Under the Crab-Apple Trees

“Hardships often prepare ordinary people for extraordinary destinies.” - C. S. Lewis

The black ship’s name was the Elf’s Demise. She had been the king’s ship since he himself had been a young boy. Its only life was through the whispers of travelers and the tales long forgotten. At the helm, was the king himself, capturing the very same storm sprites that Aria held dear and splattering them in evil magic. Kindly emotions had left his mind long ago, yet the presence of the young one riding the phoenix of fire stirred him.

Who was he? The sound of his thoughts echoed through his empty mind. He came back to reality quickly, not giving the question a second thought.

He is getting away sir! a crewman hissed, trilling his Rs.

“Prepare the oarsmen,” the king announced.

“They’re gaining on us!” Erin yelled to Ela over the wind. Lightning hissed and sizzled through the air, and thunder boomed its reply. The sky was as black as night, only lit by the dancing phoenix flame. Ela shot through the air, weaving through the clouds, away from the gaining ship.

Use your magic! Ela told him sternly.

I’ll try.

He closed his eyes and focused, trying not to think of the ugly black cannons sticking out of the Elf’s Demise. He searched his mind, tapping into the source of calm power that he knew was his magic. He took a deep breath and summoned it.

Now! Ela screamed. Erin could feel warmth on his hands as he hurled the hissing blue lightning at the black ship. The ship sank slowly through the mist, taking the damage of elven magic. Erin could barely stay awake and conscious, he could feel the drain of energy strongly. It threatened to pull him down, down, down, down… Erin blacked out.

He blinked. Where was he? The shouts of voices filled the air.

“Erin!” Aria was rushing towards him, with Wren, Ardrieth, and Fox in her wake

“Erin! You are back!” Wren pulled him into a bear hug. Ardrieth winked. Fox managed a small smile.

“Is Ela ok?”

“Yes,” Aria said. “She told me all about your adventure. Now, we need to move you.” “Why?”

“We’re preparing for war. Again.” Erin sighed.

“Does it always have to be this way?” he asked. But no one heard his call.

“Just keep still,” Ardrieth said as they carried him into the new walls of the city, an attempted barricade against the gathering storm. The sounds of hammers striking stone rang through the air, and Erin could smell the smoke from the blacksmith’s fires, readying weapons.

Troops made up of town folk marched through the city streets and alleyways. Erin lay down carefully on a stretcher and he has carried more comfortably the rest of the way to the town hall. Erin caught Wren conversing with Aria.

“The militia is freeing Futra and Feyhel. We’ve got about half of them here,” Wren said.

“Good! When we free Feyhel, we should have access to the dark castle’s supply route,” Aria paused. “No sightings of the Elf’s Demise from any of the phoenixes?”

“No. That can only mean trouble. No ruins, nothing.”

“Thanks for looking anyway.”

Erin was set on the cold marble floor, as he watched Ardrieth tend to him.

“How many soldiers?” he asked her, worried.

“Most of the city, and that’s about… 12,000, I think,” Ardrieth said as she dabbed some golden liquid onto Erin’s feverish head.

“That’s a fair amount! They must have quite an incentive.”

“They do,” Ardrieth said. “The King’s Empire has mistreated them for years.”

“I’m glad we’re making progress.” Voices of many echoed around the hall, reverberating around the walls, shielding the smaller distinctions of noise from the outside world, creating an almost claustrophobic feeling.

“Erin,” a soft voice said. “I had dreams about you.” Erin turned around to see Fox, staring at him with her piercing blue eyes.

“That’s funny,” he said, “I had dreams about you right before the Battle of Ysterra!”

“Then you saw me escape,” she whispered, scared. “You know who I am.” Erin nodded.

“I have nothing against you.”

“Well, that’s a relief,” she said, grinning like her old self.

“Friends?” Erin asked.

“Friends,” she said.

“I need to get some sleep,” Erin said. Promptly, he rolled over and blacked out.

He woke up to the shouted commands of commanders and squad leaders. Erin felt rested, less sore and exhausted as the previous day. He and Fox jumped to their feet from their cots in the hall. All around them, troops were marching. They were as orderly as the Un Dalen, yet they wore no uniforms.

Some had the fortune of coming upon a chest plate or a helm. All had silver swords at their belts, and some had a bow and quiver slung over their back. One squad even carried spears and shields. The sun was just rising when Erin and Fox emerged onto the cobbled street.

“Hey!” a voice yelled at them through the crowd. A man seized their shoulders,

”You look of thirteen,” he told them, “the age of a soldier.”

He led them through the crowded street, not stopping to explain where they were going.

“Excuse me!” Erin said, trying to raise his voice over the crowd. “Excuse me!” But the man did not hear. His chainmail swished through the street, throwing the first rays of sun over the cobbles. They stopped at a nearby blacksmith, puffing smoke through the chimney like a mother dragon.

“Ah, Aldine!” The blacksmith said as he struck his hammer to the metal of a soon to be a sword. The shop was made out of cobbles with an open front, and it was lacking in a good roof. There were holes in places, where shafts of light fell and struck the dirt-packed floor.

“Excuse me, Mr. Aldine!” Erin said, piping up a bit.

“Yes,” Aldine said, a bit annoyed.

“I am Erindel Finn, a half-elf of the clan of Whisperers,” Erin said, “Where are we going?” Aldine looked startled for a moment, and then addressed them in a more formal tone.

“Soldier Finn, you are assigned to the fifth squad of archers. I take that your friend here is Evelyn Fox?”

“It’s just Fox.”

“First squad, elite of ground soldiers. Commander Fox, congratulations!” Aldine said. Fox smirked at Erin.

“Commander Fox,” she said, gloating. “I think I like the sound of that.”

“You should report to the town hall,” Aldine said. “I wish you good luck!” He turned to Erin. “You are part of my squad,” he said. “I see that you have a bow and quiver.” Erin ran his fingers over his prized bow. “It’s elven, I presume?” he asked.

“Yes, one of my friends gave it to me…” he said, trailing off as he thought of the Lady.

“Can you shoot?” Aldine asked. Erin raised his eyebrows.

“Can I shoot?” he asked incredulously. “Of course!”

Soon Erin found himself on top of the newly built wall which surrounded the city. Orderly regiments patrolled the walls as the stonecutters added the finishing touches to the point topped watchtowers. He was looking out over the snow-covered field, spotted with the occasional clump of trees. Erin felt a tap on his back; he wheeled around to see Fox in full armor. At her side was her sword like an iron needle, strapped to her belt. Behind her marched the Elite Squad, five soldiers, armed to the brim with weapons. Clubs, maces, daggers, and swords adorned their belts.

“We have to go get our horses,” Fox said. “I just wanted to say good luck.” She touched her index and finger and thumb to her cheek and then pointed them at Erin, in the elvish sign of farewell. Then she and her company turned on their heels and sped away down the ramparts. Erin continued his patrol in the opposite direction.

The blue sky reached out in front of Aria in all directions. Not a cloud smudged the blue canvas of sky where she flew. Arletem spiraled like a vulture around Croner and the snow-covered plains. In the distance, a river wound its way across the landscape.

She could see the city of Feyhel by the stream as well as Futra and Elgar farther down a fork. In the distance she could see the king’s castle: Udal’Dan, black walls looming on the horizon, threatening her. The castle-city of Argonia with its sandstone walls, the center of commerce for the eastern towns that lay near the river of Siro’Joki, which led to the Lake Jarvi. On its borders lay Shinemel, the small rebellious town that was constantly disobeying the kingdom. In the distance, past the last lakes and rivers, and to the south of the desert was a large mountain range that no one had ever crossed. Tales said that far behind the mountains lay a large plain where the gnomes made their underground homes. Had Aria looked up from the landscape at just that second, she would have seen something terrifyingly extraordinary.

The Elf’s Demise was abroad, its sails billowing in the wind as it soared like a bird above her. And then, as soon as it had appeared, it was gone in the blink of an eye. Aria squinted. She thought she had caught something in the corner of her eye, and she could feel the lingering darkness in the air.

Just in time, she told Arletem to dodge as a cannonball caught on fire soared towards them. Dive! she told Arletem as the Elf’s Demise closed in for the kill. Arletem dropped like a stone towards the earth, and then just before they crashed in the branches of a clump of trees, he spread his wings and soared.

“The Elf’s Demise is coming!” Aria shouted. “The battle is nigh!”

Erin heard Aria’s cry and began alerting the guards. They stood in ready positions, prepared for the appearance of the Elve’s Demise. Fox spotted a slowly growing black dot in the sky, a spreading drop of battle. She yelled, and pointed, drawing attention to the black ship. Soon most of the army was laid out on the field of Erindel, waiting to spring.

Wisps materialized on the field as the ship waited above, crouching over its prey.