The Banished Lands- The Complete Series

by Benjamin Mester

  “Estrien, this is madness!” he shouted. “We've no ladders!”

  “Keep moving! Trust me!”

  But almost the moment the words escaped her lips, a mighty roar bellowed from behind, the sound of a dozen Bearoc warriors, each bearing a pair of large spears. They sprinted down the hillside, rearing back and hurling their spears toward the fort. The spears whizzed just overhead, smashing into the front wall of the fort with a great crash and splintering of wood. Estrien could hear the startled commotion from the fort wall, calling for rocks and boiling oil.

  Having seen no ladders or battering ram, the warriors on the wall had kept to their bows and arrows. Now they scrambled to keep their assailants from scaling the wall riddled with spears. Estrien's forces reached the wall in moments, two dozen large spears in a tight pattern, scattered but climbable.

  Their armor would do little against scalding oil or heavy rocks. So sheathing her sword, she notched an arrow in her bow, calling it to life and taking aim. Runners with pots of steaming oil made haste along the top of the wall, Estrien picking them off as they neared her climbing warriors.

  But rocks rained down from above, knocking some to the ground while others took their places, with more than a dozen warriors ranged along the wall, steadily ascending. A pair of arrows struck Estrien in the breastplate, bouncing clean off but hampering her aim.

  She wasted two arrows before bringing a third to bear on one of the archers, felling him. But her quiver was nearly empty now. The first of her warriors was nearly to top of the wall. Dungeon Core awaited them, thrusting spears downward. Estrien used what little arrows she had left to protect the foremost climbers.

  The dozen Bearoc warriors arrived on the scene each hurling a large rock at the top of the wall, knocking warriors from their places and impacting the wall with splintering thuds. The force was so great, it threatened to knock the climbers from their places.

  But the first warrior took advantage of the commotion and broke the top of the wall, a clash of swords ensuing. Estrien spent her last arrow helping the second arrive unharmed. But just then, an arrow struck her left forearm at the joint of the elbow. It sliced through and sailed down to the ground, sinking into the earth.

  Blood shone red beneath her armor and a searing pain. She wouldn't be able to climb like this. Unsheathing her sword, she ran to the nearest Bearoc warrior.

  “Get me up there!” she yelled.

  Taking her round the waist, he ran and leaped for a spear sunk midway up the wall. Grasping it and swinging up, he tossed Estrien upward. Estrien went flying, narrowly dodging a pair of spears on her ascent, but stopping short of the top of the wall. Instead, she hooked a spear under her good arm and one leg.

  Then, reaching with her other arm, she ignored the pain and grabbed another spear, pulling upward. She was just below the top of the wall. Suddenly a large stone came into view. It struck her on her helmet, ripping her grip from the spear as she grasped for it wildly.

  She began to fall. But a hand grabbed her by the arm, steadying her. It was Commander Rovak's second in command. He steadied her with a smile and then lunged upward onto the wall. Estrien was soon to follow.

  But as she reached again with her left arm, the smearing blood now on her hand made her unable to grab it. Others below her were waiting eagerly for her ascent. She was now an obstacle. She glanced about quickly. Another spear to her right was nearly in jumping distance, though it seemed out of range.

  But Estrien had little choice. If she couldn't make it to the top of the wall, she needed to get out of the way. So with a yell, she leaped for the spear, hooking it with her bow and hanging down. For many moments she struggled there, legs kicking in midair.

  But summoning all her resolve, she pulled herself up and hooked the spear with her good arm and leg. Then, with one final effort, she reached the top of the wall. The battle for the wall was in full swing, with already a handful of her warriors pushing outward.

  With Drune in hand, Estrien engaged the nearest Dungeon Core warrior, felling him. Warriors with spears were running up the stairs to defend their keep. Estrien advanced toward them.

  The lead warrior lunged for her, the tip of his spear traveling past her cheek as she ducked her head to the side. Just then, an arrow whizzed by her. Archers from below were taking aim at the warriors on the wall. From the side, they were heavily exposed, where the leather straps of the breastplate tied to the back of the armor.

  Estrien ducked the spear tip as the warrior brought it across her body and lunged forward into the thick of the Dungeon Core warriors. But she could hear the death cries as arrows met their marks in the weak points of her warriors' armor.

  They needed to open the gate. But dozens of warriors stood between her and it, and it was much too far to jump from the wall. She'd have to fight her way through.

  The battle for the wall came to a standstill. The warriors constantly pouring up kept her forces from advancing. And the archers down below were steadily finding weak points in their suits of armor.

  Estrien was close quartered to the spearmen coming against her, dodging spear tips and trying to find opportunities to strike. But the arrows flying past her head warned her that it was only a matter of time before one fateful arrow found its mark.

  Estrien dodged a high spear strike and lunged forward, dealing a death blow to the warrior. But another spear tip found her breastplate, knocking her backward. She struggled to keep her footing but stumbled, landing on her back, her helmet coming off her head.

  The Dungeon Core were quickly upon her, stabbing downward with their spears. Estrien rolled to one side, dodging the spear of the first warrior and kicking him in the thigh, sending him down to the ground with a startled yell.

  Another soon hovered over her. But his eyes lifted from Estrien and a roar bellowed from just behind her from one of the Bearoc warriors. He swung his broadsword, sending three Dungeon Core warriors from the wall. Then he leaped downward, landing the twenty five foot drop and making for the large gate.

  Arrows struck him from all around, most deflecting, but a few finding joints in his armor. But he reached the heavy crossbeam holding the gates shut, lifting it with all his might and casting it aside. The gates burst open and the Bearoc warrior slumped to one side, too injured to continue.

  A flood of coalition, resistance, and Bearoc warriors entered the fort. The forces of Corcoran scattered though some still held their ground. Estrien lay on the ground for a few moments, breathing in deep.

  “Lady Estrien!” said one of the Melanorian warriors of the coalition as he rushed over to help her.

  “I'm alright,” she said, rolling onto her side and wincing as she came to rest on her wounded forearm.

  “Secure the city,” she commanded and arose, retrieving her helmet.

  As the battle came to a close Estrien scanned her surroundings. They had lost more than two dozen warriors. But the fort had fallen. It could have been much worse. Estrien walked along the wall toward the back side of the fort which faced the ocean. It was deep blue against the horizon, white caps forming and disappearing in the light breeze.

  Commander Rovak's second found her and stood beside her.

  “Congratulations,” he offered. “The fort is ours.”

  Estrien nodded slowly. He began to look himself over.

  “Not a scratch,” Rovak's second marveled, tracing his fingertips along the lines of his armor. “I took at least three arrows directly to the chest. What in the world is this made from?”

  “From the things you tell your children about in bedtime stories.”

  He laughed and shook his head.

  “I don't like admitting I'm wrong, but truly, my world has grown today. It's been an honor fighting with you.”

  Estrien bowed low. But then she turned troubled eyes back over the deep blue sea.

  “What is it?” he asked.

  “That was too easy,” she replied.

  “Well, to your credit, it was quite a brillia
nt strategy. Where did you learn that?”

  “Just simple misdirection,” she replied. “Draw the enemy to where you are, not where you're about to be.”

  “Never in all my years as a soldier have I heard of a fort being taken with only a hundred warriors. Hopefully the commander has had equal success.”

  Estrien nodded. It seemed as though they had won a great victory. But something still troubled her. Just as she had spoken of misdirection to Rovak's second, she couldn't help but wonder if Corcoran had done the same to them? Had he managed to draw their focus to where he was, and away from where he was about to be? Only time would tell.

  “What are we going to do now?” Commander Rovak's second asked.

  “Burn it to the ground.”

  But a commotion began stirring from behind as a runner approached from below.

  “A man is here requesting an audience with you,” he said.

  “Who is he?” Estrien asked.

  “He claims his name in Straiah.”

  “Straiah?”

  Estrien ran from the wall, descending a staircase and following the runner, her heart beating quickly. Coming close, Straiah came into view. He looked exhausted from long days of travel. Estrien came and embraced him.

  “It's so good to see you on your feet. What are you doing here?”

  “I came as soon as I could travel,” he replied. “When we first began to explore the Westward Wilds searching for signs of Corcoran, I went south to Thob Forest, to the fortress Malfur had begun constructing against the Estees Mountains. The old fort was still abandoned, but I felt something moving there, watching me, hoping to go unnoticed.”

  “What are you saying?” Estrien asked.

  “I'm saying that these three strongholds were a ploy. Corcoran has been landing his greater forces south of here, probably for months now, using the Frostlands to make his way up into Thob Forest. When you attacked, it signaled his forces to go on the move, bound for the lands of Kester. I narrowly escaped them coming here to warn you.”

  “You lied to us!” Rovak's second yelled at Estrien. “You told us these three forts were the whole of Corcoran's forces here. You've allowed him to flank us!”

  “I didn't lie,” Estrien replied. “We didn't know.”

  Rovak's second gazed at her with fury for many moments.

  “Burn this place to the ground,” he commanded. “We're leaving.”

  Revelations

  Sheabor and the others set out from the hall of records after midnight, his heart beating more quickly with every step. Until now, he hadn't honestly expected to find anything hidden there. But the fact that a vault of Shade Stone existed beneath the city, which only his hammer could break into, testified that something lay waiting to be discovered.

  Sheabor thought to rouse the king and his advisers, or even perhaps to wait till first light. The king would want to be there when the vault was broken into. But Sheabor was still afraid that somehow it was all just a ruse. So with map in hand, the four traveled the now vacant streets by torchlight, searching for the entrance to the catacombs.

  “I think the entrance is somewhere along the northern end at the base of the stairs of the palace hall,” Cora said, holding the map.

  They arrived at the bottom of the palace staircase in short order. The two guards at the top, seeing a party lingering there, descended to meet them.

  “What business have you at this hour?” one of the guards demanded.

  “We've orders from the king to search the catacombs beneath the city.”

  The soldier seemed overly surprised, as though he himself were unaware of their existence. He hesitated, knowing Sheabor to be a distinguished guest, but unsure why he and a small party were out and about in the middle of the night.

  “Wait here,” he commanded.

  The other soldier held his ground while the lead warrior ascended the staircase and entered the palace hall. Minutes later, he returned with one of the advisers, a man Sheabor recognized from their first visit to Eulsiphion. His name was Archulus.

  “The lieutenant informs me you seek to gain entrance to the catacombs beneath the city.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why, and at this hour nonetheless?”

  “There's something buried there we need to find. It's of great importance.”

  “Very well,” he said with a yawn. “I will accompany you.”

  Then motioning to continue, he led them toward a small building constructed against a hillside, locked with chains around the doors. Archulus produced a key from the folds of his garments, unlocking the chains and opening the door. The room was pitch dark and a musty odor wafted out on the chilly air.

  But the group went forward, quickly moving underground down a narrow corridor until it opened up into a larger cavern. They must be directly beneath the palace hall, Sheabor guessed. The group huddled round the map Cora still held, the flames of their torches dancing on a wall not viewed by human eyes in centuries.

  “It looks like we need to proceed forward for some while and then make south,” Cora decided.

  As their eyes adjusted to their new environment, they saw many tunnels peppered about the cavern. Each was a mystery waiting to be discovered but only one would lead them to their true prize. Cora moved forward cautiously, fearing getting lost. But after they had traveled a few dozen paces, she pointed decisively.

  “There,” she said, finger extended.

  “Are you sure?” Archulus questioned.

  “No. But I have the map and you don't.”

  The group chuckled and approached the tunnel. Bringing the light of the torches, the tunnel went down at a steady decline. Offshoots and forks began almost immediately and Sheabor marveled at how intricate a maze of tunnels ran beneath the city. It almost reminded him of the Squall Highlands but hopefully less malevolent.

  But after nearly five minutes of walking, they saw the tunnel end in the distance at a large wall of black Shade Stone. Coming closer, the cave wall on one side of the Shade Stone had been bashed in, as though the explorers sought to go around the impenetrable Shade Stone wall. After breaking through the stone a short distance, they found that the Shade Stone wall extended into the cave itself.

  Two unlit torches were mounted on either side of the door. Sheabor lit them and then took his hammer in hand.

  “Stand back,” he said.

  Then he struck the wall as hard as he could with the flat end of his hammer. The hammer bounced from the wall, but a thin fracture ran through the solid wall. Sheabor swung again, each blow weakening it more and more until a final strike shattered the wall completely, revealing that it was only a few inches thick.

  The group entered the large cavern slowly. On either side of them were unlit torches. But as they lit the initial two, more torches came into view along the wall, encircling the whole cavern.

  “Let's light them up,” Sheabor said.

  Quickly a mellow glow filled the large cavern, bringing something striking into view. Against the far wall, standing upright was a figure encased in crystal, the same kind of crystal surrounding the coffin of Sheyla. The group drew near.

  The figure was an old man – white beard and flowing hair – a regal persona.

  “Is that King Euthor?” Sheabor asked.

  That couldn't be. Pallin saw the tomb of King Euthor on the Banished Lands.

  “That is King Taspian!” Aravas exclaimed. “I did not at first recognize him. He has aged since last I saw him.”

  “Who?” Sheabor questioned.

  “Do you remember when we first arrived at Eulsiphion?” Durian asked. “Estrien and the other man from Melanor told us about how King Euthor and the king of Melanor locked themselves up for a week with the fallen star, learning its secrets. And after that both kings disappeared, each on their own mission. This is the king of Melanor who disappeared along with King Euthor.”

  A low column of Shade Stone with a velvet cloth covering an item sat just in front of the statue. Sheabor lif
ted the cloth free, his eyes going wide at what it revealed. It was an orb of Shade Stone, but unlike the one they had previously seen. Instead of a dark orb, this orb seemed alive, with bright light emanating from within, almost like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. The light seemed to pulsate and flash. There was no mistaking what this was.

  “I don't believe it!” Aravas exclaimed. “Our powers hidden in Eulsiphion all this time.”

  But then Durian noticed something else. In the rock wall at the feet of King Taspian, a rectangular space had been hollowed out. It was the precise shape and size of the stone coffin of Sheyla. It couldn't be. Not only that, but there was a cutout in the rock which perfectly matched the shape and size of Sheabor's hammer. Durian's heart beat quickly.

  “Wake the king immediately,” Sheabor said to Archulus. “And bring fresh torches.”

  “And bring the coffin of Sheyla down here.”

  Sheabor looked at him curiously but then noticed the same thing Durian had only moments earlier.

  “Let's spread out and search the whole cavern,” Sheabor said.

  It was some time before Archulus returned with King Froamb but their searching yielded little more. Many others followed the king, including some who pushed the stone coffin of Sheyla on a small cart. Fresh torches were exchanged and an even brighter light filled the air. When King Froamb caught sight of the Shade Stone orb, he gasped and approached it cautiously.

  “We've found the powers of the Windbearers at last,” Sheabor said. “This will change our fate in the war.”

  King Froamb reached out and touched the orb with the palm of his hand. And as he did, a faint rumbling erupted from it, and he shot his hand back, startled.

  “I don't believe it!” he exclaimed. “We must unlock it immediately.”

  Sheabor turned to Aravas who shook his head slowly.

  “We need Faigean and Pallin before we can unlock the orb.”

  “And where are they?” King Froamb asked.

  “Faigean is with the giants of Aeleos. I instructed Bowen to tell him everything concerning the powers of the Windbearers. If all has gone according to plan, Faigean is already on his way to meet us.”