Blood of Maestria

Prologue

Nothing could have prepared me for that night.

The stench of death permeated the air as I searched the area. Corpses lay scattered along the battlefield, fresh blood flowing from their wounds into the ground beneath them as the life drained from their bodies. I navigated through the thick fog of gun smoke, inspecting the twisted faces of the fallen, hoping to find the one I was looking for.

A loud bang sounded from our camp, a cannonball flying overhead toward the enemy encampment. Gunfire sounded from either side, bullets buzzing about like insects, but I was unfazed. I had grown accustomed to the sounds of battle. The violence. The carnage.

Screams tore through the air as injured soldiers fell to their knees, desperately clawing at their wounds. Bombs went off sequentially, launching camouflage-clad limbs into the sky while ash floated through the air like clouds.

The symphony of war.

I recalled the fear that twisted its way through me when he didn't return with his squadron, sympathy marring their features as I questioned them about his whereabouts. According to them, they had charged into battle, initially gaining an advantage over their opponents and causing them to retreat. Little did they know, the enemy had planted bombs in their path, leading a majority of our soldiers to a premature death.

The first one went off, blowing half of the front line to pieces. Before they could recover, a series of scattered explosions shook the ground beneath them, forcing them to retreat and leave the missing and fatally injured behind.

Before my brain could protest, my legs moved on their own, arms pushing through the crop of injured soldiers limping into the sick bay. Ignoring the cries of his teammates, I rushed through the gates of the encampment and onto the battlefield, a few feet behind the rear detachment.

"Pierre!" I yelled, cupping my hands around my mouth to amplify the sound. I should've never let him leave this morning without a protection charm, but he had been too eager to head off to battle with our firstborn. So, I let them go while I stayed back, preparing medical supplies to bring with me to camp.

"Pierre!" I screamed again, concern spreading through me. We should've just stayed home; hidden from the recruiters for as long as we could. I should never have taken down the enchantment surrounding our cottage; never allowed those bloodthirsty humans to enter our home, spewing their poison into his ear.

The war was never a concern of our family. We lived a peaceful life in the mountains, away from all the greed and conflict. Everything we could ever need was there. Our little cottage home, filled with so much love and warmth, nestled in the bosom of Mount Kinimark. Our family, two strong, handsome sons and a brilliant, gorgeous daughter. There was no reason for us to involve ourselves in the squabbles of humans.

Or so I thought.

It was easy for me to forget that Pierre was human. He was an extraordinary being, in every facet of the word.

A skilled tradesperson.

A devoted husband.

A loving father.

An accomplished scholar.

Everything I could have asked for in a partner, I found in him.

I rejected him at first, completely disinterested in anything romantic after my last heartbreak a century and a half prior. With half a millennium of love and loss under my belt, I was content with my decision to roam between the realms a free spirit. Until I met him.

Our attraction to each other was instant, the flame of romance burning bright throughout our courtship and into marriage, growing stronger with every addition to our family. I carried that light within me, willing it to illuminate a path to my love.