20: YOU’RE PATHETIC!

The sun had barely risen when the attack began. Zara had hoped for at least a few more hours to prepare, but Alantra's forces were already at Calithea's gates. The sound of war horns echoed through the city, sending waves of panic through the streets.

Zara tightened the straps of her leather vest, her heart pounding as she stepped out of her chambers. Her mind raced, calculating strategies, but nothing could prepare her for the reality of war. She marched to the frontlines, gripping the hilt of her sword as her commanders scrambled to assemble their limited forces.

The battlefield was chaos. Alantran soldiers stormed the gates with precision, their numbers overwhelming. Zara fought alongside her Army, slashing through enemy ranks with determination. Her blade was swift, but her eyes constantly scanned the field, searching for the wounded.

She spotted a soldier from Calithea crumpled on the ground, clutching his bleeding side. Without hesitation, Zara ran to him, kneeling as arrows whizzed past her.

"You'll be fine," she said firmly, pressing her hands over his wound. A soft golden glow emanated from her palms as her healing magic took effect. The soldier's breathing steadied, and he looked up at her with gratitude before being helped to safety by another fighter; he didn't understand how the queen had healed him but before he could think deeper, Mirenna, the queen's court lady had pulled him to the side, away from the battlefield and she momentarily placed her palm over his eyes and it wiped out any memory of the queen healing him.

But the victory was fleeting. Alantra's forces pressed harder with their war cries echoing across the field. Zara's men were being pushed back, their defenses crumbling. Her heart sank as she realized the gravity of their disadvantage, Calithea was being crushed.

A loud explosion shook the ground, and Zara stumbled, her ears ringing. She turned to see the gates of Calithea blown wide open, enemy soldiers pouring through. The sight froze her in place. This was it. They were losing.

Then, a shadow passed over the battlefield, and the air grew colder.

From the sky, Alaric descended, his black wings cutting through the smoke like a blade. His aura was dark and furious, a storm of raw power that sent shivers through friend and foe alike. He landed beside Zara, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light.

"I told you I'd fight," he said, his voice low and steady, carrying an edge of menace.

Zara stared at him, momentarily stunned. "Alaric…"

"There's no time for hesitation," he cut her off, raising a hand. Flames erupted from his palm, blasting through the Alantran ranks and sending soldiers scattering.

Before Zara could process his arrival, another portal opened beside her. Erythian and Scarlet, Alaric's mage stepped through, with Erythian's sword already drawn. His expression was grim as he took his place at her side.

"I couldn't let you do this alone," Erythian said, glancing at her.

Zara gave a curt nod, her focus already returning to the battlefield. The three of them stood together, an unlikely trio, as the battle raged around them.

Alaric's fire tore through the enemy ranks, his shadowy aura consuming everything in its path. Erythian fought with precision and grace, his blade was a blur as he cut down Alantran soldiers. Zara moved between them, healing the wounded secretly with her court lady Mirenna facilitating volunteers to carry the recently healed out, she focused on wiping any memory of the queen healing them out from their minds because Zara came to an understanding that queen Lysandra wishes to hide her powers. 

Zara went on striking down enemies when needed but she was already losing her strength from how much she had over extended herself healing.

Back to the battle field, even with their combined strength, the battle was far from won. Alantra's forces seemed endless, and the weight of the fight bore down on them all.

At the height of the battle, an Alantran general broke through the frontlines, his massive warhammer slammed into the ground with a deafening crash. The shockwave sent Zara tumbling, her ears ringing as she scrambled to her feet.

The general's eyes locked onto her, and he charged.

Zara raised her sword, ready to defend herself, but the force of his blow knocked her weapon from her hands. She staggered back, her heart racing as the general loomed over her.

Before he could strike again, Alaric appeared in a blur of black and crimson, his wings spreading wide as he unleashed a wave of fire that engulfed the general. The man roared in pain, collapsing to the ground as the flames consumed him.

"Are you hurt?" Alaric asked, turning to Zara.

"I'm fine," she said breathlessly, picking up her sword.

"Good," Alaric said, his gaze shifting back to the battlefield. "Because this isn't over."

Alaric flew to the center of the Alantran's army and he slashed the neck of king orden and brought back his head to the queen at the other side where the calithean army resided "king orden's head my queen…as promised" he said as he threw the head at her feet.

Zara let off a faint smile and so did Alaric, he flew right back into battle to finish things up, they had the king now and finishing up the other soldiers should be easy.

As the sun began to set, the tide of the battle finally started to turn, Alaric, Zara, and Erythian fought as one, their combined efforts breaking through Alantra's forces; they could already touch the victory.

But victory came at a cost. 

Erythian was struck down by an Alantran soldier who aimed to avenge the king for Alaric's action; a deep wound slicing across his chest. He fell to his knees, blood pooling beneath him.

Zara rushed to his side, "NO!!!" She screamed as her eyes turned crimson "Stay with me, Erythian," she said, her voice trembling.

Zara commanded Mirenna to take Erythian to the back for a physician to watch over him while she faced Alaric.

Alaric stood nearby, his expression unreadable as he watched the scene unfold.

Zara glanced up and caught the look on Alaric's face. The realization hit her like a blow to the chest.

"You knew," she whispered, her voice filled with anger. "You saw him about to be struck, and you did nothing."

He could have easily intervened, could have saved Erythian before the blow landed. But he didn't. He had seen the attack coming and had chosen to let it happen.

Alaric's expression darkened. "I fought for this kingdom not for Erythian. I fought for you. Isn't that enough?"

"No," Zara snapped, rising to her feet. Her hands were still stained with Erythian's blood. "You're a coward, Alaric! You could have saved him, EASILY!! and you chose not to."

"He's your enemy," Alaric said, his voice rising. "He's the reason we're in this mess in the first place. Why should I save him?"

"Because it's the right thing to do!" Zara shouted, her voice breaking. "But you don't understand that, do you? All you care about is yourself."

Alaric's jaw tightened. "I care about you."

"No, you don't," Zara said, her tone cold. "If you did, you wouldn't have let this happen. You're selfish, Alaric! You always have been."

Alaric's wings flared behind him, his anger barely contained. "I just saved your kingdom. I gave you everything, and this is how you repay me?"

"I didn't ask for your help," Zara said, her voice steady now. "And I certainly didn't ask for your lies. You're a wicked man, Alaric Jaman! You're pathetic!!!"

Her words hit him like a dagger, and for a moment, Alaric looked genuinely hurt. But the emotion passed quickly, replaced by his usual mask of indifference.

"Fine," he said, his voice cold. "If that's how you feel, then I'll leave."

And with that, Alaric spread his wings and took to the sky, disappearing into the night, his Mage Scarlet created a portal and spit on the floor while her eyes were locked in with the Queen's, she went through the portal right after Alaric left.

Zara ran to the back where Mirenna had kept Erythian, kneeling beside him once more. She tried to think of ways to save him with her energy without him finding out about her powers, Zara realized that holding on to Erythian for so long could give him access to her mind and he would find out EVERYTHING.

In the meantime, she allowed for a physician to tend to his wounds, while she came up with a plan on how to heal Erythian herself.

"I can't let him die" Zara whispered under her breath as tears welled up in her eyes, she wondered why she felt so deeply passionate about Erythian in that moment.

For another split moment, Zara even considered telling Erythian about her powers, if that would allow for her to keep him from dying.

"I love him" she thought to herself.