ViticiPrema *Elemental Mage Prequel*

Four

Everything happened so fast.  Nasa training ground siya kasama ang kanyang mga tauhan when the horn sounded.   Before it stop blowing, General Brandon Lancaster, the Duke of Brun was already running and shouting command to his men.   Inside his tent he received reports from his captain habang binibihisan siya ng kanyang tauhan sa kanyang battle armour.

"Captain we march to the gate.  And I need battlemages infront."  Bahagyang natigilan ang kanyang kapitan pero hindi nagsalita.  Instead his captain bowed and left.

Napabuntong hininga si Brandon.  Naintindihan niya ang kanyang mga tauhan.  Their army don't often use BattleMages.  They are so powerful that even a few BattleMages facing a division could still come out victorious, lalo na pag mga elemental mages.

He totally agree with his Com. Gen.  Maliban sa mga Krug ay wala na silang mahirap na kalaban.  Karamihan din ay walang kapangyarihan, mga ordinaryong mortal.  Some are fool enough to think that mages are myth and march on their border trying to take their lands.  Some just wanted to know how formidable the Empire of Quoria is, and some, the most stupid of all, think he can be the new ruler of the Empire.  Like the king of Tuskan.  Does he really think his mortal army and few mages can win a fight with the elves, kapre,  elemental mages and a warlord like his Supreme Commander Vulcan?  And oh not to mention the Queen of elves?  So...stupid.

But soon Brandon change his opinion on the Tuskani King after he saw the destruction made by the Tuskan mages.  He's not so stupid after all, he thought. A huge part of the 30 feet wall was down to ruble. There was chaos. A lot of shouting and running. Bodies littered everywhere. Para bang walang halaga ang buhay ng mga ito. Malapit sa nasirang pader ay isang residential area. Kaya naman mabilis na kumalat ang apoy.

Burned bodies lying on the ground oozing with blood. Gustong masuka ni Brandon sa nakita at mukhang ganun din ang mga tauhan. Some are still breathing and begging to finish them.

A good distance from the gate are the vast army of Tuskan, infront are their battlemages. At the moment ay walang ginagawa ang mga ito. A lone rider with a huge brown horse is fast approaching. Clearly a messenger. Malayo palang ito ay nakataas na ang isang kamay niyo na may hawak na parchment.

Suminyas si Brandon, one of his own men ride ahead para salubungin ang messenger. The parchment is for the Empress. Whatever message in the parchment is not good because later on the enemy advance. And war!

His battlemages fought with the Tuskani battlemages. The rest is up to his Supreme Commander.

Brandon vaguely remember what happened, the last thing he knew was hearing the Empress release a curse and then the enemies are gone and some of his comrades too!

A stunned silence.

And then Chaos!  If Brandon was not there and did not witness how the elves disappear right before his eyes, he will not believe it. But it so happened that he was fighting back to back with his captain a full blooded elf when he was there one moment and gone the next. Gone all of them. But it seems only a full blooded elves disappear not half bloods. He should know dahil isa siyang half blood.

Whoever said that war is a messy business was lying. It was back breaking and exhausting work. Parang ang bilis ng labanan. But the aftermath...sobrang daming dapat gawin. They have to give burial to their dead. Collecting fallen and discarded weapons. Helping the wounded. Pero ang pinakamalaking problema ay ang pagkawala ng Empress. The empire was left without a ruler, their supreme commander and their two commander generals.  Leaving only few generals and the only son of the Empress and supreme commander. Brandon hope that the Empire will get through this and still united.  Hindi nagkamali ng kutob ang kanyang commander general.  Then Brandon remember something... The commanders only daughter!  Oh shit! And then he run!