The Princess And The Demon

The once invisible barrier was now perfectly visible as it was covered in a thin layer of ice.

The ice though, was spreading on it surface slower than it did on the ground and even the burning trees, Henry wondered if the barrier was somehow resisting this assault? It could be since this was no ordinary barrier but a magical one that stopped all their previous attacks and...absorbed the flames?!

Henry's mind was back on functioning properly, he observed the barrier, than the trees, than the barrier again, noting for the first time that the forest didn't attack them nor show any sign of life nor hostility even when they attacked the newborns until they attacked the barrier, with fire arrows at that, the fire that seemed to extinguish mid-air, could it be the one that lit up the trees? could it be that their attacks on the barrier were thrown back at them by some mysterious connection between the forest they were in? This mechanism how ever it worked seemed very difficult to decipher and so was this connection but again nothing was fully decipherable nor understandable since they got themselves into this crazy journey.

Henry decided to go on with his recent hopefully correct assumptions, use them as the depart point of their next move instead of futilely trying to understand something he just couldn't, If these assumptions were right then they barely have few minutes to act otherwise they would lose the only opportunity they have to break through the barrier, And in the same time, he had to go check on Rima, he knew something bad happened to her, maybe her powers were drained again, that would explain the seizing of her winds, he will be mad at her later, he thought, but right now he needed to make sure she was alive...

Henry felt torn, both matters were very urgent, the barrier was resisting the ice and pushing it back to the forest which became deadly cold, Henry knew he needed to deal with it first before they all freeze to death...

"charge the crossbows with spears, ice demons, we need you to forge ones, as big and solid as you can, fast" Henry gave his order, thanks to the mind-link between the demons the order was quickly passed, and as expected of them the ice demons who were at an advantage right now with the drop of temperature managed to forge huge spears as thick as one thousand arrows combined, once forged Henry was informed and he didn't waste any time to give his next order...

"All the close troops, ain closely but not at the same spot, all of you, Fire" And with Henry's roaring voice the spears were shot with so much force, ice collided with ice leaving holes in the barrier that slowly started cracking on the edges, the cracks joined one another due to the closeness of the attacks that didn't stop at a single attempt but kept on coming, the barrier cracked loudly before it started to break down with the ice covering it falling inside....

"We did it..." came the mumbling of the soldiers, their situation was desperate not a while ago and yet here they were breakung another wall of Gods defenses and taking another step toward victory...

"Your Grace" Andrea called for Henry who was about to go where Rima was, he stopped and looked at her with not so friendly eyes...

"Glare at me all you want but now we need you to lead the attack, There is no guarantee the barrier will remain down, it is now or never..." Henry knew she was right, the urgency in her eyes and voice told him so as well, there was no one left for leadership but him, but he couldn't bring himself to leave Rima who was in an unknown state right now...

"Your Grace" move voices urged him, Henry's legs were shaking in an obvious sign of hesitation, he had to go, lead the army, it was the right thing but ut felt so wrong, he looked back at where she was standing, hoping she would miraculously show up from under snow safe and sound but nothing, she was no longer there...

"Your Grace" it was an ice demon who talked, "We are at war, and wars comes with casualties, my lady had made her decision, fulfilled her part, now it is time to make yours, Now or never..."

"Very well... " Henry swallowed the bile in his throat, hoping he will not regret this more than he already did, with one last sigh he looked away from that painful spot, looking back at the waiting commanders....

"Make it rain , Both ice and fire...."