Chapter 41: First Tinder.

The wagon went through the gate of their camp, and stop near the caravans. Nesto jumps down from the wagon, he and a few other humans head to the back to unload the stuff. Neya jumps down and notices there is a small enclosed wooden fence near the dorm that is being built, inside of it contains two wild boars.

She walks toward Za while he is sawing off a piece of log, "Za, how are you doing?"

"Ohh, chief! You're back. I'm fine... The weirdest thing happens, my stomach ache seems to be gone," Za said as he places the saw on the log.

"What's that?" Neya gestures her head toward the boar pen.

"Oh, Vizrez manages to catch two boars in the wild. Since it's a female and male, we thought we could turn them into livestock," Za explains.

"Wild boars?" Neya said.

"We have to start somewhere," Za said.

"How is the construction of the house is progressing?" Neya ask.

"The frame of the dorm is almost done, then we just need to cover the roof first, then we can start on the wall and floor. After that, we can finish it by decorating the room and filling it with furniture," Za explain.

"Everything seems to be in an order before I leave you to your work. Can you gather the humans that can sew? I have the material," Neya said.

"I knew a few people that can sew, but what are they making?" Za ask.

"Cloth for yourself and the others. I can't bear seeing you people wearing rags all the time," Neya said.

"I can't believe we struck gold on getting a kind and wise leader, such as yourself, chief," Za said while showing a toothy smile.

"Complimenting me don't get you anywhere, Za. And also, the sun is almost out, your group should stop building and get some rest," Neya said.

"Will do, chief," Za said as he wipes his hand on the cloth to get the wood dust off and walk toward the unfinished dorm.

Neya let out a smile when she starts to walk toward the wall to speak to the Woodfolk boy. Arriving at the wall, she took out a small bag of cookie that she bought from the town.

"Vel? Are you there?"

She tries to spot the Vel, but as always, she finds no trace of him on the tree line. After a while of waiting, there is still no response, Neya starts to worry.

"Vel?"

Vel pop behind a large branch while panting for air, "Elf. A dozen. Armored. Approaching!"

Neya drops the cookie on the ground and runs back to Nesto. She waves her arms up in the air, trying to grab his attention. Nesto raises his left eyebrow as he notices his master wailing both of her arms up in the air.

"Armored elf coming!!" Neya shouts at him.

"Vizrez, grab your weapons!!" Nesto shouts as he climbs the back of the wagon, grabbing his saber and wooden staff.

The cyclops women drop the wooden log and dash toward her weapon. Then out of nowhere, a large hole appears in the sky above, Nesto fears begin to creep in when he saw the hole.

"Spatial magic," He said then looking underneath it, he spots two kids, 'Nel and Om' froze in fear while both of them stare at the hole above them.

"MOVE!!" Nesto yell.

Grie the one who is close to them took off into a dash toward the two kids. The elf man manages to grab both of the kids in time and when he looks up at the hole a massive chunk of dirt starts to fall through the hole. Grie took off again hoping he can outrun the massive falling chunk of dirt.

But Grie couldn't outrun it while holding two kids in his arms. The elf heard a howl then as fast the wind, he felt his back being pushed before the chunk of dirt crash into the ground and shake the entire earth near it.

The cloud of dust begins to dissipate, Grie looks back and saw he almost gets crushed under the dirt. He let the two kids go, then suddenly his heart drop and his chests begin to feel heavy. An orange fur arm escapes the dirt, but only the arm is visible while the entire body is hidden under the dirt.

The hand twitches.

And start to wail as it tries to grab on to something.

Grie screams his heart out as he rushes to his hand and grabs hold of it, "I'm here, I'm going to get you out here, you hear me?!" Gries said then with his other hand, he starts to claw the dirt away.

Za's hand stop moving, it went limp then coldness grew and spread throughout the Wolics hand; Grie felt it while his hand held on to his brother.

"No... No! Brother!! ZA!!!!!!" Grie scream as tears run down his cheeks, and fall to the grounds.

From afar, Nesto grip on his wooden staff tightens after he witnesses what happens. Vizrez turns her heads, her face darkens as she also saw what happens. Neya falls to her knees on the ground, she felt her breath are becoming short and quick. Her heart begins to tighten as if something is gripping it very tightly. Then she places her hand on her chest while she bends forward.

She screams while both of her eyes closed.

She hasn't had the time to mourn when she hears an announcement, "This is the Royal army of Weyshers. Under the orders of Queen Lucilla, you are to hand the princess of Weyshers 'Neya Nimmith' to us or face death by our hands!"

"Lucilla!" Words seethe through her clench teeth. At that moment, she remembers her father face, she calms herself with one breath, and with teary eyes; she stood up.

"Everyone gets to safety. Nesto and Vizrez get ready to fight!!" Neya orders.

The humans are still shocked by Za death that causes them all to froze into place and ignoring Neya orders.

"Move, NOW!!" Neya yells again and finally, everyone starts moving again except for Grie.

Vizrez and Nesto rush to the gate together, "Vizrez, stay in front. You target the knights, and leave the magic caster to me."

"No problem," Vizrez reply as she stays in front of Nesto, acting as a shield for Nesto.

Nesto put on the scabbard belt across his body, sheathing his own saber in it while holding on to the wooden staff. "I open the first gate, 'Firio'." He mutters to himself, and he could feel the burning lava flowing into his own veins.

Vizrez let out a roar causing her body to light up then disappear back into her body. A loud thunderous noise can be heard before the wooden gate explode into smithereens, the debris flew toward Vizrez, however with her arm, every flying debris that is coming for her is blocked by her tough skin.

Neya directs the human far away from the battlefield by hiding them behind the unfinished building. She could see their terrified face, she blames herself for this, Neya knows that sooner or later her mother would send her own men to grab her. She shakes her thought away and focuses on the humans.

"Anyone hurt?" Neya ask.

"I'm," a woman raises her hands, "I think I sprained my own ankle."

"Us too, few of the rock from the falling dirt cut us," A man said.

"I'm going back to get bandages and herbs, I need someone to keep an eye on the people here," Neya said.

"I can do it," Melud said.

"Makes sure keep them safe for me," Neya said then she quickly dashes to the wagon that contains the medical supplies.

Nesto peeks his head and saw his opponents; nine knights and three magic casters; one of them must be a healer. Vizrez charges toward the closest knight to her while Nesto is riding on her back. The two of them clash and the knight was thrown back. Nesto climbs Vizrez back and throws himself to the magic casters.

"Incernium!" A silver ball flew from his own hand and toward the magic casters.

"Sanciato!" One of the magic caster's mutters. A blue barrier erupts in front of the magic caster blocking the fireball.

Smoke appears after the explosion, Nesto charge through and once he is out. He swings his staff and hit one of them in the head; knocking him unconscious.

"Immi!" The magic caster cast and lighting bolt shoot out from his hand toward Nesto.

Nesto dodges to the left and the bolt hit the tree behind him causing to break and fell to the ground. The magic caster keeps on casting 'Immi' at Nesto to keep him far away. It worked as Nesto keep on dodging back and beginning to distance himself from the caster.

Vizrez swings his weapons and hit one of the knights, crushing his armor and throwing him back. One the knight managed to slash his sword on Vizrez back, she let out a grown and grab the knight helmet. Then she lifts him upward and throws him at one of his friends. A knight ready his crossbow to fire at the cyclops woman when suddenly an arrow pierces through his helmet.

Vizrez lookup at the tree and see the Woodfolk boy perch on the branch with his longbow in his hands and arrows in another. Vizrez let out a toothy smile and roar causing her body to light up again. One of the knights was about to slash the woman when his own sword suddenly bounces back on contact, it feels like the sword is hitting a piece metal.

The knight to a step back shocked by what just happens. Vizrez turns his body to face the knight, grabbing his helmet then lifting him up, and toss him to another knight.

Frustrated begins to rise in Nesto's head as he keeps on dodging the bolt, "Incernium" Nesto cast, but it is blocked by the magic caster.

"Mobiactus Celestelio!" The other magic caster mutter and the same large hole appear on top of Nesto.

A huge chunk of dirt seep through the hole, Nesto calms his mind and while dodging the lightning bolt that keeping him underneath the hole. "I open the fourth gate 'Clariem'," Nesto mutters to himself.

His body shakes as the tremendous pain of feeling like a huge volume of burning metal flowing in his veins. "Incernium!" Nesto raises his hand up and cast.

A massive silver fireball the size of a wagon appears on top of him, Nesto slowly closes his hand and the fireball compress itself into a small tiny fireball then he shoots it upward. The tiny fireball hit the dirt above him, turning into a huge explosion that burns the dirt away into nothingness while the noise from the explosion shake the forest itself, and send a blast of wind to anyone close to it.

Neya jaw drops when she saw the explosion, her braided hair is blown away and undo itself from the blast of wind that came after the explosion. She shakes her heads and continues to carry the medicinal item to her people.

While both of them is distracted by the huge explosions, an arrow pierces through the lightning bolt caster head, and he fell limply to the ground. Nesto took the chance and rush to the other casters. The magic caster shouted "Mobiactus!" as Nesto staff meet his head, but the spell worked and both of them disappear into thin air.

"Nesto!!" Vizrez shout then slam the last knight into a tree.

The Cyclops woman rush to the spot where Nesto disappears, she stabs her weapons to the grounds and wails her arms around the spot trying to feel him, but she felt nothing.

"What happens?" Vizrez asks Vel.

"Gone. Dead?" Vel said.

Nesto is gone.

Before they could think of a way to find him, something interrupts their attention. From far away, a noise echoed in the forest, a noise of metal boots hitting the ground like they are marching toward their spot. Trees fell as it begins to near them when the last tree is fell, it reveals hundreds of armed and armored, dark-skin, elf knight marching toward them.

Their armor is different, it's not like the Weyshers one. Vel knows this armor well because he has seen it countless time.

It's from Materna, their army is here.

"Go back!" Vizrez warns the boy and he immediately took off.

Vizrez quickly goes back to the camp, Neya spot from the distance that hundreds of armed, dark-skin, elf knight are approaching them from the forest. Her gaze went to the Cyclops woman running toward her, she stands up and goes to the woman.

"Nesto is gone!" Vizrez said.

"What do you mean he's gone?" Neya ask.

"I don't know, we were fighting and the magic caster cast a spell, suddenly both of them disappear into thin air. I think he's dead," Vizrez said.

"No... He's not," Neya said confidently.

"How do you know?" Vizrez ask.

"I just do... I just do, don't despair," Neya said.

"What we are going to do with the army?" Vizrez said.

"I don't know," Neya said as hundreds of knight march into the camp, heavily armed to the teeth.

Nesto, I need you.