After Empire of Storms

Chapter 23

With each step, Rowan choked the air from the Valg soldiers, offering them the mercy of a quick death. No humanity flickered in the eyes of their attackers, only an otherworldly darkness. 

Rowan sliced the hand off of an oncoming attacker, the pointed tips embedding themselves into the ground as the spindly monster shrieked. Within a heartbeat the monster was on the ground twitching along with three others of the same kind. 

Black blood coated his hands and face as Rowan scanned the battlefield, searching for his queen. A column of flame shot up from the middle of the field, forcing the encroaching darkness away from the army, though they were soon replaced with others, clawing forward towards that never-ending light. 

Rowan only grinned as the darkness scattered, the members of the Bane around him too engaged to notice that savage smile. Rowan spun in time for his blade to strike a soldier's torso, and before the body had dropped to the ground Rowan had rid the body of its head. Where he went, darkness made way for light. 

And so he kept fighting, hacking away with the mighty blade he carried, keeping one eye on the battle and one on the heir of Mala fire-bringer. 

* * * * * 

How glorious it felt to be fighting alongside his brothers again. To lead his legion of loyal soldiers that he had spent the past years with. 

Aedion gripped the Sword of Orynth in one hand and the dagger gifted to him by Rowan in the other. He was in a pool of black, reeking blood, but hardly noticed as he cut down another Valg; this one a dog-like creature with fangs as long as his forearm. 

The rising sun shone off of the coat of a beast deep into the Valk flanks. A monstrous snow leopard with glimmering fur. Arrows harmlessly bounced off of the female's massive hind quarters as she landed among another group of soldiers, shredding them with a swipe of her claws. She pounced forward, ripping out the throat of another beast as she did so. 

Leaving her exposed to the wyrd-beast sneaking up from behind her. 

Aedion roared a battle cry as he shoved through the front lines of the Bane, desperate to reach the shifter only strides away. He shoved his dagger into the gut of an approaching soldier, sheathing the Sword of Orynth as he grabbed two daggers from the falling body. In the chaos, it would be too tight of a space to swing the mighty blade. 

Launching himself above the Valg, Aedion twisted his body to avoid any oncoming arrows, letting his pure instinct take control. He shredded three soldiers with blows to the neck as he landed, then spun again, releasing his stolen dagger into the eye of the monster readying itself to pounce upon Lysandra. 

* * * * *

Yrene watched the battle from the small hill of the encampment, the sun a spotlight on the chaos spread below her. Chaol stood to her side, gripping the pommel of his sword tightly though no Valg were near. 

The destruction was terrible, though she could not bring herself to tear her eyes away from the four soldiers leading their army, cutting a path straight through the Valg's darkness. 

To her left, the mighty fae warrior towered above the other soldiers. Though no wind seemed to be touching him, his enemies swayed and stumbled as gusts of air swept them from the formation, leaving open gaps in their front lines for the army to exploit. 

To her far right, a massive beast hurtled through the army, shredding through darkness and beast alike as if they were paper. Another massive warrior followed her, ducking and slicing as though he had claws of his own. The Wolf of the North.