22. Serena

Slowly, the dark elves inch closer, each step a countdown to the impending doom that awaits me at the edge of their swords. That's if they don't have anything worse planned for me.

In front of me is a large fire pit, its flames routinely stoked. As I stare into its brightness, I can only see Cinis.

Is it true what they said? Is he really gone?

The men who I locked in the shack join the ranks. No doubt, they'll want to enact vengeance for the humiliation they suffered at my hands. I raise my sword.

"What's wrong? Afraid a girl might get the upper hand if you attack?"

I don't know what I'm doing. I know they're not in fear, and I'm positive they know I'm terrified. Maybe a part of me is emboldened with the knowledge of my inevitable death.

The one leading the group throws up his hand, prompting them to stop their advance.

"She's courageous. You there," he says, pointing to one of his subordinates. "Give her a fight and make it entertaining. I wasn't woken up for nothing."

The dark elf that approaches is smaller than the others. I may have a chance, but even in the slim chance of besting him, that still leaves the rest of them to deal with. When the elf brandishes his sword, all distractions leave my mind.

He charges.

I roll forward just as he brings his sword hurtling down, unsheathing the dagger I procured from earlier. I drive it into his foot, pinning him in place before cutting him down.

My victory means nothing of course, for two large elves grab me by the shoulders and force me down on my knees.

"Cowards!" I hiss. "Fight me one-on-one and I'll best each and every one of you."

"We all know that's a lie. The elf you killed wasn't even a trooper," says the leader. He presses the flat side of his weapon against my throat. "You've given us enough trouble already."

He raises his sword slowly. I shut my eyes and accept that this is the end. At least no one can say I didn't try…

Then, the fire in the pit swirls and expands, erupting from the pit. For a moment, fire overtakes everything, incinerating the soldiers even in their armor.

What's going on?

The men holding me, garbed in metal rather than blue armor, rush forward but are suddenly levitating. I blink, and their forms are reduced to a bag of skin and bones, their life force seemingly drained from them. I can't believe it.

Could he have come?

An elf grabs me from behind and pulls me to my feet, pressing a cold steel dagger to my neck.

"Who's there? Show yourself or the whore gets it."

"You've already sealed your death," speaks the familiar voice.

I can't help but smile, knowing I'm safe. The elf loosens his grip, suddenly choking. I spin around to see Cinis holding the gray-skinned bastard in his hands, draining the life out of him.

He flings the remains to the ground and turns to me, our eyes locking onto one another with renewed hope.

I want to throw myself into his arms, relishing the strength of his grip enveloping me. But I know that if I get close, I'm going to burn up.

I stutter as I try to find the right words but nothing comes.

"I missed you," I mutter somehow, my throat swelling with joy.

"Serena, I shouldn't have let them take you in the first place, I… I…"

I imagine kissing him. I want so badly to embrace him. He feels like home.

"There's something I must tell you," he states. "It can't afford to wait any longer."

"What is it, Cinis?"

I'll remember his words forever.

"I love you, Serena. I've always loved you since the first time I saw you. I have lived countless years, but all that time before you no longer exists for me. Because of you, I now know the meaning of a life with purpose, and my life is one with you."

"Cinis," I whisper, shedding a tear. "You don't know how long I've wanted to tell you the same thing."

He smiles, and it's more beautiful than anything I've ever seen.

"I love you so much," I tell him.

"You were worth those centuries of waiting," he replies.

I want him to pull me in by the waist and hold me tight, bending me down and kissing me over the raging flames. Unfortunately, an open battlefield isn't the best place for a reunion.

"Get them!"

We turn to see the surviving soldiers rallying against us, most are bloodied, and those who aren't advance hesitantly. I grab my fallen sword, but by the time I wield it, Cinis is sucking the life out of the final trooper.

It's a relief that their supply of armor is limited.

"That takes care of this problem," he states, flinging the body to the ground. "Serena, I fear we may have to hold off on our proclamations for now."

"That's okay," I tell him. "I know there'll be time for it very soon now that you're here with me."

He's right. As much as I'd love to focus on us, there's a bigger task at hand. We need each other now more than ever. I look across the rest of the humongous compound. The other side doesn't appear to have been alerted to my escape or Cinis' appearance.

"Cinis, I think there's more of them on the other side."

"There's something you should know first," he says. "There's dark elf camps hidden around the hills surrounding the human settlements. They're surveilling them before Aldris gives the order for assaulting them."

"Bastards," I hiss. Out of the corner of my eye, I spot the impaled soldiers and remember their armor. "Cinis, do you see those soldiers wearing the blue armor?"

"Yeah, I found a way around that," he says. "They might be immune to my magic, but if they leave a flame around of its own accord? I can help it along."

He sighs, exhaling smoke.

"But without an open flame, and not one I conjure, I'm afraid I'm helpless against them," he says. "I can't lift them into the air. I can't shoot fire directly at them. They're immune to my magic."

"Cinis," I say, just glad to be useful. "I found a weakness in their armor."

"You did?" his voice perks.

"Yes, all you need is some exposed skin to drain these fuckers, right?"

He nods. I take him and lead us to the nearest corpse donning the armor, showing him the section that exposes their bodies. It's almost hard to see through the burnt wreckage, but I'm able to get the point across.

"See that? I can pry it off of them while you keep them distracted. Do you think that would be enough?"

"Only one way to find out," he says. "What else did you find out?"

"Aldris has my amulet," I reply. "There's a great deal of power in it, and I think it's capable of controlling you somehow. It's also why I was immune to y our flames, and why I can't get close to you now."

He nods solemnly.

"We'll figure that out when we come to it. Right now we have a compound to wipe out."

"Then we can make our way to his quarters."

I think I see a smile form across his face, but it's full of melancholy.

"You did well on your own."

"No," I chuckle, shaking my head. "I almost got myself killed."

"One against an army is never going to be a fair fight, but without you, how else would I have found out their weaknesses? I need you as much as you need me. I can't do this without you, Serena."

"You really think so?"

"Serena," he laughs. "I know it."

He hovers forward, looking out toward the wreckage of the camp.

"Now come on, let's wipe out these monsters."

We stick to the shadows, moving under the cloak of night as we make our way to the other side of the compound. I tiptoe past tents and shacks while Cinis floats around silently.

Together, we work on a plan to take every one of these monsters out. Cinis uses his abilities to help me set up a trap, all part of the plan we've devised. He positions boulders to fall down on a concentrated area at the pull of a rope, one that I'll be manning.

"Are you ready?" I ask him.

He nods. He sounds the alarm, signaling all of the remaining dark elves to a campfire lit in the central common area. In small groups, they emerge from their tents, trudging over in their groggy, exhausted states.

"What's going on?" one asks. "Who sounded the alarm?"

I watch with a devious smile from a platform out of view, my sweaty hands itching to pull the rope.

The dark elves gather in unison, huddling around the lit fire as they murmur back and forth, demanding an explanation for the sudden awakening.

Cinis gives me the signal and I pull. A barrage of heavy stone rains down on them, crushing the elves beneath their weight. Screams cut out almost as soon as they leave their owners' mouths.

Cinis and I make quick work of the survivors, eliminating any potential backup for our inevitable confrontation with Aldris.

I find myself shaking with anticipation. Cinis faces me with a look of concern in his eyes.

"Why are you shaking? Is something wrong?"

"No, quite the opposite," I tell him. "Everything is going right. I've never been this close to achieving victory over the elves. All the people I've lost to Aldris' order…"

Cinis shushes me.

"They would be proud if they saw you right now. Use that force to help me take him down once and for all. It's time we end this."

I try to prepare myself as we journey to his chambers, but I don't quite know how to. I never thought this day would come. All I know is that everyone I've lost is about to be avenged.