Rising to Fall

Chapter 3-3

Got my German test tomorrow, I've very slowly beginning to panic.

Mitchell and Lachlan's scouting party reach the Benja capital an hour after dawn, having woken up while it was still dark. As the wounded are taken away by the medics, Lachlan suggests that Mitch should go and inform the Sky Army Commanders of the situation with their General.

"What am I going to tell them?" Mitch asks. "That Adam ran off and he might be alive but he might also be dead and we have no way of knowing?"

"Yeah, but just don't use those exact words."

While the Commanders don't seem to be disturbed by the news when Mitch tells them, he sees the recruits whispering among themselves and becoming quiet when someone from another army comes near them over the next few hours. They are clearly worried about their General although they try not to let other armies know, maybe because they don't want to make anyone else worried as well.

Towards the end of the day, as the sun nears the westerly horizon, Mitch is talking with his captain who takes care of the guard duty around the walls of Nad'ij. He's still trying to figure out why the Sky Army is happy to help out with guard duty but they are dispirited while training and are too broken to fight the squids. Needless to say, he hasn't come up with very many answers. A voice calls from above, sighting a lone rider. Mitch swiftly climbs up the ladder and stands next to the man who called, shading his eyes to see the rider.

"He's moving swiftly sir," the man says. "From this distance, you can't identify him to an army."

"There should be no one coming," Mitch says. He notes the golden sword at the man's side and with a quick glance up and down the wall, notes that most of the other guards stationed here also belong to the Sky Army. Shading his eyes from the setting sun again, Mitch peers at the rider. The sun glints off something on the rider's back, giving it an orange glow while turning his short brown hair a light brown.

"It looks like Adam," Mitch says, relief flooding through him. He had been wondering all afternoon what he was supposed to do if Adam didn't come back. As the man who is certainly Adam rides closer, Mitch sees something around his neck that is vaguely familiar. It's a pendant that might be around the size of Mitch's palm with a gold ring securely holding a deep purple gem to a thick cord.

The Sky Army recruit beside him draws in a breath as he also sees the pendant. He pulls himself up a little more in order to see better and whispers "Is that....?"

Mitch goes to ask him what it is when Adam's arm goes behind his back and draws his sword from its sheath, holding it up high. The purple gem set in the crosspiece is bright and clear and its glow is clearly visible as he canters forward. The recruit looks down at his own sword. Mitch follows his gaze and sees that the purple gem in his crosspiece is glowing like Adam's.

"The Amulet!" the man yells at the top of his voice. "We have the Amulet! We have the Amulet!"

The other Sky Army recruits on the wall yell the same words and they rush down from the wall, sprinting off towards the training grounds and the Sky Army camp lines, spreading the call as fast and as wide as they can. Mitch watches them run, confused at their sudden energy and joy. He hears a small cheer start that becomes bigger and louder as the news spreads throughout the Sky Army camp. From his high position on the wall, he can see them hugging each other and throwing their hands up in the air like they just won a huge war.

Adam rides through the gate, sheathing his sword and cantering straight over to where his army is laughing. Mitch quickly gets down from the wall and runs to the edge of the Sky Army camp, trying to keep Adam in view, however, he loses sight of him as the Sky Army General disappears into the crowd, his horse left at the edge.

"What's going on?" Jerome asks as he and Vikk run up to Mitch.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Mitch says as Adam climbs on something, becoming visible again. In his hand is the pendant and he holds it up in the air, easily visible to his entire army.

"SKY ARMY FOREVER!" he yells.

Instantly, the recruits repeat the cheer over and over, holding their fists high in the air until Adam puts the pendant around his neck again and makes a shushing gesture. He continues talking but Mitch can't quite make out the words. After a minute, the army cheers again and they immediately disperse, moving with the vigour and purpose that had been missing before.

"Okay, I'm getting the impression that something important just happened," Vikk says.

"You don't say," Jerome says dryly.

The three wait a few minutes, watching as the recruits suddenly start acting just like every other army in the world: Captains ordering warriors around, men sharpening swords, women checking their arrow shafts and armour being polished. Every sword that the three Generals see all have the purple gem in the crosspieces glowing slightly, each a bright, vibrant purple. Eventually, Adam joins them, watching his army move like a well-oiled machine with a satisfied smile on his face. The purple gem in the 'Amulet' around his neck is glowing slightly, although it's not very visible.

"Are you gonna tell us what that whole thing was about?" Mitch asks.

Adam looks at him and his smile turns slightly dark. "The Squids have been in our territory for too long. If you agree to get them out of our land, we'll help you fight them. If not, we'll do it alone."

"You're talking about a suicide mission," Vikk says.

"Only if you say no."

"Well then," Mitch sighs. "I guess we have no choice. I am getting annoyed with all these Squid warriors in my territory."

"You've always been way too protective of your land Mitch."

"Someone's gotta look after it Jerome. If I don't, no one will."

Too true Mitch. Too true. Also, good job Jules_Writer_Fangirl, it was the Amulet that Adam was retrieving from the Squid.

But what is up with it?