Unreleased (unfinished) chapter of Swordstorm

This chapter had been in progress for months, but because of the recent cancellation of Swordstorm, the chapter will never be finished or ever be released on the story. Instead, the unreleased chapter will be put here, so that way anyone who wishes to see the chapter could read it.

WARNING: The chapter is incomplete, and therefore may have a few problems with grammar.

Also... SPOILERS

Seris

"Gods, if only I wasn't too weak to fly!" He complained.

"Whining about it won't solve anything!" Hayliel retorted.

They both rode on the backs of quebs; slim, quadrupedal animals, trained to be mounted. They were rather reptilian in appearance, with vice-like jaws and long stiff tails.
Seris's wings were sore from flying so far, the same for Hayliel, though she wasn't as verbal about it as he was. They were heading close to the tundra landscape, known as Kotagh. Beyond Kotagh was the The Ridge. Small plants were strewn about the landscape, being eaten by a herd of bulky bleetos.

The Emperor, his uncle, explained to him that he would be setting up camp in the tundra of Kotagh. Sometime after he and his legion marched to The Ridge, Seris felt the need to make the decision to try and reason with his uncle once more in whatever he can. It wasn't his idea however, rather it was Hayliel's.

"We didn't have to come. And I'm sure the steward, Tabris, is aware of my absence. This is such a foolish idea, why did I listen to you?!"

"You do not want a war, right?" She questioned him heatedly. "Do you wish to see good men slaughtered by countless Kaerndallens? I don't! It is a mad idea, sure, but it is definitely better than letting them all die!"

"With my uncle like this, he won't listen to further reason!" He doubted, "He's already well prepared for war and nothing will change his mind."

She looked at him with her bright eyes, showing signs of determination. "Perhaps once he sees his pretty boy nephew out here in the barracks, he might be inclined to listen."

There was some truth to this. His uncle was much more at home on the battlefield than he is on the Ivory Throne. He then remembered something that Galizur had told him:
"Every time my father prepared for war in the barracks, he became a very different person. He had always felt calm before a battle. And when he is in the thick of battle, he always felt a heightened sense of things. He is a different person when he fights in battle. And he is just as different before one."

Strange. Of all the things I remember of what Galizur said... it was that.

The quebs were bleating noisily; a sound which he hates. They had kept their pace to a trot for almost the entirety of trekking the tundra. The air felt colder here than in Nezend. The enormous mountain range was getting closer in view, a silhouette of The Ridge. Thankfully it wasn't sundown, otherwise they'd have to fend off the nocturnal creatures that thrive here. The sky was overcast so it was hard to determine the time of day. He assumed it was past midday.

He squinted through the slits of his helm and got a slightly better view of the horizon. He saw large white tents set up and could view thousands of nezenite soldiers making preparations for battle, he assumed. He knew they were nezenite soldiers because of the silver armor they wore as well as the types of spears they carried.

"Seris." Hayliel placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to warn him, "We've got company."

Looking up, three soldiers were flying towards them spears in hand. Their ivory wings flapped gracefully in the air, giving him a deep feeling of envy for the moment. The one leading them wasn't the Lord Commander though, most likely one of the other commanding officers. He had a distinct plume of purple atop his crest, a sign he was a few ranks below Lord Commander but high ranking nonetheless.

"WHO GOES THERE?!!" The purple plumed leader called out as he flew closer.

Seris and Hayliel halted their quebs before the soldiers landed. "Lord Seris, and my escort, Hayliel." He told them truthfully.

"Lord Seris?" The plumed one was confused, "What in The Creator's name are you doing out here?"

"I have come to speak with my uncle; The Emperor."

"What for?"

"I w--"

"Let me guess..." He interrupted, "you wish to convince him not to battle the kaerndallens, having something to do with the city having less soldiers to protect it? Is that correct?"

Seris's eyes were wide with surprise. "Yes...but... Wh-Where did you come to that conclusion?"

"It was just a hunch."

That paraphrase... I know this man.

"Ariuk?!"

"Ha!" He laughed, "It usually doesn't take you this long to recognize an old friend!"

He got off of his queb to run up to him. He may have been too tired to fly but he wasn't too tired to run. Ariuk only walked up to him quickly before Seris wrapped his arms around him, both laughing jovially.

"Why haven't you told me you joined the army?!" He still laughed.

"Well, you were always in the city." Ariuk explained, "And I've been busy and never got the time to write any letters."

"I almost forgot how the two of you used to be such good friends." Hayliel pointed out as she came up to them.

"Don't tell me you forgot WE are friends too, right?"

"I never said that, Ariuk." She squinted at his crest, "I'm impressed you managed to reach the rank of Major."

"And I'm impressed to see you as a knight, Hayliel." He joked.

Normally she would have taken offense to that, but they have all been friends since childhood, and Hayliel of all people wouldn't have gotten upset over that.