Chapter 20 #3
He lied, coming back into his original form. What charismatic politician never lied? It was a white lie. His grandfather was dead, and the Deathless had, indeed, attacked the Isle. So what if he skipped out on one major part of the story for the sake of convenience?
“We cannot give up now. They might be coming here to attack us anytime now. It may be a day. It may be a week. We cannot know for sure. Several of our Vanguard soldiers have died in this battle. But here, I put my faith in all of you,” said Elias.
“All of you, House Solaris students—you are called upon by the noble god of your house and the noble leaders of this school. Your forebears, one and all, summon you to this fight. Will you join the Covenant? Will you answer the call of the Sol-Father?”
He raised his Sunflame Spear.
At first there was silence, but that silence only remained for two seconds, and then all of House Solaris burst into affirmations of yes and applause. The faculty members started approaching Elias to confer with him, but Elias remained a champion of the people, the champion of Sol.
He said, “Barricade the castle. Prepare your defenses. Revise your lessons, and get ready for a siege.
“Any and all who will answer to Sol, any and all who will answer to the Vanguard, are summoned. Send word to all the towns. Send word to the government that this is where we make our last stand. And when it is time, I shall send word to Mortandagh to come face me in this battle like a man.”
They did his bidding. The students and the faculty members came up to him, represented by Elara Moore, who looked perplexed.
“There are some reservations we have,” Elara said to Elias.
“I don’t understand that. I completely understand that you and your fellow esteemed faculty members are worried.
But now is not the time for such reservations.
This is war. When this war is over, and when we have won, we can have these discussions.
But for now, I need you all to trust me.
I need you all to look at me as Sol looks at me, as his champion, and I will do what needs to be done.
Right now, right this very moment, they are gathering all of the Deathless answering to Mortandagh.
He has immense power, but what he does not have is this—the Sunflame Spear.
So trust me, and if you will follow my lead?—”
It was not the most motivational of speeches, but it seemed to have done the trick.
For the next day, the students, the faculty members, the staff—they all readied the campus for a siege.
But no siege came. No siege came the next day or the next.
Elias ordered people to find Freya and Theo, but neither of them could be found as well.
They were somewhere in the castle, and they were still under Mortandagh’s thrall.
* * *
There was no battle that week, which gave them plenty of time to prepare.
And as for word from Mortandagh and his Deathless, there was none.
They had gone back into hiding after freeing the Doldrum prisoners, but Elias knew, as did the rest of Aladria, that there would be a battle, a battle for Aladria, right at this very place.
Elias, at the end of the week, stood upon the tallest tower, charging the Sunflame Spear in the light of the sun.
Below, he could look and see just how many people had answered his call.
People from all over the country had come, set up tents and camps in the grounds.
Some of them were training in groups; others were trying to cook meals and provide provisions for this great number of troops.
He was proud of what he had done. Maybe redemption could be his at long last.
The Aladrian prime minister had gotten in touch and had said that his support was neither for the Vanguard nor the Deathless.
That this battle preceded the Aladrian government, and that this battle was not going to be joined by the Aladrian government.
Elias had already known that this would happen.
Of course they would be neutral at this time.
The government was weak. The government didn’t even have its own forces, and all that was left of the Vanguard was now answering to Elias.
He stood on the morning of Monday, looking down as the sun rose and shed its light upon this great valley.
He could see Crook Haven and the people flocking there to buy more provisions.
The Sunflame Spear was a resplendent weapon in his hands, powerful beyond his imagination, glowing golden in the reflection of the sun.
He had ditched his old spellblade and was now using only the Sunflame Spear as his channeling device.
“Where are you, Mortandagh? Come face me,” he said to nobody in particular.
“Right behind you,” came a voice, and when he turned, it was to find Theo and Freya standing behind him, their eyes blank, their faces vacant.
“Why don’t you face me like a man?” Elias said.
“This is easier,” Theo said, and pushed Elias off the tallest tower.