Legends of Arkn

Ch. 15 - The Messenger

"Messenger!"

The shout came from the front of the column. The General has led them out of Wakefield after a night of mourning those lost to the miasma. Duke Markus had assembled several hundred of his soldiers. The total force now numbered over five hundred as many of the townsfolk volunteered to travel in the train. Blacksmiths, carpenters, farriers, they all had lost and wanted to fight back.

"You don't know what you've got," said one man to Phan, as he packed his horse to set out. "Until it's gone. I can't repair the damage done, but I can do my part to stop any more bloodshed."

The messenger finally came into view. Her horse looked like it needed some time off its feet, but it wasn't completely blown. The rider looked equally exhausted, but she straightened up and saluted the General. He returned the salute sharply.

"News from the south," he said more than asked.

"Sir," said the messenger. "Port Shinoda and Heavy Harbor have fallen. The Empire sacked both and they now march north across the Floor. Reports of skirmishes from Fort Delson, but they've held off the flanks so far. The Empire has mercenary companies who helped them get into the cities. They are three days' march from Handhigh Holdfast, and we've had scattered reports of a small fleet heading northwest."

"They're going to sack my city and block any retreat from Handhigh," said Duke Robert, his voice edged with anger at the thought of his home falling to the enemy. "They reduced Wakefield to practically nothing. We have nowhere to fall back to."

"They're forcing us into the open," said the General. "We can't face them on the open plains. Not with so few."

"The armies of the south are rallying to Handhigh," said the messenger. "Lady Kyara leads over two thousand from Heavy Harbor and Lady Anna has rallied the Dragonflies and several hundred Shinodan regulars to her. They reached Handhigh as I was departing."

The General seemed to stagger a moment, even mounted on horseback. Phan saw a weight leave his shoulders for a moment and a thankful smile crossed his lips.

"That's good to hear," he said, his voice soft, almost a whisper. "Very good to hear."

"Lady Anna is the General's wife," said Joh as he moved his horse next to Phan. "She's a warrior in her own right, as all citizens of Port Shinoda are. If she made it out with the royal guard and that many soldiers, they bled the Wastelanders well. We may yet have a chance."

"We've marched halfway around the old kingdom, running from fights, to gather a few hundred swords, and in the end, it doesn't even matter. We still have to fight a battle against an enemy who outnumber us two to one," said Phan. "How can you be so positive?"

"We've got friends," said Chaz. Phan cocked a surprised eyebrow at the poet. "We're fighting for what's right."

"Surprised to hear you so eager to fight," said Phan, suddenly feeling the bout of hopelessness fade a little.

"When I was in that, trance, I don't know what to call it," said Chaz. "I could see things that could come to be, things that had happened that I couldn't have seen. We will be ok. As long as we stay together. They're truth will come, they're going to pay for what they've done."

"Soldiers of Arkn," shouted the General suddenly.

Phan, Chaz, and Joh turned to listen.

"Soldiers of Arkn, we leave now to confront the enemy that has dogged us this entire journey," shouted the General, standing in his saddle. "The enemy can destroy our cities and drive out its people, but it cannot destroy our resolve or drive out our pride."

A cheer went up from the soldiers. The General's voice was commanding and his address was stirring.

"This foe is ravenous, and they have picked the battlefield. Teeth wide, smiling that they found us, circling around us, slowly closing in. We could stay and play it safe, but this is taking shots time! We will not back down! We will meet them with our swords and show the lands of Arkn what free people do in the face of tyranny!"

The soldier shouted, their war cries rolling over the Phan like waves.

"March to war," shouted the General.

"March to victory," shouted his soldiers.

Phan felt himself shouting without realizing it, his arms suddenly raised in the air, his rifle held aloft, his empty hand balled into a fist. They could win, they had the General and Duke Robert and Baron Bradd to lead them, they had Joh and the Phoenix. They had Chaz and his mysterious powers.

"And they've got me," Phan said quietly. "I'll do whatever it takes."

"Fuck yeah we do," shouted Chaz exuberantly.

After his experience in the power trance and their time at Wakefield, he seemed a new person, less afraid and worried, more alive and in the moment. He seemed happy. And Phan was happy for that, for his new friend, who now felt oddly like an old friend. They set off together down the road. Whatever the future held, they'd face it together.