87 Wrong Turn

"Andrei mister… you might have changed a bit… but your plans are so brilliant.

Look at the faces of the elves, just a few minutes ago they were despairing waiting for their end, they have found hope, and what's surprising is that revenge isn't written on their face, but those are faces of victors, they knew that following your plans they could win.

At the battle in the human world, we all felt the same. In the darkness, you stood up for us, that's why when you chose me and Raven to accompany you in this strange world, we felt honored… and still right now… seeing this scene, makes me proud of myself for accompanying you in this another world.

You have endured so much, knowing Princess Claire's time limit, you knew that you didn't have much time to dillydally, taking on an entire race for someone you love… that's not an easy feat mister.

You have all of my respect and loyalty. I'll follow you to the world's end."

Eagle screeched as it soared high, giving the information on the enemy's movement to Raven, who's at the forest with Andrei — whom in this world has taken up the name Slaine. Meanwhile. Raven transmitted this information to Slaine, who gives the next order to the separate squads, making sure that the distances they are doing in the sweep allows them to kill as many dark-elves as they can.

No spells reached the sweeping unit, as the lady wrapped them with the unpenetrable barrier, with nullifiers being taken down by Slaine they were easy prey. The more the formation got larger due to the squads that have separated joining.

After the fierce battle in the forests, where the dark-elves were helpless and disorganized, the sweep continued until sunset; the bombardment has stopped and only the voices of the fleeing dark-elves could be heard, asking for help, but with their system of command collapsed, the low morale of the soldiers and with the shock of the speed the elves have progressed their sweep, all they could do was run, some who tried to fight either got the general Bulas' arrow, or general Alwins' sword, or Slaines bullet engraved in their bodies and heads.

For the first time in history, the resistance, the Free Elven Forces, dealt a tremendous blow to the race that gave them terror for many years.

At the end of the battle, it was counted the ten divisions of dark-elves sent to crush the resistance was shamefully routed and obliterated. Some of them were able to escape but was instantly killed after reporting to their higher command for their dereliction of duty.

The body count dropped to almost a hundred thousand, including their special division composed of purely dark-elf knights, where only the ashes of them remained.

On the elf's side, because of the quick thinking of general Bulas, general Alwin's cruel retreat order, lady Allannia's barrier and Slaine's intervention, the losses were minimal, with a thousand deaths and injuries, the deaths were mostly brough by the sudden invasion — the first elves to respond.

However, unlike dark-elves, to the elves losing a thousand precious companions was hard. Children lost their parents, wives lost husbands, and parents lost their children.

The ten battalions under general Bulas, was still intact and the one escort battalion led by general Alwin that was divided into squads — no one was stupid enough to be caught as they lured the dark-elven forces into the forest.

As the sun have set, and the moon took its place together with the stars, in charge of inter-camp communication, Mr. Wistari transmitted the victory to all the camps and bases. Together with Slaine and his comrades, they moved to the next HQ.

Together with some captives, weapons, amulets in tow.

…

The new headquarters is under a rock cliff, the dwelling place was under it with the entrance facing the sea, it was an enormous cave inside, and is another base the higher-ups of the resistance prepared in case of a retreat meant to hold many elves.

Thanks to Slaine and his birdy buddies, we were able reach this place still with all our forces and council of ten intact. And of course with our non-combatant people.

I reunited with Valeri as we led Slaine, with his buddies on his shoulders, this time around he went with us with his weapon is under his mantle, covered by it.

It feels that I am dreaming. We won against those dark-elves who had much power and numbers than us, with his strategy.

He is not only strong but also wise.

Maybe I could be stronger like him someday?

I stopped for a bit and looked at him, remembering something that he did to me earlier.

"Hey Slaine, why did you just threw me like that? You could have got down lower before you did that!"

And Valeri supported me.

"Yeah yeah, you shouldn't be throwing pretty girls like that, or you'll get bad luck you know"

He stopped and momentarily looked at me with his dead eyes, with his face and ears still covered with his hood, and the lower half of his face covered with his bandana. I can't see its shape, I wonder what his ears looks like? I'm curious.

"Sorry"

He bowed his head a bit.

It surprised me at how unexpectedly humble this person is despite of his strength and intellect, hey… you shouldn't be bowing your head to us, after all you're the one who saved us, and a celebration will be made later to thank you.

Now I feel bad, after everything he did for us I got him bowing his head to me who barely did anything. But what is this feeling that I'm getting from him… he seems… so lonely. I guess this is from his desperation to achieve something, to do something for the one he cared deeply for, the reason he's fighting right now.

I couldn't help it and with my right hand I held his right cheek softly.

"Raise your head, I should be the one who should lower my head to you"

I looked at him, as he slowly turns up his head as he looked at my eyes.

Those eyes… how long have you been fighting to lose the gleam in your eyes. Seeing him like this, I wanted to do something for him… to do something about this loneliness that I can feel from him.

"Why…"

He asked with his voice obscured because of his bandana. But I can tell we are just at the same age.

"Why you ask?

Well, you saved me, right? Many times… in the forest where I was about to be captured.

You saved my heart from breaking as you appeared in front of us when we were about to fight even death is certain.

And finally, you saved what's precious to me."

I held Valeri's hand, and she went to my side.

"This girl here is my one and only family left, we might not be related by blood but we have been together for many years. Without you, I wouldn't be able to hold her hand like this"

"Really? I saved… you?"

"Mmmm… "

I nodded, and just for a bit, I saw his eyes glowed again, his black eyes when it shone, it looked like the stars I saw every night at the camp, those twinkling of the stars were enchanting; they blinked and flickered away, and yet always returned like rogues hiding away in the shadows, however they were always full of kindess and gentleness that shines in the darkness and leads us toward daylight..

But as he blinked, it went back to normal.

Perhaps was my mind playing with me? Did I see it because I wanted to see it on him?

I want to see it again.

Then I saw the bird whom he calls his friends look at him. These birds are intelligent? His birds looked at him as if they were concerned.

He took the tip of his hood and lower his face, concealing the little of what we can see of his face.

"Lyra, let's take him to the gathering place now? The council of 10 are waiting. He requested not to be seen by many people, right? We should hurry up now or the others will catch up."

"Okay, Slaine, can we go now?"

He nodded and followed us silently, as we went deeper to the cave lit by several gems and the bugs and plants that grew in it.

The three of us were silent, but from time to time, I looked at him over my shoulders, and I saw him let a light bug land on his finger. The birds on his shoulders were surprisingly not freaked out of being under the cave.

He talked with them, muttering, and with the silence of the cave, we could hear him speak with them in an unfamiliar language, a language I have never heard of.

And the birds would respond by squawking and screeching. I wonder how he could understand that?

Is talking with birds more fun than talking with me and Valeri? I pouted.

After a few minutes of walking in the dimly lit cave, we finally arrived at the place. We saw bridges that span across the crystal clear waters. The water is so clear that cave formations look close but are nearly 50 feet below the water's surface.

The bridge went to one direction straight at first, but after, it separated into three paths, and we crossed the first bridge until we arrived in front of the three bridges.

"Valeri, where should we go from here?"

Valeri also looked at the three directions.

"You two are going to the council of 10, right? Then you should go at the center, I'll take the path at the right, I have to go back to my unit, bye and good luck!"

She waved at me with a sly smile and disappeared into the right path, I can imagine what she meant by good luck, that Valeri!

"Slaine… we go in this direction"

He nodded as we went further on the center path.

And there we saw a platform where the council of 10 are seated, with lady Allannia on the center.

"Esteemed high-elf Allannia, and everyone Slaine has arrived"

I lowered my head and went to the side to present Slaine.

"Umm… Lyra, where is he?"

As I looked behind, he wasn't there!

....

On the other side of the cave, Valeri was surprised. Or should I be scared that the council of ten and Lyra might scold me?

"Ummm… Slaine, I think you got the wrong direction"

"Really?"

I showed him a wry smile as we have already arrived in the quarters of my unit. And there were lots of female elves who stared blankly at us.

Oh no, this will be troublesome. He even requested to not interact with other people.

The females were shocked at first… but when they realized who he is; they stood up with glimmering in their eyes.

"Oh, my… is it that him?!"

"The one who defeated dark-elf division by himself!"

"Yeah! The one who saved us!"

It's not my fault because he's the one who followed me here. But I have to fulfill my orders.

"Sorry ladies, but I've been instructed not to —"

Before I can even finish my speech, they dive into him like hungry hyenas.

What a poor guy.

Wait! That isn't the time for that!

"Run! Lyra's at the center path!"

He nodded and threw something to the ground and smoke appeared.

The ladies, who tried to go after him, hugged nothing but smoke.

Tsk! These hyenas's have no self control.

If he gets annoyed because of it, I would be the one who would get scolded by the council members!