As if on command, Robar’s surviving men dropped their weapons and fell to their knees. Robar, however, defiantly held his weapons before reluctantly yielding himself. When he kneeled, Robar glared at Numen with a venomous gaze . . .
__ __ __
Katherine held her children firmly as they listened to sounds of battle outside. They did not know if they were saved or the castle garrison was overrun. The uncertainty of the situation was smothering them like a thick blanket. Willa’s cries echoed through the room like a wailing spirit.
“Mother, are we going to be all right?” Robin asked, crying profusely.
Weeping with her son, Katherine admitted, “I don’t know, Dear. Your father is out there to protect us. Have faith in him and the Gods and we will be fine.”
At that moment, Katherine heard heavy footsteps coming from down the hall. Who was approaching? Was it the castle garrison or was it Baal soldiers coming to execute them? The fear and uncertainty Katherine felt before intensified as the footsteps drew closer and closer. Finally, the oak doors of the chamber swung open and Katherine saw Edward and five of his men enter.
Relieved and confused at the same time, Katherine asked, “Ed . . . what’s going on?”
Instead of answering, Edward and the garrison parted to reveal a young man who was vaguely familiar. After a moment, Katherine recognized the newcomer.
“Cousin Numen!” Katherine exclaimed with joy.
Grinning with triumph, Numen held up Gramfyre and proudly announced, “The battle is over! We have won!”
Pure happiness washed over Katherine as she embraced her children warmly . . .
CHAPTER 38
In the aftermath of the battle, Numen and his allies assessed the damage. Out of the eleven thousand five hundred men they brought about nine thousand survived. Also, only twenty of the one thousand two hundred defenders survived the siege. On the upside, out of the original eighteen thousand men Robar came with, the remaining one hundred were taken prisoner.
Even though the Baal army was defeated, Numen showed no mercy even towards their dead. He ordered his men to remove the heads of all the Baal corpses. Half of them were given to the Welts due to their practice as head hunters. The other half were mounted on spikes and planted all over the field as a warning against anyone who defied Numen and his allies. It was a grisly and graphic sight to behold. Some of Numen’s newfound vassals were appalled by the brutality he was using, but they were too frightened to speak due to the power Numen wielded.
Days later outside of Foxden Castle, Numen and his army gathered their captives at the edge of the corpse-littered battlefield in front of a large oak tree stump. A number of tree stumps peppered the landscape from when Robar’s army built siege engines. Meanwhile, Vaerox fed on the headless bodies like a cow grazing grass.
Numen stood before Robar and his men, glaring at them with hate-filled eyes. While most of his followers were frightened into submission, Robar defiantly stared back at Numen. For a while, neither one of them made a sound.
Finally, Numen asked, “How does it feel to lose everything? That is how you made me feel when you killed my family and fed on their flesh!”
“They were my only way to achieve my ambition! I could have been Emperor and you took it away from me! By what right do you interfere with my dreams? By what right?” Robar viciously snarled.
Angrily, Numen pointed Gramfyre’s tip at Robar’s throat, but the king remained stubbornly defiant.
“Do it! Kill me! You’ve destroyed everything I lived for!” Robar goaded.
At first, Numen wanted to slit Robar’s throat and end his vengeance once and for all. However, something crept into Numen’s mind that halted his blade.
After contemplating the surprising idea, Numen smiled and asked, “Do you honestly believe that you are worthy to be king of Umbran?”
Smirking sickeningly, Robar affirmed, “Of course I am! It is my birthright to be king! The strong feed on the weak in this kingdom and I am the strongest man in Umbran! You dare question my rule and the lineage of Baal kings who reigned before me?”
His grin broadening, Numen goaded, “Are you willing to bet your life on that claim?”
Scoffing, Robar boasted, “I do, whelp! Anyone who questions the king seldom lives to tell the tale!”
Withdrawing Gramfyre from Robar’s throat, Numen declared, “Then I challenge you to a duel to the death. If you win, you go free to fight another day. If I win, your crown, throne, and kingdom all belong to me. What say you?”
Scowling, Robar bitterly answered, “I accept your challenge if only for the chance to avenge my humiliation!”
Turning to the surrounding rebel army, Numen ordered, “Give us room and give King Robar his weapons!”
Initially, the rebels hesitated, but they did as instructed and formed a ring around Numen and Robar that was fifty yards across. To ensure that Robar’s remaining men did not interfere with the duel, the captives were kept under heavy guard. Robar took up his meat cleaver and falchion before donning his crowned helmet. Numen brandished Gramfyre and was given a heater shield and a barbute helmet. The two men stood on either side of the circle and stared each other down, waiting for one of them to make the first move.
In the blink of an eye, the duel began as Numen and Robar charged at one another with feral rage. Robar lashed out with his falchion and meat cleaver, but Numen defended himself with his shield. However, while the meat cleaver did minimal damage, the Aetherian Steel falchion bit deeply into the edge of the shield. With Robar’s falchion stuck in the shield, Numen swung Gramfyre, narrowly missing Robar’s left side. Even though his falchion was trapped, Robar continued to relentlessly bombard Numen with strikes from his meat cleaver, splintering his shield even more in an attempt to free his main blade. Within moments, the shield was crumbling apart and Numen used what remained of it to push Robar. After that push, Numen’s shield completely fell apart and he was free to wield Gramfyre with both hands.
As Robar struggled to regain his footing, Numen prepared to thrust Gramfyre into Robar’s gut. However, the king kicked some dirt into Numen’s eyes, throwing Numen off balance. With a burning and itching sensation pestering his eyes, Numen was barely able to fend off Robar’s ensuing onslaught. Numen was forced to frantically swing his sword as though trying to fight an invisible opponent. While Numen was doing this, he felt his foe score some shallow yet stinging hits on his arms and legs.
Growling with rage, Numen desperately swung Gramfyre in the hopes of hitting something. To Numen’s relief, he felt Gramfyre’s blade cut into something. Numen could not tell if it was an arm, leg, or one of Robar’s weapons, but he could hear Robar scream with pain and outrage. When Numen’s impaired vision cleared, he smiled when he saw Robar’s left hand severed. The maimed appendage lay on the ground, still clutching the rusty meat cleaver. Robar was forced to his knees as he looked at his stump wrist.
Roaring with triumphant anger, Numen gripped Gramfyre with both hands and prepared to deliver a heavy strike at Robar. This was the moment Numen imagined since Magnus Keep fell. Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Robar lifted his falchion with his remaining hand to defend himself. Numen could feel Gramfyre’s magic surging through his veins like molten steel and the sword’s blade became in golden flames that materialized from nowhere. Numen was too focused on killing Robar to be distracted by Gramfyre’s unexpected combustion, but he noticed the king look at him with both awe and terror as though Numen was an angel of death and vengeance.
Then the final blow was struck as Gramfyre easily broke Robar’s Aetherian Steel falchion in two and cleaved his chest open. A geyser of blood erupted from Robar’s deformed torso as he slowly choked to death on his own gore. Numen could see the look of fear, confusion, and rage in Robar’s eyes through the king’s helmet. To complete his victory, Numen kicked Robar in the chest, forcing him to fall backwards. When Robar hit the ground, his hump made him look like a turtle on its back. Once the duel was over, the i
nferno that consumed Gramfyre’s blade faded away into the wind.
Numen glared at Robar’s corpse with deep satisfaction for what seemed like an eternity. When he turned his attention to the rebels, they all looked at him with amazement. Even the king’s surviving men were astonished by what they witnessed. Braun then emerged from the crowd, star-struck with what he had witnessed.
“Numen! You shattered an Aetherian Steel blade with one blow and your weapon caught fire! That must be the lost Sword of Power! You really are the true emperor of this world!” Braun exclaimed in disbelief.
Laughing mirthlessly, Numen shouted, “You’re damn right! The Butcher Tyrant, Robar of House Baal, is dead!”
After those words, the rebels burst into cheering as they witnessed Numen raising Gramfyre triumphantly over his head.
“Red Phoenix!” the rebels chanted over and over again.
It was a level of praise Numen had never experienced before and a part of him craved more of it. A new aspect of his identity had awakened like Numen was in the process of being transformed into someone ruthless, powerful, and dark. Was this what it meant to be a king? Was is what it meant to be an emperor? Numen did not know the difference.
After a long time of cheering, Numen lowered Gramfyre and raised a hand for silence. Then he said, “Bring the prisoners forward.”
As instructed, Numen’s allies dragged the prisoners before him and pushed them at his feet. They all looked at Numen with a combination of rage, fear, and awe. Numen could not help savoring their expressions.
Raising Gramfyre towards the men, Numen declared, “Renounce all loyalty to House Baal, swear fealty to me, and you will be allowed to live. If you insist on defying me, you will share your former king’s fate. What say you?”
For a moment, the Baal soldiers looked at Numen with bitter fear as tears filled their eyes. Finally, they all kneeled before him and kept their gaze down.
In unison, the Baal soldier vowed, “We swear before the blood of the Gods to serve you until our deaths!”
Smiling with pride, Numen sheathed Gramfyre and instructed, “Rise and receive your first orders.” When the soldiers obeyed, Numen said, “Travel to the farthest corners of Umbran and tell everyone you encounter everything that happened here and the price of getting in my way. Go and be free.”
Shyly, the Baal soldiers rose to their feet and scampered through the rebel army to the world beyond.
After their former enemies fled, Edgar asked, “Is it wise to let them go, Numen?”
Grinning with confidence, Numen replied, “It is important to leave them alive to tell the tale. When the rest of Umbran learns of what happened here, we will be both feared and respected. Their only options will be to kneel or burn. They cannot spread that message far and wide if I keep them chained up.”
Many of the rebels cheered in agreement, but Edgar was the only one looking at Numen with concern.
Raising his sword above his head to silence his men, Numen ordered, “Rest and fortify the defenses of Foxden Castle. Send messenger pigeons to all the baronies to swear fealty to me. In the next few weeks, we will consolidate our hold on this kingdom!”
Again, the men cheered before disbanding to perform their assigned tasks. One soldier approached Numen, pointed at Robar’s broken falchion, and asked, “Your Majesty, what should we do with Robar Baal’s Aetherian Steel blade?”
After noticing the dark beauty of the sword’s metal, Numen answered, “Save it for later use. I have big plans for it when all of this is over.”
__ __ __
Katherine and Edward watched over the rest of the Letums as they recovered from their injuries. Brom wore a bandage that wrapped the right side of his face while another hugged his right thigh. Benjamin was unconscious as he rested from a head injury he sustained in the last moments of the siege. Lara’s shoulder was stitched together and she was sleeping with ragged breaths.
“We came close to losing everything, Ed,” Katherine said solemnly.
Nodding in agreement, Edward said, “Aye. The castle was lost before Cousin Numen arrived. If he did not come when he did, we would all be dead right now. We are forever in his debt.”
Displaying a sad expression, Katherine said, “My father claims that Numen spent time in the wild after Robar murdered his family. I cannot help but sense that changed him somehow. Is he even the same kind, loving person we all know? I’m scared for him, Ed!”
At that moment, Edgar entered the room and concurred, “Aye, Sister. You did not see him out there. The men are praising him for defeating Robar and he is clearly enjoying it. I think he even enjoys killing in general because I saw a blissful glimmer in his eyes as he struck Robar down. Cousin Numen has become someone bloodthirsty, ruthless, and power hungry. You’re right, Katherine, our cousin is not the same person we remember.”
Braun, who overheard the discussion, came and explained, “He has become a man, Edgar. It is a savage world we live in and a savage place always breeds savage men. Numen lost his innocence when he lost his family and exiled into the wilderness. It may not look like it, but this is a good thing not just for our family but all of Umbran. Numen had proved himself a strong leader and warrior. To make things better, he has demonstrated to have the sense to not excessively punish his defeated enemies and show mercy when he needs to. Umbran needs that kind of man to lead it because Numen has shown a natural talent to rule.”
For several uncomfortable moments, the Torrens and Letums remained silent as they contemplated Braun’s words.
Noticing that Edgar was unsettled, Braun asked, “Is something bothering you, Son?”
Swallowing hard, Edgar replied, “You always taught me how to fight and lead armies, but experiencing the reality of war was beyond anything you could teach me. I will never know peace after knowing such horror and death.”
Scoffing, Braun scolded, “Were you not listening to me, Edgar? It is a hard place that breeds hard men! If you do not harden and remain soft, you will not survive in this wretched world! Man up and accept what you did!”
Edgar flinched as Braun yelled at him. Afterwards, the Torrens and Letums stood in silence as they thought about the uncertain future that lay ahead . . .
__ __ __
As night fell, Numen walked to the outskirts of the battle. While the rebel army celebrated their victory at Foxden Castle, Numen was meeting up with Vaerox, who was busy digging a large pit on the far side of the field. Throughout the day, the dragon had been busy devouring every corpse on the battlefield in order to get rid of any diseases. Already the dragon’s belly was bulging like a fat tick. Now, Vaerox was creating a way to further dispose of the remains after he was finished digesting them.
Upon reaching Vaerox, Numen asked, “Is it almost ready?”
Grunting with exertion, Vaerox answered, “Aye. I have almost reached the depth you specified. Why do you want to bury the remains in this location?”
Smiling with pride, Numen said, “I am thinking of building a large Temple over their bones to further immortalize our victory. I can already picture it in my mind.”
Shaking his horned head, Vaerox said, “Aye. I can see it through our bond, but I can also feel your increasing pride. I would advise caution, Monster Slayer. You may have won a great victory today, but you also created a large number of powerful enemies. The earth and wind have told me warnings of such enemies such as the current Emperor who is sitting on your ancestors’ throne. When word spreads of this, he may see you as a threat to his reign and either send an invading army or a stealthy assassin.”
His confidence beginning to fade, Numen admitted, “I still can’t hear the earth and wind like you can. So far, our bond seems to be a one-way connection. You apparently feel what I feel and think what I think, but I can’t do the same with you. How do I fix this problem, Vaerox?”
Looking at the stars for thought, Vaerox finally said, “This bond we share is unlike anything that has ever existed between Gods and mortals or men and beasts. I a
m as unfamiliar and uncertain as you are. My only suggestion is to give it time to grow and mature. That way you might be able to hear and see what I do.”
“Are sure it’s all right for you to be here? What about your eggs? Are they safe?” Numen asked with great concern.
Emitting a guttural chuckle, Vaerox said, “Oh they are safe, Monster Slayer. I am not this plump simply because I ate an army. In addition to a stomach, I also have a pouch that allows me to carry eggs when I have to leave the nest. Once I find a safe place to put them, I will make it my new nest. Any suggestions?”
After some thought, Numen asked, “Magnus Keep is pretty much ruined beyond all possible repair. Now that I am king I no longer need it. You can have it and its surrounding lands as your new nest. Think of it as a reward for helping us when we needed you.”
Creating a reptilian purring noise, Vaerox replied, “I am seriously loving the person you are becoming, Monster Slayer. My children will grow to love you and your children when the time comes. This bond we share really is the greatest blessing the dragon race could ever ask for.”
Curious, Numen further asked, “What about your old nest? What will you do with it?”
Shrugging his spiky shoulders, Vaerox answered, “I no longer need it just as you no longer need your old home. You and the other citizens of Umbran can do what you want with it. I know that Aetherian Steel is worth three times its weight in gold. It should give your new kingdom more wealth than it could ever want.”
Overwhelmed, Numen said, “You are quite generous, Vaerox! I don’t know what to say.”
“There is no need to say anything, Monster Slayer. Your relatives in that castle will also be quite wealthy in their own right as well. Dragon fire does not just burn and destroy. The ash created by my flames is the best fertilizer any farmer could ask for. I estimate that this battle produced enough fertilizer to last a decade or so. I can make more if need be. In addition to introducing more wealth, your new subjects will be given more fertile land. Your people do not know it yet, but you have already done more for them than the Baal Dynasty could ever hope to do. Trust me you will thank me later.”
Numen the Slayer (Magnus Dynasty Saga Book 1) Page 17