hit Crifius at the joint of the higher left wing, then turned into energy dust behind him. The wing came off Crifius’s body who was screaming in pain, then dropped onto the ground. Crifius took a couple of steps back, in awe.
As his father was dealing with Crifius, Afaris ran to Akdarosif. He placed his hand over his mutilated face and focused his energy, keeping him alive and healing his wounds.
Crifius fluttered his wings with all his strength, getting up. Saraf was watching him, without moving. In terrible pain, Crifius turned around and flew to the forest with great difficulty. The Nymphs followed him. The battle was over.
Saraf ordered the Aorians to cease their attacks with energy missiles and they obeyed. The Nymphs went past the tree domes out of sight.
The Aorians cheered and claimed, yet Saraf did not share their happiness. He did not see the victory his people did. He was staring terrified at the field around the town, covered in dead Nymphs and pieces of them.
‘This is where we have come …’ he sighed.
To his right, Akdarosif stood up. Most wounds had disappeared, but many were still visible. Afaris had not been able to heal his beak. He looked at Saraf, eyes in tears:
“I’m sorry …’ he said and took off.
‘Akdarosif!’ Saraf called him, but to no result.
He went past their heads, heading towards sunset, Saraf watching him in grief.
Afaris joined his father.
‘Where is he going?’
Saraf shook his head, continuing to watch him getting farther.
‘I do not know …’
‘I did not manage to heal all his wounds. But if other Nymphs catch him, he stands no chance.’
‘Leave him, he will be back, I hope …’
Saraf turned to the field. The Aorians continued to cheer, waving their hands and swords. Saraf strolled towards them. He was happy for them, indeed he was, but this battle had just been the beginning.
Seeing his coming, the Aorians started cheering his name and congratulating him. They owed it all to him, he had taught, trained and coached them. Had it not been for Saraf, their bodies would have been lying lifeless on the field next to Saraf-Menom.
Saraf raised a hand, asking them to listen.
‘I am proud of you! You fought bravely and sent them a solid message. Aorians are not a force to mess with! Next time they will think twice before attacking. Nevertheless, do not leave your guard down. The war has just begun. They will rally and be back. And when they do, we shall be ready!’
The crowd cheered and rejoiced. Two of his advisors stepped out of the crowd and joined him.
‘How many victims?’ Saraf asked them.
‘None’ an advisor said smiling.
‘None?’
‘They stood no chance. We smashed them. I don’t think they’ll be back.’
‘They will, that is certain.’
Saraf sighed, fixed his voice and continued:
‘Get some people and gathered the Nymphs’ corpses. Throw them into the ocean. If anyone looks for me, I will be in the tower, I need rest.’
***
Saraf was in his bed of leaves in his room. Even though his eyes were closed, he was not sleeping, but trying to unwind after that day. He knew those events would haunt him until his death.
Afaris stormed into the room. Saraf opened his eyes and crossed his worried look.
‘What now?’ he asked.
‘A mother and her daughters are missing. Her husband said she left for a walk in the forest this morning, trying to calm down her daughters, but has not returned.’
Saraf got up, sighing annoyed:
‘Maybe they saw what happened and went deeper into the forest waiting for the battle to finish.’
He left the house, followed by Afaris. It was dusk and the sun was barely visible in the horizon. Saraf opened his arms and several energy birds took form, flying away from his fingers to the forest.
Afaris was waiting patiently behind him. He was thinking whether to help him or not, but since his father had not asked for his help, he remained silent. Several minutes later, Saraf opened his eyes and dropped his arms.
‘I have found them.’
Together with Afaris, the worried husband and several Aorians left to the forest. He remained silent all the way, not answering any questions. Nobody could understand why he would not speak. They asked him simple questions: if they were in order, if anything had happened to them, but Saraf made no sound.
They were moving guided by the light of a bright energy spirit generated by Saraf. Soon, Saraf stopped and pointed in front.
‘They are a couple of steps in that direction.’
The man started running, and moments later, the forest was covered by his awful and painful shouts. Their hearts came to a stop. Frightened, the Aorians took small steps to that place. Saraf stayed behind, closing slowly, his head bowed and hands put together.
‘Bastards! I’m going to kill them all, I swear!’ the man was shouting.
Afaris reached him first. He saw him on his knees on the ground holding the woman’s corpse. The two girls were sitting on the ground, next to their mother. Their white capes were soaked in blood, their wide eyes reading the terror they had witnessed in their final moments.
The man continued to cry and shout his lungs out, cursing the Nymphs. Afaris was watching petrified. The image of that grow-up man mourning was unbearable.
‘When they left, they headed this way. They saw them and took revenge for what we did to them’ Saraf said.
Afaris stepped back and whispered to his father:
‘You’re not finding arguments for this action, are you!?’
‘How could I not? We killed tens of their kind, they killed three of ours. You can take sides, we are the murderers in this story.’
‘There was nothing we could do about it, it was either us or them. And this is cruelty, they were defenceless, it is obvious.’
‘This is not a war of power. This is species extermination, any Aorian is their enemy and any Nymph is our enemy.’
Afaris looked down annoyed; then, he asked Saraf:
‘Falus, too? Fasus, too? Akdarosif, too?’
Saraf looked at him relaxed. A swarm of thoughts had flooded his mind, but his look was calm and trustful.
‘This is not my first war. I have seen far more horrendous things. What you see now is the daily life outside Aora. This is war. This is why I have forbidden you all to leave. As for Falus, Fasus and Akdarosif … they may already be dead.’
Afaris left the crowd. He was agitated and wanted to argue with his father, but did not want the other Aorians to hear him, even if the man’s screams covered the entire forest.
Saraf followed him with an uncaring look.
‘How can you be so calm given what’s happening? Akdarosif could be dead and you don’t even care!? He’s your friend!’
‘Do you see that man? He may never again be able to fight alongside us. The image of a Nymph will drive him insane, he will rush head on, regardless if it is one or there are hundreds. You either learn to master your emotions and ready yourself for the worst, or they will master you.’
Saraf left heading back to the town. Afaris stayed put, a tear of anger running down his cheek. Saraf turned around and told him:
‘We will leave tomorrow, we are going on that trip I have mentioned.’
‘Tomorrow? What if they’re back! Without you, we stand no chance. What if they come by the thousands?’
‘They will for sur
e, but not tomorrow, not in the following days. Unless we go now, in these days of rest, we will never succeed.’
‘Why is this trip so important? Where are we going?’
‘We are going to seek the advice of an old friend.’
Chapter 22
Pandora
Saraf embraced Calis, then kissed her on the lips tenderly:
‘We will be back as soon as possible. That is a promise. You look after the town while we are away.’
‘I don’t see what is to be done. The people know their roles and are ready for anything. You’ve taught them well.’
‘Maybe yes, but there still needs to be somebody here to keep their spirits up.’
‘Alright’ Calis replied and smiled at him, letting him go. ‘Greet her from me.’
‘I will.’
Saraf looked at the balcony edge where Afaris was sitting and gazing into the distance. He went to him, the grass squealing under his feet from the rain.
‘Ready to go?’ he asked.
‘I’m not going.’
Saraf raised his eyebrows in surprise. His son did not even look at him.
‘I cannot leave the town unguarded just because you wish to meet some old lady friend.’
‘I have told you this meeting is of utmost importance and may decide our fate.’
‘You can go without me.’
‘Well, then, but you will regret not joining me.’
Afaris did not reply. He continued to look in the distance, slightly annoyed by the situation. Behind him, Saraf generated an energy Nymph in a couple of seconds, then mounted it. Afaris stood up and frowned at his father who was smiling while riding the Nymph:
‘How can you go now? The town needs you. Other towns need your guidance. Akdarosif is gone, we don’t know if he’s still alive. There are numerous Nymphs who do not want this war, but must wage it now. And on top, we must seal those cursed pits. By doing so we can restore peace on Aora!’
Saraf smiled at him, without answering.
‘Laugh. Thanks. How can you be so cheerful in such a period? Before everything, you were much more stressed.’
Afaris: Shadows on Aora Page 20