Soul Under the Mountain (Legend of Reason Series)

by Guyton, David J.

  The enemy hordes kept appearing from behind the hills. The Medorans attempted to shore up the flanks and rear with phalanxes, but the enemy had already broken through the lines. Many Medorans were slaughtered, refusing to forfeit their spears and draw their swords instead. The Medorans took pride in their spear work, and it was always considered dishonorable to abandon one's spear or shield—even if it meant death. Tannis had gone to great lengths to get those silly notions out of his soldiers' heads, but the old habits died hard.

  The enemy pushed hard, trying to pin the Medorans against the walls of the city where arrows could rain down upon them. Instead of backing up into the walls, Tannis ordered his men outward into the surrounding forest areas. There was nothing they could do out in that terrain, but it cushioned the blow to the Medoran troops, allowing some breathing room as the enemy forces caved in on them.

  There was nowhere to run. The surrounding areas were simply too cluttered with trees to run through, and there was no way to get passed the army collapsing in on them from the east. Tannis was filling with despair as he watched his men dying.

  Vindyri inside the city had formed bucket lines ending right above the doors. At first they tried to put out the flaming rams, but when they saw that there was no effect, they poured water down the front of the doors in an attempt to keep them from catching fire. But the fire had grown and their attempts did little to stop it.

  The doors crept open a few inches every so often as men from the inside pulled with all their might. The Medorans were quick to fill in the widening gap with flaming debris, making the opening of the doors as painful as possible for the enemy inside.

  All of a sudden Tannis heard the thunder of cavalry booming across the battlefield. A thousand mounted Vindyri soldiers tore across the field, cutting through the Medorans with ease. The Medorans were trained to attack the horses when confronted with cavalry, but these were armored horses, and there was very little area to pierce to do them any real harm.

  The Medorans were being slaughtered, and Tannis was panicking trying to think of what to do. There was nowhere to go, no tactic to implement to turn back the enemy. All he could do was watch, frozen and helpless. He suddenly wished that he had invited Uritus to this battle. For as much as he hated his new Emperor and his vision of society, he desperately longed to have him at his side, shooting his magical beams at this relentless enemy.

  The great wooden doors finally began burning, despite the Vindyri attempts to keep them wet. Men inside the gate began screaming, being pushed from behind into the hot doors. Flames licked in from the gap, singeing the Vindyri and causing panic in the ranks. The screams were music to Tannis's ears, although he knew his men were still in great danger with no escape.

  Black smoke curled up into the sky along with the souls of fallen men. Horsemen swung their mighty swords, tearing through limbs and armor. Enemy archers did their best to surround the Medorans and keep them pinned between the city and the sword.

  For hours the battle dragged on. Some Medorans were able to escape into the wooded hills, but most refused to let their fellow soldiers die while they ran away. Tannis did not reprimand those who fled, as the battle was becoming futile, and there was no point in remaining behind if escape was possible. He knew that the men who managed to get out would be there for the next battle; he knew that most of the men who stayed would not.

  The huge doors had been reduced to cinders. The Vindyri and Bhoors inside Taburdum had once again started to shower the area with water, putting out most of the remaining flames. In time they would be able to clear the debris and strike the Medorans from the open gate. Tannis knew that once those gates were clear, his men would fall. He wanted to call out orders to turn around and fight their way into the city, but there would certainly be many thousands of men blocking the way. There was simply no way to fight the armored Vindyri in that relatively narrow pass. No matter how many they killed, there was always a man to take the place of the dead. Things were looking very grim for Tannis and his men.

  More flaming wood was cast aside, and Tannis could finally see into the city. Vast swarms of men were arranged in lines, waiting for the path to be cleared. War chants began going up, and the thirst for Medoran blood was evident. The Medorans did their best to ignore the sound, but it still weighed heavily on them. They were beginning to realize that this was their final battle.

  Tannis didn't even realize that he was fighting. He was so lost in thought about what to do that his sword swung on its own, without his knowledge. Every now and then he would hear screams or feel the jarring whack of a blade on his own, but his thoughts were hovering high above these personal fights and concerned only with the greater battle.

  Then something unexpected happened. Just as all hope seemed to be lost, and all men were resigned to a gory fate, a great flash of crimson lit the sky. On the southern side of the battle, a commotion stirred and the enemy ranks buckled. Tannis could not see what was happening, but something was spreading the flames of fear through the enemy army, and many began to run.

  The pressure forcing the Medorans against the city walls was relieved, and Tannis was able to turn several hundred men around to face the Vindyri who would soon come out of the hole where the gates once stood. If he could hold them there, they essentially posed no threat. It was just as difficult for them to get out of the city as it was for the Medorans to get into it.

  The war chants had stopped, replaced with the sounds of battle. Blood sprayed. Armor dented and caved in. Swords cleaved muscle and bone and spears shot through the enemy invaders. The Medorans were still greatly outnumbered, but the momentum had shifted into their favor, and an energy swelled in their hearts. Not only was the pressure relieved from the lines, but the Medorans actually began to push back.

  Then Tannis saw what had happened. The noonday sun sent its beams between the clouds, down to light the red armor of Arius. Rommus had joined the battle, swinging his golden sword from horseback, and a few hundred Medorans on horseback followed behind him in his wake. The enemy-being mostly Bhoors—were especially frightened by the red flash of magical light when Rommus called forth the full armor of Arius. Any Vindyri who saw it might have stood their ground, but the Bhoors were too frightened to put up much of a fight.

  The golden sword Archenarius slid through swaths of men, killing them instantly instead of merely wounding them. Five or more men would fall with a single swipe, striking terror into all the men who saw it. As Rommus galloped through the masses, his fellow horsemen finished off the terror-stricken Bhoors he had missed. Many were paralyzed with fear, but those who could run found that there was nowhere to go. Their fellow soldiers were in their way, and before they knew it they were struck down.

  Rommus had cut a line from south to north at the front line between the Medorans and the enemy. Beyond the panicking hordes, a new contingent was coming through the hills to reinforce the enemy ranks. With so many men already there at the battle, and hundreds of thousands more making camp on the plains, it was foolish to stand and fight. Tannis called for his horns and signaled the call to retreat. Banners were raised to inform the Medorans where to go, but most already knew that the southern side of the battle was the only area to retreat to.

  Rommus heard the horns and doubled back. He would hold the enemy army back while the Medorans made their way off the battlefield. His men trailed behind him, slicing through the lines and driving a wedge between the armies. The gap grew larger and larger, and the enemy was forced to give up the fight. Swords were lowered and the Bhoors formed lines but stood without attacking any further. The enemy had decided to let the Medorans retreat.

  But on the west side, at the city gate, the snarling troops inside wanted blood. They had not seen the battle, and no fear had struck their hearts when Rommus had arrived. From their point of view, the battle still raged on. Only Desmond, and perhaps a few remaining officers inside would have been able to decipher the Medoran retreat call, and it would be a while before word would
spread to them what was happening. Tannis had no choice but to leave phalanxes there at the gate until the rest of the army had retreated to Brinn.

  The Medoran losses were staggering. Of the roughly 40,000 men that made their stand at the gates of Taburdum, more than 15,000 fell.

  Chapter 12

  Vohl paced back and forth across the room. The orange glow of the evening sun beamed in through the windows and fell across the table and floor. Aside from light, open books and papers covered the table in completely disorganized fashion. Unlit candles waited for their turn to bring light to the darkness after the sun fell behind the rolling hills of Medora.

  A knock came to the already-open door. "It's Rommus, Vohl. Tannis said you wanted to see me?"

  Vohl huffed in frustration as he turned to face Rommus. "I told him that yesterday. Why have you taken so long to—by the gods, what has happened to your face?"

  "Oh this?" Rommus said as he touched his face lightly. "Most of this is from getting smacked in the face with a helmet. Oh and some fists too. That's why I am here so late. I was caught up in the battle at Taburdum and there were several meetings and preparations for what to do next strategically. I'm not all that familiar with that part of war. I'd rather be swinging a sword than formally planning our next attack. I'm also late because I had to have a wound reopened and cleaned. What is it you wanted me for?"

  Vohl pointed at the disheveled table. "What do you see missing, Master Rommus?"

  "Order?" Rommus joked.

  Vohl huffed. "The book. The book is missing. It is not here."

  "You mean The Book of Eternal Wisdom?"

  "Yes, Master Rommus. The only book we have that is any real help to us at all. It has been stolen."

  "Stolen? How? Only the four of us have keys to this room. No one could have stolen it. Tannis would have told me if he took it, but he can't even read it. Neither can Alana."

  "Alana is missing too, Master Rommus."

  "Missing? Since when?"

  "Last I saw her was early yesterday. I have not seen her since."

  Rommus ran a hand through his hair. "Alana is missing and you tell me about a missing book first? Why didn't you come find me if she was missing?"

  "Master Rommus, we all go missing for periods of time. We are adults. It would be ludicrous if we panicked every time someone was out of our sight."

  Vohl was glad that Rommus did not have the same ability he had to read emotions. In reality, Vohl's insides were a turbulent mess with worry for Alana. He could not explain this sudden, irrational feeling for her, and all he could do was try to hide it. His worrying kept him from sleeping the entire night before. Something in his soul was nagging him, telling him that something was wrong this time, and he had a hard time deciphering this feeling. It was as if his awareness for her wellbeing had been elevated, or that her personality had triggered something within him that caused him to think about her in a different light. He had felt it for some time, but ignored it as much as he could. He could see when she looked into his eyes that she had feelings only for Rommus, but that did nothing to quell his own feelings. It all went back to that day after he had been shot with the arrows, when they stood holding hands for that brief eternity, listening to the new Emperor of Medora speak to the people of Brinn.

  That was the day it had started. Here and there he would catch her smiling or doing some charming thing to make his heart jump just a little. At first he thought that her blonde hair just reminded him of his long-gone love, Lilandra, but he had come to dismiss that idea. While a comparison could be made between their looks, Alana was an entirely different kind of person. She was bold and outgoing. She was quick to fight and good with a sword. She was the opposite of what a woman was expected to be, and yet still maintained her femininity with ease.

  Rommus slammed his hands on the table. "Vohl!"

  Vohl snapped out of his thoughts. "Yes, Master Rommus?"

  "I asked you a question. Didn't you hear me?"

  "I already told you, it would be ludicrous if we panicked every time—"

  "Not that question. I asked you where and when you saw her last."

  "Oh. It was here, in the hallway there as I was locking the door to this room yesterday morning. The sun had been in the sky no longer than two hours."

  "And you have seen no sign of her since? There's no note here or some kind of clue she may have left us?"

  "No, Master Rommus. I have searched this room and many others many times over. I have visited everywhere in Brinn within walking distance. I have had soldiers from Legion Archenarius search for her as well."

  "You were concerned enough to do all that, and yet you say it would be silly to panic? It sounds like you've panicked."

  "I admit that I am alarmed now, but when I told your father to send you to me yesterday, things did not seem as dire as they do now. I have been panicking about the missing book from the moment I noticed it missing. Alana being gone has only recently begun to trouble me."

  Rommus ran both hands down his injured face. "Well, I think we should assume the worst and start panicking. If we find her asleep in a corner somewhere, we can all laugh about how silly we were being. But until then, we consider her in great danger. Finding her is now our highest priority."

  "One of our highest priorities. I have men searching for her as we speak. Another priority is protecting you. I have received word that Uritus is searching for you and means to kill you. Some of the men from the Legion Archenarius have overheard his plans to find and kill you. His god Inshae apparently demands your blood. We must not go anywhere near the Emperor's Hall where Uritus spends the majority of his time. We must do all we can to avoid him, at least until we can find a way to get your powers back—if that is even possible."

  Rommus ruffled through some papers on the table. "You really think he's that concerned about me right now? We just worked together to defeat the Triultti and all of their horrible creatures. Since we have this war to fight, I sort of considered there to be an unspoken truce right now between us."

  "I cannot say what his thoughts are, Master Rommus. All I can say is what has been reported to me while you were at Taburdum. I will say that I think it is foolish to think a man like Uritus will do you no harm just because you were forced to be unwilling allies for a single battle."

  Rommus nodded. "I suppose you're right. But with this war going on, he and I both have to set aside our differences for a while. He knows that he cannot save Medora from this invasion without help from me and my father; and without his magic, we can do little against the Zidaoz. There is no telling what kind of monsters he intends to bring to our doorstep in a matter of days. And aside from those troubles, Medora itself is upside-down, trying to figure itself out politically. Half of the nation wants to return to the Medora I grew up in, and the other half wants to experiment with dangerous redistributive policies."

  Vohl closed a dusty book on the table, sending a little cloud of dust to hover in the shafts of fading sunlight. "And while you Medorans are fighting against each other, all of your enemies beset you from all sides. This is truly a nightmare of a storm coming. We have a lot of work to do to save Medora."

  Rommus shook his head. "It's not Medora I fight for. Medora is just dirt we have placed marble buildings upon. The marble is just rocks we pull from the earth and carve into shape. I fight for freedom, and that is all. Freedom is worth more than all things in this world combined, and many have lost sight of that fact."

  "I understand your love of freedom, Master Rommus. It is just as important to me. But I do not think you understand what is truly at stake here. You think of freedom and Medora as separate things. You must know by now that Medora is the last hope for freedom. If Medora falls, the light of the world will go out. This dirt we stand on is where we make our final stand."

  "You may be right, my friend. Speaking of making our final stand, I guess we have to make a few things official. The men of the Eighth Legion are already following orders from you, but I think
we should give you a formal rank. You'll be my First Captain—if you'll accept the role."

  "I am afraid I am unfamiliar with military ranks. Is this a high rank? What are my responsibilities?"

  "The Medoran ranks are very simple, unlike the Vindyri ranks. We have the General at the top, and then a Legion Commander for each of the seven-now eight—Legions. Each Commander has several Captains, depending on how many men he commands. Generally there is a Captain for every 5,000 men. A First Captain outranks the other Captains, and they will take orders from him. Under the Captains are Lieutenants, and then there are the soldiers.

  "This Eighth Legion is not an official unit of the Medoran military, so there's no way to make anything official. But since we are sort of making up the rules as we go, I have decided I want you as my right-hand man. Many of the soldiers making up Legion Archenarius are from other Legions, so their ranks are sort of up in the air. We'll have to decide how to sort that out when we have time."

  "But Master Rommus, from the way you describe things, it seems to me that your father will outrank you if you assume the rank of Legion Commander."

  "That's right. So?"

  "Well is it not a bit strange to have a mortal man commanding the god of war?"

  Rommus laughed. "It's strange to even think such things are possible. The whole thing is preposterous. But I didn't get into this to move up in the ranks and surpass my father. I didn't ask for any of this. I am just doing what I am able to do to help to save the world as we know it. My father is a far superior military commander, and I have no problem at all with him remaining the General of the Medoran Legions—all eight of them."

  "Pardon my ignorance, Master Rommus, but with seven Legions being split into eight Legions, will it not weaken the original seven? I assume they cannot afford to lose men."

  "Yes, it makes a huge problem for everyone. Tannis and I discussed this matter earlier before I came here. One of the Legion Commanders, Battus Gredda, is working with Uritus, so many of his men who are loyal to Medora will be coming over to Legion Archenarius when they can. A lot of them will remain loyal to their Commander though, and that is going to be a real problem very soon. We also discussed getting new soldiers and forming a militia. There are plenty of Medorans out there who are not in the army who can be persuaded to join our cause. We're going to have to try to get them involved; especially with the heavy losses the Legions have suffered in the last several months."