Chapter 95

Aurelia and Zinjo held each other as night fell over the city of Venmere. They both knew this would either herald a new age for Shadowfen or end in their death. The entire plan hinged on the greed of the Cheval Mallet herd terrorizing the outskirts of Venmere.

"Do you think the accursed beasts will come for their victims?" Zinjo caressed Aurelia's hair and held her tight.

Aurelia laid her head on his shoulder and stroked her husband's chest, "If they don't. I have a backup plan. You won't like it."

"You plan to lure them using the Anzu form?" Zinjo chuckled, "I know you too well, dark princess. You will try to save everyone, as always," He kissed her.

"I don't see a better way, do you?"

"Nian and I could taunt them, but I suspect they will sense we are not easy prey. Your idea is much more workable. Nian's men will signal us when the herd arrives."

Aurelia steadied her nerves. Everything she accomplished along the way had prepared her for this moment. A firework banged behind her, "What the hell? Did the demon horses change their targets?"

"You want to investigate, don't you?"

"Yes," She kissed Zinjo, "I'll be back in a few minutes, I promise."

She focused her thoughts and put on the winged Anzu suit. The great white wings covered the distance in minutes. She landed on the rooftop, where the border guards waved to her from the ground.

"A foreign army approaches," the taller of the two shouted, "We don't recognize the standard."

Thanks to the Anzu eyes, Aurelia could see in the dark and far distances. The guards were not wrong. On a red field were two lions with crossed blades. Aurelia estimated about a hundred men were closing in. She focused on the head of the column. On an armored steed, Sophie, the former queen of Shadowfen, led the men.

"Let them through," Aurelia ordered the guards, "My mother brings aid. I will brief them on the situation." She allowed herself to fall from the roof and then pushed herself in the air. She shouted with joy as the wings carried her to the retired royal.

She landed a few hundred feet away to avoid spooking the horses and resumed human form.

"I couldn't let you do this alone. We have lost too much time already. If we must bond over bloodshed, so be it. My men and I are yours to command," Sophie shouted.

"I need you to cover the side streets and alleys. We want to keep the enemy out in the open and exposed," She quickly filled Sophie in on the rest of their plan.

Sophie shook her head, "Are you sure about this, is there not a better way?"

"I am with child, mother. It is in my best interest to procure a swift and decisive victory." A shower of sparks streaked across the sky. "The enemy arrives on the western outskirts. Fill the gaps in the streets."

Aurelia took to the air and met up with Nians men, "How many?"

"Fifteen to twenty, they are storming the houses looking for the homeowners." The eastern man said in a solemn tone. Imagine what we could do with such steeds."

The horses all appeared to be pure white steeds, with superior saddles and tack on them, all of them worthy of kings. Their eyes glowed a deep red, and the soldier jumped back as the nightmarish leader kicked a house down and then breathed fire on the wood and stone rubble.

"I take back my previous statement," the soldier laughed. The pair waited in silence for several minutes. The Demonic steeds refused to go any further toward the town.

"Get ready to send the signal," Aurelia dropped to the ground. Her wings folded against her back. The lead Cheval Mallet almost seemed to smile with cruel glee. The sharpened hooves dug into the soft earth. The red eyes beckoned her closer.

Aurelia smiled, "I know where your prizes are. I'll show you where they are if you can keep up," The leader charge with its curved horns aimed at her chest. Aurelia took to the air, "Catch me if you can." She looked down at Nians man, "Signal the others now."

The sadistic herd whinnied and chased the airborne princess. She flew lower to the ground and slowed her speed. She hovered on the spot and waited for the demonic host to catch up. "Are you always this slow?" the taunt worked.

A few tried to break formation and circle around her, but her mother's men rushed out of the alley with their swords raised and knocked the rogue equines back onto the main route. Aurelia kept her eyes on the Palace on the hill, "Come on, Dietrich, we have what you want. Now show yourself."

The drawbridge splintered apart, and thousands of black tendrils slithered toward the action. Aurelia flew toward Ayasu and Tang Sai. She landed, "Get ready, they come,"

Ayasu nodded and held up the scroll, "Everyone repeat after me, and don't stop chanting until ordered to stop," She turned to Tang Sai, "Understood."

"Let's bottle up the overgrown inkspot and the little horsies too," Tang Sai became the nine tails and smiled, "Go fight beside your husband. You better Survive. I am rather enjoying this spy business."

Aurelia nodded and found Zinjo and Lord Nian blades at the ready. The noblewoman landed and drew the Lion's Fang. Are you two ready? All we have to do is hold them off long enough for Dietrich to find his quarry, and then we join the chant."

Nian and Zinjo nodded, their faces smiled in determination, "We are ready to die if necessary, Dark Princess."

The evil steeds came into view, "Hold," Aurelia shouted, "Let them come closer."

Electricity filled the air as the trio prepared to rush the enemy. Not a word passed from the combatant's lips. The heavy hooves echoed across the area, and whinnies turned to angry howls of rage.

When ten yards separated the horses and Aurelia's team, she shouted, "Show no mercy," Aurelia reached the herd first and opened the Parasol. A Cheval Mallet reared up on its hind legs, only to feel the bite of the Lion's Fang. It crashed to the ground and tripped two more. Nian and Zinjo pounced and stabbed wildly.

A few minutes later, the trio found themselves held aloft by a tendril of darkness, "No, vengeance belongs to me," Lebendes voice shook the glass in the windows. He gripped the leader and squeezed it until the eyes nearly bulged from the sockets. "Give it back. She doesn't deserve punishment. I do. I am the one who descended into madness."

Aurelia slashed the tendril with her blade. She dropped to the ground and landed on her feet. With some effort, she managed to extract Zinjo and Nian from the inky tentacles. Dietrich barely noticed as he was too busy exacting vengeance.

The soldiers of Shadowfen burst from the alley and kept the demons trapped near the angered pool of darkness.

"Where is she," Dietrich shouted, "Where is her soul?" He slammed another demonic steed against the ground repeatedly.

"Quickly, we must joint the chant," Aurelia and her companions joined Ayasu and Tang Sai. From the urn, a hand of darkness and one of light crept toward the monstrous battle. Aurelia transformed back into the Anzu. "You will have eternity to torment them," Aurelia bellowed as the arms began to wrap around the deadly entities."

"No, I will not go until I have her soul," He squeezed the lead Cheval Mallet. Purple blood oozed out its mouth, and then something bright and warm flew around the cloud of misery.

"Thea, forgive me. I did all this for you...," the glowing orb hung in front of Dietrich, "I am still the man you fell in love with all those years ago. Don't leave."

The soul hung in the air and took off towards the heavens. The arms of light and dark now dragged the nightmares toward the urn. Dietrich screamed and shouted while he mercilessly beat the Cheval Mallet.

The runes on the urn glowed as Dietrich's essence fell victim to the trap. When the last tendril snaked into nothingness, Aurelia capped it off. She turned to Zinjo, let's go home."

***

A few weeks later, Aurelia sat by the fire with her belly swole and a content look on her face. She carefully handwrote the final words. "For my children and children's children. Know this is a detailed account of my adventures with Zinjo. I may have started as a disgraced princess, but the people came to know me as The Lion Of Shadowfen."

Zinjo entered the room and smiled, "It is time for the Coronation. Are you ready?" He kissed her lips and then her belly.

Aurelia kissed him passionately and giggled, "Of course, I am. We are together." She took him by the hand, "On to the next adventure, our life as a family."

"I am eager to go on this adventure with you, dark princess."

Aurelia smiled and kissed her husband several times, "As am I."

THE END