The men cheered. Heric gave the signal. Tyeche and Kastor lit their torches. They waved them in the air communicating with the Louson army. They continued to repeat the signal over and over, waiting for a response.
Forman stood near Heric. He kept his eye out on the fields around them. It was only a matter of time before the avadons saw them.
“When are you going to give the order to attack?” Forman asked.
“When Louson responds.”
“What if they don’t? What if they are too busy fighting to notice us? We are going to be in this fight whether they notice us or not before long. We can’t be on the defensive from the start.”
“Wait for it,” said Heric.
They waited another minute. Kastor and Tyeche continued their signal.
“It’s too late,” said Forman. He pointed out in the distance. The avadons were approaching. “Get the men ready.”
Heric turned to his army. “Get ready, men! The enemy is approaching.”
He turned to look back at Tyeche and Kastor. “Keep the signals up. Do not stop until Louson responds. Then protect Marina and Abigail. Those are your orders.”
“Yes, sir,” said the two men.
“Eluan, charge,” Heric yelled. He raced forward, the others only a step behind him. They were their own force of nature, charging ahead into demon territory.
They collided with their enemy near the canyon’s edge. It was only a matter of seconds before the two sides were intertwined in battle. Every man fought for his life. The avadons surrounded them. They jumped about as if this new threat was nothing. The Eluans swung their swords trying to attack an enemy that could escape their range with ease. Nikali regretted the decision to join the men. He was not properly trained for battle, but there were others with no training. He could not look like a coward- not in front of certain people.
“Double up,” Heric yelled. He and Forman teamed up like they had before. They killed the avadons one by one as they approached. The others tried their best. The soldiers went back to back with the others around them. It helped them keep an eye on the avadons, but did not aid them in slaying the savages.
Despite their struggles they pressed forward. They pushed the avadons to the edge. Every foot forward was a struggle, but the bridge grew closer and closer every minute.
Heric looked back. He saw the torches lit up. They were giving off a different signal. Heric’s eyes grew in excitement. The Lousons had seen them.
“Keep fighting, men,” Heric yelled. “We’re almost there. Hold the bridge. We will keep our ground there. The Lousons have our backs.”
The order gave new life in the Eluan Company. They fought harder. The avadons continued to swarm them. As the battle continued the men made better strikes, and more kills. Seres tried to mimic the moves Heric and Forman had learned. He stuck close to them, proving he was worth keeping around. He was getting better at fighting off their new enemy.
The bridge was now just in front of the Eluans. There was nothing standing between them and it. The avadons that were on the side of Eluan were free to continue on into new land. It was regrettable to Heric, but he had no choice. He could not defend the entire Eluan landscape from the avadons at that moment.
Across the bridge, Rarian and the Lousons continued their battle. They fought their way to the bridge. There were still avadons in their path. The Eluans broke off. Half of them charged forward toward Louson. The avadons caught in the middle were quickly slain.
For the moment, everything looked clear. The avadons on the Eluan side began to retreat into Eluan territory. Rarian and the others were nearby on their side of the canyon. Both sides were just about finished taking control of the bridge. Then the avadons started to descend from the sky.
They were jumping over the entire Louson army. Many of them missed the bridge and fell into the canyon, but a small number landed on the bridge. They were killed swiftly, but it broke the ranks of the men. The other avadons fought their way forward. Heric and Rarian’s near victory was short lived.
Then the avadons on the Eluan side returned. They had not retreated. They had merely regrouped. The monsters charged forward toward the soldiers. They blocked in the Eluans. Panic and fear began to spread. The tight fighting space on the bridge now began to hinder the Eluan Company.
Nikali reared back in fear. He couldn’t handle the battle as he was. His last drink of Tamor Blood was days ago. His withdrawal symptoms had been mild the last time around. Nobody had noticed. The Tamor Blood sold in Myrus had felt weak to him.
He pressed himself against the edge of the bridge. He was doubled over the railing staring off into the abyss below. The mist reached out to him. It called to him. The gods that had retreated into oblivion wanted Nikali to retreat with them.
Then like a flash of light, everything came back to Nikali. He remembered the night of the attack. He remembered what Alexus had done. He remembered the avadons attacking. He remembered what had happened to him, and he remembered what had happened to Alexus. His memories gave Nikali a shot of adrenaline and a shot at surviving the attack.
“Heric,” Nikali yelled out. “Heric, get me an avadon.”
“What?” Heric asked. He was too busy defending his men to listen to Nikali.
“Drag over an avadon for me,” said Nikali. “I need it.”
Heric did as he was asked. A slain avadon lay at his feet. He broke rank and dragged the body over to Nikali.
“What are you doing?” Heric asked.
“I remember what happened,” said Nikali.
“Can you get us out of here?”
“Promise me, you won’t leave me,” said Nikali.
“I won’t leave you,” said Heric.
“If I go too far, put me down,” said Nikali.
“I promise,” yelled Heric.
Nikali took a deep breath. Then he threw his head down and bit open the neck of the avadon in front of him. He took several gulps of its blood. Nikali immediately jumped to his feet. His chest was on fire. Energy charged through his body. Every inch of him tingled. He could feel the arcan in his veins. Then the world went red, once again.
Avadons began dropping to the ground. Their hearts were ripped out. It created a hole for the Eluan men to get off the bridge. Nikali slowly walked through the battle. Everywhere he went massacre followed him. He hung his head from his shoulders, not caring to hold it up right. Heric stood by his side the entire time.
“There is only one way we can secure this bridge,” said Nikali. He skipped off of it and turned to look back. Rarian continued his fight. The avadons had gained a foothold on the other side. They would be making another charge to Eluan soon.
“Rarian,” Nikali yelled out. “I suggest you return to your homeland. Tell your friends of what you see here today. Tell them the avadons have a new face to fear.”
Rarian’s face contorted in horror. He ordered his men to retreat. As they fought their way off the bridge the avadons took Louson’s place. They congested onto the area. The arcan in the air turning them into a frenzy.
“Please don’t do this,” begged Heric.
“It’s the only way,” said Nikali.
In the distance, Kastor, Tyeche, Marina, Abigail, and Ellen all watched the battle. They were worried when Eluan was pinned down, but now they watch stunned and horrified as Nikali stood in the clearing before the bridge.
Then the mist from the canyon below rose up. It formed into a giant hand. The fingers towered and trembled over the bridge for a moment. The avadons all looked up as they watched the fingers descend on them all. They shrieked loudly in panic. The hand formed a grip around the bridge.
Its wood began to crack. Splinters sprayed into the air. Many avadons jumped to try to get clear of the attack, but it only delayed the inevitable.
“I am Charos,” whispered Nikali.
Everybody watched in stunned amazement as the bridge collapsed. It splintered into a thousand pieces. The structure groaned and exploded against the i
ncredible pressure. Then all the avadons that were on it fell into the oblivion below. Their screams faded into nothing, and their landing was never heard.
Marina cried out in anger. In that moment she became homesick. Her strength waned. Abigail stopped her from collapsing. She tried to comfort her, but could only be a shoulder to lean on. The bridge being destroyed meant a certain end to Marina’s life. She would not be able to see her family again, no matter the power she had in Eluan. Her Louson life was cut off in a matter of seconds.
Abigail got Kastor to carry Marina back to their horses. They needed to stay together. There were still avadons roaming around.
Ellen stayed where she was. She watched in amazement as her son continued to triumph in his arcan daze.
“Do you think we should follow them?” Nikali asked Heric.
“No,” said Heric. “We’ve lost enough people. We did what we came here to do.”
“Yes, we did secure the bridge. Nobody will be crossing it now,” said Nikali.
“Are you alright?” asked Heric.
“I’m fine,” said Nikali. “Really, you should try this. It’s great. I can taste my tongue. Peppermint.”
“The avadons are retreating,” said Forman coming up to the two cousins.
“Of course they are,” said Nikali. “I can feel their fear. It’s almost as sweet as yours.”
“I’m not afraid of you,” said Forman.
“Somebody is lying,” said Nikali fiendishly.
Forman stopped. He grabbed his chest. There was a slight pain in his heart. “Nikali...”
“That’s enough. We’re done. Nikali you need to calm down,” said Heric. He stood in between Nikali and Forman.
“I am calm,” said Nikali. “I have nothing to fear after all. I am Charos.”
“Let go of Forman. It’s over,” Heric demanded.
“He said he wasn’t afraid of me. I just wanted to change that.”
“We’re done,” said Heric.
“Okay,” relented Nikali.
Forman gasped in relief. He stepped back, keeping his distance from Nikali, and breathing deeply.
Heric grabbed one of the men’s cloaks to cover up Nikali. He kept him hidden as they walked through the stunned army. The men parted to allow Heric and Nikali to walk through. Nobody wanted to touch them. Even Nikali’s fury arck kept its distance. Never had they seen a display like Nikali’s. Arcan was no longer just for putting on a show.
Chapter 38
The Capitol was just at the edge of the horizon. It was the shinning moment for many of the men in the company. There was not much speaking after that point. What talking there was before the sight of the Capitol was already very sparse. All the men were anxious. They all wanted to be home.
For many of them, the unfortunate truth was that there was no home to return to. The avadons had destroyed half-a-dozen towns and villages across Eluan. The homeless could only return with the satisfaction that fewer people would experience their pain.
It was half a day before they arrived at the gates of the Capitol. There was no hero’s welcome for them. They were left to ride through a sea of people lost in despair. The streets were over-flowing with refugees. People sat along walls, around fountains, down streets, and in alleys. Families comforted themselves. Mothers begged those walking past them for a bit of money or shelter for their children.
As the riders passed, the desperate began reaching out to them- their hands reaching to the sky. The soldiers tried their best to appease the mass of beggars. Many of them gave what they could, but they were traveling light.
Heric forced his horse forward. He had nothing further to give to the people at the moment. He had already given them a home in the Capitol, and even that was not enough.
Nikali waded through the crowd. His fury arck helped him in that respect. Nobody wanted to get close to the creature. He did not bother a glance to the crowd. He had not even noticed them. His thoughts remained back at the canyon. He could still feel the blood he had consumed simmering in his body. It left a chill down his spine, and warmth in his heart.
Abigail immediately got off her horse. The crowd surrounded her. They pressed up against her, asking for help. Everybody’s story came at once, but they were all the same. They were the lost.
She handed off her horse to a man with a family in tow. He couldn’t have been more grateful. The horse could be used for work, or food if it came down to it.
The others around them were not as enthused. They wanted the horse for themselves. The anger escalated quickly. Men nearby tried to steal the horse from the family. Others tried to get more from Abigail. She was now stuck with nowhere to go. Hands ripped at her clothes. She could feel fingertips across her face, her arms, and her entire body.
Panic set in. Abigail screamed for help. The contact was getting harsher. She was being hurt by the mob. They demanded more from her. They all wanted something. She had nothing else. She had lost just as much as everybody else, but they did not know that.
She closed her eyes. It was her last effort to escape from the chaos. She could at least no longer look at all the angry faces. The crowd was crushing her. She fell to her knees under all the pressure.
Her breathing sped up. It was all too much for her to bear. Then she couldn’t catch her breath at all. Everything was going dark.
Suddenly, she sprung from the crowd. Abigail was lifted into the air as the crowd dispersed a safe distance. Heric hoisted her up onto his horse. He swung his shield to create a barrier.
Abigail clung on to Heric. She wrapped herself in his familiar shape. His smell had not changed from the last time they were together.
“Let my men pass,” Heric yelled out to the crowd. “I know of your troubles. I will solve them. But they cannot be handled if you act like animals in a frenzy. Please, return to your homes.”
“We have no homes,” said somebody in the crowd.
“You were to be given shelter here,” said Heric. “Where is that?”
“The inns are filled. They told the rest of us to deal with it.”
The crowd roared with anger.
“There is nothing left?” Heric asked.
“Why don’t you open up the palace?” a lady shouted. “My son has not slept in two days because of all the noise in the streets. There is no quiet place to go.”
“I’m sorry. I had no idea there would be so many refugees. We were not ready for these attacks. We will begin building shelters. You will have a place to stay soon.”
“Soon is not good enough.” The crowd roared.
“These people are right,” said Ellen. She rode through the crowd, gently moving people aside to approach Heric.
“There is nothing we can do about it at this moment, unfortunately,” said Heric.
“I have a solution,” said Ellen. She turned her back to Heric and faced the crowd. “You want to live in the palace? I can tell you right now, that palace is full. It is full of servants, and the royal class. They are looking down at us now- I promise you that. They are looking down, feeling bad for your situation, but that is it. They will build something eventually, only to get you off their streets. They would otherwise have nothing to walk on.
“I can tell you this is true. I would know. I was your Empress for a time. I am Ellen Caning, Empresses to Emperor Nikali I. They discarded me just as they discard you right now. I will not have that. My home is open to you all.
“It will be packed. It will be hard, but there will be food. There will be beds. We will not rely on the Emperor for our own troubles. Let them worry about the monsters in the dark. Let them worry about a threat they can fight against. We will worry about ourselves, and be stronger for it.”
The crowd cheered for Ellen. She left Heric without a word. As she waded through the crowd, she gestured to all of them to follow her. She would lead the way to their new home.
Heric did not argue her points. She solved a crisis for the moment. He was happy about that. Her backhandedness towa
rd the Emperor would have to be dealt with at a later date. Heric was currently more concerned for his people. Even he knew Ellen’s promises would soon turn out to be hollow. There was only so much room available at her estate, and there were thousands of homeless refugees seeking shelter.
He would get the shelters built. It was just another problem he would have to solve. He just needed some time, and a chance to talk to his father.
Heric dropped off Abigail at the palace. She would have to wait there for Marina to arrive. The rest of the soldiers and travelers were still a ways away- being held back by the crowds. Heric was in a hurry to arrive first, and gather a moment of peace.
“Thank you, Heric,” said Abigail. She was still shaking from the experience. Her goose bumps would not go away.
“Alexus never taught you that you can give too much?” he asked.
“They were all so desperate. I just wanted to help.”
“I know, but little things like that usually only hurt in the end. We can’t do public offerings like that. There are too many people. You can’t make everyone happy, and anger is easier to spread than joy.”
“There has to be something we can do.”
“There is, and I’m going to go deal with it right now. I’m not going to let my people down.”
Heric hugged Abigail good-bye, but did not let go. They looked into each other’s eyes.
“I guess this is farewell then,” said Abigail.
“It’s not over yet. I made a promise to you. I intend to honor it,” said Heric. He leaned in and kissed her. They embraced for several moments before Abigail tore herself away.
Without a word, Heric got back on his horse. He never took his eyes off of Abigail. He smiled then rode off to his father’s quarters around the other side of the palace.
Eluan Falls: The Inheritors of the World Page 21