The Orient Pearl of Dalatica

The Battle in Eraia

She was back in the room when she returned to her senses. She got up and went to the table where the things the oracle had given her were laid.

            She took the bow and arrow but there was no electric current like those of the soldiers. She got disappointed and sat on the chair. She grabbed all the things inside the bag, and saw jars with different colors of dust and a flask of liquid, glimmering in blue. She put them aside out of frustration. She wasn’t as strong as the soldiers of Dalatica. She’s just a human being.

            She looked around and saw a cabinet under the shelf. She opened it and coughed at the burst of dust into the air. She found different vials filled with unknown liquids, empty bottles, gears, an old telescope, and a rifle.

            She gathered them all at the table. She dismantled the rifle until the rig was left. She made a rotating cylinder out of the scraps from the rifle, where she could attach the arrows on it, like those of the rotating gear in a revolver gun. She cleaned the telescope right above the cylinder. She did all these with loud banging sounds from the colliding metals, shrieks when hurt accidentally.

            She sat watching on the bow turned into a revolving arrow gun. But, she still felt it was nothing equal to those weapons she saw from the soldiers. Her eyes went to the jars of colored dust and thought of mixing each with the red glimmering liquid in the flask.

            She looked for another flask from the cabinet and placed them on the table. She tried putting a green dust on the empty flask and added a drop of the red liquid into it. She was stunned because it turned into ice. She heated the frozen flask and it melted into water. She got another flask and tried the blue dust to undergo the same process. This time it produced a blue flame. She gasped in amazement. It was only then when she let out a sigh of relief and felt proud of her achievement. She went back to the bed, smiling while watching her masterpiece.

            The sun has barely risen but the whole army was already out, raiding the whole forest for beasts called Baltics. They found many dead animals on the way. They were moving from the falling water, the entrance to oracle’s castle, going eastward to the dryland of Eraia, the place where the Baltics was dwelling.

            Maximillian was on a horse with Vern at his back. She wanted a horse to ride on her own but Maximillian just ignored her whims. She just surrendered, however, after being complimented by others, especially Simetra who was very amazed by the weapon she made. Symetra, then decided to make more of it when they got back from the battle and Vern agreed merrily.

            They had passed the forest and reached the dryland of Eraia. Maximillian, the leader of the army paused when they were in the middle of the wilderness. Bones of animals scattered everywhere. The land cracked in the absence of water. There was no sign of life on it. Not far from their position was a large cave, with huge holes, overlooking the entire wasteland.

            Not long after, a vibration on the land came was getting louder and louder. Maximillian nodded at Simetra as if she was waiting for it.

            “On your mark!” Symetra shouted loud and clear. The marksmen aimed their bows glaring with electric current, at the sky. The horsemen wielded their swords and tapped their horses, preparing for the incoming turmoil.

            While the Baltics, came to view from small dots until their horrific horse-like form went clear to the eyes of the Dalaticans.

            “Charge!” Symetra yelled in command.

            Everyone went wild and moved in a rush while thousands of arrows rain ahead. Some of the Baltics fell to the ground as they were struck by the arrows. Maximillian grabbed her free hand and clasped it to his waist.

            “Hold tight!” he ordered as they charge forward and for a minute they would be in contact with the Baltics.

            Vern showed no hesitation. She aimed her weapon towards the Baltics and firing at any beasts that came their way. The blasted into ashes as the arrows in blue flame hit them. Vern was able to make a light cylindrical container attached at her back with the arrows insider, filled with the red liquid in the flask that turned the blue powder into aflame with the same color.

            As soon as she saw that she ran out of arrows she would grab another four arrows from her back and fastened them on the revolving metallic cylinder. The lenses of the telescope was so helpful. She could hit her victim even a dot-like by the naked eye.

            The Baltics kept swarming the field, but Simetra just slammed every row of them as they rampaged before her, slaying hundreds of them in one blow using her scythe. Maximillian, on the other, dashed through the array of clashing forces, towards the giant Baltic, slashing one of its horns by the curved end of his staff and swinging unto the giant’s head. He left her unattended that she almost fell when the horse whined in the absence of its master. Fortunately, she was able to calm him down by embracing the horse’s head and rubbing its mane.

            She guided the horse to the giant’s underlings that surrounded it to shake off Max from their master. She strayed arrows, one after another hitting them in a single strike.

            Maximillian fell many times onto the ground but he managed to its right eye, causing it to topple down and striking it with the pointed end of his staff, at the heart of the giant.  It died on the spot, breathless and one-eyed.

            She looked around her. The field that once was empty and dead, and then, it was full of corpses and blood. Soon it will be nourished and will be brought to life from the life that the warriors have sacrificed for their loved ones' home, freedom and safety.