Aila sent out her curses and her remaining machine golems while Tommie fired arrows, grenades, and his guns into Damien’s target.
The commanders took the hits, as did Damien and Troga, fight- ing with all of their strength. Each side put everything on the line in this fight.
Anthony and the Drafeng war leader clashed. The ground around them erupted with the force of the blows. The war leader was
a half-step slower than Anthony, and his power was greater, but he had more arms to fight Anthony with. Anthony’s arms would turn into black smoke, appearing and disappearing as they struck with Bruce’s strength, Wendy’s power, Dave’s stun, and the burning flames of Penelope and Guardian Flame.
Bruce was sent flying with a shield bash and Penelope circled around, avoiding an arrow aimed at her.
Dave swooped down through the low, thick, black clouds. Light- ning crackled over his body and he opened his mouth, send- ing all of the power in his body into the attack. A beam of lightning struck the Drafeng, causing one’s eyes to show lines if they looked directly at it, even through the diviner’s mirror.
Anthony had jumped back, his mouth open wide as he drew in chaotic power. His tattoos that had grown dim increased in bright- ness as he restored his lost power.
The war leader was revealed, looking in worse shape. A chaotic shield appeared on his side. It had blocked the attack. More chaotic power was leaking out of the ground, entering his body and restor- ing him.
Solomon appeared, a wraith of smoke. Scythe-like arms struck out, hitting the war leader, but he was ready, blocking with two swords and sending a spear for Solomon’s chest. Solomon was like pipe smoke; the wind from the attack blew him backward. He didn’t appear to have any damage and Anthony struck forward once again. The two traded blows; Anthony and his familiars worked together to hold the war leader down. His recovery was simply too fast for them to do any lasting damage.
Even with all of their strength, the three groups were only able to slow down the Drafeng leadership.
The Drafeng can recover their strength, within the area of the plat- form. The chaotic power is so strong that the Guardians are only losing power over time, power that keeps them in their skeleton form.
The Guardians were barely holding; there were too many chaotic beasts and Drafeng. As the Guardians were smashed apart, they’d re- form and charge again.
Raye looked to Thunderwing, who had returned to the ship.
He looked to the signal officer. “Beat the drums.”
His words made the others around him stall for a second, look- ing to the signal officer.
“Aye, Admiral.” The signal officer grinned. “Beat the drums!” The drums on the ship started up. Drums on the other ships fol-
lowed suit, and men and women rushed through the ships, making them battle ready.
“Ready the cannons and make sure the mages have plenty of mana recovery potions. Dump anything that we don’t need. We want to move, quick and agile. Make sure everyone has their storm lines attached! We will circle the mound. I want the cannons to fire across the side of the mound, cutting through the Drafeng charging the mound instead of at the mound itself.”
“Aye, so track on the outside of the mound instead of the center of the mound.” Captain Devra nodded.
“Rotate the ship every volley to keep them fresh and the rate of fire up. There will be no fire orders—the crews will pick their shells and their targets themselves. They are to fire as fast as they damn well can. I don’t care if the cannon melts.” Raye looked from Cap- tain De- vra to the signal officer. “Anyone who is unable to man a cannon, get them on the side-mounted swivel guns, or get them a matchlock rifle or bow.”
“Understood, Admiral!” They quickly sorted out flags and ran them up the ship’s mast.
They got back confirmation as items were tossed overboard and the enchantments on the ship glowed with power.
“First and Third Fleet report that they’re ready for action!”
“Have them follow our lead!” Raye ordered and turned to Cap- tain Devra. “Over the top.”
“Aye, aye, Admiral. Over the top!”
The bow of the ship raised up. They all had to hold onto some- thing and some unsecured gear moved around. Captain Devra watched his ship as the helmsman whipped the tiller over.
The ship rose and turned, no longer going parallel with the plat- form.
***
“Ships sighted to the right flank!” a Drafeng called out to Aeran. “What are they doing now?” Aeran looked over to see the flag-
ship of the navy rise up over the lip of the platform as if riding a wave. Behind her, the rest of the fleet followed, riding the waves of the sky. The first cannons fired on the flagship, tearing into the
ranks of
Drafeng who were boiling out of the holes in the plat- form. “Fire the beam weapons at them!” Aeran yelled.
Beams struck the ships; the cannon crews targeted the beams back, trading hit for hit.
This close, the cannon crews were sharpshooters with their weapons.
The rate of beam fire decreased as they were all charging once again. The cannon crews with their targets rained down destruc- tion on the charging Drafeng.
Ships were struck from the sky, unable to take the hits. One went up in an explosion; another tilted away from the fight, crash- ing into the platform with their side, their enchantments flickering. The fleet took on fighting as if death would be a release, fight-
ing with everything that they could muster.
With the weight of cannon fire, the pressure on the Guardians dropped. Aeran looked out at Khurok, who was fighting the De- vour- er.
Khurok tried to attack the ships with his beam attack but he was struck by the phoenix’s flames and the Devourer’s sword took one of his arms off.
He let out a yell. Power circled his stub and started to regrow his arm at a visible rate. His speed increased and he went all out, at- tack- ing the Devourer and his minions.
***
“You will not win, Devourer! This time, we will win!” Khurok yelled.
“Always with the evil guy ad-lib! Will you shut up!” Anthony yelled.
The two of them attacked each other with blurring weapons and Anthony seemed to be dancing through the attacks.
“Your formation will not destroy the harvester. Even if you claim this one, you won’t be able to claim the others! We have won. Your return has done nothing!”
“It’s ruined a nap for me!”
“You know what is the best part? That this, all of this—we only got this far with the people of Dena fighting one another. Do you think that we would have been able to make so many doorways, en- ter the Northern Basin without you fighting one another?” Khurok laughed. “You seek to defend the people who betrayed you, who tore down your group! Even if you were to win and we do noth- ing, do you think that you will survive? Your fate is inevitable, to be used by others, a slave to your oath!”
“My fiancée is right there. I wouldn’t talk about marriage that way—you know how long it took me to get her to say yes?!” An- thony took a blow, using it to gain distance as Bruce stomped the ground, sending a ripple of force. Khurok defended against it as An- thony drew in power from the surrounding area, replenishing him- self.
The other two fights were going better, as the commanders they were facing were sustaining injuries and couldn’t repair themselves nearly as fast as they were injured.
“Guardians—foolish ideological idiots with power! Always making jokes at the end of the day. None of you are serious, ready to do what needs to be taken to complete the mission! Drafeng live to serve and to fight, to fight for a future, to fight for power. Any- one who stands against us or takes our power is our enemy!” Khurok yelled and ran forward. He took on hits from Anthony’s familiars; his body took on wounds as he hit Anthony.
Anthony was able to get a sword up in time, blocking a spear aimed at his face but three swords stabbed into him. Anthony’s
other sword protected his most valuable possession, the heart that beat within him.
Anthony erupted with power and tossed Khurok back; he ran forward. The two of them turned into a storm of chaotic blades meeting familiar blades and steel. Their attacks rang out, the two of them taking and giving hits. Anthony’s armor showed holes in places and his bones appeared. A hit carved a line in his helmet, re- vealing his skeletal face.
“You have given them everything—your life, your honor, your existence! They will never care! You are like us! You seek to fight! You seek to control!”
“What I seek is peace!” Anthony landed a solid hit and he forced Khurok back, weaving through other attacks and hurling his sword. It struck deep and tore out as Khurok grunted and Anthony defend- ed with his other sword. It danced as he looked at Khurok. “I will be the harbinger of destruction or the killer of gods to give the people of Dena a future. They don’t owe me anything. I do this because I want a better future for them. They might hate or de- test us at times, but we stand strong. It might be stupid. It might be
dumb. But I’m not the brightest skeleton in the crypt!”
Anthony forced Khurok back step by step as his familiars rained down attacks on the war leader, who was struck again and again but seemed unaffected; his chaotic barrier formed a swirling pattern of colors around him.
Khurok let out a beam attack, hitting Anthony and sending him flying, burning off his armor, melting off his shoulder and part of his side.
Anthony had turned into the attack, protecting Claire’s heart once again that could be seen beating inside his chest.
Bruce dissipated with the attack.
Several spell formations appeared in front of Damien, Troga, and Anthony. The multi-colored formations shot out prismatic beams in- to one another and into the main spell formation, blast- ing into the three leaders of the Drafeng.
“Aila!” Claire yelled.
Aila turned and ran for the mound. Penelope swooped down, grabbing her with her claws and turning into a ray of fire.
“Guardians!”
All of the remaining Guardians reached out their hands.
Threads of purple power formed into hammers.
Khurok got to his feet, smoking and wounded. He had left a smoking trail through the ground. He let out a roar and charged for- ward.
Anthony, Damien, Tommie, and Troga’s hammers descended in time with the others.
They rang out as one. As they struck the air, sparks of Guardian Flame appeared under each of their hammers.
“You will not succeed!” Khurok yelled.
The purple sparks shot into the mound and into the formation. A beam of flame shot up into the air, burning through the mound.
A court appeared of the seven races. Dozens of judges sat be- side one another, all of them with the Guardian symbol on their chest.
Behind them, another row with more judges appeared—a coli- seum of judges, spirits who watched over Dena and its people.
They reached out with their hammers and tapped their gavels.
The beam of power that had formed them grew in strength and shot toward the ground. It pierced the center of the formation. Pur- ple flames spread across the crystal platform like a fire across a dry ship Drafeng were set alight. They tried to leap free of the fire, only to find it had entered their bodies.
More rounds struck creating rolling balls of flame.
“You see, we didn’t create a Guardian Flame enchantment—we just made a spell-enhancing enchantment.” Anthony laughed, see- ing Aila as she glowed with necromantic power and poured it into the formation. The purple flames converted the chaotic power through the crystals into blue mana; now threads of necromantic power weaved through the platform.
***
Admiral Raye had blood running down his face and he was work- ing with a cannon crew on the cannons.
They had all stopped, looking at the platform as it underwent changes. The beam weapons stopped shooting at them.
The purple flames had burned through the Drafeng, igniting the conversion towers and causing them to explode.
A massive court looked over Dena, and the platform. Purple chains grew from the platform the size of the ship they were on and shot out spell formations, piercing through the other platforms that had come in close and under the original platform.
The purple flames ran through the platforms as green necro- man- tic power, like veins, traced through the chains and into the plat- forms.
Explosions shook the skies as the battle-worn and bloodied First and Second Fleet stood there, looking at the Drafeng plat- forms.
***
Khurok blazed with power and ran forward, burning his own pow- er. He increased in size and he grew two more arms. He fired chaot- ic power from all of his limbs.
Anthony brought his sword in front of him and took the at- tacks, losing his limbs.
Penelope, Solomon, Dave—all of them faded away like a dream. A white light covered Anthony as Wendy appeared, toss- ing Khurok back; he lost a limb and was bloodied. The arm didn’t
come
back; he didn’t have the chaotic power left to do that.
Aila let out a yell. She was filled with power. Her eyes glowed green as she was lifted up off the ground.
Chains shot out and wrapped around the war leaders.
Claire stepped forward and spell formations appeared around Khurok. Guardians ran forward around her; archers focused on the trapped and chained; the melee fighters roars mixed with the sounds of ancient blades meeting Chaotic ones.
Once again they wage war for the fate of Dena. Claire shivered fo- cusing. Flames appeared in her hands as she tossed them for- wards, striking chaotic beasts.
Khurok was on the defensive, fighting back the attacks.
Guardians started to rise up, taking in the mana from the sur- rounding area. The fires in their eyes ignited once again as their
bod- ies were reconstructed.
Tommie stabbed into the secured Enya. His Guardian Flame ig- nited inside her side as Damien hit her attacks away. Ranged at- tacks found her and she collapsed, the Guardian Flames consuming her.
Oru broke free of his chains, to be met with Troga’s axe.
Arrows and bullets found Oru as a dwarf, moving faster than any elf, fired as fast as she could grab pistols from her bandoleers.
Troga’s axe took Oru in the chest as other melee fighters at- tacked.
Khurok was hit with spell after spell, Wendy blocking off his routes.
“Khurok, war leader of the Drafeng, we find you guilty of crimes against the people of Dena. For you, there is no salvation.” Aila’s voice was filled with the voices of the judges. She raised her hand and a chain pierced through Khurok.
He coughed wetly, staring at Anthony as threads of power weaved through his bones, pulling him together, repairing him.
“How’s that victory going for you?” Anthony asked.
Chapter: We Are the Harbingers, the Peace Seekers, the Blood Letters, the God Killers, and the Farmers
“Leader Ulmash, what are your commands?” Commander Ija asked after he had just relayed what had happened to the harvesters.
“They have been turned into the power of Dena and they are now ruled by the Guardians?” he asked, confirming. He felt fear, deep inside him. When he had heard those tales from the older Drafeng, when they had taught the younger generations about the Guardians and of the threats of Dena, he had thought that they were stories for chaotic beasts. With his modern forces, they would be able to crush the enemy. They were stronger than any past gen- era- tion.
“The harvesters have fallen. War Leader Khurok fell in battle against the Guardians.”
“Where are they going now?”
“We aren’t sure, but we believe that one of them is heading to Cresmond Peak. The other two are heading here.”
Were we wrong? Will we not win?
Ulmash was shaken to his core. He had gone up to the front lines in Shivernsin; he had seen
the strength that the small stone hill had displayed, spitting out fire and spells with ease. The fighting forces that advanced even without the need of magic to fight. His people were being choked. There was little power in the area; every- thing seemed to be dying. But the weapons of fire and metal, the machines of steam and metal, the archers and the melee soldiers were march- ing down the different passes, pressing their blades to the Drafeng’s necks in the north. They were meant to remain here, getting the at- tention of the enemy. They were going to head to Cresmond Peak
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and then take all of Dena from there. Now there was nowhere for them to go.
If we got to Cresmond, then there is the army there and then the harvester they have taken control of. If we remain here, then we will on- ly be torn apart by the advancing armies.
The chaotic beasts had powerful ranged attacks and in their close combat form, they were a force to be reckoned with; it was hard for a normal soldier to kill them. Though maintaining their weapons and their combat form required power; with them cut off with the mas- sive formation that covered the north, they weren’t able to get that power back, making them weaker each time that they had to create their chaotic weapons.
They were dying as surely as a sword through their gut.
“Have the queens retreat through the doorways,” Ul- mash said. “War leader?” Ija looked up, unsure.
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