Another surprise another chapter! I think this chap will be a pretty good read (even if I do say so myself.)
Thanx for the follows and here is to chapter 60 of Sky Prince! Woop Woop 5sec party!
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60
Sir yes Sir!
Slyfer takes a deep breath stealing his nerves before sending a message to Vinx, in his mind. –Wish us luck, Vinx.-
Vinx who had finally returned after scouting around in the field, is hiding behind a leaf nervously. To her chagrin, she had nearly not spent any time with Slyfer since she had to stay ahead of them to map out the quickest and safest path. Right now he doesn’t care about being overworked though. Her little heart is beating so fast it feels like it’s about to explode!
-Slyfer wait!- She sees him stop right when he has just stepped out of the field and rushes over. –There is no way I am staying behind!- Before he can do anything she flashes into the armor and he can feel her little wings tickled him as she hides inside. –I won’t wish you good luck I will wish US good luck.-
Not knowing what to say he looks over at Luna who seems to be drowning in the clothes she is wearing. Luna shrugs and like always the shadows remain silent. He looks at the shadows once again contemplating if he should kill them, but since they are already less then what the patrol was, they are short.
He swears. “Sky mother, I hope this works and Vinx stop fiddling around down there its ticklish.” The movement around his stomach stops for a second… and then starts again.
Sighing, Slyfer shakes his head and starts walking. For the sake of appearances they skirt the field like the patrol did before. Slyfer feeling on edge can’t help but look behind them now and then.
Soon a bit of the stress starts to leave his body and in doing so he starts to notice more things. Like for one the army seems to be camping on what looks like a large patch of land that is devoid of any foliage or plants. Not one tree is or blade of grass is in sight, past the fields they came out of. “Must be on purpose so attackers can’t sneak closer to the walls.” He mumbles to himself. The army also has more than a few different shaped tents. –Different races, different tents. But where are the large ones.- having experienced the small army for some time now, he did not have to be a genius in order to figure out ‘large tent equals important person’. The bigger the better. He smirks. “Who says size does not matter?”
Vinx pinching him, brings him back to reality and as soon as he does, he wishes he hadn’t come back. Not far ahead of them is a small group of soldiers heading their way! Pretending to be leisure about it Slyfer puts his hand on a saber strapped to his side. It is a weapon he has never used before, but seems to be standard issue for the soldiers. Feeling the unfamiliar pommel makes his heart ache though.
The closer they get to the other group, the harder it gets to stay calm. Sure he has fought in a few battles, but this to him feels like something completely different. Plus if they get discovered in his heart he knows, even with his fighting prowess there is no way they would be able to get out of it!
His mind starts to automatically guess the distance between themselves and the other group. He can sense the others becoming taught and wound up, ready to strike at a moment’s notice.
-Hundred meters.-
-Fifty meters.-
-twenty meters, damn it they must be able to hear my heart beat by now.-
-ten meters-
The other group walks past them and Slyfer has to fight the urge to come to a standstill. Without saying a word he forges on. Luckily the other group looks tired and ragged; soaked to their bones. Their eyes are trained on the ground in front of them as they make their way ever forward one step after another.
Slyfer just lets out a sigh when a voice from behind nearly makes him draw the saber. “Halt!”
His group stops, none willing to turn around like children in a dark room, imaginations running wild and not knowing what is behind them, however there was definitely a sound.
Slyfer steals himself and slowly turns around, the others follow hearts beating like a rabbit’s that has been cornered by a fox.
The one who had spoken is a thin and haggard looking human. He speaks up once again seeing that he has their attention. “You there, short one.”
Luna nearly jumps when she realizes he is talking to her and not knowing what to do jumps to what she thinks is attention before saying. “Uuuh, yes Sir!”
The man narrows his eyes, “look at the state of your equipment, you can barely walk. If those damn savages attacked now your head would be the first to roll! As soon as your duties are over get yourself some equipment that fits.”
Luna still in a strange posture and not making eye contact with the man. Nods her head. “Yes Sir, I will use your advice!”
The man nods and turns around Slyfer lets out a sigh and hears some soldiers in the other group mumbling. “Was that a girl? Why was she shouting like that?”
The gaunt man turns around and gives the two a look, causing them to quickly shut up.
Slyfer not waiting has already started walking at a brisk pace, wanting to widen the distance between them as soon as possible! Once they are out of earshot, he swears. –How are we going to do this?-
In the center of the newly created tower is a large grand hall. In this hall all the leaders have been gathered and are sitting around a table that is far too small for it. Their voices echo as they speak. The dome like ceiling above them has large arches made out of what looks like white marble. This in itself is already beautiful to the onlookers, but what makes it truly special is that the arches are shaped like women, graceful in appearance. They seem almost to be relaxed and lying down along the curve of the ceiling.
Fira looking up, frowns. –Why do their faces look like Trisha so much…. Are her breasts really that bi-
The people sitting around the table stop gawking at everything when a purple light flies into the room from one of the huge entrances that still needs a door. The group looks at the fairy, expectation clearly on their faces.
The fairy comes to a halt in the center of the table, “I come with news on Slyfer’s progress.”
Great Hunter smiles happy that he for once, he will get something else to talk about then the rations and training of the troops. “Speak, Lady Fairy.”
The fairy tilts her head at hearing the awkward way he addressed her, “Slyfer has reached the main camp of Atlantia’s army and Vinx has told me that they are busy infiltrating it at the moment, dressed as Atlantian soldiers.”
The excitement on the faces now turns deadly serious. The high Elf Queen sits forward in her seat. “How big is the army?”
The fairy looks directly at her and after a long pause…. “They can swallow us whole; their camp stretches as far as the eye can see. There is no way to guess an exact number.”
Great Hunter swears and Fira can feel the blood drain from her face. The Queen once again speaks up worry clearly reflected in her voice even though her stern mask has not broken. “It makes no sense, why would they get such a large army for our little one. It is stupid, just the cost of it would be…. Something else is definitely going on here.”
The others around the table nod their heads, it would not make sense otherwise. Footsteps sound and Trisha also enters the hall. “I apologize for being late; I had some things to deal with.”
Since Slyfer is gone she is part of the council and speaking for the tigers. As soon as Trisha spoke Fira detected that something is very wrong. She can feel Trisha is in turmoil and more angry and sad than she has ever felt.
The fairy now turns to Trisha, “there is other news.” The people show confusion and a bit of alertness. Grey King actually stands up in preparation for a fight, not knowing what to expect. After all it’s the first time everyone present has felt a fairy giving off killing intent!
Trisha does not break eye contact and asks. “What is it?”
The fairy’s light increases until they can barely see her body and when she speaks, her voice reverberates through their minds causing pain and headaches to all who hear it. “Those sent with Slyfer has attempted to take his life on numerous occasions…. Slyfer has been betrayed by the tigers! If this is your doing cat,” The table cracks under the fairy and her voice increases causing more pain. “this fairy will kill you herself!”
Everyone jumps up at the accusation, but Fira is the first to speak. “Ridiculous, Trisha would never do that, nor would the tigers!”
Trisha looks in a daze and tears start to form in her eyes as pain stabs into her heart like hot poker wreathed in flames, but the tears soon disappear as determination and anger replaces it. “That damn woman!” She looks at everyone. “We need guards, a lot of them. I know just who is guilty of this act. Come fairy. If you wish to kill someone you will have to get in line!”
-Can’t believe that actually worked!- Slyfer wipes sweat from his brow they had finally made it past the sentries and into the camp. It had been touch and go for a moment and Slyfer was just about to draw the saber and cut the sentry in half when Luna saved their bacon.
They had approached the sentry and was instantly stopped and asked why they left patrol duty. Slyfer then gave the line he rehearsed nearly a thousand times in his head. “We received orders.” Short and concise he was quite proud of it.
The sentry had laughed and lowered his pike causing the others intersperse around to look in their direction. –Some kind of signal?-
The sentry interrupted his thoughts. “Don’t try and lie to me boy, we were briefed this morning. You know your orders-“
It was at this moment that Luna stepped out from behind Slyfer putting her hand on his that was holding the blade, still in its scabbard. She then giggled mischievously at the sentry. “Please mister sentry all of this is my fault.” She pouted, pulling out all of her charm.
The action caused Slyfer to ask Vinx, “What have you been teaching her?”
Vinx huffed and replied with laughter in her voice. “She wanted to know how to charm a man.”
The sentry first showed surprise and after realizing she is a girl his face got a perverted look to it as he scanned her body up and down. “So, how is it your fault?”
Pretending to be shy, she looked away. “Well as you can see Lu- my equipment does not fit. Our commanding officer reprimanded Lu- uuh, me and gave us instructions to get myself some new equipment. Please don’t be angry mister sentry, a man as strong and smart as you must surely understand?”
The sentry rubbed his hair a bit of red creeping onto his face, which caused Slyfer to gnash his teeth. –I will remember your face “mister sentry”, you better hope I don’t see it again.-
The sentry thought for a while and then smiled. “Well since it is urgent, why don’t I take you to get the equipment? The rest of you can wait he-“
Luna stepped forward and leaned on his arm while looking up cutely. “No, no we cant make you abandon your post.” She stepped back playing with her hands now and then looking up shyly. “If, if its okay can I come visit you afterwards?”
By then Slyfer was thinking that cutting off “mister sentry’s “ head would be totally worth getting caught!
The man now completely blushed. “I uh, well yes you can. I will wait for you here then."
Luna smiled broadly at this. “Thank you so much, you are a good man.”
She then turned around and started pulling Slyfer with all her strength. Her eyes had not missed the deformed pommel of the saber in his hand, he had completely squashed it! Once they passed the sentry frowned, he could have sword he heard a deep and low growl. It gave him the shivers.
Once inside the camp it became a lot more stressful, but after a while they realized standing in the camp of thousands is the perfect hiding place. Slyfer looks at Luna and after some hesitation. “Luna please don’t do that again.”
She looks at him and smiles beautifully while pretending to be ignorant. “What must Luna not do again?” Her smile broadens more and more as she watches Slyfer squirm and struggle with the words in his mouth.
He rubs his hand through his hair, “uuh well you know,” his voice lowers a little. “flirt with other men.”
Luna frowns, “sorry, Luna did not hear that.”
Slyfer frowns back. “Stop enjoying this so much, you know exactly what I said.”
Luna laughs and then grabbing his arm says. “Don’t worry only Alpha will ever have Luna, Alpha does not have to be jealous.”
Slyfer looks away his cheeks turning red. “I was not jealous I just… just please don’t do that again?”
Luna puts her finger on her chin while pretending to think about it. “Ig Alpha does not give me enough attention I will do it.” Before Slyfer can reply she stops a soldier walking past. “Mister soldier, where can I get new equipment.”
At first he wants to swear, but at hearing a girl’s voice he quickly smiles. “You are not far, just head towards the rampart to the North of us and you will walk right into the armory. It is a huge blue tent.” The man steps closer and starts to whisper. ‘Try not to upset the ogre that runs it, she will make your life a living hell.”
Luna thanks him and following his instructions, they head off.
They make their way deeper into the camp and the surrounding tents start to change becoming larger and more luxurious, other than that all around them is the normal happenings of army camp life.
Soon they reach the blue tent and Slyfer rather excitedly walks faster. –I have never seen an ogre I wader what it looks like?-
He gets his answer a second a later. A woman the size of an Orc steps out of the tent, her arms are as big as Slyfer’s middle. Her jaw is so square Slyfer believes it must have been chiseled out of stone! Her nose is long and straight as an arrow. A large frame is supported by thick muscled legs that is surprisingly covered by a skirt that just makes it look grotesque!
What makes it worse is the bloodied soldier she is dragging behind her, letting out soft moans. With a large heave she throws him a few meters and shouts in a deep voice. “You stay out of my armory, stinking bastard. I don’t give shit who your father is, you noble piece of dung. Go tell him Birtha says he fathered a son that deserves to sleep with pigs since no women should open her legs for weak little shit like you!”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Slyfer’s group stops and they are just about to turn around and walk away when she spots them. “Hey, you! Where are you going?”
They freeze and for the second time today they find themselves to be little children in the dark. Only this time they know there is a monster behind them.
She steps forward causing the ground to shake. “Well you just going to stand there or come in, I am not asking again.”
Luna smiles and skips ahead while Slyfer laments. –There goes our chances of escaping.-
Trisha mounted on Grey King along with nearly two hundred others makes her way toward a tent bearly twice the size of the main tent in their army, it has been set up about two kilometers away from the main army. Gusts of winds whip at those around, unable to escape the magnitude of the anger burning in her heart. What makes it worse is Fira next to her. Small flames flick in and out of existence now and then as she struggles to keep her own anger coupled with Trisha’s, under control.
They soon reach the tent and as if out of nowhere two shadows appear. “The Shaman is not willing to meet with anyone now.”
Trisha looks at them, hate clearly in her eyes. “You move or I will move your heads a fair distance from your cold bodies.”
The two look at each other not sure what to do since Trisha is the “chosen”. In the end Trisha’s patience which amounted to two seconds of waiting breaks into smithereens. “I said move!”
As she shouts a wall of wind blows them apart sending them flying nearly thirty meters into the air. Not caring about them Grey King jumps directly into the tent while letting out a loud growl his hair standing in the air, making him look nearly twice his original size as sharp fangs as long as a grown man’s forearms are clearly on display.
Trisha on his back looks around, but nothing is visible in the darkness that surrounds them. Stepping into the tent is like stepping into darkness itself. “Shaman come out here, you have some explaining to do!”
A voice seemingly from all directions replies. “Is that any way to speak to your mother?”
“Mother my ass!” She sends out wind blades all around her and hears a few grunts. The darkness also gets cut revealing some light in long jagged lines. Not waiting for an order Grey King pushes through and they realize the darkness was nothing but an illusion set up by hanging a strange dark cloth around the entrance. She snorts. “Petty tricks won’t help you now, why did you try and kill Slyfer?”
The shaman laughs and once again the sound comes from all sides. Trisha surveys what is in front of her as she wrinkles her nose at the sweet scent of incense filling the space. She quickly starts to circulate wind around her and the others that have entered, afraid it may be poison.
“Smart girl. But I would not poison my own daughter.”
Trisha balls her fists, “don’t you dare call me that after what you have done. You just found me in some temple.” Tears start to run down her cheeks as she says it. Trisha had been betrayed by many she cared about when she was young, but this. This betrayal is just too much to bear.
The group makes their way forward, ever vigilant, ever wary. The high elf Queen looks at her surroundings surprised to find her senses are being blocked. “When I asked for your help, I would not have thought you would be this stupid.”
The Shaman laughs. “Ah Vanlanthiriel always filled with justice. Maybe that’s why mother and father always preferred you over me. My dear sister have you come here to kill me like you said you would if I ever interfered in your business again?”
“Don’t you dare call me sister. You are the one that wrote us off remember. I barely know you and nor do I care to get to know you. Stop hiding and come out!”
Fira looks at the Queen surprised. For a moment her voice had broken a little. She never thought that they would be sisters!
The Shaman laughs again. “True, but you left me no choice, abandoning the faith for your new ways, you all disgust me to my core. Filthy Shrulblaka, betrayers of the Night Mother. You all deserve death!”
Shadows drop everywhere and Grey King lets out a growl lunging forward. Biting the first one in half. Trisha leaps off. Firing to arrows as he does. Flames from Fira passes between her and Grey King burning those who are beyond.”
The Queen shouts in anger. “You made your choice!”
The temperature drops and Ice starts to form all around her more wolves rush in as the blood pack charges. In the front is Ban sword held high. He has no idea why they are doing this, but since Slyfer’s woman called them he would cut down the gods themselves!
“Maim, Kill, Burn!”
The war cry sounds and they crash into the flitting shadows stabbing and hacking as they go. Somewhere on of the blood pack laughs as he says. “Stupid bastards hiding in the dark, probably to ugly to show themselves, don’t worry I will make you pretty with my axe!”
Ban keeps his head his eyes always trained on Trisha and Fira, if they were to die on his watch he would not know how to face his commander. –gods, Slyfer knows how to choose women.-
Trisha is like a scythe belonging to death itself! Her wind blades cut bodies as if harvesting wheat and where Trisha is, Fira follows her fire mingling with the wind burning all those the wind blades miss into nothing more than charcoal. Those further away instantly start screaming as the heat causes their skin to sprout blisters. Screams and the smell of charred flesh fill the tent.
A blast of black magic kills nearly ten wolves along with their riders. Seeing this Grey King howls and launches himself at the magician standing behind some men. He crashes through crushing to with a swipe of his paw and biting a head off of another. “Filthy two leg magic,” Two shadows jump at him stabbing deep into his hind leg he growls in pain and kicks out crushing one’s chest. Grey King lunges forward and get intercepted by three more shadows growling in frustration he bites Into one his eyes never leaving the mage. “I will kill you maggot!”
Trisha and Fira sees Grey King getting surrounded and fight their way towards him. Seeing the mage nearly in his reach, they both feel a sense of panic. The mage is now covered in dark energy, nearly ready to launch his next attack!
Trisha seeing it decides to no longer hold back she gathers her strength and jumps turning into her tiger form as she does whileletting out a deafening growl. The wolves and dark elves alike, all scream in surprise. She is nearly twice Grey King’s size and the biggest damn tiger they have ever seen.
She lands a few meters short. Assassins, quickly block her path. “We may not be allowed to kill you, but don’t make us cripple you!”
The statement does not stop her for a moment and she jumps forward crushing through their lines. Summoning wind to aid her speed. The feeling of humanoid bodies getting turned into paste underneath her claws makes her grimace in disgust.
Grey King tries to lunge forward once again his body now riddle with daggers and blades. The mage opens his eyes a dark purple light reflected within. Grey King swears, he is too late. “I will take you with me!”
Trisha panicking more ignores the attacks pointed at her and receives more wounds. Fira by now has turned into her wolf form as well once again shocking the battlefield! But her paws are full burning and biting the little ants around her as she feels sting after sting of their blades. Her eyes filled with worry and hate.
The magic leaves the mages hands just as Trisha jumps for him. A second later she crashes into him.Half of his body disappearing in an instant. A dark purple light flashes behind her making her heart fill with dread. She spits out the disgusting creature in her mouth and looks around……
“Grey King is alive?”
Grey King is standing covered in blood and panting, but in front of him is… “Ban!” She rushes over and Grey King lets out a worried whine as he bends down to smell him.
Trisha changes back and kneels next to him. Half his arm has already disintegrated into nothing. His skin is dark filled with what looks like purple cracks. He smiles and huffs in pain. “Gave me quite a scare their Tigress.”
A tear escapes her eyes and rolls down her cheek she knows he won’t make it. Fira soon joins them as the sounds of battle dies down. “Ah our Princess as well. When Iset out from the hells gate I never thought I would die in such great company.”
Fira puts her hand over her mouth, seeing who it is. “Ban, no.”
“For a long time I was nothing but a burden on my people a useless wastrel with no purpose. Slyfer and the sword master gave me a chance, believed in a boy with no back ground at all. My only…” he winces is pain and coughs. Small particles drifts out his mouth. His body has disintegrated up to his hips the corruption now spreading to his lungs. “My only regret is not being able to serve longer.”
Trisha wants to rub his hair, console him in some way. “No, don’t touch me. It *cough* it may spread to you. Princess please send word to my mother along with all the coin in the tent tell her, her no good son grew up somewhat. He cough again as his voice turns horses with every word. “Tell my commander I served him well.” The last words are nothing but a distorted croak as Ban loses his ability to speak. Only his blinking eyes betray the fact that he is still alive. Grey King leans down.
“Brave shoulder, your name and story will be passed on to my children and they will pass it on to theirs. Your name will forever be remembered by the Wolf Kings, I promise this to you.”
Ban blinks and a tear spills out, it is purple in color and for some reason crystalizes before rolling onto the ground. He takes his last breath and his chest disintegrate followed by his shoulders and then finally…. his head.
Trisha bends down and picks up the purple tear. It is cool to the touch,, but other than that does not seem to have any other meaning.
She closes her palm around it. “Where is that woman!”
Slyfer and the others have by now entered the large blue tent. The sheer magnitude of weapons and armour on the inside took his breath away. Birtha seemingly impressed with Luna is taking her measurement. “Girl you are way too scrawny. How will you swing a sword with those arms? You need to train harder.”
Luna playing along nods vigorously and she gets rewarded with a satisfied grunt from the large woman. “Give me few moment while a look for your size.”
The woman soon disappears from sight. After some banging and crashing noises she reappears with a skirt similar to her own and a leather vest with steels shin and arm guards.
Handing it over she gives Slyfer a withering stare. “You boy!”
He tries to mimic Luna’s version of standing at attention and shouts. “Yes mam!”
She walks over bearing down on him like a freight train. “What happened to your weapon.” Without waiting for an answer she grabs and pulls it out. “This…” Her eyes widen in surprise and her finger traces the very obvious finger marks that squashed the pommel. She looks between him and then the pommel a few times. “Did you do this?”
“No mam,I found it like that in the field.”
Birtha grins, ‘stupid kid thinks he can fool me.” She nods as if accepting it, but then out of nowhere throws the sword towards him with all her strength! Out of reflex he reaches out and catches it easily.
He looks between the sabre and her about to ask what that was for, but then he realizes… He is just about to jump and kill her, but the following words stops him. “Found it in afield did you. Your hand seems to fit perfectly into those grooves boy, you wouldn’t be lying to old Birtha here now would you? Are you one of them blessed?”
He tilts his head. “Blessed?”
She nods, “yeah the kids with the silver hair like your girlfriend back there, she tried to hide it but I only have one bad eye, the other more than makes up for it though.”
“Well uhhh…” His mind races to look for an answer while he thinks. –the blessed, the letters I found on the griffin did mention something about it… something about rituals and stuff I could not understand at the time. As soon as I get back I will have to go through it again.-
She shakes her head. “You don’t have to answer. That overbearing prick Alexo would have my hide if he found out…. Follow me.”
Abit apprehensive and full of questions he starts to follow. They make their way deeper inside the tent until reaching a clear space with only one weapon standing tall behind it is a ditch as deep as Slyfer’s shin leading off into the tent. Birtha walks forward. ‘this piece of shit has given me no its fair share of troubles and I have been aiming to get rid of it as soon as it was given to me. Many of your “blessed” comrades have tried to use it but only one managed to lift it and it was for no more than ten seconds. If I recall he goes by the name of Borren, Norren, no… Bah who cares, try and lift it!”
Slyfer takes a long look at the weapon…. It’s a hammer a bit longer than him. The head is half dug into the ground since it was obviously dragged here by some means. The head stops just under Slyfer’s knees. Surprisingly the haft is thin. It’s not ornately decorated, but it’s beautiful in its simplicity. The only adornments are two strips of leather wound around it that crisscrosses at intervals. At the end of the hammer is a round knob with a sharp point jutting straight out that is bronze in color.
Birtha watches as Slyfer’s eyes roam over the weapon like a man looking at his lover. “I like the look in your eye boy. A warrior isonly as good as his weapon and-“
“It’s a reflection of himself” Finishes Slyfer. The glint in Birtha’s eyes increases by ten folds she urges him on again.
Slyfer reaches out and his hand easily wraps around it. The ground crack and makes a strange sound as if letting out a sigh when the hammer lifts from the ground.
Birtha smiles for the first time since Slyfer met her. “Finally, someone who can take this damn hammer of my hands!”
Slyfer hesitates as he gets a better look at the head that is as large as his torso. It is the same colour as the knob on the end, a deep bronze, but faint veins of red runs all around it like small cracks. On the back end is a sharp point similar to that of an anvil. The front is filled with a multitude of spikes like that of a meat tenderizer. –Oooh the damage I can do with this! But I can’t take it; it would go against the mission we are trying to accomplish. It would be very hard to blend in toting this around…. But I have no weapon. No I can’t it’s too big. Yes it’s sooo big! But..-
He is about to put it down when a bell starts to ring in the distance. Another bell starts to ring then another and another. Shouts soon follow. “Intruders, there are intruders in the camp!”
Without thinking about it he takes the hammer and throws it over his shoulder….
Slyfer and Birtha quickly run out, Luna joining them along the way.
As soon as they reach the outside. One of the assassins who waited there points at him and starts to scream. “Intruder, I found the intruder!”