Vaerox’s warm expression became grim when he said, “If you seek to go to Foxden Castle, that would be a very bad idea. I may be living in isolation in the Territories, but the wind and earth keep me updated on everything that is happening in the realm. They tell me that King Robar and his army is laying siege to Foxden Castle. The battle has been taking place for several weeks now. Look through our connection, Numen. Know that I am not lying.”
Numen felt his stomach sink when he heard Vaerox’s words. Throughout Numen’s journey in exile, his kin were in danger of being slaughtered by the very man who murdered his family.
His outrage still fuming, Numen demanded, “Why did Robar kill my family and why is he attacking more of my family? What’s the point of this madness?”
“House Baal has a long, dark history of feeding on the flesh of their enemies. They believe that doing so would grant them the power of their fallen foes. They believe in this to the point of zealotry. You said you are the true Emperor of Gradaia. Since your family and House Letum share your Imperial blood, Robar believes that by ingesting your flesh it would grant him the power to conquer the other Petty Kingdoms and seize the Imperial Throne for himself. He plans to usurp House Sylva after he eats you and every one of your relatives. That is King Robar’s ultimate ambition.”
Disgust and rage boiled inside of Numen’s soul as he contemplated the vile method to Robar’s madness. Numen’s family was butchered in order to be eaten and fuel the king’s crazed nonsense.
Vaerox noticed Numen’s distress and asked, “What do you plan to do, young one? I can help you avenge your family if you wish.”
Shaking his head, Numen countered, “No. Your race has just been saved. I can’t force you to abandon your eggs just to fight a petty battle. Can you take us to the Welt forests?”
His scaly lips forming a smile, Vaerox answered, “Anything you want, Monster Slayer, but if you change your mind about involving me please do not hesitate to summon me through our bond. If you do, I will be with you in a jiffy.”
Bowing his head as a sign of respect, Numen said, “Thank you, Vaerox the Blood Demon.”
CHAPTER 32
One day later . . .
As requested, Vaerox carried Numen and his companions to the outskirts of Welt territory. The whole experience was unlike anything Numen and company had experienced before. Throughout the flight, they felt the cold wind biting at their faces and the air was so thin that they had trouble breathing. They were flying so fast that the turbulence made their innards push against their spines. In fact, Wil developed such motion sickness that he threw up over Vaerox’s shoulder. Below them, the world was so small and far away that it made them feel like giants.
Vaerox’s scales were as hard as rocks yet glittered like rubies and gold. The sunlight reflecting off Vaerox’s scales made them even more magnificent. His wings were so massive that they looked like ominous sails of a menacing warship. Numen and company recalled that climbing onto Vaerox’s back was like trying to scale a steep mountain.
Finally, after flying tirelessly for a day, Vaerox brought his passengers to a meadow that was large enough for him to land. As Vaerox landed, the gust created by his wings made the surrounding trees and bushes rustle violently. Vaerox crouched as low as he could and stretched his right wing out so that Numen and his companions could slide down. Riding Vaerox’s leathery wing was more fun than Numen thought as the thrill of the descent flowed through him.
When Numen and company were on the ground, Vaerox rose on all fours and said, “My offer for help still stands. If you change your mind, summon me and I will come.”
Smiling, Numen replied, “I am grateful, Vaerox the Blood Demon. For now, go to your young and keep them safe.”
After that exchange, Vaerox spread his wings took to the sky in an explosive burst before swiftly disappearing into the clouds. Numen and his friends were left in awe of Vaerox’s departure for several long moments. When their amazement faded, they walked into Welt territory.
__ __ __
As Numen and company walked through the dense wilderness, Wil was speaking with great excitement.
“Traveling with you has been a very grand adventure, Your Imperial Majesty! First you freed us! Then you took us on a pilgrimage into the Territories! Finally, you tamed a dragon and save his race from extinction! I am already thinking of poems and songs about your exploits and our adventures! Would you like to hear one?”
Irritated, Joe and Tristan shouted in unison, “No!”
Unfazed by Joe and Tristan’s protests, Wil countered, “I did not ask you gentlemen, did I. What say you, Your Imperial Majesty?”
This time, Clovis cut Wil off by saying, “Look, Wil, I know Numen has done many great things recently, but I am still not convinced that he is the true Emperor he claims to be.”
Outraged, Wil shot back, “What is it going to take to convince you lot that we are traveling with Imperial Royalty? All the feats he has done are all signs the Gods themselves have given us! If you paid more attention, you would know that Numen is who he says he is! You have to have faith above all else!”
Growling, Joe said, “Faith is an easy thing for a Sage like you to have, but is harder to come by for the rest of us! Now drop this nonsense before you give me another headache!”
Puffing his chest proudly, Wil declared, “Never!”
Smiling cheerfully, Numen said, “Go ahead, Wil. Tell us a poem.”
Grinning, Wil recited, “As you wish, Your Imperial Majesty!
From the gloom of chains rose the gold phoenix. With his talons of black and red he freed his neighbors. Into the unknown he flew with his flock in tow. Out from the abyss rose another beast of fire; a dragon as red as blood. The two kings of the inferno communed with one another and dealt quite a bargain. The phoenix offered his heart to the dragon and the dragon pledged himself to bird of flames. After the exchange, a miracle was born as a race doomed to die lived again. Now the phoenix flies back to his nest, hoping to find some rest.
What do you think, Your Imperial Majesty?”
Chuckling, Numen replied, “That was good. You have a natural talent, Wil.”
Blushing, Wil asked, “Do I have your permission to spread it to every minstrel and playwright in the kingdom when we return to civilization?”
Becoming more serious, Numen said, “You can do whatever you want when we take King Robar down. For now, we must get back to the Welts and ask Naera and Hondo’s father for aide.”
Brimming with confidence, Hondo assured, “Father will help us, Numen. He is in your debt like Vaerox and all of us here are. You can count on him.”
Smiling shyly, Numen murmured, “Thank you, Hondo.”
Tilting her head with curiosity, Naera said, “Come to think of it you have a knack for making people indebted to you, Numen. First, you saved me and Hondo, which won you the loyalty of the Welts. Second, you freed Wil, Clovis, and the other slaves, which gave you their devotion. Finally, you bonded with Vaerox and gave his eggs life, which made them your strongest allies. You have a unique charisma, courage, and integrity that few men possess. That must be why people are so drawn to you. If you do become Emperor some day, I think you will be a great ruler.”
Warming up with Naera’s words, Numen said, “I appreciate your praise and optimism, Naera. I am glad I ended up marrying you.”
Blushing, Naera replied, “As am I.”
Then Numen and company continued through the thick wilderness in search of the Welts . . .
CHAPTER 33
After several hours of hiking, Numen and company finally arrived at the Welt village. The community was as lively as ever and all of the Welts cheered with joy when they saw Numen and his friends enter.
As Numen walked past them, the Welts repeatedly chanted, “Monster Slayer! Monster Slayer!”
Out of the crowd emerged Jarl Gramba, still wearing his ceremonial garb.
When he reached the visitors, Gramba said, “Welcome back, Monster Slayer. We
thought you were trying to get to your kin.”
Nervous, Numen explained, “That is why we are here. We learned that my relatives are under attack from King Robar. I came to ask for your help to bring him and his army down.”
Gramba paused for a moment and said, “How many men does the king have?”
“We were told he has eighteen thousand men.”
Upon hearing those words, Gramba and the other Welts burst into laughter. Numen was confused by their reaction. He expected them to be afraid of fighting such large numbers.
“What’s so funny?” Numen demanded.
The Welts stopped laughing and Gramba replied, “Our forces may be small, but we are capable of fighting against numerically superior armies. Like all the Civil Folk, you must have heard the rumors about us.”
Thinking, Numen said, “A lot of what I heard I regarded as myths told by people who did not understand you. Some say your warriors wield the strength and fury of ten men. Others say men fall in droves at the touch of your blades. Are you saying there is truth in those legends?”
Smiling slyly under his skull mask, Gramba answered, “There is truth to those legends. We may not have the armor, weapons, or discipline that Civil Folk possess, but we more than make up with ferocity and cunning. We possess the strength and fury of ten men because we drink a potion that turns us into berserkers. Our enemies fall in droves because we lace our weapons with poison that will kill you in minutes. We have the power to help you avenge your family. You can count on that.”
Hope filling his heart, Numen asked, “How soon can you be ready? How many warriors do you have?”
“All of our warriors are here in the village. That way we don’t have to wait for weeks to raise an army. All we have to do is drink our potions, poison our blades, and put on our armor. The population of this village is over eight thousand, but less than half are warriors. As a result, we can assemble and prepare three thousand five hundred men in three days. That consists of two thousand infantry, one thousand archers, and five hundred cavalry.”
Initially, Numen was concerned about the apparently small size of the Welt army. However, if they were as deadly and fierce as they claimed then Numen believed they could get him close enough to kill King Robar.
“What do I do now?” Numen asked intently.
“You just rest and watch us work, Monster Slayer.”
__ __ __
Three days later . . .
Numen was amazed at the surprising speed and efficiency the Welts displayed as they assembled their army. Throughout the whole process Numen got to see the customs the Welts practiced as the prepared for war. At the far side of the village were three differently colored pools of mysterious fluid. Every single Welt that was following Numen was drinking from the odd fluids.
Gramba called them the Druid Pools and explained to Numen the purpose of each one. First, the red pool was what made the Welts turn into berserkers in the heat of battle. Second, the blue pool gave the berserkers just enough self-control to prevent them from turning on their allies. Finally, the green pool was meant for hardening, sharpening, and poisoning their weapons.
The weapons in the Welts’ possession were the most exotic and diverse Numen had ever seen. Instead of the standard armor and equipment wielded by the Civil Folk, the Welts utilized seemingly more primitive tools of war. Their blades were bronze instead of iron or steel, their handles were shaped from either wood, ivory, or bone, and the wrapping on the hilts were either rawhide, sinew, or leather. Rather than deploying average longbows, the Welts had horn-and-sinew double-curved bows with bronze, barbed arrowheads. Also, the Welt’s shields were circular blends between wood and bronze with thick spikes sprouting from the center.
While Civil Folk used longswords, battle axes, and lances, the Welts were more liberal in their choice of weapons. Their swords consisted of blades such as the ida, panabas, and falcata. All three of these swords looked as though they were suited for agriculture as well as warfare. Instead of normal axes or hatchets, the Welts carried hunga mungas and nzappa zaps. In terms of spears or lances, the Welts utilized iklwas, which were a type of short spear that were three feet long with ten-inch blades. Their daggers were either dirks or seaxes.
Even the Welts’ armor and protection was unique. Like all of their metal, the Welts wore bronze gorgets, vambraces, and hauberks. In addition, they wore boiled leather clothing and animal hides as cloaks.
After stockpiling their beautiful yet grisly arsenal, the Welts lined up to dip their blades in the green pool. Numen noticed that they were being extremely careful not to touch the lime-colored fluid. Whatever it was must has been so poisonous that it could kill someone just by touching their skin. Just being around such deadly weapons made Numen uneasy, but he smiled at the thought of Robar and his army being killed by the Welts’ venomous blades.
Once their weapons were poisoned and their armor fastened, the Welts proceeded to decorate their faces with blue war paint. The paint was formed into elaborate patterns that almost made the Welts’ faces demonic in appearance. They also painted their horses in the same blue substance.
Horses were not the only animals the Welts were planning to use in the forthcoming battle. Hundreds of wolves they domesticated were gathered. It became clear to Numen that the Welts intended to use the wolves like war hounds to rip enemy soldiers to shreds. Goosebumps formed on Numen’s skin as he realized the chilling and barbaric methods the Welts were planning to use. Still, Numen knew that he had to take advantage of every trick he could get his hands on.
Finally, after waiting for many days, the Welts were ready to fight King Robar and his Mad Army. Even though they were few in number compared to the armies of House Baal, Numen had to admit that the Welts were an intimidating sight to behold. Their ominous presence almost made them seem not human but feral beasts pretending to be men. Some of the Welts carried banners made from animal hides that bore the Magnus sigil. Hondo, Naera, and Gramba stood at the front of the host and were dressed just like their kin.
One Welt approached Numen with a powerful, black war stallion. The beast was regal and frightening at the same time. He looked at Numen with intense brown eyes that possessed immense authority. Overall, the horse possessed all of the features of the other Welt horses. Within moments, Numen fell in love with the horse.
The Welt who brought the horse said, “His name is Shadow. May he serve you well, Monster Slayer.”
Bowing in acknowledgement, Numen replied, “Thank you, friend. I will treasure him forever.”
Hoisting himself onto Shadow’s back, Numen turned to the Welt army and declared, “I want to thank you all for coming to my aid when I needed you most. The fate of the entire kingdom and possibly the Empire will be decided in the next few days. Come with me and change the world!”
Numen drew Gramfyre and held it over his head, the Welts cheering in great enthusiasm. The very sight of the invigorated Welt force filled Numen with much needed hope. For the first time since the first day of his exile, Numen felt like he will finally avenge his family.
Turning to the road ahead, Numen pointed Gramfyre onward and ordered, “To war!”
After that declaration, Numen and the Welt army began to march out of the forest with thunderous footsteps. Ahead of them stood an uncertain future, but the promise of glory . . .
CHAPTER 34
Two days later . . .
After a long march, the noble Houses of Torren, Drada, and Marmor made camp outside of a vast forest not far from Foxden Castle. The encampment was stationed in a vast field with a few hills in the distance. Alive with activity, the rebel army prepared for the battle that was about to unfold.
Inside the command tent, the rebel leaders were debating on potential strategies. There was a large wooden table in the center of the tent with a layout of Foxden Castle’s architecture. At the head of the table were Braun and Edgar Torren, who were serious and slightly nervous. On the right side of the table were Harald and Roland Drada, st
ill displaying their shy demeanor. On the left side of the table were William and Wart Marmor, who seemed not very concerned with the outcome of the battle. Overall, the war council was a seething cauldron of conflicting emotions.
Standing firm over the table, Braun announced, “Here is the situation, My Lords. We are outnumbered two to one. Even if we catch Robar and his army by surprise, they have dug a series of spiked trenches defending their rear and flanks. We won’t be able to engage them in a direct attack. I propose we probe and prod their defenses until we find a way to slip past and inflict maximum damage.”
Emitting a mirthless barking laugh, William countered, “There is a flaw in your plan, Baron Torren. If we spend too much time testing their defenses, they will turn around and retaliate. They understand how to maneuver this field better than we do.”
Softly, Harald mused, “It is a shame we cannot do a brute force attack. My brother and I were looking forward to cleaving men in the vanguard.”
Scoffing at Harald and Roland, Wart taunted, “Typical Dradas. Always thinking only of fighting and nothing else. Our father must have been a fool to our sister to you dumb brutes!”
Outraged, Roland rose from his seat and bellowed, “How dare you insult my family and my wife! You call us dumb brutes, but do you know what happens when you anger a dumb brute?”
Reached for his sword, Wart snarled, “Is that a threat I hear, dumb brute?”
Just as the war council was on the verge of erupting into chaos, Braun ordered, “That’s enough! Have you forgotten why we united in the first place? The fate of our families and Umbran as a whole is at stake. If we fall apart now before the battle begins, we will fail and all of our efforts will be for nothing! Do you not understand that?”
Instead of answering, the Dradas and Marmors stormed out of the tent fuming. Braun and Edgar found themselves alone in the tent in a state of despair.
Numen the Slayer (Magnus Dynasty Saga Book 1) Page 14