From an elevated position high up in a half-ruined tower, Mariel watched as Yvrain formed up his main attack and slowly ordered the columns forward. Immediately, a hail of arrows and bolts shot out from concealed positions and lodged themselves on the heavy tower shields carried by the attackers. A trumpet signal caused the columns to halt, and with a unison clatter, the bracing spikes under the shields were driven into the ground. Archers emerged from the columns, and poured return-fire, with little visible effect.

"Hey, demon girl, get down from there, we're getting underway." Her assistant, who had just earlier commandeered the whole mission, called out to her in a brusque manner. The flanking force, which had been marching in formation, broke up into smaller skirmishing units and began advancing through the ruins.

"Here, going in unarmed is a bad idea..." One of the elves handed her a crossbow. Its quality was clearly poor, and it had not been kept very well. Armed with a decrepit crossbow and a few worn bolts, she began following the main unit. Their advance, concealed by the ever growing sounds of ferocious battle began. Their small force spread out to cover more ground. They advanced slowly down a ruined street, flanked on both sides by abandoned storage houses, a few frozen corpses lay forlorn behind a pile of rubble, the frozen pools of blood suggesting they bled to death.

"Wait... Don't move..." She said in a hushed tone.

"Don't listen to that child, keep moving!" Relvizet shouted.

"Find cover!" Siah's voice echoed in her mind, and she threw herself in behind the pile of rubble, as a hail of bolts shot the surrounding five elves off their feet around her.

"Ambush! Find cover!" Relvizet shouted, and a hail of bolts was promptly returned in the general direction of the attack.

Two of the elves hit in the first volley were still alive, blood spurting from several places where their armour had been punctured.

"Leave the wounded! And keep pushing!" On his order, three elves threw a spread of small flasks which shattered into a fine powder, releasing a dense puff of white smoke. Relvizet and the other elves still standing dropped their heavy weapon kits, drew swords and charged into the smoke. Mariel rushed over to the two downed elves. To her grief, one had already perished, the high-powered bolts piercing right through the elf's throat. The other was still clinging to life, but his armour was pierced in several places. He was still trying to move.

"Lie still, I'll help you." She began but the elf weakly shook his head.

"Too late... It's fatal. Bring my belt to... Galizanis... In camp..." He gargled. A moment later, he was dead, as his pierced lungs had filled with blood. She solemnly followed his last wish and continued on, keeping the crossbow close, she came through the smoke, head to head with an elf wearing a different uniform. Before her opponent could reach, she had put the old, rusty bolt through his chest, the bolt splintering as it pierced the armour.

"Long... Live..." Her enemy barely managed to stutter before darkness consumed yet another life. As she stood over the corpse, she felt nothing inside. Then as she began to process the situation, she began to feel sick. Without hesitation, or even a thought of mercy, she had killed her opponent. When she had engaged in battle for the first time, she sought comfort in knowing her enemy had attacked first, but this time, she had seized the initiative.

"Mariel. focus!" Siah's voice pulled her back to reality. The smoke behind her began to clear, and with a moment's pause, realized that Relvizet and the other elves had prevailed. The last resistance was being killed off just ahead. Over by a crumbled wall, she spotted him, resting against it with a bolt sticking out of his knee. Judging by his contorted face, he was in considerable pain.

"This... Is all your fault!" He shouted to her as she came closer. "You ruined it!"

"What? No." She protested.

"Damn it! We're far too few now... Now get over here and help me up, we're retreating!"

"No! We're continuing! You, squandered the lives of all these soldiers... The rest of you, go back and bring up the weapon kits!" She shouted, and immediately, the remaining elves still fit for combat began to follow her orders."

"What are you doing!? You beast! I'll hold you responsible for this!"

"Fine. But I'll finish it, Yvrain's depending on me."

With the remaining nine elves gathered and carrying as much as they could, she began to lead the way, but stopped.

"If any of you don't want to do this, put down your kit, and head back." And then she continued. To her secret relief, nobody seemed to leave, and instead kept following her.

"I might need your help Siah..." She whispered.

"Don't worry, I'll do my best." The mindling replied, before manifesting next to her, causing some hushed whispers between the following elves. Siah then took off upwards, scales glittering and reflecting light until barely visible.