Darius was not pleased when the fighting started. In the back of his mind, the deceitful plan nagged at him, robbing him of any enjoyment as his axe tasted Demacian blood. Over and over he cleaved heads from shoulders, limbs from bodies, and lives from this earth. But he knew he would have to lose eventually, and so the battle was ruined.
From the rear, Lux watched the battle, her much larger army surrounding the forced of the legendary General Darius. He fought furiously, killing many dozens of her men before she could relay commands too form a shield wall around him, the rest of his men slaughtered. As he stood in the center of a circle of steel, he breathed heavily, tired from his exertions. His heavy axe blade dripped the blood of her comrades onto the ground, and Lux felt a pang of guilt wrack her already burdened heart.
Those men died for my plan... This will work. It has to.
On her command, the soldiers split apart, allowing her a direct line of sight to the General, while one of the shield bearers stepped into the circle and pointed a glowing golden lance at him. As the General prepared to swing his axe at the lance bearer, the sun shone impossibly bright for a moment and a beam of concentrated solar energy descended from the sky, blinding anyone who was foolish enough not to look away. The General, caught in the blast, collapsed to the ground under the weight of the energy, tearing off his glowing armor as it burned him. Now wearing only smoldering cloth, he stood shakily, preparing to leap into the air and cleave this unique soldier in two.
Another less light hit him before he could move, a small sparking ball of energy that held him in place as it burned a hole in his clothes and disappeared inside his chest, leaving a dark burn on his skin. Darius roared in frustration as he looked for the source, noticing the gap in the soldiers shield wall. A small girl? Realization hit him and he struggled to hide a laugh. This was the Demacian light bearer. The girl who never killed, despite her immense power. He wanted to shout at her, but before he could open his mouth, he saw her raise her wand and fire off another spell at him, this one exploding as soon as it hit him. His head rang as he was blinded, and he fell to the ground, defeated.
If only I had orders to win this fight, I would show that Demacian noble the true meaning of battle.
Leona approaches the collapse, smoking figure and nudges him with her lance. Darius remains still, apparently unaware of what is happening as his eyes struggle to see anything beyond an array of white dots. Lux runs up, visibly excited and asks, "Is he alright? I need him coherent and mostly unharmed."
"I believe he should be alright. Can you handle things from here? I have been away from home for far too long. I must return," said the warrior as she channeled her energy through her lance once more.
"Of course!" said Lux, feeling hopeful for the first time in years. "Thank you so much for your help. I don't know that we could have done this without you."
Leona stepped back from Lux and the General and replied, "You are stronger than you think, Lady of Light. Do not underestimate your own strength."
She pointed her lance into the sky and disappeared in a flash of sunlight.
Lux stared in awe at the burning circle on the ground where Leona had stood only moments ago, before she quickly came back to reality and started issuing orders.
"I need the general brought to my tent, hands shackled, legs unbound. Chain him to something sturdy. Oh and if the hawk has come in from the war council, please retrieve his file for me. I asked for it weeks ago. Maybe it has arrived?"
Lux stared at the huge brute of a man as he was dragged away and wondered to herself Is the fate of this war really in his hands? I could kill him now and many would consider it justice.
She shakes the idea out of her head. No. Demacian justice is not my justice. He can pay for his crimes after I make sure no one else has to die for this meaningless war.
As the afternoon passed, Lux entered her tent and found a chained Darius on his knees, hands chained behind his back.
"Hello General. I have a proposition for you."