Escape through the Sacred Forest: Lich Lord Wars Book 2

Chapter 1

Author's note: Book is in the editing stage, looking for people to review it now and let me know what works and what doesn't.

Chapter 1

"Lord Aguerius must not be allowed to take command of an army."

"He can't if he is dead. Such a small force shouldn't be that hard to wipe from the face of the land."

"Do not underestimate him or Lord Teanas. Simply delay him. First we will destroy his army, than we can worry about the more difficult tasks."

Creetan felt his stomach twist into a knot as he pulled back the arrow notched into the string of his bow. Just a week earlier archery had been nothing more than an activity. Now he found himself in a line of fellow archers; spread out and watching a force of undead revenants approaching.

He resisted the urge to once again look behind him to where his mother and siblings were taking shelter with the rest of the non-combatants -- wishing for all he was worth that he was a couple years younger and could be cowering with his siblings.

It had only been a few days since his father had returned from Demon Mountain to rescue his younger brother, Almas, from the Lich Lords. One of his scouts had sent word ahead of the imminent attack and, as soon as his father and brother arrived, preparation had been made for everyone in the town of Morenville and the Aguarius estate to begin their journey for the protection of the city of Jaspen, capital of the Aguerius Province.

The day before they had been joined by refugees from the towns of Redbrook and Agueres bringing the number of the company to several hundred, but with only a few dozen guards to defend them.

It was only a few minutes ago that Ulec, Almas' elvish friend, had alerted them all of the undead's impending attack. Creetan's father had only taken a few seconds to put together a defense and assigned positions to everyone trained with a weapon.

"Archers take aim!" He heard his father call out. Creetan glanced down the defense line and saw his father mounted on the back of his armored forest dragon that he used as a war mount, aiming his own bow. His father was the only archer without any guardsmen but then being a weapons master he could handle himself just fine.

Creetan's hand shook badly as he waited for the order to fire. Suddenly a calming feeling come over him; his hand stopped shaking and he found himself able to focus better.

He then noticed the harp playing faintly behind him. That would be Almas; their uncle had taught him to play, and more recently how to work magic through the playing of music. Creetan could see that the music had a similar effect on the other defenders and standing there, waiting for the order to release his arrow to begin the battle, he suddenly had a whole new appreciation for music.

"Release!" Creetan heard his father command.

Releasing his arrow he watched it shoot out with arrows from the other archers before finding its mark and causing one of the revenants to crumble to dust. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a beam of light erupt out from where his father was mounted and disintegrate a whole line of the undead attackers. His father's powers as a paladin were also useful.

Nocking another arrow he quickly shot it at one of the revenants approaching him and his guards. He took out four more before the pair of swordsmen assigned to protect him were forced to meet a group of three. Creetan continued firing at other groups of advancing creatures until he suddenly felt a wave of heat crash into him from behind. Glancing back he saw a pillar of fire rising from behind the hill where the non-combatants were taking refuge.

That would be Lord Teanas, Ulec's father, ambushing the large group of undead that were trying to sneak up on them. While Ulec could speak to animals and plants, his father had the power to control fire. It looked like he had unleashed a flaming whirlwind on the undead on the other side of the hill.