Ember Sword Chapter 6: The Calm of Solarwood

 

(Concept art provided by Bright Star Studios)

Scouts were keeping a close eye on the ogre chief and his pack. They raided the rest of the farmlands with many of the farmers seeking refuge in the village. Whatever the ogres did not need they burned to the ground. Felix and his father, Bryon would come across other villages and homes of family and friends. Nothing left but cinder. 

While Felix and Bryon were scouting, Edward was assisting the other townspeople in reinforcing the village. Setting up spike pits, extra lumber on the gate, and digging trenches. Edward wiped the sweat from his brow, he wasn't in the cold of Skyder anymore. He noticed Mara with a group of townsfolks teaching them some basic sword skills. Mara would give a command which the townsfolks would demonstrate. Mara dawned her short blade, some of the townsfolks had crude dull swords, kitchen knives, and woodcutting hatchets. Edward knew they weren't warriors, they didn't stand a chance. After the morale and cheers to fight a few days ago, Edward saw the reality that not many else could see. This was going to be a slaughter. Edward saw Felix, Bryon, and the other scouts approach the gate. He felt a pit in his stomach, Felix was a good kid, how was he going to stand a chance against the chieftain. 

Felix approached Edward, "you're making some great improvement on the village walls!" Edward smirked, "it's no capital city, but it should hold off the line for a while." Felix slung his bow over his back, "that will give us plenty of time to pin cushion some of those pigs." Edward patted his shoulder, "why didn't you tell me you were quite a sharpshooter with the bow." Felix looked down and blushed, "all my families were hunters and scouts. We all were known for our archery but my father wanted me to be more than an archer when he saw the energies I could demonstrate as a kid." Edward remembered Felix dousing flames in Glenton with hydro energy, "you were demonstrating water energy at such a young age, that is a difficult energy." Felix looked away and mumbled, "well not exactly water energy." Edward raised an eyebrow but before he could ask Felix to elaborate, Mara approached them, "we are having a meeting in the tavern." 

Bryon, Mara, Edward, and some others were standing around a table with a crowd around them. Bryon raised his hand to quiet the crowd. Bryon took a deep breath, "With tracking the ogre's movements, they are heading this way as we speak. They will be here by nightfall. The chatter went throughout the room. Bryon continued, "we will be able to provide light with spotlights and our generators can hold. We will also have Mara's pyro energy." Mara nodded, "I'll do my best but I am cautious with most of the village being made of wood." Felix chimed in from the crowd, "we trust you, Mara! You're one of the republic's finest!" The crowd cheered. Mara gave a nervous half-smile, she wasn't one of the finest to others but compared to the townfolks she was running drills with, she felt that they were against major odds tonight. The plan was straightforward. Bryon and the other archers would stand on the wall to provide archery position. The trenches were lined with spikes that could slow down the ogres while being hit by arrows. Mara would be waiting at the gate with the other swordsman, lumberjacks, and townsfolks with pitchforks. Edward and Felix would be in the back, Felix to douse any buildings that may catch on fire, Edward to help the wounded and provide the last line of defense for the village. 

Felix and Edward were sent to gather any more wood that was needed before the battle that night. While gathering wood, Edward wanted Felix to elaborate on his earlier comment. "What exactly did you mean earlier when using energy at a young age", Edward asked. Felix gave a nervous grin, "Edward, can you uh...keep a secret?" Edward was confused, "uh, sure." What exactly was Felix having to say? Felix looked at the ground, "you won't report me to the republic right?" Edward raised an eyebrow, "Felix, you can talk to me, what are you talking about." Felix finally took a deep breath, "well, you know how there are specific types of energies, pyro, earth, cryo, hydro, electric, and light?" Edward wasn't comprehending, "that's what we are taught at the academy." Felix swallowed deep, "well..you see..my girlfriend...or uh...friend... apparently has new energy known as abyssal or void. I can't remember what they called it" Edward changed to a calming voice, "Felix, where is this going." Felix paused, "well my village has a special energy. It's only seen once every century, but I have it, I can control the forest. I knew that foreign energies were against the republic." Edward was shocked, what was Felix talking about with illegal energies? He was an officer and he didn't even know about that law. It may have been old law from a time long ago. They were far from the republic in Solarwood forest. Felix continued, "my parents thought that if I went to the academy I could master other energies. Before Edward could tell Felix that there were not any illegal energies that he knew of, the horn rang from the village. The ogres were near. 

Scouts spotted the ogres on the road, the sun was setting and dusk was upon them, everyone was getting into position. Nightfall would soon be on them. Edward stood back, seeing the people around him, the reality hit him again. He knew these people weren't going to stand a chance, and Felix, what on Thanabus was he talking about with controlling the forest? Edward took a deep breath. He saw Mara look back from her position and gave him a thumbs up. Edward gave a forced smile and gave one back. That is when he felt the first raindrop brush his cheek.

The rain began to shower the town. This was going to be a dangerous dilemma. With the rain coming down, Mara's pyro could be easily extinguished. The rain would also make everyone soaked in water which could make his lighting blast lethal towards the townsfolks. This was not good at all. The lamps still gave some light to the village but Edward and Mara's energies were now useless. Edward began to panic and through the light could see Mara thinking the same thing. He began to hear the ogres on the path in front of them as he could hear their war horns. Bryon could see the ogres now, their chieftain leading their pack. They howled and screamed while banging their weapons against their shields. Edward was getting anxious now. He wanted to run, he wanted to take Felix and Mara out of here. The howls and banging of the ogres were loud now and could be heard in the entire village. Edward was about to grab Felix to run but noticed that throughout the noise, Felix was chanting. Soon, Edward noticed all the townspeople were all chanting. This was not some Dusker warcry but the singing of a hymn. Edward stood in the rain, closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and listened.

Fire warms or burn

Water quenches or drown

As Thanabus still turns

and the trees fall down

We are blessed with the Solarwood

We are Solarwoodling

With all things good

We come together to sing

For we may break and fall

as the old and tired tree

share these words to all

that we are truly free

The hymn was beautiful and Edward felt a sense of calm and peace around him. Solarwood was a place of peace for these people even against impossible odds. They brought the calm of war. Edward felt vigor in him again. The archers were already starting to fire as the other continued the hymn. Everyone stopped when they heard the first bang against the gate. Some of the archers were struck by the ogre's slingshots. Bryon waved his scouts to get down from the wall. As they climbed down the ladder, the entire wall shook as the gate was hit once more. Bryon just hopped off the ladder when the gate flung open. a barrage of arrows shot toward the open gate and a volley of rocks flung back at them. The raining was hard now but Edward saw Bryon get hit in the back by a slingshot. Felix noticed too, "father!", he shouted. Before Felix could say anything, Edward gave him a glance, "change of plans kid, you are gonna grab your father and I'm going to provide cover. Oh and if you want to use the "forest", by all means." Felix nodded, "how you going to fight in the rain?" Edward slammed his knuckles together as electric energy engulfed his hands. The water would spark off his hands while keeping everyone safe. Edward and Felix nodded and charged into the battle. 

Mara was parrying blows from ogres. The pain of the brute strength of the ogre's weapons on her own was felt in her hand. She stepped to the side as one of the bone clubs crashed in the earth beside her, she dealt a swift blow into the ogre's throat. The ogre squealed in pain as he cupped his wound. Before Mara could take a breath, she dodged another attack of a crude battle-ax, the ogre stepping away when Mara lashed out. She was getting tired and cursed that she couldn't use her energy. From the corner of her eye, she noticed an ogre flying past her in the air. She looked to her left and noticed Edward punching ogres with his hands wrapped in electric energy. That was quite creative she thought. An ogre came behind her ax raised before she could parry, the ax was about to come down. An arrow met the ogre between the eyes. She looked to see Felix with his bow drawn. The fighting continued. Felix got his father behind the fight, Edward and Mara were back to back slashing and punching anything that came near them. Warriors and ogres laid the ground injured or dying. Edward and Mara were unstoppable together. At a moment, Edward and Mara noticed that there were no more ogres around them. Did they actually win the fight? That answer was quickly answered from the screams and cries of townspeople on the west side of the gate. Edward and Mara turned to see people on fire. The chieftain was also a fire-breather. 

Ogres were known for their energy-breathing powers that came from within them. They were rare but could change the tide of the battle. "Solarwoodlings! Get the wounded and retreat", Edward ordered. "This one is ours", Mara shouted. All the other ogres and townspeople stopped fighting as they noticed the chieftain against Mara and Edward. Mara held her sword in a defensive position as Edward's hands crackled from the electricity. Mara charged first as the chieftain blew out the pyro blast. Mara caught the flames and blasted back towards the chieftain who inhaled the flames. Knowing that Mara and the chieftain could both block fire, the chieftain swung his massive bone club. Mara and Edward stepped to the side as Edward went for a blow on his left and Mara to his right. Edward struck first slamming his electric fists on his side as Mara struck her sword on the other side. To both of their surprise, the chieftain absorbed all the electricity from Edward's attack and Mara's sword bounce off his rough skin. This was not good. The chieftain spun his club Mara dodged the attack but Edward was not so lucky. Edward met the spinning club and flung a few meters before hitting the ground. He could hear Mara screaming as everything went dark. Edward was going in and out of consciousness. As he noticed the chieftain raised his club to give Edward the final blow. Edward could barely move. He closed his eyes, he could still hear the chant in his head. He waited for the club to break his body. He waited. The club should have come down by now. Was he already dead? Edward opened his eyes to see an arrow protruding from the chieftain's arm. From the arrow, vines shot down into the ground making his arm temporarily immobile. Another arrow struck his other arm, vines wrapping around his arm and driving into the ground. Edward looked to see where the arrows were coming, they were from Felix. 

Edward rolled back barely being able to stand. He could feel some cracked ribs for sure. He saw Felix draw another arrow but noticed vines wrapping around his hand onto the arrow. This was the energy he was talking about in the forest. Mara ran to Edward. Felix shouted, "I don't know how long these arrows can hold!" The Chieftain was slowly breaking free by breathing some of his fire upon the vines. "Buy us some time Felix!", Edward shouted. Edward looked at Mara, "I have an idea, I need you to somehow get your sword into his flesh." Before Mara could ask how she could do it, she looked at Edward's hands and got an idea. Felix shot some more arrows, the vines holding him in place. Mara charged the chieftains. The chieftain gave a howl and other ogres charged at her. Before they could reach her, Edward struck them with his electric fists. When other ogres came close they became wrapped up in Felix's vines which the townsfolks would then hack at the ogres. Mara was getting close to the chieftain. As he breathed fire at her in desperation. She grabbed the flame and held it into her sword. Her blade now glowed a bright yellow from the great heat of the fire. This is what she needed. The chieftain broke free of the vines but Mara met her mark burying the hot blade into the chieftain's chest. Her sword bit deep. As she thought the chieftain was down, he swung with his fist striking her. She flew back. The chieftain was still fighting even with the hot sword in his chest. At the last minute, a flash of lightning came out of Edward's hand striking Mara's sword. The blade was used as a conductor, electrifying the chieftain from the inside. The chieftain gave a loud squeal and his charred body fell backward. Any surviving ogres ran from the village. The battle was over.

Edward passed out after the battle and was treated for his wounds. He soon woke up in the infirmary next to Bryon would was still asleep but stable. His back was wrapped up from the rock that struck him. Edward walked out into the village. It was morning and many people looked tired but triumphant. Mara saw Edward and hugged him. "Easy now, I think I have something broken", Edward said while Mara embraced him. "Edward we did it! We actually did it!." Edward smiled. Felix came from the tent, "Edward you're alive!" He embraced him as well as Edward gave a groan of pain. Bryon would eventually be awake and they all celebrated their victory. The day felt short with all the repairs and recovery that nightfall of the next night came by so fast. Around the bonfire, the Solarwoodling danced and cheered. Edward was taking in the moment. Mara was dancing with Felix, people singing and eating. Edward almost forgot why they even came to Solarwood. Trying to find some crazy cult members were far off his mind at that moment. He helped the Solarwoodling against impossible odds. This was a reminder of why he was an agent for the republic he wanted to help these people. They were good people to him.

Byron and Edward sat around the fire, "so you're not going to arrest my son for his nature energy are you?" Edward laughed, "I don't think that is a law any more in the republic." Bryon nodded, "I can tell you more about it if you want? Let's head to my place." They arrived back at the house and were greeted by Felix's mother. She smiled, "Bryon let's change your bandages" Bryon rolled his eyes, "if you say so. One second Edward this will take a second. Edward was in good spirits, that was until Bryon took off his shirt and removed his bandage from his back. Edward's heart sank. He spilled his drink. Edward could not believe his eyes. Bryon had the old Solarwood insignia on his back the same as the Rat King's acolyte in Ediseau. He was the suspect they were looking for this whole time. The reason why they came to Solarwood in the first place. Did he know Snug? Did he know about the bombings? Edward cracked his knuckle, a small spark flickered from the crack.