Rommus soon found that he was the last man standing. He had tried to free his sword from the spear, but it had been tied too tight. He gave up and pointed the entire weapon at them and lunged forward. The one he aimed at leaned back to avoid the thrust, and the other one parried the spear with his hammer.
"That sword cannot harm us, Rommus Tirinius. Give up now."
They knew his name. It was clear that they had come for a purpose, and were not just random creatures recruited by the Bhoors to fight in the war. They had stopped their eerie singing and began circling their intended target. Rommus choked up on the spear shaft and thrust again.
But it was easily deflected. After missing, a powerful blow from one of their hammers hit him from the side. He tumbled away from them and tried to get up to escape, but another blow crashed down on his back and knocked him back to the ground. The armor protected him from any injury or pain, but he was unable to get to his feet.
Again and again they took turns hitting him. The air was filled with a crackling laughter as both of them smashed his armor. Rommus was already exhausted from fighting the Thrahks, and these beings were not allowing him to even catch his breath. The mud made it hard to find a foothold, and it covered the shaft of his spear in a slippery mess.
He was finally able to time an attack between their choreographed swings. He swung his spear at one of their legs, but only managed to cut off a few of the leather strips that hung from his belt. While it didn't do the beast any harm, it did surprise him, and Rommus used the opportunity to spin around and slice at his neck.
But the other one grabbed the shaft and stopped it. His grip was so strong that it felt as if Rommus had swung his spear at a solid wall. He even saw the shaft bend and nearly break under the pressure. Such strength was nearly impossible to imagine from beings that were not all that much larger than a man, but somehow they possessed it.
Rommus stood there stunned. He tried to pull his spear out of the powerful grip, but it was no use. Before he could think of what to do, the beast leaned in and bit the shaft of his spear just beyond where the sword was tied. Splinters flipped through the air and the purple creature spit out chunks of wood from his huge mouth. In his hand he held the top of the spear, along with the golden sword Archenarius tied to it.
The other one punched him and knocked him off his feet. Rommus tried to stand, but before he could, he was picked up off the ground and thrown through the air. The next thing he knew, one of his foes had picked up one of the boulders fired by the catapults and heaved it onto his back, pinning him against the ground.
The creatures laughed as they walked away with his sword.
Chapter 35
For weeks the battle went on at Taburdum. Storms or extreme cold would cause both sides to withdrawal until the worst of the weather passed, but generally they met on the battle field every day. The Bhoors had returned to more conventional warfare, opting to send in soldiers instead of using the Thrahks. The Thrahks were still used from time to time, but since the Medorans had protection from them, the Bhoors did not risk an attack very often. The Thrahks were kept out of sight for the most part, being kept somewhere east of the battlefield near the border between Medora and Vindyrion.
The weather had warmed some, although the coming spring brought seemingly endless rain along with it. The damp conditions brought pink and white buds to trees, but it also brought misery for the soldiers fighting. Everything was covered in mud. It found its way under their armor, coating their skin in a gritty, grimy slime that would quickly tear apart their skin if not washed off soon enough. It also made traversing the battlefield treacherous—let alone combat.
The city itself withstood the Medoran bombardment. The majority of the southern wall protecting the city was not made of tight-fitting stone, but rather rudimentary walls supplemented with piles of rubble and soil. At first the Medorans considered this manner of building laughable, however it was soon realized that that type of wall would cushion the impact of the boulders from the catapults. Even when the walls became damaged, it was just a simple matter of piling up more rubble to fix them. It was a simple solution for the Bhoors, but one that worked very well.
The Medorans had also run low on suitable boulders in the area to fire at the walls. Most of what was launched at the wall either went into the city, or became part of the wall itself. They had hoped that the boulders that had been launched over the wall would at least kill soldiers inside, but the enemy kept their soldiers out of range. They had built their wall far enough away from their encampments that boulders were not even a nuisance.
But even though the Bhoors and Vindyri still occupied the city of Taburdum, they were unable to dislodge the Medorans from their position. The phalanxes had held, and the terrain did not allow an attack at the flanks. A relatively small number of Medorans were able to hold back the entire enemy army, and some were pulled back to protect the hills and mountains in case the enemy tried to go around the battle and infiltrate Brinn.
Others had been sent down to attack the enemy supply lines which were coming up from the south. The Bhoors began sending men to protect the lines, but the Medorans were often able to isolate the units and kill them. They would then take the enemy supplies and either destroy them or use them for themselves. This put a wrinkle in the enemy plans, but it did not stop the supplies entirely. There were far too many wagons coming up from the south or in from the east for the Medorans to stop them all.
The war did continue, but it had reached a stalemate. Lives were still lost every day, but both sides had learned from their enemy, and knew how to avoid large casualties. Generally the Medorans chose to defend, rather than attack. It was assumed that the enemy wanted to draw them out and while their positions were abandoned, they would strike. The Bhoors were failing at attacking the strong phalanxes, and they were also failing at baiting the Medorans into changing their strategy.
The Vindyri were a little wiser. They had fought the Medorans before, and they knew that their defenses were too strong to confront directly. They also knew that the Medorans were savvy warriors, and would not be easily tricked into actions that would end up benefitting their enemies. Most of the Vindyri had sought the protection within the walls of the city, and chose not to engage in the battle around it. They still made their presence known, showing solidarity with the Bhoors, but they were also showing the Medorans that they were not the simple soldiers that the Bhoors were. They would strike when it would hurt the Medorans the most, and the Medorans knew it.
Rommus stopped his horse as he saw Tannis approaching on Rhodiir. There were several soldiers from Legion Archenarius escorting him down through the trails to the battlefield. Since it was no longer a secret that some of the army had rebelled and made a new Legion, they no longer hid amongst the ranks. The breastplates of their muscled cuirasses were emblazoned the Medoran wreath, but in place of the four-pointed star in the center, there was a golden sword to differentiate them from the normal Medoran troops. They also took to wearing metal vambraces on their arms, as opposed to leather ones that the rest of the Legions wore. Their capes were still the crimson color of all Medoran capes, but a golden chevron was sewn into them.
The army had taken the rebellion well, and regarded the new Legion as their brothers and not their enemies. While there was some infighting and bickering during the reordering process, it had gone smoothly enough, and every Medoran soldier from every Legion focused on the enemy attacking them at Taburdum; not each other.
Tannis brought his horse to a stop next to Rommus. "How is it today?"
"The same. The Thrahks are still out of sight. The supply lines are still coming but we got about a dozen wagons today."
"And the losses?"
"Minimal. On both sides, really. No more than 25 or so for us, perhaps 150 for the Bhoors. No Vindyri have bothered to show their faces, so zero for them. I am beginning to think they are reconsidering this engagement."
"I don't think so, son. They know that it's too
late to back out of their alliance with the Bhoors. I think they are just allowing the Bhoors to throw themselves at us and let them suffer the majority of casualties before they commit to any confrontation. It's cowardly, but it's in their best interest."
"I suppose so. Any word from the others?"
Tannis patted his horse on the neck when it shook its massive head. "Vohl has asked to see you when you return. He didn't say what it was about."
Rommus stared at a random tree for a moment before speaking. "And Alana? Nothing from her?"
"No, son. I'm sorry. I'm sure you know that the two of them are spending a lot more time together. I am reluctant to ask about the situation because I'm sure it is a private issue for all parties involved, but if it is causing you trouble you should let me know."
Rommus paused before speaking. "I have no problem with it."
"There's no shame in it, son. Feelings are difficult to control, and nearly impossible to get rid of entirely. You can't help if you have feelings for the girl."
"I don't," Rommus snapped.
Tannis stared quietly as he worked his way around the issue more carefully. "Okay Rommus. I won't try to guess what is going on and I won't pry into any of your private matters. But I need to know if anything happens where the chain of command might be compromised. If whatever is happening with Vohl and Alana becomes a problem for you, I need to know."
"Everything will be fine, father. You can put those thoughts out of your mind. I am a man; not a boy. I do not allow my heart to hold sway over my mind."
"I believe you, Rommus. Now, tell me, does the boy know yet?"
"You mean Song? No, we still haven't told him. He's smart, and I think he understands, but he's not willing to accept it yet. We are trying to let him discover the truth on his own instead of dumping it in his lap. It's a lot to handle. It's not every day that you suddenly learn that you will grow up to be an important person in history."
"No, I suppose not. But important people rarely understand their impact until long after the impact is felt. Do you know if the lessons Vohl is giving him are going well?"
"You mean teaching him the language? Vohl said he's a natural. He has picked it up quickly and seems to understand it nearly to perfection already. It's pretty amazing."
"I expect no less from a man who goes on to found Medora. He is admittedly a flawed individual, but his light will grow brighter and shine on the birth of this great nation. He will undoubtedly become a great man."
"Yeah, I guess so," Rommus said. "It seems we have our past covered, but I am really worried about our future."
"The future belongs to those who come after us, but the present is ours alone. It is our duty to hammer and shape it for the coming generations."
Rommus nodded. "Unfortunately people like Uritus are thinking the same thing."
"There is a lot to be done, Rommus, and there is a lot to be undone. Let us hope that we are men that possess the depth of character required to save this nation."
——————
A few colorful flowers dotted the grassy knolls around the city of Brinn. The storms had given up on torturing the tiny plants, and they were finally permitted to grow without terrible winds threatening to rip them from the soil. While a cool wind still smacked the landscape from time to time, the kind sun warmed the land and brought life to the city once more. Even with a war going on over in the next city, the people of Brinn did their best to return to life as usual in Medora. Shops opened their doors and windows, inviting guests in to sample their wares. Carts filled the streets, offering food and products to people who had spent the majority of the winter indoors.
Rommus tied off his horse and went into the tavern where he and Vohl often met. In the corner, hunched over books and papers, sat the immortal Dirujen. Rommus waved the two guards standing in front of him aside, and sat at the table across from Vohl. After he finished reading, Vohl looked up and smiled.
"Master Rommus, I was expecting someone else. Forgive me if I seemed as if I was ignoring you."
"Don't worry about it. Have you found anything yet?"
"I have searched everywhere I could think of, and I have still not discovered anything about a 'soul under the mountain'. I have gotten my hands on pretty much every ancient book here in Brinn, and nothing in the old dialect mentions such a thing. I haven't studied any books much newer than the founding of Medora, as I assumed the legend must be older than that."
"Song's book is older than Medora—in a sense. There's nothing about it in that book?"
"I am afraid not, Master Rommus. If there was ever anything written about it in The Book of Eternal Wisdom, it is not within the section that we have now."
Rommus threaded his fingers together and leaned back in his chair. "And you remember nothing at all about it when you were studying the book before? Not even something random and obscure about it?"
"I am sorry, Master Rommus, but no."
"I see. How about any information on the creatures I encountered who took the sword?"
"On that matter, I believe we may have a bit more luck. I have not discovered anything about creatures with purple skin, however, I have discovered a reference that does speak of similar creatures carrying long war hammers. It does not mention their names, but it does mention that they are brothers. During your encounter, did you hear them mention that they are twins?"
"No, I don't remember anything like that. But they looked identical to me. Of course, birds and wolves and Thrahks all look identical to me also. I can't say for sure since they didn't appear to be human."
"If the book I found is referring to the same creatures, then they are human. Or, more exactly, they were human at some point in history. They were changed into something between animal and man by their god Maeris. They are commonly known as 'the hounds of Maeris'. Surely you must have heard that before."
"No, I haven't."
"Well, I have heard it before. But there is a slight problem; it's a myth. They are characters from a storybook, not from reality."
"A storybook? Come on, Vohl. These things were real, not some made up fantasy."
"Master Rommus, just because a tale is woven by the mind of man does not mean that there are not valid truths hidden within it. It is a common practice to hide information inside a story to speak directly to those who know what to look for. The creatures in the storybook might very well be real, living beings."
Rommus scratched his face. "Okay, what is the story about then? Let's read the book and see if we can learn anything."
"I am afraid that is not possible, Master Rommus. The book that I have discovered only mentions the tale; it is not the tale itself. The story about the hounds of Maeris has been lost to history. I can only recall it because of my long years. It was just a silly story I heard about when I was young, and I never bothered to read it."
"What about the other Dirujen we captured? Is there a chance he remembers the story?"
"Mekkal? I suppose it is possible, but I would not expect him to be much help. He has been pretty much silent since he was captured on the battlefield."
"No, he hasn't been any help at all. What about Song or Alana? Both of them were familiar with that Song of the Valley poem. Maybe they know this story too."
Rommus watched Vohl carefully when he said Alana's name. The immortal reacted as Rommus had expected, with small, fidgety movements of his head and eyes. Rommus was one of the few people that could look Vohl in the eyes and not be overwhelmed by his power, but in this instance, it seemed that Vohl was the one who was unable to look in Rommus's eyes. He was clearly uncomfortable speaking about Alana, although he did his best to hide it.
Vohl cleared his throat. "I have not spoken with either of them regarding this issue."
Rommus didn't expect Song or Alana to know anything about the mythical purple creatures who stole his sword. He really only wanted a chance to bring up Alana's name and see how Vohl reacted to it. Rommus knew that the two of them had gotten closer over the
last several weeks, but he feared to ask either of them just how serious it was. On one hand, he wanted to know, but on the other hand, he didn't know if he could hear the words. It was clear that Alana and Vohl were also uncomfortable speaking about it, and they had gone to great lengths to hide their secrets from everyone.
This left Rommus in a very odd predicament. His friends were withholding information from him intentionally, and this made him wonder if either of them would hide information, intentionally or not, that might affect the outcome of the war. It wasn't that he didn't trust them; it was more a fear of what complications they might cause while carefully crafting their stories.
But then there was something else. It was an unfamiliar, gnawing feeling deep in his stomach. It kept him up at night, hiding behind fears or concerns about the Bhoors or Thrahks or a host of other problems. He didn't know if it was jealousy, since he was never a jealous person in the past. He could only say that it was an unpleasant feeling deep inside him, telling him that something wasn't quite right about Vohl and Alana. He always dismissed the feeling, but it always returned to steal away hours of sleep at a time.
One of the guards cleared his throat, alerting Rommus and Vohl that someone was coming in their direction. Rommus looked and saw that it was Song, carrying a book and some papers towards the table where they sat. He placed all the items on the table and then pulled up a chair.
"I'm sorry I'm late, Vohl. Am I interrupting you two?"
Rommus shook his head. "No, not really. It seems like we keep hitting dead ends at every turn. What's the matter with you? You look like you're in pain."
Song pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am. I have a terrible headache."
"Another one?" Vohl asked. "I thought they had stopped."
Soul Under the Mountain (Legend of Reason Series) Page 21