The kurori gasped suddenly as she saw the F-5 come straight for them. Sensing the true danger of everyone close to her especially Serna, Caliaphy's form started to glow, and the light engulfed all of them with warmth and love as Caliaphy's true form came forth. What once was a child like kurori, now was a beautiful Sidhe, Standing nearly six and half feet tall, flowing silvery hair with bright blue eyes and the fair skin, her robes pure white enshrouded within a celestial light.

"I will protect you, Serna, my sweet human child," Caliaphy said wrapping her feathery wings around the shield maiden.

"NO WAY!" The Shield Maiden gasped, "YOU GREW UP?! HOW IN THE REALM DID YOU DO THAT?!"

"I can only take this form when one such as you is in danger, Serna. Besides, you, only Alyson and Lazheros have seen me in my true form," Caliaphy told her.

The elves upon seeing the fairy reveal her true self all bowed slightly, the Sidhe are the fore-bearers of the Elven kind and to actually see one of them in person is extremely rare.

******

Willow made it up the rampart and to Irzen's side as he peered out on the horizon to see their enemy marching towards them, "Irzen, what do you see?"

"There's too many of them and too few of us!" The Swordsman replied without taking his eyes off of the army, "If we can't stop them or slow down their advance before they reach these gates, then we're going to catch nothing but pure unmitigated hell."

"Or not!" War Scribe appeared between the two Elves. Turning to The Prince, the Drowling shoved the parchment into his hands, "Here! A gift from your ex. Read it now if you want to live."

Willow quickly began to read the text as War Scribe turned towards Irzen, "So, ask me any question about the horde."

"What?"

"Go ahead," War Scribe encouraged Irzen, "Ask me any question about the horde and I will answer it--direct questions please."

"How many oxen do the Horde have?"

"Two thousand oxen," The Drowling flatly responded, "All of them are used to pull wagons and weapons from one battlefield to the next."

"Oh, my God!" Irzen gasped, "I forgot about your geas. You are compelled to tell the truth about a past or a present event."

War Scribe huffed half to herself, "And to think Alyson wanted me to ease drop on the Horde and their commanders by teleporting in and around their encampment. Which I don't need to do--"

"Because you know all present and past actions as they are or have happened," Irzen surmised with a smile, "All I have to do is ask for that information."

"Precisely!" War Scribe replied in exasperation, "Finally, somebody gets it! Why should I sneak around when all you have to do is ask? There! Was that so hard to figure out?"

Liliandra remained inside due to the sheer wind force of the elemental Alyson and Lazheros had summoned. She was in awe by how well Alyson was able to control such an elemental, and had to wait until she could managed even walking up to Willow, and his allies without being blown away.

"You don't see THAT every day!" War Scribe pointed up to the heavens where Alyson was high above the storm she and the Bronze Man unleashed.

Clinging to the rampart wall; Irzen looked up, saw Alyson, saw the massive F-5 tornado decimate the ranks of Gruumasht's army and breathlessly exclaimed, "DEAR GOD!"

After about twenty minutes of watching the massive F-5, it began to dissipate giving everyone a full and clear view of the path of destruction of the horde. The main force was crushed and swept aside leaving only the elite forces left to deal with. As it funnel ascended back up into the storm clouds, the form of the elementalist changed in plain view of both sides into the Elder Gold dragon, Perthonexio again. The dragon exhaled a fireball right at the ballistas destroying most of them with one explosive hit.

The Bronze Man thanked the elemental for its aid and closed the corners. The ritual was complete but he remained there on the parapet keeping an eye on Alyson.

Liliandra finally made her way to the wall where Willow and Irzen was. She remained guarded flanked by her handmaidens, "The city remains untouched, Willow for now but this horde is not one to give up so easily. I hope and pray that she had found Prince Yew."

"Agreed!" Willow looked towards the tower where The Bronze Man was positioned, "Lazheros, send in the swarm!"

Sheathing his weapon, and slinging his shield over his back, the cleric of Bahamut raised both arms as summoned the native insects of land to swarm the remnants of the horde. A black cloud of sting insects poured out of the trees and fields in all directions towards the remaining group of orcs. Merely as a distraction rather than actually being able to take down any of them. Naturally tough hide and thick armor prevented most of the insects from penetrating their armor except where their faces were exposed.

"Why don't you ask me where he is, Princess, and I can tell you right now?" War Scribe haunched her shoulders, "I am compelled to tell the truth when someone asks me a question."

The Prince turned his attention back to The Swordsman, "Irzen, go and tell Captain Andaeran to make ready his calvary for a direct assault against Grummasht's remaining forces. Once the swarm has passed, I will lead our Archers in laying down a withering covering fire that will keep them on the defensive while protecting your advance until you can smash into them and break their ranks. We're only going to get one chance to break the back of his army. And now is that chance. GO!"

Irzen ran down the parapet and towards the main courtyard where Andaeran, Mermidon, Dragolem and Billy were waiting. The Swordsman conveyed The Prince's orders to Captain Andaeran after he mounted the war goat. "Any questions? Or anything that is not clear? Or anything that you want me to repeat?"

Dragolem smirked cracking his knuckles, "No problem here!"

Mermidon steeled himself but said nothing.

Captain Andaerean was already mounted when his second blew the horn of battle and they headed out the side gate riding along the valley's hillside edge of the fields to avoid the broken bodies of the horde, and anything else that could cause problems.

*****

On the far side of the battle field the gold dragon cut loose a frightful roar that stunned the orcs and ogres just enough for Captain Andaerean and his company to charge through with their spears and swords. While Dragolem dropped the giant with a jet of acid that literally melted the flesh and bone off one of its legs. With a cry of pain, the giant collapsed to the ground trying in vain to crawl out of the way of charging elven horses.

Mermidon charged head long into the bulk of the elite orcs with full force of a sonic boom. The shockwave carved a path through the line sending them slamming into the ones next to each other. He held his own well enough but there was one elite orc wearing magical armor and he came face to face with him. This was one of Gruumasht's lieutenants and he came in fueled by a blood rage and frenzy unlike Irzen or anyone else had seen before. There was a mighty clang of steel as the jagged axe slammed against Mermidon's armor gauntlet. The orc snarled again using the momentum of his strike to bear down harder then pulled back with a twist severing the arm of the platinum draconian off at the elbow. Mermidon howled in pain and rolled out of the way to avoid another devastating hit from the orc's weapon. The platinum Draconian tried to retreat but found himself blocked by his comrades and orcs fighting each other now. He now understood one thing, this enemy would not stop until there was nothing left, and made the choice. "Strike me down, and you die too!"

The lieutenant grinned maliciously bringing his jagged axe up over his head and it struck with a force driving the draconian into the earth with the blade buried nearly clean through the mid section. Satisfied with his kill, the orc went to reach down only to be incinerated by radiant fire as Mermidon's form became a brilliant pillar of pure white light consuming all in a ten foot radius. There was one finally flash of blinding light and Mermidon ascended to the heavens and maybe someday return.

Dragolem dropped to his knees when he saw his twin fall on the battle field, everything seemed to blur and time slowed down. His own form of darkness lightened to gray at the loss of his brother and he too retreated from the battle, "Irzen, you're on your own!"