Chandeera

by Wolf Golan

  Max aimed his PM-10 at the foliage.

  The Waywong Warrior's armor was of stringed rolls, finely carved wood over their bodies and others had vests of Herzog skin. Some warriors were holding slings from their rooftops waiting to spring.

  Rilat glanced at Max and trained his eyes back on the foliage.

  Max looked over and saw Wadda rin quietly leaping to catch the plate of a crosspiece. He slowly climbed his way onto the rafters as his little head rose with a dart gun in hand.

  The deathly silence weighed down on Max. Max had been in wars before, but not for a long time and now had a girlfriend to think about. A bugle horn sounded through the woods. The Waywong didn't move, even the ones on the slings.

  Max heard hundreds of grunts and growls in the distance and a stampede started from the foliage. Max looked at Rilat. He stared firmly at the foliage with his bow trained. The sound grew louder and louder as the ground vibrated. Max could hear branches breaking off in the distance he got scared.

  The foliage evaporated into hundreds of huge, black, fierce, growling ape-like creatures. Max eyes got wide. The Waywongs let loose their arrows. A small black cloud of arrows hit the army. The line of Rourds fell to the ground letting out ape screams and growls.

  The Waywong line began re-stringing as the warriors on the slings shot up into the air. Rilat had let off a couple of arrows and began re-stringing his third. “Those are the Rourds?” Max asked frightened.

  “Shoot!” Rilat yelled.

  Max clicked on rapid fire and aimed his PM-10 vibrated as a small fire exploded over the Waywong warriors. Some of them paused to see the strange device at work.

  Max saw Rourds dropping from the bullets almost took out as many Rourd as the first barrage of arrows. After letting off another clip into the next Rourd onslaught Max's PM stopped. He glanced at the screen: ROUNDS EXHAUSTED.

  The Rourds had their crossbows out and shot a couple off, dropping some Waywongs. The Waywongs on the slings flew over the Rourds throwing stones and shooting down arrows. The Rourds shot arrows up at them and manage to knock a couple down.

  “Pulse Cannon,” Max told his gun. On a little screen it-read: PULSE CANNON. Max aimed at the black sea and fired. The Waywongs heard a huge thud behind them and saw a trail of smoke. A loud ball of fire exploded into Rourds and some flew through the air.

  Max aimed and fired again. Another blast created a giant explosion on the Rourd lines as more got ripped to pieces. The Waywongs were amazed by the phenomenon.

  Max aimed and attempted to fire again when his PM started beeping PULSE CANNON EXHAUSTED.

  “Dammit!” Max quickly wrapped the strap around, threw his gun on his back, and turned to Rilat. “Do you have an extra spear?”

  Rilat nodded to one of his nearby warriors. The warrior threw a spear to Max. Max caught it and pointed to the oncoming Rourd army waiting for the hand-to-hand combat to come.

  The influx of Rourds grew. Max looked up at Wadda rin on the long rafters. He saw him shooting off darts at the oncoming army. The Waywongs dropped their bows and picked up their spears forming a wall of spears. A couple of Waywongs dropped from Rourd arrows, but the line held.

  The Rourd's army clashed into the Waywong spears. The first wave got speared and the Waywong started cutting and swinging away. They were just as fierce as the Rourds, Some Waywongs hopped on the shoulders of the Rourds stabbing them in the necks with their daggers, before jumping onto the next.

  Max remained standing by Rilat. Some Rourds passed the line and came charging at them. They were speared down by Rilat.

  A Rourd came charging Max, he tried to spear it, but it dodged it. The Rourd swung a large metal ax. Max ducked and came out the other side. He sliced it down the middle with the spear. It screamed and went down.

  Another came at him, but he sliced it across the chest, Max noticed the Rourds had leather mail and metal armored chest plates with small spiked metal helmets.

  Rilat yelled through the thicket of the battle getting overwhelmed. “Max! We're retreating!”

  Max nodded to him,

  “Retreat! Retreat! Into the woods!” Rilat yelled waving the spear toward the forest. They continued to fight the fierce creatures as they moved back toward the stream. Max spotted Wadda rin on the roof dodging arrows.

  A Rourd tackled Max to the ground. Max wrestled him and threw him up and over him.

  Another Rourd behind Max kicked him down and was about to chop him with a giant ax, when the Rourd let out a loud scream falling to Max's side. An arrow stuck through him. Max looked up to see Wadda rin’s bow. Max smiled, but soon looked in terror as a Rourd climbed up to Wadda rin.

  Max got up and dodged and weaved his way through the Rourds. The Rourds had a couple Waywong Warriors down on the ground killing them. Max felt one Rourd's big, clawed hand grab him. The claw dug into Max's shoulder and he yelled out in pain. Max broke loose and made his way to the house.

  Max saw Rilat and his men swinging their spears furiously as they backed up to the stream. Some were running up the hill Max had tumbled down.

  Max pried a spear from a dead Rourd and reached the house. He speared the Rourd hanging off the rafters as it yelled and fell to the ground.

  Max looked behind and saw the Waywong dispersing into the woods and the town now completely overrun. In the distance beyond the black sea of Rourd soldiers, he saw rinolike creatures making their way into the sacked town with Rourds riding atop them.

  Max climbed the side of the house, and quickly made his way up: A Rourd arrow hit and bounced off his gun. “Cover me!”

  Wadda rin shot a couple of darts, but was hopelessly out numbered, so he hid.

  Max sprang himself onto the rafters and rolled onto the moss mortared roof. Max enjoyed a second of relief before jumping up. Wadda rin used the sling at the end of the roof. Max could see the babiche sling by two protruding poles from the top of the house. Wadda rin had his little hands fixed on the rope, as Max got behind him and grabbed it too.

  “We’ll use the sling Max!” Wadda rin yelled. Max looked to the north and saw Rilat on the hilltop, where Max had first come into town. Rilat looked back and both men locked eyes for a moment then, Rilat turned and continued into the woods with his men.

  “Max, hold onto the rope tight, band your head down, and let go when I say!” Wadda rin yelled at Max:

  Max yelled back, “Okay!”

  A growl was heard from behind. Max looked to see a Rourds face as he struggled his way to the roof.

  “Okay let's go!” Wadda rin hit the lever.

  Max felt like all his organs went into his legs as the roof disappeared underneath him and the ground turned into a green blur.

  “LET GO!” Max heard Wadda rin's yell past the deafening headwind.

  Max let go.

  “AAAAHHHHIPIT!” Max yelled out in terror.

  His hair blew back hard, and he could hardly open his eyes as he and his little Waywong friend flew through air.

  Wadda rin looked up at Max behind him and smiled at his new friend's first Forest Jump.

  Max looked back and saw Wadda rin's town and the black sea of Rourds dwindling. Max turned forward and saw the beauty of the world. He saw a mountain range to the north, Lakes to the east, and a great river to the west among grass fields and tree groves.

  They began to descend into the forest top.

  “Okay, grab my shirt, bend your legs and Jump when I do!” Wadda rin yelled up to Max.

  “Okay!”

  Wadda rin curled his little legs up and Max copied him. They descended onto a trampoline tied to four treetops.

  They descended and hit, enveloped in a ghrin skinned trampoline. Max could feel the amazing push of gravity on him. He groaned as his stomach and chest were pushed into his thighs: The feeling was uncomfortable. He saw Wadda rin extending his legs into a posture, so he copied. The trampoline stretched back out and Max sprung back into the air.

  “AAAAHHH!” Max shrieked as he flew back into the sk
y.

  Max could see the treetops again with Wadda rin below.

  “WooooooooHooo! YeeEAAAHHH!” He screamed into the air with excitement.

  Wadda rin smiled up at him then turned forward.

  Chapter 5

  Quietly they crept up a mount overlooking the glade, a few yards away from where Wadda rin peeked at Max days earlier.

  Max slid his PM-10 up and aimed it at the camp.

  Though the scope, the sight moved about the scene as if it had a mind of its own, Max made it zoom in on Riven 5. It had willows and branches all over it.

  The crew must've camouflaged it.

  A text appeared below the screen: NO MOVEMENT.

  The scope panned beyond the shuttle to the camp and fixed itself on three empty lounge chairs, but there were no people. The camp was abandoned.

  Max figured the dead campfire was two days old. The embers were burned to white powder. A single tent was up, so he turned his scope to it. No life signs appeared below the screen.

  Max sighed and lifted his gun up.

  He slid the gun around his back.

  At his side, Wadda rin silently stared at the camp too.

  “Wadda rin,” Max whispered. “Stay here.”

  Wadda rin didn't respond only stared ahead at the campsite.

  Max moved back.

  Slowly, he walked along the hedge walling the glade. He peeked over to see it was clear, then he quietly made his way to the next tree. He snuck a little farther ahead and reached foliage walling the camp. Max slid his gun back around, bending the scope down. He took a deep breath, then burst through the foliage on the camp. Two birds flew off toward the river.

  Max panned his gun around and saw no one. He walked about the camp examining objects and tents but found no one. He relaxed his gun.

  He gestured Wadda rin over. Wadda rin slowly came out of the bushes and made his way across the glade.

  Max looked down and saw empty cups, blankets, bags of trash, and chairs strewn about. He walked over to the tent. The flaps dangled in the wind, but no one was in there.

  He bent down and looked over a blanket and lamp. He grabbed the flying flap and saw a note: Donald and Terry Wang.

  “This was your camp?” Wadda rin asked.

  “Yeah,” Max replied throwing the flap away.

  “Max there's some fish.” Wadda rin pointed to skillet by the dead fire pit. The fish looked like trout, purple skin. Max shouldered his gun and picked up the skillet and pushed the button, it released the fish.

  He pushed another button and it vibrated, buzzed, and folded itself into a clip. Wadda rin smiled in fascination. Max delighted in his amazement and threw the clip aside.

  Max stood pondering what happened? Where are they?

  Wadda rin picked up the clip and examined it. Max looked at him with his little bushy head, Ghrin pants, vest and sandals wondering at his world’s objects.

  They heard noises in the distance to the south. Max pulled Wadda rin behind him. They ducked behind a tree. Max trained his gun toward the glade.

  The noise got louder.

  The sound was soon made out to be Waywongs yelling to each other. Max looked down at Wadda rin. “It’s the Waywongs”. He shouldered his gun and stood up.

  “Max! Dangerous!” Wadda rin yelled.

  Max glanced at him but ignored the warning and walked into the glade.

  Rylat and his warriors burst out of the trees running into the glade, more swung down behind them. They came up to Max.

  “Run!” Rilat yelled.

  He ran past Max.

  A small herd of Rourds burst through the foliage.

  Max lifted his gun and said, “shotgun.”

  “SHOTGUN,” the gun repeated.

  “MAX!” Wadda rin yelled, yanking on his jacket.

  “Max get down! Raidins!” Wadda rin then bent over and grabbed his bushy head and sank down to the ground.

  “What?” Max replied at him.

  An arrow zipped past his head.

  “WHOA!” Max yelled ducking down. Humanoids with long sharp ears came walking out of the opposite foliage shooting arrows. Max threw his gun aside and dropped to the ground burying his head. He grabbed Wadda rin and tucked him under him. Max heard streams of arrows whizzing over and soon heard archers walking by him.

  Moments passed, and it grew deathly quiet.

  Max slowly looked up.

  Dead Rourds laid across the ground like pincushion’s full of arrows. A few of the humanoids walked about the Rourds unsheathing swords and slicing the survivors dead.

  He slowly got up off of Wadda rin.

  “Uken won Tywor, Tik Lei Rilate,” Rilat yelled from the bushes. Rilat stood among the bushes looking in every direction yelling, “come on out!” The Waywongs’s arose from various places in the bushes and behind trees, some swung down from treetops.

  Wadda rin's little head shifted to Max then back over as he made his way over.

  Max picked up his gun and followed.

  Hundreds of medieval Knights marched in formation from the forest holding spears and bows. A second column followed riding horses, their armor in the sunlight was almost blinding. Their coat of mail with gilded rivets and belts with daggers, swords in their gauntlets holding shiny hilts and metal armor plating over their arms and shoulders. Metal helmets and visors sparkled in the sun. Some had red silk scarves wrapped around their necks, riding horses.

  Max stood enamored with his mouth open. He had never seen the grandeur of a real Knight army until now.

  Their distinctive features were their ears, long pointy ears sticking out of their helmets.

  “Elves,” Max uttered.

  The Elfish creatures turned at Max’s comment.

  Wadda rin's little face brightened at Max. “Elves? No! Raidins!”

  Wadda rin smiled big showing his white teeth and big jaw.

  Max looked at Wadda rin then backup at the Raidins.

  Rilat and the Waywongs were speaking to the Raidins.

  Max turn to Wadda rin. We have similar creatures like them on earth. They're mythical, but we call them Elves.” Max looked at them stunned. “I guess you have them here too.”

  Something dawned on Max he whipped his head to Wadda rin. “Wadda rin what is your world called?”

  Wadda rin looked at him strangely.

  “My world?” Wadda rin repeated it, confused.

  “Yeah this place,” Max waved his hand around the ground.

  “This place where you live, what do you call it Wadda rin?”

  “South Woodlands,” Wadda rin replied.

  “What about everywhere, your whole world.” Max made a circle with his hands.

  “We call it Chandeera,” a voice from the army answered for Wadda rin.

  Max looked up.

  A soldier came out of the Raidin army. He looked human and had the same armor plating, but more finely-knitted mail. He rode one of the horses and Max noticed they had the same type of headstall, as earth.

  “Are you human? How do you know my language?” Max asked narrowing his eyes.

  “No, I'm not human. I'm Baelyin,” he replied.

  Max could see he was the only Baelyin with the Raidin army.

  The Baelyin walked his beast up to Max and appeared rough and dirty, like the medieval Knights Max saw in films. He was pale with a brown trimmed beard, with a bronze-pinned green cloak.

  “I'm not one of your people. I'm Baelyin from Densmere Kingdom to the North on the coast.” He explained. “I'm Gorro, Commander of Densmere's 3rdArmy.”

  He gestured to the Raidin Leader.

  “This is General Tywor of the Raidin Army.”

  “Max Wilkes,” Max said to him waving awkwardly.

  General Tywor awkwardly nodded.

  Gorro continued to eye Max not knowing what to make of him.

  “You're people used a machine on me. That is why I can understand you.”

  “Me too,” Tywor added.

  Max snapped out of
his wonder and nearly jumped with excitement, at the mention of them.

  “Where are they?” Max yelled, almost squealing.

  Gorro looked at him sternly for a moment, before answering.

  “Your companions told us we would meet you here in the Woodlands. They are on their way to Densmere Kingdom with a small command of our Knights. One of them chose to stay behind to await your arrival, Alex.” Gorro sounded out Alex's name funny.

  “Where?” Max asked almost tripping.

  Wadda rin squinted at Max and his strangeness.

  “Yems City, two days north,” Gorro said gesturing north. “You go by river to Crehling.” He pointed to the river. “A boat awaits you. The Modas will lead you to Yems. The Woodland roads are not safe with the Rourd army invading all over, the Kamptaurs from the north are watching the roads too.”

  “Kamptaurs?” Max asked.

  “Big birds,” Wadda rin replied making a gesture with his little arms.

  “They’re giant birds. Lutherick’s soldiers ride them and shoot balls of fire down.” Gorro explained.

  “Great,” Max responded.

  The crew fell silent for a moment before Rilat jumped to attention, as he spotted a Waywong swinging down to the glade.

  “Our scout!” Rilat yelled to Tywor.

  The scout came up to Rilat. Gen. Tywor walked his horse to Rilat to hear the news. Gorro, Max, and Wadda rin slowly followed.

  Rilat nodded to him, patted him on the back, and turned to everyone.

  “He said the Rourds are still at Ru lee. My father and the rest of our people are making their way to Nuoo South past the Nu River. A couple more Waywongs towns have gathered there too.

  The Rourds sacked all Waywong towns on the south coast. Their ships have been landing since last moon.” Rilat explained.

  General Tywor and Gorro listened attentively and begin to look pensive from the news.

  “How many Rourds?” Gen. Tywor asked.

  “He says over a thousand with five Bloans.” Rilat answered. “He said they're on their way here.”

  Tywor looked down to think for a moment.