The Ear archer 2

CHAPTER 35

Yart and Ferdil were smoking on their pipes under the canopy of the dark sky.
In a sudden twist of events, their companions had become powerful kings in literally a twinkle of an eye.
Yart allowed himself to lean against the tree which supported his weight.
It was in this woods the enchanter had proposed a meeting.
The night was cold and quiet, just the way he liked it.
He threw a glance at his elder brother, Ferdil was mindlessly sucking on his pipe as if his life depended on the tobacco he was inhaling into his lungs.
Suddenly, a bright light flashed across the sky.
Immediately, Yart sprang to his feet, he beckoned to Ferdil who followed suit clumsily.
The enchanter's vulture fell from the sky and plummeted straight to the woods.
Just before it hit the ground, the vulture Transformed into the enchanter.
Yart's smile was wide but before he could get a word out, Ferdil enveloped the enchanter in the fiercest of hugs.
Yart shook his head in disbelief but the enchanter seemed rather enthralled by the gesture.
All three men sat around a camp fire.
"Do you remember it?"
Ferdil began.
"remember what?" Yart inquired
"the good old days" Ferdil finished.
The enchanter laughed heartily.
"I remember, Ferdil was the grand commander of the army while you Yart. You were the lord commander of his assassins".
Yart smiled softly as his mind wandered through nostalgia.
"Those were the glorious days, when everything was much brighter". Yart admitted.
"The prince has found a replacement for the grand commander but he hasn't found a replacement for the position of lord of assassins"
The enchanter informed.
"Who do you think he will select for the position?" Ferdil enquired.
Yart mulled over the question for a moment before replying.
"I have absolutely no idea".

Gob gazed through the window in the uppermost part of his fortress.
He wondered how his life had become such a giant bumble. It was true foolishness leaving Verlain, now he was caught up in such multiple layers of mess than he could never wiggle his way out of.
His ears caught footsteps scampering towards him. He was certain they didn't belong to any of Eveliet' guards for they moved with flair.
He stood still as one of his men raced towards him.
Gob kept his composure as he readied himself for whatever occurrence.
The Solider bowed to him in standard military fashion, Gob acknowledged his salute with a brief nod.
"General, you need to see this".
Gob followed the solider to the watchtower that overlooked the Alcron territory.
He was handed a hand telescope.
Gob received the device and peered through it.
The sight that met him chilled him to his core.
Hundreds of leagues away from his fortress was a massive smoke which moved at incredible speed.
It could only mean an army of Alcrons were coming for them.
Gob turned to the solider.
"With their current speed, how long till they get to us? "
"two days sir, if we are lucky"
"send a message to the encampment and prepare to defend the fortress".

Persus pulled open the piece of parchment which had been delivered by a messenger hawk.
The contents was concise and to the point.
He scanned through the content with bewildered eyes.
Immediately he turned to his personal guards.
"Send a hawk to the southern fortress. Inform the prince the northern fortress will soon be under attack.
Oh, and make ready twenty thousand men, we leave for the north immediately".
Persus knew it would take at least a day for the hawk to reach the prince and till such a time, he was in charge and that was no joke.

The prince was satisfied with the southern fortress, it came as no surprise however for its general had fifty years of military experience under his belt.
He had spent two days in the southern fortress and was ready to leave.
He noticed the southern general running towards him, he refused to stay in place for the old man to run towards him.
Instead he raced towards the old general.
"your highness, a bird came with a message for you".
The prince received the letter.
It carried grand commander Persus's seal.
When he read the letter, he did his best to stay calm.
He knew the information was already a day old and he needed to cover a four day journey to the north in literally no time.
He turned to the southern general.
"fortify your fortress the best you can, I'll send word".
He strode towards flame, the prince stroked the beast with tender.
The half horse half unicorn responded to his touch.
"flame, I have a favour to ask. The prince began.
"I need to cover a four day journey in the shortest possible time.
I need your top speed. Can you do that for me? "
Flame looked at him with his intelligent eyes before nodding.
The prince smiled.
He mounted flame and heaved. Flame's top speed meant his nose would bleed from the air pressure blasting against his nose.
He braced himself for that eventuality before leaning into Flame's ear.
"tutor me boy, tutor me in the art of speed".
The southern general watched in horror as Flame raced towards the horizon with unnatural speed.

Persus and the twenty thousand soldiers who accompanied him had their sights on the northern fortress.
He urged his horse to go faster, they had spent two days on the road and every second counted.
Gob witnessed from the watch tower as Persus and his twenty thousand men made their way to his fortress.
He gave order that the gate be lowered for their entry.
It was then he saw a white steed emerge from the horizon, he needed no seer to tell him it was the prince of Xan.
He narrowed his eyes in mild shock as the Prince's steed covered the distance between himself and Persus's army with unnatural speed.
Persus through his peripheral vision caught sight of the prince riding up behind him.
Before he could gather his bearings and turn, the prince was side by side with him.
He smiled as the weight of leader was taken off his shoulder.
The prince, Persus and twenty thousand armed men rode into the northern fortress.