Chapter One
The Eagle People, Going to battle.

Kareen kept her wings as high as she could. After all, she was dyeing her husband's wings, not her own. The feathers on her wings, and her head, were a shade of brown, and didn't stand out like her husband's bright red wings. At least he didn't have feathers all over his body like birds. That would take forever to dye. His skin, apart from the wings, was as bare as a human's.
And she knew it was just as vulnerable.
They were in a room that seemed to be made of wicker, tightly woven sticks, and it was lit with giant dead fireflies pinned to the wall. Couldn't have torches in the nest, it would catch fire too easily, but the yellow light of these fireflies from the land of the giants served well.
Fire. That was one weapon she knew the enemy were bound to bring...but then the goblins didn't like light so maybe not. She was getting ahead of herself...and who could blame her?
She kept thinking that though her people were called the eagle men, it wasn't an appropriate term. There were many species of bird that her people resembled. The bright red cardinal, for instance, like Terin, her husband. Of course in the inevitable battle such bright red wings, even with a little black on the feather tips, would stand out. So they were dyeing his wings brown to fade in with rest of the warriors.
At least they didn't have to dye the feathers on his head. Like a real cardinal those stuck up and back. It always looked ridiculous, so they shaved those off long ago, along with his beard. That just left the skin on his head smooth. Of course at that moment she was focused on the wings, tenderly wiping them with a cloth soaked in dye. They really were magnificent wings, even dyed brown. If anything happened to those wings...
"You've been quiet Kareen," said Terin.
"Have I?" she asked, though she knew it was true.
"We'll be fine," he said, as if this war would be the same as any other war they had fought.
"You know what's been happening to the other races," she said. "You know about the cloud."
"The dark cloud obscuring the sun, removing the one thing the goblins fear? And now we are the next race the goblins will descend on? I remember, but we have one advantage. Unlike the goblins, there isn't one thing we fear."
She knew he was probably smiling, but his back was turned to her as she continued rubbing dye on his wings. She loved his smile, and the thought that something could happen to it reminded her that she did fear something. Oh she feared something!
"There," she said, finishing up. "That's the last of it. It should only take a few seconds to dry."
He stood, counted to five, faced her and hugged her, enveloping her in his wings like a warm, protective blanket. She loved it when he did that, and it made her cry.
"I'm so scared," she said.
"I've never seen you scared," he replied.
"Not for myself, but if anything should happen to you...to our children...the goblins can fly like us Terin. They were no danger when they hid in caves from the sun but now...they will attack us here, at the nest palace! That's never been done before! What if..."
"Kareen, you've been practicing with your bow?"
"Yes."
"Well there you go. With your aim I'm certain the goblins will fall before they even get near our children. As for me, my sword doesn't reach as far as a bow, but the same principle applies."
She laughed, and he did to.
"We'll be fine," he told her. She wanted to believe it, and wrapped in the warmth of his wings she felt she could.
But she knew she wouldn't.

Chapter Two
Their Children.

Kareen and Terin flew to their perch in the great hall. They had changed out of the simple clothes to protect them from dye. Kareen wore a shirt and pants, for eagle women couldn't wear dresses; the underside of dresses would be left exposed to anyone they flew over. Terin wore his leather vest armor and pants, and has his sword at his side.
She hoped that would be enough to protect him.
The great hall was, like the rest of the nest palace, woven out of innumerable sticks, and had perches for various families. The king's perch was at the top, and on closer inspection one found that the sticks there were finely carved, and the fireflies pinned to it were painted. The sticks that made up the nest palace were so finely woven together that they would withstand almost as much as stone, which was a good thing in Kareen's opinion.
The two of them landed on their own perch. Inside, apart from the nest appearance, it looked like any other home. Furniture, other rooms, and children rushing up to greet their parents.
"Mother!" cried a young girl who ran up. She had brown wings like her mother, and brown feathers on her head. Behind the girl was a young man with red wings, like his father, however he also had the red feathers that stuck up and back on his head.
"Mother!" cried the girl, "Are goblins really coming?"
"Yes Mila," she said. "I can't deny it."
The young girl disappeared into her mother's arms. Kareen wrapped her wings around the girl protectively, whispering comforting things in her ears.
"Don't worry," said the boy, reaching his hand to his sister's shoulder. "I'll look out for you."
"You'd better," said Terin. "Do you still have that knife I gave you?"
"Right here father." He pulled it out, and it gleamed in the firefly light. It was curved, like a bird's talon.
"You're not old enough for a sword," said Terin. "But you can fly circles around anyone else." He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "You keep her safe Jenin."
"I will.
As Kareen held her daughter, she kept thinking that these family ties were all they had to protect each other, and that wouldn't protect Terin. He would be at the forefront of the battle. All she could do for him was make sure their children were safe. She let go of her child and led her into their home, Terin and Jenin following, and then a voice was heard speaking loudly to the entire hall.
"Eagle women! The battle is coming now, and only half of us fight! We women are as valiant as the men, why can we not pick up swords to fight?!"
Kareen and Terin stared at the black feathered eagle woman flying high above them. Terin leaned over to Kareen and said, "should you tell her, or should I?"
"I was the one who got the compromise," she said. "I'll deal with this."
She said farewell to Mila and Jenin, and flew up. She felt that this eagle woman had the right to express her opinion, but now was not the time. They couldn't afford trouble amongst themselves when there was enough trouble outside their doors. One thing this woman said was absolutely true.
The battle was coming now.

Chapter Three
The Troublemaker.

This eagle woman hovering near the top of the great hall was young, though the black feathers on her head and wings gave her a dark countenance that belied that. As Kareen flew up she knew that this eagle woman could cause trouble. They didn't need women to riot right before a battle, not now, not even if she was right. As it turned out, other eagle women were already turning their heads.
"The men go off to fight the real battle, and I cannot deny their courage! But what do the women do?! We cower with the elderly and the children when we are able bodied! I can fight as well as any man!"
"I believe you Lailen," said Kareen, hovering next to her. "But now is not the time to discuss it."
"When is the time? When the goblins are on our doorstep?"
"I was thinking when the king held open petitions for new laws."
"Do you think the king would really repeal the old laws there? He wouldn't let us fight on the front lines."
"Thankfully!" Kareen couldn't help but exclaim. "It's bad enough my husband will be there. At least my sister doesn't have to go."
Lailen sized Kareen up, as if wondering what her intentions were.
"What if your sister wanted to go?" asked Lailen.
"Then she would be a fool to go off and fight with the men when she could protect the young and elderly, and fight with the rest of the women."
Lailen was obviously confused. "What do you mean?"
"I petitioned the king a few weeks ago. We have earned the right to fight with bows to protect our elders and children. If goblins somehow breach the outer defenses we take our elderly and the children and we run, firing back at the goblins. It was our charge to care for them anyway, so it isn't that different to do so with weapons."
Lailen was getting more confused by the minute. "But you couldn't have learned to use bows in a few weeks!"
"No. But there are no rules against learning to fight, just fighting in a battle. I and many of the women have been practicing for months."
That obviously struck Lailen in a funny way. Kareen figured she had been training in secret, and was now realizing that she could have done it openly.
"Maybe," said Kareen. "If you have spent more time helping us with a petition to get this compromise and less time shouting in the great hall you might have known that."
Lailen's lips quavered. She obviously wasn't liking this.
"I haven't been training with a bow, and even if you're right that doesn't mean we'll see any fighting."
"That's why it's called a compromise. Besides, we don't fight for our own glory, we fight to protect ourselves and those we love."
"I know. I just want all of us to have that right...to protect the ones we love."
"I know you mean well little sister. I'm sure whatever you've been practicing with will suffice." One look from Lailen was enough to know that Kareen had guessed right. "But please, we don't need a riot. Not now."
Lailen sighed. "Alright."
They flew down together, swooping back to Kareen's perch. That was one problem taken care of. Now Kareen wondered how they would deal with the other. An army of flying goblins.

Chapter Four
Good new or Bad News?

Back at her perch, after taking Lailen back to her own, Kareen was surprised to find someone else there, much less Chief Kalvor himself! He was a big man, tall and muscular, and many found it surprising that he could fly at all! But of course he could fly as well as anyone else. He had broad shoulders and brown feathers. The color suited him, though it wasn't his usual. His expression was heavy, as if he knew he bore bad news. He was talking to Terin, and that meant one thing.
Terin had been chosen for the chief's personal guard!
She landed and bowed in respect, but inside she was terrified! It was a great honor, but Terin would be in the most dangerous place during the battle. He would be next to their leader.
The Chief noticed her, "There's no need to bow," he said. "I'm taking your husband. I know that must be hard for you."
"Kareen stood timidly and said, "I know it's a great honor..."
"Sacrifice," the Chief corrected. "And it pains me to ask. Feels cruel even. But I need the best out there, and your husband is one of the best."
"I shall do whatever I can Chief Kalvor," said Terin.
"Fight well, fight bravely, and give your family the best goodbye you can. That's all I can ask."
With that, Chief Kalvor flew away; gracefully despite his bulk. Kareen felt dizzy. Terin immediately walked over and put his arms and wings around her.
"Oh Terin."
"It will be alright. Someone has to guard the Chief."
"I know. I'm just so scared."
"I know."
He held on to her for a few moments, and as she was scared to lose him, she was scared when he would let go.

Chapter Five
Final Preparations.

Kareen kept her wings high, this time to dye her son's wings. Mila's wings weren't a problem. Hers were already brown, but Jenin's bright red wings had to be hidden. Jenin also had the red feathers on his head, the ones that stuck up and back like on the head of a cardinal. He looked like his father before shaving his own head.
So much like his father.
Mila huddled up in a corner. She didn't need to be there, but Kareen didn't want to leave her alone. In the back of her mind she knew she could have left her with someone else, but she didn't want her out of her sight either.
That was the last thing she wanted.
She finished dyeing Jenin's wings and he said, "I think I'm ready to shave the feathers from my head now mother."
"I thought you liked them?" said Mila.
"I do. But it's war time. I want to look like it."
"Alright," said Kareen. She let his wings dry, and then went to work on his head, carefully shaving the feathers away. When she was done she took a good look.
He looked so much like his father.
...
Terin flew high above the ground, which was green and lively. The nest palace floating high above the ground looked like any other nest at the bottom, but it seemed to have a palace growing out of it. A palace made of wicker. He flew with the Chief and the rest of the guards who had either black or brown wings. He could tell at least one of them was dyed, as he had feathers on his head like a cockatiel that stuck up. Those were usually white.
The palace had several levels of battlements, and they flew to the highest one. They took their positions, and watched the horizon. The directions they knew the goblins were coming from. That's where the nearest goblin cave was from their position.
Terin looked up. The dark cloud that had been spreading across the land was almost completely across the sky now. He knew they couldn't fly the palace over it. Too high and they couldn't breathe. Besides, the few eagle men who had flown into the cloud had perished. The cloud was poisonous, and flying above it would trap them with no food. They had to take a stand.
He watched the horizon. The goblins would be coming soon.

Chapter Six
The swarm approaches.

Kareen flew about the great hall, visiting every perch she could. Most had dyed their wings black or brown, so there wasn't much color in the great hall today, but that was the point. She checked in on all the women she had trained in bows with, asking if they were ready.
She asked Jendra the baker's wife. She was big for an eagle woman, with brown wings, and when asked she said, "I'm ready, and my husband is good with fire from his furnace. Let's see how these goblins like flaming arrows."
Kareen also spoke with Hawla, the widow, whose feathers had turned grey, and she replied, "Some of my children will be defending the gate, and my husband taught me to shoot before many here were born. The goblins had better beware. I'm not happy."
She may have been one of the elderly Kareen intended to protect, but Kareen was happy for her bow all the same.
She talked to others of all shapes and sizes, including her sister Lailen, who was only armed with a sword. It wouldn't keep goblins away from the elderly and children as far as a bow could, but it would have to do.
Afterwards Kareen flew to her own perch, where she saw her children in a makeshift tent made from chairs and a bed sheet. She could see them silhouetted against the sheet from a candle. She couldn't help but wonder if she was ready for this.
She picked up her own bow and fired at a lightning bug pinned to the wall. The arrow struck dead center. Her aim was good. She was still afraid for her children, but knew she could protect them.
"Ready," she said to herself.
...
Terin watched the horizon while standing on the battlements. For the longest time everything was still. The dark cloud was completely over the sky now, blocking the sun. The goblins would be there any moment, and then he saw it.
The swarm.
From the distant horizon he saw a mass of figures flying up. It was like a swarm of locusts, but Terin knew it was really goblins coming to destroy them. As the great host flew towards them he could hear the buzzing, as if a thousand wasps were coming to sting. He looked and knew...
The battle was upon them now.

Chapter Seven
The Battle begins.

Terin watched as the goblin swarm flew up. There were countless numbers of them. The eagle men stood their ground on the wicker palace. Then the goblins came closer. Terin, like all eagle men, had hawk-like vision, and could see well even though the dark clouds above blotted out the sun. He could also see far and, for the first time, he saw what the goblins looked like with his own eyes.
They were thin, but they had powerful muscles. Their heads were big, round, and bald. Their mouths had no lips, and their noses were just two slits, and they had eyes and wings like dragonflies. They wore loin clothes and carried swords made from a single piece of metal. They flew towards the nest with one purpose.
Death.
"Archers!" cried the Chief of the eagle men near Terin. "Fire!"
Eagle men with bows sent deadly projectiles into the goblin swarm. Flying goblins dodged and weaved, but many were struck, falling to their death and the distant ground below.
"Archers! Fire!"
A few more volleys sounded and the goblins reached the nest palace. They circled around it, high above, and the archers on all sides fired in every direction! As goblins fell on all sides Terin wondered...
Why haven't they attacked yet?
His answer came swiftly. Circling the nest, goblin dropped something...bottles. Glass bottles filled with water. Terin wondered why, and then the bottles broke on the nest. The water evaporated instantly, turning into a mist. The eagle men were quickly covered in a thick fog. Enchantment. Terin thought. They could not see the goblins above. They couldn't even see that far in front of them.
Dark figures started flying through the mist, and eagle men fell with cries. They couldn't see the goblins coming until it was too late. Terin, however, stopped looking as he drew his sword. He closed his eyes, and heard buzzing. The moment a goblin approached him he sidestepped and struck where he heard it. He felt his sword cleave through something, only for that something to fall next to him.
He grinned.
"Fly!" cried the chief. "Fly! Archers stay on the palace!"
There was no choice. They had to fly above the mist. Terin leaped up with the chief and the rest of the bodyguards. They soared over the mist and right into the goblin hoards, still circling the palace. Terin, with the other warriors, weaved through the sky, dodging swords and killing any goblin that came within reach.
...
Kareen huddled up with her children in the great hall on their perch. Her bow was within reach. Many other families followed this form, huddled up with bows in reach. Kareen could hear the clangs outside and wondered if they were safe.
And if Terin was alright.

Chapter Eight
A Tough Fight.

Terin curved his flight path, avoiding a deadly goblin blade! He quickly slashed the goblin and kept flying. With he and the other bodyguards few goblins got close you the Chief, and if they did they fell to the Chief's axe! Most of the mist had cleared around the nest, though goblins still dropped the enchanted waters on them when they could to keep it up. Eagle men archers fired into the swarm, even as their fellows fought them, but they hit no eagle men. With eyes like hawks their aim was deadly, and they only hit their intended target, or no target.
As Terin and all the other eagle men circled against the flow of goblins, killing whatever came in their path, more goblins were falling than eagle men. The battle was going well.
But then more bottles with that enchanted water were thrown directly at Terin and his group. They dodged, but one unfortunate eagle man struck with his sword and...
"No!" cried Terin, but it was too late.
The bottle exploded into that mist. For a second Terin could not see, and when he passed the mist he saw the group in the same formation, but with no chief!
He spotted the chief falling, a goblin holding onto him from behind! The goblin had no sword, but he had pinned the chief's wings and axe, and the chief couldn't reach over to throw him off!
"Down! Down!" cried Terin! He and the bodyguards dived straight down to their chief!
They fell, the chief struggling to throw off his weight. They were getting closer and closer to the ground. Terin knew they wouldn't reach him in time. He lifted his sword as he descended and threw it with all his might! It struck the goblin straight in the head!
The chief let go the goblin, spread his wings, and grabbed Terin's sword! He just took off before hitting the ground. Terin and the others flew next to the chief.
"Good aim Terin!" said the Chief as they flew together. "But you shouldn't lose this!" and he handed Terin his sword.
"Better to lose that than you Chief!" cried Terin.
The next moment something heavy struck one of the bodyguards from above! He fell swiftly and straight to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust! Terin saw more objects falling. He and the bodyguards dodged the falling missiles. They were small rocks, but they kicked up clouds of dust as they landed on the ground. Something is wrong. Thought Terin. They shouldn't be that heavy.
They dodged and weaved, and then escaped the rocks and flew up. Over the palace and the battle they saw the goblins throwing these stones at the main gate of the palace. The rocks, after leaving the goblins hands, glowed brightly for a second and hit the gate with a powerful force! More Magic. Thought Terin. The rocks get heavier when they leave the goblins fingers. And we thought all the magic we needed was a palace out of reach of our enemies.
For he knew that this scheme of the goblins would break down the gate quickly.
I hope Kareen is ready. He thought.
...
The call came out from the top of the great hall. Soldiers shouting, "The gate will be breached! The gate will be breached!" Kareen gathered her children at the edge of their perch and hefted her bow. The time was coming. Mila started crying and Jenin looked up nervously. Kareen aimed up. She knew the great hall was in the lower part of the palace, so the goblins would come from above while they escaped out the bottom of the nest. She was scared for her children, but she couldn't let it show.
"Courage Children," she said. "Courage."

Chapter Nine
The Inner Sanctum Breached.

Terin soared through goblins swarm, cutting down every goblin he could. He even grabbed an enchanted rock before a goblin threw it and launched it at another. It flashed when it left his hand and the goblin was struck by a force equal to a thousand hammers!
And still the goblins threw these weapons at the main gate!
The wicker nest palace in the sky would be breached soon, and no matter how many goblins Terin struck, more kept coming. They would breach the palace.
Kareen and the children would be in danger.
...
Underneath the nest palace, in the part of it that looked like a nest, a small hole was made. Sticks fell to the distant ground below and a head with brown feathers instead of hair peeked out. He looked around, but the goblins were all above the palace, fighting the warriors. He sent the word back quietly.
"All clear!"
The word passed to the great hall where a few warriors, the women, the children, and the elderly gathered. Most of the women had bows, though Kareen knew one had a sword. Or at least, one should have had a sword.
Where is Lailen? She asked herself, but her sister was nowhere to be found. Still, she couldn't search forever. She had a job to do. Lailen will follow the others out. She told herself, even though she knew she hadn't been the best predictor of Lailen's actions in the past.
Kareen flew to the top of the hall, staring down at every crowded perch. She could see fear in everyone's eyes, fear that she felt for her family.
But she knew she couldn't show it.
"Listen!" she cried. All eyes turned to her. "We must escape! The goblins are breaking through the main gate! When the hole at the bottom is wide enough we must fly in single lines straight down! Are you ready!"
"We are!" came the replay.
"Good!"
"Our escape is ready!" cried a soldier from below.
"Alright!" cried Kareen. "You know what..."
A blood-letting screech filled the hall, like a cricket, but somehow terrifying. Then more came. The goblins were inside!
"Fly!" cried Kareen. "Fly!"
The elderly and the children began flying down in a line as instructed, dive bombing to the bottom. The women who could lift a bow drew theirs and aimed high! Kareen flew to her perch and took her bow.
"Jenin!" she said to her son. "Get your sister out of here!"
"Mommy!" cried Mila, but Jenin took her, telling her it would be okay. He also drew his knife. He and his sister dive bombed with the rest of them.
Kareen looked up and saw the first goblin come, and then more, and she made ready to fire her bow. She held a long range weapon against fearsome creatures. She couldn't afford to be scared.
These things would die before they reached her children!

Chapter Ten
Supposed to be here, or not.

TWANG! Kareen's bow shot a goblin right out of the sky...or roof as the case was. More twangs and more goblins fell. The eagle women in the hall had true aim. They were holding the goblins back as the elderly and the children escaped out of the bottom.
"Look out below!" shouted Kareen. Several eagle people dodged falling goblins. The women were doing well, keeping the goblins at bay. Jendra, the baker's wife, had her husband's furnace with her. Her husband was no doubt in the actual battle, so she wasn't going to let him down. Her flaming arrows were easier to see, but the goblins kept dodging them only to get hit with other arrows, and when a goblin did get hit with flame he panicked, causing trouble for other goblins.
Hawla, the old widow, never missed. Between her and Kareen dozens of goblins fell, but now the rest of the elderly and the children were out, and the goblins kept coming.
Through it all, Kareen kept thinking, where is Lailen? But she couldn't think about it now. With her children safely out of the hall it was time to go.
"Flee!" cried Kareen. "Flee!"
Kareen dived bombed with the others on the highest perches. The ones on the lower perches kept firing until those above were gone, then they dived with the others. As Kareen tucked in her wings to soar through the hole at the bottom, she thought again, where is Lailen?!
...
Lailen found the armor heavy. It wasn't meant for her, but it was the best she could find. She stood at a narrow window, overlooking the aerial battle. There were no goblins here, so she could open the window from the inside. Just a catch inside the wicker that allowed her to separate the sticks. She opened it and got ready to fly. Kareen meant well with her bows and arrows, but Lailen couldn't use them. Kareen's purpose of keeping the goblins away from the elderly and children was best served with bows. A single sword in that wouldn't be useful, so Lailen decided to go where it would be. She would just have to fight and avoid being killed by goblins.
Or caught by her own people.
She climbed out, pulled the wicker closed behind her as best she could, seeing as how the catch was on the inside, and took flight. She drew and raised her sword, joining the fight.

Chapter Eleven
Needing Saving.

Kareen would be the last person out of the hole in the bottom of the nest palace. As she kept her wings close to her body, she kept thinking, when I get out, find Jenin and Mila.
That was easier said than done.
The moment she was out she spread her wings to descend with the rest of the group, and a swarm of goblins was approaching! She drew her bow and fired along with the rest of the women archers. Goblins fell, and the eagle women and children diverted, away from the goblins, but a few of those creatures got to them!
"Jenin! Mila!"
Kareen fired at every goblin she could, but she was running low! She had to shoot a few goblins that had grabbed people. She hoped her children were not being grabbed by goblins now!
"Jenin! Mila!"
One arrow left. The goblins chasing them were few now. They all flew low to the ground, eagle people and goblins alike, diving under treetops. The children and elderly were getting away, with a few goblins attacking the armed women. Kareen searched for her children, calling their names again. One goblin broke away from the archers, through the trees and towards a pair of children
"Jenin! Mila!"
Kareen raised her last arrow, speeding through the trees to her children. A goblin grabbed Mila. Kareen aimed her bow to strike it...
When Jenin knifed it!
That's my boy! Though Kareen proudly.
She turned over, firing her last arrow backwards at the nearest goblin, and flew on to join her children, narrowly dodging a tree. She shouted back...
"I'm out of arrows! Keep fighting!"
"We can handle this!" cried the widow Hawla, firing her bow. "Go save your children!"
Kareen joined them, but beamed at her son. It seemed they didn't need saving. She just hoped her husband didn't either.
...
Terin kept dodging and weaving through the swarm of goblins, cutting down any goblin he could. He kept the chief from getting too many, but some got to him. However, that turned out to be a mistake for them! An axe stroke from the chief was practically a death sentence!
Then a goblin flew close to Terin! They exchanged blows, flying through the air, and the goblin punched him! Stunned for a moment, he fell, and the goblin attacked him! They dueled as he fell, and the goblin kept slashing at his wings so he couldn't fly! They neared the ground, and Terin didn't know what to do...until an eagle man swooped down and cut the goblin down!
As Terin spread his wings, he thought he needed to thank that eagle man later.
And that he looked familiar.
As Lailen flew away, she thought, I hope he didn't recognize me!

Chapter Twelve
Safe for now.

It was only a temporary shelter, but it would hide them from the goblins perfectly. It was a bit ironic that the goblins now left caves, only for the eagle people to descend into them. It was cold, and dark, and her children were scared, but there was a back entrance that they could fly out of. Kareen and her family would be safe there.
But she wondered about Terin.
There were plenty of trees outside, and one of the women had a saw, so they were able to cut one down, bring it into the cave, and start fashioning more arrows. As Kareen sat with her children, carving wood with the knife she borrowed from Jenin, she was thankful.
She would have to use the feathers from her head for the end of the arrows, tied off with threads from her clothes. She needed the ones in her wings, and there weren't animals to take feathers from, but it didn't matter. She used the longest feathers, and by the time she was done she looked short haired.
"You could have used my feathers mommy," said Mila.
"That's sweet of you dear," said Kareen, kissing her daughter on the cheek. "But we'll save those for now."
She looked at Jenin. He was distracted. He really did look like his father, and it wasn't hard to guess what he was thinking.
"Father will be fine," she said.
"I know."
The strange thing was, she was trying to be reassuring, but he seemed more confident about that than she was. She smiled and looked out the cave. It was even darker than normal with the unnaturally dark clouds in the sky. She wondered.
Terin? Are you okay?
Far away, in a battle in the sky, Terin was wondering the same thing about her.

Chapter Thirteen
The wrong glance.

Lailen dodged and weaved through the goblins, flying with the others and cutting down as many goblins as she could. She knew she wasn't supposed to be there, and kept glancing at Terin, flying dangerously close. Had he seen her?
She knew she had to stop glancing. Goblins could attack her from any direction in the sky and she had to keep an eye on her enemies, not her allies. A glance at Terin at the wrong moment could spell disaster. She had to stop worrying about being caught.
She cut down a few more goblins, and then an eagle man next to her was struck by something heavy, sprawling to the ground. So, now she would have to dodge the goblins enchanted rocks. The goblins were now throwing the rocks at eagle men, letting them leave their hands, flash with light, and become as heavy as boulders. They were done with the gate, which means they were in the palace.
Lailen hoped Kareen had made it out with her children.
She dodged a few more rocks, cut down a few more goblins, and then glanced at Terin.
He changed direction, coming for her. He had seen her! She tried to move out of the way, but Terin slammed right into her!
And took the rock for her. If Terin hadn't pushed her...
She dove after him! The rock had hit him as if with a thousand pounds! He was plummeting unconscious to the ground, and Lailen couldn't catch up!
"Terin!" she cried, not heeding whether she was caught or not. "Terin!"
Kareen would kill her.
He woke up at the last moment, spreading his wings! Only to hit the ground rolling. He lay there limply. Lailen flew down next to him, turning him over. He looked at her groggily, as if struggling to see.
"Lailen?" he said. "Is that you?"
Oh Kareen! Lailen thought. Oh Kareen I'm so sorry!
This is my fault!

…
Back in their hiding place, Kareen had her and Terin's children. She hefted her bow, ready to keep her children safe, but even as she stayed there she wondered.
Oh Terin! I do hope you're safe!

Chapter Fourteen
Sad Tidings.

"Why?!" Lailen demanded, removing her helmet. "Why did you do this?!"
Terin coughed, "What do you mean?"
He lay there, on the ground, covered in dust from his fall. His wings were broken in a few places, and he had broken bones elsewhere too. He looked up at a distraught Lailen with his eyes half closed.
"I mean..." stuttered Lailen. "Did you know it was me?"
"I thought you looked familiar...of course when you were in danger that's all I saw. An ally in danger."
He coughed some more, and Lailen couldn't help but feel guilty. She looked up at the battle. Those that remained of the chief's bodyguards were still fighting, protecting him, and it seemed the chief had already called more soldiers to protect him. He would be fine.
It was Kareen they had to worry about.
"Kareen..." Terin whispered dreamily.
I was thinking the same thing, She thought. "I'll get her."
"No!" Terin grabbed her arm, surprising her. "No. It's too late. I'm," he coughed! "I'm done for. Just find her...make sure she's...she's..."
"Safe," Lailen finished. "I will."
Terin smiled, let go of her arm, and breathed his last. He was dead.
Lailen almost cried. Oh Kareen! She thought. But she couldn't break down now. She had a new job to do. She put her helmet back on. She couldn't move Terin's body, but it didn't matter. She took off, to find Kareen.
Oh Kareen!
...
Kareen made ready to leave with the others. They had to go out the back way in the cave. The goblins had found them! She and her children flew out and into the open. She notched an arrow in her bow.
They would not hurt her children.
She only hoped her husband was alive!

Chapter Fifteen
Memories.

They flew it out of the back of the cave. It seemed the goblins had lost them...for now. Her children flew close to her, flapping their wings in unison. Kareen held her bow up as they flew through the trees. The goblins could come at any moment.
She wondered where Terin was now, and if he was safe. She remembered when they had first met...she and Terin. It was during a grand ball, and many eagle people were dancing above the northern mountains. Of course eagle men dancing wasn't like most dancing. It took place in the air, with two partners circling and diving around each other at high speed!
She had been eighteen at the time, as she had landed on a cliff edge, staring up at an aurora filled sky; a gorgeous display of shifting light and color. The ideal place for a ball. The eagle men dancing here weren't just brown and black. Some had white feathers, or even more exotic colors like green or blue...they tended to have the feathers on their head stick up like the parrots for which they were associated with.
Kareen always though such eagle men looked a little funny, much like the one that came up to her then. A handsome man who had red wings with black tips. He also had red feathers that stuck up and back like a cardinal bird. He looked silly.
"What?" he asked when she laughed.
"I'm sorry," she said. "The feathers on your head..."
"Yes, I know some people think they look silly."
Nearby there was a table filled with food, and the eagle man picked up an empty plate, hiding his feathers.
"How do I look now?" he said.
"Like a man with a plate on his head," she laughed.
"Alright," he said, putting the plate down. "Just imagine me without the head feathers."
She did. He was quite handsome underneath it.
"That's a little better," she said teasingly.
"Alright," he said. "That's fair enough. You, on the other hand, are radiant. "He kissed her hand. "My name is Terin, and I would be delighted to have the honor of this dance."
Kareen was flattered. With her brown wings she didn't feel very beautiful, but was flattered all the same.
"My name is Kareen, and I would love to...but first you must ask my father. He won't be hard to find. He's only man here with a sword."
"A sword?"
"He takes his daughters very seriously."
Terin laughed. "Alright, but I'll need your help finding him."
Kareen just nodded.
That seemed so long ago. Miraculously he had gotten permission, and they had danced. Now they had two children, and were married. She wondered where he was, and if he was safe.
...
Lailen flew as fast as she could, searching for Kareen. She lifted her sword, ready to attack any goblins that got near her family. After what had just happened to Terin she couldn't let anyone else die. She spotted a group of eagle people, flying through the trees below. She saw Kareen, and found a momentary speck of relief.
And then she saw the goblins bearing down upon them.
"Kareen!"

Chapter Sixteen
Closing in.

"Kareen!" cried Lailen!
So there she was, thought Kareen. Why is she dressed like the soldiers? And why is she panicked?
Kareen started to feel panicked herself.
She looked over her shoulder...and of course...goblins were coming!
"Fly!" she cried. "Fly!"
The eagle women, children, and elderly picked up speed, but the goblins were coming from multiple directions! Arrows flew, killing goblins left and right! Lailen got into the fray, dodging and weaving through the trees while slashing goblins with her sword!
"Follow me!" cried Kareen, who swerved to the right, eagle people following!
She had an idea, but it was a risky one. She could see it in the distance. If they could make it there...
The goblins didn't expect this sudden change in direction, and fell behind. Lailen broke off fighting with the goblins and followed the rest of the eagle people. The goblins followed swiftly behind, but they weren't as fast as the eagle people, whose wings soared with the air. Goblin wings, like that of an insect, beat against the air, and had a disadvantage of speed.
The eagle people dived into a narrow trench in the ground, and the goblins followed. The trench twisted and turned like a snake. The eagle people were just out of sight, only a few of them visible before they turned. They came to a fork, and the goblins followed them down the left side. When they reached there, one eagle person was still just out of reach when...it was only one!
Lailen led the goblins away. They had fallen for it. They had fallen for it!
And now they were coming for her.
...
I can't believe I let Lailen talk me into this! Kareen kept thinking as she flew with the others out of the trench. Kareen had intended herself to draw them off, not Lailen. They had lost the goblins, sure, but Lailen...
Still, Lailen was right. Kareen had to take care of her children. She had to. Terin was off fighting. She had to take care of the children. It was strange. When Lailen mentioned Terin...she almost choked up.
Had something happened to...
Something tiny and black fell to the ground as Kareen flew past. It was only one, and it was dark like poison, but it was unmistakably a rain drop. The dark cloud that obscured the sun...was it...about to rain?
The cloud was poisonous. They had to find shelter now!
Oh Lailen!

Chapter Seventeen
A New Task.

They made it to the cave at last! Kareen had seen more black drops from the dark clouds above. Something bad was about to happen. She knew it. The eagle people settled down in the cave. The women had their bows ready. Jendra and Hawla were there. So they had survived. Good. They could help keep the goblins at bay from her children. Kareen had something she needed to do.
She told her children to wait and went up to Hawla, the widow.
"Hawla?" she said.
"What is it dear?"
It was strange to thing that after going through a battle like that this elderly widow could still come across as sweet.
"I need you to watch my children," said Kareen, as uncomfortable as that was.
Hawla gazed over at Jenin and Mila, then looked knowingly at Kareen.
"You're going after the reckless one, Lailen," said Hawla. It wasn't a question.
"I have to."
"I'm sure, but the goblins are still out there, and there is another danger. The black rain is going to be deadly. Look at what happened when a single drop of that poison hit someone."
Hawla pointed and Kareen saw a young woman who was deathly pail and sweating. She looked pained, and had thrown her bow carelessly aside. If only one drop could do that...
"I have to go," said Kareen.
"Then I will watch your children as if they were my own," said Hawla.
"Thank you."
She told her children that she needed to find their aunt, and they reluctantly said goodbye. Hawla stood protectively over them, drawing her bow as Kareen flew off.
Kareen watched the skies carefully as she flew through the trees. One drop would be enough to make her sick. Too many could kill her. However the same went for Lailen. She had to be warned, and brought to safety. Besides, something horrible had happened to Terin.
Kareen wanted to know what.

Chapter Eighteen
Fight and Flight

Flying through the trees, Lailen used hide and strike tactics, soaring above the treetops and swooping down on unsuspecting goblins. She pretended to stay on the same level the entire time, and this gave her the ability to strike with her sword from wherever she wanted.
She would fly down, go by a goblin, take it down, and disappear above the treetops when she was out of sight. She did this countless times before the goblins figured out what she was up to. When they flew above the trees all she could do was fly away. Still...
She had led them away from the others.
She flicked away a drop of rain from her arm, and then wondered why the water was so dark before returning her attention to the pursuing goblins.
...
Kareen searched high and low, dodging the poisoned rain as she flew through the trees. There were only a few drops, but more would follow. She wondered why it was raining. Surely the goblins wouldn't make clouds that could rain? If the clouds turned to rain the sun would come back.
But then...
This might have been the work of the other nations. Humans from the Ciniceros Empire, or the cyclopses perhaps, might have cast a spell to cause the clouds to rain so that the cloud might be dispersed. It would bring the sun back out and send the goblins back to their caves, but if anyone cast such a spell, they may not have known the cloud was poisonous.
At any rate the poison rain was slowly picking up speed. She had to find Lailen...fast.
She kept searching, and then she saw a mass of figures flying in the distance. It had to be goblins. That's where Lailen had to be. She flew towards the army with her bow drawn.
The rain picked up speed.
This was going to be very dangerous.

Chapter Nineteen
A Warning of Imminent Danger.

She dodged and weaved as she flew through the trees, cutting down any goblins that came near, but she was getting tired. Lailen couldn't remember ever becoming weary so quickly. She saw a few more of those black drops. That was good. Rain would make the cloud disappear. With the sun out, the goblins were beaten. She kept thinking this was a good thing.
Now if only she could stay awake!
The goblins flew around her, swarming like locusts! They were starting to overwhelm her. Many goblins around her raised their swords at once! This was it! Until...
THWUMP!
A goblin fell to an arrow. In the confusion Lailen flew out of the swarm, though she knew it should have been easier to do that. Why was she so tired? She looked and Kareen was the one providing cover fire! That was wrong. She shouldn't be here!
"Get out of here!" cried Lailen!
Kareen shouted something that Lailen couldn't hear. A few more black drops landed on her, and she felt even more tired.
"Get out of here!" Lailen cried again as the goblins descended.
"The rain is..." Kareen cried but Lailen couldn't make out that last part. She swiped a goblin away and still felt all the more tired, but she had to fight on.
"What?!" she cried.
"The rain is poisoned!" cried Kareen.
It hit Lailen. The black drops from the cloud. The cloud had been poisonous! How could she have been so stupid! They needed to find shelter!
They needed to find shelter now!
She joined Kareen and they flew off, goblins in pursuit, desperate to find somewhere to hide from the rain!
As they flew, the rain picked up speed!

Chapter Twenty
Rainfall.

Mila was scared. Jenin hugged her protectively. Hawla smiled at the siblings as she kept her bow out. The black rain started falling hard outside the cave. The old widow put her bow away, as did the rest of the women. No goblins would be coming. She doubted even they would survive the poison falling outside.
And the chances of Kareen and Lailen surviving were slim too.
Hawla looked at Jenin and Mila. Could it be they were about to lose their aunt and more importantly their mother? She looked at the person who had been hit with one drop of the poison form the sky. She didn't look good. Hawla looked back out at the swiftly falling rain.
For Jenin and Mila's sake, she hoped there was a chance of at least their mother Kareen surviving.
...
TWANG! Kareen's bow shot left and right through the trees, taking down goblins on all sides! Lailen struck any that flew close as she and Kareen dodged goblins and rain! Of course, no matter how good they were at flying, no eagle men or women could avoid rain forever. Raindrops kept hitting them, and they were weakening.
As a few clangs sounded with Lailen dueling one goblin though the air, Kareen turned over and shot an arrow backwards, only to see the rain falling behind them. It was picking up speed!
Have you ever seen rain fall in one area, but not in another? It was happening now, only this time the area that was raining heavily was moving closure and closure to the pair of them. A few goblins were already being drenched in it, falling from the air and rolling to the ground convulsing!
Kareen turned over and shouted, "Lailen! We need to find shelter now!"
Lailen, though weakened, dispatched the goblin she was fighting and sped on. Kareen kept shooting her bow at goblins, but she felt a few drops, along with herself weakening. Lailen didn't look much better.
The faster rainfall was approaching!
Kareen knew she couldn't outrun rain. Goblins flying behind her were already dying in it! Many goblins that were left gave up the pursuit of the two of them, flying off, but not before a few patches of sunlight broke out. The cloud was clearing, but not fast enough! The rainfall was still getting closer.
As Lailen and Kareen flew through the trees, desperately searching for something to protect them from the approaching wall of rain, goblins flew into the patches of sunlight and burst into brilliant white flames! So that's why goblins fear sunlight! Kareen thought, but that was no help to them now. Even as the rest of the goblins fled, the two of them still had to outrun the rain.
A few more drops hit them, and they slowed, getting weaker by the minute. The wall of rain was getting closure!
"There's a cave!" cried Lailen.
Kareen looked and sure enough there was a cave! They flew towards it weakly, tired from the poison. The wall of poison rain was almost within reach! Closure and closure they got to it, the majority of the rain was at their heels when...
They made it in!
They crash landed inside, the rain pouring outside. Kareen, weak from the few drops of poison that had hit her, rolled over on her back, wings spread out. She closed her eyes and remembered no more.

Chapter Twenty One
Tears.

Kareen woke up groggily on the stone floor, and then she remembered what happened. She tried to jolt herself awake, but found she could hardly move. She turned on her side, and moved her wing out of the way, and there was Lailen. She looked pale, as if someone had erased the color from her. Kareen crawled forward as best she could, trying to reach her.
"Lailen!" she cried to no response. "Lailen!"
Lailen stirred just a little, she opened her eyes and smiled.
"Hello sister," she said.
"Are you alright?" asked Kareen.
"I don't think so..." said Lailen groggily. "I think...I think I'm...slipping away..."
"No Lailen! Stay with me!"
Kareen didn't feel herself fading like Lailen, but she hadn't been in the poison rain for as long as Lailen had. As it was, Lailen's eyes were rolling in her head. She did seem to be slipping away.
"I have to...to tell you..." said Lailen groggily.
"Don't try to speak just..." Kareen got out before...
"Terin is dead."
Kareen was struck dumb. How could Terin be dead? How could Lailen know? It was then that Kareen remembered the armor.
"Saved me..." said Lailen as Kareen listened. "He saved me...I hid among the men...I was so worried about getting caught...He had to...to save me."
Kareen listened, absolutely speechless. Her head was a vortex of confusion. Lailen went on.
"He told me...Told me to make sure you were safe...that you and the children were safe...I had to save you...I had to...I owed..."
Kareen didn't respond.
"I'm sorry..." Lailen went on. "I made a mistake...plenty...really...but I'm glad I could save you...If I see Terin I'll...I'll..."
Kareen finally found her voice, "Tell him I love him. We all love him. And you."
Lailen smiled, and then breathed her last.
Kareen wept. She didn't know how long she stayed there, weakened from poison, but she wept the whole time. Outside the dark clouds had cleared, and the sun was bright, but inside Kareen wept.

Chapter Twenty Two
Mourning.

The ceremony to honor the dead took place in the great hall of the wicker palace, with the dead displayed in coffins where they had perched in life. Many had fallen to both goblins and the poison rain. Every eagle man and woman had removed the dye from their wings. Black and brown made then stand out less in battle, but they had no reason to hide their color from the dead they wished to honor.
Only in battle and in negotiation did they wear those colors, earning the name eagle men. The rest of the time, like now, they let their colors show. Eagle men with feathers on their wings resembling every species of bird, both dead and the living, let their colors show proudly.
As the Chief Eagle man delivered a rousing eulogy for every soldier who had fought and died, Kareen looked at her husband in his coffin, his wings folded over his chest. His beautiful red wings with black tipped feathers. Jenin and Mila stood by her side, and all three of them had tears in their eyes.
The Chief said the last lines of his speech, "Honor the fallen, they have given their lives so that the rest might live. Honor this ultimate sacrifice."
He finished his speech and Kareen still looked at her husband. What could she say? How could she say goodbye? She looked over at Terin's right and there was Lailen, also dead. The black dye had been removed from her wings and head, and she lay there with white feathers. The same questions applied to her.
How could she say goodbye?
"I miss father already," said Mila.
"So do I," said Jenin.
Kareen almost fell to the ground weeping then and there. She knew this could have happened, but now that it had...she wasn't prepared. She knew she had to move on, she just didn't know how.
She saw people flying from perch to perch, giving their honor to the fallen warriors. That seemed easy. They didn't know any of the warriors they were paying their respects to. They could say these long prepared speeches about how brave they were, but she saw his bravery first hand, and now it was gone. She and Terin...
One of the people paying their respects flew to the perch. It was a young man with brown feathers. Natural brown feathers. He walked up to Terin and said to Kareen, "May I?"
She had no reason to deny him paying respects, "You May."
She expected a long eulogy, probably similar to the chief's, but he knelt down beside Terin, and simply said, "Thank you," before flying off.
So Simple, Kareen thought, Such a simple thing to say. But then, what else needed to be said? Any flowery speech for their brave deed could be summed up in a simple 'thank you' couldn't it? What more really needed to be said?
Suddenly, she knew what to say too.
She started with Lailen, "Poor Lailen, trying so hard to do the right thing, and still getting into trouble. Poor, brave, reckless sister." She laughed a little. "Thank you. You saved us. You did the right thing in the end. I just wish the cost had been less." And then turned to Terin.
This was even harder to say.
"Thank you Terin, for being such a loving husband and father. Thank you for being so brave. I understand. You fought the hordes to keep our home safe, so that our children would have a future. I'm scared again, scared of going on without you, but I know it's my turn to be the brave one. I will take care of our children. I will make sure your sacrifice was not in vain. I'll miss you so much, but for your sake, and for our children's, I will be brave."
She thought of that moment where Terin hugged her, telling her that all would be well. She looked at Jenin and Mila, who were still crying, and realized it wasn't a lie. It was her turn to be the strong one.
"Thank you," she whispered, "For everything."
She took her children in her arms, casting her wings over them protectively, just as Terin had done for her all that time ago. Jenin and Mila were still crying.
"I want to be like him," said Jenin.
"I'm sure you will be," Kareen replied.
Mila cried harder, and Kareen hugged them both more fiercely, with her arms and with her wings.
"It's time to say goodbye," she said. "It will be alright."
They let go, and said goodbye, to Lailen and to Terin. She closed the lids of the coffins, even as more came to pay their respects. Kareen took Jenin and Mila into her wings again, protectively keeping them warm, even as they wept. Any time they were scared, her wings would be there. She would put on the brave face for them, as she had when the goblins first came.
After all, she had learned how to do it from the best. Terin, she thought as she hugged her children, I will miss you so much.

The End

If you enjoyed this story, check out more of the author's work at http://www.theworldoftheagelessone.com

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.09.2011

Alle Rechte vorbehalten