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The Great War
Written by Enly
Story by Enly & Roja
Edited by Annatira, Phildaburn, and Roja
Artwork by Roja
Chapter 8
Mazhiez and the others ran as fast as they could, plowing through the snowdrifts. Looking up, he spotted movement near the pass ahead. He heard someone shout something, and then heard arrows slice through the air above him. At first he was worried the monsters had taken the pass and were shooting at him, then he realized the arrows were falling far behind him. Glancing back he watched as several feros cried out and fell into the snow.
The archers shot again and he picked up his pace, someone had come to help. As they neared the canyon-like entrance to the pass, he spotted draegoni scattered in the rocks above him. Durron was the last to reach the pass and as he stopped to catch his breath, a draegoni climbed down from the rocks above.
"Lord Mazhiez," said the newcomer with a slight bow. "Do other draegoni come behind you?"
"No," Mazhiez said regretfully with a glance behind him. Velor frowned and stared back at the city, wiping a slight sweat from his brow, the scattered red scales there glistened beneath the thin moisture. Many of the other draegoni and Durron’s companions also looked back to the city. "No, we are all that made it out," repeated Mazhiez.
"Then let us move away from the entrance to the pass. We must block it to protect Iscalrith from the monsters." said the draegoni that had spoken to them.
One of the other draegoni soldiers guided them farther away as the arrows continued to hold the feros at bay. When the group that had fled Dra Leont was safely beyond the entrance, rocks came tumbling down, sealing it off with a pile of boulders.
"Head north into Iscalrith and you will find a camp not far into the woods," the draegoni told them. "I must remain here to ensure no monsters leave the area of Dra Leont."
"Thank you," Mazhiez said gruffly. The draegoni bowed with a slight nod again then went back to his men in the rocks.
No one spoke as the group slowly made its way through the pass and then trudged into Iscalrith.
Sure enough, there was a camp not far into the woods, but it was rapidly becoming more than a camp. As Mazhiez and Durron walked side by side past high wooden walls at the entrance, they discovered several building already erected inside.
"They sure got to work fast," Durron remarked, scratching his chin beneath his beard.
"I’m sure the news of an attack on Dra Leont frightened them into instant action," Velor said from behind, he had only just sheathed his sword and had a tense look about him. He pulled off his gloves and stretched his fingers. Durron noticed him tuck the gloves and guantlets in a pouch hidden inside his cloak.
"It's time the draegoni got off their warm cushions and did something," Mazhiez muttered. "Meer, you wait here with everyone. Velor, come with me. Durron do what you will."
"I’m coming. I want to know what's going on," Durron grunted. Mazhiez, Durron, and Velor walked up to one of the buildings and Mazhiez pushed the door open. Durron’s companions waited with Meer and the other draegoni.
The room they entered had a dirt floor and a heavy wooden table was placed in the center. An uncommonly short draegoni female was directing multiple other draegoni as they bustled about the room placing chairs and other items.
"Sam, I want a full report on what’s happened since the message of the attack reached here," Mazhiez shouted boldly to the draegoni woman over the din. She had firey red hair and horns and commanded those around her with a patient and gentle attitude.
"General Mazhiez," Sam said as she noticed him, her face was drawn and she looked worried and stressed. "Well, Iscalrith city has gone into a frenzy, as well as Dra Syn and all our other cities. Residents in Glacmor and Irinveron are all being pulled into the caves. Dra Syn is fortifying its eastern wall as much as possible. Here in Iscalrith we’re building this fort and further back in the woods we’re already laying foundations for a stone one, we’ll move to that as soon as it’s completed. Trassian has closed off the valley to Dra Leont, and hopefully those at the Iscalrith pass did the same once you came through."
"They did," murmured Mazhiez quietly as she took a breath to continue.
"And as soon as the messengers arrived all out of breath and terrified, we instantly sent word to the other races of the attack. Brief messages by mages is all we’ve been able to get out, but the elves have called for a meeting of representatives of all Irilion’s kingdoms in Aeth Aelfan."
"Good, I’m glad you snapped into action faster than I did," Mazhiez’s eyes were frowning and Durron threw him a questioning look. "Who are we sending to Aeth?" Mazhiez questioned, ignoring Durron.
"Us." Two draegoni had just entered the room, both looked exactly alike.
"Annaeh, Assain," Mazhiez gave a relieved smile, it was good to see familiar faces amidst the stress and terror. "I thought you two were off on some foolish errand in Idaloran."
"Oh, it was just the typical negotiations," Annaeh sighed.
"We were on our way to Dra Leont, when we heard what happened," Assain frowned.
"Mazhiez, what did happen?" Annaeh questioned. "We were there at the pass, watching as monsters flooded over the city, killing so many. Already the soldiers whisper of it as Hulda, rather than Dra Leont."
"I can tell you little more than what you saw, hundreds of ships landed on our coasts and armies poured forth to overrun our city," Mazhiez said quietly. "We lost many good draegoni."
"I fear my memory of the draegoni tongue fails me. What does Hulda mean?" Durron questioned, looking up at the tall draegoni around him.
"It’s a difficult word to translate," Sam explained quietly. "The closest I think would be, untold grief, or unspeakable horror."
"It is a word of death and doom, one only used to describe the darkest things we know," Velor added.
"Assain and I are leaving," Annaeh proclaimed. "We just dropped in to say we’re heading north to the docks and then sailing to Aeth Aelfan."
"Very well, I trust you will keep the draegoni’s best interests in mind as always," Sam nodded. "And journey safe."
Annaeh and Assain left quietly side-by-side. Once they were out the door Mazhiez spoke.
"How on Draia did the council and king agree to send those two? I thought they were sick of them ever since the incident on Anitora where they didn’t follow directions," Mazhiez questioned with a suspicious glance at Sam.
The small red haired draegoni had turned to scrall something on a piece of paper and now looked up Mazhiez again with a sigh.
"We received word of the attack very quickly and had an all too accurate description of it. Most of our top generals were there in the city and the situation there was unclear, that left me as ranking general in the draegoni lands not in immediate peril. I proclaimed a state of emergency and thereby procured the right to peril of war decrees."
Mazhiez nodded thoughtfully, a bold move for anyone, especially Samara. She was a general, but ranked far below many in the draegoni lands. However as she had pointed out the others had all been in immidiate peril, and were now likely dead except for Mazhiez, she'd been bumped up in the rankings.
"I obviously haven’t brushed up on my draegoni culture in awhile, what’s it mean to proclaim a state of emergency and what are peril of war decrees?" Durron grumbled, brushing his axe tip against the dirt floor. He got very tired of people discussing things he did not understand and was by no means afraid to ask questions.
"To put it into the fewest words possible, the ranking available general has the right to make orders only the council could normally decree in order to protect us from the peril of war. It allows for the quick fix of issues without council squabble, there’s a thousand different laws that are tied to it, though, to prevent misuse," Velor explained, there was an annoyed look in his face.
"Draegoni make government quite complicated," Durron huffed.
"I think Mazhiez would agree with you, he isn’t very fond of the King nor the council," Velor smirked, his comment might have earned a few grins if not for the tense and sorrowfull circumstances.
"Where did he go?" Sam looked up from her work again to realize Mazhiez was no longer there. She glanced at Velor but the green haired draegoni just shrugged.
"Probably to have a word with those twins," Durron remarked. "They’re more of his old friends, no doubt you both know that."
****
Mazhiez had indeed left to speak with Annaeh and Assain. They were saddling their horses on the other side of the little camp.
"It's good to see you both safe," Mazhiez said with relief. The twins had been friends of his for many years, he still remembered long nights he'd spent with them in the Ice Wars, sitting watch in the icy plains, poking dying embers, and discussing whatever topics they cared to broach. They'd formed a bond of trust and friendship in those times, that had held fast even when the two brothers moved on to more political and diplomatic positions. Just seeing them brought some peace to him, despite the grief in all their hearts. He knew they were on their way out, but the chance to speak with them for even a few moments might give him some insight into what he should be doing now, and further calm his tumultuous emotions of grief and guilt.
"Us safe? We were quite worried about you and the others," Assain scolded as he adjusted the saddle on his horse. Pulling a buckle tight he glanced up at him. Mazhiez normally looked far younger than his years, but the terror of the day seemed to have made more of his violet hair fade, and his horns barely held any of their once golden luster.
"I saw mostly everyone from your past commands made it out," Annaeh said relieved, the twins had worked with Mazhiez and his men often before. "Except, Erresh?"
Mazhiez went quiet. "Dead," he said simply.
The twins frowned; they had both been friends of Erresh as well. "And your sister?" Annaeh questioned worried. They knew how important Kiylee was to Mazhiez.
"I don’t know, I couldn’t find her when I left the city," Mazhiez explained sadly. A fresh pang of guilt stung in his chest, he'd left her, it was his fault. "I can only hope she somehow made it out."
"But you did not stop us to talk of grief," Assain changed the subject. "What is on your mind old friend?"
"What is on my mind? The horrors of the Ice Wars come back to me, fear for my sister plauges me, and the knowledge that I sat by and refused to help Jarraas fills me with regret," he sighed deeply.
"The Ice Wars are gone Mazhiez, those things are past," Assain pointed out.
"You've always been smart Maz," Annaeh added. "So please stop living in the past and change the future. The draegoni need you now, I'm sure you know this. You were the most capable leader in the Ice Wars, and have been since then, and no doubt will be for a very long time."
"I cannot return to true service of the King and council, I am a general in name, but all acknowledge that in spirit I left the armies of the draegoni long ago," snapped Mazhiez.
Annaeh frowned and glanced at his twin, Mazhiez had a long history of hating the draegoni government, they couldn't have truly hoped to change his opinion.
"I will give General Samara what help I can," Mazhiez sighed, regretting that he'd snapped at the twins. "I suppose now hope lies with pulling the people together. Who knows where this army came from, but I'd bet my life that Dra Leont will not be the only city to fall. There are more foul creatures crowded in Dra Leont then we have ever seen in Irilion. The best hope now is preparing as fast as we can and bringing the people together to fight, though it may already be too late.
"There is always plenty of hope and most of Irilion still lazes in peace. I believe we can defend our own," Annaeh insisted.
"You have more confidence in our people than they deserve," pointed out Mazhiez.
"And you do not have enough!" Assain respond as he swung onto his horse, Annaeh did the same and they looked down at Mazhiez with slight smiles.
"I do not know if we shall meet again soon Mazhiez, but I look forward to the day we do! May Iringold bless your path," Annaeh wrapped the reigns of his horse around his hands and moved slightly away.
"Somehow I feel that a time has come where few will meet again in this world," Mazhiez frowned. Some would claim he talked too much of doom, but the armies now residing in Dra Leont were vast, they would not be content to take only that city, Mazhiez knew that. All that remained to be known was when and where they would strike next, perhaps knowlege of them and where they had come from would shed light on such questions.
"We shall meet again Maz," Assain insisted.
"And what makes you think that?" Mazhiez called as the twins slowly began to ride away.
"Because I still have faith in Iringold!" Assain called back. "May he and the righteous gods be with you Mazhiez! Farewell!"
And then the twins were gone, riding north to Icalrith port from where they would sail to Aeth Aelfan. Scratching at a dull gold scale on the back of his neck Mazhiez wandered back to the others in the camp. He only hoped that Assain was right, and the gods would lead their paths to meet again in the world.
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