Jahe stalked over Sunlight Island. The isle was infested with conquerors, all lined up, patrolling it with their twisted, controlled eyes. The man shivered. The thought of forcing the bond, along with manipulating your spirit animal into anything, frightened him, if he was honest. He stretched out his index finger, ruffling his blue jay's, Undil's, head feathers for comfort. The bird gently leaned into his touch. Jahe casted his eyes back away from the telescope, before leaping down from his position and making his way back to the sand.

"And then, the treetops were-" An elder who's name was Evelyn was gifting the islander children a story, before Jahe's call for the Queen had erupted out.
"Queen Kalani!" He yelled out, trotting through the sand to reach her resting spot on the island, a singular stump. Kalani moved her attention from her letter and to Jahe. The children were now watching the scene, instead of Evelyn.
"Mhm? Did you need me?" She answered.
"I have an update on Sunlight Island," he announced, bending down into a bow.
Kalani submitted a slight smile.
"Wonderful. What is it?"
He bit his tongue. "It appears to be less populated than it was first seen," He started. "But it's well protected nonetheless. The island would be near impossible to reclaim with so many conquerors on such high alert."
Evelyn watched as Kalani's smile simply faded. She could have only guessed the real reason she wished for updates was for Timote and Piri.
"Very well," the Queen began. "We'll still be needing to reclaim the island, but I'll find a way."
Jahe dipped his head, before making his way to his fellow soldiers. Evelyn watched as Kalani's shoulders drooped, and the Queen seated herself back onto her stump.

Woohoo you know how I like my time skips!

Evelyn had positioned herself into a hammock, slowly rocking herself side to side, comfortable. She had almost drifted off into a slumber, dreaming off the isle's future-
"Attention of all Island Residents!"
Her eyes shot back open. She slowly rose her upper body, twisting her torso to face Kalani, her body aching with age.
"I have an announcement on the Sunlight Island reclaiming," The Queen announced.
The gathering crowd had visibly caught attention.
"The dim clouds are a giveaway for a storm. When this said storm falls onto our sand, our army will set off and invade Sunlight Island. All elders, children and young children's mothers will stick behind and hide."
The islanders nodded, awaiting Kalani to stretch the situation further, yet the Queen said nothing more apart from a simple "Dismissed."
Older islanders dipped their heads, setting off to gather weapons and resources for battle.
Evelyn watched as the ruler too exited the scene to prepare herself. Her desperate efforts to claim back Sunlight Island were a clear giveaway to her one and only intention - to retrieve her brothers. The queen showed near to no sort of sympathy towards her brother's abduction, nor to taking the throne in the place of her parents, but rumours spread like wildfires in the hundred isles. Some logical, like Kalani's eyes on the Sunlight Retrieving, and some not, like Kalani was just some sort of emotionless monster. Either way, she had tough skin. Evelyn was almost surprised she could go a day lacking a single tear, or at least a tighter throat when she speaks about any news on her kin. But the royal were like that. She had a strong resemblance to her mother.
"Miss Evelyn, are you alright?"
She snapped out her trance of thoughts, turning blankly to an islander.
"Oh, yes. Apologies, Tabitha."
Tabitha dipped her head, smiling softly to the elder.
"Well, it's time for all children and unable to fight islanders to hide away, in case of an attack whilst the warriors are gone," she informed her.
The old woman gingerly stood up, her bones fragile and flimsy. "Ah, yes. Thank you dear."
The younger islander raised an arm, assisting Evelyn to walk through the village and to her home. It was a large straw hut, tied tightly together with vines and mud.
"Keep safe, Miss Evelyn," Tabitha said, half bowing as she dismissed herself.
"You too, dear," Evelyn smiled, waving towards the exiting warrior.
She skidded on her heel and slowly entered the hut, slamming the door shut behind her. Anxiousness spread throughout her mind, splaying every corner of her brain as the possible worse ran out through her head. What would happen if they were defeated? Or the bile-taking beasts found their way to the main island?
She shook her head twice. It was mere impossible. Their queen would keep them safe and guarded. Or at least, she hoped.

Rain pelted into the sand, dampening it and spreading puddles through the beach as Kalani, trailing behind Jahe, counted over her warriors. Her torso was guarded by a thick, iron chest plate. Dips and grazes enclosed the metal armour, showing clearly the battles it had seen. Her usual gleaming-gold crown was replaced by a heavy helmet, with bulky horns indicating to her leadership. Jahe stood before all three lines of at least fifty warriors, saluting to his Queen with a hand in front of his forehead. All islanders did the same, as she took her position beside him.
"Listen," she yelled out, ensuring every soldier heard. "We will take the tunnels beneath to creep into the main land. We will locate a conquerer camp and take battle, scouting out more as we pass. Retreating will only take place in my say, and if we are lacking warriors and are outnumbered. Do I make myself clear?"
Boots stamped onto the sand, before layered voices all answered "Yes Miss."
"Good."
Her piercing, brown eyes turned to Jahe, awaiting his ready signal for the warriors. He sucked in a breath, turned around and marched, as Kalani did the same next to him. Hundreds of tough, leather footwear Trudged through damp sand, the almost identical devoted faces of the warriors spreading through the lines.

Torches were lit as they all marched through the tunnels. Orange flames illuminated through the dirt, leading the way. Jahe grew paranoid and anxious as they moved on. The letters the hundred isles had received from the greencloaks back at the main land was enough to send ripples of trembles through his body. The bile-led soldiers were obviously thick skinned, not giving up easily. That assumption was as clear as day through Olvan's letters - you could practically read the fear through his words. The Obnoxious clatter of armour and bolts were the only sounds that played through the cave, other Than the cackling torches. Abruptly, Kalani halted, raising her hand suddenly to display that the warriors needed to do the same.

"What is it, Kalani?" Came a quiet voice through the lines of soldiers.
"I hear something," she answered simply.
She bit her cheek, watching the tunnels closely.
With a huff, she motioned for them to keep going. As the sunlight that bled through cracks and damages in the tunnels, the end neared. The leading two surfaced, pausing to examine the island. The unpleasant sight of a desolate battlefield greeted them. Blood had been smeared over the tips of rocks and broken weapons had been abandoned in the sand. A wave of fire engulfed the island, and barely disguised within the cliff's bottom was a conquerer camp, the unclear gossips of the warriors a solitary sound. Kalani had first assumed that the conquerors had noticed them, however after quick inference, she realised that they hadn't. She raised a scarred hand, motioning to her soldiers to crouch and follow, to which they obliged. The sand silenced the army's footsteps, and eventually, they were close enough to hear parts of the bile warrior's words.

The fire in the centre of the conquerors's camp roared, but their complaints overtook the noise. Kalani's chestnut eyes studied each and every person. After a while of tense silence, the queen had decided how she would go about the situation. Warriors were motioned and positioned, and the clueless conquerors remained in their irritated state. The storm poured profusely, eventually catching up to the flames as they mellowed. Light died and the already aggravated soldiers had a new list of protests. Tents' leather caved in and dampened, and all of the hundred isles warriors had their eyes on Kalani. She bit her tongue and held her breath, shakily grasping the hilt of her sword. Gesturing the beginning of a three second countdown, all fidgeted into war-ready positions. Three, two, one. The queen raised her sword and struck the back of a conqueror's head, spilling blood into the campfire and immediately assassinating the man. In that moment, all hell broke loose.

Opposing warriors took fighting stances, although some had already been downed due to quick-acting soldiers. Kalani stared at the man's corpse, before being seized by a bulky, battle scarred woman. She fumbled in her grasp, before battering her in the stomach. She doubled over, and Kalani quickly kicked her in the jaw. The conqueror raised her dagger in self defence, taking a blow at Kalani's wrist. She grumbled in pain, before pinning her dagger-occupied hand down and forcing her own sword into her neck. A scar formed as blood leaked. Flesh met with blade, decapitating her. She stood up, stealing a glance at the battle. In their current position, her soldiers were winning. Lighting struck somewhere around them, rain slowing and eventually stopping. Eyes awide, she searched around the barren island. Then, she discovered it. Fire had taken back its position around the beach, creeping closer with every cackle it emitted. She turned back to the fight, coming to the choice to herd her warriors and retreat. Sword and arrow wounds would be a problem to deal with already, she couldn't risk fatal burns. Or even worse, their victory being burnt to a crisp.

Speaking of arrows, one had hit Kalani directly in the shoulder. She winced at the pain, taking cover behind the conqueror's log seats as she tried to identify her attacker. To her shock, she saw him as familiar. His tall and muscular figure was intimidating, chestnut brown skin interrupted with wounds. His brown hair was easily recognisable. Within seconds, she had put her finger on who it was. Piri, her oldest brother. Kalani paused. Now, she didn't know what to do. It was definite that he wouldn't change victims on his fight, and if she retreated from cover he might resort to blade combat, but she couldn't bring herself to reach for her crossbow and fight back. He was her brother, and she wouldn't dare fight blood. Before she could be lost in her thought, she was shaken back to reality by her companion, Jahe. Undil's blood coated beak nestled into his collar.
"Queen Kalani!" He pleaded.
Kalani blinked twice, groggily snapping away from her thoughts.
"The fire-!" He gasped, catching his breath. "It keeps getting closer...if we wait any more than ten minutes, we'd probably be left with no escape. It's already taken every entrance but the tunnels.."
Her eyes widened. "What?!"
He nodded, kneeling down to meet eye to eye with her. "What should we do?"
She bit her cheek.
"Gather everyone!!" She commanded. "Don't attack conquerors that aren't getting in the way of our escape!"
He responded with a nod, before darting to collect the army.
Kalani stole a glance back to her brother's poor excuse of a disguise, a bush. Piri's bold eyes remained still on her, behind his casted back bow. Her mind raced with options and thoughts, however she didn't have any time to put them to action, as Piri seemed to give up. He looked fairly irritated, sneaking out from his bush and beginning to creep nearer. Her breathing was far from steady as he staggered closer. Yells and shouts took control of the camp.

He fixed his posture, standing tall as he aimed his bow. Kalani scanned her mind for how to approach the situation. Her arm was just in sight, and her brother was willing to risk it. She heard the pluck of a string being let go, and she jolted away, just as it reached the sand. The red-tipped arrow was arched when it hit the ground. She stared at it for a second, before taking action and scampering away from the log. She skidded behind her brother, who turned and fumbled to equip himself with an arrow. Taking her opportunity, she struck him straight in the ankle. He fell back, dropping his bow and a collection of arrows. Blood trickled from his new wound, colouring the sand with a red graze. His panicked eyes gaped at Kalani. She raised her arms and took a blow at his legs. Her sword dug deep into his flesh, whilst he cried out a petrified howl in pain. A tough cut through the air echoed through the arid camp, and her sword had now been painted with the Scarlet of his blood. His breathing was rushed and clear to hear, and shakily, she backed away from him. She couldn't bare to look at him anymore, wounded and shocked. Flames crept closer, as she placed her sword back in its leather cover and retreated to accompany her warriors.

Jahe had finished off a weaker conqueror when she joined them.
"I think that's everyone," a frail and blood covered warrior choked.
"You sure?" Kalani doubted. "I don't want to leave anyone behind..."
"Positive," Jahe answered, standing up.
She stole a pitiful glance back to her brother across the space. He remained on the floor, however it was clear he was still alive because of his flimsy breathing.
"We should hurry then," She instructed. "Jahe at the start, I'll keep at the end. Go!"
Jahe took into a sprint, as the remaining warriors trailed after him. Blood dropped onto the sand, creating branches in the grains. It was mixed with the ash of burning corpses, and the stench of it lingered in the already depressing enough battlefield. The final warrior had ran after them, and it was Kalani's turn to do the same.

As they reached the tunnels, Kalani was overwhelmed with hesitation. The queen stole a glance back to the scene. Her bister eyes widened.

In the midst of orange and crimson flames was her injured brother. His sickly, yellow eyes focused on her and her only as the fire swallowed him, burning away his uniform and his skin. He was silent despite his unbearable pain, a merciful, weak smile planted on his face. For a split moment, she debated whether or not endanger herself and run back, taking him back with her. Reality hit, harder than a train, that it was already too late. He would be in tremendous pain if she did, and it would be foolish to, due to her limited time. Not to mention the situation she would have to deal with because of his bile. Her eyes began to tear up. Nothing could've prepared her to watch her eldest brother burn away, with no way to help. Tears ran down her face. Her name was echoed through the pathways, and with a sorrowful peer, she skidded around and ran through the tunnels to catch up to her army.

That took way longer than it should've
I'm tired 🤠