The Legend of Lemur (Book 3) - Rise of The Desert Queen

Chapter 8: The Defense

The Lapis Union had been hard at work after the meeting, quickly setting up both plans thought out by Lemur. Queen Scarlet had proposed the spy mission to Nico and Jayden as well. Jayden was well on board with the mission, but Nico was not.

"I don't want any part in this spying mission!" Nico argued, "I am more than capable of protecting this place, and thus I won't be doing this spying. It would be a waste of my skill for me to be passive in such a mission!"

Queen Scarlet rubbed her temples and said, "Well what if they got into trouble, Nico? Your skill could be proven usef-"

"No," Nico interrupted, "I'll stand my ground. I'm staying here with the defense squadron. You did say that I had a choice in this matter my Queen."

Queen Scarlet sighed and replied, "Ok Nico, you may stay here to defend."

And thus, Jackson, Jayden, Cedric and Polar had departed without Nico, dressed in the sand-wielding guard's clothing, and headed north, through the Forest Kingdom's remains to the sandy wastelands beyond to locate this kingdom in it. The group of four had taken a more secluded route to avoid possible run-ins with the enemy as they travel there.

Everyone else in the Union had set up defenses from Stone Kingdom to central Forest Kingdom, until they heard it.

"THE ENEMY HAS BEEN SPOTTED!" Fegelein had shouted, "COMING FROM THE NORTH, AND QUICKLY!"

Several civilians, helping with the defenses rushed behind the front lines, both for safety, and to become more armed than they were.

This is it, Lemur thought to himself, the battle for Forest Kingdom is about to begin.

Everyone began to see the cloud of sand flying towards them, and it was at that moment, Lemur raised his hand, and swung it outwards and shouted, "ATTACK!"

Several people, who had volunteered to defend their homes, and the Forest Kingdom, charged out with swords and spears outstretched and ready to kill. Civilians of the Forest Kingdom had stood from afar, firing bows and using blow darts to tranquilize or kill the enemy. Several wails and barbarous shouts could be heard on the front lines, and it was clear to the rulers alike that, even though they are taking out the enemy, they are losing some innocent lives in this battle. Lillian Galaxy and Juniper had spotted some enemy forces bleeding through the front lines, and charging towards the objective rally point, and began to take action. Lillian attacked from afar, with her scepter and Juniper had leapt down to attack with her spears.

Amongst the front line, was Nico, eyeing the battlefield, and seeing several allies falling before him. Nico sighed and thought to himself. Some of these civilians weren't completely trained or were prepared for this battle... and it shows. Yet, it was described that these soldiers thought with such strength that they deteriorated themselves... but these ones aren't. They're holding back, but for what purpose?

Nico pulled out his pocket watch and pressed down the stem, much like the time when he had aided in taking Stone Kingdom from the Undead... and all time slowed down to a stop around him. I have one minute. Nico charged forwards and starting killing several of the frozen enemies with his hookswords and carrying the wounded behind the front lines. Everything was going fine until the final fifteen seconds of frozen time came up. He charged up his thrust of his sword on an enemy when something caught his eye with the individual. Wait, I recognize this one. Nico had quickly moved some of the floating sand around the enemy's face, and pulled back his hood and gasped.

"This- This is Serena!" Nico stuttered with utter shock in his voice.

He glanced amongst the fallen enemy and started to put the pieces together. "They're holding back because they're all- all from the Forest Kingdom! They're all survivors. All controlled."

He turned back at Serena, and caught her gaze shift slowly to him.

"Wait, what!?" Nico exclaimed.

He heard his watch start to tick normally again and had come to realize... his frozen time had run out.

Meanwhile, at the rally point, Juniper had been fighting the enemy and couldn't help but to notice something.

"Queen Galaxy!" Juniper shouted, "Is it possible that Queen Nile can read our past memories!? These enemies are attacking as if they already know my methods!"

"Much possible," Lillian shouted back, "If she has control over their minds, she may as well have access to their memories!"

Suddenly, another enemy took Juniper by surprise, and sliced her arm along the shoulder.

"AGH!" Juniper exclaimed.

"Are you alright Juniper!?" Lillian shouted.

"Indeed!" Juniper replied, "You will pay for that fiend!"

Juniper swung around her spear, holding it at the center, and had used both ends to either stab or bash the other enemies around her before she swung the blunt end of her spear hard across the head of that very enemy.

"Didn't expect that did yo-"

Juniper and Lillian stopped attacking and were completely shocked at what they saw. As Juniper bashed the head of the one that sliced her arm, the enemy's hood flung back, and to their surprise-

"CYNTHIA!?!?" Juniper exclaimed.

Lemur had heard Juniper shout this, and became his demonic form to fly over to Juniper and burn a wall of fire between her and the enemy, and was too, met with the same shock that Lillian and Juniper experienced. The enemy laughed in unison with the others that were yet alive and spoke solely.

"It appears the ruse is up!" exclaimed the mind-controlled Cynthia, "I honestly found it hard to contain myself! Everyone! Fall back!"

"Wait Cynthia!" Juniper shouted, "Please I know you're in there!"

The enemy forces had begun to flee back to where they came from, and Cynthia turned to Juniper and spoke harshly.

"The 'Cynthia' you know died with your kingdom. If I had to guess, based on everything I had seen, there's more of you. Many many more of you! Perhaps an alliance of kingdoms. Very intriguing. Until we meet again."

Then Cynthia had joined the group of fleeing soldiers and the silence left behind was broken by a gasp of another Forest Kingdom civilian.

"Thomas! My love! No..."

Juniper, Lemur and Lillian had joined this civilian, and Juniper had gasped.

"He's one of ours!"

The defense squadron had looked amongst the dead, and had come to a dreading conclusion.

"Everyone here," Lemur replied gravely, "The enemies were ours. The survivors of the Forest Kingdom."

"NICO!" Queen Scarlet exclaimed.

The others rushed to her to see what had happened and gasped. Amongst the litter of corpses was a fallen Nico, clutching his pocket watch in his left hand tightly, and his hooksword in his right.