Song of the chapter - Yahweh by Stryper

The voice came from across the clearing, ringing out as if the speaker was standing directly in front of Eliana. It was the strength of the trees, she realized, amplifying the sound of their voices. Claec's voice struck Eliana in an odd way. It was different than she had imagined, and suddenly Eliana was surprised that she had indeed imagined what Claec's voice might sound like. Where she expected a deep and devious sound, instilling fear within her bones, she found instead a smooth and lilting voice, one that was demanding and trustworthy at the same time. It was almost hypnotic in its tone and Eliana fought the urge to submit to her will. Was this how she had come to such strong power?

"Starlight belongs to no one." Eliana replied, feeling suddenly bold and angry. She embraced the fierce emotions to help overcome the pull of Claec's voice. Eliana pulled a bit on the Starlight, willing a portion of it into her palm. She felt some of its essence seep into her open hand. Sparks danced before her, but Eliana was unable to send it any where other than the surrounding land.

Claec's smirk was visible across the wide plain. "Naïve. We shall see who controls the power." The lilting tone was gone, replaced by the venomous sound Eliana had expected. Although it did not bring the fear she thought it would.

With that simple statement, Claec's army was uncloaked, filling the treeline across the clearing. It wasn't a surprise, apparently, because the Watchers and guards on her side uncloaked almost simultaneously. Where had they come from? Eliana looked over to Aine in question.

"I have a few tricks up my sleeve as well," Aine winked.

Eliana shook her head and returned her focus to the impending battle. At once, all sides seemed to rush towards the middle of the clearing, swords held high and voices ringing through the ancient forest. She found herself bracing for the clang of swords and cry of the fallen, knowing that some would not walk away from this fight. She felt herself flinch as the battle ensued, the sound painful to her ears with the weight of sorrow it brought. Blaike still stood near her, having already declared he would protect her before all else, her personal bodyguard so to speak. Eliana didn't argue. She may have been a natural as they had trained, but she didn't feel anywhere near ready to battle against other seasoned warriors. Besides, that also meant Blaike would be close by, close enough for her to keep an eye on him as well.

For long minutes the heavy fighting continued. Eliana felt her anger grow as she contemplated the true reason for the fight. Lies. Everything Claec had told them was lies in order for her power to remain in tact. True, that some may have had dark intentions of their own, but that didn't lessen the fact that Claec spent generations deceiving the people of the Ferlands. Her heart clenched with fury at the woman, mother or not. People would die for this, and she couldn't stand by and watch. Before she thought more about it, Eliana felt her feet carry her forward, toward the battle.

The glitter began to gather in her vision as the Starlight, still under her command, increased, being absorbed within her as she proceeded forward. Eliana pulled her own sword from its sheath and raised it above her head. She was able to make out the pounding footsteps behind her, knowing it was Blaike, and realized he would be upset with her decision to enter the fray. Her steps did not falter, however, telling herself that he would see her intention and understand.

Just as she approached the embattled soldiers, reminding her of what her mind's eye had witnessed of the castle attack, she paused her steps. Blaike was beside her within an instant. She sensed his anger, and his fear, but didn't turn to face him. Instead, she put all of her concentration on the point of her sword, still held high over her head. The sword which she called her own, hewn from Fae metals as was her necklace, could be used to channel the Starlight, according to Aine. Eliana felt that a test run was in order. Moments later, Eliana steadied her feet as the rush of Starlight made its way through her body and towards her fingertips, right into the sword itself and then shot from its sharpened end.

The light illuminated the clearing, not quite as explosive as the release from the keep had been, but strong enough and bright enough to stop every warrior in his or her spot, frozen with shock. They all looked to Eliana, some with curious expressions on their face, others horrified.

"Stop!" Eliana shouted while all focus remained on her. "This is madness," she thought as she observed the throng of warriors filling the clearing.

Silence met her ears after her declaration. Not one other voice stirred. However, she sensed a movement of the energy once again, now that the power held within her body had been released. The movement was stronger than before, telling Eliana that Claec was working fiercely to obtain the Starlight once again. Claec would be undeterred by Eliana's plea, of course. Words would do nothing. A battle for power it would have to be.

She turned to Blaike, as he remained behind her, "You can not help in this, Blaike. I have to confront her with Starlight. That's the only way, I feel it."

He nodded in understanding, but she sensed that he would not allow her to engage Claec alone, regardless of her statement. "I am not leaving you. So do not ask that of me. I may not be able to assist your battle with her, but I will remain by your side."

Eliana didn't argue. Instead she once again drew the Starlight's energy to herself, pulling in as much as she felt she could hold. The tingling was stronger than it had been, her vision coated with silver. This time she held the sword at her front, pointed directly into the cluster of warriors still standing in awe at her display. Immediately, they parted, without hesitation.

Claec stood at the opposite end of the clearing, still in her dark battle gear, the very same she wore in Eliana's vision. The dark feather-like leather armor covered her shoulders and arms, with equally dark leather bindings on the rest of her body. Over her head was some type of helmet, seemingly also made of leather, with an opening that framed her face and extended down to touch her shoulders. The flaming red hair was not in sight.

The dark Queen stood tall, projecting an immovable resolve. Eliana was not fooled, however. This woman was worried. No one had challenged her thus far in her control. No one was strong enough, until this moment. Until now.

From Eliana's mouth came the foretold words, both the known and the hidden.

"That which was wrong will now be made right.

That which was dark will be brought to the light.

That which was lost has finally been found.

That which is dead will be laid in the ground

"Destiny calls she who holds the Starlight

to join with the one watching over the night.

Fate brought her back, fate calls her still,

Fate has been answered..."

Eliana paused, noting the smirk that was still on Claec's face. Straightening her stance and slowly moving the Starlight she held into position within her being, Eliana continued,

"The prophesy filled!"

The force with which Eliana posed the final line caused Claec to visibly pale. The tip of the sword was pointed directly at the woman standing across the clearing. Warriors on either side, who had remained separated and focused on the power struggle between the two, suddenly and quickly ran for the treeline. They sensed a shift, a change in the manor of battle and wanted nothing to do with that level of power. After all, they would not easily forget the power that had blasted through them at the castle door.

Suddenly, the clearing was covered in the same way it had been the night of the summit. A force field, thrown like a net, was cast out from all points of the treeline, a perfect circle. The Watchers and Fae, those battling on both sides of the fight, were effectively locked out of the newest battle by the shield. All except for Eliana, Blaike and Claec, who were kept within its wall.

"I know who you are," Claec purred, "or rather, who you thinkyou are."

Eliana responded, taking what she understood as bait, still having the tip of the sword pointed at Claec, "And who do I think I am?"

"The answer." Claec remarked, distain filling her voice. "I see you have gathered the stones. So L'Orna and Aine must think quite highly of you. Fools."

The lilting voice had returned as Claec continued to speak. Eliana was unsure of her intention with the strange conversation, but decided to let it play out. It gave her more opportunity to assess any weakness that Claec may have.

"Perhaps," Eliana said, "but I am not attempting to keep the Starlight hostage for my own selfish gains."

Claec's eyes narrowed their gaze on what she obviously thought a stupid girl standing opposite of her. "Are you not? I have felt you pull the power to you, is that not one of your selfish gains?"

"Using the Starlight for its intended purpose is not selfish on my part. It is required."

"So says you. We shall see." Claec waved a hand of dismissal as she spoke, or so Eliana thought. But seconds after the words left Claec's lips, a sharp sting ripped through the arm with which Eliana held her sword.

In shock, she dropped the sword to the ground and grabbed her arm, pulling it in close to her body. Eliana heard Blaike's sharp intake of breath and felt his body lean towards hers in concern. She shook her head and released the hold on her arm to indicate that she was all right.

"Clever trick," Eliana retorted. "Not very effective, though." She quickly reached down to retrieve the sword, but did not return its aim at Claec.

"More than a trick my dear." The smirk on Claec's face brought a rush of fear to Eliana. What was that confidence for, it had merely been a sting?

Bringing the sword back to her side, she raised it, once again pointing the tip at Claec. The smirk on the woman's face told enough of the story. Claec would not be threatened. The pale of her skin told the other half, she wasn't confident in her own powers.

Their eyes met in a tense battle of wills. Eliana took in as much of Claec's countenance as possible. Should she clarifiy who she was and tell this dark queen the truth of her parentage? It wouldn't make a difference, but somehow she couldn't keep that knowledge to herself.

"You don't really know who I am," she started, and found that she had taken a step closer while she spoke. "I am more than an answer."

Another step. Claec stood unmoving, watching with no visible emotion on her face.

"I have been here before. I was born here." Eliana continued.

Still no reaction from Claec could be seen.

Another step forward.

"Aine left through a passage with me, took me away. To safety."

One eyebrow was raised, the first sign of a response.

Another step.

"And now, I am back. Here to stop the reign of darkness and bring in a time of light."

The smirk was back in place. But from several steps closer, Eliana could see there was something different in place. Claec knew. She understood. She didn't care.

"Full circle then," Claec stated coldly, the lilting voice replaced with stone. "The sacrificecan be made."

The word fell from her lips like a whisper. It floated on the air, wafting closer to where Eliana stood. As if in slow motion, Claec's hand came up, a dark stone within her grasp. The Starstone.

Sacrifice.

The name of the fourth Starstone filled Eliana's mind in an instant. She watched in horror as the stone was raised over Claec's head, as the woman's head fell back and her eyes fluttered closed. Eliana stood frozen in shock as she felt the pull of energy, stronger than a small pebble in the water. It began to rush toward Claec like a river, gaining momentum as it traveled.

Not knowing her intentions, but not wanting to wait and watch as Claec fulfilled whatever sacrifice she had in mind, Eliana held tight to her sword...and pulled.

She pulled on the Starlight with everything inside of her. By emptying herself, opening her entire being to the energy surrounding them, she was able to grab on to the edge of the energy as it rushed past. It was a tug of war, and the Starlight was stopped in its tracks.

Claec's eyes shot open, her head dropping to make laser-like eye contact with Eliana. Then, while holding Eliana's gaze burning in her own, Claec brought Sacrificeback down, holding it once again in front of her as if she was presenting the stone to an audience. Eliana raised her chin, allowing the other three Starstones to be on full display. Claec would not win this battle easily. Eliana refused to back away from her threats.

"This display of yours is endearing. I must say I am almost impressed." Claec hissed, her stony voice still in place. "Without your dear Aine, your cause is lost. So much for fulfilling the prophesy. But at least you now have something to lay in the ground."

"No, by the Stars!" Blaike called out as Eliana saw him rush away out of the corner of her eye. She turned to see where he was going. That's when she realized what had happened. That sting of Starlight she had felt before, it had not been intended for her. The sacrifice she had feared, the one she dreaded, had occurred.

Aine.

"No!" Eliana cried out, taking a step towards where her grandmother was laying on the ground, unmoving. She had apparently been just inside the clearing and therefore within the shield cast out by the trees, which also meant Aine had been within Claec's striking range. Blaike looked back to Eliana, making intense eye contact with her. The shield worked as it had with the Ancients and he was able to send his thoughts directly to Eliana.

"Do not take your eyes off of her."

Eliana froze in place, not taking a step closer to Blaike, or further from Claec. Slowly she turned, once again facing what could only be described as evil. Any light that may have been within her soul must have been snuffed out, strangled by rage and pain long ago. There was only one choice Eliana felt she could make. Only one choice left to her and all of the Ferlands.

The Starlight had become stagnant, remaining unmoving between the two opposing forces on either end of the clearing. Eliana was unsure how to make her next move, to gain the upper hand in this sort of battle. Trapped in a stalemate, Eliana heard Blaike's voice once again in her head.

Wield the Starlight, Eliana. She can only draw it to her. You can send it out at your will. This is the time.

She'll know, you just told her! Eliana replied, starting to struggle with her hold on the energy of the Starlight.

She cannot hear me. The trees have made sure of that. Do it. Now! Blaike insisted.

Her movements swift, Eliana dropped the sword, then put one hand on the stones. She needed to try again. It had to work this time. Her other hand was lifted, holding her palm open as Aine had shown her at the Refuge, as she had attempted minutes before. She focused on the palm of her hand, willing the Starlight to gather in her grasp. Little by little, the same silver mist began to build, slowly at first and then gaining speed and strength as it grew. Never taking her eyes off of Claec, the mist began to fill the air around where Eliana stood. Claec's eyes grew wide, not knowing what to make of this new skill displayed before her.

"How's this for clever tricks?" Eliana whispered to herself then turned her palm to force the Starlight towards Claec. It moved as it had before, a rushing river towards the opposite end of the clearing. This time, however, it had a bite, a sting stronger than the tingles Eliana had felt. It was an electric current illuminating everything in its path. Claec stumbled back a step just before it reached her. There was no escaping this level of power, however, and Claec was overcome.

While Eliana had expected some type of explosion by the amount of energy which hit Claec straight on, the result was nothing that obvious. Instead, it was more akin to a drowning. Eliana remembered the pressure she felt while in the bottom of the keep, surrounded by the hidden Starlight. How had I been able to endure being overwhelmed by that much Starlight?, Eliana now wondered watching as Claec clutched at her throat, gasping for breath.

And then it was over. Claec dropped to the ground.

That which was dark had now been made light.

〰🖤〰

Was is epic enough? Did you predict the outcome? There are things that feel cliche about this chapter. It's very classic good versus evil in so many ways. I wanted it to be unpredictable, but...oh well.

There are three chapters left! And I only have one of them written at this point. So yikes I better focus! Yahweh feels epic, and it may be sacrilegious to use it in this chapter but I just had to. It's got the perfect pacing for the final battle.

https://youtu.be/FRyXDlPthH0