Arcanum

Chapter 22: Aiyana

I walked through the forest, with a few knights by my side. Belle looked at me,

"What happens next, Princess?" She asked me, and I gave her a determined stare,

"Suit up in your best armour, and gather up all our knights."

"Why princess?"

"We are going to kill the Catori rebels." I said, and the Catori Knights nodded to me,

"They are our kind though!" A knight spoke up, and I spun around to face him,

"I know well enough that they are. We just cannot continue to let them steal and kill from the humans. They are the main enemy now." I explained,

"Princess, we-"

"She is right." Belle interrupted the knight,

"I wish they would work with us, but they never seem to agree with us about the humans. Every human in their mind should be exterminated, child or not." I turned around, and headed back to the village.

Once we arrived, I went straight to my house and got equipped into my strongest armour. Then, I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail and slipped my machetes into my belt.

"You can do this, Aiyana." I told myself, and when I turned around, Anca was looking at me,

"I want to lead this army beside you, sister." He said, and I smiled,

"I knew you'd say that. Are you ready to leave?" Anca nodded, and the two of us left the house and went to get our horses and meet the army.

"My army, if you see any children, innocent, or weak Catori, do not attack. We only will attack those are able to fight." I explained, and kicked my horse into a gallop. My army followed behind me as we travelled through the forest, the evening light are only lead to the village. I watched the place come into view, and I cried out my battle cry, and led my horse toward the oblivious rebels. A Catori man noticed me, and he turned into a jaguar and leaped at my horse. I swiped my machete across his throat, before he touched us, and then prepared to attack other approaching Catori. I did a backflip off my horse's back and landed a few feet away from the Catori rebels, grinning as I swung my machetes and then sprinted toward them. Many rebels were killed as I ran through the ground, showing no mercy toward the rebels. I swiped my machete up when a bird Catori flew down toward me, and I watched it collapse from my machete. Blood splattered around me, and I felt guilt for killing my own kind. However, I knew these Catori weren't kind. A Catori came up behind me, and was about to stab me, but Akira killed the man before he injured me.

"Thanks!" I grinned at Akira, and the two of us went back to back, fighting off many Catori rebels.

"Aiyana!" A voice shouted, and I looked up to see Grim running toward me, double katanas in hand. The guy swiped both swords toward me, but I flipped over his weapons, and landed behind the black haired guy. I was about to shove my knives to his throat, when someone sweeped me out from under my feet. A cry escaped my lips as I fell to the ground, and someone put their foot on my stomach, and applied pressure.

"Hello, princess Aiyana. How nice to see you again." Lilith looked down at me with a sadistic smile, and I swear I saw blood in her teeth. The black haired girl put more pressure on me, and I cried out in pain. Lilith threw her head back and laughed, aiming her scythe at my throat. "Should I kill you quickly, do you think? Or should I kill you slowly?" Lilith pressed the scythe against my throat, and I struggled, trying to throw the girl off me.

"Get away from her!" Belle cried out, and pulled the girl away from her. Lilith growled at Belle, and swung her scythe toward the girl's throat. I watched in horror as blood splattered everywhere, and Belle fell to the ground.

"Belle!" I screamed, and glared at the evil Catori woman in front of me, "you're going to pay for that, Lilith." I growled, and shapeshifted into my lioness form. I pounced through the air toward Lilith, but she had already dodged, and I looked to see she was in her panther form.

"Sorry to have to kill you're friend, what was her name anyway?" Lilith pouted, and I snarled, throwing myself toward her. I managed to pin Lilith down, and I swiftly threw my claw across her throat. Lilith's eyes shut closed, and I rose to my feet, turning around to see the battlefield in front of me. However, we were winning.

"Princess!" Someone growled, and I turned around, seeing a man in his late forties. His black hair, red eyes, no doubt he looked strikingly similar to Lucas. I only felt shock as the guy brought his sword down toward my stomach,

"Father, I won't let you kill her." Lucas went in front of me, using his sword to deflect the man's attack. I stared at the boy in shock, but he said nothing, and I watched his father look at him,

"Do you know what this woman has done!" He screeched, and I stepped in,

"I know what I have done, but I am giving you a chance to live. You can join the real Catori people." I explained, and Lucas's father glared,

"How are you any better than us!"

"We believe that not everyone should pay for what one person has done. The King trained millions of soldiers, but we don't know whether he brainwashed them or not. The rebels are becoming too much like the King, in that they have to assassinate all humans. You must take the high road, and not allow yourself to become like the enemy." I said, and Lucas's father loosened the grip on his weapon, "I know some humans care. Like you, and maybe your son." I breathed, and the man sighed,

"I will fight then, alongside the Catori." He said, and raised his sword. I watched the man run off to fight, and I turned to Lucas,

"Why do you keep saving me?" I asked, and he sighed,

"Like what you said, not all Catori are bad, right?" He had a small smile,

"Yeah." I nodded slightly, as Lucas took off into the woods, back to his castle. Just yesterday I believed that he didn't care for me, but maybe he did. I let out a quiet sigh, and then went on to help my teammates battle.

"Everyone retreat!" I heard Grim shout, as Catori rebels bolted off through the trees, and I was left standing with my tired army.

"We did well today." I smiled at my army, who all looked like they were about to collapse in exhaustion. A knight walked toward me, with Belle in his arms, and I let the tears fall freely as I brushed my hand across her face.

"You were one of my best knights, Belle I'm so sorry." I whispered, and squeezed her cold hands in mine. As I examined her face, I felt a bit more at peace when I saw how peaceful she looked. Her eyes were closed, and the girl had a calm expression. "You won't be forgotten. By any of us." I said, and kissed the girl's forehead.

---

The army got back to the village, and I was relieved to discover only a few of our army had died. Although, as soon as we got back, everyone spent an hour for the dead soldiers funerals. This was why I loved my people. We all cared about each other, whether we liked one another or not. As I stood sitting by Belle's grave and looking up at the stars, I prayed for everyone to be safe, and to see the General again. However, I felt like we would see each other very soon. Who knows, maybe he wasn't as bad as I originally thought.