Rainer
Kane has changed into his armor. It is custom built for him so he’s able to move in it easily while still having protection. He holds his helmet in his hand. The only difference between his and mine is that his has a symbolic crown engraved on top. We walk toward the amassed troops.
“There is still no word from either your uncle or Queen Olga,” I tell him. “King. Basil has decided to stay neutral.”
“And the others?”
“Most have also declared neutrality although King Matthias has pledged his allegiance to Scarlett Thunder.”
Kane hisses out a curse. “I should have known Matthias would do that. His ego has been bruised and he wants his pound of flesh.”
“Perhaps we should have worked on being more diplomatic with Ruby Rivers?”
“I don’t want anything to do with that kingdom,” Kane retorts. “Matthias and
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Ruby Rivers have made their view of me known. They’ve chosen their side.”
I’m not feeling that charitable to our former allies either, so I don’t push the
topic.
Kane puts on his helmet and swings on top of his steed. The black stallion Aramis is large and fast. My horse is his brother Porthos who is of a similar build. A squire hands Kane his shield. We are faster than horses when we run, but we may as well save our legs while we can.
“What are odds, Rainer?” he asks.
“They could be better but they’re not dire now that we have the shifters with us. We have the strategy with the witches which gives us an advantage.”
“Hold the fort.”
I nod. “Hold the fort.”
I leave Kane to mount my steed. Porthos is calm and steady underneath me, but I pet his neck, trying to hide my nerves. I am no stranger to battle, but it has been some time since I’ve been in a war of this magnitude. Our last encounte with King Peter was nothing compared to this.
I direct Porthos toward our frontline. We will need to hold in order to give the witches time to cast their spells. Shifters and vampires stand side by side waiting for my command. I turn to where King Peter and King Myenas. sit across the field on their horses. Even from the distance I can see the smug looks on their faces as if they’ve already won.
King Peter turns to his men and nods.
“Charge!” one of the soldiers shouts.
Hundreds of vampire warriors charge forward.
“Archers!” I yell. “Pull!”
Our archers who have been at the ready pull back their bows and dozens of arrows fly into the sky and falls down on Scarlett Thunder’s army. Some hit their marks. The rest continue forward. I pull out my sword and rush into the fray.
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“Charge!” I shout.
The frontline lets out a welcoming war dry as they follow me. We greet Scarlett Thunder’s forces in the middle of the field. Swords clash, and shifters knock vampires to the ground. I use my shield to block an axe coming my way and the weight forces me off Porthos.
I land on the muddy field, rolling to get on my feet quickly. A vampire from the other side flies at me, but I dodge him. A shifter behind me lunges at the soldier and bites his neck clean off his body. Before I can thank the shifter, arrows descend on us, and I have to use my shield to block them,
Dozens of arrows hit the shifter, and I watch as he tries to move forward until the weight of them forces him to collapse to the mud. Porthos is unharmed and has returned to my side. I quickly mount him again and charge forward to slash at a nearby group of soldiers that have cornered another shifter. It gives the wolf enough room to escape as our men move forward to help.
I turn back to where the witches are casting their spells.
“Ivy!” I shout. “How long?”
I can barely hear her response through the thrashing around me. “Get out of the way!”
Magic has a distinct smell. It is sunlight mixed with a sweet flowery scent. As Willow and the other witches cast their spells, the other vampires on the other side halt, attempting to figure out what’s happening before several dozen of them immediately burst into flames.
“What the fuck was that?” King Peter asks loudly enough that I can hear him from where he sits at the back of the battlefield.
“Magic,” I shout. “Don’t fuck with witches.”
Despite the danger, more vampire warriors advance from Scarlett Thunder’s side. I watch as more of our men fall. Shifters and vampires drop to the mud, never to get up again. A fresh wave of enemy soldiers comes into view in front of us. I look to the right and left and see them advancing from
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there as well. Did Peter just get reinforcements in from another kingdom?
1 look for Kane, but I can’t see him. I’m sure he’s attacking the vampires on the battlefield somewhere.
The witches need time to recharge, and we are getting hemmed in from all directions.
Porthos panics and kicks his front hooves into the air. I try to calm him, but the steed is terrified. He rears back, and I leap to the ground. As my horse. disappears, I take note that Scarlett Thunder’s forces are circluing closer and we’re huddled so close together it’s hard to breathe.
Fuck. This is not how I want to die.
I hear Kane’s voice through the madness and turn to see him, slightly bloodied. “Hold,” he says. “Hold your line. No one retreats.”
A shout from behind us draws my attention. I turn to see King Cyrus on horseback with his bannermen behind him. Sardonia has come in our time of need. They rush forward and break through Scarlett Thunder’s forces trapping us on three sides.
The witches are recharged, so they begin to throw spells at our enemies again. Some burst into flames and body parts implode inside their armor. It’s brutal but effective. A soldier knocks a male witch to the ground and bites at his neck, tearing off his head in the process.
I run to slice the soldier through with my sword, but Willow beats me to it. She grabs the soldier by the face, and I watch as all the blood vessels burst from the vampire. He drops to the ground in a bloody heap. Willow rams her boot into his chest.
I grab her by the soldiers. “Are you okay?”
“I’ve been better,” she replies. “Have you seen Ivy?”
A booming explosion makes us turn. Ivy stands near the middle of the field next to a gaping hole she just created. Dozens of Scarlett Thunder’s forces scream as they fall to their deaths, their shouts echoing off the walls of the sinkhole.
Ivy stands there covered in mud and blood.
We stare at her in shock.
“What?” she says.
“Nothing,” Willow and I both reply.
I look around the battlefield frantically. Where did our king go?
“Has anyone seen Kane?”
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Kane
Kane
King Peter has not joined the battle. King Myenas ran off with his personal guard a few moments after Cyrus showed up, but Peter remains, watching. His smug face makes my blood boil as I fight through the hundreds of soldiers to get closer to him. Emory is by my side and we work as a unit.
My wife knocks a soldier to the ground, and I thrust my sword into his chest, past the chainmail to pierce his heart. He grows still and we move on. A soldier with a war hammer comes lunging forward, raising it to hit Emory. I intercept him and take the brunt of the force with my shield.
She moves around me to get to the soldier, jumping on his back to bite at his neck. He tries to shake her off, but her fangs dig into his flesh until she reaches his spine. There’s a snap as his neck breaks. I step backward and let his body collapse to the ground.
Emory’s white fur is filthy. Her muzzle is covered in bright red blood. Her claws are caked in mud. She’s a sight to behold.
As if she can read my mind, her tail wags, and she pushes me forward with her muzzle. I turn around, and King Peter is only a few feet away. His ment surround him, preventing anyone from moving closer. I spread my arms to get his attention.
“King Peter! Let’s settle this once and for all,” I declare. “We fight man to man. Stop the bloodshed between our warriors.”
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He dismounts from his horse. The battle behind us grows still as if they can sense that their fighting is not necessary anymore. He does not move forward but stares me down like I’m an insolent child.
“Are you scared, Kane?” he questions.
“What say you?”
“Blood has already been spilled. Are you scared to lose more than you already have?”
I shake my head. “I’m not afraid of you.
“Very well,” he replies. “Let’s make this field famous. This little muddy plot of land shall forever mark your gutless shame.”
