Last Call

Brooke clenched her sword tight in her hand. The cold metal fit perfectly in her grip, and it felt as though it had become one with her hand. It may as well have become a part of her. Since she had forsaken civilian life three weeks earlier, she had been engaged in more battles than most people would in their lives. As it would be for her, and all of her kind. Brooke was a captain on the front lines of The War.1

The attacks had subsided. For now. The enemy would be back soon. They were regrouping, scheming, and devising sly plans of attack. That was their way.2

The Vaithin were, by no means a strong breed of creature. Nevertheless, they were deadly. It was in their tactics that the Vaithin were deadly.3

One human wielding a blade of the Lauhym could take down an entire unit of Vaithin warriors with sweat-less effort. In the same instance, if a single Vaithin were to make its way into the ranks, entire countries would crumble.4

Brooke stepped forward, deeper into the battle field. As Brooke stepped, the entire front line moved forward as one. Behind them the rest of the troupes. All of them pressing farther and farther into the enemy’s territory. Pressing through the field of dead bodies. Human Warriors. Human Civilians. Vaithin Warriors. All strewn about the field in a grotesque manner.5

This stepping out seemed like a simple action. It was. But this simple action was the most crucial tactic in their crusade against the Vaithin. Once ground had been taken by the armies of Lauhym, the Vaithin could not regain it. Unless it was given to them by an heir to one of the Thrones of the Lauhym.6

Brooke kept her eyes locked on the horizon as her small army surged across the field. This was a good day for the people. The warriors of Lauhym had taken back the city of Delphia.7

The hair on her neck prickled and adrenaline shot through her blood. On the horizon a small dot bounced in the sunset. It was the Vaithin army. Which, in itself was not alarming. But now? This was far too soon.8

She lifted her sword high in the air and let out a deep cry, “For Lauhym!”9

Her troupes echoed her cry, “For Lauhym!!”10

They pressed in and sprinted on toward the growing black spot on the horizon, swords held high.11

Brooke clenched her jaw and hoped her troupes were not seeing what she saw. The dot of Vaithin in the distance was growing. Much faster than Brooke was comfortable with. But war was never meant to be comfortable.12

The Vaithin poured over the horizon and spread from a dot to a blanket stretching over the fields ahead. There had to be thousands. Millions.13

Brooke nearly stopped in her tracks. She had never seen so many in her life. Fear gripped her. She pressed harder. Sword leveled at the growing black. Fear was a tactic typical of the Vaithin. This knowledge did not ease the fear. It just gave her the edge to press on. She tasted bile in her throat.14

“Retreat!” Raul, a fifteen year old warrior, cried and stopped dead in his tracks.15

“No!” Brooke roared, “We press on!”16

Her commands were unheeded. The ranks broke. Warriors in the back, unaware of what was ahead, crashed into the frontline warriors who had been overcome by terror. The braver of the warriors pressed on, as those succumbing to the witchery of the Vaithin, scrambled to retreat back to the citadel at Delphia.17

Brooke would deal with them later. She had confidence that the warriors who could press through the fear could surely slay the million Vaithin. They charged on.18

Come, My Children. My Warriors. Rise and take your stand!19

A smile crept across Brooke’s face. It was the call of Lauhym, sent forth by the Rhibum. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw them. The Rhibum. They were standing tall. They looked like men, but with wings and three times the height. And glowing.20

Behind her, the scramblers, stopped in their tracks. They heard it too. They stopped scrambling in fear, and stood there. Blinking. Clearing their mind from the fear. Most of them turned and faced in the direction of the charging Vaithin. Then they charged. Straight on, falling in behind Brooke and her front line.21

The rest opened their mouths in silent screams of terror. They saw, not the Rhibum, but the Vaithin. Tall black men in black cloaks. Tattered black wings and long spiny fingers. But that is not what they saw. They saw hulking beasts, breathing fire and wielding monstrous swords. They saw the witchery. They turned and ran. Wailing cries for mercy.22

Come, My Children. My Warriors. Rise and take your stand!23

The Rhibum were calling out again. The call was not for those afraid to stand against the seeming undefeatable sea of darkness.24

Brooke gasped. The call was not for the ones fleeing. It was a call like the one she had heard three weeks earlier. The Rhibum were calling for civilians to forsake their lives and join the front line.25

Come, My Children. My Warriors. Rise and take your stand!26

There was an unmistakable urgency in their voices.27

Brooke leaned forward and leveled her sword at the line of Vaithin. Now only fifty yards away.28

Come, My Children. My Warriors. Rise and take your stand!29

Was no one was coming? Everyone was being called to this place of honor. The gates of the citadel of Delphia should have a stream of citizens charging to the battle field.30

Come, My Children. My Warriors. Rise and take your stand!31

No one came.32

“For Lauhym!” Brooke screamed, swinging her sword in a large arc. Vaithin now ten yards away.33

Come, My Children. My Warriors. Rise and take your stand!34

A lone girl, who could have been no older than thirteen, came running from the citadel. Sword in hand.35

“For Lauhym!” She cried with a deep passion that resonated through the field in fierce echoes.36

The Warriors of Lauhym clashed with the Vaithin. Brooke plunged her sword through the heart of a black cloaked beast and pulled back immediately. In one large arc, she slashed the heads off of two more. Stabbed three more. Head butted another. In seconds she had slain dozens of the wretched Vaithin. Millions remained. Where were the called?37

Zac, one of her best warriors took a black blade to the face. He fell with a thud.38

Brooke swung in a fury of passion. A scream of rage erupted from the deepest parts of her soul, as she plunged her sword through two of the vile beasts.39

Where were the called?40

A Vaithin blade cashed into her thigh. She spun and sliced into the beast that had hit her. It fell to the ground and writhed in pain, clutching at the bleeding gash where its arm used to be. She stabbed her blade through its chest.41

Another blade crashed into the back of her head. Brooke saw stars. Where were the called?42

A club hit her stomach full force. She doubled over, gasping for air. A blade sliced into her back, cutting deep.43

Darkness tugged at Brooke’s eyes, as she lost feeling in her legs and fell to the blood stained dirt.44

They could not be losing. Where were the called? They were losing. None of the called had come. The Rhibum had sent out one last call of desperation and only one had answered.45

Brooke closed her eyes whispered two words as she died, “For Lauhym.”46

The Vaithin killed all of the warriors of Lauhym that day and took back the citadel of Delphia, and slaughtered all of the inhabitants.47

They could do that. It was the right of the Vaithin to do what the desired with the citadel of Delphia. It had been given to them. The Rhibum had sent forth the call. Many had been called but few chose to answer.48