Page 83 of A Serenade To The Elf Queen
“I’ll come back for you,” I whisper to the new friends I’ve made. My heart feels heavy to leave them whimpering in their cold cages.
I stalk the men silently as they gather over a wide field strewn with decrepit cottages and stables. An old, crumbling keep looms far beyond the barren hill. Nausea creeps up my throat over the metallic smell in the air. Some of these guards must be magic wielders.
“Stop crying!” A guard clad in a black robe shouts at the imprisoned creatures, threatening them to behave. He’s struggling to tame a fierce horse—a Noctral. Its sentient eyes recognize me immediately.
“What are you doing?” I pull the warlock by his cloak.
He doesn’t budge. I don’t think he even heard me.
One stumbles into me, the force sending me fumbling to the ground. I wince at the excruciating pain in my back. I almost apologize to the person beside me on the ground until I see her scaly skin mottled and desiccated.
I back away in horror.
This female is one of the folks from the Isle of Belestis, a siren. The wizard drags her lifeless body towards the pile of dead orcs and trolls.
What in the unholy hell am I seeing?
“Don’t do this. I have a family.” I turn to the familiar language.
An elven knight kneels on the ground with several other male prisoners. I recognize the emblem on his chainmail. It’s from an ancient house with no surviving member, the Kiritengu clan.
I gasp when the warlock slits his throat without warning. They drain his blood into a chalice. The fae does not plead,knowing it will do him no good. Neither does the dwarf lined up behind him. I refuse to look when the blade strikes again and again.
A terrible realization finally sinks in my stomach as I turn my head left and right.
Gods have mercy.
The men are rounding up these unique creatures for slaughter.
I race as fast as I can towards the nearest metallic crates. A rare flower fairy blinks its almond eyes at me. The Fawünans are thought to be long extinct. I offer my finger through the narrow bars to comfort her. The creature takes it warily with a nervous smile.
My eyes scan the surroundings, looking for any weapon to break the container. I release her tiny hand and aim for the pitchfork from the nearby barn. The wooden handle may be rotten, but it will do. I whirl around to see two men are lifting the Fawünan’s container from the wagon.
I chase after them with all my might, swinging my weapon.
“Release her!” My words fall on deaf ears. The strange men remain unharmed even as I stab them. They can’t feel or see me like these beasts can.
“You can’t do this.” I try snatching the box from their hands desperately but it’s useless. It feels as if I have been disembodied, my spirit roaming the land helplessly.
The crates are carried towards the center of the clearing one by one, to the sacrificial stone slab. I hear their cries, full of agony and suffering. I need to get them out of here.
An odd entity with a lithe body made entirely of flames tries to burn down its container. I grab the rods to assist the fiery being.
Help me.
I pray for the strength from the Un to peel the cage so the fire monster can escape. I’m tampering with one of the arts decreed as forbidden by the Aeonians but I don’t care. The skin in my palms cracks and bleeds but at least the iron struts are starting to bend a little. The creature inside stares at me with hope.
Any warmth left in my heart is crushed when a wizard hauls the flame monster by the neck and carries it to the altar. I launch to tackle the sorcerer, biting his hand desperately. My punches and teeth meet nothing but air.
No. No. No.
The mythical creature screams and screams as he raises his knife. Its haunting screech fills the cold night air.
Despair tears through my chest. No matter how I try to protect the prisoners, it’s useless. I don’t know what else to do.
“One, two, pull!” The warlocks heave as they drag a giant black wolf to the butchering block.
This is the last resort I have. I lay my body over the beast, covering him from harm. A pair of shiny blue eyes gazes into mine. The wolf whimpers sadly, telling me to run away.
