"Men, we have won this day, but the cost of our victory was too high," Yukio said solemnly. "There is one among us who saved us all. Master Aiden, I thank you." General Yukio bowed to recognize the true hero of the battle for Alanderas. Aiden had single-handedly saved the army of Yukio, and the general was not too proud to recognize such greatness. IfAiden had not been here, we would have been destroyed.
"Thank you, General Yukio," replied Master Aiden. The rest of the army had bowed like their general. Aiden motioned for everyone to rise. They all did as he asked and looked on him as if he were more than just a man.
"Men, we need to prepare for retaliation from Queen Kishi. Several of the council members escaped along with a third of the host of the high elves. My warrior hawk told me this when I had summoned him from hiding. I have sent him on to deliver a message to Queen Daria explaining the situation. I believe the army of the high elves will not strike us, but they will attack the Nairi Canyons," he said confidently. "We must be ready to head them off or cut off their retreat." He was beginning to regain his composure and put on a look of defiance in order to inspire his men.
The men shouted their approval and quickly divided up into small groups to clean up the bloody battlefield. The troops would spend the remainder of the day cleaning, and by the next morning, they would be on the move to head off the high elves. They would not leave anyone behind in the city because of the importance of stopping the high elves before they reached the canyons. It was also imperative to not leave any clues behind that would reveal what had happened and where the entire host of Yukio's army was heading. They needed secrecy now more than ever to catch the high elves off guard. The men were tense while they finished their cleaning because of the task that lay ahead of them. They did not fully understand how they had been found out. They would make the remaining high elves pay for the deaths of their comrades.
CHAPTER 12
Lord Diikker watched as a massive body of high elves approach the city's outer wall. They were coming from Alanderas in quite a hurry, which led him to believe that something had gone terribly wrong. Queen Kishi had received a message from one of General Yukio's messengers about the suspicious nature of Kira's death and the chairman of the High Council just days before this event. The funeral was not for a few more days, so the sorcerer thought that this appearance of so many of their brethren was not a good sign. He decided to make for the outer wall to command the guards to give the people admittance into the city. He felt sure that once the people were inside that this mystery would be quickly solved.
As he approached the front gate, the clear star-filled sky overhead clouded up immediately with black clouds. A loud echoing boom was heard after a brilliant flash of lightning that lit the darkened sky. In an instant, everyone and everything was soaked through as the heavens dumped heaps of rain on them. Furious winds howled down the mountainside sending everyone not on guard running to their homes or barracks. Diikker had to get much closer to the guards in order to be heard over the tumultuous noises of the sudden storm.
"Captain, you must allow those high elves in when they reach the gate. I sense that something has gone horribly wrong in Alanderas, which means that these people will need our assistance," he said with great intensity.
"Yes, my lord," replied the captain. He turned about and began to bellow out orders to his men. The gate began to open, and archers scurried up the stairs to the tops of the wall to give covering fire if need be to the refugees.
Dukker called a guard over to him that was not positioned on the wall. He instructed him to go and tell Commander Tenanden to prepare the defenses of the city right away. Then he was to take a different message to General Thrarias. He was to inform the general of what was happening and to prepare the army for departure at a moment's notice. Finally the messenger was to go to Queen Kishi, Chairman Rinelyn, and the druid Krysanal. He was to inform them of what was happening at the gate, what Commander Harley was doing, what General Jaali was preparing for, and what they must do. Lord Dukker knew that an emergency session of the High Council was needed in order to act swiftly.
A knock came on the door of the council chamber's front door. Kishi looked at Elgin and Nita with a look of surprise. Who knew that we were here? She stood up slowly from the table where they had been discussing plans for unifying the high elves by force. She walked slowly to the door, bewildered at this sudden disruption. A ball of fire burst into life in her hand as she prepared to defend against what lay behind the doors. She used her other hand to open the door magically. At the sight of the soaked messenger, she extinguished the fire in her hand and rushed to usher the ragged-looking guard into the hall. She directed him to the fire that was lit in the middle of the council room. The fire was burning bright blue and had obviously been created by magic.
"Guard, what are you doing here and why in the name of all that is holy were you out in this storm?" asked the queen genuinely. She was concerned for his welfare, something that she had not felt in hundreds of years. Ever since she became queen, she had had these feelings and felt more complete and whole now that she cared for others. Her responsibilities of leading a nation had helped her rise to the occasion and become a better person. Her people loved her all the more because of it. Still, there were many who feared her powerful magic.
"Milady, Lord Aellenas commanded me to deliver several messages at once to various people. First, I was instructed to find Commander Harley and tell him to prepare to defend the city. Second, I was told to find General Jaali and inform him that he needed to prepare the entire army for departure. They would need to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. Finally, I was told to come find you all here in the council chambers and relay what I had told the others," said the guard, shaking violently from the cold that he had been exposed to outside.
"You have done well in your errands. Let me help you warm up a bit," said Kishi kindly. She reached for his hands and took them in hers. She sent warmth and some cleansing magic through his hands into his body. He immediately stopped shaking and looked at the queen with gratitude in his eyes.
"Thank you, my mistress," he said breathlessly. "You are too kind."
"Nonsense, it is the least I can do. Now, continue with the rest of your message," she said soothingly.
"Yes, Milady. I was instructed to tell all of you that a massive number of high elves are heading toward our front gate and are coming from the direction of Alanderas. Lord Diikker is allowing them entrance into the city. He has is under the impression that something has gone awry and that the people approaching are actually refugees. He also said that this storm was magically created by a power far greater than any one person could manage with their own strength. He wants you, Chairman Rinelyn, to call an emergency session of the High Council. Queen Kishi, he asks that you meet him at the outer wall as soon as we are done here. Finally, he asked that I accompany you and the druid Nita," reported the guard.
"You have done well. Elgin, call for the council members to meet in the hall within the hour. Prepare extra seats for our guests. I believe that some of the council from Alanderas will be joining us," she instructed quickly. "Nita, please join us as we go to the outer wall to find out more about these strange events. Your healing ability may be needed, I fear."