The Kingdoms of Eden

CHAPTER TEN: A War

The ballista atop the walls of the city were cranked, taught and loaded.

"It is time to soften the enemy," Jupiter said, to no one in particular.

He turned to Jan.

"Begin the attack," ordered the king.

Jan bowed, and then he walked away calmly. As word passed along the top of the walls the iron-clad, wooden darts left the war machines with a dull twang, that was quickly followed by a sigh-like whistle which faded the farther the darts travelled from the walls of the city. Most of the projectiles found a target as they rained down on the disciplined ranks of Ares. Some of the heavy darts felled single fighting men, while others passed through several soldiers as they waited for the command to attack. Jupiter showed no emotion. He turned to Amy.

"What do you see?" he asked.

"People dying, horribly," Amy said, contemptuously.

"And?" the king pressed.

Amy looked down, then back to the king.

"I see tiny specks of light leaving their bodies and moving this way."

"You see glory," said Jupiter, contentedly.

"If you say so," replied Amy.

They continued to watch the horror unfold as the weapons showered down death from high up on the city walls. The opposing army remained rooted to the ground, as if inviting their own destruction. Amy felt uneasy at the death being delivered with such ease from the safety of their perch. The unease soon gave way to fear when the soldiers of Ares began to move. The charge, and the real battle, had begun.

Amy gasped, and she took a few steps backwards.

"Amy?" asked Jupiter. "What is it?"

"I see it," Amy said. "I see the darkness. It is swirling through, and around the enemy, like a black smoke."

Jupiter smiled widely.

"I told you," he said. "It is time for you to decide; help your friend to win this war or let this be another meaningless exercise in carnage."

Amy thought on his words for a few moments.

"Let's go," she said, with uncertainty rippling through her voice.

Branna, Amy and Jan vanished from the top of the wall. As they appeared in the heart of the battle, Branna drew her sword from its sheath about her back. Jan raised his heavy broadsword, ready to strike. Amy tried not to look terrified. All around her she saw the black smoke. It swirled about the feet of the enemy soldiers as they surrounded the trio; it poured from their screaming mouths as they attacked; it twisted and shifted in their eyes.

"Who?" demanded Branna. "Who do I kill?"

Amy paused.

"All of them!" she cried. "Kill all of them."

Branna and Jan exchanged looks of exasperation. They attacked the encroaching fighting men. Jan cut through the enemy with muscle-straining force. It was an effective strategy, in the short-term, but soon his arms with tired, and stiffened, and fail. Branna swung her light blade with ease and grace as she felled men in all directions. As the enemy began to swamp the three comrades, Branna vanished. She reappeared behind the enemy soldiers and she began to run them through once again. When those soldiers that remained turned to rush her, she vanished again, reappearing to repeat the tactic. With bodies piling up around them, all three vanished, before reappearing on another part of the battlefield. After half an hour the battle began to lose energy. Jupiter's men, with the help of Branna and Amy, were poised for victory. With just a few of the enemy coming at them, Amy's ability became increasingly useful as she pointed to isolated attackers, who were indistinguishable from their own side—same kind of clothing, dirty and bloody, and terrified expressions on their faces.

Jupiter and Cathal watched the battle from the walls of the city. Small pockets of enemy troops began to edge into a retreat in the direction of the forest. The king turned to his men on the wall. He nodded. On the ground, Branna moved the friends into the heart of the retreating soldiers. Cathal looked on with alarm as the men on the walls aimed the ballista at the enemy, and at his daughter.

"What are you doing?" Cathal asked.

"Finishing this, once and for all," said Jupiter.

Cathal moved in front of the king. The guards placed hands on their sheathed swords as they awaited their king's command.

"You may be happy sacrificing your family in this war; I am not," said Cathal.

"I am not happy with any of this. Still, here we are, and here it will end. Your daughter is a great warrior. She will see death coming, and she will evade it."

"And if she doesn't?"

"Then her sacrifice will be remembered. Forever."

"Not good enough," said Cathal.

With the words fresh out of his mouth, Cathal's expression changed to one of anger. Another, more dramatic change then followed. As Cathal's demonic form was revealed, the king recoiled. Before Jupiter could react, Cathal moved. He tore along the wall of the city at high speed. The mighty weapons splinted and fell from the great height as Cathal blasted through them. The men operating the weapons were scatted, with some falling to their deaths as they tumbled over the edge of the high wall.

As Jupiter's forces, headed by Jan and Branna, closed in on the remaining enemy troops, a woman dressed in a dark cloak came riding out of the forest on a black horse. The enemy troops vanished when the woman brought her horse to a stop. As the woman turned to ride back into the forest Branna caught a glance of her face.

"Sister," Branna hissed.

The woman on horseback rode off at speed. Jan raised his sword as he prepared to yell the order to follow the woman. On seeing what he was about to do, Branna spoke.

"Jan, don't" Branna said.

Jan looked confused.

"What?" quizzed Jan.

"If you send your men into that forest, you will be sending them to their deaths," Branna explained.

Jan lowered his sword.

"Who is she?" asked Amy.

"Mysister. At least she was my sister, once."