Sorry it took a while; this was pretty hard for me to write. First battle I've ever tried to write, so I apologize if it isn't very good, but practice will make it better! ^_^
I re-posted the last chapter with some changes in the ranks, thanks to shed and Mevneriel! ^_^
Discalimer: You know the drill, I don't own it, though I wish I did!
Chapter Eight: War
Sarah watched Jareth at the head of his goblin army. It seemed a joke; his army. All the little goblins that she had gone up against in the Labyrinth five years ago lined up to go to war with elves! Five years ago, it had just been her and her friends against them. Of course, it wasn't Jareth's full army then, but against elves... Sarah didn't want to think about the outcome. Jareth assured her many times that, at the time, what part of his army she had been "fighting" was drunk; this was different.
Sarah watched Jareth. He was mounted on a tall black stallion, clothed in armor. Most of his goblins were also mounted on one type of beast or another, strange looking things those were. They were not talking, laughing, or making fools of themselves, but were quiet and sober. They lay in wait in a clearing a little ways into the Labyrinth. All of the other creatures were in position.
Sarah stayed at the back, near the outer Labyrinth walls on her fidgety brown gelding. Her horse did not like this. All the better that she would not be in the immediate battle. Jareth allowed her to come here, were she could see him clearly and see to help using her powers and the Labyrinth.
Sarah herself wore light chain mail and a helmet and Jareth had armed her with a sword, first showing her the basics and using his magic to embed it in her mind. No one would be able to tell that she had never handled a sword before. He wasn't taking any chances with her. If something should happen, he had others in the back to take her to the palace and get her immediate care.
She drew her horse to a halt. It was a good thing Beth had convinced her to take horseback riding lessons a couple years ago. She had found she really enjoyed it, though not under these circumstances.
There, over the rise of a distant hill, she could see movement. It was Xavier's army. They approached from the south, ranks upon ranks of elves.
Then they halted, facing the Labyrinth—the Goblin City's best defense—their people ready to fight. Xavier drew his sword and gave the command, "Charge!" Several ranks moved forwards, searching for ways in. Others set up catapults, ready to create their own openings.
Perhaps it was because elves innately have some magic, but it seemed that they found ways in all too quickly. Catapults loosed to bombard the walls, and a couple hit home. Moving slowly, they worked their way through the first few layers of the Labyrinth.
All at once goblins and elves moved in a wave to crash against the other in chaos. There were shouts and screams and battle cries issued from both sides as either fought to gain the advantage.
Sarah snapped out of her shock and concentrated enough to point at the next catapult stone. It disappeared before hitting the next wall. For some time she lost sight of the battle and worked to get rid of catapults and stones.
She paused when she realized that some of Xavier's forces made it to Jareth's area of the Labyrinth. Jareth was much in the thick of things, his best warriors all around him to protect him. On the other side, Xavier was much in the same position, his men ruthlessly cutting down whoever dared to approach.
Sarah could not even find words to describe the terror she witnessed. There seemed to be many more of the elves, and they, very slowly, started to drive back the resisting goblin ranks. Luckily the Labyrinth was on her side to aid her forces and trip up the elves. The front-most ranks disappeared through various passages to fall back around their king.
She saw Jareth shout something, but his words were carried away from her. However, the goblins started to fan out in rows, leaving little to no room for the enemies to pass through his enclosure. Sarah asked the Labyrinth to help protect him and she felt it strain to obey.
Some of the braver, or more foolish, Sarah could not decide, tried to cut through them and ended up lying on the ground as a result.
Jareth was right; his army was not so bad. Perhaps it was because they were fighting for their lives and homes, rather than a child. He had many different types of creatures on his side, too, and they all had different abilities. Farther off she saw a fierie throw fire at approaching elves and catapult stones rolled backwards to chase those who threw them.
Then she noticed that some had, somehow, gotten through or around the goblins, taking some from behind, and others headed toward the closer to the Labyrinth wall to cut down those who defended it. Arrows were flying from both sides with elfin archers trying to take down the goblin archers and vice-versa. Some elves ignored what went on and searched relentlessly through the Labyrinth. When she caught sight of them, she used her new-found magic to stop them, freeze them, anything to keep them from coming closer to her and the castle.
The Labyrinth warned her a touch late that a few had still slipped by. Instantly, goblins surrounded her as an elfin warrior drew closer. He took down one goblin soldier and injured another before an arrow pierced his neck and he fell to the ground.
More and more were finding their way through, though Sarah herself did not have to cross swords with them yet. However, those around her were diminishing. Those injured had to be taken away by someone, and others had to go to the places that were being more fiercely attacked. She felt the Labyrinth strengthen and close off openings at her back, trying to prevent further penetration. No one had gotten far enough to get close to the city, it told her.
"Watch your back!"
Sarah turned to see an elf on horseback riding straight for her. She drew her sword and tried to stop her fidgeting mount.
The elf swung and her horse took that moment to lurch to the side and bolt, dumping Sarah into the dirt. She looked up to see a goblin archer take down the one who tried to attack her and his horse fled rider-less after her own. She got to her feet, and readied her sword.
Two more elves on foot, one with a sword and another with a spear came at her. The goblin next to her, who had warned her before, ran to meet the one with the spear while Sarah waited for the other to come to her.
He held up his sword and lunged. The magically implanted knowledge kicked in and Sarah moved to the side and swung in on him. He was not expecting her to move so fast and he almost fell backwards.
She took advantage of his unbalanced state to bring the hilt of her sword down on his temple and knocked him unconscious.
Not bad, for my first match, I suppose. She couldn't bring herself to kill him however, so she made sure he was unconscious and moved away.
The goblin had already slain the one with the spear and was coming over to her when a voice stopped him.
"Well, well, who would have known the girl could fight?"
Sarah looked in the direction in which the voice came.
A scrawny looking elf on a brown horse stepped from the shadows revealing unruly auburn hair and golden eyes. Sarah raised her sword in preparation.
"I must admit, I am surprised that you did so well. Jareth must have had something to do with it," he continued, unfazed.
"And what is it you want?" Sarah asked her voice low.
He gave an insane grin that sent shivers down her spine.
"My name is Macavity, general of Lord Xavier's army. I am here on orders, from Xavier himself. I am to do away with you. Mayhap your precious Goblin King will win this war, and mayhap not." Sarah did not like the tone and sarcasm in his voice. "Either way, he will lose you. I will make sure of it." And with that, he lunged at her. Sarah, at the disadvantage because she was horseless, stumbled back frantically.
The goblin soldier stepped in front to fend him off while Sarah regained her balance. Before she was ready, her companion cried out and fell to the ground, clutching a bleeding gash in his right shoulder. Macavity ignored him and came forward, teeth glinting in the morning sunlight.
This is not even a fair fight, she thought bitterly as she kept stepping back and he advanced painfully slowly. At the very least he could dismount his horse!
She couldn't be angry, not like this. She couldn't do this, he had the advantage, and he knew it. Perhaps if they were fighting on even ground, she might win, he was over-confident. Her pace increased, but his remained the same.
A horse's neigh broke through to her and she chanced a look over her shoulder.
What she saw surprised her. It was the unicorn. The very same that had been locked in Xavier's castle that Jareth had set free.
Macavity was astonished and he stared at the beast as she made her way towards Sarah who ran to meet the mare.
Get on, the unicorn instructed. Sarah obeyed, swinging herself onto the mare's bare back. Do not worry, I will not let you fall, the unicorn's voice in Sarah's head assured her. Sarah nodded, placing her trust in the beast.
Mavacity snapped out of his state and scowled. He kicked his horse and came at them.
The unicorn gave out a whinny and ran to meet him. Macavity's and Sarah's swords clashed as they were brought together.
The first thing Sarah noticed was that it was harder on horseback. It did not allow her to move to her full extent. Lucky for her, Jareth's magic told her how to move. She managed to hold her own.
Macavity was the first to pull away and make the first swing. Sarah blocked, but as soon as his blade stopped, he drew back and made another attack.
All Sarah could do was defend herself, just as Macavity was forcing her to do, until he could find an opening.
He smiled with crazed satisfaction as he found one. Sarah brought her sword up just in time to stop him from slashing her from left shoulder to waist. She grimaced as blood ran from the gash in her shoulder where he had made contact and took the opportunity to swing at him.
Rather than block, he turned in his saddle to avoid the blow, but lost his balance in the process. As he tried to right himself she swung in again and made a deep cut across his chest. He glowered at her, his eyes flashing.
"You'll pay for that," he hissed through gritted teeth as he advanced again.
The unicorn moved her out of immediate danger as Macavity swung again. She blocked clumsily, starting to feel a little sick. She took a deep breath to steady herself.
"I will kill you, and then your silly Goblin King!" he shouted, anger glinting in his golden eyes.
Fury rose in Sarah's chest, pushing back the pain and she came at him, attacking and waiting for an opening of her own.
Suddenly a dark cloud that shone dark gold surrounded them until she could hardly see Macavity or his blade until they almost hit her. Squinting she tried to follow his movements.
Magic? Sarah thought frantically as she tried to think and dodge Macavity's swings at the same time. If only she could focus she could retaliate!
All she could do was defend herself and hope he didn't have any more tricks up his sleeves.
If he keeps doing this, she thought, the unicorn turning when Sarah caught a silver glimmer in the smoke. He'll surely kill me!
"Let your will shape the power." Jareth's voice rang in her mind. She took another deep breath, pressed her eyes closed for an instant and wanted to win. She wanted it to end, she wanted to survive. Feeling new focus, she opened her eyes. Was it her imagination, or could she see better?
She watched that silver that occasionally showed through Macavity's spell until it got close. She took that opportunity to thrust her sword as hard as she could and it was meet by an anguished cry. Her sword was wrenched from her hand, and a thud followed.
The smoke disappeared suddenly and she looked to see Macavity's horse galloping off into the distance and Macavity on the ground, her sword through his heart.
Notes:
Hmm... some action, ne? That was hard to write, at first. Then at about 11:30pm inspiration struck and I couldn't stop typing! I hope it's alright and you all aren't too lost -_-;;
Anyway, reading the Song of the Lioness quartet by Tamora Pierce (Really good books! All of her books are, I love to read them) really helped with the whole medieval battles.
Ack! Still not sure how the story will end! I mean, what will happen with Sarah's family... Any suggestions would be much appreciated; she can't just disappear from the real world altogether...
Next chapter coming soon, I hope! ^_^
And here are my Thank yous!
draegon-fire~ hehe, it should be fun ^_^ thank you!
shed~ *g* thank you! and thanks for clearing up the whole general/sergeant thing for me. That sounds right to me! Thank you very much
Mistress of Darkness~ Well, Xavier kind of has a plan. I kinda forgot to mention parts of his plan in the last chapter *wince* -_-; Wizards! That's a good idea! I don't know how I could work them in now... unless Macavity is a wizard... that could work! I'll see, thank you so much! ^_^ *hugs*
Born-Of-Elven-Blood~ *hehe* it's hard not to fall in love with Jareth, isn't it? Thank you! I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long
Mevneriel~ Oo! Yay! Army ranks! Thank you very much! That really helped, I went back and changed Macavity to a general. Thanks for your help!
DawningImage~ (I like your name, by the way) O_O Wow! BIG compliments! Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it! Romances are wonderful, I agree ^_^ Thank you for the compliments! I hope I don't mess my story up now! *laughing* thanks! *big hug*
