The Ocean Hearth (A "Hymns of Evermorn" Story) by Lionelson NY
Chapter 21: The War for the Dawn

Harsh winds brushed on the Dalharian and Red’s banner as they braved through the coastal waves. The warning bells from the city resonated through the midnight sky.

“This is it, brother.” Obed muttered to Eli. They were standing at the upper decks of the vessel. It was quite an ark, fitting around a hundred men each. Row boats were hanging on its sides, ready to be deployed. Eli, wearing dark brown leather, looked at the young apprentice.

“You’re nervous, Obed.” Eli mentioned as he kept his sight on the city walls.

“Nervous? No…Petrified? Most definitely.”

“That makes the both of us, then.” Eli smirked. “This is as much my first war as it is yours.”

“I’m not sure if that makes me feel any better.” Obed looked at him. But Eli patted his back and asked an odd question.

“On the night we took away the Ocean Hearth, had it ever come to your mind that you would be fighting side by side with a starborne army because of it?” Eli reminded him.

“Of course not.” Obed laughed. “What’s your point?”

Eli smiled and placed his hand on Obed’s shoulder.

“This alliance…this war…was thought to be so impossible that nobody even imagined it before, not even Arbor himself. Yet, here we are…There’s something bigger than us at work here, Obed. And you best be sure, that ‘something’ is on our side.”

“Then you better pray that ‘something’ is the Allfather Sirium. Or else we’d be on the wrong page of history tomorrow” Obed smiled and nodded.

Eli replied with a smirk on his face. Breathing in the salty air of the sea, he himself was trying to stop the tremors of his hands. He turned to his right to look at Laia, wrapped in a black cloak on another ship. That’s when she gave the signal. Obed immediately marched off the deck.

“Reds of Elmswood! To your positions!” Eli ordered. All the Reds raced to the row boats of the ship and they descended. When the other vessels saw them, they did the same; humans and starbornes alike!

Hundreds of boats came surging in towards the shore, each one carrying six to ten people. Like a swarm of bees hovering over the ocean, the siege commenced.

Meanwhile, on the royal observatory, King Velron watched them rowing towards their shores. But he forced himself to be brave, trusting the strength of his army. He left General Edoras in charge at the castle walls and posted his other commanders on different areas of the city. Placing soldiers on every corner, from the infantry at the alleyways to the archers at the coastal shores, he was sure the allies will never reach him.

Thus, the war began!

Seeing the allies had neared the coast, the Eleazarian archers on the shore released their burning arrows to the sky. They rained across the sea! The fiery storm landed on some boats, sinking it while some have fallen aimlessly into the waters.

The starbornes, however, had a different approach. As Laia gave the order, the starbornes chanted a spell which made the waters push their boats at great speeds. They tread across the waters faster than a stallion could on land. Upon reaching the sandy shore, they jumped off to land and pulled out their daggers which glowed white. In that instant, they became unseen!

The archers on the shore were confused to see the starbornes disappearing into thin air. Then before they could even reload their bows, the starbornes reappeared and stabbed them swiftly like ghosts with a hornet’s sting while the archers were nothing more than pieces of flesh to be carved. Just like that, all the archers of the front line were killed.

“Is that all of them?” Laia asked.

“As foretold by the Reds, yes…for now.” Replied a huntress.

“Then we best move on.”

Laia then led her starbornes to the tree lines by the city and climbed on its branches. There, she could see more Eleazarian archers on the wall with their arrows at the ready just as warned by Eli. The starbornes took out their bows and nocked their arrows while chanting another spell. Their arrow heads glowed as well, but this time it became red as molten iron.

“An-Sye’rah!” Laia commanded. “This will use a lot of Galaviere. So expend your Galaviere sparely afterwards.”

The Reds, noticing the cessation of Eleazarian attack, took advantage of the moment to row safely ashore. Stepping foot on land, they immediately took out their weapons along with wooden ladders and a battering ram. They ran straight towards the city walls. Being the fast runners that they were, it didn’t take them long to pass through the treelines and onto the open fields.

At the sight of them, the Eleazarians released their arrows. Those arrows were about to rain hell on the Reds. But suddenly, trails of red light came out of the trees and exploded into a red cloud! Only splinters were left to shower on the field.

Knowing they were protected by the starbornes, the Reds fearlessly ran towards the wall while the Eleazarians continued shooting their arrows. Although some of the Reds lost their lives there, the starbornes were not discouraged from aiming their arrows from the trees and straight towards the archers’ hearts. Their immense skill and enchanted weapons allowed them to shoot with astonishing precision!

Reaching the walls, the Reds erected their ladders. Eli was the first to climb it. But he didn’t come unnoticed.

The Eleazarians immediately dropped a rock the size of a hound over his head. Luckily, Eli’s senses were keen and managed to let one hand go from the wooden ladder to evade it. Not hesitating any more time, he hasted up the ladder and made it to the top. He pulled out his sword and swiftly stroke a few men down with it.

The starbornes continue to shoot their arrows at the Eleazarians on the wall while the Reds quickly climbed up their ladders. The more of them who made it to the top, the easier it was for the others to climb. However, not many survived as there were quite a number of them who were hit by the rocks on their way up.

But alas, Eli and his Reds managed to kill off the archers on the wall. Not wasting time, they travelled down the stairwell and to the gates, fighting off many foot soldiers along the way. They finally reached the gates and opened it from the inside, letting in all the remaining Reds along with the starbornes who sprinted across the field.

But along with the penetration of the gates, there were also thousands of Eleazarian infantry marching towards them. They wielded sharpened spears and swords, and not to mention, covered with metal armour. The shield wielders led the march.

Laia finally reached Eli as both of them watched the infantry approaching.

“Go. I’ll take it from here.” Laia said.

Eli nodded and took Obed with him as they ran to the alleyways.

As soon as the infantry came close to them, Laia shouted the order and the Reds and Dalharian charged against the Eleazarians. There was instant bloodshed!

Dalharians were disappearing and reappearing in a blink of an eye, stabbing one by one with their daggers. But still, they were careful to spend their Galaviere, for they only had so little.

Meanwhile, the Reds demonstrated their strength through their agility. Which is why they prefer not to wear heavy armour. It granted them more flexibility to evade and slide in between soldiers and stabbing them from their sides. Speed and stamina had always been their strongest suit.

But the Eleazarians were not without advantage. Their armour and shields, made from the iron mines of Rodenheim, was very hard to pierce. And their swords were the sharpest among the human cities. Not to mention, their sheer numbers alone outweigh their opponents two to one.

Lives were lost on both sides of the field. But Laia persisted to use the best of her skill to attack the infantry as well as defending both the lives of Dalharians and the Reds. Inspired by her unbiased devotion to the alliance, the Reds and the Dalharians began to truly unite and defend each other.

They persisted to push the infantry further inwards the city. The streets were now pooling with blood. But just when the allies thought it would be easy form there, the Eleazarian army played their tricks by placing their archers inside civilian houses. This, the Reds did not anticipate nor did they warned the Dalharians. As a result, many of the allies were killed by their shots.

The starbornes had no choice but to invade the houses of innocent families and slaughter the archers in front of them. However, the starbornes were always honourable, vowing to only kill the opposing army but never their civilians. So they stormed in house to house, eradicating the sly archers.

The allies continued to push until they reached high town, where more foot soldiers were prepared to take them on. Laia was dying to catch her breath. But it didn’t stop her from fighting. She raised her dagger and led the allies to charge forward!

In the midst of the turmoil, Eli and Obed lurked through the alleys, silently killing the guards who were standing by to attack. Inch by inch, they tread through the shadows. They remained undetected until they reached the Allfather’s Tower; the place where their mission began.

They stabbed the guards that protected it and climbed up the stairwell all the way to the top. They reached the same balcony and watched over the high town.

“It’s a whole batch of red, black and silver down there.” Commented Obed regarding the battle that’s going on below them. He then looked at the Royal Castle, with all its gleaming marble surface and the large waterfall behind it. “I don’t suppose your ‘trusty’ Alosian bow is here to give us a smooth ride again now, do you?”

“I have something better” Eli took out his bow that was lined with black feathers and a light steel arrow attached to a rope line. He nock the arrow in place and aimed. “This, my brother, is Dalharian made.”

He let go of his steady breath and released the arrow. It flew all the way to the castle tower’s wall. This time, the arrow planted deeper into the marble than it did before. They fixed the rope line and slide down. The air brushed through their hair as they descended in increasing speed. It was a much smoother ride than before, but it left their hearts racing nonetheless.

After a terrifying plunge a hundred leagues above the ground, they barged into a window without breaking any bones this time.

They traversed down the stony corridors of the tower. Of course, many knights came their way. But with rage and a hunger for justice in their chests, they persevered through the armoured men and defeated them all in close combat. Level after level they battled until they finally reached the pavilion.

Once more, they sneaked through the bushes and into the castle. They raced as quietly and as fast as they could to reach the throne room, believing that is where the cowardly king would be hiding.

Upon reaching the supposed safe-haven of the king, they found four knights with polished swords guarding its door. But it was no problem for them as the knights’ armour was no match for the speed that the two have. All it took was a swift strife and a few jabs and all of them broke down. Once they defeated them, they kicked open the throne room door!

“It’s over, Velron!” Eli shouted out, placing himself in the presence of the golden pyramid where the throne was placed. But to their dismay, it wasn’t the king that they found. Rather, it was familiar huge bloke standing at the other end of the large room, facing away from them.

Standing two times taller than a regular man, he was shirtless with quite a hairy back. Sweat ran down the grooves of his spine. His torso was very muscular with his arteries visibly pulsating below the skin. His breath as loud as that of a horse. The man clenched his fist and slowly turned around. But his face was far too familiar.

“Adnar?!” Eli was shocked to see him. Seeing his messy beard, sharp brows, braded brown hair and his pierced nose, they were convinced it was truly their fallen brother. But he was not a delightful sight as his lips were drooling while his teeth was gritting. The pupils of his eyes have turned white.

“Brother! It is us, your comrades!” Obed called out. But the beast of a man just gave them an empty gaze.

“What have they done to you?” Eli’s voice trembled to see his best friend turned into such monstrosity.

Adnar snarled at them like a dog that hadn’t been fed for days. He started to limp towards them. His movement was rather spastic.

“I guess they’ve made him the king’s guard dog” Obed stated as he turned towards Eli. But Eli’s face was filled with anguish when he saw the man. Obed could see that his emotions have had the best of him.

“There’s the back door Eli. Velron must’ve went through there.” Obed pointed out. “When I distract him, you make a run for it.”

“Are you out of your mind?!” Eli swallowed his voice. Adnar was stomping closer and closer, starting to gain momentum.

“I’m just returning the favour, brother!” Obed took deep breaths and yelled loud as he ran head straight towards Adnar!

But clearly, Obed had underestimated the beast. For with just one effortless push, Obed was thrown away against a statue, shattering it! Obed crashed to the concrete floor, his back immediately ached.

However, Eli did not want to let the young man face the beserker alone. So he unsheathed a dagger from his thigh and leaped towards him then stabbed him in the back! But although the blade pierced his flesh, Adnar felt no pain.

Adnar grabbed Eli’s collar and threw him to the pillars across of the chamber. Then the beast pulled the blade out of his back and crushed it with his bare hands. Angry, he stomped his way towards Eli.

Eli was still lightheaded from the impact when he saw his undead friend running towards him. He forced himself to get up but he couldn’t get his balance right. His heart raced as Adnar approached him closer. But right when he was a few seconds away from being trampled, Obed climbed on top of him and choked him with his forearm!

“Go, Eli!” Obed shouted. Adnar forcefully tried to shake him of like a rabid dog. “Now!!!”

But Eli didn’t have the heart to leave the boy. He sprinted towards Adnar and slide down, trying to have a grasp at his feet. But in the attempt to knock him down, he was just kicked till he crashed on a steel beam which broke in half.

The berserker was getting angrier, especially with Obed still hanging onto him.

Obed took out his dagger and stabbed his chest multiple times. But the puncturing slits on his flesh gave him no pain whatsoever!

Roaring in rage, he grabbed Obed by the forearm swung him like a ragdoll and crashed him on the floor!

Obed was instantly paralyzed. The Berserker was just about to stomp on the poor boy’s chest, but then Eli shouted.

“Adnar!!!” Eli called while he picked up the steel pillar. “Forgive me, brother…”

Eli dashed towards the berserker and rammed the pillar through his torso!

Adnar swung his fist like a mad man, but Eli ducked and summoned all the strength he had to push him with his shoulders while his hand was still firm on the pillar. Growling as he was tumbling backwards, he kept pushing the beast until the other end of the pillar pierced through the stained glass window. Then with one final thrust, Eli shoved Adnar down the window!

The beast fell dwindling down a terrible height! Eli didn’t dare to look but he couldn’t stop his ears from hearing his dreadful roar, ended with a loud thump that echoed throughout the castle yard. The impact of the fall split Adnar’s body in half! Still trying to get up, the berserker dragged his torso with his arms. He grunted as he attempted to get up. But ultimately, with all the black coloured blood that gushed out of his exposed diaphragm, he finally gave out his last smoky breath.

It pained Eli to watch his best friend corrupted in such a manner. His teeth was clenching in agony, his eyes holding back tears.

“May I see you in the All-father’s court, brother.” He shook his head and went to check on Obed.

“Obed, can you hear me?!” Eli shook his shoulder to wake him up.

“Eli?” Obed replied, drowsy. “Did we win?”

Eli could still hear the sound of battle in the high town.

“Not yet.” Eli dragged him to the wall where he could let him lean. Obed groaned in pain. He pressed on a rib on his right to alleviate the pain.

“I’m sorry for not being helpful.” He moaned.

“Nonsense! Now you rest here. I will go and replace Velron.” Eli slowly let go of Obed.

“There is a flight of stairs at the east wing” Obed took deep breaths and cringed his face. “It leads to a flat roof. Like an observatory. He must be there if he stayed to watch the war.”

“You are a good scout, Obed. Thank you.”

Obed could only nod while rubbing his aching side.

Eli marched out of the throne room through the back door.

Back in the high town, Laia had just killed a horseman when she heard a roar from the castle. She took a glance and saw a man dwindling down the throne room followed by a loud thump.

Taking advantage of her distraction, a knight was about to thrust his spear through her! Luckily, Ranshark was there to hammer the soldier’s head before he could make it. Laia thanked him as he went off to battle more of the Eleazarians.

She held her dagger tight and chanted a spell but the glow of her dagger had faded. Grunting, she sheathed the dagger back and climbed up a wall to a roof. She ordered a few Dalharians to do the same. They quickly nocked their arrows and began shooting from above.

As the hours passed by and dawn was arriving, they had finally killed off all the foot soldiers on the high town. But flesh was torn from both sides as the pavements were bathed in blood of humans and starbornes alike.

“Get the battering ram!” Laia ordered as she pointed at the castle gates. Immediately, the Reds came shoving the heavily enforced logwood against the wooden door. It took them about four tries until the door budged open!

The allies quickly burst into the castle compound, fighting the soldiers that were assigned to protect it. In the midst of the havoc, there was one knight in black and dark red armour who appeared to be giving orders to the infantry. And with just one gesture, arrows rained from behind him.

Upon Laia’s order to take cover, the Dalharians quickly covered any nearby Red with their black cloak and they chanted their spells. It made their cloaks impenetrable by the arrowheads for a few seconds! However, the starbornes who ran out of Galaviere and the Reds who were too far astray had no protection against the hail of arrows. And so those unfortunate few fell to their demise.

Uncovering their cloaks, the allies proceeded to attack the enemy with all their might! The Dalharians continued to use every ounce of Galaviere they had left to protect the Reds from incoming arrows while the Reds swiftly cut the Eleazarians with their blade!

Taking no time to hesitate, Laia took leverage of the chaos to sneak behind the black armoured Eleazarian on the podium. She unsheathed her dagger while the knight was busy orchestrating his men. By the time the knight had noticed Laia approaching, it was far too late as the dagger had already been planted to his neck! The man squealed in agony! His wheezing breath could be heard by all his men.

Exhaling deeply, Laia pulled out her dagger from his throat and wiped the blood off with her cloak. She looked at the sky and noticed that it was beginning to be tinted gold while the moon was beginning to set. She knew that in a few more minutes, her fellow Dalharians’ spells would not be as potent anymore.

Fortunately, the allies slaughtered each one of them already. With one more battle scream, Laia ordered the Allies to storm into the castle yard, and break the archery line!

Velron was standing on the observatory, situated by the giant man-made waterfall. Behind the castle was once a horrendous river until the Eleazarians built a dam as tall as the castle itself. An artisan carved a slit on it to allow the river water to overflow through, thus decorating the royal castle. But the only decoration Eleazar had now was the stench of death.

He helplessly watched the allies pushed his armies from the coasts all the way into his castle yard where the mayhem scared him most. He saw everything including his experimental’s body toppling down with shards of stained glass and a steel pillar through its torso. But amidst his cluttered thoughts and the roaring sound of the water, Velron could hear footsteps approaching him.

“It seems the head huntress had slaughtered my general. You must be very proud.” He turned around to meet his stalker, only to see Eli with a sword in his hand.

“It’s over, Velron! The reign of the Allistairs ends here!” Eli declared.

“I don’t mind, Rivergrove. Eleazar had already died with the soul and dignity of my queen.” The king stripped off his cape, revealing a golden armour. He then pulled out his broadsword. Without hesitation, he stride towards Eli and swung his sword against him.

Eli blocked it with his blade. But Velron was strong until it made him crouch.

“I passed by your chambers. That was not our doing!” Eli plead as he sprung up and rolled to the side.

“I know…” Velron chased him. “That’s what made it more painful!!” He delivered his sword blow after blow with no hesitation to stop. But Eli was fast and slick. He slipped through the king’s grasp many times.

He dodged and took a jab at the king, but his armour was too thick. Far stronger than the knights’ he fought on his way. With the blade stuck on his armour, Velron kicked Eli to the side! So Eli thought of another plan.

He dashed and swung his sword against the king’s hand, knocking it out of his grip. But Velron only growled as he grabbed Eli’s wielding hand and crushed it. He then punched Eli in the face with his metal-cladded gloves.

Eli was blown away by the hit.

The wrathful king stomped his way to him and beat his body with his iron knuckles repeatedly! As if it wasn’t enough, he pinned him on the ground and proceeded to hit the Red’s head. The clanking of metal on his crunched up bones was all he could hear.

Persevering every blow, Eli saw the king sprung out a knife from his wrist and was just about to stab him. So he summoned every strength he had to kick Velron off of him. The King tumbled away to the edge of a cliff. It was a vertical path down a tower’s height drop

Both men went back on their feet. Eli grabbed his sword from the floor and sprinted towards the king who had just regained his footing. Exhaling the breath stored in his lungs, Eli gripped his sword with both hands and delivered a swing! He gave out a loud roar that sent shivers down Velron’s spine.

However, the king blocked his blow with his golden bracers around his left forearm. But the blade bit through the armour and sliced his skin. Blood oozed out of his armour. Velron’s boots sturdily pressed the floor to hold his ground until Eli couldn’t even push any further. But in the middle of the standstill, the king let out one last bellow as he heaved the knife in his other hand into Eli’s chest!

Eli felt his ribs cracked followed by an immense cold emanating from his chest. He was instantly breathless as the king’s blade stabbed through his heart and punctured his lung. He immediately lost his grip on his sword, dropping it down the towering cliff. Clenching his teeth in agonizing pain, he grabbed the left of his chest and fell to his knees.

“Always remember your place, thief! You are never more than just a farmer from Dalem!!!” the king shouted.

Eli, filled with anguish, grind his teeth and furrowed his brows. Letting his rage take control of whatever’s left of his spirit, he let out a loud roar that could be heard throughout Eleazar as he jumped and threw his knuckle hard on the King’s jaw!

Velron was thrusted backwards by it, not realizing that there was no more ground behind him. Alas, he lost his footing and tumbled down the cliff! Panicking, he screamed in fear but the sound of his voice were masked by the gushing waterfall.

Spiralling down the terrifying height, he tried to grasp a branch, a rock or anything that he could hold on to. But as his fall accelerated, there was nothing he could do but embrace his demise.

All my legacy. All that I have built. Everything has come to this. He thought to himself as the winds brushed through his hair. This is it…this is…the inevitable.

As his grievance turned into acceptance, he crashed on the rocky streams below! His head splattered as the stream turns red! Right then and there, his blood flowed out to sea.

Eli saw the literal fall of the king. It was all he ever wanted, but he couldn’t even smile. His hands, shivering, finally letting go of the cavernous hole over his chest. And as the golden rays of morning light hit his face, he broke down to the floor and breathed out his last…