An Empire in Runes (The Runes of Issalia Book 3)

by Jeffrey L. Kohanek

  Brock. She called out with her mind.

  After a moment. I’m here. I’m still okay.

  She felt a wave of relief. I’m so glad. What’s happening down there? What is that fog?

  I don’t know. He replied. I think The Horde is doing it. We can’t see anything but are about to shed some light on the situation.

  As he spoke, a spark of white light appeared within the fog. Others soon followed, scattering about the area to reveal shadows moving within the thick mist.

  “Brock says he didn’t do it. He thinks that The Horde is behind the fog,” she said.

  Ashland’s gaze fell on Benny’s cheek, marked by the Anti-Gravity rune she had drawn on him as a precaution. She recalled the conversation before they had taken flight.

  “It’s just in case of an emergency,” she had told him. “I can charge the rune with Chaos and make you light so you won’t be killed in a crash.”

  “What about you?” he had asked.

  She sketched the same rune on her hand.

  “Here. See. No worries, now.” She smiled at him, ignoring that she would be too exhausted after charging the first rune to charge the other. If Benny recognized the limitation, he didn’t bring it up. The runes were in case of emergency, and she prayed that she wouldn’t be forced to make the decision.

  Upon discovering that they would face enemy magic, she now worried that she might need to use one of the runes before the night was over. Magic created a huge variable and made the battle far less predictable. She looked at Benny again, hoping that he might have an idea of what to do.

  Benny stared into the darkness, continuing to pedal while his brow furrowed in deep thought. After a moment, his eyes lit up.

  “I know. Heat burns fog away!” he exclaimed.

  “Okay,” she shrugged. “What’s your plan then?”

  Benny’s head nodded as he spoke, bobbing in time with his pumping legs. “Ask Brock where his people are. We’ll want to stay clear of them.”

  Ashland closed her eyes, reaching out to Brock. Benny wants to know where you guys are located.

  We’re all on the upper plateau, covered by this blasted fog.

  She looked toward Benny. “They’re on the upper plateau, near the downslope.”

  Benny nodded, smiling. “That’s what I needed to know.” He nodded toward the basket. “Grab two canisters and get ready.”

  They flew over and beyond the lights twinkling within the swirling mist. As they cleared the area, Benny shouted.

  “Give it to them, Ashland. Let’s see how well those things work,” Benny said with a grin.

  Ashland grabbed a canister in each hand and held one out as far as her arm could reach. She dropped it before turning to toss the second canister over the other side.

  The moment she threw the second flash bomb, Benny pulled a lever and flying machine tilted, circling over the thick cloud. A green flash lit the fog, quickly blazing to orange. Flaming banshees stumbled about in the milky gloom. The other struck further south, doing similar damage. Both flash bombs had landed upon the slope that connected the two plains.

  “Perfect,” Benny said, pumping his fist in the air. “Let’s do it again.”

  * * *

  Green flames lit up the thick fog, turning to orange as the thump of the explosion reverberated within Puri’s chest. The distraction almost cost her, narrowly avoiding the swipe of a banshee arm as she leaned to one side of her horse. By the time she had spun her horse around, Juran closed on the beast and lopped its arm off. Her father’s horse swept behind the banshee, and the man jabbed his spear into the back of its neck. The banshee toppled over, clutching its severed arm as it fell face-first onto the churned earth.

  Puri saw another beast strike at Hitarri from behind, taking the warrior from his saddle and sending his broken body through the air like a doll. She kicked her horse forward and stood high to slice at the banshee as she swept past. Her blade hit the monster in the face, taking half of its cheek off. Reining her horse, she turned toward the howling monster as it stumbled about. Another pass and the banshee lay twitching on the churned earth behind her.

  Puri turned and found no attacking enemies, leaving the Tantarri with a moment of respite. Her gaze swept the area, where she found dead Tantarri warriors and horses intermixed with the massive bodies of the dead banshees. Her eyes met Turan’s, sharing a grim nod. The Tantarri had already lost half of their warriors to the monsters that had emerged from the fog. Another major attack might destroy those who remained. She prayed that Cam fared better.

  * * *

  Cam and Tegan fought side by side, facing one banshee after another as their comrades fell to the beasts. A single strike from a banshee often proved fatal and left little margin for error.

  A momentary gap in the attack allowed Cam to look around, searching the fog for other human fighters. He found Budakis standing among the banshee and human corpses that surrounded him. Covered in blood, he was breathing heavily from the effort expended to stay alive. To make matters worse, the Chaos-charged Power that fueled three of them had begun to dissipate and their stamina was waning with it.

  Shifting shadows within the lit fog caught Cam’s attention. A wail sounded from the murk as three banshees emerged in a charge. Cam and Tegan ran toward the beasts. Tegan took the beast to the left while Cam focused on the one at the right. His enchanted blade sang its familiar song as it cut through the air, slicing across one banshee’s stomach and through the wrist of another beast before it could strike Tegan. Leaping in the air, over the one-handed beast, he sliced through the monster’s thick neck.

  When he landed, Cam’s eyes met Tegan’s, who stood over the banshee she had just killed. They were both panting, exhausted and surrounded by shadows moving within the fog.

  * * *

  As the group inched along, the bright lights made the fog so white that it almost appeared as if it were solid. Tenzi gazed hard into the fog at the shifting shapes, finding tall shadows coalescing into something more tangible. Horrifying wails sounded, seizing Tenzi in a tight grip of debilitating fear. A monster appeared before her, but she couldn’t react. A familiar whirling sound sang to her, breaking her from the momentary stasis just in time to duck beneath a crushing blow. She darted forward and dove between the banshee’s legs, slashing at the monster’s heel with her dagger as she rolled past it. Blood spurted from the severed tendon, and she scrambled clear as the flailing monster fell backward.

  Cassius leapt in and drove his long sword into the banshee’s throat before it could wail again.

  “This way!” Tenzi shouted as she led them toward the whirling sound.

  A mass of a dozen banshees appeared in the fog, their backs facing her. The whirl of Cam’s blade rang out, and one of the monsters stumbled to its knees. Tenzi paused, seeking her opportunity. Cassius lunged and jammed his sword into the lower back of the middle banshee. It wailed in pain, sending a wave of fear that caused everyone to freeze up. Tenzi’s mind struggled to rebel against the irrational fear until the song of Cam’s slicing blade broke the spell once again.

  Jake, Julius, and the other fighters who followed Cassius rushed forward, striking the banshees from behind. Jake swung the scythe low, clipping a banshee leg at the ankle. When it tumbled, Julius struck with a crushing blow to the monster’s skull. Jake swung high at another banshee, burying the arm-length scythe blade into its chest. The beast howled in pain, freezing those around him. Before Jake could react, a huge taloned hand smashed into his shoulder and tossed the 300-pound man like a child’s doll. The whirl of Cam’s blade sang out as he emerged from the fog, flying over the monster as he lopped the beast’s head off. Able to think clearly again, Tenzi looked
around to find that all banshees in the area were dead.

  “Father!” Cam stated in surprise, breathing heavily and appearing exhausted. “Julius?”

  Cam’s brother glanced toward him. “Jake’s hurt!” he shouted as he ran past Cam to where Jake lie upon a dead banshee.

  Cam, Cassius, and Tenzi followed. Jake’s shoulder was torn open, bleeding badly from the deep gouges carved by the banshee talons. When Julius rolled him over, Jake moaned in pain.

  “We need to stop the bleeding,” Cassius said. “Tear off the rest of his sleeve and tie it over the wound,” he said to Julius as he wiped his blade on the ragged clothing of a dead banshee. He then turned toward Cam and the other two who had been fighting beside him. “I see that you’re making good use of your sword, son.”

  Cam nodded. “It has come in handy.”

  Cassius nodded, turning toward the armored man beside him. “Well met, Gunther.”

  Master Budakis stepped closer, shaking Cassius’ hand. “It’s good to see you too, Captain. You arrived just in time. I’m afraid we were a bit outnumbered.”

  “I’m not in the Holy Army any longer, Gunther.” Cassius replied. “There’s no need to be formal.”

  Tenzi heard a strange buzzing sound overhead, passing from west to east. When she looked up, she could see nothing but fog.

  “Do you have any healers here, Cam?” Julius asked.

  Tenzi took her eyes from the sky, turning to find Jake leaning on Julius with his good arm about his brother’s shoulder. Jake’s face was in a grimace of pain, tears and sweat dripping down.

  Cam nodded. “Yes. We brought a handful of healers. They’re at our camp, just south of …”

  The low thump of an explosion caused the group to turn eastward. A burst of flame lit up the fog, flashing green before turning orange. Four huge figures stumbled from the flames, fire clinging to the banshees as they flailed about and stumbled to the ground.

  The rumble of hooves drew their attention to the northeast, where a rider on horseback emerged from the fog.

  “Talvin!” Cam said. “I thought you were dead.”

  The rider shook his head. “I knew you were in trouble, and I went to get help.”

  A dozen humans appeared from the thinning fog, all armed with bows.

  “I know that arrows don’t do much damage to these things, but it’s the best I could do.”

  Cam nodded. “I’m glad. We have to get to the south side of the battlefield. We’ve been cut off from the others for too long.” Cam shouted. “Let’s go find the rest of our army.”

  Tenzi followed Cam’s lead, jogging behind him and Cassius, thinking that they could be twins. They even had the same gait and form as they ran over the piles of torn earth and weaved between the bodies that littered the ground.

  Another explosion shook the ground and a flash of green flame lit up fog to the east. Distant wailing turned to shrieking as banshees burned, the sound sending a shiver down Tenzi’s spine.

  The fog began to lighten as they cleared the torn earth and ran into the long grass. When the fog thinned further, she found clusters of humans and tents dotting the area. Cam led them toward a crowd of people. As those in the crowd turned toward them, Tenzi spotted Tipper and Libby among them. Just beyond those two, she found another familiar face.

  “Brock!” Cam shouted. “The north flank was almost wiped out.” He took a breath, panting as he waved his arm behind him. “We’re all that remain, along with this squad that my father and Tenzi brought with them.”

  Brock stepped closer, and a huge black shape emerged from the shadows.

  “Bacabra!” Cassius cried, drawing his sword.

  Cam’s arm darted out and grabbed the man’s wrist. “Hold!” he commanded. “It’s okay, father. That’s Brock’s dog.”’

  Cassius gritted his teeth, his face in a grimace. “Cam. My wrist,” he said through clenched teeth.

  Cam looked at his father’s wrist and let go. “Sorry. I forgot my strength for a moment.”

  Cassius rubbed at his wrist while his gaze remained on the giant dog.

  “Don’t worry about Wraith; she’s on our side.” Brock extended a hand toward Cassius. “I’m happy to see you, sir. How many did you bring?”

  Cassius slid his blade into its scabbard and shrugged. “Prelate Yaris wouldn’t allow me to take any of his guards. I told him that I quit and left with this young lady,” he gestured toward Tenzi. “Jake and Julius wanted to come help their brother, and I picked up other acquaintances along the way. Unfortunately, it was the best I could do.”

  Brock’s brow furrowed, and he turned toward Tenzi. “I assume there aren’t any others.”

  She shook her head. “Sinclair and I tried, but none of the Prelates would listen. I’d have come away empty handed if I hadn’t stumbled into Cassius.”

  “Can I get a healer here?” Julius shouted as he and Jake stumbled into the area.

  Jestin ran toward them, “Let me help.”

  “What’s that, up in the sky?” Someone shouted.

  Tenzi looked up and saw a large winged-shape flying above the cloud of fog. The buzzing sound she heard earlier trailed the contraption as it sailed eastward.

  “That’s Benny and Ashland,” Brock said. “They’re using the flying machine to give The Horde a new set of problems.”

  Tenzi addressed Brock, too eager to wait any longer. “Where’s Parker?” she asked, fearing what the response might be. She couldn’t bear it if he were dead.

  Brock pointed toward the east. “He’s over near the cliff edge with the Tantarri, hopefully giving The Horde fits when they try to skirt the battlefield.”

  As Tenzi’s gaze shifted eastward, another explosion sounded in that direction. Her eyes shifted to the sky when an orange ball of flame soared past the flying machine, appearing to increase in size as it sailed through the air. Tenzi’s eyes grew wide when she realized that the fireball was heading toward them.

  * * *

  The flying machine tilted as Benny pulled one lever and pushed on the other. Ashland glanced down, finding that the orange glow from the fires started by their bombs gave shape to the land below. As they came around, she hefted another canister and began searching for her next target. Upon the downslope, thin remnants remained of the dissipating fog, burnt off from the heat of the fires and from the increasing breeze.

  They passed over the fog bank upon the upper plains and headed toward their own army, its camps sprawling to the south of the main battlefield. Ashland thought about Brock, knowing that he was somewhere down there. She could feel that he was still alive but didn’t dare interrupt him.

  A ball of fire suddenly appeared in the sky, heading toward them.

  “Lookout, Benny!” she screamed.

  Benny pulled hard on a flap lever and the flying machine banked radically. The fireball flew past them, descending toward where the human army waited. Another fireball appeared, somehow growing larger as it arced toward them. Benny pulled hard on the other flap, and the flyer banked in the other direction. Ashland’s gaze followed the missile as it descended, feeling ill from the horror as she watched it crash among a group of men. Fire blasted out, splattering orange flames around the area of impact.

  Ashland gasped as a sudden wave of anguish come over her, leaving her shaken to the core.

  Something was wrong with Brock, something serious. Afraid of what she might find, Ashland gathered her will and reached out to him.

  Brock, she sent. What happened? Are you okay?

  Moments passed without response. Rather than try again, she wiped the tears from her eyes and focused on what she
could do to help. She looked about and found that they were now flying beyond the camps and out into the quiet night beyond the field of battle.

  “Where are you going now?” Ashland asked. “I still have flash bombs to drop. We have to help them! We need to help Brock!”

  “I’m getting away from those fireballs,” Benny replied. “They’re coming from the top of the ridge to the southeast.”

  Ashland turned, looking back toward the ridge to see another ball flame up and arc through the air toward their army.

  * * *

  “Brock, look out!” Tipper shouted as he dove toward his friend, shoving Brock backward.

  Tenzi watched in horror as a six-foot diameter fireball crashed down on Wraith, plowed over Tipper, and smashed through the crowd before setting a tent ablaze. Horrible cries of pain sounded above the commotion, causing Tenzi to turn back to where the fireball had first landed.

  Brock was on his knees, using handfuls of dirt to douse the flames from meager patches of hair that remained on Wraith. The dog’s back legs were splayed outward an unnatural angle, her back appearing broken. The fire left clumps of pink and blackened skin showing in place of the dog’s hair.

  Across from Brock, Libby used her cloak to douse the flames from Tipper. Tears streaked her face as she sobbed, trying to wake him, although he was clearly dead. Everyone else was in shock, stunned by what had just transpired. The weeping from Brock and Libby were the only sounds within the camp other than the crackling flames of the burning tent.

  Brock’s head was slumped as he sobbed in time with Libby. Tenzi could almost feel his heartache. He reached his hand out and gently placed it on Wraith’s head. Brock wiped his eyes with his other hand before turning toward Tipper and Libby. Libby glanced up from Tipper, her eyes growing angry when she looked at Brock.

  “This is your fault, Brock! It should have been you, not Tipper!” Libby screamed, her voice a mixture of anger and pain. “You have to help him. You can bring him back, I know it!”