Chronicles of Fardel: The Rise of Syphon

"Remind me why I agreed to have you shoot me?" Kephiyr winced while trying to pull out the arrow.

"You said it was the most convincing." Effen said with a laugh.

"You're enjoying this aren't you?"

"Yeah, I've always wanted to shoot you, want some help getting it out?"

"I don't know now." Kephiyr laughed with a wince. Effen walked up and pushed him back with one hand and yanked the arrow out with the other, smirking the whole time.

"Shall we stay and watch the battle?" Effen asked.

"No, we need to cauterize this wound, then we need to prepare for battle on Legionor."

"Fair enough, come over to the smithy, then I can stick you with a red hot poker."

"You worry me, you enjoy others pain a little too much."

"As long as they're not dying, but you may be right."

They walked to the smithy and Effen stuck a red hot poker into the wound with a toothy grin. Kephiyr winced and did his best not to scream. Luckily he didn't and the two of them along with Bear made for Farmell. They passed elves on the way out and Kephiyr stopped to give then orders.

"Allow any survivors to escape by ship. Afterwards we need a convoy on the sea. Take roughly half your men to man the ships, the other half needs to remain in the city."

"Yes sir." The commander said.

"Are we to remain here as well?" Bear asked trodden closely behind.

"No, we will go to Farmell and prepare for the assault on Legionor." He replied.

"So we plan, and then sit on the sidelines again?"

"No, it may not be the smartest move, but I will join in the battle. Disguised but they may know it's me anyway."

"What about me, can I join?"

"Yes, if that is your desire. I just want you to be aware this isn't going to be a cake walk."

"I know but I want to join."

Effen walked closely beside him as they headed toward Farmell, smirking slightly.

"What are you smirking about?" Kephiyr asked him punching his shoulder with his right arm.

"Oh, nothing I just enjoyed that... maybe a little too much." Effen jested and punched his left shoulder. Kephiyr winced but otherwise refused to look like anything was wrong. Can't give him the satisfaction.

"You got a warped mind man, a warped mind." Kephiyr laughed.

"Maybe, but if it's any consolation I pictured somebody else, not you."

"I guess it is, somewhat. Are the armies ready?"

"They're merely awaiting our arrival. Word was sent as soon as Parlon was destroyed."

"Not much of a break between battles."

"No, but the faster we get this done, the faster we can enjoy peace."

"Yes, and I have my insurance plan heading toward Legionor as we speak."

"Do you think we'll need it?"

"That depends, I don't trust Kelpon's secret weapon. He claimed the ability to make whole armies invincible."

"That would be problematic, any idea what it is?"

"Yes, upon doing some study I believe he has the golden serpent. It's the only one I can find that offers invincibility. However, I don't know much about it."

"I do, if he has it, he's right. However, even with it the encantation for an entire army takes three days."

"So we'll have three days to defeat Legionor?"

"Possibly more, depends on if he starts the encantation right away. What he may not know is that encantation, it can only be used once. Then the serpent leaves it's captor, it is also treacherous, if it knows you're lost without it, it leaves you."

"So we have a chance, and if he does get the encantation we run and he can't use it a second time?"

"According to elven lore yes. But don't trust just to this hope; remember Legionor has many powerful friends. Even with Zolon defeated; without Kelpon's head, we may still be in for a fight."

"I know, but I wouldn't count Zolon defeated. We have control of it; but they still have a formidable force."

"Aye, that's why either plan A or plan B has to work. Otherwise we got quite the fight on our hands still."

They slept the night with Meni, Bren's father. In the morning they headed toward Farmell. Upon reaching Farmell, forty thousand four hundred soldiers awaited Kephiyr's orders. Twenty thousand elves, ten thousand dwarves, ten thousand skin changers, and four hundred wizards. Kephiyr got up on the wall to address his army.

"My friends, for coming to engage in this fight I give you thanks. I want to be clear about what we're up against. Our enemy is tough, and has strong allies. We will have three days to defeat Legionor. A feat that many will think impossible. However I believe we can defeat Legionor. I stand today, looking out across a whole legion of free warriors. You have come here in defiance of tyranny and an evil that evokes genocide. Elves, dwarves, skin changers, and wizards from across Fardel in one army. An army even the most experienced warlord would be proud of. Let Kelpon look and tremble, for his doom is near at hand."

Eloff took Kephiyr aside and gave him a very intimidating looking suit of armor. The helmet covered his entire head, and had a crown of horns. The entire armor was jet black and had many spikes, designed purely to intimidate.

"With this you'll be the demon. It has spells on it to instill fear. It will intimidate your foes, while keeping your identity secret."

The entire army marched North toward Omar. The plan was to use the Dwarven highway to get within a few miles of Legionor. Then they would use a blinding spell to get into position.

"The board is set, blow the horn for our enforcements." Cipher said looking back at Phex.

"Do you think they can win?" Phex asked.

"I'm not sure, however, at least Kephiyr is wise enough not to put all his eggs into one basket. We'll beat them there and prepare the way. Hopefully we can take out most of the wraiths."

Phex blew his horn and four legions of sentinels appeared out of the clouds and descended to their location.

"Now for our assault on the enemy stronghold!" Cipher shouted and they flew in ranks toward Legionor over the Ara Sea.

Within six hours the sentinels were just outside Legionor, looking at five legions of wraiths.

"Were they expecting us?" Phex asked as they approached.

"Either they were expecting us or planning something of their own."

"What is our plan of attack?"

"Send word that we need more sentinels, surround the city on all sides before they realize we're here."

The sentinels surrounded the city by hiding down among the trees. A few hundred from every side got the wraiths attention. The wraiths sounded the alarm and gave chase, to their own demise. Thousands of arrows from unseen archers shot an entire fleet of them to the ground, the battle was quickly on. Cipher flew into the air blowing on a trumpet as he beheaded a wraith, sentinels rushed toward the city on all sides. As the moon began to rise the sentinels charged forward in ranks, making a nearly impenetrable wall. They suffered few losses until the wraiths got organized.

Cipher cut a wraith in half then quickly pulled his bow and shot three more. Summoning a fireball in his hand he threw it toward a captain and sent him screaming back to the other side.

Phex was right on Cipher's heels watching his flank. He beheaded a wraith, then he shot lightning at four more.

"They just keep coming! We're outnumbered, I hope we're getting backup!" Phex yelled while desperately fending off attacks.

"I sent word, let's just hope it gets here in time!" Cipher replied.

The two sides clashed, one side gaining and then the other, back and forth all through the night. As the sun began to rise a very dense fog rolled over the land.

"Kephiyr's army is arriving, they're using a fog to get into position. I was hoping to have made more progress before they arrived!" Cipher exclaimed.

Kephiyr and his men creeper into position as quietly as field mice, thanks to a spell. Hiding in the fog they completely surrounded Legionor. The fog was so thick that men ten feet away couldn't see even a shadow of them. The army closed in and prepared the siege equipment such as ladders and battering rams.

"Shall we strike while they're still blinded?" Effen asked with an evil grin.

"Obviously, they would. As soon as we're in position send word for every archer to fire a volley." Kephiyr replied.

After some minutes word had been passed around. A volley was let go killing nearly a thousand defending soldiers. Nearly immediately the sound of the gates being locked followed. Ladders attacked the wall and Effen was one of the first on the wall.

Effen drew a short curved blade and sliced through a man's midsection. He quickly removed his blade and beheaded another. A sly grin appeared on his face as he produced a second identical blade. Attaching the two handles he twirled the blades around killing anyone who came near. Ethoras and Nolan his two commrades were close beside him working as a team. Nolan was in the middle firing arrow after arrow. Ethoras was on the opposing side welding a whip sword. He spun it round and round slicing through any that came near. He wrapped the whip sword completely around a man, with one smooth jerk decimated him. Then with a flick of his wrist it became what seemed like a normal sword. Once Nolan had run out of arrows Ethoras took his place as the archer. Nolan weirded a spiked club and a mace. He wasn't nearly as acrobatic as his commrades but got the job done in a brutal sort of way. Bashing in one head after another he spun them in his hands and smiled as the blood splattered.

Celan, a high ranking elf, was close beside now also joining in weilding a halberd. He sliced through two men with one swing then spun it round and stabbed another.

Eloff weilded his staff and sword. Spinning his staff around and striking men with what seemed like a mini explosion. Those lucky enough to avoid his staff met his sword.

Feldor and Delador fought side by side, Feldor welding a great axe, and Delador a war hammer. Feldor blocked a high attack, which for him virtually every attack was, and he shoved his enemy backward. The man was off balance and got an axe in the gut as a reward. He then tackled a man to the ground and sat on him. Laughing as he struggled under his weight. He then brought his axe down on his head. Cutting the legs off a third and kicking a fourth off the wall. Delador swung his war hammer with great strength. Using momentum he would knock entire rows of men aside, effectively crushing the internal organs of the first man. Another man came at him who he disarmed. He laughed at his now helpless prey and threw him the hammer.

"Catch!" He yelled and the man did but was knocked to the ground by its great weight. The hammer clanged on the ground with the man under it. He struggled to lift it but to no avail.

"Ha, weakling, you gotta be a dwarf to lift that hammer." The man cowered on the ground as Delador took the hammer and smashed him with it. A third got a broken hip, he was aiming to hit Feldor in the back.

"Coward! Those who stab in the back, get stabbed in the back." Delador jested as he brought the hammer down on his head.

Kephiyr had flown up to the wall, weilding Aremen and Seren. Aremen glowed blue as he spoke words he didn't understand. He thrust it forward and blue lightning sprang forth from it killing five men. Then as he spoke again Seren glowed red and swinging it round it shot fire in an arching sweep. The men fled before him shouting demon but Carlon was not so easily intimidated. He stood nose to nose with Kephiyr.

"My men name you the demon warrior. You don't look so tough to me. It takes more than a sinister outfit and a few magic tricks to scare me." Carlon said.

"Well, let's see how you fare, draw your sword!" He said and shouldered Seren. Carlon stepped back and drew his sword.

"I will enjoy this." He hissed and lunged at Kephiyr.

The attack was easily blocked but the strength of Carlon was too much for Kephiyr. He back pedaled, then Carlon knocked him to the ground with a spell. But Carlon's final blow crashed against stone. Kephiyr had rolled out of the way just in time and was now in a position to kill Carlon. But with a sly smirk he merely slapped him with the back of his hand.

"You'd be dead if I wanted you to be. Rule number one, never over exert an attack." Carlon shouted and went to stab him in the chest. Kephiyr side stepped it, grabbed his hand and flipped his sword out of his hand. He then caught his sword, but he threw it at his feet and slapped him again.

"Rule two, always account for your attack being blocked or avoided."

Carlon gripped his sword with both hands and swung viciously three times, being blocked every time. After the third Kephiyr snuck in another slap.

"Rule three, use speed rather then power. Sword fighting is about being quick and nimble, and taking advantage of your opponents mistakes."

"Alright! This has gone far enough, I know how to sword fight!" Carlon yelled.

"Well I could have killed you a couple times and I chose not to."

Carlon swung again hitting only air and then felt metal strike the back of his head. He fell to the ground and stared up at the sky.

"Rule four, the blade isn't the only part of a sword that can be used as a weapon."

Finally Carlon had enough and he flew away, realizing the man could've killed him a couple times made him very angry. But he didn't want to be around when the man stopped toying with him. As he flew away Kephiyr merely made mocking jestures at him.

Bear had jumped on the wall and first sliced off a man's hand with her tails, then she tore through his jugular. Her teeth and claws made quick work of even the best armor as she ripped the screaming men apart. She used her tails to kill any that came from behind.

"We should find a way to do this more often." Bear mused, her mane bloodied by several men.

"Don't enjoy it too much, there will be a time for peace." Kephiyr replied.

"Peace; since when has there ever really been peace in this world?"

"Granted, but we only kill because we must."

"Many others kill for sport. We should kill them, no?"

"We'll see, focus on the task at hand."

The skin changers had changed into several different humanoid creatures and were wrecking havoc across the entire wall. The elves mainly focused on maintaining a steady suppressive fire.

However, inspite of their efforts they were slowly being beaten back. Legionor had obviously had some aid sent prior to the battle, their numbers were vastly more then expected. Close to sundown they retreated, having not secured the walk. However, the gates were breached.

They had lit several bonfires out of bowshot and were camping for the night. Scouts kept constant watch to be sure they would not be attacked.

"It is hopeless, we'll never fight our way to the castle in a day." Feldor growled cracking his knuckles.

"We have to try, we breached the gates, that gives us an advantage. And we have two days." Kephiyr said.

"Effen says three days, however it is my understanding it is the morning of the third. I repeat impossible, our hope was that they hadn't received aide." Feldor snorted.

"Is this true Effen?" Kephiyr asked.

"It is possible that it could be on the morning of the third." Effen replied.

"One day! One day to reach the castle and storm it!? I have no doubt that we could were we not limited by time." Kephiyr said despairing.

"Calm yourself Kephiyr." Eloff broke in. "There is some knowledge of the golden serpent you aren't aware of. Indeed I doubt Kelpon is even aware. Once he uses it's ability on a grand scale he can never again use it's ability. And it's effect is for a limited time."

"We may loose the battle, but win the war." Kephiyr said with a smirk.

"Exactly, let him use it, the moment it takes effect we retreat. He isn't prepared for it to only take effect once."

The next day the battle raged mainly in the city, and by evening they claimed a good portion of it.

"If we had a day or two more we could probably end it here." Kephiyr said with a smirk, after a long day. They had attacked on all sides once again. By four in the afternoon they had claimed Legionor's catapults. The catapults and archers had given them the most trouble. Their losses were many, however they now outnumbered and outgunned Legionor. And they camped in the city and waited.

Early the following morning it was quite obvious the spell had taken effect. When a battalion of men were struck with a volley of arrows and barely flinched. Kephiyr immediately ordered the retreat, he looked back to Bear with a grin.

"Probably the only time I'll ever retreat with a smile on my face."