Cobaaron wasn’t listening. He reached into the static ball where the sword Lu Lush killed herself hovered magically. He clutched the handle and took it out. After staring at it, he said, “I don’t know why I’m supposed to take this into battle, but I feel I must.”
“Trust your instinct, Cobaaron. It has never steered you wrong.”
“My instinct tells me to keep it on me from here on out.”
“Then do it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Dactylas marched, smothering the landscape. The horde of at least four million was the largest Ky ever witnessed. Among them were beasts: groupies, steaz, night squawkers, and others Ky never saw before. Dragons flew high, circling like vultures, and weaving around hovering Star-crystals that lit the battlefield. The two kings led the army while sitting on nitias. A herd of nitias trudged behind, laden with magical instruments.
With years to prepare, quicksand was one of several obstacles Tyrus put in the kings’ way. Archers stood between parapets, watching the beasts approach. Inside the protective walls, Tyrus’s army, and scores of chiefs that brought men to join forces, listened to the roar of iron clattering from a great distance. From the roof of the garrison, stouthearted Stars gathered and added light to the battlefield. Thax was one of the male Stars that had volunteered.
Seeing the endless rows of dactylas weakened Ky’s confidence. Winning the war seemed impossible. Even knowing Tyrus and Cobaaron’s strategy didn’t boost her bravery. Seeing some dactylas slowly sinking into the sand was encouraging, but their numbers were great. The thunder of marching and rumbling grunts from the beasts, made war dauntingly real. The masses looked like death itself. It terrified Ky; and she would be in the midst of these battling beasts and courageous warriors—her lover being one of them. She didn’t feel ready to see so much death.
“There is the key,” Cobaaron said. “It’s behind the kings.” A massive box, elaborately decorated like a treasured ark, balanced on the shoulders of dactylas.
“What is the key?” Ky asked.
“The key is the box the Angel of Death gave to Lu Lush that held his heart, or the moon,” Cobaaron began.
“But that is a child’s tale,” Rozz interrupted. “No, it’s more likely a powerful witch-made object.”
“No, it’s an object that calls upon Death,” Cobaaron whispered.
“If a foolish person believes foolish tales, he may think that! But it’s more likely a powerful magical object that brings devastation,” a chief named Holst said, eyeing Cobaaron as if questioning his sanity. Then with a glance at Ky, he shook his head in disgust. Ky ignored him, and turned away.
Tyrus was a genius. Before the battle even began, the quicksand swallowed dactylas as they marched in formation until the beasts walked over their dead. Beyond the pits were hidden cinders, or mines, made of rock and plants that combusted under pressure. If they made it through, the opposing army headed toward huge dugouts, perfectly concealed with warriors waiting to attack. The men in the trenches aimed arrows at their adversaries.
But their mission was to steal the key, and they had a plan. Like the Odessa Dome, there was a two-story underground substructure with trap doors. When Cobaaron saw the key near the hidden hatches, he’d telepathically warn the men; Parson and his team, disguised as dactylas, waited belowground to intercept the key and exchange it with a counterfeit. Once the weapon was underground, Octavos would rush the weapon through the confusing network of tunnels. When it was safely under the castle, he would flood the passageways.
The plan was foolproof, even if the key was shielded with magic. Parson held an object that would strip protective charms away. They were confident they could steal it, if they had time to get close to the box. And they planned to stall the kings until they were over the trap doors.
The kings’ army stopped outside the archer’s range. The dactylas stood in straight rows like well-disciplined soldiers with spears pointing skyward. They snorted and howled, demanding the warriors’ acknowledgement. The night squawkers weaved eerily between the creatures. The two kings dismounted and walked toward the castle.
“Let’s go,” Tyrus and Cobaaron were soon walking toward the kings. Ky dearly regretted not being able to read Cobaaron’s mind. Tyrus was armed with only a wand hidden in his inherited room, and Cobaaron with the sword of Lu Lush.
Apparently, the kings were nervous, because one shouted. “Halt!” the king’s bellow was louder than humanly possible. Ky noticed his mouthpiece. “Come closer and you’ll be surrounded by more dactylas than you can manage, and we’ll open the key.”
Tyrus and Cobaaron took a few more steps before stopping. Tyrus put his hand over his throat and spoke with the same booming voice. “I assume you won’t challenge me?”
Even as they parleyed, there was movement. Dactylas rolled logs, positioning trebuchets closer. Luanda the Weird walked beside them.As if the dactylas welcomed death, they stood their ground while trebuchets crushed them. Some weapons began to tip as the quicksand lured logs into its depth, before crashing to the ground, killing all underneath. The dactylas passed spears, arrows, and rocks as the machines rolled forward.
“We’ve come seeking vengeance! You killed our brother and mother! We declare war! The blood of your army will cover these lands.”
“Then we battle.”
“So eager for death? We are prepared. We marched to a city of Stars, and shining will not save you. We have the key; you have no hope. Although, if you surrender your lives, we’ll let the warriors and citizens leave.”
“I foresaw birds plucking out your eyes and feasting on your flesh. It’s you who has no hope,” Tyrus replied. “We battle, and I’ll seek you on this very field.”
Tyrus and Cobaaron turned their backs. When they were on the garrison’s roof, Cobaaron informed the chiefs, “Stealing the key is the only way to end the war. Our only hope is Parson and Octavos. We need to stall, fight with brute strength, and kill many.”
“If they keep rolling the trebuchets forward, we’ll have to force them back. They’re about to approach the hidden shafts. We can’t let them block the trap doors,” Tyrus said.
Ky watched Luanda as the first launch hit the invisible shield and briefly burst into a white splintering light. Then all the catapults launched simultaneously, and the magical objects collided causing a spider web of light.
“They’ll never get through this shield,” Rozz snorted.
“The magic will destroy the barrier. The protection isn’t fail proof,” Tyrus said.
“We distract the kings until we can steal the key,” Cobaaron said. “We let the shield break. We lure them over the tunnels, and then we kill the kings at any cost.”
The dactylas unleashed a deluge of magical instruments over the course of half an hour. The invisible shield showed permanent cracks. With each offensive launch, the splinters grew, and more appeared. Still, another surge was hurled at the dome. The great protective shield shattered like glass. As the shards dropped, they transformed into parchment, and drifted as ash.
Tyrus jumped onto the edge, facing the men below. “The battle begins! Don’t forget the beasts on the horizon. Look into their eyes and claim them as your kill. Take their life so your comrades live! Remember we will prevail whereas they are destined to fail! We have the promise of light! We have greater courage! We have traveled and protected destroyed land, but we renew it this night!” The warriors cheered.
After Tyrus rallied his men, dactylas ran toward the castle walls. Ky’s heart began to race, seeing the beasts charge. The swarm stealthily moved in, making the land appear to move. The war was beginning, and so was the prophecy of catastrophic bloodshed. Many would die, and the thought terrified her.
Tyrus let the dactylas close in, and when in range, he yelled, “Fire!” The archers launched a barrage of blazing arrows assaulting the beasts. Dragons burned some of the arrows and scorched Tyrus’s warriors, but the blazing fire also lit the dactylas with unquenchable flames.
Luanda climbed into a trebuchet, as dactylas placed boulders and spiked, iron balls into ballistae. Luanda the Weird raised her arm, and when she dropped it, a dactyla released the weapon, propelling her toward the wall.
Luanda flew toward them. She wildly waved her wand creating a protective barrier, expecting Tyrus to stop her. Once she was directly overhead, Tyrus thrust his wand, and Luanda stilled. Tyrus made a whipping motion, and Luanda flew back in a blur.
“Don’t let her get over the wall! She’ll open the gate!” Tyrus yelled.
Luanda stopped feet above the ground and disappeared. Ky searched, but Luanda was gone. Panic began to build within Ky, distrusting the witch’s cunning ways. Now Luanda could cross without being seen. She scanned the sky and field. There was no sign of Luanda. Thousands ran for the wall; some rode beasts. Arrows screamed through the air, and pierced dactylas. The sounds of war were so loud Ky could barely think or focus to search for a black silhouette of Luanda.
Tyrus raced to protect the gate’s chains and lever. He almost reached the tower when Luanda appeared behind him. Tyrus stopped, as if sensing her. He flipped backward. Luanda followed him with an outstretched wand. Tyrus was faster, and counter cursed to pin Luanda’s arms to her side with a thin but strong chain. Luanda disappeared and reappeared by the lever, still bound. She dropped over the wooden handle, and the gate started to open.
Tyrus charged, and Luanda shook, trying to free herself. Tyrus’s jinx hit her, and Luanda burned blue fire. She screamed, and dropped. Her body changed into solid silver. Her metallic body absorbed the shackles and fire.
She disappeared and emerged at the half-opened gate. She stood under the entrance, raising her arms, letting the dactylas enter. Tyrus tried closing it by reversing the lever, but Luanda was ready. When the gate pressed against her hands, she became steel, and stopped the falling bars.
Tyrus jumped below to fight the dactylas with a crowd of warriors. Cobaaron joined the skirmish. After years of sparring, their styles were similar. The two men fought back-to-back as they made their way to Luanda.
“They aren’t going to steal the limelight,” Rozz growled and joined the fray, as other chiefs followed Tyrus and Cobaaron.
Their efforts were pointless. Dactylas swarmed, bringing boulders to take Luanda’s place. The moment the stacked stones held the gate open, she changed back.
Tyrus was waiting for her to return to flesh. He thrust his arms, and the dactylas around him dropped dead. In the time it took Luanda to see what happened, Tyrus made a slashing movement with his wand and furiously yelled, “Fractuse!”
Luanda screamed, as her bones snapped and bent into grotesque positions. She arched backward; her jaw broke wide open, bones protruded from her arms, and her hips and legs twisted unnaturally. She dropped, unable to stand.
Tyrus stood over her, lowered a wand, and spoke. Luanda screamed and convulsed; her eyes rolled back. Her skin bubbled and black blisters formed all over her body. She crumbled to ash and blew away. Luanda had killed herself, instead of asking for help. Ky knew Luanda wanted immortality. It puzzled her that she would choose death. Ky wondered what Tyrus demanded in return.
“How was Tyrus’s spell not dark magic?” Ky breathed, horrified.
“All spells are as powerful as the healer feels. He was furious, and the curse became deadly. He’s bitter that she tried killing me when she captured us.”
The death of Luanda went unnoticed. Dactylas poured in as the warriors rushed to stop them. Stilts lifted the ballistae. Long ropes with pronged hooks snared the parapets. Dactylas climbed a ballista as it rose, clung onto the ropes, and slid toward the wall. Warriors scaled the ropes, to kick off dactylas, and sever the lines.
Tyrus and Cobaaron were outside the gate. Warriors battled, cutting through the crowding dactylas.
Tyrus and Cobaaron fought toward the heavily guarded key and kept the kings from blocking the trap doors. When the key was almost in position, and all seemed to be in their favor, night squawkers sank into the tunnels.
“No,” Ky whispered. Night squawkers sinking underground meant death to all below. There would be no way to open the trap doors from above; exchanging the key in haste would be impossible. The kings could decide at any moment to use their weapon, and it would be over. Any glimmer of hope the war was in their favor, vanished along with the many night squawkers as they dipped eerily and silently below, virtually without notice. “Ambrosia look!” Ky shrieked, terrified to see their wages of war costing the lives of all. The prophecy was coming true, and there was no way to stop fate.
Ambrosia scanned the field. As she watched, dragons scorched the warriors with their fire.
“No! Look there!” Ky pointed to the last few night squawkers disappearing under the earth. “We have to get to the tunnels so I can shine or the men will all die!”
“This will hurt, but Tyrus taught me this spell. I’ll find you, but I can’t use this charm on myself. I’m not confident and might split in two.” Ambrosia gripped her wand tight, and whipped it at Ky before she could voice any hesitations. To her horror, the last thing Ky saw was a dragon seizing Ambrosia. Claws clinched around her. It forced her to drop, and crushed her as the heavy body touched down before flight.
Ky reached out trying to help her friend, but it was too late. She felt squeezed, and all went dark. In a blink of an eye, she found herself underground. Night squawkers surrounded Ky, scratching her clothes and arms. Men were dragged into the rock.
“Ky, run!” Octavos yelled, as he was pulled into a pillar.
“No!” she screamed. She needed to save Cobaaron’s best friend. Her love already lost his brother. She tried to shine, but it wasn’t enough. Not until Octavos began to disappear and the sight of his wide body resembled Cobaaron’s, she became terrified. The horrific reminder to the day outside the City of Sterlings, and losing Cobaaron rendered her immobile with fear. In a flash, Ky went nova. The explosion made rocks ring as they blasted away. Screams echoed as the dry, flaky hands that held her, recoiled. Her body lifted, and her hair whipped with fury. Rock sizzled around her, but the groans of men worried her enough that her fire doused.
Though dim, her light filled the corridors and spilled between the archways and columns. A few men and some dactylas in disguise stepped from between pillars. Unfortunate men had blackened limbs poking free of stone. The stench of scorched skin permeated the tunnels. But Octavos was still stuck in the wall. She knew this would hurt him. She slammed her foot into the corner; when a rock chipped away, she continued.
Her body knew she needed to work faster, because time slowed and she was able to chisel rapidly, though her hands became raw and she was sure she’d soon bleed. In seconds she exposed the flesh around his ear, and then carefully removed bits of rock. Octavos gasped, but she didn’t hear. His mouth slowly opened as Ky flinched, freeing his neck. Sound rushed back as he began to break free, and his movements sped up.
“Help me,” Ky frantically beseeched the men around her. They swiftly came to her aid, and began to break the stone. A warrior aggressively pushed her aside, telling her the rocks crush the chest once a night squawker releases its grip. As several crowded in to pound the rock, they worked in unison, and quickly. It chipped away easily, and soon his hands loosened. He helped crumble the rock, and finally kicked his legs free. Octavos panted as he brushed himself off.
“Cobaaron says the key is in position. We must move. You need to get aboveground, because I’ll flood these tunnels soon,” Octavos said.
A few dactylas stepped forward, and Parson spoke in a familiar voice, “The fake key was burned beyond repair. We can’t use it.”
“We’ll have to move forward without it,” Octavos said heavily. “If this is all the men left, you can’t spare anyone to steal the key.”
“Go flood the gates, Octavos, leave the rest to us. Keep the trap door open, and anyone who comes down here will drown,” Parson said.
“Do you have a plan?”
“Yeah
, steal the key,” Parson quipped.
“Solid plan,” Octavos grinned. “Hurry.”
The disguised men and Ky stood on the elevator as Octavos hoisted them to the top. The trap door popped open and they emerged onto the gory battlefield.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
There was no rest, as the kings cast magical instruments from slingshots. Objects exploded upon impact. Horned beasts fought warriors. Tyrus was casting spells, fighting beasts magically. Cobaaron threw orbs formed in his stomach. Ambrosia was nowhere in sight, but then Ky didn’t believe her friend survived, only hoped.
Ky was in the thick of the battle. Her heart thud against her chest as she instantly dodged when a dactyla thrust a spear at her head. She was uncomfortably close to the two kings, as she dropped and rolled when two dactylas attacked. A spear lodged into the ground inches from her head. She kicked as the second spear aimed for her heart. Ky knocked it away, but when she clinched her hands around the iron pole, Ky was lifted.
Her adrenaline raced. Without thinking, she slammed her foot into the dactyla’s throat. With surprising force, she ripped its windpipe out. She dropped and the other dactyla lunged. Within seconds, she was surrounded. Dactylas fought each other, and Ky realized some were warriors in disguise. “Run to the castle!” Parson yelled.
Ky knew he had a mission and remaining on the battlefield was no place for her. She skidded between the legs of the giant dactyla as it thrust its weapon at her. Then she jumped to her feet and sprinted, dodging warriors and beasts. Ky veered to the left when she saw she was heading toward the kings. A steaz rolled her way but she didn’t dare stop. She changed direction and ducked to avoid a thick chain that a warrior used to lash at the steaz’s neck. Blood splattered Ky as the warrior was fatally struck.
Ky raced away, glancing back as she hurdled bodies. Her heart was pounding, aware there was no guarantee she’d make it to the castle alive. “Seize her!” someone shouted, and she spied one of the kings. He spotted her in the midst of the battle. Ky ran, but dactylas surrounded her. Warriors fought to free her, but the king threw an instrument and a dust cloud blasted everyone away.
The Coming Dawn Trilogy Page 90