The Fairy Code

Chapter 23

We could see the smoke rising over the trees. At first glance, you could've mistaken it for a rain cloud. But it was something much more terrifying than that. I was frightened to think of what Eva had in store for my little village.

I raced down the stairs of the castle wall. Harry was yelling at each knight and guard that we passed. I needed to find Louis. My heart was in my throat. If I listened carefully enough, I could hear the stampeding army rushing towards me. I had felt nervous before, but this was something incredibly different.

"No don't go in through the front." Harry grabbed my arm. "If they're attacking now, traitors will make themselves known." He led me behind a bush then lifted it up. He looked to make sure no one was watching, then opened a trap door underneath the fake bush. I followed him inside the trap door. He grabbed a torch from the side and we started walking.

"What is this place?" I asked him. "I can feel the ground shaking beneath me."

"The first king made it right after someone tried to assassinate him. He built it  to protect his family."

"Where does it lead?"

"It's a long connecting tunnel. There are ten entrances throughout the castle grounds. I'm sure Louis has already used one."

In fact, Louis had. We ran into him and their mother about half way through the tunnel.

"She's coming." I said. "Eva. She has an army. The dust cloud is huge. Trees are falling over. It's time."

"Have you contacted your family?" Louis asked.

I shook my head. "I haven't. I can't run through the town before she arrives. I need to...Niall! Niall can teleport there. Can wizards do that?"

"You're asking the wrong people, sweetheart." Harry said. "I just learned about all of this a few days ago."

"Where is Niall?" I asked.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him." Louis said. "I went to his room, but he wasn't there. I grabbed my mother and then ran down here."

I nodded. "Ok, well I don't think we can just assume anything. I'm sure he's ok. Ok, we need a plan."

"Ok, let's go to the war room." Harry said. He looked at his mom. "Mother, do Louis and I a favor and protect yourself. Don't come out until one of us comes to get you."

"What if you all die?" She asked, trembling. "I won't bear it if you die."

"Louis' already beaten death once." I said. "I don't think you need to worry." I smiled, trying to reassure her. But I was as worried as she was.

"Stay down here." Harry said, handing her a dagger. "Don't leave."

Harry, Louis, and I rushed off, running through the castle. Harry ordered al of the knights to the wall to prepare for an assault from the wall. We would start with a hailstorm of arrows. I knew they were going to get past the walls, so we prepared rows of knights in the village. The knights insisted that the peasants leave the city the opposite way that the army was coming. 

We planned on ending the war in the village. If they burned the castle down, they would win. We had the advantage, but I was worried. They had a dragon and countless other magical, scary beings.

We stepped off the castle grounds and into the village. I saw Niall heading towards us. Behind him, a large crowd of armed people followed. Along with them, a dragon. I sighed in relief knowing everyone was ok...For now.

My mother ran to me with open arms. She held to me tightly and whispered something about how proud she was, though all I had done was cause a war.

"Here." My father handed me a sword. "Your friend, Niall, had quite a few. I'm worried about the choices you made without us."

Zayn showed up and stood next to me. He handed me some armor and patted my shoulder. I smiled at him and then he went to his position. After that, I don't remember saying anything to anyone else. They all just passed me and went into positions.

There was a moment of silence between war and peace. I heard someone shout fire. Louis grabbed my hand. I heard shouts of pain and agony come from the wall. I started breathing rapidly, until an ogre made it through the wall. It roared with passion. It caused Louis to let go of my hand. People ran to cut it down. The dragon landed on a house. I looked up at it and saw Eva. I could see her slight grin. The dragon roared as Eva dismounted. She stood proudly next to it before it took off again. The dragon burned down houses as archers aimed to shoot it out of the air. I saw Ginji rush to the other dragon and bring it to the ground. A cloud of dust shot into the air.

"We meet again, Faraley." Eva floated down off the house. "Is this how you plan on meeting your end?" She pointed her staff at me.

"I won't be dying today." I said, moving into a proper stance.

Eva laughed at me. "Oh child, you are not prepared. I'm much stronger than you."

Zayn tried to sneak up on Eva, but Eva anticipated him. She turned around, tripping him with her staff. When he hit the ground, she pressed the crystal in her staff against his back. Zayn was hit with small lightning bolts and then he laid still.

I screamed and then lifted my sword into the air. I tried to bring it down on Eva but she blocked it with her staff. She pushed me back and kept laughing. I kept my footing then lunged at her. I had no idea what  I was doing, but I knew I had to end it.

"Come on, child!" Eva yelled. "Put more anger into it! I just killed your friend."

I tried slicing at her waist line, but she blocked or dodged every swipe. She laughed at me every time. She hurled every demeaning phrase at me. I didn't respond, because I was too busy trying to cut her down.

In the distance, I heard someone calling my name. A line of fire spread across my side and burned my arm. I screamed in pain and fell to my knees, dropping my sword.

Eva pressed her crystal against my neck. "I win." She grinned.

I heard the most disgusting sound after that. Eva fell to the ground and lay in her own blood. The last look on her face was shock. Her eyes and mouth were wide open. There was a huge gash in her side. Her wings slowly vanished. And, standing above her, was Niall. He was covered in her blood, as well as smoke and soot. He breathed heavily and dropped his sword.

I thought that was it, but I turned around and saw magical creatures still slaughtering the humans. Niall nodded and I rushed in to help as best as I could. Eva was gone, but no one else was.

Niall and I fought everyone who tried to fight us. Some fell from exhaustion and warriors killed them as they laid defenseless. It didn't matter what side you were on. If you fell, you were dead.

After hours of battling, the only fairy people left standing were a few elves and fairies, who retreated and were never seen again.

Once they were gone, Niall and Aberlane cleared the smoke and I saw the survivors. I fell to my knees again and started to breathe heavily. The sword rolled out of my hand. I burst into tears and put my hands over my face. I felt a hand on my shoulder and I jumped.

"I'm sorry." Louis said. "It's just me." He sat down next to me. "Are you alright?"

I shook my head. "What happened?"

"We won. It's ok."

"Who's alive?"

"I don't know. We'll figure it out." He helped me up. "Let's just get you to the castle. Let's not think about this right now. You need a bath and I need to make sure my mom is ok."

I nodded. "I love you, Louis."

He smirked. "I know. I love you too, Thorn."

I started laughing a little. I followed him to the castle. Then we parted ways and I went to lay down.