The Legend of Saironelloistya [COMPLETED]

Chapter 23: The Battle for Quendelie ar Apanónar

 This was it. The fate of the world would be settled here
So Many would die, and all would be filled with deep fear,
I know not the end, nor how this dark world will be ruled,
but this is not the finish, else you all have been fooled (13)

I looked out ahead of me, into the sunset, as we continued to march towards Le Elyanme, on the third day of our march. We were heading north of the city of Meneltarma, and as we had progressed, the land and its creatures were strangely quiet, as if they too could sense the the storm that would soon decide the fate of this land. The sky was a strange green, due to the Sky-Bridge puncturing the atmosphere of the sky, and causing the refraction of light through the water droplets in the atmosphere to change directions, which caused the sky to gain a greenish tint, or so we were told. Many in the land believed magic was to blame, and I personally stood somewhere in between. I believed that the sky was that color partially because of the atmospheric puncture, and partially because the fortress was almost always filled with bored magic users, who, due to the usual state of peace in the land, had nothing better to do than practice their spells into the sky, leaving magic floating above their heads with no place to be absorbed, radiating like a maelstrom of lightning filled green energy. Eventually, the council banned this practice, but the Ban was mostly ignored due to how hard it was for the council to enforce anything there. However, as it became visible to our column, I did not see it as a sign of atmospheric damage and danger, but instead it filled me with relief and hope, because soon I knew I could relax, knowing that the war was over. Whether this battle ended in Victory or defeat for the forces of Meneltarma, the war would end here. This truly was the Battle for Quendelie ar Apanónar.

Le Elyanme was on the north center of the explored landmass, and sat on a ledge, accessible by a single stone bridge, that crossed over the sea so far below, in an almost direct drop, onto rocks and waves.  The Skybridge, actually referred originally to the stone bridge, but it was eventually expanded to mean the whole fortress, bridge, and ledge. The reason this 79 unit long stone bridge was called the Skybridge, was because, from a distance, it appeared to lead into the sky. This effect was caused by the fact that the Skybridge was nearly 3,000 units higher than any other point on the entire face of the Land of Quendelie ar Apanónar.

It was also called the Skybridge, because the phrase Le Elyanme actually comes from the primitive Elvish word for rainbow. While the main structure of the bridge was made of a blue stone, the surface of the bridge was covered in a plethora of gems, from red rubies, to violet Amethysts. This, when the light shined upon it, caused the bridge to look like a rainbow, in all of its iridescent glory. 

We continued marching, the forces of Meneltarma marching behind us in a long line, proceeding slowly but steadily behind Aranellevanima and me. I turned towards her and said "How are you holding up, my friend?"

She smiled and brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes before responding, "I am tired, but I should be able to continue." She turned her head and looked behind her. "I fear for the soldiers. Not all of them are wizards, so they can't sustain their own energy. They need to rest, Saironelloistya. Could you give them eight hours?"

I looked up at the sky, and saw that it was already getting dark. "If we march for one more hour, I will give them ten hours to rest. By the time the message gets to the end of the column, it will have been nearly forty-five minutes, since the message began. " I thought for a moment, before turning back to her, and continuing: "What if I cast a countdown clock into the sky, and we pass the message along?" But she shook her head.

"Saironelloistya, you are a powerful wizard, but even you couldn't sustain an illusion spell for that long, of a size capable if being seen by the rearguard. We can pass a message along saying that you'll shoot a large tower of fire into the sky, as a signal that we can rest, and that it will be within the hour."