The Royal Brigade

Chapter 14: Battle in Scandra

Solaire's POV

The dazzling afternoon sunlight glinted off the deep blue waters of the moat surrounding the avilar creating small specks of diamond light on the water's surface. The four of us stood on the wooden drawbridge leading to the entrance of the Dalian avilar while waiting for the Dalian soldiers to appear so that we could go together to the kingdom of Scandra and help in the war there.

"Where are they, Sol?" Tarah asked me sounding quite impatient. She started to pace back and forth spanning the long distance of the drawbridge towards the entrance of the avilar and then back towards where we are at the foot of the drawbridge.

"They should be here any moment now," I called out to her as she made her way towards us again. I was getting a little bit impatient myself when without warning my mind wandered back to the events that happened just an hour ago. After learning that the nearby kingdom was being attacked by the Cabrians, my mother immediately appointed me as the Head of the battalion of Dalian soldiers and instructed me to lead them to the kingdom of Scandra. Being quite inexperienced in the battlefield I could only rely on my strategic ability and instinct to help me survive in the war against the Cabrians when we arrive later on at Scandra. And that's why I was reluctant in becoming the Head of the Dalian soldiers and even in joining the Royal Brigade. I just hoped that sooner than later my fighting ability will improve and eventually I'll be able to discover my other minor powers which would greatly help me in this war.

I casted a glance at Evanity and saw that she was standing right next to Avery who was in the middle of conjuring another force field to replace the one that he had destroyed a few hours ago when he and the others arrived in my kingdom. His eyes were closed as he concentrated hard and beads of perspiration started popping out from his forehead and trickled down his face. He stretched out his arms before him and summoned his power in gathering the remnants of the shattered pieces of the force field that had fallen on the ground and then pieced them back together. After a few more minutes, he finally succeeded in creating a dome-shaped force field which emitted a soft hue of blue light and which encompassed the entire avilar and the moat surrounding it. He continued to hover his hands in front of it for a moment longer and then slowly opened his eyes to survey his work. With another wave of his hand, the tinge of blue light surrounding the edges of the force field faded away leaving it invisible and undetectable in the naked eye.

Avery finally dropped his hands to both of his sides and told me sounding quite lethargic from creating the force field, "I've generated a much stronger force field compared to the other one that I've destroyed earlier. The intruders will have to exert much force and power in order to break this down."

"Thanks, Ave," I replied smiling gratefully at him and knowing that my mother and my servants and soldiers will be safe within the borders of the force field. "I really appreciate it."

"That's for the compensation of breaking down your other force field awhile ago." He returned my smile.

"They're finally here!" Tarah cried out in excitement staring at the deep blue waters of the moat.

The three of us followed her gaze and saw at the same time the waters of the moat beginning to ripple. The surface of the water created smaller ripples at first which eventually became much wider to reveal the top of the domed-metal helmet of a Dalian solider. He resurfaced slowly showing half of his armoured body while the other half remained underwater. Gradually the waters of the moat rippled and one by one the other Dalian soldiers appeared all of them wearing the same domed-metal helmets and plated armours which glinted in the afternoon sunlight.

They all turned to look at me at the same time and all at once I felt the sudden wave of apprehension when I realized that they were waiting for my command. Never before had I ever been the commander of such an army let alone an army of a hundred Dalian soldiers and the thought of being their leader made me feel proud and honoured but underprivileged at the same time since I lacked the capacity to lead them straight into battle. My heart fluttered wildly against my chest and I tried my best not to show the uneasiness in my face as I informed them, "The Learnah has ordered me that I will become the Head of the Dalian army. Since the kingdom of Scandra is being attacked by the Cabrians right now, we are going to head there in order to help them win the war against our common enemies."