The griffin approached the Minotaur King and lowered his beak next to Horace's ear.

After a fair series of moments, the Minotaur King turned and shouted at his scouts. "Spread word throughout the army! The skeletons are traitors! Wait for my orders to attack! We will-"

Soresym interrupted, "The skeletons cannot perish. A plan is necessary before the order is given."

Meanwhile, Sam shouted, "General, sound the horn and pull the troops back! Night is coming! We'll regroup and attack as a single unit in the morning! The barbarians will most likely follow our lead! We'll attack at first light! Signal the griffins and the hippogriffs to land and rest amongst us!"

"Yes, Sire!"

Once Sam's orders had been carried out, Michael approached. "The barbarians are regrouping and making camp. They won't attack in the dark. We have an opportunity to use this to our advantage."

"How?" Sam inquired. "It'll be pitch black. What advantage are you referring to?"

"I have spoken with Goss. He's the brother of Soresym, and he's a respected leader amongst griffins. I've asked him to meet with us."

"Okay, okay. But how will this give us an advantage?"

Goss landed. "Because, King of Brandor, my kind can see through the darkness. Also, the fastest of our kind will arrive in a matter of moments with your queen. I can't imagine why you would've left her in Brandor."

Sam's face tightened. "I left her because she's pregnant! I don't want her here, d.a.m.n it! Whose bright idea was this? I swear, it better not be yours, Michael!"

"No, Sire. Blame the queen."

"What do you mean? I don't want the future of our kingdom on this battlefield."

Goss settled next to the king and folded his wings. "If you fail to obtain victory, there will be no future for Brandor. Your queen is strong. Soresym has informed me of her sorcery."

"How could Soresym know the full extent of her power? He's never witnessed it."

The griffin reached out, and with a single flip of one of his talons, he thumped Sam's breastplate. After watching the king fall off his horse, he responded. "Calm yourself. Let us agree that Soresym has been informed. 'How,' matters not. Your queen will be helpful in this battle. Besides, she was already on her way to join you. She was just south of Angels Village when we found her. Your queen had already ignored your order to stay behind. You should thank Soresym. He was the one who convinced your queen to wait until we had the opportunity to fly her in unharmed."

Sam picked himself up from the ground. "How could she possibly-"

A screech from above filled the air. Sam watched as a griffin settled down a short distance away. He covered the distance between them to help Shalee from its back. "I asked you to stay home. We can't risk our baby like this."

"For heaven's sake, Sam, take a pill. I missed you, too." Shalee put her hands on her hips. "Don't you think that I know I'm pregnant? I've gone bonkers while I was sitting in Brandor."

Sam sighed. "Okay, okay. You know I'm happy to see you. I just don't want you to get hurt."

"Me? Get hurt? What about you? Who do you think you're kidding? From what I've heard, you could've died. Without the griffins, I wouldn't have a husband. Don't you be telling me about danger! You walked into a trap ... a trap that George set, I might add. You're lucky Soresym decided to make sure you had help."

"But-"

"But nothing. I'm here, and I don't care what you say. I'm not leaving. So, you might as well let me use my magic. That's why I teleported to Angels Village to hitch a ride. I can't keep crying over Helga and BJ anymore. I need to be here."

"I'm the king, Shalee. I ordered you to stay home." Sam turned and looked at Michael. "Get her out of here. I won't let her risk the baby's life."

Shalee's right brow lifted as she grabbed Sam's shoulder and forced him to face her. The sorceress leaned in and whispered in his ear. "If you think I'm leaving, you're crazy. Who do you think you are, telling me what to do? I have half a mind to teleport your sorry a.s.s home and return without you. You just try and play the king card on me, stud. I'll give you what for. I'm here to help whether you like it or not."

The queen's whisper softened. "Sam, please ... I need you to believe in me right now. I can't go home. I can use my magic to fight from a distance."

Sam pulled Shalee close and hugged her tight. "Just promise me you'll teleport someplace safe if you get into trouble. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you, too. I've lost too much already."

"You have my word." Shalee followed the promise with a kiss.

"Sire," Michael interrupted, clearing his throat. "We need to plan."

Goss interjected, "Yes. Though this is a tender moment, we should be planning. Have your army gather large pieces of lava stone. We'll fly through the night and drop them. I'll take your queen on my back and head north. She can rain down her magic from above. This should keep Senchae's army from resting through the night and give Brandor the advantage in the morning."

"Sire, this is a good plan," Michael confirmed as he dismounted. "The queen will be safe while on the griffin's back. She'll be hidden within the darkness. Her magic will end many, and she'll never need to set foot on the ground. If we're lucky, the barbarians will retreat by morning."

Sam thought a moment. "General, you fly with the queen. If you feel she's in danger, I want you to fly to safety. She carries the future of Brandor in her womb. I won't risk her life."

"Yes, Sire!"

Shalee kissed Sam again. "Thank you."

As the griffin ascended into the night, Shalee lifted Precious above her head. Her voice was strong as she commanded meteors of fire to rain from the sky. The tents scattered throughout the barbarian camp exploded as the griffins and hippogriffs released the lava rock.

Panic filled the camp as the men of the north scattered for their lives. Bodies fell lifeless, burned, and crushed.

Senchae looked toward the darkness. Realizing the hopelessness of the situation, he shouted for his general. "Order the army to attack Brandor's camp. We need to merge the armies so the griffins will be ineffective. Set the trees on fire to light the battlefield."

High above, Goss observed the barbarians' movements. He turned his eagle head to look over his shoulder to inform the queen.

Shalee teleported. When she reappeared, she was standing next to Sam. "The barbarians are headed this way. They didn't retreat like we thought they would. They'll be here soon. You need to prepare."

Sam shouted to his legion leaders. "Prepare the army! We attack now!"

"Yes, Sire!"

Shalee called the legion leaders to her. After touching their shoulders, she explained, "Have each of your men touch you. Once they do, their eyes will be able to see in the darkness. This should give you the advantage."

"Yes, My Queen."

As the legion leaders ran off, Sam placed his hand on Shalee's shoulder. "That's a nifty trick."

Shalee smiled. "I know, I'm a bit of a freak, huh?" The queen vanished.

It was just before the height of midnight when the cry was given. "Charge!" the legion leaders shouted as they ordered the army into battle.

From the king's hip, Kael screamed with glee, his sharp edges begging for action. When the king did not unsheathe the blade, Kael quieted once he realized that Sam would not be entering the fight.

The king turned and ascended a large mound of lava stone to keep watch.

Shalee had hitched a ride on Goss' back, sending her fireb.a.l.l.s into the advancing barbarians. More than 300 bodies were torn apart before Senchae's army collided with Brandor's.

Swords, maces, war hammers, shields, and bodies plowed into one another as blood saturated the earth. The griffins, along with the hippogriffs, once again descended upon the rear of the barbarian horde, smashing them like grapes. But soon the fight became too tight, and the winged warriors had to pull back.

Not long after, Goss landed next to Sam. "We can no longer a.s.sist. The rest is up to your army. My kind is too large to fight in close. This form of combat would hurt your men as much as the barbarians. We will take to the skies and keep watch. If an opportunity presents itself, we will seize it."

" Thank you, my friend," Sam replied. "Brandor owes you a debt." The king looked up. "Shalee, hop down and stay with me. I need your help."

Shalee floated to the ground and then patted the feathers on Goss' neck. "Be careful."

Goss took to the sky.

Sam tossed his torch to the ground. "I need you to use your power on my eyes. I need to be able to see through the darkness."

"Why?"

"Just do it, please!" Once Shalee's magic took effect, Sam lifted his bow and began firing arrows into the night.

By the next morning, the bears and the Minotaur had torn apart Kepler's undead army. Hundreds of skeletons had been tossed into three large piles. Each skull was furious, cursing and calling out orders for their arms and legs to work their way from their respective piles back to their torsos. The shifting of the piles caused a frightful clattering as the bones b.u.mped against one another. Despite the noise, the Minotaur and bears enjoyed the spectacle as they picked the wriggling arms and legs off the ground and tossed them to the top of the pile. Every moment this happened, a much stronger curse filled the air from the head of the skeleton that owned the bones.

The Peak of Bailem had come and gone, and the moment had arrived for the General Absolute to create his legacy-or solidify his pa.s.sing.

Michael lifted his sword horizontal to the ground and pointed it at the Barbarian King despite his exhaustion. "You and I can settle the outcome of this war!"

Michael's plate armor was battered. His blue eyes were bloodshot, and it took every last ounce of his strength to stand in front of the Barbarian King and call him out.

Senchae dismounted, his hard, leather armor covered in blood, and moved to a position in front of Michael. The barbarian stood more than a pace taller than the General Absolute and outweighed Michael by 300 pounds. Though a large man, the general appeared diminutive next to the Barbarian King.

The horn of the Barbarian General sounded. Both armies stopped fighting and turned their attention toward the two men.

Senchae was the first to speak. "I admire your courage, swine. I'd like to know the name of the man I intend to end."

It took everything within Michael to claim his bravery. "Knowing my name seems insignificant. When you're dead, that memory will be unnecessary. But if it appeases Your Highness, I am Michael, the General Absolute to the Kingdom of Brandor."

The men of Brandor who had gathered cheered at their general's response.

Senchae waited for the noise to die. "You seek a fool's death. After today, you will no longer have a tongue. You will be unable to address a king by name. Tonight, my officers will feast on the meat of my best bull once it has been cooked over the flames from your bones."

Senchae lifted his heavy blade. His army stomped their feet as the men from both sides cheered.

With shield in one hand and sword in the other, Michael engaged, rolling forward, and slicing at one of Senchae's legs. The king lifted his foot and smiled as the blade pa.s.sed beneath it.

"You have a quickness about you, but it won't do you any good. Nothing will spare your life."

Michael thumped his sword against his shield. "I won't miss again."

"There won't be an 'again.'" The barbarian lunged forward and smashed his two-handed sword into Michael's shield. The force sent the general backward to the ground. Senchae followed this a.s.sault by kicking Michael on the right side of his chest as the general tried to recover. The force of the impact lifted Michael off the ground.

The leader of Brandor's army cried out as he heard two of his ribs crack.

Senchae backed off. "To think, once you have pa.s.sed, I'll be in command of your army. Your men will serve me."

Michael gathered his last bit of strength and lunged toward Senchae with his blade extended. The barbarian stepped to the side, grabbed Michael's wrist, and lifted him into the air. The king squeezed until the general was forced to drop his blade.

Michael tried to hit Senchae with his shield, but the Barbarian King simply dropped his sword and caught its edge with his hand. Pulling it free from Michael's grip, Senchae threw it to the ground.

After securing the General Absolute by the throat, Bloodvain pulled Michael close. Spittle from the barbarian's speech landed on Michael's face. "You're weak. You've failed your army and brought shame to Brandor."

Senchae threw the leader of Brandor's army against what was left of a tree that had burned throughout the night. The general fell to the ground, spitting blood into the ash that surrounded him.

The Barbarian King moved to stand above Michael. "I never thought a pile of garesh from the south would have this much heart. It's a shame you must be ended, but all garesh must be disposed of."

The Barbarian King retrieved his blade and raised it high above his head, but before the heavy, metal blade began its descent, the tip of an arrow exited the front of Senchae's throat. The Barbarian King's eyes glossed over as he gasped for air. He stumbled backward and then fell to his knees and grasped his throat.

Michael pulled himself to his feet and lifted his blade. He buried it into the Barbarian King's chest, skewering his heart. The general screamed, "Attack!"

Brandor's army reacted, fueled with renewed vigor. Their blades moved with swift conviction as the battle resumed.

From across the battlefield, Sam lowered his bow to his side. He grasped Kael, summoned the blade's extended fire and then charged down the mound of lava stone into the chaos.

It was not until Early Bailem the next Peak that Sam found Soresym. The last thing Sam imagined he would ever see would be hundreds of skeleton arms inching along the ground as they tried to reunite with their torsos. To his delight, he saw nine piles being watched over by both Minotaur and bears-three for their heads, another three for their torsos, and the remaining three for their arms and legs.

The separated limbs were being tossed back onto their respective pile, again and again, as they tirelessly tried to reunite with their torsos. The skulls were becoming more frustrated, and they screamed yet another curse with each failed attempt.

The Bear and Minotaur Kings met with Sam, along with Soresym. Sam was the first to speak as Soresym translated his words. "My Lords, it appears there has been a grievous misunderstanding."

Groth responded, "Why did you attack the Scorpion King's island?"

Sam took a deep breath and explained. After a few moments, the shock of the Crystal Moon's disappearance settled in.

Horace spoke. "If we can help in any way, we're at your service."

"We are as well," Groth added.

Sam thought a bit. "It looks like we have some bones to deal with. Any idea on what we should do? We can't leave them here."

Soresym agreed. "We need to separate their parts to ensure they'll never be able to rejoin. I know of no other way to stop them. If they're allowed to unite, they'll attack Brandor as ordered by Kepler. They won't stop until this has been accomplished."

Sam unsheathed his blade. "Kael, do you how to destroy these things?"

Kael responded, "I do. Fire."

"It's that simple?"

"Simple if you know the answer. Put my blade into the piles and command my flame. I'll do the rest."

Sam moved to the first pile. Soon, all nine piles were ablaze. The sounds of the skulls' screams were h.e.l.lish as the temperature rose. One by one, each skull cracked, releasing the soul that had been trapped inside it. The soul ascended into the atmosphere until it was out of sight. It was not long before every spirit had found its way to the pages of the Book of Immortality.

Sam tossed an inanimate arm onto the fire and then turned to Soresym. "We need to find Kepler. He's responsible for this. Will you ask the griffins to take to the air to search for him? I want to ensure his evil is stopped from running free throughout Southern Grayham."

The griffin nodded. "You should order the army north into barbarian territory. Bring Southern Grayham under one monarchy."

Sam agreed. "I shall do that. But first, we have snakes to deal with."