Crown of Vengeance

by Stephen Zimmer

  “My lord, forgive me, but should we not return to our forces?” Cenferth asked, plaintively. “We need you there.”

  “Go and take most of the others with you, but I must now keep my word to a good man,” Aethelstan instructed Cenferth, while moving over to his horse. He began to unroll the mail shirt, donning it before retrieving his helm and shield. Putting on his helm, and slinging the shield across his back again, he remounted his steed. “Just remember this. If I did not keep my word, I would not be any kind of man that you would find need of.”

  Cenferth’s morose expression showed that he did not fully agree with Aethelstan, but the warrior knew better than to question or argue with the man that he had pledged himself to.

  Aethelstan gripped the reins of Wind Runner. It felt reassuring to feel the saddle under him once again, even though he knew that the massive cats could easily run down a horse in the narrow confines of the thick woodlands.

  All of his men volunteered to accompany him, but he was not about to take a large escort. He designated a very select few of his household guard to accompany him, bidding the others to go with Cenferth back to the Saxan camp.

  The men assigned to go with Cenferth, having heard Aethelstan’s tidings, accepted their charge well enough and did not voice objection. The sooner that they returned, the sooner that their fellow Saxans could brace themselves, and prepare for what was to come.

  Aethelstan gently patted the neck of the gray stallion, and said consolingly, “Wind Runner, it is not yet time for us to go back. We must keep a promise.”

  As if understanding him, the horse started to trot back along the trail at the first nudge from Aethelstan. Its own unease spurred it forward more quickly than Aethelstan wanted, causing him to rein the steed in a little.

  Aethelstan’s selected warriors fell in behind him on their mounts, as they settled into a steady pace. The light of day had already reached its apex, and the sun was now beginning its long and slow descent through the later afternoon towards night. Soon the growing shadows would begin to permeate the woods, lowering the already dim ambience under the trees even further.

  Seeing what he had seen, Aethelstan wanted to be back in the camp when night settled in full. He doubted that any of his men thought any differently, even if they had not beheld the sharp, long daggers coming down from the upper jaws of the massive cats. The raw, frightening image was emblazoned upon his mind, and he did not think that it would fade anytime soon.

  Aethelstan and his men rode in disciplined silence among the trees, proceeding towards the demesne of the reclusive woodsman Gunther. Left to his thoughts, the thane simply hoped that Cenferth and the others made it safely back to the main encampment. Both of their groups had important warnings that needed to be conveyed.

  JANUS

  Janus sat idly, long after the mysterious youth had disappeared. The peaceful scene around him had continued unabated, with no sight or sound of anyone else.

  Were it not for the great shadow that snapped his consciousness to a full, wary alertness, he might well have opted to fall asleep underneath the sparkling night sky. The vast form that crossed overhead was like a complete blotting out of the bright moonlight, thrusting Janus into the icy chill of a deep darkness that settled over his heart. He shivered as he stared up into the sky, the sense of serenity that he had been enjoying now shattered.

  It looked as if a solid black cloud was spread wide above him, but then some light crept around the edges of the great shape. Outlined in moonlight, the form looked to be a winged body, with an elongated tail. It moved too swiftly in the light breeze of the night, and Janus knew without a doubt that what he gazed upon was no cloud.

  He scrambled to his feet as his heart jumped and began to thunder within his chest. Every inch of his being screamed out a dire alarm. A second massive form followed the first, bearing the same ovular outline of a head, a lengthy body with unimaginably broad wings, and an extended tail trailing behind. His body constricting rapidly with fear, Janus recognized the presence above of two mammoth creatures, even as several frantic cries arose from the village warriors serving on the night’s watch.

  He knew instinctively, to his great chagrin, that the giant forms boded tremendous horrors for the Onan village.

  Janus started to run back towards the longhouse where his friends slept, crying out urgently himself. His voice added to the few desperate shouts of warning that were loosed just before the ground reverberated with a number of prominent thumps. The sickening sounds of wood smashing and splintering rose up all around him. Jerking his head skyward, he caught the dismaying sight of a host of large objects raining down from the sky.

  Commanding his legs to move as fast as he possibly could, he raced desperately for the hide entry-flap of the longhouse where his companions were resting. He ran faster than he had ever run before in his life, bursting through the flap and nearly falling to the ground as he entered the longhouse.

  Somehow keeping his feet under him, he burst through the storage vestibule and the next opening, streaking down the center of the chambers while shouting out hysterically. Many villagers leaped up from where they were sleeping, their eyes wide with fear, as they all felt the thunderous impact of the torrential assault underway outside.

  “We are being attacked! Something is attacking the village, from the air!” Janus exclaimed, rousing his friends and the other occupants of the longhouse. “We need to get out of here, now! Everyone! Get away from the village! There’s no time! Get out, get away!”

  “What is it?” Erika shouted to him as he entered their own quarters, her face reflecting the alarm and confusion gripping her.

  The crashing sounds of destruction outside the longhouse were now mingled with cries of terror and pain, as the furious assault mounted with greater intensity.

  “Huge creatures, in the sky. Get out, get out!” Janus yelled quickly, roughly grabbing at Antonio and Derek, who were closest to him, and shoving them along. “Get out now!”

  As if to emphasize his frantic urgings, a large rock tore through the roof of their own chamber. Its impact cast a mess of shards and splinters all about where it smashed the sleeping platform where Logan had just been lying mere seconds before.

  Another great stone crashed through the chamber next to them, and Janus looked in horror as it struck a village woman, killing her instantly in front of her husband and children. Yet another ripped through the roof and landed just beyond the entrance to the next chamber, throwing up a mass of dirt and debris.

  “We can’t stay here!” Erika cried, pulling forcefully at Logan, who had frozen in indecision. “Come on! Out everyone!”

  Following Erika and Janus, the group hurriedly made their way through the chambers to exit the longhouse. They had to hurdle over some debris, and Antonio tripped on a fallen boulder.

  Janus doubled back as he heard Antonio cry out, gripping his hand and yanking him back to his feet in an adrenalized surge of effort, born from desperation. He nearly dragged Antonio through the last chambers as they made their way towards the exit of the stricken longhouse.

  The other longhouse occupants had been alerted by Janus’ passage and the surging commotion. Foreigners and villagers alike shoved and jostled frantically to get to the outside.

  A chaotic scene met their eyes as they ran out into the open ground. It was as if the most malevolent and enormous of hailstorms had been unleashed upon the village. Large boulders continued to rain down upon longhouses, crushing the edifices, as well as striking and killing many of the terrified, wide-eyed villagers running about. Some small fires had broken out where falling stones had strewn burning wood and sparks among the longhouse structures. Only the absence of stronger winds prevented the fires from quickly escalating into larger infernos.

  Janus and the others did not hesitate for a moment, as they bolted for the main entryway to the village.

  “Darroks!” Ayenwatha shouted out from nearby. He yelled to any that would hear him. “Go to the river!
Go to the river!”

  Heeding Ayenwatha’s call, Janus shouted out to his own group and any villagers nearby, “To the river! To the river!”

  He saw Ayenwatha racing down amid rows of longhouses, accompanied by several Onan warriors. They were out of sight in just a few seconds.

  Janus and the others did not stop to consider why Ayenwatha would race in towards the very center of the bombardment. Janus and his companions hurried across the open ground towards the front gateway in the outer palisade.

  Rocks fell to their right, left, in front and in back of them. More cries filled the air, but fortune remained with the outsiders as none were stricken, though Antonio and Janus both came within just a couple paces of being pulverized by one large boulder. They finally won their way unscathed past the open gate of the village and started down the long hill slope.

  In his panic, Kent lost his footing, tumbling down the slope. Derek caught up to him, and helped his friend up quickly. The others barely kept to their feet in their own frenzied haste, but all made it safely to the base of the large hill.

  Janus, now trailing the others, took long, leaping strides as he covered the last part of the slope. The seven continued forward through the darkness, heading amongst the trees. Enough light filtered down from the clear night sky over them that they did not stumble about blindly, and were able to keep moving forward in a relatively orderly manner.

  Though fading, the dismaying sounds of fear and wailing, mixed with the crackling and splintering of wood, followed them as they strove for the river’s edge. Above and behind them, a hellish glow now lit the summit of the hill from the fires burning within the doomed village.

  From the base of the hill and on through the surrounding trees towards the edge of the river, there were no rocks or other debris falling from the sky. The stillness among the trees was a jarringly stark contrast to the unbridled assault being levied upon the village.

  Out of immediate danger, calmer thought processes gradually returned to Janus. The group had slowed their pace to assess their situation, as they finally reached the water’s edge.

  A number of terrified villagers were now gathering near to them, increasingly becoming a larger assemblage as other survivors streamed in from the beleaguered village.

  Janus’ heart sank precipitously. The sight around him was anguishing. Mothers and fathers carried small, crying children. Those that had reached the water were frantically looking about for any sign of their family members and friends. Those finding the ones that they sought rushed to embrace their loved ones.

  Some children looked around in grief and sheer bewilderment, with no sign of the parents that had urged them to run to safety. Older villagers collapsed to the ground, the surge of energy brought by desperation now betraying the frailty of their elderly bodies.

  Janus and many of the others looked skyward nervously, searching for signs of the horrific beasts that had terrorized the village. The creatures were not hard to see, as they circled slowly around in the sky far above the hill, honing in again on the village at its summit.

  The immense shapes filled the darkened sky, obscuring large expanses of stars behind them. They were monstrosities evoked from the abyss of nightmares, though what they were Janus could not say. Their wingspan was extraordinary, and it was hard to believe that such titans could remain airborne.

  As he observed them, Janus’ eyes were gradually drawn towards a most surprising sight, one that was silhouetted against the relatively clear skies.

  His eyes straining to make out further details, he could see a flurry of movement occurring along the top of the beasts’ long backs, as well as what looked to be some type of artificial structures astride the creatures. He surmised quickly that those concerted movements were the source of the torrent of destruction descending from the flying monsters.

  With a sickening sense of absolute helplessness, he could see the shadowy shapes of numerous rocks plummeting down from the creatures towards the hapless village on the hill. As his eyes took in the deadly storm, his ears were filled with the sobs and cries of the adults and children huddled in small groups all around him.

  He was only a guest, with little more in his possession than the clothes on his back. The villagers, on the other hand, were watching their homes, families, and friends being destroyed right before their eyes.

  As the initial shock of it began to wear off, the terrible scene transpiring was overwhelming. Against the backdrop of the aggrieved litany, his eyes watered up with tears fueled by sorrow and pure, righteous anger.

  He sank down to his knees, as his gaze scanned the debilitating sights of the shattered families gathered near to him. He witnessed expressions of tremendous sadness that he knew would stay ingrained forever in his memory.

  He stared off as if to gaze beyond the tragic visions, seeking the numbness of emptiness. Yet he could not escape the sights, for there were far too many.

  Janus felt a hollow sensation opening deep within him, as a strongly-built tribal warrior stumbled towards them out of the trees. He was straining with an elderly woman carried across his back and an unconscious child in his arms.

  The elderly woman was alert, and had her thin arms and legs wrapped around the warrior as he bore her weight.

  Janus then noticed the awkward angle of the child’s lower right leg, bent at a place where no natural joint existed. That the child was not awake was a great mercy. The warrior’s face held both exhaustion and a grim resolve, yet another vivid memory that would remain etched in Janus’ mind.

  The renewed shock of the moment gradually wore off, though a feeling of grief subsequently magnified within him. The sight of the elderly woman reminded Janus of the old people in the village who could not have run out as he and his friends had.

  He buried his face in his hands, his chest heaving with sobs, as he felt a wave of shame and guilt at having abandoned the village so hastily. He had acted without thinking, rushing out when he should have stayed and tried to help as the warrior had.

  “But what could I have done?” he stammered in a low voice, aloud to himself, as an abyss of sadness tore at him. “I should have stayed and helped. I should have stayed …”

  He then felt a firm but gentle hand on his shoulder. “You saved me.”

  Looking up through the haze of his tear-fogged eyes, he saw Logan standing next to him, with a somber expression on his face. The sight of Logan made him think back to the sleeping platform, and where he had seen Logan get off of it at Janus’ frantic urging. He remembered the jagged mass of rock that had smashed the platform to shards moments later, exploding down through the bark-paneled roof. His return back into the longhouse had roused Logan just in time. If Janus had arrived even seconds later, Logan would have been killed.

  “You came back in, when you could have run out, and you saved me, you saved the others, and you raised an alarm,” Logan said firmly. “There are many out here that may well have died if you had not run back.”

  “But still, I should have stayed,” Janus replied, feeling horribly about the elderly villagers who had likely been trapped by nothing more than the weaknesses of their physical bodies.

  “Who could possibly think up there?” Logan asked him, looking off towards the fire-encompassed hilltop. “The whole place was coming down. Smashed to bits, set on fire, people running everywhere. There was nothing that we really could do, but react.”

  Logan sighed and shook his head. “I wish I was not so helpless, and could do something more. I wish I could, but we do not have magic abilities, Janus. We’re just human … and until I find a way to something more, I can’t expect to have more power than what we have in these limited bodies. …”

  Logan deliberately turned his eyes skyward, but not before Janus caught a darker mood spreading across the other’s countenance. Janus quietly stared at Logan, wondering what kinds of thoughts were running through his mind.

  Even from the side, Janus could see Logan’s eyes visibly narrowing, in sud
den reflex to something he saw. Janus was drawn to follow Logan’s line of sight on up into the sky. Near to the huge flying beasts in the sky, a number of smaller forms could be seen darting amid the behemoth airborne masses.

  It was in that moment that Janus suddenly came to realize where Ayenwatha had been headed to, when he had run off into the center of the maelstrom with the other warriors.

  AYENWATHA

  There was nothing else that the flying hulks could be other than Darroks. Gallean traders had spoken of tremendous monstrosities of the air, flying in the skies around Avalos to the west, which were being trained to serve some purpose of the Unifier’s. They had spoken with awe of the sheer vastness of the creatures. Some found them to be a simulacrum of dragons.

  The incredible size being unquestionable, most were not altogether certain about the latter claim, as dragons had not been seen in the western lands for so many years. Yet Ayenwatha could not disagree that the beasts before him certainly evoked references to the winged legends.

  Ayenwatha guided Arax upward resolutely, in the lead of the nearly thirty defenders that were streaking up from the village towards the bulky forms of the Darroks.

  The warriors raced directly at the front of the Darroks, the beasts’ forms growing ever larger, with each passing second. Their hearts raced as they sped unhesitatingly towards a desperate battle.

  There was no real hope of bringing the creatures down outright, which the warriors with Ayenwatha quickly discovered on their first approach. The thick, leathery hides of the Darroks could easily turn simple arrows aside, and their vulnerable spots, such as the eyes, were provided with armored protection.

  The creatures were also not alone, nor were they following their own mind. A great carriage of timber planks and poles, forming a platform surface and railed sides, was lashed to each of the creatures, extending from the base of their necks down to the middle of their backs.