CS Fanfic - Casters

"What are we going to do!?" Wasn’t that the million gem question.
"Isn’t that the million gem question?" Oops. Did not mean to say that out loud.
Valbara, the old hoot, looks at me with disgust. The owl explains for the millionth time that this is serious and I need to focus up. No sarcasm in the war room I suppose.
"The Casters are getting closer and closer to us. We need to put up a barrier or set up a trap or…," Valbara continues to throw out plan after plan. You can tell that he is panicking, but I dont think that anyone cares. We are all panicking. The great Casters consumed by shadows are warring with each other. No one knows what caused them to submit to dark magics. One peaceful day the sky simply turned black and the light breeze turned to monstrous gusts.
After the storm calmed, they no longer even looked like themselves. Instead of the wisdom and peace that they usually offered, they all became angry and violent. They began fighting for dominance, taking minions in order to aid them on their journey to power.
This war was tearing the once peaceful land apart. Cities were being decimated as a result of the battles. The caster of our realm, the Owl Caster, was one of the more recent victims of the shadows. His absence was weighing on us all. His boundless wisdom was needed in these trying times, and yet we could not ask him for assistance. The last time that we heard of our Caster, he was locked in a fitful battle with the legendary Fox Caster. That was many days ago and we have not heard anything since.
"Evacuation," bellowed Valbara, "This is our best option."
"Where will we go?," I said with a huff, "Nowhere is safe. All of the realms are being demolished. The battles span the entire continent. We must make a stand! I refuse to leave my home. " This roused a couple of agreements from the crowd in the war room.
"Elden, you have always been stubborn, but are you willing to die because of it? To bear the weight of our injured and fallen if we do fight?" I knew Valbara was right and that fighting was a stupid idea. I just could not fathom the thought of our libraries, our precious knowledge being destroyed. Our kind have spent a millennia collecting and scribing information and immortalizing it forever. It is our people’s prized possession. Our most sacred place.
"I will not stand down," I replied. This sent murmurs rippling throughout the room. The murmurs rose to speaking and then to shouting. Suddenly, everyone was arguing and scuffling.
"SILENCE!" shouted Valbara with a powerful flap of his mighty wings, "We will not argue like children over the fate of our people."
This quieted the room. The elder looked thoughtful for a minute and then spoke, "We will vote."
Sounds of agreement moved throughout the room. A vote would settle this for sure. I puffed out my chest and stepped forward.
"All in favor of evacuation," Valbara said, an air of authority roiling off of him.
To my dismay, many of my brethren raised their wings in vote. Rage filled me. These owls, my friends and family, were willing to sacrifice everything? I bit my tongue until I began to taste copper.
"All in favor of staying and fighting." The remaining owls raised their wings in vote. It was considerably less than the former group. I began to seethe.
"Then it is done," bellowed the elder owl. His power swept through the space and ruffled more than a few feathers.
"We will evacuate toni-" he was cut off by the distant sound of enormous wing beats. These were followed by the sounds of paws gouging the earth.
"Oh gods," I say, voice barely above a whisper. Before me, I behold the Owl Caster and the Fox Caster. Their eyes are white with power and their bodies are so enormously large that it is almost unfathomable. The Fox’s nine tails swish behind as they run after the flying Owl. They are both covered in evidence of a long and weary battle, but neither of them seem ready to give up. Both want to defeat the other. This battle must have lasted days.
Fear grips me as I watch the two loom closer. I did not account for stature when I suggested fighting. The sky grows dark as they approach. The ground shakes with every wing beat and step of the shadow Casters.
"Its now or never," I shout to my people, who are frozen in fear and shock, "We must make a stand so that our people can escape! I know that most of you are not fighters, but analysts and teachers. I know that this is frightening!" My speech is interrupted by an ear-splitting roar of frustration from the Kitsune.
"We are strong together! Our people have survived for thousands of years. We are not cowards! We are warriors and we will protect our people!" This earns some cheers from the crowd. Though they are still afraid, a kernel of courage is beginning to sprout. That’s all that we need.
"We have little time. We must prepare our defenses! Magic users need to work on putting up a barrier to buy us more time. We must evacuate the owlets first. No matter what happens, we will live on." This one makes owls spring into action. Believe it or not, being suddenly rocketed into a leadership position was not on my to-do list today. Despite this, I steel myself and get to work.
One hour later the barrier is up and being held. Our city was partially damaged from some debris from the battle between the Casters. That does not matter now, however. We can mourn our losses later. Now is the time to be brave, to be fearless. As I look around at my friends, my family, and my people, I know that I am both.