The Guardians of Celesk

Chapter 3 : The Reign of Fire

Bohina and Artreide ran desperately to the walls. They had been one of a core group of Guardians left behind to keep watch in case the battle turned south. As they heard the encroaching sounds of violence and death headed their way, they realised it would take an army to defend the sanctuary - an army they did not have. The enemy stealthily crept through the last remaining copse of trees and in a mysterious mist, each of the young guards assigned to sentry duty choked to death. A Guardian rushed to save them but they had gasped out their last breaths. By the time Yordu raised the alarm, the enemy had already gathered their force and they could hear the artillery rolling towards them.

They could only hope the main force was victorious in the forest and that the remaining survivors could rush back to break the siege. Hope could be fleeting and it was the destroyer of sense. Bohina blocked out the pervading sense of hope as she screamed out "Ladders!"

As if in unison, a number of ladders thudded against the wall. A few peasants with bows aimed at the top rungs, desperate to catch the wall of beasts scurrying up to the top. Bohina could see a ladder surging upwards out of the corner of her eye, she ducked down as she could hear the horrific surge of arrows narrowly miss her head. She tapped into the Erto'en- the inner light as a glow in her chest emanated a tuft of red before she sent out a shock wave of fire from her body, enveloping the top of the wall and ladder and causing the creature at the top to burst into flames, melting rungs and sending a further plume of flames downward. The ladder fell sharply and caught a group in the bottom, spilling into a bonfire and permeating a rotting odour of roasting flesh. She had no time to express any relief as she bound towards the next ladder springing to the wall, meeting Arteide. Both clutched at their staffs, whirling it at the two creatures bound together on the top rung. A ringing blow sent them flying, but the ladder continued to anchor into the wall turret. Artreide drew to the inner way, letting a red pulse push outwards as the air around the top of the ladder seemed to ripple like water and the ladder went crashing down. Bohina shifted her gaze to the courtyard. "Where is the artillery?"

A united response of 'Do-ken' drifted upwards.

She could see students scrambling around a trebuchet.

"Let them fly! Send these Istentels back into the void!"

They continued to load boulders into the device and launched them over the high walls of the sanctuary. All had to unite and fight or they would all perish.

#

Valezk, the exiled one, the Dusk Wizard, the Soul Destroyer. He had many names and monikers (or as many believed, some he fashioned himself) but all were united in fear of the creature surveying the battle. He stood atop a hill admiring the size of his main force as they descended on the sanctuary like a great wave smashing on a fragile reef. Each attack would eat away at their foundations, shaking them to the core. He was also a master of tactics and knew that he should not just put his faith in might and numbers. His diversion force had consumed a great number of infidel, but it would not be all. His next commander, a brutish hybrid of woman and beast, Slaker turned to him. "Next phase, Sire?"

"Launch the dark trident, and we need to continue to bombard this filth. Tell them fire at will."

The dark trident was similar to a flanking manoeuvre, though it was also designed for sieges. Each raiding party split off – a main force of ladders on the front and sides of the sanctuary – two squads of Treols were sent to each side of the sanctuary, pounding on the walls. The main force also deployed rams for the main gates in the hopes of crashing down the door. In addition to this, his artillery would continue to lay down hell-fire as lava missiles descended on the courtyard and parapet. Valezk was delighted with it all. The Sanctuary was the last tumbler in the lock. With the traitorous Guardians out of his vision, he could rule Celezk and reforge the way.

#

The Guardians would continue to rage against the darkness. The elders left behind had now recruited their most apt pupils and relegated them to the tower. The tower stood in the centre of the sanctuary and was often used as a place for meditation – on a beautiful clear day, a guardian could see over the valley, feeling the streams flow over the peak of the mountain and absorb the greenery as it pushed them into a sense of centredness. For the centre was the salvation, it was the inner way and the manner of all things.

Atop the tower, the students were readied in penitence. The paradox of trying to remain calm and channel enough destruction while all manner of devilish elements rained down upon them was a tough path to walk. Some broke concentration and proceeded to break down. Others kept focus and started to send primal forces outwards, sweeping Valezk's main force with fire and ice. The enemy's artillery refocused and sent devastating waves of lava and rocks hurtling towards them. Their master, Yordu held steady. As the projectiles grew near, descending rapidly towards their targets, he raised his staff and cast out a large wave of energy that briefly caught each object before sending the cluster hurtling back at their enemy. He interrupted the group focus, snapping them out of their brief state of psychic transcendence to send the group back down the tower and out of harm's way. Each of them scurried down the narrow staircase, as they saw further destruction smash down on the outer courtyard.

The Scout caught up with Valezk – who immediately sized him up. He couldn't help but notice the acute bleeding coming from his torso.

"How many escaped?"

"Only some beasts and a number of infantry."

"Enemy numbers?"

"Three quarter strength."

Valezk erupted. Within seconds the scout started burning up as Valezk channelled the inner way. A clear pulse ebbed out with the flame.

"Have mercy, Sire."

"This is mercy."

Valezk cursed inwardly. They didn't have long. He quickly summoned Slaker to his makeshift quarters.

"Take a squad of Treols and pull back a third of our attack."

"Sire?"

"I want you to take them into the forest and cut down as many trees as you can."

He quickly sketched an outline, "You need to build this immediately when you have enough wood."

Slaker started to run. Valezk gestured for her to stop, "If you fail, we all die."

Slaker resumed her run. As usual, time was a powerful foe.

Bohina rushed to the next guardian, Elder Skyene. She was fervently trying to coordinate the artillery array. Each time their catapults let loose a barrage, they would have to quickly duck for cover as Skyene projected a shield to stop the enemy's lava response. She was quickly growing more tired though and her strength would soon fail. Bohina offered relief but she was sensing the weight of her own battle fatigue. They had to hold out longer- enough time for their reinforcements to return, for their enemy would spare no relief. It seemed almost no time had passed in between their army leaving the sanctuary before this main force was at their doorstep. They had clearly underestimated the intelligence of the exiled one.

With the smoke pervading all of their heightened senses, and adrenaline still surging through their veins, the main forced pressed on. North riders led the charge and rode almost blindly through the passage in the forest. Archers hoisted bows and quivers over their shoulders and the Guardians all but drifted toward their home and imminent destruction. They should have seen this coming but in the approach to battle they felt blinded and dulled toward a gathering darkness. Garwyn could see flames rising higher and could hear all manner of noises throughout the forest.

How did it come to this?

They tried to cut paths through it but it was so immensely thick, they had to move most of their force the long way around, almost circling backwards to reach the sanctuary. She looked inward and hoped Erto' en was there as she desperately searched for solutions that weren't leaping forward. The Guardians Eondall would use to press through the thicket and they would reach the enemy first. In the meantime, the cavalry would press on ahead and hope that all was not lost. When they would eventually clear the forest and forge their way back to the sanctuary, it would only be a string of moments but felt like an eternity. The sight that greeted them when they finally arrived would halt them in their dusty trail and cause all manner of faces to stay agape well into the night: they had clearly underestimated the exiled one.