Chapter 345: Alone in Undergrowth

Chapter 345: Alone in Undergrowth

Lord Loch walked down the bloodied dirt road with a calm slow gait. He held his arms behind his back as he examined the charred and mauled corpses of his soldiers that were strewn about the ground.

Loch sighed in disgust and disappointment. There was so much smoke in the sky it seemed dark even in the middle of the day. The neighborhood was a scorched graveyard of Undergrowths soldiers and mages. Even now, the army was clamoring around the neighborhoods central square, where the fires had yet to spread.

A soldier clad in slim forest-green armor with a golden trim stood at the back of the army, standing on what seemed to be a small make-shift tower. The soldier noticed Lochs approach and she quickly clambered down the tower to meet him.

General Loch! she said respectfully and went down on one knee.

Commander Siona, Loch said tersely. You were the one in charge of this mission, yes?

Y-yes, my lord! Siona nodded and kept her eyes on his feet.

And you were given leadership over ten companies of soldiers, a total of a thousand skilled drow men and women, yes?

Yes, my lord.

Hm, he nodded thoughtfully. Tell me, why is it that I have counted over 50 dead bodies on my way over here? Was it so beyond your meager skill to capture a single master mage? Or am I missing something?

Weve lost a little over 200 actually.

200!? Youre telling me 200 of our soldiers are dead!? Loch screamed angrily.

Siona flinched, Um, not exactly, some of them were mages, my lord.

Loch went for his sword, but he stopped, closed his eyes, and took a slow calming breath, How did this happen, commander?

The Ebon Aspirant had help, my lord.

Loch frowned, Help? The mages of Hollow Shade were spotted on the western side of the city. They managed to break through our armys barricades with minimal casualties and are now on the run in the forest. Such a feat would have required the help of all their mages and an extremely skilled company of soldiers, House Katags guard. So what possible help could the Aspirant have had here?

It was a single man, a drow.

A single drow? Loch gripped the hilt of his sword.

Hes riding a dire bear! Siona said anxiously.

A dire bear? Binding magic? Loch clicked his tongue, Ah, Vayu of House Glaz. Leave it to a true mage to cause more trouble than they are worth. Loch stiffened, Wait. You said riding? Hes still alive?

Siona nodded, We have him and the Aspirant surrounded in the central square.

I see. Im glad to know your ineptitude at least has its limits, Loch said. Lead me to them.

Yes, my lord, Siona nodded.

The soldiers at the rear of the crowd quickly stepped back and made way for their general as commander Siona led him to the forefront of the battlefield.

At the center of the square stood a lone dire bear, its thick hide was riddled with cuts and broken arrows. Two figures sat on the bears leather saddle, one was a young drow with delicate features marred by blood and soot. The other was hidden underneath a mottled grey cloak. Several dozens of mangled corpses lay at their feet.

Loh ignored his taunting words and cradled Vayus head in her arms. Her tears fell and mixed with the blood on his face as she whispered quiet apologies to him.

Loch shook his head in disgust, Oh, Elohnoir, how did you think this was going to end? I am an archmage, even if you both werent at the brink of utter exhaustion, you still would have lost. Has living in the golden comforts of Hollow Shade really left you so arrogant that youd actually think you could face the might of Undergrowth all alone?

Loh slowly looked up at him, her shimmering blue eyes glaring at him, Someday, my grandfather will find you and your deranged queen, and death will be the least of your worries.

Loch laughed, Oh, you stupid girl, do you really think I am afraid of a man who hides behind his precious wall of shades?

Suddenly, a torrential storm of azure flames fell down from the skies and swept through a large swathe of the crowded city square. The tightly-packed soldiers had nowhere to run as the flames devoured them. Armor and wards alike melted in the scorching inferno. The blue flames grew and spiraled outwards in a flower-like pattern, burning through the square.

Lord Loch stared, dumbfounded, as the flames burned around him, the cries of his soldiers dying in the firelight.

It wasnt possible, he thought numbly.

The sheer level of destruction In a handful of seconds, he had lost over 400 soldiers.

Loch stumbled back in fear. He recognized the flames, he had heard the tales, the myths, and whispers. The flame that surpassed all others. The spell that had bestowed Elzri Noir the title of Most Powerful Archmage in all the Ebon Realm.

The Azure Flower Loch whispered in dread.

Loh slowly looked up at the flood of flames flowing around the square. There was only one man who could cast the azure flame. Grandfather? she mumbled.

As the azure fires dissipated, a blurred figure appeared at the center of the inferno; a drow wearing a white cloak with a black flame crest etched on its back.

Grandfather! Loh cried out in relief.

How? You cant be here! Lord Loch yelled anxiously.

You are wrong, the flames rippled as the quiet yet potent voice spoke.

Loh frowned in confusion, That voice?

A tall graceful drow stepped out of the azure flames. She wore the white cloak of House Noir. Her eyes were a familiar cold grey and her narrow face held the same disdainful expression. Even her voice was similar. But she was not Elzri.

You may not fear my brother, Una Noir narrowed her eyes, But you will fear me.

Get back! Lord Loch yelled in a panicked voice and summoned forth a wall of stone and vines between them.

Una swept her hand through the air and her fire answered. Azure flames bloomed to life around her and consumed the wall of green magic.

Her daughter Unalla jumped out a window of a nearby abandoned house and raised the massive black sword Votum above her and yelled, ATTACK!!!

Forty mages, dressed in the theater garments of the Singing Willow Troupe, rushed out of other nearby houses and charged the remaining scattered soldiers.

Loh looked around, dazed, blood dripping down her head. Vayu was on the ground, his body growing cold as blood seeped from his abdomen. Actors and dancers were running around, casting powerful spells at screaming dying soldiers.

Is this real? Loh wondered. Her vision blurred into darkness and the world fell into oblivion.