What was he supposed to say? "I . . . no, sir. I am not better than anyone. I just have knowledge that I believe can be beneficial to everyone. I was trained in the old ways and-"
General Riz held up his hand. "You have no need to be nervous. I didn't fully realize that you were who you are. I mean, I know what you had done, but it didn't dawn on me how pure and chosen you are. Sola has blessed you beyond what she has blessed us red paladins. We need some of the old ways back. That's why you have been promoted. I formally apologize for my harsh treatment of you earlier, Paladin Lieutenant Corrifus."
Jaylen gasped. "Lieutenant?"
"You're my second in command, my right-hand man. You will watch what I do and learn from me so you can take my place eventually. You will also be in charge of conducting evening and morning prayers for Squad Eight while we are in the field. Can you do that?"
"Yes, sir. Absolutely. I know every prayer and chant by heart. I can do blessings as well."
"Wonderful. I would expect no less from my lieutenant. Oh, yes. And there was one more thing. I need you to be our dedicated healer. You have your light magic, yes?" General Riz asked.
"Uh . . . off and on. Sometimes it tries to kill me. But with my amulet, I can have an ethereal hand so I can cast it in an emergency."
"It tries to kill you? Because your angel is Fallen? We will train you to use it safely." General Riz stopped his horse then held up his right hand into air to signal for the other paladins in the squad to stop as well. "Do you smell that, Lieutenant? Cedar. What smell like cedar?"
"Vampires, sir."
"Yes, vampires. There they are."
Around fifty men in all black robes and tall leather boots with silver staves stopped on the other side of the small valley. Their white eyes glowed in the night as their haunting red mage-glow hovered in the air and glinted off of their long fangs that reached down to their chins.
General Riz scoffed. "White vampires, right, Oviel?"
"You are correct. Be careful how you handle this situation. Even white vampires are extremely hostile creatures when provoked."
"They're humans instead of demons like the normal vampires. Their eyes are white." General Riz patted Jaylen on the shoulder. "You're up, Lieutenant. Make me proud."
Jaylen hesitated. General Riz wanted him to confront the vampires? How was he supposed to speak to the vampires? When General Riz motioned forward again, Jaylen led the rest of his squad up to the group of vampires and held out his hand. "Stop there. What business do you have with us?"
The tall vampire in front grinned as he gave a slight bow. "We are here to join up and fight against the werewolves."
"Why would white vampires want to fight against Wolfekin?"
"We are a band of mercenaries. We go where the gold goes."
Jaylen glanced back at General Riz. "What should we do?"
"It's up to you, Lieutenant. I'm leaving this one in your hands."
Jaylen met eyes with the vampire leader. Instead of the darkness he first thought he would find there, he found something very human. He sighed then made up his mind. "You are welcome to go into Ilyan and join up with Prince Commander Corrifus. He will be able to find the best place for your forces."
"Thank you very much, paladin."
Jaylen watched the vampires continue on towards Ilyan. He jumped when General Riz leaned close and spoke to him.
"You handled that well. So you aren't afraid of vampires and the like?"
"No. I've have experience with many kinds of demons and otherworldly beings."
"Good. Good. Here's the plan. About five miles up the road and through a sparse forest, there is a Wolfekin fort called the Wolf Den. There have been reports of demonic within those walls that might be connected to the summoning of that rift. On top of that, we have reason to believe that one of the Wolfekin military commanders is currently stationed there without any forces or guards. This is our chance to strike and make a dent in their morale without drawing too much attention to our military that is still in Ilyan."
He raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. We are going to infiltrate the fort, taking advantage of the darkness, kill the commander, then burn everything to the ground."
"Close. Instead of burning it down, we are going to take it for ourselves if we can do so safely. That way we can establish a point of control closer to the border, which will be worlds better than having to go back into Ilyan whenever we need shelter or supplies."
"How heavily fortified is this fort?" Zeriel asked.
"Not particularly anything special. Just some trebuchets and a few archers perched on the walls."
Zeriel seemed concerned. "That doesn't make sense. I would expect a fort to be on high alert in the middle of a war, especially judging by its location so close to Ilyan. I don't feel good about this."
"It's a pristine chance to strike."
"It's a trap."
Oviel rode up beside them again. "Zeriel is right. This isn't adding up. I know Queen Sela and ex-paladin Aiden. They're not stupid enough to leave a valuable fort exposed and vulnerable like this. I don't feel good about this plan, Riz."
"Fine. Then here's what we'll do. Lieutenant Jaylen, Oviel, Zeriel, the green-eyed thief, and the bearded muscle man will go into the fort while the rest of Squad Eight stays at a safe distance ready to move in at a moment's notice in case things go wrong and this turns out to be a trap like you suspect. How is that?"
"I don't know if-" Oviel started to speak, but was interrupted.
"I was asking my lieutenant. Jaylen, what do you think about this plan? Give me an honest critique. I need to know. We can't simply forget about the fort. If we pull this off, we could be heroes."
Jaylen slipped the sky blue amulet over his head then flexed the fingers on his ethereal left hand. "How many heroes do you know who aren't dead?"
"Eloquently said. I get your point, but I am still set on infiltrating the fort one way or another. I have heard your opinions, but we are going forward with my plan. I need the five of you to change out of your chainmail and go in just your tunics and pants so you make less noise. This mission isn't about fighting. It's about stealth. I picked you five because you all seem to know each other and will be more trusting of your lives to the others. Plus, Green Eyes will be able to use his thieving abilities for good instead of criminal acts."
Liam stirred awake in Oviel's lap and stretched his arms in the air. "What are we doin'?"
"We're about to go die." Jaylen stopped Pegasa then looked back to wave to Trevor. "Trevor, come here."
Trevor was too busy passionately kissing Brinx to hear him.
"Hey! Trevor, cut it out! Get up here."
Trevor's beard couldn't hide his face as he blushed and wiped Brinx's bright pink lipstick from his cheeks. He rode up beside them. "You called?"
Oviel glared at him. "Never let me catch you behaving like that with a holy angel again. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Holy Angel. I'm sorry. I was just-"
"No excuses. You are in the presence of the holiest man in Vilyron. Behave like it."
"The holiest man?" Trevor asked, glancing around. "The high priest isn't-"
"No one said it was the high priest. Now, Jaylen, brief your party on the upcoming events. We all need to be on the same page."
"Sure." Jaylen rolled his eyes. "Let's all hold hands and sing songs before we go to our deaths."
Chapter 7
Jaylen led the other four of the small group up to the bare oak trees and deep green cedars surrounding the fort. They had left their horses behind with the rest of Squad Eight so they wouldn't risk making too much sound. They huddled together on the cold frost-encrusted leaves and sticks that blanketed the outer limits of the forest floor.
Oviel retrieved a silver spyglass from his messenger bag. "Here. Take this and scope out the fort. You get to do it first, Lieutenant."
Jaylen glared at him then took the spyglass from him. "Are you trying to mock me, angel?"
"That depends. Did it work?"<
br />
He ignored Oviel as he adjusted the magnification and scanned over the fort in the distance where dim mage-glow danced around the tiny windows that lined the grey stone walls. It was calm, silent, and desolate aside from the glint of the mage-glow on the tips of readied arrows. Archers stood on the tops of the walls, prepared to fire their iron arrows at any threat that came near. He was surprised to see so few, but in the back of Jaylen's mind, he could hear Zeriel's warning. It could be a trap.
"What do you see?" Zeriel asked, rubbing Jaylen's shoulders.
"No one is manning the trebuchets. However, there are four archers stationed at the corner parapets."
Oviel took the spyglass from Jaylen and peered through it. "I can only sense seven living organisms in the general area of the fort. We already know that four of those are archers. That leaves the enemy general and two people who are unaccounted for."
"That's not very many people for an entire fort."
It was Zeriel's turn with the spyglass. "It's a trap. You watch. If we rush up there screaming like banshees, we are all going to die."
"Not everything has to be so forceful, you know?" Trevor asked. "What if we used Liam's skills to get us past the archers and inside? We could do this stealthily and avoid any direct contact with the enemy. But I am here in case we have to fight. I can swing this sword just like I could use a war hammer. Though, I would greatly prefer to have a war hammer."
"We'll get you one if we live through this." Jaylen shivered in the cold wind. "I don't know what to do. I can't order you all to try this and risk losing someone for this foolish plan."
Zeriel grabbed Jaylen's arms and turned him to face him. "Listen to me, Jay. You can do this. No matter what happens, stand by your authority. Would you like to pray before you give us this order?"
Jaylen smiled. "Yes. I would. Join me, will you?" He knelt down on one knee and drew his sword. With the tip of the blade pointed towards the sky, he closed his eyes and began the prayer. "Mother Sola, divine and gracious, be our guardian in this upcoming battle. Guide our blades and steel our hearts. Grant us fortitude and unbreaking will against our enemies. As your pure paladin, I beseech you to honor your promise as a part of my holy covenant with you. I have remained true to my vows and your laws. Please honor that with your blessing."
Oviel nodded his head. "That was a fitting prayer, Jaylen. You've learned well."
"Thank you. Hopefully Sola will be on our side."
"With a sincere prayer like that, how could she not be?" Zeriel stood up behind the nearest tree then raised his hand in the air where his glowing shotgun appeared. "Are you ready to do this?"
Jaylen took his hand as he stood and smoothed his tunic. "All right. Now I'm ready. Here's the plan. We are going to sneak across this open field one at a time to draw the least amount of attention to ourselves. Once we reach the outer wall of the fort, we will regroup and formulate a plan of action at that point. There has to be an entrance somewhere where we can either sneak inside or take out anyone guarding it. Remember, the primary focus here is to be stealthy and remain undetected until we can eliminate the Wolfekin general. Any questions?"
No one had any concerns.
"This is it, then. I will go first. Then Trevor, Liam, Zeriel, and Oviel. Here I go." Jaylen silently pushed through the outer limbs and branches of the trees before taking off running as fast as he could, leaving only wet footprints behind in the frosty dew-covered grass. He held his breath, his eyes never leaving the nearest archer, until he reached the smooth stone wall of the fort. He watched anxiously as the others made it across the field, all in one piece and without being turned into pincushions by the arrows.
"What now?" Liam asked.
"We find a way to get in." Oviel walked along the wall, tapping the grey stone bricks with the end of his wooden staff.
"What are you doing?" Trevor asked.
"Checking for weak points. There's always a weak point, right Liam?"
"Right, Ovi."
Oviel grinned as he tapped the same spot a few times. "Ah. Hear that? These are loose. Trevor, lend me a hand, will you? Grab that top brick right there under the edge of that vine and lift it up slowly."
Jaylen observed the situation as the bricks were slowly removed and set down on the ground. Sure enough, there was a gap between the two more solid walls that was just large enough for the angels and Trevor to squeeze through. Trevor nearly didn't make it, but he gave it one last push as Oviel pulled him and he slipped inside the dimly lit hallway. They hid in the shadowy side passageway as Oviel replaced the bricks seamlessly until it looked like nothing had been disturbed.
Jaylen's breath fogged in the cold air as they sneaked down the stone corridor. They climbed up a shaky wooden ladder to the next floor after finding nothing worthwhile on the first floor. The only sounds were the crackling of the fires of the torches that lined the wall and the occasional footsteps of the archers on the roof above them. Once they turned the corner, Jaylen signaled for them to stop so he could peer around into the adjacent hallway. A low growl reverberated against the stones underneath his feet, sending a chill down his spine.
"What was that?" Trevor asked.
"Sounded like a dog."
"Or a werewolf." Oviel held onto Liam tightly. The boy was fussing and visibly trembling, not from the chilly air, but from fear. "We need to get done here and leave as soon as possible. Something is wrong with Liam."
"What's wrong with him, exactly?" Zeriel asked.
"Feels like he has a fever. I can't tell here. I'll have to run some tests back at camp."
Liam buried his face into Oviel's robes as he started to cry. "He's here. He's here!"
"Shh. You have to be quiet." Oviel smoothed the boy's light brown hair. "Who is here? What are you talking about?"
"My Master. He's here and watchin' us. He wants me back."
"Sulstair?"
"Yes! My Master. He's here."
Oviel only sighed and tried to calm the frightened boy. "Sulstair the elf isn't here. If he was, then his angel, Axaniel, would be here as well. There's no one here. It's okay. Jaylen, we need to hurry up."
"There's a light coming from a side room up ahead. I think that's where the sound came from. Should we go check it out?" Jaylen asked.
"You're the one in charge. You make the calls."
Jaylen tiptoed down the dimly lit hallway until he knelt down by the doorway and looked around the corner. The enemy general was busy studying papers on a table where a single candle burned, casting looming shadows into the corners of the tiny room. Parchment maps and documents were plastered all over the stone walls, a weapon rack was on the opposite side of the room, and a sleeping dog was curled up on a blanket underneath the table.
Jaylen whispered to Oviel. "Look under the table. Is that a dog or a morphed werewolf?"
"Use your spirit sight and tell me. You have the ability to use your magic. Learn."
As he focused on the sleeping dog, Jaylen blinked his eyes then he slipped into his spirit sight. The enemy general glowed with a shadowy aura as did the mangy dog curled up on the floor. "They're both werewolves. We have to be careful."
Oviel pulled Liam to his side. "Liam, can you do anything to help here? Do you have any of your special potions that could prove useful here?"
"Maybe." He rummaged through the pouch on his belt. "You want 'em dead, asleep, or really really scared?"
"That's up to our leader. Jaylen, what is the plan here?"
"We need a distraction. Liam, throw a smoke bomb in there then we will rush in once the dog and the general are distracted. I want Trevor to handle the general and Zeriel to take out the dog. If this is some kind of clever trap, we will be the ones to trick them instead. First, we need to make sure to grab that stack of papers. Those documents could be useful."
Trevor cracked his knuckles. "So throw a smoke bomb, attack the general, then grab the papers and run?"
"Sounds good. We can come back with the rest of our squad once we
are certain there is no threat here. Liam, if you are able, throw a smoke bomb once I give the signal then Trevor and Zeriel will rush in. I will get the documents. Oviel will provide backup in case we need it. Ready? On the count of three. One . . . two . . . three!"
The thick black smoke instantly filled the room as Jaylen dashed forward blindly towards where he thought the table was. He could hear shouting and growling as someone screamed in pain and something shattered nearby. Jaylen ran into something hard. The impact sent him backwards, sprawling on the cold floor. Coughing and rubbing his stinging eyes that were irritated from the smoke, Jaylen tried to crawl underneath the rising plumes, but strong hands grabbed him. He screamed as he was dragged forcefully out of the room and tossed against the far wall of the hallway where the smoke was dissipating.
Zeriel grabbed his shoulders and shook him. "Run! What's wrong with you, Jaylen? Run!"
Still dazed and on edge, Jaylen wiped his eyes on his sleeve. "What? What happened?"
"Run! Forget about the documents. Just get out alive. We can't take them all."
"Take them all? All of what?"
Zeriel spun Jaylen around to look over the balcony into the small courtyard below where hundreds of grey and white skeletons were climbing over the walls and rushing up the stairs to the second floor where they were. "Undead. We can't take them. None of us are skilled in defeating them."
Oviel ran out of the room, covered in blood, leading a wide-eyed Liam behind him. "If you can jump off of the balcony on the outside and run, do it. I will fly back to Sergeant Riz and tell him to send for reinforcements. I'll be back. Come on, Liam."
Liam's mouth fell open as he stopped, unable to run anymore. He stared at the hordes of skeletons and let out a tiny whimpering sound.
"Liam, come on!"
"He's here. My Master is here."
Jaylen rushed to him and grabbed his arm, pulling him towards the stairs. "I'm your one and only Master now, remember? Run. That's an order!"
"Sulstair's here. He's lured me here and trapped me where I'm supposed to be."
Oviel spread his wings. "I have to go."
"Then go!" Jaylen shouted. "I'll take care of Liam. Go get help!"
Angel of Darkness Books 1-5 Page 43