Chapter Four: The Battle Begins

It had nearly been a week since Jess' dad had told him not to go to Terabithia. Summer break only had one month left and Jess couldn't take it. He arouse early one morning and ran to Terabithia before anyone was awake. He jogged down the familiar road past the Perkins place. (Which no one had moved into still.) He came to the bridge and looked up at the blue crest.

"Nothing Crushes Us." Jess said aloud. "Yeah, I should have written Nothing Kills Us. Maybe that would've helped." He shook his head in disbelief.

Jess continued past the old pick up and headed straight to the castle. He sat down and looked around. It was quiet, nothing was heard. Not even the wind.

Jess missed the days where Leslie and him would play after school and all day on the weekends. He missed those days dreadfully. He missed hearing her cheerful voice and seeing those sparkling eyes. He missed it all.

"Why did you have to go?" Jess asked the air.

"Our goal is near..." A voice said.

"Yes, soon the Dark Master shall destroy the Terabithians and lead us to a new age." Another voice said.

"Our plan is almost complete with the boy and the girl gone. Not one of us could come close to defeating them- except the Dark Master. And now that he killed the girl and drove off the boy we can invade and slaughter all the cursed Terabithians." The first voice hissed.

Jesse's eyes widened, they thought he was gone for good. He picked up his stick, which immediately morphed into a beautiful, broad sword. Armor materialized onto him leaving him covered from head to toe in silver armor. The crest, Nothing Crushes Us, was engraved into the breast plate. In real life, no man could actually wear this armor, for it would weigh a ton. But imaginary armor can weigh whatever you want.

Jess stood and jumped out of the tree house. Each step made a metallic clank ring in the air. He saw the two voices, they were tall strange looking bird-humans with dark wings. Each sub-human drew a spike sword with cruel looking points.

"Kill the fool!" The first shouted.

"SLAUGHTER!" The other howled.

The first came upon Jess and charged vigorously with his sword in hand. Jess pointed the tip of his sword straight at the sub-human. Jess sprung into action unleasing an Astra attack. (Which he learned in Kendo class.) Jess slashed waist, left side, right side, neck, and then a verticle upward slash with all his might. The sub-human flew to the ground after a flight of fifteen feet. It died and vanished.

"Ahuhuhahauha!" The second laughed like a madman. Jess sprang upon him stabbed his gut twice then plunged his sword right through the enemies' face. After the victory the armor detracted and Jess sheathed his sword. He climbed back into the tree house and sat down from exhaustion.

"I've never seen those creatures before." He said to himself. "Where are the squogers and the vultures? I haven't seen one in a while." Jess climbed a high tree with his levitation abilities. He looked out of at the lands of Terabithia but the only thing he saw was the plain green fields of grass and the fence. Jess closed his eyes, I have to keep my mind wide open. He thought. And when he opened his eyes, he almost fell out of the tree in fear.

"What the-" Jess exclaimed. The lands of Terabithia were no longer the beautiful hills with a waterfall and a river running between two beautiful mountains with a castle. Instead, the land was charred black. No life was to be seen. The castle was in ruins and flames licked up what was left of the Tree Top Provinces.

Terabithians were running in fear, countless were being slaughtered and the ones who resisted were put into chain as prisoners. Jess could only hear the countless screams of his subjects, being slaughtered one by one. The dark forces of the Master were at work. Giant trolls crushed towers and the sub-humans slaughtered the only warriors that were left.

"So that is what they meant." Jess gasped at the devastation.

"Your majesty!" A creature squeaked from below the tree.

"Huh?" Jess looked down to see a small brigade of Terabithian mice. Each had small chain shirts on and rapiers drawn in there hands. The one who talked was obviously the captain. He wore a helmet and carried a shield too. He was the only well armed mouse in the troop. "What is it?" Jess asked.

"We were sent to escort you out of the kingdom. We ask you leave before something happens to you." The other mice nodded in agreement.

"I don't plan on leaving..." Jess said and turned back to watch the battle.

"You majesty, the Dark Master's forces out number our own a hundred to one. It is far too dangerous for you to stay." The mouse advised.

"I am a ruler of Terabithia and nothing crushes us!" Jess shouted trying to sound like Leslie. He jumped out of the tree and he sprinted off towards the battle leaving the mice trying to keep up.

"Your majesty, you are the fastest in Terabithia! We cannot keep up!" The captain mouse squeaked.

But Jess ignored them and kept running. Finally, when he reached the battle he saw the legion upon legion of dark forces that were attacking the forest and the castle's dwindling defenders. Jess gathered his most kingly voice he could come up with and shouted onto the battlefield, "To me warriors of Terabithia! Fight for your land and defend it with your lives! We shall not be defeated for nothing crushes us!" It seemed like the battle was paused completely to listen to Jess. But when he was finished the Terabithian warriors shouted a battle cry and a war horn blew. Leslie would be proud of me. He thought.

Jess' battle armor materialized and he charged into battle. His broad sword cut down dozens of enemies with each stroke. Cries were heard and creatures feared his blade. The Terabithian warriors fought with new energy with their King on the battlefield.

"The King has returned! Stand your ground you worthless idiots!" A minotaur captain of the enemy shouted. The minotaur raised his broad axe and slew a castle defender. He charged Jess and brought his axe down hard. Jess blocked the chop and pushed the axe back. Jess then lunged at the beast with his sword and pierced the bloody minotaur's heart. Jess continued to slash, parry, and lunge as the battle around him continued.


A raven flew to the Dark Master who was overseeing the battle from atop a mountain.

"Hail, Sharpeye! What news-sss have you come to bring me?" The Dark Master questioned.

"The Terabithian King has arrived on the battlefield. He is pushing back our front line single-handedly." The raven croaked.

"Send Thanos, my personal assassin." the Dark Master commanded, "Kill them all. Leave none alive except the boy. Bring the boy to me alive."

"At once my lord." The raven croaked and flew off.


A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! I updated this chapter and got rid of some typos.