The Nine (Blood and Fire)

Chapter Four

Elowynnen had sent a small group of us to Ardenwood, where Ireath would use her magic to signal to the High King to send reinforcements. It was me, Eregorn, Ireath, Ainthar, Faeye, and her guard: Lor-Ai. We rode on horseback. Reaching Ardenwood in less than a week. As of now, the orcs have stayed in their stronghold.

The city of Ardenwood was a tree, or rather a collection of several trees, with one big tree called Ydrissil in the center. It was home to the fae and had been since they came into existence.

I lept from my horse and walked to a guard, "Lockdown the city. Get all civilians to the centermost part of the city. We might be being attacked."

The guard looked confused, "You have no-."

"Listen to him," Faeye said, walking through the gates and into Ardenwood.

"Ireath and Ainthar. With me." I ordered, walking into the forest.

---

The orcish stronghold consisted of three major points, a large watchtower, a longhouse, and a small arena. This appeared to be all the orcs needed. I reached for the bow on my back.

I cursed quietly to myself, remembering that the Lightbringer incinerated it. "You got a bow?" I asked Ireath.

"Yeah, but you must be insane to think you are going to use it." She said a glare pointed at me.

"Ok, you are the archer then. I'll see about stealth---," Before I could finish, Ainthar ran into the stronghold.

He lashed out with his glaive, decapitating an orc, before spearing another one in the chest. I ran after him, Ireath close behind me.

---

ABRAXAS CRESCENT - The Kaastle, Kaarstag --- Three Weeks Earlier 

"My king, Morrostarr's location has been discovered. Do we launch an assault?" I said to Dargarian as he strode around in his royal gardens.

"No, not on the Rogue-King's front door. That'd be too... Ambitious. We need to draw the king out. We attack something dear to him. Someone... Some place that has aided him over the years. The Fae." He said, stopping to glance at me.

"We have the armies, the power to do so, we finished Zaadia in a week. Why not get rid of the rest of the Zaadian survivors." I said, generally confused by Smitelord's command.

Dargarian turned away, his white cape twirling in the air behind him. He reached to a flower and let a butterfly walk into the palm of his hand, "You see, Abraxas, you may have lived for an eternity but you fail to realize that life...," He crushed the butterfly in his hand, "Is fragile. So easily breakable." He wiped the remains of the insect on his tunic, a blue streak now visible on the cloth.

"You must realize that by directly attacking the Zaadian base, we will give up an element we have fought desperately to grasp: Surprise. Attacking the city of Ardenwood would be a strategic advantage. They could assume we still have no idea they are in the Dark Forest."

---

SEVEWRYNN MORROSTARR - Orcish Stronghold, Ardenwood --- Present Day

I slashed through an orc, chants rising through the air. Ireath rained arrows on the orcs that made it passed me and Ainthar.

"So much for a stealthy approach, Ainthar," I yelled to him, as I cut down another orc.