Broken hero

Chapter 51

   Eclipse pushes the flap of the tent open, approaching her father as he leans over a map. He looks up in surprise.

"Didn't they finish your armor?" He frowns in confusion.

Eclipse looks down at the normal soldier's armor she wears and shrugs. "I didn't feel it was right to wear that armor without earning their trust yet."

She looks up to her father giving her an approving smile. "Very well."

She noticed Cory watching silently from the other end of the table. He was trying to be discreet, but she could tell he was watching her. She ignores him as she goes over and peers at the mad in front of them. Her dad had laid out where the troops were, as well as where the enemies' camp was. She let her eyes roam the map as he spoke to the general, landing on a small area. She looked closer at it, confirming her suspicions before speaking up.

"What about here?" She points to the area. "Do we have anyone watching this point?"

Her father looks confused as he takes a glance at the area she's pointing to. "That's a low valley with only one entrance point. They'd have to slip through the battlefield to get there so it's unlikely they'd even try. I don't think it's worth the manpower to be honest."

"Then let me go... if my suspicions are correct then you'll have someone ready. But if not then you haven't wasted any manpower that had already been accounted for." Eclipse reasons with him, deciding it wasn't worth the effort to explain what she saw.

Her father studies her for a second before sighing. "Ok fine. Go, but be careful."

"Yes sir." She bows with one hand in front of her on her chest and the other behind her back.

Turning, she walks quickly from the tent and then steps into the shadows. She reappears a few feet from her target and walks the rest of the way. At the end of the valley was the entrance point her dad had mentioned and she could see the battle from where she stood. As he predicted, his soldiers were close enough to the entrance that they would stop anyone from coming that way. However, that wasn't the entrance she was interested in. A couple feet further she found a small cave. If she was right, this cave would be connected to the enemy camp. She turned and sat on a Boulder not far away from the entrance. Going down that path put her at a huge risk, if she got caught in the tunnels then she'd have limited space to move and fight. Then if she made it to the camp, she'd be outnumbered. She may be strong, but she wasn't a fool. Better to sit and wait to see if the tunnels were used, than risk her safety.

An hour passed as she sat and waited, then another before she heard footfalls and whispering voices. She stood up as two soldiers appeared with a man in noble armor. They stopped in shock at her appearance.

"I thought you might try to run." She grins.

She didn't recognize the noble, so she doubted he recognized her either. He confirmed her belief as he started bursting out laughing.

"Did the king really send a little girl to guard this tunnel?! A lower rank no less." He wiped tears from his eyes. "Get her boys."

The two men surged forward, one covering his sword with fire as the other wielded his axe. She dodged the axe, using the hilt of her dagger to smack the back of the soldier's helmet. The ringing sound would at least disorient him for a moment. She didn't have time to make sure as the fire blade came within inches of her body. She grabbed the hand holding the sword and pulled him forward, slamming her dagger hilt into his nose with a satisfying crunch. The man crumbles to the ground as she rolls away from the axe being swung at her from behind. She stayed low, swinging her feet out and tripping the axe bearer. Before he could stand, she brings her heel above her head and then slams it down on his head. The helmet provided enough protection that it didn't kill him, but he was down for the count.

The noble snarls and hurls a bolt and white lightning at her which she easily dodges. She used her speed to get close to him, slamming a fist into his ribs and sending him to the ground. Before he could get up, the earth rose and formed over his wrists, ankles and waist. Then she turned to the other two and did the same to them. She returned to the boulder as the man screams obscenities at her. If he had used the tunnel, then that meant her father was winning. Which also meant he'd be finding the tunnel before long.

Before long, she heard the distinct sound of yelling and rapid footsteps. She smiled as soldiers poured from the entrance with her father not far behind. He looked impressed as he took in the sight.

"How did you..."

"I noticed a small mark on the map. At first, I thought it was a smudge or mistake, but I wanted to double check. Turned out it was a tunnel." Eclipse smiled as she hopped down

"I'm impressed! Well, done Eclipse!" Her father smiled with pride as he patted her back, even Cory looked impressed.

"Wait, you're that little brat?!" The disgruntled noble exclaims.

"I'd watch your tongue if I were you." Her father snarled as he took a few steps towards the man who was being detained by the soldiers.

The man's glare turned to a smirk. "No matter. I already got what I wanted. It's a shame really... I kind of liked the Ruler of peace candidate."

Her father looked horrified. "No..."

He started to spread his wings and took off into the air as the man laughed and cory followed him. Eclipse groans to herself as she turns to the soldiers.

"Get him back to the dungeons. We'll deal with him later." They salute her as she turns and steps into the shadows.

She steps out of the shadows on the castle steps as her father and Cory land near her.

"Would you two please slow down!" She called out but it fell on deaf ears as they slammed open the door, both calling for their significant others.

Their expressions of fear turn to relief as her sisters, mother, and Anna come down the stairs. Her father embraced his wife as Cory hugged Zala. Anna comes over and kisses Eclipse's cheek.

"Did something happen?" Anna looks at her with a worried expression as she shakes her head.

"A noble made a snide threat and these two flew off before I could tell them you were fine."

Her father looked at her in confusion. "How'd you know they were, ok?"

"I left shadow and water clones here while we were fighting. I figured better be safe than sorry. One shadow had returned just before you showed up and reported that the assassins were tied up in a holding cell." She smirks. "Besides, Anna is a fighter too so if anything were to happen then she'd be more than capable of holding her own."

Anna blushes at her words but her father just stares at her in awe.

"You surprise me more and more every day." He laughs as Cory offers Eclipse a hand to shake.

"Maybe I was wrong about you... you'll make an amazing Queen of War." He smiles as she grips his hand.