The Cavalier Trilogy: Book 02 - The Rise of Malbeck

by Jason McWhirter

  The powerful wizard spent two days there, meeting with several dark priests in the city. After they had developed their plan, Gullanin had teleported back to Malbeck’s army, where he had prepared the fifty Gould-Irin Orcs, thus initiating the final stages of the plan. The king of Tarsis and the meddling cavalier would die tonight!

  The tip of the Spear of Gould crackled with energy as Malbeck finished the last part of the spell. Gullanin felt the hair on his arms rise as the energy in the clearing grew and grew until a swirling vortex spun before the orcs. Then the vortex opened and a black door expanded, the entrance darker than night with not a speck of light penetrating it.

  Gullanin took his cue, motioning for the huge orcs to enter the door. The Gould-Irin ran through the opening without the slightest hesitation, and their heavy footfalls could be felt on the grassy ground. Gullanin brought up the rear, walking through the dimension door without a glance back.

  Malbeck whispered behind him, “Don’t fail me again,” as the magical portal closed with a flash.

  Ten

  Oasis

  Jonas bolted up in bed, the familiar tingle on his chest waking him instantly. His hand unconsciously went to his God Mark as the grogginess of sleep vanished. Strangely, his palm rested on plate mail and Jonas noticed that he was miraculously wearing his armor and outfitted for war, just as he had been when he was warned of the treachery in King Uthrayne Gavinsteal’s tent the night the king had been murdered by Prince Nelstrom.

  Jonas jumped out of a bed. Myrell, who was sleeping beside him, her arm draped over his body, woke with a start.

  “What is it?” she said in alarm, sitting up in bed with Jonas’s light cotton shirt clinging to her body.

  “Get up! We are in danger! Go to your room and gather your gear and weapons!” Jonas said urgently. Myrell wore an expression of confusion as she looked at Jonas who was fully dressed for war. “Now!” he yelled.

  Without another word she leaped from the bed with the blanket wrapped around her and ran to the door with Jonas right on her heels. They entered the hall above the gaming room and Myrell ran to her room, which was just to the left, while Jonas went to the railing and looked down at the huge gaming hall half expecting a demon to burst from the floor in a shower of flames.

  It was late in the night, but the large room was still occupied with many hopeful gamblers. The Oasis guards stood calmly, but alert in their places, and Jonas didn’t see anything amiss. But he knew something was coming. Warnings from Shyann had so far been accurate, and they had saved his life several times already.

  Immediately he moved down the hall and banged on Fil and Kilius’s door. It took a few moments, but finally Fil opened the locked door wearing his long underpants and shirt. His eyes were still half shut, but they bolted open quickly when he saw Jonas standing at the doorway wearing his gleaming plate mail and horned helm.

  “Jonas, what is it?” Fil asked as he looked warily down the hall.

  “I have been warned. Hurry, wake everyone. We need to move. I will go and get the king. Meet me at Mr. Embley’s as soon as you are dressed.”

  “I’ll be there,” Fil replied quickly, shutting the door to get dressed.

  Jonas raced down the long hall towards the door of Mr. Embley’s suite. Toklish was still there standing guard before the entrance.

  “Toklish, we are in danger, open the door and alert your guards,” Jonas commanded, reaching for the door.

  Toklish hesitated for a second, unsure of what to do, but still he remained standing in front of the door, blocking Jonas with his massive body.

  “Toklish,” Jonas said again. “I am a cavalier. Shyann has warned me that danger is near. Stand aside or I shall use her power to move you aside.”

  Finally, the big half-orc hesitated no longer, and he stepped away from the door. Jonas understood his pause. He had probably never met a cavalier, let alone seen one run to his boss’s door in the middle of the night with warnings of danger and commands to open his door. Nonetheless, he could wait no longer, so he was glad that he had finally moved.

  “I’m sorry, Cavalier. What sort of threat do we face?” the huge warrior asked calmly, drawing his giant blade from his back.

  “I don’t know, but get the customers out of here, and set your guards at all likely entrance points. Be ready for anything,” Jonas said hurriedly, opening the suite door and rushing inside.

  Jonas ran into the formal living room and found Prince Riker sleeping soundly on the central couch. He shook the boy roughly and the young prince awoke with a jolt.

  “Prince, get up and get dressed! We are in danger!” Jonas yelled, already moving toward Mr. Embley’s personal chamber.

  Jonas ran down the short hallway and as he neared the big solid wood door a sudden pain in his chest caused him to stumble.

  “They’re here,” he whispered, relinquishing all caution and calling on his God Light. His body lit up brightly, but he kept it slightly subdued. He wanted his light to wash away fear and wake everyone quickly without blinding them.

  He burst through the door, his white light eradicating the darkness that covered the king and queen who were already up. The queen wore a light flowing gown, while the king was stark naked, his body tense and ready to fight whoever came through the door.

  “What is the…” the king began to yell before he noticed it was Jonas.

  “King Kromm! We are in danger! Dress quickly, we must leave now! Meet me out front!” Jonas said urgently as he raced back out the door and into Mr. Embley’s living room. Riker was just strapping on his armor and sword belt when Addalis, already dressed, and Mr. Embley, wearing only a night shirt and pants, emerged from another door.

  “Cavalier, what is it?” Addalis asked, unable to mask the fear in his voice.

  “Danger, something is coming,” Jonas replied, his white light illuminating the room and its occupants. Addalis stood up straighter and the prince actually growled as he cinched his belt tight, standing tall and waiting for orders. “Mr. Embley, do you have a secret way to leave this place?”

  “In the kitchen, down the stairs, a secret tunnel takes you out of the compound,” he said quickly.

  Suddenly screams erupted from inside the gaming hall causing everyone to jump at the sudden shrill noise. The echoing sounds of battle followed, and in a matter of seconds it sounded like an army was fighting just outside the suite door.

  “Prepare yourself!” Jonas said, drawing both blades.

  Allindrian ran from her door as Myrell frantically got dressed inside. The ranger always slept dressed, so it had only taken her an instant to arm herself with her blade and bow. She ran to the railing and saw Toklish and other guards escorting many frightened gamers from the tables towards the main entrance. Some of the customers scowled in disappointment at the interruption of their winning streaks, but it only took a small show of muscle to encourage their rapid departure.

  Jonas had warned everyone that danger was near, lurking in the shadows, and now they knew it to be true; there could be no doubt as Jonas’s sudden warnings in the past had all proven to be accurate. Allindrian drew an arrow from her quiver on her back, nocking it quickly and scanning the grounds below. What sort of threat would they be facing? It could be anything, demon or beast, assassin or wizard, she knew not. But it would be formidable and innately evil, for the cavalier had a knack for attracting powerful enemies.

  Then she saw it; a dimensional door opening in the middle of the gaming floor. She had been scanning the entrance, and would not have noticed it but for the loud roar which was followed closely by a swarm of Gould-Irin Orcs who poured from the magical door, scattering tables and chairs and cutting into anyone near them with their heavy cleaving blades.

  Allindrian reacted immediately, firing arrow after arrow into the horde of orcs. She focused on the entrance of the magical portal as the orcs stacked up there momentarily, slowed by the tight confines of the door, before they swarmed into the room. They were easy targets and every a
rrow hit its mark.

  Jonas burst from the suite door to find Allindrian at the rail firing arrows into the gaming room below. Fil and Kilius raced from their room with weapons and gear in hand to join Allindrian, followed by Durgen and Dandronis whose room was next to theirs.

  “Who attacks?” Jonas asked, moving to the railing and looking down.

  “Orcs,” she said, still moving in a blur as shaft after shaft found their targets.

  “They look much bigger than the orcs we fought at the Lindsor Bridge,” Jonas said, gazing down at the powerful beasts.

  “They are, a different breed, the same that we fought in the mountains,” Allindrian replied, never slowing the hail of arrows.

  Myrell ran from the room behind them, hastily shouldering her pack. She carried her bow in one hand and joined her comrades at the rail.

  “Look!” Fil yelled over the fighting.

  Their eyes followed Fil’s hand and they saw a flood of black masked warriors attacking the patrons and guards as they tried to get them out the front door. Trapped between orcs and the black masked warriors, they were being ruthlessly cut down.

  The unarmed gamers fell quickly, dying on the gaming floor where just moments earlier they had been laughing, drinking, and enjoying the many games The Oasis had to offer. The scene was utter chaos as Blackhearts and orcs massacred anyone who was near.

  The new attackers wore dark clothes and masks, similar in appearance to the men who had attacked Jonas, Kiln, and Taleen, at Annure. Most carried curved swords or axes but a few held short deadly crossbows, the latter of which were now aimed towards them.

  “Get back!” yelled Jonas as five or six of the warriors fired their crossbows directly at them, hoping to take down Allindrian and stop her deadly rain of arrows. Everyone jerked back from the railing as the bolts flew at them.

  One hit Jonas in the chest but it ricocheted off his magical armor. He was unsure if anyone else was hit, but Allindrian quickly returned to the railing to fire at the men as they were forced to reload their weapons. One, two, three arrows flew from her bow faster than it took the others to regain their footing.

  Myrell nocked an arrow to her bow and joined the Blade Singer at the railing just as King Kromm, his wife and son, Addalis, and Geardon ran from the suite’s door to join them.

  “What is happening?” stormed the king.

  Jonas moved away from the edge of the railing before he spoke. “Orcs and assassins are attacking! We need to get to the escape tunnel!” he yelled over the din of battle.

  The king’s eyes narrowed and his big hand tightened on the handle of his sword. “Geardon, which way to the tunnel?” he asked.

  “Down the flight of stairs, take a right and go through the double doors. Stay to the right, move through the kitchen and go through the last door on the left. It is a dry storage area. There is a shelving unit in the back that slides from right to left. Behind it are stairs that lead to old catacombs under the city,” Geardon replied quickly as he looked out over his gaming room. His face sunk in despair as he saw his patrons being slaughtered and his loyal guards die trying to protect them.

  “Very well. Jonas,” the king replied, “you and I will lead while Durgen and Allindrian bring up the rear.”

  “King, get down!” yelled Geardon as he pushed the big warrior aside. Just in time, as a crackling bolt of lightning shot from below and took Geardon in the chest. The area erupted in crackling energy and the fat proprietor flew back from the power of the bolt and slammed into the wall behind them. He landed in a heap of burnt flesh as everyone around him scattered.

  Geardon had managed to push Kromm out of harm’s way, though the king still felt the sizzling heat as he crashed into the wall. The heat from the bolt had singed both his arms, but it did little to slow him down.

  As Kromm gazed at the gaping hole of blackened flesh in the center of Geardon’s chest, his anger and despair threatened to boil over. He got to his feet, shielding his wife and child as he crouched low. Everyone else did the same, staying away from the railing and the direction of that devastating lightning bolt.

  “They have a wizard.” Addalis stated the obvious as he clenched his jaw, overcome by emotion as he stared at what was left of his cousin.

  “We have to move! We are easy targets up here!” yelled Allindrian.

  “Go, I will shield us from the wizard!” yelled Addalis, as he stood and began his spell.

  Kromm turned to Jonas. “Let’s go!” he yelled as he moved forward toward the stairs. They crouched as they ran, staying as close to the wall as possible, maintaining their distance from the railing in hopes of staying clear of arrows or spells. Kromm and Jonas led them to the top of the stairs while Dandronis and Durgen brought up the rear.

  Addalis recited the words to his spell, finishing it off by punching his right hand forward. Instantly a tendril of white energy shot from his hand, forming a shield of translucent light about two paces high and three paces wide. Addalis moved quickly toward his companions who were now at the base of the stairs. As he moved his hand that gripped the tendril, the shield followed and conformed to whatever space they were in. He couldn’t hold the shield for very long, but it was powerful enough to keep out most things, including spells.

  As they moved quickly down the stairs Jonas noticed that Toklish had gathered the remaining guards to form a perimeter around the base of the stairs. Many of the guards were dead and the gaming floor was littered with the corpses of The Oasis patrons. The half-orc guard must have realized that it was useless to try and protect the customers, so he quickly reformed the men and provided a protective barrier around the base of the stairs, hoping to give his boss and the king time to escape. The brave guard may have just saved their lives.

  Jonas silently thanked the warrior as they made it to the landing of the stairs without conflict. The guards were hard pressed, many falling to their deaths, and the rest being pushed back by the powerful orcs. Jonas could tell that it would only be a moment before the guards crumbled altogether and the orcs and assassins would rush in to overwhelm them.

  Another lightning bolt flashed brightly and flew at them from the opposite set of stairs. The sizzling bolt crashed into Addalis’s shield, knocking the wizard backward into Durgen.

  “I have ya, Wizard,” growled the dwarf, holding his battle axe in one hand and the dazed wizard in the other.

  “I have never felt that kind of power. My shield can’t withstand much more,” the wizard gasped as he managed to stand up on his own.

  “Jonas, get the king out of here! I’ll cover the kitchen door,” Allindrian yelled as she replaced her bow with her silver sword. She wore a quiver of arrows on her back and there was a sleeve made for her bow. Even when it was strung she could attach the bow to her quiver quickly if she had to. She could fight with her sword in one hand and her bow in the other, but in the confines of the hallways she thought it best to sheath the elven bow.

  Jonas glanced back to the guards and saw that Toklish and his two brothers were all that remained. The space was so tight that the large half-orcs could block it with their broad bodies and gigantic swords. Just as Jonas looked their way, one brother was dropped by a sword to the neck, causing the other two to stumble backwards towards them. The dam of resistance was about to break, and they had to get moving or they would be crushed.

  “Let’s go!” Jonas yelled, racing to his right with everyone close on his heels.

  Gullanin stood at the top of the opposite stairway looking at the scene below. His lightning bolts had been thwarted by the young wizard, but he knew Addalis could not withstand his power much longer. His Gould-Irin would overrun them and there was nothing they could do. Besides, Gullanin knew about their escape route, and they were running right into his trap. The wizard laughed loudly, lifting his staff again. “Let’s see how strong that shield is!” he yelled, sending another powerful bolt towards the wizard.

  A third bolt slammed into Addalis’s shield just as Toklish and his br
other fell to the orc blades. The Tarsinian wizard flew back into Allindrian as Jonas and the rest of the group ran through the door behind them. The wizard’s shield fluttered but did not disappear. Addalis gritted his teeth in determination and stood up straight before the rush of enemies. He lifted his magical shield in front of them just as the orcs slammed into them. The power of the orcs, reinforced by numerous Blackhearts, pushed Addalis and Allindrian backwards through the kitchen door. The orcs were pushing and striking the translucent shield with their powerful fists and weapons, but they couldn’t break through the magical wall. They roared furiously as they hammered the shield, causing Addalis and Allindrian to slide backwards further. They had entered a narrow hallway that led to the kitchens and the shield that Addalis still held conformed to the stone passageway. The enemy could not get around it.

  “Allindrian, Go! I will hold them off!” Addalis yelled, his shield fluttering again.

  “No, I will not leave you!” she screamed as the angry orcs continued to crash into the weakening shield. Their roars and howls were deafening in the tight confines of the hallway.

  “You will do the king no good if you die in this hall. You know this to be true! I can buy you some time, but not much. Now go!” he yelled frantically, mustering all his strength to keep the shield up.

  Allindrian knew in her heart that the wizard was right. Even with her many skills she would be overrun in the tight confines of the hallway. It was useless, but Addalis could hold them off a bit longer. The Blade Singer gripped the wizard’s arms tightly and whispered into his ear, “Good luck…and thank you,” she added as she turned and disappeared down the hallway and into the kitchen.

  Jonas led them all into the dry storage room and just as Geardon had promised there was a shelf in the back that slid to the right. A flight of stairs covered in dust led down into the dark depths below the city. Jonas called forth his God Light and jumped down the stairs into the catacombs with his companions just behind him.