by M J Webb
“Out of my way, Perosyan!” roared the furious Thargw. “The day is ours and I have a boy to kill!”
Lord Caro did not budge. He brought his sword up to his nose and then lowered it, giving a Perosyan salute to a fellow warrior. “I am Lord Caro, son of Truith of the house of Sirrannus, Champion of Perosya and sworn protector of her royal highness, Princess Zephany, Leader of the Estian Alliance. Today, Thargw, you join your ancestors in Kalvanaar.”
Sawdon chuckled a little, his deep throaty laugh as menacing as his roar. “Ha ha… Brave words,” the Thargw Gerada replied, “but words will not be enough to defeat me or turn back our army. Titles do not win wars, warriors do. I am Sawdon, and death is my business.”
Sawdon suddenly sprung into life. Without warning, he hurled himself onto Caro, ignoring the pain in his chest, blocking it out somehow so that it did not hinder him in any way. His battlesword clashed against Caro’s with a thunderous noise and the fight began.
The next few minutes were a frenzy of action. The two supreme combatants fought against each other at a level rarely witnessed on a battlefield. The speed and combination of different attacks was amazing to behold for any fortunate enough to see it. Sweat poured from Lord Caro’s brow. Sawdon began snorting, growling and breathing so hard that the noise he made almost drowned out the roars of his warriors. His nostrils flared and steam rose from his body, and as a result of his extreme efforts, blood began once again seeping from his wound.
Caro lunged at Sawdon with yet another unsuccessful attack. His momentum took him away from the Thargw and both warriors took a moment to pause for breath. “Ay raas… You are in a different class altogether to those who came before, Perosyan. Come and join us? King Vantrax will pay heavily for such a sword,” stated the Thargw beast.
Caro shook his head firmly at his fearsome opponent. “I already have a Queen. She is all anyone could ever want in a monarch, and I have sworn to serve her faithfully, until the end of my years. I thank you for the compliment you pay me. I will take it gladly, just as I will take your life.”
“Frah! Words again? Many have tried before you, all have failed,” Sawdon replied.
“Yes, there is no denying your skill with a sword. And you fought against a Keeper and lived,” said Caro.
“More than one,” corrected Sawdon.
“Kah, yes, I apologise for my error. I would say that makes you perhaps the third greatest warrior of all time?” teased the Perosyan knight, hoping to rile his Thargw opponent.
It worked. Sawdon was enraged by the insult and he growled a scornful reply. “Third?! Third!? Before I cut out your heart and feed it to my Pralon warriors, you have one moment more in which to explain yourself!”
Lord Caro smiled. His aim had been true and he had struck a raw nerve, exactly as intended. “You are too kind. Well now, let me see? History tells us that Lord Bierenstell was the best, before I came. His deeds are the stuff of legend, still relayed in every alehouse and tavern. In the minds of all of those on Estia, he ranks above you, and he always will.”
“Raarr!!!”
Sawdon was hurt and angry. In a rush of Thargw blood, he ran forward and resumed the fight. Only now, he was in a blind fit of rage and his fury was fuelling this savage attack, controlling him almost. He was not thinking clearly for once, not as he should have been, as he would normally be.
The momentary interruption in his concentration was all Lord Caro needed. It was what he had hoped for and planned for, and he was determined to turn it to his advantage. The Perosyan champion blocked several fierce blows from Sawdon’s sword. The moment he saw that the Thargw had overextended himself because of his rage and was slightly off balance, Caro stepped forward inside his reach and jabbed the handle of his weapon underneath Sawdon’s chin. The Thargw warrior fell backwards immediately under the weight of the blow and it was all he could do to remain upright. Before he could respond to the unexpected, improvised strike, the cold jintan steel of Lord Caro’s blade sliced across his throat.
The cut was deep and Caro knew that he had inflicted a mortal wound. But, Sawdon still managed to launch one final attack. His huge battlesword hurtled down upon the knight from out of the clear blue sky, aiming straight for his head!
However, Caro saw it coming at the very last moment and, with astonishing reflexes, he managed to move his body out of the way. The intended strike whistled past him and the Thargw’s giant frame crashed to the ground. Sawdon, the mighty Thargw who had terrorised an entire continent and instilled fear into the whole of the Estian people, was dead.
* * *
Melissa reached the Estian lines and was immediately surrounded by angry warriors who recognised her and were intent on killing their arch enemy. They hesitated only because she lay down her sword and attempted to reason with them, unarmed. In the panic and confusion of battle however, Melissa could not make herself heard and it looked as though she would be torn apart by the furious mob.
Luckily for her though, Queen Bressial had observed her flight and decided to pursue. The Nadjan monarch soon caught up with the crowd and pushed her way to the front, reaching the Sebantan only seconds before an Estian blade slit her throat. Standing in the centre of an impromptu circle, Queen Bressial somehow managed to cool their hysteria and silence the crowd.
“What are you doing here, Sebantan?” she asked, as soon as it was quiet enough for her to speak. “…Trying to make good your escape?”
“No,” Melissa stated, firmly, “you could not be further from the truth. Believe it or not, I have come to help.”
The crowd surrounding her began to jeer with derision, but Melissa looked straight into Bressial’s eyes and she fought hard to make herself heard. “It is true! I have switched my allegiance, for reasons it would take too long to explain to you now. Look! I have laid down my sword and I am defenceless. Is that the actions of an enemy wishing to fight? You could have easily killed me, but I chose to take that risk. Let me through your lines? I can speak to my warriors, convince them to join with you?”
“Yagh! You would run, and they would not listen,” shouted one of the warriors from the crowd.
“Yes, he is right. And why should we trust you? You have killed too many of us in the past. We will not forget. You are at our mercy now, why should we let you live?” asked another.
“They speak the truth, my dear,” said Queen Bressial, raising her eyebrows and cocking her head slightly. “Your past catches up with you now. I am afraid that it speaks louder than any of us ever could.”
Melissa looked around the crowd and then stared Bressial straight in the eye once more. “If you honestly believe me to be lying, strike me down! I am unarmed as I have said, so I can not defend myself. I cannot help my past. I cannot erase the things I have done. But, I may be able to affect the present, and the future. You have to take a chance on me, here and now. You need me!”
The Queen of Nadjan knew she was right. She had to take a chance and try to convince the crowd. “The odds are so heavily stacked against us, my friends, that one more warrior is of little consequence, even if it is Melissa. If she is telling the truth, she may buy us more time. Let her through!” she ordered. She was relieved to see the Estians reluctantly obeying her command without hesitation. “…Pass the word to give her safe passage through our lines.”
Melissa bowed her head once in appreciation and respect to the former prisoner of Heron Getracht. “Thank you, your majesty.”
“Save your words! Prove your worth!” snapped the Queen.
Shortly afterwards, Melissa reached the front line where her Sebantans were fighting against the warriors of the Estian Alliance. As soon as they saw their Princess walking through the Estian lines unharmed, the shocked Sebantan women immediately disengaged from the fight. Unsure as to what the extraordinary development meant, they detached themselves from their former allies and rallied to one another, forming a defensive unit which rapidly grew in size and protected them from attack on all sides.
The swift response confused their former comrades and they could not understand what was happening. All soon became clear however, when it was followed by an immediate address from Melissa. The Sebantans quickly learned of her decision and immediately launched an attack upon King Vantrax’ warriors, their former allies. They were aided by the Estians, who began cheering and roaring their approval as they rejoined the fight. The savage nature and speed of their combined attack tore into the enemy lines, creating confusion and panic, drawing off some attacking forces and bringing some much needed respite for the defenders of the square.
Melissa led from the front. She fought bravely, with skill and determination, for the first time in her life actually believing in a cause, and fighting all the harder for it.
* * *
The army of dark spirits had finally arrived on the hill which overlooked Te’oull. The dense clouds of black smoke had evaporated to reveal legions of undead beasts. All were hideous to behold and every single one of them possessed a heart of pure evil. The Guardians of Zsorcraum were the custodians of the fire. It was their job to oversee the wicked domain and control its beasts. The spirits were trapped there by the laws of the afterlife, the spells cast by the higher beings or ‘Gods’, and the gates which had been kept locked and secure since the beginning of time. But, the spells had been weakened by Nittrii-Hebul’s actions and they were not as powerful now. The walls of the Prison had cracked and the chains on the gates could now be broken. She had acted of her own volition and pushed the boundaries too far by interfering in the affairs of mortals, on behalf of Jake. Time and time again she had come to the aid of those who needed her, more often than not without their knowledge, and now the true consequences of her actions were about to become clear!
The army of death lined up in front of Notorold. The once great wizard gave one last evil smile, before turning with renewed vigour to face Te’oull.
Chapter 26
3rd September - The City of Te’oull - Siatol
Jake had by now fully recovered from the wounds he received in his fight with Sawdon. His mind and body felt rejuvenated, alive and fresh, revitalised by the power contained in the newly restored box of stones. In fact, he felt much better than he ever had, pumped, psyched, confident, full of energy, and extremely focussed. He had no doubt at all that in another situation, on another world, he could quite easily go out and run a marathon… And what’s more, he knew that he would scarcely be out of breath at the finish line.
‘The finish?’ he thought. ‘Yes, I have to get going!’
He thanked Ben with all his heart for his bravery and quick thinking, for saving his life. But, he did not linger and he turned quickly to Tien and Harry. “This is it! Everything we have done so far has been leading up to this moment. Fingers crossed, eh?”
Tien had absolutely no idea what that meant and, when he cast a quick glance at Harry for an explanation, Jake’s grandfather was smiling at him, in no mood to oblige. “Go on Jay, do it! Become the person you were always meant to be. Make us proud son, as you have always done.”
“Yes,” added the wizard, determined to end the conversation. “Do as Harry says… But whatever you are going to do, hurry!”
Jake lifted the box of stones and held it out in front of him. He concentrated hard upon the centre stone for a second or two, before taking his hands away to leave it unsupported. The box remained motionless, floating in mid air. Then, as Jake increased the power of his concentration, the light from the four corner stones grew steadily in intensity, until at last they were shining as brightly as they ever had. The centre reolite stone then began to rise. Once it had reached its apex, the prism of light disappeared and the centre stone reverted back to bright white light once more. A fraction of a second later, the light raced up to the sky.
This time however, the light bounced back down to the small crowd immediately and hit the Keeper squarely in his chest. It struck Jake with such astonishing force that it lifted his entire body off the ground. He was raised about four feet into the air and moved slowly through the beam until he was positioned directly over the box, trapped in the centre of the light. As the others looked on with grave concern and anxiety for several seconds, nothing happened. But then, all of a sudden, he was lowered gently to the ground. The light disappeared and the stones returned to normal.
“Err… Is that it? Or is something else gonna happen? Jake, are you okay?” asked Ben, as usual the first to speak.
Jake sat upright. He began rubbing his head hard, as if he had the world’s worst headache. When he lifted it up, his eyes had lost their pupils and were completely white. “Yeah, I think so. Wow! Bit of a kick to that, I can tell ya.” He stood up as if nothing had happened, aware that everyone was staring at him.
“Yeah… You ain’t wrong there, mate,” Ben replied.
“Eh?”
“I suppose you could do with a mirror or summin’. You look like something from a horror film,” Ben explained. “…Your eyes pal, they’re all white. You look like an extra from Scooby-Doo.”
“Forgive me, but it matters not,” said Tien, before Jake could answer. “They will return to normal soon. What has happened, Keeper? Tell us, how do you feel?”
“Like… Like I’ve just been run over by an express train, if you must know,” replied Jake. “That’s a real shame that, ‘cos I was feeling really great, like some sort of superhero… No, wait! Yeah, it’s okay. It’s going. Wow, this is something else! Yeah, it’s done. I’m back to normal, just like you said.”
“Huh! Normal?” said Ben, sarcastically.
“Eh? Oh yeah. Well, you know what I mean,” Jake replied. “Look, I know what I have to do. It’s all suddenly become so clear to me now… Resus, I need Resus!”
He closed his eyes and called the dragon, once again using the power of thought. Within seconds, Resus had answered the call and moments later he landed in the square. He had several nasty wounds. Scorch marks and gashes of all shapes and sizes covered his body, some of them trailing thick green blood. His huge wings were torn in places and he appeared to be exhausted. But, despite his fatigue, he remained silent and awaited the Keeper’s command.
“Resus, my new friend, are you ready? You and I were born for this day. We are the only ones who can save these people now. This entire world is relying on us to end this war. I know that you have given so much already, much more than I ever hoped or could have expected. However, I must ask for even more from you. Are you with me?” asked Jake.
“How can you ask that of me after all we have done? Lead on, Keeper. Whatever you require of me, it will be done. Though, you must act quickly, for there are forces approaching us which terrify me and my kind.”
Jake cast a quick glance towards the far horizon and everyone present did likewise. All were horrified by what they saw. The warriors of the Estian Alliance had been too busy fighting, too engrossed in their own private battles, to see what was happening beyond the wall. The army of black spirits was now absolutely immense. It covered the sky as far as the eye could see. And it was coming straight for them!
A sudden and extreme fear gripped everyone, and several cold shivers ran down numerous spines. “Holy cow!” Ben screamed, when he caught sight of their new opposition. “…I tell ya what, Jay, I’m gonna have to seriously re-evaluate our friendship when we get home! Hangin’ around with you is getting to be a little dangerous. I think you must have killed every single black cat we know? You’re jinxed!”
Jake’s grandfather was the only one to respond. All his years as a Keeper had taught him many things, but none more important than the advice he was about to give to his only grandson, to his true heir. “Jake, listen to me now and listen well. If I can teach you one thing and one thing only, let it be this; you cannot do everything all at once. You must take one fight, one battle at a time.”
Without delay, Jake nodded at Harry and ran straight over to Resus. He climbed up onto his neck as fast as he was able. “Ha!” he yelled, as soon as he was re
ady, and the great dragon soared up into the sky once more.
* * *
All around the main square the Estian warriors were fighting with fierce determination, trying to hold the warriors of King Vantrax at bay. It was a desperate struggle, a last ditch battle for survival. They were outnumbered and outclassed, and they soon began slowly losing ground to the hired killers they faced. The large defensive pocket began shrinking on all sides. Even the awesome Sebantan warriors were now falling back to join their new allies, as weight of numbers and fresh reinforcements forced Melissa and her excellent force to retreat, in order to avoid becoming encircled. Princess Zephany’s army was drawing upon its very last ounces of energy and strength. Her warriors had performed miracles so far to keep the enemy hoards at bay, but they were clinging on desperately to their positions, holding on by their fingernails to life itself.