by C. J. Krüger
Diarmuid looks down at us and yells over the surge of noise. “Flee! All of you!” His voice is panicked and he holds out his hands and forms a shield of energy around the rapidly forming black hole. “I will contain this.”
“No!” I shout desperately. “You’ll die.”
I watch in horror as my King’s face softens into a smile. He says nothing as the black hole expands and begins to break his shield. His face strains as he pours more of himself against the increasing void. Finally the blackness breaks free from his efforts and rapidly expands.
“Run!” I cry out in terror.
Instead, Diarmuid calmly shakes his head and allows the darkness to consume him. From within there is a surge of blue light and the black hole is destroyed. The resulting explosion flattens the already dead forest.
We all watch as the dust settles, hoping, praying, that our King is alive. But when the air clears, there is no trace of the demon or our King. I try to reach out with my mind to search for him, but I find nothing. It’s as if he never existed.
Tears flow freely from my eyes and I scream until my voice becomes hoarse. I fall to my knees and put my face into my hands. “He’s gone,” I whisper, unable to believe the words. “The Eternal King is gone.”
“It… it will be all right, little sister,” Sivandar says gently, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Somehow.”
I shake my head and shrug his hand off my shoulders. “He was good, Sivandar. The greatest among us. Nothing will ever be right again.”
Chapter Two
“How can he be gone?” I ask, fighting back my sobs. “He’s the Eternal King.”
My brother lifts me up and pulls me into a tight hug. “He sacrificed himself for all of us and now is not the time to grieve for his loss. The demons may come back and we have to defend the caves until Duncan returns.”
I slowly nod and and embrace my brother before pulling away. “I sensed him coming back into the world earlier, but I don’t know how long it will take him to arrive. I’m sorry.”
“We’ll wait as long as necessary,” he replies. “King Diarmuid gave his life for that boy, and I’m not going to let demons get to him now.”
“Who will lead us?” another elf asks, looking toward me. “You are the High Priestess.”
Elves, even as old and wise as we are, have never suffered such a loss. None of us knows what to do now. I look around and see all eyes on me. Even Sivandar is looking to me for guidance.
“I… I can’t think about that right now,” I say finally. “We have a job to do, and it’s back in the forest. Let’s go.”
Staying focused on the task at hand is all I have to keep me together, and I march forward without looking back. The others join me and form a dignified line. My brother walks just behind me, and his steady pace and breathing keep me calm.
Holy Lights, guide me. I need you, I pray silently. There is a sense of relief that washes over me, as if my soul is being embraced. I know we can do this. I can do this. Thank you.
We walk to the edge of the clearing, and I stop to catch my breath. The sight of the dead and the ash choking my lungs is almost enough to bring me to my knees.
“Holy Lights,” someone mutters.
I look back and see all of their faces. Men and women who are thousands upon thousands of years old now all look like children who have had their world destroyed—their innocence shattered. For all of our superiority and might of magic, we have never learned the true meaning of loss. Not until now.
“Arterians!” I call out, using magic to amplify my voice. “Today, not all is lost. The Holy Lights are with us. Our King is fallen, but he would want us to go on. Demons have invaded our world and destroyed the heart of our sacred forest. Do not lose yourselves to despair.”
Their faces brighten but their eyes still betray the doubts and fears clinging to their minds. I take a deep breath and summon my blade. The translucent blue blade shimmers and I pour my energy into it until it shines brightly like a beacon.
Speak through me, I call out to our Heavenly Parents. If I cannot inspire my people, They can.
“We will fight, brothers and sisters. We will take back what they have stolen from us and drive the darkness out. The strength of the Holy Ones will never falter and we are Their sword.”
A loud cheer echoes in the dead heart of Arteria. I lift my blade high and a beam of light emits from it, piercing the darkened sky above. Sol-theron beats down upon us and I feel His strength and courage pulsing through me. We will win.
“Ayda?” a sweet, familiar voice calls out.
I turn to look and I see Duncan walking in the middle of the battlefield, but he is not the Duncan I knew. Without thinking, I run toward him as fast as my feet can carry me and throw myself into his chest.
“Oh, Duncan,” I cry, feeling tears of joy falling down my face. “You’re here. You’re back.”
“I am,” he says, his voice confident and deep. His fingers press into my back as he holds me tightly, and his lips gently kiss the top of my head.
On his face is a very impressive black beard that is thick and soft. And he is taller now and his shoulders are broader. Even his body is leaner and stronger, but his eyes are the same gentle eyes I have longed to see again.
“You look different,” I say, laughing at how ridiculous I am being. “This cannot be a year’s worth of growth.”
“A year?” he asks, seeming startled. “I mean, I guessed that some time had passed, but a whole year… tell me what’s happened.”
I glance back at the other Elves and I see that they are keeping a respectful distance. Not wanting them to hear my doubts, I quickly mutter a spell to dampen my voice. Elven ears are much too sharp sometimes.
“We’ve been preparing for a war, Duncan,” I tell him softly, unsure of where to begin.
“I can see that,” he says, glancing around the site of the battle. “This is unforgivable.”
“This was only the first battle,” I tell him as I dig my fingers into his arm, “the first of many terrible battles to come. It was quiet at first, but there was a growing darkness we all felt after you went into the caves.”
A look of guilt flashes across his eyes and I gently lift my hand to his cheek.
“It was living in me,” he says mournfully. “They took it out…”
“Their will is perfect, Duncan,” I say firmly. “And They wouldn’t have done something like that without giving us all the tools to deal with it. Don’t you dare blame yourself.”
He nods and I can see him pushing the thought out of his mind. “Where is Grandfather?”
The answer catches in my throat and I turn away, unable to bear looking at his kind face.
“Ayda?” he asks, his voice a gentle demand. “Where… I cannot feel his presence.”
“A demon killed him,” I whisper hoarsely. “A traitorous elf from long before my time who sold his soul to the Void. They knew each other, Duncan.”
He stiffens as I speak, and I feel a tear falling onto my head. “Gone?” he asks, disbelieving. “But he’s… he’s Diarmuid. Nothing can kill him.”
“The King sacrificed himself to save us. The demon created some kind of monstrous black hole and Diarmuid was consumed by it. I think he must have destroyed it from within, but afterwards he was gone.”
Duncan is shaking now, from anger and grief. “I should have been here sooner. I…”
“My dear Duncan,” I say gently, looking up. “What would he say if he saw you like this?”
A weak chuckle escapes his lips. “To grow up and get over it. I don’t think I could ever match his wit, but I can hear it all the same. He is with the Lights now, and that is not such a bad thing. Are my parents well at least?”
I bite my lip, unsure of how to answer. “I truthfully don’t know, Duncan. The demons fell out of the sky three days ago. We sent messages warning your father, but… I just don’t know.”
“Then we just have to have faith,” he says, taking a deep brea
th to regain his composure. “I’m glad to see you, Ayda. I missed you terribly.”
I pull his head down and kiss him passionately. Words can’t convey how wonderful it is to see him and I pour all of myself into this kiss. He pulls me close and lifts me off the ground and I wrap my legs around him. We continue on like this for a long moment before I realize we are being watched and I quickly tap Duncan on the shoulder.
“Is something… Oh!” he exclaims, only now realizing an entire Elven legion is watching.
I cough awkwardly. “Yes… we should get back to the others,” I say, my face blood red.
“You, blushing?” Duncan asks slyly. “Are you sure you are my Ayda?”
I gently smack his arm and furrow my brows. “I just got caught up in the heat of the moment. Don’t mock me.”
“I would never,” he says sincerely. “Maybe just a little.”
Huffing, I turn on my heel and walk back toward the army. Still, I can’t control the faint smile on my lips. He called me his Ayda, I think happily and all my annoyance disappears.
* * *
Duncan takes my hand as we approach the group of soldiers. Many of them give me a smile and I can see that the mood among them has changed. This moment of levity is desperately needed. Even Sivandar looks approving as he walks towards us.
“You’ve grown, Your Highness,” he says, looking Duncan in the eye with respect.
“I wouldn’t know,” Duncan replies mildly and he takes a steadying breath. He looks out among the group of men and women and there seems to be some kind of strange shimmer about him.
“The King said protecting you was the key to winning this war,” Sivandar says, his face looking very rigid. “I don’t understand why that is, but I will not fail him. My blade is yours.”
Duncan reaches out and clasps my brother on the shoulder and gives an approving nod. “I have walked with the Lights in my time away,” he begins to say, and a murmur of awe sweeps through the ranks. “The Void we are fighting is their most ancient foe, but They have given us the tools to fight. All we must do is keep faith and give Them ourselves.”
I take a step forward and stand at my mate’s side and look out among my kin. “For too long now, we Elves have relied on our power and our immortality. I see that plainly now as we mourn the loss of our King. We are like a snake without a head.” It’s a painful truth to admit, especially for me, and I feel my body begin to shake. “He was the Eternal King, and I think because of that we forgot how to depend on our Heavenly Parents.”
“Just so,” Duncan replies, though his tone is mournful. “I come with a message of hope, my brothers and sisters. Do not let doubts and fears cloud your mind and hearts. Give them to the Lights and They will give you all you need. Do this, and we shall prevail over this Darkness.”
“Sounds like something King Silverblade would say,” someone spoke up. It’s a tall female elf with long blonde, nearly white hair and piercing golden eyes. “Maybe if we had listened to him sooner…”
“The blame does not belong to any of you, Layla,” Duncan tells her gently. “We shall go back to our great city and regroup. Even now I can sense the Darkness growing across our world, and we must act quickly if we are to counterattack.”
I give Duncan a surprised look. There is no way he could have known the woman’s name. You are a changed man, I project the thought into his mind.
I know, came his reply. Even I don’t know to what extent. It’s all in Their hands now.
“What’s your suggestion, Your Highness?” Sivandar asks, frowning deeply. “A great many of us were killed in this battle alone and we just don’t have the numbers to defend anything but our homeland.”
“The three Elven nations will unite once more,” Duncan says, standing tall in front of everyone. “And we will reach out to the kingdoms of the Dwarves. Of course, my father’s empire has strength also and he will join with us. We are not in this fight alone.”
“The Dark Elves will not come to our aid, and nor will the Auqarians,” Sivandar says firmly. “They have long since removed themselves from the world.”
“They will answer my call,” Duncan says, his tone final. “We march home.”
You really sound just like Diarmuid, I project into my mate’s mind.
Maybe in a few thousand years I can master his snark, he replies and I can feel his smile. I’m just doing what I can to keep everyone together.
I’m proud of you.
The journey home is silent. After all the speeches and the plan of action, there is a sense of calm among the troops, but our heartache is palpable. I walk beside Duncan, doing my best to look calm and at ease, both for my sake and for the sake of the others.
Away from the battleground, the Arterian Forest remains pure and untouched. There is a sense of strength as we march forward towards the White Spire in the heart of the city. When we crest over the hills and catch the first glimpse of the shining spire, we all take in a collective sigh of relief.
“I never thought I’d see it again,” one says.
“I can feel the Lights reaching out to protect us,” another says, her voice choking with emotion.
The others rush on ahead like children, losing all sense of discipline. I am about to call out to them but it’s Duncan’s hand in mine that makes me silent.
“They need this,” he says softly. “You do, too.”
I frown. “I suppose, but it’s very undignified.”
“Today is a day we all can be undignified,” he replies, squeezing my hand. “The Void also suffered a great defeat today, and it will take a bit of time for it to regroup.”
“How do you know?” I ask curiously.
“I reached out with my mind as we were walking back,” he tells me, his voice hushed. “I’m not sure why, but the forces of the Void have retreated all over. I think we can thank Grandfather for that.”
“And we have no idea where they will strike next,” I say softly, and push my palm against my forehead. “And no idea where to strike them, either.”
“Truly,” he says, but his lips form a smile. “But that’s alright, my love. Swords will break against shields and the deadliest of magic will flow like a river… but that’s not how this war will be won.”
“How then?”
“We just have to believe.”
Chapter Three
Duncan Lightheart
(Year 3761)
The death of my grandfather has left a gaping hole in the hearts of the people of Arteria. My own heart feels like someone has stuck an arrow through it. More than my father, my grandfather was my rock and I struggle to believe he is really gone. I wander the wooden halls of the White Spire. It’s the largest tree in all of Arteria and has grown over thousands of years to reach incalculable heights. It acts as both the Temple of Lights and the palace, and that is why I am here.
Preparations for my grandfather’s funeral are in progress, and have been for the last week. I stop in one of the halls and gaze upon a massive painting along the wall. It depicts the Army of Light battling the Void during the Third War with my father and grandfather at the front. Their armor is gleaming, and their blades have become a symbol of hope for all free peoples.
“You will make them proud,” a soft voice says in the dark—the sweetest voice ever spoken.
“Grandfather’s shoes are impossible to fill, I think, but I will do my best,” I say sincerely. Sometimes I wonder about the decision the Lights made concerning me, but I put my faith in Them also. “Will you walk with me, Ayda? Or is the High Priestess busy with other duties?”
“Still a bit sour about that?” she asks, and I can tell she’s talking through a smile, even while not looking at her.
“It might have been nice to know when we first met, yes,” I admit, though not harshly. “I thought you were just doing your brother a favor.”
She puts her hand on my shoulder and presses herself against me. Her lips graze my arm and make soft sounds as she kisses my skin. “I was, my dea
r, but I also had reasons of my own to leave the temple.”
“So you’ve tried to explain,” I say, turning to wrap my arms around her. I find it to be a little strange how comfortable I am with her. Before I left, I shied away from contact, but now I want her in my space. I even need her in it at times. “Life was just much simpler before I left.”
“I know,” she says softly and I feel her fingers gently massaging my back. “I just knew it was the will of the Lights to teach you. I didn’t understand and I didn’t ask why at the time, because it’s what I had to do.”
I nod and kiss the top of her head. “They are rather difficult to contend with,” I say. “They’ve asked a great deal of all of us, and especially of me. In those caves… I don’t even feel like myself anymore.”
“Maybe you’re not supposed to,” she tells me. “We all believe in Them to an extent, but few are touched the way you have been. Few are required to give as much as you.”
My first instinct is to rebel against her words, as I would have done in the past. Even a week away from Their presence has shaken me deeply, but I say a silent prayer and feel Them beside me again.
“Around others, it’s easy to sound brave,” I admit quietly. “But around you I feel safe enough to say that I am afraid. I knew there was going to be a war, but I never expected to fight it without Grandfather.”
“This is your task, I think,” she replies and kisses my lips softly. “And I have faith that you can do it.”
You can, a beautiful voice whispers in my mind.
I know, Mother Moon.
You are not alone, My Son. We are with you and so is the one We made for you.
“Duncan?” Ayda asks, concern in her tone.
I kiss her lips tenderly and run my hands over her back. “Just a visitor,” I tell her mildly, “reminding me that even without Grandfather everything will be fine.”
She smiles and touches her hand to my face. “Have you made a decision about what we talked about?”