Elven Chronicles Book 1: Into the Shadows

It's the morning of the battle and everyone looked tense around me. I was dressed in a heavier shirt, light pants, my dagger strapped to my side, a small knife strapped to my leg, a bow and quiver of arrows (which I still was not confident with), and my stave. I pulled my hair back into a simple braid and placed my cornet on my head. I didn't know why I had to still wear a crown even if it was a small one. It's not like it mattered who you were once the fighting begins. I felt like it just made me a target for the enemy, but for now I decided to listen to what I was told. Maybe it would let me get away with more for later.

"Ready, Kida?" Alia called. She had been up since three in the morning. She had a dagger, knives and a bow and arrow on her. Plus, she could kick ass with her bending.

"Ready as I'll ever be," I answered and we joined the ranks. I jumped on Beautille, and Alia jumped on her horse. The village people came up next to us, and we all started the march. I could see the enemy in the distance. There were some huge birds, and evil looking creatures. I gripped my bow and arrow tighter as the distance between the armies shrunk.

"Steady men," my father called. "On my signal."

We all stopped and loaded our weapons.

"FIRE!" He shouted and thousands of arrows let loose and struck the enemy down.

"CHARGE!" Alia screamed and then all hell broke loose. Beautille and I raced toward the enemy. I let loose arrow after arrow while Alia used her bending. Surprisingly, I hit most of my targets. All I heard around me was screaming and swords clashing together. It was total chaos. I started fighting anything in sight. My stave and I did some major damage.

"Kida, remember your bending!" Alia yelled above the fighting.

I did. I started air bending and knocking creatures out of the way. Sweat was pouring off my face as I formed huge balls of energy and sent them flying. Then, one of the creatures jumped on me. I managed to pull my dagger just as it bit me.

"Ahhh!" I just screamed and a bolt of fire came out of my fingertips and killed it.

"Kida! Are you alright?" I looked up to see Elwen standing over me with Alia at his side.

"I'm fine. Keep fighting." I told them. Then Alia noticed the bite marks, and told me we had to see a medic before things got worse. We found our horses scaring off some creatures close by and rode back to the base. By now, the fighting had become more about strategy then just cutting people down.

"Princess come sit down quickly," a doctor said.

"How long has the fighting been going on?"

He did not even look up as he answered," Seven hours so far. There are ten elves dead and many wounded. Without your idea, there would be many more dead."

Wow. This is only going to get worse. I thought. Battle really sucks. This is horrible, and I did not even realize how many hours we had been fighting. The fatigue started to set in now I realized how long we were out there.

"You're good. You better get some rest now. Both of you," He looked at the both of us with a scolding look.

"Yessir," Alia said this with a mock salute. We left for the tent. We ate something, and I fell to the ground exhausted.

"Aren't you going to sleep?" I asked her.

"Nah. Water people do not need to sleep. It is just a habit. I am going to keep watch and help out with the wounded. I will wake you up in five hours to go back out there," Alia sped off quickly. I wondered if she was looking for Elendil.

***
Next day.

I only had five hours of sleep, thanks to Alia. So far, things were going as planned. I was sitting in a war meeting because the enemy has called temporary retreat.

"So far. Everything is okay for us, and we have established ourselves as a force to be reconed with," Levan started.

"Yes, but I heard something very disturbing," Elwen said this with a serious look on his face.

"What is it?" A general asked.

"One of the creatures gave me a warning before I killed it. He said,' You better run because my masters are summoning the old ones back.'"

"Oh my God," Levan said. I remember reading something about it in my history books.

"Who are they?" I asked.

My father answered," They are the eldest, most powerful, kings of the evil ones. They can control some elements, along with some more powers. It is written that they could bend, control the weather, and make the forest come alive to work against the elves. If they come back, our chances of winning slim drastically."

"Who destroyed them the last time?"

"The four greats destroyed one of them completely. The others have been weakened and sent away to their hellhole over time by powerful elves."

"What he is trying to say is that you are the only person who could actually destroy them," Levan pointed out. I had already put that together. Oh boy.

"You do not have to so don't worry about them at all," my father looks scary when he is serious. "We have to get to their leaders first."

We fought for another three days after this meeting. I had been up and about almost non-stop. I was in the forest collecting my crazy thoughts and trying to figure out what the hell I must do so we can win. I heard a rustling sound to my left and spun around to see a wolf just standing there looking at me.

"Shoo, shoo," I thought this was the right thing to say.

"Is that all you got," he replied. I almost feinted at this.

"You understand me? How?"

"At times of great need, or when there is a very powerful elf, like yourself my Queen, the elven langauge may be understood by all the creatures of the forest. I am here to offer the wolves help for I am the Alpha, and they will listen to anything I say."

That almost knocked me off my feet. "Thank you Lord Wolf. I would be honored if you joined me and meet with others at my base."

"Of course my Queen. Others will be joining us."

Five other wolves jumped out of the forest to accompany us to my camp. They all bowed and surrounded me for my own protection. This was getting a little wierd, but I kind of liked it. When we arrived at camp, the fighting had died down so there were a lot of elves around the camp. They all just stared, and I heard lots of whispers about me being the High Queen. We found my father and the others outside the tent.

"Hello everyone. I would like you to meet some new friends of mine. I think they can help us greatly. Lord Wolf, why don't you speak."

"Kings and other royalty it is an honor to meet you. I would like to offer our services in this great war. Wolves and other creatures have been killed, and we wish to join the fighting on the elven side. We will report directly to our High Queen Kida."

I just froze when he said this. I had no idea of what to do. My father just smiled and replied, "Of course. She will make sure you have everything you need."

"Um..yeah. I need you to gather the army of wolves where I met you today. I will be by tomorrow afternoon to plan with you and anyone else in command. You may go now."

"Thank you High Queen. We live to serve you from now on."

They just ran off.

"This is incredible. Those bastards will not know what hit them. The wolves will be like a secret weapon to us," the General looked quite pleased as he said this.

"Well, tomorrow we will find out what is going on," Elwen said this with a knowing smile to the others, and left to lead his benders.

A war is going on, and this is only the beginning.