*CHAARRRRRRRRRGE!* Loud drums played as the masses of dark soldiers moved on to Elantra. “PEOPLE OF ELANTRA, I AM STRITOSIS THE GOD’S SPIRIT WOLF. I KNOW THAT THE DARKNESS APPROACHING MAY SEEM LIKE THE END OF DAYS, BUT YOU ARE ELATES! YOU WERE MADE TO DEFEND YOUR HOMES WITH THE UTMOST DUTY, WOULD YOU LET THESE SAVAGES DESTROY YOUR HOMES RAVAGE YOUR FAMILIES AND DEFILE THE SACRED TREE!? NEVER! PREPARE YOURSELVES TO DEFEND YOUR LIVES, YOUR LAND, AND ELANTRA ITSELF!”

The Queen’s speech rallied the Elate people who took up arms against the wall, bows, cannons, staffs, summoners the whole lot. Each soul prepared themselves to die in the name of their home, Ram and Rom stuck with Kali and Wisp while Zero and Ziro went up to find a good perch. “Shit I knew that the dark soldiers had a large army but damn, I hope we can take them out fast.” “Unlikely if the army just continues to grow the walls will fall.” Zero clenched Dicer but.. *fwip…..tink!* Zero blocked an arrow that was heading straight for Ziro’s skull. “Thanks Z!”

“We can’t stay here lets get some action.” Ziro nodded and the two jumped to the wall. Along the wall which surrounded the entire kingdom was laced with hundreds of Elates throwing everything they had at the army. “Kali I’m scarred what happens if the wall falls?” “It will be fine Rom we just need to find the injured if there are any yet.” The lancer core outside of the gates were holding off the Soldiers as best as they could with archers and artillery striking the army from behind the shields. Until suddenly a cry was heard the first death. Then another, and another until the entire lancer core was engulfed in the darkness.

“Veksis you damn bastard what is the meaning of this why is he here?” Elates on the walls prepare for breach!” Loud booms and crashes were heard along the outside of the wall until suddenly nothing. The darkness just stopped moving, as if they are waiting for something. The sky turned dark. *FWIP* “ARROWWWWS! TAKE COVER!” Shouted an elate but it seemed to late the arrows ran along the whole front of the wall hitting everything on top, save it for a few most of the defensive line was eradicated. “no….all those…people… gone” Rom tearfully said as she fell to her knees. “Rom get up we have to protect the wall breach. ROM GET UP!” “Gone….”

“Rom please get up you can still fight and make their deaths not in vein.” Kali said as she rubbed Rom’s head gently. “What the hell was that?” “It’s not over look.” *THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD* “HAHAHA I NEVER KNEW YOU WOULD ALL BE SO EASY!” “MY NAME IS GERT THE DARKNESS’S COMMANDING OFFICER OF WAR, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SURRONDED YADA, YADA, LETS SEE OH MY LORD VEKSIS HAS A MESSAGE, take it if you will, HAND OVER THE CHAMPION OF EON AND WE WILL WITHDRAW IF YOU REFUSE THEN THE KINGDOM OF ELANTRA SHALL BE DESTROYED.”

The Queen called out to towering beast in response “GO RETURN TO YOUR MASTER BEAST! FOR YOU SHALL FIND NO CHAMPION HERE!” “IS THAT SO? YOU WOULDN’T MIND IF WE DOUBLE CHECKED FOR YOU NOW WOULD YOU?” The commander nodded for explosive charges to the door suddenly *BOOM BOOM BOOM! CRASH, THUD!* The gates of Elantra were blown off falling to the ground with a loud thud. “NOW FIND THE CHAMPION!” “Here they come!”

The dark soldiers swarmed the gates being killed off by the Elates as fast as they could. But there was no end to them, the queen at this point jumped into the masses and attacked valiantly swiping hundreds of soldiers away. “Rom fire!” “Right.” Firing her laser artillery each shot wasted at least a dozen soldiers. “Kali go they are after you run while you can!” “But I can’t leave you to defend here alone you’ll die.” “That’s what we were born to do now go they still haven’t found you yet so this is the perfect opportunity.” “But!” “NO BUTS MOVE NOW!” Kali took Wisp and hid her in her satchel to hide her from danger.

“This is stupid why is Veksis attacking Elantra the most protected kingdom, and one that wants peace over war, is it because of me? Wisp?” Wisp looked down sadly answering “Yes you’re the reason he’s here, I hate to admit it but all these deaths are killing my abilities and mental protection. I… can’t… anymore” Wisp fell into the bag unconscious leaving only Kali to think for herself until she turned a corner and saw Zero and Ziro Ram, Rom and Sage defending the queens mortally wounded body.

She couldn’t help her next move. A move to decide the fate of Elantra forever. Kali ran, ran as fast as she could preparing a mass heal spell to close the wounds of The Ex-shadows and the queen. Healing them Zero looked over to see a crying Kali run past her almost in slow motion, up the wall onto the top jumping over the dead elates. Until finally reaching the front. The shadows looked on as the queen did too, “HEY YOU BEAST! YOU WANTED YOUR CHAMPION? WELL HERE SHE IS!” The commander turned a laughed, *HAHAHA* “You cant be serious the champion of the gods is a priest!? HAHAHAHA!”

“Yeah so what if I’m a priest I am still the champion of Lady Myra!” The commander stopped laughing looking seriously at Kali, “KALI NO!” She turned to see Zero Running at her full speed to protect her. “HUH? A mere spirit dares to attack me!?” He grabbed Kali’s entire body and stepped away from the wall. “LET HER GO!!!!” Zero jumped at the Commander who simply replied, “NEVER.” Before vanishing with his entire army and Kali. *THUD* “YOU BASTARD” Zero swung aimlessly in the air until a helping hand held her body, “She’s gone Zero, don’t let your anger fill you with revenge.”

Ziro said as she turned Zero around who fell down with all her weight to her knees, dropping Dicer and her hands. “Kali…. Our promise… What about… our promise?” “Ziro looked at Zero “She’s gone but that doesn’t mean she’s dead.” “But how… do we… know” “I don’t know for sure but Veksis wouldn’t kill her outright that’s for sure.” Zero started to cry uncontrollably holding Ziro’s body and shoving her face into her shoulder. All Ziro could do was gently rub her head. Suddenly Ram, Rom, and Sage all came out to see a weeping Zero in the arms of Ziro.

“Well it’s about damn time you two did this in public haha!” Sage said in her old accent cheerfully, “Sage really that’s the first thing you could come up with?” “Why what happened?” “Zero just lost Kali, the champion of the gods to the darkness.” “Oh, I’m sorry mate. I didn’t realize what happened.” “She….she’s gone bec..because of m…me.” “Shush, shush, that was her own decisions to protect us don’t you see?” “Huh?” “She’s right.” The queen said as she walked over to the two. “Kali did that to protect the kingdom of Elantra and you two.” “We need to go after her.”

“Where would she even be?” Replied Sage quickly in stubbornness, “Where would she be? You aren’t the same Zero I remember from all those years ago, the old Zero would be calm and collected, look at clues and then make a decision.” “Well I changed.” “For better or for worse?” “Both.” With that answer Rom had a confused look on her face. “Rom whats wrong?” “Where’s Wisp?” They all looked at each other, “Last I saw she was with Kali.” Replied Ram. “And then Kali got taken which means…Wisp is with her still!” Zero looked up shockingly and called out to the Queen, “You can find Wisp right?” “Yes she is a sprite so it wouldn’t be hard at all.”

“Then…. Then that’s how we will find Kali with Wisp!” Zero jumped up with joy, as she ran off to the queen who took the shadows to the castle to locate Wisp which in turn would lead them to Kali.