Chapter 86: The Monster Attack 2

The arrow flew from Edris’ bow slicing through the trees on its way towards the Duskryn estate.

Edris watched the arrow disappear into the distance, he was too anxious to wait and see where it had landed. His facial expression remained tense as the Greater Demon loomed a few steps behind him.

Inside the estate, Vaeron heard a swish of something slicing through the air.

He looked towards the forest.

"Everyone, down!"

The arrow shot past the first line of defense and exploded on impact.

A black aura surrounded the tip of the shaft sending several soldiers flying and shattering the barricade. The monsters poured through the gap and the defenders scrambled to hold their ground.

"Hold the line!"

Vaeron charged forward, Nira was at his side slicing off the head of the first monster to come through the breach. Another lunged at Vaeron but he blocked its claws with his blade and sent it flying with a well-placed kick.

"Father, the eastern side is breaking!"

"I know!"

Vaeron turned his gaze to the estate, the monsters were no longer probing for weaknesses.

They had attacked with all they had.

"Get the wounded behind the inner barrier! Archers, focus your fire on the center!"

The dark elves moved with a new sense of urgency.

Arrows rained down from the sparring towers while the mages cast Wind Cutter and Flame Shot at the oncoming monsters. The tide of creatures surged forward, despite the elves’ best efforts the soldiers were pushed back towards the estate. Sylvara reinforced the violet mana barrier surrounding the wounded.

"Barrier Reinforcement!"

The barrier expanded just in time to cushion the impact of several monsters .The tremor in the earth sent cracks racing up the barrier as Kaelith moved to Sylvara’s side with his flaming sword raised.

"Mother, they’re nearly on top of us."

"I know."

A single monster broke away from the pack, charging towards the barrier. Kaelith readied himself and called upon his magic.

"Fire Burst!"

The explosion knocked the beast back, it was about to lunge forward again when Kaelith was on it, slicing its skull open with his flaming blade. The monster fell, another took its place. Kaelith’s brow furrowed. There were too many. Sylvara surveyed the battlefield. Though her expression was calm, tension was visible in her stance.

"Do not try and win every fight, son. Just protect those behind you."

Kaelith nodded.

"I will."

He turned towards the wounded, a group of soldiers were struggling to move an unconscious dark elf towards the barrier when Kaelith moved to assist them. Sylvara focused her efforts on the defensive barrier, the cracks mending themselves as fast as the onslaught of monsters could produce them. Then the barrier shook, an impact strong enough to split the barrier wide open sent Sylvara’s heart racing.

"Move!"

She raised both of her hands and called upon her power.

"Barrier Reinforcement!"

The wound in the barrier was quickly repaired as Sylvara cast her reinforcement magic again. Kaelith looked up at his mother.

"Mother!"

"I’m fine."

Sylvara exhaled, "Keep moving."

________________

Back at the front line, Nira spotted something through the trees.

"Edris."

Vaeron followed her line of sight. The captain stood between the trees, no longer trying to hide himself. His bow was strapped to his back. Nira’s grip around her dagger tightened.

"Why are you still here?"

Edris glanced at her.

"I had to see this."

"You had to see what?"

"My home."

His words were quiet but they carried a certain finality. Despite being surrounded by warring monsters neither moved. Vaeron moved towards Edris.

"You knew this was going to happen."

Edris looked at him.

"I knew the defenses would be breached."

"You knew people were going to die."

Edris looked away.

"I knew."

Nira’s expression darkened.

"Then why?"

Edris’s gaze met Nira’s.

"My son. The demon promised to save him."

Vaeron’s expression twisted.

"You believed it."

"I didn’t have anything else."

"You had us."

Edris’s eyes met Vaeron’s for the first time.

For several long seconds the captain couldn’t meet his commander’s gaze.

"I was too ashamed to ask him again."

Vaeron’s voice dropped.

"You should have."

A loud roar interrupted them. A massive monster was charging the elven forces. Vaeron raised his sword and barked an order.

"Move!"

He moved to intercept the creature.

"Lightning Enhancement!"

Vaeron’s blade crackled with electricity, thrusting it forward he sent the monster flying. Nira moved around its side.

"Wind Step!"

She gained speed and plunged her dagger into the creature’s knee, it reeled back on its haunches. Vaeron slashed its chest with another lightning enhanced blow and Nira twisted the dagger free before using its momentum to throw herself at the creature’s exposed neck. The beast let out a gurgling noise before collapsing. Nira pulled her blade free and turned to Edris. "You still have a chance to stop this."

Edris looked at her.

"I don’t know if I do."

"You can fight."

Edris looked past her at the Greater Demon.

"I am not the one you came for."

Nira’s expression changed.

"What?"

Edris didn’t explain.

The Greater Demon stepped out from behind the trees. He walked simply through the mass of monsters, they parted for him as though he had walked through an open door. The deep black of his eyes locked onto Vaeron.

"So this is the Duskryn estate."

Vaeron raised his sword.

"You are the one controlling them."

The demon smiled.

"Control is such a crude word, don’t you think?"

He looked around.

"I merely provided direction, they gave me the power."

Nira stepped forward.

"You used Edris."

The demon looked at her.

"I used what he had given me."

Edris’s expression hardened.

"You promised me medicine."

The demon looked at him.

"I did."

"Where is the medicine?"

The demon smiled.

"You continue to ask the wrong questions, I believe."

Edris moved forward.

"Where is it?"

The demon’s smile vanished.

"I said I would give you medicine as soon as you had completed your path."

Edris paled.

The demon continued.

"I never said you would receive medicine straight away, I said he would get it when you completed your task."

"You said you would give me medicine!"

"I said what you needed to hear."

Edris’s face drained of all color. For the first time in the battle the sounds seemed to fade away, his wife, his daughter, his son. It all amounted to one promise. He had sacrificed everything for it. Everything because he believed that at the end of the path there would be a reason to continue.

Now he was faced with the bitter truth that the only reason he had stood by his decisions was because he had been mistaken.

"You lied."

The demon shrugged.

Edris stared at the demon.

"You knew what happened to my family."

"I knew enough."

"You knew my son was sick."

"Yes."

"You knew I would do anything to save him."

"That was why you were useful."

Edris’s grip on his sword tightened, Nira watched his expression carefully. Anger simmered beneath the surface, not the blind rage of a man betrayed but something darker. The realization that he had been played. The demon turned to face the estate.

"Your work is done."

He raised his hand and tendrils of dark energy snaked across the battlefield.

"Now I want to see how good these elves really are."

The monsters roared and the battle began anew.

Vaeron raised his sword.

"Defend the estate!"

The dark elves let out a blood-curdling battle cry and fired arrows from the watch towers while the mages cast Wind Cutter and Flame Shot at the oncoming hoard of monsters. Soldiers fanned out to form a ring around the wounded while the mages pushed forward with barriers.

Sylvara kept up her magic but her mana reserves were dwindling. The monsters kept pushing forward and the barrier was weakening.. One struck the barrier, the violet light shattered sending waves of pain screaming through Sylvara’s body. Kaelith stepped forward.

"Mother, let me do this."

Sylvara looked at her son.

"Do not be foolish."

"I won’t."

Kaelith raised his sword.

"Fire Enhancement!"

Flames danced along the blade as he charged at the beast. It tried to slash at him, Kaelith deflected the blow and moved closer. Lifting the flaming sword he drove it into the monster’s chest. The creature roared as Kaelith followed up with a Fire Burst, sending it flying. Several soldiers looked on in awe before he turned to them.

"Get the wounded inside!"

The soldiers hurried away obedience in their faces. Sylvara watched her son for a moment. He was afraid but the fear was in his heart, not on his face. Turning back to the battlefield she raised both hands.

"Healing Light."

Violet light surrounded several of the wounded. The soldiers’ injuries began to knit together. One looked up at her.

"Lady Sylvara, you should rest."

"I will rest when they are all safe."

She continued the healing.

___________

Edris stood and watched the battle unfold around him.

The battle was nothing compared to the one raging within him, the Greater Demon had already forgotten him which was what hurt the most. Everything he had done had meant something to him, to the demon he had been nothing more than a tool.

Edris turned his gaze towards the estate, Vaeron was fighting and Nira was holding the line along with the other soldiers. Sylvara was keeping her soldiers alive with every ounce of strength she had and Kaelith was afraid.

They were everything to him and he had stolen it all away. His fingers curled tighter around the hilt of his sword before he remembered his son and a new resolve filled his chest.

"I will protect them."

The demon was listening.

"What did you say?"

Edris looked at him.

"I said I will protect my people."

The demon laughed.

"You think you can walk away?"

Edris raised his sword.

"I don’t know."

He stepped forward.

"But I know I will not serve you anymore."

The demon’s black eyes narrowed.

"You would strike me down?"

Edris stopped a few meters away from the demon.

"You used my family."

His voice trembled but he did not lower his sword.

"You used my grief."

He raised his sword.

"You used my home."

The demon smiled.

"You finally understand."

Edris charged forward but the Greater Demon raised his hand, dark energy blasted from his palm and sent Edris sprawling backwards. He barely had the strength to roll to his feet and charge forward again before the demon’s smile widened.

"You are weak."

Edris gritted his teeth.

"I know."

He swung again but this time Vaeron saw him. Their eyes met for a brief moment and Edris expected to see hatred in them. Instead, all he saw was cold determination.

"Do not die."

Edris felt his heart lurch, Vaeron turned back to the fight.

"We will deal with everything else after this."

Edris’s eyes widened.

Then his grip tightened.

"Understood."

He charged forward, the Greater Demon raised his arm and more dark energy gathered at his fingertips.