57. The battle begins

I spent all day sitting with my legs crossed in the flattened cluster of branches above the ancient trees truck as I slowly fused myself with the tree. It was a long process as the tree and I became one. The tree was connected to those around it but as my power fused with it the strength in that connection grew. The more my power became one with the tree the further those connections went.

'It won't be long now til they make their move.'

'I know and we are running out of time.'

'It's taking longer then we thought.'

'We must have faith in the others. They must hold them off til we have completed the bond.'

I could already connect with all of the forest surrounding the oak. The silver claw and forest lakes packs were laying in wait their ranks melded together to create a good mix of silver claw wolves and my own far stronger forest lakes wolves. I even felt the red paw pack on the front lines however that was the extent of my bond so far. While fusing myself with the tree I could not mindlink nor do much of anything except know where they were.

'Zeld?'

'What is it?'

'It's taking longer then I thought I'm going to need you to direct the packs for awhile.'

'What! How am I supposed to do that? I'm not a goddess I can't mindlink everyone like you can!'

'Do you remember when I touched your forehead this morning?'

'Yes of course I do.'

'I was passing part of my power to you a rather small portion of it but just enough in case I would need you for this reason. You have the power to mindlink them all. While I am still fusing my power I can not break that connection. I will tell you what to rely to the others. I will be your eyes in this battle while you be my voice.'

'Are you serious?! Rav this is insane what exactly are you doing that you have to rely on me?'

'It would take too long to explain but just trust me this is the only way we will win.'

'Alright I'll do it but if we are attacked here I'll have to devote all my attention to defending you.'

'I know. Hopefully the others will be enough to stop that from happening.'

That's when I felt it, the approaching darkness. The moon goddess pack, blue moon pack and white tailed pack were here.

'Zeld!'

'Yes I know I can hear Damiens voice but there are too many voices I can't make out what they are saying.'

'Slow down your breathing, if you concentrate too hard the weight of all their mindlink will drive you mad.'

I could feel him start to panic.

'ZELD!'

My voice seemed to snap him out of it.

'Good don't panic you have the power you may not know it but in giving you some of my power All I gave you was the ability to use what you already had.'

I could feel him start to calm down as Damiens voice started to become clearer. While I could hear him through Zeld I could not answer.

'Their coming! Malk inform the rear ranks to be on guard. Everyone else stay calm and wait for them to get near do not light the oil til they are right on top of it.'

I could feel them approaching, slowly and cautiously. The darkness seemed to envelop them drawing into them. Shiya and Luna leading them towards the red eye pack.

'Zeld tell Damien Shiya and Luna are to the north east he must take his strongest to that position.'

I listened in on Zelds mindlink.

'Damien?!'

'Zeld is that you? Where are you and how are you mindlinking me?'

'There's no time to explain just know that I'm with Raven and she says that you need to position yourself and your strongest fighters to the north east. Luna and Shiya are approaching form there.'

'How can she possibly- no never mind I get it. Don't worry we're heading there now.'

There was a small pause then.

'I'll have malk inform the other packs of what's going on while he's there. So will you be dealing out all Ravens orders through out this entire thing?'

'No just until she has finished what's she's doing.'

'And what is she doing?'

Zeld went silent so I told him what to say.

'Just tell him to do what he can to hold them off it won't be long now.'

Zeld relaid the message.

'Very well we will do our best and Zeld?'

'Yes?'

'Don't let her die.'

'I don't intend to.'

I smiled at the exchange. They waste time worrying when they don't even realise I'm a goddess I can not die. Sure I can be sent back to the abyss but die? Nope that is an impossibility.

'Next contact Talieus and tell him to take his portion of the forest lakes pack to reinforce Damiens while they concerntrate the bulk of their attack power on Luna and Shiya.'

While Zeld conveyed my orders I could feel the trees around me start to respond to my essence.

'We're getting closer.'

'Yes Caryi I know but it's still taking too long.'

I could feel the impending darkness get even closer. The red eye pack members were poised to attack as soon as the they lit the fires. They were so close it was only a matter of time before I could feel the energy build in the red paw pack wolves.

'Zeld tell the forest lakes wolves on the front line to use their wind as soon as the fire is lit it will feed the fire taking more of them out.'

'Got it.'

Everyone on the front lines seemed to hold their breaths as the first of the enemy stepped onto the oil soaked ground just as the fire was lit and the wind from the the forest lakes wolves pushed the flames towards the enemy. The sound was deafening as howls and human cries penetrated the night.

A tear escaped my eye as many of my creations dropped burned alive by the flames. I took a deep breath, now was not the time to get upset this was my own fault their deaths were on my hands but I couldn't dwell on that. The white tailed pack were quick to counter using their power to douse the flames and the battle was started. Both sides charged the battle ground now a mass of howls and growls claws and fangs.

Only two remained in human form. Luna who had no wolf and Shiya. Damien along with his best fighters charged. I watched in horror as Luna took down one after the other her power as strong as ever.

'Rav what's happening?'

'They are no match for her. Send some forest lakes wolves to her location.'

'Rav out of all the packs we have the fewest members we can't spare too many so early in the fight.'

'Don't you think I know that Zeld but we have no choice the forest lakes wolves are stronger in every way compared to the others if we don't at least stall her she will kill all of us before I even have a chance to fight back.'

'Ok ok calm down I'll do it.'

'Send Loki's group if anyone has even a small hope of standing up against her it's him and tell him he must seperate Shiya from Luna.'

'Seperate them?'

'Yes it's the first step to ending this.'

'Very well.'

I continued to watch the fight using the various trees in the forest as my eyes. Though to be honest it was more like playing a game of chess with me floating above the board the pieces below me like lights in the darkness. Each light unique in colour and in essence. I knew who each light was and their positions. My connection with nature getting stronger with each passing second.

I saw my creations fighting each other, killing each other. My heart broke at the sight. This went against everything I believed in. Wars, bloodshed all of it. Why did it have to be like this? Why couldn't I have stopped this? Why can there never be peace?

'Small one pull yourself together you can not break now not when we are so close.'

I took a deep breath she was right I need to stay focused. All of them are counting on me, I must see this through. I must use all that I have to end this suffering to end this pain no matter what it takes.