A Kaskian Story: Leaon, the Kings General

Chapter Sixteen

No longer having the option, Leaon and Jarrant both moved in to attack Anvil with all intentions of killing him. Even though they did not fully see their new foe, they both knew the only one who it could have been. Leaon attacked with a ferocity that Jarrant had never seen from the Felein. If he had the time to stand in awe of him, he would have, however, his General's might was overshadowed by that of the fabled Anvil Warrior that they both desperately tried to push back and out match only to be parried, ducked, or countered. The number of wounds that Jarrant now had was ten times as many then he had before the newcomer arrived, even Leaon had a number of injuries that Anvil kept landing that neither of them could get anywhere close enough to land an attack back.

Sali held her wrist tightly as her eyes darted back and forth, looking for the beast that had gnawed at her flesh, causing her to drop her bow. She stood back to back with Shizrin, who had her shield raised and sword readied. It was all Sali could do to keep the wound from bleeding more. She had torn part of her cloak and wrapped it tightly as soon as Shizrin got to her side. Putting as much pressure as she could to keep the deep gash from gushing with blood, cursing herself for not hearing the creature approach her. Sweat dripped from her brow as she watched in horror as their target overpowered not only Jarrant but even a Felein, wondering how any human could even come close to a Felein in power let alone speed too.

Leaon growled in frustration as he knew he was going to lose this fight and worse, would have to accept whatever sadistic punishment Cladon would extend not only to him, but to those who followed him. Try as he could, the General could not keep up with the Legendary Warrior and that of the one who hid in the shadows, even with three of his best fighters, they stood no match. Leaon continued to survey his surroundings while trying to deflect any attacks he could as he was unable to fully dodge the onslaught. He watched as Sali struggled to stand as the loss of blood was becoming too much to bear, Shizrin tried her best to watch for an enemy that she could not see, Jarrant was going to join Sali soon if he did not do something to end this fight. As he thought it, Jarrant was hit again, causing a wound that forced his second in command to lower his shield giving an opening for an arrow to hit him in the shoulder the moment he dropped it. A second after the arrow hit, Leaon heard that of another one piercing the air, whistling as if a messenger of death had sent it from the other world, a sound the seemed to howl in his ears, drowning out all other noise, he saw and accepted that his time had finally come.

Erik deflected the arrow that had been sent to end the Felein General's life. His ally in the shadows knew what the action meant and withheld the barrage. Instead of the sound of an arrow, a short whistle pierced the forest as Anvil pointed his sword at Leaon. "It's over."

"Leaon..." Jarrant muttered, clutching the arrow that pierced his shoulder. "We don't have to keep fighting. We can't keep fighting..."

"I have to..." Leaon muttered, knowing that he cannot go against Cladon's commands.

"The mission will still succeed." Sali coughed as Shizrin helped walk her over to where their Leader and Jarrant stood, dripping with blood from the many wounds they suffered. "It is too late for anyone to stop what is coming."

"You have followed what you have been told, the mission was a success." Jarrant added.

"I..." Leaon stuttered, grasping his own wounds as the adrenaline from the battle faded and his exhaustion took over. He watched as Erik sheathed his sword, turned his back and walked in the direction where all the arrows had come from. He knew that it was over and that they were no longer a threat to him and his ally. Leaon struggled to accept that fact and that Sali and Jarrant were right, he technically followed through with the mission and kept to what he was bound to do. "Let's go."

Leaon walked slowly as a wounded and passed out Sali rested on one of the horses with Shizrin behind her, keeping her mounted. Jarrant rode next to him with Sail's horse in tow behind, all of them having been bandaged up and drained from the fight, they traveled in silence as the taste of defeat lingered, knowing what awaited them when they returned to camp. It would not be long before Cladon arrived to the fight to ensure his prize is won and that Premus falls.

"What happened here?!" Kerd yelled as he saw the corpses of the rebels laying in a circle with a few Kaskian Soldiers lying next to them.

"Erik escaped..." One guard answered quietly, knowing the fury that would erupt from the General. "They tried to escape too, after General Leaon left to recover the escape." He continued, pointing at the dead bodies.

"What!?!" Yelled Kerd as he grabbed the man by the throat. "When did he escape?!"

"Ju... J... Just after the siege... S.. started..." The guard replied while struggling to breathe.

Fury building up within him, Kerd crushed the man's throat as he continued questioning him before he realized he had killed him. Tossing the body aside, he moved towards other guards in the area, bellowing for answers as to where the Anvil Warrior went and how long before Leaon had followed suit and how many men did he take with him to recover the Kaskian Fugitive when he heard a horn in the distance indicating that someone was nearing the camp.

Kerd walked over to the edge of camp, Reshmi and Garneth at his side as the fog slowly faded and the sunlight pierced in the distance revealing four shapes moving slowly towards them. The General's eyes being sharper than that of his companions, Kerd could make out that it was three horses and riders with one Felein walking towards them. The closer they got, he noticed that the riders and the Felein were all injured badly. Clenching his fist, Kerd turned and left for his tent, knowing that his fellow General would join him shortly as the sun was inching closer to the horizon.

The sun was setting as Leaon entered the General's tent. He explained what had transpired as his team had gone to the medical tent to be treated for their injuries. Kerd could barely hold his anger at the audacity that Leaon could be beaten so easily and that his so-called elite squad was useless as a newborn litter of Felein. Having been put in charge of the assault by Cladon, Kerd ordered that Leaon lead the army to the Capital of Premus while he corrects his counterpart's mistake. With a map in hand, two fully rested horses and his newly acquired team, Kerd heads towards the mountains with Reshmi and Garneth in the direction where their targets were last seen.