“Different?”
“I don’t how to describe it, but you almost looked like a different person.”
“I don’t feel any different,” he lied. I felt alive! This sword is affecting me.
“Let’s go, before he comes back with his friends,” said Anna. She grabbed his hand and they ran out the door in the same direction Krulta had gone.
Chapter 20
They did not slow to look around—their only goal was to get out of the castle. Finn still had the sword in his hand and its hilt was warm in his grip.
Without hesitation, they ran out through the open front doors and into the courtyard. The first rays of sunlight peeked over the forest and shone on the castle, bathing it in a golden glow. They did not slow as they cross the courtyard. The ravens high on the wall squawked their complaints at the disturbance. The normally-quiet courtyard had been busy that night.
Finn and Anna sped through the portcullis and across the open ground, making a direct line for the old bridge and their freedom. The path was rough and a few times one or the other almost went for a tumble, but was supported by their friend.
“Almost there!” I hope Mordan is waiting for us at the bridge.
As they neared it, Finn could make out the outline of someone illuminated by the first rays of sunlight on the far side.
It’s Mordan! We are saved!
As they reached the bridge, Anna slowed and pulled on Finn’s hand. Several paces onto the bridge, she dragged him to a stop.
“What’s wrong?”
“That not the alp! The sunlight’s touching him!” She turned back to the castle and gasped when she saw Krulta and two guards coming through the portcullis. The big orc had a rag stuffed under his shirt, where Finn had wounded him, and carried a heavy cleaver.
He smiled. “Going somewhere? I owe you for this scratch, eldon.”
The three orcs raised their weapons as they moved toward them.
Finn pulled Anna’s hand and she stumbled after him. “We have to cross the bridge.”
As they got close to the other side, they could see that the solitary figure was the master. He was smiling at their misfortune.
They were trapped and stopped in the centre of the bridge.
Shadows moved in the tree line behind the master, and, for a moment, Finn was sure they were saved.
Two orcs broke out of the trees and moved to stand beside the master. More than fifty men followed them and the sight sent a shudder up the eldon’s spine. They walked slowly forward in a strange rhythm and many of them wore dirt-covered armour and carried rusty swords and spears. Their skin was stretched tightly over their lipless faces and their eye sockets were empty.
They were doomed! The master’s crazy plan had worked.
“Let me introduce you to the start of my glorious army!” said the master. His voice was loud in the still, morning air. “All thanks to your blood, my dear.” The zombies marched on. “There is no escaping, now, my darlings. You are surrounded.”
“You don’t have us, yet!” exclaimed Finn.
“Gentlemen, kill the boy, but I need the girl unharmed.”
The orcs and zombies moved toward the two trapped friends. Anna screamed, which seemed to delight Master, who laughed.
“Back to the castle!” Finn shouted. He let go of Anna’s hand and moved in front of her.
I will kill the three orcs first!
He stopped to face Krulta and the other two orcs as they advanced. He held the black sword in a low guard stance. This is it. He was as ready as he would ever be. The dark blade felt warm and reassuring in his hands.
“Kill him,” ordered Krulta. He wasn’t taking any chances with the black sword and instead allowed the other two orcs to soften up the eldon.
Armed with a heavy cleaver, the first orc ran at Finn at full speed. The young eldon easily side stepped the orc’s clever and drove his sword deep into his chest. The dead orc’s forward momentum caused him to stumble before he crashed to the bridge’s deck. As the orc fell, Finn withdrew the blade and spun around to meet the next attacker. The runes on the black sword glowed, and its wielder could feel its lust for more blood.
The second orc’s axe whistled through the empty air as Finn ducked. He lashed out at his opponent’s leg and the sword bit into bone. This orc was tough, though, and it grunted, but remained upright. Finn withdrew his sword and rolled out of the way, as the axe bit into the bridge where he’d just stood. Springing to his feet, the eldon slashed his sword down at the orc’s head. He was blocked by a lucky parry, however, and Finn stepped back to size up his opponent. The orc had the advantage of size and strength, but the eldon had speed. Finn feinted to the left and the orc took the bait and swung his axe, cutting only through empty air. A swift downward blow removed the orc’s head from his shoulders in a fountain of blood.
He quickly turned to look for Anna, just in time to see a line of armoured Krystorian knights break out of the forest and rapidly speed across the clearing toward the bridge and the master.
“Come back, you dogs, save me!” cried the master. His two guards complied and turned back to aid their boss.
“Finn!” The first of the walking corpses were within reach of Anna.
Forgetting Krulta, he turned to run to her, knowing in his heart that she would be torn apart by the undead before he could reach her. He had failed the young woman he loved.
Anna screamed, and the sound almost shattered Finn’s heart. The first few zombies had passed Anna by the time Finn reached them, blocking him from her. The first zombie fell to his dark blade as he decapitated it with a horizontal slash. Without slowing, he pivoted and kicked another in the stomach. It staggered back, but did not stop. It immediately moved forward and clawed for the eldon’s flesh. A two-handed slash chopped off both its arms, but it still didn’t slow. He ended the zombie with a downward strike that removed its head and left shoulder. The blade had travelled cleanly through it as it broke through the zombie’s bones with the sound of snapping sticks.
He was now surrounded by the undead and the smell of their decaying bodies almost overwhelmed him. All he could think of was Anna being eaten by them and the thought made him fight even harder.
His blade was a blur as it wove through bloodless limbs and bodies. Many fell and he hoped they wouldn’t rise again. A strange feeling overcame Finn as he felt one with the blade. They had a connection and he felt its lust for killing. A grim smile touched his lips as the sword split a zombie’s skull and continued deep into its chest, shattering ribs and vertebrae.
Finn lowered his blade and looked around. No more zombies came at him. Many corpses were scattered on the bridge around him.
Anna stood not far away, staring wide-eyed at him. She looked terrified, but she was alive. Tears ran down her dirty face.
She is alive. Thank the gods.
“Are you alright, Anna? Are you hurt?” Finn asked as he grabbed her hand.
“I’m fine.”
“Did… did they scratch you?” He looked at her, but could see no injuries.
“No. They walked right past me, as if I wasn’t there.”
The Krystorian knights rode up to the bridge and dismounted. They still had their weapons drawn as they walked toward Finn and Anna. The lead knight removed his helmet and Finn was pleased to see that it was Anthon Cisaro. A smiling Gustav was at the prince’s side.
“You sure know when to arrive,” said Finn, before he turned to the prince, bowed, and thanked him.
“It is my pleasure to serve my people.” The prince looked at Anna. “Who is this delicate rose?” He took her hand, bowed, and kissed it. Anthon’s eyes never left hers.
“I am Anna, my lord,” she said with a curtsy and a smile. The handsome prince smiled back.
“Please, my lady, I insist you call me Anthon.”
Finn felt strange. “Your lordship,” he started, “what brought you here?”
“It was Gustav. He found us yesterday evening and convinced me t
hat helping you would help all of Krystoria.”
Finn thanked the gnome. “You saved us.”
“It looks like you were doing alright without us,” replied Gustav. “Your sword skills are outstanding. You will have to tell us about your teacher, one day.”
“His name was Kalher. He was a great man.”
“Where’s the master?” Anna interrupted.
“Who?” asked Anthon.
“There was a man standing over there, with two orcs.” At Anna’s observation, the prince instructed two of his men to look for the master’s body. “Where’s Krulta? He’s gone, too,” she said. The big orc was nowhere to be seen.
“I guess he didn’t like the odds,” replied Finn.
A knight approached and addressed Anthon, “No humans amongst the dead, my lord.”
“He must have escaped,” said Anthon. “Search the forest and the gully. He couldn’t have gone far.”
The knights scattered. The sun was high in the sky when they gathered back together. No one had found any evidence of the master. The knights cleaned their weapons and bandaged their wounds as Finn and Anna sat in the shade of the forest’s edge. A great weariness overcame the eldon. He was tired, but relieved that this ordeal was finally over and that Anna was safe.
One of the knights handed Finn and Anna a loaf of dark bread and flasks of cool water. They were both thankful for the simple food—Finn had not eaten for more than a day.
“We are safe, now, Anna. It’s time to go home,” said Finn.
“I would like that.”
Chapter 21
By midmorning, the group was ready to leave the old castle. The air was warm and ripe with the smell of decaying corpses, which made Anna nauseous. The horses were wide-eyed and looked like they want to flee the area. Both two- and four-legged creatures feared the undead.
Gustav went into the forest and emerged with two sturdy ponies a short time later. They were Patch and Brownie. The gnome explained that he had discovered them as he and the Krystorian knights travelled up the road. Finn was thankful to have them back. He was tired and ready to ride them back home to Freewater.
He wondered what his brother, Garm, had been up to. He would be sad to hear the news about Kalher.
Finn rubbed Patch’s shaggy neck and the small horse acknowledged the eldon with a shake of his head. The knights saw to their horses and packed up their gear. They mounted their destriers and waited silently for their prince. Anthon approached Anna and held out his hand, in which she placed hers.
“My lady, it would be a great honour if you rode my horse, Volatore. He is as gentle as a lamb and will be more comfortable than one of these little mountain horses.”
These ponies are noble mounts!
Finn looked on jealously, as Anna acceptable the prince’s offer and mounted his large warhorse. The eldon saw the way Anthon looked at her and he didn’t like it. Keep your eyes off her!
Even though Anna was tired and her travelling clothes were ripped and dirty, she looked regal, sitting high on the prince’s horse. She held herself straight and truly looked like a descendant of nobility—or one of the First Born.
Finn was ashamed by his thoughts. He knew that his jealousy was unjust, Anthon was just being kind and would surely treat any woman like a lady. The prince was a good man. Finn longed to hold Anna, again, though, as he’d done in the dungeon the night before.
The prince mounted the horse of one of his knights, who rode Brownie. The pony did not complain about carrying the armoured rider, but the knight looked out of place on such a small horse.
Two scouts rode ahead of the main group, Finn and Gustav rode beside each other, and Anthon rode beside a silent Anna. The prince spoke quietly to her, but Finn could not hear what he said. The remaining knights brought up the rear. All were weary and watched the trees as they passed.
The group travelled at a steady pace all morning and stopped at midday for a quick meal break, before continuing their journey south. The forest was silent, almost as if it understood that an evil force had been defeated.
By late afternoon, they arrived at the crossroad, and it was time for them to part ways. Prince Anthon and his knights would ride east and Gustav still needed to go south to complete his mission. Finn and Anna would head west, back over the Cold Heart Mountains. She was keen to be home and in her own bed, again. They all dismounted in the crossroad to say their goodbyes.
“Thank you for your help, Prince Anthon. We would never have escaped the master without you and your knights,” said Finn. The young eldon extended his hand, which the prince shook.
“It was my honour and pleasure to assist you and the beautiful Anna,” said Anthon, as he looked admiringly at her. She blushed at his attention.
Anthon and his armoured warriors mounted their warhorses. The knights rode ahead, but their prince stayed behind for a moment.
“Farewell, my friends.” Anthon bowed slightly to Anna and said, “If you are ever in my country, again, fair lady, you would do me a great honour if you allowed me to see you again. Hopefully that day will be soon.”
“It would be an honour for me, as well, Prince Anthon,” said Anna with a curtsy.
The prince turned his horse and spurred it into a gallop to catch up with his men. Within a few moments, the Krystorian knights had disappeared around a bend in the road.
“Well, my young friends, I guess it's time I head off, as well.” The small gnome mounted his bay horse and recommended that the two camped at the crossroads for the night, as it would be cold on the mountain.
After they thanked Gustav for bringing the knights and saving them, the gnome kicked his horse gently and trotted south. The young pair watched him ride out of sight and were silent for some time.
“Let’s set up camp off the Kalteberg Road, in the foothills,” said Finn. “We don’t want more trouble today.”
He collected firewood and loaded it onto Patch, and they gathered the rest of their gear and their two ponies and headed west, into the Cold Heart Mountains’ foothills.
When they found a suitable place beside the road to camp, Finn built a small fire and rolled out their bedrolls. Night fell as they prepared an evening meal of cheese and bread—a parting gift from the knights. The young eldon could not take his eyes off of Anna.
“Is everything okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Why do you ask?”
“You keep looking at me.”
“I am just happy you’re safe and that we’re heading home.”
“Home. I never thought I’d see it, again. I thought many times that I was—”
“Well, it’s over now,” said Finn, “and you’re safe.”
Anna yawned and they decided she should rest, while Finn took the first watch.
“Don’t sit up too long. We still have a long way to go tomorrow.”
“Yes, boss.” He gave her a playful salute.
She curled up in her bedroll and appeared to be asleep almost instantly. He watched her for a few moments.
In the distance, a lone wolf howled at the moon. It was little more than a thin sliver in the dark sky. Finn shivered, even though he wasn’t cold, sitting near their fire. His thoughts drifted over the events from the last few days. They had changed his life and he felt like a different person to the one who had left his brother in Freewater a week ago. He gazed out, over the mountains and the Krystorian forest below. All was dark, until a small light flared up in the forest to the north, and then it was gone. It looked like it might have been somewhere near the master’s castle.
“That can’t be good,” he muttered to himself.
Seated with his back against a rock, Finn was unable to stay awake. He drifted off into a deep and troubled sleep.
There was no light. He could not tell if it was dark, or if he was blind. A low growl came from his right, and, in slow motion, he turned to face the threat. Heat started to build around him, and, moments later, small flames formed to cast a low light. Rapidly, they increase
d in size and intensity. First, the flames were waist-high, but then they grew to the height of his head, and then to twice his height. The heat was almost unbearable and it forced him to the ground. He tried to lift his head, but he didn’t have the strength. A shadowy demon stepped through the flames and looked mockingly at his prostate form.
It spoke—a sound that vibrated up from hell. “He is not worthy.”
Finn awoke covered in sweat. He looked around to find that he was still sitting on his bedroll beside the mountain road. The fire had died down, but there was enough of a glow that he could see Anna wrapped in her blankets, sound asleep.
The eldon knew he had just woken from a dream but he still felt tense—something was wrong. This was a sensation he was starting to get used to. A dark, demon-like shape towered over him. He tried to stand, but a boot pushed him down. Finn reached for his sword, but he could not find it in the dark.
“Looking for this?” said the dark shape.
The voice was familiar and Finn could now see that it was Krulta. The large orc held the black sword in one hand and a broad axe in the other. Several small shapes moved around behind him, just outside the firelight, and they cackled to each other. Goblins!
“Well, well. There are no knights here to save you this time, eldon. There’s just you and me,” said the orc. “The master still wants the girl, so she is coming with me. You,” he pointed the axe at Finn’s face, “are mine.”
The eldon raised his hands in defence and looked for anything nearby to use as a weapon.
“Don’t try anything, eldon.”
“Why does your master still want her?”
“You are a fool. Magic is dying in our world, and she carries the blood of the First Born. That blood is power and the master needs it.”
Krulta raised his axe, but the downward strike froze, as a clawed hand punched out through the front of his chest and grabbed the axe shaft. The orc’s eyes went wide, as he looked down in shock at the bloody hand. His body went limp, but remained upright for a few moments, before the hand withdrew and the dead orc fell to the ground.
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