The Blood of Kings (Book 4)

by Robert E. Keller

  The Wolf devoured the meat and bread. "The bread is good, but I tire of venison. What a shame you couldn't have brought me something better." Then the beast lapped at the bowl, and its eyes brightened. "Yes...what a delightful wine to have been made by such foul creatures."

  "How else may I serve you, Master?" asked Lannon. He wondered when the dream would end. He sensed that in another plane of existence he considered the Wolf a dreaded enemy, but he preferred to have it as a friend and master. He wanted to remain in the dream forever, for serving brought him immense joy.

  With a low growl, the Wolf batted Lannon to the ground with its paw. "How else can you serve? Kill yourself, wretch!"

  Lannon rose and drew his Dragon sword. But a tiny voice nagged him that this was a bad decision, and reluctantly he sheathed the sword again. His instinct for survival was too strong. "I don't want to honor that request, Master. If I kill myself, I can no longer serve. Is there another task you would ask of me?"

  The Wolf's yellow eyes smoldered. "You are strong of will, young Lannon. You can sense the truth beyond the fog. I won't be able to keep you in my snare for long. But I want to tell you something that you will remember upon awakening. I will bring about the fall of Dremlock. I am the puppet master who will open the way. But when my task is done, I will return for you. I want you to see your beloved kingdom in ruins. Then, when you have suffered enough and all your friends are dead, I will kill you. You had your chance to join our army like the Watchmen of old, yet you continue to make war on us. You're too stubborn for your own good. Therefore, your torment must be legendary. It is the will of Tharnin."

  Lannon said nothing. He found himself fighting to remember who he was. He sensed he was under some spell and needed to break free. He reached deep into himself, trying to find the Eye of Divinity. But the Eye was sluggish, responding poorly to his grasp--refusing to awaken.

  "Now it's time for you to take a journey," said the Wolf, its evil laughter filling the air. It wrapped one paw around Lannon. "To Old Hill Forest we go, where the dead are restless. Lost and alone, you will come to hate me, while your precious Knights move on without you."

  The air whooshed by as the Wolf bounded across the grassy hills beneath the pale moon. Lannon closed his eyes and waited, content to let the dream take him where it would. But sometime during the journey, Lannon began to question the dream. He began to think that serving the Wolf was a dire mistake, and panic arose within him. At last the Eye of Divinity responded, and he turned it against the Wolf in an effort to break free. He was now in pitch blackness and could hear the crashing of underbrush. Using the power of the Eye, Lannon tore himself away from his captor.

  Lannon tumbled across the leaves and then rose, drawing his sword. The spell was broken, and Lannon was furious that he'd let his mind be consumed by the monster. He was ready to fight--the power of the Eye surging through his blade. He didn't know if he could win, but he vowed to end it here one way or another so that his soul could never be held captive again.

  Two large yellow eyes burned in the darkness. "So now you want to fight, but it is too late. You will have a fight on your hands, but it won't be with me. Welcome to Old Hill Forest, young Knight, where the restless ones will seek your doom." With that, the Wolf bounded off through the woods and Lannon was left alone with only a deep sense of dread for company.

  ***

  Back at camp, after the alarm horns had stopped sounding and the Knights had stopped searching the surrounding areas for Lannon, Taris called a meeting of the Divine Shield in his tent. The Knights were weary and had heavy hearts, the loss of Lannon a devastating blow. As the leader of the Grey Keepers, Aldreya felt she was the most to blame even though reason told her she couldn't have prevented it. Trenton was furious, wanting the four Knights who had been guarding Lannon's tent demoted to the rank of Orange Squires. But Taris would hear none of it. He waved dismissively at Trenton's suggestion.

  "They did the best they could," said Taris. "Lannon wasn't a prisoner. In fact, he is a Dark Watchman with a fair amount of authority. Our Knights had to walk a fine line between protecting him and allowing him his freedoms."

  "Still," muttered Trenton, "we knew he was being stalked. The guards should have escorted him wherever he was going, as usual."

  "He ordered them not to," said Taris, with a shrug. "They obeyed. It is just the way things have worked out. I feared he might be under some dark influence, but I couldn't prove it. Ultimately, Lannon must find his own way."

  Trenton's mouth dropped open. "Lannon must find his own way? We have an army of Knights, and Lannon must find his own way? Really, Taris, that's the most ridiculous statement I have ever heard!"

  "I agree with Trenton," said Furlus. "This should not have happened. We should have given him better protection."

  "What more could we have done?" said Taris. "He has been protected to the point where he has come to rely on others instead of relying on his own skills. We have protected him nearly to death."

  "I couldn't agree more," said Jace. "A Dark Watchman must learn to fend for himself. Throwing more guards at Lannon was never the right answer. In spite of our best efforts, he was nearly assassinated more than once. And now this. Let us at least stop questioning whether or not we offered him enough defenders. He was surrounded endlessly by defenders! In truth, it was always going to come down to Lannon and his own skills--alone, as Dark Watchmen always are."

  Shennen nodded. "I'm not worried about Lannon. I've fought alongside him, and he can take care of himself. That Goblin will get more than it bargained for. However, I am worried about Kalamede. We need to hurry this mission along. The threat of Bellis is too great to ignore. In other words, I don't think we can spend too much time searching for him. Lannon can find his own way."

  Aldreya could hardly believe what she was hearing. "Leave him behind? But he has the Eye of Divinity! Surely that will be needed in Kalamede."

  Jerret shook his head. "No way I'm leaving Lannon in the clutches of that beast. He deserves better than that."

  "It would be foolish to abandon him," said Prince Vannas. "This kingdom should not underestimate Lannon's importance."

  Shennen glared at the prince. "I underestimate nothing. But Taris is right. Lannon must learn to fight his own battles. Clearly, that Goblin wanted to lead us astray so we would waste time searching for him."

  "It is possible," said Jace, "that Lannon was taken to Old Hill Forest, which is not far from here. If so, he will face more danger than just the Wolf. However, this is likely only an effort to frustrate both him and us--and it seems to have worked on our end of things at least. We could search Old Hill Forest in daylight hours--when it is safe--but Lannon would be very hard to find. The woods there are quite dense and full of hills and valleys, as you might expect. And to try to track him down at night would be pure folly. The presence of the Deep Shadow is strong there, and after dark, some of its most hideous children come out to play."

  "The restless ones," said Taris. "Yes, if Lannon was taken there, he will have his hands full. But there is nothing to be done about it now."

  Chapter 6: The Restless Ones

  Lannon scanned his surroundings. He was in an ancient forest full of oaks, maples, and beech trees, and all around him were wooded hills. Had it not been for his power, he would have been in nearly total darkness, as the leafy branches were so thick overhead that only slivers of moonlight crept through. Here and there were mossy boulders and fallen logs overgrown with fungus.

  Something was very wrong with the woods. There seemed to be no animal life, and a dark tension hung in the air. The Eye revealed traces of evil sorcery in the soil and trees--the presence of the Deep Shadow.

  "Great, now what?" Lannon muttered aloud. He had no idea how far the Wolf had carried him or even where he was. He was angry with himself for falling victim to the beast's ruse. He was also worried over something the Wolf had told him--that it could bring about the fall of Dremlock. It had some sinister plan in mind, and Lann
on wanted to inform Taris immediately.

  The Eye's range was limited, and Lannon wasn't sure which way to go. Finally, he set off in a random direction up a steep hillside. The Eye filled his body with strength and vigor, and he moved at a rapid pace without tiring. When he got over that towering hill he found another one of equal stature waiting for him.

  Lannon groaned. It was nothing but steep forested hills--everywhere. He wasn't sure how long the Eye could sustain him, though using it to enhance his travel speed seemed to drain its energy only slightly. He sped over hill after hill, a cloaked shadow hurtling along beneath the trees--leaping over logs and boulders and cutting through underbrush with his Dragon sword.

  Suddenly, a piercing howl filled the air--coming from a short distance away. It had sounded almost human and quite evil. Lannon froze, his hands tightening around his sword. He scanned the trees, waiting for the thing to show itself.

  At last a face peered out from behind a beech tree. It was a human face--but one that showed signs of decay. The eyes were like black jelly. The flesh had a grey, stony look to it. A stench filled the air like that of an ancient crypt. As quick as the face had appeared, it vanished again behind the tree.

  Lannon calmed his nerves, focusing on all he'd learned since joining forces with Dremlock. The face had been terrifying, but Lannon was a Knight and knew how to control his fear. He studied the creature and discovered it was an ancient corpse of a Norack warrior, clothed in a black loincloth and animated by the Deep Shadow. Its flesh was indeed like rock--fortified by dark sorcery--and it possessed great strength. It had the cunning of Tharnin and the will to destroy life. This abomination was so repulsive that it sickened Lannon. The dead should have been left to lay peacefully beneath the soil, but the Deep Shadow wouldn't allow for it--corrupting the once living shell and sending it forth like a puppet. The word Stoneman appeared in Lannon's mind. He knew he was in for a tough battle.

  More faces appeared around Lannon, along with howls and laughter. Lannon simply stood and waited, the Eye channeled into his blade. At last, his foes grew impatient and surged out from behind the trees. They swarmed on him with such speed and ferocity it caught him off guard.

  Lannon beheaded the first Stoneman to reach him, then kicked the headless body away. The beheading seemed to vanquish the dark sorcery, and the creature didn't move again. He cut the arm off another one, but that didn't stop it. He ducked a stony fist and finished the monster off.

  But the Stonemen were packed so tightly around Lannon he was having trouble swinging his sword. Then one of them latched onto his weapon and ripped it out of his hands. Cackling, the Stoneman backed away with the sword. The others then sought to bear Lannon to the ground by sheer force of numbers.

  Lannon pushed back with the Eye, giving himself a bit of space. He seized a Stoneman's head with both hands and flung the creature into an oak tree. It struck with shattering force and broke apart like sand. Lannon took a heavy fist to the head, but the Eye absorbed the impact. However, Lannon was knocked sideways and nearly lost his footing. Letting the Eye guide him, he stuck back with his own fist and blasted the creature's head into sandy fragments.

  Lannon hurled another zombie into a tree, and then leapt over the remaining ones--in pursuit of the one who had stolen his sword. He quickly ran down the creature and wrenched the sword away from it. The Stoneman lunged at him, howling, before Lannon cleaved the fiend in two at the waist.

  Again they closed in on him. It wasn't merely the walking dead Lannon faced, but some new type of creature entirely. They were children of the Deep Shadow, but much different than most Goblins. A flickering thought ran through Lannon's mind that they might be categorized as Phantoms in Jace's book (creatures that weren't alive in any recognizable sense), though he had little time to ponder such things. Regardless, they were mighty foes. He was certain that an ordinary blade would have shattered against their skin, and he felt very grateful for his Dragon sword. He wondered how many Stonemen infested the forest and if he would have enough endurance to prevail, for eventually he would run out of energy. The Eye told him that if he fell in battle to them, he would likely become one of them--doomed to haunt the forest forever. That realization nearly drove him into a panic, and he had to fight for a moment to calm himself.

  Lannon cut down two more, and he suddenly found himself consumed by deep focus. He was overcome by some sort of battle lust that made him forget his fears and relish the combat. Part of him knew such a feeling was dangerous. It was the same rush of power that consumed Prince Vannas from time to time. But Lannon made no effort to fight it. He was bent on survival and was willing to accept nearly anything that would help his cause.

  His mind soaring with power, he sheathed his sword and seized a Stoneman by the waist. He hurled it into another Stoneman and the two creatures shattered into fragments. He whirled around and drove his fist through another, then flung it into a tree. He dared them to challenge him. He wanted to show them he didn't need his sword, that he could defeat them with strength.

  Apparently his ploy worked, as the Stonemen retreated behind trees. Lannon waited, standing with his arms folded across his chest. He could hear them moving through the underbrush away from him. Slowly, the rush of power drained away, leaving a feel of weariness in its wake.

  With a sigh, Lannon sat down on a log. He doubted the Stonemen would leave him be, as it wasn't in their nature. They would probably return in greater numbers. He felt exhausted and had to struggle to stay alert. He wanted to sleep, but he knew it would doom him.

  Lannon rose, determined to keep moving until he found his way out of the forest. As he hurried along, he focused mainly on staying alert--but he caught no glimpse of his foes. Eventually, he began to think they had indeed abandoned him, and he let his guard down--concentrating on moving swiftly. He found himself almost slumbering as he raced through the forest. The Eye seemed to guide him along, allowing him to thoroughly relax as he climbed over hill after hill.

  But as he raced past a gnarled beech tree, a stony arm swung out and struck his ribs. It hit with shattering impact, and Lannon dropped to the ground with a cry of pain. Before he could shield himself, several Stonemen leapt out and hammered him with their fists. The first few blows caused agony, before the Eye deflected their attacks.

  Groaning, Lannon shoved his foes away and rose. He drew his sword and quickly cut the Stonemen down. But significant damage had been done. Lannon was bruised, gashed, and bloodied--and he was certain he had a broken rib or two. He cursed himself for being a fool and letting down his guard. Only the Eye of Divinity sustained him now, as he began his journey again.

  With Lannon injured, his foes attacked with renewed vigor. Yet this time Lannon kept moving, striking at them only when necessary. When he reached the top of an immense hill, he looked around for the tallest tree he could find--a smooth oak with a trunk as wide as a cabin. The oak's lowest branch was about twenty feet above the ground. Lannon shoved a Stoneman away and took out his rope and grapple hook. He snagged the branch, but before he could climb, two more Stoneman reached him, their arms hammering at him furiously.

  With a groan, Lannon slashed the creatures into ruin. Then he sheathed his sword and climbed the rope. Lannon's breathing was raspy from pain as he made his way up to the limb. A Stoneman tried to climb up after him, but Lannon shook it from the rope. Again using his grapple hook as needed, he climbed high into the tree until he found a comfortable place to lay.

  Lannon's body hurt from head to toe. Below, the Stonemen pounded on the tree with their fists--hard enough to shake it and cause Lannon jolts of agony. Just when he thought they were going to hammer at the tree all night, they stopped and simply stood around the trunk, waiting.

  Lannon wanted to sleep, but he forced himself to meditate on his injuries. The Knightly healing technique was very effective, and his pain diminished after an hour or so. Finally, Lannon allowed himself to sink into a deep sleep. In his dreams, he saw a river running red with blood. T
here, the soldiers from a nearby fort had been massacred and shoved into the raging waters. They had been betrayed and had died in misery. But the Deep Shadow had summoned them from the crimson waters and they had claimed revenge. Now, they were the soldiers of Tharnin and the Stonemen were their puppets. The cursed forest held many echoes of war and pain--so many that even the ancient trees had grown cold from it. Lannon slept in a cold embrace, alone and lost in the darkness, with only nightmares for company.

  ***

  Lannon awoke on a warm spring morning to streams of sunlight pouring down through the branches. It didn't take him long to realize his injuries were more severe than he'd believed. He had a breakfast of bread and jerky from his pack, then returned to his healing meditations. The Stonemen were gone from below, for the coming of daylight had driven them back into hiding. Lannon could have fled from the forest without trouble and perhaps found his way back to camp, but to his deep frustration he knew he would require an entire day of healing. That meant a day and night stuck in the tree and the cold, wretched forest, and he feared Taris would give up on him and head for Kalamede without him.

  That evening, the Stonemen gathered around the tree again--pounding on it for a while before giving up. Lannon ignored them, knowing they would be gone again at dawn. His healing had progressed rapidly, and he intended to start his journey as early as possible.

  However, when Lannon awoke it was late in the morning--another warm, sunny day. Lannon probed his ribs and winced. More healing was needed, but he felt much better. He sat up and stretched, glancing about. It was almost like a different world in the treetops--even pleasant--with all the sunlit, budding branches around him. The huge branches of the oaks and beeches locked together forming silver and black pathways, and had Lannon been feeling more nimble, he might have been able to travel high above the ground (though there was no point to it with the Stoneman gone).