Chapter 34: Leader

The enemy's camp was ten kilometers from our position. Moving with our light feet, we navigated through our surroundings silently and swiftly. It would take humans hours and effort to scout as efficiently as we did. 

Unimpeded by traps or enemy scouts, we were confident with our approach. Our superior eyesight at night, aided by the moonlight, guided us. When we traveled with haste, expecting an easy mission. 

Delaying any action would mean letting my brethren down, and we don't have time to waste. As we were nearing the enemy camp, we could smell the scent of humans and their cooking. They seemed to anticipate a swift victory. Such reckless fools, I say.

Before ordering an attack, I signaled my men first to scout the flanks. My men scrambled, looking for any shortcuts and traps set by the enemy. I waited for several minutes before every one of them returned. As they came back, they reported that the area was clear. 

Seeing that the timing was in our favor, I ordered the attack. Emerging from hiding, the humans, busy preparing for an upcoming feast, were surprised. They scrambled and ran for their lives, warning their brethren of our presence.

"Elves, assassins!" They shouted at the top of their lungs as they ran. 

Their voices echoed through the camp, alerting sentries nearby. As we chased them, many fell by our blade, felling as many as we could. Seeing their tents, we began to check everything for the signs of their leaders. However, most of the tents were empty. Enemy sentries tried to stop us. However, they only met their demise. 

As we checked every tent, we saw no one resembling a king or nobles we may use as hostages. We continued our search until we saw a huge tent. This one looked like the one used by the enemy's king. 

Using a long knife, I cut through the thick linen of the tent. I entered through the hole I made. Upon entering, I retched in what I saw. Severed heads, mutilated bodies, and elven women stripped bare of clothes and dignity. Most died in chains and tied at the center of the tent. 

I exited the tent when the others tried to check what was inside. They exited immediately and expressed their rage at what they saw. We swore to make the humans pay for their transgressions of our kind. 

Gathering for our next objective, I thought that if the king were with his army, it would be difficult to kill him. We tried to devise a plan to succeed in our mission to lift the siege. Time was against us, and swift action was needed.

While we were still talking, we heard the sound of faint metal clanking approaching, and we could tell they were in a hurry. Soon, we realized that we were trapped. I warned my companions to spread out and find an opening, but we were too late.

"Just as we thought!" A general arrived with his companions on horse, accompanied by his men brandishing their spears.

Seeing their formation and cohesive discipline, it made me and my elven companions sweat with fear. I can see that the enemy was determined not to let us escape. 

"What now Elios!?" One of the immortals with me asked.

"Don't sweat it, he'll do nothing! He can't do anything for us, fight for your escape!" One of my companions usurped my authority and ordered everyone to escape on their own. 

Many of my companions, including the immortal that disobeyed went on their own but were skewered by the wall of spears. "You foul heathens, prepare to meet your doom!" A human general wearing a golden plated armor declared and ordered his soldiers forward. 

The distance of the enemy's shield wall closed on to us. We retreated until the huge tent that contained the dismembered bodies of our brethren. One of the elven immortal looked at me and said, "Milord, it is only you who can save our kind! Please, hide in the tent!" 

I disagreed on the thought, "Are you mad!" I yelled at him.

"If we die here milord, who will avenge us?" A young elven immortal asked me wielding his knife with him.

"I'll die with honor rather than being stripped of my dignity!" I said, preparing my weapon.

"No milord, please live for us! Deliver your blade to these barbarians!" The young elf protested.

Two of my companions insisted on my survival and hid me inside the tent. Enduring the stench and the horrid sight inside, I could only watch and hear my men being killed by our enemy. "For Aelaide! Our souls will live with the eternal goddess, C'aron!"

I could not bear to watch, for the screams of my brethren were too horrifying. They had no chance against an army that was designed for war. As I lurked inside the tent, I could hear the voice of a goddess calling me. 

"Elios, is it justice that you seek?" Looking behind me, I could not believe my eyes.

Cloaked in red robes, I can only remember the goddess of power. 'Shenthilah'! As her name suggested, she was the goddess of violence, blood, and death. She is one of the most cruel gods in our elven religion. I can only squirm in horror seeing her before me.

"Isn't it the chosen one?" The goddess smiled maliciously at me. 

"W-what is it that you want? If you want my soul, please make my death painless! Anything but bondage, anything but..." The sight of the goddess of violence only meant death. They said that if you see her, it is better to seek a painless death. A request that she would likely accept.

"No, dear!" The goddess replied at me, "The world of Kaspion is in grave danger, with human's rapid expansion!"

"You don't mean that...?" A question suddenly popped in my mind, "You were here to assist me against these humans?" 

"For the privilege of entertaining the goddess of violence, I shall grant you power and, awakening!" The goddess said to me.

"But what in return?" I asked her worried of what she may want in return.

"Only an entertainment befitting to a goddess!" She smiled at me again.

After her malicious laugh, I suddenly felt power swelling inside of me. My body felt tight, pain in my chest, and indescribable sensations in my body. I groaned loudly due to the transformation that happened to me. Enduring all the feelings and changes, the goddess tried to calm me down.

"Do not resist, Elios! Let it be, and let the power flow, pain your inspiration, solitude your comfort! Your power, with my supervision, shall give you everything you want and need for acceptance of your kind!" The goddess said, and suddenly, the moonlight changed from the outside.

The bluish light of the moon changed to a bloody dark red. Seeing the last phase of my transformation was about to be complete, the goddess Shentilah laughed maliciously. 

"Behold, the awakening!!!" She shouted with pleasure, "Behold, the ender of civilizations and the bane of mankind!"

I emerged from the tent, my light armor ripped off my chest. Exposing my pale skin and developed muscles, my long silver hair, and my eyes glowed red. It made the confident human general who was earlier confident flinch. 

"W-who are you?" The General asked me.

Electricity suddenly surrounded my body. A loud cracking sound of the current made the enemy soldier flinch. They were not able to see such sight before. A being capable of manipulating lightning.

"Abomination!" The General declared and ordered his archers to attack me.

Arrows rained towards me as archers released in volleys. Before the arrows could land on my skin, they got burned by the electric aura that surrounded me. I tried to catch one arrow with my hand but only turned to ash as it landed on my hand.

Seeing that I was invulnerable, the general ordered fifty of his men to take care of me. "You, and you! Kill him!" 

Fifty soldiers approached me from all sides, trying to look for a weakness. I wasted no time and approached a high-ranking human soldier. His emblems and intricate ornaments gave me a clue and grabbed him by his shoulders. Seeing me swiftly grab him, the human officer ordered his men to stab me. 

However, the static electricity from the aura deflected their attacks. A persistent soldier almost penetrated the protective aura. He was electrocuted, trying to push his blade further. Seeing this, most human soldiers retreated and left the officer to his fate.

"What are you doing? I shall have you punished for this!" The officer said.

"That's not necessary!" I said to him and began increasing the intensity of electricity on my hands holding his shoulders. 

"What are you doing?" The officer fearfully said feeling the electric current beginning to electrocute him. "I-I am just doing my job!"

"I know!" I replied and proceeded to electrocute him.

The officer screamed in pain as powerful electric current passed through his body. His fellow soldiers can only look helplessly, amazed and afraid at the same time.