Chapter 9 We Have Been Outsmart

• Each Kingdom's great wall is known to have four gates which are the north, south, west, and east gates because the great walls were built to surround each kingdom as a whole.
• EARTH
• Priestess Yen who is the priestess of the fairy kingdom woke up from her dream with a scream in the middle and was sweating profusely and breathing heavily. Priestess Yen had a terrible dream where she saw horrific creatures fighting against humans, and not only that. Priestess Yen also saw how the horrific creatures destroyed kingdoms, a lot of people lost their lives and could hear people wailing in pain.
• The scream from priestess Yen woke up priestess Yen's husband (General Zulu) who was asleep next to her, and then he looked at his wife to see how scared she was, breathing heavily, and how she was covered in her sweat. General Zulu quickly moved closer to priestess Yen and first held his wife's hands before telling her to calm herself that he was safe and control her breathing. Priestess Yen did as her husband instructed and then he asked what was wrong with her.
• Priestess Yen answered her husband by saying to him “They are coming”.
• “Who is that?” General Zulu asked priestess Yen.
• “I don’t know. But they are coming for us all” said priestess Yen.
• ARCADIAN
• King Hartley, the head guard, and some guards were dressed in their armor holding their swords each, and were waiting in front of the head King’s chamber for the head King’s horse to be brought while the head guard and guards’ horses were ready. Immediately King Hartley's horse was brought to him, King Hartley, the head guard, and the guards got on the horses and made their way to the north great wall which was where the Arkians were first spotted.
• King Hartley was welcomed at the north great wall by some generals and he asked them how it was that all the soldiers were quickly assembled on the great wall battlement. The generals answered that it was Prince Ranork and Prince Ragon who quickly assembled the army to every part of the wall, and then King Hartley made his way to the great wall battlement with the head guard, guards, and the generals.
• Upon getting to the battlement, King Hartley was glad to see all the archers and soldiers stationed at their posts with their weapons ready but when he looked outside the great wall, he became very scared upon seeing the Arkains stationed closer to the great wall.
• King Hartley went to Prince Ranork and Prince Ragon with the head guard, guards, and generals, and upon getting to the two princes, the two princes bowed to King Hartley, and then King Hartley said to the two princes “Well done boys. How is it with the Arkians?”.
• “They have arrived for a while but haven’t attacked us yet and we don’t know why” said Prince Ragon to King Hartley.
• “The Arkians isn’t just stationed here. They have surrounded the wall but haven’t just attacked” said Prince Ranork to King Hartley.
• “Hope someone has been appointed to the other gates?” asked King Hartley.
• “A general has been posted to the south, west, and east gates” said a general to King Hartley.
• “But something is puzzling, your royal majesty. How come the Arkians are here if Father and the army claimed that they have defeated them all?” Prince Ragon asked King Hartley.
• “I also don’t know what is going on. How many are the Arkians?” asked King Hartley.
• “We could not estimate the number of the Arkains because it is very dark but we think they are much more than our army. It is also going to be very hard to defend the wall against them because of their number” said a general to King Hartley.
• “There is nothing we can do. We must protect the wall. Whatever it is, we must protect the great wall very well so the Arkians don’t breach the wall” said King Hartley out loud.
• “Yes, your royal majesty” said everyone in the battlement.
• “I will be holding the north battlement. Prince Ragon, I want you to hold the west, and Prince Ranork you are going to hold the east. This is the time for you both to prove your worth. This is the time for you both to show everyone you both are truly leaders” said King Hartley to the two princes.
• “Yes, your royal majesty. We promise to defend the wall with our lives and make you proud” said Prince Ragon and Prince Ranork in a union with a bow to King Hartley.
• Just then, 6 official messengers arrived on the battlement and went straight to King Hartley. King Hartley was surprised to see the messenger as they kneeled in front of him with their heads bowed. King Hartley asked them why they were here and they all answered that the Arkains had launched an attack on the 6 other kingdoms.
• King Hartley, the two princes, the generals, and the others were shocked and confused to hear the messengers then King Hartley confusingly asked “how is that possible?”.
• Just then King Hartley, the two princes, the generals, and the others heard the sound of the drum which signaled that the Arkains had suddenly begun to approach the wall speedily which made King Hartley, the two princes, the generals, and the others looked at the Arkians to see the Arkians speedily running toward the wall, and that means they have begun their attack on Arcadian.
• Seeing that, King Hartley kissed the two princes' forehead and told the two princes to quickly go to their posts. The two princes ran to their post through the battlement and then King Hartley ordered the archers to get ready their arrows and bows.
• The battle had already started when Prince Ragon and Prince Ranork got to their posts. Immediately Prince Ragon got to the west battlement of the wall he he took command of the army and then ordered the archers to be fast with their arrow shooting since they are always the first to attack the Arkains in battle. Prince Ranork also did the same thing that Prince Ragon did immediately when he got to the east battlement of the walls.
• The Arkians were allowed to get closer to the wall before the archers rained continuous arrows on the Arkians targeting their heads and necks to kill as many as they could before they climbed the wall and to slow them down.
• The continuous rain of arrows was only able to kill and wound some of the Arkains because the Arkians are smart enough to dodge arrows, use their bodies as shields to protect their heads and necks which are vulnerable, and speed to avoid as many arrows as they could. Even with so many arrows raining on the Arkains, they were still able to climb the wall and make it through to the battlements.
• MORNING
• Head General Ben was seated waiting inside his tent for assistant General Suci whom he had sent on an errand since yesterday and hadn’t returned, when General Jay barged into the tent looking anxious. Head General Ben was surprised why he did that and wanted to ask what was the problem but before he could talk, General Jay said anxiously to him “there is a big problem, your excellency”.
• Head General Ben was confused to hear that and slowly asked General Jay “what problem could that be?”.
• “We have just received news that the Kingdoms are presently holding off the Arkians that are attacking them at the moment” said General Jay.
• Head General Ben was astounded upon hearing that and stood up on his feet looking worried. Head General Ben couldn’t believe his ears and said “that is not possible. It was reported that there were no Arkians hidden anywhere, and we had also defeated the newly arrived Arkians. So tell me how come Arkains are attacking the kingdoms at the same time presently?”.
• “I don’t think anyone can answer that at the moment” said General Jay.
• Head General Ben thought for some seconds anxiously before saying to General Jay “gather the army right now. We have to leave immediately”.
• “The other generals are doing at the moment” said General Jay.
• Head General Ben stared at the map on the table in front of him thinking before asking General Jay “how long has it been now that the Arkains have been attacking the kingdoms?”.
• “It couldn’t have been this morning. I think it was midnight” said General Jay.
• “How are the kingdoms faring against the Arkains?” asked head General Ben.
• “We don’t know yet. All we know is that the kingdoms are presently still under attack by the Arkains and are defending very well……….. We also haven’t been able to find the assistance General” said General Jay.
• “I sent him on an errand. We will leave if he is not back yet. I want you to join the other generals and quickly gather the army” said Head General Ben.
• General Jay left the tent leaving head General Ben to wonder how the Arkains were able to outsmart them. Head General Ben was also anxious knowing it would take 2 days to get to Arcadian with the fastest horses.
• It didn’t take long before the army was gathered and they all rode on horses toward the kingdoms.
• By morning, each kingdom was in silence as the people were terrified and remained in their rooms. Only the cry of battle could be heard throughout the kingdoms. Many soldiers, archers, and generals have lost their lives to the Arkains just like many Arkians have been killed by the archers, soldiers, generals, Kings, and princes to prevent the Arkians from breaching the walls.
• All the remaining archers' hands had swollen due to the many arrows they had been shooting all night likewise all the Kings, princes, soldiers, and generals that also remained had gotten tired but they hadn’t been able to win the battle so they had to keep shooting and fighting. The Kings, princes, soldiers, archers, and generals were covered in the blood of the Arkains likewise the Arkains.
• The battle was the first battle for Prince Ranork and Prince Ragon against the Arkians, and as they both fight alongside the soldiers, archers, and generals they realize how important the great wall is to the army. Fighting on the great wall battlement gives an advantage to the army and it helps slow down the Arkains.
• Prince Ranork and Prince Ragon also realize how strong the Arkains are and if one is not careful and skillful enough they could die at the hands of the Arkians. The two princes were only able to do well in battle because of the great general’s teaching.
• Even though it was Prince Ragon’s and Prince Ranork's first battle against the Arkians, the archers, soldiers, and generals were surprised by the way they fought. They realize the two princes were so skillful and their skills could be matched with that of the great generals. The bravery of the two princes also gave the soldiers, archers, and generals who were leading the courage to continue fighting.
• The errand head General Ben sent assistant General Suci, was to go alone to the portal to find out if there is anything suspicious concerning the portal. Assistant General Suci first went to the scouts' camp which is a few distances to the portal to see them so they can go to the portal together but upon getting to the camp, he met all the scouts dead.
• Assistant General Suci was shocked and confused to see all the scouts dead and took a closer look at their bodies to see they have been dead for many days which means they could not have been the ones sending them messages concerning the portal and Arkains.
• Assistant General Suci realized the scouts had been killed by the Arkians many days ago and wondered who could have been sending messages if not them, and that made him anxious. Assistant General Suci left the camp to go check on the portal to see if he could find out what was going on and if there were any suspicious things about the portal.
• Assistant General Suci got so close to the portal and was so terrified by what he saw that he had to cover his mouth so as not to make a sound. Assistant General Suci saw a new species of the Arkains which are more terrified and could be more deadly than the 11 recorded Arkains the kingdom has ever recorded coming out of the portal.