In his pain, as he watched his wings decaying before his eyes, the great dragon Klajo wished only to see his wife and baby daughter again. To tell them goodbye and to tell them that he loved them. Instead, he knew he would die here in the makeshift tent, beside the harbor. It wasn’t a fitting end.

Through the tears in his great eyes, he saw Jend’s little brother, Jukha, leading a small elven woman toward him. She was carrying a flower in a pot for some reason.

Klajo thought to himself It looked like it couldn't get worse, but now here is an elf to watch and enjoy my death.

Speaking in Elven, the dragon cried out, "Elf, leave me alone to die. I don't need your mockery. Are you happy? One more of us is gone, even from this land at the end of the world to which you have driven us!"

"Friend dragon, I am not here to mock you. I love all of the Goddess’s creations. Jend told me of your suffering. I am here to see if I can heal you."

The old dragon snorted, but he was too weak to resist any more. He didn't move as Aida approached.

Aida studied his wings and took them in her hands. As she touched the wings, her hand glowed, alternating pulses of green and brown that flowed into Klajo's damaged wings and continued to circle around the dragon. With each pulse, the wings started to knit themselves back together, the creeping dark edges of decay pushed back.

"I know what this is. There was a part of the forest in Dhu'Nemos that suffered from this corruption, caused by unholy magics invoked long ago. I was a little girl when I first wandered there. The first time I healed was when I helped a deer that had been trapped in the blight. I know how to defeat this."

Aida stayed two hours with the dragon, repairing his wings and his health. It took a noticeable toll on her, and as she finished she slumped against the dragon, unable to stand. She rested her head on his claw.

Klajo felt his strength returning, his wings strong again, his claws sharp. He longed to take flight, but he saw the elf falling asleep at his feet.

"Are you alright, little elf?"

"I'm woozy, that took a lot. Dragons are bigger than my usual patients. Very tired. I need just a short rest. Please sit with me for a moment, just a moment…" Aida said as she closed her eyes and curled up next to the dragon.

Klajo wasn't sure what the right thing to do was when an exhausted elf was using your claws as a pillow. He had not previously been in this situation. He stayed in place.

They rested in silence for a moment, but Klajo couldn't stand the silence. "I must thank you. I feel excellent now, ready to fly. I can fly now, right?"

"Hmm... yes... flying," murmured Aida out of her sleep. "I could fly with you. That would be fun."

The dragon assumed the elf was just insane but wasn't completely sure. He answered, "Yes, I will let you rest a moment, and then we can fly.”

After half an hour, Aida began to wake up, and sat, her back against the dragon's side for support. Jukha and an orc-child of a similar age, Thrur, had brought her water, and Jukha was fanning her with a giant eagle feather.

The great dragon said to her “I must thank you. Any reward you would like is yours. And I take back some of the things that I've said about elves."

"Oh, no reward. Just help Jend. And, you don’t have to take back everything you’ve said. I’ve had some opinions about elves myself. I am an exile, after all, as most elves don’t approve of what I believe. Some elves can be bad, and some dragons can be bad. But other elves are nice, and you seem like a nice dragon."

The great red dragon blushed, which was difficult for a red dragon.

"But, we are not finished. If you are going to go again into battle with Grelbus, you need something to counter the corruption that he breathes. I know just the thing.”

Aida turned to the flower and asked her, "Little one, can I have two of your thorns? I know they are your protection, but I promise to protect you until they grow back. And right now, our friend the dragon here needs protection, so that he can do great things."

The flower nodded agreement, and Aida picked off two of her thorns. She placed these on the dragon's head, where horns might grow if this dragon had horns. Aida's eyes glowed green, and there was a flash of light and heat and the thorns fixed themselves on the dragon's head.

"These thorns will act like a shield, even if I’m not near you. I cannot protect you from claws or bites, but these little thorns will make it possible for you to resist the unholy necrotic forces of the beast or Lothar."

Klajo felt as strong as he ever had. He flexed his wings, testing them. He started to take to the sky.

Aida waved at him, and called out "No, Klajo, not yet!"

"Why, are not my wings strong? Will it not last?"

"Oh, yes, you and your wings are as strong as ever. It is just that, well, it is best to not let Lothar know, don't you think? If our enemy doesn't know you are healed and ready to fight, might it not be a surprise for them? It is good to surprise enemies."

Klajo dropped back to the ground. "You are right, elf. I am glad that my enemies are your enemies too. Together, we will surprise our enemies, and it will be good."

- - - -

The sun was starting to set as Aida, Klajo and Jukha walked back up the hill to the keep, the dragon laying low and trying to be as sneaky as an elder wyrm could be.

Jend was in the courtyard, supervising the preparations, and Aida and Klajo could see Garaxas in the tower, positioning the orc archers and keeping watch on the movements of the enemy. From the hill, they could see the fires of Lothar's forces spread through the forest, about a mile away. Lothar wasn't even trying to conceal his army’s numbers or position.

Jend seemed surprised to see his old friend back, and ran over to embrace him, as many of the orcs and goblins applauded his and Aida's entrance.

The reunion was interrupted by Garaxas, coming down from the tower.

"General, we can see movement and preparations in the enemy's camp. Our scout reports the catapults are being moved forward, and there are no preparations for sleep. I expect Lothar to attack tonight, perhaps a few hours after it turns dark."

They moved to the side of the courtyard, where a table with a rough model of the keep and the surrounding area had been set up. Klajo and Aida followed, and she beckoned Jorildyn to follow. Two other orcs, an older goblin, and the buggebear she'd healed earlier, Histel, also gathered.

Garaxas indicated an area of the model that represented the forest spreading out from the western side of the keep.

"We think they are moving from here,” Garaxas indicated a part of the forest, “crossing the Torx River here, and seeking to launch their attack from here.” He indicated a place with the Torx River, which was really just a wide stream, could be forded easily, and then a place just a few hundred yards from the keep, just inside the tree line.

Aida looked excitedly at the model, her fingers touching the place representing where the Torx could be crossed. "If they are moving through the forest, we have a certain advantage. We could hit them there, while they are still enroute to their siege positions. They won't expect our attack. The roots, vine, and branches will respond to my suggestions. Forest creatures may aid us if I call. Especially, there may be trees in this forest that have awoken – many forests have them – and they will hate Lothar’s corruption as much as I do. They may help us.”

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Trees that are awake? What are these? I do not recall having any help from the vegetation in our previous battles!” Jend paused and considered, “Is this like when the flower started moving when it was near you?”

The flower looked over, and Aida looked at it and smiled. “No, that is different. That is just something that happens when I’m close. We don’t really know why. But the trees, the awakened trees – they are aware and can move, all the time. It comes from the forest itself. A forest is a powerful place. It courses with the life of the Great Mother and collects the rays of the Sky Father. A large forest is akin to a magnificent temple to the Old Couple. This power wakes up a few of the trees. They become animate, intelligent, they can walk and move just as you do. These trees are shy, and try to stay away from humanoids, but they work where they can, secretly, to protect the forest. They have groves, which are like our families. I have spoken with some, and their wisdom is beyond imagination. I can reach out and ask them to help. If they understand and think our cause just, they are a strong ally.”

“So, you don’t want to stay in the keep and use its walls to give us a defensive advantage against the assault? You want to attack? You want us to attack an army that massively outnumbers us? An army commanded by a powerful wizard, his son, and an undead dragon?”

“Yes, I want to attack. I will fight alongside you,” said Aida.

Garaxas shrugged. “Yeah, of all the things Lothar would be expecting from this battle, us leaving the keep and attacking him in the woods will not be one of them. I like it. It is a good way to die.”

“We will not die,” said the elven woman. “We will fight and we will win.”

All eyes around the table first looked at her, and then turned to their general.

Jend remembered the words of his wise god, words that had been spoken to him just a few hours before. You have your chance. Do not mess it up. It was sound advice from a god. Maybe the most useful religious commandment Jend had heard so far in his life. It was a commandment he would long remember and try to follow.

Jend indicated the area of the forest that they expected the orcs, goblins, and zombies in Lothar’s forces to be moving soon.

"You spoke of the roots and branches helping us. Can you have them trap the orcs, hold them in place, bind their feet and arms? Most of the orcs and goblins are not truly our enemies. Lothar corrupted their chiefs and placed a spell on the minds of the soldiers. It makes them see him as a friend and leader, so as to bend them to his will. If we can kill Lothar the spell will end, and they may turn to our side, or at least run away.”

“Yes, I can ask the forest to help. There are three others in our circle who also have the skill.” Aida nodded to Jorildyn, indicating he was one. Jorildyn for his part just looked worried. Aida continues “If we go with you into the forest, we should be able to grab and hold many of the enemy. We will try not to kill those you think are under sorcerous influence, unless they threaten our friends.”

By “friends,” Aida indicated all the orcs and goblins in Jend’s army. She had become very protective of them all very quickly.

"Are you sure you can do this?" Jend asked.

"I can do it," Aida replied.

"She can do it," said Klajo, in his booming voice, and the rest of the military leaders looked like they considered the matter settled.

Jend nodded. He and his forces would follow these elves in a surprise attack that night.

“So, let’s say we have three brigades engage here, here, and there.” Jend indicated two areas coming from the flank of the expected enemy movement, and one area at the ford. “The brigades engage, distract, and attempt to subdue without taking many casualties ourselves, as we attack with surprise. Then, a strike team goes around here.” Jend indicated an area further back, showing the strike team attempting to attack the area where Lothar was expected to be. "The brigades should try to distract Lothar's forces for fifteen minutes, while we try to surprise Lothar himself. If fifteen minutes pass and we are not successful, it means we are probably dead, and the army and the rest of the elves should fight to kill."

“Lothar should be around here, with his bodyguards, his subservient fiends, his messengers and command staff. Other than Lothar, the most dangerous is his son, Dretter, who is also a powerful wizard, in his father’s image. He acts as a subcommander of the troops. We need to make sure we know where Lothar and his son both are. If we can kill Lothar, we need to get the son too. We cannot let the Dretter reinstate the control spell."

The team around the table nodded their understanding.

“The other one to worry about is Lothar’s undead beast, Grelbus. He still wields corruption, and he might appear anywhere.”

Klajo spoke, “General Jend, I will watch for him, first from the keep and then flying low over the forest. If he appears, I will strike, and I believe the fight will go very differently than last time. We now have protection against their necrotic force. This dear elf has given me two thorns.”

Jend looked over to Aida. Aida said “I can fight Lothar’s unholy corruption magic, a force which is an abomination to the Great Mother. I have protected my dragon friend here, and I and the other members of our circle can provide at least some protection to you and a few hundred of our soldiers. We will make the invocation before we leave the keep, and then we will have about an hour.”

Garaxas, ever the stickler for military order and planning, got to work forming the brigades and the strike team. He quickly commissioned and titled the elves, saying that it was obviously much better to die with a military rank than without, and that the elves must feel the same way1. Garaxas also knew that his soldiers would much better understand how to deal with the elves if they had a clear rank, thus clearly part of the team.

Two hours later, Jend’s forces were ready.

The night had been bright, almost cloudless. But as Jend’s army prepared to set out, clouds appeared and a mist came off the ocean and traveled up the river. Visibility was cut to just a few yards.

Aida looked over the gathered orcs and goblin warriors. She and her followers performed a ceremony to invoke the protection of the Great Mother, and a faint green like emanated from the officiants and spread through the brigades of soldiers.

With the power of the ceremony, Aida reached out to the forest. She sent out the images of the wizard’s corruption, and what this blight did to the forests and its creatures. She asked for help. She explained that this was the last stand of a force against the corruption, and if they failed these lands would be lost.

Aida felt a reply. There was a pack of giant wolves who had long lived in the forest, and were hunted by Lothar’s army. They considered Lothar and his son their ancient enemies. The giant wolves were led by a chieftain called Mountain, and one of her pups had been killed. The pack wanted revenge. They understood that this was that opportunity.

Then she reached Nicodo.

Wise old Nicodo felt something call, like a distant voice with formless words. It was a call for help against the forces of death and decay, the forces that had been destroying his forest, the forces from which his grove was hiding. He understood the plan, and the urgency. He called to his grove. This was the best chance they had.

The ceremony ended and the brigades began to move out, heading down the hill, while a number of the older orcs and goblins made noise and carried torches around the keep, to make it look like the army was still there.

Jorildyn, Rennyn and Emmyth, the most powerful elves from The Circle took positions within three groups of the orcs. They each made motions with their arms and spoke whispered words. The soldiers in their groups seemed to dim, blending in with the background, and their footsteps went silent. The three groups of orcs and goblins, each still with their elf, moved into the forest.

Jend had put on his black leather armor and had his great sword on his back. Garaxas stood beside him similarly attired, with five of the best orcs fighters they had: three male warriors and two female assassins – chosen from the smaller orc women, able to move so quietly that even the buggebears thought them hard to find. All of them fighters that Jend and Garaxas had grown up with.

Histel and two from his squad of buggebears appeared and joined. Adane was with them, in full form of a large wolf. Aida, in her simple gray dress, walked up and stood to Jend’s right.

Jend sensed movement and looked over. In place of the small elven woman stood a massive bear, brown fur like the color of Aida’s hair, and somewhat taller than Jend himself. Aida, in her bear form, waved at Jend and gave an almost embarrassed shrug. She then gave Jend a bear hug and a lick across the face before heading with them to the forest. Jend would always remember that first kiss fondly.

Aida had not been in a proper battle. Of her followers, only Jorildyn had been a warrior, fighting battles long ago against humans and the orcs. Aida and her group had been in several skirmishes though, as they ran from the temple militia, town guards, and/or angry mobs. There was also the time they'd had to rescue Emmyth from execution in the main square of the capital city of a powerful human nation. From this experience she had learned that being a bear was scary, and guardsmen and townspeople often ran away from bears. Aida rather enjoyed being a bear.

The orc assassins approved of Aida's transformation, and took positions at her sides, in a display of orc elf bear assassin druid sisterhood.

The three large brigades of warriors and the small strike force headed down the hill, on the opposite site from where Lothar's forces approached. They walked silently through the back streets of the town to the opposite side, where the town streets almost reached the forest. They had light weaponry and armor, carted no catapults or heavy equipment, and so were able to ford the river further downstream, just outside the city.

Jend's forces headed into the forest and began the trip to circle back to what they expected to be the right flank of the approaching army.

Lothar's soldiers were easy to spot. They made no attempt to move with stealth, and had few forward scouts, except right in the path the army was marching. They were confident and thought they had the advantage not just in numbers but also in the power of magic the two wizards at the head of their army could bring to bear on Jend and what was left of his force. They knew Jend's dragon had been struck down and would no longer be a threat. The keep would delay their victory for a short while, until magical blasts, catapults, and a massive black dragon would bring the walls crumbling down. Their worries were primarily about how the spoils would be divided, as Jend's family and tribe were known to be rich.

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1 They didn't, except for Emmyth, who still uses the Second Lieutenant title in addition to her academic titles.