"That's interesting," The Swordsman admitted, "But let me ask you a question: Are you old enough to remember what the Realm was like before Venger came onto the scene? I've had to live with his dark presence all my life."

"No but anyone in the Realm back then would tell you about the new evil that appeared and that Dungeon Master was sending groups of adventurers in a vain attempt to thwart Venger's campaigns. Besides, I would say that you and I are roughly the same age or so, however, I do know of someone who does remember the Realm before Venger came to power." The bronze man told him.

"Who?" The Swordsman asked with great interest, "I would love to meet them."

Lazheros didn't respond as he remembered what the swordsman told him back in Asylum when he threatened to earn the title of Dragon Slayer from a half tired state.

"I'll take a raincheck on that answer," The Swordsman responded as he drew forth his blade.

Captain Andaerean sent a pair of riders up ahead to scout the area. They rode back relaying information about the entire forest moving up ahead, and to be cautious. The bodies of ogres, orcs and wargs lay broken and bloodied along one of side of moving forest. Screams erupted in the distance followed by hacking sounds and exploding trees engulfed in flames. The elven captain gave the signal to silently charge right into and through the Huorns towards the Horde.

Irzen saw the signal given and motioned to Lazheros, "This is it, Cleric. We're going into battle. Are you ready?"

"Battle is a relative term when dealing with the Horde, swordsman." Lazheros muttered.

"So is death," The Swordsman added as he quickly steeled himself for battle, "Which I intend to deal this day rather than receive. How about you?"

The bronze man rode easily enough through the angry forest of Huorns doing battle with the horde. The trees that were on fire creaked and strained for any relief from the assault. Looking skyward, he summoned a rain storm to snuff out the flames allowing the Huorns to regenerate and retaliate in kind.

The sounds of elven cavalry sounded across the plains rallying any elven forces to stand and drive the enemy out of their lands. Captain Andaerean and his company charged forward lances drawn and enemies trample beneath the might of the elven horses.

Atop his wargoat, Irzen was an absolute nightmare! While Billy literally rammed and plowed over any Orcs that stood in his way, the Swordsman was swiping to the left and to the right with Evenflow doing the equivalent of one shot, one kill. Between lopping off arms and lopping off heads, Irzen was doing his best to represent death this day.

*******

Surprisingly the massive earth elemental was eerily quiet as it surfed across the ground as though it was made of water. Stopping occasionally to sense any oncoming threats of the advancing Horde but there was none for the first few hours. The hardiness of the hill dwarf legion was the best defense for Arbor Haven as the capital loomed now in the distance. Alyson and Captain Mandur hoped they would make the march in time to add to the defense of the city itself.

Willow rode in silence with his gaze fixed on the trees and woods around them as they rode.

Captain Mandur motioned to the riders on the wargoats to his left and right to spread outwards when the sounds of the woodland creatures fell silent suddenly. He also sent word down the column to keep a look out, possible ambush on the horizon.

The company reached the end of the woods with no incident which bothered Captain Mandur as he scanned the surrounding terrain, "This is all too easy for my liking."

"I agree," The Prince replied evenly.

Just then howls rose up in the distance followed by the baleful horns of warg riders running down the ranger's kin fleeing for the city's outer walls.

"Don't panic!" The Prince advised, "Everyone don't panic. This is what the enemy wants us to do. Captain Mandur, have any of your scouts reported back yet? I wish to know how many we face before we attempt to flee."

Mandur and his lieutenants looked at each other in confusion for a moment, "There are no common folk with us, Prince Willow."

"What?" The Prince looked around in dismay.

"Willow! Did you not HEAR what Princess Liliandra said back before the horde attacked WestFall? She said that all the civilians had already left for Arbor Haven, those that remained were cavalry and spell casters." The elementalist reined her horse up in front of his suddenly blocking him.

"Oh yeah!" The Prince shook his head, "Forgive me, my mind has been on other things as of late."

Alyson motioned for Captain Mandur and his company to intercept the enemy and they did so with utmost haste. The guardian fighters had one job protect the common folk and prevent any warg riders from getting through.

The Juggernaut simply melded with the ground and came up with the guardians who brought up their shields with their spears pointed outwards impaling any wargs that got too close. The mounted troops charged over and across the open fields cutting down any trying to flee.

"Come on, your highness, your people need their prince now!" The elementalist reined her horse forward and took off in a head long gallop to join the hill dwarves.

"Right!" The Prince spurred his horse onward towards the sound of battle. As they came towards the battlefield, Willow unstrapped his bow and arrow and cut loose with an arrow that drilled into the skull of one of the wargs sending its rider flying to the ground.

*******

"Are they halflinggggss, Princesss?" The Ent asked Liliandra bending down to her level.

She laughed a little, "No, Sir Gideon, they are friends of Prince Willow and they're here to help us defend against the Horde."

"I'm a Human," Serna began to explain, "And Caliaphy here is a fairy. Although she doesn't look like one right now, but she is. And your name is Sir Gideon, right? What is your job here?"

"I am the Grand Caretaker of the library little human, and that creature appears to be some sort of feline not a fairy as you sayyyyyy," Sir Gideon stood back up and placed the heavy tome back on the high shelf.

"Oh, she can be a fairy when it suits her." Serna laughed, "And so much more besides. Can't you, Caliaphy?"

"MEW!" The kitten climbed up on Serna's shoulders then leaped off and onto the princess's shoulder walking back and forth across them purring up a storm.

"Caliaphy, get off of her now!" The Shield Maiden gasped, "That's no way to treat royalty. She's a princess and our host, show her some respect, okay?"

The kitten kept on purring and snuggling up against the princess's neck until her whiskers tickled Liliandra suddenly and she jumped down to the floor. In a flash of light, the kurori turned back to herself once again. "You're no fun, Serna," she stuck her tongue out at the shield maiden, "and besides, I know what I was doing. What were you doing? Oh, yeah complaining that I wasn't you. I'm not you and you're not me, so there!"

"I never said you had to be me!" Serna retorted to her friend, "I'm just saying that you should show her Highness some respect. I used to work for Baroness Meleranti of Deeping Dale. I was a servant of a royal family. I know how to treat royalty with respect. And walking on their shoulders purring in their ears is NOT how you do it. So there!" The Shield Maiden stuck her tongue out at the Fairy.

The Ent blinked in surprise, "A faerie? Here? There hasn't been a faerie here in centuries!"

"Yes, well, Sir Gideon, they're here to assist me in finding out what the ancient wards beneath Arbor Haven are capable of." Liliandra motioned for Serna to follow.

Without another word of protest, the Shield Maiden followed Princess Liliandra all the while keeping an eye on Caliaphy.

Liliandra lead both Serna and Caliaphy through ancient library's halls and into the archives, "Somewhere in this specific area are scrolls and tomes telling of the old wards that lay beneath the city of Arbor Haven. My mother told me of them when I was a girl but that was long ago and my memory is a bit off. That's why I need your help, Serna and Caliaphy. Some of what I'm looking for are in the old vaults that were built by gnomes and dwarves, the small folk making it difficult for me to reach. The books or scrolls will have a wax seal on them with a leaf emblem."

"Just point me to where you need me to go and I will retrieve them for you, your Highness," Serna replied eagerly, "You can count on me."

The princess pointed out one area for Serna and Caliaphy to search together in the hopes of finding a book or scroll having a wax seal with a leaf emblem in it. The chamber stood six feet high and fifteen feet long with shelves running down both sides covered in dust and cobwebs.

Caliaphy brought her hands together producing Faerie fire, a magical flame that does not burn but rather reveals anything that's hidden to the naked eye, "Okay, Serna, this will help us see if what we're looking for can only be found with magic."

"Thanks, Caliaphy," Serna entered the chamber and began to carefully take in her surroundings, "Wow! This place is REALLY old! Even the cobwebs have cobwebs down here. What do you think, Caliaphy, would this be a perfect spot for hide-and-seek or what?"