Last Light in the Darktide

Chapter 2: Enemies and Allies

It had been several months of calm and quiet, that is until a battalion of human soldiers came marching for our new home. Outside our gates the battalion stood and raised their banner high, the familiar sight of the royal crest irritated me greatly as the commander called out. "You wretched beasts dare attack your betters, you will all pay greatly for such a horrid act!" I stood atop the portcullis and called back. "The only horrid act was the genocide that Roland Hendricks led upon the innocent races who did nothing to humans!" The commander looked up in shock and disgust and yelled. "So you think fighting for these inhuman beasts will erase the past, fool girl you know nothing of what you say!" I drew my claymore and pointed it towards the commander and yelled. "You dare take one more step then I will come for your head, I will fight even if I bleed my last!" The commander laughed and said. "You think I will be scared of you, you are all bark no bite!" I looked behind me and saw what troops we could muster which was nothing more than a militia of brave souls and guards, that is when I stared down upon the commander with a blood crazed look and said. "You best not underestimate us or else it will be your last mistake. I will not let you leave here alive, it is my duty as a guardian!" Though he wore a helmet I could see the fear in his eyes when he realized I was without fear and he made a call that would cost him dearly as he raised his hand and made the order to march forward. I dropped down in front of him and raised my blade as the gate opened and I led the charge against him and his troops. The battle was bloody and costly as both sides suffered losses, I fought with rage and bloodlust as I locked my blade with the commander's and I said. "You will not win this skirmish filth!" He grunted and groaned as he tried to hold me back and called out. "Fall back and regroup soldiers!" He then pushed me off of him and ran away saying. "We will be back, you wretches!" I had thought to give chase, but decided against it in favor of helping our wounded and gathering our dead. We were seventy strong, but after that fight we were left with only thirty-five still able to fight, fifteen were dead, and twenty wounded. The chief came down enraged at what had happened, but he didn't scold us; he was angry that the human army now had our home in their sights. After tending to the wounded I was called to city hall by the chief as he had a plan to proceed forward in the current crisis. When I arrived at the city hall there stood Suki, Fey, Yuko, and Tristan, the chief told me to step forward and said. "Komi if we are to survive we must call upon allies of old, that is why I am sending you, Suki, Fey, Yuko, and Tristan to make for the enchanted forests where the elves hide, if we are to have a chance we need their magic, precision, and focus to combat the humans tenacity." I stood there in shock as I had never thought of leaving home like this. The chief saw my shock and said. "I understand this is a difficult thing for you, but if we are to have a chance it must be done, and I will not send you alone, you will have your most trusted friends accompany you on this task." I nodded still not certain on the plan, but I will not go against the chief. I gathered my gear and met the others outside the gate and bid farewell to my home.

While we walked Fey spoke up. "Cheer up guys, we'll be back and we will have a great army at our backs!" Suki added. "We will be heroes and go down in history!" Yuko sheepishly said. "Y-you two are pretty s-sure of this." Tristan chimed in and said. "Well without confidence we would be lost to fear, just look at Komi she is absolutely fearless!" I grunted and said. "As long as we do what we have to then we will finally be free from this oppression." We walked with a renewed sense of purpose. We had set up camp when night fell, the city was long beyond our sight and we took turns keeping watch throughout the night. When day broke we ate, packed up camp, and began our journey again. While we walked we encountered a man who appeared to be blind on the road. When we got closer we could see he was a human who walked alone. We thought to sneak by him, but then he addressed us. "Come now no need to evade me, I mean you no harm." Tristan stepped forward and said. "We meant no offense sir, we simply didn't want to bother or scare a poor blind man." He laughed and said. "I am no blind man my boy, I can see you all just fine, in fact I can see quite well despite my blindfold. I am Uldor Moran and I am a sage." We were in awe of this man as the sages were thought to be long dead, lost to the human kingdoms oppression. The man proved his claim by casting a spell to create fire in his hand and he said. "I stand here waiting for a party of young heroes seeking aid in their war against the oppressors, I can tell you five are those heroes, so I ask, please let me accompany you on your journey." We were apprehensive, but then agreed as we know the sages were enemies of the human oppressors.

As we walked on Uldor asked. "Where are we going, my friends?" I replied. "We are heading to the enchanted forests." He nodded in understanding then said. "I see, I assume we are going to speak with the elves then." I nodded as we kept walking forward. Our journey to the enchanted forest was rather uneventful aside from meeting Uldor, once outside the entrance to the forest and prepared to enter. After making our preparations, we started our venture into the forest and began searching for the elves. After some time we start to set up camp, but after we get our fire pit ready we are suddenly surrounded by elven hunters with their bows drawn and ready to fire. They ordered us to drop our weapons and go with them as we were trespassing on their lands, we did as they asked and were taken to their settlement and they locked us in prison cells. Suki, Fey, and Yuko were scared, Tristan was annoyed, and Uldor was calm. I was more focused on keeping Suki, Fey, and Yuko calm. The elven leader walked in and looked us over then said. "In all the years we have hidden here, we have never had a problem with trespassers. Now on this day three humans and their beastman slaves come onto our lands." I looked up and yelled. "What, I would never enslave my sisters, and if anyone ever dared I would..." He looked at me and said. "My my what a temper this one has, but do you expect me to believe that you, a human would really stand up for anyone other than yourself?" I stood up and a primal growl escaped my throat as I yelled. "Don't compare me to the filthy wretches that would hurt the people I care about!" He looked at me with disgust, and drew a rapier and prepared to execute me as he said. "You have crossed so many lines, death is your fate." As he thrusted his blade at me Suki jumped in front of me and took the blow, the elf lead was taken aback by the action and I grabbed Suki and felt tears well up in my eyes. I let out a primal scream of rage and sadness, Fey immediately started tending to Suki and was trying to stabilize her. I acted without thinking and tackled the elf leader pinning him to the wall as I screamed. "Why, why did you hurt her, why did you hurt my sister!" I lost control and was letting my emotions control me, the leader looked at me with fear and realization. His guards grabbed me and forced me to the ground as their healer came to tend to Suki, the leader then said. "Calm down human, we will mend the girl's wounds, but you will also be given one chance to explain." They took the critically wounded Suki away, and let Fey follow, then their guards took me to an interrogation room and made sure I wouldn't have another outburst. After a few moments the leader walked in, sat down, and said. "This is your one chance to explain, this room is enchanted so that you can't lie so speak." Still with a hint of anger I told him everything he wanted to know, and he just sat there and listened. Once I was done explaining he nodded and stood up and began walking out of the room and I yelled. "Hey, what now!" He stopped and said. "That will be discussed, but for now you will be taken to your "sister" as it seems she may be the only one who can calm you down." He snapped his fingers and ordered his guards to take me to Suki. When I arrived at Suki's room I saw her awake and relaxed, I rushed over and hugged her tight, she returned the hug, petted my head, and said. "There, there Komi, I'm okay." She comforted me and calmed me down just as the leader said.

A few days later the leader came to speak with me in private. "Good morning miss Komi, how are you feeling?" I shrugged and replied. "I'm alright I guess, but I know you didn't come to exchange pleasantries, so what do you want?" He chuckled and said. "You are sharp, so about what you came here for. I cannot spare any troops as the humans encroach on our lands too, this forest is sacred, and we will not abandon it." I sighed and said. "I understand, it was hard for me to leave my home, but I did it for the people I care about. Listen, I can't return home until I have gotten support for them, I will do whatever I need to get that support." He nodded in understanding and said. "The only way I can give you the support you need is if the human encampment at the southern reach was to be destroyed." I nodded in understanding and said. "If that is what needs to be done then so be it!" He seemed surprised that I am so willing to help, but nodded and promised me his people if I were to destroy that encampment. I started to gather my things when Uldor stood in my doorway and said. "I hope you aren't planning on going off on your own, miss Komi." I grunted as I grabbed my claymore and said. "I will do what I must for my people." As I walked past him I saw my friends standing there with their gear and Suki stepped forward and said. "You aren't doing this alone Komi, we are a team and teams fight side by side!" I let out a soft chuckle as I realized how foolish I was to think of going alone. We made our way out of the settlement and made for the southern reach with our mission clear.