Kingdom In Shadow

• Liam Lablache, Grade 9
• Short Story
• 2009

“Twang” Alva’s aim was true. The arrow that he had fired had hit the gorg square in the throat and it died without a sound. “Fire” he shouted and the Elvin arrows sped into the night. Suddenly, a gorg fell, an arrow protruding from its head like a sign sticking out of the ground, then it was raining arrows all over the gorgs. One gorg fell with arrows stuck in its body, then another and another but the gorg army just kept marching. “Will they ever stop?” Alva cried in frustration. He commanded the archers to keep firing then walked behind them to where the Elvin foot soldiers were. He wanted to check if they were ready. So far they had only lost one elf, he had been the watchman guarding the Elvin city. Once the soldiers were ready Alva ran back to the archers and had a look around. He told the archers to stop firing incase they ran out of arrows. He stared in amazement. The gorg army had stopped! Then one lone rider departed from the gorgs main body and came riding forward. He reined in close enough to the elves that Alva could have thrown a dagger and hit him with it. The archers raised their bows, arrows half drawn. Alva told them to put down their bows. The gorg spoke. “All of those that wish to give up can run now while we burn all who resist,” he snarled. The gorg turned, put heels to his horse and rode away. Alva was angry now. He pulled out his bow and without a second thought he let fly. He saw the gorg slump forward in his saddle an arrow sticking out of the back of its neck. As soon as the gorgs saw this they let out a roar and charged. “Archers to the back and soldiers to the front,” Alva yelled over the noise. He saw them following his orders without question and then the gorgs were upon them. Alva only had time to draw his sword. He thrust out with it and impaled a charging gorg. Alva pushed it off with his boot. He severed a gorgs head from its body and then out of the corner of his eye he saw a lock of gold hair amidst all the fighting. He chased it with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Alva grabbed the forearm of the person and spun them around. It was Gabriel! Alva yelled over the fighting
“You shouldn’t be here!”
“I’m allowed to fight just like you are!”
“I don’t care get back to the city” Alva jerked Gabriel out of the way as a gorgs sword whistled through the air where Gabriel had been seconds before. Alva slashed out and cut the gorg in two. He then ran Gabriel away from the fighting and as soon as she was safe turned to go back. He fought now with renewed ferocity. He suddenly noticed that the elves were pushing the gorgs back, slowly but surely and that the elves outnumbered the gorgs 2-1. Then he heard a horn blow. He was standing amidst a circle of gorgs and they all just turned and fled. Glad for that, he yelled out to Tran “count how many are injured and take them to the healers.” To all the archers he said, “keep up a steady stream of arrows to discourage any thoughts of a counter attack.” They all yelled “YES SIR!” Then ran up the hill and did as they were told. Suddenly, Tran was back beside him.
“20 injured and six killed,” he told Alva.
“Are the injured at the healers?”
Tran answered “Yes Alva.”
“Good work, thank you Tran, but I fear more to come.”