Rebellion and New Life

Chapter 13

On the battlefield, the Skeksis had all gone to the Stonewood village to find the Gelflings they were going to fight. They all had their armor on. Even the least dangerous looking of them was ready for a fight. If only they weren't going to be fighting a once trusted ally that they had been living in peace with for nearly a thousand trine. If only it could have been something else instead. Gelflings and Skeksis had made a valuable team once. And it was Gelfling who had made the original armor first, but the Skeksis had learned from the Gelfling how to upgrade their armor and tools too. Especially the Scientist.

When the Skeksis finally found their new enemies, they laughed that there were only a small band of Gelfling facing them, but other Gelfling were sure to show up. Everyone just had to get everything together. All the clans had heard Rian's message by now.

The Emperor had reserved power in a crystal on his scepter. He would use it only as a last resort. But he said that the General could have the honor of facing Rian in battle, one on one. The General gladly accepted that challenge. The Hunter had wanted to face him first, but the Emperor stopped him.

The fight lasted only a few minutes. The Hunter was ready to claim his prize. Rian had managed to bypass the General's armor and he stabbed Var in the stomach.

"Just kill me." Var said.

"I'm no killer!" Rian yelled, then he yanked the Glaive back. Var was bleeding.

Awhile ago, Sil had managed to save the General from a female Gelfling trying to kill him from before. And he was now wounded again, near the same spot.

The General went back to his clan. "You have failed me. Leave." the Emperor ordered. He knew Var wasn't any help in battle now.

"Now, Emperor! The hunt must be finished!" Mal growled.

"Yes, now SkekMal. Claim your prize." So declared.

The Hunter snarled as he charged and his acrobatics grabbed up Rian. He was ready to kill him.

In the mountains, the Archer saw what was happening. "This must end, SkekMal. It is over." Archer said. He got himself into a position over a cliff. This had to be done. Mal was the most vicious of the Skeksis. He always had been, and that was why he couldn't live in the castle with the others, only making minor returns before another hunt would call to him.

Right now, the Skeksis thought that the Hunter was going to be the one to deliver the final blow to the one Gelfling that had started all this trouble. But, he didn't get the chance. His body started falling apart and he dropped Rian.

"Archer! What have... you done?!" were his last words before he was nothing more than dust on the ground, with the armor and clothing he had worn lying on the ground.

The other Skeksis didn't get what was happening, but that was two of the best fighters out of the picture now.

The Archer had let himself fall off a cliff, thus taking his life and his brother's. It had stopped the Hunter's hunt from killing Rian.

"Attack!" the Emperor ordered angrily.

Chamberlain had snuck away from the other Skeksis to see where the General had gone while the other Skeksis began to attack the Gelflings.

"General, there you are." Sil stated.

General turned around. "Dirty Gelfling. They have no honor. Friend, SkekSil. I'm badly wounded. Please, help me." He asked for help.

Sil knew this was his moment. Normally, he would have never done this to another Skeksis, but this one had been too much of a threat. Especially to his position, and to start other wars in the future. It was enough that there was the vicious tyrant, SkekUng to deal with in the future.