Corvin sat on his horse and watched the battlefield. On the other side was King Harold, sitting on his horse with a few advisors, no doubt happy with himself. The reason Harold had agreed to another day wasn’t that he thought Corvin would surrender but for reinforcements. Now Eshil Domain’s forces more than doubled his, almost tripled if he had to guess.

  Not that it mattered. Corvin had hoped for a miracle and gotten one. Talon should be rescued and would return, at least he hoped. It didn’t look like the king would return in time for this battle, which might be his end. He saw no way to win this fight. The only way would be if the Ashtari showed up.

  A thousand or so of his men had deserted. Corvin couldn’t blame them. Who wanted to fight a battle they couldn’t win? The only reason the others had stayed was that he told them he had a plan; one he couldn’t share. The nobles remained at camp, telling him they were going to leave the moment it looked like his plan wouldn’t work. What would they have thought if he had told them his plan was for a group of power users to arrive and save them?

  All he needed to do was buy some time. Surely the Ashtari wouldn’t be too much longer. Corvin rode to the front. He had to show his men that he was confident. Otherwise, his soldiers would lose their nerve. “Soldiers!” Corvin roared, riding up and down his line. “This is the moment of truth. If we back down now, we can say goodbye to our homes! King Harold doesn’t want to just beat you today. He wants to rule Azzellia! He wants to take our resources and bring them over to his people, leaving your children to starve. Will you let him do this? Or will you fight for your country?”

  The men let out a scream and banged their swords and staffs against their shields. “That’s what I like to hear. I have a plan and it will only work if you fight with everything you have. Maintain the line and I promise you; we will be victorious!”

  The soldiers yelled again and Corvin turned his attention to the enemy. “Prepare yourselves, here comes their charge!” Corvin said right as the enemy roared back and rushed forward.

  Originally, this was what he wanted the enemy to do. Charge into his army, while archers whittled them down. That would have worked if Harold hadn’t received reinforcements. Now Corvin had to take drastic measures, in the hopes he could stall long enough for help to arrive.

  Not too far away, in a nearby forest, was half of his cavalry unit. He would call for them soon. The commanders ordered their archers to fire, and arrows began raining down on the rampaging enemy force. Horses and soldiers took arrows to various parts. Some horses threw their riders off, and the earlier silence was replaced by violent screaming.

  Another volley of arrows rained down on the enemy. The effect barely dented Eshil Domain’s forces. Two more volleys were fired, striking many targets, yet the charging troops never slowed.

  The enemy force smashed against Corvin’s. Spears struck horses and men alike. Horses let out screams of pain. The Azzellia force was able to maintain its position, though it didn’t take long before they started to get pushed back by the overwhelming numbers.

  Enemy arrows began to fly at the Azzellia force. Corvin could do nothing but watch his force take the volleys, screaming in pain while trying to hold their positions. This was short of a massacre.

  If things had gone to plan, the enemy wouldn’t know where his cavalry unit was. Corvin had sent them away three days ago and rid the area of scouts. He had constant eyes to make sure the Eshil Domain forces didn’t see his cavalry, though they surely suspected something was happening.

  “Commander, fire the arrow,” Corvin didn’t need to elaborate. An archer would loose a fire arrow that would provide the signal for his cavalry to hit the enemy from behind. Hopefully, that would help his main force maintain its position.

  The arrow fired and shortly after, Corvin saw the cavalry coming and wanted to curse. The enemy was already getting their spears into position and their own cavalry. It had been a long shot, yet he had hoped to catch the enemy by surprise. He saw the spears that struck horses and saw more of his men get slaughtered as the enemy cavalry attacked from the rear. To make things worse, his main force was starting to be pushed back. If the Ashtari didn’t come soon, his army would fall apart.

  More arrows began raining down on his men. One struck the soldier next to Corvin in the eye, and he collapsed. Corvin could do nothing but grimace as he looked ahead. He took out his sword and engaged the enemy. His sword tasted the flesh of one soldier. A horse came running by him and smashed into some of his men and the enemy.

  It was hard to tell what was going on. All that Corvin knew was that his army was getting pushed back. For each soldier they killed, two of Corvin’s fell. There were too many. He dodged a sword strike and thrust his blade into the enemy’s throat, hearing the gurgle as he yanked his weapon out and lopped off another head.

  He didn’t like fighting, that wasn’t where his talent lay, yet he couldn’t sit back or his men would run off and any chance of victory would vanish. An arrow flung him off his horse. Corvin hit the ground so hard he saw stars. For a moment, he thought his life was ending, until he finally gasped in that sweet air.

  Corvin coughed and looked at the arrow buried deep in his left shoulder. Relieved it didn’t hit anything vital, he tore the arrow out, grimaced, and got up. As he stood, he saw something out of the corner of his eye.

  A strange opening occurred. Corvin looked to his left and saw a portal. No, a dozen portals coming out of nowhere. He held his breath for a moment and saw Aurora come out of the first portal, with Talon right behind him. They had done it! He could feel relief flooding him like a never-ending river. Talon had been rescued, and now the tides of this battle would change.

  Talon almost stumbled when his vision blurred. He was way too tired for this but forced himself to keep going. Once his vision cleared, he saw the battle going on, and his forces were losing. There were more soldiers for Eshil Domain than before. Not that it mattered.

  Screams and weapons clashing were all he could hear. On the hill, Corvin and his troops were getting pushed back, while the Eshil Domain forces eagerly pressed their attack. Talon saw King Harold on the hill with a giant smile on his face, watching the battle unfold.

  The other Ashtari were piling out, and soon there were sixty. Talon had sent twenty-five Ashtari back, most of them wounded to some degree, to the School of Power with the prisoners. He didn’t have official numbers, but at least ten Ashtari had been killed. Sixty was more than enough to clean up this battle. The unfortunate thing was that there would be more blood being shed than he had wanted. More death because of his arrogance.

  Stolen story; please report.

  It was time. Talon turned to Aurora and the other Ashtari, all holding the power. “Ashtari!” Talon said, putting as much energy into his voice as he could. They all knew what their mission was. “Attack.”

  What happened next was nothing short of a massacre. Talon watched the Ashtari move forward, and the first line of Eshil Domain troops turned bloody. He saw a few of the Ashtari focus with the power, causing chests and heads to explode. The ground started to darken as blood began filling the fields. Fire and lightning were thrown next, burning and shocking soldiers alive. Their screams of pain and confusion echoed throughout the battlefield as they turned to where the attacks were coming from.

  The stench of death filled the air as more of the enemy died. A man’s arm and head blew apart, and another’s upper body was unrecognizable as he fell backward. A dozen or so men were flailing around as fire enveloped them. The Ashtari never stopped. The next wave of Eshil Domain troops met the same fate, while Corvin and his soldiers watched in relief and horror.

  That was all Talon could think of to describe this fight. His stomach churned at the massacre. Yet he couldn’t stop watching. He had caused this and it wouldn’t be right to pretend this wasn’t happening. This was something he needed to remember.

  Talon saw one of the Ashtari create swords out of thin air, which were then hurled toward the enemy, impaling dozens of soldiers at once. He recalled Qidan telling him about an Ashtari that could do this and saw its effectiveness. It was like launching arrows without having to craft them. The projected swords would impale an enemy, then fade away as more appeared.

  The battle was nauseating. Talon found his stomach lurching as he nearly vomited. This was wrong on so many levels and only now did he understand why power users were barred from the battlefield. He had brought this back into the world, and there would be no going back. A quarter of Harold’s army had to be dead, and only now were some of them starting to drop their weapons and run. He made sure none of the Ashtari attacked the ones who surrendered, that had been a strict order from him to allow people to flee.

  A few of the enemy troops were fools and tried charging at an Ashtari. Whatever foolish reason they had for charging didn’t matter; they barely made it a few steps before being blasted. More and more of the enemy dropped their weapons and ran.

  Some of the Azzellia soldiers chased the runners. Some were killed, but Corvin was yelling something that got some of the troops to back off.

  Talon turned to one of the Ashtari, Khalia he believed her name was. “Put up a barrier to stop my people from slaughtering the enemy,” he said.

  “As you command,” Khalia said with a swift bow and created a portal and was gone.

  It was unfortunate this had to happen at all. Talon was positive the casualties would have been far lower if he hadn’t been captured by the mages. Ignoring his cramping stomach, he turned to Harold, who was watching in horror as his army was butchered. He couldn’t let the king get away.

  With a quick motion of his hand, Talon created another portal and stepped through, entering right behind Harold, who hadn’t noticed his arrival. Harold’s guards did, and they rushed him, barely making it a few feet before Talon gripped the guards with the power and knocked them out. There was no point in killing them; they were only doing their job.

  Harold turned, and his face paled. “How?” he gasped.

  Talon didn’t respond as he created an invisible wall around them, just in time as arrows hit the barrier and bounced harmlessly to the ground. Harold tried to move his horse back and was stopped as he bumped into the wall.

  “The mages-”

  That was all Talon heard before rage took him. He gripped Harold with the power and lifted him off the horse. Harold flailed around, trying to break free of the grip, grasping at nothing before Talon threw him to the ground. The king rolled a few times and gasped, staring at him with large eyes.

  “It wasn’t my fault,” Harold said. Despite being on the ground, he was able to keep his voice even, showing only a little bit of fear. “The mages made me start the war! They told me you were up to something and if I didn’t do what they said, they would make me disappear!”

  He wasn’t having any of it. Talon seized him with the power and lifted him off the ground. He could feel Harold’s life in the palm of his hand. All he had to do was close his hand, and he could end the king’s life. That thought went away almost as quickly as it had arrived. He could tell that Harold was telling the truth, and that was going to save his life.

  Talon released the grip he had on Harold, who fell to the ground. “Tell me exactly what the mages did,” he said coldly.

  “Of course,” Harold said while nodding his head furiously. “The mages came to me since they knew about my threat to stop you from asking me for an alliance. Knowing my previous feelings, the mages told me to follow their plan or they would replace me as king! I was offered to be Azzellia’s king if I followed their plan.”

  Those sneaky mages! Talon would have to be more cautious. He had underestimated the mages, and it had almost cost him everything. He wouldn’t let it happen again. “Very well. You have two choices. You can agree to my terms, or I’ll kill you,” Talon said.

  Harold looked defeated. He knew there was no way out of this situation. “What are your terms?” he asked.

  “You will follow my orders and never betray me. Eshil Domain will prepare for the invaders and fight alongside Vandalor and Azzellia. Do you agree to these terms?” Talon said.

  Talon saw the struggle on Harold’s face. There was no doubt in his mind that Harold wanted nothing more than to say no. The man should count himself lucky that Talon didn’t force him to declare Eshil Domain as Azzellia’s!

  “On one condition,” Harold said.

  “You have some nerve,” Talon said. He could feel rage starting to build in him again and he nearly throttled Harold to death.

  “Wait!” Harold exclaimed, waving both his hands. “It’s something regarding my daughter.”

  “Daughter?” Talon was confused. What did his daughter have to do with this?

  “Yes,” Harold slowly got up. “I want her to stay with you. I think she can use the power.”

  Talon went still. This was an unexpected development. He had met Harold’s daughter once. Evelyn was her name. She was about his age, though he had been a young child when he had seen her. Was this some trick? No, if he accepts my other terms, then he can’t betray me.

  “What do you want me to do?” Talon said.

  “I want you to teach her,” Harold said.

  “Done,” Talon said. Perhaps he could sway her to his side or at least learn if she hated him for what he was forcing her father to do. “Now, do you agree to my terms?”

  “Yes,” Harold said.

  “Know this, if you betray me or don’t fulfill your agreement to fight against the invaders, you will die a painful death. I am using a technique that will kill you if you betray your word.”

  Harold nodded as if he had expected something like this. “I won’t, you have my word,” he said.

  Talon waved his arms and performed the oath-keeper technique, a move he had only done to one other person. Qidan. Now he would have two people bonded to him, forced to obey him or burst into flames and die painfully. “It is done.”

  He could feel Qidan and Harold in his mind when he focused. Talon could point in the direction and locate where Qidan was at this moment. Now he could do the same to Harold. “First things first, what did you do to the guards that were with me when I was captured?” Talon said, thinking of Peitar and Arthur. If they were hurt…

  “They are back in my camp, being held as prisoners but weren’t mistreated, of that I swear,” Harold said.

  Thank Tarmella. Talon wasn’t sure what he would have done if his friends had been killed. “Good. Call off your army. Then I want you to release my men and have them brought to me. There will be no further bloodshed today,” Talon said.

  “It shall be done,” Harold said.

  With a quick wave of his hand, Talon removed the wall separating the guards from him and Harold. His vision blurred once more and he almost lost his balance. I need to keep my focus. Rest will come soon enough. Talon told himself and walked forward, with Harold by his side to end this short but brief war.