by M J Webb
Ben looked at each of his companions in turn as he thought long and hard about the decision. Then he gave a characteristic reply.
“Hmmmnn... Let’s see now. Eh, I tell ya what, this is just like one of those game shows ya mum watches on telly, innit?”
He pretended to adjust an imaginary tie as he made ready to do his best gameshow host impersonation. “Ahem… Contestant, will you choose box number one? A long ride into enemy held territory, into an ambush by heavily armoured warriors who almost certainly outnumber you and can’t wait to hack off your head. Where your chances of survival are nil? Or... Will you choose the second box? A perilous flight to a city under siege by an army of ferocious zombies who are just about to storm the wall and kill every living soul, safe in the knowledge that they are invincible and your weapons cannot hurt them?”
He glanced at the others to see if they were laughing along with him. They weren’t. But, he decided he had gone this far so he might as well finish what he had started.
“...Gee, thanks Bob. I think I’ll take option one if I may? If I win, can I have the gold plated pencil?”
Jake shook his head slightly as he suddenly realised that his best mate would never change. Ben would never take life too seriously it seemed, no matter how dire the circumstances. But actually, Jake was feeling rather pleased and incredibly glad of that fact. He knew that Ben was dealing with the extraordinary events on Estia far better than he ever believed his friend would have, better than he would have done if the situation were reversed and he did not possess the extraordinary powers of a Keeper. He placed a hand on his friends shoulder as he attempted to draw a line under the discussion and bring it to a close.
“Right then, that’s decided, you’re going with Verastus. We need to move, come on guys, up and at ‘em.” They all finished off their drinks quickly and went outside to begin the long walk to where they had left the horses.
Sometime later, they reached the field on the edge of the city and found the stallions waiting for them. They each said a quick goodbye and in no time at all they were ready to depart. Tien was the first to leave, he climbed up on his horse, waved his arm and the stallion flapped its wings, taking off majestically and heading into the evening sky. Ben watched him depart and then took hold of Verastus’ helping hand. He struggled to get up but managed to climb awkwardly into the saddle behind the giant Falorian, feeling a little squashed but eager to get moving. They were just about to go when Ben suddenly lifted the bag with the box of stones inside from around his neck and handed it to Jake.
“Here mate, I think you’d better have these now. I’ve looked after ‘em long enough and we don’t wanna risk upsetting the spirits again, do we? After all, there’s no telling what might happen from here on and you’re ‘the special one’, I’m nothing,” he said, smiling warmly at his friend.
Jake shook his head as he made an instant and heartfelt reply. “No Ace, as usual, you’ve got it all wrong. I’m here because I was born to it, it’s in my genes and it was always gonna be I suppose, I know that now. But, you’re here for no other reason than you’re the best friend a boy could ever have. It’s my fault and I want you to know that I know it. That makes you pretty goddam special in my book!”
Ben Brooker choked back a tear and swallowed to suppress the lump which had just developed in his throat. He hated this kind of ‘sentimental claptrap’ because he really didn’t know how to deal with it. His face was now bright red.
“Aghh, go on, get outa here, ya big jessy! And don’t you go gettin’ yourself killed or summin’, you hear?”
He kicked his horse hard and it bolted immediately, running a short distance before its wings unfurled and it flew off to find Brraall and his people, somewhere on the Plains of Etriol.
Jake was suddenly left all alone with only his horse for company. An icy cold shiver travelled swiftly down his spine as the realisation dawned on him. He began to feel very nervous. Everything he had done so far since the moment he and Ben had entered the attic had been with the help and assistance of his friends, be they real live persons or otherwise. Human, Mynaen, Estian or spirit, someone had always been on hand to turn to if needed, and he had been extremely grateful for it. But now, there was no one with whom he could share the experience, no one to help shoulder the burden or carry him through to the finish line that all of a sudden seemed so far off in the distance. It was all down to him. He knew that he had to complete his mission in time to save the thousands of soldiers and civilians trapped at Dassilliak.
Without the constant chatter and upbeat banter of his best friend, the silence was deafening. Jake didn’t like it. He hated it in fact. He had grown used to having his friend around and something just didn’t feel right when he wasn’t there, as if he was missing a limb or something.
He flicked the reigns and began his long journey south.
Chapter 28
Dawn – 26th August – The Plains of Etriol – Nadjan
It was a cool, cloudy morning on the wide expanse of shallow grasslands that constituted the Plains of Etriol. Brraall and his people were stretched out in two long columns, meandering their way across the landscape, following a worn our dirtpath which led to Dassilliak. Up ahead in the distance, concealed within the confines of a natural trench and well hidden from sight, waiting to launch a sudden and surprise assault upon the tribal leader and his warriors, was a force of some two thousand army regulars. They were all ferocious mercenaries who had fought for King Vantrax over many years. The mixed assortment of warriors had been out of the line for some months, kicking their heels in the King’s fortifications as part of the rest and rotation policy employed by their commander in order to keep his troops fresh. They were spoiling for a fight. This would be an ambush of epic proportions, every conceivable advantage was theirs, and the totally unsuspecting and unprepared inhabitants of Readal forest, were marching happily to their doom!
The long tribal columns were not yet in sight, but the dustclouds they kicked up as they rode and walked across the landscape were just about visible to the eager soldiers of King Vantrax’ army, rising into the sky like the smoke from a recently lit funeral pyre.
“Aghrresst!”
Brraall suddenly and inexplicably stopped his army without warning. The experienced warrior had just experienced the strangest of sensations. He was at a total loss to explain it. A shudder of immense proportions had made its way down his body, from the tip of his shoulders to the end of his toes. All of a sudden, he felt a little nauseous and his stomach seemed to be doing cartwheels, as if he had forgotten something vitally important and he could not remember what it was, no matter how hard he tried. His concerned warriors went to help him, but he dismissed their offers with a flick of his hand as he searched the surrounding countryside for any clues as to what had brought about this abrupt change in his body. He looked calmly for any signs of trouble. He could see nothing but open countryside and naught which would explain what was happening. A long and exhaustive, visual search of the skies above revealed nothing also.
Although he was convinced that something was wrong, without any indication as to what it was or any proof that he was correct, he decided to push on.
Then, just as he was about to kick his horse and get underway again, his eyes suddenly caught sight of a small, black spec, far off in the distant sky. He stared at it for several minutes and watched in wonder and amazement beside his people as it grew larger and larger, until it could be identified clearly. Gasps, cries and shouts filled the air as the tribal warriors realised it was a flying horse!
They began falling to their knees and chanting at it as if it was some kind of God. Brraall ordered them to stand and they obeyed. The people fell silent and horse and riders landed before them. Ben and Verastus had been riding all night. They were exhausted and bitterly cold.
Several minutes earlier, the two companions had just about given up all hope of finding the columns in time to save them. They had resigned themselves to the failure of
their mission. But suddenly, a mightily relieved and ecstatic Ben had spotted the warriors on the plains below.
“Whey-hey! W-w-we’ve d-done it!” he had cried, through his chattering teeth. “Th-there they are! Th-this h-horse must h-have s-some kind of r-radar or s-s-summin.’”
“Ben, I share your joy at completing our task, but can you please stop speaking of things from your world that I have no knowledge of? Radar? What is that? No, not now, it is not important. I believe we should get down as fast as we can, I see trouble ahead, look!” Verastus had replied, pointing at the unmistakeable lines of the awaiting enemy.
Ben had shifted his gaze and his high spirits had been dashed. “Oh crap! There’s way too many of ‘em, what we gonna do?”
“First, we warn Brraall. Then, we fight. We have to, we have no choice. We cannot allow this force to march on Dassilliak and Jake needs our help. These are desperate times, Ben. The caution we may have employed in years gone by is a luxury we no longer have. It is all or nothing for us now I am afraid. The war has begun and we must not be daunted by the odds we face. As you yourself have said, it is, ‘Game on.’”
“Ha, ha... Okay, big man. See? You do get it. We’ll make an Englishman of you yet. Let’s go then.”
The horse retracted its wings and the crowd of tribespeople who had surrounded it purred with delight. They stared with wondrous eyes as their leader spoke to the two travellers.
“Now, that was some entrance my friends, why are you here? Why do you appear before us now? The plan was to meet at Dassilliak. What has happened?” the battle hardened warrior enquired.
“You are...” began Verastus.
“It’s a trap!” cried Ben suddenly, interrupting his friend in his excitement. “They’re over there, thousands of them! They’re lying in wait for you and they were about to attack. What we gonna do?”
“Calm yourself Ben,” replied Brraall. “You have warned us in time and we can now plan for them, though it is extremely fortunate that you arrived when you did, and I thank you both, we owe you a great debt. I knew something was wrong, I have never been so certain of anything before, but I did not know what it was and we had to... Yarr, no matter. Thousands you say? And we have to go right through them. There is no other option. We cannot go around for we have no time. Raarr!”
“Brraall, you do not have enough warriors for a battle on this scale, not here and not now, you know it!” stated Verastus.
“Yes, I know. If only there was some way of...”
“Knesh, you need Knesh! A tactical genius who is used to fighting against such odds and who has experience you can use. He’s the best there is and he’s...” shouted Ben.
“Not here!” interrupted Verastus, forcefully. “He cannot help us now, he is dead. He appears for Jake and Tien, maybe Zephany too, but it is not on demand and not for us. There is no point mentioning his name Ben, we have to fend for ourselves and we should...”
“You should accept that things have changed from what they once were, Verastus. We have all committed ourselves to the cause now, heart, body and soul. I am two down I know, but the third is a force to be reckoned with, and it is yours for as long as you need it. Even the spirits risk everything on this final act in the hope and belief that we will be victorious eventually, and the Keeper will prevail. They are certain of ...”
Once again, a voice had appeared from out of nowhere and it was coming from right behind them. Ben turned around swiftly to see that the Ruddite Gerada’s image was before him as clear as day. His heart leapt with joy. He had to stop himself from crying as the emotion welled up inside of him.
“Knesh! I knew it. I knew you wouldn’t let us down, not if you could find a way to help. I’m sorry I left you, I never had time to say a proper goodbye, I...”
“Shush, Ben. You have nothing to apologise for and I am very proud of you for all you have done. We have no time to discuss such things now. The Heynai are using all of their energy to keep me here so that I may help you. They are doing far too much and they risk losing their powers for good, I must be brief. Have faith, all of you, continue on your march and do not deviate from this path, even though it leads you straight into the heart of your enemy. Be quick, but above all be silent. I will take care of the rest. Know now that you will make it safely through to the battlefield, but you shall have enemies to your front and rear when you arrive. I must go now, I hope to see you again and bear witness to your final victory, but in truth I cannot guarantee it, for I am not certain that it will happen. Good luck.”
With that, the vision disappeared as quickly as it had formed, to the immense disappointment of everyone there, especially the youngster from Lichfield.
“Eh? Where’s he gone? Knesh! What did that mean? Is he coming back?”
Verastus shrugged his shoulders. He gazed at Brraall and saw immediately that the warrior was equally as stunned and confused as him. “I do not know Ben, I cannot answer your question for I have far more of my own that I would like to ask. Yes my young friend, I have plenty of questions but no answers, and I do not like it!”
“Neither do I,” said Brraall, in a stern voice. “Walk my people straight into the jaws of an awaiting beast? Lead them to the slaughter? Send them to their deaths on the word of a ghost I do not know and have never met before? Is that what I am supposed to do? No, this is too much to ask. We have to take action now. If we walk into the trap that has been laid for us, we will be massacred. We must plan what we are going to do, stop and organise ourselves.”
“No!” stated Ben firmly, suddenly feeling an irresistible urge to speak. “I’m sorry Brraall, but you’re wrong. You have to trust me. Knesh is... Err, he was, the greatest leader in the history of Rhuaddan. There is nothing he doesn’t know about warfare. He will get your people through if anyone can.”
“He is right, Brraall. He speaks from the heart but it is the truth nevertheless. Knesh has no equal that I know of when it comes to command,” added Verastus. “He will not let your race die here on this plain.”
Brraall thought about it carefully for a few moments before turning to his aids and issuing his orders. The warriors fell back in line and they moved off swiftly, heading for the awaiting enemy, praying to their Gods that Ben and Verastus were right.
***
The Retian commander of the force which was waiting to launch the ambush scoured the distant sky. He could not believe what he saw. The faint dustcloud he had spotted had all of a sudden disappeared! He rubbed his eyes and looked again, refusing to believe that it was gone and thinking that his eyes were now ‘playing tricks on him.’
‘Was it a figment of my imagination? Did I dream it?’ he asked himself. ‘No, I could have sworn...’
He had no time to dwell on it. He was suddenly distracted by one of his soldiers pointing towards the south western sky. A far more distinctive dustcloud had just appeared, indicating that an even closer and larger force was approaching their position from completely the wrong direction to all of his previous reports. It was a worrying development for the young commander which had him questioning himself and what action he should take, as his forces were now positioned incorrectly if they were going to attack.
“What the...? This cannot be right!” he cried frantically. “The enemy should not be there. They will pass us by and break through to the city unless we march to intercept them!”
“But sir! What about the...?” replied one of his trusted captains.
“What about what?” rasped the commander, frustrated and enraged by the sudden development. “Do you see anything out there? Do you?” he screamed, pointing to the open plain and the long columns of advancing tribesmen. “Any sign at all of the enemy? Any reason to remain where we are and ignore what we see?”
The soldier raised his head above the ridge and looked long and hard. He saw nothing but the shallow grasslands. He lowered himself back down and shook his head slowly.
“No, neither do I. We have to react to this new threat and we have to m
ove quickly. Give the orders, the enemy is over in that direction and they have to be stopped at all costs!”
Thousands of warriors moved as fast as they possibly could. The army redeployed to intercept an enemy which had caught them completely off guard.
About three hours later, they reached a large open valley, at the end of which they could clearly see the entire tribal army waiting for them, ready to do battle. The experienced mercenaries wasted no time at all. They formed up quickly into their much practiced battlelines and their leader gave the order to charge. Thousands of warriors ran across the open fields, weapons raised and screaming for all they were worth, as they headed straight for the centre of the enemy’s lines.