The queen could not believe what she had just experienced in the council room. She had no idea that Kishi was going to divide this newly created nation in two. She lay on her bed with that sick feeling ravaging her stomach. She still could not shake the ominous, dreadful sensation even though she just had the most gut-wrenching experience she could have ever imagined. She knew that she should not have attacked her sister, but she simply could not believe that her sibling would be so treacherous. Anger and disbelief coursed through her body as she sat up to look at her silent husband.
"I thought you said she loved me and would be my biggest supporter!" she snapped hotly.
"I know what I said. Her time for understanding has not come yet. Please be patient a little while longer. I am sure she will come around. Maybe the two of you were meant to rule the high elves together. Maybe by crowning you queen and making her a princess caused an unintentional rift between you. You know that I can read minds, so believe me when I say that your sister does love you," Yukio pleaded with his wife. She had better get a hold of herself now or all will be lost.
Silence enveloped the room while they stared at one another. The queen's expression began to soften as she felt her husband's words bringing her a measure of peace. She did not know what she would do without the strong support of such a devoted husband. He always knew exactly what to say and when to say it. He had his flaws for sure, but he complimented her in ways no one else could. She felt the anger and frustration leave her body as though she was slowly deflating. She stood up and walked to where Yukio was standing.
"You are right … as usual. I just do not know what to do at this point. Kishi must be furious with me. I think we will need to establish some sort of ties, but I am not sure she will be too accepting after what I did. I am sure the people who followed her will know by now what happened, so they will not support any diplomacy with such an unstable ruler," she said dejectedly.
"That is a good point, my dear. We do need to strike some sort of accord with your sister and her people as soon as possible. Maybe I should take Bronwen with me and head over there in a few days. I do not think it would be prudent to go right now while everyone is still agitated. Also, you need to address those who remained behind to renew their support of you as their leader," Yukio said decisively.
"Do you really think diplomacy will work with those that left?" she asked.
"If we are to survive an outside attack, then there must be peace between the two mountain nations," explained the general. He wrapped his massive arms around his wife and held her close. He was troubled in his mind about the recent events, but he too did not know what to do. He stood there lost in his own thoughts, holding on to his beautiful wife. Where has Kana gone? Why has she not helped us?
They held each other for a long time while looking out the window at the pouring rain. Both were consumed by their own thoughts and were not in the mood to talk anymore. They were both determined to figure out the best course of action before the day was out. They watched passively as the home guard darted this way and that across the royal courtyard. The weather got increasingly worse as the day wore on. Finally the couple decided they had to do something aside from just standing there. They both left the room heading in opposite directions. Yukio had to get back to his troops and give them their new orders while the queen returned to the council room for a follow-up meeting. A swift and decisive course of action was needed. These two would do just that in their separate responsibilities.
The troops under General Yukio's command instantly snapped to attention at his arrival. He looked calm and in control of the evereroding situation. The master manipulator immediately sensed that the men felt a diminished sense of purpose. He could tell that there was a singular question amongst them regarding what should be done now. Do they give chase to those who departed, or do we just continue to defend the city? He would have to put an immediate stop to the questions and doubts. He would infuse purpose back into the men and inspire them to greater heights. He called for the troops to come to attention, and complete silence fell; even the rain seemed to have been silenced.
"About half of the high elves have departed for Mount Konane while we were in that dreadful meeting," General Yukio declared solemnly. "We will leave them alone for the time being and even wish them well in their new endeavor. Our goal will be to establish diplomatic ties with them, so whenever we see one of the departed, treat them kindly." He was trying to impress upon the minds of the troops that they were not to mistreat the high elves that left Alanderas.
"What are our orders now, General?" asked one of the captains.
"We are going to fortify the outer and inner walls of this great city. No one will penetrate our defenses while we still have breath in our bodies! There is a very real possibility that we will be attacked very soon. The enemies of the high elves will think that this is the right time to attack since there is a division among the people. We will prove them wrong!" bellowed General Ibreshri. His eyes were blood red with intensity as he spoke.
The whole army erupted into shouts of approval, and war chants soon drowned out the yelling. The excitement and anticipation the men were feeling was palpable. General Yukio cracked into a wide smile as he watched the enthusiasm of his soldiers. He felt reassured that the defense of this massive city was in capable hands. He knew that they would be able to defend against anything or anyone that came at them now. He had the feeling that some kind of war was brewing and that there were going to be people from the different races involved. There will be many of the powerful creatures of Tuwa who would be dragged into the conflict. Maybe even the Elementals would get involved somehow. He just knew that he had to be prepared for whatever tried to breach the walls of Alanderas.
After talking with the men, he headed to the council chambers where he knew he could find his wife. He needed to talk with the high elven home guard to make sure they knew their role in defending the city from assault. The guard would have the queen as their charge; nothing would change that. Yukio would defend the city from external attacks, but the queen would have to be defended from traitors by her guard. He was confident that they would be equal to the task; however, he would make sure that they were properly motivated.
As he was walking toward the council chambers lost in his thoughts, he came across the very person he had intended to talk to. General Marek Thraadinal snapped to attention when Yukio came into sight. Marek was in charge of the army of the high elves, diminished as they were in numbers. The army doubled as the high elven home guard because of their small size and because their main purpose was to defend the capital city. The two military leaders looked at one another for a moment and then threw their arms around each other in a hearty embrace. They stood back looking at one another appraisingly.
"My dear old friend, how have you been?" queried General Marek.
"Better than you from the looks of it," General Yukio replied with a laugh and a hearty slap on the back. "I have not lost over half my army. How are the inner wall defenses?"
"The inner wall and the castle are impregnable. Do not worry, my friend. I will keep your wife safe at all costs. You do not hide your feelings in this matter very well. I thought you were the master of controlling your emotions while manipulating others to do your will," Marek chided knowingly.
"If you were anyone else, I would have you locked away for such brashness, but then again, you were always good with words," Yukio joked. "I have come to talk to you about the importance of maintaining the inner wall defenses as well as to give you some vital information that will be needed to defend the queen against hidden attacks."
"I could use all of the intelligence I can get my hands on. I fear there are some who would want to do the queen harm. I do not think these attempts will come from without; they will come from within."
"You are very perceptive, my friend. That is my worry as well. So, let me give you some information that no one else has. There are two secret entrances to the queen's bedchambers. The entrance to one is a magically hidden door within the inner wall. The door is opened by tapping on the wall five times at the east end of the wall where it meets the mountainside. Make the sign of the star with the five taps, and you will be given admittance. This secret passage will lead to the portrait on the right side of the queen's bed. Kira does not know about the secret doors, so be careful." Ifyou surprise her, it will probably be the last thing you ever do.
"I understand what you mean. I would not want to surprise her; I would not survive the attack."
"No one would survive her attack. I do not worry about her ability to defend herself. However, she is a very trusting person who can be led astray by cunning words or devices. That is why I am entrusting her into your care, Marek."
"Your trust is not misplaced, Yukio. I will make sure she is not harmed in any way."
"Good. Now, there is a second secret entrance that is much more elaborate and goes through the entire mountain to the north face. At the base of the other side of the mountain, there is a secret door behind Gorgen Falls. Behind the waterfall is solid rock with no crevices or cracks in it. There is a jet-black mark on one part of the wall that when it is pressed opens a small entrance. The opening is only big enough for one person to walk through. The passage is very small for most of the way except for a massive cavern at the very heart of the mountain. This space is big enough to fit the royal castle within it."
"That is very impressive. How did you find such a path?"
"Well, the cavern was already there. I just had to create the path to and from it. I also made sure to place supplies in there in case you need to take the queen there to hide. To magically seal the entrance to this path from the queen's bedchamber, carefully shut the door and say, `Twilight Cavern.' The trap door will disappear and can only be opened from inside the tunnel. This door is located under the bed and is covered by a throw rug."
"Why would I say, `Twilight Cavern,' to magically seal the door?"
"The phrase `Twilight Cavern' is actually the name of the cavern at the heart of the mountain. By saying its name, the magic that protects the trap door will seal the entrance from the bedchamber so no one could follow you. I discovered the secret of the magical cavern from Mistress Kana. She knew that it might be necessary to use it at some point in the future."
"I see great wisdom in what you have shared with me, my friend. I will do what you have asked of me. In return, I ask that you keep our city and its people safe from whatever the shortsighted people of Tuwa throw at us. I vow to keep your wife safe from any kind of harm. Promise me to protect the high elves at all costs."
"I will. Know that if I break my oath that I must forfeit my life at your hand. If you should break this covenant, then your life belongs to me."
"I agree. I have a feeling that desperate times ahead of us, my good friend. Let us be diligent."
"Agreed. Now, I must be off. I need to inspect the perimeter defenses before the day is done. I will return in three days to follow up with you and to report to Kira. Keep her safe," General Yukio asked. He took Marek's hand and shook it firmly. He did an aboutface and marched back toward the front gate.
General Marek watched him for some time as he walked confidently toward the outer wall. He had a feeling of dread come over him that left him quite disconcerted. He did not know the source of this apprehension, but he knew that something was going to transpire that would alter the high elves' future for ill. He could not explain how he knew it, but he did. He decided that he had to share this information with the queen. She would need to know about the secret passages along with everything else Yukio had discussed with him. This would make her be on guard for anything, and she would have an idea of what options were available to her if she needed to flee. He looked again at the general marching off in the distance and saw his friend turn around and wave at him.
Yukio could see his friend still standing where he had left him. He finished waving to him and hoped that the good general would not let him down. He felt assured that Marek would defend her as well as he could. He saw the high elf turn around and march resolutely toward the castle. Good, now he will go and tell the queen everything we discussed. This way she will be prepared and will not have to rely on anyone to save her. He smiled at his own cunning and continued his march to the defenses of the outer wall.
Kira walked resolutely toward the council chambers knowing that she would need to talk with her loyal friend Bronwen Merindiel. She had waited for a long time after her husband departed to make her way back to the meeting hall. She was consumed with the uneasy feeling that something horrible was about to happen. She did not like the feeling of not being in control and not knowing what to do in order to protect herself. She felt that by speaking with her mentor she would gain some insight and knowledge that would help her deal with what she was experiencing. He had always seemed to have excellent council to give and was vital to her success in leaving the woodland elves behind to start a new country.
As she continued her walk, she came across General Marek, who appeared to be heading right for her. She could tell right away that he had come to find her for a very specific reason. She may not have her husband's ability to read minds, but she was a rather good judge of a person's intentions by their non-verbal communications. It was clear that the leader of her army was distressed about something and that she would soon find out what was making him so agitated.
"My queen!" hailed General Marek as he got down on one knee with his head bowed to the ground.
"General Marek, please rise. You do need not bow every time you see me. Especially when no one else is present," she said as she brought him up out of his prostration with one of her delicate hands.
"May I have permission to speak with you in private, Milady?"
"Of course, General; follow me to my private office. We will be safe from unwanted listeners. I get the feeling that what you are about to share with me should be kept secret. Am I correct in my assumption?"
"As always, Your Majesty… if you please," he said with a bow while his left hand gestured for her to lead them to her office. He did not have any idea where it was located, and it was proper eti quette to follow royalty instead of leading them. He was grateful for the discretion Queen Kira was using in this matter. She could probably sense the importance of his impromptu visit. He never spoke to her aside from their daily meetings during which he reported to the queen any notable events regarding security.
They walked briskly in the shade of the walkway as they neared the office of the queen. She came to an abrupt halt at a wall that had a tapestry of Alanderas. She looked at her general in such a way that made it clear he was not to see how to open this secret door. Marek did an about-face and looked out over the courtyard of the queen's castle. She muttered some unintelligible words, and an opening immediately appeared out of nowhere. She motioned for him to follow her as she walked through the magic door. He immediately followed her through the dark entry.
Once they were within her impressive office, the door behind them disappeared. The room was dark and filled with books and scrolls. This appeared to be the private library of the queen as well as her sanctuary from the pressures of leadership. She took her seat behind a massive black oak desk and motioned for General Marek to take a seat opposite her. He bowed slightly to acknowledge the command and sat down. She then inclined her head to indicate to him that he was now free to tell her what exactly why they had come here.
"Milady, I have just spoken with General Yukio, and he has provided me with intelligence that will prove beneficial for you to know. He did not forbid me to share the information with you, so I felt it prudent to tell you so you would be prepared for any eventuality," General Marek started confidently.
"You are wise to share with me secrets that my husband did not choose to tell me about. He is probably testing your loyalty to me by confiding in you information that I would need in order to be prepared. He knew that if you were true to me that you would tell me everything he told you. So, go ahead and reveal to me what he told you," commanded the queen kindly.
General Marek then related all of what General Yukio had told to him. She seemed to take the information well and knew that her husband had prepared for the worst. She only loved him more for his preparation and for his methods of revealing such information to her. She would be ready for an attack from any direction. The main difference now as that she knew of an escape if the worst should happen. She was extremely grateful for Marek's diligence and honesty.
"Thank you, General. I believe that my husband has chosen his confidant wisely. He knew that he could trust in your loyalty to me to pass along this vital information. Now I will be prepared for anything that may take place. It is comforting to know that I have an escape plan."
"What would you like me to do now, Your Majesty?"
"I want you to inform the home guard that they are to report any suspicious behavior to you immediately. Tell them to have a full guard every hour, day and night. We must be vigilant if we are to survive the storm that is coming. Once you have instructed the troops, return to me. I will be in the council chambers speaking with Chairman Merindiel."
"Milady," he said with a low bow. He then stood up with a smile and did an about-face. He marched resolutely toward the place where the door had been and was surprised to see it had reappeared. He walked through the exit quickly and headed for the barracks of the home guard. He knew that what he had done was right. He knew now that he would be able to keep the queen safe from any assassination attempt. Now it was up to Yukio to keep his end of the bargain.
The queen watched the general march out the secret door and had a sense of peace come over her. For the first time in many days she felt that she was safe and on the right track. She knew that no attempt on her life would be successful with the new information she had. She was now prepared for any eventuality. She knew that she would feel even more comfortable when she had shared these things with her trusted friend, Bronwen. He would be able to give her additional advice about the situation. He would reinforce what she had been told and help her think of more options that were available to her.
She continued to think over the information she had received as she walked to the meeting hall. She began to formulate different scenarios in her mind about possible assassination attempts. She then carefully thought of ways to thwart each and every attempt on her life. She was so consumed in her musing that she did not notice the clouds breaking up and the sun peaking through openings in the covering. The rain had stopped, and a fog began to form as the sun heated the drenched mountain city. Her line of sight became compromised, and she immediately had a feeling of dread come over her. She snapped back to reality and took notice of the physical changes that were taking place around her. She took a deep breath to calm herself down. There is nothing to fear. I am almost to the council chambers, and then I will be safe within its walls. She also knew that there were guards watching her as she moved along the walkway, so she really had nothing to worry about.
As she approached the main doors to the chamber, a rush of uneasiness came over her as she reached to open the main doors. Instead, she turned about and headed for the rear entry. She did not want to be caught by surprise if there was a trap set for her in the council room. She knew that she could trust Bronwen, but she did not know for certain that he was even in there. She reached the back door and pushed against it gently. The door opened just far enough to allow her to peek inside the room. She immediately saw that Bronwen was there with a few of the other council members. She then opened the door all the way, which made a creaking noise that got everyone's attention.
"Queen Kira, what can we do for you?" asked one of the council members with a bow.
"You all can leave so that I may speak with Chairman Merindiel in private," she ordered the extraneous council members to depart. They did as she had commanded. They all bowed and immediately left the hall through the double doors at the front. Light began to fill the room through the glass dome.
"Milady, what is it that I can do for you?" queried her good friend Bronwen. He whispered as though they may be overheard.
"Is it safe for us to talk here?"
"I cannot be entirely certain, Your Majesty."
She nodded that she understood and then went around the room searching out any possible spies. She did not find one, so she gave up the search. She then approached each door and magically sealed them. Then she put a sound shield on the walls, the floor, and the glass ceiling. Once she had completed all of these tasks, she turned again to her friend and smiled warmly.
"We should be safe now to speak our minds without being overheard."
"I am certain that your magic will keep us safe and what we say a secret. What is it that you have come to speak with me about?"
"I need to bring you up to speed on our situation. I have received information from very reliable sources that there will be attempts on my life. I want to share with you what I have been told from General Marek in particular."
Bronwen nodded that he understood, and they each took a seat at the round table. Kira relayed to him all that General Marek had learned from her husband about the secret passageways and the hiding place within the heart of the mountain. She also told him about what she had asked Marek to do. She did not hold anything back from her faithful friend. She even told him of her different plans she had formulated to defend herself. He listened carefully to every word she said before making any reply.
"Kira, you will need someone to watch your back. It should not be one of the home guard or even General Marek. They will protect you, but they may not be able to see the assassin before it is too late. If you have another person you trust to watch your back, then they may be able to see who it is that hunts you. They would be able to alert you of any danger," Bronwen said with a certain amount of urgency in his voice. He did not feel that her plan for protecting herself was foolproof. He felt that another fail-safe was needed in order to avoid the unthinkable.
"Who would you recommend to do such a task?"
"I believe that I am the only one who can be trusted to be faithful in shadowing you. You know that I have the ability to hide myself most effectively. I will be able to warn you when I sense danger. Please, allow me to do this for you. I do not want to lose you," he said pleadingly. If we lose Kira, then our cause is lost.
"It will be as you have asked. Follow me, and watch out for unseen dangers. I feel comforted knowing that you will be watching over me. I am sure that my husband would be most grateful for your loyalty to me. It sounds like a plan he would come up with as well. Remember, you are not to be seen by anyone," she said with warning in her voice. She did not want any harm to come to him while watching out for her. He is putting himself in great danger by offering this service. 1 hope that he is kept safe. 1 could not bear to lose him.
"You will forget that I am even there, Milady."
"Excellent. I must undo these protective spells on the hall so General Marek will be able to enter. I told him to meet me here as soon as he was done with instructing the home guard. With him at my side and with you watching my back, I should be safe," she said with ever-increasing confidence. She then removed the spells she put on the entire room and unsealed the doors. A moment later, the general knocked at the front doors.
"Come in, General Marek," said the queen.
He entered the room and bowed himself to the floor. He waited for the queen's acknowledgment before raising his head. She bade him to rise, and as he did so, he noticed that she was all alone in the hall. He thought that she was going to meet with Bronwen while he was away. She could sense his confusion and decided to interrupt his thoughts.
"Bronwen has left already. He exited through the back door on an errand for me. We had just finished our discussion before you arrived," she said calmly.
"Very well, Your Majesty. Was it a profitable meeting?" he asked tentatively.
"It was very productive, General Marek. Now, let us not waste any more time. I have come up with several ideas, and I wanted to talk to you about them. Let's go back to the castle and discuss them there."
"As you wish, Milady."
As they walked in the shade of the mountain, Bronwen watched. He had an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He could not tell what it was exactly, but it was there nonetheless. He watched over her from a distance as a chameleon would its prey over the next two days. The feeling of impending doom still pressed on him to keep vigilant in his duty. He saw no signs of danger and could see no one else watching the queen's movements. He thought that this should comfort him, but it did not. The only person that interacted with Kira was General Marek. The general appeared to be watching her every movement as a parent watches a newborn taking their first steps. He looked like he was very anxious as well. Maybe they were sensing the same unseen danger.
On the third day, both of Kira's protectors sensed eminent danger. General Marek acted at once, knowing that if he took too much time the queen would be at risk. A shadow flitted pass a window and seemed to land somewhere on the queen's balcony to her bedchamber. Bronwen immediately went to where he thought the intruder was, but there was no one there. He could sense a presence but could not see anything with his eyes. General Marek shoved the bed out of the way and opened the trap door. He hurried the queen down the passage below and hurried in after her. Bronwen ran across the floor to reach the door before it closed. He barely slipped past the door before it shut. He heard Marek utter the words "Twilight Cavern", and the trap door disappeared.
"My queen, we need to head to the heart of the mountain now! We need to put distance between you and that intruder. I do not think that the assassin is made of flesh and blood, so I am not so sure the entrance disappearing will stop it from following. It will be easier for us to make a stand, if need be, in the cavern," General Marek said emphatically.
"You are right, Marek. Let's go," she ordered. She glanced behind to see if Bronwen had been able to make it into the tunnel with them. She saw a quick glimpse of her trusted spy and felt reassured that everything would be all right. She started down the tunnel as fast as she could manage without falling. General Marek and Bronwen Merindiel followed suit.
The journey to the center of the mountain took much longer than anyone expected. After many hours, the narrow tunnel opened into a broad cavern. The ceiling was very high, and sounds of water dripping echoed through the massive open space. Their eyes scanned the heights at first before they even realized that General Yukio had outfitted the floor with everything they would need if they were to stay here for an extended period of time. There were beds, a well of fresh water, food storage, weapons, clothes, medical supplies, and books. There was enough provisions that they would be able to last for a year if need be.
"Your husband certainly knows how to plan ahead," said Marek in utter disbelief. He could scarcely believe what he was seeing. He took comfort in their surroundings and felt reassured that they would be able to defend themselves against any threat that may present itself. Little did he know that he was about to face the assassin in a way he had not accounted for.
As they settled themselves in to their new surroundings, they found some lanterns and lit them so they could try to see their shadow friend. As soon as the light filled the cavern, the shadowy assassin appeared. The queen and the general immediately took defensive postures as they waited for their mysterious tracker to attack. The shadowy figure began to shrink in size until it disappeared. Bronwen had been watching from behind a barrel of ale and noticed right away that the thing that had been pursuing the queen had entered Marek. He immediately sprang from his hiding place and undid his cloaking magic he had been using.
"Kira, that thing has possessed General Marek! Look out!" Bronwen shouted frantically. He had sacrificed the few fleeting moments that he could have protected himself to warn his queen.
Marek turned to face the revealed protector with an evil grin as he sent forth a strong gust of wind at the defenseless chairman. Bronwen was lifted high into the air where he hit the northern wall with a sickening thud. Kira immediately sprang to action by throwing up a protective shield that sent the blistering winds toward the ceiling. It hit the roof with an extreme amount of velocity, which caused the whole mountain to shake. Rocks began to fall from the area hit by the assassin's diverted attack. Kira quickly threw up another protective barrier around herself and her friend as the ceiling began to collapse. She hunched over her bloodied friend while projectiles bounced harmlessly off the shield around them.
After long moments of quaking, the mountain went still again. Marek's eyes were burning bright red as he stared down his queen. Kira bent over Bronwen face to see if he was still alive. His body was broken from the attack, and he lay motionless. As she sat up, the vacant eyes of her most trusted friend stared back at her. She cried softly as the truth sunk in. She didn't have time to indulge in her sorrow. The protective barrier had weakened as she had lost concentration and was consequently hit by several fiery missiles. Burn marks from the vicious attack appeared all over her body while smoke rose from her wounds. Her resolve and desire for revenge gave her new strength as she stood to face her attacker.
She straightened herself as she faced Bronwen's murderer and knew that she would have to kill one of her other trusted friends if she were to destroy this assassin. She did not hesitate a moment longer and sent a gust of wind of her own at the assailant who did not attempt to deflect the attack. The general was sent flying through the air some fifty feet backwards. Marek landed with a deafening thud and did not move. Kira sent balls of fire and rained down blocks of ice on the crumpled form of her loyal general. She then sent pieces of the cavern's ceiling crashing down on top of the motionless would be assassin. After the dust settled from the assault, no movement could be seen from the pile of rubble.
"Marek, are you still there? Are you still alive? Have I driven that demon from your body?" asked the queen with tears streaking down her scorched face. She felt sick to her stomach because she was sure she had just killed her friend. She hoped that she had killed whatever it was that possessed him; however, she got the feeling that it might still be there.
Suddenly the pile of debris exploded in every direction, and Marek stood up unscathed. The shadowy figure started to separate itself from its host. The general's body went limp, and he appeared to be unconscious. The figure started to take on a familiar form as it rose higher into the air. Before she realized fully who it was, the assassin sent a fatal mix of hailstones the size of an elf along with a powerful mixture of wind, fire, and parts of the ceiling at Kira. The queen was much faster than her attacker thought, and she sent fire out to destroy the hailstones. Sadly, she could not fend off all of the deadly projectiles. She was struck hard in the head by one of the burning chunks from the roof, which crushed her skull. She flew back through the air gracefully as she reeled from the blow. She landed on the ground by the exit to the waterfalls. Blood flowed freely from the head trauma.
As she lay their struggling to make sense to what had just happened, she could just barely make out who her attacker was. Her vision was blurry and her mind could not make sense of who she had just seen. Tears mixed with blood ran down her cheeks as her vision finally gave way. As the breath of life left her body, her mind finally registered who had killed her. This realization was too painful to bear and only lasted a few moments before her spirit left her body and she knew no more. The queen of the high elves had been murdered, and no one was left who knew what really happened except for General Marek.
The general's memory of the events was incomplete, and the parts where he was possessed he could not remember. As he regained his consciousness, he saw that he was alone and that Bronwen and Kira had been killed. There was no sign of the assassin anywhere. He cried out in vain for help that would not come. His hoarse voice echoed dismally off of the still cavern walls. He silently knelt down and retched. What have I done?
General Yukio had been organizing his army to maximize the defense of the city for the past three days when on the third day an unnatural rumbling sound came from the heart of Mount Quang. His men all cowered at the sound thinking that this mountain was now possessed by the same demons that haunted Mount Konane. Yukio knew immediately that something had gone horribly wrong. He called for his horse to be brought to him as well as his armor. Once his horse was prepared and he was ready for combat, he took off out through the main gate. The troops stared after him in disbelief. They were wondering where he was going. All he had instructed them to do was to protect against an attack. In a matter of a few seconds, he was out of sight.
He pushed his steed hard as he circumnavigated the mountain. He was heading to the Gorgen Falls. His horse would have to be left behind because of the narrow passageway once he arrived. He made it to the other side of the mountain unbelievably fast and jumped off his horse as soon as he was at the falls. He tied his companion to a sturdy tree, jumped into the pool and leapt through the wall of water. Once behind the falls he pressed the secret button, and the hidden door opened to admit him.
As he raced through the winding passageway, his thoughts were on General Marek. How could he let something happen to Kira? He promised to keep her safe! His anger and suspicion grew as he drew closer to his destination. The distance between the falls and the Twilight Cavern was much shorter than the path leading from the castle. When he had reached the cavern, he immediately noticed the immense devastation. He was sickened by the sight of Bronwen's broken body and turned his head in disgust. He bent down to check his friend for a pulse and found none. He stood up to survey the rest of the battlefield. Immediately he saw a figure hunched over another body he instantly knew was his wife's.
He roared in rage at the sight, and Marek stood to see General Yukio charging at him. His sword was drawn and anger consumed his face. General Marek stood defenseless as his friend approached. He tried to shout at Yukio to wait a moment so he could explain what he thought had happened, but his pleas went unheard. In Yukio's mind, he believed that high elven general had betrayed him. He began to draw his sword back as he neared the scene of the disaster. His friend did not flinch and stood tall to face the bringer of perceived justice.
Yukio twirled his long sword in his right hand as he swung down hard on Marek's drawn blade. The clash of steel shook the air for a moment and then the battle was on. General Marek was an accomplished swordsman, but he was no match to Nairian general. After a flurry of parries and wild slashes, the fight reached its apex. After a feint to the left that unbalanced the high elf, a dagger appeared in Yukio's hand. The small blade was quickly buried in Marek's side. This move proved to be the prelude to the fatal blow to follow.
Yukio gripped his sword with both hands and raised it at an angle over his left shoulder. As the general twisted a little more to gain leverage, he looked into the eyes of the person who had destroyed all he cared about in life and saw something that did not register immediately. The Nairian general roared in rage and with one fluid stroke removed general Marek's head. As he turned away from the headless corpse that was falling to the ground, he dropped his sword and knelt by the mangled body of his wife.
Her eyes were cold and distant as he looked at her face. He placed his hands on her deformed head so that he could read her final thoughts and see her untimely death. He immediately saw Marek attacking his wife with magic and saw everything else that transpired. In his mind, he believed he was justified in executing his friend who turned out to be the assassin. While looking through his wife's memory, the events of what happened had been altered somehow to show the general acting of his own volition. There was no recollection of a shadowy assassin.
Yukio laid his wife's head back down to the earth and picked up his sword again. He walked over to Marek's body and spat into his lifeless face. After a few moments of muttering curses over his friend's corpse, General Yukio stopped long enough to shout out in absolute rage. His yell was so loud that the walls began to shake and tremble. He then came to his senses and realized that the cavern had been destabilized by the various battles. The ceiling was coming down, and he had to act fast to get out of there. He picked up his wife and started toward the exit. As he neared it, he reached down and picked up Bronwen's body. He had a dead body over either shoulder as he reached the exit. As he entered the tight tunnel, the cavern collapsed on itself. Small rocks hit Yukio in the back as he continued to run.
He quickly reached the falls and the pool of water that his horse was drinking out of. As the disheveled general emerged from the tunnel, his body began to weaken rapidly. He threw the dead to one side and fell unconscious to the ground. As he awoke sometime later, he could feel hot breath as well as a moist thing caressing his face. As his vision cleared, he saw that it was his horse licking him. He slowly sat up and saw that there was a thick fog surrounding him. This made it difficult to see what lay around him at first. What he did know was that something deep inside him had broken and that he would never be the same again.
As he stood up, he felt pain both physical and mental like he had never felt before. He walked gingerly over to the pool and looked at his reflection. He was covered in blood and dust from his ordeal in the cavern. He cleaned off the blood and dirt from his body and armor by jumping into the water. After a few moments he returned to where he had cast the bodies of Bronwen and Kira. He spent the rest of the morning digging graves for his friend and his wife. Before he laid them to rest, he took his wife's crown off her head and Bronwen's badge off his dress robes. He would use this tattered badge and contorted crown as proof of the treachery of General Marek. He covered the bodies with dirt and then a massive mound of rocks. He then stood on top of his wife's grave and pulled out his knife. He swore a blood oath then and there to avenge his wife's murder. He held the high elves, all of them, responsible for his wife's demise. They will pay for this unforgivable treachery!