FIC: The Twilight War (Chapter One: On the Brink)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Me again,
This is me doing what I love doing, big epics, with big battles and lots of
killing and maiming, but also some of those romantic plots I've been
cooking up for the last year or so start to bear fruit, wait that's in next
chapter ;)
ENJOY!
Cilia

The Twilight War
Cilia

Chapter One: On the Brink

The Nether was fortified with haste; ditches were dug and walls erected from
wood harvested from the surrounding forest. From an equally hastily erected
command post Buffy directed her army, the dwarves were hard at work
narrowing the entrance and erecting low stone walls inside the tunnels in
case they had to retreated into the Nether, it was one of the things they
had going for them, if they had to retreat they would be able to retreat all
they way back to the halls of Clan Thunderfoot, the Nether was vast and they
would be able to hold out for a long time. The idea of siege warfare didn't
have much appeal to Buffy, laying a siege took time and resources and being
besieged also took time and resources. She wanted a set piece battle, two
opposing forces and a fight until one either won or fled. She's learned the
hard lessons of Necris ten years earlier, fighting in tight streets and
rubble of buildings was no way to fight a war. It had too many places for a
sharp eyed bowman to hide in and fighting from house to house was time
consuming. Time they didn't have.

She knew well that this attack on Necris was designed as a psychological
attack on the Alliance, the birthplace of the Alliance and all that, but
this was not the real battle, the real battle would be fought on the planes
of Larken where the fate of the continent would be decided. So the Protector
of Necris readied herself once again to be a pawn in the game of the gods.
Like mother, like daughter. Sighing she girded her sword, the Royal Sword of
the First House. While buried in the archives she'd discovered that,
according to legend, it gave her a claim to the throne of Necris.

Once outside Gymli and Tare fell into place behind her, they'd taken it upon
themselves to be her personal guard, although she had a feeling Gymli
followed her cause the scraper dwarf knew that if there would be any
fighting it would be where she was at any given time, Tare's reasons was a
bit more honorable, she knew that Litni had respected Buffy greatly and
serving as protector, even though the General didn't need it, satisfied her
honor.
"Morning General," Gymli nodded.
"Morning Gymli," she nodded back. "Sleep well?" she asked.
"I woke up in the forest, no place for a dwarf to be if ye ask
me," the dwarf huffed.
"True words, my friend," Buffy said with a grin.
"What about you Lady Tare?" she asked. "Did Tark relent?" she
asked with a grin.
"That man is as stubborn as a dwarf," Tare muttered.
"Don't worry he'll come to his senses, Tark may be many things
but he isn't stupid," she said. "A little thick at times perhaps," she
added.
"What's on da agenda for today?" Gymli asked. "If ye don't' mind
me askin'?"
"Wood and dirt Gymli, wood and dirt," Buffy said.
"Yuck," Gymli spat.
"The woods aren't that bad you grumpy dwarf," a new voice said
as Theris appeared from her tent.
"The elf awakens," Gymli declared in a booming voice, but was
unable to hide his smile. "Sleep well my lady?" he asked.
"Father, do not mock Theris," Ziel said as she too emerged from
the tent.
"Something you wish to tell yer old man?" Gymli asked as he
looked suspiciously between his daughter and the high elf.
"Father," Ziel exclaimed.
"You must be getting paranoid in your old age friend," Theris
said with a grin as Ziel turned as red as Gymli's beard.
"Bah, I'm just toying with the lass, after all we all know where
your affections lie Forestwalker," Gymli said with a wink and now it was
time for the High Elf to change colors.
"People, people," Buffy said. "Let's leave the love life or lack
thereof," she said and patted Gymli on his helmet head. "Behind until after
the battle," she finished as the dwarf started to fume. There was a loud
crash as one of the timbers the elves were hauling came loose and started to
role down the slope they'd been carrying it up.
"Oh shit," Buffy cursed, as she was off to try to intercept it
before it hit the encampment below it. There was a rush of wind and she
looked around, from the royal tent came Cordelia who was literally flying
and just behind was Theris, their speed was so great that they hit the
bottom of the slope before the log did.
"Brace yourselves," Buffy ordered just before the log slammed
into them, driving their feet into the soft ground and groaning against the
strain.
When the dust settled, the rushing soldiers could see the three women,
sitting with their backs resting against the massive log and picking
splinters out of their hands.
"You're crazy lass, you know dat don't ya?" Gymli asked as he
came rushing.
"Wow!" Tare muttered as she measured up the size of the timber.
"An impressive display of teamwork if I have ever seen one," was
said from behind the log and the three looked up to see the face of Queen
Piratess blocking out the sun.
"What's up Tessa?" Buffy asked with a silly grin on her face.
"A messenger just rode into the camp," Piratess said. "She's
waiting in my tent and says she'll only speak to you or General Tark," she
added with a frown.

*~*~*~*

Once Tark and Buffy were gone, King Einar Thunderfoot wearing his smiths
apron, approached Theris with a wrapped bundle in his hand.
"Lady Theris," he said.
"Yes King Thunderfoot," Theris said and looked up from where she
sat by the timber she'd helped stop. Because she was sitting she and the
dwarf were almost face to face.
"I've noticed that yer missing yer sword," he said. "And well
I." he said and presented her the package. "You might find use for dis," he
explained.
"Thank you," Theris said and accepted the packed. She unwrapped
it carefully. Inside was a long and elegant sword, made from the purest
mythril steel from hilt to its tip. It had no ornamental stones and no
runes; it was a plane sword.
"It is meant to symbolize a new beginning," the king explained.
"I understand it King Einar," Theris said with as she inspected
the blade and then stood and tried it on the timber. It effortlessly cleaved
into the timber and came out easily.
"Aye it's double bladed," the king went on. "But with a tip so
you can do all that pocking ye elves are so fond of," he said with a laugh.
"I thank you King Einar," Theris said with a bow. "I shall
endeavor to cleave many foes in your name," she said and the King laughed
heartily.
"Rarely have I heard an elf make such an offer to a dwarf," he
said. "Just make sure you cleave 'em through nice and clean, nothing worse
than getting your weapon stuck half way through," he said with a laugh.

~*~*~*~

Inside Piratess' tent a hooded figure stood admiring the Queen's armor that
hung on its rack, she was heavily cloaked but one could see that it was a
woman. Tark and Buffy entered at the same time silently and studied the
messenger.
"Do I know you?" Tark asked first and the figure silently turned
around and from her hand fell a triangle shaped pendant dangling on a
leather string.
"I bring a message from Champion Litni Speed of the Third
House," the messenger said in a voice that didn't fit the tone of her
message.
Tark reached out and took the pendant and studied if for a few moments,
finally satisfied that it was authentic her nodded.
"Litni would only willingly give this up," he said. "Go on young
lady," he said.
"The Shadow's are a day's hard ride from here and Litni is
marching with an army to help you," she said. "They should be here within
six nights, maybe five," she added.
"Not quick enough," Buffy muttered to herself.
"I also bring news of hope," the girl said and pulled back the
hood and revealed her Shadow appearance. "There is a revolution in the
making in my home land," she said.
"What's your name young lady?" Tark asked.
"I am called Light," the girl answered. "I'm the sister of the
Poet, the returned one," she said with a grin.
"The Returned One?" Buffy asked with an arched eyebrow.
"Litni freed him from the Hearts influence," Light explained.
"He's no longer evil General Tark," she said to Tark. "Litni would
kindly ask you not to kill him when they arrive," she added.
"What about the Heart?" Buffy asked.
"The Heart is just a rock General Summers," Light said with a
secretive smile. "Remember that well, that's what my mother would tell you,"
she said and made a gesture with her hand and a portal opened up behind her.
"You're a mage," Buffy exclaimed.
"Perhaps," Light shrugged. "And then again maybe not," she said
and raised her wrist revealing a thin bracelet. "Take care of my horse," she
said. "And may we meet again soon," she said and stepped through the portal.
"Wait! Where did my daughter raise an army?" Tark asked and
Light stopped and looked over her shoulder. "South of the Sun, General,
south of the sun," she said with a smile and stepped through the portal.
"One day, with reinforcements six days journey away," Tark said
as he looked at Buffy.
"Maybe five," Buffy nodded. "Not completely impossible," she
said thoughtfully.
"We better summon the others," Tark said as he turned to leave
the tent.
"I know what it is like," Buffy said to the Drow General.
"What is General Summers?" Tark asked.
"To have your daughter with somebody you don't entirely approve
off," she explained and then they stepped out of the tent and found a
waiting throng of soldiers with Queen Piratess at the forefront outside.
"We have a day," Buffy said in a loud voice and looked up at the
sun.
There was a flurry of activity as the walls were finished and the supplies
were carried into the Nether, Buffy using all her strength to help in the
effort, driving the last timber that made up the wall into the ground with
her bare hands. Cordelia and Theris summoned up the power of the Earth and a
thick row of thorny bushes sprang up all around them. Ziel was busy in the
deep of the Nether lighting her fires and beginning her chant to the God of
War and Fire, Gymli sharpened his axes and tested the power of his hammer
and Stjar'a and Piratess walked among the troops readying them for battle.
Tare was with Tark's elite archers, helping them make arrows and trying to
do her part, as for Tark he was in his tent drawing up plans and counter
plans for the coming battle. So there was a calm that hung over the Nether
and the forest outside, but it was broken when a scout came riding like all
the nine hells were riding behind him.
"They're coming," he shouted at the top of his lungs. "The
Shadowy Bastards are coming," he shouted.
Buffy looked up and wiped the sweat from her brow, fastening the top flap of
her uniform she drew her sword and walked onto the flats outside the Nether,
in the distance a great dust cloud rose up and her ears picked up the
thunder of drums.
"Shall I get the soldiers ready General?" asked Tark's calm
voice.
"You are the master of the obvious Tark," Buffy said to the Drow
General with a firm nod and he was off.

*~*~*~*


Willow watched from her perch high above the Planes of Larken. She'd taken
the form of a hawk and was currently circling the Planes, in the distance
she could see the dust rising up where the Shadow Army rode across the
Wilderness between the Elfin Kingdom and the Shadow Lands.

With a thought she brought forth storm cloud from the Wall, it would not
stop them but it would slow them down considerably, they had another day at
the most and then they would meet on the Planes of Larken in a set piece
battle of Armies. First the mages would fight and then the soldiers, unless
they'd break the rules of engagement and use the mages and clerics with the
regular army and then all bets would be off.

With a tendril of her mind she reached out and found Buffy, but then she got
shut off, apparently there were more pressing matters on the Slayer's mind,
but she felt the deep current of love that flowed over their shared link.

She landed gracefully on the ground and shifted into her human form, clad in
golden chain mail armor that hung over her white robes. Her eyes were
highlighted with red and her red hair stood on its ends in spikes. A staff
appeared in her hands and she walked towards the gathered armies.

On the hill King Vitor Solonus along with Amy stood both in full royal
armor, Rosetta and Darliana stayed out of sight, no need to show the world
they had two extra mages. When she walked onto the hill a great cheer arose
from the gathered soldiers. Willow squinted her eyes and saw June standing
with her regiment, but Spike was nowhere to be seen.
"'Ello Red," said the dark prince from her side.
"Leather, Spike?" Willow asked with a grin and cast a sidelong
glance at Spike dressed from head to toe in dark leather carrying two
scimitars of Drow design, his hair was cut short and it had been dyed white
with the help of the local herbalist.
"Hey I'm undying," Spike said with a grin. "And your kid asked
me to be here," he added and Willow smiled.
"The Shadows approach," Willow declared and was heard by all
present. "Sound the horns, blow your flutes and beat your drums," she said.
"We will drive them into the East Sea and drown them," she said and raised
her staff and when she beat it down on the ground the entire army stomped
their feet and banged their shields.

To be continued in "Chapter Two: Elisabeth's Stand" where Buffy makes her
stand at the Nether and exacts her revenge for what was done to Willow and
the Battle of the Tower.