Chapter 15:
The next day came late for them. Diaval was the first to wake to the slivers of sunlight that penetrated into the pod and directly onto his eyelids. It must have been the late morning or the early afternoon at the latest by how strong the sunlight was. He muttered something quietly and turned his head to the side and into Maleficent's hair. He took a deep breath in of her scent and naturally turned to encompass her with his body. Her naked form hidden from the rest of the world, totally safe from all the world's horrors and terrors protected by his body and his feathers. His hand ran over the arm that wrapped over his waist and she responded by her hand finding his and wove their fingers together. Their joined hands resettled between the two of them in the down of both of their wings under them.
"What time is it?" she murmured, her voice a little hoarse from sleep. He never heard anything that could ever compare to it.
"Early afternoon," he answered his best guess with his eyes still closed and his lips at her forehead.
"We should get up," she mentioned, but made no move to do so. If anything she pulled herself further into his embrace, "We have to be prepared for the night."
"We are prepared to a point and that will have to do," he finally opened his eyes and looked at the pod. The light from outside was bright and strong. It seemed like the clouds that had been overhead were finally swept away during the early morning hours. He yawned loudly above her and pulled her hand to his lips, "But you are right."
"As always," she smirked and finally opened her eyes.
"Oh really? Always?" he asked with a lift to his voice as he looked down into her eyes.
"Always," she nodded, resolute in her answer.
"I can think of a few times where you weren't so correct," he took a deep breath as if to list them.
"Don't you dare," she warned him and pushed up just far enough to kiss him before he could begin to list them off. He hummed in appreciation and wove his arms around her back and kissed back with a hunger renewed from the night before.
The door to their pod instantly crashed open with an eager Aurora, "You two missed breakfast. I thought that- Oh!"
"Aurora!" Maleficent yelled out.
Diaval instantly fanned out his wings to cover both himself and Maleficent as Maleficent did the same, their nest now a tangle of wings and only a couple of splotches of skin or hair. He looked over his shoulder through one of the openings left from their wings and toward Aurora, hoping that he was not as red as he felt.
"Knocking is preferred, Little One."
"I- I am so sorry!" Aurora squeaked with a completely red face before she backed out the door of the pod, "Take your time."
The door slammed shut and everything was quiet.
A few seconds passed in silence until Diaval began to laugh loudly, his wings shaking with his laughter. He looked to Maleficent who still felt a little shocked at the situation.
"I hardly find the amusement in this," she tried to chastise his delight, but held a spark of impish glee in her own eyes.
"I think that we have finally embarrassed our daughter to point that she had to run away," he tilted his head to the door, "We have reached the pinnacle of parenthood."
"What we have done is scar the poor Beastie for the rest of her life," Maleficent grinned back at him and pushed him from her. She waved her hand and pulled a dark green dress from the air. As she pulled it on, she felt Diaval come behind her. He pulled her back to him, her wings pushed between the two of them. His kissed her naked shoulder over the small bruise that had formed from his bite the night before. She pulled the sleeve up her arm and covered the spot he had just kissed. She turned in his arms, "We need to see to our people. And make sure that Aurora does not heat her face too drastically from the shame of it all."
Her hand landed on his chest and he was dressed in dragon scale once again. He looked at his clothed front and noticed the shoulder armor that she had added to the dress she had chosen. With a nod of his head he kissed her quickly and then turned to the door. He opened it for her and led her out toward the castle. As he closed the door he chuckled, "Remind me to add some kind of lock on this thing."
The two of them found Aurora in the dining hall. They had slept past breakfast and now the dining table had been set for lunch. Their daughter apologized profusely for the walk in and they both hugged her in forgiveness. Then they immediately turned to the table and to some kind of meal.
"I am famished," Diaval announced and bit into some roasted boar.
"I am not surprised," Maleficent flashed him a smirk.
"And I do not need to know," Aurora finished.
"Where is Phillip this morning?" Maleficent asked to find another course of conversation.
"With the training groups in the courtyard," she sighed and shook her head, "He has this ridiculous notion that he will be out there on the battlefield with them."
"That I will," Phillip walked into the dining hall, still dressed in an older training shirt and dark colored breeches, "I will not let these men fight alone."
"So you will leave me alone?" Aurora asked with a small tilt of her head.
"It is expected that the king fight along with his subjects," Phillip took in a deep breath as this was an argument that he had on more than one occasion with his young wife, "I will come back. Percival will see to that."
"If not the two of us," Diaval said simply and looked at Maleficent who nodded softly.
"Both of you are going out there?" Aurora frowned and folded her arms over her chest.
"I am the guardian of the Moors, Beastie," Maleficent reminded her, "I cannot sit behind the lines and wait while fairy fight for their home. I know what to expect from these sorcerers and the Moor Folk have prepared for their attacks. Please don't make me convince you too. It was hard enough with Diaval."
"She really had to convince me," Diaval frowned, "I don't want to see her completely drained, but she made good points. Besides, I will be out there to guard her myself. Won't let her out of my sight."
Aurora let out a defeated breath through her nose, "Do you think that it will happen tonight?"
"More than likely," Maleficent nodded once more, "I wouldn't be surprised if they are to strike the moment the sun touches the tops of the hills."
"You need to come back," Aurora looked at all of them and then focused on Diaval, "All of you, please."
"You get caught in a vortex of magic one time and you become that individual," Diaval said as he popped a piece of the boar into his mouth, "I came back."
"After a week," Aurora gave him a playful warning glance, "Once is one time too many."
Percival entered the dining hall and bowed before the royals, "Your Majesties, there is a messenger at the bridge ruins."
"Messenger?" Phillip asked, eyebrows furrowed, "From where?"
"The Moors."
Diaval and Maleficent were the first to leave the room after Percival as Aurora and Phillip followed them. The training the the courtyard stopped briefly at the unknown visitor's arrival at the river's edge. There, alone on the other side was a robed figure, blue color emanating from his ring. Shrike, Talom and Saoirse were at the edge opposite the messenger, Shrike's eyes not only on the figure across from them, but at the water for any unwanted surprises. Diaval also took a look over the water briefly before he pulled both Talom and Saoirse back with a look.
Maleficent held her staff in hand and stood at the edge of the broken bridge from their side. Her wings opened wide for a moment to block any harm that may spread behind her toward Phillip and Aurora. Her feathers brushed another as she noticed that Diaval stood at her side, his own wings spread doing the same. Her eyes narrowed back on the robed one, "What message do you have sorcerer?"
"You know we are here for battle," he yelled across the river, "Must we have bloodshed?"
"According to you and your actions, yes," Maleficent hissed and a flash of green lit in her eyes as her fingertips burned with green fire.
"We are asking for so little," the man started again, unperturbed by the show of magic, "We have taken over the lands already. Let us rule the Moors without interference. Let us have this magical place and we will leave your kingdoms alone... For a time."
"The Moors are part of our kingdoms!" Aurora yelled from directly behind Maleficent.
"You cannot force the Moors from who they truly belong to," Maleficent reminded the man.
"Who? Your queen?"
"No, the magical beings that inhabit it- sustain it," she looked at the water's edge on the Moor side of the river. The water had turned murky and dark, so unlike the water nymphs to keep it as such, "You have driven them from their homes, drained them of their magic and taken the very core from which they draw their life force. The Moors will perish long before you have your fill without those who clean its waters, refresh the glens and flowerbeds, and spread magic through all the regions of the land. So you see, there will be bloodshed, for you are not killing only the Moor Folk, but the Moors themselves. My people- our people will not have it."
"So you have made their choice?"
"We have made our choice," Phillip stepped forward and held out his sword toward the man, "We will fight for our kingdom. Our whole kingdom."
"So be it, young king," the man nodded under his cloak and began to step back into the dark trees, "You know when to expect us."
"They will come tonight," Maleficent said as Phillip sheathed his sword at his side.
"Over the water?" Phillip asked though he didn't move his eyes from the river bank.
"With sorcery on their side, more than likely," Maleficent turned from the banks and the green flames on her hand extinguished. She looked at the onlookers that were behind her. Lords, ladies, peasants, fairy and human alike looked on with fear, but determination. She took a breath, "We will be attacked tonight. Prepare yourselves and your loved ones. It will not be an easy battle."
Many bodies began to scurry to different places. Some to their homes to ready their families, some to their shops to ready their livelihoods and others to the training grounds to ready themselves.
"What are we to do?" Aurora asked from Maleficent's side.
"You are to help your people as you so often do," Maleficent smiled down at her, kissed her on the top of her head and pushed her with Phillip toward the castle, "And get your husband in whatever shape you may need him."
"Come, Aurora," Phillip wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her toward the castle.
Diaval stepped next to Maleficent, "If it comes to it, she will be safe with the evacuation."
"I know," Maleficent nodded, but let out a worried breath, "But that means that we have failed. That means that I will no longer be able to protect her. Neither of us will."
"You listen to me," he held her face in his hands and looked directly into her eyes, "We will win this. We will see Aurora reign brilliantly with Phillip and their future children. We will go back to the Moors and bring it back to its glory. We will be with each other every night in our nest like I promised you. We will soar over the skies of the Moors together again... maybe with some other little ones soaring with us one day."
Her eyes widened at the implication, "Children? Like those you care for with Udo?"
"Like those that look like you and have endless charm like me," he smirked and chuckled nervously, "If it is something to be then we will experience it together. We will win this day, because I want and will get that chance with you."
She smiled up at him, careful that her eyes didn't let any of her tears fall, "We will. Because I want that chance too."
"Excuse the intrusion," Lord Elwine walked toward them.
Diaval stood in front of Maleficent to give her a moment to dry her eyes, "Lord Elwine."
"I had thought about what you said last night," Elwine started and looked at both him and Maleficent once she turned toward him again, "I was wrong to back Warwick. I want to fight for what I believe in."
"It's a good start," Maleficent nodded.
"I was hoping to pledge myself to your safety on this night, my lady," Lord Elwine bowed before her, "I know you have your mate to protect you well, but I will guard you with my sword and my honor. Let me fight for something I wish to fight for."
"For me?"
"For your further protection of the Moors," he added, "Those lands need you. I fight for that."
"Then we welcome you," Diaval smiled to the man and waved his hand for the Lord to stand, "And I thank you. You have saved her once before and I can never repay you for that. Whatever I did would never be enough. I will be at her side in battle, but be it for me to refuse more protection for my mate."
"What about you?" she asked with a quirk of her brow, "Who is to protect you?"
"You, of course," he smiled wide at her, "You would trust no one else."
"Then I will be with you out on the field," Lord Elwine bowed quickly and then walked toward the King's guard who were to be close to Phillip during the battle.
"You trust him with my safety?" Maleficent asked when Elwine was out of earshot.
"I trust no one other than myself with you," he countered, "But it will be nice to have another set of eyes on your safety out there. I may be able to change my form at will, but I still don't have eyes in the back of my head. And since you blatantly deny my plan of keeping you with Aurora, I will take all advantages to keep you on your feet- or wings."
She nodded slowly and took a few steps toward the armory, "Come, I think I want to take another look at those new weapons."
Diaval and Maleficent stood side by side at the water's edge toward the Moors. Phillip and the King's Guard behind him stood at Maleficent's other side. They looked back at the castle to see a hint of a blond head peek over the railing at them for the final time before the sun began to fall behind the hills. The golden hair soon disappeared into the tower and they all spared a sigh of relief. Torches lit behind them and along the river's banks. Large thorn walls towered behind the troops, protecting not only the castle, but the inner workings of the sanctuary. Should the enemy get past the ranks, they would not get past the torn walls to those who could not fight.
Dark Fey were spread through out the many troops of men and fairy alike. Their wings posed to make any movement to fly or use as weapons. Talom and Saoirse led their own troops at either end of the line while Shrike stayed with the King's Guard in a place of leadership under Maleficent. Udo could be seen with other Tundra Fey toward the middle, while a few of the Forest Fey stood mirrored at the other end. True, this was not the full strength of the Dark Fey, but it was enough that they had stayed.
"It's a bit ironic, isn't it?" Diaval asked as he scanned the tree line.
"What is?" Phillip asked, his hand present over his sword.
"That we are standing on this side of the river ready to defend," Diaval shook his head with a deep breath, "Thought that it would be opposite should I ever had to fight for my home."
"You are still fighting for your home, Lord Diaval," Elwine explained, "The Moors are still there."
"As they will always be," Diaval nodded and his head tilted toward the water as he heard the water flow shift. He looked down and saw more and more water hags fill the clear water, "We have company."
"They cannot do much out of the water," Maleficent had noticed them, but her eyes still on the far bank.
Then out of the mists of the Moors, shadows began to take form. Ogres, bogeys, wraiths, ghouls, red caps and goblins all chattered and groaned on the other side of the banks. Two robed figures came forward opposite from Phillip and Maleficent. One of them lifted their hand aglow with magic, and the other tore his robe from himself to show the Redcap under neath. He did not hold a new ring on his hand this time- instead he brandished a long, sharp but rusted scythe. He stared at Diaval and smiled evilly toward him. The whole bank of Dark Folk began to stomp their feet and grunt together. They looked toward the sorcerer in the middle who lifted his hands and the dark power grew.
"You would not relent!" the man shouted from under his hood, "Now you will all die! The king, the guardian of the Moors, the whole kingdom shall burn!"
The blue magic grew steadily stronger above him, the wind kicked up around him as his robes blew furiously around him.
"Ready, men!" Phillip yelled out and readied his sword, "Ready, Fairy!"
All along the line, fairy, fey and man readied their weapons for the battle in wait for the order of attack.
"Come and stand with me!" Maleficent called out once again. The tree guardians walked from the towers and the buildings of the hamlet that surrounded the castle. From below the thorn wall, multiple ground dragons made of vines, earth and bark emerged and roared behind the troops up and down the banks of the river. She turned back to the opposing force who wavered only little in their chants.
"Your magic will pale in comparison to mine!" the robed man laughed louder as the wind picked up worse around him and the magic in hand. His hood finally flipped back and there for all to see was none other than Lord Warwick, his face in a manic smile, twisted in his goal, "Let's start the war, shall we?"
"How am I not surprised," Diaval growled and his wings bristled.
"No takers?" Warwick asked, "Then I'll start."
He finally released the power from his fingers, the blast followed the tree line and an old, large tree fell into the water. The massive, over sized trunk instantly cut off the water of the raging river between the two armies. Water that pushed against the tree diverted and washed around the large wall of the Hamlet on the other side to find a new way to the sea. The men of Ulstead and Perceforest eyed the now open gateway and watched and waited for any signal to begin a charge.
The water hags screeched at their water now failing to be replenished and crawled along the mud and muck under them. They looked up at Warwick and reached for him for help or assistance. They would find none.
Warwick chuckled and looked at his ring, "Already in need of a bit of refreshment."
He waved his hand and a purple mist flowed into the now empty chasm of the river bed. It covered the entire bed and focused completely on the water hags that laid helpless. They screamed further as their essence was drained by the man above them until they fell silent. Soon the mist crawled back to him and converged over his ring where the blue light shown bright once more.
"He would kill those from his own side," Phillip growled.
"If it meant that he would win, sire," Elwine nodded and gripped at his sword.
"Then let us make sure he doesn't," Phillip swore under his breath, "Percival?"
"Yes, Sire?"
"Let's make good use of this river bed."
"Well, what are you waiting for?" Warwick smirked at his Redcap counterpart.
The Redcap smiled wide, his gruesome teeth shined in the new moonlight. He turned to the Dark Folk behind him, "Let's take what's ours! It is our time! Attack!"
Dark Folk of all kinds leaped into the riverbed and ran toward the Ulstead boarder.
"Attack!" Phillip ordered and led the charge into the gaping whole.
Maleficent shot into the air and yelled as the other Dark Fey followed suit. The warriors took to the air and screamed in war cries as they descended on the dark creatures of the Moors. The earth dragons plummeted into the ground and swam through the mud and slick earth as they devoured Dark Folk and drug them into the earth. Moor Folk picked up and threw many of the smaller Dark Folk as they made their way through the battle. Men used tactics learned from both Percival and Shrike as their weapons sliced and hissed through Dark Fairy flesh.
Diaval swooped down with two other Fey against a large concentration of wraiths that had cornered a small group of men at the far side near the tree trunk. He flew close and turned his feet into talons and claws. He gripped the wraiths by their shoulders only to toss two of them into the water on the other side of the downed tree. They were soon ripped apart by the water hags that were left from the draining. They held no allegiances- except to their now dead sisters. The other two fey stabbed the other wraiths with their spears as they killed the dark ones. The men nodded in thanks and ran toward the company of goblins that were trying to pin down a group of Moor Folk led by Robin.
Maleficent soared over a large group of ogres as they stomped through the middle of the river crossing. She screamed out in rage as the horn on her wings sliced across their chests and made them reel back in pain. Another form flew from the other side, their talons gouging the monsters on their backs. The monsters spun again in pain and became confused on their standing.
Maleficent landed on a rock not too far from the ogres.
Diaval soared up to her and took a deep breath when he landed, "You want to take on a whole line of ogres on your own?"
"They are no threat to me. I have faced worse," she reminded him and brought up her hand to throw a long line of green fire at the ogres. They all screamed and began to roll in the mud in hopes that it would extinguish the flames. She lifted her brows in a challenge to Diaval, "See?"
From the other side of the bank the Redcap growled and set his sights on the Diaval in the gorge. He took a step to proceed into battle when he was stopped by the sorcerer's hand.
"Why do you stop me?" he growled and pointed at Diaval, "I want to play. He and I have to let our game play out."
"And as much I would love to see you put that bird on a pike, I have another idea," Warwick turned his attention to the fallen tree and set a blast of magic toward the trunk.
"Half of the forces that we brought are still down there," the Redcap frowned, "No to mention-"
"So are the bird and the King," Warwick smirked, "Two birds, one tree. The benefits definitely outweigh any losses."
The large tree began to splinter and groan now that it lost part of its center. Both sides scrambled to head to land, except for the Dark Fey. Many of them flew directly to the tree and began to weave their earth magic on the trunk to strengthen the bond. Maleficent and Diaval both flew to them to help where they could. Diaval began to use what he learned of earth magic to support the sides where water began to seep through.
"I don't know if this will hold," he called out and looked over his side where Phillip was engaged with goblins with Percival at his back.
"It will!" Maleficent yelled back and lifted her hands now with gold magic flowing around her fingers. Two monstrous earth dragons burst from the sides of the riverbed and enveloped the tree with their own bodies. They weaved around one another and the large tree until there were no more leaks to be had. The Dark Fey stayed air born to keep an eye on the tree until arrows began to shoot through the air toward them. Two fell from the sky as their wings were torn through by iron arrows.
A few arrows flew past Maleficent close enough that she felt the heat off of the arrowhead next to her cheek. They looked down to see a small group of goblins with crossbows below. Before the little creatures could reload, Elwine let his sword fly through and around them. He chopped and cut and when they were down he looked up to nod at Maleficent and Diaval. He waved briefly and then went on to help in the next fight.
"Okay, that didn't go as planned..." Warwick saw the tree now re-enforced turned to the Redcap, "Now you may play."
"Excellent," he grinned again as he held up his scythe. He turned to the other half of their forces, "Kill to your pleasure!"
The other Dark Folk yelled out in adrenaline and ran toward the opened river.
The Redcap led the way into the mud as he slashed and crushed any human or fairy in his way. He wielded his scythe in practiced motions and laughed as the blood began to spill around him. He fought his way toward the middle of the battle where he had last seen the winged man. Through a small crowd of men he saw the form of a black bear with a raven beak tearing apart some fellow, yet smaller redcaps. He stood over a few injured Moor Folk and threw one Dark Fairy after another away from them. The Redcap chuckled darkly and rushed at the bear.
Diaval looked up in time to see the scythe coming. His bear claw came up and stopped the blade in time from impaling him. He roared to the two fairies under him and they ran to regroup with others. The Redcap pulled his scythe down and sliced through Diaval's arm. He roared again this time in pain as he took a couple of steps back from the Redcap.
"Did you really think that you would get away from me again, raven?" the Redcap taunted him and licked at the blood on his scythe, "This time, there will be no iron shovel to call to. You will not be getting back up. I will guarantee it."
Diaval quickly shifted his form again into his first form of a raven. His wing was bleeding, but was healing slowly with the magic that traveled in his blood. He cawed loudly at the Redcap and flew around him quickly as the Redcap swung his scythe around him, chasing the fast flier.
"Come down here and face me like a man!" the Redcap screamed up at him.
Diaval stopped in his quick flight to look down at the creature below him. He flew down to land a ways away from the Redcap as a man, "I will face you, but not as a man- for I am not one."
"What are you then?" the Redcap challenged and shifted his scythe in his hands.
"I am a many things. None to describe all of who I am, but I know one that is close," he paused and took a breath as his form shifted again. His form grew massive as wings sprouted again and the large black dragon that tore apart Stefan's castle stood snarling at the Redcap.
"I have slain dragons before!" the Redcap screamed at him.
Diaval seemed to beam in pride at him. For he was no regular dragon either.
Fire spewed from Diaval's mouth as he followed the Redcap, his tail taking out other small groups of Dark Folk as he went. Suddenly, a large burst of fire exploded from his mouth and caught the back of the Redcap as he turned to run. The Redcap lost his scythe and it fell into the mud, instantly covered by the shuffling of others in battle.
"No!" the Redcap yelled and dug into the mud to find his weapon, his back singed and burned black.
"You are done with," Diaval said as he shrunk back into the form of a man, his wings stayed with him this time and shifted behind him. He held one of the iron swords from its scabbard and came closer to the Redcap.
"You will not beat me!" the Redcap snarled. He turned, leaped to his feet and turned to grab Diaval by the throat again. He lifted him up by the neck and held him high above his head, "You will die today!"
"Not in my cards," Diaval struggled against his grip briefly before he stabbed the sword forward and the iron hissed as it tore through the arm. The Redcap screamed and dropped him into the mud. Diaval reacted quickly, kicked his foot out and tripped the monster back. Once it landed on his back, Diaval stabbed the iron blade into the shoulder of the fallen monster. The Redcap sneered up at him and held his injured arm as he sneaked glances at the sword in his shoulder.
"This will not kill me."
"I know," Diaval reached out and snatched the red cap right off of the monster's head.
"What have you done?!" he screamed and his good arm left his injury to grip at the top of his head.
"Funny thing about listening to old stories," Diaval panted and rubbed at his neck briefly before he held up the cap in his hand, "You learn some weaknesses, some opportunities should you be faced with the worst of the worst."
"My cap!"
"You cannot survive without it," Diaval pointed out and looked the monster in the eyes, "You said I was to die today. I think you had it backwards. I was to end you today."
The monster's eyes widened, "Not my cap!"
"Yes, I'm afraid so," Diaval looked at the cap as small golden flames burned from his fingers and engulfed the red cap in his hand. He looked over the charred remains of the material to see the now charred remains of one of his captors, "Never again."
There was suddenly a sharp pain in his lower back and he was thrown to the ground. He looked over his shoulder where Warwick stood not too far off another bright blast of magic charging in his hand. Warwick gritted his teeth and threw the charge of magic at him again and hit him in the right shoulder. Diaval cried out at the burning sensation and landed feet away from where his sword still sat embedded in the scorched remains of his once torturer.
"Thank you for disposing of the Redcap, he was getting rather wrapped up in finishing you off," Warwick said simply and continued his advance toward Diaval, another charge prepping, "Now I can have that honor myself."
"No!" Phillip charged in and sliced his sword toward Warwick and made the sorcerer step back in surprise.
"Oh, so you have a king to guard you now?" Warwick laughed and spun another spell of what looked like lightning in hand, "No matter. I can deal with a king just like any man."
"Phillip!" Diaval called to him and tossed him from the blast of lightning.
Phillip landed feet away, out of harms reach, in the mud while the lightning flew into the mud at the spot where he stood.
"Ever the faithful raven to our king," Warwick chuckled, "And now you can die an honorable, yet unworthy bird."
"You give me too much credit," Diaval uttered and a tail suddenly formed under him and snapped out at Warwick.
The sorcerer took a few steps back, surprised by the sudden appendage. He grabbed the whipping tail and ripped it out from under Diaval. He held the long, black tail at his side and smirked as he looked it over, "Nice trick."
He tossed it to the side and looked back to see a lion's paw reach for him. He was tossed to the side and Diaval gripped at his side with his normal hand while the lion's paw retreated back into a man's hand, "Thanks, I have many more."
"I think I have seen enough," Warwick spun over and blasted Diaval into the air, his body hit the side banks of the river and slid back down into the mud, "Play time is over."
Diaval shook his head to try and get up and back into the fight. He looked directly at the ring above him as it charged with more magic. He closed his eyes for the blow, unable to roll or move out of the way.
"Diaval, no!" Phillip screamed from where he landed from before, his feet not finding purchase in the slick mud.
Then from behind, a rough short blade pierced through Warwick's chest. His eyes bulged and he coughed on the blood that began to fill his lungs. Diaval's eyes widened at the sight of the magic fizzle out from the ring and the man slumped forward, off the blade and into the mud beside him. Diaval grabbed the ring off of his hand and tossed it into the side mud wall of the river. He then turned his head up to thank his rescuer. There silhouetted was a tall, winged figure.
"You mean to tell me that you still need saving, raven?"
"Borra," Diaval let out a small bark of laughter in utter surprise, "You came back?"
"I wasn't the only one who thought that we should still fight in this war for our land... and our friends," he looked up to the sky where many of the Dark Fey flew from over the sea.
"But those you went to protect-"
"Are still protected by the island," Borra nodded and held a hand down to Diaval to help him up, "You on the other hand, needed us. We will not run again. We will not abandon our found family."
Diaval grabbed Borra's arm and pulled to stand once more.
More Dark Fey let out war cries and bowled into the groups and troops of Dark Folk that had spilled from the Moors. Wings and weapons clashed as the Dark Fey began to overcome the enemy.
Diaval walked over to Phillip and helped him up, "When will you learn that I will toss you out of the way when you put yourself in harms way for me?"
"Never, it would seem," Phillip huffed out a half laugh as he looked to the sky, "They came back."
"Yes we did," Borra smirked at the young king.
"Thank you," Phillip held out his hand for a shake. Borra looked at the hand and then gripped his arm in agreement.
"Thank you, your majesty," Borra nodded and then took to the air to see what other fight he could start.
Diaval saw the fight begin to turn. The robed ones who came were dead and the forces of the Dark Folk were dwindling. They were going to win this battle. He held on to Phillip at his side while he scanned the battlefield for Maleficent. She wasn't more than twenty feet away and it looked like she too had noticed the Dark Fey had returned. He shifted his weight to push Phillip completely on his feet and began to make his way to her.
Maleficent watched her people's numbers not dwindle, but grow as more and more Dark Fey returned from the sea and launched into battle. She huffed out a small laugh and looked around her. There were a few men from the King's Guard, Lord Elwine and a couple of Moor Folk.
"They are back. We are winning," Maleficent smiled in relief. There would be no more blood spill today. Then she noticed the Dark Folk that still fought and turned to the two bodies that laid nearby. She had seen Diaval roast the Redcap and it looked like Warwick fell as well, but yet the Dark folk still keep fighting, "Why?"
"Why what, my lady?" Percival asked from her other side.
"Why do they continue to fight? Their masters are dead," Maleficent frowned and threw another ball of fire to explode over a line of goblins.
"It's because they were not the master they follow," Elwine answered and stood tall. He lowered his sword and turned toward Maleficent and the soldiers, "They have one more sorcerer out there."
"But he did not come," Percival answered and looked at the Dark Folk who seemed to stop to look in their direction.
"No, he did," Maleficent said softly and looked closely at Elwine, "I never noticed the fine chain at the back of your neck before.
"I was very apt to keep it hidden," he answered.
"Why?"
"Your favorite question, my lady," he smirked and suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, his family blade hissed at her neck. He looked at the shocked King's Guard and backed up with Maleficent to stand on a tall rock where he would not be able to be overtaken, "I will tell you why. Because I know how and when to harvest. Ingrith was an idiot to try and destroy magic when we can harness it."
"Maleficent!" Diaval and Phillip both ran up toward the rock where the King's guard and Moor Folk surrounded them with weapons. Dark Fey landed nearby, ready to tear the man apart for holding their phoenix.
"Stay your swords!" Phillip ordered and held out his hands to the men around him.
"That's right, stay your swords. Listen to your king," Elwine laughed at the helpless look on the faces around him. The Dark Folk saw the show and began to crawl back into the Moors and into the shadows that they had escaped from. He looked at all the faces of men and fairy around him and pulled the sword to bite a little further into Maleficent's neck. She hissed just as loud as the blade at her skin, "I wouldn't want to push too far, would I?"
"You said you wanted to protect her," Diaval snarled from Phillip's side, the younger man held his wrist to keep him from leaping forward.
"I do want to keep her safe so she can protect the Moors. I didn't lie about that," Elwine petted a hand along one of her wings, "But I also need her for my own gains, you see. With her power, I will never need to drain another pitiful fairy again."
"You are going to drain her?" Diaval took another step forward and had to be restrained by Percival.
"Not completely," he looked at Maleficent since she had yet to speak and whispered to her, "I had hoped to just woo you into service. Then your precious shape shifter came back."
"It would never have worked," she growled, "I would never give you the Moors."
"Oh, my dear, don't you see?" he drew closer to her, "You already have."
He pulled out the pendant from under his cloak and put it over her chest. Immediately, her golden magic began to drain from her and encompass and fill the pendant. She struggled for breath as the full contact overrode any protection that her charm could give. The rune tied around her wrist crumbled off the twine that tied it together and fell useless to the rock under foot. Her eyes flickered to Diaval as he struggled against men that were trying to hold him back. His eyes filled with tears as his hands shifted to paws to push the men away and his wings spread to push him toward her.
"Stop!" Diaval pushed at the men at his side. He didn't want to hurt them, but he felt her. The connection between the two of them flickered in his chest despite the ring on his finger that held extra magic. She was fading right in front of them. He had enough and took his full strength of his wings to throw the men back to rush at Elwine, "I said stop!"
"Will you cease your racket, bird!" Elwine threw his hand out toward Diaval and blasted him with green magic from his pendant. Diaval flew back from the blast and into the bark of the re-enforced tree.
"Diaval!" Maleficent yelled for him and reached out a weak hand.
"How dare you!" Borra and three other Dark Fey charged from their perches. They too were thrown back and away from Elwine and Maleficent.
"Your power is extraordinary," Elwine wrapped his arms around Maleficent and her wings. His chin landed on her shoulder and he whispered in her ear as she stared at Diaval, still motionless in the bark of the tree, "You aren't the only one who knows curses. With your power at my disposal, I may just have the chance to try them."
Diaval raised his head to look back at the rock where they stood. He pulled himself from the splintered wood around him and dropped to the mud. He pulled himself up to his feet and struggled to walk forward again.
"I will grant him tenacity," Elwine chuckled at Diaval's attempt to get back to her.
"Give her back, Elwine," Phillip asked from below the rocks Elwine perched them on.
"Sorry, your majesty, I don't answer to you anymore," Elwine threw a smile in Diaval's direction, "Time to go. Say goodbye."
"Di... Diaval..." Maleficent muttered, her eyes on his.
"NO!" Diaval yelled as he noticed the blue smoke rise from below them. He slipped in the mud as other soldiers and Percival tried to reach them on the rock as well. The smoke then engulfed them and they were gone. Diaval reached the rock and climbed it to stand atop it where they just were, "No... no, no, no..."
"How...?" Phillip asked and fell back against another rock nearby.
"He got what he wanted," Percival frowned and looked toward the Moors, "It was all to get what he wanted."
Diaval looked frantically at the Moors treeline and cupped his hands over his mouth, "Maleficent!"
"Diaval..." Phillip looked up at him with a pained expression.
"Your men kept me back," Diaval growled and took off into the air to turn circles in the air to see anything he could, "Maleficent! Maleficent!"
