Battle of the River
Sylvia's Air Force A was ready for flight right on schedule. She led her troops to the ledge where Stella had instructed them to wait. They could sort of see the creek. Ground Force E was hiding, waiting for the swamp creatures and their queen to come to the river.
“Right on schedule.” Sylvia muttered as the first scouts of the swamp kingdom arrived at the river. Two of them disappeared into the woods again.
“Going to tell the queen the coast is clear.” Ben said.
Sylvia nodded.
Soon the army of the Mud Queen marched into view. No sound except the rhythmic tramping of their feet. The owls weren't being flown today. It was too risky. That was why the Air Force A had an advantage. They wouldn't be engaging owls.
As soon as the swamp army crossed the river, Ground Force E charged them with Stella in the lead. Their surprise worked, leaving the swampy creatures in chaos. Brett and Ben laughed and clapped each other on the back. Sylvia just sat astride Rose, watching the battle. She wished she could be fighting instead of waiting here. Ground Force D was soon called in. Warren shot a glance at the ledge. Sylvia knew he couldn't see her, but she saluted mockingly anyway.
“When do we go?” Brett asked.
“If they blow the horn after Ivy goes in, then we go.” Sylvia said. “Not before.”
They waited for hours, but Ground Force C was only just called in. Drake led his forces forward, shouting and making a ruckus. No one noticed that the three purple elves were missing. Mira probably figured Jayden was dead and that Sylvia was too weak to hold a sword.
“Never fear Mira.” Sylvia mumbled. “I'm not using a sword today if I can help it. And I am watching. Always watching.”
The battle seemed to be going well for Stella's army. Ground Force B wasn't called in at all. But then a horn sounded again. Ground Force B didn't move.
“Is that the signal?” Brett and Ben leaped to their feet.
Sylvia looked down at the valley. “No. That was Mira's horn. She's calling in back up. Get ready Ivy. It's almost show time.”
Out of the woods pounded creatures. Terrible creatures even more grotesque than the swamp monsters. The seemed to be elf-shaped, but covered in sticky, mucus textured muck. Sylvia made a face. “Ever heard of a bath?” she muttered.
Whether they had or not these muddy creatures came barreling in, roaring and recklessly slashing their way through, even killing some of their own comrades.
Stella's horn blew. Ground Force B mobilized.
“Next horn is us, guys!” Sylvia shouted. “Prepare for flight!”
The elves and fairies climbed onto their martins' backs. The martins didn't stir. Ivy's company charged into the fray. The fresh soldiers had no trouble taking care of the mud monsters. Force B was the largest of the five groups. They soon subdued the muddy creatures. Only a few remained now. But Sylvia was watching Warren. He was tired. So were his soldiers. She had been right after all.
A new line of swamp monsters crossed the river. Then the signal horn.
“Fly!” Sylvia ordered. The martins leaped from the ledge and soared in.
“Ready? Steam!”
The water elves made the creek steam up. Sylvia and Rose flew into the fog and whenever Sylvia got a clean shot at an enemy she took it. Rose grabbed a few of them and dropped them into the river. Sylvia ran out of arrows. She shoved her bow into her empty quiver.
“I'm out Rose!” she said.
Rose chirped and released a swamp monster into the current of the river. Sylvia drew her sword now. Whenever Rose dropped down to grab another monster, she slashed at the nearest swamp creature. Their blackish-green blood covered her blade. Suddenly Sylvia felt something pierce her shoulder. An arrow protruded from her left shoulder. She clung to Rose's feathers.
“You OK?” Rose called back.
“I've been shot!” Sylvia said through gritted teeth, pain spreading like a wildfire through her whole body. She slashed wildly at a swamp monster that tried to climb up behind her on Rose's back, cutting his head clean off.
Rose circled and headed for the trees, preparing to dive down again. Sylvia cut the arrow shaft with her knife. The arrowhead fell to the ground and Sylvia pulled the other end out of her shoulder.
“Ah!” she shouted, dropping the shaft.
“Did it go all the way through?” Rose asked.
“Yes.” Sylvia said.
Rose leaped from the branch. They dove toward the ground, followed by other martins. Blood was dripping from Sylvia's shoulder, but she swung her sword at the swamp creatures anyway. She held back tears as pain ripped through her from the motion.
She threw electricity and fire from her left hand, her sword flashing in her right. When Rose pulled up again she sheathed her sword.
“You alright?” Rose asked.
“I'll be fine.” Sylvia said.
The birds all pulled up and perched in the trees. They were to wait for the signal for the snakes now. Then suddenly Mira screamed an order and the rest of her army—less than Sylvia had anticipated—raced back to the river. Even Mira retreated. Stella didn't ask her exhausted troops to pursue them. Instead, they waited until all the enemy soldiers were gone, then they killed all the wounded and left. The martins flew back to the tree. Rose dropped Sylvia off at the night elves' balcony.
“Take care of that wound.” she said.
Sylvia nodded and Rose flew away. She turned to go inside, then suddenly there was a flash of white and then everything went black.
Jayden had just come upstairs and he saw Sylvia collapse on the balcony. He ran as fast as his own injury would allow.
“Sylvia!” Then he saw her bloody arm. “Oh no.” He couldn't carry her alone, and the other night elves weren't back yet. Cynthia.
“Cynthia!” he shouted. “Help me!”
Cynthia came running from the girls' room. “Sylvia!” she gasped.
“I can't carry her alone.”
The two of them carried her to the couch. Cynthia quickly fetched a rag and wet it, pressing it to Sylvia's shoulder. “Jayden, get me another rag. Or better yet, a towel.”
Jayden found what she wanted.
“Arrow.” Cynthia said. Then she looked at the the jagged hole through Sylvia's shoulder. “It went clean through. Short range shot. Wait a minute...” she touched the wound. “Jayden! Go get Frederick right now!”
“Cynthia!”
“It was poisoned.”
Jayden forgot the pain that ripped through his own gut when he ran down the stairs. By the time he reached the moon room the other generals and Frederick were already there. “Frederick! We need you now! Sylvia was shot with a poisoned arrow!”
Warren looked up. Ivy's eyes grew wide. Drake's hands flew to his temples. Ben and the other lieutenant generals gasped.
Frederick's eyes narrowed and he nodded. He muttered a spell and disappeared. Jayden turned and headed back up the stairs. When he came huffing and puffing into the night elves' room, Frederick was already there with Cynthia. They had Sylvia's armor off, and she was lying on the floor now. Cynthia was putting a pillow under her head.
“Jayden...”
“Is she gonna make it?” he asked.
“We don't know. The arrow went clean through, so there's not a lot of poison in her, but it's a strong poison. She should have been dead hours ago.”
Jayden sank into a chair.
“Cynthia!” Frederick barked. “This is swamp poison. We need a wood elf.”
“They're not allowed...”
“Tradition waits for life. If it means saving Sylvia, then the moon lords will understand.”
Cynthia vanished down the stairs.
“Jayden, I'm going to need you to carry her. The wood elf I have in mind will need her in their quarters eventually.”
Cynthia returned only a few minutes later with a very nervous looking wood elf. He looked at the night quarters in amazement, but when his eyes landed on Sylvia, he flew to her side, tears in his eyes.
“She was general of the air-borne division. I'm in that division.”
“Then you have to help.” Jayden said.
The elf nodded vigorously. “Bring her to my chamber. My medicines are there.”
Frederick nodded. “Jayden?”
Jayden knelt, ignoring his own pain. He lifted Sylvia gently and they all followed the wood elf down to his chamber. It was lined with medicines and wraps. Jayden laid Sylvia on the little table in the middle of the room. The elf immediately went to work while Frederick muttered spells.
“Hunter specializes in poisons.” Cynthia explained to Jayden. “If anyone can help her, he can.”
Sylvia stirred.
“Aha!” the elf cheered. “The poison is weakening!”
“Jayden...” Sylvia murmured weakly, barely moving her lips.
Cynthia held him back. “Wait until she's conscious.”
The look of anguish on his face broke Cynthia's heart, but she squeezed his bicep gently. “Come on Jay. Let's go.”
He reluctantly left Sylvia in Frederick and Hunter's care. The other night elves were assembled by the time Jayden and Cynthia reached their floor.
“Where's Sylvia!?” Ivy shouted, running for Jayden.
Every eye was turned toward her.
“She's with Hunter the wood elf. She was shot by a poisoned arrow.” Cynthia answered for him.
Alex nodded. “Hunter was a wise call.” he said.
Cynthia glanced at him. “She is bordering on conscious at the moment. She'll be pretty weak for awhile, so Ben, if Air Force A is called, you will be in charge unless Stella says otherwise.”
Ben nodded solemnly. Warren and Drake came up the stairs. “How's Sylvia?” Drake asked.
“She's still unconscious.” Jayden answered quietly as Cynthia answered other questions.
The night slowly turned into morning. The fairies had returned home, and the curtains over the windows were drawn. All the elves went to bed except Jayden and Cynthia.
“I'm sure she'll be alright Jay.” Cynthia said.
“I hope so.”
“Jayden and Cynthia?” Frederick's voice was at the door. They jumped up. “You'd better come.”
