Chapter III "War"

 

After the exhausting march, when everyone reached the city, they found a great bustle and chaos reigning. Every adult male inhabitant of Erythia lined up in a large field in front of the city. Women from various tribes ran across the city square with their children. A centaur mare called out to her child, who had apparently gotten lost in the commotion. Eventually, however, it turned out that the child was playing in a nearby puddle with a unicorn. The little one couldn't take it all in. So much was happening in front of the Council of Elders.

The elves had gone to the inn to rest, eat a hearty meal, and quench their thirst. The men of their people, who were in good shape, immediately after resting and regaining their strength, went to the field.

Meanwhile, Toto and Kyerion went to see Theodorus to learn what the council was planning. Once in the Capitol, they passed through the hall, which was in terrible chaos, and then proceeded to the Council Chamber, located on the third floor.

The boy was very concerned about the situation in his land. He couldn't accept the possibility of a war with the harpies, much less with other peoples who sided with the birdwomen. The mere sight of men from every friendly Erythian people lining up on the field disturbed him greatly. He desperately wanted to see his mother, who was surely worried about him. He also worried about her health, since she was his only possession. He hoped nothing had happened to her and that Theodorus had taken good care of her. He had had enough of all the chaos and was very tired after the last few days spent in the harpy kingdom. However, if he had to fight for the freedom of his land today, he would join the Erythian army without hesitation.

Reaching the third floor, the friends introduced themselves to the two titans guarding the entrance to the council chamber. Upon hearing their names, the guards let the newcomers in without hesitation.

In the great hall, where the council held its monthly meetings, representatives of the peoples of Erythia sat around a round table. An extraordinary meeting was evidently underway, for the proper one had already taken place this month. Theodorus, who was now speaking feverishly, stopped and looked over his glasses at Thoth and Kyerion, as did most of the council.

The little one noticed that one chair between the dwarves and centaurs was empty. That seat at the round table belonged to Dyremith, the harpy he had met recently as he ran out of the capital. "So she has joined her people and is helping them," Toto thought.

"Good, Little One, you're here," Theodorus said gently. "I was worried about you." I thought I'd never see you again." He paused for a moment and wiped a small tear that had rolled down his cheek. "Thank you, Kyerion, for saving my adopted son. I will be grateful to you for the rest of my days."

The elf blushed slightly and, embarrassed, replied,

"It's really no big deal. I've rescued Thoth from trouble so many times that I'm used to it."

Margos, who was the representative of the centaur people, urged Theodorus to explain the situation to Thoth, as there was no time for private conversation.

"I'll explain it all," said the elven representative. "Little one, I'll tell you straight what's happening in our land. The harpy people have declared war on the land of Erythia. I knew it would happen sooner or later. Their allies, ogres, cyclopes, cerberi, fiends, demons, behemoths, basilisks, hydras, gorgons, and medusas, are already heading our way. We don't have much time to prepare for defense, but the armies of Yeris, Blezania, Brenaghia, Aldrenia, Sargonia, and New Gotheia are coming to our aid. Until reinforcements from these countries arrive, we must form our army quickly, and that's why the men of Erythia are gathering in the square before the city. I hope you and Kyerion will join them."

Kyerion stood tall, signaling that he was ready to spring into battle at any moment. After a brief moment of thought, Toto replied,

"What if we don't repel the enemy army?"

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that. If soldiers from our allied nations reach us, our forces will be greater than the enemy's. But for now, we only have to pray that our allied armies arrive faster than the enemy's."

The little one was about to begin praying when he suddenly stopped himself, seeing the councilors' eyes trained on him. When he left here, he would surely pray to the god Thes. He had already answered his prayer once, and Toto hoped it would be the same this time. The druid suddenly remembered his mother and mentally scolded himself for not having done so soon. He decided to ask Theodorus where she was.

"Theodorus, can you tell me where my mother is?

" "Of course. She's in my office. I'm sure she's waiting impatiently for you."

Toto said goodbye to the councilors and escorted Kyerion to the exit, as he had to go to the other applicants for the Erythian army. Then he hurried to his foster father's office to meet his mother.

When he arrived, his mother was lying on the sofa, covered with blankets. She was asleep, and Toto decided not to wake her. He kissed her on the cheek and quietly said, "I love you," then went to the gathering place.

All the male citizens of Erythia were already there. Kyerion was talking to another elf when he saw Toto approaching.

"You're finally here," the elf said happily. "Everyone is nervous about the whole situation, but they will fight to the death against the perpetrators of the war and their allies.

" "I hope reinforcements arrive soon, for I would like to fight now," Toto replied impatiently, when suddenly a scout appeared from around the bend, shouting,

"The allied armies are approaching, and the enemy army is already crossing the sea."

Once the reinforcements arrived, the army commander, whom Toto had seen for the first time, ordered everyone into battle formation, and the entire army marched toward the Voria swamps to do battle alongside the enemy army.

The fighting was incredibly fierce. Little Man tried to defeat as many enemies as possible. Several times he was even close to losing his life, but Kyerion always saved him at the last moment. At one point, however, his friend fled in a different direction, leaving Little Man alone. He tried to fend off the enemy's attacks, but suddenly he felt a warmth in his left arm, slumped to the ground, and lost consciousness.

His father appeared to him in a dream. He stood next to the snow elves in a long, flowing white robe. He gave Little Man a shining green stone and spoke:

"Greetings, my beloved son. I am glad we can meet again. I give you this stone so that you may always carry it with you and never forget me. I always remember you and watch over you."

Little Man couldn't believe what he was seeing. He tried to explain it rationally, but nothing sensible came to mind. So he decided to ask the figure who resembled his father questions that might help him solve the problem.

"Father, is that really you? Did I die?" Toto asked.

"Yes, son, it's me, and you're not dead yet. It's not your time yet. I came to you to help you persevere. You must face the harpies. I hope you will avenge my death. Remember! Don't forget me!"

Toto's father retreated further and further into the blinding light, finally shouting loudly enough for Toto to hear,

"It's all the harpies' fault!" Then he disappeared.

The little one came to, revived by the commander, and looked into his face for the first time. He looked closer and, in disbelief, muttered,

"Methaila? What are you doing here? You can't be the commander.

" "Now is not the time for talk. You must pull yourself together and fight. We're almost winning."

The little one stood up and looked at his arm. It was wrapped in some kind of cloth with red stains. He touched it and felt a slight pain. Suddenly, he remembered fighting one of the harpies and being stabbed by it. He couldn't remember what happened next. He only knew that he had to fight now. He took up his sword and went into battle.

The Erythian commander skillfully directed the army of Erythia and its allies. Thanks to his strategy, the enemy army was surrounded, and after a short time, the harpies, seeing their superiority, decided to surrender. The little one breathed a sigh of relief, as he no longer had to kill.

The sight of the battlefield was horrifying. The bodies of dead soldiers littered almost the entire area. The harpy forces and their allies had suffered the most casualties. Toto only hoped his friend was alive, as he hadn't seen him in a long time. He also wanted to meet the commander, as he thought his face resembled Methailia's. He suspected, however, that he was imagining it, as women were not allowed to serve in the Erythian army.

The surviving enemy soldiers were led in a long procession by the Erythian army to a prison camp set up by Lake Forthen. The remaining men from the allied forces helped bury the dead and tend to the wounded. After completing their final task, they headed back to Erythia to rest and recuperate.

Toto remained on the battlefield to search for Kyerion, but he was nowhere to be found. He feared the worst, but after an intensive search, he found no trace of his friend's body among the dead. Only when he reached the medics' tents did he see him lying on a stretcher. He ran to him and hugged him with all his might. The elf, very weak, returned the hug as hard as he could and whispered,

"I thought you were dead." He paused for a moment, moistening his lips with his tongue. "It's good that you're here. It's hard for me. I don't know if I'll get through this."

The little one couldn't look at his friend, because he didn't want to see him in such a state. He knew he couldn't ease his suffering. He was glad, however, that Kyerion was alive and could be with him.

"Don't worry, you'll definitely survive. I'm sure of it," Toto said, holding back tears. The druid couldn't say more, as he was asked to leave by one of the medics, as they had to leave for Erythia.

Throughout the entire journey back, the little one walked beside his friend, who was being carried by two golems on a stretcher. In the city, women and elderly citizens of Erythia were already waiting for them, cheering them on. In the distance, Toto saw the commander, who had reached the city ahead of them on his chestnut steed. The druid decided to leave Kyerion, whose parents had rushed to him, for a moment and go to him.

"Excuse me. Methaila?" Tiny asked uncertainly.

The commander turned, and Toto saw his friend.

"Who's asking?" Methaila asked in a thick voice, and she saw the druid. "Toto? Don't say anything. Come on, we'll go to my tent. I'll explain everything to you.

" Arriving there, the commander told Tiny to sit on a tree trunk and listen to what she had to say. Toto knew Methaila and wasn't surprised to see her as a soldier, as she had always enjoyed fighting and practicing masculine sports. He only resented her for not telling him about her intentions. He sat down in the seat she had designated and began to listen to her explanation.

"Little one, I know I shouldn't lie to others," Methaila said calmly. "But you know me very well, and I'm sure you realize how much I wanted to fight, especially for such an important cause. I didn't tell anyone about my intention, because I knew they would try to dissuade me. So I disguised myself in armor and pretended to be a man. The Council was looking for the right person to be a commander. So I applied, and after successfully passing the tests, I was appointed commander. I was thrilled to be taking on such an important role. When you recognized me on the battlefield, I was afraid you'd betray me. But it's good that you didn't. You must have thought it was just your imagination, since women don't join the army."

Toto was surprised by Methaila's astute observation. He was very proud of his friend for daring to take responsibility for the entire army. It was thanks to her tactical skills that they defeated the enemy. The little one decided that when Kyerion recovered, he would definitely throw a grand party, as he had already planned, in honor of his best friend and for all the citizens of Erythia.

But now, most of all, he wanted to meet his mother, who hadn't seen him since his abduction. He congratulated Methailia on her courage and assured her that no one would learn from him who the commander was, then headed to the capital for another meeting with his mother. On the way to the council headquarters, he stopped at the cottage of the grandmaster, the most experienced medic, to check on Kyerion's condition.