The Eldars

59

The next day was stormy. Wild winds and harsh rain driving into the ground. Further south you go the more harsh the weather until it turns to ice crystals being driven by the lashing wind.

  The elves watch the enemy come  from the top of the hill and protect their bows from the wild weather.  

Some of the enemy are taken down by the storm.  Some of the enemy fall into the fosses lined with stakes. Due to the weather more fall not able to see the danger in front of them. Finally so many fall in that the fosse is filled with their dead bodies.

"Well it took out what about a thousand you think?" Leear says studying the layout below him.

"I think closer to eight hundred." Jewel replies clinically, "But still far more than we had hoped. Mother really came through with that storm."

"Yes, but if it doesn't lessen soon we won't be able to send our arrows into their ranks."

Just then as the last ranks pass by the last defensive fosse near them the storm lessened to the point it almost stopped.

Leear takes out his bow as do the other elves and they all let loose once they have targets spotted.

The ranks of evil ones go down like rows of scythed wheat. The elves pull back as their quivers run low of arrows.

"Now that is at least a thousand, possibly even two." Jewel says with a smile as she looks over the ground covered by the enemy dead.

"Shit! What is she doing there?" Leear says swearing viciously as he notices a lone person fighting and being surrounded by the evil ones.

"Who?" Jewel demands. She can't tell who the crazy blade wielder is.

"Montani!" He grates out harshly. Then Jewel understands. The one person that must not die has put herself in complete peril.

As they watch rings of fire surround and start killing dozens then scores of the enemy. Arrows of flame take out those closest to Montani. Each arrow starts the enemy on fire that cannot be put out. Their screams of agony are heard clearly from where the elves watch too stunned to move.

Suddenly Leear realizes what they are doing. "Get back to the settlement. Man the ramparts. If we rush we might make it before the enemy does. MOVE!" The elves run as fast as they've ever run. Jewel urges her horse to go faster just trying to keep up with the elves.

As soon as she's in the gates are closed and barricaded. "Montani and Mant are still out there!" Leear screams at the human guards.

"We know. We have our orders from Montani herself. We aren't to open that gate for any reason until she gives us the signal." He already has tears in his eyes. They know how many evil ones Montani is up against.

"What signal is that Kallen?" Leear demands. Jewel at his side crying.

"The signal that it's all clear. You don't understand prince. She had this crazy look in her eyes, there was no way I was going contrary to her orders. Mant just shook his head when he thought I was going to try to stop her."

Teondae materializes next to them, "When it comes to the evil ones you cannot argue or reason with Montani. A strange sort of battle lust takes over. She scared me the first time I saw it as she guested at my home. Scared Leean too. She would kill her allies to get to her enemies. Kallen did right in following her orders." Teondae looks out over the newly uncovered land they cleared to build housing and fortifications. Leear sees the tears that Teondae is holding back and his ire diminishes.

An hour goes by then another. They lose hope that Montani or Mant will return when suddenly the signal is given and two very exhausted people stand outside the gates.