10 Chapter 9 - Battle Plans.

The guardians of the Capitol had fallen to the mass of undead swarming them, unable to fight back while the civilians fled in multiple directions, into their homes and hiding holes to escape the army, though they only target the guardians letting the stray and slower ones to live and make it to safety.

Camus strides on his chimera through the town square towards the tower, his darkened eyes ceasing to go away as his power only grows stronger the closer he gets to it, a jovial laugh leaving his lips.

"Leave the peasants, head straight for those old bags in that ugly tower!" He yells as his army charges ahead to the grand steps into the tower, their defenses shaking and outnumbered, the surprise attack on the city was enough to over power them, smashing straight through them as the prince scales the outside wall, the chimera clawing its way to the top, his magic glowing bright with rage and destruction.

Reaching the top as he smashes into the counsel room through its glass dome, landing straight in the middle in front of the five men and women ruling over the city. Shocked and afraid faces once they lay eyes on the beast the Prince rode on, jumping off of it with a murderous delight in his eyes.

The rest of his army slowly making their way up the towers many floors, desecrating each one from bottom to the top, the prince steadying his magic as his eyes go back to normal, looking at the counsel as he makes his Chimera lay down on the floor as its growls echo in the chamber, the five of them paralyzed to their seats.

"Well, isn't this an exciting moment for everyone..." He says with a condescending tone in his voice, gazing smugly at them as he strokes his beast with care.

"What in the blazes is the meaning of this Elffire!?"

"I thought it'd be best if we solve a few issues, face to face~"

"You're mad! your use of dark magic is revolting!" One counsel member yells as her fingers crackle with magical energy, shooting a bolt of lighting from her index finger at him as he stands there and takes it, absorbing the shot in his hand as he breaths in deeply, groaning with satisfaction as he looks at her.

Horror in her eyes as she feels her throat closing up, her feet rising from the ground as she's lifted over the table and levitated over the Princes head as black tendrils keep her suspended in the air, burning at her clothes and skin, she shrieks in pain.

"Anyone else that tries that, gets swift punishment..." He says in a grave tone, slowly lowering his hand as he smiles innocently.

"As such~" He finishes, dropping her right into his beast jaws, quickly chomping on her body as it tears her to pieces before dropping her, her bloodied body attempts to crawl away, the beasts roar slowly glows at the base of its throat, a blazing red flame erupts from its lions mouth as it burns her alive.

Her skin melting away before turning to ash, the other four counsel members cower away from thee prince as he walks over to the pedestal the other members sit, shaking with gripping fear as they leave the seats to make way for him, pushing away the other chairs with one remaining in the middle, His chimera lays by his side as they grovel.

His face delighted at his victory, easier than he'd imagined as he stands in front of his new counsel, raising his hand as he opens the grand door with a flick of his wrist, multiple dead with missing limbs and heads walk in, over flowing the room as he opens his mouth to speak.

"MY counsel...Its seems your previous defenses weren't up to scratch...so you'll work very hard to make MY defenses much better...get to work" He says with a satisfied smirk, the counsel members looking around with dismay all over their faces, scared for their future, and their peoples future.

The dead proceed to climb the flag poles as they rip them down, a black cloud settling over the Capitol as fires erupt all over tits surface, while the underground clamber for hope in the safest place in the Capitol.

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"There must be something we can do! we cant let my brother take the city, he'll be unstoppable!" The princess say while the patrons of the bar look away in fear and doubt of her plans to save it, knowing this taxing place doesn't deserve to be saved.

"Why should we lay our lives for a city that cares nothing for the likes of us!" Andrex in the corner argues as some patrons agree with him, Rodahn speaking up.

"Its a terrible idea I agree, but she's also right, we cant just let this place get over run with whatever evil her brother brought" he says as few agree and grumble.

"That's not the point here, what matters is I get you out of here Camilla" Major says as she looks at him with an icy glare.

"You cannot be serious Major...the entire point of coming here was to warn the counsel about Camus!"

"And now he's already here, and you know he already wants you dead!" He fires back as everyone watches in anxiety.

"These peoples lives are at stake! I cant just allow them to get slaughtered!"

"My life is for you Princess, You're going to get yourself killed"

She looks at him with a convicted stare, her eyebrows furrowing in determination.

"If that's what it takes...then so be it"

She jumps from the table and heads from the door, nobody stopping her as they stare in awe at the scene, Endar preoccupied with Cyren as Major races after her, trying to prevent her from something stupid. Catching up quickly as he grabs her arms gently, attempting to steer her back to the bar, but she resists him.

"I cant believe you just went against me in front of everyone like that!" She says in disbelief as he gives her a stern brow.

"Your appearance means nothing if you're dead, come on lets-"

"NO, you think I'm so fragile, this entire journey I've sat back while you've all protected me, now I have to fight for what's right for everyone else, including you Major! just let me fight for you!"

He looks at her as her eyes pour with tears, she punches him in the chest with frustrated groans.

"I lost my father, I lost my mother...and now I'm so close to losing my brother, please..."

His mouth lays open as she pours her heart out to him, unable to believe he was hearing this all now, wondering when shed finally it.

"I cant lose you too...I...I love you Major" she says, and with those very words, he leans in and kisses her lightly on the lips, the surroundings weren't pleasant but each others embrace distracted them away from the world, gripping at her with unrelenting care and affection, separating as he gazes into her green eyes lovingly.

"I love you too, My Queen" He whispers to her as they embrace in a gentle hug, the rest of the world was forgettable for a few minutes as the two savor their moment a little longer, before heading back to the bar, Major staying by her side as she enters back in with the same determination as before, greeting them.

"I apologize, but my brother is a cruel man and I fear for the future, but what I do know is he isn't invincible, if we are to attack him back we'll need weapons, armor, and a lot more people...is anyone willing to fight by my side"

The entire room lays silent as Major steps forward.

"Ill fight by your side my Queen" He says as he kneels for her, her face smiling at him gratefully as Rodahn jumps the bar, kneeling next to him.

"I don't usually do this, but if you believe we can, I'll gladly fight by your side~" He says as the two rise.

Others joining in one by one as they offer their service to Camilla, Endar approaches from the backroom, Cyren close behind him with a neutral expression on her face, Camilla looks over at them as he stands in front of her, his arms folded.

"Ill bow to no one, you already knew that Camilla..." he says as her face wavers, but she shakes it off an offers him a grateful smile.

"But you are my friend...and I'll fight by your side like a friend would" He says unfolding his arms as Cyren approaches, her body frail and still in recovery.

"I...wanted to thank you for your kindness..." She says to the best of her ability, clasping her hand around Camilla's with a grateful squeeze, retreating back to her bed to rest as Endar guides her back.

Laying down as the bar begins making plans to steal weapons and protection, knowing their best chance is the surface. She looks at Endar with a sorrowful glare.

"Endarynne...its been too long..."

"Yes it has sister...it's good to finally see you"

"The elders were enraged when you left...said they could've fixed it"

"Cyren...I could've fixed it...but you already know why I didn't want it"

She didn't say anything, just grabbed his hand in support, happy he was alive and well.

One question playing in his head as he squeezes her hand back, looking down at her with serious eyes.

"Who did the dysmorphia spell?"

Her eyes burn into his skull as the question sent her on edge, remembering who it was that changed her body, an advanced spell only a few people in Aspendria that know how to do it. And do it successfully.

"Don't...it was so bad...I never expected..."

"I knew it..."

He stands as he circles the room in an anxious fit, an angry growl at the back of his throat.

"When I see her, she's gonna wish she never did that..." He sneers as energy bounces off him, Cyren feeling his power.

"You've grown strong...maybe even stronger than her" She says as his fists clench shut, looking at her with raging eyes as he approaches her, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"My revenge can wait, after we've stopped that monster from taking over the city...were going to pay that bitch a visit" He says as she scoffs at him, grabbing his hand.

"Then you're gonna need all you can get..."

"No don't!" He tries to object, but she does it anyway, saying small incantations as a spiral of stormy air that crackled around his arm, transferring her remaining energy to him as he surges at the amount of power she gave him, letting go as she immediately falls asleep on her bed, Endar's body surging with the extra boost.

Looking down at he unconscious body as he scoffs, stroking her hair and covering her.

"You never were the brightest one...but thank you sister, I'll use it wisely" He says, leaving her to rest as he joins the others, getting involved in their plan, hearing a very light knock at the door, people in the bar immediately get in a battle stance in front of the door. opening it slowly to see a tiny blue light that enters the room.

Flapping his tiny blue wings inside, Nix flutters in to the best of his ability but lands on the floor in a tired huff, his tinkling faint and quiet. The patrons lowering their defenses as Camilla rushes over to the dying fairy.

"Nix! how are you here?!"

He replies in his own language as one of the patrons translates for her.

"he says he snuck away from the prince to find you...but the hex is taking its toll"

She looks down at the fairy with teary eyes, the patrons all gather around as Endar looks at him with a gentle smile.

"Ugh a fairy hex, how basic is your brother" he says with a covering with his hand, a cleaning energy pulsing around the fairy as he flutters his wings even more, the hex binding him slowly releasing the fairy when he takes away his hand. Nix changes his color to his signature bright yellow light.

Flying the area of the bar with celebrating hoots and cheers surrounding the room, the mood brightening once he flies into the princesses arms, her breathing relaxed and relieved. And for the first time he speaks to her.

"Princess! you did it! you broke the hex!" he says, his voice ethereal and echoed.

"Of course, but it wasn't me" she says as the fairy rushes to the witch, floating around his face.

"Hmm, this witch did break my hex, but he smells funny, you sure he's a good guy?" He says, his chatter annoying Endar as he grabs his wings and pushes him away.

"Keep that up and I'll hex you myself" He says annoyed as Nix giggles lightly.

"Your new friend is fun Camilla~" He teases as he flutters over to Major.

"Its good to see a Caspian guardsman that's not undead or a traitor" He says as Majors brows furrow, crossing his arms as he looks at the fairy with a serious glare.

"What do you mean traitor?"

"That coward, Charles Accrington is Camus's bodyguard...not that he needs it"

The patrons looking nervous when they hear it, Rodahn's mood lightens it back up however when he starts pouring drinks for everyone. Distracting them aware from the coming fight, Nix makes his way back over to the princess with a happy flutter, setting himself on the table as she sits along with him.

"Nix, how many does he have in his army?"

"He's been adding to it every hour ever since..." He says but briefly stops before his light turns blue with sadness.

"He killed the people of Caspia...turned them into the dead to serve him...he must have over 2000 soldiers and a Chimera, fighting him wont be easy princess" He says gravely.

Her face shifts into concentration, cooking up a battle plan as she remembers the days when her father was alive, sitting in his war meetings discussing attack plans and maneuvers, she always listened closely while her brother focused on other things, known now to be his black magic, standing from her table as she approaches her friends, a happy smirk on her face as she pins her hair back.

"Guys, I have a plan"

"Shoot Camilla" Endar says as they gaze upon a map of the surface, the city was large and locating the blacksmith would be hard going unnoticed, deciding to send their smaller and sneakier patrons to steal swords and shields, with extra army with the help of Endar.

"Camus wont expect us to still be here, which means we'll be unexpected in our attempt to scale the tower, what if we created a diversion to draw his army away so we can quickly get up there and take him down"

"What would be the diversion?"

She then looks at Endar with hopeful eyes.

"You're the only one who can take on those kinds of numbers, he'd send them all down on you and you just have to preoccupy them"

"What makes you think I can take them all on?" He says putting his hands on his hips defiantly.

"Because no one here is as powerful or as strong...I trust you, just trust us to get to Camus and put a stop to it" She says as she holds his hand, asking him with her pleading gaze as he sighs like he always does, already feeling his magic rearing to go.

"Fine, are they in place?" He asks a nearby goblin patron who nods, Endar sifting his hands through the air as a clear stream of energy creates a portal, the other side some beasties start throwing in piles of swords, axes and maces, with hefty armor in different sizes as the two goblins jump through the portal, giggling at their stolen loot, the patrons picking at everything.

As they all suit up the main group gather at the door, looking at each other with worried faces, Endar's eye changes color as he takes a deep breath.

"Wait for my signal, then storm the tower" Endar says as the others look at him funnily.

"What's the signal?"

"Don't worry...you can't miss it"

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