The Shadow of Death

by Timothy Smith

  The few hundred that caught the Aelaans Chosen’s gaze were mounted atop the fearsome Aijin. As tamed as they could be, the beasts were still terrifying enough to deserve the distance Razkaul saw fit to have between him and them. And after taking a glance at his Aijin riders, Razkaul continued to speak out loud for all his surrounding troops to hear.

  Razkaul: "With one fell swoop, Kings Height will be razed to the ground, and the so called Peoples of the West eastern flank will be destroyed! The Prophet wills it!" His words igniting cheers from his men.

  After having his fill of hearing his soldiers’ uproar, Razkaul looked down from his horse at his officers, and particularly noticing a specific captain among them.

  Razkaul: "Captain!” He said specifically to a man named Khenir among his officers.

  Khenir: “Yes, Chosen!” He said hastily, replying with a salute.

  Razkaul: “I’ve heard rumors…-” His voice trailed off as Khenir eagerly waited in anticipation before he continued “-Rumors that have been spreading around my men, that our divine warriors powers are not from the gods, but from unsettling alchemic experimentation…” He said slowly, gauging the reaction from the captain, who was sweating nervously.

  Razkaul: “The lies only recently started spreading after I told you my secret. Now tell me, do you have any idea how my men got wind of these rumors in the first place?” Whether Khenir was responsible or not was impossible to tell, as almost any man would panic like he was, considering who was leveling the accusation.

  Khenir: “I… I would never! I have nothing to do with these rumors!” He said as Razkaul eyed him suspiciously, practically glaring in annoyance, unable to determine the truth of the matter.

  Even though he was unsure of the truthfulness of his subordinate’s plea, the suspicion alone had lost him favor.

  Razkaul: “You will be taking two hundred soldiers under your command, and you are to immediately head out to Kings Height. Reports confirm they only have roughly thirty men defending their feeble town. And that's not all, as if to insult us, they're newly enlisted militia!" He spoke with disgust as he proceeded.

  Razkaul: "Show them the error of their ways. Raze their accursed town to the ground! Leave-none-alive!" The captain responded hastily in agreement with a salute.

  Khenir: "It will be done!" And before taking his leave with his men, the Chosen had a few last words.

  Razkaul: “Oh, and Captain!-“ He said firmly, waiting for Khenir to turn around before continuing, “-Do not fail me…” He said threateningly, with a deadly serious tone.

  Not wishing to incur any more of the Chosen’s wrath, Khenir nervously, but hastily nodded back before leading his men from the army’s ranks. And seeing that his order had been followed, Razkaul then waved down one of his soldiers mounted on the Aijin. And as the soldier drew closer Razkaul outstretched his hand, saying demandingly.

  Razkaul: "Keep your distance!-" He said warily while having his eyes fixated on the beast, before continuing to say, "-Do you and your men really have enough confidence in your abilities to control these creatures?"

  The Aijin rider answered Razkaul’s question assuredly, saying, "On my life! Once properly beaten, these beasts can become as reliable as a sword in the hand. You only need to guide their path." The rider said with a confident smile, bringing some slight relief to the Chosen.

  Razkaul: "Good. Once we've routed the infidels’ pathetic excuse of an army.-" And with a sinister grin, he continued to say further, "-I’ll have something special in mind for you and your men."

  ────────

  Back at the town of Kings Height, the three were waiting for several hours. There was no news or anything in particular happening behind the ramparts. Ira in particular was getting more restless than the rest, until he eventually vented his frustrations.

  Ira: "We came all this way, and it looks like we might not even be able to fight. What if the army of the Free Peoples intercepts the Aelaans forces, and the fight is miles away from the town?" After hearing Ira's concerns, Cherise couldn't help but have a hopeful disposition at the potential prospect.

  Well that’s a nice thought…

  Cherise: "As long as we all come home safely. That's more than enough for me." She said with a cheerful smile.

  Theo: “I don't know… The way I see it, if we're going to be accused by Keller of breakings the Order's sacred decrees by getting ourselves mixed up in the war, I figure we might as well actually do it. We wouldn’t want to fall short on anyone’s expectations of us after all, Right?" He said jokingly, but at the same time, seriously.

  Having a confused look on her face after hearing him out. Cherise was mostly surprised that Theo would seriously think his argument would somehow change her mind. She replied to his question, speaking sincerely.

  Cherise: "Theo, I honestly have no idea how to answer that..." All the while Ira had been looking at the two, and seeing their ridiculous conversation, he couldn't help but laugh.

  A few minutes later, they heard one of the militiamen yell out in a slight panic on the wall, saying, "I see them! The Aelaans! They're here!" Upon hearing this, Ira excited exclaimed.

  Ira: "Alright! Time for some payback!" He said boldly, eagerly getting to his feet.

  The militia’s commander quickly made his way to the man who pointed out the Aelaan forces advance, scolding him as he spoke.

  Calbrick: "Steel yourself, soldier! Keep your nerve! We haven’t even gotten started yet!" He said before taking a look over the wall himself, before continuing to speak to his men.

  Calbrick: "We're in luck. This is just a splinter force off their main army." He said confidently, doing his best to hide his own nervousness.

  Immediately after Calbrick said this, the same militiaman said in response, “Sir! They still almost outnumber us almost ten to one!"

  Already on edge himself, the commander’s patience with his subordinate had been exhausted. Grabbing his soldier by his shirt’s collar, Calbrick exclaimed back at his man.

  Calbrick: "We-are-soldiers! And we will stand our ground until aid arrives! So you better get used to the idea and quick!" He said before just as forcefully releasing the man from his grip.

  He’s seems to be really fond of that pep talk. Like yelling at his men, and calling them soldiers’ would make it so. But looking at the state of them, I can’t say I blame him for trying…

  ────────

  To get a better idea of the situation themselves, the three climbed up to look over the wall. They saw the small army of two hundred Aelaans heading their way. Confident in their assured success after seeing the small approaching force, Ira was the only one among their militia who wasn't showing any hint of nervousness at all.

  As the Aelaans made their approach, with every passing second, the men in the militia gradually became more on edge. The gate entering into the city was somewhat narrow, only allowing about five men in at a time, a perfect chokepoint. As Cherise kept her distance away from the wall, Theo and Ira stood side by side, alone on the inner side of the rampart’s gate. Both of them waited anxiously, standing ready for the fight to come, as all the others in the militia were on the walls above. The uneasy tension that settled on the men wouldn’t last for long, as the Aelaans had finally arrived at the town’s gate. The battle for Kings Height had begun.

  CHAPTER 28 – KINGS HEIGHT

  The assault started with the Aelaan forces banging on the primitive gate, and as expected, it didn't take long before it was certain that the sad excuse of a barrier would soon fail. To make matters worse, the gates stability also seemed tied to the militia’s overall morale, which at best was hanging by a thread. During this time, Cherise kept a short distance from the others to be readily available to come to their aid, should her medical skills be required. With the exception of Ira who remained unflinching, all of the town’s defenders were growing increasingly panicked. Even still, Cherise somehow felt that they would somehow make it through all this.

/>   Accompanying their ever louder war cries, the invading forces continued banging on the breaking gate. The flimsy defense it offered was only moments away from failing, when Ira looked over to Theo with a grin, and said excitedly.

  Ira: "This is what we’ve been waiting for! Let the fun begin!" He said honestly in regards to the situation, shocking Theo.

  But before Theo could respond, the gate came crashing down, making way for waves of Aelaan forces rushing on through. Trampling over the gate underfoot, the Aelaans made a frenzied charge straight towards the two foolhardy defenders inside. By appearances alone, the Aelaans before them were not of the same class of warriors, as the empire’s previous soldiers the three had known before. They were less equipped, and less armored than that fateful day in their village. A promising sight in an otherwise bleak situation.

  Keeping her distance as she looked on, Cherise saw the two standing steadfast against the great multitudes. After seeing the whole scene start play out in front of her, she found her confidence wavering.

  This was a mistake! We should’ve never come here!

  Her resolve was shaken by what only her eyes could discern. Black fiends manifested themselves on Ira's back, and nearly every Aelaan soldier who charged through the gates. She now knew that the battle wasn’t merely happening from the schemes of men, but something far worse, more fowl, and sinister in its purpose.

  The darkness is here?! To what end is it getting involved? There must be a reason!

  Facing the enemy head on, Both Theo and Ira were working together, side by side, as they continually, and reliably cut down any Aelaan who dared enter the gates. Whittling their numbers down in size, one by one, the few Aelaan soldiers who made it passed the two were surrounded by men in the militia. After the fighting broke out, it wasn't long before Theo's nervousness was replaced by confidence after such repeated success, as him and Ira both made short work of any foe that face them.

  Similarly, it didn't take long for the Captain of the Aelaan troops to see his men were being systematically killed, time and time again, by the two on the other side of the fallen gate. He ferociously yelled to his men.

  Khenir: "What's the matter with you?! There's only two of them!"

  His angry yells did nothing to stop the duos seemingly impenetrable defense. And realizing the situation was changing for the worst, the Aelaan captain grew increasingly nervous. With a hint of desperation in his voice, he ordered his men aloud.

  Khenir: "The walls are in shambles! Climb them! We will surround these scum on all sides! Once inside, those who are not directly involved in the fighting, set fire to these vermin’s pathetic excuse of a town! Leave nothing standing!"

  On his demand, those who weren't waiting to charge the gate did as their captain had instructed, climbing the poorly maintained walls.

  After seeing the Aelaan soldiers were making their way over the walls, the militia had lost all their remaining courage. Panic quickly filled their ranks as some of the men ran for their lives, deserting, and leaving the others behind. Seeing them flee, the militia commander yelled out to those who ran.

  Calbrick: "Cowards! Get back here!! Stand and fight!"

  But with the continually growing number of deserters’, it was becoming all too clear for the militia commander that the situation would soon be hopeless. Before long, he’d only have enough men left that could be counted on a single hand to remain and fight. It simply wasn’t enough. Seeing these increasingly small numbers couldn’t support a fight against the Aelaans any further, the commander had no other options left. Yelling at the top of his lungs to everyone who’d listen, he exclaimed.

  Calbrick: "We're retreating! Fall back! We no longer have the strength to hold them!" His words spoke true, but any remaining courage his last few men desperately clung onto were extinguished.

  After making his last order, the commander ran to and grabbed Cherise. Forcefully tugging at her arm, he started to run off with her while exclaiming.

  Calbrick: "This is no place to linger! We've got to get out of here!" He said anxiously, pulling her along, and ignoring her resistance and pleas as she defiantly yelled.

  Cherise: "No! I can't leave them!" She said desperately while frantically pointing to Ira and Theo, as she resisted Calbrick’s pulling at her arm

  In the heat of battle, by thanks of their comrades fleeing their posts, and the Aelaans who had climbed over the walls, Ira and Theo had become surrounded on all sides. Both were at each other’s back, Theo facing the fallen gate, with Ira facing towards the town’s center, and that's how Ira noticed it.

  At first to his pleasant surprise, Ira saw that Cherise was being forcibly pulled away from the fighting by the militia commander. Unfortunately, the two weren't only noticed by him, as Ira also caught wind of some Aelaan soldiers’ following in pursuit of them both. It would likely only be a matter of time before they’d catch up to the commander and Cherise. After seeing the pursuers behind her, Ira glanced at Theo and yelled out in a panic.

  Ira: "They're after Cherise!" He said before Theo briefly glanced over his shoulder for a second.

  Theo saw the Aelaan troops already starting to set fire to the town behind him, but that was the extent of it. Cherise was already out of his sight. Even though he couldn’t verify it for himself, he had no reason to believe Ira was lying, especially after seeing his panicked expression.

  With a cold sweat running down his face, Theo was getting tired from the constant fighting. And at the thought of facing these enemies alone terrified him, as he barely mustered the courage to utter the following words.

  Theo: "Ira, go back.-" And as if accepting his fate, with a fierce determination he exclaimed louder, "-What are you waiting for?! Go after Cherise! Save her!! I'll handle the rest!!" He said firmly, confident in his decision, hiding his fear.

  Only giving Theo a slight nod in return, Ira had no choice but to believe he'd see his close friend again. Charging his way back, Ira tried his hardest to quickly get to Cherise, as he fought through the soldiers that were in his path. They proved to be quite a larger obstacle than he anticipated. There were just so many enemies in his way, Ira then started to fear he might not make it back to her in time.

  As Ira’s advance forward was stalled greatly, he was getting increasingly desperate and reckless in his pursuit forward. Ira started forsaking any defensive maneuvers for offensive ones to quicken his approach to Cherise. Somehow he managed to make his way through the foes in front of him, but his desperate charge forward made it impossible for him to avoid cuts from the enemies all around him. In such short time, Ira had new scars to add to his fresh wounds from lashings. But it mattered to him little. Breaking free from his adversaries, he was now only concerned on one singular thing, Cherise.

  ────────

  Running through Kings Height’s main road, the militia commander and Cherise were fleeing for their lives. Both of them were about to be set upon by four Aelaan soldiers in close pursuit. The Aelaans continually decreased their distance on the two with every passing second. Seeing the futility of their escape, the commander suddenly let go of Cherise's hand before yelling out to her.

  Calbrick: "Get out of here! I'll hold them off!" To which she defiantly responded to his request.

  Cherise: "I'm not leaving them, and I'm not leaving you!" Visibly upset, the commander snapped back at her.

  Calbrick: "Damn stubborn girl! Fine! Just stay behind me!" He said as he positioned himself before the four Aelaans.

  One of the four soldiers lunged forward with his blade that the commander deflected, which Calbrick followed through shortly after by cutting the first Aelaan down.

  Another one of the soldiers immediately followed after the first soldiers assault, plunging their entire sword through Calbrick’s stomach.

  Coughing up blood, the commander defiantly glared back at the man who’d dealt him a killing blow. Calbrick grabbed ahold of the soldier with his free arm, before bringing his own sword into positio
n. The commander then pierced his blade into the man’s stomach, returning the favor. Shortly afterward, both the commander and the second Aelaan soldier fell to the ground from their wounds, dying.

  With teary eyes, Cherise ran over and knelt down besides Calbrick, exclaiming.

  Cherise: "No! Don't you die on me!" And unable to speak, he gave no response to her request.

  It was clear to see, he was only moments away from passing. The only thing preventing him from immediately bleeding out was the same blade that ran him through, being firmly stuck in his stomach. He was as good as dead, for no amount of skill she’d learned in the medicinal arts could turn back time.

  Is this my fault? If not for me, would he have even been here?

  Wallowing in the grief stricken moment, as she knelt beside Calbrick in his last seconds, Cherise had momentarily forgotten the ever present threat.

  One of the last two soldiers laughed at Cherise’s misery as he slowly made his approach. Only a few feet away, he stood ominously over her. His laughter stopped as he took a long look at Cherise, and a wicked expression found itself planted firmly on his face.

  Looking up, Cherise saw the man had an unusually large shadowed fiend emerging from his back. Monstrous in its form, and judging by the man’s ill-intentioned eyes peering all over her, it only meant one thing.

  If the Aelaan soldier’s plans for Cherise weren’t already clear enough, he said, "You don't look half bad. Before I kill you, I think I’m going to be having myself a little bit of fun." He said with a crooked grin, sending shivers down her spine.

  CHAPTER 29 – INTERVENTION

  Heart racing as a nervous sweat came down her face. At this point, Calbrick was beyond saving, and her own situation was a little less dire. In her panic, Cherise forced her trembling body to stand. Once on her feet, she ran as fast as her legs could take her. As soon as she moved, immediately the last two soldiers were following her in hot pursuit, not far behind.