Chapter 12 （Erendriel）The Gray Kingdom
Chapter 12 (Erendriel )
The Gray Kingdom
M y hands were shaking, my heart was pounding, and I had a persistent feeling of nausea. With each passing minute, the feeling grew worse. I wiped the beads of sweat from my forehead with my handkerchief for the tenth time. I couldn’t show anyone how nervous I was.
A king had to be firm as a rock and face his destiny. But here’s the thing: I wasn’t a king. I was an impostor who’d been posing as a king for hundreds of years. I hadn’t had the upbringing of a king. I was the son of a nobleman. Of course, King Alluin had tried to teach me the basics once the royal couple had chosen me as their heir. I’d done my best to learn. I wanted power and to rule without question. I still remember the glory of ascending to the throne and the duty to protect my people.
Yet, the truth remained—I was not of royal blood.
All these years, I’d been putting up a front. Tonight, having to go to war for the first time, I questioned my choice. A deep sense of emptiness filled me. I knew going to war on an empty stomach wasn’t a good idea, but I couldn’t help it. My body refused to eat. I preferred to take provisions with me and eat later.
Doubts crept into my mind. I’d undergone rigorous training, but the kingdom had always been at peace. I had a large army, but most of the soldiers were inexperienced. My older generals had fought in the Great War against Eurynomos when they were young, but most of my men had only the death of a few goblins to their credit.
Sure, they’d trained, blood and sweat mingling with the sand of the battling ground day after day. But there was a big difference between training and a real war. When people fell at war, they didn’t get back up. How would they react to the harshness of it all? When seeing your best friend fall, and you feel you should have been the one to go?
War was unforgiving.
I was counting on the fact that the dwarves hadn’t been to war either. We were equal in that respect. The elves probably even had an advantage. Dwarves only lived an average of a hundred and fifty years, but elves could live up to eight hundred years. Therefore, all the dwarves who had fought in the Great War died. This meant that no one in their army had ever experienced war. I still had generals who had served in the Great War. Their experience would prove invaluable.
This thought comforted me, dispelling my doubts. After all, I even had the powers of the goddess within me. We were going to win .
I put on the pieces of my armor, the weight increasing as I added more. The setting sun’s light reflected off the thin layer of green crystal that covered the metal of my armor. It was high-quality royal armor of traditional elven construction. The green crystal and metal had been magically blended, forming a hyper-resistant material to blades, arrows, and fire. Although the crystal was heavy, the quantity was so small that the weight remained bearable.
I would have loved to be able to equip my entire army with this type of armor, but there were very few. They were expensive and time-consuming to make, and few armorers had the necessary skills to make them anymore. That’s why they were generally reserved for royalty. Thanks to my armor, I was almost sure to come back alive, whatever the war’s outcome. But I had every intention of returning with my whole army.
I took one last look in the mirror before donning my helmet. I looked like a true king. The fear in my eyes was gone. I took a deep breath.
It was time.
My army was waiting for me in the castle courtyard. Before me stood the hundreds of warriors who would place their lives in my hands. Most wore leather, and the more fortunate having reinforced studded armor. A lucky few had enchanted armor, usually a family heirloom. Of course, the mages wore enchanted robes, and a few warriors wore metal, but these were the exceptions.
The tension was palpable.
Silence fell as they caught sight of me, waiting for me to speak to them. I didn’t know what to say. How could you inspire hundreds of men and women about to shed their blood for you? Yet, I knew I had to say something. Any good king and commander would have done the same.
“My friends,” I began. “For centuries, dwarves have taunted us. They have destroyed our culture more than once in previous wars and disregarded our traditions. Their war machines decimated one of the purest types of trees that grew in our lands. They dig mines relentlessly and do not respect nature, taking without giving. Today, we’re not going to war . . . Today, we’re restoring the honor of our race and the balance of nature. And tomorrow, we will return victorious!”
I didn’t know where the words came from, but I held my head high and inhaled proudly as everyone cheered. The sun had now set, but darkness was no problem with our nyctalopic vision.
We set off, following the main path eastwards, which led to Mumbur, the dwarf capital.
The air was humid, and a gentle breeze cooled my body, which was warm from the effort of wearing my armor. The frogs and crickets stopped singing as we passed them. The sound of weapons and soldiers’ footsteps broke the stillness of the night. The forest surrounding Mytvathyr was as beautiful and enchanted as ever, with the lights of fireflies and fairies twinkling in the ferns. But despite nature’s beauty, our steps were heavy with the weight of our purpose.
We left the main road and crossed through the rocky plains as soon as we reached the forest’s edge. Despite the place’s desert appearance, lizards, mice, and small animals crept in, a reminder that, despite the arid conditions, life still finds its way.
Here, we’d only have the rocks to hide our arrival from the dwarves, and we couldn’t afford to be seen. I knew the terrain well. When the moon was high above us, and we were about halfway there, I started looking for rock formations to hide. We spotted large boulders not far away that went up like a cliff. It was at least twenty feet high and a few hundred feet long. The rocks formed a wall parallel to the main road. We’d be hidden from patrols if we positioned ourselves strategically behind it.
Still, it was risky, and we could be seen from the other side.I signaled the soldiers to stop, then called the mages.
“Your Majesty,” said one of the mages politely.
“We’re out in the open if anyone passes by other than the road or if any goblins decide to attack. Can you cast an invisibility spell on the army?”
The mage shook his head. “No, that spell has to be cast individually on each person. We don’t have enough mages to cast it on every soldier.”
This was bad news. We couldn’t afford to be in the open like this. I had known this was a risk, but I thought we’d find better shelter to get through the day. I had come through here so many times, I was sure I saw better rock formations than this. It felt like the terrain was different. Perhaps a giant had passed through here? They were rarely seen in the region as they lived in the Great Northern Plains. If one had passed through, or even a parent giant with its child, then boulders became pebbles, and trees became sticks. It would be no wonder the rock formations had changed.
Anyway, no matter the reason, we needed to find a solution. Under the sun, the army would be spotted easily if anyone came through on the wrong side of the rocks.
The mage continued, “But, we have a mage strong enough to cast the imaginary wall spell.”
I stared at the mage, interested, waiting for him to continue his explanation.
“It allows you to make a wall illusion appear for about three hundred feet. It can be made to look like any natural terrain. To someone looking from a distance, all they’ll see is rocks. Of course, we’re not immune to people with true vision powers.”
I shrugged. “Dwarves don’t have mages or anyone with true vision.”
He nodded. “This is true. So we’ll be completely hidden unless someone walks through the wall.”
“And what would happen if someone walked through the illusion?”
“If someone tried to scale the rock on the wall, they would find themselves on the other side of the illusion and see reality.”
It wasn’t likely to happen. After all, I doubted many dwarves were patrolling the place, and goblins weren’t known for climbing rocks.
“Sounds like a good solution to me. We’ll do guard duty in case someone comes near the wall. How long does the illusion last?”
“The spell takes a few minutes to cast. Once it’s done, the effect lasts about twenty-four hours. That should also give the mage time to recover all his mana.”
“Perfect. Let’s get on with it.”
I instructed everyone to position themselves within the three-hundred-foot range of the spell. The sun was already beginning to show its first rays on the horizon. The imaginary wall spell would be in effect all day long. We could spend the day out of sight and rest .
When everything was ready, the illusion spell was cast. It took several minutes and required the utmost concentration on the part of the mage.
I was amazed to see no difference once the spell was cast. I could see the rocky desert as if there were nothing there. Curious, I crossed the invisible barrier. Although I knew there was a spell, I was still astonished to see the rocky barrier before me. It was breathtakingly realistic. Anyone would be fooled, which was good news for us.
I reached out to touch one of the rocks, and my hand went straight through it. It was perfect. I returned to the other side of the wall. “We’ll be doing guard duty during the day to ensure no one crosses the wall. Please rest. We’ll leave at sunset.”
The soldiers finished installing blankets on poles to limit the light and get some sleep during the day. Satisfied, I retired to the tent that had been brought for me.
Sleeping during the day was hard because light still filtered despite the blankets and my tent’s roof, but I managed to rest for a few hours. Fortunately, I didn’t have the visit of Aeris and had the most restful sleep I’d had in weeks. I felt more ready than ever to attack Mumbur.
The sun hadn’t completely set yet, and the purplish hue in the sky could still be seen under the light, fluffy clouds. Night had fully set in when the soldiers finished picking up the camp, and the sky was now filled with dark clouds. I took a deep breath, the fresh, humidity-laden air filling my lungs. There was no sign of a thunderstorm, but we might get a shower. Regardless, the clouds were a blessing, as they completely hid the light from the stars and moon, allowing us to be even stealthier.
We set off in silence—as silent as an army could be. My hand returned to the cold metal of the sword’s handle at my belt as if to ensure it was there. It was a habit, and I tried to fight it, but I couldn’t resist the urge to find the reassurance of my sword’s presence, knowing I’d need it soon.
After three hours of walking, the dwarven city’s walls were finally visible on the horizon. Even from a distance, I could see the immense stone tower carved in the shape of an ancient dwarf king’s face. It was carved right into the edge of a mountain and must have been at least sixty feet high, maybe even more. He looked at us with a stern face, helmet, and mustache as we advanced toward Mumbur. If the intention was to intimidate attackers, it didn’t have the desired effect.
Next to the tower, the wall that protected the city seemed very small, even though I knew from having visited Mumbur before that it was some thirty feet high.I chuckled inwardly, thinking how funny it was that such a small race had built such a large city. It was as if they were trying to compensate for their size.
My natural nyctalopic vision allowed me to count a dozen silhouettes on the wall. They didn’t know we were coming, or there would have been more of them.
I knew that the sound of our army would quickly reach their ears and that the height of the wall would allow them to see us; we were still at our advantage in the dark. We continued advancing as silently as possible, and when I finally saw the silhouettes panicking on the wall, I told my general, “They’ve spotted us. Let’s pick up the pace.”
He nodded and signaled to the army. Everyone started running, no longer paying attention to the noise we were making. The hiss of crossbow bolts could be heard as the dwarves on the wall tried to slow us down. Most bolts fell to the ground, but the screams of soldiers were heard as bolts pierced their armor, lodging in their chests.
I shouted, “Keep your eyes on the sky. Try to avoid the bolts.”It was evident, but I felt the need to say it anyway.
We kept running despite the enemy fire. The mages kept an ongoing shield around most of the army, trying to fend off as many arrows as possible.
We had almost reached the walls when the city’s alarm bells rang. However, the reinforcements had not yet reached the walls, leaving them lightly defended. Rocks and debris flew through the air as a boulder fell to the ground a few feet ahead, striking one of my archers head-on.
“Catapults,” someone shouted.
I cursed. These machines could do much damage, but we were almost there.
“Protect the mages,”I shouted, adrenaline rushing.
We couldn’t afford to lose them. We hadn’t brought any ladders with us. They were bulky and impractical. The mages would get us up the walls.
By the time we finally reached the walls, we’d lost a few soldiers. The dwarves tried to pour boiling water on us or drop rocks, but we had dozens of shields in the air, forming a roof over our heads and protecting us. The mages began to cast spells while my archers tried to hit the dwarves on the wall with their arrows. After a few seconds, magical ladders appeared on the city wall.
“Get on,”I ordered the soldiers as they began to climb.
The dwarves tried to push the ladders back or cut them off, but the beauty of the magic spell was that the ladders could not be removed and remained for the spell duration. As soon as a ladder was cast, the mages began to make more ladders appear. Soon, dozens of ladders stretched along the city wall, enabling my army to climb quickly.
I grabbed one of the ladders and climbed. Adrenaline kept my nerves in check, allowing me to link movements without thinking and keeping my cool. On the wall, my soldiers were already fighting with the dwarven guards, the sound of clashing swords echoing in the night.
The smell of blood hit my nose as I reached the top, but I didn’t have time to worry about it as a dwarf was already pouncing on me. I grabbed my sword, my hand finding the familiar metal of the handle, and parried the blow. We exchanged a few blows, but I was stronger than him. There was an opening under his helmet through which his long beard protruded. This left a slight gap at the base of his neck where I could attack. Being taller than him, it was relatively easy to access. After a few blows, the dwarf plunged toward me with his sword, but I dodged him. Being close to him, I managed to plunge my sword from above directly into the opening of his armor, the blade of my sword slicing easily into his flesh until more than half the blade was inside his chest. The warrior suddenly stopped, his face frozen in surprise.
I was shocked at how much I enjoyed feeling my blade slicing through like butter, knowing the damage I was causing. I hadn’t expected this, but the feeling overwhelmed me. Blood stained the front of the dwarf’s armor at breakneck speed as I withdrew my sword from his body. He fell to the ground, and I stared in awe. This was my first time at war, but everything felt right, from the dust and blood to the cries and the sound of metal against metal. It felt like I belonged on a war field. Filled with a new purpose, I turned my attention to the others .
A few dwarves had joined the original guards, but since we had surprised them, they were arriving in disarray and by the handful. We outnumbered them, and the death toll was mainly on the enemy side. I helped my soldiers kill the other guards while the rest of my troops climbed the wall. The goddess’s magic flowed through my veins, giving me more strength than I could have hoped. I coldly killed one dwarf after the other. The more I killed dwarves, the more I heard the voices in my head, compelling me to do terrible things to my enemies . “Cut his arm off ,”said one. “ Rip out his tongue ,”said another . “Could you gouge out his eyes?” asked another. Now, that was a question I was curious to find the answer to. But just as I thought about trying it out, black jets shot through my fingers, killing the dwarf before I could.
I froze, startled. A few soldiers around me stared in shock. Did this magic come from the goddess? Was this the reward for enduring weeks of torture in my sleep? I smiled at the realization of what I could do. This new darkness coursing to me was a blessing, and I embraced it.
“Have you never seen elven magic?” I asked the soldiers, still staring. I wouldn’t reveal this came from a goddess. Saying it was my natural elven magic was a better explanation since all elves were born to magic to some degree. “Let’s go.” I motioned, which got them out of their torpor.
At last, when the mages climbed, no enemies were left on the wall, only corpses as far as the eye could see.
“To the city,”I shouted to my soldiers.
They roared in response. We knew we had the upper hand, especially as most of the guards had already been killed. As for the rest of the population, I reckoned most would rather hide or protect the young or sick than fight. We probably wouldn’t have too much resistance. After all, my aim wasn’t to eliminate the dwarves and destroy the whole town.
The town was surrounded by mountains to the north, where the mineral and metal mines were located. It possessed riches that the elven kingdom did not, and our race would profit from them.
The houses were built of stone and metal, probably from the mines. The town lacked trees. It looked sad, with everything being shades of gray, even at night.
We followed the main road to the castle. I knew the town joined a large river to the east, where the commercial port stood. I hoped that conquering the castle would be enough and I wouldn’t have to destroy the port. The elven city didn’t have one. Commercial trade would provide us with gold and riches from all nations.
As we advanced, a few men and warriors emerged from houses or ambushes, launching at us. But as they were few, we pushed them back easily, advancing almost unhindered.
Mothers holding their babies in their arms closed the curtains of their houses as we passed.
“Dwarven people, acclaim your new king,”shouted one of my generals as we walked.
I grinned at his words, feeling proud. Although victory was not yet assured, I was confident we would prevail.
The castle overlooked the road. It was elevated above the rest of the town. Built of gray stone and gold, the first glimmers of sunlight sparkled against the precious metal. The castle comprised several towers and, in the center, a larger building with an imposing helmet-shaped dome roof. Even though it was a dwarven construction, I had to admit that it had a certain air of grandeur about it. I’d send a few trusted elves to live there once we’ve killed its inhabitants.
As we approached, I remembered the prince. It would be a catastrophe if someone were to kill him by mistake. I told my general and army, “Don’t forget. The prince must be taken alive!”
Despite the chaos, the order passed from one soldier to the next, just in time for our arrival at the castle’s courtyard.