Royal Renegade

Chapter 48: From Enemy to Ally

"Leonidas, wait," Ely calls out, but I turn and within a few minutes find myself being targeted by two hundred archers who set loose their arrows from a kill-on-sight order.  

I can't dodge them all so my wings instinctively wrap around me like a shell to deflect the bulk of them. Once they extend to flap again I feel pinches along my legs and lower abdomen of small arrowheads. It doesn't hurt enough to deter me from continuing to swoop back and forth over their heads, but their attacks have our Reriman Calvary sculpt the land with hooves as they rush to strike.

Unfortunately, the sunlight's boiling of my skin keeps me from aiding in the fight as it forces me to fly into the shelter of a nearby tree's branches. The space is too tight for me to fit comfortably with my wings exposed so they fold and dissolve from sight.

Readjusting myself into a low squat, I lean with my back against the tree's frosty trunk and watch as our Calvary and infantry hold position. Then, the Cadomian infantry begin rolling out ignited oil barrels that effectively set flames to our men. 

"Fall back!" I catch them shout, and the Cadomians pursue long enough to get in range of Reriman artillery who begin showering them with arrows. 

Beneath the tree that I'm in Elytis arrives to join me, surprisingly riding Shadow since she's the only horse fast enough to evade being spotted. 

Despite her willingness to let him ride, the moment he dismounts she bites at his waist and digs her front hooves at his boots causing him to stumble. 

"She's a real piece of work," he scowls while leaping up into the tree to join me. 

Ignoring him, I shift my attention to the arrows sporadically protruding from everywhere below my ribs. Each pull leaves ripped divots in my skin that sting and bruise as they ooze blood. Amongst my constant wincing, I also frown when the wounds take longer than a minute to heal.

My body has barely recovered its energy from my trigger episode and with the rejection of the blood that was fueling me I'm not as strong as I need to be for this war.

I groan in irritation as veins begin darkening at my wrists.

Damn this thirst. Blood won't cure my fatigue. It'll only subdue it.

With the release of a deep sigh, I notice Elytis staring at me probably making the same observations. "What?" I mutter bitterly, throwing the arrows from the tree.

"Didn't Valerio see you burn when you dueled Herakles?" he asks. "It's no coincidence that he began to attack this afternoon. He's weakening you and you're already--"

"It doesn't matter," I cut him off, knowing the more I hear and think about how weak I am the more I'll doubt myself in the event I do engage.

"Leonidas," he snaps, glaring at me in frustration, "everyone is fighting to protect you and our Kingdom. It does matter. You need to get back to the castle before Valerio gets his hands on you."

"No. I'm not leaving the battlefield just so I can watch and do nothing like a coward. If I can help, I will."

"Seems more like you're letting yourself take a beating," he scoffs. "Admit it, you're punishing yourself for what happened to her."

My eyes narrow but before I can offer him a response there is a deafening boom that causes us both to jump.

Turning to face the battle, we see that just at the edge of the tree line there are now eight catapults sending massive boulders into our West Wall making the stone explode on impact.

"Come on, we need to destroy those," I say to him and begin to position myself to leap from the branch only for him to take hold of my shoulder.

Worry reflects in his eyes which is enough to humble me.