Chapter 89: End of the War

A wave of holy light washed over the battlefield.

Monsters caught in its path screamed as their corruption was ripped away, a few collapsing immediately while others turned and ran into the forest, their murderous impulses gone with the spell.

The darkness surrounding the battlefield vanished away.

Morvain looked around the battlefield, his body covered in wound marks, his wings blacked out and shredded, part of his demonic aura weakened greatly.

He looked at Nira.

For the first time since he revealed himself, the Arch Demon was stunned.

"So this..."

He looked at the golden spirits surrounding her.

"... is the power of a Spirit Elf."

Nira lowered her dagger and began breathing heavily.

Her whole body shook from the immense usage of power.

The chant had drained her of a huge portion of mana.

The spirits were with her.

Tired, but still with her.

Nira placed a hand against her chest.

"Thank you."

The spirits responded with a warmth.

The battlefield was unrecognizable, broken trees littering the ground and stone walls crushed by the energy blasts and fire, the fires still burning through the remains of the Duskryn estate.

Wounded soldiers were being pulled away away from the center of the battlefield while the remaining few monsters turned and ran for the forest.

At the center of the destruction, gold light still shimmered over the battlefield.

Nira was in the middle of it, her translucent spirit wings still unfurled behind her, glowing with green, blue, and golden light, spirits surround her, acting like fragments of the forest.

In front of her, Morvain knelt to one knee, his demonic body covered with wound marks, one of his set of black wings dragging uselessly behind him, while the darkness that once surrounded him was fading rapidly away.

The golden light of Sanctification still shimmered over Morvain’s body.

The demon looked down at his hands.

Pieces of darkness were already peeling away from his fingers, Nira could barely stay on her feet, her breathing heavy, whole body shaking from the massive expenditure of magic.

Yet, she tightened her grip around her dagger.

Morvain slowly raised his head, his lips twitching into a faint smile.

"You truly defeated me."

His body began to dissolve.

Nira watched the golden light swallow the last of the darkness that once surrounded Morvain.

His expression remained unusually serene.

Then his body scattered into countless dark particles, floating in the air for a few seconds before vanishing completely.

The demonic aura faded away, the pressure that surrounded the battlefield also lightening up.

For a moment no one moved.

The whole battlefield was completely silent.

Then one of the monsters screamed, turning and running for the forest.

Another followed soon after, the remaining monsters abandoning the battlefield entirely.

No longer being driven by Morvain.

With no one to control the rhythm of the attack, the monsters’ coordination broke down, some fleeing the battlefield into the forest while others simply ran away from the ruined estate.

Vaeron slowly lowered his weapon, the blood trickling down one side of his face.

He remained standing, armor battered.

Looking upon the battlefield, the monsters all retreating, the demon vanished.

The attack was truly ending.

Vaeron raised his voice.

"Cease all attacks!"

The remaining soldiers turned and looked at him.

"The monsters are retreating. Do not pursue them into the forest."

The soldiers slowly lowered their weapons, letting out breaths they didn’t know they were holding, others simply looking at the destruction around them.

Vaeron looked at the remains of the estate.

"The battle is over."

His voice was quieter now, "The attack has ended."

One soldier dropped his sword while another fell to their knees, a few embracing each other while others rushed to the aid of the wounded.

Sylvara was already moving from soldier to soldier, placing her hands over their chests.

"Healing Light."

A gentle violet glow ran over the body of a wounded soldier, slowing his bleeding.

Sylvara moved to the next one and then the next, her exhaustion only fueling her determination.

Kaelith hurried over to her, carrying a wounded soldier with another dark elf.

"Mother, where should we take him?"

"Over there. Near the others."

Kaelith nodded, carefully lowering the soldier.

He looked over the battlefield, his flaming sword now repaired, for the first time since the attack started, his hands were no longer gripping the weapon.

He looked at the remains of the estate.

A good portion of the outer wall was missing, a few buildings destroyed and the ground split down the middle.

Kaelith swallowed.

"So much of it is gone."

Sylvara glanced at him.

"It can be rebuilt."

Kaelith looked at her.

"What if it takes years?"

"Then we will rebuild it over years."

Her voice was tired, but firm.

Kaelith gave a small nod.

Nira stood near the middle of the battlefield.

She had not moved.

Her dagger slowly lowered to her side, the translucent wings behind her flickering, the spirits gathered around her.

Nira could feel the comfort of their presence, but Nira’s strength was fading.

Her knees buckled slightly, and a small golden spirit promptly moved under her hand.

Nira leaned against the spiritual warmth, her eyes falling on her trembling fingers.

For the first time, she was beginning to understand, what had happened.

She had almost died.

Her family had almost died.

Her home nearly destroyed, her friends and the soldiers she had grown up around forced to the edge of death.

Her eyes became wet.

She quickly looked away, not wanting people to see her crying.

A small golden spirit floated up to her and slowly moved closer and gently touched her cheek.

Nira closed her eyes, for the first time, she didn’t need to wonder what the spirit was saying.

You protected them.

A tear slipped down Nira’s cheek.

"I couldn’t protect everyone."

The spirit remained beside her, more spirits gathering around her.

Nira lowered her head.

"I was scared."

Her voice trembled.

"I really thought I was going to lose everyone."

The spirits surrounded her, their warmth slowly coaxing some of the pain within her chest open.

Behind Nira, Vaeron spotted her standing there.

He began walking towards her.

He paused when he saw the spirits surrounding his daughter.

For a moment he simply watched.

Nira opened her eyes as she looked towards the ruined estate, it was hard to believe that this was her home, just a few hours ago.

She could remember the walls, the gardens, the training grounds, the rooms she had grown up in.

So much had been destroyed but people were still alive around her.

Her father was standing.

Her mother was tending to the wounded.

Kaelith was helping the soldiers and Edris was still alive.

It occurred to her and made her chest constrict.

Nira turned to the forest, beyond, where the trees started, the monsters that had attacked were slowly disappearing into the darkness, then she looked at the place where Morvain vanished.

The Arch Demon was gone.

The attack truly over.

Nira looked down at her dagger and knew she had awoken a power that she didn’t understand, been transformed into a Spirit Elf and fought an Arch Demon, but none of that mattered now as much as the people around her still being alive.

She removed the tears from her face and looked up at the spirits.

"Thank you."

The spirits responded with warmth and Nira smiled faintly.

For the first time since it had all started, she allowed herself to breathe.

A few steps away Edris stood among the destruction, his armor broken, blood coating his clothes, he looked at the ruined estate, every broken wall a reminder of the choices he had made, the patrol routes he had given away, the soldiers he had sent into danger, the monsters he had directed to attack his people, the arrow he had loosed.

Edris closed his eyes tightly.

"I am sorry."

No one answered.

Edris opened his eyes again.

He knew it wouldn’t make everything alright, make the people who had died return to life or restore the buildings that had been destroyed or erase his betrayal, but he remained where he stood, he would face whatever judgment awaited him.

Vaeron looked towards him from the edge of the battlefield, their eyes meeting, neither speaking.

There would be time for it later, for now people needed help, the remaining dark elves still tending to the wounded, many extinguishing the fires that still threatened the remaining buildings.

Some gathering the bodies of the people who had died.

Nira watched as things began to change within the battlefield.

The spirits still surrounded her, their light not so bright.

The battle had ended, the demon gone, the monsters fleeing, but the scars were still there.

Nira looked towards her family, they still stood and for now that was enough.

She took a slow, steady breath and another.

The first sound to come from the battlefield was the complete and utter silence.

The smog from the dying fires drifted lazily along the air. Fires still smoldered behind the line of barricades destroyed in the battle and the surrounding land was littered with the broken pieces of weapons and other equipment. The trenches created by the large amount of magic used were depressions of scorched earth.

The monsters were gone.

Morvain was defeated.

The war was finally over.