Secrets of the Trees

24 - Wraithmarsh

Lily's POV:

I borrowed a pair green-grey pants and a matching tunic from a small Kloftcesni soldier. He was appalled that I would want to wear something so un-feminine, but who would go into combat wearing a freaking skirt? Tying my hair in a sloppy bun, I was now ready to go into Wraithmarsh. My small bow and quiver on my back, dagger and short sword on my belt.

It was too late for us to warn the others in Wraithmarsh. Telepathically communicating was out of the question also, considering that they were too far away to reach. Our only choice was to take the remaining 79 soldiers from the Lilwen Palace battle to help. Nobody quite knows how far in the Eramthgin's land were their camps. There is a possibility that our troops haven't even reached it yet.

But we are going to try and create individual portals to take us over distance that could normally take days to travel on foot or by wings. Gwyn met me and the soldiers in the front garden. Cedany, Roesia, and the rest of the living maids stayed back to try and clean up the palace; hopefully, to restore it to its once glamor.

Kael's POV:

 Swamps and marshes were everywhere in every size. The land was flat, but the fog made it impossible to see more than a quarter mile. I had only been to Wraithmarsh a select few times and today is the most important time for me to ever be here. The Master and I were standing at the entrance to our underground city.

Behind us was a twelve foot high pillar that had our people's history carved on all four sides in the black stone. Anyone who is not of our kind sees this same pillar, but it reaches on above eyelevel. This charm was to intimidate our enemies in order to prove we never give up, and that we will always be the highest race.

Of course this is an illusion to the blind and we just know it as The Pillar. It is considered the pride and honor of our civilization. And now we stand here and wait for the fairies to arrive. They are going in to our land in hopes to 'destroy our city'. We are here to surprise them and defeat their weak army. The Master has already sent out a few of our people to frighten the cowards by following them and using their fear to make them dilusional.

Some magic that lingers in the mist has the qualities to drive people mad, and some have a noxious quality. Weather differs, though we are immune as would be only expected. At long last we get to obliterate the fairies. It has been sixteen years that they have slaved around for us. The Master has begun to grow bored of them in recent years, seeing as though they are at our disposal.

Lily's POV:

Right now me, Gwyn, and the soldiers are standing at the very edge of Acantha Wood. And not facing the town; facing Wraithmarsh. Shock, awe, and dread are the looks we are exchanging. In front, lies a wasteland of marshes, bogs, what ever you like to call them. Muddy pools with hovering fog above, moss and lichen covered rocks, and a grey horizon that showed no sign of life. The air was eerily quiet and still.

 Onward we went, trying to shake off the damp cold air. I followed behind Gwyn, who was walking along the wet ground that snaked around various sized ponds and pools of murky water. Maybe ten minutes went by before there was trouble. A woman, probably around thirty, was in the back of the line. She uttered a strange noise, mumbling something we could not understand. She clawed at her head and shrieked.

Everyone had stopped. The person closest to her, tried to reach to touch her shoulder, but she clawed at him and yelled, "Nnn, Don't touch me!" He attempted to calm her down but again she was screaming. "Stop, please! Leave me alone! Please!" the woman was crying her eyes out, but she didn't appear to be talking to any of us.

Another person screamed, and started running off into the mist beyond us. I looked around me, and saw an Eramthgin heading towards me from my left. Now I know why these people have gone insane. Its preying on their fears. So far, I haven't had any major problems with them, but this one is strong, and I am feeling myself slipping...