Vaehandre: Where The Stars Fall [Under Revision]

Chapter 20: The Wyvern's Hidden Assault

[Photo by igreeny on DeviantArt]
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In the drylands of the East, the moon had nearly set in the West, giving Hector and Kade little light. They rode out as planned. Clad in black linen to blend in with the night.

With the aid of the potion of night vision, they were able to locate a distant cave. There, they hid their wyverns.

"Wait with the dragons, I'll let you know if I need help by the sound of this horn." Hector lifted a short cow-horn attached to his belt. "I'll locate the dark fairies and see if I can find out anything about their plan or movement."

Hector navigated his way through the narrow cracks along the canyons as quietly as he could. He could hear the wings of the wyverns moving about. Moving closer to the commotion, he caught a glimpse of one of the dark fairies flying by a slanted opening. It was inclined and narrow. Following her flight, he wormed his way through the crack. Near the opening, he could hardly wiggle anymore. He saw her meet up with a male dark fairy but quickly ducked down into the slanted gap.

"We still don't know where the rest are hiding. That Dragonlord knows what he's doing," said a shrill voice.

"The Elite knight forces gather while we waste time looking. We should regroup now and attack while their numbers are few." Hector faintly heard the larger dark fairy say. He held on the edge of the slanted opening, not daring to take a peek.

"You've said that every day since we've been sent here, why are you so eager to die."

"I am eager to win!" said a deep voice.

"Fine, we'll go back soon."

"You said that yesterday, Morgan!"

"Now, I mean it."

"I don't know why we were taking orders from that knight anyways. We should be leading the dark creatures."

"Ahlgéta is too weak now, so he has taken over."

"It is not right," said the sharp and shrill voice.

Some blasted rocks were scattered. Hector gripped the handle of his sword.

"We'll turn on him once this war is won," answered the much deeper voice.

Hector carefully slithered his way back. Taking a few glances from his previous path, he was careful not to make a sound. He told Kade all that he heard. They both flew back to their hideout.

Once they landed in safer ground, Hector said at once, "It would only take them half a day to reach the dark forest maybe less, but we still outnumber them say sixty to forty. Don't we?"

"I believe so," replied Kade.

"We'll ambush them on their way." Hector looked at the distance. His brows were furrowed. "Do you have any armor?"

"Only my fathers," said Kade nervously.

"Put it on, change of plan. We ride before noon." Hector patted him on the shoulder. He proceeded to write his report. "Regal," he called.

The raven immediately landed on his arm. Hector placed his report into its leather pocket and set it free to fly back to the North.

● ● ●

Kade went to his wife, who had been avoiding him since Hector arrived. "Silya, our ambush is today. We ride out soon with all the wyverns."

"Must you go, with his kind no less. The ones responsible for our isolation," said Silya unkindly.

"This is something bigger than prejudice, Silya—please trust me."

"Tell Ryatt yourself what you're up to."

Kade knelt in front of his son, only a toddler.

"Are you going somewhere, father?" said the boy with expectant eyes.

"I'll only be gone for a little while."

The young lad hugged him. Kade glanced at his wife. She lifted her chin.

"Watch over your mother for me."

Kade kissed his wife on the forehead and headed for their desolated armory.

After putting on his father's dragon-scale armor, he walked out to the canyon's highest point, where all the wyverns could see him. The wyverns perked up to face him almost in unison. There was evident pride in his eyes for his kind once more.

"Kade," said Hector, equipped with padded armor, chainmail, and his sword.

They both mounted their wyverns and flew along the clouds for cover. They stayed there for hours on hours as they searched the skies for dark wyverns. Their company flew past where the dark fairies were. The dark creatures were nowhere to be seen. They rode now with haste.

Another league into their journey, they caught a glimpse of the dark wyverns and slowed their flight. They made sure the clouds hid them from view.

Browbeat bit the tail of a fallen behind dark wyvern and flung him to the rest of the pack where it was silenced.

This was their strategy to pick them off one by one and keep their numbers hidden. It was a slow and calculated process. The cover of darkness made it easier to hide and smite.

● ● ●

On the morrow in the Northern camps, the Western army had arrived. The gathering army received Hector's report during the evening of the previous day. They then recovered the bolt throwers from their battles with dragons and added it to their artillery. The high council was summoned as reports from the last griffin patrol said that the dark creatures have moved closer together and have gone deep into the dark forest, where they did not venture farther, but still kept watch.

Alistair immediately sent word to the many kingdoms of the looming threat.

By nightfall, volunteers from the Academe of Mages arrived in carriages and offered their help. They had departed from their castle when they received Alistair's message.

Alistair and Ingrid met them at the gates.

"Greetings, my lord," said an elder lady clad in purple. "We've come to aid you in your efforts." She took a bow. "If you'll have us."

"Who am I do dismiss Moira, Provost of the Academe."

Moira lifted her head with a knowing gleam. "I see you've trained a healer of your own."

"She is well vested in the craft."

"A local healer. I can tell," Moira noted. "What preparations have been made?"

"Please, let us talk in the infirmary, away from this cold air." Alistair nodded at his apprentice as he left with Moira.

Ingrid asked squires for assistance in lifting the healer's many crates.

The healers were now being assigned to different brigades.

It was precautious for the armies to move their tents closer to the dark forest's edge to shorten the distance traveled when they rode out to meet them. A great unease and wariness crept into the minds of the gathering army.

Owen was to be the lead rider of the cavalry, with Brum and the other spearsmen. Aiden would be with his brigade in the 1st line of the infantry. This included Henry, who wanted to fight.

Having learned all the spells that she could, Ingrid was assigned to tend to the well-fare of the first cavalry charge with eleven other healers.

'Twas a day of planning and dread.