“Push harder! Come on dear, give it your all!” the cries of a father, who was helping the mom deliver another child in the world. “I can see the head!” he said with jubilation. Shortly after, the screams of a newborn boy could be heard, even outside the stone house, in the middle of a blizzard. His brother was reading texts of old in his bed, about creatures of great scale, called dragons.
They all gathered in the war tent. Hran, Hran II, Uel, Kinak and Amel. Amel could tell his performance must’ve made them rethink their strategy. Even by his estimations, the army did perform better than it should’ve. “I guess there’s not much to get around. We’re all on the same page, aren’t we?”. His words were as bold as ever, the others didn’t care much anymore, getting used to him.
“Indeed,” Hran was first to speak. “The Foolish King, he’s hiding the main force, which means,”. He looked at Uel, she wanted to speak her mind too.
“Those twenty thousand he sent, they’re either a small portion or don’t represent his actual resources,” her assessment was based off of Hran’s own words. “Something is happening in Mouner, and since we don’t have eyes on the city, we must assume, whatever it is, must be strong enough to hold back or even fight off our armies,” her words were met with silent nods of approval. Amel could have eyes on the inside, but it would risk his troops on the mountains. He felt something about the First Six, they were trying to avoid saying something. From some fast simulations, he was getting an idea what that might be.
“You want to wait here until he comes to us, don’t you?” his words said what no one wanted to hear. Their armies were supposed to be the ones attacking. But facing the unknown, and getting more obvious by the passing time that the Foolish King still had something in store, it was the safer option. Amel didn’t want safe. “How about we look at the actions of the monster armies first, before we decide to hole up and hold our forces in here while we have the upper hand,” they looked at each other, Amel at them.
“You mean the fact that they burned the city, or that they met Eve in the fields?” Kinak spoke up. “To me, it seems only natural that these, things, without a master or leader, would act more on their destructive impulses,” Amel felt a sudden frustration inside of him, seeing how he was trying to make excuses, and ignoring what he thought to be the obvious.
“Impulses? Impulses don’t dictate those things to simply destroy,” he massaged his eyes, tired from all the strain his brain had to endure. “If it was that simple, why would the Foolish King bother making special ones?”. The mention of special ones drew the attention of the four. “Oh, you didn’t know about those, did you? Forgot to tell you I guess.”.
“Don’t play games, and just tell us what those ‘special’ ones are,” Uel demanded. Amel scoffed at her, he didn't think much of her, not a thinker especially.
“They can absorb the light, consume it and make it go away,” all of those present stood frozen in place. “The purpose is not to destroy, but to consume. And looking at how they destroyed most of the houses, I have to believe that something is coming to consume this place, us,” his assumptions were based on simulations. None could tell him of what was to come, but he had to imagine it be large enough to either kill or eat or both a fifty thousand men army. There were few beings in their world that could do it, and those which could, generally, were either possessors of light themselves, or deep in the vast open oceans. Amel had imagined that it might be a creation of the Foolish King’s own design. A monstrosity that required huge amounts of life in order to survive. And given the twelve years since he was deemed as a sin to humanity and to be killed, he had plenty of time to develop such thing.
“If what you’re saying is right, then we should proceed with our plans,” Hran saw the image more clearly. At first glance it might look like a simple strategy to leave nothing behind or cause relentless destruction. But if it was purposed as Amel suggested, then a great threat to their army was coming, and they had no means to prepare for it. While Hran and Kinak could fight large foes, it would cause destruction all around them and could kill them.
“I say we still stand and fight from here,” Kinak proposed. “Elde had dug a tunnel underneath the city, right? So, let’s use it to move our troops underground, then me and you brother, we can take whatever comes with our own hands,” Uel liked Kinkak’s idea better. Hran didn’t want that, since if the monster or creature was of such large magnitude, it could cause destruction to a point where the tunnels wouldn’t be safe for travel.
Amel saw them being split, it wasn’t good for his plans. He needed the full might of their army if he hoped to launch a successful assault from behind. If the Foolish King had too many troops inside, and he could focus a portion of them on his constructs, then the assault might become a siege, which was less than favourable. With that, he found the purpose of him hiding his army, pointless, since if he didn’t persuade the other two in joining, and moving the armies from east where Eve was soon to meet with Elde’s army, to north west in Mouner, then it coudl all come crumbling down. He placed his hands on the table, making an audible noise. The four of them looked at him, “We must move the armies at any cost. I have my ten thousand constructs laying in wait to assault the city from behind,” the revelation brought widened eyes and soon a couple of enraged faces, one of which was from Hran.
“You were planning to attack him, and kill him yourself, didn’t you?!” Hran snapped at him. Kinak was just struggling to understand the motives, while Uel gave him a disappointed look. “To bring forth your goals, you were ready to watch our armies burn.”.
“Don’t give me that,” Amel’s eyes had the glow in them, pulsating stronger. “I claimed your puny city, which you sister has lost for you. And I used the full force of my army, don’t speak to me as you’ve done anything yet, o’ Hran the Mighty,” his words sent shivers down their spines. The boy was talking with such impudence to all of them.
“Don’t forget your place, boy. Your crimes are long and many,” Kinak reminded him. Amel didn’t take it kindly, switching is glowing, sharp eyes onto the large man, three times his height.
“My place?” he smirked, Hran II was feeling what was to come. He wanted to intervene, but the boy spoke his mind “Isn’t a farmer like you supposed to take care of the fields? What are you doing here, seeking to kill one of your own?”. Kinak grasped at his weapon, while the ground below them started to shift as Amel’s eyes erupted with sparks. Before any of them could do anything, Hran and Hran II slapped them behind the head. Both went in a slight shock, finding the action preposterous.
“Kinak, there is no need to press the matter further. Facts remain, he has his army at the Foolish King’s throat, this looks like an opportunity to me to save lives and end this faster,” Kinak looked at Hran with angry eyes, but then calmed down. He acknowledge the use of Amel’s army, he just didn’t want to accept it.
“And you,” Hran II looked with a father’s eyes at thim. “Stop talking like that to us. If you’re going to move forward with us, you have to give us the respect necessary,” Amel looked at him with a blank, neutral stare. Then, as he let the light get out of his mind, he massaged his temple and looked sorry for a moment. Hran II could tell by his light, that his mind wasn’t in good shape, so he assumed a good knocking should wake him up. Kinak was yet to understand what Amel had to endure in order to command such power.
“Fine then, we move to Mouner, but first,” Kinak agreed while pointing at the map. “We’re getting our sisters and their armies.”. The others nodded, Amel rolled his eyes. “And you better listen to what little boy Hran said, or it will be the end of you,” Amel let out a short laugh, outside his control. Hran II felt embarrassed, as Kinak used to call him like that ever since he could make sense of his surroundings. Cute while he was little, but a huge embarrassment when he was as old as he was.
After the meeting was over, Amel returned to his tent. The constructs didn’t receive any commands for him, and simply acted on their learned behaviour, assisting him however they could. Amel didn’t want to enhance his mind for a period, his head felt like it would give in and drive him mad. He rested on his head, while a slight fever would take over, the strain of his light grew as it let it run its course. He had to, in just a few days to a week, he would be at the gates of one of his sworn enemies. If he was going to fight him, he wanted to be in the best state of mind and body.
Due to him not able to receive information that night, he couldn’t know what would come to occur on the mountains where his troops were hiding and waiting for his command. The first to react to it were the Snatcher troops, best hidden in the snow and most capable at seeing and sensing the change in things. They tried giving information back to Amel and waited a bit for orders. Since none came back, they entered their autonomous state, and explored the source of a sound that reverberated inside their bodies. It was a heavy, low growling sound. They couldn’t see or point the direction it came from on the mountains, because it was far high in the air. The Snatchers went below the snow once more, as there was nothing they could see or hear in the vicinity, both them and the source of the noise, ignoring each other as they went about their tasks.
In the night, Amel was having a nightmare. Whenever he let go of the light, the memory of his parents getting butchered before him, came to hunt him. Then Umshaow, who made his tremble in his sleep. He drowned the monster in stone and dirt time and time again, but each night it would come back up and try to kill him. He woke up, silence everywhere. He got out of the tent and looked around. In the distance, he saw Femel handing food and talking to his remaining troops. Most soldiers were asleep or just waking up, as it would soon be day.
Then, the earth started to rumble, a strong thump in the distance causing the ground to shake. It was Omega, it saw something, its range, a couple hundred metres. Amel still didn’t have his mind recover from the strain, but had no choice, as something could be coming threatening for them. Once he did, he received information from the mountains, and realised the threat. He didn’t have time to warn anyone, the beast descended down upon the city from the sky. Black scales with red tips, two legs and two arms attached to wings, teeth that carried the scent of death, sharper than any blade, and the smoke which came from its mouth, signalled the time of doom for the city.
Amel enhanced his mind to the utmost degree, sparks erupting from his eyes as the glow casted a light upon the ground in front of him. He willed all his constructs at once, and they started to run around, his Primas coming for him, Femel and the remaining troops of his unit. He then willed Omega to intercept the beast, and while the soldiers were waking up, Hran started to run towards them, seeing the large looming beast fall from the sky. “It’s a dragon!” Amel couldn’t believe the words he shouted.
Dragons were once, long ago, the protectors and guardians of the Lightborn. Longer before humanity has existed, Kilon and his people have tamed the beasts of the Livingwood Forests. Hundreds of years under their direct rule and control, the dragons, which once had a different name, evolved to the wise beings that were in that time. They were set free by Kilon and they flew far in the west, making a country of their own, called Drakil, and establishing themselves as one great power in the world. However, even though all of them were good and wise, one amongst them, much like it was for humans, was corrupted. A force that only later was understood, took over Kilgon the Young’s, the king of dragons, sole son. His child confronted him in combat, and while he was believed to have died, Kalagon the Merciless, survived. And given his presence there, it meant that that was what the Foolish King had prepared, hidden from them.
Before Omega had the time to make it to the city, as it stood outside, the beast unleashed its flames upon the city. In a matter of seconds, hundreds were dead, the flames consuming them like the waves of a sea made of flames. Those engulfed by them didn’t have the time to scream, while those too close to them, were burned beyond recognition. It was a massacre that couldn’t be avoided. Hran’s heart tightened, while Uel hurried over, Kinak ready to leap into combat. Amel already assumed those three would fight, and given the current circumstances, he didn’t think running would be a good option. There were many soldiers that would die, but if they let the beast roam free after it massacred hundreds, soon thousands, then their armies wouldn’t recover from it.
“Boy,” Hran looked at Amel from above, he stared back, and felt shivers run down for the first time down his spine. Unlike Uel, Hran possessed a different kind of strength, something which when he witnessed back then, and didn’t understand, was revealing to the highest degree in the man’s eyes. A pure, unadulterated sense of rage, a fire that couldn’t be tamed no matter what. “We’re going to kill that beast no matter the cost, here and now,” he clutches at his side, the gold gauntlets starting to shine as his light infuses itself in the mysterious objects through the silver rope around his back. “You better not run on me if things get ugly,” Hran stared down, his eyes glowing with the light within.
Amel smiled, then watched the beast burn hundreds more in a sweep, “Don’t worry, killing that is part of my plans, you won’t see me running,” his eyes letting out sparks, an odd sense of excitement building inside of him knowing that he has the chance to destroy the Foolish King’s main weapon. Femel came in a hurry with the Primas sent after him, the remaining of his unit carrying their weapons, a fire in their eyes ready to fight. But Amel couldn’t make use of any of them, not even his brother. “You might have to sit this one down.”.
“No, I’ll be by your side,” Femel placed his hand on Amel’s shoulder, “this time I’m prepared for it, I promise you brother.”. Amel sensed the newfound determination inside of him. There was also something within he could sense. It was the heart and lungs he provided, they were reacting to his light and acted as a sort of bridge between his light and his body, his body which didn’t allow for the light to enter his body, welcoming Amel’s slowly.
“Very well, don’t slow us down and stand with Hran, he might need a bit more muscle than his own,” Amel nodded in approval while saying that Hran was already moving towards his army, ready to reveal the secret weapons they have built. Amel has tried to sneak around and see what Hran had built, but was unsuccessful, as highly skilled individuals were placed to take care of it, and all of them could see the strands of light which revealed the positions of his constructs once too close.
The soldiers were getting swallowed by the flames, a thousand men dying in just a couple of minutes. The beast took its flight high up, seeing Omega incoming and needing to regain its breath. Kalagon let out a shout, it vibrated throughout the air, and made those below him cover their ears. The beast was sixty metres in length, its wingspan around eighty. Flapping his wings, made the winds below him into torrents which knocked people around. “Foul humans,” his words, while in a normal tone for him, a terrible shout for all the others. “I am the death of all that is drawing breath, so that I may inflict my revenge upon this vile world,” the way he spoke was stretched and deep, letting emotions imbue themselves with the words, making them terrible in tone.
While it caught its breath, the hundred metres tall constructs managed its way into the city, taking giant steps over the wall. Once inside, it didn’t care for what was below, and rushed for the beast, and, to Kalagon’s and even Amel’s surprise, the construct jumped into the air. Amel didn’t plan for it, Alpha was the only giant construct he believed capable of such a thing, since the constructs which acted as support and ‘muscles’, would be highly strained from the eight pressing on them. This was true for Omega, and some of the constructs at its joints broke in place. The constructs acted out of their will, ready to sacrifice themselves in order to improve their chances of winning. This made Kalagon want to back away, but the leap was too sudden, and the construct grasped the beast by its back, the huge weight bearing on it not letting it fly away. With a huge crush, one that made the rocks and ground go up in a splash, the two were down. Dozens of soldiers died initially, and more after the debris started to fly around and crash down on them.
While neither the First Six, nor Amel liked what happened, it still provided them with an opportunity. Kinak and Uel didn’t waste a moment, rushing for the place where the two had fallen, knocking and smashing the debris coming from all around. Hran wanted to rush towards it as well, but Amel stopped him. He wanted him and his brother ready for when Kalagon would take flight once more, since he could tell the flames of the beast were initially weaker, a warm up before it would breathe out its stronger ones.
Omega held the beast down, but then Kalagon, after he realised what happened, swirled around the construct, its serpentine body coiling around the joints and limbs of the construct. “You must be one of the esteemed constructs,” Kalagong spoke in a deep tone, his head next to the construct’s, his long neck stretching around, while his body was strangling and crushing the construct, cracks forming and running deep inside. Amel could get the general integrity of Omega, if Kalagon kept doing it for a bit longer, then Omega would crash into pieces before he could make use of it. He sent his Primas, while Kinak and Uel have already arrived. Kinak was first to take action, he understood the usefulness of Amel’s construct in such a battle, so losing it would prove disastrous. He went for the tail of Kalagon, and grabbed it with his bare hands. He could enhance his body with light, much like Hran and Uel, except he was always focusing it on his legs and arms. His skin started to glow slightly around the hands and his feet, as he planted himself on the ground, grabbed the tail with his thick, large hands, not enough to grasp the full thickness of the tail, but enough to get a grip. He then let his light surge even stronger, the sharp scales of the dragon crashing down on the flesh and bone, as they couldn’t resist the pressure like the scales did.
Kalagon let out a terrible scream, looking at his tail he could see the, small human in his eyes, crushing his tail. His grip on Omega loosened and focused his attention on Kinak. He gathered the flames inside of his chest, those were hotter than before. Kinak braced for it, but Uel stood between him and the flames. Once unleashed, Uel’s armour started to melt on her skin, but her light protected her to a good enough degree, that the flames were crashing on her skin, then passed by. Kinak withstood the heat surrounding him, just barely, the flames would’ve proven fatal for him. As Kalagon breathed the flames down, Omega regained its movement in its arms, and grasped the neck of the beast around, strangling the flames down its throat. Uel let the light disperse, crashing on her knees from the strain. Kinak pressed harder on the tail, until the section from where he grabbed, snapped and weakened the whole grip on the construct. Omega didn’t let go of his neck. Watching from afar, Hran thought that maybe this could be it, but Amel felt it through his construct, a strength that the dragon wanted to keep hidden.
Dragons, much like humans and livingwood trees, were products of prolonged exposure, or in the case of human direct making, from the light. So, it was only natural that the beast possessed an inner light. All dragons did, usually manifesting through their conversion into flames. While it was generally the same for every dragon, those like Droumir the Wise and Kilgon the Young, much like other humans could, made use of the light in other ways. Kalagon was blessed from birth with exceptional abilities and a formidable body. If he were to inherit the throne, in a thousand years time, he could’ve surpassed Kilgon the Young.
The Primas arrived at the scene, the beast struggling being kept pinned by both Kinak and Omega. The Primas were willed to send Amel’s information, and by touching the two siblings, Kinak took Uel up and ran as far away as he could. With only moments to spare, they barely managed to get out of Kalagon’s range, as his eyes erupted in flames, and so did the rest of his body. The sudden flames caused a shift in temperature in the air, and an explosive burst of fire took place. The shockwave sent flying nearby soldiers, Kinak holding his ground by enhancing his feet. The Primas pinned themselves to the ground with their many limbs, those further away being safe. Before the smoke from the blast could disperse, from within, Kalagon took flight once more, Omega’s surface layer of stone melted. To Omega, this would prove the better outcome, as the melted stone got between the cracks and sealed them, but for the overall battle, this was the one thing which could shift it back into Kalagon’s favour.
Hran saw the beast bleeding from its tail, which was as much as his siblings and Omega could do with their inital counter attack. The soldiers were all running towards the remaining houses, the tunnel which Elde had dug was unfound, which suggested that she must’ve covered the entrance after leaving. Smart from her, bad for the current state of things. The generals were commanded to not let anyone leave the city. If too many soldiers were to leave, then they would become Kalagon’s targets, and they would get swept away by the flames. Kalagon felt the pain of his tail being crushed, and his neck strained from the pressure of Omega. Even so, a deeper rage was building deep inside. “You dirt crawling animals, dare lay fingers on me, the one called the Merciless,” he protested in a high tone. “I showed you my mercy by killing you without being able to feel pain as you turned to dust. But now, now I shall show you why I’m called Merciless.”. Hran didn’t want to wait and see what Kalagon would do, and his troops prepared the weapons. He took Amel and Femel on the eastern side of the city, Kalagon being in the western side. The Primas were following them, two remaining with Kinak and Uel to communicate. Once they arrived, Amel and Femel saw a new creation of their time: canons. Those canons were built from highly conductive metals, similar to those which Hran’s gloves were built from.
“Here, I will need you kids,” Hran took them at the back of the canons. Cut out shapese of hands were at the very back of the canons. Amel tried to move one, aiming for Kalagon, but was too heavy. Femel was to help move it, while Amel would charge it with his light, he could tell. Once he placed his hands on the cut out pieces, the canon light up in a moment. The former Masters of Light which served Hran stood astonished, as even for Hran, this would take a couple minutes. Amel then kept his light inside the canon, as he charged ten more in the same fashion, Hran charging three at the same time. There were soldiers to help move the canons around, Femel proving the better at it with his sharp eyes, adjusting them in the slightest degree in a speedy fashion. “Good, you got your way around them,” Hran praised the two of them.
“I can assume these are meant to cast our light in another manner than I’m perhaps able,” Amel assessed and told Hran, looking at the engravings and runes which semeed to be engraved by Mou. “But we’re a large distance away, and the beast has scales that can withstand infernal temperatures,” Amel showed his doubt in the weapons, which were little more than prototypes as he was sure no field tests have been done before.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Don’t worry about it kid, those were designed by me with the help of Mou,” Hran placed his hand on Amel’s shoulder, then looked at Kalagon who started his descent. There were no flames prepared this time, but his claws at the side and his open mouth. He was going to eat and cut alive those down there. Omega had to replace the constructs from its joints before it could move again, and there were some cracks that needed further assistance. “Alright, don’t miss a single one, for the beast will surely to pay us more than enough for our mistakes,” Hran told his soldiers and the two brothers. Kinak and Uel waited at the sides, Uel needing time to recover and replace her armour. Kinak helped her by mashing together with his hands pieces of armour. While they wouldn’t do much against the beast’s breath or sharp claws and teeth, every little thing would help in such a situation, they thought.
As Kalagon approached the ground, and then glided at an angle forward, “Fire!” Hran shouted. All the canons fired at the same time. Some were aiming for the wings, while some for the head. Half of them hit, half of them missed. A zvoom noise was around the trails of light which were expelled from the canons’ mouths. In an instant, those which hit, landed on their target. Kalagon could feel the cutting heat melting even his valued scales, that were able to protect him from volcanoes and temperatures hard to comprehend. While he managed to cut down some dozen or so soldiers, he didn’t have a choice but to rise high up before those rays of light would pierce his scales and disable him at the very least, or even kill him.
“Cunning little humans and your little machines,” he shouted this time, even for his ears. “Let me show you what you won’t be able to accomplish no matter what you build!” with his roar, he closed his mouth, and his chest swole three times in size. The bulge in his chest moved up in his neck, getting smaller. The canons were moved to aim for him, but before they could be fired again, Kalagon let out a ball of fire, the speed at which it travelled, threatened to hit them in mere moments. Hran didn’t let it happen, and pulling his blade out, he met the ball of fire with the edge of his blade. The ball of fire pushed him back, but once he got a better footing, he withstood its force. The ball of fire got smaller before it could reveal its actual power, as the blade absorbed the heat inside of it, turning from a pale blue, into a bright orange. Kalagon saw Hran, Hran’s eyes looking in a defying, angry manner. Kalagon stretched a monstrous smile on his face, then prepared another ball of fire from the chest. Before it had time though.
“Fire!” Femel shouted. All the canons, adjusted by him, hit the beast in its chest. Kalagon felt the pressure and cutting rays pushing against his chest, forcing him to let out the flames in a restricted manner, blowing from the inside of his neck before they could have the chance to escape. Suffocating on its own flames, the beast was once more falling. “Brother!” Feme shouted at Amel, Amel’s eyes blinking with the glow of the light.
“Yeah, I’m on it,” Omega started to trample its way towards the falling beast. Kalaong saw the threat coming for him in his fall, he tried to regain his flight, but his wing was met with yet some other rays of light, finally managing to pierce through the thin membrane of the wings. He let out a terrible roar, as he hit the ground, crashing down on houses and making the earth shake. Once down, Kalagon was quick to get on his feet, but couldn’t regain force in his left wing. The muscles hurt and contracted outside his will, not being used to such pain. Even when he fought his father, he didn’t meet such crushing pain. Seeing as he had less and less options, Kalagon chose to stand his ground, planting his limbs onto the ground, with his long neck stretching out, ready to let out hellish flames.
Omega was the first to appear, this time Kalagon used the balls of fire, smaller but more precise. They hit their target each time, at the shoulders, knees and head. The balls of fire explode upon contact and cause Omega with a great force, to stumble until it fell. He didn’t have time to take care of the construct, as Uel and Kinak rushed towards him. Kinak from his right side, Uel from the front. Kalagon could tell which was able to withstand his flames, and which couldn’t. So, he thought to be the wiser if he disposed of the one able to cause him injuries, snapping his neck at Kinak, his teeth sharp enough to cut steel. His teeth met the body of the seven metres tall human, he could feel his flesh just right. But when he tried to press until the teeth dug their way in and cut him in pieces, he couldn’t. “Let us show you what we can accomplish with the things we build within,” Kalagon could then see it, the slight variations around the man, who was actually Uel, using her light to bend the light around her, and cause her to look larger than she was, while Kinak had done the opposite. Kinak took upon the opportunity, and grabbed the beast by the neck. Kalagon flung his long neck around, Kinak holding onto his neck, starting to course light through him and his hands, the pressure crushing the scales on its neck.
Seeing Hran heading for him, with the glowing gold gauntlets on his hands, the two boys behind and the cannons at their back, Kalagon felt fear struck him for the first time in a long time. His only two instances where fear was inflicted upon him, were when his father fought him, and almost killed him in the process, and meeting with Tserkepos, the Apostle living in the Sunken Sea, its size dwarfing his to such a degree, that it made him feel like an insect ready to be trampled by a greater force. The fear made him act eratic, hitting the ground with his neck, Kinak suffering from the blows, then bursting his body into flames repeteadly, causing Kinak to have issues in discerning when he should protect his body, and when he shouldn’t. Seeing as the beast was going to soon disable him, Kinak let go and retreated behind Uel.
Kalagon started to turn his back, make it for the wall, but Omega was back onto him, grabbing him by the broken tail and pulling the struggling beast back. Kalagon let go of all self preservation instincts, and bit the constructs arms. His teeth shattered in places, but also managed to crush and destroy the construct’s left arm. Omega tried reaching with the other, but was too late, as Kalagon climbed over the wall, and retreated into the forests, making trees fall all over. An unsightly way for a once a long time ago prince of a great kingdom.
The soldiers in the back cheered loudly, as Amel, Femel and Hran met with Kinak and Uel. They all stood there, listening in case Kalagon was to return. Amel sent a couple of his Primas to follow Kalagon, to see if he truly was on the Foolish King’s side, even though everyone thought it evident by then to be so. He also wanted to see what other role the beast would play, since if he retreated to the Mouner city, then he could act as a troubling unit, launching his flames from afar. To Hran and Amel, this was the least preferred outcome. But following him could lead them into traps and Kalagon had the advantage of size, able to make traps of his own along the way.
Once things calmed down, and they were able to regroup, the united armies of the six kingdoms lost two thousand soldiers, of which three thousand were injured. On top of that, Omega had been broken in places and lost an arm. Some of Amel’s constructs have been caught into the flames, but no major losses on his side. Hran praised the brothers for their initiative, then retreated to his tent with Uel and Kinak, to see to their injuries and console each other for the people they’ve lost. Femel went to his unit, discussing ways they could stand against such a threat, while Amel retreated to his tent, his mind filled with thoughts and ways he could deal with a dragon.
To Amel, a dragon was a threat of the largest degree, more so than anyone else. His constructs were mainly ground units, and those which could fly, were few and meant to either carry or snatch things for him. Developing a new kind of construct to be able to deal with such an issue seemed improbable at first, then the canons came into his mind. Hran had hidden those cannons for good reason. If Amel was to make use of them, surely, he could make terrifying new constructs, and in Amel’s mind, those constructs would start to build themselves with designs of his own accord. He would need to convince Hran that this was for the better, he wasn’t sure how. While he had gained some of their trust that his intentions align with their own, proven by that battle, him asking for those weapons, was probably going to be met with harsh looks and strong words against it. So, Amel did what he knew best, and sent his Primas and a few other constructs to take a better look at them. Even if he didn’t know how to make runes and use them, if he could alter the designs to fit his way of using the light, then the cannons would become tools of his own control.
“The kid saw the cannons, he’s going to want to use them,” Kinak started to speak, taking his clothes off and revealing broken bones and injuries all over his body. “Will you let him, brother?”. Hran stood at the entrance, not an injury on his body, wearing his black armour, expecting them to be able to leave as soon as they recovered some of their wounds.
“I don’t think I can stop him, he has his ways to get what he wants, you saw it,” Hran responded, taking a place down while he waited for Uel to get off her armour, which was stuck some to her flesh. Her body was in the worst condition, the flames and teeth still left their mark, even though they didn’t manage to injure her on the inside. “We’ll first have to take care of the two great threats before us, before we can look back at the one who’s supporting this war so far,” his words making Kinak frown.
“You think pretty high of him, given he’s a criminal,” his words were as sharp as the look he gave Hran. Uel was too preoccupied by her wounds to make her way into the argument. “You saw how strong he is. It’s safe to say he’s probably going to reach you before he’s even a full adult,” Kinak stretched his chest and hands, the light starting to make its effect, the bones fusing themselves together and the wounds fixing themselves. It was a painful process, and it took a huge strain on the body. The method which Kinak used was less than optimal, as he forced his injured parts into being healed, which led to odd happenings at times. A bone that would happen to grow after being fused together, a clump of meat growing under the skin, and such.
“Then maybe we should stop casting him aside, discard him as nothing worth nothing more than a corner of the street thief, and consider how to use his powers, how to harness his potential,” Hran spoke from a place of reason and rationale. He wanted a better future for the kingdoms, and to ensure that, fighting another force like Amel, would prove the most detrimental. Hran could see that Kinak was still not open for the discussion, Uel was already on his side so there was no point to continue. “Fine, then we’ll have the others give their thoughts, then we’ll proceed,” he lifted himself up, ready to leave the tent.
“Careful what you wish to harness, brother. We don’t want another Foolish King to grow in the midst of our own,” Kinak warned his brother, their backs turned at each other. Uel stopped treating her wounds briefly, the words of Kinak making her angry at the conflict that still somewhat resided in her mind. Was Amel to fall on the wrong side, he could prove a larger threat than the Foolish King, as his constructs did his will outside of him. If constructs with the sole purpose of destruction were to be released, then it wouldn’t be far fetched to think that a group or even one of them, could come up with plans of destruction that could run rampant. In a way, each of his constructs had the ability to become a larger threat than anything else. A force hard to control, hold in place by one boy.
“It’s not something I want, it’s something imposed upon us, our duty,” Hran left the tent, Kinak slammed his fists on the ground. Kinak couldn’t help but have a feel of guilt, since Amel was part of them, a human of their own creation, like the Foolish King, so like a parent, he felt at fault for how Amel became, even though it was outside his power.
Once Kinak and Uel were fit for travel, by noon’s time, the armies were ready to mobilise once more. Those injured had to stay behind, taking care of the dead to bury them and pray to the creator to accept their light, while the forty four thousand able soldiers, of which nine thousand constructs, moved forward. Omega was being repaired in Opeldes by a few hundred constructs, which would rejoin the main army after it had united with Elde’s and Eve’s ones. Leaving through the eastern gates, the soldiers were to arrive where the battle was raging in two days' time. From his constructs, Amel was able to report that Elde’s one thousand five hundred men had managed to cause a devastating blow to the monster army. This forced them to pull back towards Opeldes, where the monsters had the impression that the city was theirs, given that Kalagon should’ve destroyed the armies. This was the best outcome, as they would get caught between the forty four thousand and eleven thousand, both marching for the other. The First Six couldn’t help but rely on Amel’s knowledge time and time again, which made Kinak upset. Hran was supposed to be the leader of their army, guide them properly, but due to Amel’s high versatility and ability to get around anywhere he wanted, while possessing vast amounts of power, Amel inadvertently became the front figure of this war.
Hran was also speaking with Amel while they travelled, especially after the battle with Kalagon. The jealousy he felt, he couldn’t acknowledge. Hran has always been more practical and daring in nature, always searching for other ways to make their living better, while challenging all around him. Kinak only wanted to spend his days peacefully, surrounded by nothing but the view of his growing crops. Due to that, these two brothers, although in neighbouring kingdoms, would rarely see face to face and speak. Kinak hoped to bond over with his brother during this war, show him that his worth is beyond growing crops and taking care of animals, but his brother instead grew attached to a boy that was far away from his kingdom, who grew in danger and like him, challenged all around him. It wasn’t a surprise that Hran grew attached to Amel, but it still upset him.
Femel made his way to the front, he wanted to take a bit more part in the war discussions. There was much he had to learn, especially before they would fight the Foolish King. He couldn’t get close enough to Hran and Amel, who were having a debate on the kind of shield wall to use against the monsters. Amel proposed his offenders to perform with the Defenders, and cause as little casualties as possible amongst the human ranks. Hran argued that all he wanted is to provide his constructs with training, and that his people also needed to fight some before the grand battle, as they still haven’t had a chance. The two looked like a father and his son, bickering over a pointless thing.
Seeing as there was no place to bump into the discussion, Femel would switch his gaze upon Kinak, who seemed, just like him, wishful to join the conversation. He was also at the front, but more reachable, so he went over in his trained, friendly manner. Kinak saw him from the corner of his eye, the small human approaching him with a daring look. His friendly demeanor was nothing Kinak didn’t see from countless other people. Yet his childish look, with a depth of its own, made Kinak wonder what kind of person the boy was. He turned his gaze away, as if he didn’t see him.
“Not even Your Highness dares interrupt those two?” he was formal, but his tone was too friendly to take with someone higher in rank, especially given the smug behind those words. “Once we reunite with Your Highness’ siblings, we’re going in the large battle,” Kinak kept ignoring him with his eyes, while paying attention with his ears. His sister had almost killed him, yet he didn’t seem the least fearful that he might do the same. “I don’t expect Your Highness to feel the same, but I’m scared and excited at the same time.”. Kinak didn’t like fighting, but standing with his siblings in battle, gave him that excitement which Femel also felt.
“Say, kid,” Kinak turned his head slightly, looking down with his eyes. “Why do you speak with me? My sister tried to kill you, aren’t you afraid, or at least upset?”. Femel looked at him with wondrous eyes. The soft spoken giant man didn’t understand his pure intentions. “If you want sympathy from me to forgive your crimes, then you won’t get it.”.
“Sympathy?” Femel’s tone changed. Even for him, some things weren’t to be spoken or assumed, not with his past and the life he had to endure. “I had part of none since before I could speak, so I won’t expect any from Your Highness either,” his words made Kinak feel a tightness in his chest. From the way Femel spoke and the weight his words carried, it made him feel like a monster. “I just couldn’t find the bad in Your Highness, which I usually feel from people,” Kinak turned his head sharply, the boy was heading back through the soldiers. He contemplated for a bit, ‘No bad inside of me. Hmph’ Kinak giggled in silence.
The day went by fast, the night encroaching onto the lands. Amel held the position of the monstrous army, it was still heading for Opeldes, which meant they would meet tomorrow around noon or late afternoon. Elde’s and Eve’s armies were relentless. Even though the monsters didn’t rest and travelled throughout the night as well, so did their armies that have been fighting for days. It was a ceaseless hunt, which the two sisters were betting upon finding their siblings at the other end. Amel had considered telling them that they were heading for them and they could rest, but his constructs have been destroyed by Elde’s army in the forests. A fact which upset him, since they were killed before they could gather any information from their surroundings. Whatever or whoever killed them, were highly skilled and would probably not hesitate in killing more his constructs. Hran had told him vaguely about Elde, her powers were mainly to help others. From Eve, she had learned how to give her light to others and reinvigorate them. While it wasn’t at the same magnitude of power as Eve, who could bring from the brink of death thousands, she could still help hundreds heal their wounds. Aside from that, she apparently had delved for the past twelve years in searching for methods to manipulate other lights with her own. Her reasons were so she could attempt to take over the Foolish King’s light, and not allow him to attack them in any capacity. While it proved hard against stronger foes, as she tried it on Hran and Uel, it was still a good ability she could use.
That worried Amel especially, because if Elde was able to meddle with his light, she could interrupt his contact or even cut the lights off from his constructs. If she didn’t agree with having him as part of their force, or tried to subdue him after the war was over, then he wouldn’t have any good means in dealing with her. She remained an issue to take care of once better assessed.
The night went uneventful, the soldiers able to get a good sleep before the march tomorrow. Once the morning hit, Amel was already awake, the flow of information keeping him awake for the most of the night. He wanted to rest before marching west-north towards Mouner, but found it troublesome, as he was developing strategies for his constructs to deal with Kalagon. His mind was getting pulled into multiple directions, and he felt the pressure piling up. Femel tried to help however he could, but nothing would be able to release the strain on his body unless he let go of the light. And given the crucial moments to follow that day, he had to endure it some more.
Their march continued, going further east-north, and noon came by. Hran and Amel had agreed that the best approach to satisfy them, would be to let his Defenders at the front, and the spearmen at the back. This would allow for both armies to get the necessary experience while learning how to cooperate. The rows were set, and even some traps were managed to be placed at the front, as they stood on the stretched fields of grass. Only a forest was to their left, but was at a day’s of walk. Once the monsters would set foot into their range of vision, they will have no choice but to either fight or run in all directions. Were they to run, his constructs would hunt them to the last one, day and night.
A few hours passed by, and Amel had received information that they were there, close to the horizon. Hran ran along the lines on his horse, saluting the soldiers and making them up. Feme wasn’t going to participate, as this was merely a massacre, not required for even half their forces to be brought. Half the soldiers have been stationed around the lands, so that if the monsters fled, they would be intercepted. With everything in place, the monsters covered the horizon line by the thousands. They were marching at a steady pace, with even those at the front injured from the relentless hunt Elde and Eve have had upon them. Those at the front stopped, getting pushed from behind. Unintelligible words could be heard, then flying units dispersed in all directions, then returned a short while after. Without a warning, the monsters started running in a disorienting way, as each of them had their own pace and rhythm.
The armies on the opposite front, let arrows loose. A couple hundred dead corpses were getting trampled as the monsters acted erratic. Even though their deaths were ensured, they still rushed like maddened creatures, in order to accomplish their purpose however they could, that being the death of everything that moved. A second volley followed, their numbers trimmed to seven thousand just by the arrows. The front Defenders braced themselves, large pieces of metal covered wood serving as both shields and parts of their body. The spearmen from behind placed their weapons between the heads of the Defenders. Their ranks were perfectly even, as Amel liked it. From his prior battle, he also assigned smaller constructs at the feet of the Defenders with small weapons. He planned to collapse their initial wave by knocking them to the ground, the trampling of those behind them ensuring their deaths.
Hran chose a few hundred mounted units, and made his way to the left. Once the monsters were against the Defenders, he would circle and flank them, further collapsing their disorderly lines. Once the last line of monsters cleared the horizon, the ones at the front crashed against the Defenders. Some were jumping, some were crawling, and trying to make their way through the ranks. But the Defenders weren’t letting any in, and the small ones below the feet were acting as Amel had intended. Those taller at the front, were only met with spears into their skulls, necks and chests. The spearmen pulled back their weapons, stepped behind, another row stepped in and pushed their spears into the monsters’ bodies. For the flying units, Amel had assigned some of his Snatchers as suicidal chargers. They were carrying Erneel’s bombs in their hands, and crashing into the enemy troops. The onslaught ensued, and hundreds were dying each minute.
Then, from the left, Hran had made his way with the mounted units. Hran didn’t have a large enough mount for himself, so he was running. His tall body was making his way to the front with ease, outrunning the horses. Soon, he was upon the monsters, his sword drawn at the last moment. The monsters tried to intercept him, kill his momentum, but with a slash of his immense sword, dozens of heads were flying. Another swing of his sword, and dozens more dead. By himself, he was leading the charge and making his way through the army. His body stood taller than most of them, and his men followed behind. Relentless, skilled and large themselves, those men he handpicked cut the left and right side of the monsters. They had cut their army at the middle point, forcing those between the mounted unit and the main army to fight on both sides. To those captured in the middle, it felt as if they were being pressed to death, as each of them had to take their distance so they wouldn’t die immediately.
Amel couldn’t help himself but smile from the back, where he stood witnessing the killing of those monsters. He let go of the mind, not letting himself be flooded with the information, and just admiring the view. Femel stood next to him and took mental notes. How the spearmen were adapting to the odd builds of the constructs in front of them, the tactics employed by Amel and Hran, and the dynamic way the battlefield was changing. Watching those two’s warfare was making it look simple. Femel was looking for what made it look as such, since if he had to fight those monsters, then in his mind, he found a lot of issues. His eyes permitted him to see the small details which allowed for the tumultuous battlefield to be turned into Amel’s and Hran’s playground. For Amel, his constructs were simply that powerful, with the light Amel hand infused them, the system he had established in his mind and the years of work he had to perform prior to this point. In Hran’s case, Femel could find himself seeing a goal he could achieve. Hran simply employed a tactic he thought best, then led his forces as it was suited. But in order to be able to do so, he would need both the mind of a tactician and the skills of mighty warriors such as him. Those looked like things he would need years to prepare for, but if he was to stand next to his brother when the final battle occurred, then he had to learn them then and there.
Amel noticed his brother’s efforts to understand the battlefield. He had tried to explain to him the strategies, with small constructs and a box of sand, but his brother had to see it for himself in order to understand. And given his sharp senses and instincts, Femel was growing mentally by simply watching the battle unfold before him. Amel returned his gaze upon the battlefield, he was counting down the moments before the battle was over. His constructs told him before the monsters had arrived, that soon Elde and Eve would arrive. The sooner the better, as they could finally move towards his actual goal. And, after an hour of continuous fighting, where the monsters had managed to organise themselves, forced by the pressure of both sides, the horizon would be painted a different colour once more.
The long neck and golden hair, and glowing white skin of Eve have been the first things which attracted Amel’s eyes. For the first time in his life, a woman would catch his eye, as Eve’s beauty was beyond any woman he had seen so far. Some men in the army had stopped to look at her as well, getting themselves injured or even killed because of it. Femel wasn’t concerned with her, looking at the battlefield and trying to understand how much it would take for Eve’s and Elde’s troops to manage the monsters which they have been fighting for the past hour. Elde followed behind Eve, her brown hair flowing in the wind, while her silvery armour made the sun reflect on its surface, the symbol of her kingdom on the chest piece.
“Hmm, seems like we disturbed the battlefield,” Eve said, brushing her cheek gently. Elde looked carefully, saw only Hran fighting through the middle, as two small, young boys were at the back where Uel and Kinak should’ve been.
“Maybe it’s for the better,” Elde responded, pulling at her large stallion’s harnesses. “Those kids, whoever allowed them to stand there, should be punished together with them,” her light brown eyes targeting the brothers. Femel ignored the two, which Elde observed, while Amel was fixating his sight upon Eve. For a moment he forgot himself on the battlefield, but then enhanced his mind with the light, so he could snap out of it, and looked at Elde, his to be issue. Elde looked back at Amel, saw the defiant look in his eyes and the presumptuous way he was standing atop a machine of sorts. Looking at the front lines, she could see a couple thousand of those things, different sizes and shapes. While up in the air, the booms of explosions here and there would warrant her attention for a few moments. “This war became an odd thing.”.
“Wasn’t it to begin with?” Eve answered with a question of her own, brushing her hair gently, as if the war before her was of no concern. She then tied her hair at the back, and took her rapier from the scabbard, a purposefully twisted blade with a rose decorated hilt. “We shall make it something less odd then, sister,” Eve raised her sword, and her mounted units, tired as they were, looked fiercely upon the battle expecting them. “Let us cleanse the sin of these oddities from the face of our beautiful world!” she cried, and the men behind her roared. Then, with a dash, the horses rushed the fields and hit the monster army from behind, crushing them under their feet.
“Showing off to your brother?” Elde wondered to herself, making her way slowly across the field with her troops. “No matter how bright you shine, he will only see the shadows you cast,” Elde spoke from memories of not so long, when their meeting took place, and the calamity befell humanity.
The monster army had been crushed, the fleeing ones killed by Amel’s constructs, some hunted down by Hran and Eve. Once everything was done, Kinak and Uel rushed on the fields to hug their siblings and welcome them. Elde had told them of all that happened and how it went. Mostly, things went as Amel had assumed, except for the fact that she didn’t mention destroying his constructs. Her light was heard to read, so he wasn’t sure if she was retaining information or not. To him, it was safe to assume she didn’t want to look stupid in front of her siblings, but he also had to consider whether or not she was the one who destroyed his machines. Amel preferred to avoid any contact with either of those two, as he wasn’t sure how him talking with them might influence the final decision, of whether or not he would be let free.
Hran had explained Amel’s achievements so far, and how great his help was on the war as a whole. Amel let him do the talking, while Femel was getting to know them between the praise Hran was giving his brother. The sisters seemed delighted with them, Femel especially who was a joy to be around. But Kinak didn’t like the fact that Hran had omitted the important parts, in his opinion. Amel living as a criminal, and almost killing their sister, were just two of the major offences he committed. But, seeing his siblings get along, made Kinak retain his words for the moment. The war to come was also of concern, he didn’t want their troops to weaken some more in case Eve or Elde decided to confront Amel about his crimes, as Uel did. For the moment, he enjoyed the peace in his family.