“We are Fae,” I shout hoarsely. “We are the only Fae who bear this burden; the only ones who are willing to be the shield and sword that protects the rest of the world from utter darkness and evil. Beyond these walls, evil waits for us. And we will face it. We will face it with the sun on our swords. Fight for the kingdoms, fight for your families, and fight for glory.”
My voice cracks at my last words and I pump my sword as the soldiers below erupt in a roar. They bellow, thrusting their weapons in the air. The air thrums with power and tension so taut I can feel it straining at me. I grin viciously at the soldiers and roar with them. Even Moritz thumps his great sword on the stones, hiding a grin in the folds of his cloak.
I whirl on the demon army at our gates, a snarl at my lips. Millenia ago, the Fae were just as savage as animals. We ran the wild lands and open fields and heavy forests with feral grins. We hunted like wolves and sang like birds. We were one with nature. Civilized as we are now, our savage natures still reside in us. On Summer’s Eve, we relinquish our control to return to our histories. We’ll do so again today. I feel my muscles rippling, the hairs on my neck raised as I feel the wildness of my ancestors begin to flow through my veins.
I slice my sword through the air, and it sings. “Fae!” I roar wildly.
There is a resounding roar behind me, and I can feel the air shift with the power of our ancient strength and savageness sweep over my troops. I snarl, lips curling back over my teeth and I imagine my canines elongating to the fangs we wore so many years ago. I strap my swords around my waist and crouch low as I call on Maaz’s curse. Strength fills my muscles as I let the shift take me.
When I rise again, I stretch out my wings and feel the feathers riffle in the light morning breeze. Without hesitation, I launch myself straight into the sky as the soldiers below cry out their approval. The archers take aim at the demons and fire before they can break their ominous silence.
The air sings through my wings as I wheel around towards our enemy. I watch as the first arrows bury themselves in the skulls of the demons. They howl in pain and their brothers rush forwards against the castle walls. Our skilled arches reload again without hesitation. With my keen eyes I can see that not even their fingers tremble in the face of the horde of demons that rush the walls like a wall.
I dive down, long claws outstretched. I grasp a demon in my paws and drop my teeth to its neck. Hot, foul blood fills my mouth, dripping over my furred chin as I tear at the demon’s jugular. When it goes limp in my arms, I drop it to the ground and turn my sights on my next enemies.
Adrenaline flows through my veins like raw power and I let it feed off my anger. These are my lands. They belong to the Fae and have for hundreds of thousands of years. I will not let the Bloodbane and Sadal take them from us with their violence and blood. I roar, the sound echoing through the wispy clouds that are beginning to descend on the valley as a fog rolls in. I know my people have heard it because they slam the hilts of their swords against their shields.
My claws shred through the demons that are scrambling to reach the walls of the castle. They screech and blood splatters my black fur and wings. Hot oil is poured from the castle walls onto the demons that have reached the base. Without hesitation, the archers dip their arrows in the nearby flames and set the oil ablaze. The demons burst into flames, howling and writhing as the fire eats away at their strange scaled skin.
The sight is sickening, but I feel my chest swell with satisfaction watching them burn below. A horn blows from the other side of the castle, the signal Moritz and I agreed upon if the demons breached that side. The satisfaction I felt seconds before flutters out like a match in a strong wind. I soar over the castle turrets, eyes locked on the walls in the distance. I see the black shadows of demons scrambling over the ramparts and down into the castle gardens. I land beside Moritz’s best men, the ground shaking from the force of my drop. They glance at me, intelligent eyes flashing with anticipation. I shift back into my Fae form, there’s nothing to be done in the sky while the demons are swarming into the mazes and gardens that have been so carefully groomed.
I dart into one of the mazes, the hedge walls so tall they cast long shadows into the narrow paths. Sword in hand, I peer cautiously round corner after corner, listening for the rabid breathing of the demons. I squeeze the hilt of the blade tighter as I catch the loud scrabbling of a demon running through the maze. It’s breathing sounds wet, as if blood filled its mouth. I close my eyes, listening intently.
At the last second, I dart around the corner and shove my blade into its flabby belly. The demon rears up, screeching. Its yellow claws slash towards me and I duck, darting backwards. Breathing fast, I block one of the demon’s long armed attacks. My heart pounds as I dodge another strike, feeling one of its claws slice through the sleeves of my tunic and nick at my arm. I hiss as blood stains my sleeve and the demon’s eyes glitter.
In the distance, I can hear the
