The Gate and Beyond

by E J Gilmour

  ‘Sir Red, Lady Stella, ride with us,’ said King Edric.

  King Edric rode out ahead of the army with Princess Apherah. Red and Stella rode after them. They were followed by Mostyn, Meara, Cassiel, and the Fiorian Winfred. King Ignis, in full shining plate armour, rode out across the meadow on a mighty white warhorse. His armour shone against the background of red Ortarian flags. He was followed by Duke Egil of Scaldonia, a group of commanders, and several other warriors who were dressed in the manner of Vastorian tribesmen. As the two groups approached each other King Ignis recognised Red and Stella and smiled happily. He then looked to King Edric and saluted his fellow king.

  ‘King Edric, I cannot express enough how happy we are that you are joining us in such a dark hour. We face a powerful enemy. My scouts have reported they are almost upon us.’

  ‘I am honoured you have come here to help liberate us. What are your feelings, King Ignis; can we defeat the enemy?’

  King Ignis sternly looked toward the western ridge. ‘It is doubtful. My scouts have reported a great multitude: muckrons, wyverns, and dark shadows that appear in the shape of men. They also have many Skatheans and Northern Sorcerers. We our greatly outnumbered, but my men are ready to fight until the end. The muckron horde is less than an hour from here.’

  ‘We are the last hope of mankind in Veredor,’ said the Fiorian Winfred. ‘Only the Iril Fortress remains in the Far Western Lands. We are all that stands in the way of the Prince of Shadows completing his conquest of Veredor.’

  ‘Then we will show him how brave men can be,’ said King Ignis boldly. ‘Many have already died fighting. Word reached me in Ancora that Eben was the last Ecorian. I can’t express how much this surprised me. I accepted the news joyfully. Then word reached me that Eben had died fighting our enemies in Everdon. I still feel the grief deep in my heart at losing Eben. Upon hearing about Eben’s death I decided to cross into Vastoria and follow the muckron army toward Irvaria. I believe we must be prepared to sacrifice ourselves to save our world as Eben did. We will show the Prince of Shadows the meaning of bravery.’

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Red, Stella, Cassiel, and Meara had joined the Ortarian army and stood beside King Ignis. The Irvarian army had moved up beside the Ortarians and Empyrians. The entire force had formed ranks facing the opposing western ridge. Several thousand Ortarian heavy cavalry had moved to the front. King Ignis had positioned the archers to the rear. The infantry made up the majority of the army and formed ranks just behind the cavalry and knights.

  ‘I am very glad we are all together again,’ said King Ignis, looking kindly toward Red, Stella, and Cassiel. ‘I will fight for Eben. I believe the Prince of Shadows will want to be here today to witness his victory over men. There may still be hope. All the muckrons and monsters serve the Prince of Shadows and will scatter if he falls. If we could focus all our remaining strength on him we may still be able to win today.’

  ‘He will be well protected,’ said Meara.

  ‘I’m sure we can fight our way through anything,’ said Red.

  ‘Slaying the Prince of Shadows may be our only hope,’ said King Ignis.

  Suddenly a hideous moan echoed out across the valley. A lindworm dashed over the opposing ridge and stopped halfway down the rise. Its green scales glimmered in the faint sunlight.

  ‘Urs-shaka, Urs-shaka, Urs-shaka!’ cried the muckron horde in the distance.

  ‘They are coming,’ said King Ignis.

  All the men watched as the enemy army appeared at the top of the opposing ridge. The muckron horde poured across the rise and formed ranks. Thick lines of muckrons flowed like rivers of monsters. Before long it was clear that the monstrous horde was far larger than the army of men waiting at the eastern side of Jeriel’s Field. Dozens of wyverns flew in circles above them, and clusters of lindworms were gathering at the front of the enemy lines. A feeling of impending doom struck the army of men.

  Red scanned the army of monsters. He was looking for the Prince of Shadows, but he saw no sign of the evil leader among the muckron horde. A shadow fell over the battlefield as the clouds above darkened. The gloom shrouded the entire army of men. Red could see fear growing in the eyes of the soldiers who surrounded him. The sun faded as more dark clouds rolled over the sky. Hope faded with the coming of the shadow.

  ‘This is the evil of the Prince of Shadows,’ said Baftel. ‘He is destroying the light of our world. He is near, but he remains hidden from my vision.’

  Red, Stella, Arlen, and Meara kept searching the enemy ranks, all of them hoping to see the Prince of Shadows.

  ‘What exactly do you see, Baftel?’ asked Meara.

  ‘I see a shadow gathering that is darker than the darkest night. It moves through the clouds above. He is watching us.’

  They looked up at the swirling clouds as the light continued to fade. King Edric rode over from the front of the Irvarian army. He met with King Ignis at the front of the Ortarian army. A few moments later Duke Egil rode over and joined them. Red and Stella watched as the two kings and Duke Egil decided on a plan of attack with their commanders. King Ignis turned his white warhorse and looked sternly toward his army. King Edric was at his side, and the two kings drew their swords.

  ‘For truth and light!’ cried King Ignis. The kings then turned their horses to face the army of monsters. King Ignis pointed his sword at the enemy army. His warhorse leapt forward. The cavalry and knights charged after their king. The horns of the Ortarian army sounded across the field.

  Red looked to Stella. ‘Stay with me, Stella.’

  ‘Forever,’ said Stella, a single tear rolling down her face. They gripped hands for a moment and then rode forward together. Cassiel was riding close beside them. Meara and Arlen were also nearby. The Ortarian cavalry advanced quickly across the field, and the howling monsters waited for them at the base of the opposing rise. Red drew his sword.

  A moment later the knights and cavalry crashed into the front line of lindworms. The howls of the lindworms were hideous; knights were thrown from their horses, men cried in pain, and many horses were crushed into the ground. The second wave of cavalry struck an instant later. Red caught sight of a lance piecing a lindworm’s neck. The beast howled in pain and fell to the ground. The pig headed muckrons then entered the fray. Almost instantly Red and Stella were among the enemy lines. Red swung his sword and a muckron fell under his blade.

  Stella cut down a muckron. Her horse whirled around as a wave of muckrons charged toward her. Red rode forward, cutting down several muckrons as he moved his warhorse toward Stella. He didn’t want them to be separated on the battlefield. There were monsters everywhere. Stella stabbed out again and again as another crowd of muckrons charged at them.

  Meanwhile Red kicked out at a muckron, knocking the monster down as he thrust his sword out at another beast. A smaller muckron leapt at him from behind and bit into his horse’s side, its flaring snout was hideous to behold. Red rammed his sword into the monster.

  He turned to see Stella stab her sword at a lindworm. The beast raised its claw in defence and then struck back. Stella was knocked from her horse and fell into the grass below. Red jumped down to help his wife and found the lindworm was instantly upon them. He stabbed forward, but the scaly beast was too quick. It dodged, snapping back with its huge fangs.

  A blue beam of light struck the lindworm before the bite could be finished. Cassiel raised his hands and dozens of glowing blue darts blasted into the scaly beast. The lindworm struggled for a moment under the attack and writhed around in pain. Red then leapt forward and hewed down with all his might, his blade cutting deep into the lindworm’s neck. The beast fell and lay dead on the ground.

  ‘Watch out!’ cried Stella.

  A group of muckrons were advancing directly at Red. A moment later Cassiel was at his side.

  ‘Watch this,’ said Cassiel as he lifted his glowing hands. Forked lightning blasted from his palms, and the monsters were stopped in their tracks and scattered. Stel
la gathered herself and joined them as another wave of muckrons approached. The flow of muckrons from the western rise was relentless. The cavalry advance had been halted. The Ortarian infantry then smashed into the enemy lines, and the enthusiasm of the men pressed the monsters back across the field. Red cut out again and again, but he found for every monster he defeated another two appeared.

  ‘Red! The King! He needs us!’ cried Stella, pointing through the throng of monsters.

  Red turned to see that King Ignis was being pulled down from his warhorse by a group of muckrons. He grabbed Cassiel by the shoulder and the three of them dashed across the battlefield. They furiously fought their way forward. King Ignis wasn’t going to give in easily. He swung his sword wildly and held the monsters at bay. Red and Stella were the first to reach him. Red stabbed out and a muckron fell as Stella cut down two. King Ignis turned to face them and smiled.

  ‘Always there when I need you,’ he said with a relieved laugh. His shining armour was battered, but the look of determination in the King’s eyes was intense.

  Together they pushed into the muckron ranks. Wyverns swooped through the air above, blasts of green lighting lit up the battlefield, and riders were being torn from their horses. The howls of the muckrons never ceased.

  King Ignis led the way, but as they progressed across the field they found that the lines of muckrons were increasingly difficult to hold back. Red looked ahead through the fray and saw the muckrons were allowing something to pass through their ranks. They all witnessed the sight of a ghoul walking across the field toward them. Intense darkness surrounded the spectre like swirling smoke. Its red glowing eyes were staring directly at King Ignis.

  ‘What is that?’ asked the King, his eyes wide with shock.

  Cassiel lifted his hand and a bright blue beam of light shot across at the creature of darkness. The ghoul recoiled and then grew larger. An instant later it bounded toward them. Red dashed forward, cutting down with all his might, but his blade struck the ground. Instantly he felt himself being lifted up by the icy grip of the evil being. Red could feel the cold grip was burning his skin like fire.

  ‘I take your light from you,’ hissed the ghoul.

  ‘Never!’ cried Red as he reached out and grabbed the ghoul’s shadowy neck.

  Instantly a powerful beam of bright white light struck the ghoul. Red fell to the ground and away. Stella took his arm and pulled him back. Arlen stepped forward and stood before the ghoul. He lifted his hands and a light shone forth that was as bright as the sun. The shadow recoiled, and the muckrons surrounding them fled in fear. Arlen reached out to grab the ghoul with his glowing hands. The spectre fell back and cowered on the ground.

  ‘You can no longer hide in the shadows,’ shouted Arlen. ‘Show yourself!’ The shadows gradually dissipated, and the ghoul curled up. The ghoul’s faint red eyes stared up at Arlen in terror.

  ‘It is too late,’ hissed the ghoul in a thin and trembling voice. ‘He is coming now. There is nothing you can do.’

  A powerful howl blasted down from the clouds above and resonated across the battlefield. Every creature looked up to see the origin of the mighty roar. Red lifted his eyes to see the dark shape of a massive dragon swooping down toward the battlefield. Its dark scales shone like polished metal, and its huge batlike wings cast a shadow over the land below. From head to tail the beast was at least a hundred yards in length. The dragon’s entire back was covered with sharp horns that rose like large spears. Its head was the size of a wagon, and hundreds of giant fangs protruded like blades from its gaping mouth. The fierce face of the beast drove fear into the hearts of all below.

  Atop the dragon was a rider who was adorned in dark armour. Several horns rose from his helm and a menacing metal visor covered his face. He sat just behind the dragon’s head, and he stared down at the battlefield below. In his hand he carried the Sword of Darkness, and a misty shadow swirled around him.

  ‘The Prince of Shadows,’ gasped Stella.

  The dragon swooped over the battlefield and moments later smashed into the army of men. Men and horses scattered before the beast. Red, Stella, Cassiel, and King Ignis watched on as the men backed away; their courage fading at the sight of such an enormous and powerful creature. Scorching flames blasted from the dragon’s mouth and incinerated several lines of soldiers. Hundreds of soldiers fled from the flames. Many horses threw their riders and galloped from the battlefield.

  The Prince of Shadows halted his mighty beast. The entire battlefield fell eerily silent as all eyes looked up at the great enemy. A heckling laughed rang out across the field. The Prince of Shadows then lifted the Sword of Darkness above his head.

  ‘Kneel!’ he howled, his deep voice resonating over Jeriel’s Field. The command was followed by deathly silence. For almost a minute not a single soldier or monster moved. All the men and muckrons stared up at the Prince of Shadows in terror.

  A single rider then left the ranks of men and rode out across the field. Her armour was shining in the faint light of the shadowy day. Her large white warhorse held its ground before the face of the hideous dragon. Princess Apherah lifted her sword defiantly and looked up at the Prince of Shadows. ‘We choose freedom!’ she cried.

  For a few moments the Prince of Shadows stared down at her in silence before answering. ‘There will be no freedom in Veredor!’ His voice reverberated across Jeriel’s Field. Suddenly the dragon leapt forward. Apherah turned her warhorse and galloped across the battlefield as flames burst forth from the dragon’s mouth after her. A group of brave men charged forward and were met by intense flame; they were all incinerated. The Ortarian archers started to shoot at the dragon, but their arrows bounced off the thick dark scales of the beast.

  ‘Come on!’ shouted King Ignis as he ran forward toward the dragon.

  The battle erupted once again. The muckrons were given confidence by the arrival of their leader. Red and Stella ran after King Ignis. Cassiel fell behind and started to battle the muckron horde alongside a group of Irvarian soldiers.

  Red focused his full attention ahead at the massive beast as he charged toward it. He lifted his sword as a group of muckrons crossed their path. The grass around them was burning brightly. The heat was becoming unbearable, and the smoky haze made it difficult to see.

  Red hewed down a muckron and cleared the path to the dragon. Stella was by his side, but King Ignis had fallen back. Dozens of muckrons surrounded them. Suddenly a rider came into view and charged through the smoke and flames. Red looked up and saw King Edric holding a lance and galloping toward the dragon.

  The dragon whirled around to face the King. Its massive horned tail smashed into King Edric’s horse. The King fell and crashed heavily to the ground. His warhorse lay lifeless. King Edric’s leg had snapped and blood flowed from a wound in his chest. The Prince of Shadows directed his dragon forward. Red and Stella dashed across the battlefield. Together they stood in the dragon’s path and held up their swords. The Prince of Shadows stared down at them.

  ‘Kneel before me!’

  ‘Never!’ cried Red as he lifted his sword and pointed the blade at the Astarian.

  The Prince of Shadows halted his dragon for a moment and stared down at Red and Stella. Thousands of muckrons gathered behind the dragon. The courage of the army of men was lost save for a few brave soldiers.

  ‘At last, Veredor is mine!’ cried the Prince of Shadows, and his words shook the ground.

  The shadow deepened, and all the men trembled in fear as nearly all the light of the day faded away. Red felt the hope in his heart begin to fade. He looked to Stella and saw tears welling up in her eyes. He knew in that moment the end had arrived. He cast his eyes downward and waited for death.

  Suddenly a trumpet blew out from the top of the eastern ridge. Red lifted his eyes. Hundreds of purple flags depicting the white unicorn rose above the rise. A rider, adorned in shining armour, appeared on a great white unicorn. A mystic light shone over the battlefield. The Prince of Shadows roar
ed in defiance. The trumpets of the Aterian army blew out again as a great army of men crossed the ridge and came into view. The horns of the Jeanian tribesmen followed.

  ‘Ecorian!’ roared the Prince of Shadows. The hideous dragon howled.

  ‘Eben!’ cried Red, hardly believing his eyes. ‘He’s alive!’

  Eben drew the Sword of Light as the Aterian and Jeanian armies charged forward. The dragon leapt into the air and flew upward as the muckrons charged to meet the advancing Aterians and Jeanians. The Ortarians, Empyrians, Scaldonians, and Irvarians felt a renewed courage and once again advanced. The mighty dragon circled above Jeriel’s Field.

  The speed of the unicorn was incredible. Eben smashed through the enemy lines. The monsters fled and scattered before him as he cut down any lindworm or muckron that stood in his path. The Jeanians and Aterians charged into the muckrons and followed after Eben.

  Eben looked up and watched the dragon circling above. The Prince of Shadow’s eyes were fixed on Eben and the unicorn. The massive beast suddenly plunged and howled as it descended. A shockwave of bright light rose up from the field and the unicorn leapt as no other creature could. Eben swung his sword and cut through the dragon’s dark scales. The evil beast howled in pain and landed on the ground as Eben passed by. The unicorn quickly circled around. Eben faced the Prince of Shadows. The dragon was injured, but the cut had only increased the beast’s fury.

  Meanwhile the Aterians and Jeanians were pushing the muckron horde back. The tide of the battle had turned and the muckrons were retreating toward the western ridge. Quade, riding his mighty warhorse, Swiftwing, led the charge toward the western ridge.

  The Prince of Shadows stared at Eben without saying a word. He turned to see his army retreating. Only a few muckrons fought on.

  ‘You are beaten, Astarian! Your army has been destroyed. Now I will finish you and your dragon,’ shouted Eben as he moved forward cautiously.

  The Prince of Shadows laughed. ‘Ecorian, you have defied me for the last time. Soon you will see my victory is inevitable. I will break down any wall you build to stop me!’