Chapter Two: Corruption, War, and Betrayel

The war begins....

 

   War is deceptive; like the darkness it serves war entraps people, letting them believe they are in control when really it is the other way around. It uses people to kill one another and so many people of the Infinite Realms are only to glad to comply. What do they see in war and death that is so appealing? Why do they crave this nightmare? I don not understand. I am in the middle of a war that cannot be escaped. Every day I am forced to witness death all around me. Comrades have fallen, loved ones perished and every day a little more of my people is destroyed. Why do people want this? Why do they seek it? I will never understand. It feels like a lifetime ago when all I say was good in the world; when there was no darkness to dampen the spirit of the warrior. That is all gone now, washed away in a river of blood.
     How many days I wonder, will I be forced to dwell in this cold darkness, drenched in the blood of my people? How many days will I be forced to watch my people die for a land who dwells in darkness? How long will I be forced to carry the knowledge I hold? When will I be free?
     The Council of Nations has betrayed us. Three times I have gone for help and been denied. Full of hatred and greed they have doomed us all. Aquaria has been surrounded by darkness so no one can leave or enter; they cannot help us. The Elves and Dwarves have disappeared from our land. We sent people to the tunnels of the Dwarves and the forests of the Elves to find them gone, no trace to where they have gone.
     You may wonder about the Dragon Riders; why they’re not beside us. That is an easy question, they had no choice. Marshes, leader of the Dragon Rider Council and mother’s best friend, cannot lose the lives of her Riders. Foreseeing our doom, she recalled the Riders, apologizing for the abandonment. The few Riders who refused to leave our side and dying with us, day by day.
     Usually we would not be beaten so easily, but this is no ordinary foe we are fighting. Unlike previous occasions when we have fought only a portion of the army, we are against it all. The entire army, consisting of uncountable number of dark of beings has been sent to destroy us. We are alone against the largest army in history; in other words we hadn’t a chance from the beginning. Our Naval force is demolished, defeated by a much larger, more brutal force, and now the enemy sweeps across the land, killing every man, woman and child. Our supplies are few so we cannot outlast our enemy and even if we did, the other army would strike us from behind.
     We have already lost the battle, but some how my warriors still have hope. Even if they know we are all going to die, they still hope we can be saved. It is so hard, I admit, to watch them die by evil hands, with their hearts still filled with hope and love. In their minds, if they die then at least they lessened the number of those who will attack the next group.
     We lost another barrier today. Those walls of tinted blue magic are all but gone. When the last one falls, so will my nation. I know we are supposed to forgive, but how can I forgive those who’ve betrayed not only me, but my people? How can I forgive them, when they sit back and watch as we all die? How can I forgive those blinded by hatred and greed? How can I forgive them, is it even possible? Mother says I should not be angry with them for their hearts have been blinded, that they have become prisoners to their own greed and hatred. I don’t understand though, not even when she explains it. Why shouldn’t I be angry? Then again these emotions are new to me; perhaps I do not understand her words because I still do not completely understand these negative emotions, because I still do not comprehend what they truly are. Either way I am not sure I can forgive them.
     A medical section was lost today, and all the people were slaughtered before we could save them. I am forever haunted by the faces, along with so many others who have died needlessly. I see their faces so often that I cannot sleep anymore. Most Nights I just wander around the camp and take extra guard duty to relive the few who are robbed of their sleep. I am doing everything I can to help them, but it is not enough. We’re running out of supplies and the soldiers are only getting an hour of sleep if that. It is so hard to watch them wither away into nothing.
     It is my duty to protect them! I can’t explain the pain I feel at being able to do nothing to help them. It doesn’t help either that I’m the cause of all this. I choose to mobilize the army against the Manoins. If I could have just found another way then perhaps…
     Irresto never met me in the army. When he went to Aquaria the darkness killed him; he barely got to us to give us the news of the Boneless. He died because of me, like so many others have died because I led them into this battle.
     I write these words in hope that they will be my last. I know I am supposed to live on and become a servant of the light but I cannot do it without them. I am sorry but the light will have to choose someone else, someone more fit then me. All I want to do now is die along with my comrades, friends and family. I just want to fade away from this dark world and into the embrace of the eternal peace that awaits in death.
     Aquaria, Dragon Riders, Elves and Dwarves, you all are free from blame. The rest of Narsayes, to you the blame and cause fall, the Great Betrayers. To you I hope you will spend the rest of your days in misery. As your world crumbles under the might of darkness, remember us, and what you have done.
     I now say farewell, for good I hope, to you. If, for some cruel reason, I’m forced to live on, then my dreadful story will continue.
     People of light, forgive me.
                            Antonia Van’Dragon
                            Athean Lord General

     The sound of hooves hitting the soft ground broke the devastating silence. In the distance, a cloud of dust in its wake, a horse galloped toward the dark camp, following the will of its rider.  Spirits of the fallen surrounded the rider, calling to her, giving her their memories to live on. The Rider let the stories of the present stray to the back of her mind to be kept safe, being to busy concentrating on the past.
     Her white blonde hair flowed out behind her, shimmering violet eyes glazed over with remembrance. Why don’t you rescue them? The strange voice had asked. If you save them, then nobody will be lost. It hadn’t been that simple though. She couldn’t just rush off and infiltrate the enemy camp. There were rules and protocols that she had to follow, especially since she was the general. A rescue mission would be impossible, her mind had said. Besides, how did she know she could trust the voice, for all she knew it could be a Manoin, invading her mind.
     Think about all those who would suffer if you do nothing. Think of the pain the Manoins will inflict upon them. The voice persisted. You should save them.
     Would I really be saving them though? She asked herself. They will just die later on. She knew the answer though, she’d known it since that dreadful letter had arrived, informing her that her parents, along with other Atheans had been taken prisoner by the Manoins. They deserved to choose how they’d die. They didn’t disserve to be tortured to death, they disserved better.
Without a second thought, she’d saddled her black horse Midnight and rushed into the night, ignoring the frantic cries, of her second in command, to reconsider. She knew what she had to do; she needed to give them a choice. What they did after that though, would be totally up to them.
     So she pushed into the darkness, galloping deeper into the fields, shedding tears for the fallen land. Once this field had been full of life, lush and green, but the Manoins had seen an end to that. The fields were now dead and soaked in the blood of both sides, slowly dying with the Atheans.
     A soft breeze gently touched Antonia’s skin as she looked ahead, all five senses on high alert. The Manoin camp would have sentries posted to warn if anyone attacked during the night. Antonia knew that if she was to have a chance to enter and leave the camp, without setting off the alarm, she would need to slip by the sentries unnoticed, as well as to find out where they were posted so she could get her people out safely.
     Nearing the camp she dismounted and continued on foot.
     The first sentry casually leaning against a tree, closed his eyes as he crossed his arms making it easy for Antonia to slip by unnoticed. She focused her mind as she slipped by another sentry, concentrating on the task before her. She would need to get around the camp without being spotted, a difficult task in such a large army.
     Another sentry missed the silent foot falls of Antonia as she crept into the camp.
     Antonia almost stopped dead at the sight before her.  An endless sea of tents, with the smell of rotting flesh and fear. Fires stood everywhere giving a faint, dark glow about the camp. She moved forward looking for the prisoners tents. She kept walking until she found a group of tents. She peeked her head around the corner in time to see slaves shoved into cages of Stymphalids. They sat trapped in the large cage cowering against the bars. The large birds flapped their wings and shrieked preparing to attack. Oh how the slaves cried, banging on the bars, trying to escape what they knew was coming. Antonia watched with horror as the bird pulled back his head and struck, pulling off an arm. She closed her eyes, shedding tears as the slaves were torn apart and eaten alive; their screams echoing throughout the army, mixing with the laughs of the guards as they watched. With the smell of blood rising in the air Antonia crept forward, heading toward the next group. She passed the Gulons, have lion half hyena, and Dire Wolves as they to devoured slaves and prisoners. She passed Goblins and Hob Goblins as they were being served by Snortlings, Goblin slaves.
     She came to another block, and hesitantly peeked around the tents to find Necromancers, evil wizards with power over the dead. They were playing with bodies from the battle field. They were having them serve them and doing such acts that they cannot be repeated.
     Beside them were Liche, undead Necromancers. They to were doing terrible acts. She watched in horror as they swallowed people and tortured prisoners. In that moment, she feared more for her parents and captured comrades. Have they gone through this? She wondered. Have they been tortured or eaten?
     As these questions wandered her mind she past the encampment of the trolls and Unichs, Green skinned humanoid creatures with very think skin. She passed through men and harpies, listening to their brags about how many people they had killed and how. She passed the Troglodytes, Humanoid reptilian creatures and tried to ignore the screams of people as they limbs were torn from their bodies. Lastly she passed the Mannoks, creatures with the ability to transform into anyone. They were laughing at her people and transforming into them as they showed what their end will be like.
     She passed shedding more tears.
     When she couldn’t go on a moment longer she finally saw it, the tents holding the prisoners. There were three in all. This has to be it. She thought. They have to be held in those tents, all I have to do is get past the guards. But how would she do it, there were many possibilities, but she had to think of the consequences and about the ability to get out of the camp safely. With a sigh Antonia crouched down beside a tent and closed her eyes. She thought of the possibilities and their consequences. After a while, Antonia decided that the best chance she had was to use her magic. If she could put the guards to sleep then she could just walk right into the tents and free the captives. But she couldn’t use a lot of power, or the sensitive’s in the Manoin camp would sense her and raise the alarm.
     Taking in a large breath, Antonia focused her mind onto the soldiers, then drawing on her inner power, she eased the guards mind so they would fall asleep where they stood. In only a few moments the guards were asleep and Antonia was creeping into the first tent of captives. She saw three of them, chained to the ground like animals. Fortunately they hadn’t been tortured. Her hopes soared, perhaps her parents were safe.
     “Wait here.” She told them. “Let me free the others, then I’ll get you out of here. I promise.” With a nod she freed them from their chains and left to the second tent where she found two more captives chained to the ground she freed them and told them to wait in the first tent.
     Finally she entered the last tent, and her heart stopped. Three figures huddled together with heavy chains put into the ground. The first two, with brown hair and eyes, were her best friend Marcala, she was untouched, and her farther Anton, also untouched. The third figure however was covered in cuts and bruises, burns and other infirmities. This deformed figure, with blonde hair turned brown, was her mother, Antoin. Seeing this broke her heart. With tears streaming down her face, she gently removed their chains and lifted her mother off the ground.
     “Are you alright?” she asked. “Can you walk?”
     “NO fear, my little star, I will live.” Antoin replied. “Put me down, I have enough strength to walk.”
     “We must get the others and leave this fowl place, but I warn you, there is so much darkness here that we might not make it.” Antonia cried. “But I will do my best.”
     With a surprising ease they group of nine crept through and out of the camp and to midnight. They had to pause every now and then for her mother, but they did make it. When Midnight was in view Antonia called her and placed her mother in the saddle. Together they made slowly for the last protected area and to the medical tents where her mother was placed in the care of the best doctor they had. As she watched her mother, Antonia heard Marcala call her out side. With a last look Antonia walked out of the tent and toward Marcala. “What do you want?” she asked. Marcala just pointed. With a sigh, Antonia turned toward where she was pointing and gasped, the barrier was down and enemy soldiers swarmed in the camp, killing everyone they came across. “How, it should have held for a few more…” Antonia stopped; the realization of what had happened hit her. The only way the barrier could have fallen was if enemy had been let inside. With out a word Antonia rushed into the tent where her parents laid just in time to see her father stab her mother in the heart over and over again with a knife he’d taken from the medic; who now lay dead on the floor. “NO!” Antonia screamed, running over to her mother as she collapsed, falling into her arms. “Mom. MOM!” she cried, shaking the broken body, blood flowing down, covering Antonia.
     “If only you could see how pathetic you look.” Antonia turned to find her father laughing at her.
     “Why?” she cried. “Why? We’re your family. You were her husband, my father. Please tell me why. I don’t understand”
     “Why?” he mocked her. “Did you actually believe that I loved you two? Honestly you were two were just pawns to destroy the Athean Nation. Were you so blind that you couldn’t see I was a Dark Agent?”
     “Anton, stop messing around.” Marcala snapped as she entered the tent. “Finish them off, kill her.
     “Marcala you two? What about all the fun we had, you were like the older sister I never had.” Antonia cried, her composure threatening to collapse.
     “You’re such a fool.” Marcala laughed. “I was using you to get what I wanted. You meant nothing to me. Now Anton, kill her.
     “Shouldn’t we try and turn her to our side first?” Anton asked.
     Slowly, Marcala shook her head and approached Anton, taking the knife from his hand. Suddenly, without warning, she plunged the knife into his heart. “I hate it when they go stupid.” She said as she turned to Antonia. “I want you to know, this is all your fault. If you had just let us die or just given up hope, they might be alive.” Marcala laughed at Antonia’s distraught face and left with Anton’s body. Antonia just sat there, holding her dying mother, who surprisingly had made it through the assault on her heart, trying to keep the little bit of composure she had left. She needed to stay strong for her mother.
     “An-tonia.” Her mother stammered. “This wasn’t your fault. My star, take heart in that and live.”
     “How can I?” Antonia asked. “I have failed everyone; they’re going to die and it’s all my fault. I don’t deserve to live, not after this.”
     “Please…for me, live. You’ll get past this.” she coughed. “I know you are confused and lost, but life will get better, you’ll see. So promise me you’ll live on.”
     “I promise.” Antonia cried as she watched her mother’s eyes darken and become lifeless. With her mother’s dead body in her arms, Antonia’s composure shattered and she let out a terrible cry as she was overwhelmed with new emotions, totally oblivious to the sounds of fighting around her. All she could see was the dead body in her arms.
     A few moments passed before Antonia half carried half dragged her mother’s body out of the tent and into chaos. Atheans lay dead every where, covered in blood as others continued to fall. A part of Antonia wanted to help them but…she couldn’t, her soul had finally broken, she was useless. As her comrades fell around her, the camp burning, Antonia just watched, listening to the cries of those she’d grown up with. As the few warriors left standing looked at her with hope, she fell to the ground, her heart sinking. They saw her now for what she was, a fifteen year old child; their pure and unbeatable leader had fallen.
     The battle was lost and they had been betrayed.
     She sat there, holding her mother’s body tight as she closed her eyes trying to block out the cries and sounds of the massacre around her. Troglodytes went into tents and killed the sick and wounded. Others just killed as many Atheans as they could. Stymphalids swarmed, tearing bodies apart. There was no mercy given, no quick honorable death. They were slaughtered in the worst possible manner. It only took a few moments for the Manoins to kill what was left of her army.
     With them out of the way, the Manoins rode into Athea, killing every man woman and child in sight as they burnt the buildings.
     Antonia cried to the lost souls, begging for forgiveness for the destruction she felt she’d caused. As Athea burned, her soul died, floating away with the ashes of her life. Antonia became a lost soul, wandering what people now called the Fields of Blood in a haze burning the bodies of the fallen Atheans, following tradition. She took their ashes and using special powers she made them into hundreds of priceless gems, Then she made them into two bracelets that she never removed. Her mother’s stone she made into a large star shaped gem, hanging it on twisted wire, making a necklace she always wore. The fallen enemy bodies were destroyed with powerful magic, inflaming them with a black flame which  turned them all to dust, preventing their return by other means. She sealed their souls to the underworld with that one dark flame.

 

  

 

Author's Note

Please Tell me your thoughts on it and tell me what can be improved what i should do diffrently. What works and what did you like or dislike.