by TurtleMe
I held back a smile as I listened to the two bicker. Nearby, Madam Astera was talking to a thinner man—not much older than me—who was huddled over and hugging his knees as his entire body trembled. The man, Jast, hadn’t said a word since we arrived, only muttering a string of incoherent words as he rocked back and forth, but Madam Astera had sat with him since we reached their camp, hidden in a remote cave, attempting to sooth him.
“He had it the worst,” Nyphia commented, her steely expression softening as she watched him. “He watched his entire unit slaughter each other in front of him.”
“Slaughter… each other?” I echoed, horrified.
Nyphia leaned close and whispered, “Tore each other apart like rabid animals. Horrible, just horrible.”
Nyphia scooted back to where she had been sitting. I found myself staring at her and Herrick, their bodies barely visible in the dim light. They were both riddled with injuries.
Herrick was missing his left hand, and by the blood seeping through the bandages wrapped around his wrist, I could tell that the wound was fairly recent. Nyphia had a bloody gash running down the side of her face, and every time she moved her body, she would wince ever so slightly.
I pitied the state they were in, but I admired the strength they showed. It felt good to be among soldiers again. Then I thought of my own team, and I felt a sick ache in my gut. What had happened to them, I wondered? I had barely had a moment to consider their fates after Elshire… Had they been at Etistin Bay? Were their corpses still lying in the red snow? A shiver ran down my spine as I watched through my mind’s eye as they turned on one another, like Jast’s unit, forced by some Alacryan magic to slaughter each other… I couldn’t bear the thought, and so let my mind go blank and empty, not thinking about anything at all.
After Jast had fallen asleep with his head buried in his knees, Madam Astera joined us at the back of the cave where we were sitting around a dim light artifact.
She sat across from me, and her look was so intense it was as if she was staring through my flesh and into my soul. Both Nyphia and Herrick had stopped talking, and it seemed like minutes before Madam Astera spoke again. When she did, it wasn’t what I had expected her to say.
“Fuck!” she hissed, pounding the hard ground with her fist. I could tell by their expressions that Nyphia and Herrick were just as taken aback by Madam Astera’s sudden outburst.
“It doesn’t bode well to see you out here, Princess.”
That’s when I realized the reason for her outburst: I wasn’t hurt, but I was in disguise and running for my life. My presence out here meant that something was very wrong.
“You’re right, it doesn’t. But before I explain the situation out there, can you tell me what happened? To my knowledge, we were winning the battle at Etistin Bay.”
“We were and we weren’t,” she said cryptically. “My understanding of events is filled with gaps since my unit was positioned towards the outskirts of the battle, but I’ll explain to the best of my ability.”
Madam Astera’s demeanor grew dark and solemn as she recounted her memory of the battle.
While General Varay and General Arthur were still present at the Battle of the Bloodfrost—as the massacre had been dubbed by the soldiers who escaped—the fighting had been one-sided. But as the battle progressed, it became more and more obvious that something was off. The enemy soldiers threw themselves into battle without formation, fled, or even begged for their lives. Madam Astera had even witnessed enemy soldiers sacrificing their comrades to save themselves.
Despite this, the higher ups continued the order to push forward. They wanted to take over the Alacryan ships docked at the far end of the ice field.
It was on the third day that the situation changed. Madam Astera couldn’t tell me exactly how it had started, but they knew something was wrong when the fresh vanguard, which was supposed to relieve the current front line’s position, didn’t arrive.
Then, Alacryan soldiers—actual soldiers marching in formation who clearly knew what they were doing—came from behind. The majority of the Dicathian forces on the field were now suddenly trapped between the bay and the Alacryan army. The carefully constructed fortifications no longer acted as a barrier protecting our conjurers and archers, but instead put their backs against the literal wall.
In the sky, high above the battleground, General Varay was fighting an enemy capable of holding his own against Dicathen’s strongest Lance. The Dicathian forces initially held strong, and the reserves were slowly regaining their footing after their initial surprise. Once Lance Mica joined the fight, it seemed likely that the Dicathians could turn the tide of the battle…
Then the man arrived.
In our dim cave, I felt as if a shadow had just passed over all who listened to Madam Astera’s recounting of the battle.
With the arrival of this new figure, the already-bloody battle turned into some kind of nightmare. Scores of obsidian spikes shot from the ground, skewering allies and enemies alike. Clouds of murky gray mist slowly spread over the battlefield, transforming affected troops into deranged monsters that attacked anything that came close. But the worst were the black flames, which swept through entire units of soldiers like a forest fire, leaving behind nothing but black blood and gray ash.
It was just one man, but that one man had been a walking catastrophe. Though the battle had raged for days, within hours of his arrival, Etistin Bay had been transformed into a graveyard, and the Battle of the Bloodfrost was over.
“How did any of you survive that?” I asked, awed and shaken by Madam Astera’s story.
“Luck, more than anything. The black fires, spikes, and smoke weren’t targeted, just spread randomly. Dicathians and Alacryans alike were affected. The Alacryans were in a state of chaos, so some of those who hadn’t died from the initial wave of magic were able to escape,” Madam Astera explained, her gaze falling on Herrick and Nyphia. “There are definitely other survivors hiding out here, assuming they haven’t already been caught and captured, which is why we’ve been going on these runs—we’ve been trying to find more allies.
“We found Jast just yesterday. He was attacked by an Alacryan patrol, but we were able to save him. These two are what’s left of my unit, and you’ve already met a few more of our number. They’ll be back soon. We’ve worked out a system where one group comes back while the other circles around just in case we’re followed.”
“How are your supplies looking?” I asked after a long pause.
“We can split the rations for four more days at the maximum,” she said matter-of-factly. “Besides sustenance, however, we have nothing. I only had one emergency medical kit, and that was used to patch up Herrick’s injury.”
The large soldier lowered his head, looking at the stump where his left hand used to be.
“Now, Princess. Tell us the situation out there. Is the war over? Have we lost?” Madam Astera asked, her large, piercing eyes focused on me.
I shifted my gaze to Herrick and Nyphia; they were staring back intently—hopeful, desperate.
I sat up and kept my expression stern and confident. “We lost this war, but it isn’t over.”
“Please elaborate,” Madam Astera insisted, leaning closer.
I showed them the medallion and told them about the shelter. I explained that Commander Virion and General Bairon were both there, along with General Arthur, a powerful diviner, and even an emitter. I told them about how the diviner had prepared supplies in advance and that all the necessary components were there to sustain hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
My message was not received in the way I’d expected. Instead of the hope I had sought to convey, Astera, Herrick, and Nyphia all wore identical looks of indignation.
“So the outcome of this entire war had been predicted? We were doomed to lose from the start?” Nyphia muttered, horrified.
My heart sank. “No! I mean—”
“Did the commander, General Arthur, and General Bairon flee
the battle to save themselves?” Madam Astera asked, her voice seething with controlled rage.
“Of course not! They were attacked by a Scythe at the castle. They barely made it out of there alive,” I assured them, trying to regain control of the conversation.
Madam Astera’s head drooped and she buried her face in her hands. When she finally looked back up, her eyes were full of steel.
“Last question, and please answer honestly,” she said, her tone sending a chill down my spine. “Did they know?”
My mouth opened, but no sound came out. Could she honestly think that my grandfather would have sent them—any of them—into this battle if he’d known the outcome?
“Commander Virion. General Arthur. General Bairon. Did these three people know what was going to happen here?”
“No!” I snapped. “No one but Elder Rinia, the diviner, knew! And no one was angrier than those three about not being told. They blame themselves for how this war ended, but they’re still there, because they know it’s the only chance we have in taking back Dicathen!”
Madam Astera let out a shuddering breath. “I understand. So, what’s the plan? Did you travel here because the diviner knew our location?”
I bit my lip, unable to answer. I couldn’t just tell them that I had snuck out here alone on a selfish quest to bring back my parents, only to fail and be chased away. It was entirely up to luck that I’d been found by Madam Astera’s group.
“I’ve come to find Dicathians and bring as many as I can back with me to the refugee shelter,” I lied.
Though it was a lie, I was consoled by seeing Herrick and Nyphia smile at each other, excited at the fact that they’d be safe once they were there. Even Jast raised his head, his gaze momentarily sober and hopeful.
Madam Astera nodded but I couldn’t read her expression. Regardless, it was enough. They agreed to go with me to Telmore City, where we’d either sneak in or fight our way to the teleportation gate. All we had to do was wait for the rest of Madam Astera’s group to arrive.
An hour trickled by as we waited for more people to come, but no one did.
“They shouldn’t be out there for this long,” Madam Astera growled as she paced back and forth inside the cave. “I’ll go take a look—alone. Stay here.”
“It’ll take too long for you go out and search for them by yourself, then come back,” I argued. “We travelled north to get here, so if we go together and meet up with the rest of the group further south, it’ll be en route to Telmore City.”
“It will shave off at least half a day, depending on how fast we’re able to locate them,” Nyphia chimed in.
“I don’t like it, but you’re right. Princess, do you have any experience in tracking or scouting?” Madam Astera asked.
“I’ve had some training from my previous teacher on using wind magic for scouting, but my actual experience is minimal,” I answered, tightening my leather boots.
“So you specialize in wind, good. That’ll be useful out there,” she replied, turning to Jast. “How do you feel? You had another one of your episodes again.”
Jast stood up slowly, slinging a sack over his shoulder. “I’m a bit better now. Thank you, Madam Astera.”
“Then let’s get moving,” she ordered.
We left the cave through the small entrance, which we had covered in foliage; from the outside, the little hideout was nothing more than a slope at the base of a hill.
Staying low to the ground and several yards apart from each other, we made our way south through the forest. The trees here weren’t nearly as dense or lush as in the Elshire Forest—even the wildlife seemed scarce and timid.
The forest made me miss home, more than I ever had in the past. I had spent years in Sapin while I was at school, but the fact that I might not even have a home to go back to now really hit me. Even if the castle I grew up in was still there, what was the point? My parents were gone.
No. Not now, Tess. I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a deep breath. There would be a time to grieve once we were all safe. For now, I needed to focus on getting everyone back to the shelter.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed while we searched for the missing soldiers, but suddenly Madam Astera let out a trilling whistle like a bird. This was her signal for us to stop and lie low.
It only took me a few seconds to catch on to what the leader had seen and heard—something was moving just a few yards southeast from our position. It was too large to be a rodent or hare, and it seemed too clumsy to be a deer.
I caught the reflection of her thin sword through the bushes as she carefully stalked through the undergrowth. She moved with ease, as if gliding through the trees and foliage, and her presence was barely detectable even to me.
Despite the situation we were in, I couldn’t help but admire her prowess. Once she was settled, she would be a powerful ally—able to help smuggle more people away from the Alacryans.
I continued waiting, watching, my entire body tense, as Madam Astera was almost upon the thing, when she lurched to a stop and gestured for us to come.
With a sigh of relief, we all hurried over to where she was, only to find her crouched over an injured soldier—one of her missing group. Blood soaked his clothes and armor.
Beside me, Nyphia let out a gasp. “That’s Abath.”
She ran towards the injured man and I followed, just hearing the last part of what he was saying. “—was killed… a boy.”
As I puzzled over his words, my beast will suddenly ignited and every fiber in my body warned of imminent danger. It was as if a heavy blanket of carnal bloodlust had fallen over me; I was barely able to remain on my feet. Both Herrick and Nyphia fell to their knees, trembling, and Jast crumpled, curling up into the fetal position and shaking violently.
Desperate, I turned to Madam Astera. She was staring behind me, wide-eyed, her lips struggling to form the sounds as she muttered, “Y-you… in the battle...”
I knew—my entire body knew—that, unlike in Etistin, it was too late to run away this time. Willing myself to turn around, forcing my muscles to obey, I saw the face of a ghost. I saw a person that I hadn’t seen in years, a person I thought had died, that I had almost forgotten… a person that couldn’t possibly be standing here, now. Could he?
“Elijah?”
250
Dear Old Friend
Elijah had changed tremendously. He was now a head taller than me, with skin as pale as alabaster, and his short, jet-black hair and sharp eyes made him look almost completely different.
Elijah chuckled, though I found no humor in the sound. “Long time no see, Tess. How’s Arthur doing?”
I shuddered as a sharp chill ran through me, raising gooseflesh along my arms and neck. Elijah and I had gone to school together—he was Art’s best friend. So why did his casual question sound so threatening?
“He’s doing fine,” I said stiffly, trying to stand taller as the pressure Elijah gave off continued to weigh down on me.
Elijah snorted. “Of course he’s doing fine. That fool has been as resilient as a cockroach ever since I’ve known him.”
My brows furrowed in confusion. What was going on? Why was Elijah speaking this way?
“Come on. Let’s go.”
“Go? Where?” I asked, my heartbeat quickening. “Elijah, what happened to you?”
Elijah flinched slightly at the mention of his name. “I’ll explain on the way. For now, it’d be best if you come with me.”
“Don’t!” a voice croaked from behind me. I looked back to see Madam Astera on her feet, her sword in hand.
“Honestly, it’s impressive that you can talk despite the pressure I’ve put on you,” Elijah said. “But I advise you not to speak again.
Madam Astera raised her sword, and though her hands shook with the effort, she pointed the tip directly at Elijah’s heart. “H-he’s the—the one… the battlefield.”
The instincts embedded into me through assimilation with my beast will cau
sed my nerves to tingle as I sensed the danger; leaping back, I tackled Madam Astera. A familiar black spike, jutted from the ground where she had stood, blood dripping from its point.
Madam Astera groaned in pain, but my eyes remained glued to Elijah. “You?”
We were told that the only ones able to conjure those black spikes were the Scythes and their retainers. So why—how—was Elijah able to use their deviant magic?
“Are you with the Alacryans?” I asked, thunderstruck.
Elijah’s expression turned serious. “The Alacryans and I both have something we want to get out of this war. That is it.”
“It was you… You were at Etistin. Were you the one that—that…”
Elijah took a step toward us. “Step away from the woman, Tessia.”
“I refuse,” I said through gritted teeth.
“G-get out of here, Princess. It seems he can’t kill you,” Madam Astera whispered. “We’re no match. He slaughtered hundreds of soldiers at the bay. Not even… not even the Lances could stand before him. There’s no mistaking it.”
“I’ve trained and suffered for years for this, Tessia. Come with me and I’ll leave the others alone.”
I tightened my grip around Madam Astera.
Elijah sighed wearily. “Okay. I really didn’t want to leave you with any distasteful memories, but you give me no choice.”
I could sense that he was using his power before I saw the black spike pierce through the wounded soldier that we had just found, but there wasn’t anything I could do about it.
Madam Astera jerked in my grasp, trying to reach her fallen comrade, but I kept her down.
“Come with me, Tessia,” Elijah repeated.
My mind spun as I tried to think of a way out of this. I knew I couldn’t go with Elijah. He was purposely keeping me alive for something. My first thought was that he was going to use me as a hostage, but then Elijah said he didn’t want to leave me with any distasteful memories...
My nerves tingled as Elijah used his power again. In the distance, Jast had been pierced through the chest and hoisted into the air… just like my parents had been. The traumatized soldier’s expression wasn’t of pain but of surprise and confusion as he looked down at the obsidian spike that had taken his life.