“We don’t need to defeat the whole army. We just need to get close enough to kill Robar and his barons. If we do that, the rest of his army will disperse without their liege lords and king. Besides, more baronies may join us when it is time to march. Has anyone answered?”
Pausing for a moment, Edgar replied, “Houses Drada and Marmor have answered and will arrive either today or tomorrow. House Drada has amassed one thousand five hundred men, which consists of three hundred cavalry, two hundred archers, and one thousand infantry. House Marmor will bring two thousand five hundred men; five hundred archers, five hundred cavalry, and one thousand five hundred infantry. If we combine our forces, we will have over eight thousand men. Even with those numbers, we will be outnumbered two to one.”
Suddenly, before Braun could lecture Edgar further, a series of war horns bellowed outside of the castle. Braun and Edgar turned their attention to the source of the war horns and saw two armies marching towards them. Even at the distance they were at, Braun and Edgar could see the banners of Houses Drada and Marmor. House Drada’s sigil was a pair of halberds forming an X on a red field while House Marmor’s sigil was a grey trident on an aqua field.
Smiling, Braun said, “It looks like our allies have finally arrived. Let’s go greet them, son.”
__ __ __
House Torren gathered at the great hall of Bargate Castle. They sat at a high table at the far back, waiting anxiously for their visitors to arrive. Then the large, wooden chamber doors creaked open to reveal four young men in their twenties; two per House.
The leaders of House Drada were two large and muscular young men; each almost seven feet tall with black hair and blue eyes. They wore thick leather armor and chainmail with cloaks made from animal hides. Strapped to their backs were large claymore swords. Despite the intimidating size and strength the pair possessed, they had a shy and timid demeanor. The younger of the two had claw mark-like scars running down the right side of his face.
The leaders of House Marmor were stout and broad with blonde hair and green eyes. Their armor consisted of steel plates and chainmail while decorative cloaks flowed from their thick shoulders. Compared to the Dradas, the Marmors appeared abundantly cheerful and boisterous.
When their visitors came to the high table, Braun rose from his seat and announced, “Houses Drada and Marmor, welcome to our humble abode. You know why you are here. We have a common enemy in the form of our own king, Robar Baal. Are you still with us?”
Sheepishly, the older of the two Dradas stepped forward and softly said, “I am Harald Drada. My brother Roland and father Gyrion are with you. Our father could not join us due to the loss of his leg to the Graega, but we are with you on his behalf. For more than a generation, House Baal has robbed our people of our food and left us to scrap a living off snow and rocks. We seek justice for has been done to our family and our subjects.”
Pounding his breastplate as though it were a drum, the older of the two Marmors took a step forward and loudly declared, “I am William Marmor. My brother Wart and father George are with you. Like the Dradas, our father cannot join us as he is bed-ridden with sweating fever. Fortunately, we are here in his stead. House Baal has taxed us to the brink of poverty for centuries. In order to bring an end to this corruption, House Baal must be deposed.”
Stretching arms out in a welcoming manner, Braun declared, “My friends! Tonight, we feast and rest. Tomorrow, we march to war!”
Everyone in the great hall cheered at Braun’s words, eager for what was about to unfold . . .
CHAPTER 29
Confusion and despair enveloped Numen and his followers as they moved through the untamed wilderness. Before they left the ruined fortress, they took all of the armor, weapons, and food they could carry with them. With no roads to lead them, Numen’s group randomly picked a direction and followed it for days.
The terrain became more treacherous as they pushed through thick forests, rocky hills, and snowy slopes. Neither Numen or any of his followers knew if they were walking further north or closer to the east. Regardless of the direction they were heading, it became clear that they were entering the uncharted region known only as the Territories. According to legend, this was where all of the Dire Beasts came from including the Graega itself. Even though they traveled through the dark wilderness, they have yet to encounter a single Dire Beast. To their relief, it seemed the legends were false.
Finally, after a week of traveling, Numen’s group came into a vast meadow. No camp fires were lit and everyone remained quiet as they kept a lookout. Their food was eaten cold. Overall, Numen and his companions were being very careful not to attract any unwanted attention from any Dire Beasts nearby.
Six members of the group sat separately from the others, grumbling with frustration amongst themselves. Sitting in a circle with Hondo, Naera, Wil, Clovis, Tristan, and Joe, Numen asked, “We have been camping like this for days now. How long can we keep this up?”
Shaking his head, Wil replied, “Our camping conditions are so uncomfortable that some of our companions are even whispering words of desertion and discontent. To answer your question, we cannot live like this forever. We must find a way back to the civilized world.”
Scowling, Clovis demanded, “And what do you suggest? The Territories are uncharted. We have no way of knowing which direction to go. All we have been doing so far was going in circles. If we do not find a way out of here, sooner or later a Dire Beast will find us.”
Smiling, Tristan countered, “Look on the bright side. At least these woods have lots of game to hunt. It feels good to use a bow again.”
Chuckling, Hondo added, “Aye. You have been good competition, Tristan. It has been a while since I had a worthy hunting partner.”
Looking at Naera, Numen felt relief at the sight of her. After a while, she slowly overcame the psychological toll her magic had on her. She started acting like her old self, but when she explained the price she paid Numen’s heart sank. Apparently, when Naera used her magic to resurrect herself she lost a fraction of her lifespan. Also, by summoning the wolves and ravens Naera sacrificed a portion of her humanity. While Numen was overjoyed that Naera was back by his side he was equally appalled that Naera was so greatly diminished by her own power. Still, Numen never let Naera leave his side and made sure she was kept safe.
“Are you all right?” Numen asked Naera.
Resting her head on Numen’s shoulder, Naera softly replied, “Aye. I just sense something unfriendly out there in the Territories.”
Concerned, Numen further asked, “What do you sense? Is it a Dire Beast?”
Hesitating, Naera answered, “Something full of ancient memories and unnaturally raw emotions. I don’t know what it is nor can I pinpoint where it is, but it is out there somewhere in the Territories. If we are not careful, we may run into the source of this darkness.”
Wrapping his arm around Naera’s shoulders, Numen assured, “Don’t worry. Somehow we will find a way out of here.”
After those words, Numen and company looked at the stars as they hoped for salvation . . .
__ __ __
The next morning, Numen and his followers continued on their way into the unknown. At this point, the terrain became so treacherous that they struggling to traverse the thick roots and large stones that littered the landscape. Eventually, as the group traveled through a forest of skeletal trees, Wil discovered something unusual about the surrounding soil and stopped in his tracks to inspect.
Noticing his scribe’s curiosity, Numen kneeled beside him and asked, “What is it, Wil?”
Pointing at the ground, Wil replied, “This soil is very, very strange, Your Imperial Majesty. It looks like it is made from grains and shards of black glass or crystal. What intrigues me even more is the way it glitters silver.”
Confused, Numen further asked, “What is significant about that?”
Clearly frightened, Wil explained, “In the High Temple of Valmorian in Chrysos, every Sage is educated in a
wide variety of subjects. We learn and archive all knowledge in the name of the Gods and use that knowledge to serve mankind. Among these secrets we study are falling stars that crash into the realm from tge heavens. These stars possess a metal ore unlike any other: Aetherian Steel.
We know that Aetherian Steel could be used to create armor and weapons of unmatched strength and quality. Sadly, such relics are rare and lost to the ages, but if one was found it would be worth three times its weight in gold. If we collect some of these samples, we could acquire enough gold to bankroll a small army.”
Numen was amazed by what Wil was describing. When he was a child, Aura told Numen tales of heroes who wielded armor and weapons that were indestructible. At first, Numen disregarded it as myths, but after Wil’s explanation Numen was starting to accept that these legends may have some truth to them. Also, the promise of raising an army was tempting if it would help Numen avenge his family.
Nearby, Joe was greedily filling his pockets with the Aetherian Steel ore and he said, “After all the hardship we’ve been through the past few days, I believe I have earned my share of this. This metal is easily my biggest score yet.”
Joining Numen and Wil, Hondo sharply warned, “Don’t touch that!”
Surprised, Numen asked, “Why? What’s wrong with it?”
“Even the Welts coveted that metal more than our copper and tin in our hills and the fruits of our forests. Long ago, a band of Welt blacksmiths ventured into the Territories in an attempt to acquire this metal and bring wealth to our people. However, none of them ever returned. Some say the Gods did not want this metal falling into the hands of mortals. Others claim the mysterious Dire Beast that guarded the metal devoured them. Whatever the case, that metal has a curse upon it. Civil Folk call it Aetherian Steel, but we Welts fittingly call it Dread Steel.”
Staring at the shards of Aetherian Steel, Numen chillingly commented, “If this is Aetherian Steel, then we must be close to the source of this ore.”
A moment of uncomfortable silence hung over the group like a dark cloud before Wil said, “May I advise caution? We don’t know what the source is and it could be dangerous. Sometimes stars fall in showers and some the size of mountains have been known to fall. Other tales claim darker sources that cannot be uttered.”
Nodding in agreement, Numen instructed, “Let’s keep moving and stay on alert. Pass the message along to the others.”
After those words, Numen and his followers continued through the untamed wilderness that surrounded them . . .
__ __ __
The next day, Numen and company found the forest greatly changed than before. There were hardly any trees left and there were no signs of animals. A powerful sulfurous smell filled the air, causing the group to become nauseous. To make matters worse, the fumes had rotted most of their food. Overall, their situation became even more dire.
On the upside, there was a lot more Aetherian Steel deposits that made the landscape glitter silver and black. The lack of plant and animal life combined with the Aetherian Steel gave the area an eerie beauty. It was like walking into some kind of outlandish dream. However, despite the exotic appearance of their surroundings, Numen and his followers grew concerned about the increasingly lifelessness of the environment. There were no animals to hunt and hardly any water to drink.
Eventually, Numen and his followers reached a darkly majestic sight. Standing before them were a series of hills completely made from Aetherian Steel. They glittered like the surface of the evening sea as the sun’s light reflected off them. Unfortunately, the hills also possessed a sinister feature that unsettled Numen and company. There were hundreds of charred bones belonging to both man and beast. Overall, it was a location that was wondrous yet ominous at the same time.
Part of the group wanted to turn back and find another way through the uncharted wilderness. However, it was harder to read the barren wasteland than it was to read the forests behind the group. As a result, they could not change direction out of fear of entering an even worse place than the hills before them. Stopping at the foot of the glittering hills, Numen and his companions discussed their plan.
“We will camp here and formulate our next plan of action,” Numen instructed.
However, of the twelve people following him, only half started following his directions. The rest glared at Numen with great anger.
Confused and irritated, Numen asked, “Is there a problem?”
Brandishing a battle axe, one of the freedmen stepped forward and declared, “We followed you because you promised us freedom from the slavers. Instead, you have led us to the edge of oblivion to starve and die. We are done following you, Red Phoenix!”
Holding his war hammer in a threatening way, Clovis countered, “Hey! That is not fair, Krom! Based on where we were, there was no way of knowing we would end up here! He freed us and killed the slaver scum! We owe him our lives! Now stop complaining and get to work!”
Grabbing his axe with both hands, Krom defiantly said, “We will not continue on this pointlessly long journey anymore! We are done taking orders from this false savior! He has brought us to our deaths! Kill them!”
After those words, Krom and his followers mutinied and charged at Numen and his loyalists. Drawing their weapons, Numen and his companions fought for lives against the traitors. It was not a large scale skirmish, but it was nonetheless brutal and bloody. Gore stained the Aetherian Steel ground and the sound of blades clashing filled the air.
As the mutiny progressed, Numen was completely at a loss to what was happening. Numen thought he was leading his followers to freedom, but he never expected them to turn on him so suddenly. The whole experience made Numen lose faith in his leadership skills.
While fending off a mutineer, Numen thought, How am I supposed to be Emperor if I cannot keep a band of rabble under control?
Due to his sentimental connection to his former comrades, Numen found it difficult to draw on Gramfyre’s magic. As a result, Numen could only rely on his natural sword skills. After several minutes of heavy fighting, Numen ended up slaying his adversary.
Observing his loyalists’ progress, Numen was glad that the prominent ones were faring well. Hondo and Naera were displaying their Welt ferocity as they ripped and shredded through two traitors with their bronze blades. Clovis skillfully smashed through his enemy with his war hammer, crushing bones to a bloody pulp with each swing. Tristan wielded his katzbalger in a one-handed style and seamlessly cut down another mutineer. Joe Karly dealt precise and lethal slashes with his dual kukri, relying on speed and agility instead of strength. Finally, Wil played dead while hiding under piles of corpses.
After fifteen minutes of bloodshed, the skirmish came to end when Numen came face-to-face with Krom, the sole surviving mutineer. Numen, Naera, Hondo, Clovis, Tristan, Joe, and Wil all survived. Everyone was drenched in blood and dirt to the point in which they were unrecognizable. The entire area was littered with the traitors’ corpses and a flock of ravens flew hungrily overhead. Despite being outnumbered, Krom held his ground defiantly with his axe in hand.
Pointing Gramfyre at Krom, Numen ordered, “Your fellow conspirators are all dead, Krom! Yield!”
Snarling, Krom countered, “I would rather die than continue following a false savior like you!”
“So be it!”
Numen and Krom charged at one another with the last of their strength, screaming with rage as they ran. When the two combatants collided, their duel ended with three swings. The first two swings blocked each other, but the third resulted in Numen cleaving Krom’s chest open in a geyser of blood. Krom fell backwards, his bitter expression not changing. With Krom’s death, the mutiny was over and Numen turned to his surviving loyalists.
Still in disbelief, Numen asked, “How could this have happened? I thought I was leading them to freedom and they turned on me. Am I even fit to lead after this?”
Wil crawled out of his hiding place and answered, “You cannot blame yourself for their disloyal
ty, Your Imperial Majesty. They were desperate men in a desperate situation and they acted accordingly.”
Finally, Joe turned to Wil and asked, “I always wanted to know why you keep calling him Your Imperial Majesty. I know he set us free, but I think you are giving a little too much credit.”
Pointing to Gramfyre, Wil explained, “That sword that Numen wields is the legendary Sword of Power wielded by the previous Imperial Dynasty. No one but the sword’s chosen bloodline can wield it. That’s why Raza and his men were so careful not to touch it and only allowed Numen to use it.”
Scoffing, Joe said, “That was just a legend the previous Imperial Dynasty used to glorify their reign. Are you telling me that legend is real?”
Shaking his head, Clovis countered, “Numen hit me harder than anyone ever has. If that is not a Sword of Power, I don’t know what is. Still, I am not sure if that means he could be Emperor. Either way, I am with him until the end.”
After those words, Numen’s surviving loyalists stood firm before him and Numen was moved by the sight. Still, a dark cloud of doubt hung over Numen’s head.
“I don’t think I am cut out for leadership,” Numen sighed.
The faces of his loyalists remained resolute, surprising Numen.
“You have gotten us this far and we still have debts to pay. Wherever you wish to go, we will follow,” Naera affirmed.
Naera’s words and his companions’ dedication lifted some of Numen’s despair from his shoulders . . .
__ __ __
Unknown to Numen and company, something dark and ancient was watching them from the crystalline hills. Its appearance was shrouded by the shadows, but it snorted and growled as it observed the intruders. After several intense moments, the mysterious creature returned to the darkness of its lair . . .
Numen the Slayer (Magnus Dynasty Saga Book 1) Page 12