As the sun began to sink out of the sky, Jayce and the Shadows flew patrol over the Wolves Lair. They had met Valkar, Azeal and Cutter coming in and sent them to Tyr manor to see Jandar and Rage. Valkar told them the warriors wouldn't be far behind. Jayce thanked them and took the Shadows higher into the sky. There they spotted them crashing through the forest toward there destination.[ Rage.] He sent out. [They're almost here!]
[Get back down to the wall. We want you to keep us inform about what they're doing out there.] Rage said. [ I don't want you or Graym fighting from the air. I don't want your wings damaged.]
[ We're on our way.] He sent. Signaling the others to follow him back to the Lair, he dropped down to fly above the approaching enemies as they neared the wall. Dreik had dig many pits out side the wall to slow them down. He knew it wouldn't stop them. They would just scramble up the other side. But it would give them time for final preparations. As Jayce watched, Ariel and Toric flew in. He sent them on to the manor too.
From over the wall, Jayce watched the warrior arrival. They were massive great insect like creatures with huge claws and pincers. Gray armor covered their bodies. They looked very formidable and deadly. From inside the city you could hear their roars quite loudly.
[ Their here!!] Jayce sent to everyone. [ Only a few miles away!]
Jandar and Rage ran from the council room where they were checking the city plans and headed for the gate. There had to be more they could do to protect his parents home he thought. But he didn't know what. They had strengthened the perimeter. He had called in help from all around. Now, all they could do was fight. And that they planned to do.
Outside the council building they ran into Dreik, Ariel and Toric heading for the gate.
" Is everything ready?" Rage asked.
" My wall is strong." Dreik told them. " But sooner or later they will breach it."
" That's ok." Jandar said. " We're not planning on a siege. I want this done tonight one way or the other."
" What about Alee or Jax?" Toric asked. " They could be a big help."
" This is our fight." Valkar said as he and Azeal walked up. " We have to do this ourselves."
" I agree." Rage nodded his head. " Besides, I sent Jax after Ono and Shayn, and Aramis and Alea have their own problems to deal with."
[ That doesn't mean I can't help.] Came from the air as a bright ball of light flew in. It hovered in the air then flashed out blinding them all for a second.
" Alee." Jandar smiled. " What are you doing here?"
" My rides over." He said. " You didn't think I'd let you down did you?"
" No, I didn't." Rage shook his hot hand. " But as Valkar said. This is one we should handle. You've all done so much for us."
" Not just for you." Alee told them. " This is our home to and my sister is the cause of all of this."
" Not Balthazar." Azeal stepped in. " We would have had to deal with him anyway."
" He's in league with her, young prince." The sun god showed his bright smile. " And your enemy is our enemy. Aramis, Jax, All of us. Aramis asked me to watch over you. Your all important to us."
" Then do as he says and watch over us." Rage said. " Let us deal with the vampires. Don't step in unless Muerte shows up. Trust us."
" As you wish King Rage." He said as he began to glow and become the ball of light. [ I'll be watching.] And off he streaked into the sky.
As they watched him fly off, Jayce called out to them.
[ Here they come!!] He said. [ They're almost to the wall!]
" Lets get up on the wall." Rage shouted as they all ran for battle.The forest around the Wolves Lair was totally devoid of all natural animal life. No birds flew in the air or slept in the trees. There were no rabbits or small animals scrying through the brush. All had fled from the things that now approached the newly walled city. Trees fell and bushes were ripped out of the ground to make way for the lumbering beast. From the wall they watch them roaring and screaming their way forward. Dreik had built a deep moat around the Lair and filling it with creeping vines. To anyone looking at it, they would think it was just a carpet of vegetation. Something they could easily walk over for there was only one way around it. And that lane was hidden. If you didn't know where it was, you'd never find it. Soon they reached the moat and began falling in. One after the other they went in screaming and struggling with the vines that wrapped around them and tried to keep them there. These were Dreik's plants under his control. They were all covered with thorns that tried to rip into their armor but were unsuccessful so Dreik began closing the pits and crushing and burying the few he caught. Like insects they began climbing the walls to get into the city,their claws and pincers stabbing in as the moved up. At the top of the wall Jandar, Rage and the others started blasting fire and magical bolts at the oncoming warriors. Rage sent streams of flame down at them burning them off the wall. Screaming in pain they fell to the ground bellow. Next to him Jandar stood with his staff blazing. Bolt after bolt shot from his staff striking the monsters killing them quickly. The loud vibratory blasts of Banshee ring out as he used his sonic blast on them. Slowly but surely the warriors were dying. But there were so many they couldn't stop them all before the reached the top. The first one over the wall was close to Rage. Quickly he shifted to his dragon form and grabbed it as it tried to stab him with one of it's sword sharp legs. Rage grabbed it with his teeth and threw it to the ground. With a roar he launched himself at it and dropped down on it's chest and tore into it in a frenzied attack.
The warriors carapace cracked as he bashed at it. Soon it was dead on the ground and Rage turned to find the next enemy. By this time everyone had abandoned the wall and were fighting in the streets of the city. He looked to the left and saw Icicle in dragon form freezing warriors and shattering them into pieces with a single blow. Azeal and Valkar fought like madmen going from warrior to warrior. Azeal fighting with Justice glowing blue as it sliced into the monsters. Valkar at his back using magic and force to keep his son safe. As another warrior came it him, Rage saw Tof and his fellow werewolves rip into the enemies like the pack wolves they had shifted to. With a mighty blast of flame, Rage blasted the oncoming warrior in the face burning it to death then looked for Jandar. He found him at the wall with his staff raised casting spell after spell into the fray.
[ Love!] He sent out. [ Take your dragon form before you ran out of energy! Use your rage to shift!]
Jandar threw back his head and howl and began to shift. In seconds he was roaring and swatting at warriors. Rage jumped to his side and battled beside him.
Suddenly a loud noise caused them to look up just in time to see Blink and Eheren come flying in. Both of them blasting away at warriors as they dropped to the ground. Lightning bolts and Blinks dark energy dispatched warriors swiftly as they moved into the courtyard.
All through the city battles raged. Jayce armed with Salvation fought his way threw the yard with Graym and Pelic. Many warriors were sent into the dark oblivion of Pelic's cloak to add their life energy to his while Retribution and Salvation hacked warriors to pieces. On and on the fight went for hours until only a few warriors were left. Many vampires and werewolves were killed in the fighting but luckily none of the dragons. But they were growing exhausted from fighting and slowing down.
The battle was almost over. Only three warriors remained at the top of the wall. Two leaped down to engage Rage and Jandar, while the last advanced on Azeals back. He had just dispatched a warrior and was about to turn in the direction of the oncoming threat. But he would not make it. He father the king of the vampire nation knew that.
" NOOOOOO!!!" Valkar screamed as he launched himself at the warrior to protect his newly found son. The warrior raised it's claw to strike at Azeal when Valkar intercepted the blow with his sword. His eyes glowed red with anger and he extended his own claws and jumped in the warriors face slashing at its eyes. Azeal turned and saw his father battling for his life. With a sudden swing the warrior pushed the vampire king back. But Valkar recovered fast and sent blow after blow onto the warriors armor to no affect. This was a very strong warrior. Balthazar had made this ones armor very strong. Howling in pain and swinging blind, the warrior was able to knock the sword from Valkar's hand. Seeing his father without a weapon, Azeal threw Retribution to him.
" Father, catch!!"
Leaping high to avoid the strike, Valkar caught Retribution and stabbed down as he landed into the warriors head sending it hurling off the wall. Azeal went to his father and hugged him.
" I thought it was going to kill you." Azeal cried.
" Not today." Valkar hugged him back and patted him on the back.
Down below, Jandar and Rage had just finished killing the last two warriors when Ariel called a message to them.
[ Jandar, Rage.] She sent. [ We have big trouble.]
[ What now?] Rage asked.
[ Nightwalkers.] Toric sent.
[ How many? Jandar asked.
[All of them.] He said. [ There are hundreds of them coming. They'll be here in a second.]
Jandar looked around the courtyard. Everyone was totally exhausted from the battle. They didn't expect another wave of enemies and he wasn't sure if they could handle this. Not hundreds of enemies.
As Azeal and Valkar released each other, a breeze blew across Valkar's back. He turned and Cort was standing in front of him smiling. Valkar relaxed when he saw his old friend.
" What took you so long to get here?" He asked reaching to gasp his hand. Suddenly Cort thrust a sword into his stomach. Valkar's eyes opened wide as he fell against his son.
" I came when my Lord Balthazar told me to come." He laughed. " At your weakest moment."
" FATHER!!" Azeal screamed in shock as he held his father and laid him down.
" Your next young Prince!" Cort raised his sword to strike.
" Fuck you Traitor!" Azeal grabbed Retribution from his fathers hand and sent it straight through Cort's vampire heart. " Fuck you and your Lord!!"
" Arghhhhh!!!" Cort yelled as he burst into blue flames from the salvation stone in the blade. Soon he was nothing but ashes raining down over the wall. That was the moment the night walkers came flying over the wall.
[ Here they come again everyone.] Rage sent out to them. [ Get up! We're not done yet!]
[ Yes you are!] They all heard. It was Alee the sun god. [You've proved yourself. Now it's my turn. Shield your eyes!]
Suddenly Alee's small glowing orb became as bright as the sun. Screaming from the sight of their worst enemy the sun, every night walker burst into flames and fell to the ground as nothing but ash. The battle was over. They had won and every single night walker and warrior Balthazar had made was dead. Rage and all the rest of them howled or roared in victory. Jandar looked up and saw Azeal holding Valkar,
[ Rage!] He sent to him. [ Valkar's hurt!]
Together both shifted back to their normal forms and ran up onto the wall. Azeal was holding his father and crying.
" Help him." He looked up at them with tearful eyes. " Please!!"
Jandar took off his chain mail and opened his shirt. The wound was in his stomach. Thank god it wasn't in his chest. He would recover in time. The wound was even closing as they watched.
" Azeal look!" He pointed to his wound. " It's closing. He's going to be fine. Just get him fed and in the house to sleep and he'll be fine in a few days."
" He is?" Azeal looked closer and saw he was right. He hugged his father close to them.
" I thought I was losing you." He cried into his shoulder. Jandar helped Azeal to his feet and Rage picked Valkar up. He carrying him back to the manor as everyone cheered.
" Balthazar sent all this at us." Azeal opened the door to the manor and they took Valkar up to a guest room. " We have to stop him or this won't end."
" Don't worry." Jandar said as Rage put Valkar in the bed. " I think he's about to get everything that's coming to him."
