Lodi paused, trying to get the events right before retelling them. “Colonel Herger ordered us about to confront the assault but it was already too late. The enemy unleashed three or four more salvos. There were so many arrows they didn’t need to aim. It seemed like the entire sky was filled at one point. We tried to mount a counter attack but their archers just melted back into the foothills.”
“Sound tactics but that doesn’t explain how you got here,” Rolnir interrupted, anxious to get to the point. Every battle had a different theme, different tactics and results. This one was no different.
“Orders came down to form ranks and wait. Shields were raised and pikes lowered but the enemy never came,” Lodi shook his head, lost in thought. “I don’t know how long we waited but the boys started getting anxious shortly after midday. That’s when we heard the first blood-curdling cry coming down from behind us. Waves of Pell Darga charged us the same time the enemy massed a cavalry attack. We were caught good, sir.”
Piper passed a glance to Rolnir but held his tongue. He’d known the enemy was working in conjunction with the Pell but never had there been an instance where both parties attacked simultaneously. Such implications could prove disastrous if Rolnir failed to pursue the obvious course of action.
“We fought for a good long time. The shield wall collapsed under the weight of their cavalry and it broke down into groups of two and three. We gave as good as we got but it all came to stop all of a sudden. The winds could be heard echoing through the hills during the pause. We were all tired by then. I don’t know how I managed to keep going. The enemy had numbers on us and with the Pell warriors we all knew it was just a matter of time before we were wiped out. But then something queer happened. New orders came down. We were to side with the Men from Rogscroft and attack the Goblins.”
His eyes widened, still shocked and amazed by the event. “None of us knew what to make of it at first but we’d all had enough of those stinking grey skins. We attacked harder than against the enemy. It felt good to kill Goblins for a change. Only a few got away before we all settled down in camps and took care of our dead and wounded. The Pell even brought down stags for us to eat. Hells, we had a feast right there in the midst of all that carnage. That’s when Colonel Herger summoned me and gave me the message to deliver to you, sir.”
Rolnir strode forward to place his hand on Lodi’s shoulder. “Thank you, lad. You’ve done a great service to the Wolfsreik. Commander Joach will ensure you are fed and rested before we send you back to the detachment. You’ve given me valuable information. I’ll have a reply drafted for you to give Colonel Herger. Rest well tonight, Lodi. You’ve earned it.”
The young soldier beamed with pride, gladly nodding his head with approval. “Yes sir. Thank you, General.”
Rolnir returned the crisp salute and exited the tent. His mind raced with infinite possibilities, most of them foul. For a brief moment he wondered how painful being hung would be. The crisp sound of breaking necks often haunted him, traitors and prisoners all. Occasionally men swung from the gallows for committing heinous crimes, but those days were far and few between of late. Badron seemed to encourage bad behavior. Rape and murder were no longer punishable crimes. Darkness settled over the Wolfsreik, leaving Rolnir next to powerless to prevent his army from devolving into an angry mob.
Crisp winter air took his breath away and chilled his flesh. Once, he enjoyed the winter air. It invigorated him, rejuvenated his tired muscles and strained head. The Rogscroft winter stole that. He wanted warmer climates without the prospect of being trapped in a war he couldn’t fathom. The more he thought about it the more he came towards the conclusion that much more was happening in Rogscroft than he knew.
“Herger played that well enough,” Piper said once he was sure they were alone. “He prevented a massacre and restored the morale of his men.”
“He also jeopardized his command by accompanying those battalions,” Rolnir countered. “Still, there is merit to his actions. We’ll need Men like that in the coming days. His loyalty is decided at least.”
Piper attempted a smile. “You always need to start with one. Several others will go along without question, bringing most of the army with them.”
“Most isn’t good enough, Piper. I need the support of every battalion I have if we’re to make a successful break from the king. Nothing on the horizon is going to be easy.”
“Nothing worth doing ever is,” Piper countered. “Once the army defects, Badron will be toothless. His only military strength will be in Grugnak’s Goblin corps. They can’t compete with us, Rogscroft, and the Pell. We’ll be able to mop this up in weeks and return home in time to end Harnin’s rebellion. This can work, Rolnir.”
The general wasn’t so sure. All of his thoughts led to utter destruction. Not that he worried over his own fate, but his Men deserved better than to die as traitors. As a general he expected losses in battle, whether from enemy action or natural attrition. What he couldn’t accept was his entire ten-thousand-Man force being executed at the behest of a mad king. He wished there was another way, a way in which only the king needed to suffer. That just wouldn’t be hard enough. Hardships followed the Wolfsreik everywhere. What was one more thrown on the pile?
“If we move forward we need to do it quickly. Badron’s wrath will be terrible.”
“You’ve made up your mind then?” Piper asked.
He did. “I’ve only got two real choices, Piper. Either I can brand Herger a renegade and loose the wolves on him or I can take the army right now and remove the single greatest threat to Delranan.”
“Put that way there isn’t much of a choice to make after all. What are your orders?”
“Summon all senior commanders to my quarters. I’ll meet them one at a time. Once I’m sure where their loyalties lie we can mobilize. Our first priority will be to isolate Badron. We surround Rogscroft and begin the campaign to reduce the Goblin threat. With Aurec’s two armies we should be able to accomplish this in weeks. Goblins are ferocious warriors but not very smart and lack the ability to think tactically. We use that against them and purge this land for good.”
“That is the most encouraging thing I’ve heard since we got stuck in the middle of this nightmare,” Piper replied. “What do you wish me to do?”
Rolnir considered his adjutant carefully. Best friends for years, Piper had been Rolnir’s best man at his wedding and the first to offer condolences after his wife was taken by the pox. He and Piper were like brothers and now that bond was threatened by a rogue idea Rolnir still wasn’t sure where it came from.
“Pick your best captain and a detachment. Send them north to the coast. We’re going to need ships. The mountain passes are too congested for us to get home in the next few months. Commission as many ships as possible. We’re going to need to make several trips to get the bulk of the army back and assembled in fighting condition before marching on Chadra. We also need to find a way to get word to the reserves.”
“They could already be turned,” Piper suggested. “Harnin was always a snake. He lied better than the worst of us. It’s not so hard to think Badron’s lost his mind over here. They could have the entire kingdom militarized by now.”
Rolnir frowned. “I know but I need to know for sure. We’re talking about marching on our own kingdom and taking it over. How many armies in modern history have done that?”
“Just enough for us to make history I imagine,” Piper said.
“There are other ways to do that,” Rolnir countered. “Round up the commanders and send them over. We need to start now, before those Goblins Herger let go return to Rogscroft.”
FIFTEEN
Prisoners Again
Bahr hated being underground. A lifetime on the open sea gave him freedoms he’d never experienced on land, or under it. His heart ached to taste the salt in the air, smell the fresh water and sea birds. The quest was slowly claiming him. Reducing him in ways he’d never imagined. He felt less of himself and that worrie
d him greatly. The Sea Wolf. A captain without a vessel. With the Dragon’s Bane burned away, he had no choice but to go on land. Only land wasn’t so kind either. His estates, built off of the riches of a lifetime of plunder and trade, suffered the same fate as his precious Bane, leaving Bahr displaced and aimless.
He leaned back against the smooth stone wall and wondered how his life had taken such drastic turns. Royalty never suited him. Even from a young boy he wanted nothing to do with the court or politics. He spent countless hours avoiding his obligations, allowing Badron the love and imagination of their father. Now that decision had turned on them all. Two kingdoms sunk in the downward spiral of war and the dark powers in the world steadily clawed their way back to relevance. Bahr felt lost. Like he stood at the bottom of a great pit without a way out.
There’d never been much love between brothers. One craved only power and the opportunity to carve out a great and bloody destiny. Bahr needed no such trappings. It didn’t matter to him if future generations remembered his name. He was here, now. Let the future and past be damned by their own accord. His role in tomorrow’s world diminished with each passing day. One day, perhaps soon, the final sun would rise and he could rest eternally.
“You’re troubled.”
He smirked. “It’s the little things like this that make me glad we’ve got a wizard among us. What do you want, Anienam?”
“I see your troubles, ones the others know nothing of, lord of Delranan,” Anienam whispered despite their being alone. “You cannot escape your past, not anymore.”
Bahr snorted. “What would you know of my past? My sacrifices, what I gave up in order to find a better life. I could have let him die, you know. Oh it was long ago, when we were no more than boys. He’d gone out onto ice much too thin to support his weight. I tried to talk sense into him. It was still too early in the season for the ice to grow thick and strong, but he was ever the strong-headed one. He charged out onto the ice and challenged me. I all but begged him to come back to the shore. The ice cracked and gave way, pulling him down into the river. I rushed out without thinking and dragged him to safety.” Bahr paused to laugh. It was a dark and cruel sound. “He never did thank me. Called me a coward and stormed back to Chadra Keep. It never occurred to me how shallow and selfish he was becoming. The gift of hindsight is more a curse I think, don’t you, wizard?”
“The past is how we learn, grow, and develop. We can only become better through analyzing our pasts and making corrections,” Anienam countered thoughtfully. “Don’t think to corner the idea of regret. My father lived during the time of the great Mage schism. He suffered from regret so great it eventually consumed his life. We all have burdens heaped upon us, but it is through our ability to rationalize and move forward that we overcome our pasts. Few creatures in this life have the option to create a better life.”
“I fail to see how any of that matters,” Bahr said. “If I had let my brother drown none of this would be happening.”
“Of course it would,” the wizard scolded. “You and Badron are only players in a centuries-old game being played out across Malweir. The dark gods want back in. It is only unfortunate circumstance that your lives are involved and if not you than it would be someone else. That is the way of the world, Bahr. We don’t get to choose what happens to us. Life is neither that kind nor cruel.”
“You make it sound as if mere happenstance guides us.”
Anienam shrugged. “Perhaps it does.”
“I can’t accept that,” Bahr said. “I have too many lives depending on me.”
“Most of them are strong enough to see to themselves.”
“I’m not talking about our group. I know their worth and it is great. Every one of us, except perhaps young Skuld, is capable of handling their own business. I mean the people of Delranan. With the king gone mad and the One Eye rampaging through the kingdom I’ve left my people powerless.”
Realization dawned and Anienam nodded swiftly. “Delranan’s problems aren’t yours, Bahr. It was never yours to rule. You said so yourself.”
“Even sheep need protecting,” Bahr said. “Who better to take care of my people? Maleela is heir to the throne. I will see her put to power before the end, or die in the attempt.”
The sudden course change in the discussion left Anienam confused. Stopping the dark gods was their first priority, anything after that must wait. He hadn’t considered the problems of the northern kingdom as anything more than internal complications. The princess was at the center of great controversy. He scolded himself for not seeing it clearly earlier. Maleela was such a large part of the entire affair and he’d barely noticed. A great destiny surrounded her, but to what end? He saw two paths, opposite and disparaging.
He gave Bahr’s words careful consideration. Two paths. One led to enlightenment and prosperity. The other to unending darkness, wicked and vengeful. Which path would she take? He wished there was some way to guide her hand, force her in the right direction but destiny controlled the future. Maleela alone could make her decisions. Anienam wasn’t comfortable at all with that.
“You have that dark tint to your eyes again,” Bahr said suddenly.
Disturbed, Anienam looked up and feigned a smile. “Nonsense. I’ve got a little too much on my mind is all. Time is still our enemy. I haven’t been able to figure out exactly when we need to return with the hammer but I can feel it in my bones. We need to find a way out of this kingdom and to the river.”
“How do you propose we do that? These Dwarves aren’t keen on making new friends and they damned sure don’t trust you or me.”
“Groge is the answer. He’s as close to kin as they have, well, aside from Goblins, but I wouldn’t bring that up. The wound is thousands of years old but still burns them.” He stopped from dissembling again, barely. “We must get Groge to convince the king it’s in his best interests to set us loose.”
Bahr clapped his hands. “Great. How do we get those two together without being obvious?”
“I have no idea.”
Silver platters heaped with mounds of roasted boar and venison were brought in. Baskets of fresh baked bread and fruits accompanied the meats. A wheel of yellow cheese and a barrel of dark ale finished the meal. Dour-faced Dwarves delivered the food cordially enough but said nothing. One actually bowed before closing the door behind him.
Nothol was the first to eat. There wasn’t much point in waiting for the food to cool and he was starving. The others quickly joined in and all thoughts of the journey and their troubles were forgotten for the moment. Even Boen stopped brooding long enough to enjoy the bountiful feast provided by the Dwarves. Ionascu snatched a bite here and there, warily watching each of them for signs of treachery. He continued to fall deeper into madness with each passing day, a fact that left Bahr deeply troubled.
“I could almost enjoy staying here so long as they keep feeding us like this,” Dorl announced with a loud burp. He used both hands to rub a full and extended belly. “Bahr, why haven’t you ever traded with the Dwarves before? Their ale is the best I’ve ever had.”
“You might not have noticed but we are prisoners in all but name,” Bahr replied with the slightest hint of anger.
Groge yawned and stretched. The hall given to the group was large enough to accommodate the Giant’s great height and was still secure enough to prevent them from getting into the main city. Four pillars stretched up to the smoothly crafted vaulted ceiling. Great murals of battles long past decorated the walls, illuminated by roaring fires from a pair of hearths on opposite ends of the hall. A dining hall, dozens of wooden tables large enough to fit twenty warriors stretched from end to end, leading up to a raised area holding the king’s own table. The floor was dirt, a casual reminder for all Dwarves to never forget where they came from.
Groge felt confined this deep in the earth. “They seem goodly enough folk to me, though I have not the experience the rest of you do.”
“Dwarves are normally very taciturn but their civil war
has made them worse. I’m surprised the king bothered with the time to see us,” Anienam replied. “You seemed to have made quite an impression on him.”
“I don’t understand how,” Groge said, confused. “How can our two races be kin?”
Boen reluctantly set down his chunk of bread to hear what the wizard had to say. The others also stopped what they were doing, placing unnecessary pressure on Anienam. Clearing his throat, the wizard said, “That story is one that comes down from the dawn of creation itself. The gods existed on planes we cannot comprehend. They grew bored and tiresome of their lives and sought to make a lasting legacy. Vastly powerful and without equal, it was inevitable factions grew among them. Some called for iron rule and the domination of all planes of existence. These fell into darkness and were consumed by their desires to obtain power and greed. We know them as the dark gods.
“The second group sought to empower themselves through enlightenment. They wanted to reach across the stars and build an empire that would last until the end of time. Peace and harmony drove their hands and for a while all was well. The gods, while split, continued to explore their universe, creating and destroying as was their wont.” He paused to take a drink of ale, smiling at the smooth taste trickling down his throat.
“Some scholars suggest there was a war between the gods but how would any truly know? It’s not as if the gods bestow their knowledge upon us. More popular theories tell us that rather than going to war, which would potentially destroy all life on all planes, they settled upon a contest of sorts. The gods agreed to create a world, crafted and birthed from their minds. That world is Malweir.
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