Chapter Five: The Battle for Narnia
Kali arrived back at the campsite barely an hour before dawn. Striding towards the Command Tent, she commanded an on-duty soldier to wake up the Pevensie brothers and Oreius. Entering the tent, she pointedly ignored the flag with the image of Aslan woven into it as she took her place before the large table covered with maps. Kali was barely waiting three minutes before Oreius entered. The experienced warrior took one look at the grim expression of the soon-to-be High Queen and instantly understood: Aslan had fallen this night. They waited in silence for another ten minutes before the two human's males finally joined them.
"What's wrong?" Peter demanded as soon as he entered. He was in a somewhat of a bad mood after being woken up several hours before he had expected to. Kali straightened up,
"Aslan is dead." She stated without preamble.
"What?" The Pevensie Brothers looked at her in stunned horror, "That can't be!" Kali closed her eyes briefly,
"The White Witch did not simply give up her claim on Edmund's life. No, Aslan counter-offered: his life in exchange for Edmunds. The Witch accepted." She looked as the shock on Edmund's face turn to absolute dismay.
"He died, for me?" The young boy uttered, his tone strangled and quiet.
"Yes." Kali responded, "I witnessed the act myself. The White Witch executed him on the Stone Table. Your sisters are with his body now; they could not leave him." Her tone gentled as she told them that; understanding that they were in no way prepared to deal with the information as accepting and emotionless as she could.
"You left them there!?" Peter snarled, suddenly furious. His sisters were out there, alone and unprotected. Kali looked at him sharply,
"I was not about to drag them away from the closure and comfort they needed." She responded sharply, "Besides, one needed to come back to inform the rest of you what had happened. As it stands, I will be leading our armies against the Witch."
Oreius had listened to the news a solemn expression on his face. At the last announcement, he bowed low,
"I will see to it that the armies are made ready and are aware of what has occurred, My Queen." He uttered. Kali nodded, a brief flicker of gratitude in her eyes as at least one person understood what needed to be done and did not put more guilt upon her shoulders.
"Thank you, Oreius." It was gratitude and a dismissal all at once. Oreius bowed once more before leaving the Tent. An awkward silence filled the air as the Centaur left. Peter stood glaring at the slightly older female, anger very much evident on his face whilst Edmund simply looked devastated.
Kali sighed deeply as she rested her hands on the table and lowered her head. Gods, this was how it felt to be a leader? She couldn't understand why people coveted the position so much.
"Right." She took another deep breath, centred herself and looked back up. "The battle will be commencing shortly. Yes, Aslan is gone and yes, it is sad and horrible, but we need to focus. The Witch is not going to give up just because her greatest foe is dead."
"What shall we do?" Edmund asked quietly. Kali focused on him,
"You get ready for battle." She answered simply. "Edmund, you will be in command of the archers. I do not want you on the front line unless there is no other choice." She ordered sharply. Edmund looked ready to argue but was cut off by a dark look from the fifteen-year-old, "Do not argue with me." Kali warned darkly, "I am not willingly going to allow a barely trained ten-year-old into a battle that he could easily be killed in. I am not having that on my conscious. Understood?"
Edmund looked at his older brother for support but found, to his annoyance, that Peter was in agreement with the teen.
"Fine." He muttered, unhappily. Kali nodded, knowing how he was feeling but not up to giving him platitudes. Turning to the eldest Pevensie child, she gave her orders once more,
"You will be with me, when I lead the charge alongside Oreius. You stick with either of us and not go charging on ahead. Like your brother, you have barely two days of training, I am not going to allow you to get yourself killed because of your overinflated ego. Understood?" Peter nodded tightly, aggravated that he was being talked to like a child but recognising, reluctantly, that what Kali said was right.
"Understood." He replied. Kali nodded, relieved she didn't have another argument on her hands.
"Excellent, then it might be a good idea for you two to get yourselves ready." It was a dismissal and both brothers took it as one, leaving the eldest human to her thoughts and strategies.
An hour later found Kali in her own tent as two Fauns helped secure her armour in place. The last hour, the teenage Witch had planned out her strategy before issuing her orders, orders that had been carried out without question by the army she was expected to lead into battle. The tight silver armour was thin yet durable. She had declined the full suit that she knew the Pevensie brothers were wearing, instead, going for a tight set of chainmail and shoulder plates that extended half way down her arm. The fingerless gauntlets and the grieves on her legs completed the assemble of metal that she had allowed the Fauns to place on her body. The tunic over it was black but with a golden lion rising on its hind legs; slightly different than the boys who had red tunics with the gold lion. Her legs were covered by a light layer of chainmail hidden underneath a pair of black trousers whilst her leather boots came up to just below her knees. Her dual Katana's were on her back over the flowing black cloak that fell from around her neck whilst her hunting knives were secured on the belt around her waist in the small of her back. To complete the assemble, she had a silver helmet that was shaped like the Centurions in her world complete with a plume of black horse hair.
Looking at herself, instantly Kali disliked it. The entire assemble made her stand out even more than she already did. It was different than everyone else's and brought attention to her person. Growing up, she had learnt early the benefits of staying in the shadows; to observe and strike when the opportunity suited her best. It was one reason why Slytherin was the House that the Sorting Hat preferred. The brashness of Gryffindors was simply not in her nature. But alas it was not to be. This is what the army expected her to wear and so she would. Besides. At least the tunic was black and not the really bright red the others had to wear.
The black stallion she'd been training since arriving was waiting for her as she exited. Nodding to the Faun holding the reins, she gracefully pulled herself up before setting off to where the army waited. Nodding to Oreius and Peter, both of whom were waiting for her at the head of the army, she led them all to where she had decided the battle would take place; on the plains of Beruna. It was an ideal battle field for any army to fight in. The cliffs allowed access for her archers without them being in danger of being killed themselves by the Witches' army. Furthermore, there was a secure passage further back where they could lead the opposing army into a trap if necessary. Then of course, there was the open plains where the majority of the fighting would occur. There was no place where the Witch could set her own traps to spring out or ambush her men, something that Kali was relieved about.
They waited, the three of them, as the White Witch led her army ever closer from the distance. A loud cry announced the Gryphon just before it landed.
"They come, Your Majesty, in numbers and weapons far greater then our own." He reported.
"Numbers do not win the battle." Oreius rumbled even as Peter swallowed,
"No, but I bet they help." He uttered. Kali raised an eyebrow, that was true in a sense but she had seen first-hand, in Magical society, that is, that one or a few could cause more devastation that an entire army if they were powerful and skilled enough.
"We have strategical advantage. Their numbers will not help them when we lead them into the pass; in fact, they will become a hindrance." She stated. Oreius nodded, agreeing with the statement. Peter just swallowed.
They watched as the White Witch came to a halt and Kali sighed slightly.
So, it begins.
Drawing one of her swords, she caught Peter looking behind him, to his brother for reassurance from the corner of her eye. She couldn't blame him. He was a fourteen-year-old boy with very little training and was about to be thrown headfirst into a battle. Raising the sword above her head, cheers and roars rang out from her army. Kali caught sight of the Witch saying something to her General but did not allow it to bother her as the Minotaur roared in response to her challenge and began the charge. The fifteen-year-old witch waited for several long seconds before twisting the sword sharply in her raised hand before lowering it. At once, Gryphons rose from where they hand been hidden and began to fly across the plains over the opposing army before dropping the rocks, killing or severally wounding a great many of the first wave.
The three leaders watched at the battle began to unfold. Several Gryphons were shot down by the archers the White Witch had in her employment but still, the devastation the birds were able to do was immense. Kali nodded slightly before turning to Oreius,
"Are you with me?" She asked quietly, allowing her nerves to get the better of her for the first time. Oreius nodded solemnly,
"To death." He responded. She smiled slightly,
"To the end." Peter added and Kali looked at him, slightly surprised but nodded anyway. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip of her sword, she raised it once more,
"FOR NARNIA, AND FOR ASLAN!" She roared as she guided her horse to start the charge. An answering roar came from her army as they followed, Oreius and Peter right on her heels.
Everything went silent to her ears as she pushed on, her single focus determination was on the army charging her. This was it. This was the first challenge and battle she would be in. A trial run so to speak for the true War she would be facing back in her real world. Kali watched as the great cats on either army's sides clashed first before she broke through the first ranks of the enemy. Her swords sank as it sliced through enemies like butter. The fifteen-year-old did not allow the blood and death to get to her as she continued her ark of destruction through the army. From the corner of her eye, she saw that both Peter and Oreius were keeping close to her, protecting her flanks.
That was how the battle progressed for several long hours. The screams of the dying filled the air and clashed with the ring of still and trampling of hooves. Looking up, Kali realised that the White Witch was finally entering the battle with the last part of her army. Before she could decide anything, Edmund fired the Phoenix arrow. The arrow exploded and in its place a beautiful red and black Phoenix replaced it before it caught on fire. Kali tracked it with her eyes as it made a gate of fire between the two sides, allowing her army to take out the remaining enemies quickly without being overwhelmed by reinforcements. Her army cheered at the sight, thinking that they had earned a reprieve.
All that changed when the fire suddenly imploded. In the fire's place was the White Witch herself, on her chariot being pulled by polar bears of all things.
Looking back at the fights occurring around her, she realised that they could not hold out for much longer on such an open plain. Coming to a conclusion, she dismounted and sent the horse away. Both Peter and Oreius looked at her,
"I can do more on the ground. I am not limited to wielding only a single sword." She told them curtly. They nodded, "Peter, continue the charge. Oreius, stay with him." She commanded as she withdrew her wand from its holster and aimed in at a group of enemies. With nary a word, a bolt of sickly orange power shot from the tip and connected with them. None in the group hit the ground alive. Peter swallowed and nodded, riding off with Oreius on his flank.
Kali continued to cut an arc of annihilation in any enemies foolish enough to challenge her. By using the Magic gifted to her at birth and the swords from Father Nicholas, Kali Potter was the deadliest warrior on the field of battle. Looking up at a cry of horror, her face echoed the emotion as Peter was thrown from his unicorn. Looking around her and seeing the approaching view of the Witch, she made her decision.
"Fall back!" She commanded, "Fall back to the rocks!" As one, her army made a 180 as they set the trap. Two ignored her however. Oreius galloped towards the enemy, passing the still down but sitting up figure of Peter as he charged the Witch, the Rhino on his flank. Kali's eyes widened, realising what he was about to do. "No!" She shouted but it was all for naught, she could do nothing as they continued the charge, taking out multiple enemies including the Minotaur General.
Rushing forwards, she grabbed Peter's arm and pulled him to his feet, "Go!" She pushed him in front of her towards the rocks. Spinning around, she sent a volley of bombardas at the enemy even as she watched Oreius engage with the White Witch herself. Kali watched at Oreius almost managed to behead the woman only to fall as the Witch pierced him with her wand. Tears appeared at the corner of her eyes, she may not have known him long, but Oreius had become her closet confident whilst in Narnia. With a roar of pain, she shot off a spell of her own making, an incredible destructive spell that was at least twenty times more powerful than a typical bombarda. When the dust cleared, the White Witch was still alive but she was the only one in a twenty-foot radius of her. Rearing around, she was relieved to see that Peter had thought ahead and had deployed the archers.
She continued to fight as more and more enemies approached. Standing side by side with Peter who was blindingly flaying his sword around in untrained strokes but still managing to take down a fair few enemies, Kali ensured that he was never overrun. Still, it was not enough, the trap, whilst taking down a fair few of their adversaries, had not taken out as many as she wanted or hoped for. Suddenly, Peter broke off from her, heading forwards towards the Witch, "Peter!" She shouted, but again she was ignored. With a curse, she began to hack and strike at any enemy in her way as she followed him.
"Edmund!" Peter shouted as he was fighting a Minotaur. Edmund spun around after defeating his own opponent, "There are too many of them! Go! Get out of here! Get the girls, and get them home!"
"Come on, you heard him!" Mr. Beaver yelled, pulling the ten-year-old by the hand. Edmund reluctantly obeyed, following the Beaver away from the Battle. Kali nodded in approval, at least she won't have the blood of a boy on her hands after this. With that sorted, at least she thought so, she turned back to the battle, blasting at any enemy that got within distance of her.
Edmund had genuinely been about to obey his brother's order when he caught sight of the Witch approaching Peter with her wand in her hand. He knew that Peter wouldn't do the smart thing and take the wand out of play before attempting to kill the Witch and thus he stopped moving away from the battle and instead took a step forwards.
"What're you doing? Your brother said to get out of here!" The Beaver admonished. Edmund scoffed slightly,
"Peter's no King yet." He retorted before rushing back to the battle, trying to intercept the Witch before she got to his brother.
He succeeded. He intercepted the Witch and destroyed her wand. Unfortunately, that was where his luck and accomplishments ended. With a swift move, Jadis disarmed the boy and pierced his stomach with her sword. With a smile on her face, she watched him fall to the ground even as she heard his brother roar his name, anguish and rage evident. Picking up another sword, the White Witch turned around and watched as Peter killed the monster he was fighting before rushing her. Foolish boy.
Kali watched as Edmund fell to the ground sadly though she was proud of his accomplishment. Destroying that wand was no easy feat and something she knew that Peter would have neglected to do first. Still, she felt sorry for him as he watched his little brother's body fall to the ground. The yell was nothing short of what she had expected and she knew the rage that would follow.
She was right.
Kali watched as Peter, blinded by anger, rushed the White Witch and attempt to slice her in two. Shaking her head, she approached herself, taking out any foolish enemy that tried to stop her. Peter would not be able to defeat the Witch, he had very little training and the Witch was at least several centuries older than him.
Peter grunted with effort as he used his shield to block an attack that would have killed him if it had connected. He parried back, using every bit of knowledge and natural skill he had to try and kill the Witch who had taken his brother from him. Unfortunately, before too long, he found his sword knocked out of his hand and himself on the ground with the psychotic Witch standing over him with a demonic smile on her face. She brought the sword down only to be blasted backwards.
Kali launched herself over Peter's fallen form before standing at the ready, both katanas ready in her hands. She watched as the White Witch struggled back to her feet and glare at her,
"And who are you?" The White Witch demanded, "You are not one of the daughters of Eve..." Her eyes widened as she came to a realisation. "You're the child of Emrys." Kali nodded,
"Kali Potter, child of Emrys." She introduced herself. The Witch sneered,
"And you think you can stop me? You, who are little more than a child herself?" Kali shrugged slightly,
"Let's find out, shall we?"
With that being said, she launched herself forwards, both swords flashing as they swung at the older Witch. Jadis blocked both, barely, before retaliating. It was very quickly apparent the difference in skill between the teen in front of her and the little King she had almost killed had it not been for the Child of Emrys' interference.
"You are skilled." She acknowledged as they separated from their latest clash. Kali tilted her head in recognition but said nothing back as she swung both swords once more in a solid arc. Their swords flashed faster and faster as both opponents tried to find an opening that would finish the other off.
Just then, a loud roar echoed around them. Both combatants paused and looked around. There, standing on top of a hill overlooking the plains, was Aslan, very much alive and well.
"Impossible." Jadis breathed, her eyes wide in astonishment as she gazed at the Great Lion. Kali scoffed, drawing the elder woman's attention to her,
"Did you really think that the Magic of this world would willingly allow you to break the covenant you made with Aslan?" She questioned. "No, you broke the covenant and as such, Aslan's price was rescinded." Jadis growled and attacked again, Kali was ready and expecting it.
"What would you know about the Deep Magic of this place? You're nothing but a child." She spat.
"Perhaps." Kali acknowledged, "But as a child of Emrys, I know enough about how exact Magic is. It is the ultimate judge. The balance of this world. And you upset it." Jadis glared,
"How? How do you know this?" The question was demanded even as the White Witch swung her sword again.
Kali shook her head lightly,
"Do you even know what a child of Emrys is, Jadis?" She asked a question of her own. Jadis hesitated, she had assumed that it was nothing more than a title, one of royal descent. "You don't, do you?" Jadis glared,
"So what? It will not save you." She snarled. Kali sighed and casually sheathed one blade before, with a mere wave of her hand, Jadis was flung backwards, into the waiting paws of Aslan. The Great Lion promptly pounced, holding the Witch down and growling softly. Kali came up behind him, and looked down at the defeated Witch,
"It means I am a child of Magic." She answered needlessly. Her little demonstration was more than enough of an answer.
Jadis, however, wasn't listening as she gazed up into the eyes of Aslan. Aslan paused only for a second before ripping her throat out. Kali grimaced slightly at the gory death but said nothing.
Aslan stepped away a minute later even as Kali watch both Lucy and Susan throw themselves at Peter who was still on the ground.
"It is finished." The Great Lion stated with a finality that no one could question. Kali nodded,
"But not without cost." She responded grimly, looking around at the fallen members of her Army. Aslan nudged her arm gently,
"You did the best you could, Kali. Do not blame yourself for their deaths; they chose to fight and ultimately die for Narnia." Kali nodded, she would try but she doubted she would one hundred percent succeed.
"Peter!" Susan shouted, wrapping her older Brother in a tight hug. She felt his comforting arm come around her shoulders and hug her just as tightly. "Where's Edmund?" She asked suddenly, realising that their little brother was not with them. A look of recognition and horror passed on his face as he suddenly stood up and rushed over to where he believed his brother had fallen. Before they got there, the three Pevensie's stopped and looked in horror as the Dwarf that was so loyal to the White Witch stood over their brother whom they could see was still breathing if barely. "EDMUND!" Susan nocked an arrow on her bow and shot the Dwarf. The Dwarf fell to the ground with a short scream of pain. The three siblings rushed over and crowded the injured boy whilst Kali and Aslan held back, allowing the four siblings their time.
Lucy suddenly pulled out her cordial, remembering the words Father Christmas told her. Gently, she allowed a drop to pass her brother's lips even as the coughs and gasp fell silent. The three of them waited anxiously for the juice to work, praying to anyone listening that they hadn't been too late. Peter wrapped his arms comfortingly around his Sisters as the seconds trickled by. Just as they were about to give up all hope, Edmund suddenly coughed a couple of times as he opened his eyes.
"Edmund!" Lucy shrieked, throwing herself at her brother. Edmund laughed slightly as he hugged her back tightly,
"Ed." Susan joined in even as Peter shook his head, a smile of relief on his face,
"When are you ever going to do are you're told?" Edmund laughed even louder at that before a new round of hugging started.
Finally, after several more minutes, Aslan walked over, Kali trailing behind him. They all watched as he breathed upon one of the petrified soldiers. A second later they witnessed the petrified state melt away, leaving the Satyr alive and well once more. Kali blinked, that was some fearsome and powerful Magic right there, she could feel it. She watched as Lucy picked up her cordial from where she had dropped it after Edmund awoke and stand up. With a massive grin on her face, she rushed over to one of the wounded soldiers on the ground and administrated a drop before heading off to another one. Kali shook her head, that girl was amazing in her own way. Aslan merely nodded to them all before moving away himself to relieve others of his people from the petrification.
"We did it." Kali stated, walking the last several steps that separated them. The other children looked up at her, their relief palpable.
"Yes, we did." Peter agreed, grinning up. Kali smiled back,
"Though I will say that you charging the Witch was foolish, Peter, given just how little training you've had." Peter blushed,
"I thought she'd killed my brother!" He protested. Kali shrugged,
"That does not mean you should charge in and get yourself killed. Next time, wait until you have had training, won't you? I think your siblings would appreciate it." Peter nodded even as his blush deepened,
"I will." He promised. Kali nodded once more before leaving the siblings alone. She wanted to see if Oreius was in fact dead or was merely petrified. She prayed for the latter.
A/N: Hey so, it's been a while I have to say. Sorry. But in all fairness, I really haven't had the time nor the emotional capacity to write fanfiction during these months. Covid is taking a toll both mentally and financially which translates in me being stressed/depressed and unemployed. It sucks but there we go.
I like this story more than my Child of War one at the moment so this is what I'll be focusing on for the time being.
Hope you're all safe.
S.
