by Garry Spoor
“But, Moran hasn’t fallen,” Kile reminded him, but it didn’t seem to do any good.
“I can see it now,” He said, gesturing to an unseen audience. “The Wild Hunter stands upon the battlements as she taunts the valrik armies. Her red hair blowing in the wind as plumbs of black smoke rise in the skies behind her.”
“Yeah, Okay, but that actually didn’t happen,” she said, but he wasn’t listening.
“Crows… no, eagles… yes eagles. The sky is filled with eagles as they swoop down upon the enemy. Great grizzly bears charging the ranks of the valrik.”
“You can’t really tell the story until it actually happens.”
“Are you kidding, this will make me famous. They’ll come from all over to hear me tell the tale of Kile, the Wild Hunter and the Minotaur of Calder falls, Kile the Wild Hunter and siege of Moran, Kile, the Wild Hunter and the dark conspiracy.”
“Wonderful,” Kile replied, shaking her head. What did she get herself into now?
“They said I have to go with the refugees,” Alisa shouted. Stomping up the stairs.
“Are you kidding me?” Kile exclaimed. “Alisa, you ran a livery back in Denal and baked apple pies for the Bird and Bay, what makes you think you can fight valrik.”
“What? I can hold my own,” she said defiantly.
Kile threw up her arms. “Fine, I’ll tell you what-- you guys stay here and fight the valrik. I’ll leave with the refugees,” she said.
“What in all the realm is going on here?” Tullner shouted when he reached the stairs. “The refugees are ready to move, all except for the dogs, the horses and the deer. I’m not sure if this is an evacuation or a traveling circus.”
“They’re ready. They were just saying their goodbyes,” Kile said, pushing Alex forward.
“Well, they better be,” Tullner replied. “Raf has already sent the messenger back three times. It may be a valrik, but I don’t think it’s stupid. It’s got to know something is going on.”
“I thought we were staying and you were going,” Alex replied.
“You have a choice Alex, you can either walk out with the rest of the refugees, or I can have the dogs drag you across the Callor province by your feet.”
“I’m going, I’m going,” he said, descending the stairs. “Man, I forgot how scary you could be,”
“That goes for you too, Alisa,” Kile said, turning to where the young girl stood.
“You wouldn’t dare,” she replied.
As if on cue, two hounds appeared at the top of the stairs. Kile didn’t call them, but she knew they were there. It only helped to prove her point.
“I think you actually would,” Alisa said and reluctantly let Tullner escort her back to the east gate.
She waited until Alisa and Tullner were gone before she addressed the hounds. They knew, by now, she could speak with animals, but she still didn’t feel comfortable doing it in front of them. It was mostly because they couldn’t hear the animal’s side of the conversation, and it looked as if she was talking to herself.
“What’s the problem?” she asked.
One of the dogs stepped forward.
-The vir, known as Raf, could not delay the Uhyre any longer. They are coming.”
“Wonderful,” Kile said, following the two hounds. “The mainway is clear?” she asked.
-We have been keeping the vir out as instructed.-
The other dog replied.
“And Captain Jax?”
-He is waiting for you at the gatehouse.-
Sure enough, the vision the dog showed her was of a nervous Captain Jax pacing the main bailey. She had never seen him this uneasy before, but then again, she had never seen him facing an army of valrik either.
Maybe if she kept telling herself the plan was going to work, she would start to believe it.
Kile approached the stables, now abandoned, save for one dark form which pulled itself away from the shadows and approached her.
-It’s about time.-
Grim said, stopping before her.
-Kile.-
Vesper shouted from the mountain pony’s head. He slid down Grim’s nose and jumped onto her shoulder.
“So, you guys ready?” she asked them.
-If I say no, can I go home?-
The pony replied.
“If you do, take me with you,” she said, grabbing a handful of mane and pulling herself up.
-Whose incredibly insane idea is this?-
Grim asked.
“I’ll have you know, this plan was well thought out by some of the top military minds.”
-This was your idea, wasn’t it?-
“I might have had some input.”
-Some?-
“Okay, so this is my plan, but it still might work.”
-We are going to die, aren’t we?-
“Seriously, you have no faith in me?”
-Let’s just say I’m playing the odds.-
Cries rose up from the far side of the wall and men ran to brace the gate. Archers quickly took to the battlements and the whole world was now in full motion. Kile rode to where Captain Jax was shouting out orders.
“How goes it with the refugees?” he asked when he saw her arrive.
“They are moving them out as quickly as possible. If the valrik have succeeded in getting across Marcin’s Pass, they’re nowhere in the immediate area. It looks as if they should have a clear shot to the city of Forthbar.”
“Forthbar is a full day’s journey on horseback under the best of conditions,” Jax said shaking his head. “I don’t expect them to reach it until late tomorrow evening, and even then, that will be pushing it.”
“Then we have to buy them as much time as we can,” Kile replied.
“Agreed, but this plan of yours, for a lack of a better word is… foolish.”
-Thank you.-
Grim replied, fortunately only Kile heard him.
“If you have a better one Captain, I’m all ears.”
“Fine, but we hold the wall as long as we can,” he told her.
“Agreed, but I don’t think that’s going to be for very long if they release the Minotaur,” Kile said. She removed Vesper from her shoulder. “Are you ready?” She asked him.
-I ready.-
“You know what you’re supposed to do.”
-I know.-
“Be good and come back safe,” She told him, and then handed him to the Captain.
Jax was reluctant to take hold of the yarrow, after the nasty bite it gave him the last time he tried to pick it up. Vesper didn’t wait and quickly scurried up Jax’s arm and took his place on the man’s shoulder. Kile had to admit, it was a strange sight to see the white yarrow sitting there, and now she could understand why people always gave her a second look when Vesper rode on her shoulder.
“How is this going to work?” Jax asked.
“You let him know when you’re ready to release the keystone and then he’ll let me know,” Kile replied.
“And how is he supposed to do that?”
“You don’t have to worry about that,” she assured him.
There was a great uproar on the other side of the wall, followed by a loud crash. The archers converged over the gate, firing down at unseen targets on the other side. The great wooden doors shook and a few of the braces gave way, but there were men there to quickly replace the.
“I thought your Minotaur would have been through by now,” Jax remarked.
“He’s not my Minotaur,” Kile said defensively. “If anything, he’s yours. I just brought him in. You were supposed to keep him confined.”
“It’s not my fault. Representative from Callor came about a month after you left him here.”
There was another blow to the door which dislodged more of the timber used for bracing. The men were already starting to reinforce it with iron bars and more archers took to the walls.
“Besides, they haven’t even released him yet,” Kile said.
“What are they waiting f
or?” Jax asked.
“I don’t think they have as much control over him as they want us to believe,” she replied.
Men cried out as large bolder like objects sailed over the battlements. They struck the high wall and either climbed up or fell into the bailey below.
“Saladogs,” Jax cursed. “I thought your rats took care of the catapults.”
“They must have found a way to keep them back,” Kile said as more of the reptilian wolves came over the wall. How many of them were there, she wondered? She didn’t account for this. It wasn’t a part of the plan. She had hoped the rats would have kept the catapult out of commission permanently, but it looks as if the valrik were wising up.
“So much for holding the gate, these things will spread our forces too thin. We can’t wait. Go, get to the keystone and wait for my signal,” She shouted to Jax and spurred Grim toward the gatehouse.
“Good luck.” Jax shouted back and took off toward the ramp which led to the kastelya. Five men and several dogs followed him.
The hounds proved a deadly match for the saladogs, and as long as they were in the area, Kile didn’t feel the darkness descending on her. All she could feel was the support of the pack. That was until the madness came. The madness wasn’t like the darkness, not like what she felt when she encountered the reptilian wolves. The darkness would just creep in on her, slowly stealing away her awareness and her sanity. The madness, on the other hand, wasn’t as subtle. It was like a wall of water that washed over her, but she was ready for it.
She didn’t have to see it to know they released the Minotaur, she could feel it. Whether it was by design or by accident, it no longer mattered. In its rage-filled insanity, it swung at anything and everything in its path to reach the gates of Moran. Fortunately, the only things in its path at the moment were the valrik, but that was going to change soon.
“Fall back, fall back to the ramps,” she shouted to the men.
The soldiers began to evacuate the walls, but not fast enough. The doors exploded and the outer archway crumbled, like a child’s sand castle, filling the bailey with a thick cloud of dust, followed by an eerie silence. When the dust cleared, only the portcullis stood between Kile and the Minotaur.
“I think he remembers you, Grim.”
-Me! You were the one who kept hitting him with those toy swords of yours-
“Yeah, but you pushed him off a cliff.”
-I wanted to see if the cow bounced.-
Lifting its head to the sky, it let out an unnatural cry. A scream of insanity which echoed off the high peaks of the mountains and shook the walls of the outpost. Grabbing the portcullis with both hands, it ripped it from the wall, with ease, and tossed it aside, pulling down the rest of the stone for good measure.
-I am seriously having second thoughts about this plan of yours.-
Grim said.
“Yeah, me too,” Kile replied.
When the gatehouse was torn down, Jax was already in the kastelya, but he had his own problems to deal with. The reptilian wolves arrived ahead of him. They were waiting on the rooftop, almost as if it knew what he was planning. He didn’t see them until it was too late. Jumping down, they landed among the solders, catching them completely off guard. They tore through the men like they were tin soldiers. Two of the guards were down before the dogs were able to deal with them, but more emerged from alleys behind them.
“Go,” Raf shouted. “We’ll hold them off. You get to the stone room.”
Jax hesitated for a moment before turning and sprinting up the stairs. He did not wish to leave his men in such dire straits, but on the other hand, the mainway had to be blocked if any of this was going to matter.
Kicking open one of the side doors, Jax slipped into the room. He was struck hard from behind, knocking him off his feet and slamming him into one of the storage cabinets. A box of old boots toppled down onto his head. Why was someone saving old boots, he wondered? The question would have to wait for the time being, as the wolf forced its way into the room after him. Were they waiting for him? Did they know what he was planning on doing?
Jax quickly picked up one of the old boots and hurled it at the beast. It hardly flinched as the boot bounced off its head. If anything, it only seemed to make it madder. The wolf advanced slowly, making a low, unsettling noise, a sound, which rumbled deep in its chest. The head was low to the ground, the stance, rather bowlegged, but it was the eyes, which drew Jax’s attention. They were two small black orbs. There was no reflection, no life, only darkness, like looking into the depths of some forbidden pit. Scrambling to his feet, Jax drew his sword. He wished he had more room to maneuver, and tried to put as many boxes, and pieces of furniture between him and the wolf. It made no difference. It continued to advance, pushing aside any obstacle in its way until Jax’s back was literally to the wall. The wolf hesitated. It stared at him with those dead black eyes. Jax could see the wolf’s muscles tense. He raised his sword to defend himself. One chance was all he had. They faced one another, the sword felt unnaturally heavy in his hand. He was getting way too old for this. Why didn’t he retire when he had the chance? He thought about it, especially after the whole wili incident two years ago, but no, he had to hold out for the pension.
The wolf lunged. Jax braced himself for the impact. A small white furry something came out of nowhere and latched itself onto the wolf’s face with sharp little claws. The howl was deafening in the small room, but Jax seized his opportunity. Diving over the table, He drove his sword down into the wolf’s head. It thrashed about for a moment before lying still.
“No wonder she keeps you around,” he said, holding out his hand for Vesper to climb up. “I guess this makes up for you biting me.”
The yarrow chattered and took his place on Jax’s shoulder. For the first time in his life, he actually wondered what the rodent said.
Jax pulled open one of the storage cabinets, inside was a narrow opening which led to a narrow flight of stairs. Breaking off a leg from one of the chairs, he wrapped a cloth tightly around it. He fumbled a small vial from the pouch on his belt and, unscrewing the top, poured a few drops of liquid onto the touch’s head. It quickly burst into flames. Holding it aloft, he descended into the depth of the kastelya. He had only been down to the stone room once, and that was twenty years ago, when he took command of the outpost. It was the final responsibility of the former commander to show his replacement the stone room. He always figured, the next time he came down these stairs, was to show his replacement the stone room, before he retired. If everything went as planned, there would be no more commanders, no more replacements, and no more outposts.
The room was small, no more than five feet wide and ten feet long. There was nothing in it, aside from a thick rope, which ran the length of the room, three feet above the ground. One end was fastened to an iron ring, which was mounted on the wall. The other end ran through a small opening on the far side of the room.
“Here we are, Vesper.” He said, slapping the rope. There was a low strumming sound as it vibrated. “The marvels of Dower engineering. The only thing left to do now, is cut it, which in turn, will release the keystone, and that will cause a catastrophic structural failure in the sub support of the kastelya.” He said, looking at Vesper. “I can’t believe I’m actually trying to explain this to a yarrow, and what’s more disturbing is, I think you’re actually listening.”
Jax rested the edge of his blade against the rope.
-Here it comes-
Grim said, but she really didn’t need him to tell her.
The Minotaur lowered its head and charged a crossed the main bailey, heading straight for her.
“Get ready.” She said, drawing her Lann, she tightened her grip on the mountain pony.
Grim raced forward, meeting the Minotaur halfway and then quickly shifting left. Kile lashed out at the beast’s flank when they passed. The strike was far from fatal, and did nothing more than anger it, but it was all she could do. The hounds maneuvered between
its legs, nipping at its heels and then swiftly retreating, keeping the Minotaur off balance. The beast’s movements were surprisingly quick, but the dogs were quicker. Grim changed direction and came at it from the opposite side. Kile swung again, dragging the sharp blade across its backside. The Minotaur howled. This time it came dangerously close to knocking her off the pony as it reached around and grabbed for her. She barely managed to duck under its outstretched hands, and scored another hit under its left arm while Grim led it back to the gatehouse.
Visions of a small room and a length of rope flooded Kile’s mind. She was seeing the stone room through Vesper’s eyes. She didn’t completely understand the purpose of the rope, but she knew Captain Jax reached his destination. It was only a matter of time now.
“Fall Back.” She called out to the men on the wall. “Fall back to the second defense.”
The men were quick to comply. They abandoned the gatehouse, leaving the dogs to keep the valrik occupied. The archer’s set up positions along the only access point to the kastelya while the soldiers prepared their second line of defense. When the soldiers were ready the dogs broke off their attack. The hounds easily outran the valrik and the archers covered their retreat.
“Down the mainway,” Kile shouted.
-I hope you know what you’re doing.-
Grim protested, heading for the tunnel.
“So do I,” Kile said, and concentrated on Vesper. She hoped the yarrow could relay the signal to the Captain, and that Jax would understand it.
Jax held his blade on the rope. His hands were sweating, his breath labored and his heart was pounding in his chest. He was about to destroy the outpost of Moran. What could possible go wrong?
“So, where’s the signal?” He asked Vesper.
The yarrow sat patiently on his shoulder, saying nothing.
Every moment Jax waited seemed like a life time. He heard the old saying before, when men sat on the edge of disaster, but he never understood it until now. Not knowing what was happing outside, what was happening to his men, what the valrik were doing, was driving him crazy.
Vesper bit his ear.
Jax cursed.
“That’s your damn single,” he shouted at the yarrow, clutching his left ear. He would have to have a long talk with Kile about alternate arrangements.