Gavin thanked his father and left the tent. He stood in the cool night air and looked towards the pass. Towering mountains ran north and south from the narrow pass uninterrupted as far as the eye could see. Nothing marred the flat landscape that stretched out before him except the highway that wound down the rise and disappeared into the pass. All was quiet in the large field in front of him. It seemed strange that with the coming of the sun, the field would soon be full of troops awaiting battle.
He pictured in his mind where the attacking army would come from and where his troops would be waiting in defense. He ran over the different scenarios of what might occur as he stared out over the empty field. He wanted to run through all of the scenarios again but decided it would be best if he got some sleep. The coming day would be long and stressful. It would be much better if he was rested and had a clear mind.
He entered his tent and prepared to sleep. As he lay down on his cot, he tried to clear his mind of the worries that kept running through it. He would have plenty of time to worry about the battle in the morning. He closed his eyes and pictured the princess. A smile crept across his face. She was the reason he was fighting. Her memory would give him strength. He would make sure that the Balthan Army never posed any threat to her or her kingdom.
* * * * *
Kalista looked up at the stars. They had ridden for several hours before finally stopping, and she was exhausted. She knew she could have avoided the late night ride if she would have turned around earlier, but she didn’t regret her decision to see Gavin all the way to the camp. It had been worth the extra hours she had been able to spend with him before leaving.
She gazed one last time up into the night sky and ducked into her tent. She needed to get to sleep. They would be breaking camp and leaving early in the morning. She had promised Gavin that she would get as far from the battle as she could before it started. She supposed that if they left early enough, she would be over half a day’s journey towards Candus before the battle broke.
She quickly got ready and lay down for the night. She wondered how Gavin was feeling right now. She knew him well enough to know that he would have a hard time sleeping tonight. He would most likely be running through everything he had been taught about battle tactics over and over again in his head. She hoped that he was not too worried about the impending battle. She knew that he would do fine and be a great leader, but it was his first battle.
As she lay staring up at the roof of her tent, she wondered how much sleep she would be getting. She couldn’t deny that she was worried for Gavin’s safety. She reminded herself that he would be safely away from the front lines of the battle. He was not a common soldier. He was the commander general and would be directing his troops from the command hill. There would be numerous soldiers between him and the actual fighting.
She turned over in her bed and tried to get comfortable but couldn’t. She felt somewhat exposed and vulnerable even though she had twenty royal guards with her. She had grown used to traveling with the large contingent of troops and having Gavin’s tent nearby. She knew there was nothing to worry about, but she wished that she had someone she knew to comfort her.
She knew she wouldn’t have Gavin nearby until the battle was over. Her servants were familiar but gave her no sense of protection. She longed to have her father nearby or someone else who was strong and caring to comfort her. Her guards would protect her with their lives, but she didn’t really know any of them.
She sighed and turned over once again. She knew she would eventually fall asleep, but she couldn’t get the thought of the impending battle out of her head. She hoped once again that Gavin would stay safely away from the fighting. As far as she knew, he had never seen death up close.
She shivered as she thought back to her own abduction earlier in the spring. She had seen death and it had shaken her terribly. The ordeal still gave her nightmares. If the young soldier Traven hadn’t been there to save her, she would have been killed.
She smiled at the thought of the brave young soldier. She wondered once again how he was doing and if he had been able to find what he was looking for. She wondered where he was. She supposed it was possible that he had already completed his search and had joined with the main group of soldiers. She wondered if he would be facing death in the morning as well.
She suddenly felt worried for him. He would not be far removed from the fighting like Gavin. The young soldier could even be on the front lines. The thought of him dying bothered her almost as much as thinking about Gavin being killed. The other troops were just troops to her, but the young soldier Traven had a name and a face imprinted in her mind. He had comforted her and risked his life to save her when no one else could.
Kalista shook the thoughts of him from her mind. She had enough to worry about without thinking of him. At least he was an expert swordsman and would be able to defend himself. She hoped that if the fighting were to ever reach Gavin, all of his practice would pay off and he would be able to defend himself as well.
She finally reached the point where she physically couldn’t stay awake any longer, and she dropped off to sleep. Her sleep was restless with memories of her kidnapping and dreams of battle. She awoke with a start when her chamber maid gently shook her shoulder. She calmed her breathing as she realized who it was at her bedside.
“Begging your pardon, Princess, but it is dawn.”
Kalista let out a quiet groan and sat up. She felt like she hadn’t slept at all. She hurriedly donned her riding clothes and the small party was soon once again on its way down the road towards Candus. It would be a while before the sun rose, and she wished she was still asleep. However, she had promised that she would rise early and head towards Candus before the battle started, and she wouldn’t break her promise.
She glanced back over her shoulder and stared eastward down the road. She hoped that all would go well with the impending battle and that Gavin would remain safe. She knew that the next week would feel like the longest week of her life as she waited for news of his safety.
28
Kadrak threw back the flaps of his tent and walked out into the cool morning air with a grin. Today would be a great day. He had gotten a solid night’s sleep and was feeling wonderful. He looked out over the encampment. His troops were finishing their morning rations and preparing for the coming battle. Armor clinked and echoed off the tall mountains that rose on either side of the camp. The sky was clear and blue. It was a good day to conquer.
He strode through the camp exuding confidence. He made his way past his troops and met Gilrod at the western edge of the camp. Gilrod was holding the reins to his stallion and patiently waiting for him. Kadrak took the reins and swung up onto his magnificent horse. From his perch on top of the stallion, he could see the entire camp sprawled out behind him. Soon all of the troops would be in their ranks and ready to march.
He looked forward towards the opening of the pass in the distance. It would take less than an hour to march the rest of the way to the opening. He knew that the Kalian Army was camped just outside the pass upon a small rise. There was no doubt they were aware of the position of the Balthan Army as well. They would think they were ready for the attack, but they had never faced a wielder before.
He knew that the Kalian Army outnumbered his own, but he was confident that his powers would make up for any disadvantage his troops might have. He also had his secret contingent of galdak warriors waiting nearby. If he needed them, they would be ready to turn the tide of the battle. However, he assumed that their help wouldn’t be necessary. When the Kalian soldiers saw what he could do, they would break and his army would be able to rout them.
He took a deep breath of the fresh mountain air and smiled. He waited patiently as his troops formed up ranks behind him. When everyone was in place, Gilrod joined him, and he began leading the army towards the opening of the pass. Kadrak kept the pace slow and deliberate. He wanted his troops fresh and ready when the battle finally commenced.
; As they neared the mouth of the pass, Kadrak heard a sharp whistle. Immediately, four arrows came rushing towards him. He smiled as all four arrows burst into flames and dropped harmlessly a good ten feet away from him on both sides. He quickly located the four shooters and four bolts of lightning struck the surrounding mountains. His bolts were perfectly placed, and without delay four bodies rolled down the sides of the pass and came to a rest at the edges of the trail. He shook his head with a smile. He supposed he couldn’t blame the Kalian Army for trying.
Once they were out of the pass, the troops spread out into their formations. Across the large field, the Kalian Army was in place and waiting for them. He had to admit that the sight of the Royal Army was impressive. All had matching uniforms, shields, and weapons, and they covered the entire rise that led up from the field at the mouth of the pass. His own troops lacked the polished armor and matching uniforms of the Kalian Army, but they were ready for battle just the same.
Kadrak sat upon his stallion at the head of his army and signaled for his messenger to gallop forward and deliver his demands. No one could say that he attacked without first giving his enemies the option to submit to his will. No one could say that he was not a benevolent leader.
* * * * *
“Is he serious?” the baron said as he finished reading the message that had just been delivered. He chuckled and looked at his generals. “The Wielder Kadrak wants to give us the opportunity to surrender,” he announced. “All we have to do is accept him as our new king and join our troops with his army. What do you say?”
Gavin joined with the other generals in laughing and suggesting what kind of counter offer they should send. A message was soon written and sent back to the Balthan Army. Gavin watched as the messenger quickly rode back to the invading army. His stomach was still in knots, and he hadn’t slept much the night before. However, he did feel better about their prospects in the bright light of the early morning.
From the command area at the top of the rise, it was easy to see that their own troops far outnumbered those of the Balthan Army. While the opposing army’s troops were formed up in loose, slightly disorganized looking formations, his own troops were perfectly consistent in tight formations. It appeared the only hope of the invading army truly was the wielder Kadrak who was at their lead.
It was unfortunate that the archers hidden at the mouth of the pass hadn’t been able to bring down the leader and instigator of the conflict. He wondered if they had been able to escape or if they had been killed. He assumed the latter. It was unfortunate because they had been some of the best archers in the army. He wondered how the wielder had avoided their arrows.
He watched as the messenger delivered their reply. Perhaps they would soon find out just what the wielder was capable of. Gavin steeled himself. There was a palpable sense of anxiety and anticipation in the air. Everyone knew that the battle was about to commence.
* * * * *
Kadrak crumpled up the counter offer and let it fall to the ground. He had known that the Kalians wouldn’t accept his offer, but when it was all over, he wanted them to remember that he had given them a chance to avoid the destruction that he was about to rain down on them.
He took off his cloak and tossed it to Gilrod. It wasn’t as cold outside of the pass, and as soon as he began working the ambience his body would be plenty warm. He led his stallion a short distance away from his troops and out into the open field. He was still far out of the range of the Kalian archers, but close enough for them to see who it was that would defeat them. He stared defiantly at the large army standing solidly in his way and raised his arms to the sky. He concentrated and with a smile began his attack.
Numerous small balls of fire appeared in the clear sky above the Kalian troops and began falling towards the earth. He kept them falling until he had created over a hundred. He then dropped his arms and watched as the last of them crashed into the ranks of the army. He surveyed the effects of the barrage. It appeared he had struck several troops but most had merely hid behind their shields to avoid the fire. The troops were surprisingly still all standing firm in their tight formations.
Kadrak stared back at the disciplined troops with a grin. It appeared that he would need to be a little more forceful. He raised his hands into the air once again and concentrated. Let them try to hide behind their shields again. He smirked as the air began to buzz and crackle.
* * * * *
Blaize sat upon his horse at the top of the rise. His troops were on the left flank of the army. It felt strange for him to be watching from the back instead of being down in the midst of the troops. He watched with satisfaction as his troops stood firm and refused to budge as balls of fire rained down on them from the clear sky.
The wielder Kadrak truly had a power that he didn’t understand. It had been awe inspiring. He glanced to the other leaders near him to judge their reactions to the display of power. Some were wide eyed while others watched impassively as the rain of fire ended. He glanced back at his troops, happy to see that they had effectively used their shields to block the fireballs. If that was the best the wielder could muster, he wouldn’t be much of a factor in the battle.
As if in answer to his thoughts, the wielder raised his hands towards the sky once again. Blaize looked on as the air began to crackle. Suddenly, bolts of lightning appeared out of thin air and began to slam down into the middle of the army. Bolt after bolt slammed into the ranks. He watched with a cringe as soldiers were seared in place or their bodies were launched into the air by the force of the explosions. Apparently the wielder had only been testing the army with the fireballs.
Several of the troops began to panic and run, but the majority stayed firm and brave in the face of such an unexplainable attack. Blaize steadied his horse as a bolt of lightning struck not far below where all of the generals were watching from. He turned and found Commander General Gavin looking very pale. The young commander was obviously terrified, but to his credit, he kept his horse still and stood his ground.
The barrage of lightning bolts continued for several minutes. The previously quiet morning was marred by the loud claps of thunder and the dull explosions that accompanied the lightning. There were also cries of surprise and anguish from the soldiers who happened to be in the bolts’ way. Blaize looked on helplessly at the destruction. He now understood why the Balthan cities had fallen so quickly.
The bolts finally stopped and an eerie quiet once again settled over the field of battle. The bolts had caused many fatalities but not nearly enough to hamper the large army. The soldiers remained firm, apprehensively waiting what might come next.
Blaize’s eyes were drawn back to the sky above the army. A small ball of fire appeared and began to spin. It grew larger and got brighter as it spun. When it was roughly the size of a horse it stopped spinning. It hung silently in the air for several moments before dropping straight down. The soldiers underneath the falling ball of bright fire quickly brought their shields up.
He watched with amazement as the ball of fire fell straight through the soldiers’ shields and slammed into the ground. Nothing was left where the soldiers had previously been. As if the dropping of the ball of fire had been a signal, the Balthan Army erupted with yells and charged forward. Fortunately, no more balls of the spinning fire appeared nor bolts of lightning. It seemed to Blaize that the barrage of magic attacks had come to an end for now and the physical battle would now take center stage.
He quickly surveyed his troops and was pleased to see that despite the wielder’s attacks, they were firmly in their formations and ready for the onslaught. He watched as the Balthan Army covered the open space between the two armies and crashed into the frontlines of the Kalian Royal Army. It was as if a quiver rippled through the entire army at the impact, but the Kalian Army held firm.
Blaize shook away the astonishment from the wielder’s attacks and focused on the details of the battle that was erupting before his eyes. The Balthan Army pulled back and attacked sever
al different times throughout the morning but had no success in breaking through the frontlines. The Kalian soldiers were strong and disciplined and didn’t budge in the face of the multiple attacks.
At one point around midday, the opposing army surged against the left flank. Blaize quickly commanded a few adjustments and reinforced his side with some of his cavalry. The Balthans were pushed back once again, losing any advantage they had gained in the brief surge. By mid afternoon it became apparent that nothing much would be decided by the end of the day. It was evident that the Kalian’s wouldn’t be beaten easily. What was left to be seen was if the Balthan Army would ever be able to push them from their position.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the Balthans were trudging away from the field back into the pass. Blaize took stock of the casualties from the day and was pleased to find that the day appeared to be a victory for their army. It was obvious that the Balthans hadn’t gained any ground. What would truly determine whether the day could be considered a victory for Kalia was how many actual casualties there had been.
Blaize watched as his own troops began ascending the rise and heading back to the camp. They looked tired from the long day of fighting but were mostly upbeat. He doubted the Balthan soldiers were feeling anything but frustration. He knew that both of their previous attacks had ended in victory for them in less than a day. They would find no such success here. He hoped that the soldiers would be discouraged enough after another day or two that they would just turn around and head back to Balthus.
He watched as the last of the Balthan soldiers disappeared into the pass. He gave the battlefield one last sweep before turning, walking to the command tent, and ducking inside. He took a seat at the command table and waited patiently for the reports to trickle in of casualty numbers on both sides. It soon became apparent that the day had indeed ended in a victory. The Balthan Army had lost nearly double the number of soldiers that they had lost.
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