Galena felt the thrill of energy flow through her when she pulled the Sword of Lumina from its scabbard. It may not have looked like much, but Galena could feel the power in it and it never ceased to amaze her. She twirled the blade around a couple of times even as Tark and Elenio did on either side of her. She saw Morak and his group readying their bows and arrows and everyone else getting their own swords out. There was a nervous feeling in the air and Galena wiped her sweaty palms on her leggings.
The smiles faded from most of their faces as they all prepared for the battle that was coming. The biggest advantage they had was the element of surprise. Picking up her bowl she brought along just for this little outing, she focused on the image of the underground elves and found they had arrived within view of the enemy. She saw dark creatures of every kind heading toward them, evil grins on their faces. Looks of panic were on the underground elves’ faces as they looked on in horror at the advancing enemy.
“Time to go,” she shouted, throwing her bowl down as she did. Creating a great gale of wind that whipped around them, she brought the group high into the air. She felt the wind pick her up and send her flying high above the flames where she could clearly see the enemy picking up pace toward the underground elves. Looking from side to side, she saw she had been successful in bringing the other elves with her. She caused the wind to push them forward and over the blazing flames. The flames stayed where they were at Galena’s command and let the elves pass harmlessly by. She brought them down on the other side and in the midst of the enemy who had not noticed them for their attention was still on the retreating underground elves. Galena picked up Morgo and Nina with the wind and sent them soaring over the heads of torlics, earagos, and many other creatures. She placed them gently within the midst of the underground elves. That caught the dark creatures’ attention, Galena thought grimly as an earagos she had been running alongside turned and looked at her, shock written on his face.
“Hello,” Galena said, smiling broadly at the shocked monster. She swung her blade up and around, burying it deep within the creature’s calf. He roared in pain, stopping and turning to attack Galena. “Have I gotten your attention then?” She switched hands and twirled around. The earagos swung his giant club at her, missing her shoulder by just a hair. She twisted out of the way and around him, before the giant burst into light. “Forgot about that did you?” Galena said sarcastically.
She turned to see where Elenio and the others were and saw that they were doing very well holding their own. “See what a good night’s sleep can do for elf morale,” she said to no one in particular. She spun around, taking the head of a narook and cutting the arm of a passing torlic, both creatures erupting in light. She watched as Elenio flipped up and over a narook that was swinging his long fingers in Elenio’s direction. Landing behind the creature, he stuck his sword into the narook’s back. Using his foot, he kicked the lifeless body off before turning to see Galena. She smiled at him as he joined her in the fight. With backs turned to each other, they engaged several more creatures, Galena sending bolts of lightning in areas that were elf free as well.
She spun around swinging her blade at the advancing enemy and found her sword blocked by Morgo’s own, “Oops,” she said blushing slightly.
“They’re ready,” he said simply, before blocking the blade of a torlic that had joined in. The torlic however, made no further attempts at attacking, but fell over, an arrow sticking up from his back.
“Hmm, seems like I forgot to add fire power,” Galena said, piercing the side of a dark creature that she had never seen before.
“That makes two of us,” Morgo grunted while jabbing his own blade through the stomach of another torlic. “Keep the flames in check while I guide them over.”
“Go,” Galena shouted, eyeing two earagos who were stomping their way over to her. Elenio cut one in the foot, before spinning around and cutting deep into its leg. The giant roared, trying desperately to find the attacking elf.
“Down here, you great brute!” Elenio called savagely, before burying his sword deep within the back of his other thigh. The earagos swung his club around uselessly, always several seconds too late. Elenio spun around, jumped, and cut into the creature’s hide with every move, finally forcing the creature to his knees.
Enthralled at the viciousness of Elenio’s attack, she almost forgot to control the flame and at the last moment, remembered. Not a moment too soon from what she could see. The second earagos had also watched his own comrade fall to his knees before remembering that he was supposed to be attacking Galena, but just as he remembered, Galena pierced his leg with her blade. She could still see the surprised expression on his face after light replaced his form. She smirked, but her victory was short lived as two more dark creatures approached. Not wanting to waste time on them, she waved a hand causing them to burst into flame. They staggered around into other dark creatures, causing the fire to spread to whomever they touched.
Galena turned her head just as Elenio landed the killing blow to the earagos. He turned to look at her, a grim look on his face. She nodded her head at him, understanding his need for revenge. She turned to check on the progress of the underground elves and saw they all made it safely over the firewall and some of the dark creatures thought their chance had come and were trying to make it through the flames as well.
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” Galena said quietly to herself. Using the wind, she sent those creatures flying high in the air where bolts of lightning shot down destroying them.
Tark came up to her at that point, his own clothing covered with blood from the enemy and grinned at her. “You don’t do anything half way, do you?”
“Now, what did father tell us about an injured creature?” Galena asked, blocking an oncoming blow from a torlic before sticking her sword into its gut. She turned to face Tark as the light bursting from one creature blinded the one Tark fought.
“An injured creature can still kill an elf,” he grunted as he took the head off the blinded monster he was fighting.
Morgo came flying down between them, hacking away as he landed on Galena’s right. Nina landed lightly on his other side. She too was cutting down a torlic as she landed.
“Have we had enough fun?” Morgo asked as he finished off a torlic.
Galena stopped, frozen in horror as she realized a problem with their initial plan; she had no way to distinguish between a friend and foe when flying them up and away.
“Umm, Morgo do you have any ideas on how I can distinguish who is an elf and who is a dark creature?” she asked, hacking down a narook while sending a torlic flying through the air.
“Yeah, look,” Morgo responded as he swung around, blocking the blow aimed at his side.
“Brilliant, so how about when I’m trying to pick up everyone with the wind. I have no way of telling who is an elf and who is a dark creature. I can only sense a body and by the time I figured it out by using its size and shape that creature will have moved on.” That their caught attention.
“Hmm, didn’t think about that beforehand. I think it’s time we brought our troops to you,” Morgo said, looking around at all the fighting bodies.
Weila, Hasa, and another pair of elves were busily occupying an earagos some ways off and Morak could be seen fighting a narook with a sword, his bow strapped across his chest. Further off, Galena caught glimpses of other elves fighting against the tide of darkness that kept creeping in, but she was proud to see they weren’t backing off.
“Start telling the elves to come to me. I’ll grab them when I can.”
Tark, Morgo, Nina, and Elenio nodded their head in unison. Tark and Elenio headed off in different directions, fighting their way toward their comrades. Morgo and Nina stayed behind and to Galena’s amazement, began to fly elves one at a time to where they stood. Galena was impressed, but knew they would only be able to bring so many before collapsing. Reaching out as they struck a combined deathblow to the earagos, Galena scooped Weila, Hasa, and the other elves up with one swipe. She almost dropped them, when as one Weila and Hasa flipped so that their feet were pointing up and began to strike at the enemy from above. She had to give Tark credit for choosing them. Those two were ruthless when it came to fighting.
Galena brought the four over to where she stood and quickly explained what was going on while she concentrated on bringing another handful of elves over. Hasa and Weila wasted no time, but quickly got to work protecting Galena, Morgo, and Nina while they worked on bringing over more elves. Morgo flew Fala and two others over before collapsing to the ground. He was awake, but he was also useless now. Nina had also hit the ground, but she was out cold. Seeing the condition of them, Galena sent them flying over the wall of fire before continuing with the task at hand. Elenio and Tark had been successful at retrieving elves as well and were on their way back with several elves in tow. They were making a path of their own back to Galena.
“I can pick the rest up from the sky,” Galena said to Erna who was blocking a blow from a torlic that was aimed at Galena.
He nodded his head wearily; sweat running down from his brow.
“Up we go.” All the elves surrounding Galena and the ones that were making their way toward her, were swept up in the wind. She managed to pick up a couple of torlics as well, but with a wave of her hand sent them flying. Wish I had had that idea a little while ago, she thought dryly.
Apparently, Elenio had the same thought because he shouted “Umm, hello! You could have saved us a lot of trouble by doing that in the first place!”
“Yeah, I didn’t see you offer any suggestions when I asked earlier,” she called back.
To this, both Elenio and Tark rolled their eyes with exasperation. Galena sent them flying over the wall of fire while she brought more elves soaring into the sky. Anything evil and dark she sent flying in the opposite direction. Finally, after what seemed like an incredible amount of time to Galena, she could see no more elves. Sending a few lightning bolts in the thinning mass of darkness, she shot over the fire wall, landing a little harder than she intended on the elf side.
“Do we have everyone?” she asked as soon as Tark came into view.
“Yes.”
“Good, because I don’t think I could fly back over there if I wanted to.” Galena sat down hard on the ground, her legs shaking badly and her arms hung limply at her side. “I need something to eat,” she said wearily.
Instantly, one of the underground elves pulled out a small crumb of bread and grew it into a loaf, handing it to her when she finished.
“Thank you,” Galena said, feeling somewhat taken aback.
“See and you doubted us,” Morgo said. He was laying on the ground beside Galena, clearly exhausted from the amount of magic he’d used. Nina was on his other side starting to come to from her recent blackout.
“I already told you I was sorry about that. I had just gotten used to being depended on for what felt like everything,” Galena said, biting off a hunk of bread.
Morgo just smiled and closed his eyes. “Yep, and I think I’ll leave the flying elves to you for future reference.”
“See what I mean, depended on for everything,” Galena said grinning down at him.
Elenio came up to her about that time and handed her a flask of water, which she downed eagerly. “Well, we did it. We got all the underground elves in safely and they come with supplies. Remember those wonderful ires?” Elenio asked taking a bite out the apple he was carrying.
“Yep, they blow things up.”
“They came loaded with them.”
“Well, I say things just got a bit more interesting,” Galena said.
* * * *
Galena devoured a couple loaves of bread before she finally felt better. She was still tired, but she had felt worse. Standing up, she thanked the underground elf once more when she realized that she vaguely remembered this elf. She tried to focus on him, but his face kept drifting in and out of her thoughts, reminding her of how she constantly felt the entire time she was underground. Shaking her head slightly to help her refocus, she looked intently at the elf who realized Galena was studying him.
“Are you surprised to see me?” the elf asked in the same dull monotone voice that was characteristic of all the underground elves.
“To be honest, I’m trying to remember if I’ve seen you before and I feel as if I have,” Galena said struggling now to stay focused on the conversation.
“I am Lars, the head elder of Freeva,” the elf said, smiling slightly at Galena.
“Umm, where was that again?”
“My village,” Morgo answered, coming up behind Galena. He clasped Lars’ arm with his forearm. “Welcome, my friend.”
Galena stood back and stared with amazement at the difference between the two elves. She recalled a time when she had struggled to focus on Morgo, but now the complete opposite was true. Even with his slightly crooked nose now, Morgo was a good-looking elf. Everything about him had changed since arriving in the world above. Galena hoped the same would hold true for these new elves or she would really have a hard time getting to know them.
She left Morgo with his friend and went to find Elenio who’d wandered off in search of Tark. She wanted to go back to the tent and rest for a while, but didn’t want to leave without letting someone know where she went. Who knew what they would do if they thought she’d gone missing?
She started heading toward the food tent, which was where the majority of the elves seemed to be heading, when she heard something strange. A high-pitched screeching or hissing. She couldn’t tell which it sounded more like, only that it was making her ears ache terribly. She looked around and noticed several elves also seemed to have noticed the terrible noise as they were covering their ears in response. Galena looked around for whatever was making the sound, but saw nothing. She spotted Elenio coming toward her, his feelings of confusion racing through his and her mind.
Galena looked to the sky, but all that she saw there was the dome of light. She turned to look behind her, toward the wall of fire when the sound came again, this time louder and shriller.
Now Galena covered her ears as they throbbed painfully with the noise. Elenio was looking everywhere as well and many of the elves were crouching on the ground, alarm written on everyone’s expression. Out of nowhere, a giant, winged creature came swooping down, snatching up an elf with one of its clawed feet. It went flying back up and through the light dome disappearing from sight. Another one shot down, snatching another elf from the ground before retreating to the sky. They moved with such incredible speed, that Galena was barely able to identify what they were.
“CRAGS!” she heard someone shout. She felt as if her stomach had been filled with ice as several more dropped to the ground with incredible speed, picking up more and more elves with every drop.
“I thought you said that nothing dark could go through the light dome?” Elenio shouted as they raced toward the nearest tent.
“And I thought I told you it would not keep anything solid out!” Galena shouted back, close on Elenio’s heels.
“Galena! Take down the light dome, we need to see them coming,” Tark shouted as he came into sight.
Instantly, the light was gone and what Galena saw almost caused her heart to stop. The sky was filled with the giant, winged creatures. Some of them now carried elves in their clutches, while others were eyeing the remaining camp with their giant black eyes. They reminded Galena horribly of a lizard that she would often find scaling the trees in her home village only a hundred times bigger and scarier. Rau used these creatures to deliver messages, but apparently, he had decided it was time they took a bigger role in the war.
Several more shot down toward the ground, snatching elves in their claws and retreating. Galena watched in horror as one of the crags grabbed Nina. It turned quickly before smashing into the ground before soaring back into the sky. Nina turned in its clasp and tossed something at it, within seconds it let go of Nina as it erupted into flames. She went careening toward the ground at incredible speed. Without thinking, Galena sent a gust of wind, grabbing her and bringing her safely to the land where she released the gale, placing Nina gently on the ground.
Galena raced out into the open, looking up at the sky to watch the Crags soaring high above, elves clutched in their grasp. Morgo joined her along with several of the underground elves.
“There is at least three or four dozen,” Morgo said his face still turned to the sky.
“At least a dozen elves have been taken,” Lars reported, a hint of emotion in his voice.
“We need to get them down before I can do anything to the crags. I’m afraid I might hurt the captured elves otherwise.”
“Can you cause the wind to blow enough so they’ll let go?” Morgo asked calmly.
“Worth a try.”
Elenio came up beside Galena, sword ready. “You work on getting our elves back, I’ll watch for any crags trying to sneak in,” he said, watching the sky.
Galena glanced up, preparing the wind to whip around some crags, when more of the giant winged creatures dropped down, but instead of grabbing more elves, they deposited several dark creatures far from where the flames could reach them.
“Great,” Galena heard Elenio say sarcastically. Tark had also arrived along with Taura, Fala, Morak, Zaza, and Yeia.
“Get those elves back and let us handle the monsters arriving,” Tark said grimly.
Galena nodded her head. The sooner that she could get the elves back safely, the sooner she could make camp safe again. She turned her face toward the sky, focusing on whipping the crags around as she listened to the sounds of a battle breaking out around her. Just as Morgo predicted, several of the crags let go of their captives in order to right themselves. To Galena’s surprise, another gust of wind picked up the now free falling elves and delivered them safely to the ground just as she had done with Nina. She looked around and saw several of the underground elves were guiding the wind with their hands. This act alone freed Galena up so she could focus more on releasing the elves and then destroying the emptied clawed creatures. Smiling, she turned her face to the heavens again, this time causing those creatures to burst into flames.
She grabbed her sword for extra strength as she attempted to shake more elves loose, but the crags seemed prepared for this. There were still a couple more elves being carried away by the crags toward Blackwell. She needed to act fast.
“Can you and the underground elves float the rest of the elves down if I get them free?”
“Yes,” Morgo said.
Lars nodded his head in agreement and called for the remaining underground elves to join them in the clearing.
Satisfied, Galena took a deep breath and looked around for Elenio. She saw him battling a couple of torlics while Tark was dealing with a narook. She saw the few enemies that had been dropped off were quickly being dealt with. The crags were approaching with more dark creatures. Galena sent bolts of lightning after them, causing them to burst into thousands of pieces.
Galena sent herself soaring into the air at a speed she had only done once before when she had been joining the battle in the valley. She felt the wind whistle past her, it smelled of dark magic and death. Coming up to the first the crags, she cut the claw holding the elf off, allowing the elf to free fall before being caught up with a gust of wind. Galena raced past the crag, ignoring the final screech that it made as it burst into light. She caught up with two more, causing them both to burst into light with a swipe of her blade. The elves they carried found themselves swept back to the camp.
She looked down and saw she was flying over the enemy camp now and was heading directly toward Blackwell. The intunerics that were all around began to drain her. She felt her hope beginning to flee and dark thoughts taking over her mind. Weariness of a full day started to creep up on her. Not yet, she thought. She had to be quick with the remaining crags or they would soon be entering Rau’s domain.
Sincerely hoping she wasn’t about kill the remaining elves, she caused the remaining crags’ heads to catch fire. This had the effect that shaking them with a second gust of wind had not had. Instantly, they dropped the elves, the fire that was consuming their bodies was also taking over their thoughts. The elves began to fall to the ground, and to Galena’s horror, nothing picked them up. Apparently, they were too far away for the underground elves to help. Feeling incredibly tired, Galena created a funnel of wind, sucking up all the elves and some dark creatures into it. They’ll deal with them when they land, Galena thought.
Her limbs were growing heavy and she fought to stay awake. She sent the funnel of wind to the elf camp, making sure to cause it to dissipate as it drew closer. Unfortunately, for those elves, Galena didn’t have enough strength to make sure they had a soft landing, but were instead set down rather harshly. She couldn’t help it though. Galena struggled to keep herself aloft and flying as she headed back to camp. The two acts combined seemed more than she could manage however.
She watched in a detached sort of way as the ground grew closer and noticed her flight had slowed down. The elf camp was still a couple hundred yards away. She could make it. The dark creature’s faces started to come closer into view and still she was fifty feet away. I have to make it, she thought, her head rolling around as she fought to stay conscious. Twenty feet. The torlics began to jump up, trying to grab at her legs, which were just a little too high. She wasn’t going to make it. She landed with a thud and took off running as fast as she could manage. The dark creatures were circling around her, menacing looks on their faces. Switching her sword to the other hand, she prepared herself to make a last stand. She saw the firewall just a few feet away; if she fought a couple, she could lower the firewall just enough for her to pass through. It was her only chance.
She turned and started to run again toward the firewall, cutting down the torlics that were determined to block her way. They burst into light, temporarily blinding some narooks beside them. Using this to her advantage, Galena ran past them, her legs beginning to feel like jelly and harder to control. Galena forced herself on. She heard another dark creature coming up behind her. Turning around, she quickly dispatched of it before resuming her race to the fire barrier. More and more creatures were coming. They all seemed to realize they had to beat her to the firewall.
A couple more steps. Galena started to fall, the ground racing toward her. She couldn’t go any further. She was too tired. Blackness started to fill her vision when she felt it. Wind surrounding her, picking her up gently from the ground. She felt the sting of a blade cutting through the skin and muscles of her leg before the blackness consumed her.