The Firejack War: Book I

by P. L. Smith

  "Here, this might help."

  Tiny pulled a leather bound flask from his coat and handed it to Lethan.

  "What is it?"

  "Fyrewine. Probably not a good idea to trade one addiction for another, but maybe it will help you get through tonight."

  Lethan pulled the small stopper and sniffed. He coughed and gagged at the smell and gave Tiny a questioning look. Tiny just stared out across the darkened night. Lethan took a deep breath and knocked back a gulp. The liquid was sweet and fruity at first, but as he swallowed, true to its name, it burned at his throat and stomach. He coughed again and shoved the flask back to Tiny.

  "Got a bit of a burn," said Tiny.

  He took a large swig before returning the flask to his coat. Lethan was clutching his stomach, but as the initial burn eased, an almost comforting warmth lingered.

  "Do you think she's alive?" asked Tiny.

  "I don't know. Even if she did make it out of Stonesweat, she'd have been here by now. She's either hurt or..."

  "Aye. Still she's a strong girl. Made it out of more than a few nasty scrapes over the years," Tiny chuckled.

  "I remember a few years back she went out hunting. She spotted some wild piglets and wanted to catch one to raise. She managed to sneak up on the thing well enough, except when she grabbed a hold of the piglet's hind quarters, the little thing went to screaming and hollering like they do. Well, the sow hadn't been too far away, and when she heard her baby yelling, she came charging. The sow got Jak from behind, in the back of the leg pretty good, and then charged to come back and finish the job. Jak hightailed it up the nearest tree, with the piglet tucked under her arm, by Mo-Na! When me and her father come looking for her the next morning, we found the sow circling the tree, had the ground worked up in a circle ten paces wide. Anyhow, when she seen us, she run off with the rest of her piglets. We found Jak, leg all bloodied, asleep on a branch with the sleeping piglet in her arms. She pet that thing all night, and it settled right in with her. Can you believe that?"

  Lethan laughed.

  "I guess I can."

  Lethan yawned and stretched. His hands had stopped shaking and his gut felt calm. He was just about to ask Tiny for another drink when his nostrils flared.

  "I think I smell some..."

  "There! You see that? In the trees..."

  Lethan's gaze followed the line of Tiny's outstretched arm, and a second later he spotted the movement. Many, many figures were moving among the trees.

  "If it's Firejacks, we're all dead. There's no way out of this canyon. We need to alert the others."

  Lethan stood up, stretching his nose up towards the moon and let out a bone-rattling howl.

  "Mo-Na save me if I don't die on the spot. You scared the piss out of me!"

  "Don't worry, I only eat small Yumans. You're a little on the plump side..."

  "Lethan, look!"

  A solitary figure emerged from the trees, the moonlight shining brightly on yellow hair. The small, thin figure stood and stared up at Tiny and Lethan high up on their pinnacle. She cupped her hands to her mouth and howled up the canyon.

  "I think she's got a more frightening howl than you do."

  Lethan grinned.

  "I think you're right."

  CHAPTER IX

  Between Tiny's bulk and Lethan's charred legs, by the time they had reached the bottom of the canyon, Dagan and Jak were already speaking together hurriedly. Foresters and the other villagers were helping the newcomers up the hill. When Jak saw the two approaching, she ran and wrapped Tiny in a hug.

  “Tiny!”

  "Hello fool girl! What the blazes were you thinking?" he said, wrapping in his massive arms.

  "Yes, what were you thinking? You could have been killed! The Firejacks..."

  Lethan fell silent as Jak wrapped her arms around his waist hugging him.

  "Yes the Firejacks could have killed me, but they didn't, although they got pretty close. We had almost half the village into the trees when they attacked. All we could do was save as many as we could, and then make a run for it. I did manage to get a better look at the weapons in action though. They are fascinating to see work!"

  "Fascinating? Jak, they used those contraptions to slaughter everyone in our village!" said Tiny.

  "Well, yeah, but they're still fascinating despite what they're being used for. You can't blame the machines for what the Firejacks are doing with them."

  "Aye, I suppose ya can't. Well go on then."

  Jak continued quickly, trying to get it all out before she forgot something.

  "Well, there are three main types of weapons that they used. One is a massive crossbow like mine, except the size of a wagon that can shoot spears further than any Yuman could throw with the wind at their back. The second is a hurler, almost like a big ladle. They can throw rocks and coals nearly as far as the spears. The third is the worst. It's loud like thunder and throws smooth round balls of iron with such force that I saw it blast through three houses and then a cow. There wasn't much left of the cow."

  Lethan, Dagan, and Tiny all winced.

  "That still doesn't explain how they burned through the forest like a locust swath," said Dagan.

  "I have been thinking about that, and they must have some other type of weapon that I didn't see."

  "That thunder weapon, even if we did all have armor, an iron ball moving that fast isn't going to be stopped by a little plating," said Tiny.

  "I was watching, and it seems like that takes much longer to reload than the rest. In fact, they only fired it twice during the attack. So as long as you can see it, you should have time to get out of its way before it fires. I think it's more for demolition, knocking stuff down. Plus the Firejacks don't seem to have the greatest of aim with it. It's like they're still trying to figure out how to operate some of their weapons," said Jak.

  "Yes, I'd certainly like to know how they came by such abominations. Firejacks with a thunder weapon that blows holes through houses and cows! Lucky they didn't have that one when we met them on the Highlands. There probably wouldn't have been any survivors," said Dagan.

  "But I think the armor will at least help against the spears and rocks and well, Firejack stingers," said Jak.

  "I don't know how we're going to build the armor now, without even a proper forge to..."

  Lethan cut Tiny off, pointing an accusing finger at Jak.

  "But what took you so long? The village would have been attacked three days ago. I... well, we were... everyone was worried about you."

  "If you'll let me finish, I'll tell you. The reason I decided to go to Stonesweat, was because they have the best blacksmiths in the land, and my cousin is one of them. So after we escaped from the village, we traveled to Brittle-Red Quarry, not far from here and started constructing forges. Besides Awney, my cousin, we made it out with one master blacksmith and his apprentice. They are all three working the forges as we speak."

  "By Mo-Na, girl! You are a treasure! I think I ought to gather my things and see if I can be of service down there," said Tiny.

  "I already told them you'd be coming. One of the forges is yours," said Jak, rubbing his hands together.

  Tiny beamed before turning to go.

  "Quite impressive young lady, I must say, you continue to surprise me. You've got the heart of a forester within you."

  "Thank you, Dagan."

  Lethan was still frowning.

  "What's the matter with you?" asked Jak.

  "Wondering how you managed to stay alive all these years. I can't understand it."

  "Don't you know? Mo-Na dipped me in a magical spring at birth."

  She winked at Lethan, and his ferocity deflated.

  "You're a pain in the rump you know that?"

  "No more than a fat and crippled werewolf. Quite the pair aren't we?"

  "Quite."

  "Dagan, if you don't mind, in the morning I'd like to send one of each of the foresters down to the forges so the blacksmiths can design and fit their a
rmor," said Jak.

  "I'll go and pick them out myself," answered Dagan.

  "Okay, just make sure they aren't particularly big or small, so that the armor fits as many as possible."

  "As you wish, my dear," said Dagan with a nod and a smile.

  Lethan had to duck beneath Dagan’s wide horns as he spun to leave. Jak laughed, and then her mouth opened in a wide yawn.

  "You know, I think I'm a little tired."

  "When was the last time you slept?" asked Lethan.

  "Uh, I slept a bit the night we got everyone out of Stonesweat."

  "That was three days ago! Come on. You need to get some rest."

  "All right, I suppose it couldn't hurt," she said, yawning again.

  Lethan cleared a spot for her next to one of the fires, spreading out someone's abandoned wool blanket. She curled up next to the flames thankfully. Lethan watched her with a smile.

  "Thank you werewolf."

  "You're welcome, little brat."

  Jak smiled and yawned.

  "Good night Lethan."

  "Sweet dreams Jak."

  Jak's eyes snapped open, and she sat straight up.

  "What?" cried Lethan a little startled.

  "Dreams? I almost forgot! We have to go find the Maji!"

  "The what?"

  "The Maji."

  "I think you have been awake too long. You're not making any..."

  "No! I had a vision, the night I slept. I thought it was just a dream, but it was too real. I was transported to the mountains far to the east. I was taken inside the mountain. The Maji was there. He said I had to come, and that I had to bring you. He said the fate of the Earth depended on it. He tried to tell me something else, but the vision faded, and I was pulled back to the forest."

  "Jak that was just a dream. I have had some weird ones too. It seems like they get worse the longer you go without sleeping. It's just Mo-Na's way of telling you, you need some stinking sleep."

  "If it was a dream, then explain to me how I know you and Tiny were telling jokes to each other while you were camping?"

  Lathan’s eyebrows furrowed.

  "You probably heard us as you were leaving."

  "This was days later. Something about the pig that made a bet with the Centaur? That was disgusting by the way. You know some foul jokes."

  Lethan gaped.

  "How did you know? That was just me and Tiny. We... I..."

  "I flew over you. I was way above you, but I could hear you just fine. Then I sped across the rivers and the trees to the mountains to the east."

  "That's quite a dream."

  "I told you; it wasn't a dream."

  "So you're determined to go then?"

  "Tomorrow. Once I see that Awney and Tiny have everything they need to build the armor. You can come with me if you like."

  Jak stretched back down next to the fire, her hands propped behind her head as she stared up at the stars. Lethan huffed a deep, defeated breath.

  "How far to the east are these mountains?"

  "Not far. Should only take us a week, maybe two. Probably two."

  "Two weeks?!"

  "I don't know. I've never gauged distance while flying through the air before. Seemed like a long ways."

  "What about the Firejacks and the war? We're just going to abandon everyone when they need us most?"

  "You and I won't make that much of a difference on the battlefield. Besides this war is long from over. Even if we defeat the bulk of her army, the queen will have it repopulated in the span of a season or two, and it will start all over. If my vision was real, it's too important to not go and, if we are quick, maybe we can get there before anyone else has to die. It was real, Lethan. I'm sure of it."

  "You're really going to do this uh?"

  "No. We are," grinned Jak.

  Lethan stretched out his arms and fell back to the ground next to Jak in a dramatic sense of defeat.

  "Come on Lethan. It won't be that bad."

  "Tell that to my fire roasted legs."

  ****

  Tiny surveyed the quarry, misted by the morning fog. The powdery red rock of the quarry seemed almost purple through the mist. He could smell the fires burning beneath the forges mixed with the dew gathered on the blades of grass growing at the edges of the quarry. He could hear Awney already pounding away on a glowing chunk of ore, rendering it into a useful piece of iron, burning away the impurities with the flames of the forge. Tiny sucked the cold morning air into his lungs.

  This is how a blacksmith is supposed to work.

  He walked back to the forges, his own fire still burning high, the coals not yet ready. His eyes followed the contours of the forge, the rocks skillfully laid and mud plastered to take the heat. It looked much the same as his forge back home except for the flue. He looked in bewilderment at the large piece of cloth staked to the ground above him billowing in the breeze.

  The forges were built against the back of the quarry, butted up to the man-high banks. Above the banks, the hillside narrowed up into a gully that seemed to funnel the frigid wind down into the quarry. The bank had been dug away in small ditches above each of the three matching forges, leading down to the mouth of the fire pit. At the top of each ditch massive pieces of cloth were staked, forming a leaning wall that caught the wind and forced it downward into the ditch and through the flue, making the coals burn brightly.

  Tiny marveled at the design. They'd burn through a lot of wood, but they'd be able heat up the iron much faster and produce much more armor with the draft.

  "Awney I've got to hand it to you lad, whether it was you or the master there, what come up with this design, pure genius."

  The tall blond youth doused his flattened piece of iron into the barrel of water next to him for a moment, and then returned it to his anvil. Although a little older, the resemblance to Jak, his cousin, was uncanny. He wiped the greasy soot from his hands on the backs of his trousers and joined Tiny, admiring the engineering of the forges.

  "It wasn't me Tiny, and it wasn't Gaius there. It was Jak. She picked out the spot and came up with the design."

  "What? Whoever taught her about forges and smithing? It sure wasn't me!"

  "I don't think anyone did. I think she just has a mind for it, Smart little snot."

  "Aye."

  "You two whipper snappers gonna jaw all morning or you gonna pound some iron? Armor ain't gonna make itself."

  Tiny and Awney each made a beeline for their respective forges.

  "Gaius is not one for idle talk. Glad I'm no longer his apprentice," said Awney, quietly.

  Tiny had to laugh. He remembered his own master, old Braden, a devil of a man. He worked the young Tiny from dusk til dawn, tending the fire, pounding the ore, pumping the bellows. Each morning, he would dread the walk to the forges hut, and each night he'd drag himself back home, sore, filthy, and exhausted. Despite the ferocity of his master, he loved the metal, he loved the coals, and he loved the sound as he quenched his perfected steel for the final time.

  He wrapped his hand around the oiled and worn handle of the sledge, hefting its weight. His old master had been a devil, but he had made Tiny a master himself, and for that he was grateful. He raked at the coals with his long tongs, and satisfied with the heat, dropped a hunk of black and red ore into the glowing coals.

  The foresters arrived just as Tiny was working out a plate of iron, hammering it out thin enough to be malleable when heated a bit, but hard and stiff when cooled. There was a representative from each of the foresters led by Dagan. He ushered the first three to the forges to be fit for armor. A stag approached Tiny's forge.

  "Ah, hello there. Ready for some armor eh? I'm Tiny."

  Tiny shifted uncomfortably.

  "What I mean is my name's Tiny, obviously I'm not tiny at all."

  He managed a small laugh.

  "My name is Archipelago. You may make use of me as your model."

  "Right. Will do. Don't know that I've ever had the pleasure of speaking to
a stag before."

  "Elapi."

  Tiny was re-heating his plating, but turned and stopped.

  "Pardon?"

  "Elapi. We are a race of Elapi among the Foresters, not stags."

  "Oh I see. My mistake."

  "Indeed."

  From then on, Tiny worked in silence.

  CHAPTER X

  "Can we please take a break? This shale is killing me," said Lethan.

  "No it's that bread roll around your stomach that's killing you," said Jak, turning to face him.

  Lethan glared at Jak who was nearly twenty paces further up the steep slope. For a tense moment, Jak stared back at Lethan, not budging a muscle.

  "All right, fine. Let's take a break," said Jak.

  "Thank you."

  Lethan worked his way over to a large boulder, an island amongst a sea of shale. He sat gently, wondering at the solidity of the boulder, and pictured himself riding it to the bottom of the ravine he had so painfully scaled. He held his breath, and didn't let it out until he was certain it wasn't going to budge. He sighed with relief and took in his surroundings.

  The view was cold and gray. All he could see were rock covered mountains, devoid of life except for a little grayish-green moss growing here and there. They were well above the tree-line, so there was nothing to break the wind. The mountains were capped with white, snow from previous winters that never had a chance to melt. Jak dropped down onto the rock next to him, and Lethan thought he felt the rock shift a bit.

  "I think we are about half-way up this one," said Jak.

  "Uhh. I think I'd rather not know."

  "Yeah, maybe I wouldn't either. Water?"

  Jak handed him the water bag, and he drank deeply, cold drops spilling down his chin to land in the dense jungle of fur on his chest. Lethan caught his breath as he handed the bag back to Jak.

  "I think I'm still feeling the effects of the Luna. I've never had it bother me this long. Back when... when Lina was with me, the sickness would only last a couple of days."

  "She was your wife?"

  Lethan laughed a little.

  "My mate, but I guess you could call her that. She helped me get through each Luna. She wasn't affected by it herself. When she was a pup, she told me that she got really sick and almost died. As she grew to maturity, she never felt Luna's call. The sickness was the only explanation she could come up with. So she helped me. She'd go out and catch wild boars to stem my hunger, and she always found a plant, an herb, that would calm the sickness. It was nothing like the stuff you knocked me out with though. It would just kind of ease the pain and the sickness. Wish I would've paid more attention. Could've come in handy a time or two. But we had it handled. With her help, I could push through it, and then the hunger would be gone."