Chapter 63

It wasn't a dark spirit that pulled Anna from behind, a hand gripped tight across her mouth. Had she not been competent for just such an eventuality, it has stunned her senseless. As it was, her heart gave a tremendous leap and she yanked in her captor's grip.

David had grabbed her from the left, pinning her moving arm tight against her side, his right hand over her mouth. "Psst! We are being surrounded."

"What the hell is wrong with you David, you scared me for a second there. Jesus!... I know," replied Anna. "...I suspected it about halfway up the lake, and whoever has trailed you and Alpha Jerome's men into the mountain, they are coming."

David grabs his sword. "We should wake everyone and be careful Anna. I mean it. Take care of yourself. Alright?

"Yes, David. I will... And hmmm! I'll do the honor. Wake the troll." Answered Anna, her eyes blurring, "But do not cause a noise because they are very near." She knew the soldiers were moving, but she did not expect them to come in the middle of the night. It is in fact past midnight when she went to check on the wounded and notice that something was coming creeping into the darkness. One of Jerome's men notified them, he found their trail marker and predicted to find them further along as she eyed them.

It was in that instant that her ears picked out some strange noise, some inconsistency that threatened her senses, and at that moment her hand flared to life. Jerome and Harry were ordered as they picked up the initiative and alerted the sleeping packs in the garden. It was as if the wind carried their spirit in non-peaceful ways.

Lord Colton's soldiers came closer and closer. However, Anna's flares became bigger and bigger, everybody now has been cautioned, and they reached all their swords and shields, arrows, and some other weapons ready for the battle ahead. "...Everyone, listen, do not avoid my fire, it won't burn you. I repeat, do not avoid it, my fire was only meant to injure those on our enemy's side." Anna's voice rang out rough and unmistakable beside Harry who held a sword on his own.

At the same moment, the soldiers streamed into the darkness. A warmer feeling bolted flew from her right hand, and Anna battled it aside with anger that flared to hate. Terror, pure dread. The sort of dread that makes their skin itch when they can feel every hair on their body surge when they feel like their skin is wriggling. The fear makes their bodies freeze, immobilizing them on the spot. That's the sifting of fear she felt when she listens to the howl of the wind as if warning her for the battle. The only thing was that she couldn't run away from it, yet she wished she could.

Lady Maria had no choice but to fight with the rebels. Forcing her legs up onto the front porch of the cottage. Her feet pounding on the floor in panic, echoing throughout the cottage. Moving so fast, she felt herself sliding on the living room rug, making her skid along the floor and into the wall, yet she stands on her own. Taking her swords and shield ready for the battle.

"No, milady, there is no need for you to fight with us, but we desire you to help those who will need your support. This cottage will be your fortress, and we will make sure that no Lord Colton's Soldiers can come closer. Leon and the troll will assist you." Jerome Wallace announced that he looked at the scared clan of trolls embracing each other. "Don't worry milady, we will defend your home," Leon added.

"That is a good plan." Anna said behind him, "We need you to save the wounded later. And we couldn't risk losing you either."

"Oh! Bullocks! That won't happen, dear, I am going with you, and I am not staying here," she answered.

"Please, we need you but not on the battlefield, please do this for me." She begged.

"Okay fine, but I can't promise to stay here longer."

"Fair enough."

A gusty wind swept the area, and the ground was slick with a little rain. Lord Colton's soldiers wore thick leather armor, while Jerome's men wore only sweaters of wool, yet they stood in formation. Five rows were all they had, their visions readied on the path to see how many the Lord would send. They listened to the boots and the horses whining long before they saw the crowd of uniformed bodies led by a horseman bearing the Southern's flag. Their answer had landed. This is what it meant to be a rebel and to be in the armies of the pack, no alibis, no compassion. Yet, every face blanched with passion. However, this was never a battle Jerome's men could win, only a casualty to buy time. But with Anna on their side, there was a possibility of winning.

When the scream broke from the leaders, they commenced forwards directly. The king's soldiers emerged with destructive manners of one used to easy feat, and their behavior transformed within seconds. Upon this battlefield, there are blindfolds around the soldier's hearts and their thoughts are contained by hatred and fear for Lord Colton's wrath if they won't win and bring the woman and Prince with them.

The soldiers then pulled their weapons out and the first clash between enemies confirmed that these were no typical rebels.

Despite their surprises, Lord Colton's soldier recovered, and the battle spun into a short but terrible feud. They fought with tossing knives, crossbows, blades, and some weapons Jerome could not even comprehend. They are not only skilled soldiers, and they made it so deadly. Furthermore, they were killers, murderers, butchers. They attacked together, even though there was no pattern, no rule, and no restrictions. They were confident with their ample numbers. They were like feral beasts with destructive skills. In close up, they would rip through a battalion of ordinary rebels like wolves through a flock of lambs, yet they were all mistaken. Jerome's men were disciplined, they acted in unison, they had patterns, and they proceeded with tactics, yet it was a battlefield that appeared to be anything but bloodshed.

Anna couldn't risk using her fire as she drove the heel of her boots into the soldier's kneecap, clamping his leg, and then, seizing advantage of his momentary stagger, then she crouched forward and shoved backward at his head with the rock in her hand. The night brightened up upon the moon, yet she could see them without difficulty.

Harry on his side was fighting as well and from the distance, he saw David fighting with three feral at the same time with the help of Leon.

Suddenly, the other soldier was flailing to and fro to dislodge the death grip Anna had on his head. His clutch on her arm had slackened in the attempt, and it forced him to lower her. As soon as her feet reached the dirt once more, she let go of his hand, wriggled about, and provided him as hearty as a root in the rocks with her knee as she could withstand. Kicking men in the testicles was overrated to defense, yet it helps. The men were screeching in pain in no time.

Though, distantly, she could make Harry and David fight with the soldiers. Swaying their swords nonstop. When she turned to her left, she could see Jerome Wallace, a massive gray wolf running towards the horsemen. 

Ready for suicide. She couldn't watch any longer, her fire was shrieking to get out. If she wants to finish this fight, she needs it out. With eyes blurring, she summoned her fire and instantly it engulfed them.

Jerome could follow their tactics in his head, and he was afraid, not for himself, but for what was to come. There are so many of his men wounded around him, then he commits the unthinkable, he wants to learn the right angle, and the smoke was making it impossible to work out the horsemen position. Without waiting a moment, he sprints over the top fence of the cottage and runs towards the leader. With a sword in his hand and with the muddy green of the field. A brutal noise breaks down into the startled air, and he does not desire to look down to realize it hit him, the swinging of the swords can be determined from the distance, the wind howls together with the shouts of the fallen.

Suddenly, the scorching fire flew from all over Lord Colton's Soldiers and screams of immediate pain were gathered around them, wolves, and fairies yet none of the waiting rebels were burnt as they all gazed in shock. The surviving fairy soldiers flee and run around towards the lake.

Jerome and his men captured the surviving ten fairies alive. They committed suicide within seconds of being captured by each breaking a small yellow vial between their teeth. Shouting, smirking, and screaming profanities.

How could this fairy's humanity be bent so far out of shape? Harry gaped as Jerome swore and shook his head. Seventeen of Jerome's men died and ten were injured, caught by bolts from the crossbows and swords.

Lady Maria attends to the wounded with Anna's help. She forced the arrows through the skin, broke them off, closed the wounds, and applied the cream to them.

"ANNA!..." From the tone of Harry's voice, she could understand something was wrong. Only then did she heed his attention to David and on cue her eyes found him. David was pinned to the ground. There was an arrow through his chest. He was sobbing and out of it with fear. She knelt beside him and hissed. Yet, her eyes were full of worry, her heart fears for his old friend, her first love. "No, No, David! Please, No! No! Don't ever die on me." Anna whimpered, "I can heal you, David!" She has never been this nervous before, she worries about his life, without waiting a moment longer she summons her fire, and though nothing happens, her fire was immobile. She couldn't sense its warmth running through her veins. Furthermore, she struggled again, and still nothing.

"Anna my love,... I'm sorry, I sought my best, I did... But it appears like I need to rest now. You know I love you, right? I'm sorry, I'm so sorry for what happened, for leaving you." David whispered, before he could draw another breath she pulls his torso, tugging his head upward only to meet his arteries and veins popping out like rubber tubing, oozing scarlet blood.

A cry dies in Anna's throat as she lets her body fall to his, desperate to still feel life in his body. She stares, unable to act, as blood gushes from his wounds. "No," she whispered, feeling the blood soak her shirt. "Don't leave me again, I mean it!" She keeps on shouting as she looks around towards Lady Maria. She searches for her views, asking for help, but Lady Maria bows her head and closes her eyes. She heaved her scarf a little lower over her ears to keep out the chill. The first sign of winter was not far away. She could almost hear the wind, for it seemed to bring everything slightly like it was in control over the whole woodland as if knowing their pain. Her hair soared in wild directions. Lady Maria reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear and kept walking through the swaying trees. Where she will ask the gods.

At that moment Anna knew they were saying their goodbyes. David locked his eyes onto her and Anna cradled him, each of them bathed in his blood. She touched his face and burst into the look she'd never seen before and never want to see again. That point of no return when love is torn apart. Her hair tumbled over his face and David swept it back, Anna knew the coldness of his skin, before kissing his lips. He smiled so before his breathing became a noisy rattle, then he was gone.

Everyone's heads were down. Maybe it was showing respect or maybe they were too afraid to look at what was coming. Her screams were full of anguish and pain. The breeze fluttered around, caressing everything it touched when it could have been a comfort if only not from the sorrows it brings.

Jerome's men were struggling to hold back their sadness, some tears flowed, Leon cried out and others sat in quiet grief. The family of the troll cried out as well. The trees were shoved away and quivering, as gusts of the storm were blasting through the valley.