As they neared the ancient forest a call came from the rear of the line that riders were on the horizon to the north, and gaining fast. Before even the king could react to the news, Philip came rushing up the trail, allowing himself several hundred yards to slow his pace before falling in beside the king, keeping pace with the royal mount effortlessly. Having been debriefed, Philip went to gather his armor and his horse as the king raised his hand into the sky signaling all those in the procession to halt.
Within moments the king gave orders and all set about dismounting their horses and, removing items from saddlebags, they began to set camp below the canopy of the trees, off the path. Though Philip had just returned, he unsheathed his twin short swords and raced off into the woods. Several men began dragging logs and sticks into a pile in preparation of a fire. Seth, Sara and Borrik watched as those with experience nearly had the camp set before they had even dismounted and tied their horses to an already established tether line. Seth stood transfixed as their camp was erected without a single direction given. This was discipline and experience in action. Awed by what they saw, the three walked beneath the canopy of trees into camp.
The immense forest was an entire new world to Seth and it sent all of his senses reeling. In the shadow of the trees the temperature was at least ten degrees cooler than out in the sun, but somehow it remained incredibly humid. The earth smelled rich here, and as stakes were driven into the ground to erect the various tents, the smell grew stronger and stronger as if the soil here was more potent than any other place he had traveled. It would explain the colossal size of the trees. Nothing but thick moss and a few varieties of fungus grew below the trees though vines hung everywhere. Looking around Seth saw no real sign of any other life either. However, reaching out with his magical senses Seth could feel literally millions of auras tugging at his consciousness. He located a nest of insects not far from camp that sprawled for hundreds of yards in all directions underground. In the trees birds and other creatures rested on branches or clung to the sides of the giant trunks. Life was everywhere in the forest, and Seth wandered around camp, Sara in tow, as he took in all of his surroundings.
* * * * *
Borrik remained at the edge of camp, not quite feeling he belonged. This was not so much due to his appearance, but his station that hindered him here. He was not of the royal elite, he possessed no skills of war, and though he now felt as powerful as any non-blessed human soldier in his new form, he had no training to match. This was a camp of military precision, and Borrik did not know his place here. Deciding he had better learn to fit in, the better to serve his master, Borrik finally entered the camp and began dragging logs for the fire.
* * * * *
Seth and Sara wandered aimlessly until finally someone shouted for Seth’s attention. Turning, Seth spotted Borrik near a large pile of deadwood, attempting to get his attention. Sara followed Seth’s lead again, this time back into the heart of camp. As they approached Borrik, who was motioning to the pile of wood, a ball of fire came shooting across the camp into it, making it explode into flame. Turning to see the origin of the fireball, Seth, Sara and Borrik all witnessed the smug grin on Vladmere's face.
"It seems his jealousy remains," Seth murmured.
Sara giggled as Seth and Borrik too shared a laugh. Watching them all laugh angered Vladmere all the more and he then stomped off across camp like a toddler in a tantrum.
Shortly after camp was completed, one of the soldiers collected Seth, Sara and Borrik and showed them their tents. Each in turn tossed their packs inside, and watched as Philip emerged once again from the forest. Chatting with Garret and Zorbin, the three disappeared back into the trees. Everyone in camp stood talking in small groups when the sound of hoof beats thrummed the ground in steady rhythm and the riders, who less than half an hour ago had been spotted on the horizon, came reeling to the edge of camp.
There were eight riders in all. Seth observed as they dismounted, using the care that comes with age to spare their joints the jarring of leaping down. His assumptions assured, Seth watched them tether their horses as the king himself walked out of camp to welcome them. Seth realized that it would be no surprise if the king knew them each by name. Sure there were thousands in the army, but most were young, having been with the army less than a decade. These men were grizzled well-decorated veterans, who had fought many campaigns, with more experience between the eight of them than nearly a hundred of their young counterparts. The king greeted each of them, clasping at the wrist like old friends, and speaking to each one in turn.
"What’s going on with them?" Sara asked. Seth was afraid to answer, but knew it was a necessity.
"I am to conduct an experiment on them. The king wants me to combine them with some animals to give them sharper vision in the dark so that they may better keep watch at night when our enemies are more likely to attack," Seth said.
"I see," Sara replied, obviously unhappy.
"It is out of necessity that I do this. I made sure the king brought me only men who have already lived a full life and have no family to speak of, and are volunteers. I did not want to make the same mistake today as I did yesterday," Seth admitted, feeling defeated.
"That, my darling, is precisely why I love you," Sara smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing Seth hard. He had gotten the approval he hadn’t ever hoped for.
Borrik emerged from his tent to join them just as Garret, Philip and Zorbin emerged from the forest, bringing with them a heavy load. Zorbin and Garret dragged behind them a grizzly bear that must have weighed at least three hundred pounds. And as if that wouldn’t be enough, Garret also had wrapped around his shoulders a small buck with perhaps five or six points to its credit. But it was Philip's prize that both astounded and offended Sara, and left others simply bewildered. Dragging behind Philip, their back legs broken, were a pair of large does. They thrashed wildly trying to escape and mewed loudly, their pain evident to everyone, but Philip ignored it, refusing to end their suffering. Before entering camp he lashed the beasts, by their broken legs, to a fallen log. Leaving the does to suffer Philip then assisted Garret by removing the buck from his shoulders and carrying it into camp. None there understood the reasoning for the foul treatment of the animals, and even hardened veterans found it unpleasant to endure the suffering of such animals, but all knew that a Knight of Valdadore would not do such a thing if it were not of necessity. Thus all stayed their hands, and their mouths, lest words betray their feelings on the matter.
As the evening wound down the bear and buck were summarily skinned and butchered and hung upon a spit above the blazing fire, soon filling the camp with the scent of cooking meat. The sizzle of fat dripping into the fire did at least a little to drown out the sound of the pleading animals at the forest's edge. The king sat near the fire speaking with the elderly veterans and none approached to interrupt him without invitation. Seth and Sara took the time to enjoy a few moments alone in the growing darkness as Borrik rested against a tent pole, his eyes closed. Seth watched from across the camp as his brother and the other knights spoke amongst each other, and though he wanted sorely to have more time to talk to his brother, he didn't know what they discussed and so did not want to interrupt them either. Glancing back to the fire, Seth saw the king and all eight of the veterans openly looking at him. Apparently the king had been relating something about Seth to the men, maybe giving them the details of their plan that not even Seth was yet aware of. Unable to restrain himself any longer, Seth released Sara. With a smile, he gestured for her to come with him. Stopping only to rouse Borrik, Seth led them directly to the fire, without invitation.
"Welcome, Lord Seth," the king said noting their approach. "I have been speaking to the men of your testing yesterday. Of course they had heard rumors, but I gave them the facts and the details and I believe them all to be very impressed." King Valdadore intoned.
"Thank you, your majesty," Seth nodded. "But what of our plans for these men? Do they know what
they are volunteering for?" Seth asked.
"As best as I am able, I have informed them," the king replied honestly.
"Borrik, please remove your cowl so that these men may see their future," Seth requested.
Borrik removed his cowl, and being hardened veterans, not a single expression revealed any sign of surprise at Borrik's inhuman visage.
"All of you men are consigning your life to one that may leave you shunned by your fellow man. People may fear you, and your own comrades may distrust you. Though if all goes well, you men alone may be the deciding factor in the battle to come. Your sacrifice may save the lives of countless others," Seth said determinedly, trying to drive his point home.
Each of the men in turn nodded their understanding and looked now at Seth with more respect than before. Each of them was committed, for whatever reasons of their own, and each was willing to sacrifice their physical humanity to fight their enemies more effectively.
"Now your majesty, if you don’t mind, what’s with the does?" Seth asked.
"You all get the rest of the plan, let’s pray it works," the king said. "I wanted at first only soldiers who could see through darkness, but I realized that there was an opportunity for more. I want the most attributes that will be useful to us as possible. I want Seth to meld you each with an animal that not only is able to see in darkness but also is cunning, and able to communicate quickly and work as a team. Yet I also wanted ferociousness and intelligence, loyalty and obedience. So I sent Philip out to bring us some bait, and with any luck those two does will lure us in some wolves," The king said, a cunning smile dancing on his lips.
Seth could not help but admire the king's ability to think things through. An opossum would have been enough to give the men vision in the dark, but if they ended up taking on any mental traits of the beast they were melded with, at any sight of danger it was likely they would have just fallen down and played dead! The king was banking on the men getting both physical and mental attributes of the wolves and, without any prior experience, the king’s reasoning made sense. Though Borrik appeared mentally unchanged, he had been melded with another man. Though of different races, their experiences, needs, wants and ways of thinking were near identical, but an animal and a man were dissimilar in nearly all ways. The king's logic was sound, but none actually knew what the outcome might be. The men could become so inhuman that the king might not even be able to control them. Only time would tell, and only if the deer could bring the wolves to the camp.
Hours passed and evening turned into night, and the camp settled down and ate a large meal of the roasted meat with cheese and bread from their packs, and stout ale to wash it all down. Seth kept alert to any auras at the edge of the camp, but knew from experience that at a range of a hundred yards he would be straining himself to drain the wolves. Seth also knew that if the life force of the wolves was anything like that of the orcs, he wouldn’t be able to contain eight of them simultaneously without some place to release the power. It was going to be a quick process; it would have to be. Once the wolves realized their brethren were vanishing, they were unlikely to stay. Seth would have to strip the life of one of the animals and instantly be able to transfer it to one of the men before stripping the next, lest he overwhelm himself again. But for now all was quiet at the edge of the forest except for the still thrashing deer, both of which were now bleeding from their repeated but feeble attempts at escaping.
Meals finished, watch was set and the king sent everyone else to their tents, minus himself, Seth, Borrik and the eight elderly soldiers. Even Sara was forced to retreat to her tent. The king wished to witness the birth of his new troops, and since he was the king, Seth did not oppose him. Borrik remained as "spiritual support" and also to help Seth with any need that may arise, as he was sworn to do at all times. Currently Seth and the king sat just outside camp, behind a fallen branch that was large enough to be referred to as a log. Behind the men was a tent where the veterans and Borrik remained hidden from view. The tent too was camouflaged with smaller branches and fungus from the forest floor. It was cramped with nine men inside a tent designed for five, but being soldiers none of them complained.
Every one of them inside the tent and out sat unmoving and unspeaking for over two and a half hours, stripped of all their clothing but their trousers, until the second moon rose, before the first howl was heard. By now both the does had worn themselves out and neither had moved or made any sound for over an hour, but with the howling both began to thrash and mew again, seeking escape. Moments later another howl from another direction lent its ghastly sound to the night. Silently the men continued to wait, eager to see some progress when a third and then a fourth howl rose to the night much closer than those previously. Within seconds another howl came from far off to the right and then another straight out into the forest. Seth, seeking constantly with his mind, brushed an aura lightly way out at the fringes of his ability, but then it was gone. Another howl arose this time out to the left and was joined by two more in the same locale. Then to the right several more howls joined in the song and blended into one eerie sound.
Many more moments passed and all was silent. Through slits cut in the canvas wall, the arms of the veterans protruded through, each bared, each awaiting Seth’s grasp and the influx of a wolf's life force. Seth continued to scan his consciousness for new auras and this time he found one. A lone wolf had ventured nearer to camp than its peers, apparently scouting the situation. Seth, fixed on the scout, waited for what seemed an eternity, but eventually the wolf came even nearer, and as it closed in, the other wolves ventured into range too. At this distance it was hard to distinguish one from another, but Seth was now certain that there were at least a dozen of them in the pack. Even though he could sense them, the wolves still remained too far and so Seth waited as the lone wolf in the lead reached the edge of the forest and paused, scanning for any threats. As the wolf waited so too did Seth, only nodding once to his king who sat beside him, a signal that things were about to get very hectic, very quickly. The pack of wolves moved as one, each one sauntering in from a different location, making their approach from every available angle. Converging on the edge of the forest, their thrashing prey in sight, they awaited the lead of their alpha to attack. And as soon as the leader of the pack sprang into action, so too did Seth.
Reaching out with a tendril of his consciousness, Seth located the wolf furthest from the does. Being in the rear it would not be missed by its brethren readily. Connecting with the wolf's life force, Seth ripped it away, and recoiling the tendril brought the power back to course through him, awash in ecstasy. Seth reached out and grabbed the first available forearm and unleashed the life force into the awaiting man inside the tent. As the first of the old soldiers was overcome by the pleasure of the transformation, Seth was already seeking his second target, unwilling to become distracted by those in the tent behind him. Locating it, Seth pulled with his mind and felt as the life was ripped from its owner. Again Seth reveled in the glory of the sensation for a moment before releasing it into the second of the volunteers. The wolves even now were quite some distance away, and being such, perspiration began to bead on Seth’s head and neck. Without time to wipe it away, Seth located his third target and again stripped a beast of its life and within a second that life was transforming yet another veteran. Three down. Seth knew he was not even halfway there, yet already he could feel his knees shaking. Reaching out yet again Seth was relieved to find the wolves closing in on the bait laid out for them and so were easier to reach. His fourth target was stripped of life with less effort than the others, and after a brief moment to enjoy the energy Seth sent it coursing into the fourth veteran whose outstretched arm beckoned to him. The fifth and sixth went even easier as the pack converged. The seventh was the simplest yet as it was now motionless, already tearing at the throat of one of the does. But even as the process grew easier, Seth was tiring quickly.
His robes drenched in sweat, his entire body shaking, Seth reac
hed out one last time and grasping at the first wolf he found, he quickly separated the beast from its life, and then begrudgingly released it into the awaiting arm of the eighth veteran. Releasing the man's arm, it then disappeared, being pulled back through the side of the tent as had happened with them all. But then Seth saw that he must have made a mistake in his count as one arm remained thrust through the wall awaiting his "melding". Seth was sure he had completed the task. He must have accidentally poured a wolf's life into the same person twice leaving one yet unchanged. Seth’s body shook uncontrollably, his vision blurred at the edges. He did not feel up to performing the task yet again, but did not want to show weakness, let alone failure to the king who sat motionless beside him, watching his every move.
Extending again a tendril of his consciousness, Seth located a target, though it had begun to retreat. Seth grabbed at its life and yanked with his remaining mental strength. He felt relieved as the beast’s life force came lashing back into his body. Letting the joy overtake him for a few seconds to ease his suffering, Seth could not imagine how he had made the mistake, nor could he imagine what would happen to a person once their "soul" was two thirds wolf and only one third human. Feeling now that he would not pass out, Seth stretched out for the last time, and released the power within him into the awaiting arm of a veteran. Seth sat back against the log, clinging to consciousness, his vision very near failing. It was then that the snarling erupted from the tent, which instantly turned into a writhing mass of teeth, claws and fur.
One moment the beasts of men inside the tent sat in tranquility, each recovering from the pleasurable kiss of the transformation that had made them more than merely human. Then, as one man regained conscious control of his body, the urge took him and he leapt upon the nearest of his fellows to assure his dominance. One snarl and growl turned into a crescendo of ferocity as the tent nearly exploded with writhing bodies biting and clawing at one another. Blood and tufts of fur were ripped asunder as the king realized his mistake. Seth barely held on to consciousness as he witnessed the melee that ensued. The creatures leapt at one another, snarling and slashing with their teeth, biting and clawing at each other’s throats, legs, bellies. Any place they could land purchase was fair game and as the first of the creatures was finally subdued, the victor from that battle leapt upon another opponent.
Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) Page 50