Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga)

by Laszlo,Jeremy

  Seth could not help but grin as Borrik snarled in response to Vladmere’s comment, but taking his cue he answered the man.

  "Indeed my troops are just behind me, and all have arrived unscathed as well," Seth said with a wicked grin.

  From the darkness beyond camp, as if on some unspoken command, a great chorus of howls exploded into the night drowning out all other sounds, then reaching a crescendo. As quickly as the sound came it vanished as hundreds of wolf men and women of varying size and color loped into camp, a vicious glint in their eyes, tongues lolling out the sides of their toothy grins. Wolves also roamed into camp among the men of Seth’s creation, and Seth was pleased to see the astonished looks upon all the faces of the king's many advisors. More pleasing, however, was watching the mocking grin fade from Vladmere’s face into a scowl of hatred. Catching movement out of the corner of his eye Seth decided to up the ante and give Vladmere one last thing to ponder.

  "Just for you Vladmere, seeming you are so enthralled with my dogs...," Seth said, regurgitating the word, "I have also brought my cats."

  Taking their introduction the exotically beautiful feline sisters pounced in from beyond the corner of the tent landing just beside Seth. The two girls crouched showing off all their curves, then baring their teeth and claws the girls added to the jest by hissing at Vladmere, causing the man to retreat a step. To which many of those gathered, including the king, had a laugh at Vladmere's expense. Sara too could not help but giggle a little, though fortunately the sound was muffled by her helm.

  "Well met indeed," the king said again, this time shaking his head in disbelief. "I dare not ask how you accomplished so much in so little time, a god among men indeed," the king joked. "However, these are dire times, Lord Seth. What are your numbers and their ability to fight?" The king’s tone became serious with his questioning of Seth’s appraisal of his troops.

  Seth explained to the king that he commanded nearly five hundred of the hybrid troops, and though most were unskilled in battle and poorly armed, he assured the king that his men could rely on their feral instincts, fighting flawlessly together with ferocity unlike anything they had ever seen before. His troops had better vision even in darkness, they could hear and smell things other men would not be able to distinguish, and being part wolf they had higher endurance then common men, and were stronger too. The king took all of Seth’s estimations at face value, nodding his approval once again. Then the king asked Seth if his men were rested enough after such a long run to take posts immediately, and Seth assured him that indeed they were able and ready. Thus indulged, the king commanded Seth to have his troops set up a perimeter around the camp, and be the night-time guardians to their ill-rested human counterparts. Seth simply nodded to Borrik, who silently relayed the command, and all stood in awe as the hundreds of milling wolf men and women sprang into action instantaneously, and disappeared in all directions back into the night, their four-legged companions obeying the unspoken command as well.

  After a small deliberation with the king and his advisors, Seth assured them no enemy would encroach the camp this night. Having had little sleep in weeks, all agreed to let the human soldiers relinquish their posts and get a good night’s rest. Their tent already erected for them, Seth and Sara wished all a restful night and retreated to moderate privacy, followed all the while by Borrik and Jonas. Seth told Borrik in no uncertain terms that he wished to be notified of any would-be attackers and the outcome of each battle, and also reminded Borrik he needed five more orcs to complete the transformation of his captains. Orders given, Seth and Sara entered their tent and, removing their stifling armor, curled up in one another's arms to try and get some sleep before the battle started in earnest.

  Seth had yet to see their enemy, though he had seen the hundreds of fires burning across the valley at the base of the mountains nearly half a mile away. Just as Seth and Sara began to tumble into darkness as sleep took them, Borrik, pulling back the tent flap, announced the first of nine skirmishes that would happen throughout the night. The fourth such skirmish resulted in the live capture of the five orcs that Seth required, and true to his word Seth rose immediately to not only complete the transformation of his captains, but also to alter the orcs' armor into that of the hideously beautiful armor of his men and equip his remaining captains appropriately. As Seth had promised, the humans slept unhindered throughout the night, his own troops defending them flawlessly. The wolf troops killed to a man all would-be attackers, minus one goblin they maimed but allowed to return back to its master, where it undoubtedly reported the humans' new allies. Countless hideous monsters, not of this world, that fought like mad berserkers tearing apart his comrades with razor sharp teeth and claws before disappearing again into the darkness like wraiths.

  Seth did manage to get a few hours’ sleep in the predawn hours of the night, and when he rose again in the morning, was surprised to find the young women he had combined with the great feline curled up at the foot of his bed, sleeping with their bodies entwined, purring softly. It was both erotic and adorable, but Seth thinking it unacceptable to stare, turned away from the pair, and roused Sara just as the thrumming of war drums sounded from across the valley. From outside a great howling arose followed shortly by the blaring trumpets of war horns and the camp exploded into a mass of movement and organized chaos.

  Chapter 11

  Triumph from Loss and Loss from Triumph

  Seth and Sara raced to don their armor, helping each other as they dressed. Borrik, tugging the tent flap aside, poked his head in but realizing his master was well aware of what was amiss, released the flap and continued to stand guard outside, awaiting orders. Finally fully dressed, Seth strapped on his sword, leaving his staff behind in the tent. Sara lashed a quiver around her waist and drew her crossbow, slinging the weapon over her shoulder before rushing out of the tent on Seth’s heels. Seth paused to glean what information he could from Borrik, and was summarily told that his troops remained all around the camp as were their last orders from the night before. Seth, thinking on his feet, told Borrik to recall their troops and have them meet him. Seth then strode off with Sara leaving Borrik and Jonas to follow, heading for the crest of the hill to peer across the valley below. Seth was forced to circumvent regiments of men who were forming up before marching off to take their positions on the battle lines, as well as dodge past hurrying soldiers and messengers running this way and that.

  Nearing the top of the hill Seth saw all the men from the night before speaking hurriedly, gathered around the king, making hasty plans for the battle. To the right of the king and his council were gathered the Knights of Valdadore, and Seth noted his brother among them, thinking it odd that his brother was hardly dressed for the occasion since he was wearing nothing but trousers with a large sword strapped to his back. Shaking his head at his seemingly confused twin, with Sara at his side Seth approached the king and the members of his war council. Many nodded to Seth in respect, and coming among them he caught the tail end of the meeting as those gathered dispersed to relay their orders. Standing now alone with the king and Sara, Seth looked down into the valley below and the roiling black mass of bodies that was their enemy, slowly but steadily approaching. Looking to the crest of the valley where the kingdom’s troops gathered Seth was sorely disheartened. Though he had been told before that they were outnumbered at least four to one by the immense invading army, Seth had to see it with his own eyes to truly understand their predicament, and apparently his fear showed plainly upon his face.

  "Lord Seth, on behalf of the men I would like to thank you for a good night's rest. Your troops performed perfectly, just as you had promised," King Valdadore said. "As I promised you, today it seems the kingdom is both in need of your services and that of your men, though you being more acquainted with their abilities shall remain in immediate control of them. I would ask that you place them in reserve positions to strengthen the line should our men begin to fail, as your troops have not yet rested."

 
; Seth nodded his agreement while looking over the advancing hoard, hope of victory escaping him. The enemy neared the center of the valley and at a quarter mile away Seth could feel the ground rumble with their movement. The enemy commanded at least forty thousand troops; his own king commanded ten thousand and Seth could only add to that near five hundred more. The kingdom of Valdadore needed a miracle.

  "So what is our plan?" Seth asked, knowing that any plan would be in vain at this point.

  "I have a few tricks up my sleeve, Seth, this isn’t my first campaign. The basic plan is this. The main army is to hold its line to stop the enemies’ approach. Myself and my knights will be our offense, along with Vladmere’s battle mages, and you, as I promised, will be given the leisure to fight as you see fit, and command your men to help as you deem them capable. Those are the fundamentals," the king said with a sly smile.

  "I hope those are some amazing tricks you have in your sleeves," Seth smiled. His jest was more or less to hide his own uncertainty, but Seth did realize that this was not the king's first battle, nor his first encounter with this very enemy. But Seth could not help but wonder if the king had ever faced such dire odds.

  Turning to relay his orders to Borrik, Seth caught his brother's eye and they shared a solemn nod of understanding. Turning his eyes from Garret, Seth was astonished to find all of his wolf men only yards away, formed up into four ranks awaiting his orders, his captains standing at attention at their head. Borrik posed ahead of the troops by several paces awaiting his master.

  "You came to me seeking a means to vengeance," Seth shouted to his troops. "But today I offer you more. Today as you bring justice to those who have wronged you and your loved ones, by dealing death you gain glory and honor. We are asked by our king to take a reserve position as a means to hold the defensive line if it falters. I’ve seen the enemy as I am sure you have, and I tell you without our help the line will fail. Today you must be ferocious, show no leniency, mercy or quarter, for you will be given none. Fight together and communicate well, use your instincts and let them guide you. Today you write the first page of a history of a new race upon the world. Write it well, for if we waver it will be the only page to ever be written about you," Seth concluded.

  His men erupted into a mixture of cheers and howls, and Seth strode to the head of his small army. He led them down the hill to the center of the defensive lines, and taking their place immediately behind the main front, Seth was happy to discover he had a clear line of sight from this slightly higher elevation. The king it appeared already used a wise strategy. By holding his men here above the base of the hill, they commanded the higher ground, giving both archers and mages an unimpeded view of the enemy over the heads of their own defensive line. If the line was forced to fall back, the attackers would have to fight an uphill battle the entire way.

  Seth watched as the enemy approached, and he also watched as the Knights of Valdadore spread themselves throughout the defensive line in preparation for the battle. Seth knew his men would be needed; he only wondered how long before he would be forced to order them into battle. Red-robed mages flowed down the hill by the dozens, falling in behind the defensive line, taking positions among the archers. The enemy lines grew nearer, and only a few hundred yards out Seth could distinguish between orc and goblin and other races of men as well. Asking Borrik’s assurance, Seth pointed out two such races among the enemy and Borrik labeled them as ogres and trolls. The ogres it appeared were sluggish creatures, but made up for their slow speed with immense strength. The trolls were tall, thick-limbed creatures standing more than a head over the orcs. They had tough, wrinkly, leathery hides that almost reminded Seth of tree bark, except for the sickly blue hue.

  On and on the enemy came, its war drums thrumming louder and louder and the ground responded by trembling more and more beneath the feet of the immense army. Coming within two hundred yards, the enemy it seemed was near enough. A command was shouted upon the crest of the hill where tents were torn down, uncovering massive steel ballista, which were summarily loaded and loosed upon the enemy. Each bolt from these ballista was as big around as Seth’s wrist, and longer than his body was tall. These were massive machines, and Seth was surprised that not even he had seen through their disguise. Dozens of ballista began to fire, resounding through the valley with a thwonk, thwonk, thwonk. Giant bolts sailed through the air each carving a path several men deep within the enemy’s lines. Each time one of the huge bolts struck home, screams would issue from the enemy horde, but where their comrades fell, the enemy continued ahead trampling their dead or dying comrades.

  Another hundred yards closed between the opposing armies and Valdadore’s archers began to loose volley after volley of arrows into the sky, bringing them raining down upon their enemy as hundreds more fell. But hundreds was merely a scratch upon this horde and they continued to trample their dead and move forward. As they closed in further, the drumming ceased and the black-armored horde charged the defending army screaming in their vile languages chants and war cries that drowned out all sound.

  Seth stood paralyzed for a moment as he watched some of the Knights of Valdadore shimmer and explode to immense size as they charged into the oncoming horde. Mages from both armies issued fireballs into the ranks of their opponents as cries of horror and dismay rang from both sides. Seth could not believe the horror as the first clangs of metal meeting metal arose as the blackened horde attempted to hack its way through the defensive line. Unable to watch as his fellow humans fell, Seth took a deep breath and focused himself.

  Reaching out with tendrils of power Seth drained the five nearest enemies he could locate, and feeling the power surge into him, he unleashed it all in a single attack. Wicked yellow-green lightning exploded from Seth’s fingertips over the heads of Valdadore’s defenders into the nearest ranks of the black army, exploding bodies in a singed rain of blood and flesh as more than a dozen men were obliterated. Seth again reached out and drained more enemies and again unleashed lightning upon his foes, destroying another wave of attackers. As he repeated the process of draining yet a third mass of enemies for his power he realized his mistake.

  Using lightning as his method to kill created a dazzling display, and though it lent courage to the hearts of those men nearby holding the line, it too made Seth an easily visible target to the enemy. As Seth drained the third wave of attackers, balls of fire lanced towards him at incredible speed. Hardly having time to react, Seth raised his hands as the first struck home, and although absorbing the power from the blast just in time, Seth was barely able to recover before the next one struck. Again and again the fireballs came from seemingly all directions. The blasts crashed into him over and over, sometimes two or three at a go, and on each occasion Seth scarcely had time to react and recover before the next blast struck. Seth was brimming with power as he absorbed blast after blast of magical fire, yet try as he might he could not locate the enemies’ mages among the masses of dark-armored creatures. The enemy was intelligent. Whereas the mages of Valdadore were all easily distinguishable upon the hill in their red robes, the enemy disguised its mages among the thousands of troops, but if Seth could buy himself some time to focus he had another means of locating the fireball throwing pests.

  Still rocked by blast after blast and filled with energy almost to breaking point, Seth found an opportunity and unleashed a great torrent of fire from his palms into the black ranks of enemy troops, decimating dozens of them. Recovering quickly Seth absorbed the next two fireballs, and remembering a lesson he learned from the grizzled old mage just days ago, Seth again unleashed his power, bewildering the many mages that had him targeted for death. Where Seth had once stood, now stood a dozen identically-armored men who rapidly spread out along the hillside standing clear of the other archers and mages defending the hill. Seth had bought himself the moments he needed. Careful to remain focused to keep his illusion selves in place, Seth reached out, seeking only the brightest auras among the attacking horde. These would be t
he blessed among the attackers, those infused with the power of the gods they worshipped. Locating three of the nearest Seth tore through one’s life force, severing it from the god it served, and ripping it from the goblin whom it sustained. Recoiling his tendrils Seth exulted in his small victory as the power rushed through him. Already having a lock on two more mages, Seth dropped his replicas and unleashed fireballs of his own, incinerating them before they could retaliate.

  His closest threats destroyed, Seth surveyed the carnage around him. Giant armored men from both armies battled upon the field as the Knights of Valdadore clashed with equally blessed opponents. Thus far the defensive line held, but was thinning in many places. Blood and gore covered the ground everywhere and the smell of burnt flesh hung heavy in the air. Fireballs lanced in both directions as ballista bolts rang overhead into the attacking army. Valdadore’s archers continued to fire volley after volley though their numbers had been greatly depleted by magical fire. Seth watched as the line struggled to hold just ahead of him, the enemy trying to reach him and eliminate him as a threat.

  Turning to Borrik, Seth gave the command and within an instant his troops sprang forward, bounding and leaping over their human comrades into the fray, teeth gnashing and claws raking at the enemy as the line surged once more forward. Borrik and Jonas remained to protect Seth and Sara if the need arose, standing like statues to either side of their master, whilst Sara crouched behind lending her small crossbow bolts to the rain of arrows upon the enemy. Seth watched as one of the massive Knights of Valdadore took a blow from a massive orc who crushed his own comrades beneath his hulking feet. Seth launched a fireball into the giant orc’s face seeing the kingdom’s knight at a disadvantage, and reaching out with his mind he severed the orc's umbilical to the god he served. Seth saw as the orc shimmered, once again becoming average size, and could not help but smile as the Valdadorian Knight, raising his massive leg, crushed the orc beneath his boot. Seth finally realized how he could turn the tide of this battle.