The Wood Cutter's Son

by Thomas Wright

  An evil assaulted Morgan’s senses and made Anallese look like she wanted to claw the bark off the nearby trees. Morgan sheathed his sword and, for the first time in a while, Dra stayed with him. He could feel him at the back of his mind, paying attention to every sight, sound and smell. For now, there was nothing to do but wait until the storm arrived.

  The clouds you see mask his approach. His magic corrupts the weather. The storm will rain havoc down in the fortress of Kor’Tarnaeil. Lightning will topple the walls and the Dark Ones will overrun the fortress.

  What am I supposed to do against such a beast?

  Run, fool! Far and fast. Had you accepted my gifts when I presented them, you might have prevailed against the approaching evil. But your lack of knowledge of combat, and your control of the few gifts you accept, is underwhelming. If you stay, I will be enslaved by the Dark Ones again before the light of the new day. Run now, Morgan, before he gets here. There is nothing you can do to save them.

  Anallese stepped in front of him. Her eyes searched his face for answers. “What does Dra say?”

  “Run. He says run far and fast. You should transform and fly. He says we cannot win and Kor’Tarnaeil will be destroyed.”

  “Crystal and Dra’Extaral are coming,” Anallese exclaimed. “They flew to Heltstone Hall and Jhahtor to check on the dwarves and orcs and bring any warriors they could spare.”

  “But they aren’t here, and a handful of dwarves and orcs will not help us. It will just be more lives lost. Anallese, I know you feel the dark magic as much as I do, and it’s getting stronger by the breath.” Morgan looked at Alexis and saw fear on her face. Theralin hadn’t moved since they arrived.

  “Theralin, you need to go to the fortress and talk Queen Verlainia into leaving Kor’Tarnaeil. She can come back and rebuild it later. Theralin, are you listening?”

  “She will not abandon the fortress,” Theralin said, giving him a sad, far-off look. Her shoulders slumped and her legs rooted to the ground. She stood lost in her conclusions. Morgan walked over and shook her. He couldn’t believe she had given up.

  “Even if Verlainia doesn’t leave, there are others you can save—women, children and elders who can’t fight. Will you leave them to be slaughtered if the walls fall?”

  “Why do you care? Y0u’re going to run, coward.”

  “Dra told me to run and I understand his reasoning, not wanting to fall into enemy hands. But I never said I would. Likewise, I will not sacrifice Alexis’s life or Anallese’s by charging blindly into an unwinnable battle. We need you to be strong. You mentioned a way into the fortress. Where does it come out?”

  “The tunnel comes out on the west side of the fortress at the river.”

  Thunder boomed and lightning danced in the distance. The foreboding black clouds were still far away, but the night that had been clear was blotted out by more natural gray clouds. Morgan could see the darkest clouds moved at an unnatural speed like a storm within a storm.

  “Blackstar!” Morgan called out. Alexis moved toward the wood to get her horse, but Morgan grabbed her arm. The hooves of more than one horse answered his call. “Is there a world that exists where nothing will come between us? If I survive, I am yours, Alexis. Choose our life, my princess, and I will live it beside you until the end.” It was a hurried vow, but Morgan hoped there would be no misunderstanding as to the meaning. He let go of her arm and stepped up in the saddle. There would be time later for the other things he had in mind.

  “What about her?” Alexis asked, motioning her head toward Anallese. The dark elf leaped onto the back of Alexis’s horse in answer to her question. Hooves making sucking sounds in the mud ended any further conversation as Theralin rode away. Morgan and Alexis followed her along the edge of the wood, turning in on a trail toward the river. When they reached the river, Morgan was surprised Theralin doubled back instead of riding nearer to the fortress until they reached a thick copse of trees.

  “There is a dread spell cast over this area that keeps travelers and the locals out,” Theralin explained. Morgan felt the spell and shivered as he and Blackstar followed her. He heard Alexis sigh as she and Anallese passed through the magical barrier. They didn’t have to ride very far before Theralin stopped, looked around and dismounted. From where they stopped she led them at an angle toward the river and, just before reaching the river bank, they stopped.

  Theralin got off her horse and walked over to where the top of a large stone three paces across was buried in the ground. Dropping to her knees, she brushed away leaves and debris around it’s edge and kicked the soil until an edge could be seen. Reaching down, she pulled up on the lip and the rock lifted, but it wasn’t a rock. It had once been a large, heavy stone, but it had been cut and then hollowed out like a dome. A curved hinge was pinned to the stone and then to an iron frame that formed the hole in the ground. It was clear dwarves had been tasked with the secret tunnel construction. Musty air escaped into the night while they all waited—for what, Morgan didn’t know.

  “There should be a crate of torches and a fire starter in the corner at the bottom. Morgan, can you come with me and carry the crate while I light and affix the torches as we walk? The people will hurry faster if the tunnel is lit instead of black as night.”

  Morgan didn’t answer but instead looked to Alexis for guidance. She nodded once. “Stay in the tunnel. Don’t venture into the fortress for any reason,” she ordered. Morgan smiled and nodded back. The people Theralin were sending to escape shouldn’t pose any problem to him. A strong gust of wind buffeted them, making Alexis stagger a step. Rain fell, sparse at first, then became harder. Theralin hurried down the ladder and Morgan called to her before he dropped his axe to the floor below. He activated his dragon sight and reached out with magic to check for enemies ahead, finding nothing. Light flared next him and his dragon sight adjusted for the change just as his own eyes would. Theralin picked up his war axe and Morgan picked up the crate of torches and followed her down the tunnel.

  “This tunnel comes out in the great hall at a secret door next to the fireplace. The former king and queen had it constructed in case the Black Mountain elves attacked and tried to finish what they started when they organized the coup and drove our people out of Thor’Dunae.”

  “Would have been nice to know the night I escaped,” Morgan mumbled.

  “What was that?”

  “Said it sounds like a good idea.”

  “Yes. The palace at Thor’Dunae has one as well.” Morgan would have to remember that in case he and Alexis ever need to sneak in. Theralin hurried along, just short of running, and they finally came to the end. Here the builders had built a larger area with a spiral staircase going up. He could see a small room at the top. Theralin hurried up and was standing near a large lever when he stepped off the stairway. She pulled it down and the stone wall opened a hand’s breadth. She pushed gently on the stone and the door quietly moved, giving them enough room to make their exit.

  Morgan looked around at the familiar setting where he had spent half a moon chained to Queen Verlainia’s throne before escaping. The great hall was dark and deserted. The torches had burned out and the fire in the fireplace was a large bed of embers. “I can’t say I’m happy to be here.”

  “Why are you here, Morgan? You escaped and promised an old man and a whore you’d ride south with them. Then, when you could have gone anywhere and hidden till the war was over, you turned around and rode back. Was your head injured as a child?”

  “I followed a dragon, and she came here?”

  “As if that is a good reason. Morgan, people of all races run from dragons, not follow them. Although, judging by her appearance, she wasn’t looking for a meal. She had something much different in mind.”

  “I doubt that. She took that form the last time I saw her. I think she’d used it before.”

  “I’m no sorceress or mage, but I’m sure if a dragon can magically change form they can magically conjure clothing, too.” Morgan shrugged and
kept his mouth shut.

  Large wood and iron doors opened to a courtyard and a walkway that led to a gate opening into the market outside. They ran toward the gate and a figure stepped from within an alcove to block their exit. He was an older man wearing the uniform of the royal guard and a great deal of surprise on his face at seeing two people when the courtyard should have been empty. His surprise changed to a smile when he recognized Theralin.

  After a brief reunion, it took longer to convince the guard of their plan. Morgan knew the guard understood and wanted to help, but there was no order from the queen. Morgan explained about the storm and the evil dragon that traveled in the belly of the storm. He also told him that if he had a family he should go get them and send them into the tunnel. Theralin told him to encourage anyone he met along the way to come here. Morgan went door to door while Theralin waited to receive the people and show them to the tunnel.

  Morgan banged on doors and shouting instructions for the occupants to evacuate till his hand hurt and his throat felt raw. The pouring rain, lightning and thunder confused his sense of time. He was standing at the door to an inn, arguing with the owner, when he heard the slow whoosh of beating wings in a lull between thunderclaps. The black clouds had arrived, and with them the growing sense of evil that had plagued him since the storm started. He looked to the sky just as lightning lit up inside the clouds, displaying the shape of a massive dragon. It was twice as large as Anallese. He turned to plead one more time with the innkeeper and found her frozen in place. She had seen it too and her cheeks that had been red from arguing and anger were now white. She turned and went through the door, barking orders at the servants inside.

  Looking back at the sky, Morgan wondered what the dragon would do next and was rewarded by seeing it dive from the clouds and begin circling the area around the fortress. On its first pass, lightning erupted from its body and, as if to insult the people, it struck the already-dead slum. Morgan couldn’t see exactly where the lightning hit from where he stood, but he knew the fortress was next.

  Dra, is there anything we can do?

  Nothing that doesn’t end in death.

  But you’re already dead. That just leaves me.

  It is you I spoke of. Had you accepted the gifts I offered, you would understand the power within reach of your hand.

  Can I accept now and use the gifts to fight?

  You could, but it would kill you. Your body is not dragon. It is weak and would have needed to be better prepared. Even had we started the first night, you wouldn’t be ready for this, though you would be a little more prepared. To change in full is painful and would distract you in a time when what little wit you have will be needed.

  I think Anallese and some others who know about you and I are hoping we can aid in the fight.

  You are aiding, are you not? The people escape the fortress as we speak. Besides, if you do anything other than this, you may lose the elf maiden to whom you swore a vow. She may accept changes such as the dragon eyes as long as you are still a man when you share a blanket with her at night or put your seed in her womb.

  The rain came down harder as the dragon circled the fortress. Morgan flinched when it pelted his face, making it hard to see anything. Maybe Dra was right, and he had done all he could do within the fortress. Comments about sharing blankets and wombs would have to wait for better days. He would take the tunnel and join up with Alexis, then decide what involvement they would have after that. The sky lit up not too far away, followed by a loud clap of thunder that shook the ground. He heard guards and soldiers on the walls shouting back and forth about a near miss. It was as Dra said. This evil would bring down the walls.

  Running back to the great hall didn’t prove easy with the wind pummeling his every step. There was no guard at the courtyard gate and the great wooden doors leading into the halls were closed but unlocked. This time, there were people of all races in small groups standing around. He couldn’t possibly think of what they were waiting on and didn’t bother to ask as he hurried to the not-so-secret door standing open at the back of the hall. In the tunnel, the torches still burned bright as he ran its length and found Alexis hurrying people up the ladder.

  “Are you ready to go?” Morgan asked, climbing the ladder ahead of Alexis in case of trouble. Stepping out into the weather, he turned and reached down, pulling her up into the torrential night. The wind and rain were so loud Alexis had to pull Morgan’s face down and yell.

  “Yes, let’s make haste—” A flash of lightning caused Alexis to pause. Morgan looked toward the fortress and saw rock explode as a part of the eastern parapet was destroyed. Soldiers screamed and died on the wall and Morgan felt a sense of helplessness for the survivors. Their ordeal had only just begun. The dark elf army remained in the wood, their siege towers unmoving. Until the dragon finished venting its rage, it would be foolish for the dark elves to rush in—at least, Morgan thought so. There could still be time for the rest of the people within the fortress to escape.

  Faint screams, coming from behind him, reached Morgan between wind gusts. Alexis also heard the cries and ran for her horse without a word. Morgan followed, wondering what could have befallen the refugees. Morgan and Blackstar led the pair using his dragon sight. Riding hard in a wood with no trail or path was certain to get a rider injured. Even Alexis’s eyesight was hard-pressed to miss a branch or obstacle in the midst of the unnatural storm. Morgan laid his forearm across his brow to shelter his eyes. They entered a clearing and Morgan felt the spell over the wood end. Not far away, a large group of the refugees was corralled by twenty soldiers. Bodies—wounded or dead, he wasn’t sure—lay scattered along the ground behind the group.

  Morgan pulled Blackstar to a stop and Alexis reined in beside him. “Stay here and use your bow till you run out of arrows. I’ll kill as many as I can. Maybe it will be enough that those people can make a run for it.”

  “No, we won’t split up. There are too many for you alone.”

  “Don’t need to kill them all, just enough they can’t hold all those people at bay.”

  “These are not bandits with rough sword skills. These are soldiers and, even more, they are dark elves,” she yelled over the wind. “And this storm will play havoc with my arrows. Even my skills will a bow will be unpredictable.”

  A shout interrupted their discussion as a squad of five dark elves ran in their direction. “At least they don’t have horses. Where is Anallese? I forgot about her when we came out of the tunnel.”

  “I don’t know. She stayed out when I went inside the tunnel.” Morgan shrugged and retrieved his axe. Drawing his sword, he walked out to meet the enemy. There was nothing he could do about Anallese’s absence now—or was there?

  Anallese, Alexis and I face twenty dark elf soldiers and could use your help. Dra, I’ll take anything you can give me that won’t make me black and scaly. “They run so fast.” It was all he had time to say as the soldiers closed in. Two of the five appeared to be rangers, but the other three wore steel helmets and mail and carried a shield. Light infantry soldiers, if he was right. Regardless, it was more people trying to kill him.

  A rapid clanging of steel on steel informed Morgan Alexis had already engaged one of the attackers. His first attacker flinched when Morgan thrust the axe at his face. It was an unorthodox move, doing no damage, but it wasn’t supposed to. The elf swatted the axe away from his face. Anticipating the move, Morgan swung his sword with his other hand. The elf reacted in time to block the stroke instead of trying to avoid it. It was what Morgan had hoped. His blade cut through the opposing sword and into the elf’s body. As Morgan ran past, charging the three remaining soldiers, he noted the surprise on the wounded elf’s face.

  Morgan couldn’t spare a breath to look at Alexis as he attacked the trio. He heard swords clanging and knew she was holding her own. Holding the axe in his left hand just under the head, he charged. He wasn’t skilled with his left hand, but it wasn’t useless. Letting the handle slide through his hand
to the grip, he swung it up till his elbow aligned with his head and released it. The axe rotated twice then struck the elf’s raised shield. Morgan used both hands and thrust his blade through the shield into the soldier’s throat, effectively binding himself in place for a breath.

  His next attacker was swinging his sword and Morgan turned the elf’s body using his sword as a lever, then shoved the body off his sword at his next foe, who dodged it with a sidestep. Morgan felt a twinge from the wound the bandit had given him in his side as he twisted to spin his body away from the soldier’s follow-up stroke. A few steps backward and he stopped.

  Alexis was in front of him. He was happy to see she had beaten her attacker. She watched as the last soldier decided if he would attack her or come to his comrade’s aid. Alexis attacked the soldier in a flurry of grace and steel. When the soldier backed away from her fierce attack, she turned and closed the distance, bearing down on Morgan’s foe. Her sword took him through the back at an angle, exiting under his shield arm. He turned away from Morgan, who then leaped forward and cut through his chain mail into his chest. Alexis’s sword was out of the soldier and at the ready.

  Blood ran onto the ground and washed away in the pouring rain. The remaining soldier stared at them, then all three noticed the sound of wings. Morgan grabbed Alexis’s arm and ran for the wood, leaving the soldier behind. If he gave chase, they would deal with him, but Morgan knew the dragon would land in the field and he didn’t want to be caught standing in its way.