Afaris looked around, while advancing on the battle field. They were all engaged in the fight, swords clashing swords, beaks against bows, body to body. Saraf was taking down one enemy after another, using his energy swords with grace and elegance as if he was performing some macabre dance.
He glimpsed at a Nymph descending onto him at great speed. He divde to him for a direct attack with his claws. Before touching the ground, he changed direction in an attempt to hit Afaris with his right claw, but he fended off at the last moment and with a sword hit severed both his left wings. The Nymphs crashed into a house tearing it down.
The house collapsed with a thud. An Aorian finished what Afaris had started thrusting his sword into the Nymph’s head, before he could stand up.
Afaris’s clothes and hair were soaked with his victim’s blood, but it was obvious this was not the only red spot we would get by the end of the night.
A strong blow took him by surprise. He flew a couple of meters and hit the ground losing his swords. A dark Aorian had slipped behind him and punched him strongly. They were much stronger than he had anticipated. He stood up, but before he was able to do anything against his opponent, a Nymph nearby spotted his weakness. He dropped something which looked like an arm from his beak and charged. Afaris tried to block the hit with his left arm generating an energy shield on it, but the Nymph’s claw strike was unexpectedly strong. His shield gave in and three deep wounds appeared on his arm, the bone still intact.
He took two steps back. He forged an energy sword in his right hand and blocked another attack. The Nymph’s claw was torn away by the sword and the it’s loose limb hit Afaris in the face causing a deep wound on his cheek. The Nymph shouted in pain, but before he could move again an energy arrow hit his chest. Another two arrows followed.
Finaria had shot the arrows as she was running to him; another Nymph was readying to sever Afaris from the roof of the house behind him, but Finaria’s arrow stuck into his thorax. It rained blood on Afaris and the Nymph’s body fell over him. Afaris pushed away the corpse immediately and stood up.
Finaria had reached him and was trying to cope with the dark Aorian who had attacked Afaris initially, but he was blocking her arrows using his two swords. Afaris, seeing the scene, reached out and shot a fire ball. The missile hit his enemy in the chest, exploded and pushed him away, flames engulfing him.
‘See, I told you I was a fast learner’ Finaria boasted.
‘Just make sure you don’t die’ he advised her.
Finaria quickly shot three arrows to the sky at a Nymph hovering the town. Two arrows missed him, but the third penetrated his throat. His massive body crashed into a house on the other side of the town. Judging by the sound it made, the house was destroyed.
‘They are trying to get away!’ they overheard Saraf’s voice, but Afaris could not figure out where his father was. ‘Do not allow them to!’
Several missiles sprung to the sky targeting the countless Nymphs. Finaria was shooting her bow and Afaris was making sure they were not attacked on the ground. Around them, in the square, tens of Nymphs and Aorians were fighting.
A Nymph collapsed several feet in front of them. His feathers were ablaze and he was dead before the impact. A dark cloak Aorian riding him stood up, dizzy from the impact. On noticing Afaris who was holding a freshly-created energo-sword he dashed to him, howling.
Afaris rotated his sword over his head and cast it at his enemy; the sword stuck to his head. The dark Aorian fell to his knees, sword stuck in his head, then fell to one side.
Numerous Aorians were standing on rooftops shooting their bows. A Nymph much larger than the others, flew over a house where five Aorians were standing and severed them all with his claws. Two of them remained stuck in his claw and he shook his foot mid-air releasing their corpses.
‘Is that Crifius?’ Finaria asked, trying to shoot him, yet to no end.
‘No, Crifius is much bigger.’
The Nymph took a turn in the sky and headed to the town. Another Nymph, running away from the battle, went past him, but he was determined to shed as much blood as possible that night. He raised his front claws and gripped onto two houses at the edge of the town square, from which several Aorians were shooting energy arrows and missiles. The attack caught them unprepared, and the houses beneath them crumbled under the devastating impact of the Nymph. Their cries were heard over the turmoil of howling and crossed swords.
Guided by anger, Afaris quickly generated a long energy sword, fully charged and dashed to the Nymph. He crossed the square at great speed, slashing adversaries to his left and right and approaching the Nymph. He was shouting from his lungs and this caught the Nymph’s attention. Afaris jumped high and aimed at the Nymph’s head. With an incredibly fast claw strike he hit Afaris on one side throwing him to the ground. All his bones cracked and a small crater appeared where he landed. Afaris quickly healed the most important wounds and stood up. The Nymph was closing in fast and menacingly.
Above his opponent three shiny figures appeared. They were energo-spirits holding swords. They landed on the Nymph’s back trying to gut him. One cut off one of his wings which collapsed with a thud. Afaris raised his head to the Nymph’s head and delivered a well-placed and full of energy thought through the creature’s mental shield, blowing his head.
The Nymph’s body fell over several Aorians who were fighting frantically, but who failed to notice the event above them.
The remaining Nymphs were flying away from the square. Some dark Aorians clung onto them escaping together. Those remaining were rapidly killed by the courageous Aorians. Some Nymphs fell from the sky killed by arrows and missiles or the thoughts of stronger Aorians, destroying many houses and painting the town red with their blood.
The fight was over. But the costs … catching his breath, Afaris looked around. All over the place there were piles of corpses, scattered limbs, and smashed houses. The brightness of the stones on the streets was concealed by a curtain of blood running to the energy pit of the town. The scene was beyond words. Aorians and Nymphs with white or black cloaks were crossed on the ground, bathing in blood and with missing limbs.
Saraf was on a rooftop looking around making sure that no enemies were left alive.
Survivors were helping each other passing on energy from the pit to those unable to move. Screams of pain could be heard from all corners. In that macabre scene, Saraf raised his sword, full of blood and shouted:
‘Victory!’
Those still able did the same shouting strongly. But the screams of joy were quickly muffled by those of pain. Then, Saraf’s voice was heard again:
‘Those of you who can still fight, meet me at the outskirts of the town, the rest look after your wounds and wounded.’
Not knowing what he intended, about 100 Aorians followed him.
Afaris stepped behind them, after he managed to convince Finaria to stay behind to look after those in sufferance.
Running on the town’s streets, he could notice the same scene as in the square. Piles of corpses, blood everywhere, destroyed houses. While running, he noticed a hand rising to him from the ground. It was a badly-wounded Aorian with no legs.
Afaris stopped next to him, grabbed his hand focusing his energy. The Aorian directed the energy flow where he needed it most. Gradually, his feet restored and his wounds closed. He bent his knees to make sure he was alright and let go of Afaris’s hand:
‘I owe you! My life is yours!’ he said.
Afaris bowed his head slightly, then moved on. Reaching the edge of the town he strolled to his father and the Aorians standing amid piles of corpses, most belonging to Nymphs.
‘We must chase them now, when they are weak. If we catch them now, we will put an end to the war!’ Saraf shouted.
‘It’ll take us days to reach Lint-Menom, we cannot do this!’
Saraf turned his back on him and raised a hand. Several energo-form Nymphs were generated big enough to fly a few Aorians simultaneously.
>
‘We will fly there. Once again, if you are not able, stay here. I am not forcing you to follow me.’
Afaris was amazed that after the fight his father still had so much energy left, maybe he was fuelled by the hatred for Lint and that no Aorian backed down. They were all determined to finish the war. He went to his father who was watching how the Aorians were mounting the Nymphs, while Urfius was talking to Saraf:
‘You’re tired, we cannot do this. You will give in mid-flight. Lint-Menom is too far away!’ Urfius was tried to persuade him to give up his foolish plan.
‘You underestimate me!’ the reply came.
Seeing Afaris, Saraf told his two sons:
‘You stay here.’
‘But I can fight’ Afaris answered.
‘I know, that is why I want the two of you to stay here. They may not be heading to Lint-Menom. Lint and Crifius may not be there. They may do what we are doing now, attack by surprise.’
‘Then, why are you going?’
‘Because I must end them, now.’
***
Afaris was lying in the hot water of the pond next to the Sound of Life. In front of him, the waterfalls was hitting the water, playing tunes to honour him and those who had fought that day, but also the fallen. The sun was rising from behind the trees announcing the new day. His forces were almost fully restored, despite the fatigue. His wounds no longer existed and his body was as strong as on any given day.
Behind him, the grass creaked under somebody’s steps, but he was too relaxed to turn to look who wanted to join him. He was, however, surprised, somebody had left the town, except for him. Most were busy cleaning the town. He had decided, though, to take a break and escape the gruesome task of collecting corpses.
He heard the person drop the cloak, then to his right, somebody entered the pond’s hot water. He opened his eyes and raised his head from the heated stone. Next to him was Finaria, naked. Slightly embarrassed, but not able to refrain he studied her naked body. He opened his mouth in an attempt to say something, but she bowed and placed a finger on his lips.
She sat down in his lap and kissed him deeply. He embraced her holding her tight. The song of the waterfalls seemed to play the soundtrack of the war, together with the elegant moves of their bodies. Finaria leaned her head to one side, enjoying that wonderful new feeling fully, while Afaris was gently massaging her body’s outline.
She grabbed his face and mouth mid-open looked him in the eyes:
‘We won, my love.’
Chapter 26
The warning
While Afaris was resting after the battle, Saraf and his men were flying to Lint-Menom. It was noon, the sun was burning and there were no clouds on the sky. The Aorians were all tired, yet determined to finish what they had begun.
Saraf was reaching the end of his powers. Maintaining so many energo-form Nymphs was extremely tiresome, but his will and anger fuelled the energy to continue.
‘Is that it?’ an Aorian asked from behind him.
‘Yes …’
In the distance, Lint-Menom was stretching in front of them. From far away it seemed a quiet town like all the others, yet they all know a fierce last battle would follow.
‘Is it me or is the energy pit of the town not working any longer?’
Saraf glared. The blue energy wave was no longer present. Even though the sun was so strong, it was impossible not to see it.
‘You are right. It seems Aora is giving us her support.’
The Nymphs started descending towards the town; still no move from their enemies. No Nymphs, no dark Aorians and Saraf started wondering whether he was wrong and they were not actually there. Reaching the town, he saw what was actually happening. The town was in ruins, everyone was dead, both Nymphs and Aorians.
His Nymphs were hovering over the town smoothly, patrolling the area. Nobody seemed to be alive anymore. All over the place, lifeless bodies carpeted the streets and the wrecked houses. In the central square, very similar to the one in Urfius-Menom, a gargantuan Nymph was on the ground, on top of the energy pit, lifeless.
Saraf landed in the square, together with the rest of the Nymphs transporting Aorians. They all dismounted their Nymphs who fell to the ground, dead.
‘What happened?’ an Aorian asked.
‘I cannot maintain them anymore, they are consuming too much of my energy.’
‘Maybe we will need them. Maybe it’s a trap.’
‘It is not a trap.’
Saraf looked at the body, it was Crifius. And sitting down on one of his wings staring into the void was Lint, dead.
‘Search the town for survivors’ Saraf ordered. ‘Nymphs or Aorians.’
‘What shall we do with them?’
‘You decide on the spot if they can be kept alive or not.’
The Aorians scattered onto the town’s streets looking for signs of life. Saraf strolled to his dead son, lying on the ground. Next to him, there were some Aorians, together with the man whose wife and daughters had been killed by Lint. He was frowning and puffing in agitation.
‘The bastard. He got what he deserved. They probably turned one against the other and killed one another.’
‘Yes, it looks like it’ Saraf approved.
He looked around. He recognized the scene. Not the town he had visited so many times, but the ruins covered by bodies of Aorians and Nymphs. It was the same image as in his vision.
Reaching Lint, they stopped, gazing at him, with hatred. Yet, Saraf could not deny his sadness. Sometime before, Lint had been his son. He had been his apprentice, as Afaris was now.
Eyes wide open and dry, full of wounds and claw traces, Lint was staring into the distance. He was wearing that black and red cloak, as all his offspring. His teeth were sharp. His eyes were not dark, though. They were again the eyes of an Aorian.
To everyone’s surprise, Lint turned his head slowly. He was still alive. The man next to him puffed and jumped on him, but Saraf stopped him:
‘Wait!’
‘Wait? Wait!? This animal killed my daughters in cold blood, as well as my beloved …’
‘I know, but …’
‘No but! I’ll kill him now!’
The Aorian wanted to push Saraf, but he stood firm. With a fast hand move he knocked him to the ground and nailed him there under the pressure of a force field. He then let him stand up watching him frowning. The Aorian understood where he belonged and took two steps back looking at him in anger, thirsty for blood.
Saraf bowed in front of Lint who was panting and staring at him. He generated a short energy sword in his right hand and placed its tip on his son’s chest:
‘Give me a good reason not to rid the world of you.’
Lint raised his left hand and slowly grabbed the blade, blood running among his fingers.
‘You should know something’ he said in a voice betraying the approach of death.
Saraf raised his brows and waited for him to continue. A tear ran down Lint’s cheek.
‘I know what I’ve done. I know what we’ve all done.’
‘What are you waiting for?’ the agitated man cried from behind Saraf. ‘Kill him!’
Saraf ignored him. He continued to look at Lint and listen to him carefully.
‘In a split second, that energy controlling my mind proved weak. I then took control, blocked it and freed myself from it. I saw what it had done to my people. To me. It had turned us into monsters.’
Lint chocked and started coughing, blood dripping from his lips. Saraf lowered his sword. Looking into his eyes, he realized that whatever had controlled his mind was no longer there. In front of him, ready to die, was his son. It was him indeed. He grabbed his right arm fast intending to feed him energy, but Lint grabbed his father’s other wrist.
‘No. I cannot live knowing what I did. Listen to me. I managed to block the energy in several vile Aorians and then they helped me. I even helped the Nymphs. We managed to block it for good. And then …’
Lin
t chocked again and started coughing:
‘You must get everyone out of here!’ he urged, his large eyes reading fear. ‘This place is cursed. You cannot stop what’s coming. You must all run away!’
‘Run away where? What is coming?’ Saraf asked patiently.
‘Leave Aora!’
Saraf glared astonished. His son was terrified, but what had scared him so much?
‘Please, leave. It cannot be fought. Not even you, Saraf …’
His head fell to one side, and the last breath left his lungs. Lint was lost for good.
Saraf stood up, wiping his tears.
‘Farewell, my son’ he sighed.
From behind him, an Aorian called him:
‘I’ve found something, you’ve got to see this, Saraf!’
Another Aorian next to him raised his arm, suggesting it was not the proper time, but Saraf turned and treaded firmly past him.
‘What have you found?’
The Aorian took them on the streets to a narrow alley. In the middle of that alley, the houses were destroyed around a dark floating sphere. It was clearly formed of energy, but its energy was moving inside the sphere like a liquid. Saraf got closer, waving at the others to stay still. He was eyeing the sphere carefully; it was spurting energy towards him, that malevolent energy. It was undoubtedly a pit, but a more prominent one than the last he had encountered.
After several seconds of gazing into the Sphere, Saraf turned around and ordered his men in a firm voice:
‘Call everybody, we are going back!’
‘But … there might still be Aorians left alive …’
‘Nobody is alive, we are leaving now!’
‘What about them?’ somebody asked showing the countless corpses.
‘Nothing left to do and there is no time.’
With a fast pace, Saraf led his people on the streets towards the town exit. They were all informed that they had to leave the town and obeyed. Saraf’s entire army was probably leaving Lint-Menom for the last time.
Afaris: Shadows on Aora Page 24