Enric walked quickly back to the campground, he came in the dark.
"Enric! We were already worried about you, but... where did you come from?" Sil shouted and ran with a lit branch to the exhausted Enric.
"That's complicated," Enric said briefly.
"And the artefact?" Marcus joined them.
"Well... I met an old acquaintance, and he sort of took the artefact from me..." Enric said shyly.
"Old acquaintance?" Sil looked at him uncomprehendingly.
“It doesn't matter now. We have to gather our forces and go to Gregorian!” Enric shouted, and exhausted fell to the ground.
"But you should rest first, prince," Sil laughed at him.
"All right, but only for a moment."
In the morning they packed up and set out on the road.
"We have to hurry up, we've lost a lot of time!" Enric rushed forward.
"Enric, why do you hate your father so much?" Sil asked curiously.
"Why? His whole life was one big bloodshed. He destroyed anyone who could pose at least a small threat to his Empire. Did you know that Green Grove was a separate kingdom? Strange, I have a very similar story to yours, but from the aggressor's side." Enric was angry.
"The journey is long, you can tell me about it."
“I was six years old. Father completed the reorganized army and equipped it with the best weapons and armour available. One day, the father asked the representatives of the Green Grove to join the future Empire. But they refused and the war began. Eventually, Green Grove succumbed and became part of the new Empire. In a few years, as the two countries recovered from the war, the father started another, this time with the elves, so he expanded the territory of the Green Grove, but fortunately, the elves managed to defend themselves, it is said that the trees themselves opposed my father's armies,“ Enric explained.
"I ran away into the forest just after the war, maybe the Elves would be too proud to take me at other times," Sil said.
"Either way, the era of meaningless murdering of my father was not over. He could not deal with anything differently than by force and with the help of the army. Diplomacy, trade? That was my mother's work and later mine, that didn't mean anything to my father. I hated everything he ever did. Everyone blindly admired him "Great" "Gregorius the Great", if he couldn't raise his sword, he would be nothing."
"Is that why you hate the army?" Marcus asked.
"Probably, I was trying blindly to be the opposite of my father in everything. Nobody saw anything wrong on him, people didn't ask, and who did, paid for it. I had everything first hand. It took me two years to settle the relations between Gregorian and the Green Grove so that at least the inhabitants would talk to each other. The slimy, treacherous nobility did not feel like masters of the world under my rule."
"And that's why your uncle has now taken over the government with them," said Sil.
“Sir, what exactly are you planning? We'll walk with the army of Stormers and Desert People and conquer the Imperial City from your uncle's hands?" Marcus asked nervously.
"I hope not, perhaps my uncle will not be so mad to fight against us when the Dark One's army is probably marching on Gregorian," Enric told him.
They arrived to the Thunder Hills, where the troops of the Stormers lined up, and on the horizon were seen people coming out of the desert.
"Ahh... you're finally here. Somebody would like to talk to you, prince,” Stormer told him and led him to the tall, hooded figure.
"Elf? What are you looking for here?” Enric asked as the character turned.
“I am the ambassador of lord of the Northern Ashnaton Forest. We have heard that you are organizing an army to fight the Dark Ones.“
"That is a fact, you don't like it?" Enric said a little confused.
"No, prince, I come to offer you our help in the name of my lord. The disaster that was sent to our brothers from the South by the Dark Ones forced my master to rethink his priorities."
"Disaster? What disaster?" Enric didn't understand.
"They have changed our brothers into some kind of monsters like them, by using a dark artefact, now they are helping them in destroying your country."
"Well, every help will come in handy."
"I'll be back, and my lord will send his troops here." The elf bowed and walked away.
"What happened?" Silveria asked returning Enric.
"The South Ashnaton Forest is said to have been hit by a disaster that transformed the elves into Dark Ones-like creatures. But the Northern Forest's elves have joined us, they are sending their troops here."
"Oh..." She lowered her head.
"I'm sorry, Silveria, lucky you left with me," Enric encouraged Sil.
"So will we wait for the elves, sir?" Marcus asked.
"We don't have time for this, Marcus. We'll go alone, the others will meet us in Gregorian."
"Do you want to stand up against your uncle and the Dark Ones' army alone, sir?" Marcus paused.
"If you don't want, you don't have to go with me," Enric cut him off.
"Forget it, I'm going. I love being in the front line," Sil laughed.
"I won't leave you again, sir, wherever you go I'm with you," Marcus pulled himself together.
"Well, first-line, forward!" Enric laughed, prompting his horse to run.
Meanwhile, Zarius returned with his artefact to his troops bypassing Grimfell. They stopped in a valley in front of a small chapel. Two troops of knights stand in front of it. Around forty soldiers altogether, a small group against the enormous Dark One's armies.
"What are we waiting for?" prince Zarius asked his general from the saddle of his armoured black horse.
"Sir, there are knights standing in front of us. It's dark, our soldiers won't see them."
"Hahaa, the poor fool hoped they'll get ready for our bypass. He led us here on purpose! This ridiculous bunch of human worms won't stop us. Commence the attack!" Zarius called.
The Dark Hordes ran against the Knights. Knights took up defensive formations and raised their huge shields. As the Dark Ones approached, a lighted arrow was fired from the chapel's window and lit the oil in front of the knights, which was until now unnoticed by the Dark Ones. A high fire raised and seared the first lines of Dark Ones. Some Dark Ones jumped through the fire and attacked the formations of knights led by a tall knight in massive armour, wearing a large sword and a shield.
"Burn the unclean monsters of the darkness in the holy flames!" he shouted from his lungs as the first Dark Ones ran through the fire.
Zarius lost sight for a moment as he couldn't see through the glowing flames.
"Kill them already! Soon the fire will be seen even in Gregorian!" Zarius shouted to his soldiers.
When the fire settled a little, most of the knights were still on their feet.
"Cover them with arrows and fast attack!" prince Zarius ordered.
His archers began to shower the knights with clouds of arrows, and immediately after that, Dark One's infantry attacked. This was harder to withstand for the knights, but their commander was an inspiration that didn't let them step back.
"Kill that big one! Archers!" Zarius shouted as he approached the battle on his horse.
Their commander was hit several times with an arrow, but he did not seem to mind it.
"Ahh... what a man doesn't do alone." Zarius angrily grabbed the spear of one of his guards and threw it with force to the knight's commander's chest, commander broke the spear with a mighty roar and fought again.
"Kill them all! Now! Soon, the entire Empire will know about us!” Zarius continued with sending his soldiers.
As the knights began to slacken slowly, the dawn was coming.
"My lord, there! On the hill!" Dark One shouted at Zarius.
Illuminated by the rising sun, horse riders appeared on the hill.
"Those are... these are..." one of the Dark One's soldiers stammered.
"Riders of the Saints, so they exist," Zarius said.
The riders began to ride down the hill, their appearance strengthened the knights by the chapel.
"Change of plan! Prepare the artefact!" Zarius rode his horse back to the main army.
ns 15.158.61.6da2
