Believe: Champion of Light

by C. J. Krüger

  “Do you think one legion will be enough?” she asks, furrowing her brows.

  I nod. “Yes, because the Seventh Legion is the best we have. And Layla is the best commander we have, but she doesn’t work well with others. It was enough of a chore to convince her to fight alongside Dwarves and Men.”

  “But still, ten thousand against a hundred thousand hardly seems like good odds to me, Duncan.”

  “Kal-Goran troops will meet with us along the way,” I assure her. “We are going to flank the demons while my father’s army starts fighting them head-to-head.”

  “But how short will we be?” she asks firmly. “Two to one? Three to one?”

  “Two,” I reply. “At least. But my love… it’s going to be fine. This is not a battle we are going to win because we have greater numbers or more power.”

  She nods slowly. “I know,” she replies. “I just have a difficult time wrapping my mind around what we are dealing with here. One hundred thousand… if not more by now.”

  “It could be ten million,” I tell her and hold her close. “And we would still win.” I kiss her deeply and run my hands up her back.

  She softly whimpers against my mouth and then giggles. We keep kissing, our passion growing. Thoughts of battle and death fade away as we enjoy the simple pleasure of touching one another.

  My face becomes red and my heart pounds in my chest as I feel her hands squeezing my chest. I groan softly and hold her waist tightly. “Oh,” I say sheepishly.

  “Mmhm,” she replies, her pale face flushed red. “We can continue this after the battle.”

  I nod and take her hand in mine. “Shall we go see the others? Before we start being troublemakers again?”

  She chuckles and lays her other hand over mine. “I love you, Duncan. With all my heart and my soul, I love you. You make me feel like a young girl sometimes, do you know that? I am thousands of years old but you make me feel like one of the young Human women with a ‘crush’.”

  I laugh richly before kissing her nose. “I love you, too, Ayda. We should get married.”

  “We already did that,” she replies playfully.

  I grin. “There’s nothing stopping us from doing it again.”

  * * *

  David is humming beside a fire when Ayda and I approach. He looks up and then quickly stands.

  “Your Majesty,” he says, bowing deeply.

  “David,” I say, frowning. “Please don’t do that right now.”

  He nervously glances at my head. I reach up with my hand and feel the crown. “Oh,” I say and lift it off. With a surge of will, I send it off to the pocket world to be summoned later. “That’s much better.”

  Ayda chuckles behind me. At least with the crown off of my head, David seems to relax a little, but not completely. He sits down again and looks at me expectantly.

  “How have you been, my friend?” I ask, sitting down across from him. The fire is warm and I hold my hands out to soak in the heat.

  “I’m surprised you sent for me, actually,” he says, his tone hurt. “I thought you’d forgotten about all of us.”

  Ayda takes a seat next to me and rests her hand on my knee. Her eyes are concerned but she says nothing.

  “It’s because I left after I lost control that day at school,” I say. “I’m sorry for that, David.”

  “Why did you leave?” he asks, sighing. “I suppose now that’s a stupid question, but that’s what I have been asking myself for a year. You’re like a brother to me, Duncan. Losing you was hard.”

  A lump forms in my throat and I fight a tear that is pricking my eye. “I wasn’t planning on leaving when I did,” I tell him truthfully. “I was going to face everyone after what happened and deal with the consequences. But Grandfather sent for me and I didn’t have a choice.”

  “I know that,” he replies. “At least now I do. My problem is that you never said goodbye, and you didn’t think to take me with you.”

  “I’m truly sorry,” I say gently. I purse my lips and take a deep, steadying breath through my nose. “I didn’t handle the situation well. But I am glad you are here now, even though this is really our first chance to talk.”

  “It’s for the best, I think,” he says mildly. “I wasn’t completely ready to have a pleasant conversation with you when I first arrived. Everything was chaotic, what with all the training and finding out who you’d become. At first, I felt like I didn’t even know you, but now I can see the same old Duncan. Just… stronger.”

  “Cheers, your Majesties!” Azharv exclaims suddenly, approaching us. “And Mr. Rickson. How are you, old boy?”

  Part of me wants to groan but I fight the urge and smile instead. “Emperor,” I greet mildly. “What brings you over here?”

  “Well, you, of course,” he says and casually sits down.

  I can see David is uncomfortable. Not only are we all Elven—or partly Elfven in my case—but royalty. He must be dying on the inside right now. “What in particular?” I ask, trying to speed the conversation up.

  “I wanted to apologize, actually,” he says, leaning back on his hands. “Did you know that Aquaria is miles under the sea? Away from the sun?”

  “I did,” I say, furrowing my brows. “You and your people magically breathe under the water.”

  “Right,” he says. “I suppose it’s my fault that we’re under the sea. Trees and forests never really held much appeal for me the way they did for my brother. We couldn’t get along so I took those who wanted to follow me and we built a grand empire. It’s the most splendid city in the world.”

  “But it wasn’t enough,” I point out. “Because you wanted Arteria, too.”

  He frowns at this and nods. “Which is why I am apologizing. All those years ago, I think I acted quite foolishly and I got into a competition with Diarmuid. It became more important to me to be better than he was than to work with him.”

  “I’m sure your apology would mean a lot to him,” I say sadly. “It’s a shame.”

  “A damn shame,” Azhrav agrees. “If I meet him in the Halls of our Parents, I’ll be sure to apologize to him, but this apology is meant for you. I thought you to be a young and stupid man, gifted with power you couldn’t possibly comprehend and ripe for being manipulated. I’m sorry I thought that of you, and that I tried to use you.”

  “I heard that some were coming to you to side with them in a coup,” I say, trying to keep the acid out of my voice.

  He shrugs. “Opportunists,” he says dismissively. “But you gave me a change of heart,” he admits and I can see how much it means to him. “I’ve watched you move around like a mountain on legs and it has truly amazed me. You’ve made me believe in magic again, Duncan. Real magic.”

  “I’m sorry, too,” David says, his face serious. “I treated you horribly at school.”

  Lifting my hand and shaking my head, I say, “You’ve already apologized. Besides, I don’t think you were entirely yourself, David. The Void isn’t always so overt.”

  He frowns. “What do you mean? That I was possessed?”

  “No,” I say, shaking my head. “I mean that the Void is capable of latching onto your own insecurities, or biases, or even your pleasures. Its entire goal is to drive your attention away from the Lights and onto it. That is something it has been incredibly good at.”

  Everyone’s face becomes deeply troubled and they look away in thought. The fire dances and I find myself staring into it without meaning to. It’s easy to get lost in the flickering flames and it helps me to think.

  “That’s what we’re here for,” Ayda says, her voice solemn. “As followers of the Lights, it’s our duty to testify and show Them to others. The Void works in lies and manipulations. We work in truth.”

  “Exactly,” I say firmly. “I couldn’t have said it better myself.”

  “Great minds, my love,” she says, grinning broadly.

  “Ugh,” Azhrav says. “I can’t deal with that level of cloying sweetness right now.”

&nb
sp; Ayda and I chuckle, totally unashamed of our happiness. “Have you not found your mate, Azhrav?” I ask curiously. “Somehow I find it hard to believe that you haven’t.”

  “No,” he admits. “I’m still searching.”

  “You’ll find them,” I tell him and reach out to pat him on the shoulder. “We always do.”

  He smiles self-mockingly and says, “A year ago, I would have said I didn’t need or want a woman messing up my life. But now I feel incomplete without someone at my side.”

  “The Lights want us to find our mates,” I assure him. “Of all relationships, the one between mates is the closest physical representation of our relationship to Them. Furthermore, it replicates what I’luna and Sol-theron share. Two beings, separate, yet the same.”

  “I never bought that line,” he says sadly, “especially after Nynaria died. Diarmuid was the only one of us to find a mate, and she was murdered in a jealous rage by our other brother. That’s the kind of experience you have that makes you question how They can claim to care at all. I lost a sister in her, too.”

  “I wish I knew her,” I say softly. “But at least they are together in the Halls of Light.”

  Ayda touches my shoulder and give it a firm, comforting squeeze. “I’m sure they are happy, and I’m also sure, Azhrav, that they would want you to be happy as well. Fear cripples you to all opportunities.”

  “Ha!” he exclaims and then begins to laugh. “For just a moment, you sounded exactly like her, old girl. Exactly like her.”

  Smiling faintly, I turn my attention back to my friend, David. “We should all get some rest. At first light, we ride.” I stand up and take Ayda’s hand into mine. “I’m glad we had the chance to catch up a little. When this is all over, we’ll talk more, my friend.”

  “I look forward to it, Duncan,” he says, standing up and then pulling me into a hug. “You take care of yourself out there.”

  “Always.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Ronae, Lord of the Quel’ras, has summoned his kin. Never in the history of the world have so many of these ancient and brilliant steeds been in one place. In peaceful times, even considering riding the Quel’ras as beasts of war, in the way that Humans ride horses, would be unthinkable. Yet now I stand, in the fields of Boria, before ten thousand of the most majestic animals in the world, one for each warrior. It’s enough to take my breath away.

  “Thank you,” I tell Ronae from the bottom of my heart. “You do not have to do this, my friend. We can always run from here the way Elves are accustomed to doing in battle.”

  He snorts. We do have to, child, he replies gallantly. This is our world, too, and we will not let the demons have it. The Elves have always been our friends and it is an honor to ride into battle with you on our backs.

  I nod and run my hand across his neck before mounting him. I’ve stored his barding in the pocket world and summon it now. With a flash of light, Ronae gleams with his armor and he gives an approving nicker.

  “Riders of Argurion!” I shout, turning Ronae to face the others. “Mount up and hear me.”

  Ten thousand soldiers mount at once and look back at me. In the distance we can hear the hollow marching drums of the demonic hordes.

  “In the valley below is death and corruption. Demons march on our home! Today, we ride into the hordes of death! Today, death will be trampled by our hooves! Today… today we strike back at the enemy and shine light in the darkness. The Lights are with us, brothers and sisters. Their will be done.”

  “Their will be done!” they cry as one.

  “Ride!” I shout, and turn Ronae toward the pathway by which we will go to meet the enemy.

  The speed of the Quel’ras is unmatched. The countryside blurs as we gallop towards the demonic horde. In the distance, my eyes can finally start to make out the giant mass of foul beasts, and I urge Ronae to go faster.

  We must stop them here, I think to myself as we charge the enemy. The Boria Valley is a mere ten leagues from Kal-Gora. If they break though us here, they only need to crush the garrison at Bal-Mora. If the garrison falls the capitol will be defenseless. The other riders can sense the danger as well. We spread out in a massive line across the field.

  “Draw!” I shout and the crystal sound of ten thousand soulblades being summoned rings in my ears.

  At one hundred meters away, the demons have heard and seen us and the side of the horde that we are facing forms up. I see a massive wall of deadly pikes being stuck into the ground. Hulking beasts are just behind them, ready for us to try and break through. We charge forward.

  “Their will be done!” I shout and the others join me in the war cry, showing their courage in the sight of death.

  Fifty meters away. The demons seem to falter as the shouting line of riders keeps charging. Twenty meters. Ten meters. I gather my will and summon Solraxion as I ride. It gleams and produces a blinding light out in front of us. The demons break the line and drop their pikes. Some even evaporate and die from the overwhelming power of the Highblade.

  The crunching of bones and metal fills my ears as the hooves of the Quel’ras crush the demons. We keep riding, not pausing to stop and fight. I swing Solraxion at one of the hulking giants, cutting through its leg like a hot knife through butter. It falls and is trampled by the riders behind me.

  Man, Elf, Dwarf and Quel’ras are killed in the charge, but the overwhelming majority of us survive as we crash through the demonic lines. When we lose our momentum, we must fight. I swing the huge blade with ease, cutting down demon after demon.

  One of the demons reaches up and yanks me down from Ronae. My back strikes the ground and my breath is knocked from my lungs. A giant demon tries to crush me under his foot but I manage to roll out of the way.

  Solraxion lies on the ground out of my reach and before I can dive for it, the demon is back on me. He lifts me up, his huge hand squeezing around my armored chest. It tries to crush me but the magical armor holds strong against its might.

  I summon my Arkana and shout, “Burst!” The demon explodes in a shower of Golden Light and I fall back to the ground. I reach out my hand and pull Solraxion to my hand with my will, just in time to cleave a hulking demon in half.

  Ronae comes crashing through the enemy, kicking and screaming as he tries to get to me. I run at him and jump onto his back.

  Gathering my will, I shout, “Disperse!” and the demons are thrown away. We gather our wits and begin fighting as one. I cover Ronae’s flanks while he tramples and crushes enemies in front of us.

  “Holy Lights, grant me the strength to break our enemies,” I pray quietly. A surge of Golden Fire courses through me and I channel it through Solraxion, the Highblade. A great beam of light projects from the tip and it slices through any demon it crosses, leaving everyone else unharmed.

  The demons begin to flee and my warriors cheer in victory.

  “A pleasant little fight,” Azhrav says, riding up next to me. “But far too easy. This wasn’t even the full army.”

  I nod in agreement. “There may have been thirty thousand of them here,” I say, pursing my lips. “It was no token force.” My ears twitch and I look around, trying to find the source of the sound. “I hear fighting,” I say, narrowing my eyes.

  “I think this was a flanking force,” David says as he pulls up next to us. “They were coming through the valley to get behind your father’s lines.”

  “Then we need to hurry,” I say. I turn to look at the fleeing demon army and then back at my own. Several hundred soldiers are missing… maybe a thousand. I grit my teeth. War is such a waste of life.

  “Those demons are taking the long way around the valley now, but they are still a threat,” I say. “We probably destroyed about half of them but if they sneak up behind us, that’s it.”

  “What do you suggest then?” David asks.

  I furrow my brows. “Ayda!” I call, looking around for my wife.

  “No need to shout, love,” she says, trotting over on Coria. “
What’s on your mind?”

  “Take fifty of the Sol Guard and wipe out those demons,” I tell her. “Azhrav, go with her.”

  “Fifty against twenty thousand?!” David exclaims. “Have you lost your mind?”

  I shake my head. “It’s not really a fair fight,” I muse. “Maybe twenty would be enough.”

  Azhrav throws his head back and laughs in delight. “By the Lights!” he exclaims, a boyish grin on his face. “Now that is the grandson of Diarmuid Silverblade. Even he couldn’t be more insane.”

  I grin at him and then at my wife. “Can you do it, my Queen?”

  She nods. “Of course, my King,” she says, rolling her shoulders back. “Sol Guard, gather around!”

  The men and women form around her and she selects those she wants to take. When the task is done she looks at me and flashes me a smile.

  “You had better be all right when we get back,” she tells me firmly.

  I dismount and go up to her. She does as well and we throw our arms around one another and kiss each other deeply.

  “I’ll be fine,” I tell her softly. “And the same goes for you, Ayda. Watch your back out there.”

  “I love you,” she says.

  “And I love you,” I reply, squeezing her tightly.

  * * *

  Aydamaris Lightheart

  (Year 3761)

  Are you afraid? Coria asks.

  We are chasing down a fleeing army of demons with only fifty warriors. I should be afraid. No, I reply. It’s going to be fine.

  Take heart, old friend, she warns. We are nearly on top of them.

  The demons notice that they are being followed and they turn to face us. I look at the riders on my left and on my right.

  “Go right through them,” I say.

  “But…” a human rider starts saying. “There are so many.”

  “There won’t be when we are finished,” I tell them. “Sol Guardians! Do not lose your nerve or your faith. The Holy Lights are with us this day.”