Tides of Blood and Steel

by Christian Warren Freed

  Bahr flexed his fists. “Trust? Ha! You all but locked us away in a house and expected us to obey blindly. My reasons for what I did are my own. All you need to know is that there was no harm intended, for anyone.”

  “You expect that to stay your execution?” another Giant scoffed.

  Anienam edged closer to Bahr. “There is no call for executions. We have come to stop the Dae’shan, not banter with witless malcontents. Are any of you strong enough to defy the will of the gods?”

  The Giants predictably began muttering amongst themselves. Anienam chose his words carefully, knowing the mention of the ancient menace combined with the gods would be enough to spook the Giants into action.

  “How dare you invoke the gods?” Blekling raged. Violent thoughts danced in his eyes.

  Anienam calmly folded his arms across his chest. “I dare say that we all stand to lose unless you let us go about our business. We need the Blud Hamr to stop evil from reclaiming the world. Do not act so innocent as to not understand. We are not the first Humans to have come here recently.”

  “The hammer! No Human could handle the Blud Hamr! It is impossible. Perhaps your scrolls have failed you,” Blekling wailed.

  Joden nodded, silently confirming the initial statement. “It is true. The Blud Hamr is too large for a Human. Only a Giant may wield it.”

  “That,” Anienam said, “changes things.”

  The elder wore a smug look. The outcome had never been in doubt for him. Blekling decided it was time to make his final argument. “Anienam Keiss, your position as son of Dakeb does not entitle you to misuse our hospitality.”

  “Is that what you call it?” Bahr fumed. “We’ve been treated like criminals since we arrived. Have you no courtesy? Or has the roof of the world dulled your personalities?”

  “Your life hangs by a threat, little man. I suggest you choose your words carefully,” Blekling warned. “Another such outburst will find you sailing to the bottom of the mountain.”

  Boen beat him in drawing his sword. Several Giants began to laugh.

  “Swords can do us no harm,” the elder blustered.

  Groge suddenly leapt between them. His hands were held out in a desperate gesture. His face twisted in concern. “This is my fault! I allowed the Human to go unescorted to forge master Joden’s home. He would not have gone against your wishes otherwise.”

  Blekling paused. “You?”

  Groge swallowed hard, but still managed the courage to nod. It was much too late to go back now.

  “The boy acted on my summons,” Joden finally said to those assembled. “Bahr is the son of a king and the leader of their expedition. I thought it prudent he knows what the wizard and I were discussing.”

  With Joden’s words Blekling lost the wind from his attack and his focus. The situation slowly spiraled beyond his control. Joden continued.

  “The Dae’shan have returned. Only the hammer has the power to stop them. Anienam and Bahr need the Blud Hamr. They need our help.”

  “Help?” Blekling asked. “Their bumbling will bring darkness to our forge fires.”

  “Give them a chance.”

  “That is not our job. Why have they not come forward to present their pleas in person?”

  Rekka Jel slipped to the front of the group. “We have.”

  All eyes turned sharply on the diminutive brown-skinned woman. She suddenly did not appear meek or humble. Instead she held her ground, staring back proudly in unspoken challenge. Bahr turned, eyes narrowed.

  Blekling was unimpressed. “What trickery is this? You expect us to believe that you are their emissary? You, who have remained silent until now?”

  “I was so instructed.”

  Bahr felt like he’d just been kicked in the stomach. “I trusted you.”

  “I have never betrayed your trust, Captain. The entire time I have been among you, I have remained loyal and served your best interests. Did you think it was an accident that I found your ship right before it was to sail?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t understand. Why now? This Giant bastard has the right of it. Why wait until he is ready to kill us to declare yourself?”

  “Forgive me, but my orders were very specific. I had no choice.”

  Her tone was apologetic, as if she bore a great shame in her heart. These people were complete strangers the day she rode into Chadra. She had been given only a name: Bahr. Rekka had been sent as a guardian. It was no accident that the Dae’shan came to her back in the Rogscroft forest. The game was an old one. Good against evil. She was merely another pawn.

  The part of her mission that did not go according to her plan was that she had become friends with them all, save perhaps Ionascu. Rekka had genuine feelings for them, Dorl most of all. Emotional attachment was new to her. It went against the Order’s teachings. She was meant to be a warrior, not a compassionate lover. Somewhere along the way Rekka discovered what it meant to be human.

  “We trusted you,” Bahr repeated.

  A tear formed in the corner of her eye. “You still can. I have pledged my life to the success of this quest. You have all become like family to me. Please believe me.”

  The words were hard to speak, but her pride demanded she go on. “The Order had many secrets. The location of the Blud Hamr is the greatest. Even I have no knowledge of where it rests. There has been a real threat that I might be forced to give away the location if captured. That is why I was not told. My task was to escort you safely to Venheim where the Giants would tell the rest. My master was most adamant about security.”

  “What happens to us?” Dorl suddenly blurted out.

  “Enough!” Blekling roared.

  Silence edged back into the valley. Not even the occasional tink-tink of an apprentice hammer could be heard. “I am tired of your chatter. You must all leave here at dawn. You will not be allowed to return, for any reason. I have no doubts that Joden has told you all you need to carry on. Take his knowledge and make good use of it. You will never be welcome in Venheim again.”

  “But you can’t!” Groge protested.

  Blekling spun on him. “Mind your tongue, apprentice.”

  “Like it or not, the boy is right, Blekling,” Joden interrupted. “They know what I had to tell, but none of them is capable of wielding the hammer. They will need one of us.”

  With a malicious expression, the elder abruptly answered. “Very well. Groge will go. He was given the responsibility to watch them, now he can do so on their quest. Be gone at dawn.”

  He left before any further conversation could begin.

  Joden placed a warm hand on Groge’s shoulder. “I have a feeling that this task was destined for you, lad. Go with all of the good wishes of the gods. Use the hammer and return to us a hero.”

  “If I return at all.”

  The forge master smiled darkly. “When, not if. You must have confidence if you expect to enact the will of the gods and defeat the Dae’shan.”

  Groge had too many doubts to be confident. The Blud Hamr. A weapon used only twice in all of creation. Now it was his turn. The third time. The thought staggered him, practically dropping him to his knees. He suddenly felt very small, a minnow lost in the vast ocean.

  “I am not worthy of such honor,” he stammered.

  “That is not for you to decide. These matters are often beyond the gauge of our reasoning. Trust in yourself.”

  “Look at me, Joden! I am not even a smith yet. How can I be chosen for such a great task?”

  Joden tried to sympathize with him, but had no words to give him. The forge master certainly never had to undergo such an ordeal. Still, he envied the lad. Joden had never been chosen for the great honor. “You ask questions neither of us can answer. Come, let us go to the cathedral. Perhaps the gods will answer our prayers.”

  The Giants ambled off in search of answers to replace the growing pile of questions.

  “This is wonderful,” Dorl said. “How exactly did we manage to piss off an entire tribe of Giants?
”

  Boen shrugged. “Life is funny that way.”

  He knew what the sell sword really wanted to ask. It was painfully obvious. Why couldn’t Bahr just have stayed put? Boen’s silent intimidation successfully prevented any of them from actually asking. Or so he hoped.

  “The Giants will not harm us. Joden won’t let them,” Anienam told them all.

  Dorl scoffed. “Getting thrown off of a mountain sounds rather painful to me, wizard.”

  “Falling is the easy part. The landing will hurt the most,” Nothol chuckled and sliced another sliver off of a green apple.

  “Funny.” Dorl shot him a foul glare.

  Anienam sighed. “We have other matters to discuss than how fast master Theed will fall to the ground.”

  “Such as?” Boen asked.

  “Such as how are we supposed to find Trennaron? How long will it take? Who is Rekka’s master if the Order is no more? Where are we going to get the supplies we will need and what do we do with the hammer once we obtain it? For starters.”

  Boen rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Fair enough. It certainly gives us something to do while we sit and wait.”

  “Hopefully the Giants will let us resupply,” Bahr finally said. Small guilt at being the one who instigated this mess gnawed at him. “But what are we supposed to do with another mouth to feed? The Giant can’t ride and will only slow us down.”

  Anienam half smiled. “The strength of Giants is legendary. I believe we might be surprised. Groge is the least of our concerns.”

  Bahr snapped his mouth shut.

  A Giant smith entered and bowed slightly to Anienam. “Joden says for you to take what supplies you need from his personal stores. He is honored to help the son of Dakeb in this quest.”

  “Please tell Joden that we graciously accept and appreciate the offer. Where might we find him?”

  The Giant hesitated, unsure what to say. “He is in the cathedral praying.”

  “Would it be too much to ask Blekling if I might join him? I would very much like to see the inside of the house of the gods.”

  “I…I will go and ask,” the Giant replied. “Wait here.”

  Bahr waited until they were alone again before asking, “What is it about that cathedral that steals your thoughts?”

  Anienam smiled. “I believe it might hold some of the answers we need.”

  Bahr fell silent, already deep in thought.

  THIRTY-ONE

  The Goblins Attack

  Company after company of Goblin infantry poured into what remained of the city of Rogscroft. Bodies, Men and Goblin, littered the burnt ruins. The fighting had been intense. Every foot of progress was paid in blood. Casualties on both sides were much higher than anyone anticipated. The Goblins suffered worst of all. Thousands were lost, dead or wounded, under the proud glare of Grugnak. He snarled and spit fresh orders. Overseers lashed their cruel leather whips, forcing the infantry ever forward.

  Three quarters of the city was destroyed. Aurec’s defenders sold their ground at a high price. Streets ran red with blood once the flames melted the snow. Arrows littered the sides of what few buildings remained. Wolfsreik artillery thrummed overhead. The scope of destruction was so vast King Stelskor could not bring himself to gaze out into his once proud city. Each time the artillery barrage ended signaled a new attack. Clouds of dust flushed upwards to mingle with the foul black smoke. He had never seen war this personal. Goblins rushed in, hungry for the taste of fresh blood. Animalistic war cries growled across the savage wind. Wicked-looking blades glimmered harshly in the flames. All that mattered to the Goblin horde was the chance to kill their most hated foe: Man.

  Aurec crouched behind a pile of rubble and stared into the growing darkness. What used to be a popular fountain square now lay in broken ruin. The enemy’s thick stench almost overpowered his senses. Marching sounds of their hobnailed boots striking cobblestones echoed around his position. Aurec hoped his flanks were adequately prepared for the assault, though he wanted the Goblins to come at him head-on. All of his main efforts were focused to the front.

  “I don’t like this,” he whispered.

  Mahn shifted his gaze across their immediate front. “Perhaps they know something we do not.”

  The prince looked appraisingly at his favorite scout. Mahn was so much more than a mere scout. He’d become a friend and mentor to the young prince.

  “Order the sergeants on the flanks to prepare for attack. Either side should expect to get hit,” Mahn cautioned softly.

  Aurec didn’t hesitate. The faster they moved, the better chance all of the defenders had at surviving. Aurec needed every available man to last the night if his plans to stop the enemy momentum were going to succeed. He quickly issued the orders.

  After he said, “Mahn, you know I am going to whatever part of the line gets hit, right?”

  “I know.”

  The old scout fell silent. Disappointment burned him. He wanted Aurec as far away from the front lines as possible, not only for the boy’s safety, but to allow him to do his job better. Instead of worrying about the battle, he had to worry about the prince as well. Worse, Aurec had gone against his father’s wishes by coming into the city. There was no point in casually risking the heir to the throne.

  “I have to do this,” Aurec said, trying to defend himself. This is all my fault, he wanted to say. In his heart he truly believed it. His reckless adventure to whisk Maleela from her father resulted in countless dead and his vision of a perfect dream shattered. And it was all for love. A war of complete annihilation sparked by love. Aurec wanted to laugh and cry at the irony of it.

  Mahn leaned closer so that no one might overhear. “I understand you. I do, but you need to think beyond yourself now. Rogscroft will have need of a strong ruler to rebuild. Your father does not have many years left on him. This will be your kingdom soon. It is time for you to start thinking like a leader, not just a soldier.”

  Aurec didn’t get the chance to answer.

  A shout cried out. “Here they come!”

  Goblins broke from cover en masse. Aurec cringed upon seeing the sheer hatred in their soulless eyes as the front ranks clambered over the ruins of a row of merchant shops. The Goblins could crush his men just from sheer weight of numbers. Aurec knew there was little hope in fighting them head-to-head. Fortunately he had known this and had appropriate traps emplaced.

  “Archers draw!” barked the command.

  Bows creaked as tension was placed on them. Aurec drew his sword in anticipation.

  “Aim!”

  The Goblins were either oblivious or they simply did not care. Rank after rank pushed forward towards the makeshift barricades blocking the road. One of the largest Goblins raised his cudgel and bellowed. They attacked.

  “Fire!”

  Arrows sped over the head of the crouching defenders. Aurec felt the brief sting of a shaft buzz a little too close to his right ear. Grunts and screams told him the archers’ aims were true. He snorted. Of course, it was near impossible to miss like this. Aurec grinned. Each Goblin killed increased his chances of success. Goblins leapt and crawled over the bodies of their comrades. They wanted blood and nothing was going to sate them until they ripped into the Men.

  Aurec dared to inch his head a little higher so he could get a clear view of the killing grounds. Enemy numbers were high, but a silent alarm chimed in his mind. There should be more. Arrows continued to pour into the exposed Goblins. Aurec racked his mind, trying to figure out what was wrong. A new sound erupted from both of the flanks. Blood drained from his face. They were being attacked from all three sides. His darkest fears were coming true. None of his traps and tricks mattered much now. Aurec had to move before all was lost.

  A runner collapsed at his feet. His breath came in ragged gasps. Blood smeared across his face. “My lord, we are beset. The enemy attacks from all sides.”

  “Calm yourself,” Aurec cautioned with a confidence he did not feel. “Now slowly, explain what is
happening.”

  “We heard the battle start here, but Sergeant Harg had us keep to our posts. The Goblins hit us hard at the moment we were distracted. They broke through and are pushing us back. We cannot hold much longer.”

  Damnation. Aurec pushed away his building rage. He needed a clear head for this. “Go back and tell Harg to pull back to the river. He…”

  “Sergeant Harg is dead,” the runner admitted ashamedly.

  Aurec reached out to steady the boy by his shoulder and calmly said, “Give my instructions to whoever is in command. It is important not to break contact. We all die if you do. Run!”

  The boy sprinted off, dodging a handful of poorly aimed spears. Aurec didn’t bother watching him go. “Mahn! Send the signal now.”

  The scout drew his bow and lit an arrow from the small fire at his feet. He aimed high into the sky and loosed. Aurec watched the shaft pierce the night and began counting heartbeats until he saw the reply. He reached seven before scores of fire arrows sped from the remaining two-story buildings. Burning pitch dripped down along their flight path. Goblins in the back ranks paused to look up at the streaks of flame and smoke.

  Most of the arrows hit their marks. Enormous canisters filled with pitch and sulfur exploded within the Goblin mass as arrows hit. Dozens fell dead, shredded from razor sharp shards of pottery filling the bombs and burned to death. The noise was deafening. Roasted flesh choked the air with putrid smell. More arrows fell. More bombs exploded. The front ranks didn’t stop to notice; they continued to press into the defenders. The back ranks scattered in a frenzy to escape the growing flames.

  Aurec rose up and waved his sword in challenge. “Pikes!”

  His infantry shot to their feet and leveled the long weapons. They didn’t wait long before the first Goblin ranks impaled themselves.

  “Manzo,” Aurec shouted over the din of battle. “Start pulling the reserves back. We have to retreat or we are all dead.”

  Manzo, a robust man with a thick beard and round belly, saluted and started barking orders. The wounded went first, helped along by those with lesser wounds. Aurec watched his men struggle to keep from all-out panic. Panic meant death. His thoughts turned to the flanks. They couldn’t hold much longer. The battle raged around him. Goblins died on the sword and spear. Men fell to poisoned blades. Aurec turned to the sounds of one of his men falling dead. Then another, and another. Horror etched deeply in his face as he noticed the short black shafts piercing each corpse.