laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

Darkness opened to a scene of burning buildings, running families being chased to the island castle's gates as Alandria's bow launched bolts of plasma into the pursuing nadlac. Long plumes of dark smoke melded into an overcast pall as Lericanin's voice echoed through the river valley, organizing the men on the walls. Fear filled the evening sky which awoke Kailee with a start, tears rolling down her cheeks.

Throwing the silk blankets aside, she jumped up and quickly dressed. "Tess, get up!"

"Wha..what's going on?"

"Warwick's under attack. Let's go." An announcement that prompted the dark elf to join her, as the door opened to her master bedroom. Fiery eyes looked up to notice her chamberlain, the very one who had been the recipient of her wrath not a month prior.

"What's amiss, Your Highness?"

"My home of Warwick is under attack. We'll return as soon as we've secured the people there," she informed while grabbing her weapons belt.

"I'll muster the men, madam," the thin noble informed, then sprinted from sight.

"Wai..."

"No use," Tess began. "You're part of something much bigger now, Kailee. Might as well get used to it."

"We don't have time to wait for them." Kailee moved towards the end of the four post bed as she strapped on the belt. "People are dying."

"They're in good hands," the orange eyes of her friend glided towards her in the dim light, then dimmed as the nightblade neared the glow from Kailee's face and hair. "Lericanin and Sir William, Selyria and others are veterans of battle. We'll have enough time to muster an army that can save them."

Sighing, she knew her friend was right. Adgertesse' followed her through the living room towards the great hall as the horn of battle echoed within the halls and rooms of Wroclaw and Kailee felt a chill rise along her spine with the thought that she could at last have the help of a larger, experienced force. Clacking up, she turned to see the unit of royal guard in their black armor, eerie pairs of eyes shone from narrow eyeslits as they approached, stopped and their commander saluted sharply.

"Your Highness," his deep, authoritative voice called in dark elf. "What's amiss?"

Her mood lightened. "Warwick is under attack. My friends need our help, I'm just waiting for the knights to assemble."

He nodded and they waited silently with her until soon, the clamor of boots on stone, metal on metal and voices approached the large foyer to their right. She led them towards the batallion as the chamberlain and three knights approached.

"I'll open a gate to the valley, march your men into the woods and hopefully we can catch them from behind," she informed.

"Who are we facing, Your Highness," Duke Otnel inquired.

"Nadlac led by three mages. My friends are holding in the main castle." She turned to Adgertesse', "Tell Lericanin that the dark elves are friends and not to fire at us."

Tess nodded, "I will," then vanished. Kailee parted the nobles and walked into the foyer and faced the men now assembled in neat ranks, arms gleaming in the bluish light.

"Wroclaw, my friends are in danger. Enestius has deemed that since I have come to join you that he could attack my home town of Warwick. I know the nadlac in his army had once been allies but, they're evil animals who have little conscience and aren't worthy of your fellowship. This will be the testament to your ancestors that the Masters of the Wind have returned."

A loud, reverberating chant erupted, bouncing off the high ceiling and stone walls as Kailee turned and swept with her hand, opening a large portal which melted the double doors to the throneroom into a dark forest silhouetted against burning buildings. Charging into the night, she watched as her new army of a few hundred eagerly seek out their prey and she followed with her dutiful unit of ten right behind.
Acrid smoke immediately filled her nostrils and welled her anger as she sought out the commanders and rear of the invading army. Through the narrow streets, they passed shops and The Evergreen now engulfed in flame, timbers crashing to the floors. Years of love and sweat lost within moments.

'Lericanin said that they're glad you finally made it and he's alerted his men not to fire on us,' Tess informed mentally.

'Thanks. Where are their mages?'

'In the open center. See you there.'

Shortly afterwards, battlecries cut through the cracking and popping around them as the dark elves attacked. Kailee ran behind and quickly noticed the remaining humans begin to cast, then turned as she drew her sword. In a flash, the flaming blade cut through the robes of one, dropping him as the second spun, wide-eyed as another blade sprang from his chest. Darkness turned to shades of red as the enemy soon became sprawling images, dropping around her as they burned and grabbed at wounds until soon, there were no targets left. Rage filled her very soul as Kailee huffed with ecstasy, her enemy now dead on the sloping grass or in the moat.
Slowly, she regained her composure as sounds came back into focus, reds to shades of reality as her breathing quieted.

"Kailee," Tess called from the distant right. "You alright?"

Turning, the bronze face nodded as golden eyes took in the scene around her. The theatre, hospital and everyone's homes were now in ruin. All their hard work rising into the starry night to become all but memory. She turned to her men as they nursed the wounded.

"Well done, my friends." Each bowed to her as their eyes met and she moved towards the main gatehouse as the drawbridge between to the main wall lowered. Torchlight picked out bodies floating in the water below and Lericanin's white armor as he strode across to meet them, hammer in hand. As the portcullis raised and large oaken doors groaned open, she smiled.

"Are you alright," he asked.

"Fine," Kailee nodded as Tess walked up. "Nyrellia?"

"She's fine." His blue eyes scanned around behind her. "Sorry about Warwick but, there was only so much we could do."

"Houses can be rebuilt. I'm not as worried about that right now."

"Glad to have you home, finally."