Cursed With You

See You on the Battlefield

They gathered in the strategy room. Raffin, Ames, Helman, Arles, General Tibor, Magus Uxar, and Jacina. They all stood around the map of Ostelux, painted on the floor. A large chandelier hung over them, the only light in the room.

When Ames told them who Jacina was, Helman and General Tibor's reactions didn't differ from his own. But once again, Magus Uxar assured them that Jacina was harmless. Like Ames, they reluctantly accepted. Their attitude towards Jacina remained suspicious, except for Arles.

"If I had known how beautiful you were, Your Majesty," he gave Jacina a seductive smile. "I would have freed you long ago."

All eyes were on Arles. Disinterested glances showered him. Arles was smart, but sometimes his behavior didn't reflect his intelligence.

Jacina greeted Arles' teasing with a raised eyebrow. "And you're sure I wouldn't kill you once you set me free?"

Arles' grin disappeared, and Raffin tried hard not to smile. Ames took charge of the situation, telling them how to defeat the monstrous creatures. As he finished, a young knight arrived.

"Captain Jem is here to report, Your Majesty, General." The young knight saluted Ames and General Tibor.

"What is the situation, Captain?" General Tibor asked.

"The monstrous creatures are still coming out of the portal, General," the captain replied. "The light wizards are trying to close it, but they have failed. So far, they have been able to overcome the creatures and capture them. But if the number of those creatures increases, I'm afraid they're going to get overwhelmed."

"In the meantime, spread this out." General Tibor repeated what Ames had just told him. "Then wait for further orders."

"Yes, General!" Captain Jem nodded. He turned to Ames. "Permission to attend to my duties, Your Majesty?"

"Go ahead," Ames said. "So how are we going to fight these creatures until sunrise?" Ames looked at General Tibor and Magus Uxar, the two most high-ranking leaders after the king.

"I think we need to divide the army," General Tibor suggested. "There's no way we can keep fighting until sunrise."

"I agree, General," Ames said. "So, what's your strategy?"

"We will divide the army into two groups. Each group will attack every two chimes. But the problem is: where do we position our reserve army?"

"In the palace," said Helman. "As the last line of defense."

"But what if the portal appears near the palace?" Arles asked. "Even worse, if it appears within the palace grounds?"

"I can create a barrier around the palace," Magus Uxar suggested. "That way, the palace will remain safe."

"What about the citizens?" Raffin asked. "We cannot leave them in the middle of the battlefield."

"The portals are inside the walls," Jacina said. "You can evacuate them outside the walls. Place light wizards at the city gates to keep the creatures inside the walls."

No one answered. Ames, Helman, Arles, and General Tibor looked at each other. They were uncomfortable with Jacina weighing in. But Raffin was sure that in their hearts they knew they could carry out her proposal.

"I agree with Queen Jacina," Magus Uxar spoke up to break the awkward silence. "I will tell Ivys to organize it."

"City guards will be on hand to oversee the evacuation," General Tibor added.

"If I may ask, General," Jacina spoke up again. "How many men do you have in total?"

General Tibor glanced at Ames and answered only after the king gave permission with a slight nod. "On call at the moment are two thousand five hundred. Those off duty are another two thousand five hundred. That makes five thousand men."

"Mercenaries?"

"There is no time to gather them. But I think those in the city will join the fight without being asked. If they aren't too cowardly and decide to evacuate with the citizens."

"Speaking of armies, do you know how many will come out of the portal?" Helman asked Jacina.

"I don't know for sure," Jacina replied. "But if it were me who wanted to destroy the world, I'd make thousands. Maybe tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands." Jacina folded her arms behind her back and paced, ignoring the looks of horror on Raffin's and the others' faces.

"I get it now," Jacina continued, sounding more to herself. "It was amazing how the curse-maker thinks. I don't know what grudge they have against the world, but they created the curse of eternal darkness to prolong fear. They want people to be haunted forever. It must have taken them years to create this curse. And if that was their goal, they would have put a limit on the number of these beings that would come out. If I were them, I would limit it to a few hundred per hour. Between three or four hundred. But..." Jacina paused and returned to where she had been standing. Her eyes swept the room. "That's less scary and more predictable. So I'll double the amount after a certain period. If the curse maker is of the same mind as me, I estimate their numbers could reach over ten thousand by sunset."

"Ten thousand?" Ames repeated in surprise.

"If we do nothing, yes, that many," Jacina added. "But if we can kill them quickly in the beginning, when their numbers have multiplied little, I'm sure we won't have to fight that many."

"Can you not close the portal?" Raffin asked. "Your power is greater than the others."

"When dozens have come out, the portal is stable. Its power is equal to the curse of eternal darkness itself. When the curse is gone, the portal will be gone with it. But there's no harm if I try it later."

"All right then," Ames said. "We already have a strategy. When will you remove the curse, Magus?"

"After I create the barrier, Your Majesty," Magus Uxar replied.

"All right, everyone move," Ames ordered. "Except Arles and Raffin. You two stay in the palace."

Arles nodded. "As you wish."

"No," Raffin protested. "I will join the battle."

"The future of Ostelux is now in your hands. Nothing must happen to you. So you will stay in the palace until the battle is over. That is an order."

"I'm more useful out there, Brother," Raffin insisted. He could not oppose Ames as his king, but he could still persuade Ames as his brother. "I caused this disaster. At least let me pay for my mistakes by going out there and fighting those creatures."

"No," Ames said in a firm tone. "Obey me or I'll have to lock you up."

"You will not do that."

"Try me."

Getting a sharp look from his eldest brother, Raffin fell silent.

Ames left the room, followed by Helman, General Tibor, Magus Uxar, and Arles, who took the time to pat Raffin on the shoulder and say, "Better just obey him."

Jacina was the last to leave. She paused on the threshold and looked back. "I knew you wouldn't obey your brother," she said. "So I will see you on the battlefield, Young Prince." Jacina gave him a knowing smile before disappearing down the corridor.

***

Jacina was right, Raffin had no intention of obeying his brother. Dressed in full armor, he stepped into the palace forecourt. A dome-shaped barrier had enveloped the palace, as if a giant had trapped them in its upside-down glass bowl. Thousands of soldiers lined up on the forecourt. In the center, Magus Uxar pointed the Wand of a Thousand Magic at the sky. White light shot out of both of his hands, traveling along the wand before being transmitted to the sky. The light coming from the crystal at the end of the wand was many times brighter than the light in his hands. So bright that Raffin could see nothing and raised a hand to cover his eyes.

When he no longer felt the glare, Raffin lowered his hand and looked up at the sky. "Praise the King of Gods," he murmured, watching the small cluster of stars that accompanied the full moon in the clear night sky.

Everyone cheered. Magus Uxar knelt as he chanted praises to the King of Gods. The soldiers clanged their swords and shields in an energetic rhythm. Raffin could also hear cries of relief and joy from inside the palace.

Excitement burned in Raffin's chest. He stalked out of the palace with no one to stop him, heading for the battle.