skin had a pale cast to it instead of the normal bronze color and her mouth hung open in a groan. The arrow sliced through the air and sank into her shoulder as she moved forward. She stumbled back a step and stopped. Her head cocked to the side as she looked at the arrow. The warriors on the wall watched in horror as she raised her hand and wrapped her fingers around the shaft. With a jerk, she pulled the arrow from her flesh and stared at it. Then she raised her eyes to the wall. They scanned the crowd until they settled on a faery guard in the front. She raised her arm and launched the arrow with the strength of a troll. It whistled through the air, shedding the blood and gore from the woman. It hit the guard in the middle of his chest, slicing through the armor he wore like it was nothing. He stared at the arrow for half a second before collapsing in an unmoving heap.
“Everyone back!“ Arthur shouted as a hail of arrows soared toward them from below. Archers from below, both alive and dead, sent arrow after arrow onto the wall. Faeries fell left and right as the knights and other warriors hid beneath their shields.
Arthur had found his way to Aiofe and pulled her under his shield with him. “Are you all right?” he asked as an arrow hit the walkway beside them. It sizzled and hissed as the tip ate through the stone.
“I'll let you know when this is over,” growled Aiofe. She pulled her bow from her shoulder and nocked an arrow.
“ Now!“ Eden called as the hail of arrows came to a stop.
The protectors of the castle surged to their feet and raced toward the wall. Those that had bows raised them and sent a volley toward the faeries on the ground. Some fell, most didn't.
“Down!“ Zela sank to her knees behind the wall after sending a volley of lightning toward one of the undead creatures. It sizzled and screamed as the electricity danced over its skin. “We need help.”
The thick stone wall shuddered as the pressure against it grew greater. Thousands of faeries were pressing against it, pounding their fists or heads against the stone.
Eden pulled a small golden case from her pocket and snapped it open. It was the size of a pocket watch, but with mirrors on either side. A face appeared in one of the mirrors. “Sister, what's wrong?” Etain's concern was palatable even through the magical connection.
“ Castle Daor is under attack. We need assistance with all due haste.”
“ Attack? By whom?”
Eden risked her hand and raised the case so it was over the wall. “Oh.” Etain's voice echoed down from the little box. “I see.”
The general of the East pulled the communicator back down and looked at it. “Hurry, please.”
“ On my way.”
The other generals were having similar conversations with those under their command. Soon, the combined forces of the entire faery army would be converging on the little castle on the edge of the land of the North.
“Will they arrive in time?” Aiofe asked as the wall beneath them jerked dangerously.
“ Patience, dear one.” Eden didn't look at Aiofe as she spoke. Her eyes were on the sky. “Just be patient.”
Deklen called for another volley of arrows, but it was just as useless as the first. Though dozens of faeries fell below, they were quickly replaced by more. The roar of the crowd was so loud that Aiofe's head was starting to hurt.
“We can't wait much longer,” Arthur called over the noise. “We have to do something.”
“ Just hold on,” Eden said. The heir to the East was the third oldest of the royal children, behind Deklen and Drakka, and her cool demeanor told her age. She kept her eyes turned upward, searching the horizon. Then her hand raised and she pointed. “There.”
A black blob appeared over the trees, arcing toward the castle. As it drew closer, the blob separated into seven shapes. Six of them were massive dragons, spread out into a V behind the rider in the front. Red and white dragons were interspersed in a pattern.
“Everyone back!“ Arthur shouted as a hail of arrows soared toward them from below. Archers from below, both alive and dead, sent arrow after arrow onto the wall. Faeries fell left and right as the knights and other warriors hid beneath their shields.
Arthur had found his way to Aiofe and pulled her under his shield with him. “Are you all right?” he asked as an arrow hit the walkway beside them. It sizzled and hissed as the tip ate through the stone.
“I'll let you know when this is over,” growled Aiofe. She pulled her bow from her shoulder and nocked an arrow.
“ Now!“ Eden called as the hail of arrows came to a stop.
The protectors of the castle surged to their feet and raced toward the wall. Those that had bows raised them and sent a volley toward the faeries on the ground. Some fell, most didn't.
“Down!“ Zela sank to her knees behind the wall after sending a volley of lightning toward one of the undead creatures. It sizzled and screamed as the electricity danced over its skin. “We need help.”
The thick stone wall shuddered as the pressure against it grew greater. Thousands of faeries were pressing against it, pounding their fists or heads against the stone.
Eden pulled a small golden case from her pocket and snapped it open. It was the size of a pocket watch, but with mirrors on either side. A face appeared in one of the mirrors. “Sister, what's wrong?” Etain's concern was palatable even through the magical connection.
“ Castle Daor is under attack. We need assistance with all due haste.”
“ Attack? By whom?”
Eden risked her hand and raised the case so it was over the wall. “Oh.” Etain's voice echoed down from the little box. “I see.”
The general of the East pulled the communicator back down and looked at it. “Hurry, please.”
“ On my way.”
The other generals were having similar conversations with those under their command. Soon, the combined forces of the entire faery army would be converging on the little castle on the edge of the land of the North.
“Will they arrive in time?” Aiofe asked as the wall beneath them jerked dangerously.
“ Patience, dear one.” Eden didn't look at Aiofe as she spoke. Her eyes were on the sky. “Just be patient.”
Deklen called for another volley of arrows, but it was just as useless as the first. Though dozens of faeries fell below, they were quickly replaced by more. The roar of the crowd was so loud that Aiofe's head was starting to hurt.
“We can't wait much longer,” Arthur called over the noise. “We have to do something.”
“ Just hold on,” Eden said. The heir to the East was the third oldest of the royal children, behind Deklen and Drakka, and her cool demeanor told her age. She kept her eyes turned upward, searching the horizon. Then her hand raised and she pointed. “There.”
A black blob appeared over the trees, arcing toward the castle. As it drew closer, the blob separated into seven shapes. Six of them were massive dragons, spread out into a V behind the rider in the front. Red and white dragons were interspersed in a pattern.
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