A/N: This is your fair warning. I am still on vacation for another week, but I was able to get this chapter done. The next one is being pre-read/beta-ed but might be another couple weeks. This chapter IS a cliff hanger.
Thanks to LyricalKris and theladyingrey42 as always for making this readable. This is my first battle scene. Hope you like it!
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25
"The Ainmhithe have come!"
Nearby warriors take up the call, and the anxious humans and vampires lower their weapons, turning back to the real threat of the Others' army. Soon the beasts and birds flowing over the mountainside join their ranks, and Edward loses track of the panther in the lead. Jasper's hand clasps onto his arm, and Edward refocuses his attention on the valley below.
The ranks of humans, vampires and Ainmhithe charge down toward the waiting army of Others below, their war cries ringing out across the valley, drowning out the hissing and bellowing of the dark masses.
The Others wrestle their thrashing scirrhgogs to the front line, the beasts' fleshy soft underbellies protected by the thick grey armor. They strain at the ends of their leashes, their giant mouths dripping and gnashing, and their muscles trembling with anticipation. Their keepers holding the chains attempt to hold them back, for what Edward has no idea. Overhead, the shrieks of the dragons pierce through the air even over the sounds of battle.
Suddenly, there is another sound, a sharp cry that is not reptilian at all. Glancing up, Edward sees dozens of great eagles flying into battle, swooping at their enemies and using their talons to tear and shred the dragons' wings. The reptiles snap with their large mouths and sharp teeth, but the eagles are too quick and small to be snagged easily.
A huge black cat nudges his side, drawing his attention from the aerial battle.
I'sabel.
He somehow stops himself for reaching for her, but their gazes lock for a brief second. She gives him a single nod, and then she's gone, disappearing back into the group of sprinting creatures.
The ground begins to level out, and the vampires are soon face-to-face with a wall of pure darkness. As they draw closer, Edward is horrified to watch as Others disappear on the spot, only to rematerialize within the warriors' ranks, grabbing humans and vampires alike and felling them with only their touch.
As screams of agony rise into the air, madness descends. Edward is quickly separated from the rest of his coven, but he can still hear Emmett bellowing orders and see an occasional glint of Jasper's or Rosalie's blond hair. The vampires and humans retaliate, silver blades flashing in the growing darkness with flares of brilliant white cutting through the Others. The Ainmhithe are no less fierce. Giant predators leap into the fray, claws scratching and teeth clamping onto the Others. A few change into their human forms, words of magic and flashes of light soon surrounding and destroying the few Others that had infiltrated the Aeland forces.
Edward notices that the majority of the black army is standing relatively still, watching the initial attack in apparent calm. Several of the Ainmhithe form a circle, placing their hands on the ground and whispering quick words. Edward feels it the moment the magic spreads, that familiar warmth moving through his body.
"They have set a spell on the ground to prevent the Others from another attack of that form," comes a soft, female voice behind him. He turns, hoping to see the familiar dark eyes that have haunted him but is disappointed to find Anj'la alone, her mouth set in a thin line. She nods at him and looks back at the mass of black on the far side of the field. "We've seen this before. Next they will set the creatures upon us, attacking with their main force while we are distracted by the beasts."
Edward has questions, so many questions, but she continues before he can open his mouth. "This time we are ready, though."
"What's different now?" he asks, knowing that wasn't the question he most wanted to ask.
"We have you," she says simply before striding away to join her tribe.
Taking a deep breath, Edward scans the vampires around him, trying to find his coven. He is unsure why the Others have stopped attacking, but he has a feeling that the respite will be brief.
He finds Emmett quickly enough. The General is busy organizing the minorly injured vampires that can no longer fight to escort a few of the more severely hurt warriors to relative safety on the far side of the pass.
"Here, take these five back with you." Emmett orders two of the vampires from Dreyden, thin black marks visible on their bare arms. Edward helps them to arrange the injured, recognizing the scout that gave the warning among the unconscious.
Edward is not happy to lose some of his numbers, but he understands that without quick treatment, they will be lost and the Others will grow stronger. "Hurry," he urges the vampires. "They don't have much time."
The two vampires nod and run up the mountain. They are through the pass before Edward can even turn around. "Are we all accounted for?" Edward asks, knowing Emmett will understand who he is referring to.
"Yes. Although we were all separated, none of us is injured yet." Emmett claps Edward on the back. "Don't worry, my friend. It takes more than a couple demons to get me down."
Edward half smiles at his General's good nature even in the face of death, but then he sees the dark masses moving over his shoulder. That is more than a couple demons.
"Don't think we've won yet, Emmett. Looks like they've got another round or two in them."
Emmett nods and crouches into a fighting stance. A messenger next to him sounds a horn with two short blasts, and the rest of the humans and vampires react immediately, forming the ordered ranks and groups that Edward witnessed in the training exercises.
"And we're ready for them," the large vampire says, readying his long-handled axes.
The Others advance with the scirrhgogs in the front, and then they release the leashes. As the chains fall to the ground, the giant grey beasts amble forward in a rush, crushing and shredding anyone in their path. Edward watches as man and vampire alike are thrown aside, nothing seemingly able to stop the creatures. Behind them, the formless Others approach without a sound, touching and taking the injured with no danger to themselves.
"Now!" Emmett shouts. Several groups rush forward, jabbing and slicing at the nearest two scirrhgogs until the ground is slick with their thick, green-grey blood. Several of the Ainmhithe transform into giant lions, bears and other chimeric creatures he doesn't even recognize. Their teeth, claws and tusks sinking into the soft bellies of the Others' creatures and tearing until there is nothing remaining. Unfortunately, for how much destruction the Ainmhithe are doing, it seems for each creature that is defeated, another is there to take its place, and line after line of men and vampires are pushed back.
Above, the raptors are still battling the dragons, occasional bodies of either foe or ally falling from the sky in a crumpled heap.
Edward barely has time to register the individual battles around him as he is constantly fighting for his own life and trying to drive back the waves of Others as they assault his army. His sword connects with another mass of dark, and he whispers the incantation, feeling the white light pulling energy from within him and shooting from the sword, destroying the Other in a bright flash. He finds himself in a small circle surrounded by vampires and devoid of Others and takes a second to assess himself. The pulses of energy he must use to destroy the Others always come back to him, but each time they are slightly diminished. Each time he has to expend a little more.
Taking a deep breath, he plunges back into the melee, trying to fight as many as he can and still keep an eye on the rest of his coven. Emmett and Rosalie are fighting back-to-back, her blond hair swirling around her as the giant arc of Emmett's axe sweeps through the air, clearing two or three Others at a time. Emmett's ability to focus the energy has increased his kill efficiency. Edward wishes he had spent a little more time training so he could match his General's skill.
Edward hears Jasper shout and turns to find a scirrhgog's massive claws inches from his face. Ducking and rolling, he lands in a crouch, already thrusting with his sword in the creature's less protected belly. He has to duck again as the creature bucks suddenly, screaming in pain and oozing green fluid. Jasper is suddenly there by Edward's side, his sword slicing cleanly through the scirrhgog's thick neck. Both of them leap backward, and the monstrous creature falls dead at their feet.
Edward turns to thank Jasper, but the other vampire just nods his head and returns to the battle, a look of fierce determination on his face. Close behind him is Carlisle, less athletic but no less fierce, his calculated feints and thrusts destroying and disorientating the evil creatures around him.
As he tirelessly fights, Edward loses all track of time, trying to keep his coven and himself safe. Stepping over a body, he has to resist looking at the face, hoping that it is not from his kingdom but knowing it most likely is. When an Other is destroyed, there is nothing left behind. They vanish completely as if they had never existed.
A disturbance across the field catches Edward's attention, and he turns toward the disruption. Crying out in anguish, Edward falters in his fighting when he sees the frozen look of surprise on Carlisle's face while he falls to the ground, a tendril of black and death wrapped around his leg. Fighting with everything he has left, Edward clears a path to his fallen mentor, knowing he has limited time to save him. Behind him, he can hear Jasper calling for Emmett and then a small grunt of pain. Edward turns to see Jasper still on his feet, but his left hand is drawn in to his body as he continues to fight right-handed.
Once Edward has driven the Others away, he glances down to see Carlisle is completely still. There is a swath of his leather pants burned through entirely, a large stripe of black marring the white skin of his thigh.
"By the gods," Edward curses, redoubling his efforts to protect Carlisle. As Jasper and Emmett join him and start to defend them, he kneels, brushing the dirt from Carlisle's face. Edward searches with his eyes and fingers, trying to detect some movement or hint that Carlisle is still fighting to stay in this world. A sudden ray of sunlight illuminates Carlisle's face, and his eyelids flutter slightly, making Edward almost laugh with relief, but he knows the injured vampire needs healing and now.
He stands, trying to determine the best way to keep his sword arm free and carry Carlisle to safety when he hears laughter behind him. Looking around, Edward can hardly believe his eyes.
The humans and vampires are still standing, poised to fight, but they face no one.
The valley is awash in light, the dark clouds above are breaking apart, and the evening sun shines through the blackness. The remaining defeated Others, hissing and spitting, are disappearing quickly, taking the few living dragons and scirrhgogs with them, leaving only corpses behind.
A gasp brings him back to reality, and he finds Rosalie kneeling over Carlisle. "Is he dead?"
"I don't think so." Edward sheaths his sword and kneels again, preparing to lift his mentor. He pauses and sighs with relief as a familiar warmth washes over him, gentler than the sun's rays but no less powerful, and he knows who stands behind him before she even speaks.
Turning his head, he is immediately calmed as deep brown eyes meet his briefly before I'sabel addresses Rosalie. He also knows without a doubt that the pang in his chest, that feeling of hope mixed with fear, is not only from the words she utters.
"No, not yet, but he hasn't much time."
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