Chapter 8. Fires of Gilead
Galbatorix's northern army was encamped near Gilead twenty miles away from the city. Gilead was a strategic city in the north and at the moment the elves controlled it. The generals and commanders were determined to take the city back and with Galbatorix's help it would happen. Galbatorix personally enchanted his troops with the strength speed and agility of an elf. It was a more useful spell than creating soldiers who felt no pain. Three times his painless troops failed in battle against the Varden.
Despite the efforts of the elves to scan the area with their minds they were unable to detect his presence because he inserted his mind into every living creature in the area. The elves took it to be the essence of nature in general but what they really were sensing was Galbatorix and Shruiken.
"Prepare for battle general we attack at midnight…" Galbatorix said standing right next to Rang who saluted and joined his men.
"They will attack at midnight…" Islanzadi said standing on the southern wall of Gilead.
Lord Dainor was standing next to her. "They cannot afford to lose the city or Galbatorix will lose the rest of his lands…"
"Any word from Lady Nausada?"
"Her troops are on the move again they advance on Belatona… But…" He hesitated.
"Thorn and Murtagh await them…"
He looked at her; "Yes…"
"We have to trust that with Blodhgarm and Glaedr they can overcome them…"
"There is something else my lady…" He sighed; "…Our spellcasters have detected some strange magic among Galbatorix's troops… we cannot determine the purpose or use of these magics… They are very powerful…"
"Tell our troops to get into position…" She ordered. Dainor jumped down from the wall fifty feet and ran into the city.
The day dragged on long and all both sides could do was wait and wait until the sun set. Then they had to wait even more until midnight. It was an hour until midnight when Galbatorix climbed into Shruiken's saddle and they took off. Galbatorix used a spell of invisibility that not only hid his body but the shadow and noises his body made. The spell even hid his footprints and thoughts.
General Rang drew his sword and let out a cry; the rest of the troops followed suit and they charged the city. A swarm of arrows flew out over the wall. Many of the arrows were stopped by the wards, but the arrows were enchanted and some of them got through killing hundreds of troops. The gates opened and the elves ran out charging the front lines. When swords struck the elves were shocked by the strength and speed of the human soldiers. For every five soldiers that fell to the elves four also fell to the humans.
"This isn't right…" Lord Dainor said as he dispatched a soldier.
Then the elves looked up as the roar of a terrible beast filled the air. A sound that could only be made by a dragon, the elf archers on the wall screamed in terror as they were consumed in fire from Shruiken's mouth.
"Retreat!" Islandzadi screamed.
The elves made run for the northern wall while the remaining archers covered their retreat. Shruiken dove on the wall spewing fire cutting them off from their retreat. "Garjla!" Galbatorix barked pointing a clawed hand adding his power to the wall of flames. As they pulled up Islanzadi ran across the ground and jumped into the air. As she rose her cape turned into a pair of wings and up into the air she rose. When she got near to Shruiken she grabbed the side of his saddle.
"Islanzadi…" Galbatorix said looking down. "…It has been a long time… Do you miss your mate… don't worry you will be with him soon enough…"
Their swords met in mid-air and the two met each other's blows with skill and accuracy. Islanzadi held onto the saddle with her free hand and with the other she fought Galbatorix. Eventually he wrenched her sword from her hand, but Islanzadi pulled herself up and kicked Galbatorix in the face breaking his nose.
"Elven witch!" He angrily cried, with the pommel of his sword he bashed her in the head then he kicked her in the face. Islanzadi lost her grip and fell towards the ground. As she fell her cape became a pair of wings again.
Shruiken pulled up, looped around and dove towards the city. By now Islanzadi had landed on her feet and joined the other elves who used magic to jump over the flaming walls. Lord Dainor was in trouble when Galbatorix dove to the ground. A ball of black energy with white tendrels shot from his palm.
"No!" Islanzadi cried she ran shoving Dainor to the ground and leapt in front of the energy ball. She blocked it with all her might, but it was too much and she died. As Shruiken pulled up into the air again Dainor scooped up her body and began singing in the ancient language. The other elves joined in and a white fog engulfed the entire city. Shruiken pulled up at the last minute and hang in the air. A tip of his wing dipped into the fog and it froze, he yelped in pain and climbed higher into the sky. He arched his neck and spewed fire into the fog, but his flame shot right back at him.
Below the sound of clashing metal turned into screams of terror. Galbatorix pointed his hand at the fog and began singing a twisted song in the ancient language. Soon the fog dissipated and when it did the fires had been put out and on the ground lay the bodies of both humans and elves.
"What happened?" Galbatorix asked when Shruiken landed.
"I don't know my lord… when they started singing that song my men started dying I ordered the reserves to pull back… any of the spellcasters who tried to combat it was immediately turned to ice…"
Galbatorix looked at the frozen spellcasters and grunted; "Have your men run to Ceuneon the elves will retreat there." He said run because his men were now as fast as an elf and it would be faster than riding horses.