Thaluzont circled his Boroon around and looked over the battlefield before charging again. With vision blessed by his master, he could see the western flank and his lips spread into an evil smile. The worvak had come down from the mountain forest by the hundreds and were converging on what he could only assume was the Ortsk army. With Tavar and his cavalry hitting them at the same time, the Ortsk army would quickly be annihilated.
Thaluzont spurred on the charge to strike into the Kaheendrans again. His force crushed everything in their path. Kaheendran lancers tried to stop the beasts but could not penetrate their thick armor and were quickly skewered or trampled. He was rounding the force again to cut back out to the east and make another pass when something struck his mount. The beast was in a full charge when it suddenly lurched to the side and tripped, slamming to the ground.
Thaluzont was thrown a dozen yards out into the enemy, crushing several men under his massive armored body. He came up quickly to his feet, spinning around and sweeping his enormous labrys in a wide circle. Every man in its path was decapitated or cleaved in half by the gruesome weapon under Thaluzont’s strength. He let out a primal growl as Kaheendran and Yavasuran soldiers pressed in all around him, anxious to take down the powerful enemy leader. But they did not know who this was or what power he possessed. Those that came close enough only realized their doom too late.
Thaluzont saw that many of the Boroon had been taken down by some type of large bolts and those that survived had broken formation. Separated from the group, the riders charged around in a frenzy, trampling over whatever they could before being knocked from their mounts. With the Boroon charge ceasing to be a threat, the Sanjeeran cavalry cut into the eastern flank of Thaluzont’s army with devastating effect. He roared in protest and moved like a plague through the Kaheendrans, swiftly cutting down anyone who opposed him. Thaluzont was without fear but the enemy was terrified of him. His great axe was cloaked in dark shadows and as it cleaved through one man after another, devouring their life energy, it began to emanate a soft, green glow.
Commander Argin maneuvered the Ortsk army from behind the first few ranks. They were cutting deeply into the enemy as planned, hoping to converge with the Kaheendran and Yavasuran force from the east. One of his Lieutenants rushed up to him with a report of a cavalry charge coming toward them from the north. He gave the order for the pikemen to set up a defensive position.
Suddenly, screams of worvak started to filter back from the left flank. Argin rushed over to see for himself what he thought was impossible. Why would worvak attack an army? Surely a few of the beasts would not be bold enough to attack such a force. When he reached the outer ranks, his heart stopped at the sight. Hundreds of worvak rushed down out of the mountain forest. He had never known that so many of the beasts existed, and to be attacking in such a coordinated effort was astounding, and horrifying.
He called out orders, forming a rear vanguard on him, and the Culdorans who also saw the coming attack quickly filled in the defense so that the spearhead could continue to cut deep into the enemy flank. Commander Argin stood behind the first rank of pikemen and lancers with his sword drawn, watching the enemy cavalry and worvak approach. He was amazed at how the two forces could be allied. They would both be hitting his army at the same time, side by side. How could this have been accomplished with such beasts?
The Culdoran archers and Ortsk crossbowmen were just about to let loose their first barrage when suddenly the worvak force shifted. Argin watched in amazement as the beasts turned their charge and collided into the unsuspecting cavalry, the large heavy creatures each taking down a horse and rider together and tearing into them with razor sharp fang and claw. Commander Argin was not sure of what had happened or why, but it was obvious that for now, the worvak appeared to be on their side. He called out for his archers to aim on the remaining cavalry and Hurandi force and gave the signal to fire. The Culdorans, witnessing the same calamity, directed their fire away from the worvak and into the cavalry charge.
Tavar was horrified when the worvak suddenly changed direction and slammed into his force. The beasts leapt in and took down horse and man alike and then arrows and bolts rained down on them from the defenders, taking a heavy toll. With the charge all but stopped, Tavar was quick to realize that his attack would be ineffective, but the words of Thaluzont echoed in his mind and he screamed out in rage and spurred his steed on. He split the skull of a worvak that attempted to take down his mount and rushed in toward the Ortsk line. If he was to die, he would do so in glorious battle and take as many with him as possible.
The remaining cavalry and Hurandi followed him in, fully expecting to die but knowing that it would be a lesser fate than to be tortured by their merciless leader. The charge was halted completely by the Ortsk pikemen at the front of the lines, the Hurandi crossbows being ineffective with so few of them. Tavar used the momentum to leap from his impaled horse and collided with a few large armored men behind the lines. He lashed out with his longsword killing two Ortsk soldiers that were nearest to him but then a tall shield stopped his next swing and a heavy sword came down hard, nearly knocking his own sword from his hand.
Tavar stepped back and appraised the large man who was covered in finely crafted armor. His lips curled into a wicked grin when he realized that it was their Commander he was about to kill. He thrust in low and when the expected shield block came in he pulled back and angled a quick follow up strike toward the man’s head. It was a move that had ended many a fight for him before but this time the skilled Ortsk warrior brought his blade up to deflect the blow.
Tavar was an experienced brawler though, and unconventional in his tactics. He quickly spun and came in with a low backhanded swing. The move could easily be blocked by the shield but would bring him in close to his opponent. As he spun, he pulled out a long dagger from his hip. As the Ortsk officer blocked low with his shield he would see an apparent opening and bring back his sword to strike, leaving his neck open for Tavar to plunge in his dagger. Tavar completed the maneuver and thrust out with the dagger, expecting to connect with the shocked Commander’s throat but he had erred greatly. He had underestimated Commander Argin, a seasoned warrior and one of the most skilled among the Ortsk.
Tavar couldn’t believe that the officer had anticipated the deceptive move. He blocked low with his shield and after ducking the dagger, threw his shield forward, slamming it hard against Tavar and nearly knocking him off his feet. Tavar came in again with some impressive attacks but couldn’t find an opening. He feigned a low attack and quickly reversed his momentum, slicing high. He just missed the Commanders head and before he could pull his arm back, the man brought his shield up hard against Tavar’s elbow, snapping the bone and knocking his arm high in the air.
As Tavar grunted in pain and tried to counter, the Commander brought the heavy shield down hard atop his foot, crushing the small bones. Tavar doubled forward reflexively and up came the shield again, slamming him under his chin, shattering his jaw and sending him stumbling backwards to land on his back.
Tavar wouldn’t allow himself to believe that he had been defeated. He struggled to rise and offer a defense but the Commander was too quick and without mercy for this enemy. With a powerful swipe he brought his sword across, through Tavar’s weakened defense, and cleanly severed his head from his body.
†††
Lucian watched from atop the large chunk of wall as Thaluzont led a Boroon charge into the eastern flanking forces. Despite the small number of Boroon riders, they were wreaking havoc. Neither the Kaheendrans nor the Sanjeerans had anything to stop such an assault. He had seen a large number of cavalry and Hurandi charging toward the Ortsk army to the west, but he knew Thaluzont would pose the greater threat. That, and the fact that his brother would be among those in the path of the Boroon, led Lucian to his decision. He called out for Eliath to follow him and the two raced toward the east, towards Thaluzont.
Many of the enemy did not see Lucian or Eliath approaching un
til it was too late and they were either cut down or quickly left behind, beyond reach of the two men. Those who did see them coming and stood in the way were quickly dispatched by the mighty duo.
Lucian was nearly half the distance to Thaluzont, when he saw the evil leaders mount go down along with many others in the charge. Large bolts were being launched with amazing accuracy at the beasts. He wondered what type of weapon could do such a thing. The Nebura were too large to be moved and not accurate enough to be fired into the confusion of ally and foe. When he finally saw the source of the deadly bolts he couldn’t help but cheer. The Ganthians had come, and they had manufactured some type of large bolt thrower on the back of wagons. They were rigged to swivel around, giving them full range of motion and the ability to fire with great accuracy.
He could no longer see where Thaluzont was but continued to hack through the enemy toward the last place he had seen him. Calls started to stretch out all along the enemy lines and soon the presence of Lucian and Eliath became known. They began to bear down on the two powerful adversaries, knowing that the reward for killing these two would be great.
It wasn't long before Lucian and Eliath found their forward momentum slowed as the enemy pushed in all around them. Lucian suddenly felt as though he had made an ignorant and grave mistake. He and Eliath had pushed ahead to quickly, leaving their allies behind. He had placed himself and his best friend in great peril.
"I’m sorry my brother. It seems I have led us into a lion’s den," said Lucian as he turned to face his friend. But Eliath's look was anything but one of regret. His eyes looked like roiling liquid silver.
"Fear not brother. I will not let the evil men take you. This is my Father’s den!" His expression was like forged steel and a brief triumphant smile ghosted across his face.
Lucian drew more power from Eliath’s resolve and lashed out with renewed ferocity. The enemy attacked, several at a time in hopes to overwhelm their prey but Lucian and Eliath moved as though they were one. Up until now, Lucian had been fighting singularly, his lone skill against his enemies. Now, with Eliath at his side and equally as powerful, he fought differently. He felt a joining with his brother as memories of thousands of battle coursed through his mind. Their every stroke complimented one another, when one swept low, the other would strike high. Their movement was so fluid and precise that everyone that came at them was incapable of defense.
Time seemed to slow as the two friends countered and thrust, parried and sliced. Lucian felt as though he had been fighting beside Eliath for a millennium. He knew that whatever he did, Eliath would be reacting in coordination with his attack. It was like a beautiful and utterly destructive dance as the two friends spun around countering and cutting down their enemies with amazing efficiency.
Three enemy soldiers fell dead nearly at the same time as Lucian and Eliath came to the end of a blur of movements. Before they could engage another group though, Sanjeeran cavalry flooded past them, pushing through the enemy and cutting down many in the process. Yavasuran soldiers followed behind them, circling Lucian and Eliath protectively.
Suddenly, Eolic was standing next to Lucian with a look of complete shock on his face.
"Eolic!" exclaimed Lucian, happy to see his brother alive and well. "It is good to see you brother! What’s wrong?"
Eolic looked around to make sure they were not in danger of imminent attack and then looked back to Lucian. He was breathing heavily and could hardly speak.
"I saw you...coming. And then...I saw the enemy...close in around you." He took a deep breath to try and steady his voice. "And then what I saw...I could not believe."
Lucian gave him a confused look and was growing impatient, wanting to get to Thaluzont.
"You and Eliath cut down nearly fifty men in the time it took us to reach you. It was unlike anything I had ever seen...the way the two of you moved. It was remarkable. And if you could only see your eyes!"
Lucian laughed and embraced his brother. "I have many stories to tell you brother, but for now I need to get to Thaluzont. He was atop a large black mount. I saw him fall near here."
Eolic nodded slowly and his face turned pale at the thought of the vicious man he had seen. "This way," he said, and raced off to the north through the progressing southern tribes. When the three men reached the area where Thaluzont had been thrown from his Boroon, Lucian gasped at the carnage laid out before him. Hundreds of bodies lay cleaved and broken all around. Horrified expressions were locked into their dead faces because of what had befallen them. Dead bodies looked somehow drained.
†††
Thaluzont lashed out with such strength that no shield, nor blade, could block his strikes. He launched a barrage of devastating attacks at the enemies surrounding him, spinning and using the length of his massive labrys to sweep through several men at once. When those around him started to hesitate in their attack, he screamed out in rage and laughed before charging them. None of these skilled warriors were a match against the amazing force that was Thaluzont. Beneath his perfectly crafted armor, and with his already incredible strength and agility increased by those who possessed him, he unleashed devastation the likes of which no tribe had ever seen.
He swung his colossal battle axe tirelessly but the defenders were now staying out of its reach, trying to pierce his armor with lances and pikes. Thaluzont's laugh echoed unnaturally throughout the army of defenders around him, but he was not killing so many men now and the ring around him was growing tighter. A string of cavalry were bearing down on him and he noticed that a small cluster of the remaining Boroon riders had formed up and were trampling their way back to the north.
Thaluzont let out a primal growl and charged toward the Boroon, carving through anyone that stood before him with his demonic weapon and slapping others out of the way as if they weighed no more than a child. The lead rider noticed Thaluzont just as he reached the side of the Boroon and, had he been given the chance, he would have relinquished his mount to the feared leader. But Thaluzont offered no choice and swept the rider from his mount with a powerful backhanded chop. At the same time he grabbed a panel of armor and hoisted himself up onto the Boroon without losing any speed. The beast, feeling the will and dominance of its new rider, drove on even faster, ducking its head to impale anything that could not flee from its path fast enough.
Thaluzont looked over his shoulder as he charged to the north and saw that Tavar and nearly his entire cavalry had been decimated. What shocked and infuriated him even more, was that the worvak had turned on his own men. He shook with anger and thought of how horrible Lornareen's torture would be when he found her. He turned in the saddle and looked further back to see the one called Lucian. The divine child, whom he had tried so hard to kill and keep from this war, had cut a path through his army and was very close to where he had just been.
Every fiber in Thaluzont’s being burned with the desire to turn his mount around and charge in to slaughter the boy, but the many voices within urged him to continue north.
“Your time to kill the boy will come later. Now you must flee, this war is lost. We underestimated the power of that one. Many will be punished for their failure.”
Thaluzont still had to fight against the urge to turn around. He wanted nothing more than to kill that menace. It took all his will and the cooing voices of those within him to keep straight. When he reached the rear lines of his army, Thaluzont gave the command for retreat. A dozen men with large curved horns bellowed out the signal. This war was indeed over and Thaluzont could see that many of his warriors would be caught between the attacking flanks of the defenders. His army cared nothing for their fellow soldier and would flee without remorse for those caught behind. There would be no spearhead to try and open a hole for them to escape. They were considered a loss. And a heavy loss it was.
Thaluzont was one of the last to leave the battlefield and head north, his enchanted vision was locked on Lucian who was staring his way. Even at such a great distance, the two men seemed to
be looking directly into each other’s eyes. Thaluzont smiled at the challenge.
"I'll be waiting for you boy," he said, and his voice was carried eerily through the thousands of men and into the ears of Lucian. He grinned at the nod that Lucian returned. Challenge accepted.
The Aftermath
When everyone witnessed the northern horde retreating, a large roar of victory echoed throughout the defending armies. Once the joint forces met in the middle of the battlefield, cutting off the front of the northern army, it was not long before they were sorely pressed. Many of the warriors from the northern tribes threw down their weapons and shields, some of those men survived but many were cut down even after their surrender until Lucian's commands to spare them reached the front lines. They were rounded up and their weapons were collected. When Lucian came before them, many spears were poised to strike at the slightest notion of deceit.
"You men have come against the city of Vorea under the banner of evil. You should be tried and hanged for your crimes against humanity but this day I am offering you something entirely different...forgiveness, and the chance to work off the debt you owe."
Whispers spread throughout both armies, no one sure of what exactly Lucian was trying to do. Many wondering how he could possibly let such evil men live. One of Nenghao's Lieutenants even leaned close to Lucian and voiced that very opinion. He was quick to answer.
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