FIC: The Twilight War (Prologue: On Dark Wings He Comes)

["Cilia" <cilia@xxxxx>]

Hello dear friends

I'm back with the promised comeback special, I've gone back and restart The
Twilight War, a story that start in obscurity three months ago. I've made it
my goal to make it stand alone, so you don't have to have read the first
four stories that precede it. Please take a look and tell me if it's
working, if not well it's your loss :)

Cilia
p.s. this is sent in HTML so I'm sorry if it's a bit screwy...



The Twilight War

Cilia



Prologue: On Dark Wings He Comes



There was a gloom that hung over the dukedom of Larken, the darkness of the
night seemed heavier and the days were grey and damp with rain coming in
across the plains from the Trader?s Coast. Alone in her tower, sitting in
her over stuffed chair and gently turning the pages of one of her ancient
tomes sat Willow Rosenberg, master mage, chairman of the alliance council
and mother of a daughter she?d never seen. The years had flown from her when
the threat of the on-coming war became apparent even to the ever-bickering
noble houses. A thick woolen blanket was trapped over her thin white robes
and her red and golden hair glowed as the light from the fire burning in the
hearth reflected of it.



The news had gotten grim since the day she?d rallied the Alliance, called
the troops to arms and sent the word to her sister. Willow Rosenberg didn?t
believe in taking chances. She was, after all, a mage. She?d sent word for
her sister Rosetta to come and join her, as token of the Mage Guilds
support, but that was not common knowledge; humans and elves didn?t like to
be toyed with, still that was what she?d done, she?d used the Mage Guild to
fuel the fires of rage that burned within the beings that made up the
Alliance and after all who needs the Mage Guild, when the war that you are
fighting is not one of magic but one of faith and devotion to a cause and a
way of life. No, magic would not be the deciding factor it had been at
Necris ten years earlier.



She closed her tome and stretched her mind through the castle, gently
brushing against the minds and souls that inhabited the Alliance stronghold.
Just above her on the roof of the tower Theris Forestwalker, the eternal
High Elf and considered by some to be the most beautiful woman in the
Realms, boiled with anger over recent events. She had, at Willow?s
suggestion, undertaken a journey to the Isle of Ages along with the drows
Tark and Tare to seek the Guardians assistance in the coming struggle. She?d
returned defeated and stripped of her rank and sword within the Guardian
Order. She would be, unbeknownst to herself of course, a key element in the
overall strategy of the Alliance, the High elves were one of the oldest
races in the realm and the strength of one such being in the heat of battle
out-weighed whole battalions of soldiers, even more so if in rage and fueled
by a lust for battle. Another chip fell into place in the over all strategy
of the oncoming war.



Lending her mind wander back down and out, she found General Tark Dragon,
leader of men and a fierce soldier for the cause of goodness and the
Alliance. A dark elf, with a legendary reputation for obtaining victories
and a sharp mind that knew few equals. The drow general that had lead the
surface elf armies at Necris, aided in the search for the Heart of Darkness,
traveled to the Isle of Ages and perhaps most importantly of all had
mentored the elf maiden Litni Speed in the arts of war. He was in his tent
among the common soldiers, he was the man that much would hinge upon in the
coming days, and it was this man Willow entrusted her wife?s safety too. She
saw his sharp elfin features and glowing red eyes when he turned around to
face her projected-self, so she took her leave. The man was perhaps a bit
more than just a soldier, but Willow paused long enough to give the drow
girl that stood outside his tent a gentle push inside. The girl was Tare,
her hair shimmering blue in the moonlight and her dark blue eyes darting
between the passing guards and the tent?s flap, she was tall for a drow,
carried with her carefully concealed regal air and perhaps more endowed than
an elf had a right to be. She?d been a serving maiden at the Rose?s Honor,
but had taken up her bow in defense of her homeland. She had traveled in the
search of the Heart and was perhaps more importantly, a friend of the now
distant Litni Speed. Still what made her important to Tark was her
connection with his lost love, Xare, a brave woman who had died at the
battle of Necris and for whom Tark still secretly mourned, but although
Willow would have loved to play matchmaker a little while longer, more
important issues pressed upon her mind, so she hoped that her gentle nudge
would be enough to set things in motion.



Again she let her mind wander this time across the great mountains in the
north and into the Valley of Sun, settling upon another important figure,
her name was Litni Speed she was the Champion of the Elves and a sign of
things to come, short and with hair that flowed like streams of pure gold,
she was everything one would expect an elf to look like, with tilted, almond
shaped, blue eyes that shone with an inner light and smooth features that
made women envious and turned men?s heads. She traveled in the company of
two young people of her age, Poet a young Shadow, the very race that now
threatened peace in the Realms and Light his sister, both dark as the night
sky, a flickering shadow or scorched wood. Poet had once been the enemy
until Litni had saved him from the Heart?s influence and helped him find his
true path, Light was an enigma to Willow, a young thief that showed great
promise to the mage even at this great distance. The group of young heroes
had found themselves in the house of Al?x Sun, tall and dark, an old friend
that had founded his own kingdom in the faraway valley. Then Willow felt the
presence of another mind on hers, it was strong, as strong as hers, it was
Lady Joyce Sun, the avatar of Fire and perhaps the most feared being ever to
walk the Realms. The touch lingered only for a moment before Joyce?s mind
left her with a smile. The Avatar had often consoled Willow in times of
troubles and Willow suspected that the near immortal woman knew far more
than she let on.



Opening her eyes once again Willow found herself in her overstuffed chair,
but this time looking into the blue eyes of her companion and wife. The eyes
still shone with that same energy she?d seen when they had meet on the steps
of the school all those years ago and the blond brown hair was gathered in a
perfect braid that hung over the woman?s shoulder. Elisabeth ?Buffy?
Summers, General of the Roses or simply the Slayer, stood before her with a
puzzled look on her fine features. While wearing only her dark uniform she
made it look striking, but what concerned Willow most was that she was
blocking the light from the hearth.

?Willow?? she asked.
?Yes,? Willow answered, with a lazy smile.

?Taking a trip?? she asked, as she sat herself down on the
armrest of the chair and wrapped her strong arms around her wife.

?Just a short one,? Willow answered with a content sigh as she
pulled the dark clad general onto her lap.

?We?re ready to move out,? Buffy said. ?I just came back from
the meeting of the generals,? she explained. ?I could stay,? she stated as
she looked deep into Willow?s eyes.

?No,? Willow said a little too harshly, so it made Buffy recoil.
?No,? she said again a little more softly. ?You are needed at Necris,? she
explained. ?You and Tark are the only ones that can defend the city and
win,? she said firmly.
?But Stjar?a and Cordy?? Buffy said referring to the Drow
Princess Stjar?a and the Ranger Knight Cordelia Moondancer, friends of old
that had played an important role ten years ago at Necris. They were the
strangest pair a drow elf princess raised by moon elves their hated enemies
and a human Ranger Knight with all the powers of the ancients flowing
through her veins. Their love was strong though and had survived society?s f
rown and the strain of Cordelia?s prolonged travels as a ranger.

?They will be there, but neither of them are military leaders, the city
needs to be defended? at all costs? Willow explained. ?It?s the birthplace
of the Alliance and it must be held at all costs,? she stated firmly.

?I know, but I still don?t like leaving your side again,? Buffy said with a
concern look. The memories of the battle for Necris still fresh in her
memory, when she?d not been able to save her wife. The image of Willow?s
tattered robes sticking from underneath the rubble of the collapsed dome of
the royal palace of Necris flashed before her minds eye, but she pushed it
back with all her strength.

?It won?t be for long,? Willow said with a smile, as she stood up with Buffy
in her arms.

?This is new,? Buffy commented with a smile, as she looked down at the
floor.

?Small spell,? Willow said with a silly grin that should have been by all
measures unfitting a woman of her standing, but somehow it seemed right.
?Just before I carry you off, promise me that you won?t get cocky?? she
asked.
?Right now I?d promise to return with the Shadow Prince?s head,?
Buffy said with a smiled as she kissed the corners of her wife?s gold
painted lips. That ended that argument of course, but something deep inside
Willow?s rational mind tugged hard, some piece of the puzzle she?d
forgotten, but Buffy?s gentle touches quickly drew the thought away.



* * * * *



Deep inside the Tower, where the Heart of Darkness had once rested, a tall
man rose from his throne. He was easily the height of a barbarian from the
western mountains, but his frame was a thin and muscular, his white eyes
glowed, but the glow wasn?t a warm one it was cold and menacing, his jet
black hair fell back down his back and a thin golden crown adorned his head.
His face was regal and kingly, handsome even, if not for the golden tattoos
on his cheeks and forehead. He was the absolute ruler of his people now, the
Shadow Prince, selected by the Council of Priests to lead them into glorious
battle against the lesser races of the land. The war was coming and he
intended to make his name known throughout the civilized lands, his first
goal was clear, the city of Necris and its legendary defender General
Elisabeth Summers, the Slayer. Spreading his wings, a gift from the gods, he
looked out over his gathered generals. Crushing the pale human girl would
prove most enjoyable indeed.

To Be Continued...

In the next chapter of Cilia's Twilight War: Litni has a change of heart and
June, you remember the time lost daugther of our favorite couple don't you,
well she gets lost again.