Cloak of Darkness( return of vesna book 1)

Chapter 18 The Grey Storm

King Silas noticed that the light surrounding the arena had started to disappear, looking up at the sky he was alarmed by the dark cloud . A swarm of darkness that cloaked whatever light had filled through the grey clouds. Blanketing the sky it hovered until a portion of it started to swoop lower. Without warning, suspended in front of him was a dark Fae.
His silver hair bounced around him as he hovered in the air his black wing flapping with the wind, obsedian eyes like dark tunnels of hopelessness stared at the king. A dreadful smile twisted his lips revealing sharp canines that mocked him. His suit of dark metallic armor hugged his across his powerful chest and a gauntlet made of chainmail crunched beneath his fingers as he crossed his chest. The sound of metal grinding together spoke of a terrible strength that aimed to crush its foes.
"I see the king of Pretoria is having a celebration." The fae's voice was sickly sweet dripping with venom as the words rolled off his tongue. "Have the mortal kingdoms forgotten to invite the Fae to the celebrations?"
King Silas stood in front of Byron shielding his son from the dreaded dark Fae.  "An oversight soon to be rectified now that you're here." He watched the Fae throw his head back and laugh.  It was melodiously malicious, an undercurrent of evil that filled the king with dread. Watching the Fae bob in the air, he wondered if this would be his final moments. A million thoughts raced through his head all at once but one thing that kept him calm was his fear. "Will you join us shadow Lord?" King Silas invited.
The dark Fae sized him up with a cold look. "I wish I had time for such silliness that you humans call games, fortunately I have neither the interest or inclination for such human trivialities. Instead a mission needs accomplishing, "with a wave of his hands the grey clouds parted and descended into the arena. Hundreds of dark Fae scattered down  landing with a thud that shook the ground, boxing the royal pageantry making the horses skittish.
Pandemonium broke loose and people started to scream and run below them.
"Now that's what i call real games!" The Fae laughed a grutural sound as another dark Fae joined him and landed smoothly inside the box, his dark hair was tied in a que, his eyes stared pointedly at prince Byron, before shifting to the princesses and the two young boys beside Mirasol.
Mirasol eyed the strange Fae with fear, grabbing the hand of her brother and Darren she started walking backward until she hit the stair
"Run !" She told the boys and started running with them hoping her sister would follow suit.
The Fae shook his head as if bored and was prepared to follow .
"There's no need for that Damos, they can't run far," the other Fae remarked sharply before turning back to the king.
"Why are you doing this, we have no quarrel with the Fae,"king Silas implored, while Byron was holding on to his sword hilt.
"On the contrary, " the Fae flicked his hand and other shadow lords tarted to infiltrate the other royal boxes that housed the royal kings. "You all have something I need."
"What could that be?" King Silas broke into a sweat,
"It's just a simple request really." The Fae finally landed inside the box of king Silas and came within a foot of his face. "You have hidden among the mortal kingdoms, a young Fae child. We want him back!"
Surprised at this king Silas turned to the one called Damos who continued to glare at Byron his hands casually folded against his chest.
"If a Fae child was living amongst us, we would know and gladly hand him over to you. But we don't have any........"
"Are you absolutely sure?" The Fae narrowed his obsedian eyes and flicked his hand, that's when the Fae on the ground started to attack the soldiers. King Silas stared helpless as he watched the Fae overpower the royal soldiers in the arena.

Evaline stared in shock as the dark Fae stood glaring at her with menace. She had never seen a dark Fae before until that moment when those obsedian eyes glowed with a malevolent power that rendered her paralyzed with fear .
"Don't look at his eyes." Havah whispered beside her. "He draws his powers from your fear."
Evaline swallowed as she desperately tried to force her gaze away when suddenly she saw him raise his sword, it never came down on her for Havah swiftly blocked the blow pushing Evaline away as she fought it. Him. Whatever it/ him was.
Evaline found her bearings and looked about her as soldiers started to engage with the dark Fae. They were swift, these sinister creatures, yet she stood watching as soldiers were felled to the ground. Everything happened in a rush all around her, panic took over as fear fled and she found herself pushing and pushing until she could escape, clawing her way out of the madness but it was useless, they surrounded her and started crushing her body. Soldiers and Fae fighting around her, when she saw one of them chase after the princess on her white horse lifting her into the air as the princess struggled to break free, that was when she remembered she had a sword.
Unsheathing her weapon she started to slash, and slash not understanding what she was slashing when she saw one of them look at his arm and give her a murderous glance before charging at her, but he never managed to reach her , Havah jumped in front and cut off its head.
Taking Evaline's hand in a hard grip Havah pushed with all her might and shoved against the crushing bodies trying desperately to find an opening for escape when she spotted Lord Zion. He swung his blade with the precision of a season warrior yet he was too slow for the Fae.
She took stock of the dark Fae toying with the the lord, he wore an armour much different from the rest of those that had descended upon them.  She had seen that armor before, made of pure silver it radiated with a glow that separated those with rank from the regular foot soldiers.
Instinct told her Loot was behind this attack, dragging Evaline with her she pushed and pushed but a dark Fae blocked her flight. His dark hair flowing behind him as he swung his sword toward her. Releasing Evaline she swung back engaging in combat that needed a lot more magic than she currently had. Pulling in whatever reserve powers she had, she charged her sword with an electric current piercing the armor stunning the dark Fae. Turning back to Evaline she saw the girl had gotten entangled with another dark Fae which she quickly dispatched with the slice of her blade.
Pulling Evaline upright she dragged her once again, seeing an opening she pushed through it as they ran into an opening that led into the stands. People were pushing at them but with determination she pushed back dragging Evaline into an archway that led into the castle.

Back in the royal box king Silas turned to Loot, his pale face beseeching. "We have no quarrel with you, please don't harm the people."
Loot leered. "I'll make you a deal human, I'll give you time to bring me the Fae I seek.  In the meantime I'll take your son." He nodded to Damos who grabbed prince Byron and stunned him with a finger to his forehead. Dragging him to the banister he lifted the prince in his arms as if he weight nothing, wings of grey spread our in a flash as he flew away.
"Please don't do this!"king Silas implored, watching helplessly as his son disappeared into the inky grey skies.
Ignoring the king " We shall take with us every royal heir and hold them hostage until you bring me the Fae that hides among you.  You have a fortnight.  Don't disappoint me king Silas of Pretoria, I understand you are an honorable king. Once I have the Fae, the royals return and favors will be granted to your kingdoms once more by the mighty king Soldar."
Waving to king Silas, he stood by the ledge of the banister and flew landing into the arena he nodded to one shadow lord as they made their way into the castle. He remembered the woman had dragged two boys into the castle, royal heirs he needed to snatch.  Licking his lips he waved to the shadow lord with his pet orc walking passed the arena into the courtyard when he sensed something.

Eve bolted the door to the kitchen , ushering princess Mirasol and the boys down the cellars.  It was only the four of them while all the servants and cooks ran out the castle for their lives.
Eve had tried to calm the princess as best she could, grabbing her sword which she had kept hidden underneath one of the long tables. She took a torch and ran below into the cellars spying the trio huddled in a corner.
Young Darren had his bow and arrows securely tied behind him as he sat beside the Nero who hugged his sister as she continued to shake from fear.
"Whatever is out there won't come in here."Eve tried to reassure the princess despite the racing of her heart and the sweat that trickled down her back. Her hands shook and her body felt clammy.
"They were Fae, the dark kind," the princess voice cracked, fear threaded through her voice. "They were everywhere!"
Eve sauntered over to Darren, placing an comforting arm around his shoulders. "From what i remember, they never stay for long," she tried to reassure them.
"You've seen them before?" Darren asked trying to act brave as he held his bow upright.
"Yes."Eve tried to smile reassuringly. "They used to visit at Meriadon when I was living there with the king," she refused to bring up her title at a time like this. "They only come for a little while and then once they deliver their message they leave." She tried to make it sound simple to allay the boy's fear.
"They didn't seem to be delivering a message, they attacked the people!" Princess Mirasol said hysterically as tears streamed down her cheeks.
What could they have possibly wanted, Eve thought as she turned to the stairs when suddenly they heard a blast. The door to the cellar shattered into splinters as grey smoke raced forward. That's when she saw them, the dark Fae .  They alighted as the smoke cleared an beside them stood an orc, it's face riddled with crevices as it roared in a frightful sound making the children and the princess scream.
Eve stood her ground raising her sword as she shielded the rest behind her, masking her fear she faced the one with long white hair and obsedian eyes bravely.
"We are only women and children, the Fae don't have any quarrel with the helpless. Even dark Fae,"she tried to sound firm with reason, but her hands were quivering.
"Your right," Loot leered. "Meriadonian from the looks of you. " He cocked his head to one side. "I have a fondness for the folk of Meriadon, now scattered all over the human kingdoms. " He continued to watch her with interest. "I do recall the king had a wife, captured in battle. A shield maiden, the last of a dying breed. Pity." He smirked flicking his hand making the orc come forward.
Eve swung her sword but the orc was too fast, it tried to grab her, but she ducked and got out of his way creating room for the shadow lord to stun Mirasol and the boys as they tried to bravely fight the Fae.
"Please don't take them!" Eve cried as she continued to fight the orc. Loot was fascinated as she tried to avoid the orc slashing his arm and almost driving her sword into his chest but with a flick of his hand she  fell to the ground.
He walked toward her prone figure as he waved the orc away thinking to leave her but as he stared at those features, strong and determined he thought to amuse himself. Picking her up as if she weighed nothing, he took her and left the cellar.
As soon as he surfaced from the castle he took flight whistling for the rest of the dark Fae to join him.
Just like that the battle was over.