160 Bloody Birthday (2/2)
After Verania's proclamation that she would slaughter all who didn't surrender, Al and I had a hard time dialing down the tension. We each promised safety and freedom to return to the Dominion's territory for all who surrendered.
As a whole, my group and Al's had slain a total of sixty enemies with only three casualties for Al's riders and one from mine.
A visere from Ashley's Shield squad had been struck down by an arrow to the throat while they made the climb. His name was Wren Lokai. He was thirty-two and the father of three.
It was a sore spot in the otherwise flawless victory we might have had if Verania hadn't swooped in to steal the show.
I made a note in my head to make sure his family back on Mudgard received proper compensation for his sacrifice, and I would ask Varda to add that to the list of priorities for the rest of the night.
Later in the night, I would learn that there were more casualties among the Foolhardies from the northern slope's battle, but that would be after the trip to the mana pool. Right now, I was feeling devastated enough with the loss of one soldier.
Luca noticed the scowl on my face and gave me the thumbs up as a kind of reassurance. The cheeky brat thought I needed comforting even though he was still bleeding from another wound on his left arm, and there was a cut on his cheek too. It was another reason to feel bad, putting my younger brother in enough danger to get injured.
Luca didn't seem to mind though. In fact, his new wounds were just the excuse he needed to make Pike fuss over him—the little turd turned Casanova.
\”Be right back,\” I mouthed.
\”We'll be here,\” he mouthed back.
Then I turned around and followed the others into that secret world within the fairy fort of circle stones.
A step past the circle stones and I found myself transported into a place of verdant grass and trees much like the first fairy fort I'd ever visited.
There was a myriad of colorful flowers scattered among healthy shrubs that would have been unable to grow in a desert.
The smell of lilacs, thyme, rosemary, and roses filled the surrounding air that was like a soothing balm to the weary warrior in me.
I glanced above me and saw that the sky was different from the clear starry sky I'd just left behind. In its place was an aurora of green and blue and purple hues. It was a reflection of the light coming from the small glowing pool at the center of this otherworldly place.
As most fairies knew, this was the secret that all fairy forts held. This garden of Eden that could survive even the harshest climates as if it were separate from the rest of the Fayne, and more importantly, the pool within this garden that filled this space with magical energy.
Ahead of me, Aura stood beside the pool while my two rival commanders fidgeted in front of her. I could guess why as I noticed that Aura had taken off her mask and hood. That was natural as there was no reason for her to hide who she was in this place.
Possibly, like me, they were both enamoured by her otherworldly beauty. Yes, even Verania, who was gorgeous to look at herself, seemed captivated by Aura who I likened to the goddess of love.
Aura beckoned me over with a regal hand, and I quickly hopped to follow.
\”The mana pool here will be used for the clan, but each of you may take a jar's worth of mana for yourselves to share with your warriors,\” Aura instructed.
She offered each of us a jar that was the size of a large pitcher of water.
This might seem small to the uninitiated but us experienced people knew better. A single sip of mana was enough to provide all kinds of benefits to a fairy or human, things too numerous to mention now.
\”I give you this boon as thanks for your recent achievements for the clan as well as to prepare you for what comes next,\” Aura explained.
\”What comes next, princess?\” Al asked in a voice that was all reverence and respect.
Aura offered him a smile. Then she turned it on Verania and frowned.
\”Care to explain the news to them,\” she asked politely.
Verania frowned herself but relented to Aura's request.
\”The Council has acquiesced to the proposal of Great General Garm,\” she revealed. \”Very soon, the Trickster Pavilion will declare war on the Sunspire Dominion to reclaim the entirety of the Westersand Desert from their grasp.\”
We all knew it was coming, but I had to ask the question in all our minds, \”Why now?\”
Verania turned her cold stare on me. \”Besides the increasing hostilities over the past few months, you mean?\”
I nodded. \”That's not enough to go to war, right?\”
\”It's always been the plan to expand our borders and slowly consolidate our power in the central region,\” Aura reasoned, glancing meaningfully at me as she did. \”Although we achieved this expansion on our eastern border, reclaiming much of the Calmlands from the Magesong Clan, there are those who believed we failed to achieve much as the Spellweave River Valley itself was stolen away by the Scarlet Moon from right under our noses.\”
\”And now that the Scarlet Moon is in a protracted war with the Hermitage up north, now's an ideal time to strike without fear of them interfering again,\” Al guessed.
Aura nodded. \”The elders seem to think so, and my brother approved of Great General Garm's plan.\”
\”So… war is coming once again, huh,\” I confirmed.
Aura nodded.
She stooped down toward the pool and dipped an Erlenmeyer flask into its waters. She filled it up to nearly full before pulling it out of the water and corking the flask.
Aura stepped aside for the other two to fill their jars. Then she walked over to me and pushed the flask into my free hand while she whispered into my ear.
Her breath smelled of mint and honey and all good things, addling my brain enough that I almost missed what she'd said. But I heard that last part well enough.
\”Happy sixteenth birthday, Dean,\” she breathed.