Airel - Aaron Patterson [71]
Smiling with bright white teeth, he gripped the steering wheel harder. Happiness filled him and bubbled over with the thought of finding her and the blond man from the theater. He would kill them both.
Chapter X
1250 B.C. The City of Ke’elei
“What I ask for is this: the Army of Ke’elei. Assist me in eradicating the Seer’s horde from the face of the earth. If we do not attack, they will find this city and all will be lost. Word of it will spread like a plague throughout the land. We must act quickly to destroy before we are destroyed.” Kreios looked at the frowning faces and continued.
“They are less than a day’s flight away. If we move with haste we can attack them before the next sunset. I believe El has placed the key to victory within our hand already. With the aid of the Shadowers we can attack them from the air without their foreknowledge.” Kreios felt the the tide begin to turn as he spoke. He wondered what it was that had begun to turn his peers so quickly—unless he was in fact deceived somehow, he wasn’t quite sure. His face radiated with the power the Sword had already demonstrated. He was not sure exactly what propelled him forward, and to what end, but he felt he could almost defeat the horde by himself. It was as if he was becoming one with the Sword, and the Sword one with him.
Anael shook his head, and his white beard wagged with disapproval. “If we give you the Army the city will be defenseless. What will happen if they send a second wave to take the city as you are gone? I cannot allow our women and children to be sacrificed in order for you to embark on a battle that may leave you all dead.”
Kreios tried to keep his voice even, but it shook slightly in spite of his effort. “I believe that the Sword of Light will protect us from the drain of power in battle—”
“—You believe, but have no proof. What happens if the battle lasts for days? What if, over time, you lose all of your power? The Shadowers will not be able to protect you as you return to the city and lead the entire horde to our gates. Then, not only will you and the entire army be weak and dying, but also the city will stand at the mouth of its own grave.”
Kreios could feel his temper rise, but resisted. “Understand, they will be at our gates on the morrow no matter what we choose to do today. I do not know how, but the Seer is able to see past our defenses. How he does it is not the point. The enemy would not expect us to leave a fortified city in favor of open battle in the wilderness. If we attack swiftly he will not see it coming.” Kreios stopped, looking at Anael, gauging his reactions. He was stone-faced still.
Kreios slumped his shoulders slightly in acknowledgement. “We have to try. I can leave half the Army here to defend the city in case we fail, but we must try! Our lives are all at stake!”
Anael muttered, conferring with the other elders in a hushed tone, occasionally stealing a glance toward Kreios and the Sword that hung at his side.
Kreios had no evidence that his plan was sound. He simply knew what was true and what was not. He knew he would protect his daughter at any cost. If that meant meeting the Seer in battle on his own, he would do it.
“We will have to hold further council over this matter,” Anael stated matter-of-factly. “It is a difficult thing to judge. The Sword is back in our hands now and I have a hard time risking that it be taken away again.”
Kreios flinched in fury. “Why is a sword forged, O Great Anael? Why are shields made? For what purpose does a man bend a bow and craft arrows? Why does he train his hands to battle? Is it to hide these things in obscurity when they are most needed? Would you in fact have us run from the risk of battle when the possibility of victory is at hand? If we would but reach out to grasp it! I lost the Sword once. Once! That will not happen again, Anael. I am the keeper of the Sword and the rightful use of it is mine alone. If I must, I will fight the horde single-handedly. But you would open up the gates of the City of Refuge for the enemy to trample our very