The Amari War

Epilogue

FINAL CHAPTER

We landed just outside the walls of a city. General Trey was at the front, and she ordered the army to attack.

I drew my dagger and ran forward with the rest of the army. We crashed through the city wall and kept going. Fire rose from the front of the formation. I prepared myself for the battle, shadows swirling around my free hand.

The city's army streamed out to meet us. I was in the middle of the formation, so I was safe until our formation broke. Still, I made sure I was ready to fight.

Archers shot at us from the guard towers, and arrows struck down several other soldiers. I let a curtain of darkness cover us, hoping that it would throw off the archers' aim.

At the front, a cavalry unit charged right into our ranks. The formation fell apart, and I edged away from the horses.

More soldiers charged between us, isolating some of the witches. I found myself facing a soldier with a mace.

I dodged his first swing, diving closer. I stabbed him in the chest, driving my blade between his ribs. He fell, and I grabbed his mace, looking around for other opponents.

Someone charged at me with a spear. I sidestepped, surrounding him with blinding shadows. Then I struck him in the head with the mace. His skull shattered with a loud crack.

The battle was moving deeper into the city. We were headed for the castle. Another unit of soldiers came running down the hill, all of them carrying halberds.

I filled the air around them with shadows, and they stumbled around blindly. I left their bodies visible, so they'd be easy to kill. I'd gotten a lot better with my skill over time. Of course, I could still die at any moment, but I didn't think I'd need Trey to save me again.

The halberd-wielders finally realized that they could just duck. I had no time to blind them again, because another soldier threw a battle-ax at me.

I ducked, the blade whizzing over my head. Someone behind me caught it and threw it back. The ax hit its owner in the chest, killing him.

The person behind me was Trace. She took control of a bunch of spears and threw them all at the halberd-wielders. Several of them fell, skewered.

A soldier on horseback lunged at us, the horse leaping over several corpses. I ran to the side, and the horse landed where I'd been a second ago. I threw my dagger, but the soldier dodged it.

I ran closer and swung my mace, hitting the horse in the neck. It fell, and Trace hit the soldier in the head with my dagger.

I took back my weapon, removing it from the soldier's skull with a sickening squelch. Trace ran in another direction, and I charged at the nearest halberd-wielder.

He sliced at me, and I backed up, then leaped forward. I shrouded his head in shadows, and he swung blindly in front of him. I slit his throat with my dagger.

Another two soldiers stood nearby, fighting Olive. I came up behind them and hit one with the mace, snapping his neck. I stabbed the other one just beneath the skull, piercing the brainstem. They were both dead instantly.

"Thanks!" Olive gasped, leaping back into the fray.

A group of soldiers was heading for the castle. I took off after them. I won't get slashed this time. I can't afford to- we don't have Regeneration anymore.

I caught up with the other soldiers just as a cavalry group came to stop us. Trey blasted fire at them, knocking the soldiers off their horses. The horses ran away, and we continued into the city.