Reborn: Book 2 (Chronicles of Ghost Company)

by Shawn Muller

  The immediate area was devastated by the huge surge of water, with debris and animal carcases piled high against the city walls. The area seemed to be cultivated before the wave destroyed everything in its path. The crew stepped farther away from the shipwreck to peer up the walls to see if they could spot anybody. Soon a booming noise could be heard farther along the wall as the city’s gates opened.

  The captain and his surviving crewmen stared in horror huge, three-metre tall humans jogged towards them, dressed in simple boiled leather chest armour and leather kilts. A crewmember tried to run away from them, but an enormous, wolf-like dog which accompanied the giants easily loped after the fleeing man before hamstringing him and dragged him back screaming in sheer terror and pain. A cry of fear rose up from the crewmen as they saw that the giants all only had one eye in the middle of their foreheads, right between the spot where a human’s eyes were supposed to be.

  The giant cyclops quickly surrounded and subdued the humans before marching them towards the gate. The huge wolf animals rounded up the hamstrung sailor as well as those too injured to walk.

  To their horror, and that of marching ship’s crew, the wolves stood up on two legs. Snarling and snapping at each other, the wolf-beasts turned their attention to the injured sailors before pouncing on the defenceless men and ripped them to shreds with little effort. The beasts then settled down to gnaw on the remains while the cyclops laughed at the slaughter behind them before forcing the remaining crew to march through the city gates and leaving the fear gibbering survivors to wonder what their fate would be.

  ***

  “So, what do we call these small creatures?” The cyclops emperor asked.

  “Well, your imperial highness, we are still devising a suitable spell to understand their high-pitched whine, but from what we can make out they call themselves, human,” the advisor told the emperor.

  “Is it necessary to keep them locked up in a cage like this? They do not look dangerous. And they certainly are not wild animals,” the emperor said as he peered through the bars of the small cage at the band of humans which cowered in the far corner.

  “We are not certain of that, Emperor. If they are capable of building ships which can sail across the oceans, ships more complicated than we can ever design, then perhaps they are as deadly. Besides, until the undead sorcerers can finish their spells, we should keep them confined from the general public for safety’s sake.”

  “Death-on-Wings, I hear your voice of concern. However, I do not think they are that much of a threat. Get them cleaned up and in new clothes. They seem to be your size. Find a tailor, and suitable accommodation for them to stay, guarded of course. Once that is done, bring their leader to me to my chambers, I wish to meet with him alone,” the emperor ordered Death-on-Wings.

  “As you command, emperor, so it shall be,” Death-on-Wings said, bowing low towards his emperor.

  A few hours later, a clean again pirate captain was marched under guard into the cyclops emperor’s private chambers. The enormous room, designed for the giant cyclops, tables and chairs for their three-metre length - books almost as tall as the captain on a bookshelf the size of a tree.

  But to one side, close to a fireplace that looked like the entrance to hell it was so big, was a series of chairs and tables made to human scale. The captain looked around in terror, as he did since being captured weeks ago after the unnatural storm.

  Captain Viskot was shocked to see the cyclops emperor sitting at a desk – large by cyclops standards – where he was reading from a parchment. After a while, he looked up at the captain, who began to cower in renewed fear. The cyclops emperor’s expression softened as he saw this.

  He slowly rose from behind his desk and beckoned for the captain to sit at the human-sized chair. A servant brought a flagon of watered wine for the emperor and the captain, as well as a bowl of fresh fruit to nibble on.

  “It seems that you have not encountered us yet and that our sheer size is rather intimidating, this I understand. We have not encountered your kind either, and I am most curious to learn more about you and your kind,” the emperor said to the captain.

  The captain relaxed a little as he began to understand he was not under threat, and slowly sat on a soft couch in front of the emperor, who gestured towards the food and wine and helped himself to a goblet of wine.

  “Thank you, emperor, for the kindness,” the captain replied in the cyclops language.

  The emperor almost choked on his mouthful of wine and sprayed the wine out as he spat it out which soaked the captain through. Laughing, he gestured for the servant to clean the mess and to help the captain clean himself. Gently the cyclops servant undressed the captain and wiped him down before removing the clothing to clean it.

  “So it seems we have underestimated you, human,” the emperor said with a chuckle. “How is it that you understand us, yet we cannot devise a spell to understand you?

  “I have a little magical talent for picking up languages, emperor, thus allowing me to learn yours so quickly,” the captain replied.

  “And why did you not speak earlier to us?”

  “Fear,” was the captain’s quick response

  “I see, prudent perhaps. The faery, Death-on-Wings is adamant that you are a threat to us all, so it is wise indeed to keep quiet about your magical talent for now. Tell me, what is your name, human?” he asked

  “I am Viskot, captain of the ill-fated ship which was caught in a magical storm that washed us onto your lands,” Viskot introduced himself to the emperor, bowing low to him.

  “Viskot, I am Standlerd-Sinb III, emperor and ruler of the M’Mexarow Isles. Welcome, to your new home,” he bowed his head in greeting to Viskot.

  “The honour is all mine, my emperor,” Captain Viskot greeted the emperor as he quickly realised his situation.

  “Captain Viskot, tell me about your lands. Are they far? Will trade be possible? Can you build me a fleet to sail there?” the emperor asked the overwhelmed captain.

  Stammering, Captain Viskot began to explain to the emperor about the lands he had come from, offering suggestions with whom the cyclops should approach first.

  The discussions had ended late that night before the emperor allowed the captain to leave. Standing at his study window, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III contemplated his next course of action. Trouble was brewing as it always did on the Faery Isles, and perhaps a grand adventure to new lands would quell the threat of rebellion.

  Time would certainly tell he thought to himself.

  ***

  “Admiral Viskot. I have promoted you to Fleet Overlord of the Cyclops Empire with the intentions of building ships of sufficient quality to sail across the oceans so that we may discover your homelands,” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III stated.

  “As of yet you have only completed one ship and have yet to fully crew it, never mind launch and sail it!” An irritated emperor shouted. “It has been months since I have tasked you with the express order of building me my fleet. Explain yourself.”

  “Your imperial highness,” a visibly cowering Admiral Viskot started to say. “I am having difficulty working with your imperial shipwrights. They refuse to listen to me or to even looking at my designs. It was a miracle that one ship was built at all.”

  “Is this true Death-on-Wings?” The emperor turned to his faery advisor.

  “Yes, it is your imperial highness. They seem to view the admiral and his, humans,” the last word came out as a sneer, “as unworthy of any meaningful tasks.”

  “You included,” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III stated.

  “It is not for me to judge my ruler, but only to follow his will,” Death-on-Wings said, bowing low in deference to his emperor.

  “And so it should be. Very well, I, Standlerd-Sinb III, hereby decree that all humans are to be treated as equals throughout my empire. Anybody disobeying this rule shall be severely punished. You included Death-on-Wings. Furthermore, I want the lead shipwright’s heads brought to me by sunset, a
nd their second-in-commands promoted, with the understanding of their tasks towards my fleet overlord. Go now, Death-on-Wings, and carry out my orders,” Death-on-Wings bowed so low his forehead almost touched his knees before he turned around and floated off through the throne room to carry out his orders.

  “I trust that this will speed up production, fleet overlord. I want us to set sail by spring to find your homelands,” Standlerd-Sinb III warned Admiral Viskot.

  “Yes your imperial greatness, your will, will be done,” swallowing hard, Admiral Viskot bowed as low as the faery had before him.

  ***

  Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III stood looking out a window in his study, lost in thought weeks after the heads of his shipwrights had been delivered to him. For many, many years, signs had been washing up on the various beaches of the M’Mexarow lands that there were other races out there to find and with whom to trade, maybe even new lands to conquer.

  However, no race under the cyclops rule were efficient ship builders and the gnome dragon riders could not fly out to sea long enough to spot any new lands. Now, through a bizarre turn of events, a human ship had washed ashore, and with it some crewmembers which had survived the storm of the millennium, a magical storm no less.

  Fleet Overload Viskot quickly found out the benefits of helping the Cyclops Empire. He had established himself in the capital city of Lafarance Fort with a summer house at the newly created fleet headquarters at Orwellinens. With spring on the way, the newly built fleet was just about ready to set sail for the admiral’s old homeland, and hopefully with that, the establishment of new trade routes. But first, the fleet had to do one more test run down to the emperor’s home island of Arud.

  The fleet’s flagship was to be launched within the next week, and Standlerd-Sinb III intended to travel to the shipyards at Orwellinens to attend the ceremony and to accompany the fleet on its maiden voyage to his homeland for an official imperial visit. It was something he did not look forward to, which was strange, as the cyclops tribe of Arud led by his great-grandfather were seafarers, and had carved out the cyclops empire by blood and steel many, many years ago.

  They first slowly carved out a kingdom on Lawgerway Isle, and finally uniting the warring tribes of cyclops. However, did not stop the cyclops from fighting among each other, settling old scores and grudges, until Standlerd-Sinb I decided to use this aggression for a more useful purpose, that being the invasion of their neighbours, the faeries.

  The focusing of the various tribes’ anger at something else united the cyclops like nothing else. Huge weapon stores were made and an invasion fleet built by the Arud Tribe was soon ready to transport the invading armies across the short sea to the faery lands.

  At first, the resistance was light, with the first town falling without much of a fight, but the next major city put up more resistance. Within months, the first island within the Isles of Faeries was capture and the fleet set off for the next island. By this time the faeries had realised the threat and put up more of a fight, using powerful magical spells to kill entire platoons of cyclops. But the tenacity of the cyclops armies overcame all and soon the island fell with the next island soon behind it.

  Before the last Faery Island was invaded, the faery leaders approached the emperor and asked for peace. The great invasion was over at a huge price, more than half the male population of cyclops had been wiped out fighting while the faeries had lost most of their food-producing lands.

  The cost of the victory was overshadowed by the fact that the cyclops had gained powerful allies who dealt in magic while the faeries gained help to protect their lands from another invading force, this time from the south.

  “My most humble of apologies, your imperial greatness, for interruption of your thoughts, but we must be leaving soon if we are to make the ceremony,” a servant said to Standlerd-Sinb III, who just nodded as he turned away from the window.

  The cyclops history was steeped in violence and bloodshed; from the faery invasion to the massacres of the gnomes and their dragons; from the enslavement of the werebeasts to the trickery of the undead and their skeletal hordes. The forging of the empire had been rather dark indeed.

  Now there are rumours among my informants of a possible uprising yet again by the faeries. Does nobody within the empire desire peace as I do? Perhaps this new fleet heading off to new, undiscovered lands and people will instil new pride and love for the great empire as it did when my father was still ruler, he thought as he made his way out of the palace

  Standlerd-Sinb III climbed into his royal carriage, alone as he had been through his whole life as a child. As of yet, he had not found a suitable empress, somebody to share his love, dreams and desires with. For now, he was content to just, be alone, to think clearly about the future, how to survive the coming storm of civil war that was a constant threat throughout the empire.

  As the carriage left the palace, flanked by the imperial honour guard and the massive beast that was his retinue, advisors and hangers-on, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III, the most powerful, influential person in the empire, was feeling depressed and very much alone.

  ***

  “Your eminence, our dragon scouts have sent word that land has been spotted. The first ships should reach landfall within the week,” Death-on-Wings said.

  “Excellent. I trust that our envoys are fully briefed as to the diplomacy we shall follow? I do not want any mishaps to befall us,” Standlerd-Sinb III replied, a slight menacing tone undercutting his words.

  “Your excellence, the utmost care has been taken to ensure that all shall go smoothly. Our ships have been sailing for far too long for any mishaps to happen so late in the journey.”

  “And what of the second fleet heading for the capital?”

  “They will begin manoeuvring soon to make for the Straits of Westdom and then onto the capital city,” Death-on-Wings answered.

  “Good, keep me informed as soon as you receive any more news,” Standlerd-Sinb III said, dismissing the faery from his private study.

  “I trust that you heard this,” Standlerd-Sinb III said, seemingly speaking to himself while looking out his study window once the servant was gone.

  “Clear as daylight. May I come in now?” A deep voice spoke from outside the window.

  Standlerd-Sinb III stepped away from the window as a cloaked figure climbed through it and into the study.

  “So, what do you make of it?”

  “Honestly?” the shadowy figure asked.

  “I would not have risked so much for you to be hidden here tonight had I not wanted your honesty.”

  “Fair enough. I think that the faeries are up to their old tricks again, rumours, quick whispers in marketplaces, training of faery soldiers in hidden fields throughout the Faery Isles. It points to a revolt again. When my guess is once you leave the Empire to pay your respects to this new found Kingdom.”

  “Solutions?”

  “From me? You surprise me Stand.”

  “Don’t play coy with me, brother. By law and tradition I should have had you quartered the day I took the throne,” Standlerd-Sinb III said looking back out the window.

  “Yes, yes I know that Stand. My gut feel is that Death-on-Wings is leading this revolt. He may be planning something with the first contact ships, possibly to force you to leave for Curixeus sooner than you would have liked. After that, I don’t know much yet or what the plans are.”

  “Mother was right. You are a crafty one. And how do I know that it is not you who is planning this revolt, merely guiding that faery along by its stupid nose?” Standlerd-Sinb III said, turning around to face his brother, looking deep into his eyes.

  “Because, brother, you spared me my life, gave me a new one with a sense of purpose. If I betray that, I betray myself. Besides, you will never know anyway,” he replied, ending the answer slyly.

  Laughing, Standlerd-Sinb III embraced his brother in a bear hug.

  “Yes, Staed, I would not know. But as you feel this knife pricking your s
kin right by your kidney, just remember, you don’t know that I don’t know if you know if I am having you watched as well.”

  “True, but as you feel my knife on your back, maybe I know who is following me and reporting to you,” Staed said with a grin.

  “Brother, it’s good to see you again. Sit, let’s drink some wine and remember our youth,” Standlerd-Sinb III offered with a deep, heartfelt laugh.

  Laughing and putting his knife away, Staed joined his older brother by the fireplace, sharing a crystal glass of mulled wine while each brother kept a wary eye on the other’s hands.

  ***

  “Your imperial greatness, dragon scouts flying over Curixeus report a massive build-up of troops on a plain south of where our ships will land. They also report a strong magical presence in that area,” the imperial messenger said delivering the written note to Standlerd-Sinb III.

  Standlerd-Sinb III read the full report before turning back to the messenger.

  “Tell Death-on-Wings to increase the coverage of this area. I want to know what is happening there. Make it very clear to him that all dragon flyers are to stay out of sight. It will not help our cause if we are spotted before we want to be seen, especially as we approach the lands of this kingdom.”