Chapter 3. The cavalry arrives.

"Master Airyos, we must hurry!"

The young elven warrior (a friend of my fathers) rushes to our rescue. Little did we know of his coming at the time, but I can assure you that we were thankful.

At full speed they ran.

11 in all.

They traveled in a small group to boost their speed.

Report had come in of more Shicato activity on the northern mountain edge, and Airyos was on his way to investigate.

"Come men, we must move swiftly for the enemy has once again made waste of another village...time is of the essence!"

He shouted to his elven brethren as they traverse vast fields and woods to arrive at the aid of this unknown settlement.

Airyos was a well-known elven Ranger who's skill and battle prowess were feared across the land, and everyone wanted him whenever they had a problem.

This is why he strictly disapproved of humans.

"We are to stop the humans advance on this village, and then pull out. You have that men?"

The ten men agree in mid run as they made their way to the village.

As Airyos leads his men, he stops suddenly and lifts his head to the sky.

"Halt, men!"

He ordered as his men stop alongside him and swiftly draw their swords.

"Smoke?"

One of his elves ask.

"In that direction."

Airyos says as he points to the north.

"But we can't move any faster sir, we are pushing ourselves to the limit!"

A look of worry crossed the face of the squad leader, but not for the lives of the human village, but in anger and far that he would fail his mission.

"My elven brethren, I will go ahead of you. Those of you who can keep up, please do so, but if you can't, don't try to hard. You will only tire yourself. There is a battle to come...be swift."

The elves raised their swords and let forth a cheer as their leader disappeared into the wood ahead.

"We will not fail you Master!"

They all said in unison.

Airyos was off again, this time at full speed.

He would not fail his Lord, even if it meant dying in the battle to come.

As Airyos leaped from three to tree, memories of the past drifted in and out of his mind. Memories of old wars and ruthless frays of which he had made it out of...sometimes within inches of his life.

Times when defeat seemed inevitable but in the nick of time, victory reared its head and struck down the enemy.

Scars like snakes, wrapped themselves around his forearms and chest.

Scars from enemies attacks.

By arrow, by sword, and even by axe.

Airyos was to strong, to fast, to brave to fall in battle.

The life of a berserker was more suited for him.

As Airyos continued forward, the canopy began to break up, and the sunlight hit his face.

"Almost there..."

He thought aloud.

"Almost..."

The battle was worse than Airyos had thought. As he exited the forest he saw hundreds of men laying siege to the village, and a second small army charging the gate.

"...I hope they get here soon..."

He said to himself as he drew his sword and prepared himself for a bit of reconnaissance.

"This is a bit more complicated then I thought it would be."

Airyos crouched at the edge of the forest with his sword drawn, he hadn't noticed that he had drawn some unwanted attention.

"You there, freeze! If you move an inch, I will pierce your brain!"

Turning to his left, the lone Ranger found that a small band of archers had found him there, and had silently knocked their bows with deadly-looking arrows.

In all there were five.

"Huh!"

He chuckled to himself.

The fun was due to begin sooner than he had anticipated.

"The welcome party has arrived."

He said low enough for only his ears to catch.

Wasting no more time, Airyos took action. His first move was to get behind the men, which he did by flipping high over their heads. As he passed over the group, all of the men loosed their arrows, most missing by just inches.

All of them were left wide open to his counter attack.

As he landed, Airyos blade flashed out, slicing swiftly along the lightly armored backs of the first three men within his lethal weapons reach, falling them to their knees yet leaving their lives intact.

"I will try to minimize casualties."

He said more to himself than anyone in particular.

The last two men dropped their bows and resorted to their side-knives. They drew the serrated blades and took up a pair of awkward combat stances that had two men facing the Elf with their backs to one another.

"Drop your sword you elven scum, and we may consider letting you live!"

This statement very much angered Airyos, and he quickly found himself letting go of all of the sympathy that he had once held for the much weaker humans.

"It is funny how you judge me so quickly...for I have yet to show you my worst side!

With a shout, the Ranger leaped at the two men who in turn turned tail and ran in an attempt to escape whatever horrible fate lay with the elf and his gleaming sword. The first man ran several feet before his head tumbled to the ground in front of his partner who's face lost all color within the same second. He turned to face what he may.

"S...such speed! I..I'll kill you!"

The second man was much more of a challenge than the first had been. The way he brandished his weapon gave him the appearance of a true fighter even, yet in comparison to an elven Ranger?

The mans skills lacked speed, power, and most importantly: experience, and to his surprise, Airyos found himself dodging, blocking, and even parrying a few of the mans attacks before he caught the soldiers pattern and slip his sword in for the quick and fatal blow to the mans chest.

"I really didn't want to do that...but such hatred and and nonsense cannot be tolerated from "scum" like you.

Airyos knelt to clean his blade in the grass before he headed toward the giant gates that rose up before him. To his right the wall of red oaks formed what should have been a nearly impenetrable barrier to the outside world, but the smoke, and flames, and sounds of war being waged suggested otherwise.

Leafaria was burning.

"The battle has already began Master..."

The voice that rang out from behind the Ranger was familiar yet tainted with grief, he spun with his sword before him and at the ready, not fully recognizing the speakers voice at first.

"Well met. You've arrived just in time."

He said as he cast a wary eye over each of his gathering elves.

"Ready your spells and your swords, it is high time we did our part."

This raided the elven warriors spirits, and they drew their swords and accompanying knives.

Airyos was at the point position, his own knife drawn to pair with his fierce sword.

"We shall not fall!

We shall not fail!

We shall not flee!

ATTACK!"

The brave Ranger and his men ran head-on into the rear flank of the second wave of Shicato soldiers, none of which had seen them coming.

None of which a proper chance to respond, react, or mount any sort of defense.

the first several dozen fell before anyone could fathom what was happening.

22 elven blades fell upon rapidly and repeatedly upon their enemies with the grace and elegance that only only and elven swordsman can muster.

Our cavalry had come.