Thank God Gem had caught me.

Phoenix had taken me by surprise, and I was halfway to my death when I landed on my back in the dragon's saddle next to Gemini.

I looked over to the elven side of the cliff. Scott had caught Phoenix by the wrist and was yelling something at her.

He swung her a few times before she let go and grabbed the edge of the cliff and pulled herself up. Scott seemed to struggle, and I had the sudden urge to help him, but then I remembered we were on opposite sides of the war.

Gem flew us back to our side of the chasm. "I got your axe." She said and handed me the golden weapon. I took it, but that wasn't what I was paying attention to. I stared down at the scattered bodies hundreds of feet below us.

I looked back at the elves. Scott straightened up and the siblings glared at us from their side.

"Retreat." Fwhip said to our generals. "Tomorrow, we attack again. Our soldiers need rest."

They nodded and our army started to back off from the chasm. We had a camp set up a few miles from the city limits. Gem flew us there ahead of the army. "We need to get you to the healing tent. Rest until we get there."

"I'm fine Gem." I argued and tried to sit up. Pain instantly shot up my spine, burning like hot metal was being pressed into my skin. "You know what? Rest sounds good."

I leaned against Gem for the rest of the way to the camp. It was unsettling how chilly the air seemed around her, like a frozen aura.

We landed and Gem called the Overgrown healers. A few helped me off the saddle and half led me; half carried me to the healing tent. My ankle was on fire, and I had a nasty cut across my forehead. I knew because I felt blood soaking my left eyebrow.

There were actually multiple healing tents. The one I was brought to was already filled with a few dozen people brought back during the earlier hours of the fight. Time flies when you're fighting elves. The battle had lasted 6 hours, maybe longer.

Gem and a few others helped me onto a green cot. Two healers immediately came to my side. One dumped an herbal mixture down my throat that burned my tongue and the roof of my mouth, but it instantly soothed the stinging of my cut.

My eyes felt heavy, and I closed them as they examined my ankle.

"Broken." Said one of the healers. "Not too bad. After some treatment you'll be walking again in a day."

"What about fighting?" I mumbled. Silence.

"I wouldn't recommend it but possibly if you're careful." The second one answered.

I laughed. "I'll try. But this is war we're talking about."

"You'll need stitches above your eye."

"Alright then."

They put a numbing serum inside my cut, and I decided to keep my eyes closed as they worked. I could feel the sensation of the needle sliding through my skin but there was no pain. It gave me goosebumps.

By the time they were done, everyone else had finished their march back.

"We left a guard around the perimeter of the city. How're you doing Pearl?" Sausage asked.

"I feel like a piece of-" I started.

"That's enough Pearl. She's doing great. Only a few injuries luckily." Gem said for me.

"Hmph." I exclaimed. "Sure, getting sewn back together is fine. Help me up." Sausage grabbed my forearm and tugged it, so I was sitting at the edge of the cot. "How many casualties?"

Sausage's face turned grim. "Too many."

Katherine hurried inside. She was still wearing her armor and she had a shallow slash on her upper arm. "Oh, Pearl thank god." She shrieked and gave me a hug. "I thought for sure-"

"I'm fine." I reassured her. "A little banged up, but fine."

"This isn't going to be as easy as we thought." Katherine sighed. "The elves aren't giving up Rivendale any time soon."

"Nope." Gem agreed. "This might not be the short war my brother anticipated."

"Where is Fwhip and the others?" I asked.

"Fwhip was giving border patrol orders when we left. To stop supplies from coming into Rivendale. But I guarantee they've already prepared for that." Gem said. She had started pacing. I remember when she used to yell at Scott for doing that...

"You saw Scott, didn't you? He turned our soldiers into shish kebabs." Sausage said.

"Has he been corrupted, you think?" Katherine asked.

Gem shook her head. "It's his own rage. And that, I fear, is much, much worse."

"Why?" I asked.

"We can't save him from it."

"We have to try." Katherine said.

"We have." Sausage answered.

"Well then we'll have to try harder." Gem cut in. "This is our Scott we're talking about. We'll- we'll fall apart without him."

"We already are." I sighed.

Shrub poked her head into the tent. "We're having a war council meeting." She said timidly. "In Fwhip's tent."

Sausage tried to help me up, but I slapped his wrist. "I'm not completely helpless." I said and stood up.

"Pearl, be nice." Gem said. I rolled my eyes and limped after Shrub, with Gem, Katherine, and Sausage behind me.

Fwhip's tent was large and had a table set up inside. Everyone was already there. Thankfully, even though my injuries were pretty minor, I had gotten the most hurt. Lizzie had a cut on her forehead and was still wearing her silver armor, trident in hand. Pixl had his arm in a temporary sling. Everyone else had an assortment of cuts and bruises.

"Glad you could join us, Pearl." Pixl said with a smile.

"That Major girl's gonna have to try harder than that to get rid of me." I smirked and slid into a seat. Gem, Sausage, Katherine, and Shrub followed suit.

"So, first things first, we need to make a bridge that demon can't shatter." Fwhip said.

"We can attack the Eastern side of the city. It's the only other side not bordered by mountains." Gem suggested.

Fwhip laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them. "Possibly. The chasm is definitely not an option anymore."

Gem bit her lip. "There's also a valley as well on that side. But its shallower. There is a bridge but there's still a danger of falling."

"We'll have to take that risk, or we'll never take Rivendale." Joel said. "Unless we go over the mountains."

"Me and Lizzie's armies would never survive the temperatures. They're already weaker in this environment." Jimmy pointed out.

Lizzie nodded in agreement. "The Eastern side is our best bet."

"Can't you and Sausage magic a more stable walkway?" I asked.

"I'm done with magic." Sausage said firmly. "Gem took my staff; I don't want it back."

"And Gem's too weak to perform anything that big on her own." Katherine said. Gem glared at her, but she sighed.

"It's true." She said.

"I think it's time for me to break out the wolves." Shrub said.

"The wolves?" Joel asked skeptically.

"Are you sure that's a good idea-" Katherine started.

"Yes. I'm sure." Shrub cut off.

"How many wolves are in your pack?" Fwhip asked.

"A few dozen." She shrugged. "And I've trained them to do anything to protect people. I just need to teach them the difference between humans and elves." She laughed nervously. "But I can do that."

"I'll send out the dragons tomorrow. Hopefully we can torch a few soldiers." Gem said.

It was strange to see Gem encouraging violence. She was always the vote for peace. Now...not so much.

"We have to try not to kill Scott." I said finally. "The empire will completely collapse if he dies. He has no heir. And believe it or not, we need the Elven Empire."

Fwhip shook his head. "We can't order our soldiers to try not to kill the person who is killing them. We can be careful but there's no guarantee that Scott won't get killed in the struggle."

"He won't." Jimmy said.

"How do you know that?" I asked curiously.

"Xornoth wasn't able to kill him. Neither was Erin. Our army won't even get close." Jimmy answered confidently. Ever since Scott had betrayed us, Jimmy had seemed a bit depressed. So had everyone. But there was still a sadness in the dark blonde's eyes I couldn't figure out. Disappointment maybe?

"Well, we have to try and kill the girl. She is an absolute menace." Sausage said angrily. "Hundreds in the ravine. She killed her own people!"

We all nodded in agreement. Phoenix had to go.

I was sleeping in my tent.

There were guards set up around the perimeter and on patrol, so I thought there was nothing to worry about. I was wrong. So very wrong.

I woke to a rustling outside. I looked around my tent. I was lying in a cot with a few pillows. The floor was covered in carpet, and I had my armor on a stand in the corner along with several smaller backup weapons.

It was the wind, I told myself, just the wind. I laid back down in the cot, but then I heard the metallic sound of metal and flesh. Then a stifled scream, as if a strong hand had clamped the person jaw shut.

I scrambled from my cot as quietly as possible and crawled across the floor to my axe. My fingertips brushed the golden hilt when someone ripped the flap open. I dove behind the armor stand, trying to keep my breathing steady and quiet.

I heard the light footsteps of someone and chanced a glance through the chinks in my armor. A short, thin figure in shadowy clothing and a hood was creeping farther into the tent. The figure was female, but the bottom half of their face was masked, and her hood cast a shadow on their eyes so I couldn't identify them.

Her gloved hands gripped two daggers, already covered in blood. An assassin. Elves were known for this. Sneak attacks in the night. Why hadn't we prepared?

She crept farther into the room, her legs bent, ready to spring at any moment. I assumed her eyes were on the empty cot. She placed a hand on the bed, and I knew what she was doing. I was just there. It would still be warm. If she just turned to the right a little bit, she would see me.

I did the only thing I could do. I lunged for my axe and launched it at her. The elf hit the ground and the axe flew straight threw the canvas. I saw her eyes for a second under the hood, glint red with malice.

"ASSASSIN!" I shouted. "ASSASSIN IN THE CAMP!"

The elf jumped up. I thought she was going to run me through with her knives, but she grabbed the lamp I had in my room and launched it at me. It missed my head and shattered against the floor. The canvas caught fire instantly and I scrambled away from the heat.

The elf dove at me, and I grabbed her wrist before she sliced me open. The girl twisted from my grip and rolled across the floor, under my cot and sprung up on the other side.

I heard the clatter of armor now and someone shout in the distance, "PROTECT THE EMPERORS!"

I stood up and ran for my rack of knives. The fire had spread, and a quarter of my tent was on fire. The elf was faster than me and rammed her shoulder into my side. I went tumbling through the tent and out into the camp. My hair had fallen out of its ponytail and hung in my face.

Guards were everywhere. I saw Fwhip running from his tent, in his armor and wielding his sword. Sausage and Gem were running from the other side of the camp, a sweater pulled over Gem's nightgown.

Shrub and a wolf of hers was trying to put the fire out on my tent. I was on my hands and knees, wheezing. That's when the figure sprinted from the tent and into me. I felt their hands dig painfully into my shoulders as we tumbled across the ground.

I screamed and tried to pry her hands off, but my mind was in absolute disarray. I felt my head hit the ground and spots of pink, blue and green clouded my vision. I heard more shouting, but I couldn't make out the voices.

Something sliced through my pajamas underneath my knee. Rough ground or one of the assassin's blades, I didn't know. I glimpsed red as I struggled against the figure, an airy deep dark red.

I struck out with my fist and felt my knuckles brush the side of her sleeve, but she grabbed my wrist and twisted my arm painfully. I screamed again and my vision blurred with pain. I shouted and tackled the woman around the waist, smashing her into the ground. Two different pairs of hands, gentler, pried me away from her.

I turned and saw Sausage pulling me back. We had formed a circle around the girl. Shrub had a shield that looked like it was made from a giant leaf and her axe. Fwhip pointed his crossbow at the assassin and Gem had her staff.

The girl scrambled to her feet. Her hood had miraculously stayed on.

"Stand down." Fwhip growled. "And maybe we'll let you live."

She looked around, as if she were weighing her options. I saw from the corner of my eye as Sausage held me up, Jimmy, Lizzie and Joel racing around the corner closely followed by Pix, Joey and Katherine.

The assassin seemed to notice as well and tightened her grip on her daggers. Her eyes landed on Shrub, and I realized what she was about to do too late. She struck out against the gnome and the hilt of her dagger smashed into Shrub's jaw. She went flying backwards, breaking the circle.

The girl sprinted at her, and jumped, both daggers raised. They slammed down hard towards Shrub, but they got stuck in the prongs of Jimmy's trident as he forced it between the girl and Shrub. He had just saved Shrub's life.

The girl twisted her daggers, and the trident flew from Jimmy's hands. She slashed at him, and he backed up several feet. She feinted toward him, but instead she swiped her daggers down on Shrub, created a deep cut down part of her forehead and forearm where she had raised her hands to protect herself.

This fighting style was too familiar. I knew I had seen it somewhere, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. I broke from Sausage's arms and sprinted at the girl, grabbing her from around her upper arms so she couldn't lift her daggers. She was much smaller than me she so she couldn't fight me off while I was behind her.

"Let's see who you are." I grunted and used my hand to rip the hood off. A sheet of coarse, white hair slid from the black cloth.

Phoenix cursed and kicked my shin before spiraling and releasing a horde of red energy at me, blasting me backwards into a tent pole. The magic seemed to burn my skin and I winced.

Phoenix backed up as the others closed in on her. She yanked her mask off her mouth and laughed.

The rulers looked at each other nervously. I struggled to my feet, but pain shot up my ankle and spine and I collapsed again.

"Phoenix, stand down." Fwhip growled. Her brow furrowed.

"Since when have you called me Phoenix?" she asked with a raised eyebrow and a grin.

"Stop playing games." Gem said.

"No, it's a serious question." Phoenix added. "Why Phoenix? I mean, only Scott called me that when he got really mad but that was about it. I prefer Erin, but of course you wouldn't care."

I noticed something I should have noticed a while ago. "Where are your wings?" I asked.

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "I'm about to kill y'all and that's your question?" she asked. "They're in my corset if you really wanna know."

"You're going to beat us?" Lizzie asked with a small smirk. "Don't get too far ahead of yourself. Its 9 to 1."

I gritted my teeth and stood up, limping over. "Ten."

"Pearl-" Sausage started, but I glared at him, and he cowered backward.

Phoenix smirked. I saw that red magic of hers writhing in her veins, glowing brighter. So did her eyes. "HIT THE GROUND!" I shouted, but that did nothing. The force of the red explosion blasted us all backwards. I saw Shrub's limp body roll across the ground. I landed on my back, seeing sparks.

I groaned and looked up. Phoenix was still standing in the same spot. She straightened up and wiped her hands off. Being that close should have killed her.

"See ya suckers!" she half shouted and sprinted back towards the city border. I had my eyes opened just long enough to see Fwhip and a few guards get up and sprint after her before my head hit the ground and I blacked out.