Nyxis's heart pounded against his chest as he watched wounded after wounded pour out of the upper floors. If they were able to round up the wounded, it seemed like the enemy retreated.
He was in the throne room when he heard they were going to bring in the wounded. Just those since the dead have long ago shattered into a million crystals, or so he was told by an ice sprite in charge of the healing quarters like he was.
Nyxis liked the guy too. During the hours when the siege took place, Nyxis taught him some of the pain-numbing potion recipes he had come to memorize. Fortunately, the ice sprites had stocks of cetasame fur and cata-cata claws. Feltid leaves could easily be replaced with liriope seeds which Nyxis had in huge amounts somewhere in his satchel. He had never been so happy in getting rid of the vial that he impulsively bought during his travels.
The ice sprite, whose name Nyxis had come to learn as Dalan, shook his hand and welcomed him to the healing quarters. Together, they brewed for hours and chatted about their lives. Nyxis learned that there were two-hundred and six floors to the Ice Capital and that the enemies couldn't possibly conquer them all.
Nyxis also knew that the rest of the populations that chose not to fight were stashed in the most bottom floor where a secure escape tunnel would take them as far as Cardina. He didn't bother voicing the thought aloud but his mind whirled with the possibility that it could be connected with the tunnels underneath the Human Palace. His mother couldn't have built that during her short reign, right?
Then, he asked Dalan about a stronger scar remover and the man came up empty. Nyxis stuck his bottom lip out. Bummer.
That's when the doors to the healing hall shimmered with blue light and Geradine stepped through. Blood painted her armor in elaborate splatters. Relief washed over him when the General snapped at him that it wasn't hers. But his relief soon drained from his system when he saw the bout of wounded soldiers that came after Geradine. Some were carried by knitted stretchers and others half-carried, half-dragged through.
Nyxis set to work. He spent the entire day going like that. He poured potion after potion into mouths. He bound wounds, stitched some. He set broken bone back into place. He sawed a finger or two since they were unfortunately exposed to some foul poison curse. Their enemies were capable of that? That's one of the advanced Escuira loivistais.
By the time dinner was about to be served, Nyxis collapsed against a wall, spent and bone-tired. He could just sleep and sleep. He closed his eyes but the horrific scene was the one playing against his lids. Gods.
There were at least three hundred wounded soldiers and Geradine didn't tell him how many had died when he asked. Nyxis kind of understood why because the man he had been attending to wouldn't stop whining about pickles that Nyxis had to strike a nerve in the neck to sedate him.
"The Council awaits us, come," Geradine's voice tore through his peace. He opened one eye to find the ice sprite general's hand stretched towards him. He sighed. Here goes nothing. He accepted the General's hand. Geradine had to steady him as she pulled him up. "Lead the way," Nyxis said through his hazy vision.
The walk to the Council Room was a quiet one. Nyxis opened his mouth to speak but Geradine shot him a warning glare. Okay. No questions then. They stopped at a dark door and Geradine raised her hand to it and spoke a different Keijula word. Nyxis's surroundings shifted until he was seeing the same round table and the same people seated on chairs around it.
The Grand Marshal had her hand clasped on the table once again. Kennen Jarmez gave Nyxis an acknowledging nod and a dainty smile as Nyxis sat down. The Chief's face was as hard as stone as he brooded over something in his head.
Nobody looked twice at Geradine who was still covered in blood and dried sweat mixed with dirt as she took a seat between Craleth and another male general with dark brown hair. She had only removed the mask covering her eyes and let her long, blonde hair fall to her waist. She looked so much like Marin it distracted Nyxis at times.
"General Draswist, report," the Grand Marshal said in a flat tone.
Geradine straightened on her seat. "Forty ice sprites dead," she said. There were no gasps that ensued, only grim faces. "Three hundred and twenty four wounded and are in the process of healing. First to fiftieth floor defended. Prisoners are being dealt with by my men as we speak. They are...a bit unruly but we'll get there."
The Grand Marshal massaged the bridge of her nose. "That's not so much to go on. Tell me of their battle strategies, their forms of attack."
Geradine's eyes narrowed. "They have every variety of fairies there with them," she said. "Thankfully, our people are trained to deal with them. We managed to subdue at least a hundred of their men. If they continue with this assault, we will drive them away with just a thousand of our men. They fight in a frontal assault, the factions we dealt with probably are members of such flank. There might be some who are spies and silent assassins."
Nyxis's stomach turned. Every word out of Geradine's mouth seemed heavier than the last. The General continued. "They can manipulate shadows. They are adept in both escuira and maxia leistivais. They have children in their ranks and even those are capable of killing at least three grown soldiers."
Oh, dear. Was she talking about Marin? If so...Gods. He didn't realize that Marin would also take part in this battle. Someone had to tell Geradine some time soon. If not...
Nyxis's mouth dried. He couldn't remember the last time he drank water or ate food. His head pounded from either hunger, thirst, stress, or fatigue. Perhaps all.
"Children, you say?" The Grand Marshal cocked her head to one side. She's intrigued. "What are we to do if we encounter such children?"
Geradine's face was unyielding. "Kill them."
Nyxis's blood drained from his face. Oh, gods.
The Grand Marshal nodded as if this was a sound decision. "General Tasar, I'll leave you in charge of the scouting and information retrieval. I expect a full report by morning," she said to a man that has brown hair and tanned skin. The man simply nodded.
"General Aerith and General Kilgan, make sure to complete the preparation to our last resort," the Grand Marshal said. Nyxis knitted his eyebrows. Last resort? The two generals who looked nothing alike simply ducked their heads.
"Now," the Grand Marshal turned to the other half of the table where the rest of the non-ice sprites sat. "Nyxis," the Grand Marshal started. His head snapped up and raised his eyebrows. How come the Grand Marshal knew his name? "Good work at the healing hall today. You will expect rewards on your way if we ever survive. I hear Dalan is quite happy with your company."
Nyxis coughed into his fist. "Thank you, Grand Marshall," he said.
The Grand Marshal turned to Cyrdel who sat beside Ravalee and June. "I have gotten you the dwarven metal you need. Work on the things you need to work on tonight. We might need them tomorrow."
Cyrdel's face was set in a grim expression. For a brownie who couldn't handle violence, he sure looked like he was ready for it. "Yes, Grand Marshal," the Alkaran heir said.
"Eldan, Airese, and Marthiaq," the Grand Marshal turned to the three adults seated beside Cyrdel. Wait, did she just learn all of their names? "I hear that you've got plenty of friends from other places. It would be a great pleasure to have them with us in this battle."
Eldan nodded his head. "Indeed, Grand Marshal. Anahel and Zeral are on their way. Ezril is a bit held up at Carleon due to the Synketros attacking the Temple. The other advisors at the Dwanzeig Palace cannot contact the other territories. I will certainly do my best in gathering relevant information that will benefit the Capital. I will gladly participate in the interrogation whenever you want to commence them."
The nature fairy's eyes flashed at the word "interrogation", sending a chill down Nyxis's spine. Gods. Remind him to never get on Eldan's bad side.
Airese grinned as if the Grand Marshal was her long-acquainted friend. "My sister and I will do our best to fight in the frontlines. So will Rhys," she jerked her chin towards her fellow brownies. "Ravalee and Cyrdel will stay behind. Along with June and Reeca."
Nyxis's eyes widened. June—
That coward couldn't even fight in the front lines?
The Grand Marshal ran a hand on the table's smooth surface. "Everyone, let's do our best to live to see sunshine again. Meeting adjourned."
As one, the generals stood up and started filing out of the room. Nyxis watched them go. One thought nagged at his brain. If they fail, if Synketros and Cardovia proved to be stronger, what then?