Chapter 10: The Battle Begins
Quasimodo hadn't realized it but that night he hadn't gone alone to find Aslan, for Susan and Lucy had followed him only to watch their friend die. They walk up the step's tears in their eyes. Is he- Susan begins to cry.
"He was the bravest of us all!" Why? "Why did he have die?!" He died to save my life. They turned to see Aslan. Oh Aslan, said Lucy. Is their nothing You can do. I'm Afraid not dear one. He looked at the boy saddened by the sight. Lucy Rushed to her friend and pulled out her healing potion. Susan placed her hand on her sister's hand. "It's too late. He's gone." He must have known what he was doing.
The girls sit at the stone table crying over there dead friend, when white mice began to appear crawling over there friends body. "Get away!" "Get away, all of you!" Susan shouts at the mice. "No wait, look." Susan looks closely realizing the mice were chewing through the ropes that held there friend down.
They helped the mice by pulling away the rest of the remaining ropes. "We have to tell the others," Susan says looking grim. "We can't just leave him!" Says Lucy. "Lucy, there's no time." They need to know. The trees. What Says Susan confused. The dryads can deliver the message.
Back at Aslans camp everyone lays asleep in their tents. Flower petals blow into one tent in particular. Inside Peter and Edmund lay asleep. Alarmed Peter wakes and draws his sword and stares at the entrance of the tent as a dryad forms out of the flower petals. "Be still, my Princes," She says calmy. "I bring grave news from your sisters."
The Next morning Peter walks out of his friend's tent. "She's right." He's gone. "Then you'll have to lead us," Says Edmund. "Peter, there's an army out there and it's ready to follow you." "I can't!" I'm not Quasi! "He was the brave one not me." Peter that's not true! "If Quasi were here I know he would want you to do the right thing." You can do It! "The Witch's army is nearing, sire," Says Oreius. "What are your orders?"
A gryphon flies over a field two armies face each other one slowly approaching the other siting up on a hill. The gryphon lands in front of Peter who is dressed fully in armor on a tan horse. "They come, Your Highness, in numbers and weapons far greater then our own," the gryphon spoke. "Numbers do not win a battle," says Oreius. No. "But I bet they help". Says Peter looking grim.
The witch's army soon Arrives with for more numbers than Peter accounted for. There were even two giants as well. At the very center was the witch, dressed in Chainmail and what looked like… Fur! Was it Aslans? Was he alright?! Aslan Please get here soon!
Meanwhile back at the stone table the girls realize they had fallen asleep next to there fallen friend. "We should go." Says Susan. "I'm so cold," says Lucy Shivering. Aslan Appears at the edge of the clearing. "Come children it is time to depart.
" They start to walk away but as they do the earth begins to shake causing them to fall over. They hear a loud cracking sound. "Susan!" Lucy shouts. Susan turns to see her sister behind her. The sight in front of her is shocking. The stone table is Split in Half and her friends' body is missing!
"Where Quasi?" Asks Lucy. Where did he go? Says Susan Shocked. "I'm right Here!" They look at the archway as the sun rises above the stone table. Standing surrounded by the glowing light of the Narnian sun… Was Quasi! Perfectly unharmed when moments ago they saw him dead. He was dressed in a white shirt and every cut or bruise he had was gone.
Quasi! "Your alright!" Says Lucy. I am, aren't I? "I don't understand, we saw you die!" How- I… I don't know. One minute I was surrounded by light and the next thing I'm here. "I believe I may be able to answer your questions." Aslan, he says relived. How Is this possible, asked Susan. we saw the knife. The Witch.
"If the Witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice, she might have interpreted the Deep Magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Stone Table will crack and even Death itself will turn backwards."
Quasimodo Stared at him in shock. So because I was instant I was never going to truly die? That is correct. "You knew this all along!" That's why you didn't try to stop me! "You knew the witch couldn't kill me!" Yes, I did.
"We sent the news that you were dead." You What?! Quasi said in shock. "Peter and Edmund will have gone to war." We have to help them, said Lucy drawing her dagger. "We will, dear one," Aslan say placing a paw on her hand lowering the dagger. "but not alone." Climb on my back. "We have far to go and little time to get there." Quasi, Lucy, and Susan climbed on Aslans Back. "And you might want to cover your ears." He lets out a loud bellowing roar.
Meanwhile high above the battlefield Aslan's army waits. "Should we attack now, your Majesty?" Asks Oreius. No, we wait for Aslan and my sisters to return! Come on Aslan. Please get here soon.
The children hang on tight as Aslan rush's through the forest. "Where are we going?" Asks Susan. Aslan doesn't answer ,but soon however the witches castle appears in the distance. The witches castle. Quasi stares in shock. Aslan- "Hang on!" He shouts as he runs faster.
They soon arrive in the castle courtyard. Lucy sees a all to familiar face amongst the statues. Lucy begins to cry. Susan holds her sister tight. Quasi cries as well. Poor Mr. Tumnus. Its all my fault! I should have never left him! Aslan Approaches the statue and breathes on it and for a second Quasi could swear he thought his hair moved as Aslan breathed on him.
Suddenly the faun begins to turn back to normal. He almost falls over but Quasi and Lucy catch him. He recognizes his friends. I was hoping you to would meet eventually. Lucy looks to her sister. Susan this is- "Mr. Tumnus," she says smiling as they all hug.
Aslan approaches followed by creatures that he had already unpetrified. "Come, we must hurry and search the castle." We will need everyone we can find. Quasi goes to follow his friends when Aslan stops him. "Not you." What? "Don't you have a battle to get to?" Your right. "But ill never make it in time!"
They haven't started yet. They think there waiting for me, but really, they are waiting you. I'm still to far away. I will help you. Aslan Lets out a loud roar. Quasi closes his eyes covering his ears. He opens them to find himself in the forest. His clothes had changed as well. He was dressed in glittering silver chainmail, armor a red overshirt with a gold lion on it, a red leather belt and he was even wearing a helmet. His sword was in a leather sheath on his belt.
He looked like a knight. No more than that. He looked like a king. A king who would do anything and everything to free his people. He heard what sounded like a horse not far from where he was. Standing in the forest nibling on grass was a unicorn!
He hesitantly approaches it. It turns to look at him and instead it kneels. It almost looked as if it were bowing. Aslan has sent me to take you to your army your majesty the unicorn spoke with a female voice. He stared at the unicorn surprised that it spoke realizing it was another talking animal like Aslan and the beavers.
"I am jewel and I will be honored to help you your highness." Climb on my back we haven't a moment to lose! He did as she said, and the Unicorn rushed through the forest until the reached a hill he could see peter and the rest of the army down below him. They looked as if they were planning on attacking. "Wait!" Quasi rode down the side of the hill.
Peter stared in shock at his friend. Peter and Edmund where dressed in the same armor as him. Quasi? How? "We were told you where dead." He Quickly explained. "I'm just glad you're here." I've been staling because I'm scared. "I didn't know what to do I"- "Its alright he said. "I'm here now and for what its worth I think your just as brave as me." Thank you.
He rode to the front of the army. His Army! He looks to Edmund who stands on a smaller hill above them. He nods. Edmund blows a horn and the army cheers. He draws his sword and looks to Oreius. "Are you with me?" He asks. "To the death," the centaur answers bowing. "Who's that on the hill", the witch asks looking above.
Quasimodo raises his sword above his head a look of determination in his eyes. "For Narnia!" "For Aslan!" He shouts at the top of his lungs as jewel the Unicorn kicks her front legs wildly in the air. Charge! He runs down the hill lowering his helmet and sword.
No! Impossible! "Your supposed to be dead!" She shouts enraged recognizing Quasimodo's voice. I have no interest in prisoners. She says to General Otmin Kill them all. The minotaur lets out a roar as he and the rest of the army charge. Time seems to slow as the two armies rush towards each other. So, this is war Quasimodo thinks to himself. "I feel different somehow." Stronger almost. "It ends here!" The battle for Narnia had begun!