Mark of the Princess (38 page)

Fear can be a paralyzing thing. Samil intended to strike fear in the heart of every faerie within the five kingdoms. A Mallafay faerie was chosen to be the bearer of that message. The cursed slave wound his way out of the mountains and into the clearing which bordered the forest of the faeries, whereupon he collapsed within sight of a kingdom guard.

The guard ran to render assistance, but was stopped short by an invisible wall that surrounded the fallen faerie. As he watched in horror, the bare chest of the fae was scored, as if by magic. Word by agonizing word, the message was revealed: “Prepare to die on this battlefield two mornings hence. Samil”

Samil’s deep-rooted hatred was about to culminate in the obliteration of the entire Fae race. Victory was at hand – or so he thought.

But each of the five kings, with each of their five kingdoms, brought something unique to the battle – their own individual strengths to strengthen the whole:

The Warrior Faeries from the Kingdom of Anrad, were the largest in stature of all the faeries. Their muscular frames were evidence of the grueling training they underwent since childhood. They were formidable foes.

The Spirit Faeries of the Kingdom of Spiritus possess an exceptionally deep level of magic and concentration. They can turn from faerie to spirit, at will.

The Elemental Faeries of the Kingdom of Talom live with Dragons and possess all the powers relative to the elements.

The faeries of the Kingdom of the Magi have the magical ability to go into the mind of others. Moreover, they have continued to develop potions and spells unknown to any other creature or fae kingdom.

Finally, the Kingdom of Meira, is the largest of all the fae kingdoms and holds the largest array of powers.

The five Kings had been forewarned. Armed with the knowledge of Samil’s power and abilities, they planned their own strategy down to the tiniest detail. Building upon each of their own strengths, and weaving them together like the strands of a rope, they fortified themselves far beyond that which they could achieve separately. It was determined that, united, they would stand.

The morning of the Great Battle dawned. Samil cast his spells. He raised invisible shields of protection against the Faeries. He called upon the demons from within. But Samil had grossly underestimated the combined power of the faeries. As the battle raged on and on, he was forced to release the demons he held within himself. With each demon that left him he grew weaker, until finally, he lay dead on the battlefield of his own choosing.

Samil’s body, and all the dead of his army, were piled together and lit ablaze. What remained of the ashes and bones were taken to a valley far away and buried. The faeries then cast spells on the burial ground to deter anyone who tried to resurrect the bones for the magic that may still live within them. For, though Samil was dead, evil was not.