Blood Wars

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  Tyler looked at the sky. It was already late afternoon.

  “We need to take back the main gate before dark. Are the other gates holding?”

  “Yes, sire. Astrid and I took over the defense of the palace while the general handled the gates. That man is good in that role. Knows his defensive tactics.”

  “That leaves us to recover the main gate. Go high again but no unnecessary risks. Call when you see something interesting.”

  “Yes, sire,” replied Habrok. The ranger swiftly climbed back to the roof.

  Tyler turned to the Valkyrie whose attention was still focused on the street.

  “Astrid. Tell those men to follow us to the main gate. But let them leave some defenders to hold the barricade.”

  Tyler started walking back. His sandals were now sticking to the blood-encrusted pavement. The sucking sounds as he strode forward was revolting. It reminded him of what he was walking on as he continued down the main road. He heard Astrid calling out to the defenders and then running back to his side. He expanded his shield to include her.

  “The shield now covers you too, Astrid. Same system as in the Dorian Hills. I say ‘now’ and that means the shield in front of you has been dropped. You’ll be free to use your javelins and throwing axes,” Tyler explained. He had noticed that Astrid had retrieved her projectiles.

  The Akrotiri men started to walk fast, intending to stay in front of them.

  “Astrid, tell them to stay behind us. I appreciate the gesture, but I prefer to handle matters with a clear area before me.”

  At the Valkyrie’s command, the hoplites and a few Pelasgians fell behind them. The mage noticed that it was quiet except for the thread of the marching men.

  “Why so few Pelasgians?” he asked Astrid.

  “A message arrived after we left, sire. Cortana and the trade route were being harassed by fell creatures. Giants, flying beasts, and all other sorts. According to the Pelasgian archigos of their Akrotiri contingent, many were beasts and beings which have shied away before from fighting them. Something or someone must have stirred them up. He was forced to lead a good part of the Pelasgoi warriors back to Cortana. He left a thousand warriors but their leader died defending the main gate. Now they take orders from us.”

  “These sons of Ares are not easily dissuaded then,” replied Tyler. He noticed that his disposition was now calm that action had been joined. The anger and sorrow had receded into the background. But he was preternaturally alert. But he was concerned about his general reaction. A month ago, he would have been puking at the nauseating and gristly sight of hacked limbs and piles of bloody bodies.

  Finally, they reached the main gate. Nobody contested their passage though the blood-stained streets were full of dead men and gruesome remains of warriors.

  “I noticed no creatures among the dead inside the city. Why is that?” he asked Astrid.

  “The Dorians have scrupulously avoided damaging or entering the temples. Men could be trusted to follow that kind of command. Creatures and beasts would be impossible to control when inside the city, in the middle of a battle.”

  “I see,” answered Tyler. “That means we can expect them in the open fields before the gate.”

  “Yes, sire,” agreed the Valkyrie, “and there’s a lot of them.”

  Chapter Lore –

  Chicimeca – Nahualt. Meaning “barbarian, foreign, or uncivilized”.

  Terras Barbara – Latin. Meaning “barbarian lands”.

  Bastjan – Old Proto-Germanic. Meaning “binding, tie”. One theory holds that the term Bastarnae is derived from the word. The Bastarnae (of Greek or Latin origin) refers to an ancient people who occupied parts of modern-day Russia down to Eastern Europe. They comprise many tribes such as the Sidoni, the Peucini and a host of other groups.

  Archigos – Greek. Meaning “leader”.

  Notes on Greek minor gods in the story – The attendants of Ares, which include Minis (the Greek god of threats), are mentioned in some writings. They are usually human emotions and actions related to war, given form in myths. These include abstractions such as threats (Minis), death in battle (Mors), rage (Furor), and others.

  Dionysus's Old Map

  Chapter IV

  Men, Fell Creatures, and Beasts

  Tyler looked at the main gate. The huge doors had been forced open. One panel was barely hanging on since two of its hinges had been torn out of the stone base. The gates themselves were made of massive wooden beams, braced with iron at the back and faced with iron spikes. But they appeared to be in salvageable condition though there were several large holes in them. The two three-story drum towers flanking the main entrance were also heavily damaged but seemed usable. Numerous bodies of men, beasts, and giants decorated the entire edifice.

  Tyler looked for Habrok. He found the man on top of a nearby building. The mage gestured towards one of the towers. The ranger moved to occupy the new position. Then he faced Astrid.

  “Tell the soldiers to secure the towers. Choose one to serve a temporary gate commander. Then order him to start finding a way to block the entrance if that part of the gate can’t be fixed by early evening,” Tyler declared as he pointed to the heavily damaged door.

  He waited while Astrid gave the needed orders. He noticed that the Valkyrie choose a Pelasgian as the gate commander.

  “Astrid, while they’re busy securing the gate and its walls, come with me. I need you to identify whatever beasts we find. I am not that familiar with Greek creatures. Habrok can cover us.”

  He turned and walked out the gate.

  The field outside the gates was another butcher’s area. The defenders evidently made the attackers pay dearly. He could see the Dorian host in the distance. They appeared busy. Tyler stopped a few dozen feet from the entrance.

  Must be trying to reorganize and bolster the courage of their men, he mused.

  “The gates could have held, sire. But the Gigas and flying creatures were too much,” commented Astrid.

  “Gigas?”

  “Those big bodies you see near the gates. A legendary tribe of giants, sire. A younger being compared to those commonly known to men. But this is the first time these northern wild giants have joined an army of men. Some of their tribes are reputed to be cannibals. They are described to hate the gods, so it makes me wonder how the battle-god was able to recruit them.”

  “Well, it appears they’re not a legend anymore. How about the flying creatures you mentioned?”

  “More of the birds of the battle-god. They also did use those,” Astrid pointed to a group of creatures around fifty feet away gorging on the dead.

  “What are those?”

  “Keres, Sire. Strange. They belong to Hades. These fell beings really don’t fight nor attack but rather prey on the dead and dying. They take many forms. Some appear skeletal. Others look like frogs given wings. Magical creatures. Only the imagination limits what shapes they can take. But they instill fear and terror in ordinary men who get to stare at them in the face.”

  “Hades?” Shit. Another death god. A Greek major deity. A death god. Even I have heard of him. The brother of Zeus and Poseidon. The feared ruler of the Greek underworld. And there are thousands of the damned things!

  “Go back and help the commander decide what else is needed to protect the entrance and nearby walls when night comes. I am sure the Dorians have more surprises up their sleeves.”

  “Yes, sire.”

  As Astrid left, Tyler continued looking at the Dorian camp. A lot of commotion was going on. But he could see the giants at the back of the army. A lot of creatures were positioned along its flanks.

  Let them be delayed for as long as possible. The city needs the time to rebuild its defenses especially that main gate facing the Dorians.

  Then he felt something. A cold breeze. A sudden drop in the temperature of the area around him. He double-checked his shields and prepared himself.

  “Guys, something is here. But I don’t see it. Just be ready.
As usual, wait for me to attack first.”

  “Of course, Elder.”

  Then Tyler could smell flowers. A strange icy but sweet floral scent predominated.

  This is weird.

  He let his consciousness flow with the energy in his surroundings. Immediately an immense power signature appeared in the energy matrix. It was around ten feet away from him. But it was still invisible despite his attempts to determine what it was. The mage couldn’t get a reading on the being. Fortunately, Tyler didn’t sense any animosity directed at him.

  The ever-changing outline of massive power moved and turned towards him. A wave of white fog shot out of the form and covered their immediate area. The humanoid energy shape took a more substantial appearance. It was a tall, middle-aged Greek man, with a black beard, dressed in a long dark chiton with a long staff held in his right hand. Strangely, he wore a Greek helm on his head. It was just on top of it. The helmet wasn’t lowered yet to cover his face.

  “Greetings, High Mage,” said the being.

  “Khaire,” replied Tyler. A word which delighted the man.

  “Good! You’re learning Greek! That’s the way to be polite about it,” came the reply.

  “I am sorry, my lord, but I don’t believe we have met before,” remarked the puzzled Tyler. With no indication of hostility, he preferred to be as polite as he could be. The level of might he could sense was as powerful as that of Odin, Zeus, and Viracocha.

  “My apologies, Havard, I am Hades.”

  Tyler blanched.

  “My Lord Hades, it’s a surprise meeting you here.” That was all Tyler could say.

  “High Mage. We are in a field of battle. Men are dead and dying. Yet you say it’s a surprise to see me here,” smiled the deity. It was a weird smile. Friendly yet distant at the same time.

  “I am sorry, Lord Hades. But seeing you here was a shock,” Tyler confessed. “Not to mention the fact that you know me.”

  “My brother did talk to me about you,” explained Hades. “He keeps Poseidon and me apprised of what’s happening around Hellas and beyond. Don’t worry about my presence here. I am not involved in this conflict.”

  “But I have been told those creatures come from your realm,” Tyler replied, pointing to the Keres.

  “Indeed, they are. Though they don’t know I am here. I am impressed you sensed my presence. But calm yourself, young mage. I am here for them,” clarified Hades as he pointed out the feeding creatures. “Somebody whispered to me that I might be missing a few of my minions. It seems the rumor was correct.”

  “You didn’t know they were here?” asked Tyler, who then realized how insulting his question was.

  “I’ll let the unmentioned pass, young Havard. I know you didn’t mean it. But yes, I didn’t know. My realm is a huge one. Sometimes, a few slip through the gaps. When that happens, I have to know how and why. But since I have found them, I sense somebody’s touch on my minions. And not those brats of the battle-god.”

  Tyler kept his mouth shut. Another faux pas and he really would be putting his foot in his mouth.

  “Never mind that for now, young mage. I will know who dared steal my creatures from me, even if I have to rip the answer from them,” Hades indicated the Keres with a wave of his hand. “I have to leave now, young mage. And believe me when I say I do wish you well.”

  “A question, my lord?” Tyler finally got the courage to speak.

  “Yes, High Mage?”

  “I smelled flowers, my lord.”

  “Ah, mostly asphodel. I do have other flowers in my realm, but asphodel does represent me and mine.”

  Hades disappeared. And with him, the thousands of crawling and flying Keres on the field.

  After the Greek Lord of the Underworld disappeared, Tyler could hear the intensified turmoil in the Dorian ranks. It was a babel of a hubbub. Indistinct individual shouts could be heard. The heightened uproar came across as a welcome sound. As he looked at the enemy host, breaks in the disciplined rows could be seen, men were arguing, while some hoplite files had visibly withdrawn several feet. The enemy array was buckling.

  At least, the disappearance of Hades’s pets more than discomfited them. I guess some may be entertaining thoughts of breaking ranks and going home.

  He pitied the Dorian hoplites. They are caught in the middle of a war of magic, of deities, and the field was going to be filled with more and more dead soldiers before anybody gets to go home. In a way, they reminded him of World War I soldiers who had to go “over the top” knowing death was certain.

  Somebody’s going to do something now. If only to get the men’s spirits back.

  Then he saw it. Movements on both flanks of the Dorian host. To his magically enhanced vision, a wave of some sort of large four-legged creatures spawned from the left. The right side of the enemy army showed him numerous giants breaking ranks and coming forward. They were all moving towards the heavily damaged main gate. At the same time, he saw clouds of birds massing in flocks above the human army.

  I knew it. Those must be the Gigas. And those dangerous birds of Ares. But what the hell are those? They’re almost as big as horses.

  The two waves were moving at a fast clip. Not yet running towards him but meeting at a point in front of the phalanges and then going forward en masse. Tyler stood where he was. But the mage was already seeding his frontage a hundred feet out with the familiar small and flat rectangular shapes, ready to receive their quota of fiery death.

  Then Tyler heard somebody running towards him from the direction of the gate. It was Astrid.

  “Sire! We suggest you return to the gates. A temporary barricade had been erected. There’s too many of them.”

  “Alright, Astrid. But can we walk back? A fast walk. Bad form to run.”

  “Of course, sire.”

  “But keep your eyes on them and update me of any changes while my back is turned.”

  As the mage walked back swiftly, the Valkyrie updated him on the enemy movements. By the time he got inside the barricade, it had appeared the enemy was taking its time, leisurely walking or slowly trotting towards Akrotiri. The birds were still gathering above the Dorian host.

  “Any of these towers climbable for a mage?” he asked Astrid. His eyes could see the defending hoplites and warriors push back the barricade, blocking the entrance. Dorata were being piled beside the rank of hoplites assigned to bar the gates. Replacements for broken spears, he thought. On the walls were a few archers and javelin men. There appeared to be a dire lack of projectile-armed defenders.

  “Both are now usable, sire. The steps have not been damaged and we have cleaned out the dead.”

  “Lead the way. We don’t have to go to the top of the tower. A level with a window facing the enemy will do.”

  Astrid moved quickly. He was obliged to follow at a run. The mage did notice that the Valkyrie’s armor wasn’t noisy in comparison to those worn by the ordinary hoplites. Then he saw the small leather strips and pieces of cloth which made the reduction in noise possible. And in the process, remembered his armor back in his room at the inn. Freak me. Forgot it again!

  As they reached the top of the wall, Astrid proceeded to an entrance at the side of the tower. Its door was nowhere to be found. Glancing along the parapets, he could see defenders checking arrow quivers and piles of javelins beside them. Some had already positioned additional hoplon and other shields along their respective positions. Some had even used body armor as buttresses. He did observe the defenders made sure that some degree of overhead protection was available. A lesson from the initial attack by flying creatures, he concluded. At least these guys learn. As Jorund said – only the dead don’t adapt.

  The memory of the huskarl jolted him back from his musings. The face of his trustworthy companion in his thoughts suddenly fed his nascent anger. Tyler could feel it erupt as an aura around him. Even Astrid could sense it.

  “Sire?” asked the Valkyrie. They were already at the window. A small one. Enough to give him a
view of the battlefield. Though the window had iron grills before, only two remained in place. The rest were gone or had been bent out of position.

  “Sorry about that, Astrid. A memory.”

  “I understand, sire. Where do you want me to go?”

  “Stay behind me. Make sure my back is protected. The openings on the side of this tower don’t have doors anymore and something or someone may be able to come at us from the upper level.”

  “As you command, sire,” answered Astrid. She drew her throwing axes, holding one in each hand.

  Tyler turned his attention back to the approaching horde. They were a lot closer now but still a good two hundred feet from the magical minefield.

  They really are taking their time. Let me guess. One, to inflict more fear and terror. And two, to give the officers of the Dorian phalanges and other formations time to control their men while the army’s attention is on the coming battle. Let’s give them something else to worry about. I doubt if the sons of Ares have the power to cancel a Zeus-level spell. But I also left that small box in my room. But who would have thought things would come to this? he thought as he felt his anger rising. He had to calm himself down consciously, mindful of Hal’s warning about the effects of emotion-driven spells.

  The mage cast three spells, one after the other, directed against the enemy soldiers in the distance. Three dark clouds appeared above the Dorian army and the forming swarms of predatory birds. The cloudbanks quickly started to expand until the trio encompassed an area more than what the enemy occupied. He couldn’t see the reactions of the foe, but he guessed surprise would be the least of the results. Tyler then released the spell.

  Immediately, the three massive black clouds released their cargo of lightning bolts at the same time. At the distance, he could see the multitude of flashes as death rained down. What made matters more frightening was the continuous rumble of thunder as the lightning poured out of the sky. It was as if an enormous giant as tall as the sky was beating out a deafening drumroll heralding death and destruction. But that was all Tyler could see and hear. He knew carnage was threshing the Dorian ranks and grisly death was reaping its macabre harvest. The mage was thankful beyond words for the great distance. Even his heightened vision couldn’t pick out details of the supernatural butchery.