The fall of Pendratan was the biggest blow to the empire. The eyes of the world gazed with horror as the rise of Dycathion sounded the death knell of what is arguably one of the greatest military powers of the realms. Killian no only took Pendratan, but three more cities that had surrounded it. The young general had taken nearly a third of the kingdom.
For the longest time, three countries had maintained the balance of the land. Londaros, Dycathion, and Novoria. But now that half the Londarian kingdom had fallen, the world was preparing itself for the eventually that there would soon be one kingdom.
The myth of the young general grew as the man became even more enshrouded in mystery. Some said that he was the war god reborn on earth, bringing chaos and destruction to everything he touched. Others thought he was the sun god, the beautiful and terrible god who would bring light and fire to the world. But be it in any way that Lord Killian was described, it was in hushed, reverential tones. How could anyone be so powerful so young.
The large city of Pendratan knelt as they waited in welcome to their conqueror. Their eyes cast to the ground as mothers tried to stifle the terrified sobs of their children. Would this man order their city raped and pillaged? They had surrendered after two days when they heard that this man had dammed their river and then poisoned their water source. Without water, the city had nothing. The Lord Pendratan surrendered after he had heard and begged for the antidote for his people.
"Lord Kilian!" Lord Pendratan called out as he stood on the tallest parapet. Lord Killian looked up at the man standing above the city.
Lord Pendratan smiled, "Are you happy, my lord? You truely are the curse of Londaros. You sick, disgusting abomination"
The archers of Dycathion readied their bows and took aim. Their faces dark with rage.
Lord Killian looked bored, he yawned.
Lord Pendratan sighed, "You won't stop until everyone is dead, won't you? You are exacting your payment in blood." He pointed to Lord Killian, "Cursed wretch! you are a curse upon this world, you will destroy everyone in it. Your mother was a witch and a demon and she was the the sickness that----"
Killian held an empty bow, the arrow had already gone through the Lord Pendratan.
Killian rode in amidst the screams and cries of the dead lord's family. Killian did not spare them a glance. When he was little, this uncle of his had once tried to shoot an arrow through his head. His sons pelted him with rocks.
"We could have used him as hostage. What a waste." Lord Evan sighed.
"Of my time." Killian replied coolly. He scanned the city, his eyes and magic missing nothing. Then, seeing what he'd always seen, the boredom set in again.
"My lord would you like me to find all the green eyed women in the city?" Lord Evans asked, it was Killian's ritual anywhere he went. He always seemed to be looking for someone.
Lord Killian shook his head. She wasn't here, and if she had been, his men would have found her long ago. He rode his horse forward
"My lord, if it's women you desire, we can get you one." Lord Jacen offered. Lord Evan shook his head while Killian ignored him.
"How many times will it take for you to get the hint that he's not just looking for any woman" Lord Evans whispered.
Lord Jacen shrugged, worried, "But he's never looked at any of them twice. Not even when they're beautiful. He never spends more than ten words on them, and even then only when his majesty forces him to." He sighed, "Our lord is too innocent. He'll never get married this way."
"Lord Evan" A voice interrupted their whispers, Lord Evan sat up straight and hurried his horse to his master.
"It seems that Lord Norian and Prince Jasreth has escaped." Killian said, Lord Evan took the parchment from Killian.
"He's making a run for it back to Londaros." Lord Evans read and looked up, "That's a bit stupid, without an army, I don't see how far he's going to get."
Killian grinned savagely, "Let's play a game of cat and mouse shall we?" He clapped Lord Evan on his back, "You and Jacen are going to follow me, Lord Becora will stay here and take care of matters. We'll take twenty men."
His green eyes glittered as he crumpled the paper in his hands, this war was getting more and more interesting every day.
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Dycathion Border
"Why are ye going towards Londaros?" A farmer looked at the tall soldier who gave him a reassuring smile, "I've relatives I'm visitin."
The man looked at the people sitting in the wagon, in front two women drove the wagon while four boys peeked out, chattering away. There was also a fox that snoozed on the top of the wagon.
"Family trip." Ithos explained, "We're thinkin' of moving to Londaros....er, the newer territories of Dycathion, that is."
"In the midst of a war?" The Farmer asked.
Ithos scratched his head and smiled, "It ain't got anythin' to do with us." The farmer pointed, "Yer insane. The only open border is tha' way."
"Thank ye." Ithos nodded, he walked back towards the wagon and took a seat beside his woman, "It might get a little rough."
Myrai patted his cheek, "We've seen worse." She eyed the two of the boys who were reading quietly and the other two who were trying to determine how many peas they could stuff up their own noses.
Cybelline looked at the boys, "I'm surprised your house lasted so long."
Myrai snorted, "That was the third house, child. Before we were able to hide the boys' powers, they'd destroyed the first two."
They headed down the road.
They made better way than most, as they traveled during the day and went inside Cybelline's ring to rest at night. Ryion sometimes stayed in the ring, saying that he wanted to be there when Miri woke up. Ithos and Myrai often stayed in the ring as well, preferring the peace and quiet of the countryside than the outside world.
Mirai had discovered that not only was the land within the ring rich and fertile but crops grew nearly twenty times as fast in the ring as it did on the outside world. She had Ithos buy wheat and barley, corn and fresh vegetables and in three days time, they had ripened. Ithos tried to help but, much to his chagrin, he discovered that he was as deadly to plants in the outside world as he was in the ring.
"But I'm a plant's mage!" He cried, outraged, one day. "My power is to aid plants growth!"
"Yes. The gods like to play jokes." Myrai would said and kiss his cheek, "And you, me love, is the god's biggest joke."
Ithos would growl and sulk for a few moments, but always return to his wife's side, holding gardening tools or fanning her as she worked. "Luckily, me love, the gods gave me you." He would say and kiss his wife. Whenever the boys heard they would pretend to puke. Ithos would throw his shoe at them and kick them outside to the real world.
Ceric, Berin, and Isthan liked to stay outside with Cybelline, choosing to explore the world and all of its wonders. From them, Cybelline learned that in suppressing their powers, they had to suppress their age as well. Ceric always looked sad when he talked about this, "I wish I could grow up." He said softly as he stared at the sky, "Being stuck at the same age means that my mind won't grow past the age my body is. Ithos told me."
Cybelline could only pat his head.
Twenty days into the trip, Myrai called Cybelline into the land of the ring about midday. The biggest rose, the flower that held Miri, was about to bloom. The other flowers in the field still held tightly closed buds.
Its petals clicked liked windchimes as it stood up taller and turned a brilliant shade of red.
The rose opened its crystal petals, one by one, each red petal turned crystal clear, the color seemed to go towards the figure in the middle.
When the petals opened, a girl sat in the middle of blossom.
Chestnut brown hair flowed to her feet, streaked in gold and brown. She still wore Myrai's robes, as Cybelline had used it to cover the child. But she was no longer a fiver year old. Instead when she opened her eyes, they stared at the face of a girl of fifteen or so.
Miri looked around, and then looked at her hands, "What?" She looked up, "Ma... Pa?"
A pair of brilliant red wings unfurled themselves, their fiery heat seemed to emanate into the skies. The flowers in the field seemed to bow to the girl as if she was their queen.
Just about everyone's jaws dropped to the earth.
"Oh dear." Myrai said as she looked at her now older daughter.
Ryion looked up happily, "Miri grew up! She has powers now!"
"And, most likely, puberty." Cybelline said, and gave a pitying look at Ithos.
"What's puberty?" Berin asked Isthan.
Isthan shrugged, "Sounds like a very serious illness."
Miri flapped her new wings and came down to the ground, "Ma, I thought you were an elf."
Cybelline and the boys looked at Myrai, who smiled, 'Aye, you're half elf."
Miri flapped her wings, "But I have wings."
Ithos elbowed his wife, "Love, ye ain't been unfaithful have ye? Is there a fire fae I need to kill?" Myrai threw him a dirty look.
Cybelline bit back a smile as she handed the girl a dress, "Go get changed. I'll explain everything. At least, what I think I know."
Miri was now the same age as Cybelline, and having absorbed the First Blood Fire Fae's powers, she was now the leader of the fire fae or what's left of them. After a little food, Miri went and fell asleep in the hut. Myrai explained to Cybelline that when Fae children absorb a huge amount of magic, they develop physically and mentally in a very short amount of time. One day they were still children and the next, a nearly full grown adult. Miri was a halfling, and she had been a child for nearly three thousand years. Now, as a young fae, she could hide her powers and learn to use them.
"Now I've got to find a way to get these little ruffians to grow up. So they can make sure no boy comes to steal their sister. I plan on Miri not getting married for at least the next thousand years." Ithos grinned, earning himself a swat on the head from his wife.
Their journey continue, with Miri asleep in the land in the ring as she absorbed her powers and allowed her mind to catch up to her body. Ithos and Myrai was overjoyed as their daughter was finally able to grow up.
In the real world, despite the first scuffles of war, it was not as bad as wars usually played out. Killian had taken care to destroy only when there was no other choice. The cities surrendered out of fear. Those who did not were the ones who died or fled to safer places.
They arrived in the city of Yeharis after about half a month. This was the new border of Londaros and Dycathion. War had not reached the area and business was conducted as usual. But it was a strange place, it seemed that everyone here looked as if they could melt into the shadows and never be found again. Everyone seemed to be extremely watchful of each other and moved around carefully.
Cybelline looked at the people in the city and muttered to Ithos, "Why is it that I've seen about ten pick pockets within the space of a minute." She did not mention that only about two of them had succeeded.
Ithos smiled, "This is the city of thieves and spies. We're going to visit their lord."