by Tom Burton
Goras does not turn around. Instead, his eyes turn blue. The next moment, the eyes of all the horses turn blue as well as though their minds are possessed.
“We ride like the wind,” Goras replies.
The horses then speed off, galloping faster than they have ever galloped before. The Treno-Ban riders, alongside Aaron, Daniel, and Azdus, only watch from the edge of the forest as the group of riders storm past the burned down city of Dellmoor.
As night falls long after Goras and the Treno-Ban have ridden off to Redlock, the tension around the camp resembles that on the night of the Dellmoor attack. Aaron, Jaylen, Daniel, George, and Laura sit around a large fire, along with many other of the camp dwellers. Aaron looks around, trying to find Azdus.
“Let him rest, Aaron,” Daniel says. “We need him at his best tomorrow.”
Aaron continues to look around the camp for a moment, then he turns to Daniel.
“Remember when we were young? We would always try and find wooden sticks and play swords. I seem to remember winning most of the time,” Aaron jokes.
Daniel nods, remembering the game.
“Yes,” he says, “you always disarmed me and pressed the stick against my neck. You always had that really smug face when you did so.”
The two laugh for a moment; but the laughing soon fades.
“What did we always say to each other?” Aaron asks.
Daniel smiles.
“ I will never leave your side, ” Daniel replies.
The two then set their arms around each other’s shoulders. Aaron again looks around the camp for a few moments. Then he smiles again.
“The king wanted to see this,” Aaron whispers. But it is loud enough for Jaylen and Laura, who are sitting next to them, to hear.
“The king wanted the uniting of humanity when the war was over,” Aaron explains when Jaylen and Laura turn to him. “Rather than being divided by petty differences, they would realize that they are stronger together.”
The four of them then look around to see members of the West and of the Crown Lands integrating, laughing, and joking with each other. The four nod contentedly as the fire crackles warmly before them.
Soon after, Aaron takes a walk around the camp. Very quickly, he finds himself outside the camp, where he sees a man in the distance. The man was leaning with his palm resting on trunk of one of the trees. Aaron walks toward the man and realizes it is Azdus.
“Do wizards not sleep?” Aaron asks.
Azdus takes his palm off the tree but does not turn around to face Aaron.
“We do, but tonight is no night for rest.” He then turns to face Aaron. “The strategy you have against the orcs tomorrow…it’s a good plan,” he says. “Keep the fight in the forest, the dragon becomes obsolete, and I deal with Mutaro,” Azdus explains. “Do you think we will win?” Azdus asks Aaron in a serious tone.
Aaron takes a few moments to answer, breathing deeply.
“It’s not impossible, but no battle in the history of Neroman has been won against greater odds,” Aaron tells him. “Whatever happens, whether in victory or in defeat, we will fight with everything we have.”
“Which is why you need to lead them tomorrow,” Azdus replies.
Aaron looks back at Azdus, his nerves suddenly afire, as though ignited by flames.
Near the edge of the forest, a Treno-Ban warrior looks out toward the rubble of Dellmoor. She shifts her gaze around the ruins of the capital, seeing smoke still rising from the burned houses within the city.
“Not venturing North with your companions?”
The warrior turns to see Laura walking toward her.
“A handful of us chose to stay,” she explains, “Not enough horses.”
Laura stands beside her and also looks out toward Dellmoor.
“Would you deem it fair for me and my countrywomen to die in a land where we were once treated so poorly?” the woman asks.
Laura remains resolute in the face of the other woman’s resentment.
“We have suffered the same pain, the same horror. We face the edge of extinction this time tomorrow, but if we all work together, we may have a chance.”
The Treno-Ban warrior continues to look at Dellmoor for another few moments.
“Then we are with you,” she replies.
Laura nods, expressing her relief at the woman’s reply.
Back around the campfire, Jaylen is the only one of the four to remain sitting on the log. He gazes into the fire, deep in thought, then sees George on the other side of the fire pit. George then stands up and walks over to Jaylen, who recoils at his approach, but George reassures him.
“Relax, Jaylen, I’m not here to fight you. I’m sure we will get plenty of that tomorrow.”
He sits down next to Jaylen.
“I understand things have been heated over the last day or so,” he starts. “My retaliation was out of pure anger, something that should not have come out in a time like this. I’m sorry,” George tells Jaylen.
Jaylen relaxes in response to George’s tone. For a moment, he smiles to him.
“I’ll make you a deal then,” Jaylen proposes. “Your apology is accepted, if you promise that you kill as many of those animals as you can tomorrow…Deal?”
Jaylen’s proposal brings a smile to George’s face. “Deal,” George replies, and the two shake hands.
In the land between Meldom and Dellmoor, Goras and the Treno-Ban warriors continue to ride through the night. The horses’ blue eyes still hover in their lenses as the animals gallop faster than what they are normally capable of. As Goras and the Treno-Ban warriors accelerate down a hill, they see Mutaro’s hordes of orcs marching in the other direction, around the hill. They stop suddenly, before the army can see them, then watch as the army of orcs marches past—and around—the contours of the hill. The vivid blue strength in Goras’s eyes glows with a keen liveliness.
“Azdus,” Goras whispers.
Back at the royal forest, Azdus turns away from Aaron. His eyes have turned yellow. He looks down upon the orc army as it marches around the hill, seeing it through Goras’ eyes.
“Impossible,” Azdus mutters, “there must be tens of thousands of them….”
“I count forty thousand, maybe just under,” Goras tells him.
“Where is he, Goras?” Azdus asks. “Where is our brother?”
Goras looks down on the orc army, scanning it from front to back.
“I can’t see him,” Goras says. “But he will be here, somewhere; he won’t miss this.”
“Hurry to Redlock,” Azdus warns, “time is becoming our enemy.”
Goras then breaks the trance and continues riding with the Treno-Ban warriors, gliding past the orc army.
“Get back to your tent, Aaron. I will see you in the morning,” Azdus tells Aaron.
Aaron considers whether to respond, but instead turns around and walks back to camp.
When he arrives back at the camp, he sees fewer camp dwellers walking around the campsite. It is as if they have all turned in for the night, in the face of the fight that awaits them tomorrow.
As Aaron enters his tent, which has been made by other as he arrived into the camp, he sees his armored attire placed neatly on his bed. He sits at the end of the bed, facing away from the armor. Then he looks up to see a quill inside a small inkwell and next to the inkwell a clean piece of parchment, all sitting on a long wooden table at the end of his tent. Aaron ponders the quill for a second, knowing it is from Dellmoor, and then he approaches the table, grabs the quill, and begins writing on the parchment.
In another tent, Daniel slouches back on a chair next to his bed, his eyes simply staring into the distance. His attire also placed neatly at the end of the bed, alongside wrapped rope. As he faces the entrance of his tent, he sees Laura’s head peeking through the entrance.
“Hello…trouble sleeping?” Daniel asks.
Laura nods and walks into the tent.
“When we were in Dellmoor, I didn’t quite believe we would lose, I had no fear,” Laura tells Daniel. “But now, it’s the opposite—I can’t quite believe we can win…and that tomorrow holds my death sentence.”
Hearing the fear in Laura’s voice, Daniel stands up and approaches her. The two embrace with a quiet understanding. Then Daniel kisses Laura..
“We still have tomorrow…. We will give it everything we have,” he says, “and if it’s not enough, then we will die together.”
Laura looks up to Daniel.
“It was only a few weeks ago that I first met you, now I can’t imagine the thought of losing you.”
Daniel kisses her again.
“Me too.”
He extends his hand to Laura and then guides her over to his bed.
The next morning, the air around the camp is filled with anxiety. As the sun seeps through the top of the forest, the majority of the soldiers have already awoken and are wearing their armor.
Aaron walks out of his tent, sporting his new light-armored attire. He looks around the campsite to see the soldiers forming into a battalion. Jaylen and Kamara stand at the front of the group. He then looks over to Daniel’s tent. Daniel and Laura walk out of the tent together.
Daniel sees Aaron looking over to them, laughing appreciatively.
At the other side of the camp, George has his armor on and is ready to join the rest of the men and women who are about to march out of camp. George then sees his father, Robert, approaching him.
“Ready to leave?” Robert asks his son reluctantly.
“It won’t be long,” George replies, “we need to get to the forest before they do.”
The two look at each somberly for a few moments. Then, Robert puts his hand on George’s shoulder.
“I never told you enough times…but I am so proud of you,” Robert says.
Tears begin to roll down Robert’s eyes. George tries to hold back his own tears as he sees his father crying. The two then embrace, wrapping their arms tightly around each other.
Proceeding down the ranks of the army still assembling at the camp, Jaylen and Kamara check the weaponry on each person.
“Any last minute advice?” Kamara asks Jaylen.
Jaylen looks in Kamara’s eyes for a few moments.
“The true role of a soldier is not to kill the enemy in front of you, but to protect the soldier beside you.”
Kamara smiles, thanking him for his advice.
“I wonder what father would say to us right now,” Kamara asks.
“He would be incredibly proud of you,” Jaylen answers, still looking at her, “no matter what happens today.”
Kamara is saddened by Jaylen’s comment but nonetheless turns her gaze away from Jaylen to double-check her weaponry. Jaylen then sees Aaron outside his tent and slowly walks past the prepping army to approach him.
“Are you ready?” Jaylen asks.
Aaron softly nods his head at Jaylen.
“Remember what today is, and what it could be for our future,” Jaylen reassures him.
Aaron looks back at Jaylen, but Jaylen turns back toward the assembling army.
“Form up!” Jaylen shouts, as all the soldiers now begin to gather. Then Aaron, still looking from a distance, sees Azdus walk past the assembling soldiers. He follows Azdus, walking up to the front of the group and stands next to him, facing the gathered army.
“We’re ready,” Aaron tells Azdus.
Azdus smiles and nods.
Then Aaron looks over to the crowd staring back at him.
“Everyone,” Aaron shouts, “listen up!” Having gained the soldiers’ attention—including the on looking gazes of Laura, Daniel, and George, who are scattered among the other soldiers. Aaron continues:
“Since the fall of Dellmoor, the existence of the human race was thought to be over. ‘Over’? No! We are here, standing ready to fight, ready to tell our enemies that we will not wiped out so easy, without a fight! You have the power to show everyone what you can do here today. For the world may be done with us, but history will remember us as the humans of Neroman!” Aaron shouts.
The soldiers respond with a roaring cheer. Aaron joins in the cheering. Azdus is the only one across the camp who remains silent.
Up in the empty lands of Redlock, Goras and the riders of the Treno-Ban reach the blackened stronghold. As the soldiers slowly dismount, they look around in surprise.
“Is it empty?” one of the Treno-Ban soldiers asks.
But her question is not answered. Only the softness of the wind can be heard in the lands surrounding Redlock.
Goras approaches the large entrance doors of the stronghold. Queen Athora and her soldiers draw their swords in anticipation.
As Goras softly pushes on the doors, they open. The wizard then glances around the entryway, seeing no signs of life inside. The group then walks into the stronghold, gripping their swords tightly. They glance from room to room as they walk through the building. Finally they come to a room with a large stone pillar. As they quietly approach the pillar, they see that it is split in two—it simultaneously rises from the floor below and drops from the ceiling above—and in the gap between where the two halves of the pillar meet, they see the power source that Aaron was talking about: a glass container filled with a vibrant red liquid.
Goras looks at the glass container uncertainly.
“I’ve never seen power like this before…,” he whispers to himself.
Queen Athora approaches him.
“Can you destroy it?”
Goras keeps his eyes on the container. Drawing closer, he places his palms against the glass. Immediately, a piercing screech echoes across the stronghold. The horrendous shrieking forces the soldiers to drop their weapons and cover their ears with their hands. As the screech gradually becomes softer, the stone walls in the room start to quiver. Orcs slowly break free from the wall, suddenly coming to life as they step onto the floor. They are grotesque and disfigured—more so than the orcs they have seen before.
Queen Athora and the soldiers pick their swords up from the floor.
“With me, now, protect Goras!” Queen Athora instructs her warriors.
As the Treno-Ban warriors charge toward the disfigured orcs, Goras presses his palms hard against the glass container, attempting to break it.
Back in the South, approximately three thousand soldiers wait in the forest next to the Lion’s Cloud plains. The trees are abound with human archers and a few infantrymen. Laura and Daniel are among those who crouch in the trees, with his roped wrapped around his belt. The remaining soldiers set themselves farther back, waiting for the orc army to move into the forest.
“So here we are,” Daniel whispers to Laura, “a ragtag army, while they have around ten times the number of soldiers, the most powerful wizard Neroman has ever seen, and a dragon that destroyed the indestructible in a matter of hours!”
Laura sniggers at Daniel’s sarcasm.
“I would say battles have been won against greater odds,” Laura comments, “but….”
Their banter quickly ends when Daniel looks over to the Lion’s Cloud plains beyond the forest. Shocked, he desperately searches for Aaron.
“Aaron!” he calls.
Aaron then gets up from his crouching position on the forest floor. Daniel sees him and points toward the open plains. He, Azdus, and George then get up and walk toward the edge of the forest. As they reach the last of the trees, they see the orc army, thirty-five thousand strong. But all the orcs in the horde are standing still, staring up at the forest line.
George looks up and sees the dragon gliding over the army.
“
What is this…?” Aaron asks.
“They know we are here…he is playing a game,” Azdus answers.
Aaron and George look on, worriedly.
The three then see a figure take a few steps forward, separating himself from the orc army. He is dragging a man behind him.
“Oh no…” Azdus whispers. He reluctantly turns to Aaron.
“Who is that, Azdus?” Aaron asks.
“It’s your father,” Azdus replies.
Aaron looks at Azdus for a moment and then turns to look back at Mutaro and the man he is dragging—Robert Silver.
Azdus grabs Aaron’s arm, realizing that he is about to charge out of the forest.
Once he reaches the front of the orc army, Mutaro stops moving any further. Then he stares into the forest.
“The Silver Savior!” Mutaro shouts. “Famous for fighting for his family, above all else. Will he do so now?”
From where he crouches in the forest trees, Daniel hears Mutaro’s voice. He breaks rank and drops from the tree.
“Wait here,” he instructs Laura.
He turns to find Jaylen has broken rank also. The two walk to where Aaron and Azdus wait at the edge of the forest.
Aaron sees Mutaro’s eyes turn red. He raises his hands and begins turning them one over the other. Suddenly, Aaron’s father drifts upward. He struggles against the spell, flailing his arms and legs in midair, but to no avail. The five onlookers in the forest see Robert Silver drift higher and higher over the center of the open field. Then his body stops rising as he hovers far above the barren ground that stretches between the orc army and the edge of the forest.
“The moment you reveal yourself, our strategy reveals itself also,” George warns.
But Aaron refuses to hesitate. He shakes off Azdus’s grip then walks deliberately out of the forest.
“Stop!” Aaron screams.
Mutaro sees Aaron charging out of the forest.
“The mighty Savior, begging for me to stop his suffering,” he whispers.
On the other side of the field, Aaron raises his arms, surrendering.
“You’ve made your point. But please, put him down.”