BATTLE!!! ARE YOU EXCITED? I AM! PLEASE LEAVE ME A VOTE OR COMMENT IF YOU LIKED IT< THEY REALLY MEAN ALOT TO ME <3. EVEN IF YOU HATED IT< I WANT TO KNOW WHY. THANKS AND PLEASE ENJOY!

The Rüjae Cliffs stood outlined in black against the sky, rosy with the birth of dawn. The runner had been mistaken, Drisnôk's army was marching across the desert, and had not yet reached lake Fiölir. As soon as Ramsea had gotten the news, she ordered everyone up and out of the camp. They left at dusk and had marched all day to the west side of the lake, where they had tried to catch a few fitful hours of sleep before morning. Kiela sat like a statue, apprehension and deliberating fear clawing at her. The smoke from the cook fires hazed her vision but she imagined that the army on the far shore was visible. The bridge of lost souls darkly beckoned like a promise of what was to come.

"Here." Kymir's voice spoke from behind her. A warm mug of tea was placed into her hands and Kiela smiled in gratitude. "Don't worry." Kym told her. "Everything will be alright."

Kiela felt like a young child again, scared of the dark. "Have you been to war before?" she asked, forcing her mind to focus on other things.

Kym nodded, pride seeming to swell her up. "My people are warriors." she said. "The fierce hunters from across the sea once tried to invade our lands. We fought them on the rocks, and stopped their attack."

"Is it always the same?" Kiela asked. "This fear, it makes me weak."

We must all fear. Sylnav told her. It shows us who we are.

Kym's face dropped, and she sat down beside Keila. "It used to not be so bad." she murmured. "and then, I lost my mother. She was strong and beautiful and amazing. She fell to a hunter's spear, trying to save me."

"I'm sorry." Kiela replied. Her heart ached for the girl.

Kym rose again. "It's alright. It is best to think of other things. Once the battle starts all fear flees from your mind."

She walked off and Kiela stood, stretching her stiff muscles. She finished the tea in one gulp, welcoming the burning feeling. After returning it to the cook tents she went off to find Tori and Lono. The sleeping people began to stir as the sun crept higher into the sky, and murmurs of light conversaion filled the air. Kiela found her friends at the base of the cliffs, speaking quietly to the other heads of house and elders. She alerted them to her presence with a tap of the shoulder.

"...To hold off the invaders at the bridge. That way they will no the able to overpower us with their greater numbers. I will take the birds and attack them front the rear." Heru spoke. "Collect your houses and meet in half an hour back here."

The assembly broke up. "Tori, Lono." Kiela rushed over to intercept her friends. They both stopped to face her. "I just want to say thank you." she got out in a rush. " You have both been amazing friends, and whatever happens tomorrow-"

Tori placed her hand over Kiela's mouth.

"Kiela. It will be fine. We will both be alive." The older girl said it fiercely, as if daring anyone to say it wasn't true. Kiela nodded, unable to speak through the lump in her throat. "We are expected to meet soon, let us enjoy each other's company while we can, before the battle."

The time flew, and all too quickly they were forced to meet back at the cliff base. Ramsea explained the battle tactocs that they were to use and the army splintered into their houses. The were grouped with one elder assigned to three houses to form groups. Kiela's group consisted of the houses Bolvek , Citius and Yuwæ. She was glad to see that both Fip and Lee, and Tori were in her group. So was Meha, and the coyote gave her a brief nod before melting away into the crowd.

The air was filled with tension, and everyone was eerily quiet. Kiela adjusted the leather strap that ran diagonally across her chest. It held the Kilanger and her quiver of arrows. She held her dagger in her fist and the guard was heavy on her arm.

The deep, resonating sound of a horn filled the air and Kiela jerked her head up. A black line lay low over the horizon, steadily growing thicker.

"Shifters and people of Kithna! Today we fight to save our homes, our friends and our family! Today we fight!" Ramsea said. Everyone cheered, and dread filled Kiela up, knowing at her resolve. The people charged and she was carried along with them, trying frantically not to be trampled. More horns were blown, filling the air as the people marched forwards. Tori yelled orders.

"We must reach the bridge first! It must be held!"

"Stay together!" Œille instructed her house. They reached the base of the bridge, Kiela's moccasins instantly finding a grip on the wet wood. Lines were quickly formed, and Kiela looked with trepidation between the heads of the people in front of her. Harsh cries split the air, and Disnôk's army marched into view. Connix was at the fore, copper hair gleaming. They stopped just before the bridge on their side of the river. Kiela gasped, revulsion filling her. Faceless she thought. The creatures before her truly had no face. Their visage was smooth, only white skin filling their features. All around her she felt discord filling their ranks, and the people of Kithna shifted nervously. Rows and rows of faceless filled the plain.

"You are all fools." Connix spat. "You chose the wrong one to follow. Drisnôk is strong, and he will crush you. If you back down now he will let you keep your life, and serve eternally in his hall. If you fight, your death shall be far more painful then you can imagine."

Kiela shoved herself forwards, hatred filling her. "We will never back down!" she yelled. "There is no honour in killing in cold blood, as you have done. Fools we may be, but we have not been blinded by our gods. Kithna, Shifters, Charge!"

Yells and shrieks filled the air as their comined might hit the faceless army in a head on collision. Kiela shifted her fingers and swiped at a faceless, tearing parallel gashes into its head. Ducking another blow, she slammed her foot into its stomach. She drew her dagger and surveyed the crowd. Tori was fighting brilliantly, sending faceless bodies tumbling lifelessly before her. Fip and Lee were back o back, using their Kilangar to knock down faceless after faceless. Œille took a hit to her knee and with pure rage snapped a creature's spine in two, her hand shifted into bear paws.

Kiela darted through the throng, using her daggers to knock down any faceless that she saw.

Go to the bridge Kiela, Sylnav told her. The goddess briefly took control of her limbs to deflect a sword.

Thanks, Kiela replied before shifting. She bunched her muscles and leaped onto one of Drisnôk's minions, tearing at its face with her long fangs. Blood coated her tongue and she let out a savage howl of delight. For Adrianne, Levia and all the others that Drisnôk has killed in his mad quest for power. She growled to herself, before breaking through the ranks of shifters onto the bridge. The second that her paws hit the wood beams she skidded to a stop. She quickly shifted and shaded her eyes, not believing what she was seeing. The faceless had turned and now seemed to be fighting each other. No, not each other. Heru's group had fought through from the back of Drisnôk's army. Heru himself held off the faceless while his houses sprinted the remaining distance across the bridge. Kiela looked frantically for Lono, and sagged with relief when she saw him. She turned back, but not quickly enough.

Searing pain ripped open her leg, and she struck out blindly with her dagger, feeling it connect with warm flesh. A howl emanated from the faceless in front of her, it's chest oozing yellow blood. Kiela rose her blade and slashed right to left, but the faceless parried her at every stroke. She blocked, stabbed and jabbed but was met equally by her foe. her injured leg felt heavy, and she could feel without looking her warm blood dripping to the earth. In desperation she shifter both her hands and struck out, clawing the faceless savagely. it shook off the injuries and rammed into her, knocking her over. The energy seemed to flow out of her as she stared into its featureless face, and she closed her eyes for the inevitable end.

Suddenly, the weight lifted off her, and she felt movement around her. A hand grasped hers and she looked into the blood spattered face of her best friend.

"Lono!" She cried.

"Behind you." He warned, and she swung the short sword around, beheading the faceless. She saw the exposed bone of its neck as its head toppled to the dust.

"Thanks." She replied. "How did the fight go?"

"We're winning." Lono relied. "Reetha from Kithna says that the archers have just reached the top of the Rüjae cliffs. Ramsea wants all of us on the bridge to hold back the faceless. If they cross it's over."

"Let's go!" Kiela cried, and took a step forwards. Immediately she collapsed. Trying to move was impossible, her leg a dead weight. Tears streaked the dust on her cheek.

Here. Sylnav said. Place your palm on the wound. Kiela did as she asked and the area under her hand shone brightly. The wound itched and crawled, but when Kiela removed her fingers she found that it was healed. She traced her hand over the smooth pink flesh, revealing in the lack of pain.

Thank you. She told Sylnav, true gratitude showing in her voice.

That was careless. The goddess reprimanded, voice sounding fatigued. And it was difficult to save. Do not expect my help to heal your next injury.

I am sorry. Kiela answered.

"Kiela?" Lono asked, sounding confused and wary. "How did you do that?"

"Another time." She told him, teeth gritted.

He looked as if to argue and then nodded. They both leaped onto the bridge and lifted their weapons. It was worse than before. The shifters were being steadily but surely pushed back, the faceless hordes slowly forcing them off the bridge. One of them walked towards her, brandishing a dagger. Kiela sprung at it, slashing its throat. She glanced back at Lono and was filled with horror. He was on the ground, weaponless. His sword had rolled uselessly away, and as Kiela watched the faceless kicked it over the edge. She darted forwards, just as it raised its blade to deliver the death blow.

A swishing noise filled the air, and a dozen arrows dropped from the sky. One of them impaled the faceless, and it toppled to the ground, dead. Jubilation was visible on everyone's faces as the archer's arrows cut down more and more faceless. With renewed vigour they continued to fight. Kiela tossed her dagger to Lono.

"Never fight only with one weapon." Lono only smilled.

Kiela's fingers fumbled as she quickly knotted a rope to her Kilangar and swung it in a wide arc. The blade cut through the surrounding faceless like a heron diving through water. Their bodies thudded to the ground a second before their heads.

Dead faceless and unfortunate shifters piled on the ground, making the bridge almost inaccessible from their side. Kiela, Lono and the rest on the bridge found themselves stranded from their friends, unable to retreat as they bravely faced their aggressors. Kiela amassed a small collection of wounds that hampered her ability to move. A dying faceless had slashed her back when she had turned around, and a group of three of them had managed to poke ragged holes into her chest. When stepping over the bodies a faceless that she had though to be dead had cut her on the inside of her thigh before she could cleave its skull open. This cut pained her a great deal and the blood slickened the soles of her shoes, accusing her to loose her balance.

Though they were winning the battle, many of their people still fell. The Citius house was without communication, as their Touch messenger from Kithna had died with all of her brethren in a charge to recapture the near riverbank. Kiela had watched powerless to help as a faceless warrior hurled a spear through Sarae's chest from four hundred yards away. And Connix was on the far side of the bridge, gleefully cutting down anyone that attempted to cross.

Priolus, a warrior of Kithna approached. "Press forward! We have almost pushed them off the bridge!" More battle cries rose to the sky and animals and humans alike rushed forwards. The end of the bridge was two hundred yards away... one hundred...

A roar echoed through the stagnant air. The smell of blood, sweat and fear clouded Kiela's senses.

"You fools! You have not won!" Thud. Thud. Thud. Giant footsteps walked towards the bridge. A huge shape uncurled itself and stood stretched towards the sky.

Drisnôk. Sylnav breathed.

Drisnôk's black hair was like the darkest abyss of midnight, his red eyes like the flaming fires of Abör. A long, sharp sword hung at his hip.

The water swirled, whitecaps forming, and the bridge groaned.

"I am a god, and cannot be killed by mere mortals!" The water rose, higher and higher. Then it came thundering down. A huge wave swept around the river bend, headed straight for the bridge. The panicked shifters ran to try to regain the far side, but it was too late. Kiela turned to meet the tempest head on as it barrelled towards them.