Penelo felt an arm wrap around her waist and pull her in. The morning chill sent shivers down her arms. Despite that, her heart felt warm beside Erlan. Flexing her right hand, she marveled at the custom glove prosthetic that provided a replacement for the two missing fingers.
Erlan enlisted the help of his clan to search for artisans to craft the contraption before asking Elwin to bless it. Silvertree worked through Elwin to bless it.
You are now bound to the glove. It will move as if they were your real fingers. Fight proudly and survive.
Several camps dotted the forest where her allies woke from their slumber. Today was the day they would leave for war. She mumbled, “Survive? Is that even possible against such a foe?”
“Penelo?”
Shaking her head, she took hold of Erlan's hand and led him to the ladder.
“We should check on the others.”
…
Fariane walked next to Elwin and Vanima in the forest. Her blessed eye perceived more now than ever. They arrived in front of a tree surrounded by the wolf pack. The heart of the forest. The tomb of Silvertres’s mate. Vanima stepped up to the base of the tree and slammed her paw down, sending a ripple of magic out that revealed an entrance.
Enter the tomb and retrieve the artifact crafted from the bones of N. First worn by Freaya and returned to its resting place by Renna when the order disbanded.
Elwin moved to stand by his mate and face the elf.
You are the leader of the Shadow Breakers now. Enter and claim the symbol of your mantle.
She followed the footsteps of the few before her with the honor of seeing the story of a god. At the heart lay a tomb with a necklace placed on top. Fariane lifted it up in amazement and placed it around her neck. She felt the energy pulsing along with her heartbeat.
Upon exiting the tomb, a memory popped into her head of a prayer that would close the entrance. She turned around and bowed. Offering a prayer, magic spread across the ground, concealing the heart of the forest once more.
Both wolves bowed to Fariane. Elwin nudged the elf toward the pack.
It is customary for the Shadow Breakers to keep a wolf by their side. If you focus on any willing animal, a connection will open up allowing the two of you to communicate.
Trusting her furry friends, Fariane walked among the pack using her eye to see what hid below the surface. The truth that is normally hidden. One wolf sat proud, eyes begging her to take a chance. Fingers traced the wolf's fur after she closed the distance.
“Hello. Do you have a name?”
Silly elf. Of course I do. You may call me Asena. Let me be your companion. It has been a very long time since my pack could hold such a prestigious position for our god.
“Forgive my silliness. It would be an honor to have you by my side.
...
“Greetings, Councilor. The merchants have the route planned out to keep the army supplied on our way to our destination.”
Lowering her head in acknowledgment, Qamara said, “Thank you, Aithlin.”
“Excuse me, I have a report.”
“Go ahead Dirra.”
“Thank you, Councilor. The Pabanise tribe has combined forces with Qildor of the Haus tribe to scout ahead and create an information chain in case we encounter more shadow beasts.”
She knew people could view such a task as a death sentence, but tough decisions had to be made. The new temporary settlement for the flood of noncombatants came into view. Pressure from Penelo elevated the Xilyra tribe’s council into temporary leadership of the settlement. Yalanue stood with Yrathea and Tishala as they discussed logistics.
“Hello Yalanue, I hope all is well.”
“Oh, greetings Qamara. There have been conflicts between clans, but your tribe's hunters have helped patrol and settle disagreements. My friends here have integrated our social structure to keep our youth occupied and allow everyone a place to talk to someone when they need it.”
Qamara made her way back to the gate of Unn Thalor and climbed up the wall to view the procession. Elwin, Vanima, Penelo, Erlan, and the rest of their advanced party took their place at the head of the column. Silencing any unrest, Elwin combined the different tribe tribes into one force. Elwin assigned the role of general to the tribal leaders Pharom, Dain, Aienik, Darunia, and Flaryn, who worked under him. Each leader handled two hundred warriors, each of which was broken down into groups of forty controlled by an officer that assigned five squad leaders eight warriors a piece.
Between Elwin and his group of ten, the five generals, twenty-five officers, one hundred and twenty-five squad leaders, and one thousand soldiers, the army had swelled to one thousand, one hundred and sixty-six.
Assisting the primary force was the merchant caravan of forty-eight led by Aithlin, the scout division of thirty under the command of Dirra and Qildor, and the eighty civilians spread out between the five generals to cook and maintain the camp working under Cargwyn. That increased the total number involved in the war effort to one thousand three hundred and twenty-eight.
At the first command meeting, Elwin let the generals and the leaders of the other three groups know he would create a mental link with them for communication to relay information when they were within reach of his ability. With a force this size, everyone needed to work well together to increase efficiency and minimize the chance of their attack lines falling apart. Combining the forces of ten different tribes made this even more important.
The Councilor swelled with pride at the force Elwin and Vanima created in such a short amount of time. All she could do now was work with Yalanue to keep the new settlement functional and supply the merchants so their warriors wouldn’t starve.
“Please come back safe. May Silvertree watch over you all.”
…
Elwin walked beside Aienik, the leader of the Pahana tribe, now one of five generals leading his army. It was a slow process crossing the mountain. After they regrouped in the forest where the Haus tribe called home, they set off toward their destination. Hailing from this side of the mountain, Aienik volunteered to take the lead in their new formation.
“Who gave you the idea to organize us in such a way? All I have ever seen in my years of fighting against other clans have been a single group charging or spreading out to ambush.”
There are over a thousand elves under my command from ten different tribes. I asked for guidance from Silvertree and together we came up with a plan. If I left the tribes alone, everyone would fall back on what they know. That would only lead to death against this foe.
They walked down Aienik’s column as they discussed how Elwin organized the army. An officer walked in front of each group of warriors who stood in rows eight abreast, with squad leaders walking on either side. This was repeated four more times. On either side, a few scouts from Dirra and Qildor's unit moved about. Sixteen civilians assigned to the general followed in the back with a few wagons full of camp supplies.
“So, how many of us are there?”
One thousand three hundred and twenty-eight. Twenty-nine if you count Silvertree.
“Thank you for checking in with me. I should check in with my men.”
Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Understood. I will see you tonight for the command meeting.
He continued to visit the other generals spread out across the land. Three columns lined up in a line, with the final two generals parallel on either side of the center group. Every general would take turns in one of the five spots in the marching formation. The safest is the center surrounded by over eight hundred warriors.
That night, Elwin invited everyone from his group to the command meeting with the five generals who brought one of their officers along, and the leaders who commanded the supply line, scouts, and civilian regiment. Twenty-six would be in attendance altogether.
Elwin sat in the middle of the large tent with Pharom, Dain, Aienik, Darunia, Flaryn, Aithlin, Dirra, Qildor, and Cargwyn circling him on the floor. The officers stood back and listened, with their only objective being to report back to the rest of the officers and squad leaders.
Erlan and Penelo sat relaxed on the floor while Ievis, Saida, and Cailu stood by the entrance, alert to any unwanted presence. Shalendra found a spot next to her new best friend Alea as they chatted quietly in the back. The pair that captured the attention of all in attendance stood watch. Fariane with her blessed white eye and her new friend and guardian, Asena. The wolf from the pack that guards Silvertree’s forest.
Greetings everyone and thank you for joining me tonight. My mate, Vanima, was supposed to join us, but the scouts needed help to patrol our surroundings, so she volunteered. Let us start this off with a report from each of you.
Dirra stood up and said, “As our commander said, Vanima is off helping my scouts. Qildor let me go alone so he could coordinate with the rest of our team. After consulting with Vanima and her team, we confirmed the enemy left behind the remains we found near the path today. We could not find any fresh trails.”
Thank you. Maybe the six shadow beasts my mate and her team dispatched handled this area. Either way, let's not let our guard down.
She sat down, and Aithlin took her place. “Greetings. My team has established a functional supply line and has coordinated with Cargwyn to distribute.” The elf in question remained seated as she added, “Thank you, Aithlin. The cooks from Hagluin’s group of survivors from your tribe have been phenomenal. I shall thank them personally if I survive to make it back to the rest of our tribesman.”
Aienik coughed to grab the attention of the room and stood up. “I am sure he would rather have his people back home safe than your thanks, but I agree with the sentiment. Now, I will present my report to you. I still feel uneasy about how we distributed the men among us, but I can't ignore the results. The squad leaders who were numerous handled minor disputes. If it escalated, the officer stepped in.” He sat down with a huff and laughed when the other generals looked at him.
The other four shared similar opinions with nothing of great importance. Satisfied, Elwin was about to let everyone go when Fariane gasped, Asena pushing up against her leg in worry. That is when he felt it. The darkness had found them. They were in his domain now.
“He saw. Did I? Was that him?” Down on her knees, she hugged Asena as she trembled with fear. Knowing the others would not understand, he stood up on all four.
Everyone out, now. Generals, if you have questions, ask them privately when I meet with you tomorrow. Officers, this does not leave this tent. Do I make myself clear?
A chorus of, “Yes, sir” echoed before everyone started filing out, leaving Elwin alone with Fariane and Asena.
He connected his mind with both and sat patiently.
It’s going to be alright. You have me now. We are partners.
Asena is correct. The two of you are a pair. You should rely on each other. Your blessing is a two-edged sword. It lets you see through the darkness, but a god of his power can see you too. This is the responsibility we have placed on your shoulders.
Lifting her head up, she said, “I understand, Elwin. The dark presence overwhelmed me. So much death, anger, and hatred condensed into one focused intent to destroy.”
Vanima and I will work with you each night to help build a defense to protect your mind. It won’t make it go away but should help. We may need to involve Asena to keep it going, but I can’t say what that might do to her in the long run.
Licking her friend's tears away, Asena pressed into Fariane.
I will do anything. I made a vow to Silvertree to give my life if necessary to help defeat the darkness.
Overwhelmed with emotion, the elf pulled Asena in for another hug and cried. There was nothing else he could do, so Elwin left the two of them alone, letting the guards outside know not to let anyone inside until they came out.
...
The dark lord separated his consciousness from Ruvan’s body and traveled across his domain in search of the filth that dared cross into his land. After he lost the squad of mutated shadow beasts, he partitioned off a part of his being to monitor for any sign of Silvertree’s magic. What he found astounded him.
The gall to bring such an army to face me. It’s inconceivable. They march to their own death. A death that I will use to finish this once and for all.
He entered their camp and made his way to the center. There was a large tent where he felt the most concentrated source of light energy pooled. Entering, he ignored the wolf champion in favor of the elf who stared directly at him with her pure white orb. She mumbled words as she fell to her knees in fear.
He drank in her fear and departed, satisfied with how the events had unfolded. They were coming to him. He would make them regret it. On his way back, the dark lord used his mental connection to all his subordinates to demand everyone return home.
Our foe comes for us. We shall wait for them with open arms. Return and rejoice for war has arrived. The time for the great slaughter is upon us.
Feno stood next to Ruvan on the wall as they looked out at the horde of undead standing still. An army of elves approached amid the early morning light. Spread across the land, the dark lord approved of how well organized it appeared.
In contrast, he reviewed his own forces and what he could bring to bear against Silvertree and his champion. The mutated shadow beasts were unchanged, but their numbers had escalated. Since his reaper variant fought Elwin, he had reinforced its neck joints at a slight cost to mobility before making more of the finished product.
His newest mutation took the form of a wolf-sized bird with talons and a beak that could pierce a skull. In his attempt to make a prototype that could sustain flight, the dark lord sacrificed many of his newest followers. There were a few other hidden projects only he knew about, but they would need to wait. His mind drifted back to the foe before him.
“What do you think of our enemy, my dark knight?”
“They appear ready to die, my lord. No one could survive our full might.”
Ruvan laughed, which spread among his forces and led to a chorus of howls from his mutated shadow beasts. The ground rumbled after he ordered his undead minions to stomp in unison.
Raising his fist, he chanted, “Death! Death! Death!”
…
Hours before the ground shook with the combined might of the undead, Elwin awoke next to Vanima. The sun had yet to break free from its nightly prison. The two of them walked among the tents as the army stirred from their slumber. No one bothered to break down the camp. They would leave that to those who still lived to see the sun vanish once more.
Qildor stepped out of the shadows and crouched. “My scouts have returned. The enemy must know how close we are, but make no move to attack.”
Thank you. The dark lord knows we have come for him. There is no reason to give up the advantage. Pick a squad to remain to retreat if none of us survive. Someone needs to survive to spread the news.
“It shall be done.”
His ears guided him to a disturbance. An irate Tarred demanded his daughter stay behind.
“You can’t force me, father. I don’t report to you. Darunia is my general. I’m one of her best fighters. Need I remind you who trained me?”
Desperate to keep Caeda safe, he continued, “Our people will need a capable hunter to lead them away from these lands if we fail this day. Surely you can see this?”
She shook her head in disappointment. “What you fail to realize is that there will be no hope of anyone back home if we fail. Why would I abandon the forty warriors and their five squad leaders under my leadership? You should be ashamed for even asking.”
Tarred stood there in tears watching his daughter walk away.
I respect your desire to protect your family, but everyone here must be prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice to stop a god who wants nothing more than to devour everyone and everything. That includes myself.
Vanima moved up and rubbed up against his leg to comfort him.
Do not let this strife be the last between you and your daughter.
Wiping away the tears, he forced a smile and ran after his daughter. This is another reason Elwin broke up the tribes. He wanted to dissuade families from using their authority over loved ones that could compromise the mission.
Cargwyn and her civilian team made a light, hearty meal for everyone, bringing Elwin and the rest of the command team to their share during the final meeting. All five generals, twenty-five officers, which included Tarred and Caeda, one hundred and twenty-five squad leaders, and both scout leaders.
Thank you all for joining me. I will share my battle plan for today’s assault. We will face hundreds of undead that stand idle blocking our way to the gate. We expect more shadow beasts to mix in with the horde. I also expect the appearance of the bone horror that attacked the wall of Unn Thalor to appear.
Darn, Aienik, and Flaryn will line up and act as our frontal assault. Both Pharom and Darunia will flank the enemy on both sides. Work as a team and support each other. Silvertree will gift us all with a blessing to pierce the shadows. Vanima and I will break into two teams and target the stronger foes. We will be connected through my mental connection, so speak up.
When the dark lord makes an appearance, Silvertree will take the field and join me in battle. For what it's worth, it has been an honor to fight by your side.
Every elf stood up and saluted their commander. Silvertree's champion. Their last hope of stopping the darkness.
Now that the time had come, Elwin turned to his army standing strong in the face of the dark lord's forces and the audible roar of “Death” being chanted, and for a single moment connected to every elf under his command.
Today we make history. This day marks the turning of an age. For a third time, the darkness threatens to take what we all cherish, and for a third time, we shall say no. Do not hesitate or fall prey to doubt. You're the proud and honorable warriors who answered my call. With one voice united. Let us remind the dark lord what we fight for. Repeat after me.
Faith and love!
Over a thousand voices united, hands pounding their chests in salute to the rhythm of their hearts.
“Faith and love! Faith and love! Faith and love!”
Howl!
With a roar of defiance, he gave them all the order.
Charge!