by Jason Sander
“Forgive me your highness,” said Hanbar from the doorway. “She heard what you said and rushed in before I could arrange for an audience.”
Dagar focused his gaze on the priestess and said, “It has been a long day Amelia. Tell me why you are here.”
Amelia bowed in the elven way from the hips with her arms spread wide. “I wish to see Cane to take care of his injury.”
Dagar looked guiltily at his gauntlet then back at the priestess. “Cane has already refused aid for his wound but you may see him. Perhaps he will accept your help.” Turning his gaze to the master of ceremonies he ordered, “Take her to Cane and provide anything she asks for.”
Amelia bowed again after thanking Dagar and followed the master of ceremonies out of the room. As Hanbar made to follow them Dagar addressed him, “Wait Hanbar, we must talk of war.”
“It’s been a long time since I’ve served the king as advisor,” said Hanbar.
“Yes, too long. But the time has come to put old issues aside and stand together,” Dagar rose and led his father and Hanbar out of the room. “Tell me, is it true that you swung the vote in my favour?” asked Dagar as they left, followed by the royal guards.
Lockjaw stretched its back as it rose from the corner where it had been chewing on a leg bone and followed them out.
CHAPTER 87
Jack
They ran. Trees barred their way and branches snatched at them as they pounded through the snow. Their breath steamed out in clouds as the air burned their lungs. Already their muscles were cramping and they had only just started.
Jack kept Isabella close to him as he and his guerrilla force ran through the forest. His men had needed little encouragement to leave when he had told them what the commander had done. They knew General Allister had been willing to allow an entire base to fall rather than submit to someone else’s command. There was no telling what he was capable of now that he could seize command of the combined might of both bases.
They knew it would only be hours before the General controlled Central and confirmation of the rumours that monsters served the commander was the final push they needed.
In the distance they heard screeches unlike anything they had heard during their forest patrols.
Jack realized that the commander had set his creations on their tail. He only hoped that they could reach the safety of the Shallows and the protection of General McMillan’s fort before the bloodkin caught them.
CHAPTER 88
Tagier
Tagier kneeled in the small alcove illuminated by a single candle, his hand idly stroking the rune patterns on the sword sheaths across his legs. His mind drifted back to his swordmaster training.
His master had been strict but then Tagier had been a handful. Quick to anger even as a child his master had dealt severely with any outburst and Tagier had been knocked repeatedly to the ground whenever he lost control.
One day his master had sent for him. Tagier entered the small cottage where his master stayed and sat down while his master served tea for the two of them. His master said not a word the whole time until they had finished the tea.
Then he had looked into Tagier’s eyes. “I was once filled with anger Tagier, just like you. I hated with such venom that I could not sleep at night. This was when the tainted were among us and we were driven to root out every last one of them from our land. I realized when the last battle was fought that we had become something more terrible than them. We slaughtered men and women in their thousands, burnt their homes to the ground, and still I felt the anger within me. I turned that anger on the only target left, their children. I was lucky, those most loyal to me forced me to face the growing evil within myself before it was too late.”
His master lifted the tea cup but realizing it was empty he put it down again. Tagier poured more and his master had a sip before continuing, “I realized then that I couldn’t accept what I had become. I gave up my responsibilities and fled into the Great Forest but even there I found no peace. I saw the goblin armies forming and I was forced to return to warn the Emperor that he had to prepare for more bloodshed.”
Tagier tried to sort out what the swordmaster was saying but before he could ask any questions the old man cut him off. “The dead still haunt me Tagier and I will never raise my swords against another creature in anger again.”
“Why are you telling me this, Master?” asked Tagier.
“Anger is a path towards evil. There are other ways but anger blinds you to the truth of what you are doing and to the words of those you are hurting. I became evil once.” His master reached across the table and grasped Tagiers hands. “Don’t follow my path Tagier. All the greatness a nation can achieve can be destroyed by one evil man.”
Tagier wondered what his master had tried to tell him but even now the answers still eluded him. He knew he had failed to control his anger again and that it would destroy him just as it had almost destroyed his master.
Laisarus’s voice broke in on his musing, “May I have a moment of your time Tagier?”
Tagier felt his anger begin to burn again and forced himself to reply calmly, “Now is not a good time.”
“Tagier, you’re out of control. First you hurt Cane and then Gabriel. Sooner or later you will hurt Amelia and I can’t allow that,” said Laisarus from the doorway.
Tagier got up to confront Laisarus and saw sweat beading on his forehead. “I would never hurt her. She is like a sister to me.”
Laisarus said, “She’s also a sister to me Tagier. I can understand your horror at the thought of humans allying with us again after what happened with the tainted but that was a long time ago. They were controlled by a wraithlord, they had no opportunity to change.”
“You think that is the only thing that drove them to do such evil? I don’t believe it. I know the darkness within them,” Tagier stepped closer to Laisarus and could smell the fear on him.
“I know what you are!” said Laisarus.
Tagier felt his blood run cold.
“I’ve known since I was a child when you swam the Crimson River to save me and the other children. I saw your eyes glow blue when you used your night vision to find us. You are not like the tainted Tagier and neither are the humans.”
Tagier took a step back but there was nowhere to go, “I’m not one of them.”
“No, your father was just an infant when he was found in the tainted village. He would have been killed but Emperor Palanthus spared the children and sent them to be raised by families across the Riverlands.”
Laisarus said, “You are stronger than you think Tagier. You are not one of the tainted. You can change.”
“Leave me!” shouted Tagier.
“I will, but remember anger is a path towards evil,” said Laisarus echoing his swordmaster’s words.
Laisarus left Tagier in darkness, the candle having gone out during the argument. The legacy of the tainted burned in his eyes without anger or fear.
CHAPTER 89
Dagar
The caves became a hive of activity as the dwarves started the evacuation. Supplies were gathered, regiments readied for the coming conflict, wounded were prepared to be moved and anything of value that could not be taken was hidden in secret chambers protected by ward runes.
When preparations were complete the first strike teams moved to secure the tunnels Dagar had chosen to move the population to the surface. The gates that had protected the Fire Gardens were then moved to more strategic positions.
Goblins clashed with the dwarves guarding the escape route but the warriors held their ground with fresh reinforcements and weapons from Broken Pass Keep. The dwarves faced their heaviest fighting at the Valley of the Kings where the destruction of the statues almost demoralised them.
Dagar led the charge using his brother’s axe to rally the dwarves and they slowly crushed the goblins before them. Shields locked together they forced the goblins back step by step until the widening valley entrance allowed the dwarves to surround the remaining goblin
s and finish them off.
Dagar lowered the blood covered axe and surveyed the goblin dead. Behind him he heard his father congratulating the fighters. Hanbar exited Stronghold for the last time and made his way to Dagar. When he arrived he announced, “The ward gates are in place, your highness. The goblins will have some difficulty getting through so we should have a few days lead on them.”
Dagar continued to stare at the goblin bodies as he called his father to him and said, “The goblins are up to something.”
Hanbar immediately surveyed the goblin dead and nodded agreement.
Galdar looked confused, “What nonsense is this? We crushed them and sealed them in the mountain where they can stay for eternity for all I care.”
“Look closely at the dead - how many shamans do you see, how many do you remember fighting? I haven’t found a single one which means they’re up to something. We need to get moving as fast as possible. See to it father.”
Galdar looked at the bodies and realized the truth, the goblins had held back their greatest weapon, the shamans, from a battle that could have destroyed the dwarves forever. He immediately began to reorganize the regiments to secure the valley ahead in both directions, one as rearguard and the other to blaze a trail ahead.
Dagar looked at Hanbar and said, “Find Laisarus, I need him to scout ahead of the army, I want to know what we are getting into.”
Cane approached Dagar and knelt before him. Dagar was in no mood for dealing with the human but he felt something important was on the human’s mind.
“Rise bondsman,” commanded Dagar. “What is it you need?”
“I wish to remain behind sir,” said Cane hesitantly.
Dagar controlled his rising anger and asked, “Why?”
“You need to leave somebody behind to alert you when the goblins free themselves. I have training as a scout and spy,” said Cane.
“You are not in the best of shape to warn us Cane,” said Dagar watching the dwarven civilians still pouring out of the tunnel entrance.
“I’ve seen the horns your people carry and heard them often enough to know they will give you ample warning. I’m sure I can learn to use one.”
“Why, Cane?” asked Dagar looking the human in the eyes.
“I’m expendable,” said Cane.
“I don’t believe so, but you are a survivor. If you can learn to use a horn effectively before we leave the valley you can stay behind to warn us. However if you manage to survive you are still a bondsman, remember that.”
“I have much to atone for, your majesty,” agreed Cane.
“Take my horn to Hanbar. He will teach you what you need to know. When you are finished with it I want it back,” said Dagar dismissing Cane. He watched the human disappear into the masses of dwarves.
Dagar remembered when his brother had given him the horn. Dagar had asked if it was magic and his brother had replied, “It has always brought me aid when I needed it and helped others when they had lost hope. Yes, little brother the horn has its own kind of magic.” Under his breath Dagar said, “May the horn keep you safe, human.”
He studied his people and was pleased that they were rallying themselves even though they were surrounded by their fallen kings and leaving the only home they had ever known.
CHAPTER 90
Goblin Gods
Hundreds of shamans gathered in the king’s audience chamber within Stronghold. Blood ran in streams from the entrance as bodies of the slain were bled dry for the ritual. A ring of blood drenched altars surrounded the captured dwarves and dwellers. Beaten into submission they stared blankly at the floor.
The greatest of the shamans began the summoning. With the amount of blood present he could feel the barrier between life and death thinning as the gods gathered their power on the other side. His voice rang out first in the goblin tongue, harsh and violent, then he transitioned into English. “Come great ones, our fight has been long and glorious. We have slain uncountable foes for you and their blood is yours to consume and their souls forfeit. Come to us that we may feel your power and take these vessels as your unholy flesh to destroy our ancient masters.”
As one the shamans touched their staffs to their own altars and power leapt from the staffs to the blood drenched stones. The blood on the stones began to glow and the light spread outwards from the ring making the blood covered floor shine. Soon the red light filled the chamber and as the shamans chanted in a mixture of English and goblin tongues the blood seemed to flow into the cave towards the altars.
Every last drop of blood was absorbed into the stones and they began to burn with the same red light. The prisoners were beginning to realize they were in far greater peril than they had thought but chains held them immobile as the red light bathed them. Figures of red began to form one above each altar as the goblin gods sought their corporeal form. When the last of them became clearly visible they stepped down from the altars and approached their victims.
Screams of terror and pain were short lived as the gods took control of the vessels and consumed their souls. Chains melted from the glowing bodies as the goblins stood up and stretched their muscles. Some chose to reshape themselves to match their original bodies while others were content to use what they had.
“We have come and our hunger is great,” said Ravager.
The head shaman bowed before them and the others followed suit. “We have prepared the way.”
“Lead us to the false gods,” ordered another god pointing to a shaman.
The shaman in question immediately rose and the other shamans parted before him. The goblin gods’ light dimmed as they left the circle of altars but their power did not.
The other shamans followed at a discreet distance not wanting to offend their gods.
Soon they reached the battle lines where a tunnel was being defended by a single dweller of enormous size. The shamans sensed the wraithlord was beginning to tire even with its constant feeding amidst the carnage.
No other dwellers had been sighted for at least a day and the shamans believed that they had been wiped out. The goblin warriors fighting the wraithlord withdrew when they felt the presence of the gods approaching.
Two gods leapt towards the enormous dweller. Tentacles came out of the dweller’s sides and wrapped themselves around the gods, lifting them in the air to crush them. First one then the other gods burst into flame and the tentacles turned to ash. The dweller flinched in pain but before the gods had hit the ground a pincer arm slashed forward and cut off one of the gods’ arms.
The god fell over backwards, black blood pouring from the missing limb, far more than should have been possible.
Two more gods ran forward as the first attacker blasted the dweller with lightning. The dweller’s skin absorbed the attack and the wraithlord laughed at them. The third god changed colour to a sickly green and began to throw acid at the dweller while the fourth charged right in and smashed a fist into the dweller’s body.
Both attacks did damage to the dweller body but the wraithlord moved forward slightly and crushed the fourth god beneath its weight. Blood sprayed outwards as the god’s vessel died. Before the god could disappear altogether the wraithlord stretched out a shadowy hand and crushed the god form.
The flash of power as the god died shook the earth and blinded the shamans that watched from a distance protected by their shadow shields.
The destruction of one of their own incensed the other gods and they charged as one at the wraithlord.
By the time the shamans could see again the wraithlord’s shadow form was being dragged from the dweller’s destroyed body.
The shadow struggled but the gods held tight until it was clear of the body. Then they began to mutilate the shadow, ripping bits off it and eating the wraithlord piece by piece.
When they were finished the gods marched onward and encountered two more wraithlords and a handful of dweller guards. This time they did not hesitate and charged right in. The end was inevitable but the wraithlords manag
ed to kill two more gods before they were torn to pieces.
The shamans watched in awe as their gods slowly destroyed their greatest enemy.
When the remaining ten gods had destroyed another wraithlord they all felt the pull of the last wraithlord guiding them onwards. They knew his name even before they reached the chamber. The most powerful of the wraithlords, the Darklord himself, waited within, cloaked in the shadows.
The gods spread out searching the room for the dweller body he was using but the darkness was impenetrable. A voice from the opposite side of the room asked, “Have you come to die and lay the path for my rise to power again.”