Elwin stood there while the rest of his army charged down the hill toward the undead. They had yet to move besides the stomping. Silvertree, still in hiding, worked his blessing through Elwin into the entire army, granting them the ability to pierce the shadows, be it from a blade or arrow.
As a side consequence, he felt like he could follow that connection to any elf and experience the fight through their eyes. Intrigued by the idea, he turned his attention back to the field of battle and called out his first order.
Everyone halt. Wield your bows and rain death on our enemy.
Focused on one officer in the front line of Darn’s formation, he let his consciousness slide into the back of their mind.
…
Leading the charge, Hathros yelled out, “Halt and bring out your bows! Orders from the commander.”
He grinned as he saw his bow and arrows glow a soft white from the promised blessing. Training kicking in, he set an arrow to bow, raised his arm to aim with the warriors to his left and right, and let loose. If it weren’t for the soft glow, the sight of over a thousand arrows flying simultaneously would have blocked out the sun covering the ground in darkness.
Arrow after arrow peppered the undead without a response from them. Some fell to the onslaught, but most remained unphased. The howls of anger and pain coming from the shadow beasts hidden within the horde drew everyone’s attention.
Screaming out his defiance, he said, “Do not let fear take hold! Let them know the truth of our conviction. Let your arrows fly.”
His legs almost buckled when the undead suddenly charged up the slope. A new presence brushed against his consciousness.
Your men need you, Hathros. Get ready to charge.
…
The commander surveyed the battlefield and communicated new orders to his generals.
We will hold Pharom and Darunia in reserve. Darn, you will spearhead the charge. Aienik and Flaryn, both of you will wait until Darn passes to begin.
Elwin followed the flow of energy to Tannyll, a squad leader in the very center of Darn’s front line near Hathros. The conviction held within the warrior's mind gave Elwin the courage to see this through to the end.
…
Feet pounding beneath him, Tannyll held his long, curved blade in the air as he charged down the slope. The smell of rotting flesh hit his nose, causing him to dry heave. Determined not to let his squad down, he pushed through the gag reflex and willed himself to move past the anxiety.
Countless undead riddled with arrows charged, hands outstretched, clawing at the air. Mouth open in a silent scream, the horde’s front line jumped in the air the moment before impact.
Tannyll swung his sword up, cleaving the rotting corpse in two. He stepped back to counter his imbalance, but that didn’t stop the onslaught of bodies charging behind it. The force of a falling tree slammed into his chest, taking him to the ground.
After losing his sword to the crowd, Tannyll cried out a defiant, “No!”
Several broken fingernails clawed at his body, searching for a weakness in his hardened leather armor. He fought desperately to push them off and get up, but to no avail.
When the teeth sank into his neck, Tannyll knew he wouldn’t. In his last moments, he felt a presence stroke his mind.
You fought well, Tannyll. Rest in peace.
…
Horrified by the truth of what war could be, Laiex focused on the fight in front of him in time to witness Tannyll get tackled to the ground and swarmed by the undead. With a yell of defiance, he cut down those feasting on the elf before joining the survivors of the initial clash while pushing forward. The undead fought desperately to reach them, even to the point of attacking their own kind in desperation.
Several died, left on the ground covered in gaping wounds. The unanswered cries for help from those that yet lived mingled with the roar of combat. Falling back into his decades of training, Laiex let the flow of battle wash over him as he danced between life and death.
Heart full of hope, he said, “We can do this. Push them back!”
Amidst commands and words of encouragement from the officers and squad leaders who still drew breath, Darn’s warriors did their job pushing into the enemy horde. That is when the shadow beasts pounced.
Lost in the battle flow, Laiex became confused. He couldn’t feel the weight of his sword anymore. The pain hit him the moment he saw an arm holding a weapon disappear in the crowd. A shadow beast struck him again, ripping his chest open and biting down.
Elwin retreated from Laiex, finding himself in Darn’s mind. More of the mutated beasts had leaped over his warriors to engage with the squad protecting him.
General Darn, I need your men to retreat slowly. Aienik and Flaryn will hold the line as we draw the enemy in. Our reserves will move out and flank the enemy.
Back in his own body, Elwin communicated the plan with the rest of the generals and let his mind jump into Pharom on the left flank.
...
“Listen up. It is our time to show the enemy who they should fear. Move out with bows at the ready. We shall attack their flank, giving our brethren a better chance of victory.”
They ran closer to the enemy's entrenched position parallel to the two armies clashing and pivoted to face their foe directly. From his perspective, Darn’s center formation was being overrun, but he knew better. Elwin wouldn’t stand by and let that happen.
“Let’s remind them who we are. Ranged attack at the ready.”
Every elf under Pharom’s command raised their bow and showed the darkness that you can’t get rid of the light.
Satisfied, Pharom gave the command, “Aim. Fire.”
…
Bellatala became engulfed in rage after witnessing her people being butchered. Now that she held her bow once more, she aimed for every target she could find. No one from her clan could best her in accuracy. Every time an officer called out a shot, she hit it. Her general, Pharom, expected much from her today.
It didn’t take them long to figure out that the best way to tackle the undead was to reduce their mobility. Well-placed shots to their knees often had the best results. Regarding the shadow beasts, they could only pray they hit something vital.
“Target the shadow beast near Aienik’s front line!”
She heard the order and shifted toward the beast that continued to clash against a squad, desperate to protect their wounded. Lifting her bow, she took a breath and let it out.
The soft glow of her arrow soared into the sky. A piece of wood connected to a crafted arrowhead infused with the hope of a god who only wanted peace. Bellatala kept the arrow in sight, marveling at the beauty she could find within a single moment. A blink of an eye. The step before the plunge.
Out of sheer luck, the beast's head twisted to the side from an elf’s slash to its head in time for her arrow to sink deep in its eye. It stood up on its hind legs in rage, only to be pelted by the rest of her squad shortly after hers did.
The warriors engaged directly with the beast took advantage of the situation, sinking their blades deep into its chest, and cutting its head off when it collapsed. The undead left them with no time to celebrate. Only the survivors after the fight had that luxury.
As the enemy was being shot down one by one, their presence became a genuine threat. Several hundred undead turned to face them and charged. Bellatala no longer felt like being there anymore. The reality of war rumbled in the ground with each footfall.
…
Elwin returned to his body to assess each formation and took stock of the situation. Darn no longer retreated while Flaryn and Aienik pushed the enemy in the best they could. His flanking maneuver with Darunia and Pharom was a success. They pulled a portion of the undead and shadow beasts away from the central fight. That meant it was time to move on to the next phase.
Bring the fight to our enemy. Engage!
Trusting them to follow his orders, he sent off another command to the central force.
Everyone needs to fall back to Darn's position so you can reform your attack line. We are going to box them in with all five of you.
Curious about how Tarred’s daughter Caeda fared, he shifted over to the elves under Darunia’s command.
...
She knew her father fought somewhere in that mob of bodies. Caeda would have been a hypocrite to wish he was anywhere but here. Her father's parting words after he chased her down gave her the confidence to give the fight everything she had.
The same open maw her father faced now raced toward herself. Witnessing the enemy's tactic from the sidelines, she prepared them ahead of time.
“Everyone, stop! Front line, take a knee. We will hit them with a ranged attack!”
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Numb to the putrid smell of rotting flesh, Caeda focused on shallow even breaths as she went down to one knee. Her side had riddled the right flank, taking out several of the undead and a few shadow beasts before they turned their ire to them. They again let loose against the charging mob.
When the undead had nearly reached them, she said, “Bring out your blades. Front line, let the initial group pass us and push back against the rest. Trust the warriors behind us to do their job.”
With a precision only decades of training could provide, Caeda and her warriors slipped their bows away and pulled out their swords in one fluid motion. Still down on one knee, she looked up into the broken jaw of an undead as it leaped in the air. Pushing herself into a forward roll with pinpoint accuracy, Caeda swung her blade down as she rose, slicing into the charging undead, letting the warriors behind her finish the one in the air.
Twisting her body, she pulled her blade up at an angle, letting more undead pass her, but not without cost as her sword sliced into them. Belting out a yell, Caeda planted her feet firmly on the ground and held the line.
“Push them back!”
Balancing between the flow of battle and keeping awareness of her surroundings, Caeda and her warriors held the undead back. This granted Darunia more options with her back line. Ordering them to take up their bows once more to support the front.
The chaos which was capitalized during the beginning of the battle by the shadow beasts did not exist against the right flank. Leaping over the undead, the shadow-covered foes cried out in anger, chests full of fresh arrows knocking them out of the air. To keep everyone focused, squad leaders or their replacements guided their squad to split up when faced with a shadow beast, half engaging the target while the other half was holding the undead back.
Her sword sliced into the shadows, forcing the beast to evade her defensive strikes. An arrow whizzed by her cheek, puncturing her enemy in the mouth as it screamed, opening it up to a quick thrust of her blade into its throat, twisting it viciously before pulling it back out.
The number of dead lying on the ground hampered their movement, forcing the elves to adjust as they forced the undead to backpedal. Caeda and Elwin, who witnessed her struggle through the magical connection, felt that they had a firm hold on the right flank. This complacency nearly cost Caeda her life.
Someone tossed an undead into the air, causing chaos within the already chaotic fight. Eyes pulled up at the spectacle, arms flailing in what appeared to be distraught at its current predicament, the shove that sent her flying caught her unaware.
Before she reacted with deadly intent, she heard the warrior call out her name, “Caeda, watch out!”
Two shadow beasts bore down on her position with an increased ferocity compared to their kind earlier. Blood splashed across her face from the force of the monster's claws raking across her savior's back. Three others placed themselves between her and the second, weakening their battle formation.
Get up and fight.
Hearing Elwin in her mind snapped her back into action. Using her now-dead companion as a shield, Caeda avoided losing her head. Pushing her emotions into the back of her mind, Darunia’s best officer on the front line of the right flank pushed herself up and spun into action. She sliced the head off an undead, then used its falling body as a springboard to launch herself at the shadow beast. Battering away the claws aimed at her head, Caeda thrust her sword deep into its chest, piercing its heart, and screamed in defiance.
“You will not kill me!”
She grabbed a fallen sword from the ground and charged the last remaining shadow beast from the surprise attack. Arms pulled across her chest, she swung both swords out, taking their head off. Her general coordinated with the other officers and reformed the front line. Satisfied with her ability to keep fighting, Elwin felt it was time to move on.
I’m proud of you. Keep it up.
“You can count on me, sir.”
The warriors who heard her looked over in confusion, causing her to laugh as she sliced into another undead.
...
Elwin relayed the successful strategy against the enemy to the other generals before finding Tarred fighting on the right side of the central force. The officer stood in the third row coordinating with the others, while most of the fighting occurred within the first two. After receiving the new tactics, Tarred helped start it, pulling out his bow.
He began sniping at specific targets, focused on the shadow beasts whenever they popped up. Their formation slowly solidified, giving them an edge in this deadly encounter. The warriors had eliminated at least a third of the enemy force on the battlefield, but lost dozens themselves. What surprised Elwin the most was the absence of the bone horrors on the battlefield. He knew the destruction they could bring. They were a threat that would force his team to react. What shocked him even more was the small flock of shadow creatures rising from inside the enemy's town and aiming for their left flank. He had to get a closer look at this new threat.
You should be proud of your daughter, Tarred. She crafted the new tactics and is the reason our right flank is secure.
Elwin felt the elf grin in satisfaction as he moved his consciousness across the field of battle.
…
“Watch out Ilphas!”
The warrior looked up, allowing Elwin to see the flying monstrosity. Around his size, but smaller than the beefed-up shadow warriors, they appeared to struggle in the air. They must have been a new experiment. Did that mean the dark god finished his bone horrors?
Undead and shadow beast alike, they didn’t care about what flew in the sky. Their master gave them one order: kill the enemy. Unable to think for themselves anymore, the undead could only carry out single commands, whereas the shadow beasts kept enough of their cognitive ability to adjust on the fly during combat. The difference between dying and having their body forcibly mutated by the dark god's power.
Ilphas struggled with three others to keep the clawing hands from multiple undead at bay. The rest of his squad had singled out a shadow beast for elimination. His eyes glanced up, trying to monitor the new threat heading their way.
Pharom had ordered every warrior in the back who could fire at the flyers to do so. The new enemy failed to maneuver out of the way, sending half of them to the ground. This gave Ilphas hope.
Those that survived the trek toward the left flank dive-bombed the group of elves with reckless abandon. Several crashed into the ground, smashing into anyone unlucky enough to be under them. The disruption tossed the entire formation into disarray, allowing the shadow beasts to gain the upper hand again.
Panicking from all the pain-filled screams from those crushed under the flyers, he never saw it coming. Claws sunk deep into his shoulders and yanked him off the ground, his grip on his sword lost. Hands grasping in a futile attempt at dislodging from the creature, his eyes opened wide. Ilphas’s friends and companions grew smaller and smaller until the entire battlefield came into view.
That is when the pain vanished, and he fell.
Close your eyes, Ilphas. It will be over soon.
“What do you mean, close my eyes? Can’t you save me?”
I’m sorry.
The warrior's cry of defiance as he plummeted toward the ground shook Elwin to his core.
...
Back in his own body, surrounded by his friends and companions on the top of the slope, Elwin stared at the flyers.
It’s time.
Vanima brushed up against her mate and licked his face.
Together or separate into two groups?
Elwin wanted to stay by her side now more than ever, but the dark lord wasn’t dumb. He needed to spread out his forces to keep them alive.
Vanima will take her party to the right flank. Caeda has helped to keep her warriors alive along with her general, Darunia, and I want to make sure it stays that way.
He turned to face everyone and addressed them.
Erlan and Penelo, you both carry my hopes and dreams of a future free of this darkness. I want you to bring happiness to the next generation. Fight and survive this so that you can carry the torch I pass on to you.
Penelo pressed her face into Erlan’s chest, arms trembling as she cried. Erlan only nodded as he held her.
Ievis, Saida, Alea, and Cailu. Prime examples that any hunter of the Wataki tribe should strive for. Knowing you all are here feels me with comfort, and for that, I thank you.
The four hunters grinned with pride. Their accomplishments said more than any words could now.
Fariane, you have the same qualification as your fellow tribesman, but are so much more now. As the leader of the Shadow Breakers with Asena by your side, it’s your job to remember the past and protect the future against the darkness. Even if we win this fight, it is never so easy to kill a god.
She kneeled and hugged Asena and said, “You can count on us, Elwin.”
Shalendra, you, my friend, are one fiery beast and I wouldn’t ask for it any other way. Never let that fire die for anyone. Alea’s disappointment if you did would surely wound you.
With a grin on her face, the wild hunter pulled Alea in and gave her friend a hug and said, “You can count on me.” Alea smiled, embarrassment clear on her face.
Focused on his mate, Elwin closed the distance and pressed his forehead to hers and spoke privately to her.
I won’t lie, my love. Doubt lingers in my mind about my ability to confront a god. I’m scared.
Vanima comforted him the best she could. The last few millennia together had been more than any other mortal could ever dream of. Using a small portion of her power, Vanima let the memories they shared flash in their mind's eye, reliving the best moments of their past in the blink of an eye.
I have no regrets, my love. Neither of our lives has been the same ever since you took over as the pack leader and I wouldn’t change anything about it. Wherever you go, I will follow. Even in death.
Amidst the solum moment between him and Vanima, the news he was dreading arrived. General Pharom cried out in the mental link, “Bone Horror!”
Our people need us now more than ever. Move out!
...
Vanima took her team to the right toward Darunia, while Elwin led his team to Pharom. On his way down the slope, Elwin could see the warrior's formation fall apart against the swift devastation those two bone sword arms could bring to bear. At least a third of the elves under Pharom's command had died from the combined onslaught of the dark lord's army, and more were dropping by the second.
Looking up to the sky, Elwin turned gravity against the remaining flyers, causing their wings to buckle and crumble to the ground.
Shalendra and Alea support the right side. Erlan and Cailu go to the left. Leave the bone horror to me.
Shocked at what he saw, Elwin raced toward Pharom and his personal squad who engaged the bone horror. Two elves had tackled the mutated creature, a sword arm thrust into their chests for the effort. They gave their lives for a chance Pharom took full advantage of. The general roared in defiance and charged.
Three more warriors tackled the bone horror in the legs, knocking it to the ground from the combined weight. Leaping in the air, Pharom swung his two-handed sword, a special gift from Aithlin, and aimed his sword down into its neck, avoiding the warriors who struggled on top of it.
The general let go and pulled out his bow and continued to fire off arrows into its face. Still, the bone horror lived. Knocking everyone off, including the general, it stood up, sword still wedged in its neck. Pharom gambled on one last attempt. Rushing in, he grabbed the hilt of the sword and yanked it out.
Digging in, he twisted around and slammed the blade on the other side of its neck with enough force to cut clean through. His moment of triumph vanished along with his lower half after the bone horror had severed the general's spine from the waist down. Several warriors rushed in, stabbing the creature in the front and back until it moved no more.
Elwin reached Pharom a moment after the elf hit the ground. Their eyes met, and the elf opened his mouth to speak, only to cough up blood instead.
You did well, my friend. I will look after your people.
Pharom breathed out one last time.
Erlan rushed over and placed a hand on Elwin’s back and said, “We need you. Another bone horror is approaching. What are we going to do with the rest of Pharom’s group?”
The enemy has shattered the left flank. Retreat and merge them with Aienik’s warriors. I will stay behind.
“Yes, Sir.”
Elwin watched his team guard the retreating warriors who raced toward Aienik’s battle formation, crushing the shadow beasts who ambushed his friends under his gravity manipulation and allowing them to reach their destination safely.
He stepped in front of the bone horror and growled. Paw’s empowered with superior speed and strength; Elwin danced around his foe, striking when he could. Recalling its abilities when he clashed with its kind along the walls of Unn Thalor, its speed and power were enhanced. The dark lord must have strengthened its neck bones after the first one had its head ripped off, but at a cost. Elwin could reach its blind spots with ease and strike. When another joined in, he knew it would be a matter of time before the dark lord himself joined this fight.
A thought occurred to him, so he tested it out, choosing to play with the two bone horrors. Dancing between the two, he tricked them into attacking each other in their attempts to cut him down. When they clashed so hard they fell, he manipulated gravity to crush them to the ground. Jumping higher than usual, he increased his own gravity and slammed his paws into both necks, shattering them.
Leaping back to avoid being impaled by the still-moving creatures, Elwin blinked at the bright light next to him. Silvertree had arrived. His presence became obvious through the destruction he caused. The bone horrors, along with any nearby undead were gone.
The dark lord and his inner circle approach.