Chapter 5

Zandor's POV

As I made my way through the forest towards the battle taking place, I heard voice and footsteps coming from my right. I duck behind a tree as a group of Elven scouts wearing light leather armor, and a green cloak run past. Once they are out of sight, I leave my hiding spot, and continue forward till I hear the whistling of an arrow and I quickly catch it. I look to the one who fired when another elf, in light plated armor swing at me. I blocked it with my gauntlet and push him back.

Zandor: I am not your enemy, I am here to help.

I call to them but they take no heed and the soldier charges me again. I dodge and grab his wrist, with the sword he wielded in, and grabbed the back of his neck and lifted him up in the air. He grabbed my hand trying to free himself.

Zandor: I am not here to fight, I am here to help.

He kept struggling, and I sighed shaking my head. I threw him on the ground and quickly knocked him out with a blow to the head. He laid there unconscious. I grabbed his sword knowing that hand to hand combat may not be the best once I get to the battlefield. I then continued forward till I exited the forest and saw an army, with a size of tens of thousands marching on a large castle on the mountainside. I looked and saw that these soldiers wore the armor of that giant I fought but it wasn't as jagged like the creatures. It was more slick and was built more towards what a knights would be. Almost all of the army was fighting elven soldiers. I then saw fire balls hurtling towards the fortress and when I looked to the source to see catapults and trebuchets.

*If I am to help the elves, I must destroy those siege weapons. Without them, it will slow their advance.*

Jumped down from the hill I was on and saw what appeared to be a trench. I ran through it and a destroy siege tower, that had fallen on its side, blocked my path. I quickly climbed up and over and dropped down the other side. I then heard a battle cry from one of the Dark army soldiers. I turned and dodged as they charged me. I then pushed off a barricade and tackle him, pushing him down to the ground. He tried to swing at me, but I grab his arm and break it. He lets out a scream of agony as I ripped his helmet off. He had black hair and his face showed he had fought many battles. I grab him by the throat and lift him up a bit.

Zandor: Where is your commander?

Soldier: I am telling you nothing.

I then grab his broken arm and start to pull away from his socket.

Zandor: If you don't tell me, your going to have one less arm.

And to show I wasn't bluffing, I started pulling really hard as he squirmed. I continued to pull till a loud pop was heard as his shoulder became dislocated. He cries in pain.

Zandor: Where is he?

Soldier: At the head of the army heading towards the fortress.

I let go and slice with my sword, cutting his throat open.

Zandor: Thanks.

I then make my way towards the first siege weapon. Before I dan take out the commander I need to take these siege weapons out first. I looked around and saw red painted barrels. I open them and saw that there was explosive powder inside. I then grab a stick and get behind a barricade. I light the stick on fire and toss it. It hits the barrel and a large explosion occurs destroying the catapult. I then continue destroy each one as I go. As I neared the last few, something big smashes into me and I get launched into a clearing. I get up and see a large soldier brandishing a tower shield and great sword. I readied my sword as he charges, shield in front. I rolled out of his path and lunges towards him. He then swings overhead at me and I jump upwards, missing the swing, and when I come back down I bring my sword down but it bounces off his armor. I jump off of him, as he to swing at me again. He roars and charges again. I sidestepped and grab his shield while keeping his arm locked in and pull as hard as I could. The his momentum and my strength I tore his arm off and using his shield decapitated him. His body fell lifeless. I then look at my sword and see that it is starting to break as cracked formed on the blade. I toss it and look at the shield. It was much larger than me, and I took the arm from it and equipped it. I then grabbed the great sword and continued towards the next catapult.

Time skip after destroying the rest of the siege weapons

After fighting through groups of enemies and destroying the last of the siege weapons, i started making my way to the fortress. I also am now used to wielding the shield and great sword, it was rough in the beginning but now I know how to use them effectively. As I got closer to the fortress, I saw that the gates were broken down and soldiers were storming in. I pushed my way through, using my shield to charge through till I made it inside. I then blocked a strike from a nearby soldier and stabbed him through his soldier and then kicked him off. I then began my ascent to the keep assuming that the commander would be there.

As I looked around, I saw that everything was in flames and bodies of elven soldiers lay strewn about. Anger welled up inside as I made my way to a large courtyard in front of the keep. Elven archers firing at the army below with a large man with a great sword was shouting orders. I picked up a rock and chucked it at him. I third him in the back of the head and he turns around, angry. Once he sees me he steps towards me.

Commander: So you are the one who has been destroying our weapons and destroying my army. I am surprised that one man is able to do so much.

Zandor: Cut the talk, you know why I am here.

Commander: Let me guess. Me?

I grip onto my shield and sword as he says that. He laughs.

Commander: Well then, let's see what you can do.

He then motions for me to attack. I raise my shield and lunges forward. He then strikes the shield, but his strike was a lot more powerful than expected and I get thrown back with the shield flying away from me, sticking into the wall near me. He then jumps to me and goes to strike me while I am down. I roll away and slash at his legs, but he just simply lifts his leg and traps the sword underneath and then kicks me with the other, launching me away. This man is strong, really strong. He isn't a Norg but whatever he is, it won't be easy. I jump up and charge him. He swings and and slide under and using my clawed gauntlets, strike his leg, cutting through his armor like butter, and severely damaging his leg. He kneels from the pain and jump up and land in front of him. I then kick underneath his jaw, while jumping up, doing a backflip, and on the way down grab his head and slam it into the ground. After which I stand and he grabs my leg and flips over, then throws me into a wall. I slide down dazed afterwards as a small crater in the wall was formed. I see him charge and I dodge as he punches into the stone wall. I get up, and he dislodges it. He starts walking towards me laughing.

Commander: Your good but sadly, you won't last long.

I ready myself and see the great sword he was using. He lunges and I roll towards it. I grab it and with my momentum I throw it at him. It goes through his chest. He grabs ahold of it and kneels. He pulls it out and holds the wound and coughs a bit, but he gets up and readied himself. I grab my sword and we face each other. I charge forward, grabbing some ash from one of the burned buildings and when I get to him and as he readied to swing I jump and throw the ash in his eyes. He becomes stunned and I drop down bringing my sword through his skull splitting it in two horizontally. He falls to the ground, and he lays dead. I stand up, breathing heavily as I hear the battle around us go silent. I look and see the Dark army soldiers stand, petrified as I they saw their commander dead. I walk towards the keep and they separate forming a path. I walk to the gate and Elven soldiers storm out and start to arrest the soldiers around. I enter the keep and am met by what seems to be one of the elven captains.

Elven Captain: So, the one that saved us from destruction I see. Who are you and why are you here?

Zandor: I am here looking for something and as for who I am it is none of your concern.

The captain grunts and sighs.

Captain: I know your a guardian, and you seek what the guardians of old left here.

Zandor: How did you know?

Captain: They left our people with a commission to protect it.

Zandor: Will you take me to it?

He nods and motions for me to follow him. I follow and he takes me inside deeper into the keep.

After walking through several hallways and corridors. We finally reach a room with a stone box.

Captain: They left us this but never told us what was inside besides this, that you would know and recognize what it was.

I nod and enter. When I approach the box I put my hand on it and I feel a sense of familiarity. I take the cover of the box off and inside I stand amazed and surprised. Inside is the sword my father gave me before I left to the tournament. I take it and I feel something different. Even though it looked like the sword my father made, it felt like it wasn't.

Captain: I wish to thank you for aiding us, right now we are pushing the army back.

The captain then starts to walk away.

Captain: If you ever need our help, we will be honored to aid you.

He then left. A portal then opened and I walked through. I arrived to the nexus to be met by Xander.

Xander: Did you find the item?

Zandor: I did.

I then held the sword out to him. I took and held it.

Xander: Why would they..

He then trails off realizing something.

Xander: I see now.

Zandor: See what?

He hand sit back to me.

Xander: The sword is not the sword your father made. It is made of pure Aether.

Zandor: So, how does that help me exactly?

Xander: What you hold is one of the many forms of Aether, these being called Solid Aether. You can use it to create practically everything you need from weapons, to armor, to even ladders and possibly buildings. Try focusing on the sword and change it to let's say an axe.

Zandor: Okay.

I look at it and do what he asked me to do. It then turns black and changes from sword to axe before my eyes.

Zandor: Woah.

Xander: The weapon is unbreakable but it can only be one thing at a time. As you begin to master this form, you will be able to call it from here to where you are.

I then change it back to a sword.

Zandor: Nice, now you said you had more information about the Dark Army.

Xander: I do, follow me.

I follow him back to the great hall, and see a large table in the middle covered with a map and several small flags painted red.

Zandor: What is this?

Xander: A map of every stronghold, Zargoth controls. Every red flag is one under his control but when you free and capture one, it will change to blue. It will help us keep track of what Zargoth controls.

Zandor: So with that being said where are his armies leaders and who are they.

Xander: Zargoth is there leader but he has five generals.

As he begins listing the generals, icons appear above specific locations.

Xander: The first is chukûl the Snake. He is known to be in this stronghold.

He points to a stronghold where a symbol of a viper is shown near a swamp region near the southern ocean.

Xander: He is known for his poisonous weaponry and has a very vast knowledge of poison and venoms. The second is Golog the flame demon.

He then points to the dessert near the Jungles of Îkul a symbol of  flames is shown.

Xander: Known for his fire magic and enchantments. Third is Nark, the reaper of fear.

He points to a large forest north west near the northern mountains where the symbol of a man with a mask and wielding a scythe is shown.

Xander: Beware of him, he uses fear and toxins that induce fear on those who fight him. Second is Lagön the seafarer.

He points to an island of the southern coast where the symbol of a hydra is shown.

Zandor: Why a hydra?

Xander: Delves in oceanic magic but rumors say he has a pet hydra as a guardian.

Zandor: Hmmph

Xander: Lastly, Zargoth's second in command. Halâk the speaker of death.

He then points to a fortress near the capital where a symbol of a skull is shown.

Xander: Each general controls a part of the kingdom. As you take back outposts and begin liberating them, you will need to take out each general if you are to prevent them from retaking what you took. As of now you need to to go here.

He then point to a flag out in the eastern plains.

Xander: There is an outpost where the resistance are planning on taking, but Zargoth's soldiers know this.

Zandor: Their walking into a death trap.

Xander: Exactly, so you need to go and help them take it and establish a base. Once you do that, speak with the resistance leader to learn of what they plan to do and help wherever you can. One last thing. Once you kill all the generals, you will be able to get to Zargoth but there is one I didn't mention.

Zandor: Who?

Xander: Their not a general but they are always with Zargoth, a death mage by the name of Narcil. She is pretty much Zargoth's hit man and informant. She should not to be taken lightly.

Zandor: Understood.

I then begin to leave.

Xander: Zandor.

I turn to him.

Xander: Be careful. Also they may have resistance prisoners there. They could be of great help.

I nod then head to the nexus and head to the outpost.