Battle for Keltorea:Sun Warrior Chronicles Book 2

Chapter 2:Kalsari

Jukira and Lumaira cut down the remaining soldiers. The remnants of the small Keltorian task force cheered, celebrating the victory. Earlier in the day, they raided an encampment, in a now successful attempt to disrupt the army's coordination. It were those raids that allowed them to hold Raevel for the last 3 years.

Lumaira sheathed her sunsword, and Jukira holstered her pistol. They whistled, and two kateors leapt to their side, their magnificent silver fur glistening with golden crystals. Lumaira scratched her kateor behind the ear, and it purred, pressing its head into her hand, and rubbing against her shoulder.

"We should head back" Jukira said, as she leapt on her kateor's back. Lumaira nodded. They led the task force back to Raevel, reentering the city through an underground walkway.

...

Once the wounded were taken care of, and their other duties attended to, the two Sun Warriors rested. They were soon joined by Dailen and Lateira, the former a Sun Warrior, the latter a Ring Wielder.

Since a year after Xular's death, more Ring Wielders have been trained, restoring their order, with the help of Ritalin, one of the six Sun Warrior Elders. The Ring Wielders, while not as numerous as the Sun Warriors, were still powerful, helping their fellow magicians combat the armies of the Three.

"How was your strike?" asked Jukira. "It went quite well. We destroyed an entire battalion and four Tearia before they were reinforced. Our casualties were minimal" Dailen replied. "Any news from Toren and Telja?" asked Lumaira. "Last time we saw them, they dumped several hundred Carthors into a chasm. A few roads are littered with such chasms. Concealed with magic. Anything that falls there, with the exception of a Kyroan, will not come out" Lateira said, sipping her ale.

"What about you? How are you holding up?" Dailen asked. "Morale among our soldiers is high. Our raid on their encampment went as well as it could under the circumstances" Lumaira replied.

Suddenly, a thud sounded, followed by another. The sound reverbrated through the pub. The windows were shattered with a roar, a roar of a terrible beast. Their blood turned cold as ice, as a single most frightening thought dawned on them. Th Kalsari had returned.

Toren and Telja joined the four. Together, they began the evacuation.

...

The Kalsari reached the city. Its claws tore through the stone, destroying the walls, and crushing the nearby buildings. The beast drew back its head, and released a torrent of gold energy, cutting through wood, stone and metal like a hot knife through butter. It continued its rampage, and its roars could be heard for hours.

...

Dark energy flashed around them, and Kanratur's army materialized where once had been empty snow.

"Toren, Lateira, take the evacuees" Dailen said, drawing his sunsword. Telja hefted her staff, activating the purple Crystal in its head. "We will clear a path for you" she said, and slammed the butt of the staff into the ground. A path cleared through Kanratur's army, and the evacuees made a run for it, while the dark forces were distracted.

Telja conjured a purple ball of lightning, and flung it at a group of Rothari, killing them all. Jukira called down lightning from the sky, and channeled some of it through her sunspear, the rest striking the dark army directly. Dailen launched a torrent of white energy, burning through a demon hound. Lumaira destroyed a few more with light.

The Keltorian soldiers gathered, ramming into the enemy lines. Telja brought the butt of her staff down against the ground, creating a purple barrier around herself, and purple lightning rained down on the enemy forces. Lumaira, Jukira and Dailen each covered a range, standing in a triangle formation, protecting the Keltorian army.

Dailen decapitated a soldier and blocked a Rothari's strike. The Rothari growled and swung with its halberd. Dailen sidestepped and cut it on the arm. He ducked under its next attack and slashed it across the back. The Rothari kicked him in the gut, pushing him away, and spun, punching him in the chest, throwing him back. As it ran to finish him off, Dailen sent out a torrent of white energy, pulverizing the giant.

Jukira killed two more Kyroans with lances of lightning, and leapt in the air, spinning. She landed as a halo of light and lightning, and crashed through an earth wall. She swung her spear, cutting through the ergomancer's neck before she could strike her. Lumaira released another sonic blast, and followed up with her pistols, killing two xyras with energy balls to the weak spots on their chests.

Telja's eyes acquired a purple glow, and she unleashed her eyebeams, burning through a line of Carthors.

The Keltorian soldiers slowly pushed the enemy back. They were winning, when suddenly, the barrier around Telja disappeared, and the protection collapsed. Instantly, bursts of magic were launched at the Keltorians, taking out swaths.

Jukira was struck with a bolt of dark energy, and Lumaira was knocked out by an ergomancer. Telja and Dailen led the rest of the army back, carrying Jukira and Lumaira with them. They escaped to safety.