"Why did this stupid war even start?" Olira asks no one in particular. "All it has done is killed countless people for the last century. Every sword that is made, every warboat launched, every trebuchet fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. I am fed up to the ears with old helk dreaming up wars for young helk to die in." her voice grows increasingly shrill. "It isn't ri-" She cut off by a shout outside, followed by a bright flickering light.
"I have not yet begun to fight! You are filthy insects beneath my feet! Give me everything you have, I guarantee you I will come out on top. I can walk on water, I can fly! I am Tanri!" The voice that claimed to be Tanri, the king of the gods, had a voice to match, one that shook the castle's foundations.
Running to the balcony, Olira sees a fiery figure, easily taller than the castle. Where the heart should be, Ilases is suspended there, his eyes closed, his mouth agape. Most of the fields are on fire, as are several human figures running about the grounds. The flaming avatar had rough-hewn features, as if drawn by a child. Every step it took left a burnt patch of grass. In the town, half a mile out, the figures of elves were running about, their shouts heard above the popping of fire, carried by the wind.
"Oh, no," whispered Olira, knowing what had happened. Someone had probably done something to provoke Ilases, and his other personality took control, the one that knew exactly what was happening, spoke with proper Common, and hated everything that wasn't elven. Turning to Jacob, she says, quickly, urgently, "You need to evacuate all of your soldiers. If you don't he'll kill everyone until he can get to you. Ilases, he has this, I don't know, thing that makes him forget who he is. It only happens when someone provokes him, like takes away that ring he always wears." Ilases' ring was a deep green, set in silver. It was given to him by Aranlasg, as a member of the royal family. Olira wrings her hands, worried that even more deaths will become of this.
Hearing movement to her left, she finds Xorabith and Lafke leaping across the ledges. Xorabith, who was in front, called to her, "Quickly! We need to get down there. Lafke, did you remember the medicine?"
"Yes, let's just get down there before something bad happens." They reach the balcony, Xorabith catching Lafke as he fell backward. Seeing the general, Lafke sniffs pretentiously and says to Olira, "You two best friends now or something?"