The Guardian Chronicles: Book 03 - The Dark Tide

by Steven R. Burke

  “Yes…many of the banished creatures of the north lands have consented to help us in taking over middle Tuwa. They were all too eager to help once I released them from their icy prison” Kana said with a wicked gleam in her eyes. She cared little for those who joined her cause as long as her ends were met. If they are not, she had ways of disposing of those who failed her.

  “You have released the dark lord…haven’t you” Dükker stated darkly. He did not think this was a wise move on her part. He did not trust her from the start of their joint venture and now he knew that he needed to accelerate his own plans.

  “Yes, I have. He will be joining the fight once he has finished securing something for me. He will lead the creatures from the north in crossing the eastern lake to Landen. We must box in our enemies and then our evenly dispersed numbers will grind them into oblivion!”

  “I will take leave of you all…I must return to Mount Carrick to assist General Yuki. We have over stayed our welcome here” Lord Trahern said as he began to walk away. The ground shook violently as he strode quickly away. He did not see the value of tempting fate in such an enchanted place.

  “I think we should all leave here at once…something does not feel quite right. You all know what to do. I expect regular reports on how things are proceeding. General Nero, have General Tomo take his troops to the north to assist Queen Kishi…he will be in charge until she has recovered. Also, inform General Synan that I want him to take his army to the west. He is to make camp in the eaves of the Black Forest so that he is out of range of those pestilential giants.” For the first time in the hours of being near the deserted location she felt the oppression that was all around them.

  “I will pass along your orders” replied General Nero. He turned around and headed off in a southerly direction. His breathing was labored once more as he ran from the village.

  The rest of the council slunk off to their respective charges. They were all glad to be leaving the little village. They all had a nagging feeling that something had changed in the meeting place while they were there. They also felt different than when they had entered the deserted dwellings of the woodland elves. Kana did not dwell on these feelings for long…Ryo would not respond to her until she made her way clear of Arlenael. The fell beast appeared out of the clouds over Landen and dove to where his mistress stood. I wonder why he keeps defying me. He may not agree with some of my decisions, but he has always remained loyal to me before. He has changed ever since I sent Rolon on that quest. He will understand my reasoning when I have that orb…he will not question me then…no one will!

  Yukio’s Madness

  Yukio had recovered slightly from the tragic loss of his valiant steed that had been slaughtered by the cursed white wolf Rolon. He still did not feel sated in his lust for revenge. He believed that he must kill his wicked sister-in-law Kishi and all of the high elves to avenge the perceived wrongs committed against the general and the people of Nairi. He had had a great deal of success in the first few days of the war as a result of his personal motivation, but he was still restless with what he believed to be limited progress. He had inspired unbelievable acts of heroics among the troops with his erratic but driven behavior. Some of the giants had even elevated their ferocity in light of the maniacal general’s tactics. However, not all were pleased with his blood lust and boastings.

  “I believe that General Yukio has truly lost touch with reality…he acts with little regard for himself which is setting a dangerous example for our soldiers” General Lang said to the other giant leaders. He had heard the rumors of the general’s violent behavior and that it was beginning to have an adverse effect on his army. We need to get this situation under control before things get out of hand entirely. We have enough to deal with!

  “I think that we should simply invite the good general to come and meet with us. He is an intelligent man after all and I believe that we could reason with him. His magical powers have been a most welcome asset in this conflict, so inviting him to discuss this matter seems to be the best course. Let us be honest, he has single handedly turned the tide of this siege in our favor through his efforts…regardless of how reckless they have been at times” said Lord Marcello smoothly. His face showed no emotion or gave any indication about how he truly felt about this matter. He always thought of every angle without allowing his feelings to dictate his logic. A little chaos is just what we need to gain an advantage in this conflict. I must say that it is nice to have his creative magic…I have learned a thing or two from watching him.

  “I think that we should not attempt any action that would dissuade our valiant friend. We do need to speak to him so that he understands our concern for him. Commander Boaz, please send for General Yukio. Have him meet us here tomorrow morning. That is all” said King Angus dismissively. He was trying his best to act kingly, however, he was not all together used to it. It was much easier as a chief over his own people.

  “So, what is the current status of our defenses? We should probably discuss this now since we cannot do anything more concerning Yukio until tomorrow” General Lang said after Boaz had departed. He did not want to dwell on the upcoming intervention and thought they should at least discuss something productive.

  “Lord Marcello, please go ahead with your report of what is taking place in the north” ordered the king. It was clear that the monarch’s thoughts were elsewhere as he said this. He did have an air of concern about him, though it did not seem linked to what they were talking about. Why do I have this feeling that something horrible is going to happen back home? The war is in here in the central part of Tuwa, who would attack our barren lands?

  “Very well my king…we have successfully driven the high elves back to their camp at the base of Mount Lamont. They sally forth from time to time, but they are never successful in making any inroads against our defenses. General Yukio has his army stationed on the plains now just outside North Gate. Our soldiers are still in charge of the northern defenses and they have made significant improvements to the weapons with the aid of several of the villages that are close to the gate” reported Marcello. He noted the king’s demeanor and was attempting to discern what was troubling him. Is he having the same sensation that something terrible is going to happen to our home? I am not sure how that is possible or who would even think to attack our lands. I know that the armies have left and that only families remain, so who would be dumb enough to think that those who remained behind could not easily defend themselves?

  “So, how many soldiers do you think Queen Kishi has now?” asked General Lang gruffly. He too was started to have a bad feeling about home, however, he dismissed it in order to stay focused in the present.

  “Well, that is the negative part of my report…although their numbers have been reduced to twenty five thousand; they have some new powerful allies. Or, should I say that they have furry beasts as their steeds now” answered Lord Marcello with a hint of warning in his voice. He had refocused on the present as well. He knew that the high elves were still a significant threat thanks in part to the vile creatures joining this confrontation.

  “Who has joined them?” asked the king quickly. He seemed to snap out of his revelry at the mention of this new information. His brow drew down as he sensed the seriousness of this latest news. His concerns for home were quickly compartmentalized as he focused on Marcello with great intensity.

  “The fabled giant wolves of the southlands…they have consented to act as steeds for Kishi’s troops and many of the orcs as well. That is not all; the orc army led by General Tomo has left the southern cliffs and is making his way to the north as we speak. He has made sure to avoid our long range attacks, but our spies tell us that his army is still intact and appears to be at its full strength still. They have around ninety thousand troops” continued the giant wizard darkly. The air became heavy with this news.

  “How soon will they reach the high elves’ base camp?” General Lang asked warily. He was clearly not pleased with this inf
ormation. He had hoped the bunched attack would persist a little while longer so they could take advantage of the misguided strategy.

  “They should arrive within the next three days” Marcello replied. Silence met this declaration. The heavy feeling became more apparent to each of the giants.

  “That is certainly some disturbing news…let’s find out what is happening in the other areas of Landen before we formulate a new strategy. General Lang…if you would be so kind” gestured the king to his general to give his report. His mind immediately went back to his worry about Burien. He should have been more concerned with the change in the siege. It was clear to everyone that he was struggling to focus on the intelligence being shared.

  “The battle in the south has gone exceedingly well. We have kept the orcs and high elves at bay for several days now. They have been unable to penetrate our defenses, which our soldiers still maintain, and our enemies are becoming increasingly frustrated with each passing day. That dark wizard, who we have seen several times over the course of this battle, has become careless in his tactics as a result of mounting pressure caused by his failures” explained the general with a satisfied smile on his darkened face. This news eased the tension ever so slightly.

  “Did you notice the departure of General Tomo and his troops?” asked the king. He was trying his best to focus; however, his attempt was weak at best.

  “Yes, we did notice that General Tomo had left…we also saw General Synan leaving in the same direction. I am assuming that his army is going to attempt to scale the western cliffs with those gigantic spiders that the high elves have been using. That leaves General Nero and the high elves for us to deal with in the south. We should be able to handle them…General Lysander and his horsemen will be able to run them down with greater ease now” General Lang said confidently. He was becoming irritated with his king’s lack of focus. If he did not know his leader better he would have taken great offense to the way he was being addressed. Giants are not wise to anger…even if you are a giant yourself. Their rage is legendary.

  “The orcs and high elves must have met with Kana recently…that would account for this change in strategy. I believe that we will be able to hold off these axis armies…have our soldiers continue the defense while Yukio and Lysander run down the fallen guardian’s minions in the north and south” the king said with greater focus.

  “What about the east?” Lord Marcello asked cautiously as he looked at the king. He thought it was good that the king was finally started to focus on the here and now.

  “I can answer that one…” began Commander Gerodi. He straightened a little as he looked at Marcello.

  “I thought you were stationed at the western cliff?” interjected General Lang. He gave his friend a quizzical look.

  “I am…I spoke with Commander Boaz before this meeting, so I know what he has seen on the shores of Lake Lachlan” replied the commander.

  “Very well, tell us about the east first and then report to us about the defenses in the west” ordered the king patiently. He was focused once again on what was happening now and not what could happen in the future.

  “There is an unnatural fog that is still covering the entire lake. Those stationed there can hear noises of what we they believe to be several boats anchored just out of sight. They still have not seen anything definite, so they are simply waiting for whatever is out there to make a move” reported Gerodi dutifully.

  “Has Commander Boaz bothered to send some soldiers into the lake to see if they can find out what is really out there?” asked General Lang pointedly. He thought that Boaz would have at least considered the option. He knew that the commander was very protective of those who served under him, so that could be the reason no one had investigated.

  “I believe that the commander did not want to risk the lives of his soldiers in sending them into an unknown area that had obviously been concealed by some form of dark magic” injected the king sharply. This news about the lake had finally captured his full attention and immediately had his ire up. He did not like dissension among his leaders.

  “That was thoughtful, but we still do not know what is actually on or in the lake. We must discover the…” continued the general undeterred before he was interrupted by his king. He knew it…how will they know what was on the lake without someone gathering intelligence.

  “The demons from the north are crossing on ships” said a serene voice from the shadows of the trees surrounding the clearing the giant leaders were meeting in. Every giant immediately stood and tensed at the interruption.

  Everyone looked around to see where the mysterious voice had come from. They did not need to wait overly long as the slender form of Khalida detached from the shadows. She walked gracefully up to the giants standing close together in a tight circle, or as tight a circle as giants could make. Lord Marcello immediately bowed to one knee as she approached…the others waited patiently for the elder guardian to join them and did not bother to bow. They were always suspicious of the guardians and were even more speculative since the betrayal by one from the upper echelons of the ancient council.

  “The dark lord was not the only creature released from the Bekrah Keep in the icy northern kingdom. His minions were also released and have joined with our common enemy. Drogan is not with his demons yet, but he will likely join them soon. I believe that they are awaiting his arrival before they break their shroud of secrecy” explained Khalida coolly. She felt it was important for those responsible for the defense of Landen to know that the dark lord Drogan was on his way.

  “Are you telling us that those foul fiends of the north broke loose? How did they manage that?” asked General Lang with disbelief etched in his face. He did not think it was possible that they broke out without any assistance after all of these centuries of being imprisoned. He had not caught the hint that Khalida gave just moments before.

  “Kana not only set the dark lord free, she also released his demons trapped in that ice fortress. She believes that by combining their considerable strength with that of the orcs, goblins, rock trolls and her fell creatures that she would be able to subject all of Tuwa to her will” replied the beautiful guardian evenly. She knew that this particular piece of information would not be received well.

  “So be it…what do we need to do to fend off these creatures?” asked King Angus darkly. The king was becoming agitated with all of this unpleasant news. All this talk is getting us nowhere!

  “I would request the reassignment of Lord Marcello to the eastern boundary. He, along with several elven mages and two of my fellow guardians, will defend Lake Lachlan. They will ensure that those demons are not merely banished this time…they will be annihilated!” The typically reserved guardian turned an icy blue color for the briefest moment as she let her emotions slip. This was not the response I expected…the king seems like his mind is elsewhere. I wonder what is troubling him.

  “We will move Marcello to the east and have Commander Boaz take charge in the north then. I will dispatch a messenger at once to relay these orders. Then I will have a message sent to the giants stationed along the lake to head north once the elven mages and the Khalida’s guardian friends have arrived” said the king decisively. Even though he sounded resolute, it was clear that his mind was elsewhere again.

  “Very well…I will take my leave of you then” Khalida said smoothly. “I will return in the morning to help you with your intervention.” I hope that the king is simply preoccupied with the upcoming discussion with Yukio. We have enough problems to deal with.

  “We appreciate the help mistress Khalida” King Angus said with a humble bow. His visage was dark and it was clear his thoughts were troubled by some sort of darkness.

  The beautiful guardian disappeared with a faint popping sound. A bluish mist swirled momentarily after Khalida had vanished before slowly dissipating. King Angus felt his heart clench as she vanished. How are we going to defeat those demons from the north with just two guardians, Marcello, and a gro
up of elven mages? He could not hide his concern as he stood there with his leaders around him. This awful feeling did not last long as he came back to his senses as the others watched him. The look of fierce determination returned again as he smiled. I have to quick letting my thoughts of home cloud the now.

  “Well, we have talked enough for today…we all have plenty to do, so let’s get to it” said the king gruffly. It was clear that his mind was still preoccupied; however, he was at least making decisions. His eyes were darting to and fro as though he was looking for something. It was clear to all who remained in the circle that his mind had started racing.

  “What time do you want us back here tomorrow morning?” asked Commander Gerodi tentatively. He was feeling just a little uneasy with the unusual exchange. He was taken aback by the sudden appearance of one of the elder guardians.

  “Be here as the sun rises…if I know our good friend Yukio, he will want to get this meeting over with as early as possible” replied General Lang for the king. He was eyeing his monarch warily…something was not quite right. They all should be pleased with the way the war is going, however, they all left the meeting vexed by something that none of them could identify. Each separately thought it had to do with the troubling thoughts surrounding Burien.

  As the sun finally peaked through the gloomy haze engulfing the lake, General Yukio sauntered into the clearing where he was to meet with the giant leaders. He knew exactly why he was there because he was able to probe the mind of Commander Boaz. So, they think I am unstable…reckless even. Well, they may be right…I will have to restrain myself from now on. I wonder if I should tell them who I really am. If one of the guardians shows up to this meeting, then I will need to reveal part of my secret. Even though the others do not trust them, I know that it is only with their help that we will be able to win this war.

  “I did not know that anyone would show up so early” Yukio said to Khalida as she appeared out of thin air right next to him. He did not seem surprised by this sudden appearance.