Chapter Twenty Six: Alavira's P.O.V.

These past few months before the war passed quicker than any of us would have liked. I'm brought in on the planning Sevanah, Kieren and Suluk have done in hopes to turn the tide of this whole ordeal in their favor. It's a good plan from what I've gathered, the only thing they're missing seems to be a trapper. Luckily for them I know my way around a trap or two. Zipporah's visions are getting stronger the closer we get to the finale date she has set. She says it will only be a few days now, before they arrive.

The plan we have so far is to lure them up around the gate, leaving said gate wide open to cause suspicion and make them pause. Getting them close enough for the catapults to be able to reach them. Well load those down with tar balls that will be set on fire mid air, giving Suluk and a few others with fire magic time to get ready and make sure they're on the right path. Other traps have been laid between the gate and the city thanks to myself and some eager soldiers. Placing pits sporadically around the open areas with large spiked stones sticking from the base. To find out Clover could manipulate the Earth in such a fashion was a surprise, but a welcomed one with how much help it provided us in the end. We've had to contain the rest of the army to one area so they won't fall in or hurt themselves. Especially on the few bear traps I've learned to make over the years. Kieren and his team of assassins have gotten everything they need ready to strike from the shadows until the smoke covers most of the space after the flames start.

"Ava! Glad to see you're back!" Ginger runs up with arms wide open, ready for a hug she now demands every time we see each other. Her armor has also been updated to withstand her fire in hopes that it will give her an advantage in battle.

"Hey Gin. Where's your mom? I need to check in with her before I go see Suluk again." I smile at her as my eyes look for her nearby.

"She's in the tent. Speaking with the King right now. Give her a minute." She nods back to the large tent where the royal family has been going back and forth to, getting ready for what is happening.

"Well hello ladies!" Clover walks up as he wiggles his brows, and flashes that smile at us. I've grown used to his flirting attempts, finding them funny most of the time. Ginger just rolls her eyes and places her hands up.

"You finished up with Kieren? Coming to dinner tonight, right?" I clasp my hands behind my back, and rock back and forth on the balls of my feet. All this nervous energy has been getting the best of me lately. He just smiles back and nods.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world! Grumpy pants still coming too?" Ginger and I both chuckle at that. We knew Suluk and Kieren had been hard on the soldiers since all this started, but to hear Clover actually complain about their attitude is still amusing.

"Yeah. He seems to be in a good mood today though, for some reason. Woke up happy… or at least he said he did. I think something else happened, and he's not fessing up to it." This news catches both of their attention. Narrowed eyes turn to me, their faces skeptical.

"Yeah right. What did you do to him this morning?" Ginger elbows me softly in the side as Clover wiggles those brows yet again. Making me blush at the thought. Both of them burst out laughing at my reaction.

"What's so funny? What did I miss?" Kieren landed softly next to us, looking all three of us over. If my face matches theirs then we look guilty for something.

"Ava was just telling us that Suluk is in a good mood for some reason today. We don't believe her." Clover explains nonchalantly. Kieren quirks a brow at that while turning to me.

"Is that so?"

"You haven't seen him yet?"

"No. I've been busy all day making sure everything is in order and all the soldiers are ready. I'm not supposed to see him until dinner later." He informs all of us. Holding his hand out to catch some snowflakes that drift down. "Looks like it's going to be a blizzard tonight. Everyone stay on their toes and keep warm tonight." Even when he's around friends, he can't seem to turn off the commander's voice when stating his concerns.

"Yes sir." Clover salutes him, making us girls chuckle as Kieren rolls his eyes.

"Oh, hello everyone. Why are we all standing in the cold?" Zipporah is standing right behind us with a soft, confused smile. Her hair matches the fallen snow. It's almost mesmerizing how the drifting flakes cling to the golden hair jewelry she wears daily.

"We were just talking about dinner tonight. You're still coming?" Clover's happy voice almost reminds me of a child about to get a long awaited present for their birthday.

"Yes, yes. I'll be there. Need to go back to the tent to change first, however. I'll apologize if I'm late." She nods down to her damp shirt that tries to cling to her body and the soaked shoes buried in the snow.

"Don't worry us too." Ginger smiles and swings her arm back so her hand smacks Clovers back. He just nods and tries to hide that small blush on his ears with his growing hair.

"Me too! I'm tired of being in these clothes! I'm so dirty!" I whine as I remember that all day I've practically been rolling in the snow and mud while finishing up the traps.

"I will also change then, so I'm not left out." Kieren's small smirk makes us laugh again, Zip joining this time.

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Dinner has gone smoothly so far, even if Kieren is staring daggers at Sevanah every once in a while; or basically anytime they accidentally try to talk at the same time. While the rest of us think their petty rivalry is amusing, I'm at least secretly glad that she provides a distraction for him lately. They're currently arguing on how she'll be useful and if her plan will work, even if Kieren has been reassured on that fact several times, he still likes to aggravate her to no end.

"Just because I am small doesn't mean I'm weak!" Her glow dimmed just a little as her blue eyes seemed to swirl like a sea during a storm. Her wings drooping over the back of the specialty chair she has to sit in.

"I never said you were weak. I was just saying you're small, the enemy might not even know you're there unless you're all shiny and shit." He leans back in his chair slightly. A challenging look in his eyes as he takes a sip from his cup.

"Don't worry they won't want to fight you, since you're such an asshole!" He knows he won this small argument. At least for now. Of course she couldn't come up with something witty while she's been drinking slowly this whole dinner. It's the last night we'll get to enjoy ourselves for a while. With the war creeping right up to our door, and not to mention all that will need to be rebuilt afterwards, is going to keep us busy for the foreseeable future.

"Does anyone feel that?" Zip looks around to us, concern written on her face. The table goes quiet, unsure what is going on. I look between Kieren and Suluk. Moving closer to Suluks side trying to see if I can feel anything close to what they do.

"What are you talking about Z?" Kieren looks over to her curiously. If they don't feel anything going on, then maybe Zip is about to have another vision?

"There's a shift in the air. Something's not right…" Her voice slowly trails off as she stands, looking around the small shop.

"What do you feel exactly?" Suluks arm tightens around me. Probably sensing my unease as the tension starts to build around us.

"We have to go." Is all she says as she grabs her jacket from the back of her chair. We all do the same, unsure what is about to happen.

"Mom? You're scaring us. What's going on?" Ginger pipes up as she's rushing to follow us.

"There's a shift in the air. Something is coming. Something not good. It may start tonight…" Her voice is low, as to not cause a panic with the others sitting around the small space. The candles flicker slightly as she mentions it, making the mood even more nerve wracking.

"How could that be? Your visions aren't wrong. We're supposed to have a few more days." Clover's voice seems to personify our worries as he struggles to put on his jacket.

"They might have moved their plans up because of the blizzard. It would be good cover for what they've been planning to do. We have to go check the gate, and then warn everyone if that's the case." Zipporah is practically jogging out of the shop as she tries to see what is happening outside.

"Oh gods." Sevanah's soft whisper seems to echo among us.

Once we arrive back to camp is when we feel it. It's too late. The ground shakes as the air seems to be alive with lightning. They're here. We can't even see three feet in front of us because of the storm, and yet we're supposed to fight in this?! When we make it back to the barracks, a few soldiers are trying to wake the rest. Some people are running around outside trying to make sense of what is happening, while trying not to get lost in the storm.

"Thank the goddess you two are back! We need orders! What are we doing, captains?!" A large, light green woman runs up to Kieren and Suluk with a panicked expression. Her armor half on as she continues strapping it on while talking to them.

"What is happening Gretta?" Kieren steps up to her and listens attentively. He personifies what it means to be a leader when he's around the soldiers.

"Something has started to ram the gate, sir. We can't see what it is, but it's something big and it's going to burst through at any moment. We need direc-"

One second she was talking to us, plain and clear. Next my ears are ringing and I'm trying to figure out what just happened. My back and side hurt while my vision is blurry.

"Ava!" Suluks scream pierces through the ringing in my ears. I want to answer him, but I'm trying to remember how to stand up right now. Stumbling again, as my back hits the side of a crumbling wall. "Ava! Sevanah?! Clover!" Others are yelling now. People are screaming for each other over the sound of chaos. A gentle hand is on my shoulder, making me jump and try to focus on them.

"Ava, it's Zipporah. Can you hear me? Do you know where you are?" She's having to yell at me so I'm able to hear her. Her expression is grim and panicked.

"I-" My throat decides it's not working right now. I just nod and look around confused. The solid ground we were just standing on is now broken up as a crater sits in its place. Something with large wings flaps over the spot, hidden by the blizzard. Its wings can be heard flapping lazily right before a deafening roar breaks through the chaos. My blood freezes as my mind races. It feels as though time slows down.

Zip crouches down next to me and places a finger over her lips, a signal for me to remain quiet. My hands shake and no matter how hard I try to stop them I can't. As we stay quiet, low and frozen against this falling wall, I can feel the moment my adrenaline starts to pick up. Now glad Kieren and Ginger taught me about it, and what to do with it, how to wield all that extra energy and strength in battle. But, we've never talked about what to do with it in a situation like this. My panic starts to rise as I'm not sure if I can sit here for a long period of time now. Feeling the need to get up and run or fight at this rate. Zip's reassuring touch is on my hand the moment I think I'm about to take off. A warm, wet sensation drips down onto my cheek and the fear that follows is all-consuming. Making me lock up on the spot, imaging the worst kind of creatures that could cause that. Zip feels the change in my body, looking over to me. Her eyes widen for a moment before she takes a deep breath, drawing the snow towards her silently.

Before my panic gets the best of me, she reaches a hand out to my face, swiping her finger across the swell of my cheek. Bringing her finger back she shows me that I'm bleeding. I don't feel as though I've been wounded, but I can't deny what she's showing me either. I follow her deep breaths, feeling my body start to relax a little more. She nods to me before snow turns to water and swirls around her hand gracefully. I think she wants to fight, reaching for the small dagger on my hip before she shakes her head. Pointing to her hairline I'm confused for a moment, before it hits me that she wants to heal me. Ginger told me she could do a small amount of healing magic, but I've never seen her use it before. I slowly pull my hand away from the dagger instead, pushing my hair back to give her a better view of what is happening. From what I gather the wound shouldn't be that bad if she'll be able to heal it. When pulling my hair out of the way I feel it's a cut, not too deep, but it hurts when I accidentally graze it with my hand. It doesn't take long for the water to cover it and help it heal. Zip uses the excess water to wash my face of the blood that has dripped down.

"We need to move. We'll be caught if we stay here any longer." Zip whispers to me, and finally the ringing in my ears is like subtle background noise. I can hear the screams of the others who have been injured, or are unaware that there is a large creature waiting above us. I nod and follow her lead as she takes my hand and we start to slowly ease off the wall and walk through the destruction.