Sorrow of Eliyandir Part 1

Sorrow of Eliyandir
I
I saw my men get cut down like a scythe to grass by their riders at first contact. Their furious eyes filled with pleasure as they plunged deep into the fray. Their overwhelming ferocity had softened up our defence.
'Archers, knock!' I cried.
The archers complied in unison, their blue and white tabards glistening in the spring rain. 'Get ready to bring the steel rain!' They drew their bows. 'Fire!' I screamed. The volley was sent far into the enemy and their line suffered heavy losses. 'Fire at will, thin them down!'
I turned my horse and cantered down through the ranks, boosting the morale of the men as well as I could. The clashing of the steel seemed to ring louder than I had experienced in my years and the screams of my men were even more hollowing. There was something wrong in the air, the entire battle was a terrible idea, though I had no choice, if we didn't hold them here, the bastards would have free reign into our lands, raiding every village they came across. I looked towards our front line, my men's shining helmets falling at an alarming rate as the cold sweep of death's hand rushed forward. The sight filled me with fear as a colossal contraption was creeping forward, concealed by their cavalry. We had a fall back point further back, if we had any chance, we'd have to hold them there.
'FALL BACK TO THE BRENDSHEIN LINE! FALL BACK!' I watched my men more than enthusiastically run from the horde who gave chase, cutting down legions of retreating men. I gritted my teeth and galloped back to the line.
Making it back, the rain was almost instantly replaced by snow. I surveyed the blizzard from atop a castle wall, my flesh crawled and my hope had disintegrated. 'Princen, call the evacuation of the city.' I called to my sergeant.
'Sir?' He replied.
'Now!' I shooed him. Turning to address my few remaining units, standing there shaking from both the cold and immense fear, I raised my sword in the air and it glistened with a soft light. 'The only thing standing between those brutes and your families is you and this wall, take as many of the bastards with you as you can, you are the best army this world has ever seen, you won't let a couple of brutes take all you hold dear, will you?!' My men replied with a cry of war. 'Archers, get on top of the walls, now!'
The longbow men took their positions on the crenelations. Our faces were paled as the enemy's silhouettes appeared from the blizzard's mists. Hulking masses in heavy armour marched forward, red skull insignia on the front of their helmets. Their weapons were fierce longswords with tribal adornments. From behind the infantry, the giant war machine from earlier menacingly emerged and ever carefully trundled towards the castle gates. My archers snapped out of the gripping fear before I did and started volleying their ranks. 'Here they come, men!' I called back into the courtyard. 'Steel yourselves!' Frost gripped my joints as the blizzard intensified. 'Get the oil pouring, burn the bastards!' Banging on the door bevelled very apparent fear in the men's eyes. A squire wearing silky red sprinted on the opposite wall towards me, an urgent look on his face. I scratched my grizzled face as he arrived, panting.
'Lady Melandine has given the order to hold back and hold the city as fast as possible.' The squire managed. I looked back towards the citadel. There was no way we'd be able to hold the city, they'd pour in.
'Tell the lady, I'm not moving, but she should, and get out of here.'
The squire nodded. 'The gods have mercy on you, sir.' I met my men in the courtyard and the gate was taking a battering. Their ram must have been that large machine they rushed to the wall, and it was making quick work, bending the middle of the door inwards. They would be in very soon.
'Form close ranks, shield wall at the front!' The men shuffled into shape. 'Give those swine a pounding, send them back wh-' A giant blast sounded as the door yielded. A giant nozzle had pierced the door. The men looked around anxiously. 'Get closer to the gate, they'll be pouring through any second!'
The men edged forward in formation down the long corridor towards the swelled gate yet the foes came not through the breach, rather, something worse. Embers appeared from the machine and caught alight, setting my legions ablaze and screaming, pure evil chased us through the tunnel. 'Back, men, back!' They had not time to react as their flaming fate leapt upon them and at least half my men were an inferno; their screams filled the stone structure. I cursed to myself and joined the barricade. I acquired a shield from the floor and came to the front of the line. I started to bash my shield with my gauntleted hand; the men joined in and roared as the plated enemies charged through the gate. Through the fiery haze I could only see silhouettes but their menacing stature alone almost broke our line. I drew my sword and pointed it forward. Our might met theirs and brutal battle begun as I swung madly, trying my best to hold back their unstoppable force. Bit by bit we were worn down, the pike men overwhelmed by sheer numbers. My men undeniably held their ground until the end. I gazed at a more decorated soldier making his way through the gap in the gate near the back of the skirmish, he seemed to be an important ranking officer and returned my look, his piercing gaze of light blue eyes frightened me to the core and he mockingly smiled at me before pulling down his helmet visor. His distraction left me wide open for attack and a strong blow against my shield sent me sprawling on the floor, dropping my shield. When I stood back up, I saw the officer slicing man after man down, carving a bloody path towards me. The opponent who dealt the blow before approached me quickly, sending a strike towards me which I caught with my sword and I replied to him by sending a thrust towards his right shoulder which glanced off. He retaliated with two swift overheads, both of which I was able to dodge. He raised his sword again and I saw my chance, I thrust towards his shoulder and caught his armpit and a satisfying stream of crimson poured from the wound. He stumbled backwards grasping his arm. I turned to survey the battle and a harsh force caught my chest and sent me backwards into a wall. Searing pain emerged in my back and I looked up to see the officer, seven feet tall in bulky armour.
'Stand.' He uttered calmly to me. I tried and fell back down. He approached quickly and clawed my throat, lifting me up. 'Weakling.' He let go and I landed on my feet to my surprise. He stepped backwards slowly. I gave the castle a quick glance and I had the grim realisation that I was the only one left. The moans of my men filled my soul with despair as I knew the city was gone and soon would everywhere. The soldiers formed a circle around me, they were going to watch me fight for sport, and they looked on with pleasure, enjoying my pain. I'd give them a good fight. I bent over and gripped my sword in both my hands. After a few moments, I launched towards him and threw a cut at his neck. Just before I reached him, he kicked forward and I felt the force of his boot on my chest as I was thrown backwards. I landed hard on my back but stood quickly to meet his brutish attacks. The first was a diagonal cut which I parried and returned but it glanced away from his pauldron. He grabbed my arm but I fought back and freed myself of his powerful grip. He addressed his men and laughed heartily. I gritted my teeth angrily and thrust for his abdomen. He caught my blade on his cross guard and smiled menacingly at me before pushing against me and forcing me off of him. He came at me with all his force and I dove out of the way as his crushing blow whistled through the air. I raised my sword and cried as I cut across his elbow, sending his couter onto the floor and my sword deep into his flesh. I saw his sword too late as it made its deadly whistling path and could not parry. It cut painfully deep and stifled gurgles came from my throat as blood spattered from my mouth. I fell down on my knees and before long, the second heavy cut came fast and the darkness closed in.
II
'Oh! Sam, I didn't expect you to be here.' Elisanda's voice came from behind me.
'Just resting.' I muttered. The visage of peaceful times lay across the mountainside, the vibrant plants creating a vestige of life.
'It's beautiful. I lived not too far from here a long time ago.' She sat down next to me. 'I'd visit my grandmother a lot, she lived on a hillside. The view was gorgeous; we would sit there for hours in awe.' Elisanda nestled closer to me, smiling and looking over the hills. Her look of wonder slowly changed to a look of sadness. 'When... do you think, if at all... things will be back to normal?'
I looked into her eyes of ice and smiled comfortingly. 'I could never know. We must never give up.' I thought of that officer at Brendshein castle, not afraid to show his fear to his men but also not afraid to stand bravely until the end. She leaned into my shoulder.
'M'lady?' A voice made us both jump.
Elisanda stood quickly and turned.
'Your mother wishes you back, we are mobilising again.' Elisanda's maid said.
'I must go, Sam.' I nodded to her.
'Take care, Elisa.'
Elisa offered a smile as she left the door and I managed a response. I slouched back down in my chair by the window. The maid came closer. 'You love her, don't you?'
I stared intently at the deceiving meadows, promising a break from the brutality of life but merely offering the grim realisation that war is eternal.
'It's okay, dear. You don't have to answer; I've seen it a million times.' She took the seat next to me. 'You just protect her; otherwise she'll become another one of the lost.' The maid's face had despair engraved upon it and her eyes were glistening with a sly white. 'I'll not forget the lines of men in the exodus, shiny helmeted heads and beards stained wine red. The cold engulfs this place now, Eliyandir is in ruins and we are its tears, running through the lands.' She leaned into my face. 'Keep her close.' With those words, she left quickly. I sat puzzled in the dimming sunlight, pondering her words. I decided to sleep early, we'd be on the move again tomorrow and as I settled down in my fur sleeping bag, I wondered about the perils of the bogs ahead and about if the tales told about them were true.
I woke with a start, the sound of men running outside and friendly murmuring made me rush out of bed. We'd be leaving soon. I gathered my things and pushed open the door of my shack and the autumn sun made me squint. A handsome fair haired boy approached me and smiled.
'Up are you, sleepyhead?' He slapped me on the head.
'Travis, you bastard!' I laughed heartily.
'I hope you're ready for the next couple of days.'
'Why, is it because I'll be stuck with you?' I grimaced.
'No, you ungrateful prick; you should pay me to be in your company!' He stood triumphantly. 'You not heard the stories 'bout the bog?'
''Course I have, everyone has.'
'You best keep your swords handy then, don't want those bog men getting a hold of you!' He grabbed me and wrestled me to the floor.
'Get off me, you idiot!' I managed through laughter.
He stood and helped me up. We looked up towards the hill as a horn was blown.
'That's likely our call.' Travis said.
We picked up the pace and sprinted to the stables, grabbing two horses and galloping to the front of the convoy. We passed the metal plate men and reached Lord Gutambuille who was heading the journey. I had been his squire for as long as I could remember, and he was better at leading than any man I'd known.
'Sam, it's good of you to join us... finally.' He smirked and I returned it, embarrassed. 'It's okay, you're here now.' He stretched in his seat and sighed heavily. 'I'm sending you two to scout ahead, I don't believe in legends but I'd feel better going into explored territory.'
Me and Travis simultaneously nodded and galloped onwards into the dense canvas of green hands blocking the sun's kiss. The road obviously hadn't been travelled for years, almost being completely overgrown, making it harder to find the way through and before long we were both horribly lost. The curved beak of the road led onto another and another and we found ourselves at the foot of the cursed bog. Ravens eyed us sinisterly and the putrid brown water periodically bubbled in our presence.
'Should we go?' Travis said, attempting to shroud his trembling voice.
'Maybe it'd... be better if we went back?' I replied.
The water in front of us seemed to bubble in antagonistic fashion at the statement. 'Although, our orders were to scout...'
'We should just take a look around and go...' Travis suggested. I nodded in agreement and we tied up our horses to a tree. We leapt between the small islands of salvation in the swamp, hoping not to slip into the perilous and foggy unknown depths.
'Shit, Sam!' Travis shouted as I heard him hit the floor. I turned quickly and saw him clawing at the floor away from the water's edge. 'S-something grabbed me.'
I scanned the waters around us and the trees seemed to shift unnaturally as I tried to focus on them. I spied skulking figures in between the stumps and grabbed Travis forcefully, dragging him back towards where we came from.
'Hey, what-'
'Just get running, you fool!'
My legs rushed over the questionable footing until we reached the horses again. I heard strange noises from over my shoulder but shuddered to imagine what was pursuing us. The blubbering and panting made my skin crawl and the sudden appalling smell made me wretch. A rustling alarmed me from the bush next to me and from inside pounce a gurgling brown mass. The slobber drenching my face was quickly replaced with spatter of blood as Travis pierced its bony back with his sword. I threw the fiend off me and stood, finding me and Travis to be surrounded by muddy figures, their eyes filled with a hideous look. The tense air became murkier as the winds rose in fury and soon I was unable to see, but I could hear the sounds of the bog men closing in.
'Sam? SAAAAAAM!'
III
Lady Myrender hoisted herself up onto the wagon as we prepared to move. She plumped herself down next to me and adjusted herself to a comfortable position. The horses were whipped into forward march and we were on the move towards the bog. She took in a deep breath before speaking.
'You must be Elisanda Ironfort.' She studied me up and down.
'Yes ma'am.'
'Oh, you need not with that formal language, child. We're speaking lady to lady.' She said sternly.
'Is that so?' I questioned.
'Yes, and I want to know more about you, missy.' She eyed me intensively. I bridled uncomfortably at her invading eyes. 'You stay around with that lowly boy a fair amount, don't you, dear?'
I snapped my gaze to her eyes. 'What of it?' I questioned her, sounding irritated.
'A girl like you shouldn't lower yourself to that level of putridity.'
'What gives you the right?!' I snapped.
'If you want to get anywhere in politics, girl, you'd do well to better yourself... and don't speak to Sir Damond, he's nothing but trouble.'
'What's wrong with Sir Damond?' I was increasingly being enraged by this woman.
'He's a liar and a cheat who should keep his nose out of everyone else's business.' Her voice went from condescending to bitter.
'Sounds like someone else.' I smiled spitefully. She screwed up her face in retaliation and looked as if she was going to respond but she gave up and looked over the left of the wagon and enjoyed the mountain views. I did the same and wondered how far we would go this time to outrun the plague.
I started to eavesdrop on the men in front of me; they were dressed in very fine clothing and didn't try to hide it with their smug faces that I had seen them with around the town.
'Well, this whole move is a pain in the arse why must we do it every year? It would take years for... Them to get here, the hilly passes are confusing.'
'Perhaps it's better to be safer than sorry, Adrian.' The other man consoled. 'You remember what happened to the Great Citadel, don't you?'
Adrian seemed to think for a few moments. 'I think you're right Orendus, you're a smart man, and it's a pleasure to have you around.'
'I merely serve you friend to friend.' Orendus smiled warmly at Adrian and slumped down in his chair. 'What comes of your scouts to the east?'
'Cottonrend fell without much force. Ytenbulgr is preparing for siege, though I think it's more a desperation effort, everyone knows not even the Citadel could withstand the might of the darkness.' Adrian shuffled uncomfortably. 'They even managed to smoke the elves out of the dense Nensenfelder forest; it's likely they are on the run much like us.'
'Perhaps we could side with them?'
'The elves?! The fools would never accept an alliance with us.'
'Well why not? Desperate times call for these actions.'
'I imagine we will deal with it when the need arises, my friend. Those pointy eared cretins are not to be trusted.'
Orendus sighed heavily, scratching his rough beard. 'Strange, Gutambuille's scouts haven't returned yet...'
'Perhaps they got lost and are stuck in there somewhere.' They laughed heartily together. I was gripped with a fear for Sam.
IV
I immediately turned and ran towards the sound where Travis' voice came from and the fog began to thin. I saw his face drowned with tears being pulled through the mud, further into the forest and before I knew it, I was restrained by the arms.
'Get off me you shits, get off!'
'Hold your tongue, child.' An echoing female voice sounded. 'Calm yourself.'
'Stand still, cherub.'
From the mist, a woman, emitting a mesmerising white light took small steps forward towards me. I felt the fear and anger drain from me as she looked into my eyes.
'Why do you come here, boy?' She questioned in a friendly manner.
I hadn't forgotten about Travis. 'Where did you take my friend?' I returned a question.
She paused in her footsteps and looked into the distance, stroking her hair out of the way; I caught a glimpse of her pointed ears.
'He killed one of my people; he is in our custody now.'
'Your people? What exactly are they?'
She held her hands out in front of her and a blue glow hovered for a second, before expanding and clearing the fog. All around me stood hooded bowmen all aiming their longbows at me.
'We have not been disturbed for centuries, and now you have come, why?'
'We're refugees, from the east, running from the darkness.'
'The darkness?' She looked troubled and looked towards the floor. 'The legends...' She showed a clear face of understanding. 'Are you sure it is them?'
'Yes.' I said honestly.
'The snows of winter will cease and the rain of the sky will no longer fall, the sun will blot and extinguish and the realm will be covered in a thick, never-ending shadow, twilight will beckon and as the rivers and oceans run dry, the creatures of the realm of darkness will inherit the world of man.'
I shuddered at the words she uttered.
'Take him to the Oak.' She ordered and approached me. 'You will be key in the coming battles, my boy.' She looked up and nodded. A dark bag was thrust on my head and I was pulled deeper into the forest.

When the bag was lifted from my head, I was in an immense hall, with velvet and gold adornments everywhere, aging pillars lined the path towards the grand throne at the end of the room, on which sat an old man in sage robes.
'Go.' I heard the woman's voice from behind me. I started walking slowly towards the throne all the time, being aware of the archers aiming down on me from above. I arrived at the foot of the throne and looked up at the man who was gazing at me, puzzled.
'Who is this you bring to my hall, Aeithwyn.' Unexpectedly, the man's voice was crystal clear and without age.
'He was found in the bog, he has yet to tell me his mission but he says he is running from the darkness.'
The old man's eyebrows slowly rose. 'The darkness, hm?'
'I believe the prophecy of darkness has come true.'
'Is this true, boy? Have you seen it with your own eyes?'
Swallowing, I began to speak. 'I have seen legions in black armour and darkness in wake of them, their swords treating men like butter, machines that bring fire and death and the coldness of their eyes...' I failed to continue.
Aeithwyn put her hand on my shoulder. The man was pondering my words with a fierce expression of thought on his face.
'Come.' He stood from his throne. 'Let us go examine the tapestries.'
He led us through winding corridors until he finally made it into a mausoleum containing countless boxes of papyrus with vast texts of elvish. He went straight towards one hole in the wall and pulled out an ancient stone box and placed it on an equally old stone altar. Lifting the lid of the box and rifling through the numerous papers, he pulled out a particularly old looking text. He opened it and eyed the pages.
'Ah yes, here we go.' He pointed at the page. 'When the darkness inhabits the land, the fate of many rests on one.' An illustration of the page showed a boy emitting light in what seemed to be woodland, completely surrounded by bows. I studied this but then looked up and gulped when Aeithwyn and the man were staring wide eyed at me.

Continued in part 2... possibly