Legends of Arkn

Ch. 17 - Battle Symphony

"Your soldiers stand with you, sir," said Phan to the General.

They stood atop the walls of Handhigh Holdfast. In the distance, an army marched toward them, one that seemed to span nearly the entire horizon.

The Army of the Wastelands was here.

"Daze wasn't wrong, you know," said the General. "When this is over, I got back to the balls of power, to a warm bed and a loving family. If we get back. My soldiers? So many have lost homes, they've lost families. I can only hope that if my time comes, they'll forget the wrongs that I've done, that I'll leave behind some reasons to be missed."

"Then maybe you don't go back to the way things were before," said Phan.

"The sun will set for you, and Phan, and me, one day," said Chaz climbing up the last few stairs. He joined them watching the approaching army. "We all stand together today. Your soldiers will all stand with you today and they'll stand by you tomorrow and the next day because they believe in you and trust you."

"I see all the world in front of me," said the General, shaking his head. "If this army breaks..."

"Then you'll fuse it back together," said Chaz.

"This voice in the back of my head just keeps projecting my paranoia, that this is the end of what's left of Arkn," said the General. "Sometimes I feel like screaming at myself, that I'm..."

"Let it go," said Phan. "You've gotten us this far. Just lead us the rest of the way. We're behind you."

Joh, Duke Robert, Baron Bradd, and the Phoenix stepped up to the wall to either side. The seven of them stared out at the enemy. A warm breeze blew across the wall and a dragonfly flew past, stopping briefly to hover in front of the General. He smiled at the small reminder of his house totem.

"We stand together, now, and always," said Duke Robert.

"We've tried so hard and come so far," said the Phoenix. "In the end, we're together and that's what matters."

"It's time to end this," said Baron Bradd.

"We're behind you, Kenji," said Joh. "Your soldiers in the street are behind you. The free people of Arkn are behind you. This is where you belong, leading us to victory."

The General glanced at Phan and gave him a half smile. He sighed and nodded once, then slipped his helmet on and drew his sword. He turned and approached the inner edge of the wall. The others turned beside him. Below them, thousands of soldiers and mercenaries looked up.

"Soldiers of Arkn, I ask you to join me in driving out this foe from across the seas," shouted the General, as he raised his sword in salute to the soldiers below. "I've made mistakes in my life, mistakes I'd take back. If I could take back the pain, I would, retrace every wrong move that I've made, I would. But I can't, so I'll take the blame for those now. What I ask is that you give me a chance to lead you to victory, for your families, and your homes, and your freedom!"

The soldiers assembled below, nearly half of their total forces, drew their swords and roared approval. The shouts and cheers and screams washed over Phan like a wave of hope. He drew his own sword and held it up. The others beside the General drew swords, knives, staff, and axe, and saluted the soldiers below in turn.

"Today, we tell those who'd seek to destroy our home, that we won't be ignored!" shouted the General, and a renewed wave of approval, this time mixed with rage, erupted from below.

"It's time," said the Chaz from behind them.

The group turned. He was gazing out over the walls, across the green pasture, at the army that was now in full view. Emperor Kritik's horde was deafening even from a distance. Their lines stretched out across the valley floor, slowly advancing around Handhigh Holdfast.