Blade Asunder Complete Series Box Set

by Jon Kiln

  “I’m here to intercept you,” Linz explained. “There’s been a change of plan.”

  “You came out in this storm to tell me that?” she said, surprised, as she sat down on horse blankets that had been laid out to make the den more comfortable. “We took the form of wolves to make good time, and our fur is better suited to this dreadful weather. Now you are here, I fear your presence will slow us down,” she said, assuming her Queen had sent them simply as a formality of greeting.

  “We will not be going to the palace, Grecia” Linz replied. “There was a problem at the ceremony. Evil spirits have infiltrated this world through Cronos. Last I was there, it had spread to his protectors and the Emperor. The boy is possessed and is ruling Mirnee with an iron grip, ordering all foreigners out of his kingdom.”

  Linz paused to allow the information to sink in, before continuing.

  “All foreigners are fleeing Mirnee, fearing for their lives, but we must go deeper into the kingdom. We are to meet up with Ganry and Hendon. They need your help with these spirits.”

  “I thought there was more to this storm than meets the eye.” Grecia frowned as she looked out at the pouring rain. “Though I could not think why anyone should do this. It seems your story explains it.”

  “I don’t know how powerful the spirit is,” Linz admitted. “But we must hurry back. Though my men have ridden hard without rest, so we must eat and rest first.”

  Grecia nodded her agreement and a fire was started to cook some of the provisions Linz had brought with them. It offered some warmth from the rain. The wolves had traveled light, carrying nothing, knowing they could hunt on their journey. Neither did they need the fire to cook their food. In their lupine form they would hunt, and eat their catch raw. In human form they gratefully accepted the warm stew that Linz’s party had cooked, as they too had not eaten all day.

  “We can afford a few hours, I’m sure,” she agreed. “Though if the storm gets worse, we may have to see it out under these rocks. Tell me, Linz, all that has happened.”

  They sat together conversing as they shared food. Grecia was quickly updated on the situation, and it concerned her greatly. Most possessions, in Grecia’s experience, were because a spirit had become attached to a person, probably attracted by their life force. They could influence the mind to some degree, but rarely was any malice intended. Clearly, this was different. Not only was the boy being controlled, but so were most of the commanders. This was possession by a legion of demons, and not spirits. It was no accident; some greater force was at work here.

  Also, the ancestral guide from the spirit world might prove useful. If she could link with it, together they may be able to drive out the demons.

  “At the moment, Chief Linz, my thoughts of how to tackle this are unclear. I have some ideas, but we need to get to the boy so I can assess who is controlling him, and why. Judging by this storm, I fear it is a demon, and not simply a lost spirit that has taken over.”

  “I am only grateful that you have some clarity on what’s going on, Shaman Grecia.” Linz breathed a heavy sigh. “Ganry has tasked Hendon and the old druid, Azmariddian, to work on it, but they both lack experience of the spirit world.”

  “Fear not, Linz,” Grecia said, placing her hand gently on his arm. “All is not lost just yet.”

  She did not wish to alarm the young chief, though she knew of his courage from the battles with the Mirnee witches, some two years previous. However, possession by a demon was not going be to easy to banish. Grecia was thankful that she would have the help of Hendon and Azmariddian. She was surely going to need them.

  12

  The royal city of Mirnee was in absolute chaos. Panic and fear were rife in every nook and cranny. The residents had been ordered to remain in their homes after dark, and all outsiders, who had not already left, were locked up in the palace dungeons. Royal guards patrolled the streets, arresting any who breached the curfew. A sense of foreboding lay upon the city.

  Ganry was thankful the escape route had brought them far enough outside, that they would not attract attention from the prying eyes of the night watch stationed on the city walls.

  “Do you know the way, once we leave the river?” Ganry asked Azmariddian as they rowed the boat to the riverbanks. The journey had been difficult in the dark tunnels as visibility had been reduced to just a few feet, but it passed without incident. All three breathed a sigh of relief when they finally exited the tunnel. It felt good to see the night sky above their heads, even though that very same sky was drenching them.

  “I do, and it’s not far from here,” said Azmariddian. “We’ll head to the cliffs, then follow a small trail that will lead us to the hidden caves.”

  “There are many trails, and they change all the time,” Hendon said, understanding the nature of animals. “I hope yours is still there?”

  “Trust me, young forester. This trail leads to the most scrumptious of herbs that the goats cannot resist. I myself made the trail, and only the goats know of its existence.” Azmariddian smiled at the young man, confident he knew what he was doing.

  Azmariddian led the way, while Hendon looked at Ganry with suspicion, lacking confidence in the man they followed.

  “How do you we know we can trust this druid?” Hendon whispered to Ganry.

  “Because I can hear you,” Azmariddian called back to him. “If you must discuss me, at least have the common decency to do it when I’m not around.”

  Ganry laughed quietly. “Unless he becomes possessed too, he’s all we have, Hendon. He has Mirnee’s interests at heart, and that is good enough for me.”

  Hendon stayed at the rear of the group. He wanted to observe the druid. As an extra precaution, he intended on keeping an eye on Ganry too. Though he doubted that the Queen’s protector had succumbed to the demons, he was not taking any risks. This was going to be a difficult time, not knowing who one could fully trust. Hendon intended on being suspicious of everyone. It would not hurt to be extra cautious.

  Darkness had fallen and the wretched storm seemed to be staying for good. Is this just more dark magic at play, Azmariddian thought to himself. Pounding rain made the ground slippery underfoot. Treading carefully, they reached the pathway on the cliff edge. Azmariddian found it immediately, knowing exactly where he was going. He was aware that the young forester was suspicious, thinking he may be leading them into a trap. There was nothing he could do about it. His words would not assuage him, so he would simply need to earn their trust.

  These people were his only hope to save the Emperor and his son. He was still unsure what had gone wrong in the ceremony. Azmariddian was aware of the concepts of a spirit possession, enough to know that was not what was happening to the young heir. If it were, Cronos would still be himself, more often than not. Yet, Cronos did not seem to act like the young boy that he knew and had come to respect. No, this was not a simple possession, but what was it? The storms, the fact that the Emperor and the soldiers were all acting strange too, did not bode well. He knew he was out of his depth. Without his books to study, he was lost.

  He had lived through many years of peace, broken only by the rogue witches’ coven a few years back. His life as a druid had been an easy one, allowing him to study the various mystical arts, and using it to benefit the royal family, and the Kingdom of Mirnee. His kind had been decimated in the anti-magic wars, fought by those that did not understand, so therefore used their ignorance as a weapon. They had seen all magic as a threat.

  Mirnee was one of the few kingdoms that now tolerated witches and druids, so long as they did not practice magic openly, or dabble in the old dark arts. His early years were spent growing up in the palace as one of the Emperor’s playmates, and they had become close friends. Now, he was a trusted advisor to the aging ruler, as they had grown old together. A peaceful life had made him soft. He was not a powerful druid. Mostly he had been a healer, and a teacher. He was not sure how that could help the situation right now.

  He continued on down
the narrow trail, confident that it would lead them to his secret hideout. It was in one of these that he had secreted the Emperor during the witches’ unrest, two years ago. He had chosen this one because of the direct access back to the palace. Waterlogged tunnels ran throughout the deep caverns, right under the palace. With a deep water underground lake, it would be necessary to swim to the other side, and then access the tunnel once again to continue. The passage was not an easy one. He himself could no longer make the journey that way, though a strong man, such as Ganry or Hendon, could easily navigate it. If they were to have any hope in freeing Cronos, then this was going to be a key factor: access to the palace.

  13

  They had been riding horseback for many hours, abandoning the carriages at the edge of the forest that led to the mountain pass. Myriam knew that the dawn should be breaking soon. At a rough guess she believed it was early morning, but darkness still prevailed. Heavy dark clouds blocked out any sun rays. The rain was constant, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead.

  The group arrived at an intersection, and Qutaybah had a decision to make. They could choose to continue north, through the forest which would take them to the foot of the Palmernian mountain range, which bordered the Kingdom of Palara. Or, they could turn east, and head for the plains that lead to the borders of the Kingdom of Vandemland.

  They were unsure how much the danger had spread throughout Mirnee, so Qutaybah had sent his messengers in both directions to forewarn both border patrols. In the end the decision was an easy one. He had promised Ganry he would see the queen safely home, and that was his first objective. As much as he wished to speak to his own king, it would have to wait.

  Vandemland only has a small part that borders Mirnee, so the threat would not yet be real to his homeland. His decision made, they set off through the forest, towards Mount Palmern. He would take them halfway through the pass. Hopefully, by then, Palaran soldiers would have met up with them.

  The storm was here to stay, that had become obvious when it did not abate, as would a normal storm eventually. The darkness was relentless and the rain pounded them constantly. There was also a strong sulfurous aroma that made the journey even more arduous.

  “We’ll stop for a few hours,” Qutaybah informed the young Palaran Knight, Artas. “The Duchess needs to rest.”

  Artas did not argue with him, but he had hoped to be nearer Palara before they had a break. He was aware that Duchess D’Anjue was struggling, and that Qutaybah would not want to stop unless it was necessary. He would be keen to get to his own kingdom, too.

  They found a thick cluster of trees with huge canopies, which offered some protection from the rain. Here, they made camp. A welcoming fire was lit and some food prepared. Duchess D’Anjue was grateful for the rest. Her aged bones did not fit well with the shape of a horse’s back anymore.

  “This storm seems to be going on forever. Do you think it covers the whole of Mirnee?” Artas asked Qutaybah, as they sat under a makeshift cover and ate the rabbit that had been cooked.

  “It’s hard to know its purpose, but I do believe that it will have one.”

  As they spoke, rolling crashes of thunder rumbled in the night. Through the thick branches and leaves, they could see the flickering flashes of lightning.

  Qutaybah and Artas moved into a more open area, and watched the spectacular lightning show.

  “Did you see that?” Qutaybah exclaimed, pointing up to the sky as a spectacular fork of lightning flashed across the sky. “I feel there is a pattern to its ferocity.”

  “Do you think that Cronos is searching for us?” Artas wondered.

  “No. We meant nothing to the spirit that dwells within him. It merely wanted us gone so it had freedom do its deeds, whatever they may be.” Qutaybah said. “That lightning is doing some task or other, but I don’t believe it’s searching for anything.”

  “No doubt we’ll find out soon enough,” Artas added as he watched the lightning dance in the distance.

  A watch was kept and everyone else managed a few hours sleep. Myriam woke feeling quite refreshed. The canopy of branches and leaves had offered good protection against the rain, and it was good just to be dry from the continual downpour. She looked out into the forest and could see many small rivulets of water flooding the forest floor. The rest of the journey through the forest would be made even more difficult with the thick mud and broken branches that had fallen in the storm.

  Myriam accepted a warm drink from one of the servants who traveled with them. Standing up to drink and watch the rain fall, she was gladdened to see Artas approaching her.

  “We should reach the pass today, my Queen,” he said with a wide smile.

  “Hopefully we will be met by our own forces, and Qutaybah can get on with his own troubles.”

  “He is a true friend to the Kingdom of Palara,” Artas said, sincerely.

  Within an hour the whole camp was dismantled, fires extinguished and everyone mounted on horseback. They rode on at a slow pace, for fear of the horses injuring themselves on the newly flooded ground. The day was damp, cold and dark. Yellow, grey and black clouds loomed low above their heads. This time of year should see the sun shining in full bloom, but the mysterious clouds would not allow the warm rays through.

  Even with the hindrance of such poor conditions, they made it to the mountain pass, towards the back end of the day. Although, with the dark cloud cover, it was difficult to say exactly what time of day it was.

  Myriam looked up at the snow topped peak of Mount Palmern. They were nearly home and she felt comfort from that thought. Ahead, a clear road wound its way through the mountainous terrain. She hoped that once they were on it, they would soon come across her own soldiers, so Qutaybah could be released of his burden. In reality, they had not needed the mercenary and his men, as there had been no signs of danger at any point, just the difficult weather conditions. Though it still felt reassuring to have his company.

  “We’ll soon be up there and well on our way home, my dear,” the Duchess said to her granddaughter, looking forward to their arrival at the castle and her own warm bed.

  Myriam smiled at her grandmother. She was a real trooper and Myriam knew that she struggled in these conditions, yet she never complained. Myriam’s smile turned to a frown as she saw one of Qutaybah’s scouts riding down the pass at breakneck speed.

  She pulled the reins of her horse to direct it towards the mercenary leader.

  Qutaybah sat waiting on his horse with Artas at his side. This did not bode well. What had the scout seen that was so urgent?

  “Sire, we cannot go any further,” the scout reported, pulling his horse to a stop by the side of his leader.

  “What is it, Markus?” Qutaybah knew that this scout was a hardened warrior and would flinch at nothing.

  “The lightning, it falls over the horizon, creating a barrier.” Markus panted with labored breath at his flight. “Come sire, you must see, but I truly think it bodes the end of the world.”

  Most of the party stayed back, while only a few rode up the hill to reach the summit and look down upon the beginning of the mountain pass.

  Artas was at the forefront with Qutaybah, and as they reached the top of the craggy hill, the sight before them was awe inspiring. Along the horizon, as far as the eye could see, was a flashing wall of lightening.

  “I suspect that thing borders the whole of Mirnee.” Qutaybah was the first to speak. “It reeks of power. We cannot go anywhere near it.”

  Myriam had followed slowly behind, and she was just arriving to join them.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it,” she announced, looking upon the flashing barrier. “We are prisoners of Mirnee.”

  “I don’t think we are meant to be prisoners,” Qutaybah said thoughtfully. “The barrier is not there to keep us in, but rather to keep people out.”

  14

  The hideout in the caves was perfect. It was warm and dry with plenty of provisions and fresh water. Azmarid
dian led them to the lower caverns to show them the underground lake.

  “Eventually, it brings you into old and ancient tunnels that lead to the city,” he told them. “It is a taxing journey, but for men such as yourself it should not prove too difficult. I did it many a time in my youth.”

  “You might not have realized it, Azmariddian, but you have planned well. We have stores, a hideout none should find, and a way back into the palace undetected. I could not have hoped for more,” Ganry praised the old man.

  “It is the nature of a druid to have many such secret hideouts. One never knows the way the wind will blow regarding the tolerance of my kind.” Azmariddian replied. “Do you have any plans in mind?”

  “Not yet.” Ganry had yet to work out exactly what the danger was. He knew Cronos and his father were possessed, so was his bodyguard Rochmyr and his advisor Torno.

  “I’ll need to scout around more to try and see exactly what we are up against. I want you two to stay here. The time will come when you will play your part. I will first follow the inner passageways in the palace walls to see if I can observe Cronos. Much depends upon what transpires there but I would like to visit with my uncle, if I can, to find out what is happening in the city. I also need to leave word for Linz. He should arrive soon with the wolf shaman. She knows about the spirit world, probably more than any of us.”

  “Is there nothing we can be doing, meanwhile?” Hendon asked, frustrated at being left behind.

  “Build up your strength and practice those skills you both possess. I have a feeling we are going to need it before this over.” Ganry suggested. “I’ll return as quickly as I can, and hopefully with company, if the shaman has arrived.”

  “Here take this,” Azmariddian passed him a bright stone. “I have enchanted it to light when you hold it in your hand, otherwise it will darken. You will need it to see your way through the tunnels, and then the passageways of the palace. ”