by Dilland Doe
On the right side of the castle, rows of white tents stood adjacent to a line of horses tied to a wooden rail. Around the castle, men patrolled on foot and horse. A few of the defenders stood on the battlements, watching the enemy. This far away, they looked like ants.
“Yeah,” Hibb whispered, “let’s get it done.”
He loudly swished around his saliva, then sucked on it before swallowing. What was my plan again? Come here, use magic, go home. Right…
A small flock of birds flew by overhead.
Okay, I needed to flesh my strategy out a little more…
He glanced up at the birds, then burped a deep, wet gulp of air and magically commanded a bird to him. It perched on his horse while he searched through a saddlebag. He found pen and paper, and wrote: Dear men. I am a wizard sent here to rescue you. In about one hour, a flock of fearsome, and super totally cool bodacious looking dragons will attack the besieging enemy between the castle and home. Don’t fear. They are merely illusions. Be prepared to leave the castle and retreat. May The Divinity protect us all.
He tied the note to the bird and commanded the creature to a man on the castle wall.
Hibb took out some water and guzzled it down, then put his hands in his pockets. “Welp. Just gotta wait for attack time.” He glanced at the sun’s position, swayed back and forth on his heels, then moseyed around kicking over ant hills.
#
The entire world seemed to rumble as the horde of dragons roared overhead. Their thick, layered scales and wide outstretched wings filled the sky coming from the east. In formation, the front dragons dove toward ground, mouths open. The eastern cavalry and their allies dropped their weapons and scattered like cockroaches fleeing light.
Hibb gazed upon his amazing illusions. Man, fire would look so cool, but then they might realize they aren’t being burned. Too bad.
As the castle gates grinded upwards, the dragons swooped over the enemies on the gate-side of the castle, sending them running. Hibb smiled as he watched the people he was sent here to rescue file out from the walls in military order. Pikemen lined up on the edge of the army to defend from calvary charges.
A few of the cavalry stopped fleeing. They looked at their tents and running comrades, then gazed at their enemy leaving the castle. Not a single dead body lay on the ground. The tents, now abandoned, stood perfectly in the sun.
Hibb sent dragons charging directly at the aware soldiers. They stared with slack jaws at the massive flying beasts bearing down on them. Some fled, but a few stood their ground, watching as the illusionary dragons pulled up at the last second.
These men held up their hands and rode around their retreating comrades proclaiming the revelation. Most kept running as more dragons soared toward them, but a few more stopped, and observed the trick that had been played on them.
Pain scratched at Hibb’s mind as his allies seemed to ever so slowly come out of the castle.
Small groups of easterners formed small cavalry groups, then rode near those that fled, trying to stop them. The defenders finally left the castle, and marched toward Hibb. Pikemen stood on the back three sides. Inside were swordsmen, archers, a small detachment of cavalry, and supply wagons.
Hibb hummed a high-pitched noise and twirled his fingers toward each other. He created a twenty-foot-tall illusion of himself in front of the ally army. His voice boomed from the artifice. “Leave the wagons! Hurry! Double time, double time!”
The men’s heads arched and looked at the huge illusion, then the army lurched forward as commanders yelled orders. The wagons stood alone behind the jogging army.
Large groups of enemies began forming ranks. From the far side of the castle, some groups never fled, and cavalry marched forward, joining with the non-fleeing troops.
Hibb’s allies passed his position. He jogged away too, regularly looking back to see more and more of the enemy ignoring his dragons.
Once the enemy really decided to move, they’d catch up—they were mounted. A line of horsemen trotted forward. Crrraaaaap. Hibb watched as the horses’ manes flowing and bouncing became clear, then he went into action, creating a giant wall of poop in front of the enemy. Their horses whinnied and the calvary halted at the wall of bumpy excrement that rose higher than the castle’s walls.
Hibb and his allies jogged, but they would tire before reaching the border. How were they gonna lose the enemy? Would the easterners stay behind the poop forever? Nope.
One mounted man blasted through the illusion. Then wheeled back around toward his comrades, shouting and lifting his spear. The entire army rode through the poop that shimmered as they passed.
Oooooh poopsicle. What now?
His allies slowed to a walk. The commanders watched the enemy carefully, preparing to order defensive positions. They’ll be slaughtered. I have to help!
Hibb’s eyes rolled into his head. I forgot my horse. “I forgot my horse!” It has supplies and CAA!. I must have wandered away from them while kicking ant piles…
He growled. Millions of heavy steps pounded on the ground as thousands of ants the size of horses appeared, swarming over each other. Hibb’s allies kept marching away. The enemy calvary paused, but leaders yelled commands and they kept going, ignoring the ants ahead and to the sides of them.
Hibb sprinted toward where he left his horse. Ants focused on the cavalry army and stormed forward. Right before they hit, the horsemen froze, before being torn to shreds. Massive mandibles cleaved horses and men in two, spilling blood and organs on the ground as men screamed. Ants swarmed over the entire cavalry line. Pieces of the dead littered the ground as the living ran for their lives.
Luckily, Hibb had kept up the invisibility illusion on his horse. As he dashed forward, hoping an ant hadn’t somehow found it, he channeled Leo’s power and made all the ants in his way turn back to normal size. He leapt onto his horse. “Heaa! Heaa!” It lurched forward.
Hibb glanced back. The enemy scattered, fleeing the giant ants. He cut the power flowing through him. All illusions disappeared. The ants seemed to disappear as well, but they were just returned to normal size. Catching up to the allied army, he yelled, “Yeeeaaaah! I’m such an awesome wizard! Yeeeaaaaah! Your river-state owes me so much gold! Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!”
From the owl on the back of his horse, Akrah’s voice said, “You’re still an idiot.”
Ch. 30
Ever since Hibb got back, he would not shut up about his amazing heroics that saved the day. The entire trip south through the River Lands, and onto a piece of Lssssshhhhhhka land they had to travel through to get to Blastonin, he raved about his awesomeness. He loved to pull out a few coins and shove them in Theto’s face. “See, Theto. See! My bravery and skill got us a lot more of these! Ha haaa! Did you like how everyone cheered us off as we left? You liked that? I could stay there and live as a king if I wanted. A king!” He thrusted a fist into the air.
“Why don’t you then?” Theto muttered.
Hibb snapped to a serious expression. “Because Theto, you must become a monk. You’ll be safer then. Food, shelter, magic skills to protect yourself… and The Authority won’t touch you there.”
Theto breathed in deep. He still felt uncomfortable about magic, but he accepted that it was his fate. His dad was the best person he ever knew. If father was a mage, then The Authority must be wrong.
“So Theto. We’re technically in an eastern empire now. They don’t patrol much here because this strip of territory is like a peninsula between enemies, but it is controlled by them.” Hibb lifted an eyebrow toward his nephew. “Scared?”
“Naaaa. I have my majestically gallant uncle to protect me.” Theto smirked.
Hibb let out a guffaw. “Yes. Of course! No need to fear!”
They rode in silence for a moment. Hibb scratched his head. “Actually, this is pretty dangerous. I should make sure Leo and Akrah aren’t going anywhere. Yo! You guys gonna be available?”
From the owl on the back of the horse and
the mouse in Hibb’s shirt pocket: “Yeah.”
From the owl: “Hey dumb dumb, you’re gonna get killed if a horse patrol comes around why don’t you—”
Hibb jerked forward. “Crap!”
About five horses appeared in the distance. Strips of cloth hung from their spears and clothes.
Easterners.
Snapping his head toward his uncle, Theto said, “Hibb, they see us.”
“Yeah, one of them is a mage.” Hibb rubbed his chin. “Don’t worry.” He made an annoying siren noise while twisting his wrists and facing his fingers toward each other. A red light shot from Hibb’s head, then exploded in the air, producing shades of red and yellow light that slowly fell from the sky.
Theto scrunched his brow.
Hibb stared upward. “That wasn’t supposed to happen.”
The eastern cavalry lurched forward, trotting toward them.
“Oh, The Divinity, Uncle!”
Speaking resolutely, Hibb said, “Don’t run. Those horses are fast. Small, but fast. Let’s play it off like we wanted to attract them to us so we could say ‘Hi’. You know, show them we’re friendly.”
Theto blinked his eyes at the curved cloth that extended behind the men like a tiny sail as they came forward. Why? It seems like a disadvantage in battle. “Wait. Do you speak Oooookhhhhhhhsh?”
Hibb chuckled. “Their language sounds so funny. I don’t.”
“Uncle!”
“Yeah, crap, that’s a problem with my plan. Uuuuuh.”
The consonance of hooves grew louder.
“Idiot!” Akrah said, “I think you can meld an illusion that auto translates. You have to use their language perceptions. I’m not sure if it can work.”
Hibb nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I think it can. Remember that time Leo was gone and I used you to talk to that humpback whale? That was so awesome. We should go sailing sometime. The oceans are a wonderful place. It’s like, so scary wondering what’s in the deep, but also amazing. Maybe—”
“Ouuuuleeeempshna!” A cavalryman halted about ten yards away, pointing his spear at Hibb.
Theto glanced at his uncle, hoping he’d respond.
Scrunching his face, Hibb scratched his head.
The easterner said, “Lerodeeksee.” His pitch went up and down as he spoke.
The other mounted warriors spread around the duo in a circle, all pointing their spears.
Hibb spun his hands toward each other and released a light whistle-like noise.
Jerking his spear forward, the easterner said, “Paneekaa!”
Hib nodded, “We are simple travelers. We have nothing to offer and mean no harm.”
“Prlokee Hikta!”
“Yes,” Hibb said, “we are headed to Blastonin, but just to visit some friends. We’re from Telshire. It’s a River Land community near the mountains.”
“Herinsa seeka. Teira clossssssneksssina. Perato.”
Hibb narrowed his eyes. “Hey! Don’t put me in with the Blastonins. Those rats have torn this land apart; constantly raiding just out of hatred toward your people. I don’t support it one bit. Look at this land.” Hibb scanned the surrounding area while holding out his arms palms up. “Deserted. This is good soil for herd animals. But it’s spoiled by their raids,” he slammed a fist into a hand. “It’s their fault that this area is depopulated.”
The easterners stared at Hibb and Theto for a moment. The man they spoke to leaned his head to the left, then to the right.
“Keeta!”
He threw his spear. It came like a blur, coming right for Theto’s chest. The man reached toward a sword at his side. A high-pitched noise came from Hibb. Hooves around them sounded off the ground. That spear, which seemed too long to be thrown, flew onward. Theto opened his mouth but didn’t have time to scream as the spear point flew over his horse’s head and angled down toward his heart. For some reason, at the moment of death, Theto saw the green eyes of the woman. The woman he’d never know.
Ch. 31
Finio shuffled to the end of the boat, unable to stride forward due to the rope tied around his ankles. His wrists were similarly bound in front of him. The small sail boat, with a crew of two, plus the man who captured him, neared an island. Finio’s jaw dropped as he scanned the dock-walls that stretched into the sea before curving inward, then observed the keep beyond that towered above the island city’s hills and buildings. My captor told me the truth. He took me to Actus.
Finio leaned against the front of the boat, watching his adopted home grow in detail.
From behind, steps creaked off the boat. “I saved your life, lad. There’s no need to run.”
The man kneeled next to Finio, untying the ropes on his ankles. Finio turned to face him and the man freed the arms, then stared Finio in the eyes. “All is going to the hogs here in Actus. If I wasn’t so loyal to this city, I’d flee. We may all burn soon.”
Sleek scout ships circled the island. A line of guards stood at the docks, sifting through the cargo of the few ships that just docked. Unfortunately, Finio’s boat was no exception. His captor told the guards he was on mission from the king. They congratulated him on the success, but patted him and Finio down nevertheless.
Finio carried his pot as he and his captor walked up the sloped road toward an arched portal in the city wall. Instead of two guards, there stood four. Again, they patted down Finio and his captor while asking them their business. The cycle repeated at the keep’s entrance. The guards had them wait for an escort.
From inside the keep, estra plate pounded off the stone floor. The thick green armor made the person look more golem than man. He stopped behind the guards that held up Finio. The man lifted his visor, revealing a smile as he focused on Finio’s captor. “Captain Terius. You made it back. A successful mission I see. Good job. You’ll receive your reward. Report to me tomorrow morning for your next mission.”
Terius crossed his arms. “Tomorrow? I’d like to spend my reward before I die.”
“War is not upon us yet, but it may be soon. We need intelligence that only a man with your skills can provide.”
Terius snorted. “At least I’m valued. Make sure the boy tells the king the conditions I found him in. I’ll see you on the morn, sir.” They nodded at each other.
Grabbing Finio on the right shoulder, Terius said, “Good luck, kid,” then walked off.
The armored man looked down at Finio. “Let’s see the king.”
They walked up wide, curving stone steps. Then down a hall toward yelling.
“These bastards want her, but they can’t have her! She means everything to me! You tell the Hyzantrians, they better help us or they’ll lose the friendliest city they got!”
“But sir, they want a permanent base on our island. What about our sovereignty?”
“Bah! Our sovereignty means nothing if we can’t protect the most valuable jewel on this island. We aren’t using the whole thing anyways. Go to their emissary’s quarters and tell them if they back us in full force in event of war, then we’ll give them the west harbor. The whole thing. I’ve been wanting to expand the city’s docks anyways, it’s easier to tax the stuff coming through the front gates.”
“Yes, sir. If you don’t mind, I’ll try to negotiate a renting situation. If Hyzantria uses the harbor, we should at least get paid for hosting them.”
The king boomed, “Good! Now go!”
A man in fine clothing stepped out of the room right before Finio and his escort entered.
The king strode back and forth. Four estra armored men stood in the corners and eight in mail stood on the sides. The Queen sat in a chair, reading a book with her head in her hand, her long, slender fingers stretched up the side of her face.
Finio stopped at the entrance.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!” the king yelled, “Kill! Kill! Kill! I’ll avenge whoever tried this! How dare they!? I will burn their cities to the ground! All of them dead!”
Finio’s escort saluted, “Sir!”
Sannacles halt
ed as he looked at the man and Finio. A grin exploded on his face. “Ah haaaaaa! My nephew, he found you!”
Looking up from her book, the queen smiled.
The king rammed into Finio, hugging him so hard it hurt. “Ah haaaaa! You’re alive! I’m glad they didn’t get to you yet.”
“Sir,” Finio’s escort said, “the boy was in a certain condition when found by Captain Terius.” He looked at Finio. “Tell him.”
The King stepped away from Finio.
Blinking a few times, Finio remembered what happened. “A team of assassins came after me with crossbows. I have no idea who they were. I ran, then your man captured me and brought me here. What’s going on?”
The king clenched his fists and snarled before growling like a beast preparing to charge. “Someone tried to assassinate your aunt! My wife! Our queen! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!” He punched the air. “I don’t know who, but I will. And if I don’t, I’ll just start ripping cities apart until someone tells me. We captured one of them. He hasn’t said a peep, but he will shed a lot of blood. Slowly…painfully…until he either dies or divulges information.”
The king stared at the wall, his head vibrating as air seeped out his mouth. He snapped his gaze toward Finio. “Four guards will be around you at all times.” Jerking his eyes toward the escort, he said, “See to this.”
“Yes sir.”
Sannacles flicked a hand toward the door. Finio and the man exited, then turned turned left, where eight guards and Kericles stood.
A smirk grew on his rogueishly handsome face. “Welcome back. Let’s go test your new power! Get your escort, then meet me at the field.”
Kericles turned and strode toward the stairs.
I just got back!
After four guards were ordered to follow Finio, he made his way to the field where Kericles flashed a spear through the air, then leapt and thrust like a sedeux player of death.
He stopped and waved. “Hey cousin! Show me that magic! Woo!”