The Guardian Chronicles: Book 03 - The Dark Tide

by Steven R. Burke

  “Be careful what you say Yukio…you may get what you ask for” replied the guardian smoothly. “Now, let us address the situation with the lake to the east. There is a significant army of creatures that were released from their northern prison by Kana and now they have a new leader.”

  “Who is that leader?” asked General Lysander quickly. He thought the monster from the deep was their commander and that the beast had been killed. His interest had returned as he felt that this topic was of direct importance to his command.

  “The demon lord who used to serve the dark lord before his imprisonment…Lord Nicor” Adair said with tangible distain. The vile demon could take many forms and was very adept at inspiring those he commanded.

  “So, Prekihar was not the leader of their armies…do we even know if that beast is dead?” asked he Landen general.

  “I spoke with ladies Hilzarie and Necia about just that…they assured me that the leviathan was indeed dead. To be certain I asked Lord Neb to verify that assertion…he confirmed that the beast was indeed deceased. We need not fear him; however, we should have a greater amount of respect for the demon lord. He is leader of the dark army hiding on Lake Lachlan.” His did not share his concern that this demon would use his underworld powers to summon more vile creatures from the world of the dead.

  “The news just keeps getting better and better. I assume that this means that Nicor is going to have more than those demons from the north with it” chimed in King Leroy. He had the haggard look of a leader who was genuinely concerned for everyone’s well-being and its toll was clear to everyone that turned to look at the king. Anyone who looked at him felt sympathy and gratitude for all that he and his people were sacrificing for the free peoples of Tuwa.

  “You have brought up my greatest concern…not only do we have to contend with a wide variety of northern demons, but now we have to face unknown water demons. I have requested that ladies Hilzarie and Necia help with the fresh assault against Kana’s water force.” Adair’s face suddenly fell as though something happening elsewhere had caught his attention. He did not even attempt to hide his great concern from the gathered leaders. “I am sorry, but I have to leave at once…I apologize for the abrupt departure.” Crack! He was gone. The silvery blue mist hung in the air momentarily and then slowly evaporated.

  “What the blooming hell was that all about?” gasped General Lysander in spite of himself. He was clearly taken aback by the sudden departure of the guardian. Even though the news that the imperious leader had brought was negative, just having his presence there had made the war effort seem less dire.

  “Steady general…we have our own concerns right now that require our attention. If there is one thing that I have learned about our enigmatic friend is that he does nothing that is not important or without reason. Just be grateful he is taking care of business that we would likely not be able to handle” interjected General Yukio swiftly. The druid gave the general a reassuring nod which seemed to have a calming effect. He was sending out waves of calm and reassurance.

  “Lysander, listen to our friend from Nairi…do not worry over Lord Adair’s business. Let us focus our efforts right now on devising a viable battle plan for Lachlan” King Leroy said reassuringly to his general.

  “So, the guardians will lead the attack against this demon lord…what is the battle plan then?” asked General Lysander in a more subdued manner. The long weeks of fighting and bloodshed had taken a toll on this seasoned warrior. His face relaxed as he looked around at the other leaders in the room.

  “My suggestion is that we do whatever we can to lure the northern demons to land…General Lysander, you could then flank the beasts with your cavalry. Meanwhile, we will have archers in the middle all the while raining down death from above. I think magic wielders should be placed in their midst for protection. I do not believe that a magical assault would be wise…they would not be drawn in so easily if they knew that our ranks were filled with powerful magic users” supplied General Yukio with an air of authority.

  There were two loud cracks as Ladies Necia and Hilzarie appeared suddenly next to the standing Nairian general. Almost seconds after the unanticipated appearance of two of the guardians, there were two more pops at the other end of the table. Lords Neb and Keb had appeared as well. Keb had a haggard look to him that made the leaders in the room instantly uneasy. They could not understand what would make an invincible elemental look like death. There was an uneasy silence while everyone took in the new arrivals.

  “Apologies for our sudden appearance…mistress Khalida was meeting with us when master Adair popped into our meeting. He asked that we join you to help plan the attack against the demon hordes on Lake Lachlan. We came here as soon as our mistress was finished with her business. So, what plans have been made thus far?” queried Lord Neb smoothly. The explanation seemed straight forward; however, many questions came to the minds of the leaders in war room.

  “Well, we were just discussing a plan where our magic users are hidden among the missile ranks. What say you?” asked King Leroy solemnly. His heart was filled with more hope now that they were going to have four elementals to help them in this attack. He was especially pleased to see Lord Neb…he could probably handle the demonic lord by himself.

  “I think that General Yukio’s plan will be the wisest course of action. Hiding the limited number of magic wielders will be important if we are to lure our demonic enemies to shore. If we can dispatch the northern army then we can focus on the bigger threat. Those water demons cannot be killed by any non-magic means” lady Hilzarie said with a deeper tone than the leaders were used to hearing from her. Then again, they had barely heard a word from her to this point so maybe that was how she sounded most of the time.

  “The giants will keep the northern part of Landen secure while the western and southern parts will be protected by the elves. I will ask General Lang to spread out his troops amongst the elves for better protection. That has seemed to work well in the past. To be safe, I will ask Lord Marcello to lead the troops at North Gate…just in case the water forces attempt to flank the Landen cavalry” injected Lord Neb gruffly. The water elemental was usually more eloquent; however, in dire situations he did not waste his energy on it.

  “Make it so Lord Neb. I have been asked to lead this campaign by the guardian…I would ask that General Yukio lead the non-magical troops while I orchestrate an elaborate magical attack that will catch everyone by surprise” Lord Keb said darkly. He smiled at the leaders gathered around the war table. A chill went down their spines at the blank look he gave them. Something had changed the normally gentle guardian…something that was not tangible enough to determine exactly what the source of this change was. It was almost as though he had snapped.

  “Thank you Lord Keb” replied General Yukio with a bow. “I will meet with the troops to determine the best formations to hide the magic wielders. General Lysander, will you meet with your cavalry units to ascertain the best flanking options?”

  “I will at once” replied the Landen general with a side glance at Lord Keb. He felt uneasy about the change that had come over the gentle elemental, but knew better than to say or do anything that would indicate his concern. He left the room at a brisk pace. The other leaders left as well, except for King Leroy. He looked at the earthen lord with concern. He did not like the change he was seeing.

  “What is it that you would have me do?” asked the king quietly to Lord Keb.

  “Evacuate the lakeside villages completely…bring your people to the city of Kandar in the west…they will be safe there. I have put in place magical protections that will conceal their whereabouts” replied Keb. There was a distracted air about him as he spoke. There was no warmth or care emanating from him.

  “You should also know that there is an evil coming from the western lands that we had not accounted for…I cannot say more because I do not know more than what I sense” Keb continued with a far off look. The other guardians looked at one another�
�dismay etched clearly on their faces. They had no idea who he was talking about…they each had an idea, but they did not dare say anything. The room became slightly darker at the mention of this evil.

  “I appreciate the warning…I will get to work on the evacuations…thank you for your continued help” replied the king with a slight nod before he too left the chambers. He felt greatly disturbed by the latest news. Who would be a threat from the west? That is the part of Tuwa that has always been safest to all people.

  The guardians looked at one another with weary looks…Neb quickly threw out magical webs to seal the room so that no one could enter or hear what was taking place in the war room. Once the place was secure, they began to discuss their own battle strategy. They met for nearly an hour before leaving the castle to assist with battle preparations. They knew that this confrontation would be a turning point. If they were able to destroy the northern army, then they would have a chance of vanquishing the water demons. During their discussion they did not address or speak of the evil threat in the west that Keb mentioned.

  Lake Lachlan

  The shores of Lachlan were quiet as the mysterious fog became thicker as the day progressed…an ominous sign to be sure. From the silent waters nothing could be seen from land…the forces that were stationed along the shores were concealed from both the natural and magical eye. The northern army, now positioned in the middle of the lake, was making their final preparations for their massive assault. The vast majority of creatures had been dispatched almost two days previously to circle the northern edge of the lake. The lake’s water had created a significant overhang over the centuries which provided adequate covering from anyone who did not know where to look in order to see them. All of the water demons had already been deployed along the western shallows to launch the necessary surprise attack in order to disorient their enemy. Kana had seen fit to use the pirates from the northern Kai Ocean region…a group of men who were so wild that many jumped ship at the mere sight of their raised colors.

  While Kana felt a great deal of confidence in her plan, she was becoming less patient for the success that had now eluded her since the start of the war. The water demons had the backing of the powerful hydras that hid at the edges of the growing mist while the minotaurs and shape shifters made their march along the northern shore. The remaining dragons were called to the service of the rogue elemental, so they were elsewhere as the battle for Landen was about to renew. The liche had taken to the skies in an effort to take their enemies by surprise from behind. This was the reason the fog was expanding and for the black storm clouds that were now gathering overhead.

  “Prepare the tidal wave!” the voice of the demonic water lord gurgled. He had been waiting for the land units to be out of the reach of the wave that they were about to create. He did not care particularly for the northerners and would, under different circumstances, destroy the beasts along with those he was targeting. His dislike was overruled by reason…he needed those soldiers in order to route the stubborn men of Landen. After this war I will be able to do as I please with those fiends, so patience now and then I can destroy them. The very thought gave the demon a strange sense of comfort and something to look forward to.

  As the vile water lord swam back and forth behind his demons, a lone figure detached from the shadows of the shore. From the vast distance where Lord Nicor was, it was not clear who or what the thing was. The result of this blatant indifference would cost Kana’s minions significantly in the end. The unknown individual walked right to the edge of the water and stooped down with one hand flat against the cool surface. After several moments, the person stood erect and stared out into the thick wall of mist. Shaking its head slowly, it turned around and returned to the shadows from whence it had come.

  Blissfully ignorant of what had just occurred at the shoreline, Lord Nicor unleashed his water demons. A wave exploded into the air some fifty feet high and immediately rushed forward toward where the figure had been. The wall of water was some three miles wide and had the force of a tidal wave that had started miles further out than this one had. The wave moved swiftly and unimpeded until it hit an invisible barrier. The water rushed up the unseen barrier until its energy was spent. The demons along with the water they had gathered together fell back into the depths of Lachlan. Lord Nicor rushed to the scene in a blind fury.

  “What magic is this?” bellowed the water lord at the barrier. He frantically searched for a way to circumvent this obviously powerful magical wall. His temper was getting the better of him already and the fight had just begun…or at least they had tried to start.

  “I am sorry Nicor…you see, I prefer to remain dry this fine morning” replied a deep clear voice from nowhere in particular. There was an ominous quality to the voice.

  “I will give you dry… I know you are here you white haired, interfering…” blasted Nicor as he raised high out of the waters. He took on the form of a giant squid as he began to swat the air around him before stopping suddenly at the sight of his query. So, the guardian decided that I am too powerful for his lesser counterparts to handle.

  “I am here to show my friends what I require them to do to your scattered army. No longer will the guardians tolerate your kind to come from the underworld. Prepare to return to that gulf of misery and woe that you sprung from.” The guardian took on a solid form some fifty feet in the air right in from of the giant squid. His eyes had a steely look in them and as he made a pushing motion with both hands in the direction of the water demon, the darkening skies lit up with purple, gold, and white lightning.

  “You cannot hurt me…my powers have almost fully recovered. Besides, you do not have it in you to kill anything!” After shouting this rather weak insult at the guardian, the water demon turned into his usual demonic form before the effects of Lord Adair’s attack were felt.

  There was a blinding flash of light as the lightning that had been gathering in the clouds converged on that water demon. A gust of wind was the result of the guardian’s pushing motion. The wind wrapped itself around Nicor and held him fast. Before the demon could do anything to counter the attacks, Adair launched a combination of elemental projectiles at him. A ball comprised of earth, wind, water, and fire consumed the struggling underworld demon. As the ball of elements swirled, lightning continued with increasing ferocity to slam into the now helpless axis leader.

  “You cannot kill me! You can destroy this body but not my soul! If you think that by killing me that you will stop this war then you are sadly mistaken. Kana is more powerful than you know!” The water demon turned slightly to the waters behind him and shouted, “Minions, attack!” The barrier had fallen during the brief battle in the air.

  “We will deal with your friends…unfortunately you will not be around to see the battle. By the way, you have no idea how powerful I am or what I am willing to do to stop you and Kana. The time for banishment or imprisonment is past. I have learned from my past…in this war there are no prisoners!” With that ominous declaration the guardian slammed his hands together. The ball encircling the water demon collapsed until there was nothing left. There was an ear splitting cracking noise as Lord Nicor was simply crushed out of existence. A black horizontal shock wave emanated out from where the water demon had been.

  The guardian had always erred on the side of caution when it came to dealing with enemies. He understood that there was good in everyone, no matter how buried that goodness may be. During this latest war he had learned a new truth and that is in order to save thousands, millions even, he would have to obliterate some creatures entirely. That is what he had done here to the water demon Nicor. He had not only killed the vile beast and sent him back to the underworld, but he had also cursed his soul. He made it impossible to again gain a physical body. So, in a way he had reached a compromise with himself. He did not destroy the demonic soul; he simply banished it in a way that would keep him out of the world of the living as long as the keeper stayed in the underworld.

  The gu
ardian appeared right next to Lord Neb with an unheard pop. A fine silvery mist clung to the head guardian as though it was trying to calm his master. Lord Adair had a grim look of determination as he stood next to his friend. “I will leave the rest of this mess for you to clean up. I really need to make some others visits if we want to truly be prepared for the dark fiends making their way to central Tuwa.” He sounded very distracted as he spoke and did not stick around for a reply from the water elemental. Neb wanted to ask more about this dark threat, but he knew that his master would explain when the time was right.

  “Good luck old friend.” Lord Neb said this to the vacant spot where Lord Adair had just been. He turned his attention to the renewed assault from the pestilential water demons. The difference now was in his approach to dealing with the demons. Now that the accursed Nicor was gone he could be more aggressive in dealing with these vile beasts. He liked it when he was able to use unrestrained creativity.

  The water elemental spread his feet apart slightly as he squared to face the hordes making their way to the shallows. With his arms he made an exaggerated scooping gesture. As he did this, a gigantic water orb rose from the surface of Lachlan dripping menacingly. As the object climbed into the darkened sky above, flashes of light appeared to be hitting the surface of the watery ball. In fact, the water demons were being sucked into Neb’s creation against their will. After a few moments of this most unusual display, the demons were all trapped within the liquefied cage. As if on cue, Lady Necia appeared next to Neb with loud booms.

  “So, is it time to do away with our unwanted guests?” queried the fire elemental dryly. Her dry sense of humor was thick and was a good sign that she was getting on board with what must be done. Neb gave her wise companion a sideways glance with an arched eyebrow. She smiled wryly as she waited for Neb’s reply. She was trying to bridge the natural gap between them.