Under the Crab-Apple Trees

“We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.” - Mark Twain

Erin was whizzing down the zip-line that led to school. All the people around him were running, like ants in a disturbed nest. Craftspeople abandoned their shops and sent their apprentices home. Armor smiths were handing out armor, and weapon smiths were dealing out weapons. Elves of all genders were armed and ready, taking positions on trees, and lurking in the suspense of waiting.

He landed nimbly on the crowded street. He saw Wren, sitting forlornly on one of the school swings.

“Wren!” Erin shouted. Wren managed a weak smile, and embraced Erin.

“We should go get ready,” Wren said. “My father will provide you with a shield, and I need armor.”

“I need to get my—“ Erin was cutoff in mid-sentence. Feony had swooped in, carrying his magnificent armor. He dropped it in the yard, and Erin ran to retrieve it.

He strapped it on and slung his quiver on the back of the chest plate.

“Let’s go,” Wren said. Suddenly, a ringing voice filled the air.

“All elves of Age are required to guard the trees. No one younger than thirteen orbits are allowed to fight.” Erin and Wren looked at each other for a brief moment and then continued on their way.

They grabbed onto the zip-line handles and zoomed after other elves that were on the zip-lines. The whole of Ysterra was arming itself. Clatters of armor, bows, and swords filled the air, instead of the usual bird calls, which were all silent. They landed on the familiar street of smiths and sped towards the end of the road.

Ela! Erin called, finding her mind.

Yes, Young One? I am being clad with the most beautiful old phoenix armor! she said gleefully.

Good, good, Erin said distractedly. I’m going to need you to find Aria and Arletem and meet me outside of the hidden armory.

They landed on the birch tree that the hidden armory was located on and rushed down the streets to the armory. He and Wren leaned on the wood and it swung open. They stepped into a room of commotion. The finest warriors were being armed, and Wren’s father was bathing in the glory of the moment. He was speeding between the isles, fetching armor for the apprentices and knights, but when he saw Wren, he stopped. He slowly walked over to Wren.

“Father, I must fight!” Wren burst out.

“Yes, I know.” His father said in a regretful voice. “I want you to have this.” He presented Wren with a sword in a sheath, carved with scenes of glory long past. Wren stared in awe at it.

“Your first blade?” he asked quietly.

“Yes,” his father said. “Now come with me. You must have some armor, and I have the perfect shields for you and Erindel.”

Erin and Wren followed Wren’s father, who seemed to have the speed of a soaring hawk. He led them through rows and rows until finally, they reached another door. It opened as it heard their footsteps, and revealed a room of sparkling shields.

“Wait here,” the smith said. He came back with two shields, made of a fine copper. He pressed the first one into Erin’s hand, which had an emblem of a shooting star emblazoned across its front.

“It’s the emblem of your clan, the Whisperers,” he said.

“Thank you,” Erin said, staring at the star made of all shades of blue to white diamonds.

“And Wren,” the smith said. “here’s our clan’s shield.” He handed wren a shield with a hawk on its front. He clad Wren in leggings of chain and a chest plate of bronze.

“Now go make yourselves useful,” the smith said gruffly.

They walked out of the bustling armory, and found Ela waiting outside, with Arletem hovering next to her, Aria perched on her back.

“I was waiting out here for an Eternity!” Aria said, annoyed.

“Why don’t you have armor on?” Erin asked, seeing her clad in blue robes that had a haze of magic resting about them.

“She can’t,” Wren said. “It stifles magic, and it’s harder to cast spells.”

“Thank you, Wren!” Aria said pointedly. "At least he knows something about magic!"

They hopped onto Ela, and the phoenixes soared off into the blue of the sky.

“Where were you?” Erin asked, turning to the question that had been bothering him ever since Menervan had told Erin of Aria’s disappearance. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes.

“Do you really want to know?” she asked Erin.

“Of course!” Erin said, “I was worried!”

“Well,” Aria said, “I was freeing the Lady.” Erin gave her a look.

“You’re going to get in big trouble if we get out of this mess,” he told her quite sternly. Suddenly, an odd beating sound started in the distance.

What’s that? Erin asked Aria.

War is approaching, she said, solemnly. Erin felt a whoosh of air, and flying next to them was Ardrieth, on a green phoenix slightly smaller than Arletem.

The drums were beating louder like some deluded heartbeat. Suddenly, a rider burst into the clearing, on a chestnut horse.

“Wait!” Erin yelled, realizing who it was. It was too late. The elves had let loose a folly of arrows. Erin swooped down with Ela, avoiding the arrows by a stroke of luck. He had to get to the girl under the helmet. She was surprisingly nimble, she jumped off the horse and dodged all the arrows, that landed in a circle around her. Erin landed.

“Welcome to Ysterra,” he said. The girl cocked her head.

“Who are you?” Erin asked. The girl looked confused. Erin repeated the message in the common tongue, giving himself a mental face-palm for forgetting.

“Fox,” The girl said in a gruff voice. “Now I deserve to know who shot at me.” Erin sighed.

“The elves, they’re expecting an army of Un Dalen,” he said, exasperated at his pointy-eared friends.

“So elves are real?” Fox asked.

“Yes,” Erin said. Suddenly, the girl drew her sword.

“Whoa!” Erin said.

“Where is my mother?” she asked in a tone like icicles.

“I don’t know!” Erin said, backing away from the advancing girl.

Fox reluctantly sheathed her sword.

“What is that?” she asked, pointing to Ela.

“Oh, Ela? She’s my phoenix,” Erin said. The eyes under the helmet widened even more. “Come on,” Erin said impatiently, hopping in front of Wren onto Ela. Hesitantly, the girl climbed after him. She didn’t utter a sound when Ela took off, nor when a huge army of Un Dalen burst forth from the trees. Like a skydiver, she jumped off the phoenix and started dueling the massive orc-like monsters. Her small sword flashed, as Erin jumped after her. The monsters more than twice her hight, yet they crumpled beneath her blade. Erin tried to mimic her skills, but he only managed to stab one, and then the rest were befallen by a folly of arrows from the trees. But the monsters kept coming. They swarmed Erin, and he was only saved by Fox’s blade. Arletem swept Erin and Fox up in his claws, and they took off. Then the elven knights sprung forth, and the two tides met, equally matched.

Erin climbed up Arletem’s feet, and saw Aria, with her eyes closed, summoning her magic. Suddenly, a blue wave of magic covered the monsters, stopping them momentarily in their tracks. Then, like a torch, they were caught on fire. Ela spat flame like a dragon, covering them in an infinite fire. But still more came like a never-ceasing tide. The elves’ arrows rained on the Un Dalen, and from everywhere their archers fired back. The phoenixes spit their fire in fury. Then suddenly, a figure burst out of the trees. The Lady was back! Erin realized with glee. Aria’s wild escape plan had worked.
 She whirled through the army of Un Dalen with her oaken staff clearing her a path. A blue mist surrounded her, throwing the Un Dalen back, and sending them scattering into the woods. Meanwhile, Fox was struggling in Arletem’s feet, begging him to let her down. Finally, he complied. The girl jumped down into the battlefield, the monsters crumpled under her blade again. Erin saw Wren jump from Ela’s back, and like a bird, he nimbly landed and unsheathed his father’s sword.

Slowly, as the sun set and the stars came out, the battle became no longer even. Though hundreds of elves had been slaughtered, a rage that had only been heard of in the wildest of storyteller’s tales rose within the elves.

Aria’s magic was like never before, and slowly as the full moon rose, the army of darkly clad figures was driven back. But the eye of the storm had still to emerge. Erin dropped down from Arletem’s back and landed next to Fox and Wren, who were examining the damage. It was then that Erin decided that he hated war, more than anything else. He felt no joy over victory, just sorrow for the thousand that lay dead on the soil, that was soaked red with their blood. He felt weak all over. There was one body that hurt him more than any of the others. He rushed over to the Lady, who was lying with twelve arrows in her chest in the middle of the clearing.

“No!” he shook her like he did his mother, all those days ago in a different world. Her life had left her, but now everyone would know that she was not the traitor who had collapsed the magical walls of the elven city. She had fought for something that would not protect her, with more valiance than ten knights. Erin would not leave her side. Tears cascaded down his cheeks, turning red when they hit the soil His friends rushed over, but it was all a blur to Erin. He would not leave her, even as the sun rose and the Queen stepped out into the clearing. She looked young, almost as young as Tyrannel. She was clad in star-like white robes the same color of her hair which had a mother of pearl sheen.

She rushed to the Lady’s side, her white hair flying behind her like sea spray. Erin hopped out of her way, as she rushed to the Lady’s side. But Erin had seen something behind her. He drew his sword. Three figures were emerging from the trees. One of them was wearing a dark cloak. The second threw back his hood to reveal blue elven eyes curtained by bleach blonde hair. The third was a wisp, hiding in the shadows of the trees.

Inyelen and Lark stepped into the clearing. With a cry, Erin surged forward, like a whole sea of anger. Other elves followed giving their own cries. But Erin was first to reach the wisp. It drew its shadowy sword, leaking vile darkness. Their swords met with the clash of metal against magic. The wisp was strong, though it appeared transparent. With a power that he had never known he had, Erin pushed the wisp back. He pushed it into the sunlight, where it cried in pain like a newborn child.

Erin paused, for he could not hurt something like that. But then it struck with the quickness of a snake. Erin could not block the blow. The magical sword went through his armor, a cut a wound on his chest. It was excruciating. The coldness of the blow drained him of all his energy, but then with one final rally, he stabbed the wisp in the eye with Zelynda. The wisp evaporated, and he blacked out.

Flashing memories came through his mind like waves. Of a man’s good full life, and a restful death, but then only to be called on again, up from the dead for an evil task. The rage that he could not take out on his master, but instead he took it out on good people. And so he forgot his integrity and embraced evil’s darkness.

Erin woke with a start. The world was spinning. He could see concerned faces looking at him. Ardrieth was kneeling over him with some other healers, and he could see Wren, Aria, and Fox. “Where am I?” Erin asked blearily. He tried to raise himself to a sitting position, but he couldn’t. Pain shot through him like knives, piercing all of his organs.

I’ve been trying to contact you! Aria exclaimed. You kept mumbling disconcerting things like; ‘The king has to be felled.’ It was really odd. Erin smiled. He was glad his friends were with him.

I know. We have to go as soon as possible. Things are so grave.

Aria frowned. Stop saying that! We’re all fine… She trailed off, thinking of the Lady.

When can I walk again? Erin asked.

Five, ten days if you’re lucky. Aria said.

No! Erin said. Bring me the princess. Aria rolled her eyes.

What princess? Are you fancying pretty miss Fox here? she asked.

Never mind. Ela! he called.

Always the persistence, young one, Ela said annoyed.

Please! he begged, Bring me Tyrannel. Erin could feel the air around him shift as the phoenix took off. Erin closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He dreamed of falling down to this world again. He saw his mother’s face as clear as day. He ran through the orchard, and the dew tickled his feet. He found the Lady, sitting in her courtyard smiling. He rode on Sky full of Stars to Kital. He found Aria and flew on Arletem. Then the cold enveloped him and he woke, sweating.

“Shhh!” Tyrannel said. It was night, Erin could see the stars through leaves of the trees. “When can I walk?” Erin asked, his anger at Tyrannel forgotten.

“Tomorrow,” Tyrannel said. “But I’m not going to let you until the day after.” Erin sighed.

“I need to go,” he said.

“I know,” Tyrannel said. There was a long silence as they listened to the calls of birds.

“What is the true meaning of my name?” Erin asked. Tyrannel smiled.

“Brave one,” she said.

END PART I