#FridayFlash – War is Coming

This is part eight in my Astral Mage serial. Continues from Riding Ever Onwards last week!

The vast Statue Army stood on the other side of the hill, their ancient banners flapping in the breeze. Artemuse spotted Eddister, a tiny figure standing alongside Lord Festiniog behind the lines. Several of the Palace Guard were mounted, clustered behind the Statue Army. Yet it was not the sight of mortal men alongside monumental stone beings that caught Artemuse’s eye. No, she was more interested in the Vaal’kyr.

“Are there more of the Vaal’kyr here, Arti?” asked the Queen, gazing down at the assembled forces. She frowned. Artemuse could understand why – the Statue Army were a formidable foe but they would need much more to defeat Lord Draumir.

“Indeed there are, Phenia.” She stared at the sheer numbers of Vaal’kyr milling around on the plains. She’d never needed a collective noun for them before, but they were no flock. Perhaps they were like crows, and she should call them a murder.

“How many?”

“I can count…at least thirty.”

“Good grief!” The Queen stared at the plains as if she could peer onto the astral plane itself.

“Oh no, one of them is heading this way.”

A Vaal’kyr dropped gracefully from the sky, coiling downward in a smooth arc until it landed on the grass beside Artemuse. Where the other Vaal’kyr were black, this one was a pale grey, the colour of smoke on a winter’s day. Eyes like molten silver regarded her kindly, and while Artemuse could see no smile on its draconian face, she could sense a smile in the air between them.

“You are the astral mage? The Lady Owl?” A fluid voice, all at once like the high winds that buffeted her tower and the flow of the river far below, rang out in her head.

She nodded.

“Then you are the one who rang the Death Knell. That was very brave of you, little one.”

“I did what I had to do.”

“And we shall do likewise. Is this your queen?” The Vaal’kyr gestured towards the Queen, who stared at Artemuse with a combination of awe and curiosity.

“She is. Would you like me to pass on a message?”

“I am Kione, lady of the Vaal’kyr. It is good for one queen to meet another. Please pass on my condolences about her husband.”

Artemuse repeated the Vaal’kyr’s words to the Queen. Phenia laughed.

“My husband is of little consequence, he would have seen us all ruined,” she replied, addressing the empty space beside Artemuse.

Kione’s laughter rang out inside Artemuse’s head.

“I like your queen. She has priorities. As do I, little one. We cannot hope to defeat Draumir’s earthbound army, but we can certainly take care of his astrally bound troops.”

“You have seen them?” asked Artemuse.

“I have. They are indeed on their way. You did well to rouse us. In fact…”

Kione looked over her shoulder, beyond her large wings, toward the horizon. Artemuse couldn’t see them yet, but she could feel their approach, like the deep chill that heralds the onset of winter. She shuddered, and felt the Queen’s hand on her arm.

“Are you alright, Arti?”

“Yes, it’s just…he’s coming.”

“I must go, little one, I must discuss our strategy with my people. I see that Festiniog already has yours in hand. I would suggest that you join us on the astral plane,” said Kione.

“But my body…”

“You have entered our plane with your physical form before. And if you cannot, your steed will protect it while you fight alongside us. All speed to you, little one.”

Before Artemuse could protest, Kione’s wings hauled her into the air, and the Vaal’kyr flew out of earshot. The other Vaal’kyr took Kione’s lead, and they formed a loose circle in the sky above the Statue Army.

“Has she gone?” asked the Queen.

“Yes, the Vaal’kyr are discussing their strategy. She wants me to fight with them.”

“I don’t want you to fight at all, Arti.”

“But -”

“No, you need to be my eyes and ears on the astral plane.”

The air rippled beside the Queen, and Eddister appeared. He adjusted his cloak, and bowed to his new monarch. Artemuse raised an eyebrow – Eddister had never acknowledged a ruler before.

“Lord Festiniog wants to know when the militia will arrive.”

“They won’t be long, Eddister.”

“And the Vaal’kyr?”

“They’re already here,” said Artemuse. She pointed towards the murder of Vaal’kyr above them, pleased with herself for deciding on a collective noun, though no longer sure that it suited one as gentle as Kione.

“Where?” Eddister frowned as he peered into the sky.

“On their own plane.”

“Hm. That’ll make fighting difficult. Oh well, that’s why you’re here. Well, among other reasons.” Eddister trailed off, and Artemuse could swear a faint blush had swept across his cheeks, so brief it was almost undetectable.

Almost…

“Artemuse will be my eyes and ears on the astral plane. I will assist the battle on this plane,” said the Queen.

“Oh, your Majesty, I’m not sure you should fight!”

“Can you conjure water geysers, inland typhoons, and storms?”

“No, but-”

“My point exactly.”

The Queen and Eddister continued to bicker about the Queen’s role in the battle. Artemuse stopped listening, more intent upon staring at the flickering specks of black along the horizon. The specks were growing in size, and Artemuse was in no doubt as to what they were.

“Phenia?” Artemuse interrupted the Queen mid-flow. “Lord Draumir is coming. I see his banners.”

“And I hear his drums.” The colour drained from Eddister’s face as the first faint strains of war drums painted streaks of darkness across the air. Mirage snorted and pawed at the ground. Even the Queen fell silent.

War was on the way.

Continues next week!