Side Eighty-Five – Princess Claira Vi Du Palludia – ??????? – End of Arc 6
“Push forwards! Hold the Lemures back!”
“The Ironguard is with us, we cannot… argh!”
“rcy, I don’t want to die…”
“Die, foul demons, back to…”
“Mother…”
“Help , it burns, it burns!”
Dozens, no, hundreds, thousands of voices were blending together in a howling tide of pleas, curses, shouted orders and cries of agony, yet they were almost drowned out by the screaming of the endless demon tide that was pouring through the plains, throwing themselves against the beleaguered defensive forces, trying to tear down the Astral fortresses that blocked their advance ti and ti again.
Under the blue skies above, that also glittered with glimring rainbow stars, the Astral bleeding into the land, expanding the plains significantly, allowing ingress from the spiritual realms, two armies were clashing. And the mortal one was being forced back, step by painful step, each inch paid for by the deaths of thousands of the vile Lemures, the endless shock-troops of the demon horde that had been attacking these lands for generations.
I hate the Lemures most of all. Vile abominations. They were weak and compared to other demons were no threat individually, each Lemure perhaps only as strong as an average warrior. Even so, it was their hideous parody of humanity she hated, the endless, needless sacrifices they made to try and break the defenders. “Bloom, Frozen Flowers!” she declared, the ancestral energy of ice that had been concentrated within her bloodline for generations sparking to life. As her glorious golden-blonde hair blew behind her in the wind, a contrast to the white dress made from enchanted fabric she wore, she breathed out, her breath frosty despite the heat of the sumr day.
“Look, I am always careful on the battlefield. I will not end the sa way as the bloodlines of fire and lightning.” She comforted her sister, who did not look reassured.
“But you said that the fortress would likely not survive another attack.” Adoria pouted. “So when you were called to battle again, I worried so much…”
True, I did say that. But… “The situation was in our favour. The enemies that attacked were rely the least and lesser demons. And we had support from the re-risen, and one of the talguard was there.”
“The re-risen…” her sister shuddered. Even Kiela flinched a little, as well she might. “Are… are they as frightening as the rumours say?”
“Hardly. Most of them are as normal as you or I.” Claira disagreed. “We and our allies, we do not use the soulless. The re-risen are different. And without them we would not have enough troops to weather the dreadful losses we take each battle.”
“I heard…” Kiela said suddenly, looking up from her book. “That sotis they rember.”
Rember? Yes, I have seen it. Brief flickers of mory, or personality traits that are distinctly… human. “The tales of them becoming who they used to be are just myths. I have never seen that.” Claira disagreed gently, unwilling to talk about it. “And I have fought on the front lines enough now where the re-risen are deployed. Yes, so have strange traits and habits, but most of them are fresh, blank slates when they return.”
“So, not the dead coming back?” Adoria insisted, and Claira patted her head gently, starting to feel relaxed, the cold fury of the battle, the ice in her veins, starting to thaw. With a gentle smile she shook her head.
“No. The re-risen aren’t the dead. They are created shells, who quickly beco their own person, as real as any of us. It is surely coincidence that they sotis resemble those who perished.”
“I wonder, what do the Elents think of that? Is it not blasphemy?” Adoria voiced, uncertain.
“Hardly.” Claira shook her head in denial. “After all, just like the power of our elental bloodlines, are not the Astral Fortresses and their devices, such as those that create the re-risen, their gifts? Why would they condemn us for using their providence to fend off the demons? No, if anything, it is the demons that should be condemned by the Elents.” She let out a bitter sigh. “Well, the re-risen aside, we triumphed, though the border fortress was ravaged again, Emplacents and other fortifications lost. But the demons bled, oh how they bled.”
“Tell about it, sister. Please! I hate being left out! I am seventeen, I could be sent to the battlefield any day now. You were younger when you first took to the field!”
“Well, my gift is more offensive, and I am a prodigy.” Claira said.
“I would like… to hear as well.” Kiela slowly muttered, closing her book. “My mother doesn’t tell … anything.”
“I guess it cannot hurt.” Claira agreed. Since it was a victory, no matter how bloody a one. Though things might have been different if greater or true demons were present, especially ones who control domains… “Well, I was positioned on the walls above the gate, where I could command the battlefield. My breath stread cold, and as the enemy approached, a packed, endless horde of Lemures, I blood flowers of pink and blue ice. It was beautiful but deadly, and…”
*********
“Mother, sister, I have returned triumphant.” Claira said, after leaving her curious younger sister and cousin behind. “The border holds, though further ether will need to be deployed to patch up the walls and replace the destroyed Emplacents. We need so way to combat their artillery, it continues to take a heavy toll on us.”
“Welco back, daughter.” Her mother said, her face an expressionless mask. Her older sister, Elenya, gave her a slight smile, her green eyes dull. Well, it is not like I do not understand her…
“So, we held. That is good news, and we sorely need it. As for resources… I doubt we can spare much. Ether is running low everywhere, and the demons continue their advance in other places, to brutal effect.”
At that there was a reaction, her sister flinching, which Adoria didn’t miss. “What happened? Is it our allied kingdoms?”
“No, not an ally.” Her mother said. Luckily the Chancellor wasn’t present today, for Claira found him terribly trying. To say nothing of his toad of a son. At least the Chancellor has served my mother and the country well, even if he is rather conservative. But his son… talent can make one rot, it seems…
“Then…?” she asked, only to receive a surprising response.
“The Noble Elves were attacked. A delegation they were sending us to request … well, demand… our allegiance, fostered by marriage. Your father was due to et them to escort them here, to et Elenya, but…”
“… but? Is father all right?” Claira said in a panic, quite unlike her usual cool exterior. Like her, father was often on the front lines, but his abilities were more in martial arts and command, so he was far more vulnerable.
“It is all right, Claira.” Elenya spoke up, an unreadable expression on her face, a gleam in her deep green eyes. “Your father ca upon the aftermath. He returned safely, but had to depart for another front soon after, just before you returned.”
Oh, thank the Elents. Claira slapped her chest in relief. “So, the Noble Elves? They are all powerful warriors and elentalists, what happened?”
“A massacre. Perhaps while we were dealing with nurous weaker demon assaults on the Astral fortresses, a number of powerful demons crept though our lines, striking at where we were vulnerable.”
I see. It makes sense why there were only lesser demons in the attack I faced… “So, what happened?”
“Thirty Noble Elves dead, including two of the Elven Windmasters, including the grandson of Keldruin. A tragedy. Noble Elves are so few…” the Queen, her mother, shook her head sadly.
“But he was the candidate for you, Elenya. How … how do you feel?” I know she never t the Elf, but even so, there had been so correspondence between them, and at least he would be better than Barbro, even if we would have to give her up to the Elves in exchange for the bloodline’s continuation…
“It does not feel real yet, sister.” Elenya said calmly. “We exchanged letters but a fortnight ago, and now this… I find it hard to believe they went down easily though. Two Windmasters and a Watermaster, dead. Plus many fine warriors. A Noble Elf is worth a hundred of our soldiers…”
“It is worse than that. Keldruin was isolationist, wanting to wait this storm out, more fool him.” Her mother was angry. “But in the end by offering my precious daughter I was able to entice him out of his forests, and now this. ssengers are not even allowed past his borders now. The grief-maddened fool. By the ti he sees fit to relent, everyone but the Elves will be gone, demon food, or worse.”
“I do not see what a few demons that evaded our fortresses could do.” Claira thought. “Unless… no, surely not. One of the four great demons? Or domain users?”
“It seems so. Elves are powerful, but with water and wind turned against them, their end was assured. Damn it all to the Elents!” she slamd her fist down on the armrest of her throne. “This is a disaster!”
“My Queen, calm yourself!” Elenya said, earning a displeased look as she went to check the hand of her mother. “Injuring yourself achieves nothing.”
“I told you to call mother.” She protested, but Elenya shook her head, stubborn.
“No, now more than ever I must remain formal. After all, is not my betrothal cancelled? That ans…”
My poor sister. No, I have no ti to worry for her. My marriage will be soon. There are several candidates already from other allied kingdoms, I believe. What matters is…
“Domain users are the most hated of the demons. Why, a single tal or Stone domain can cripple our armies. To think that they would have an Air domain and attack the Elves. It seems… rather too much of a coincidence?”
“You are not alone in thinking that.” Her mother allowed Elenya to tend to her bleeding fist. “Keldruin’s last ssage practically scread that we had betrayed him. What a fool. Who would work with the demons? There is no benefit in it. Even she would not be such a fool. And I would believe her capable of any evil. No. I suspect infiltrators.”
Infiltrators? Demons who can appear as one of us? That is… terrifying. eting the deep green eyes of her sister, she shuddered. If so, who can we trust? If even the person next to us could be a demon…
User Comments
0 comments from readers