by Morgan Rice
“Mother,” he said, so relieved.
She smiled back.
“You are home now, my son. You are home now.”
Thor opened his eyes and sat up with a start, looking all about him. Something felt different inside him. Something had changed.
Dawn was breaking, and all around him were Empire soldiers, slowly rousing, preparing for the day, for the battle ahead. Thor looked up to see Andronicus approaching him. But no longer did Thor view the Empire soldiers as colleagues; and no longer did he see Andronicus as his father. Now, he had a whole new perspective; he had a moment of clarity. He saw them all as the enemy. And he saw his father as the enemy he was.
Andronicus approached, smiling, and held out his palm. Thor looked down and saw his mother’s ring.
“I promised you, my son,” Andronicus said. “And I always keep my promises.”
Andronicus reached down and placed the ring in Thor’s palm.
As he did, Thor felt an overwhelming strength race through him. He also felt a sense of clarity. He was Thorgrin, of the Western Kingdom of the Ring. He was a member of the Legion, loyal to MacGil, and he was fighting to free the Ring. And all of these men about him, they were all the enemy.
Thor drew his sword, and he suddenly charged. Andronicus lay before him, and Thor was determined.
It was time to kill his father.
CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
Kendrick charged down the steep slope of the Highlands in the breaking dawn, into the thick mist, red sunlight of the first sun flooding the valley, Erec, Bronson, and Srog beside him, and thousands of men behind them, as they all charged for the division of Empire soldiers in the valley below. Thus far, their strategy of hit-and-run had been a success: they had attacked Highlandia, wiped out a small division of Andronicus’ men, and had taken shelter back in the mountains. They had been lucky, though, that Romulus had attacked when he had. Kendrick did not know if they could have won otherwise, especially with Thor fighting at Andronicus’ side.
It still rattled Kendrick to the core, the image of Thor riding out to greet him in battle. It left a pit in his stomach. How could Kendrick possibly face his comrade, his brother-in-arms, in battle? What would he have done if Thor had attacked him? What had they done to change Thor?
Kendrick did not imagine he’d be able to harm Thor. Clearly, Thor was under the spell of Andronicus, of some dark force, and he was not himself. Yet at the same time, Thor was still clearly more powerful than any of his men, and Kendrick winced at the thought that he might have to face him soon enough in battle—or else risk losing his men.
For now, at least, that would not be an issue: Kendrick’s men had identified a lone division of Empire troops camped on the other side of the valley, a few thousand warriors, isolated from the rest of the Empire camp. They rode now at sunrise with stealth and surprise, Kendrick’s thousands of men prepared to attack them quick and hard, then retreat back into the mountains. Kendrick and his men were still outnumbered, but they feared not for greater numbers, as long as the odds were close and as long as they weren’t fighting the entire Empire army at once.
Kendrick did not know how long this strategy could last. But if they could keep picking off one small division of Empire troops a time, eventually, he felt, they could win this war. When faced with an opponent greater in size and strength and numbers, sometimes stealth and cunning and retreating selectively were the most effective way to wage war, he figured.
The sound of horses’ hooves reverberated in Kendrick’s ears, along with the clang of armor, as they all rode, the cool morning wind in his hair and his hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. The morning mist finally lifted, revealing his men and giving away the element of surprise. But at least they had made it this far.
Kendrick and his men let out a great battle cry as they bore down, hardly a hundred yards away. The Empire men, startled, all turned, and looked up with terror at the sight and sound of them charging down the mountain. Their first impulse was to flee, and several dozen Empire soldiers on the front lines turned and ran back, in panic.
But soon they gathered themselves, as hardened Empire commanders stepped forward and rallied their men. A fighting force was quickly assembled, and stood ready to meet them.
Kendrick, Erec, Bronson, Srog, and the others did not give them a chance. They charged faster, and, lances out, met them with a great clash of armor.
The sound of steel meeting steel filled the air. Cries rang out of men killing men, and bodies fell, mostly on the Empire side, the MacGil men charging down the slope of the Highlands like a sudden storm. Their momentum carried them right into the thick of the Empire camp, cutting a broad swath right through, killing men left and right as they all tried to put on their armor, to gather their weapons, to mount their horses.
Within moments, several hundred Empire troops were dead or wounded, and as Kendrick and his men continued to charge their way through, it seemed as if nothing could stop them. Kendrick felt sure they would take out this entire division and return to the mountains before the first morning sun even lifted in the sky.
Suddenly, Kendrick felt his horse’s legs go out from under him, and as his horse collapsed, Kendrick went diving, landing hard, face-first, on the ground. His armor clanked as he rolled and rolled.
Erec, Bronson, and Srog rolled on the ground beside him. Out of breath, Kendrick turned and looked back, wondering what had happened.
Kendrick found the culprit: unbeknownst to him, the Empire men had laid out a long, studded barbed chain, and had yanked it tight, cutting out his horse’s legs from under them and sending them all crashing to the ground. The Empire men employed expert discipline. Kendrick had grown too confident in battle, and had underestimated his opponent.
A sword came down for his head, and Kendrick raised his shield just in time, as dozens of Empire men swarmed down all around him. He blocked the blows, rolled, and swung out and slashed the soldiers’ legs, making them drop to the ground beside him.
Kendrick quickly gained his feet, dodging blows, using his shield as he fended off several Empire soldiers. They were closing in fast, and all around him, Erec, Bronson, Srog, and others were fighting hand-to-hand, too.
Kendrick stabbed a soldier, and as he slumped over, Kendrick snatched a flail from his waist. He raised it high and wielded it in a wide circle over his head, smashing many Empire soldiers in the chest and face, knocking them back, and creating a wide perimeter around he and the other men. He bought them some breathing room.
As Kendrick fought hard, he turned and searched for his men, for reinforcements, wondering what was taking them so long. But as he looked, he saw that his men had their hands full, too: the Empire division was receiving reinforcements and troops were flooding into the valley from all sides. His men were backlogged, unable to reach him. Now the momentum was turning the other way; the tide of battle, while it looked good before, was now beginning to sway against them.
Kendrick fought with both hands, already exhausted, the odds only getting worse. On the horizon, as the mist rose further, he saw even more Empire troops, thousands more, swelling in to reinforce the others. They were far more greatly outnumbered than he thought. This was not an isolated Empire division after all, but part of a much larger battalion.
Standing there, holding his ground, he and Erec and Bronson and Srog fought with all their hearts, killing off their attackers, fighting for each other, protecting one another. But Kendrick already knew in his heart that he had made a grave mistake in coming here. They were vastly outnumbered, and the odds were getting worse. In only a short matter of time, his army would suffer its final defeat.
* * *
Godfrey rode before his thousands of men, Akorth and Fulton beside him, his Silesian general behind them, and thousands of MacGils following. Godfrey had no idea why these men were following them, or why they had entrusted him at all—or why his sister Gwendolyn had, either. He was not a soldier. He was not a brave warrior, like the others. He
used his wit to survive, and that was all he had.
Godfrey’s ploy had worked back there, had saved them from the initial Empire attack. It had been the best gold he’d ever spent. But his luck had come to an end, and eventually, he knew, he must face battle. He could only evade for so long. And he knew that in battle, real battle, eventually wit would only take him so far. He would also need skills in fighting. And these he sorely lacked.
Godfrey had heart, at least. He charged forward, despite his fears, leading these men, determined to find Kendrick and Erec and the others and do what he could to help them. He knew he would probably die in this cause. But he no longer cared. He felt it was past time for him to do something in his life that was not about himself. It was time to fight in the same ways that others fought—even if it meant losing.
As he rode, Godfrey marveled at how confident all the other soldiers seemed. He himself, he had to admit, felt overwhelmed with fear. But at least he continued riding anyway, riding through it.
Godfrey crested a hill, recognizing the spot described by his informant. His spies had paid off men in Tirus’ army, and these had told him about Kendrick’s men being set free. He had paid off informants every step of the way, to show him where Kendrick and Erec had gone. And he had been following their trail ever since. He dearly hoped his informants had been right.
Godfrey followed the tracks of a vast army up the hill and wondered where they were going, and why. All this work was exhausting. He would give anything for a pint of ale now, and a warm fire to lay his feet beside.
As Godfrey crested the hilltop in the breaking sun, he was out of breath. He had ridden all night to catch up to Kendrick and Erec, and now, finally, as they reached the peak, he stopped and looked down at the valley spread out below him. His stomach fell at the sight.
There, below, were Kendrick, Erec, Bronson, and Srog, with thousands of Silver and MacGils and Silesians and McClouds, all surrounded by the Empire and fighting for their lives. They were completely engulfed by Empire men, and thousands more poured in.
Godfrey sat there on his horse, breathing hard, paralyzed with fear. He was terrified. All the men he loved were about to be killed before his eyes, and what remained of their armies wiped out.
“Sire, now what?” his general asked. “We cannot attack. We are vastly outnumbered. It would be suicide.”
“Let’s retreat,” Akorth said.
Fulton nodded vigorously.
“I agree. Let’s save our own lives. We can’t help them anyway.”
But Godfrey would not be swayed; the old Godfrey might have cowered and slunk away. But not anymore. Now he was determined.
Godfrey looked around eagerly, desperate to figure out a way to help. He couldn’t let his brother die out there; yet he also didn’t want to charge into a certain death. He was desperate to find another solution.
Come on.
Godfrey summoned his wit, every ounce of his intelligence. He’d always had a knack for finding another way when others could not, for taking a step back and getting a bird’s-eye view of a situation, and coming up with a solution that no one else thought of. As he studied the peaks of the Highlands, up and down, suddenly, he spotted something.
His heart raced, as suddenly, he got an idea.
Godfrey pointed.
“There!” he yelled.
Akorth and Fulton followed his finger, baffled.
“There what?” Akorth asked.
“What are you pointing to?” Fulton asked. “A rock?”
Godfrey shook his head, annoyed.
“There!” he said more firmly, pointing. “On that ridge!”
Akorth and Fulton squinted.
“All I see is a ranch-hand, my lord,” his general said, “and a herd of bulls.”
Godfrey smiled.
“Exactly,” he replied.
Godfrey looked down the hillside to the battlefield, then looked back to the bulls at the peak.
“You’re not thinking what I think you’re thinking, are you?” Akorth asked Godfrey.
“There must be at least a thousand bulls there,” Godfrey said. “A number of them look unhappy. They are anxious to be set free. And I intend to help them.”
Godfrey looked back down at the battlefield below, the steep slope, and figured if he could set loose these bulls, if he could get them to charge down, in a rage, into the mayhem, there was no limit to the damage and confusion they would cause. It would be an enormous distraction. And that was exactly what Kendrick and his men needed at this moment.
“Madness!” the general said. “A crazy scheme. One for dreaming boys—not for military commanders!”
Godfrey turned to his general.
“I would take a dreaming boy over a military commander any day. CHARGE!” he screamed to his men.
Godfrey drew his sword and screamed as he charged, racing for the herd of bulls, sword held high, prepared to send them as his emissaries into the field of battle.
CHAPTER TWENTY SIX
Reece, O’Connor, Elden, Indra, Conven, Serna, and Krog followed Centra as he navigated his way quickly through the Canyon base, their feet sticking to the muddy floor as they weaved their way between the exotic trees, orange and turquoise leaves flashing amidst the muted sunlight. Reece’s feet stuck as they went, making each step an effort, and every now and again another hot spring erupted close by, spewing steam and mud into the air, small flakes of mud raining down and sticking to him. Reece’s face and skin were already caked with mud, and with a salty residue that clung to everything. He felt caked in layers, felt like he needed a bath, like he was becoming part of this mud landscape and would never return.
Strange noises filled the air, continually putting Reece on edge. He thought back to their encounter with the monster, and wondered what else could be down here. If it weren’t for Centra, surely they would be dead. Who’d ever heard of a monster with a heart in its foot? He looked about warily, his visibility limited between the trees and the mist, and he could not help but wonder what other dangers lurked here.
Reece thought back to the Sword and peered at the Canyon floor, following the ominous trail left by the Faws. The more they followed it, the more he wondered about these people, these scavengers, who had taken it. He wondered at their strength, being able to drag it, and wondered what they could want with it. More ominously, he wondered how powerful they were, given they had survived down here, amidst all these creatures.
“Perhaps these Faws, they’ll listen to reason and give us the Sword back,” O’Connor offered aloud. “After all, they know it’s not theirs.”
Centra snorted, shaking his head.
“The Faws are not exactly the type to listen to reason.”
“Maybe we can trade them something for it,” O’Connor said.
“The only thing they’d want to trade you for is your head on a stick,” Centra said.
O’Connor fell silent.
“We’re entering the far side of the Canyon,” Centra said. “Have you noticed how many more springs there are? The quakes come more frequently here, too. Have you noticed the cracks in the Canyon walls? We have minor quakes….”
Reece tried to tune Centra out. Centra had not stopped talking since they had met; clearly, this man was lonely, desperate for company. All along the way, he had filled them in on every last thing about the bottom of the Canyon, from the climate to the geography to the seasons, to all the animals and insects and peoples who lived here.
Reece was growing impatient. What he wanted to know about specifically was the tribe who had taken the Sword.
“Tell us more about the Faws,” Reece said, cutting Centra off.
Centra turned to him, as if surprised to be interrupted.
“What do you want to know?”
“Everything.”
Centra sighed. He shook his head, as he continued walking quickly, following tracks that Reece could not decipher. Reece hoped that Centra knew where he was going. He felt the urgency of time; they had
to get the Sword and return as soon as they could. His best friend’s life depended on it. Descending here had been far more challenging than Reece could have ever imagined.
“The Faws are the most vicious of all creatures down here. Even the monster you fought back there would stay clear of them. They are given a lot of respect, and no one enters their territory. I always stick to my side of the Canyon, and I never enter their territory when hunting.”
“Are they that fierce?” Elden asked.
“Not individually,” Centra said. “But collectively, yes. You see, they stick together, like bees, and they fight as one. That is their great strength. They are of one mind. And there are so many of them. They descend on something together, and that’s it. It’s finished.”
“They are not large and strong then?” O’Connor asked.
Centra laughed.
“No. Quite the opposite. Quite small, indeed. But do not underestimate your opponent by his appearance. Isn’t that the first law of battle?”
There came a moaning, and Reece turned and saw Krog, being carried between Elden and O’Connor, crying out in pain. He slumped down, and they lay him down in the mud. He seemed delirious.
“Leave me,” he said. “I can’t go on.”
Reece came over and knelt by his side, examining him. He was sweating profusely, and very pale. Reece leaned over and placed a hand on his head, and he was burning to the touch.
“We don’t leave anyone behind,” Reece said. “I told you that already.”
Krog scowled back.
“I would leave you if it were me,” Krog answered.
“I’m not you,” Reece replied.
Indra came and stood over him.