Embracing Love and Power

Timber and Valen stood almost on the sidelines of the war. Tillie had cast a spell at the start that kept them from being able to move. They could only watch how their former companions attacked Illmenni’s army. It totally outnumbered Tillie and her men, but she stood her ground. Doubt had filled the faces of Timber’s soldiers as they had seen their previous squad on the other side. Valen and Makin had seen it, Timber simply refused to give up.

“I am going to kill her with my own bare hands” he hissed through his teeth. “Look at her, are you really that blind. You are in love with her.” Valen said. “And you are not the only one. Look at the rest of our elite, look how shocked they look. I don’t think many of us want to fight her.” Valen added. They both looked at Tillie as a magic glow was cast around her. She was fighting Illmenni, it was one hell of a battle.

And then Tillie did something unexpected when another attack was fired at her. She carefully placed her hand on her belly will performing a counter attack. Timber looked with open mouth at the scene in front of him. “Get your head out of your ass, you are her soulmate. It is impossible for a mage to sleep with anyone other than his soulmate. You can feel it I am sure of it.” Valen said. And as if hearing their thoughts a small glow formed around Tillie’s belly. Timber looked at Valen; “What are you saying?” “You are going to be a father. It’s time to open your eyes and decided what really matters to you. You have already lost so much, don’t let her slip away. You will throw away the best thing in your life.”

“You know I can’t do that.” Timber replied. “So you keep saying, I am getting tired of hearing it. She is not like them, she did everything to save people, to prove herself to you. What about him? You want to kill her and not him?” Valen asked as he pointed over at Illmenni. “Isn’t he exactly the same as her, but only evil?” He looked questioningly at Timber. “Yeah she said something about that too.” Timber replied. “If you kill her, you will kill the child as well. Don’t do it, you will regret it for the rest of your life.”

And then something happened. Illmenni turned around and looked at the black elite. As he saw how they were immobilized he quickly cast a spell to set them free. The soldiers looked over the field, not ready to do anything. They waited for Timber’s command, but he however didn’t move. He was heavily debating wit himself what the right solution was. Illmenni saw the hesitation on Timber’s face. He saw how the black elite wasn’t moving and then an evil plan sprouted in his mind.

"Seallaidh tu uile orm. Seallaidh tu uile orm.” Illmenni shouted over the field. The sky darkened and a bright lightening followed a loud thunder, blinding Tillie and her men. When Tillie opened her eyes again, the field was filled with Illmenni, he had used a spell to make everyone look like him. Tillie cursed loudly and the soldiers looked at her in bewilderment. She needed a whole lot of magic to stop him now.

When the wave of mages landed on the battlefield Tillie had thought of a plan. She cast a spell to protect the soldiers of the black elite. By now it had become clear that Illmenni controlled all the minds on his side of the battlefield. The Illmenni’s attacked without fear, without hesitation. Tillie looked at them, they were strong from the magic, their eyes glowing with darkness. “Disarm them, don’t kill them. We don’t know who belongs to the black elite.” Tillie commanded. “Find Illmenni, he is week while he keeps up this spell.”

Tillie grabbed a horse as she rode across the battlefield in search for the real Illmenni, only if she could attack him, maybe the spell would be broken. The hell around her continued. Blood spattered and many lives were lost. The floor was covered with Illmenni. And then she finally saw him on the side of the battlefield. A fire blast started to form at her wrists as she steered her horse over toward him. The trance of the spell made him less alert. Tillie loosened the reigns as she moved her hands over each other to make a fire blast. She channeled a lot of energy into the ball before bouncing it over the battlefield.

Illmenni was hit, Tillie watched as his body crashed against the earth, a large dust cloud settled around him. And then the unthinkable happened an agonizing scream filled the battlefield. The hair on Tillie’s arm rose as she immediately knew who was screaming. With one swift movement she turned her horse around and galloped back to her side of the battlefield. And there the horror lay before her eyes. Althea was loudly sobbing bent over a bloody Timber.

“Tillie please, you have to do something.” Althea sobbed loudly. “You have to save him, I can’t live without him.” Fire was spreading all around Althea and Tillie knew that the final part of the prophecy was near. “Get me August.” She commanded one of her soldiers. Tillie bent down beside Althea. “Love, I will save Timber, but right now you have to breath.” Tillie counted loudly with Althea as she looked at Timber. “It’s bad isn’t it? I used everything August taught me and now I have killed my own brother.” Althea cried loudly.

August soon appeared at Tillie’s side. “Do your job.” She pointed towards Althea. August quickly threw his arms around her as he tried to calm her down. “Althea I want you to look at August face.” Tillie said sternly. “Focus on him, don’t focus on your brother.” But Althea wasn’t listening, the fire started to grow around them. “Hit her.” Tillie commanded and a loud smack followed. “Althea listen carefully to me. Look at August’s face. Tell me what you see.” Tillie commanded. She began to take off the clothes Timber was wearing to examine the damage. “A beautiful face.” Althea sobbed and August smirked. “And?” Tillie asked. “A scar.” She finally said. “Focus on August, if you can’t control your emotions things will go south, it happened for me and now he has that scar.” Tillie said. Althea listened and eventually the fire went out.

Now that one problem had been solved, Tillie had to focus on a completely different problem. Timber still lay lifeless at her feet.