“Aurelius!”
Aurelius looked back to find Instructor Donovan yelling at him. The instructor looked as if he was about to chase Aurelius, but the other instructors and academy staff, who had also watched Aurelius run out of the academy, held him back.
Taking a breath of relief, Aurelius needed to plan his next course of action, he needed to find where the Dark Elves were attacking from.
Running through the streets of the city, Aurelius tried to gather as much information as possible from the chaos around him. He stopped passersby, asking if they knew where the Dark Elves were attacking from or if they had any idea about their numbers and intentions. But most of the people he encountered were too frightened or confused to give him any valuable information.
Aurelius realized he needed a higher vantage point to get a better view of the situation. Spotting a tall building nearby, he decided to climb it to get a better view of the city. With his enhanced agility and strength, he scaled the building in no time, reaching its rooftop.
From this elevated position, he could discern plumes of smoke billowing from various parts of the city. However, what caught his keen eye was the distinct sight of the city guard and garrison, the majority, if not all of them, converging towards the eastern gate and its corresponding section of the city.
"That's where the fighting is taking place," Aurelius firmly concluded.
With a plan forming in his mind, Aurelius leaped from rooftop to rooftop, using his teleportation ability to help him close in on the eastern gate area. As he neared the commotion, the sounds of guards yelling and armor rattling grew louder.
As Aurelius reached the eastern city gates, he was met with a scene straight out of a storybook.
Rows upon rows of High Elves stood in formation, a formidable sight on the towering 20-feet walls encircling the city and the open space before it. Their melee combatants were positioned on the ground, their ranks forming an unyielding bulwark, while above them, archers and mages took their places atop the city wall, ready to unleash arrows and spells alike. The scene stood as a testament to part of the High Elven martial prowess, and Aurelius had to say that he was pleasantly surprised. He hadn’t expected this sort of response by the city’s garrison.
Yet, despite the formidable sight, it looked small compared to the sight in the distance. Reflecting the High Elves, rows upon rows of Dark Elves marched towards the city, their footsteps sending tremors throughout the ground. It sounded as if an entire army was on the march. The Dark Elven forces were a sight to see, their armor and weapons gleaming darkly, their demeanor exuding confidence and purpose.Aurelius watched, awestruck and anxious. The reality before him proved far grimmer than he had ever imagined. This was not merely a small raiding party; it was a full-scale invasion. The Dark Elves had not come for a mere skirmish; they aimed to conquer the High Elven capital.
As the opposing forces closed in, tension thickened in the air. The High Elf defenders displayed determination, but also a hint of desperation. The Dark Elves outnumbered them significantly, and their malevolent aura sent chills down Aurelius's spine. More and more High Elves poured out of the city, swiftly joining the ranks of those already present.
Judging by the movements of the High Elven defenders, it seemed they planned to prevent the Dark Elves from reaching the city walls altogether by engaging them outside the city gate. This was a strategy often employed when confronting the Dark Elves. Rule number one in fighting them: never allow them to enter the city, where their mastery of tight compartments and shadows would grant them the advantage.
A lot of Dark Elves possessed a natural affinity for Dark magic, enabling them to blend into shadows, move with silence, and wield darkness to their benefit. Engaging them in narrow city streets and buildings would only play into their hands, offering ample opportunities to employ stealth and deadly magic. It could turn the city into a death trap, making it perfect for any sort of ambush.
In contrast, the High Elves excelled in open terrain, where they could maximize their formations and magic. Keeping the battle outside the city was crucial for their success.
Aurelius surveyed the scene, witnessing numerous High Elves clad in different colored robes atop the wall, huddled together and engaged in discussions while overseeing the unfolding battlefield.
“This must be the leadership,” Aurelius concluded.
Amongst the group stood a figure Aurelius recognized - it was the headmaster. In contrast to the calm smile Aurelius had remembered, the headmaster now had a grim look on his face as he surveyed the scene before him.
Suddenly, something shifted, and the Dark Elves stopped their advance.
Aurelius heard a voice yell out, enhanced by wind magic:
"Shields!"
Instantly, a dozen shields of mana sprung up around the High Elven forces on the ground and around the wall. Not a moment too soon, as a volley of arrows and magic came through the air, turning the sky black for a moment.
As the Dark Elves' arrows and spells struck the High Elven shields, which were seemingly generated by runes, most of them dissipated into nothingness. Despite the distance, Aurelius strained to discern the intricate details of the High Elven runes, but they remained elusive.
In an instant, a deep horn's call echoed from afar, and the ground trembled under the oncoming stampede of Dark Elves. A bloodcurdling chorus of voices and the cacophony of thousands of footsteps filled the air. The battle had truly commenced.
Perched upon a nearby rooftop, Aurelius witnessed the first wave of Dark Elves got mercilessly cut down by the High Elves' arrows and magic. Beams of light pierced the sky, momentarily dimming the sun itself, while fiery torrents engulfed the enemy forces. Living runes glowed with power, reinforcing the High Elves' defenses. The sheer might of magic alone transformed the battlefield into a desolate wasteland.
Logically, the strategy of the Dark Elves made no sense to Aurelius. All they seemed to be doing was rushing in an uncoordinated formation towards the High Elves, and troves of them were falling under the blast. And yet, there seemed to be a near infinite number of Dark Elves, hundreds to replace the fall of one.
It wasn't long before the first Dark Elf reached the front line of the High Elves, and Aurelius could hear the clash of steel on steel. Given their proximity now, Aurelius could better make out the Dark Elves' features.
The Dark Elves looked similar to their High Elven cousins, except for their ashen skin, silver hair, and eyes that glowed with an eerie crimson light. Their armor was adorned with sharp edges and twisted symbols, and their weapons seemed to be infused with malevolent energy.
In the midst of it all, Aurelius's mind raced. He knew he had to do something. He possessed the power and the ability to make a difference, even if he wasn't sure how much of a difference it would be.
Descending from the rooftop, Aurelius teleported onto the wall next to some High Elven defenders. His sudden appearance nearly earned him a fireball to the face from a startled mage actively wielding magic in combat.
"What the fuck!" the mage yelled amid the battle's din.
"How did you get up here?" he demanded, scanning Aurelius, noting the academy uniform instead of a city guard's emblem. "All civilians should be at the dock. Move your ass, now!"
Ignoring the mage's last words, Aurelius teleported once more, this time outside the city gates and into the heart of the battle.
