Battle for Keltorea:Sun Warrior Chronicles Book 2

Chapter 11:The Call

Another month passed, quietly, for the first time since the Delmar attacked Daarven, Raevel and Hellion. For the entire month, no attacks were launched. The Delmar forces remained camped just out of the range of the Vanraael artillery, and their fleet maintained position over them. Keltorean battle groups occasionally went on strikes deep inside enemy lines, targeting bases, supply stations, and disrupting logistics in general, but other than that, the defenders were gathering strength for a major counter offensive. While Felluria was under their control still, their most important flank was safe. Despite all the pressure Mandraesyr's forces had put on them, they have not broken them, and their own resources were gradually being depleted, due in large part to the repeated strikes deep inside their lines. Mandraesyr had not been seen in a while, apparently concerned for his safety.

Alarms blared. Mandraesyr's forces launched toward the walls, and the defenders opened fire. Dozens of fighters went down on the ground and in the air. For the first time since the first attack on Vanraael, Mandraesyr made his appearance. The Knight landed on the parapet, and within seconds, all nearby Keltorean soldiers were slain, and artillery pieces destroyed. His rampage did not last long, however. A telekinetic blast pushed him off, down to the ground. He recovered just in time to block a volley of lightning bursts.

Ritalin landed before him, his trident aimed straight at the stone in the Knight's breastplate. The Tulos spread out all four arms, and launched beams of light from two of them, the other two gripping the trident. Mandraesyr blocked with a dark energy shield, and retaliated with his white eye beams. One of Ritalin's arms met the attack with a light shield, and the Elder pushed back, sending his foe sliding back a foot.

Talaeos, Jukira, Juralen, Lumaira, Ernea, Laita, Caelorn, Maior, Freya, Atrea, Paellor, Kraeta, Telja, Dailen, Toren and Lateira landed beside the Elder. Mandraesyr paid them no heed, instead concentrating on Ritalin. Not even the arrival of the final 8 Mist Reapers interested him.

"It has been a long time, Master Ritalin", Mandraesyr said, shifting himself back to full height. "Indeed it has, Knight. 45 years ago, our positions were reversed. Even with the support of Hurzalas and Kanratur, even after Master Yoluren fell, you were driven out. We defeated you at your strongest. And we shall do so again. Only this time, you shall fall, and all of your supporters with you", the Elder replied. "Perhaps. Keltorea shall be razed to the ground, and all of your warriors shall die. Starting today", he replied, and released beams of dark energy, the sheer power of the attack penetrating Lateira's and Kraeta's shields, killing them on the spot, though the rest were able to combine their powers and repelled the energy.

Ritalin launched forward, pummeling his foe with flurries of lightning fast trident thrusts and cuts, putting the Knight firmly on the defensive. Talaeos and Juralen rushed to his aid, but he waved them off. "Destroy the Mist Reapers and his army! I will handle him!" he said, and reluctantly, they obeyed.

As the battle resumed, Keltorean soldiers, now safe from any intervention, resumed the artillery barrage with their remaining weapons, destroying scores of Delmar ground troops, while the Vanraael fleet kept the enemy warships away from the walls, thus allowing the soldiers to carry on unchallenged.

Ritalin batted Mandraesyr's sword aside with the trident and slammed the butt of the weapon into the Knight's breastplate, just narrowly missing the stone. He pressed on, however, kicking his foe in the leg, and blasted him with a torrent of gold lightning. Mandraesyr recovered and absorbed the attack, and retaliated with lightning of his own, slamming the Sun Warrior into a wall of fire. Ritalin managed to shield himself in time, and attacked again.

Mandraesyr met his lightning with his own, the more powerful white pushing the gold back. Ritalin leapt into the air and sent beams of light from the trident, adding telekinetic and lightning attacks from the other two arms, along with attacks on Mandraesyr's mind. One of his arms released its grip on the trident, and drew his pistol, adding to the chaos. Mandraesyr maintained his defenses, though with great difficulty.

Talaeos, Lumaira, Jukira, Juralen, Paellor, Atrea, Dailen, Telja and Toren battled the Mist Reapers, while Caelorn, Ernea, Laita, Freya and Maior wreaked havoc through the enemy lines, cutting down Delmar troops left and right, even as the orotharks, with Reyna in the lead, attacked the army from the air, and the artillery barrage continued unchallenged.

Caelorn hurled his Sundaggers at two demon hounds, killing both, and retrieved the weapons with telekinesis. While he was unarmed, Ernea and Laita covered his flanks, and Maior and Freya battled several ergomancers. Caelorn unleashed a telekinetic blast, and followed up with torrents of green lightning. His sonic attack took down several rothari. Ernea and Laita conjured a storm of green lightning, and Caelorn added his own, creating a dome around them, a dome, which none could penetrate, and those caught within it were promptly dispatched.

Maior cut down the final ergomancer and hurled his Sunsword at a rothari, before the latter could attack Freya. Freya smiled in thanks, and he smiled back. His light blades flashed to life, as he blocked several strikes from two kyroans. He decapitated one of them and disarmed the other, before skewering the creature through the chest.

Freya slid under a demon hound, simultaneously cleaving through its body. She got back to her feet, and took down another with a beam of light to the face. She felt someone tackle her from behind, just as a xyra passed overhead.

"I was afraid I was too slow", she heard Maior. "Thank you", she replied. Maior only nodded. "Let's go find Ernea, Laita and Caelorn. They are not doing too well", he said after regaining his breath.

Talaeos electrocuted the Mist Reaper, pushing it away, and returned to his feet. He retrieved his Sunsword and attacked, hammering down on the creature's defenses. He finally penetrated its guard and brought his weapon down on its chest. A second before the blade struck, however, the Reaper turned into mist, which suffered no damage from the Sunsword. The Mist swirled around the Hunter, but did not attack. Instead, it seemed to reach out to him, and he heard it whisper. Aldron Turas. Join us. Wield the power of the Stone. Only with it, can you defeat the Dark Lords, and save your friends. The Stone is your birthright. Claim it. Ascend to the throne, and rule Keltorea, as Kilmar Artos did before you. The name struck a chord buried deep in his consciousness. As much as he tried to ignore it, the sheer power wouldn't let him. You must travel to the Underworld. With the power of the Stone at your fingertips, you shall destroy him, and ascend to the throne. Only then, will you have the means to end this war and save your friends.

With sheer force of will, Talaeos forced the voice out of his head, and swung his Sunsword, cleaving through the Mist Reaper.

Ritalin narrowly evaded Mandraesyr's fire and ice blasts, and struck back with a telekinetic wave, which the Knight blocked with a wave of his own. He closed the distance between them and grasped the Elder by his neck, lifting him into the air. Ritalin kicked him with both legs in the chest, making him stagger, and all four of his arms wrapped around the arm holding him. He unleashed light and lightning, simultaneously attacking with his mind. Mandraesyr's armor became red hot, forcing him to release him.

The Sun Warrior called his trident to his hand and thrust, destroying the blue Crystal in his foe's breastplate. The resulting blast separated them, hurling each into a piece of rubble. Ritalin attacked with all four of his arms. Mandraesyr defended, but something seemed to have distracted him. The Elder struck him with a torrent of gold lightning, and followed up with trident strikes and telekinesis, leaving his foe battered, exhausted, but still standing. The Sun Warrior was tiring himself, having fought the Knight alone for over 2 hours.

Mandraesyr glanced to the side, and Ritalin followed his gaze. The fighting around them stopped, as the Knight, the other Sun Warriors and Ring Wielders saw Talaeos, seemingly frozen, engulfed by Mist. They tried to come to his aid, but he suddenly disappeared, along with his weapon. Mandraesyr disappeared in a flash of light, and the Mist Reapers faded from view, and the Delmar forces retreated back to their camp. The battle was over just as quickly and suddenly as it began, leaving the defenders in confusion.

...

"Still nothing. It's as if something, or someone, is blocking my probe. He is simply unreachable", Ritalin said. "You have my condolences", he said to Lumaira and Juralen, before walking away, leaving them alone.