The General of the United States had one foot on a dead Light Elf that he had struck down earlier. His surroundings seemed to make him grin evilly, and the Xerain inside him chuckled for the hundredth time. The once green trees were blackened with ash and stuck out of the earth like bony fingers. Wood and stone houses were burned and broken down along with lifeless cattle surrounding the base. A large destroyed castle lay in waste with the broken walls and shattered archways and windows. Bushes were ignited and the once alive Arylornians lay dead at the feet at several somber looking soldiers. They knew this was wrong, but what power did they have against their general? They couldn’t possibly rise up in rebellion to their ill-wrought leader. Ultheron sat in a large military caravan along with other captured Elves. Their hands were handcuffed and their feet were bound with thick wire. One of the Elves was a woman that looked like she was in her twenties. She had long white-blonde hair and baby blue eyes. Her long green and white dress had gold designs on it and a tree symbol on the front.
“Well, I guess now we’re bait.” One Light Elf nobleman said.
“Do not think that, sir! We are meager hostages that will soon be hard working slaves!” One noble lady snapped.
“Please . . . don’t bicker . . . I’m not in the mood to hear Light Elves fight . . .” Ultheron said sorrowfully. He had enough of hearing people fight.
“The Shadow Elf is right. We mustn’t fight. We must depend on each other to survive this.” The woman in the green and white dress said.
“Are you really going to listen to him, Your Majesty?” A man in emerald armor said.
“Yes, I know that he is right, Sir Roginal. Though he is a Shadow Elf, his heart is broken and filled with sorrow. Why not comfort him?” The woman said. Ultheron looked up at the woman. She was staring at him with kind eyes that held truth and wisdom. He knew she wasn’t lying. Ultheron scooted closer to her, but Sir Roginal blocked his path and urged him to stay away.
“Allow him to sit with us, Roginal. He needs the comfort.” The woman said. Roginal grunted and moved aside. Ultheron scooted next to the woman.
“You’re rather a handsome boy. May I ask for your name?” The woman asked.
“My name is Ultheron Scrythar. I’m from Aelia. My father is part of the Duskguard there.” Ultheron said.
“Ah, yes. The legion of the greatest knights in Aelia. I’ve heard of them. But my name is Queen Alayna,” Alayna said, and held out her hand. Ultheron shook it. “How did you end up in this dreadful vehicle?”
“I was spying for the Shadow Elves at their base but I was discovered before they left for Tellios. I am now their hostage.” Ultheron said.
“How terrible, I am sorry for what you had gone through.” Alayna said. Roginal muttered something under his breath. The caravan curtains were pulled aside. Nate stood there, a platter with an assortment of foods on it in his hands. He looked gloomy and, to Ultheron, sick.
“Please, eat quickly. The soldiers don’t want you to starve. We stole some food from the general’s tent and thought we would allow you to chow down on some.” Nate said, looking down at his feet. Roginal raised an eyebrow.
“How do we know it’s not poisoned?” He asked suspiciously.
“I would not lie to an elf if I knew that they can tell if one is lying.” Nate said, putting the platter in the middle. He crawled into the caravan and took the handcuffs off of them, but he didn’t unbind their feet. On the platter were a couple of chicken legs, a large steak, warmed mashed potatoes, broccoli, carrots, strawberries, and a bowl of chicken noodle soup. A second soldier pulled aside the caravan curtains but he balanced a platter with about seven cups on it. He climbed into the caravan and handed each of them a cup. Ultheron started down into the cup.
“What’s wrong?” Nate asked, seeing Ultheron stare suspiciously into the grey cup.
“Um . . . is it poisoned?” Ultheron asked.
“I knew you would ask that question. Better safe than sorry. No it’s poisoned.” Nate responded. Ultheron saw that he wasn’t lying, and raised the cup to his lips and drank. It was just plain water. He grabbed a chicken leg and ate some of the meat off. The others ate some mashed potatoes, half of the carrots, and the broccoli. Roginal ate half of the steak, but left some for Ultheron. Ultheron ate the remaining mashed potatoes and steak. The soup was untouched so he used a spoon that was on the platter and ate the soup.
“Well, now I can stop worrying about you guys starving to death now that you’re fed.” Nate said smiling.
“Thank you, Nate. And what’s your name?” Ultheron asked the man who had brought them the drinks.
“The name’s Gary. It was nice greetin’ you all. I used to believe in that garbage that the General would say about you guys. After seein’ the terrified looks on them Elven faces I had a hunch that the General was up to no good. They didn’t fight or try to throw some daggers at us, they ran to the hills! But before I can stop the General the whole place was burnin’ down.” Gary said.
“It’s alright, Gary. It’s not your fault. It was the General’s fault.” Nate said, putting a hand on Gary’s shoulder.
“I know, Nate, but it’s not just his fault . . . it’s our entire fault! We’re destroyin’ the most beautiful land that I’ve been to! I feel like a big ol’ terrorist!” Gary cried.
“Well, before this place burnt to the ground, I picked a flower for my lady.” Nate said with a smile. He crawled to the back of the caravan and opened a chest. He reached inside and pulled out a large lavender flower with gold spots and a silver stem. It seemed to glow with a purple aura.
“That’s a Starfire Bloom! They are said to give light to the holder.” Alayna said.
“That’s what I’d thought it was called. I thought I could bring a piece of Tellios home before it gets destroyed. My lady would ever so gladly love a flower from here.” Nate said, a frown wiping away his smile.
“Why can’t you rise against him as one? He would powerless if his whole army brought him down.” Roginal asked.
“Last thing you want to do is get on the General’s bad side. You see, when he’s angry, he can literally kill someone with his mind,” Nate dropped his voice to a low whisper. “He isn’t like any normal human general. He has powers that are beyond our imagination. The General can use powers like lifting things off the ground without even touching them. He can choke someone without even touching their throat.” Nate whispered.
“I know why he is like this.” Ultheron said.
“Really? Why is the General like this?” Gary asked.
“He is possessed by a being called the Xerain. I have formed a hypothesis that the leader of the Xerain, Xryx, possesses your general. Xryx’s motive is to rid the Two Worlds of all life and make a land of darkness and despair.” Ultheron said. Nate sighed.
“So . . . we are unable to stop him?” Gary asked rather sadly.
“You might not be able to defeat Xryx, but someone can. I have had dreams of a great dragon soaring through the sky and unleashing its fury on the General. That same day after my dream I felt the presence of a girl. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t find her. Yet when I sit down, I can feel the girl somewhere, and I learned of her name in one of my dreams.” Alayna said.
“What was her name?” Gary asked.
“Her name . . . was Ashaedia.”
Ultheron gasped.
“She . . . She’s traveling with King Ashnero.” Ultheron said.
“Are you sure? ‘Cause the last time I heard of her was that disappeared.” Alayna said. Ultheron’s smile faded quickly. Then he looked down and began to cry.
“We’re dead . . . we’re done for . . . Tellios will fall and both worlds will be destroyed . . .” Ultheron sobbed.
“No, we will not die. Ashaedia will return when the full moon rises.” Alayna said.
“When’s that?” Nate asked.
“The twenty-fifth of December. Christmas.” Alayna said. Gary and Nate gasped.
“On Christmas? That’s insane!” Nate said angrily.
“And that is when the war between Tellios and the United States begins,” Alayna said. “And that will be the day when Ashaedia saves us all.”