Page 73 of Warrior Princess
My eyes widened. “Can we go in with just Avery’s forces and the Crimson Clan?”
“It’s a risk, but one we must take. And don’t forget, you have me, too,” Shiro added with a wink. “I can do much damage.”
“Leila,” Ronan called to me. “I know you’re worried about Marcellus, but there may be a perfectly good reason why he’s not here right now. Don’t lose faith. He’ll come when he can.”
I nodded, even though I still felt uneasy. But they were right. We couldn’t wait and give Caelan more time to bolster his forces. Ten days had come and gone.
“Fine.” I straightened. “Prepare the troops. We ride at dawn.”
As the dawnpainted the sky with streaks of orange and crimson, I stood atop a gentle rise, overlooking the expanse that marked the border between the Central Plains and Eldwain. My heart thrummed with a mix of dread and determination, the cool morning air crisp in my lungs. Ronan, his expression as steely as the sword he wielded, stood beside me, while Shiro, in his imposing human form, checked the readiness of our assembled forces. Chief Aryan and Avery flanked the group, their presence bolstering the morale of their respective troops.
“We cross at my mark,” I declared, my voice carrying over the heads of our makeshift army, a patchwork of fighters drawn from every corner of Asteria.
With a nod from Chief Aryan and Avery, and a final glance at each other, we moved forward. The border was ominously quiet, eerily absent of the usual chirping of birds. The silence was a foreboding herald of the violence to come.
Without warning, a hail of arrows broke the stillness, slicing through the morning air towards us. “Shields!” I shouted. Instantly, the front line responded, lifting their shields to catchthe deadly rain. Beside me, Ronan deflected an arrow with a swift motion of his blade, his eyes scanning for the source.
“This way!” Shiro's thunderous voice cut through the chaos as he transformed into his massive white fox form, his fur shimmering ethereally in the dawn light. With supernatural agility, he led us through a thicket that concealed a lesser-known path into Eldwain.
We hadn't gone far when Eldwain soldiers, clad in their distinctive silver armor, emerged from the woodwork, their faces set in grim determination. Chief Aryan charged ahead with his troops, his battle cry resonating with a roar as he met the first soldier with a clash that echoed around us.
Ronan and I moved as one, back-to-back. My magic surged, and I conjured streams of blood from the fallen, weaving them into whips that lashed out and ensnared our foes, pulling them into the deadly arc of Ronan’s sword.
Avery, not far from us, wielded her sword and used the elemental magic gifted by her half-fae heritage.
The fight was brutal and relentless. Eldwain’s soldiers were well-trained, their movements coordinated and deadly. But they hadn't expected the ferocity and unity of a force led by a blood mage and a demon fox.
“We need to push through!” I yelled over the din of clashing metal. With a concentrated effort, I extended my hands, outstretched my palms, and released a torrential wave of blood magic that swept a deadly path through the Eldwain lines.
Shiro, terrifying in his fox form, barreled through the opening, his body a white blur that none could counter. Following closely, Chief Aryan swung his great sword in wide, lethal arcs, creating a barrier around Shiro that no soldier dared penetrate.
The break in Eldwain's defenses gave us the moment we needed. With a renewed shout, I rallied our troops and urged them forward.
We surged onward and broke through the final lines, greeted by the gates of Eldwain looming ahead. As we crossed into their land, I knew there was no turning back. The landscape shifted with each step we took into Eldwain territory. Open fields gave way to dense woodlands, providing both cover and new challenges. The trees seemed to close in around us, their ancient trunks marked by the scars of past conflicts, silent witnesses to our current struggle.
As we pushed further, the more organized the Eldwain resistance became. Soldiers in dark green and silver armor emerged, blending almost seamlessly with the forest backdrop, their movements silent and deadly. They seemed to appear from nowhere, leaping from the underbrush to intercept our advance.
Ronan moved like a shadow at my side, his blade a continuous flash of silver as he countered each attack with a precision that spoke of his warrior training. “Stay sharp,” he advised our group, his voice low but clear above the din of battle. “They know their land better than we do.”
Shiro darted ahead lithely, his fox senses attuned to the slightest rustle or movement. With a ferocious roar, he pounced on a group of soldiers who were lying in wait, his giant paws and powerful teeth making short work of their defenses.
Chief Aryan, ever the imposing warrior, fought with a fury he seemed to draw from the land itself. Each swing of his sword not only felled his opponents but also rallied our spirits, reminding us all of the indomitable strength of the Crimson Clan.
Avery and her women soldiers were a force to be reckoned with as they barreled through a gaggle of Eldwain soldiers like a hot knife through butter, making a clearing for us.
The clash of our advance against the skilled Eldwain soldiers created a cacophony that echoed through the forest, a symphony of war that resonated with the sounds of metal, magic, and the primal roars of a demon fox.
As we broke through another line, a clearing ahead revealed a fortified encampment. It was clear this was a strategic point, heavily guarded and fortified with both physical barriers and magical wards.
“This is it.” I tightened my grip on my weapon. “They'll defend this with everything they have.”
Ronan glanced at me, determination set in his features. “Then we give them everything we've got.”
With Shiro leading the charge, we sprinted toward the encampment. Arrows and spells flew towards us in a deadly hail, but the mages in Avery's army shielded us, their powers peaking in brilliant flashes that deflected the incoming assaults.
We smashed against the Eldwain lines like a raging storm, our combined forces a maelstrom of fury and power. Shiro's form weaved through the enemy ranks sowing chaos, while Chief Aryan and Ronan dismantled their defenses with brutal efficiency. I focused my blood magic to pull blood from the fallen, weaving a tapestry of destruction that left our foes reeling in utter horror.
The battle raged on, slickening the ground with the aftermath of bloody conflict, but our resolve never wavered. Step by bloody step, we claimed ground, driven by the knowledge that the fate of not just Eldwain, but all of Asteria might well depend on the outcome of this fight.
