The Merkwood Chronicles

Chapter 22

Nox's army moved quickly towards the school building, charging at them in their many different forms, and the students tried to take in all that was happening to try and find the best ways to use their abilities to fight back.

Goblins similar to the creatures that attacked before limped and stumbled their way forward faster than one would expect considering their smaller sizes, human sized bats flew overhead, their wings creating bursts of wind that swept along the ground below, making it increasingly difficult for the students to see and therefore attack. Tiny pixies with silver skin and mischievous faces zipped around the students at unbelievably quick speeds, cackling in high pitched squeals.

As the army moved and began their attack, there was a sudden burst of light just beside where the students were all grouped together like sheep being herded into a corner. Headmistress Chase didn't jump in shock like everyone else seemed to do, instead, she smiled, her eyes brightening with even more hope, as Queen Thicket appeared from out of the light, along with what looked like millions of fairies dressed in armoured gear fit for war.

"Headmistress Chase," Queen Thicket nodded, flying over to the headmistress as they met, old friends.

"I can't thank you enough, your highness," Headmistress Chase replied, bowing her head slightly in respect for the queen of the fairies. The fairy queen smiled in thanks and then turned her head towards Nox, still positioned high above the courtyard he had transformed into a battlefield. Her smile faded slowly as she looked up.

"Don't thank me just yet, Paloma," she began again, "we all have some unfinished business with that young man,"

With that, the queen spoke to one of her fairies, who looked to be dressed like a general of some form, he then flew off which seemingly prompted the rest of fairies to get into some sort of formation, each of them with a face as serious as the next, every single one of them looked as if they seriously meant business when it came to this fight.

Then, as it had never been done before, the students of Merkwood academy fought side by side with the fairies of pixie woods.

The students took on the goblins and some tried their luck at the bat-people creatures, some students using their abilities to fly and lift their fellow students to be able to reach as creatures flew higher than they could reach. The fairies fought hand on hand combat with the smirking pixies as they squealed and squirmed, the fairies being the only beings who were able to keep up.

Queen thicket stood back with Headmistress Chase, as they watched their two worlds collide in ways they had never wished.

"What a terrible way to bring our people together, Thicket," Headmistress Chase commented, as they stood and watched as the battle unfolded.

"It's a necessary evil, you know that more than anyone here, my friend" the fairy queen replied, taking a deep inhale and exhaling again slowly.

"I wish- I wish I could've done better by him, I could've prevented-"

"No one could've prevented this, Paloma, don't you dare blame yourself now," Queen thicket practically scolded, her face stern and serious as she faced her longest and dearest friend. Her face softened, eyes filled with speckles of sympathy, "You saw what you saw, anyone would've done the same in your position," She reached out a minuscule hand and placed it delicately on the headmistresses shoulder, looking into her eyes sincerely, "this is not your fault,"

In silence they watched, both of them knew that what had passed was in the past now, nothing could be changed, that was for sure.

They could only affect the future now, they could only save tomorrow.

"Shall we?" asked Queen Thicket, gesturing her hand out towards the battle, into the heart of the war they had essentially waged on themselves.

"I thought you'd never ask," Headmistress Chase replied, and they both ventured off into the war that they had unintentionally started all those years ago.