A March into Darkness dobas-2

by Robert Newcomb

At last! Tristan rejoiced. We can finally meet them on equal terms!

  He lowered his spyglass and trained it on the battlefield. Following Tristan’s orders, Rafe’s riders were well out ahead of the low-flying Minions and the warriors charging on foot. Tristan’s plan called for the highlander riders to charge directly through the spaces between the shrews’ undisciplined ranks and kill as many as possible on the first pass. Those shrews still alive would be dealt with by the warriors on foot, while those higher up would busy themselves with the red creatures. Tristan held his breath as the two opposing forces on the ground and in the air rushed toward each other.

  One hundred meters, he thought. Seventy…forty…ten…

  With a thunderous clash, the two armies tore into each other.

  Hanging sideways from their saddles, Rafe’s highlanders courageously threaded their charging mounts among the onrushing shrews and launched arrow after arrow at the snarling beasts. Hundreds of shrews went crashing to the earth. Then more fell, and more after that. By the time they reached the warriors, their ranks had thinned. As the highlanders rode thorough the ragged ends of the shrew lines, they reclaimed their saddles and wheeled their horses around. Waving their sabers this time, they charged to attack the beasts from the rear.

  As the remaining shrews met the warriors, the Minions on the ground started hacking into the beasts. Grateful that the first part of his plan was succeeding, Tristan turned his attention to the air campaign.

  Because the airborne warriors could finally see their opponents, they could fight them in earnest. Soon dead envelopers and warriors started falling from the sky to oftentimes crash haphazardly atop the Minions and the shrews fighting below them. Sometimes only clothing, weapons, and wet bones fell, marking the death of another warrior. Soon the battlefield was strewn with carnage of every conceivable kind.

  As Tristan watched the battle unfold, his right hand tightened around the spyglass. He longed to be with his forces. He could feel theK’Shari Forestallment calling out to him, demanding to be used. But he knew that for now his place was on the bow of theTammerland, overseeing the battle. Taking a deep breath, he lowered the spyglass and turned to look at the worried Conclave members. Now there was nothing to do but wait, and see which way the tide of battle turned.

  The massive carnage would go on for three more hours. In the end, the Conclave forces would triumph. As Tristan watched his bloodied warriors and highlanders return from the battlefield, he closed his eyes in gratitude.

  But he knew that even now it wasn’t over. Although Serena’s forces had been weakened, he had every confidence that she had kept some in reserve for a last-ditch effort to defend her child. He was sure of it, because it was what he would have done. Worse, Serena’s mystics and Valrenkians probably outnumbered his mystics. Even so, there was no time to lose.

  As soon as theJin’Sai could regroup his tired army, he would attack the Recluse for the final time. They would either take it, or die trying.

  CHAPTER LXV

  “YOU FOOLS!” SERENA SHOUTED ANGRILY. “HOW DAREyou suggest that the Recluse is impregnable? Didn’t you see what happened out there this morning? We grow weaker while the Conclave grows stronger!”

  As she paced the confines of her sumptuous chambers, the Vagaries queen was beside herself with rage. She turned to look at Dagmar. The handmaiden sat in a chair on the room’s other side, suckling Clarice. The loving scene softened the queen’s expression briefly, but she soon turned back to again glare at her contrite servants.

  The Conclave’s idea to mark her envelopers had been completely unexpected. Einar and Reznik had not been able to devise a way to remove the red stain from the creatures’ skins. From this day forward the envelopers would be prime targets for theJin’Sai ’s troops.

  Worse, more than half of Serena’s envelopers and shrews had been killed in the latest attack. Although the Conclave’s losses had also been heavy, she correctly guessed that they were not as serious as hers. But Serena still held several tactical advantages.

  Einar and Reznik were partly right-the Recluse would be exceedingly difficult to conquer. As far as she knew, there were no ways in or out through the castle’s lower regions. The walls were more than three feet thick, making them nearly impervious to attack. And although the water surrounding the Recluse was gone, the wide, muddy lake bottom that had been left behind would be very difficult to slog across on foot.

  She also knew that each of the Black Ships was too large to set down in the castle outer ward. The Black Ships could bring the remaining Minion warriors near so that they could try to fly over the walls. But for theJin’Sai ’s mystics to effectively use their gifts against her, they would eventually have to put the ships at rest. From the guard paths she had watched the Conclave mystics dig the ships’ earthen cradles. The technique was clever, but would be very time-consuming to perform while under attack. Should the Conclave try to do it near the castle, her consuls would quickly take advantage of their vulnerability and strike down on them from above.

  “With all due respect, Your Grace, there are two things regarding Clarice that need our attention,” Einar said, interrupting her thoughts.

  Serena narrowed her eyes and looked at her lead consul. “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “First, we must remove the spell that you conjured about Clarice after your tragic miscarriage. As I recall, it was designed to preserve her body while we furthered our research. Now that she is reborn, keeping it in place might harm her.”

  Serena nodded. “Very well,” she said. “What is your second suggestion?”

  “During my perusal of the Scroll of the Vagaries, I found mention of a ‘partial’ time enchantment,” Einar answered. “I read the formula, and it appears valid. I suggest that Clarice be immediately protected by its workings.”

  Serena scowled. “What are you talking about?” she demanded. “There is no such thing as apartial time enchantment.”

  As Einar walked toward Dagmar and Clarice, he dropped the hood of his robe to show his sharp features and intelligent eyes. Dagmar had finished suckling the child, and she was gently rocking the baby in her arms. For a moment Einar lovingly reached down to stroke Clarice’s downy hair.

  “Ah, but there is such a spell, Your Grace,” he answered. Placing his hands into the opposite sleeves of his robe, he turned to face his queen.

  “As we know, a time enchantment carries two distinct parts,” he said. “One part stops the aging process. The other protects the subject from disease. We had always thought that the two were inseparable. They aren’t.”

  Serena was intrigued. She highly respected Einar’s intelligence. Moreover, she trusted him. But if her daughter was to be involved, she would need proof.

  “Can you show me the calculations?” she asked.

  “Of course,” Einar answered.

  The consul produced a parchment from the folds of his robe. He unrolled it and started reading aloud. At the same time he caused the formula’s glowing numbers and symbols to hover in the air for his queen’s inspection.

  Serena walked closer and read the calculations. What she saw surprised her. It was indeed a formula for a partial time enchantment. Unlike the full spell, this one held only those calculations that would protect Clarice from disease, and it had been formulated to work independently of the half that halted the aging process.

  She immediately understood how this could greatly benefit her child. Granting Clarice a full-time enchantment would be counterproductive to the Heretics’ plans, because it would keep her from maturing to an age that would allow her to consciously employ the craft. But if Serena could forever protect her daughter from disease, the advantage would be enormous.

  She looked back at Einar. “You are sure about this?” she asked.

  Einar nodded. “Yes,” he answered. “The child’s health should be protected-especially because the Recluse was recently inhabited by lepers. The choice is yours. But should you proceed, I suggest that you first dismantl
e the other spell. Despite the strength of Clarice’s blood, I would not wish to see the two calculations entwine in a subject who is so young and vulnerable.”

  “Of course,” Serena answered.

  She walked to the balcony, thinking. She would remain that way for some time before deciding. Finally she turned back to look at Einar.

  “Very well,” she finally answered. “I agree that it should be done. But after I dismantle the first spell, I want you to apply the partial time enchantment. You are more familiar with its workings.”

  “As you wish, Your Grace,” Einar answered.

  Serena’s lead consul could barely contain his delight. Finding the spell had been a stroke of luck. Not only would it protect the child, but it would further cement Serena’s bond with him. He had no doubt that after the war was won, he would become a high-ranking official in Serena’s new order.

  He looked at Dagmar. “Bring the child to me,” he said.

  Under Serena’s watchful eye, Dagmar stood and carried the squirming baby to the consul. Einar looked at his queen.

  “With your permission, Your Grace?” he asked.

  Serena nodded. From his place on the other side of the room, Reznik watched with rapt fascination. After handing the child over to Einar, Dagmar walked to stand beside the herbmaster.

  Einar cradled the child in his arms. She cooed quietly as he looked down at her.

  “Whenever you are ready, Your Grace,” he said.

  Serena closed her eyes and started to dismantle the spell. She did so carefully, taking great pains to be sure that the convoluted formula had been completely eradicated. After she opened her eyes, she hurried over to check on her daughter.

  Einar smiled. “Well done, Your Grace,” he said. “There seem to be no ill effects.”

  Glad to see that the child had not been harmed, Serena lovingly took Clarice into her arms. She rocked her gently for a time before looking back at Einar.

  “You may proceed,” she said. Einar could easily detect the ominous warning her voice carried. “But if any harm befalls her, you will die,” Serena added.

  “I understand,” Einar answered.

  Closing his eyes, he folded his hands before him and recalled the needed incantation. Although it was much like the one used for granting a full-time enchantment, it held subtle differences. Einar began the incantation:

  “Your health shall remain forever true,

  “Your strength and vitality shall always shine through.

  “Of neither disease nor sickness shall you fear,

  “Nor the world’s wasteful processes seem so near.

  “From this moment on you shall walk with new life,

  “Free of all ills, and with them, their strife.”

  Serena watched as the familiar azure glow of the craft appeared all around the child. Then it faded away, leaving the room as quickly as it had come. She carefully examined Clarice for signs of distress. There were none. In fact, the child’s color seemed to have improved, as had her overall vitality.

  Looking into her mother’s face, she wriggled about happily and smiled. Like she knew that she shared a sacred bond with the withered rose tucked into the bodice of Serena’s black mourning gown, Clarice reached out and touched it with her delicate fingers.

  She is truly Wulfgar’s child, Serena thought. Delighted by what she saw, Serena fought back tears as she looked at her trusted lead consul.

  “Thank you,” she whispered. “Please leave me now; I wish to be alone with my daughter. Unless I miss my guess, theJin’Sai won’t be long in coming. Should our sentries see the slightest movement from the enemy, I am to be informed at once.”

  “Of course, Your Grace,” Einar answered. He led Reznik and Dagmar from the room and closed the door behind him.

  As Serena lovingly rocked Clarice, to anyone who did not know her, she could have been any contented mother, anywhere in the world. But she wasn’t. She was the reigning queen of the Vagaries, and she would soon lead her side of the craft in a historic battle that would be remembered though the ages.

  Worried for the fate of her only child, Serena closed her eyes.

  CHAPTER LXVI

  AS TRISTAN READ TRAAX’S BATTLE REPORT, HIS HEARTfell. Nearly a quarter of his warriors were dead, as were a third of the highlander horsemen. Rafe, Ox, Scars, and Duvessa had survived, but even they had been shaken by the recent battle’s savagery. Despite his losses, Tristan planned to start the final assault on the Recluse within the hour.

  From the bow deck of theTammerland, Tristan looked out over the bloody field. The midday sun was bright. Flies and carrion birds had started gathering on the corpses, to avail themselves of the unexpected feast. Wigg and Shailiha stood quietly beside Tristan, waiting for him to give the order. Aside from the three of them, theTammerland ’s topside was deserted. So were the topsides of the other three Black Ships, resting nearby in their earthen cradles. Seeing the vessels’ decks without warriors or highlander horsemen atop them suddenly seemed strange, the prince realized.

  By his order, every fighter waited in the sweltering areas belowdecks on their respective ships. So too did Adrian’s acolytes, whom Tristan had been holding in reserve and whose numbers had been equally divided among the four vessels. As the ships neared the castle he wanted everyone hidden from attack until the last possible moment. Faegan, Aeolus, and Jessamay were aboard their vessels. When they saw theTammerland lift into the air they would immediately empower the ships and follow her.

  Tired of battle plans and casualty reports, Tristan angrily tore up the parchments he was reading and cast them to the wind. The pieces flew away as quickly as had the warriors’ and horsemen’s lives accounted for on their pages. He looked down at the deck, thinking.

  The Black Ships had been readied according to his plan, the fighters were itching to go, and the Conclave mystics knew their jobs. There was nothing left to do but to give the order. As he thought about the impending battle, he could feel hisK’Shari Forestallment churning his blood as never before, begging to be unleashed. But as he stared back at the mighty Recluse, his heart remained unsure.

  Taking a step closer, Wigg put one hand on Tristan’s shoulder. “There is nothing more to be done,” he said quietly.

  Shailiha gave her brother a supportive smile. “Wigg is right,” she said. “It’s time.”

  Tristan took a deep breath. “All right,” he said. “Let’s go.”

  Tristan led Wigg and Shailiha toward the bow hatch and down the stairway. One deck down, he exited the steps and entered a hallway.

  After escorting Wigg and Shailiha into a specially prepared room, Tristan shut the door. He knew that Faegan, Aeolus, and Jessamay would be seated in similar chambers aboard their respective vessels as they waited nervously for theTammerland to lift into the air. Adrian and all the acolytes stationed aboard theTammerland were there waiting for them. Tyranny and Abbey were also present.

  Tristan glanced around the room. The aft wall was flat and held the door through which they had just come. The sidewalls curved with the ship’s hull, and their opposite ends joined to form the point of the ship’s bow. Tristan had ordered Minion carpenters to cut rectangular viewing ports into the hull, one on each side of the bow joint. Each window was a meter wide by half a meter high, and was angled to provide an excellent view forward. As he and Shailiha neared the port window, Wigg and Tyranny walked to the starboard one. Tristan gave Wigg a knowing look.

  “Are you ready?” he asked. “Remember, we must have as much momentum as possible for this to work.”

  Wigg nodded. “I understand,” he answered. “And may the Afterlife be with us.”

  Tristan turned and looked at Sister Adrian and the acolytes. He knew that they were nervous; everyone was. But he also knew that when the time came, they would do their duties.

  “And you?” he asked them. “Is each of you ready to do her part? If you don’t work as a team, thousands will die needlessly. Remember-do not use your gifts until you hear
my order. Until then you must save your power.”

  “We understand,” Adrian answered for the group. Then the normally staid First Sister gave Tristan a wry smile. “Let’s go and kill some Vagaries servants,” she added softly.

  The First Wizard turned his attention toward his window. Wigg raised his hands. Almost at once theTammerland ’s great bulk lifted from her earthen cradle and into the air. Soon the ship was flying over the bloody battlefield and heading straight for the Recluse.

  As theTammerland gained momentum, the aft door opened and Traax appeared. “The other ships are also in the air, my lord,” he said. “They are matching our speed and following us in single file.”

  “Good,” Tristan answered. “Alert me at once if anything changes. Otherwise, you know your orders. And good luck.”

  Traax clicked his heels and hurried from the room. Tristan turned back toward Wigg. The wizard was shaking noticeably as he tried to grant theTammerland all the speed that he could.

  Soon the ship started to shake, and her timbers groaned from the strain being placed on her. Tyranny shot Tristan a worried glance. As the Black Ships tore over the body-strewn battlefield, Tristan unsheathed his sword; Shailiha and Tyranny did the same.

  Just then they all heard an explosion, and the ship rocked violently. While Wigg struggled to keep theTammerland on course, Tristan looked to the Recluse. The expected bombardment had started.

  From atop the fortress walls, Serena’s consuls were hurling azure bolt after azure bolt toward the attacking fleet. The bolts came in such great numbers that their combined glow lit up the sky. Wigg had confirmed that the Black Ships were built to withstand a certain amount of endowed bombardment. But even he couldn’t be sure if they would hold together if Serena’s consuls attacked in force.

  Suddenly another azure bolt slammed into the ship, this one striking the deck directly above Tristan and his friends. The topside planks shattered, then speared threateningly down into the room as pointed shards of black wood rained down. The bolt’s power forced the ship to angle down dangerously, and nearly plow headlong into the earth. Straining to his utmost, Wigg righted her again. Suddenly another bolt went whizzing by to narrowly miss the starboard bow. With a great explosion it plunged into the ground and exploded. Tons of dirt and sod went flying into the air. As the bombardment intensified and the explosions grew louder, everyone in the room hung on and hoped for the best.