Chapter 10 *Flashback*
This is another war flashback, again some stronger language may be used.
Cassian's POV
This freaking war had been going in for three years already nearing the fourth year. In about a month it will be four years since both Hybern, and the Black Sands had massacred. I was anxiously walking around the encampment made by my legion. Today was the day, today the lists would be posted. I had seen Rhysands legion faintly in the distance, moving southward away from the brutal battles of the midlands. He was going towards the line held by the mortals. The humans had won a sliver of land on the southern side of the continent, it may have been small, but it was a safe haven for all that did not want to or even could fight.
A bell sounded interrupting my thoughts of my brothers, three times it rang. A messenger. I started to feel more restless, after so many battles, these four years had been hard not knowing how my brothers were doing. Azriel was always near our high lord, though he did not shy away from the essential and most lethal battles. Rhysand has his own legion but still had to go where his father or the general commanded him to go, there was no doubt in my mind that this gave him brutal battles. I had seen both of them a little over a year ago in a massive fight at the spring court. Another ring went through the camp, this time louder and more resonant, gaining the attention of all of us. The sounds stopped, no one was sharpening their blades, caring for their fighting leathers, eating, talking, even from the small training ring came no sound. The tension was palpable, who had died this time. Which one of us would have lost a family member or a close friend?
I moved to the war-lords tent, he wasn't a commander or even a commodore, just some low lord from a small camp at the western edge of the night court. His red syphon glowing faintly though he had not fought in almost a week sending us towards battles to listen to their officers. One of his captains was handing out some copies of the list, as the other hung one up near the tent for those that did not need a copy themselves. I bounced from foot to foot, to restless to a standstill, dread filling me as I got nearer to getting a list myself. It wasn't just my brothers, Mor and even Amren that I looked for since meeting her I kept an eye out for Briar's name on every list. I shuddered at the memory of her electrocuting so many of the remaining loyalists. The confidence and power she exuded reminded me of Mor and Rhysand, she who sat with her men listing to their stories after every battle. Even when she was bone-tired, she still sat with each and every one of them. The only time she did not do it was when she was so hurt that even the healers got scared that she wouldn't make it. As an Unclaimed, she got sent to the worst of the worst, massive all-out confrontations battles almost doomed to lose and rarely resting fully in between. Even Rhysands father, my high lord wasn't so bad to send any of us on so many hard battles back to back. He preferred keeping us separate, only letting us see each other during the most challenging fights. Finally, I had a copy of the list in my hands, almost dashing back to my tent to read it in peace and privacy.
Asteria, commander. My breath stopped, dread filled me as I came to the end of the list. Asteria Briars last name. She was gone, the incredible warrior rivalling me and my friends gone. The sadness felt all consuming as my thoughts raced, Briar wasn't commander, right? I thought she was a commodore the last time I saw her clashing with a Vallahan commander. The commander wanted to split her squad up along his entire army, leaving her alone on the frontline claiming that his men needed the extra help. I smiled fondly as I remember her flipping him off telling him that if his men were true warriors, they would be fine and that they would remain in their usual formations with her captains and leaders with their troupes scattered throughout. My thoughts were interrupted by a horn, calling us to the war-lords tent. I couldn't dwell on the idea that Briar might have died on some battlefield fighting to at the frontline, I couldn't mourn for her just yet. All of us lined up as expected of footsoldiers. ''Men, Tomorrow we fly, the loyalists are moving eastwards from the black sands, Xian and Rask are among them. Commander of the Unclaimed on the front lines has called for aid. Understood'' the warlord bellowed.
The following day all of us were ready before the sun began to rise, dressed and fully armed, we would leave the camp be for now as our warlord wanted to return. We flew to the west the journey taking up a few days until we finally saw the war camp on the horizon. It seemed like we could get at least a nights rest and possibly some food before the battle truly began. As we flew closer, I spotted something odd. Little mounds of rocks and dirt were scattered around at the back of the camp. In front of it was a massive field, banners, pieces of armours and soldiers littles the ground. As if they had been fighting already, I felt my anger rising, he sent us out to late again. As we landed, some human soldier met up with us, directing to where we could set up shop, and indicated us to the makeshift mess hall.
I spotted a familiar-looking unclaimed in the distance, what's his name again, he was an elemental right? I swear I spoke to him before, something with a B, Barend no, Blight hmm no. Blake that's it. Unfortunately, he was already gone before I could yell out for him. ''Oi, Cassian'' another Illyrian shouted, ''what'' I said turning to him. He looked at bit scared at my anger. I was irritated, I had found out a friend had died but was given no time to mourn. ''We are going to grab some food'' He said not really inviting me to join, but I walked after them anyway. They still hated me for being as powerful as I was while being a bastard and friend with the high lord son and shadowsinger, but they were grateful for being in the same regiment as I.
''I don't care that your men just flew for a few days straight, I sent the request two weeks ago when my spies returned'' A female voice yelled from the war-tent. It sounded so familiar, like Briars. I shook my head, no she died, I reminded myself. ''I will not be commanded by some Female'' another familiar war-lords voice sounded, Devlon. ''Well get used to it, when you are on the frontlines you listen to me'' the female voice said again, ''My uncle died defending you territories in Prythian, leaving me in his position''. ''Now get out of my tent before I blast you out, you have your positions there is no arguing with me. The decision is made, and final. You don't see any of the other commanding officers of the respective people fighting me about it'' she snapped at the two Illyrians before her. They grumbled and left towards the mess hall, as Devlon and my warlord left I saw the current commander. ''Briar'' I breathed, as she noticed me standing there. A grin spread on her face, though it was red due to her anger. She was wearing her usual armour after I had helped reinforce it for her the Illyrian way, her hair in her standard Vallahan braid tight but intricate. ''You're here'' I said shocked to see her alive, ''I thought you died, I saw your last name on the lists''. I had walked towards her as the other officers were leaving her tent. ''It was my uncle, he died and named me commander in his stead, I had been acting commander for the past month'' she explained, ''I hadn't seen him in six years yet as he got fatally wounded he named me as his successor. I won't go back to Prythian to resume at his front, they need me more here''. The look in her eyes said enough, it hurt her to leave Prythian without its commander, but the Unclaimed were scattered anyway. ''Prythian will be alright, most of Hyberns forces are here nevertheless, and the most brutal battles are here'' I said trying to comfort her. She nodded understanding.
Briar's POV
I couldn't be happier to actually talk to Cassian, yes we had spent some time on the same battlefields, but we hadn't really spoken in two years. We talked well into the night, about all that happened these past two years, the comrades we lost, the times he had seen his family and my time on the frontlines. But the next fight loomed over our heads, as we separated to get some rest before tomorrow. I had told him of the mounts that I had Blake and Neroli built. They housed some of the look-outs, mainly archers who preferred sharpshooting over the volley released at the beginning of each battle. They were a mix of peoples and species from some bolder humans to lesser fae of the courts. I laid awake that night, my body resting, but my mind racing as it always did before a lost battle. I know I shouldn't think that way, losing hope would only result in the unnecessary loss of lives. I couldn't help it, I was barely in my forties, yet I had to lead the allied forces on the frontlines. I was lucky that the Vallahan officers supported my decisions, as they did so most of the others reluctantly followed me as well. The only ones that really gave me a lot of trouble were the humans and the Illyrians, as their cultures did not really allow females on the battlefield.
At some point during the night, I had fallen asleep only to be awakened by Neroli, ''It's time was all he said. And as I dressed for the coming fight, I had a feeling of dread, it was going to be a difficult one. I had been gathering my energy, now that I was the highest-ranking officer at this place, as our general had been killed a few weeks back, I was one of the fae bombarding the other sides shields. Stepping outside of my tent, the tension was once again palpable in the air. The daily sounds of the soldiers in the mess hall, those caring for their weapons or armour or whatever they are doing right before a battle filled the air. As if the entire camp could feel that today was going to be hard. In front of me were my captains, who solemnly nodded in respect. The two newly appointed commodores, Sander a fire elemental and Trip a driad stepped forward. ''You know your places, may we see another sunset and rise, Sander light the fires we advance at once'' I commanded, they broke off to their troupes to take up their positions. And as the large fires lit up, all sounds stopped around the camp. They knew I did not sound an alarm nothing that could alert the enemy that we were making our advance, they would see that soon enough. This just gave us a bit more time for our lines.
Moments later, I stood atop a small hill made by one of my earth faes. As the army marched forward just beyond the mounts littering the field. ''Ready the archers'' I bellowed, hearing it echo throughout the mass of soldiers. It almost looked like a sea, so many soldiers though so many different colours mixed throughout an entire mixed front. We heard the drums; first, Hybern likes to use them to instal fear, and I could almost feel the shudder going through my men. That's when a sea of black flooded the other side of the plane, some Rask and Montesere banners could be spotted. Fortunately no Black sands soldiers today. I sent out the first thunder balls, along with mist to give cover to the army below. Soon more attacks came from the commanding officers, as we bombarded their shield. They repaid it with their own attacks. I kept sending out mist as the warm dark ground kept pushing it up, as thunder clouds started to form at the edge of their shield. If I played the cards right a few of the wind wraiths or fee could ban together and create small tornadoes with a flick of their wrist. I had instructed our aerial forces to stay grounded until after the electrical release. Creating a superstorm was too time-consuming, but my powers would do the trick.
I am a Natural Disaster walking after all.