Chapter Three: The Battle For Cesium

A black tent and a white tent were the only two left after one child after another found his or her way to a tent that ‘fit.’ Ironically, there were only two children left-- Niendel and Circe. Niendel wandered to the white, and Circe, the black.

A strong, tall looking man stood at the white tent. He was clad in silver armor, trimmed in gold; a light blade hung from a loose scabbard.

He wore a helmet that had a dragon’s head set into the metal, with red painted horns jutting out on either side. After Niendel had explained himself, the man said:

“Welcome,” Said the man in a deep voice, his arms open wide, “To the ancient and most powerful order of the Dragon slayers!”

Circe was having a similar time. The black tent had no owner-- no one showed up even after she’d waited an hour. One hour turned to two, and soon the sun had set.

She waited long into dusk, until she heard the lock strike midnight, then decided to go home. She’d try again in the morning.

“How would you like power beyond imagination, human?” A voice rang inside Circe’s head.

“All you have to do is listen to me very, very carefully, and you will have whatever you want. Eliac? She won’t hold a spark to your bonfire. You will be above her and all others. All you have to do is listen….”

Circe, however reluctantly, agreed. Like every human, she fell to temptation of power. And, like every human, she would now have dire consequences…. She just didn’t know that part yet.

The morning came as any other morning, the men met in Sam’s Tavern. Sam’s Tavern was a popular place for people to visit-- Sam was always waiting with a drink and a smile.

But today people seemed on edge-- no one had slept last night for some reason. Some said it was a curse from a visitor, others blamed it on the Parisians’ daughter.

But no one honestly knew, so for now Eliac was safe.

It started in the west, near Morn’s house. “Look!” Cried the people, “Look!” The people of Cesium watched, horrified, as a wave of shadow engulfed the home…

Shadow imps leaped from the sparks of power and headed straight for Cesium.

“Post to arms!” A man cried loudly, “Prepare to defend!!!” After an hour of disorderly chaos, word was spread throughout the village.

Faces were grim as they accessed the number of enemies sprouting before them, hope was less and less common.

Men and women sprouted to arms with all great haste, children were locked (to their dismay) in the bookshop as parents held all manner weapons that gleamed viciously in the rising blood red dawn.

A hooded stranger sat in one corner of the room, drawing a thin rapier. Throwing her cloak, it was Eliac. Sam saw her first, and was going to cry out when Eliac held a finger to her lips.

Nodding, Sam picked up his sword, and ran towards the lines. Eliac had her hair held in a tight braid, a navy blue top like Robina Hood’s and thin blue pants was all she’d had to fight in.

It was very different, she thought, to think of killing live things versus slashing the scarecrow in their tobacco fields.

But she didn’t mind all that much-- her parents weren’t home anyway, and she had dreamt she would live. She didn’t think of it as a threat to her or anyone else if she defended her home… why should she?

She had no idea how wrong she could be.

The lines of Cesium’s finest stood readied physically if not mentally. All were ready for battle. That is, until…. WHOOSH! A wave of wind, strong and mighty, blew over the adults.

Most were killed from the impact, accepting Eliac. She’d stood her ground, along with a few others. Brandishing her weapon, she began to fight.

She had no experience in the field but all the imps seemed oddly slow-- As if they weren’t trying to kill her. As if they were… “THEY’RE STALLING!” Eliac cried.

“THEY’RE STALLING FOR SOMETHING! QUICKLY, MEN, WOMEN, TAKE SHELTER BEFORE THEY--” Thrum. Eliac was too late. Thrum. She wished she had thought of it sooner. Thrum.she couldn't believe it.

A giant snake stood before her, three times as tall as any house. Eliac’s eyes opened wide as it slithered toward the bookshop. A man cloaked in black slid from the back of the Basilisk, waltzing toward the door.

The man raised his hand and the glass of the door simply melted away, he walked inside. A scream was heard inside, and a moment later, silence.

The man walked out holding Circe, and, leaping onto the Basilisk, he escaped with Circe as his… ‘As his what, I wonder,’ Eliac thought.

Deciding to think about that later, she sprinted towards the bookshop only to hear two words blow in the wind…

“INSTA KAPAHIM! INSTA KAPAHIM!” Unearthly squeals of delight escaped the Imps as their master gave them permission.

They leapt onto the bookshop, breathing fire and setting the building--and all the other buildings of Cesium-- ablaze, the faint screams of the dying piercing the empty night.

Eliac felt a rock hit her head, and slipped into unconsciousness, thinking about how she’d take revenge…

As the imps continued to destroy the Village, the children were left locked in the flaming bookshop. Soon, it became dangerously filled with smoke. Elba knew humans could only live three minutes without air…

“Hurry!” Called Elba best she could through the smoke, “Follow me!” Only Niendel and Jack appeared-- the rest of the children were trapped or worse.

Hastily kicking a rug aside, Elba revealed a trap door. “Go down the latter,” She said, her voice trembling, “We can still make it!” The three of them escalated the latter, leaving their old world behind.

The entire town of Cesium was destroyed that very night, and by morning the Imps had gouged themselves on the remnants.

They're nasty things, Imps… they’ll eat anything they can get their hands on.

Sadly, this includes human flesh.

Author's Note

Please ignore grammatical mistakes. There are hundreds, this is an old story....Mercy.