The Beginning: Breath of War

by R. Malak

  Positioned on both sides of the gate were two squat towers made of solid cement and both appeared to be empty.

  “Well, what now?” he asked.

  Lucy bit the inside of her lips and opened her mouth to shout, when the gates gradually began to grind open. Fifteen heavily armed soldiers in military cameos appeared at the entrance spread out to either side of the inner gate with rifles aimed at them. Talmen instinctively raised his arms in the air to show them he was unarmed and was stunned by the sight of Lucy and Rollo waltzing in through the gates with no concern for the weapons pointing at them. A thin woman wearing a blue sweater with graying hair and carrying a pistol came out to meet them.

  Her face widened into a broad smile at sight of the siblings. “Lucy, Rollo, it has been far too long, come here and give your Auntie a kiss.”

  Red faced the pair of siblings walked over and hugged their Aunt. The men guarding the gate seeing no cause for alarm returned to their duties, patrolling the wall, playing cards or inspecting their weapons. Uncertain what do with himself, Talmen walked inside and waited beside the gatehouse. When the gates all of a sudden slammed shut behind him with a thud, nearly causing him to jump. The men playing cards on the ground, gave him a few warning looks, but mostly ignored him.

  Rollo after kissing the old woman on the cheek excitedly explained all the things he had seen, while his sister stood impervious with a small smile on her lips. Talmen felt both joy and sadness at the wonderful scene of a family reunited. But guessed it was time to part ways with them. He was about to head further into town, when the old woman noticed him standing there.

  “Rollo who’s your friend?”

  Rollo grinned and waved for Talmen to come over and join them. He reluctantly trundled over.

  Rollo’s Aunt had the same light purple eyes and high cheekbones as Lucy, making him realize that she would have been quite beautiful, when she was younger.

  “My, you’re a handsome one. I hope you haven’t tried to seduce my niece.”

  Lucy blushed crimson red. “Auntie!”

  Talmen shook his head side to side, completely lost for words.

  Laughing she held out her hand, “My name is Greta, welcome to The Spire young man. You are free to stay here as long as you want. However, I must warn you, nothing here is free, you will need to work, if you want eat.”

  Talmen smiled back, warmed by her words and shook her hand. “Sure, I can do that.”

  “Great, then you will fit in nicely here, now come along I have supper ready.”

  Not sure, whether to follow them or not. He shot a questioning look towards Rollo, who simply took him by the shoulder and guided him forward.

  “Listen, you should come stay with us.”

  Talmen’s eyes flew to Lucy’s back, who walked ahead of them talking quietly with her Aunt.

  “What about your sister?”

  Rollo waved his hand away. “She may not want to admit she was wrong about you, but I will.”

  Talmen gave Rollo a grateful smile. But inwardly wondered if staying with them was the right choice, after all he did have the habit of drawing trouble wherever he went.

  The party drew closer to the enormous tower at the center of camp where hundreds of people were passing them wearing fairly clean clothes. They nodded their heads to Greta, a few stopping to speak with her and wish her well. Stalls were set up along the streets, selling food, weapons and clothes. Dozens of kids roamed the streets playing soccer or racing around playing tag. There was even a hologram of the Commander in Chief Paul Hagen near a few of the tents. The Commander was sitting at his desk with the United Nations flag in the background, which showed a map of the world with two wings curled around it.

  “Our elite units, the 119th United Infantry division and 33rd infantry division have dealt another stinging blow to the enemy in Albany. I want to reassure the people of earth, all is not lost. We urge all our citizens to unite and fight our common enemy. Join the Army to today.”

  Greta seeing Talmen’s interest in the hologram slowed down to walk beside him. “Thinking of joining the army, are we?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Well I’d be careful around that lot. Lately those silly buggers have been causing a lot of mischief around here. You’d probably be better off serving under the Lieutenant Duncan, he’s the one in charge of security here at The Spire.”

  Wanting to learn more he asked her, “What sort of mischief?”

  Greta rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air dramatically. “Where do I begin? They push people around, steal food out of our mouths and hang about drinking all day. Honestly, they act more like a bunch of bullies than soldiers, I say” she then lowered her voice. “But be sure, to keep that to yourself, I don’t need the blasted guards to come knocking on my door.”

  “But Auntie, you don’t have a door.”

  Greta glared at Rollo and swatted at his head. “You know, what I mean you damn rascal.”

  Rollo grinned at his aunt’s theatrics and elbowed Talmen in the shoulders. “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’s just exaggerating.”

  Talmen hoped so his best shot at finding his little brother would be out there with the army.

  “Well, speak of the devil.” Three men decked out in full United Nations Military uniform, which included a light grey shirt, black camouflage cargo pants and white gloves were making their way along the street carrying police issue batons. Greta quickly tugged Rollo and Lucy over to the side out of their path and gestured for Talmen to do the same. Bewildered by her actions, he didn’t move till it was too late and the soldiers were right in front of him.

  The leader of the group a heavy-set man with a strong jaw line, blunt nose, and hard piercing black eyes shoved him hard in the chest. “Is there a reason you’re standing in front of me, twerp?”

  “Nnnnno Sir.”

  The man bent down and stared him in the eyes. “Then get the fuck out of my way,” he said and drove a punch hard into his gut, dropping him to the ground wheezing for breath.

  The man’s friends laughed and brushed him aside as they moved past. Greta rushed to his side with Rollo right behind her to help him to his feet.

  “Ohhh, are you alright dear?” He nodded. “I did warn you about them.”

  Talmen glowered at Rollo, who held his hands up defensively “Sorry, I didn’t realize things had changed so much, since we were last here.”

  Greta helped dust off his jeans. “Yes, well, you two had better tread more carefully with that lot. And that goes double for you young man, those men never forget a face, if you get in their crosshairs again, you could get seriously hurt.”

  Talmen his chest throbbing from his previous injuries, followed the spry old woman. Not wanting to draw any more attention, she led them quickly towards a huge white tent with the banner of the UN swinging in the breeze above it. He pushed his way through the tent flaps and made his way inside and gaped in awe. All around the sides of the tent were stacks upon stacks of books, artwork and music records. He had never so many in all his life. Like in a trance he walked over to one the piles of books and touched them reverentially.

  Breaking his trance, he looked up at Greta who was smiling at him sadly. “Where did you find all these books?”

  Greta waved her arms about her and replied, “This young one is the last remnants of the Grand Library in Bransbury.” She pressed a hand to her chest. “I used to work there in the library, back before all this mess started. We’ve lost much of our history the day those freaks arrived, this here.” She gestured to the books. “This is my attempt to keep a part of our history intact.” She moved to clear some space on a long rectangular wooden table laden with encyclopedias, while continuing to speak. “Rollo and Lucy collected most of them, while out on their travels and I brought what I could from the library with me. Here, come take a seat.”

  She pulled out a few foldable chairs that were leaning up against the tent. Talmen stepped forward to help her unfold the chairs and
set them up around the table. He took a seat beside Rollo with Lucy sitting across from him watching him with a peculiar expression on her face. Greta disappeared for a few seconds behind the tent flap out the back and returned carrying wooden bowls filled with meat and vegetable stew. The smell that wafted in was mouthwatering and delicious. As soon as she set the bowl down in front of him, he attacked it with both hands. Shoveling mouthfuls of the warm stew into his mouth and swallowing. It tasted better than it smelled.

  “Easy there, young man, there’s plenty of stew if you want seconds. At least that’s one thing we can be thankful to the military for, they’ve brought in seeds and plants for us to grow our own crops.” Greta sat down at the head of the table. “What’s your name, young man?”

  Talmen paused and swallowed the food in his mouth. “Talmen.”

  Rollo laughed spilling food from his mouth, spraying pieces on the table. “How come you never told us your name?”

  Lucy gave Rollo a disgusted glance, before returning to stare at him again.

  Talmen shrugged. “Guess it never came up, we didn’t exactly meet in what you’d call normal circumstances.”

  Greta raised a quizzical eyebrow at that, but didn’t say anything.

  After his third bowl of stew, Talmen for the first time in a long time felt full. “Thanks for the food.”

  Greta smiled. “Now, there’s a gentleman,” she said with a sideways look towards Rollo, who was still licking his bowl clean

  Rollo burped and leaned back. “Thanks Auntie, you’re the best.”

  Greta chuckled and stood up. “Come on, we have to head over to Duncan’s, he wants a word with all new arrivals.”

  Talmen immediately felt his body tense up with worry. Why would the person in charge of security want to speak with them?

  Seeing his fear, Greta chuckled again. “Don’t you fret young man, our Duncan is a good man, all he will do is ask you a few questions and assign you work.”

  Questions? Questions about what, he stood up and left the table, Lucy and Rollo doing the same.

  Greta shepherded them out of the tent and back out into the cold refreshing breeze. Together they headed towards the tower. The closer he got to the tower more daunting it appeared with carvings of men battling dragons circling around the towers waist and battles between mages and warriors.

  “You know they say the tower was built by peaceful creatures with long pointy ears that had arrived much earlier than these things that roam our world today,” There was a touch of melancholy in her voice as she spoke, “Oh, to have seen those wondrously beautiful creatures.”

  Rollo distracted by a pretty woman selling guns at one of the stalls nearly tripped over and grabbed Talmen’s shirt to stop his fall. Helping Rollo up he asked, “What happened to them?” Greta held her palms up. “No idea, they came here built their monuments all across our world and vanished.” Talmen’s jaw dropped open at that. “They built more of these all over the world?”

  “Yes dear, please pay attention, I hate repeating myself.” Guards clad in blue uniforms wearing bulletproof vests patrolled the streets carrying AK-47’s strapped to their shoulders. After veering around a few tents and shacks in their way they reached the entrance to the tower. Greta turned to face them. “Remember, what I said about the soldiers, they’re a nasty lot, be careful around them, okay? I’ll see you all back at the tent, don’t be late.” With that she turned and shuffled away.

  Rollo curious and excited to see what was inside the tower knocked on the great, big wooden door. Minutes passed by with no response, he moved to knock again, when the door swung open. A huge man with a bull sized neck, tiny yellow eyes and a long hook nose stood in the doorway in a tight fitting United Nations Military uniform. “What do ye want?”

  “We’re here to see Duncan”

  “Why?”

  Talmen glanced at Lucy, who answered, “He wants to see us.”

  The man ogled Lucy up and down before pushing the door open and letting them inside.

  Talmen’s mouth nearly dropped off his face, hundreds of men and women in military uniform bustled back and forth across a space the size of two full football fields towards what appeared to be lecture halls. Lecture halls of all things! This place was immense, much bigger than it outside appearance suggested. Hope soared in his chest at the possibilities. Was his brother here? What about his mother? His eyes circled the room taking in all the amazing sights he thought he’d never see again. Lockers positioned between classrooms with boys and girls talking and laughing, Officers in full military uniform leading groups of cadets into lecture halls, and a boxing ring at the far back surrounded by people cheering.

  Bored of standing still, Lucy nudged Rollo in arm. “Let’s go already.”

  Rollo grimaced and tugged Talmen’s arm. “Come on Tal let’s go, before the queen gets angry.”

  Talmen reluctantly nodded his head and headed towards the center of room where a young girl with blue dyed hair sat at a desk reading a book, behind her a spiraling staircase leading up.

  Seeing them approach the girl put her book down on the desk and looked up at them with her hazel colored eyes. “Yes, can I help you?”

  Lucy, sick of all the delays, thrust her way past Talmen. “We are here to see Duncan, okay, can we speed this up?”

  The girl at the desk pretended to not hear her and returned her attention to Talmen. “How may I help you?”

  Talmen almost laughed at the look of pure outrage on Lucy’s face, barely managing to hold it in.

  Rollo, however had no such self-control and laughed like a giddy child. Lucy scowled at Rollo and punched him in the arm.

  Talmen, still struggling not to laugh spoke up, “We’re here to see Duncan.”

  The girl continued to ignore Lucy and gestured towards the stairs behind her. “Go to the third level and go right. His office is at the end of the corridor.”

  Talmen, anxious to be away, hurriedly moved towards the stairs and began climbing up. Lucy gave the girl one last glower before flicking her hair angrily and doing the same. Rollo trailed after her rubbing his bruised shoulder, with a smile still on his lips and a wink for the girl.

  It was a long grueling climb upwards, with no words spoken between them. By the time they reached the third floor he was breathless and gasping for air. Stone statues and portraits of creatures he had never seen before were lined up all along the third-floor corridor. Fixated by the mesmerizing creatures his gaze flew from one statue to the next, admiring the craftsmanship, when his gaze locked onto a unique statue. Closing the gap, he stared up at the statue with interest. The creature before him had long pointed ears, eyes carved from black onyx and strange leaf like armor that seemed to be sliding out of her skin to cover her body.

  Rollo walked over to join him. “You think it’s one of the creatures Auntie spoke about?”

  “Don’t know.”

  All he knew was that this creature, while it did appear harmless, exuded a strange energy. He almost felt like this statue could come to life.

  Lucy, still recovering from that blow to her pride, scanned the corridor, and walked right past the pair heading towards the door at the end of the hallway.

  Talmen broke his gaze away from the strangely beautiful creature and went after her. Rollo however stayed behind to poke at the statue some more. The door at the end suddenly swung open and a tall man with short close-cropped hair, wearing military uniform with a golden ‘L’ stitched on his right arm, bulldozed his way past them reading from his X-Pad.

  “Excuse me.” The man blinked and looked up from his pad. “Who the fuck are you? And what do you fucking want?”

  Not quite sure to how respond to the question, Talmen asked, “Duncan?”

  “Yes, that’s my fucking name pork chop, what do you fucking want?”

  “Well, we are new here, well at least I am.” The man stared at Talmen with baleful red eyes that hadn’t seen sleep for many days, he then spun away. “Fuck it all, come with me th
en, I need to be somewhere,” he said in exasperated voice and started back the way they come.

  Duncan, half running, half jogging, made his way downstairs with the trio trying hard to keep up with him. Every second or so, the tall man would curse and swear and mutter under his breath about newbies. Every now and then, he would turn to shoot them death stares that froze their veins. A part of him couldn’t believe Greta thought this guy was a good man. The man had an unnerving way of looking like he wanted to kill you rather than help you. They shot their way past the front desk and he could have sworn he’d seen the blue haired girl smirk with pleasure at their discomfort. Duncan thrust his way through a group of older cadets lounging by a food dispenser filled with nutrient bars and through into a lecture hall stacked with row upon row of students.

  Once inside, he pointed at the nearest seats. “Sit the fuck down, I’ll get to you later.”

  Talmen confused took a seat beside a pale faced young man with acne scars and short curly brown hair. With Lucy and Rollo taking seats in the row directly behind him. The room stank of sweat and cigar smoke. At the front of the lecture hall was a podium and beside it a flat disc, which he recognized as being a portable holographic projector.

  Duncan took his place in front of the podium. “Good you’re all fucking here, let’s get started.” He clicked his fingers and the projector flickered to life showing a holographic image of a diminutive goblin wearing brown robes and carrying a spear and shield. “For the cowardly fucks who don’t what this is, it’s a fucking goblin. Goblins are quick little fuckers that like to move in large packs of at least thirty to hundred. Does anyone know how to kill these shits?” A girl at the back raised her hand. “Yes you, the squirrelly girl at the far back.”

  “Bullet to the head, sir.”

  “Good, a bloody bullet to the head will put these turds down easy. But what if you have no bleeding gun?”

  The girl’s hand leapt up again and answered, “Sir, a knife to the kidneys.”

  “Good work meat, keep it up.”

  Duncan clicked his fingers again and the image transformed to reveal a taller goblin wearing bone armor similar to the one he had seen in the forest.