The Battle against the rebels

Griffonnier had driven the occupants from the vacant lot in front of the citadel and now occupied it with his army.

A large cloth tent camp had been set up on the lush green grass.

Griffonnier had brought a battering ram to force open the royal citadel’s great gate.

The soldiers had tried several times to rush through with a ram, but their efforts were in vain.

The few birdmen who made it onto the narrow bridge either retreated or were riddled with arrows. Griffonnier's army had decided to camp in the old town, cutting off all supply routes.

If only they could starve, he thought.

***

The Peacock King fell from his throne before the eyes of Oak, Willow and his owl advisor. A small white sparrow on his shoulder awaited his instructions.

"Why? Why do these ingrates rebel against me? Am I not a good king? Messenger, go and see what their demands are. Maybe peace is still possible."

The little sparrow carried out the orders. He went to the kitchen where he took a small white flag from a drawer and waited for the portcullis to  rise.

He flew away and dodged two arrows that whistled within two inches of his ea.

 He landed in the tented camp near a large pink cloth tablecloth.

Griffonnier and his Griffonnier masters were eating mushroom sandwiches outside. Mushrooms were a rare commodity in Skyhigh and the Peacock King's favorite food.

Soon, you'll have nothing to eat. Soon, the famine of 1260 you'll understand... You were stuffing yourself while my father starved to death. Your father you are not. He saved us, not you... Griffonnier thought, a look of smugness on his face as he savored a sandwich.

The messenger interrupted Griffonnier's thoughts. "His Majesty wishes to know your demands. Why are you all rising up against our king? Is he not so handsome, so gracious, so generous and so honest as his father was?"

Griffonnier sneered. "Yes, but his father much better was. The Peacock King so proud and uncomprehending,  is. Outraged me your king. For him, is worth nothing, my opinion. Show the truth, the card and the letter. A huge mistake made the king, but too vain to admit it he is."

"What map, what letter...?"

He showed the map and the letter to the messenger. "The map and the letter from the real traitor, Karel."

The little sparrow was devastated by the news and rolled into a ball. ".... His Majesty has indeed committed a grave error. Forgive him... It’s  only in times of peace that one is better prepared for war..."

Griffonnier seized the white flag that the sparrow had brought.

He tore it to shreds. "Never! Too far we’ve already gone. Death to the king!"

Griffonnier let the sparrow go. He flew through the hall and landed on the shoulder of the peacock king. He told him about Griffonnier's answer.

The Peacock King's face tightened with anxiety. He rose from his throne and began to pace the room. "Why did I let myself be plunged into pride, he had found a map and a letter... Now the hope of an easy peace has left us. I see only one solution, the crisis plan."

Oak had been listening attentively all this time.

He began to think.  Karel betrayed us... Yet I forgave him... I don't understand.... Was I wrong?

He kept his thoughts to himself and listened again.

The brown owl didn’t move.

 He asked the peacock king. "The crisis plan?  Already? We must not forget that we have two  enemies. What will we do now if Xidor Cèdre's forces enter the city?"

The Peacock king tried to calm his anxiety by bathing in illusions." We'll figure something out... Xidor hasn't officially declared war yet and maybe it won’t happen."

He turned to Oak and Willow, who were respectfully listening to him.

 " Jump on your firebirds’ back and go join my father Gildor. He’s disguised as a brown pheasant and has taken up residence in the great library of Skyhigh. His voluntary exile has lasted long enough.  It’s time for him to rise again and grant us a miracle."

So his father isn't dead after all... What's so special about him? Does he have powers? Is that why they call him the miracle worker?

The Peacock King told Oak where the library was located. Oak and Willow went outside and called a few firebirds.

***

They saw a red brick building with a brown man standing on the balcony.

Oak and Willow stopped nearby in midair and explained all the problems that the miracle worker’s son was facing.

Gildor puffed his chest out and straightened his feathered crest.

"Xidor and his rebels will not touch my son. A father cannot stand idle in front of his children’s misfortunes.

Oak looked the miracle worker over from head to toe, searching for any sign of magic. " You’re a legend. They say you made it rain in abundance over a dry land where nothing grew before. That you even built the greenhouses of this district and the water tanks. What powers do you have?

"Showmanship," the miracle worker replied.

Oak asserted. "Really? I'm a wizard too...    Let's get out there and defeat Griffonnier before he finds out about our powers."

The miracle worker motioned for him to wait two minutes.

He entered the building and emerged transformed. His plumage and tail had changed color. His light gray tail became silvery purple while his light brown plumage turned to a beautiful indigo.

He was holding a banner that read. "People! Help your former king crush the Griffonnier rebellion."

He waved the standard above his head, making it visible to all. "The people will support me. Let’s begin our great march and crush the rebellion."

Oak grabbed the miracle worker's arm "Griffonnier isn’t far away... a few hours ago he was storming the palace…. Follow me."

Oak led the Miracle Worker and Willow through the purple marble streets.

Several passersby watched the marchers, staring at the banner.

"It's the Miracle Worker! He needs us."

Passersby rushed to the forge. They returned armed with shields. An imposing procession of two thousand Avians marched beside Oak, Willow and the Miracle Worker.  Their boots clacked on the wet ground.

Under a dark sky, three very muscular roosters broke away from the procession.

They bowed to their former ruler.

"Oh, Miracle worker. How nice to see you again!"

"Me too, it's a pleasure to see you kids again.

The three roosters joined the procession.

Oak saw three Griffonniers, a duck man and a hummingbird man leading a two thousands Avians army In the middle of the merchant’s quarter square.

I knew it.

The young wizard pointed to the main square, now deserted but usually bustling with hundreds of Avians selling all sorts of goods. "Miracle worker, here are the traitors. Let me demonstrate my powers by burning them. Nobody’s  in the street anyway."

Indeed, the food stalls had been abandoned, brimming with vegetable sandwiches and bowls of fried rice.

The Miracle worker gritted his teeth... " No... you risk burning down the city, surely there's another way."

The Miracle Worker's gaze met Griffonnier's, the traitor was standing a few feet away. The latter grabbed his sword and shouted. "Miracle worker, will I stop you!"

With vigilance, Sire Colibri kept Gildor in sight, not underestimating his opponent. "The Miracle worker... so the rumor was true. You have returned from the dead. Griffonnier promised us more power than your son will ever give us. Glory to Griffonnier!"

"Glory to Griffonnier!" repeated the opponents.

"Turtle position!" ordered Griffonnier.

The two thousand rebel Avians stood in a circle. The first row of Avians blocked in front of them with their shields.  The second and third blocked above their heads so as to make a shield roof.

"Death to the rebellion! Phalanx position!" retorted the Miracle worker to his troops.

A swarm of about the same size took up a phalanx position, putting their great spears in front of their shields.

The Miracle Worker laughed at the formation taken by Griffonnier's troops. "Turtle formation? Pfft. Useless!" He ordered his troops. “Charge!"

Gildor's troops and Willow charged headlong at their opponents; Oak and the Miracle Worker stayed back.

An arrow whizzed through the air and nearly hit the Miracle Worker. It was caught by Oak at the last moment.

"Thank you, Oak," Gildor said appreciatively.

Upon contact with the shield wall, the first few rows of the Miracle Maker's soldiers fell to the ground.

They dragged the rest of the army down with them.

The rebel troops removed their shields and drew their swords.

Griffonnier and the other Avians pierced the first row of soldiers.

"Aaaaargh, Uurgh."

Blood poured onto the ground.

"Retreat soldiers!" the Miracle worker shouted.

Willow and the soldiers fled.

The rebel soldiers went after them.

Two eagle talons grabbed Willow by the shoulders.

They dragged him into the rebel ranks.

"Willow, no! Griffonnier, let go of my friend!"

Griffonnier drew his sword and pressed his blade onto Willow's neck.

Oak closed his eyes, believing Griffonnier would kill his friend.

No... not you Willow... don't die my friend... I should never have told you that Jonas was my best friend...

I'm sorry. If something happened to you or Jonas,  I wouldn't forgive myself.

But nothing came. Griffonnier only made threats. "Tsk, Tsk, Miracle Worker, Oak, surrender or your friend I kill."

Oak opened his eyes again, relieved that Willow was still alive.

No way am I turning myself in... Burn, you bastard...

Oak imagined Griffonnier burning from the inside out, the flames attacking his vital organs. The scene even gave him sadistic pleasure.  He repressed it with all his might, as  he did with the mad grin on his lips.

Even if it excited him, this access of madness terrified him deep inside.

Will that last? Will I turn crazy?

His sap would only grow older and more powerful over time.

Surrender to me, Oak... a small voice whispered from his veins.

"Murmures, brûlures, destruction, flamma aeternam..." he chanted.

Willow screamed. "No Oak! You're going to burn everyone!"

"But what should I do? Forgive them?" said Oak again.

"Do that!" said one of the muscular roosters.

The retreating troops turned around.

Their spears caught the rebels and pierced their chests.

A thousand rebels fell dead to the ground.

The three muscular Avians rushed forward and stepped over the dead bodies.

They surrounded Griffonnier.

"You should have chosen exile, Griffonnier."

"Rather death than exile." He said, pressing his blade further onto Willow's neck.

One of the three roosters swung his sword at Griffonnier.

It pierced him between the eyes, reaching his skull.

"Knock!"

Sir Hummingbird watched as Griffonnier dropped dead. 

He let go of  his weapon. "I surrender! I've been stupid, spare me!" he cried.

Sir Hummingbird, Pato and the few hundred surviving Avians surrendered their weapons.

They dropped their swords, which struck the ground.

"Clink, Clink."

The Miracle Worker and his birdmen bound the rebels. They addressed their leaders, Sire Hummingbird and Pato. "Since the law forbids the execution of prisoners of war, you will be tried for high treason. Your soldiers, on the other hand, will be exiled and subjected to the torment of the great desert. The dungeons are lacking space."

Sire Colibri, Griffonnier's right-hand man, offered no resistance.

He spoke in a voice devoid of life. "I respect the law. I demand a lawyer."

"You shall have it, but until then it’ll be the dungeon."

The royal soldiers divided into two groups. One leading the rebel soldiers out of the city and the other guiding the rebel leaders to the dungeons.

Oak, Willow and the Miracle Worker walked through the streets under a rising blue moon. They stopped near the vacant lot where the rebels had camped before. Some treemen were feasting around a fire there, accompanied by two Avians.

"What are other tree-men doing in this town? Are they Xidor's spies?" wondered Gildor.

Oak frowned in incomprehension. "Wait, they're not Xidor's allies, they're... Maple? What's Maple doing here? What about Jonas? I hope he came in peace."

"No idea. Let's go talk to him," Willow suggested.