Crown of Souls

Chapters 10-11

Chapter 10

I walked out of the gates of the Elven capital and the others were waiting there with the army.

"Did you get my message?" I asked Aurora.

"I did," she said, "Are you ready?"

"I am," I replied, "Let's do it. Everyone, leave the civilians alive and charge into the city! Take the Elverian Palace!"

The army charged into the city, and the Elven Army met us in the city. The civilians ran to their houses, which was understandable, though their lives would not be in danger if I had any say.

My Royal Court and Jaxis and Seryn followed me as we cut through the Elven soldiers that attempted to stop us. The city itself was massive, and it wasn't long before Lucien himself was out in the midst of the fray.

There's Lucien, Aurora sent through the Heartlink, her rapier slashing through Elves as effectively as my longsword, What's the plan?

"I'll handle Lucien!" I exclaimed, "Keep the Elves off of me!"

"Aye!" Jaxis shouted back as I ran toward Lucien, his saber at the ready as we began to clash.

"Charging into my capital as though you have a chance to conquer it?" Lucien asked, "A bit hypocritical, don't you think, Tyris?"

"I'm fighting for the Light that you have forsaken, Lucien," I said, "You can still surrender! If you surrender, I'll let you live, and you can keep your Kingdom! Otherwise, you will fall, and your Kingdom will fall with it!"

"You think my Kingdom will fall, but little do you know that I, unlike the other four leaders on this pathetic continent, actually do have an heir!"

"What?" I asked, "Keeping an heir secret from the Conclave seems a little hypocritical, don't you think?"

"Even if you manage to kill me, my heir will lead the Elves in my stead," Lucien said, "It's only a matter of time before the Humans fall, Tyris, and you'll die before the Elves truly fall!"

"That's what you think," I replied.

The two of us continued to clash blades, and that's when it happened.

Lucien's smile began to stretch into as demonic a grin as Elanis, and his eyes became black as an aura dark as night surrounded him, and I recalled Lucien's own observation about Elanis as I sensed what had happened.

The darkness in his heart must be immeasurable. There is no more light left in his heart.

Lucien's strikes became powered by darkness, by what I sensed as Demonic power, and he knocked my blade out of my hand, the tip of it sticking into the stone wall of the house to my right. He slashed across my chest, and I was sent flying, hitting the ground and sliding on my back across the cobbled road.

I was overcome by a sense of simultaneous dread and panic as I realized I was unable to move.

Lucien walked up to me, sword in hand, prepared to strike.

"Now," he said, "You will see the true power of the Elves, and the Darkness that I was born to follow!"

He raised his blade up, and I was convinced. He was about to end me. That blade would come down any second now, and my time would be up.