Three Broken Kingdoms-Book 1 of the Lost Continent (Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Four, Part Two: Orion's Right Hand

Talia's Point of View

Myra had offered to train the elves, but Talia had refused. They would be fine she said. No matter if the people training them knew little more than they did themselves. But after watching hours of the elves desperately try to lift their swords on the first day, and then struggle through the movements, Talia's voice was hoarse from shouting.

But what really boiled her blood? When one of the elves dropped the accursed training sword whilst going thorough basic warm-up motions.

"Have you no shame?" She had yelled at them all. "This is the only hope of the elfin city-states to remain free from the Empress' tyranny. The only hope of your families to survive. The only hope of our peoples." Ten minutes later, someone else dropped their sword.

Talia had written to Myra, putting her pride aside and asking for the general's help. But watching her and one of her lower generals appear in the elfin camp, she began to have doubts.

How many times had she heard that general's name? Whispered with fear, or screamed as a battle cry by the valkyries.

Talia hadn't been her brother's Second whilst they had been at war; she had been a teenager, but still the fear seeped through to her. Myra Isidore. Legend and nightmare, and right now riding toward them, her loyal army following in her wake.

Talia did her best to stand tall, to keep her face neutral, even as the vague shapes on the hill grew clearer and clearer and she could see Myra in ornate, glistening armour of red and gold, armour that bore dragons. The army marching toward her might be her only hope of saving her city-state, the only hope of training her army of gifted magic-wielders who could not hold a sword properly.

When this was over, she made a silent vow that she would begin a training program for at least swordplay so something like this wouldn't catch them by surprise again.

"Swords and bows were a wise choice, Princess Talia." The High General said. Although she never went by that title, she was still a princess of the Swallow line. "But they may not be enough, even if the valkyries fight with them. I understand you've been sending out your scouts?"

"Yes, Princess Myra," she replied. Honestly, she couldn't think of a more ridiculous name for the valkyrie before her, but being called 'princess' did not sit well with her, and she guessed Myra would despise it as well even if she technically had a claim to the title.

"The numbers are far more than previous estimates concluded. I believe she has sent backup that we believed simply did not exist. Six hundred thousand soldiers now march under her banner, and better trained than we believed they were. Her weaponary, too, is not what we expected, and she has far more wealth than we believed." The general nodded.

"And there is no confirmation as to whatever blocks your people's magic?"

"Nothing, Your Highness." She frowned.

"Of course, we must hope to discover what this is during the battle. Our main goal is to deactivate it, or find some exception to this...shield, but training the elfin soldiers for a battle when their magic means nothing could become an asset, and with the full force of the valkyries, we could hold Medea's army back long enough for them to get sufficient training."

"If I may," Talia considered. "Let's say that we cannot break the 'shield'. We can assume that it is somehow tied to the Crimson family, correct?"

"It seems likely," Myra shrugged. "Or whatever alchemy the young prince discovered."

"If it is Queen Medea's handiwork, than we could assasinate her. It's likely she has her own magic 'shields' in place, but if a valkyrie could..."