"What exactly are we supposed to do?" Mickey asked as Naarin led us to the armoury, where several soldiers were taking up their weapons and armour. "I can't fight! The closest thing I've done is play computer games, and I'm not great at those either."
"Just stick next to me," Naarin said, handing us a sword and shield each. "I can't guarantee you'll be completely safe by my side but you'll stand more chance than if you go off and try to do this yourselves."
At that moment Nightshade and Nikkela entered the room. The healer had a bow over one shoulder and a quiver full of black-feathered arrows over the other.
"What are you two doing here?" Naarin asked, frowning. "I assumed you'd gone with my sister."
"I intended to," Nightshade replied, sounding a little irritated, "but she told me she thought you'd need my assistance more than she does."
"You're also going to need a healer more than she does," Nikkela said with a sigh. "Besides, you always seem to forget I'm one of the best archers in the Shadow Glade."
"Fine," Naarin said with a laugh. "I guess the more weapons available to me, the better. Do we know what the situation's like out there?"
"The barrier is mere moments from falling," Nightshade replied. "Luckily for us the sentinels are slowing the enemy's progress, but their numbers are few and they won't be able to hold them for long."
"Spread the forces out," Arcturus commanded as he walked into the room. "We don't number enough for a pitched battle, but if we fight them street to street we may stand a chance. Nightshade can take the right side of the city, Naarin, you defend the left. I'll defend the central route. If we spread a mix of weapons among each group, we'll be less likely to be overwhelmed."
"We'd better take up our positions then," Naarin said. "I'd like to give one last speech before the arrows start flying."
As we stepped out of the royal tower and into the central square there was a definite sense of tension in the air. As I walked I caught the occasional glimpse of a Fairy soldier, hanging out in the alleys between buildings or peering out the windows of nearby houses. Some wore the long green cloaks of the sentinels, some were dressed like the city guards, and others were garbed as if they'd been interrupted during their work and had consequently just grabbed the nearest tool as a makeshift weapon.
Naarin took a moment to look around as Nightshade and Arcturus took up their positions at the bottom of the steps.
"I don't need to remind you all what's at stake here," Naarin said loudly, addressing the people. "We have retreated long enough, so we need to make a stand here, now, or our enemy may never be stopped." There was a cheer that was low but just about audible. "I will not, however, ask you to take the ultimate risk; if we sound the retreat you are to fall back to the tunnels immediately, and don't stop until you reach the safe havens at the other end. Good luck, and may Matha'ra be with us all."
"Good luck, Prince," Arcturus called after us as we headed away from the steps and down one of the side streets. I turned back and smiled, though it was rather half-hearted.
Eventually we found our way to a spot where, along with a sizable group of archers, Nikkela was waiting. She flashed a smile in our direction.
"Clint, I'm scared," Crystal said suddenly, her sword arm shaking visibly. "I... I've never hurt anyone before."
"You'll be safe with us," Nikkela said, giving Crystal's shoulder a gentle squeeze to try and reassure her. "I'll do my best to stop them from reaching you."
Before Crystal could respond there was a bright burst of light above us as the barrier finally gave way, closely followed by a loud, inhuman shriek that seemed to ring out around the entire city.
"They're here, everyone prepare to fire!" Nikkela said, nocking an arrow to her bow as she watched the streets in front of them for any signs of attack.
"Remember, some of them are resistant to magic," Naarin warned, drawing his own sword.
My two friends and I were the last to draw our weapons – making me feel slightly embarrassed at our slow reactions – but at first nothing seemed to happen, leading even Naarin to appear confused. Then, slowly, shadows began spreading across the ground as fallen fairies and Fenrir landed among the streets, some alighting on roofs and aiming their bows at the defenders.
"For every inch they take, make them pay with their blood!" Naarin shouted, loud enough for all the surrounding fairies to hear him, as the archers began loosing arrows.
"Stick with me," Nikkela said to us as one of her arrows felled a rogue fairy who'd either been brave or foolish enough to land in the middle of the street opposite us. "I wouldn't trust our princely friend to be able to focus on you in the middle of a battle."
"Something's wrong," Mickey said as one of the archers fell down in front of them, a javelin having gone right through his neck. "Am I the only one thinking they aren't making much effort to attack us here? It's almost like-"
"They're trying to distract us," Nikkela said, slapping her forehead hard. "Damnit, Naarin, he's right; we're not the target. Where would..." She trailed off as she looked around the square, the realisation hitting her and Naarin simultaneously. "The tunnels, they're trying to cut off our escape route! That way they can surround us and pick us off one by one."
"Nikkela, get to Nightshade," Naarin ordered, narrowly dodging another javelin. "Tell him to bring his troops towards the palace – I guess we've got a good old-fashioned last stand on our hands."
As Nikkela took off with a small spring they turned back towards the central square, only to find their way blocked by a Fenrir and a gang of rogue fairies. "I guess you guys will get a chance to fight after all," Naarin said to me, letting out a nervous laugh. "Leave the Fenrir to me; you're not experienced enough to fight him."
"I'm not going to argue with you there," I said as we turned our weapons upon the other fairies.
Whereas our allies seemed to fight gracefully – some of them appearing to almost dance between opponents – the fallen fairies were far more brutal; armed with short knives, they tried to hack at their opponents.
We carried on fighting, and even as the gang of enemies was slowly thinning, a grunt from behind us caught my attention. Naarin had been knocked to the floor and the Fenrir was looming over him, one fearsome-looking claw rising high, ready to strike. I made a move towards him but Naarin shook his head as he sat up.
"Get out of here!" he shouted, raising his sword with a wince. "I'll be fine, Arcturus needs-" His speech was cut short by a gurgle escaping from the Fenrir's lips, and a moment later it collapsed, revealing a shaking Crystal standing in its place, her blood-slicked sword threatening to slip from her grasp. Naarin jumped to his feet, helping to steady her while also killing the fallen fairy who'd been about to attack Crystal from behind. "Are you okay, Crystal?" he asked, looking down at her still shaking form.
"I... I'll be fine," Crystal said, stepping away from Naarin and trying to smile. "We need to hurry up."
"Not gonna argue with you there," Naarin said as the troops around them dispatched what was left of the obstacle in front of them before running towards the square. As they reached it they were confronted with the sight of Arcturus squaring off with a huge Fenrir who, even from a quick glance, I could tell was the creature from the clearing earlier.
"Spread out!" Naarin shouted, as much to Nightshade's forces appearing on the other side of the square as to his own. "Don't let that creature's buddies interfere in this fight!"
"Watch out!" I shouted as Mickey ducked under the swing of a fairy blade, one of Nikkela's superbly shot arrows felling the warrior before it could bring the sword back around for another swing. "For every enemy we kill there seem to be five more, Naarin," I said, looking around frantically at the numerous bodies on both sides. "I hate to sound defeatist but we need to put our exit plan into action."
"I think you're right, Clint," Naarin said with a grimace. "Arcturus, sound the retreat!" he called out. "My sister was right; this city isn't worth us losing our lives over."
"That's the wisest thing you've said in years," Arcturus said with a chuckle as he ducked a swipe from one of the claws of his opponent, then decapitated his foe with one deft flick of his sword. "Defenders of the Glade, retreat! We will live to fight another day."
"Arcturus, look out!" Crystal shouted, not quite loud enough for him to hear her above the noise, although Mickey and I immediately spotted what she'd seen.
A fallen fairy had taken off unseen and was now aiming a javelin at the General's back. The warning had come too late, and even as Arcturus heard a yell from the other side of the square the javelin hit him straight through his back, making him stagger.
On the other side of the street Nightshade moved quicker than I thought possible given his bulk, launching himself into the air on a pair of thin but formidable-looking wings, his sword drawn and gripped tightly in his hand.
While the assailant saw Nightshade coming, his reflexes were just too slow and his lifeless body crashed to the floor as Nightshade made a beeline for Arcturus. Mickey, Crystal, Naarin and I reached his side a moment later.
"I'll get Nikkela," Naarin said, helping Arcturus stand up. "We can fix this."
"No," Arcturus said, pushing his helping hand away. "It's already too late for me. Besides, you made me a promise that when the time came you'd make sure she didn't have to see me like this. I'll take as many of them with me as I can, but you need to take this and go," he added, handing over a sword almost as ornate as Nightshade's own weapon.
"I... I can't," Naarin said, the shock clear in his voice. "This is the badge of office for the Army of the Glade, I have no right to-"
"You have every right to it," Arcturus said, cutting off his protest. "Nightshade has no interest in leading the army, and these men would follow you to the gates of the underworld itself if you asked them to. Now, go! Don't let me die in vain."
"I..." Naarin paused for a moment, undecided, before the screech of more Fenrir approaching made his mind up for him. "Fairies of the Glade, you know where to go! Fall back! We'll meet at the safe haven, our Queen awaits us there." He turned to me and the others then. "Follow me and Nightshade; we'll keep you safe."
I glanced at Arcturus sadly before focusing back on Nightshade and Naarin.
Nightshade seemed filled with a rage that made the enemy wary to approach as we made a beeline for the palace, the few who attempted to approach him being felled with a vicious swipe of his blade.
Naarin led us to the side of the tower, where we found a door no more visible than the one in the tree trunk. Naarin opened it to shoo us through, before pausing for just a moment to look back at the sight of the carnage we were leaving behind.
"Are you okay?" I asked him as I ducked through the doorway. The image of Arcturus lying on the ground was still foremost in my mind.
"Hmm? Yeah," Naarin said after a moment, closing the door behind us. "Let's not dally here; we face a long trek ahead of us."
There were only a handful of scattered lanterns in the tunnel, making it difficult to judge how far we'd travelled and how far we still had to travel, but I was glad of Mickey's help in supporting Crystal, who was seemingly suffering a fresh wave of shock from what she'd just witnessed – and what she'd just done. I didn't blame her.
Suddenly I caught sight of a pool of light in the tunnel ahead, and rounding a corner we found Nikkela sitting on the floor, her wings folded close to her body, her arms hiding her face that was resting on her knees. Without a word Naarin ran over to her, draping his cloak around her shoulders and holding her close as Nightshade dropped to the floor.
"Make yourself comfortable," Nightshade said with a sigh. "We all need to take a breather before we continue."
"I don't understand," Mickey said, trying to avoid looking at the two fairies sitting together on the ground. "Nikkela-"
"Is in love with the Prince?" Nightshade finished with a chuckle. "Their love is the worst kept secret in the whole of the Glade."
"I meant what Arcturus said," Mickey continued, raising his eyebrows. "Is there nothing Nikkela could have done?"
"It's not whether she could have healed him," Nightshade replied, frowning, "it's... well, Arcturus was Nikkela's grandfather, and when her father died in front of her and her mother vanished, Arcturus made us all promise she'd never have to see him meet his death." He looked across at Crystal, who was in tears herself, and reaching into his cloak he handed her a strange biscuit-like object. "Eat this, Crystal," he said. "I'd forgotten you wouldn't have killed before; this will at least help you feel a little calmer."
"Thank... thank you," Crystal stuttered, biting into the biscuit. As she looked up she froze. "Guys, we have company."
We all looked up, finding ourselves suddenly surrounded by black-robed figures, each one holding a bow with a wickedly sharp arrow nocked to it. All of us drew our weapons in unison – even Nikkela, who drew a short dagger she had at her belt.
"Drop your weapons, intruders," came a voice from somewhere in the shadows.
"Not till your men lower theirs," Naarin replied, without missing a beat. "We're merely resting here; you threaten us for no reason."
"I must insist," the voice replied. "Lower your weapons. I will not warn you again."
"And if we don't?" Nightshade called out.
"Believe me, you don't want to know the answer to that question," came the reply, as a female fairy even taller than Nightshade stepped out from the shadows. She was dressed in a long dark cloak, the hood hiding her hair and a scarf pulled over the lower half of her face, revealing only a pair of golden eyes that stared intently at the group in front of her. She pulled back her hood to reveal long, spiky red hair.
"You! No, you can't be here," Nikkela gasped, backing away from the fairy.
"Who is it?" I asked, noting the surprise on Nightshade and Naarin's faces as well.
"Her name is Desha'yi," Naarin replied. "She's Nikkela'smother."