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  Lord Martin shook his head and said to the Elves who could not hear him, “You have shot only a handful, and there is a whole army left. Why don’t you cheer when the whole goblin army is dead?”

  The commotion caused more movement at the back of the army near the tree line. The sea of goblins parted, allowing a single figure to step forward. Lord Martin did not need to guess who it was. He held his breath as he saw the Deceiver. Clad in a dull gray cloak, he did not look any different than anyone else he had ever seen from a mile away. He had expected some sort of glowing magic aura to surround and encompass him, but he appeared just as any man might. Maybe up close he would look more powerful and dangerous.

  Behind the Deceiver stood a ring of large human-looking beasts that were overly endowed with muscles. Even from his distance, Lord Martin could sense their dangerousness. Their sense of calm in the sea of frenzied goblins made Lord Martin begin to wonder whether those handful of Deceiver’s soldiers was more dangerous than the entire goblin army.

  Lord Martin slowly moved back from the tower’s open window, as if he could be seen in the shadows and through a tiny window. His heart began to pound as he realized what was about to happen. The battle that they had been waiting for was finally here, and the sight of the enemy stretching to the horizon sent fear through his veins that froze his heart. Sweat poured down from his forehead, even though a cool breeze was blowing through the window. Deep in his gut, he had known that this was a war that they could not win, and the sight of the Deceiver and his army sealed his convictions. Maybe it was too late to save the people of Karmon, but it certainly was not too late to save himself.

  ***

  The charging goblins were all dead. Hundreds more were pushing their way from the forest, but those that broke from the mass early were strewn across the ground charred or punctured with arrows. The Elven archers took a collective breath as they took stock of their success. Their accuracy was not merely because they were highly skilled, but each had been trained to couple their magic abilities with their archery abilities. The arrows flew farther, faster, and more accurately because of simple spells that were cast with each shot. Nearly every arrow that flew was fatal, driving through the skulls or chests of the goblins, dropping them into the ground, tumbling through the mud.

  With Stone Ogres clearly visible a mile away and a horde of goblins chomping at the bit to charge, Conner felt vulnerable, even though he was atop a forty-foot tall wall that was nearly ten feet wide at its base. Right now, though, there was nothing for him to do. His swords would do no good, and although he was highly skilled with the bow, there was no chance he could shoot an arrow as far and as accurately as Glaerion and the other Elves. He felt useless and wanted to do something, but until the goblins breached the wall or they mounted a counter-attack, there was little for him to do.

  Hargon, who had been busy firing fireballs at the sea of goblins, and doing seemly little damage, let his hands fall to his sides and let out a long sigh.

  “Are you okay?” Conner asked. The fierce vigor that he had seen in Hargon’s eyes just a moment ago was gone.

  “I’ll be fine,” Hargon replied with little confidence that he was fine. Like the Elves, he had used his magic to slay hundreds of goblins. The difference was that the Elven magic was innate to their being, and they could cast magically infused arrows all day long. Hargon’s abilities were limited, and he had reached that limit. His hand drifted to the necklace that was underneath his black robes. Its weight seemed to pull on his neck, making it uncomfortable.

  Conner hesitated a moment as he tried to come up with a non-threatening way to speak his mind. He knew that if he were a better leader, he would just say what he needed to say, but sometimes the words just would not come out. He wanted to say that casting fireballs was a complete waste of his energy, but he didn’t want to make Hargon angry or insult him. Hargon had been an emperor and had led many battles. A peasant like him telling an emperor how to fight battles bordered on the ridiculous. Yet, he still felt he needed to speak his mind.

  With as upbeat of a tone as he could muster, Conner said, “The Elves seemed to have been able to stop the first assault with their arrows. We have a long battle ahead. You need to conserve your energy.”

  The fiery eyes returned in an instant, and he snapped, “I am fully aware of what I need to do.”

  Hargon quickly realized his reaction was over the top when Conner flinched and took a half-step backward. Forcing a smile on his face, he reached out and put a hand on Conner’s shoulder and said, “I am sorry. I did not mean to snap. It is frustrating that I cannot use all my abilities all the time.”

  Conner gave a curt nod and said, “We are all on edge. No need to apologize.”

  “Well, anyway, that wasn’t much of an assault. That was just a handful of goblins testing the range of our archers.”

  “If the archers can reach them, maybe you should hold off on the fireballs,” Conner said timidly.

  Hargon laughed. “Just say it, Conner! Just tell me that it was a stupid waste of my energy to cast the fireballs.”

  “Yes, well, it was,” Conner stammered.

  “Leaders speak their mind, especially if it is the truth, and even if it makes those around them mad. Do not worry, I know that I got caught up in killing those despicable creatures. I intended only to see if they would break ranks, and as I saw them burn and die a painful death, I just wanted to see more of them die. I should not have let my emotions get the better of me.”

  “There are so many of them. We killed many of them, but there are so many still left.”

  “There are, but they are easy to kill. Fireballs and a single well-placed arrow will make quick work of them.” Hargon looked down at Conner and said, “There are many others, though, that won’t be so easy to kill. The stone creatures. Those flying creatures. I am sure there are plenty more that we have not seen. When the time comes, I fear I may not have enough power.”

  “Which is why you need to save as much of it as you can.”

  “Right,” Hargon replied quickly. “Or find a way to get more.”

  “How?”

  Hargon tapped his chest. “The pendant is empty. If the amulet were attached, then I would have all the power I would need. You heard the Dragon. Only the full power of the Ark of Life can defeat the Deceiver. And not only him, but his entire army.”

  “King Illichian thinks that it would be too dangerous.”

  “Sometimes King Illichian lives too far in the past. Their hatred of Humans might have waned, but it is still there. They are wary of us, and fearful that if we would gain power that we would try and conquer the world again. If we don’t have the power, then there might not even be a world for any of us to live in.”

  Seeing the forces of the Deceiver continue to grow in numbers right in front of him, Conner could not deny what Hargon was saying. There were warriors and soldiers committed to fighting to the end, but would that be enough?

  “The Deceiver is far away and protected by his entire army. How would you even try and get it? Wouldn’t we have to defeat the army, first?”

  “We have one of their spies with us,” Hargon said with a softer voice, even though no one else was near enough to hear what they were saying. “With the right motivation, it will help us.”

  “Marila, you mean? Lord Martin said she is dead!”

  Hargon let out a long, hearty laugh. With a loud, boisterous voice, Hargon said, “You think that fat imbecile killed her? She is an agent of the Deceiver, and it will take quite a bit more than that fat man to kill her.”

  “What do we do, then?”

  “Your wife and King Illichian have been planning the castle’s defenses and even a counter-attack led by your fabled Karmon Knights. What they do not understand, though, is that sometimes battles aren’t fought on a large scale with thousands of soldiers. Sometimes, a handful of warriors can turn the tide of war. We will need Marila to help us get close to the Deceiver and take the Ark of Life from ar
ound his neck.”

  Glaerion, who had left them to fire some arrows of his own, returned just in time to catch Hargon’s last words.

  “Take the Ark of Life?” Glaerion interjected. In one hand he held a longbow. In the other, he held an empty quiver. “Do you see the army that the Deceiver has surrounding him? To even get close to him, we will have to kill thousands of goblins, all the Stone Ogres, and who knows whatever other beasts the Deceiver has to protect him. We might need the full power of the Ark of Life to defeat him in the end, but we must defeat his army first. If you think we can’t defeat his army without the full power, then we are doomed. We must find a way to defeat the army first, and then worry about getting the Ark.”

  Hargon shook his head. “It is all the same fight. While the attack is happening, we will be able to outflank their army and get in behind them.”

  “We need to talk with King Illichian, then,” Glearion said. “Whatever we do, we must coordinate our attacks.”

  “It is too late for that. The enemy will attack in force at any moment. If we are going to do something, it must be done now.” Hargon continued to explain for a few more minutes.

  The more he talked, the more Glaerion listened. In the end, he was rubbing his chin and nodding his head. “It just might work.”

  “It must work,” Hargon said. “We have little choice.”

  “Putting the Ark of Life in the hands of just one man is dangerous,” Glaerion said, his eyes catching Conner’s.

  “You see their army. Do you really believe we have enough fighters to defend the castle?”

  Conner locked eyes with Glaerion, knowing what his Elven friend was thinking. At some point, they would have to wrestle the Ark of Life from Hargon’s hands, but that would have to come later. First, they would have to defeat the Deceiver and his army. They could not worry about what might have to happen afterward, else there might not be an afterward.

  Glaerion broke away from Conner’s gaze first. “You go and get Marila. I will coordinate the archers until it is time. They will surely test our defenses again before their final assault.”

  Hargon put his hand on Conner’s back to give him a nudge to leave the wall. “Quickly,” Hargon said. “I’ll need to be back before the assault begins.”

  Conner followed Hargon down the steps the led to the courtyard, and then they wove their way through the fighters that were preparing for battle. Elves, Humans, and Dwarves were all intermingled. Some were seasoned soldiers and warriors, but most were simple farmers and merchants who had never held a sword before. The fear they kept in their hearts was evident on their faces. Even if they won the war, many of these regular people would not survive the day. Conner did his best to push the thoughts out of his mind, but with each step, he saw only young men and boys, ready to fight for the survival of the world. His own heart was heavy, for if he failed, then he would fail all these brave men and women who should not be put in this position. The young should have a chance to grow old, and many of them would not.

  When they passed through the entrance to the mountain cavern, Conner expected some stillness and calmness, but he found it to be just as busy as the courtyard. Elissa had been preparing those who were not able to fight to help treat any wounded. She was standing in the center of a cleared area when Hargon and Conner burst through the main doorway.

  “Conner!” she called out.

  Conner rushed up to her and noticed a concerned look on her face. “What is it?”

  “Has it started yet?” she asked.

  “No, but soon. You’ve been busy!”

  “Since I cannot fight, I needed to do something productive. We are ready to treat any who are in need. What are you doing?”

  “We are going to see if Marila can help us.”

  “Marila?” Elissa exclaimed. “Lord Martin said he killed her.”

  Hargon let out a grunt and pulled on Conner’s arm. “We have no time for this.”

  “Hargon does not believe she is dead.”

  With impatience clearly in his voice, Hargon said, “Lord Martin has been doing everything he can to get us to leave the protective walls of the castle. I do not know what he is thinking, but I do not trust anything that he says.” His eyes focused on Elissa, and he lowered his voice. “Plus, Marila is not Human. She is a creature from the realm of the Deceiver, and she cannot be easily killed. Even if Lord Martin wanted to kill her, he would not be able to.”

  Elissa shook her head in silent defiance. “She looks like us, acts like us. She is just like us!”

  Conner put a hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eye. “She might look like us, but she is not like us.”

  “She ran from the Deceiver and to us. I do not believe that she is one of them anymore. She is not our enemy.”

  “We cannot know for sure, can we?”

  Elissa’s eyes narrowed, and although her voice was soft, it still was fiery. “I know for sure. I don’t care that she’s not Human or where she’s from. Once I was an innocent princess who couldn’t see good from bad because I thought everyone and everything was good. I know that’s not true, but I also can see good from bad, and Marila is good.”

  “I hope you’re right,” Conner replied. He did not want to argue with Elissa, but he also didn’t want to blindly follow her instincts, which could be wrong. The battle was to begin soon, and they were running out of time before their swords and magic where needed.

  Conner started to pull away, but Elissa put a hand on his arm to hold him near her. With a quieter voice, she asked, “If she is still alive, what are you going to do with her?”

  “We’re going to find out if she’s truly with us. We need her help.”

  “With what?” Elissa pressed.

  Conner certainly was not going to tell Elissa their plan at this moment, for she had enough on her mind. Their plan was dangerous and likely deadly. In time, she would find out but now was not the right time. He let Hargon pull him away.

  “Conner!” Elissa said, taking a step after him.

  “Don’t worry, we’re not going to hurt her.” Before she could ask any more questions, he turned and walked quickly towards the hidden stairwell that led to the castle’s dungeons.

  As they descended the stairs, Hargon said, “Queen Elissa is doing a wonderful thing, preparing for the wounded. But, you know this will be a battle with few wounded. The Deceiver’s creatures will fight to kill and keep fighting until every one of them is killed.”

  “I know, but she needs something to keep her occupied. I’m sure she knows it, too. If she weren’t with child, she would be standing on the wall.”

  “Not a place for women.”

  Conner smiled. “No, it’s not, but I wouldn’t be able to keep her away.”

  They reached the bottom of the stairs, and Conner asked, “If she is dead, could you heal her like you did me?”

  “I have never been able to bring something back from the dead that was dead for longer than a few minutes.”

  “But me?”

  Hargon shook his head as he took the lead down the dark corridor. The torches that had once been lit to light the dungeon had gone out as the two guards who had once watched over her were now preparing for battle. He lifted a hand, and a small ball of fire appeared in his hand giving them plenty of light to see.

  “I have thought much about that day,” Hargon said. “For many reasons. I do not know how I was able to bring you back from the dead, for never before that moment, nor after that moment, have I been able to heal someone who was dead as long as you were. There always had to be just a little bit of life left over. I can only conclude that you were not fully dead.”

  “Well, that would certainly explain why I remembered my visions.”

  “The power of the Creator is immense.”

  “Then why doesn’t He step in and stop the Deceiver?”

  Hargon came to a quick stop. “I am no priest. I believe in the Creator, the One God, or whatever you like to call Him. He is the only answe
r to many questions, such as how I was able to have the power to heal, or the power to cast magic. I also believe that if there is a force as evil as the Deceiver, there must be a force that is good.”

  “Now you sound like Master Goshin.”

  “Your old Hurai friend?”

  “Yes. The one your brother murdered.”

  “Tarcious was as evil as the Deceiver. If only I had noticed early on, maybe I could have stopped him. We are all here at this point in time because of the Creator. All the power to defeat the Deceiver is in our hands, but we must have the courage and fortitude to use that power. Humans. Elves. Dwarves. Dragons. All of us working as one to defeat evil. At one time, all the races hated one another, but now we are allies. Is that not the Creator working to defeat the Deceiver?”

  “Plus, we have the Ark of Life and the Spear of Salvation.”

  “Right. The power of the Creator is not in what he does but in the belief of his people in him. That is how we will win.”

  Conner smiled and laughed. “Wow, you really do sound like Master Goshin! When did you get so deep?”

  Hargon smiled. “I was once emperor of the greatest nation this world has ever known. My lineage put me on the throne, but my wisdom and knowledge kept me there. At least until my brother poisoned me.”

  “You hide it well.”

  Hargon’s smile turned into a laugh. “The time will come when our world will need new leaders, and maybe I will be one of them. In the meantime, though, we have to make sure that there is a world to lead.”

  They both turned and continued down the dark corridor. Conner felt that Hargon had the skills to lead them, but he also was as wary as Glaerion. The power of the Ark of Life was strong and maybe was too strong for any one man. If that man was in complete control, it could be corrupting. His conclusion now was no different than when he and Glaerion discussed the issue. They needed the power of the Ark of Life to defeat the Deceiver, but its power would not be needed once there was peace. Eventually, they would have to convince Hargon to relinquish that power. Hopefully, it would not lead them out of peace.