Elven Chronicles Book 4: The Final Stand

I walked into the tent to find Alia standing there like it was the most natural thing in the world. Levan walked in and started to yell.

"Alia! What the hell are you doing here? You left Jade all alone! What about the baby? Who-"

"Levan, good to see you too," Alia said with a smile. "Jade is fine and your grandson is healthy enough to be left without me. Here," she got serious handing him a piece of paper. His eyes got wide and handed the paper to me. I read it with dread.

"It says here that the Dark plan on having the great ones rise in a month. Two of them are coming since I destroyed Uthgar six years ago. They plan on bringing everything they got to destroy everything. We have to keep fighting to take out the forces here," I told them. "Do not tell anyone else about this. Fear is not what drives an army, it is bravery."

With that, there was nothing more to say and I pulled Alia outside. "So, how is the baby?"

"He is beautiful. I named him Soren, and he has a water person's eyes. They are a beautiful sunset orange with a hit of gold. He is healthy and will be a fire bender."

"That is good. I still disagree with you leaving the kingdoms," I told her.

"They are fine and everyone there is pitching in. I went to those running each kingdom to ask for permission to go. They said yes after reading the note. Now tell me what to do," she said and I gave her the run-down on what had been going on. She frowned at the idea of Elendil leading the other force, but acepted that it was a good part of the plan.

The next day I led some air benders, and we harassed the Dark on the side of the mountain for the entire day. We shot up weapons and kept the air coming so they could not do a thing. It gave the army on the ground a break from any air assaults that had been going on. Alia was with the River women at the river keeping the enemy back. The Dark was wary there after the ass whooping we gave them the other day.

That night Aaron and I sat and rested. The other leaders almost ordered me to not go out on the battlefield during the night.

"Kida, how do you think the elves are looking?" Aaron asked me.

"So far so good. I think are chances are increasing every day."

"Good. When are we getting married?"

I laughed. "We are in the middle of a war and you are asking me when we are getting married? I have no idea. I guess when we make it back alive and the elves get settled. Is that a good answer?"

"Good enough for now," he answered pulling me closer and kissing the small scar on my neck. "I am impatient." His kisses came with a more urgent feel now.

"You have waited for almost six years. You can wait some more," I answered and closed my eyes. He continued to kiss my scars, and we almost forgot there was a war going on. Until the shouting started again.

"High Queen!" Was all I needed to hear, and we both ran out of the tent. I saw fire coming down toward the elves from the mountain. There was old magma flow under the mountain, so I assumed some of the Dark had found it.

"Fire benders to me!" I shouted. "Water benders get by the forest and the rest of you look out for a ground attack!" Fire benders came to Aaron and I, and I told them what to do.

"Listen, send fire back and take what they throw and send it back. We need to keep the fire away from the others. Spread out and go." They started running into position, and we got started.

Smoke filled the air, and we sent fire and anything else we could back at them. After three hours, five out of the ten points of attack were destroyed. The five main ones in the middle were all that was left. They knew where I was and had concentrated their fire in my direction. The other benders had noticed and hovered closer to where Aaron and I were. Then I had an idea.

"Cover for me," I told Aaron and the others. I summoned some water and sent a huge burst at the attack point. It went up in steam and nothing was seen or heard for thirty seconds. Then they sent a stream of fire at us and I tried to stop it in time. Alia came out of nowhere and sent a wave at it. I joined her and the fire benders attacked the Dark. Luckily we were able to stop the fire.

I took out my dagger and sent lightning into the point. The mountainside exploded and rock and fire went everywhere.

"RUN!" Aaron screamed and grabbed my wrist. We joined the other elves and ran back toward the forest. The water benders covered for us by shooting water at the falling embers. Most made it back without a scratch and we watched my destruction.

"Kida, what were you thinking?" Alia asked me.

"I figured after four in a half hours enough was enough," I answered. There were small fires in the field, a huge gaping hole in the mountain, and no Dark to be seen. I thought it was a successful win for us. The battles halted and nothing could be heard but the fires burning on the field and in both armies hearts.