The Realm War:Chronicles of Illirian Book 1

Chapter 1:Ambush

A convoy entered a canyon. Six Lidaeri tanks, three troop carriers, four cargo ships, 50 soldiers and three robed warriors on speeders, sped over the rocky path.

One of the robed warriors shivered, and wrapped his robe tighter around his body. "Eoren" he muttered, heating the fabric, and instantly felt the drain on his reserves. He took out a small flask from the pouch on his belt, opened it and took a few sips of the dark liquid, restoring his energy. He closed the flask tight and returned it to his belt, and tightened his grip on his battle staff.

"Uneasy?" asked the second warrior. "Yes. It's too quiet" Kilor replied. "Aerza, Kilor, relax. Our cargo is well protected, and hostile activity here has been quite minimal" Leor, the third warrior, said. "Nonetheless, we should be vigilant" Kilor said.

The cold wind slowly receded, and they relaxed. Kilor reached deep for his energy, and spoke "Saeta", and added "Haarven", boosting his sight and hearing. The drain on his energy reserves was minimal, so he would be able to maintain the spells for a while.

Aerza stiffened, as she sensed danger. "What is it?" asked Leor. Before she could answer, a rain of ice fell on them, followed by fire and lightning, and balls of energy. One of the tanks was destroyed, along with 16 speeders, their occupants thrown to the ground and the canyon walls. "Lyran" Leor said, sending out a torrent of green lightning at the enemy soldiers.

The troop carriers unloaded their soldiers, and joined the battle. The Xoer soldiers struck again, as four white clad warriors joined in, taking out most of the remaining Lidaeri soldiers. 10 Xoer tanks fired at the Lidaeri tanks, taking out two more. "Illar" Aerza said, freezing three of the enemy tanks' weapons. The Xoer Knights turned their attention on her, and released balls of energy from their battle staffs. Aerza spun her black staff, simultaneously saying "Eoren", creating a shield of fire. Leor and Kilor joined her, drawing their green and aquamarine staffs.

"It's been far too long since we had last met, Leor" said one of the Xoer Knights, as she twirled her purple staff. "Indeed, Haelia" Leor turned his attention to the other three. "Ulzen, Kinta, Vorkas." Ulzen and Kinta hefted their yellow staffs and attacked Kilor and Aerza. Vorkas and Haelia battled Leor.

Vorkas aimed his battle staff at Leor's chest, and released a blue energy ball. Leor blocked a strike from Haelia and said "Lyran!", intercepting the energy ball with a burst of green lightning. Haelia said "Kalkar!", throwing Leor back. Leor rolled back to his feet and leapt over a volley of ice shards. "Teotaires!" he said, as he drew on Vorkas's energy. He heard Haelia grunting, as she took out a group of Lidaeri soldiers. He sent a wave of power her way, slamming her into one of the canyon walls, and attacked Vorkas, striking with his battle staff.

Vorkas blocked feverishly, and released a few blue energy balls, which Leor met with his green. He launched more, bypassing Vorkas's defenses, and throwing him to the ground.

Kilor blocked Ulzen's fire jet, and said "Illar!", freezing the ground under him. Caught off guard, Ulzen lost his balance, and fell. Kilor took the moment to recover, taking a gulp from his flask. Feeling a new burst of energy, he attacked, showering his foe with staff strikes. Ulzen rolled back to his feet and said "Lyran!", zapping him with a bolt of yellow lightning. Kilor was thrown back, into a disabled Xoer tank. "Heilas." The spell healed him of the damage the lightning did to him, and he evaded Ulzen's fire and ice attack. He attacked with his staff, and Ulzen blocked. They battled, evenly matched for a time.

Aerza sent a bolt of black lightning to her arm, shattering the ice, and attacked Kinta with her staff, releasing a volley of black energy balls. Kinta said "Illar", bringing up an ice wall, and then melted the ice into water, sending it at her foe. The Lidaeri Knight defended with fire, creating steam. Kinta launched a torrent of lightning at her. Aerza absorbed the yellow bolts and said "Kalkar", sending a gust of wind towards her foe, slamming her against the ground. She attacked with her staff, but Kinta blocked with her own, and kicked her in the gut, pushing her away.

Kilor slammed the head of his staff into Ulzen's sternum, and threw him back with a volley of aquamarine energy balls. He froze him in ice and rushed to Leor's side, blocking Haelia's deathblow and pushed her away with a triple kick to the chest. The Lidaeri soldiers fought off the Xoer, and attacked the Xoer Knights. "It's over" Aerza said. "You wish" Haelia replied, and released a wave of power, throwing them back. She melted Ulzen's ice restraints, and the four of them teleported.

"Check the cargo" Loer ordered. "Sir, one of the cargo ships is destroyed, and the others sustained moderate damage" an officer replied. "Could have been worse. Far worse. Return to the carriers, and let's move out. Gaenlin is still 16 miles away" Leor sighed. "Yes sir!" the officer saluted.

Leor, Kilor and Aerza drank from their hip flasks, replenishing their energy reserves, and jumped onto the speeders, heading off the column of the Lidaeri forces.