Halley Wolffer

Chapter 17

The students that were nearest to the doors hurried to conjure jets of magical water to shower the soldiers, and as soon as the flames were extinguished, it became clear that most of the fighters had been seriously burned, slashed or were otherwise missing hands, feet and even complete arms.

Professors McGregor and Annek pushed the doors closed before even more smoke would come in, the medical staff already attending most of the injured soldiers...

"Captain McClintok!" Albion said, approaching a man of long, brownish red hair and intense green eyes- "Captain, what the hell has happened at the palace? Where are my reinforcements?!"

Captain McClintok remained coughing and gasping for air, his combat uniform burned in many parts and half of his face covered by blood. The man would spit blood and teeth and he was trying to say something, Albion was shaking him like that would help him to recover and then the Captain recovered his voice:

"Commander Dusseldorf, the government has fallen" McClintok said, his voice barely more than a whisper- "They have destroyed the palace- The Irish Queen is dead..."

"What did you say?" Halley asked, many Professors and students gasping in shock after those words.

At those moments, the screams of battle coming from the grounds began to fade. It sounded like hundreds of Irish soldiers had retreated and entered the castle after a very fierce fight, and also the bombardment against the shields began to lose intensity and then came to a sudden halt at last...

"Oh, no" Albion replied, releasing the Captain- "This can't be good..."

"We lost five Battalions defending the Queen" McClintok continued- "Her Majesty fought to the very end... I managed to lead two Battalions out of there, and brought them to fight for Hog's Wart- Commander, Velaydamorte murdered the Queen in personal duel... You know what this means..."

The Great Hall looked eerie and ghastly illuminated by the light of the fires outside, and nobody could believe what Captain McClintok was saying. That was perhaps the worst thing that had ever happened to Ireland, even worse than anything that had ever happened during the First War against Velaydamorte.

"Then" Albion said, standing up- "The rest of the Irish Army..."

"Almost everyone have surrendered, and the civilians are trying to flee Ireland" McClintok whispered, moaning in pain as a medical Witch began to apply a green potion to his injuries- "Velaydamorte's armies have taken positions around the lake. Commander Dusseldorf, they are coming. She's coming..."

"How many Knights?"

"Twenty thousand, perhaps more."

Albion grunted, Halley scratched behind her wolf ear and Snap Annek covered her face with her hands, and then, before anybody could say something, an eerie and supernatural voice talked to all of them coming from everywhere at once:

"This is Queen Velaydamorte of Ireland" Velaydamorte announced with great pride- "My armies have surrounded Lake of the Hallows. I have commanded my forces in the island to retreat, and the bombardment to cease. Your defenses are holding, but they cannot last for much longer..."

"We shall never be loyal to you!" Albion screamed as an answer, and the Queen did not take long to reply:

"As your Queen, I command you to surrender" Velaydamorte said- "Come out peacefully, and I shall respect your lives. I want Halley, the Death Staff and the Alchemy Crystal... You have... one hour."

Velaydamorte did not say anything else, and everyone at the Great Hall remained in awestruck silence after her words. Professor McGregor began to drink Scotch from his magical bottle as usual, and then a young, blonde Rattlesnake girl stepped forward and said: