CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

  DEATH ON LEATHERY WINGS

  Seeing the elves running before him as he rode his giant bat high in the sky, Goblin King Taudridor shook his right hand in the air and smiled with glee as he gripped the skin of the monster's back with his left. Below he could see Turek, his battle leader, calling out directions for his army. The goblin was just as big as he, maybe bigger, but even though the goblin king was more fierce in anger and violence, Turek’s hatred for the elves surpassed his, thus making him a formidable opponent on the battlefield.

  Seeing everything in his surprise attack going to plan, Taudridor descended closer to the battle again, in front of the other two giant bats he commanded, though just barely, as he had pushed the crystal of Dragos Repellion to its limit. At least, with the strength that resided within him.

  After looking over his shoulder, the goblin king rubbed the glowing crystal that hung around his neck and pointed at the mesmerized monsters, and then to The Woodland Gates of The Elven Forest one more time. As they flew past him, obeying his command, it was then Taudridor saw a wave of arrows coming his way.

  “The Royal Archer Brigade,” sneered the goblin king, and then he smiled. “So, Captain Lightshower, you have finally arrived!” When he steered his bat higher out of the way, he looked down at the glowing crystal again. “The goblin king of old was greedy. He did not let the Crystal of Dragos Repellion’s strength build long enough to exact full control. So with its strength fleeting, he used the last of its power to close up this death upon leathery wings deep in the hidden caverns,” announced King Taudridor, voicing the legend through clenched teeth. Then he yelled out. “What was his folly has now led to my victory!”

  Instantly, an arrow flew past his ear, nearly clipping him. When the goblin king looked up ahead, he saw Leti Lightshower, captain of The Royal Archer Brigade grinning. She lowered her bow, dropped her empty quiver at her feet and grabbed another full quiver of arrows.

  “Concentrate your arrows on the goblins attacking Remar's and Adriel’s soldiers!” commanded Leti to two elf lords, who then ran opposite ways down the line. Then she looked at the archers directly behind her. “We will deal with these monsters.”

  Though fearful and unintelligent in general, the goblins of the cavern kingdom can become unrelenting and merciless when they see that they are winning. And under the commanding presence of battle leader Turek, who never showed fear against his enemies, the goblins felt invincible as their surprise attack was coming off flawlessly.

  One after another, an elf parried the club of a goblin with his sword only to be crushed to the ground by another monster. Still, The Forest Guard did not let up as they stood protecting The Woodland Gate.

  Remar and Adriel both called out orders, and for a moment began pushing the goblins back. But then they watched in horror as the two giant bats, commanded somehow by the goblin king, blew their compatriots back with their wings then, grabbing a clawful of elves, rose high into the air and dropped them to the ground.

  It was then, however, that the arrows of The Royal Archer Brigade finally began to hit their marks. While the giant bats hung back below the bat that Goblin King Taudridor rode, a volley of arrows ripped into the goblins attacking The Woodland Gate on foot. Remar watched as Turek lifted a large metal shield, most likely taken from a knight in a previous battle or by a raid, and the arrows bounced off, leaving the big goblin untouched.

  Noticing a volley of arrows about to come his way next, Adriel commanded his soldiers of The Forest Guard to fall back a few strides. Then with the precision of a striking snake, the arrows of The Royal Archer Brigade ripped the goblins to shreds.

  Seeing the goblins fall back a bit to regroup, and the giant bats beginning to fly toward the elves again, Leti looked at the archers near her again and called out orders. “You at my sides, release everything on the bat on the right. You behind me, release everything at the other.” Then Leti Lightshower grinned and whispered as she pulled another arrow.

  “Goblin king, you are mine.”

  While Taudridor sat confidently out of range atop his giant bat, he surveyed the chaos going on below. The elves of The Forest Guard had begun to gain some ground, as their elegant swords mixed well with the nimble arrows of The Royal Archer Brigade. But he knew it would only take another attack from his bats to change that. With a sweep of his arm, Taudridor signaled the bats down again. As the winged beasts descended, the goblin watched and waited in anticipation of the death they would bring and, ultimately, the victory he so long desired.

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  “Queen Lightshower. Your rule is coming to an end,” announced the goblin king, smiling as he placed his free hand over the glowing crystal that hung from his neck. However, when he took his hand away to grab his club, something sharp scratched deeply into his cheek, causing him to reel back upon his giant bat. When he ripped the elven arrow from his bloody cheek, Taudridor looked off in the distance at The Woodland Gate. It was then he saw Leti Lightshower’s steadfast face as she grabbed another arrow once again.

  Knowing now that she had only bloodied her enemy, Leti’s face became angry. “Any closer, goblin king, and you would have been mine,” scoffed Leti. Then the captain of The Royal Archer Brigade looked out again at the giant bats closer to them. A moment later she yelled.

  “We must attack the wings!”

  As Leti lifted her right arm up, the elf lords and maidens with her nocked their arrows. Then after a few seconds passed, the captain’s arm dropped. Instantly another barrage of arrows flew forth.

  Almost as if the arrow that had sunk into King Taudridor’s cheek was an omen of the future, The Royal Archer Brigade arrows that could not penetrate their enemies' bodies or heads, ripped into and through the wings of the bats, as one.

  Seeing the bats crash to the ground and the nearby soldiers moving in to finish them, Remar and Adriel led the rest of The Forest Guard confidently away from The Woodland Gate and toward Turek and the goblin army. While their fellow elves cut down their goblin adversaries with their swords and daggers with little opposition, Remar and Adriel made their way to Turek with ease, as the goblins were beginning to flee after seeing two of their three giant monsters crash to the grassy floor.

  As Turek smashed another elf to the ground before him, and the other elves in front of him hung back, tired from the fight, he saw Remar and Adriel emerge. When he saw them grip their swords tightly in one hand and wave at their soldiers to stand down with the other, Turek jammed the tip of his club into the ground.

  “So, after all these years of battles, the brother commanders of The Forest Guard finally come to face me!” yelled Turek happily. Then he looked up as he saw King Taudridor fly higher in the air and almost out of sight. When Turek looked back at the elves before him, they spoke.

  “I believe your king is fleeing,” announced Remar, moving his long, blonde hair away from his face and then pointing to the sky.

  “And your army retreating,” added Adriel, returning his long, blonde braid from his shoulder to his back, then gesturing mockingly at the goblins running away in fear.

  “That may be, but I will not retreat, elf lords!” yelled Turek, lifting his large club from the ground. “And you will be the ones fleeing before me!”

  When the furious towering goblin rushed towards Remar and Adriel, they looked at each other for a moment and nodded. As Turek finally lumbered into their midst to swing his mighty club, the brothers worked together as one. Though Turek was more powerful, he was slow compared to the commanders of The Forest Guard. Every time the large goblin swung his club, unlike the many elves before, both Remar and Adriel evaded it.

  Though his power never waned when, time after time, the elf lords parried his attacks and continued to evade him, Turek began to breathe heavily. A moment later, though, his constant barrage continued, the big goblin’s mouth remained open, searching for more breath. Then finally seeing Turek take a deeper breath to continue his attack, the brothers made their move.

  As the stronger of the two, Remar blocked Turek’s club with his sword and with all his might held the large goblin to a standstill, the sword and club crossed in stalemate. It was only for a moment, but that was all the quicker brother, Adriel, needed.

  Instantly Adriel rolled below the weapons and shield, and in front of Turek. Then before the goblin knew what hit him, the elf lord jammed his blade into the monster’s stomach. As Turek stumbled back, Remar took two steps forward and swung his sword with all his might. It crashed into the goblin's attack-hand and both it and the club fell to the ground. A moment later, Adriel moved forward and drove his sword into the big goblin’s chest. As both Turek and his shield fell to the ground, the two brothers heard cheers ring out from The Forest Guard. Then a second later the leader of the goblin army breathed no more.

  As the cheers began to die down, the commanders of The Forest Guard heard gasps behind them. When they turned and looked over at The Woodland Gate they saw Leti release one final arrow before she and The Royal Archer Brigade turned and ran from the gates and walls. It was then Remar and Adriel heard a loud screech and saw the goblin king flying toward the center of The Elven Forest.

  Seeing the ancient tree that housed Queen Ilsa Lightshower and her court coming into view, Goblin King Taudridor noticed a solitary figure standing outside its entrance. As he finally ripped the newly lodged arrow, that Leti Lightshower had struck him with, from his shoulder, the furious goblin king took a long, weakened breath and screamed out as he looked down at Queen Ilsa Lightshower.

  “Your sister could not stop me. And it took all of her brigade to destroy my other giant bats.” King Taudridor patted the pregnant giant bat he rode. “But this one has more on the way.” Then the goblin king laughed, “It is now only you and me.” A second later, he sat back and smiled. “Do you have any last words?”

  The elf queen was quiet for a moment. When she finally spoke, it was only four words, and the sentence she uttered as her eyes became clear as glass was short, but far from sweet.

  “Come, wind and fire.”

  Instantly a huge flame flew toward the goblin king. Its speed was then magnified behind a gigantic gust of air that followed. Unable to get out of the way, Taudridor could only widen his eyes as he and the giant bat he road began to burn.

  With so much magical power released, Sorceress Queen Ilsa Lightshower’s grip on her staff lessened, and she slipped down to a knee as she watched Goblin King Taudridor and his remaining giant bat forced back. Long past The Woodland Gates. Out of The Elven Forest. And in the direction of his cavern kingdom.