The Element Table

Chapter 26: Battle for Luxia: Part 1

From behind a tree trunk, a ball of fire came hurling at them. Caine quickly ducked out of the way, but the warriors behind him weren't quick enough. They were engorged in flames and started running around like they lost their heads.

Caine looked at his cooking warriors, then back to the forest's edge. Figures were now beginning to emerge from the trees. He got off the ground and watched as they got closer and closer. Before stepping out into the open, one of the figures' hand engulfed in flames. He had a good guess of who that was

Soon Henry was out in the open, his shiny black hair reflecting the suns light. His sword was at his side, his upper body covered in metal and leather armour. His eyes were stuck on Caine, a smirk also on his face.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Caine. I don't think we've met before" he said before stepping forward and stretching his fire-filled hand out at the old man "Henry Golding, Fire Guardian"

Caine looked at his hand, then back at him.

"I don't shake hands with strangers" he answered

"Well I'm not really a stranger," Henry said putting his hand down "You remember Geoffrey right? One of your fellow guardians back in the old days? He's my grandfather"

"You don't say," he said sarcastically "I should have known. You have his face, his hair, and not to mention the whole throwing fire at people. You even have the same arrogant deminer"

"Thank you" Henry smiled as he wondered if Caine thought he could get him riled up by his words "How about I introduce some friends of mine? Let's see if you can guess who they are"

Some feet away, to his left, another figure stepped out into the open. Ryia arm swung as she walked, her axe held tightly in her hand.

"Ah look at that, it seemed that Gawain and Royale actually tied the knot"

The young woman looked nothing like her grandfather, but she certainly saw bits and pieces of his wife.

Ryia nodded at him, not a word coming from her mouth.

"And you know the King right?" Henry said as the King himself emerged from the trees "He brought his son-in-law Matthew with him" Matthew stepped out of the trees, standing next to Ryia

Caine shook his head at the group. What was this new guardian trying to do? Intimidate him? Well, it wasn't working.

"This other friend of mine, I really think you're going to like her" Henry smirked

Between the guardians, a figure stepped forward. Her dark brown hair and cape flowed in the wind. Caine's brows furrowed at the young woman, what was so special about her?

Then the light hit her chest, and whatever was there reflected it. Caine squinted at the object, his ageing eyes not able to see so far away. But he could make out the outline of the object, and his face fell when he noticed what it was. He had stared right into it before his fall.

That couldn't be her, he was sure he destroyed her in the last battle. Plus this young woman looked nothing like her. But how did she get it? Was it not destroyed with its previous owner?

"Doesn't she look familiar to you?" Henry asked he got no reply "Not even a little bit?" again nothing

He knew what she could be, but not who she was.

"You remember your old mentor Merek right?" Henry asked but didn't wait for an answer this time "This is his great-granddaughter Morgaine. She....is our new Sun Queen"

Caine's heart sank, his suspicions right. She was the Sun Queen. It made sense that it would be a descendant of Merek, Solaria would trust no one else with her power. But she looked nothing like what a Sun Queen should look like. That didn't matter though, she was the Sun Queen.