Reborn: Book 2 (Chronicles of Ghost Company)

by Shawn Muller

  “Marcus, they have arrived,” Jeroch announced to the prince who turned to face us.

  “Excellent. Bob, Max, welcome back. I’m afraid I have very terrible news,” he said after shaking our hands warmly.

  “It seems that my brother, King Owyne is under attack from giants,” he declared.

  We looked at him with a bit of confusion, which he saw.

  “Please, help yourself to some refreshments while I explain,” he offered by gesturing to a tray with a crystal vase filled with red wine.

  “There are many refugees from the towns along False Bay, which have reported that, a giant race of beings, roughly the size of the trolls, have been attacking and conquering the towns. They are then forcing all the survivors to swear fealty to a distant emperor. Those who refuse are executed on the spot and their heads mounted above the cities gates.”

  “Has any of this been verified?” I asked concerned about this news.

  “No. We do not have any forces nearby for that. That is why I have requested your presence. I need you to verify if this is correct. So far, all the refugees are too shocked to be made sense of,” Prince Marcus told us.

  “In the meantime, I will be sending messages off to our allies to gather more information from them, and to prepare themselves for the grim possibility of war,” Prince Marcus said.

  “You can count on us, sir. We will do so immediately and will keep you informed via magic,” I promised the prince.

  “Thank you Bob, and good luck,” Prince Marcus said shaking our hands once again as we left him.

  Prince Marcus turned to study the maps, already lost deep in thought as we left his study together with Jeroch.

  Jeroch walked us out a side door of the castle which opened out onto the training area where the barracks were located.

  “Gentlemen, I must leave you here, but I will wish you luck and safety,” he said shaking our hands.

  We thanked him and headed in the opposite direction to find our griffins who were still being fed by the retainer a mixture of raw meat and berries from the high peaks of the Great Divide Mountains.

  Max and I stood to one side while we waited for our mounts to finish eat, discussing the mission we were given. Max would head to our HQ, to gather equipment and supplies, and those Ghosts who had already been dropped off, while I would head to our temporary forest camp to brief my sub-commanders who were still there, and to start our preparations.

  Eventually, well fed, the griffins were ready to take us back. Climbing onto the magnificent beast and settling just behind its shoulders, I nudged Rammstein, whom I named after a German heavy metal band I used to listen to when I was growing up.

  The griffin launched itself high into the air with a powerful leap before it began to flap its wings, driving itself higher into the air with each beat. Max was following close behind on his griffin, Ostrich. The griffins gave a piercing cry as we circled Prince Marcus keep once before we headed off on our separate errands.

  It was a long, cold flight back to the Elven Forests, which gave me plenty of time to think about the mission. I arrived well after midnight and immediately sent for Fremod and those subcommanders who were still present.

  Fremod, Babar, and Bruniks joined Mia, Titanius and I in my tent. I quickly told them what the prince had told me and what my plans were. They left me, looking grim about the possibility of a looming war with an unknown foe while I tried to catch a few hours shut eye while I could.

  Dawn broke as I woke up to the sound of the camp already bustling. The smell of breakfast made my stomach rumble, so I left my tent to find the source of the lovely smell of bacon. I found Mia and Deez at the cooking fires, frying bacon and making scrambled eggs for us while some of the other men cooked mushrooms, porridge, and dwarven bread.

  “This is a nice surprise,” I greeted everybody.

  “Thanks, man, thought it might be lekker to eat a decent breakfast before we march off again,” Deez said.

  I grabbed a tin plate and began to help myself, joining my men on the logs around the fire as we ate the hearty breakfast. We enjoyed some light-hearted banter at first, but all too soon I was fielding questions about the mission.

  “Ok ladies and gents, gather around. Now, we don’t know what is happening along the coast of False Bay. That is why Prince Marcus is sending us there. For all we know it is just rumors started by a drunken merchant,” I said to a few chuckles. “But, we will be ready for anything, won’t we? Because we’re the Ghosts!” It elicited a small cheer and put everybody a bit more at easy, including myself I must admit.

  After breakfast was done, I sent Bruniks with all the elves and orcs to scout out a suitable spot for us closer to the edge of the forest, as we were closer to Lake Erie than False Bay. By lunch, the first of the griffins from HQ arrived with the new supplies and the returning men. I sent the dwarves up ahead on some griffins to help find a suitable spot while the rest of us ready ourselves with the move.

  It was about two days later that Ward had returned with news of a spot for us. The griffins were sent with a few squads to secure the area, and with most of the supplies, while the rest of us rode out on horseback to the spot, not far north of the branch of Joliotium River which ran through the Elven Forests.

  It would become our base of operation during this mission. Within days, we had established a pretty well-fortified camp with earth walls, wooden spikes, and traps surrounding us. Patrols were sent out while my scouting teams travelled to the forest edges and roads to gather any information that they could. Griffin riders were kept grounded, as I did not want to give up my element of surprise just yet, much to their disappointment.

  My first mission was for a small group to scout out Tak, a major city sitting on the crossroads of the highway. This team was led by Bruce and consisted of Tachojay, Deez, Reniek and Li, my best scouts.

  A second group led by Titanius would scout east of the highway, heading northeast towards Kazcad, but sticking to the countryside, while a third group led by Bruniks would head along the Joliotium River to scout out the small fishing villages which lined the broad river that flowed out towards False Bay.

  The rest of the Ghosts would set up observation posts along the forest edge and the highway leading into the forest towards Traders Post. A small force would question the refugees which were fleeing down the highway to gather information from them as to what we may face.

  “It’s all the same information,” Max said to me a few days later, “big single eye on the forehead, unstoppable werewolf like animals at their side and walking dead wizards.”

  “Considering everything else we have come across here, I am not surprised at all. Damn cyclops, vampires, and zombies. The only thing missing are the dragons and fairies,” I replied.

  I had sent a report back to Prince Marcus, who reacted by mobilizing his armies to meet this threat. Similar reports came from Queen Canderson that the cyclops had entered the Hahnium Jungles and had attacked a few isolated villages on the edges of the jungle. Communication was sketchy with Prince Owyne, but it seemed that for now, no cyclops was reported near his lands.

  Prince Marcus issued an order for us then. To prepare a staging area for the defense of his lands, preferably before Traders Post would be under direct threat. Well, that was the plan.

  The scouting teams were still out gathering intel, so the small contingent that I had left began to plan a few staging areas north of the Joliotium River, as well as backup supply depots hidden within the forests as well. King Panyk, the elven leader, sent reinforcements to help us out while Prince Marcus began to gather his forces at Sakyno before marching on to Traders Post. In the meantime, we waited for the news from my scout.

  ***

  “Crikey! Would you look at the size of that one?” Bruce exclaimed as he spied over the cyclops.

  Hidden under his ghillie suit, he had led his small squad of scouts to a spot close to the walls of Tak. Well out of eyesight of the patrolling cyclops on the walls, the scouts h
ad a perfect view of the southern gate leading out onto the highway which ran from Tak right through the Elven Forests to Traders Post.

  “That monster must be almost as big as Fremod’s dad,” Bruce said of a particularly large cyclops as it led a patrol out of the city gates.

  Farmers were waiting to enter Tak, their fresh produce on wagons which were being inspected by the cyclops and a few human soldiers. The patrol of twenty cyclops and four werewolves marched down the highway, the farmers all cowering behind their wagons as the patrol passed them.

  On the walls of Tak, more cyclops walked a lazy patrol between the towers, looking relaxed after the easy conquest. Packs of werebeasts loped around the landscape close to the city walls, with cyclops handlers always nearby. For now, Bruce and his squad were safe as the patrols never ventured that far out from the walls.

  “Ja, he is a big one, right? That makes the third patrol out already for today. And seven in total since we have been here,” Deez commented.

  “Yeah mate. And they all are heading south to Traders Post, perhaps an advanced scouting party of their own?”

  “I am thinking so to bru.”

  “Right. I don’t think we should risk going into the city. Let’s call it a day and head back to camp,” Bruce said as he slithered back down the small hill on which they were hiding.

  Deez led the way back to their small hideout amongst an abandoned farmstead about a kilometer away from Tak. Li was busy cooking a pot of vegetable soup when the squad marched into the farm yard, scattering the few remaining chickens which were scratching in the dirt.

  “Supper is almost ready,” he told the squad as they entered the modest kitchen.

  The farmer and his family left the farm with a well-stocked pantry in their haste to escape the cyclops, and it was this food that the squad had lived on for the past week. The men quickly washed off the dirt which they had smeared on earlier at the well before grabbing a bowl of soup and a small loaf of fresh bread which Li had baked as well.

  “Mate, you could quit the force and open a restaurant,” Bruce told Li.

  Li bowed to this and smiled as the rest of the squad paid their compliments as well.

  “Right lads, we pack up and leave tomorrow morning. We have seen enough here for the higher ups to decide what to do,” Bruce told the squad once they had eaten.

  They quietly packed their belongings that night before settling down early, with a lone sentry on duty. Li was on sentry duty, quietly walking around the farmyard when he heard the faint rustle of leaves close by. He instinctively crouched lower before darting into dark shadows.

  Stealthy, he drew a doubled edged dagger and slowly edged forward to peep around the farmhouse corner where he hid to see what made the noise. Soft footsteps sounded, first one, two, then five sets followed by heavy breathing then sniffing as if a large dog was hunting something.

  Li backed away from the corner and gingerly made his way towards the back door which he had left unlocked. Faint scratching sounds came from the front door as Li entered the kitchen. He quietly closed and barred the door before silently padding down the small passageway to the bedrooms to wake the squad.

  One by one he quietly woke each member, who stealthily donned on some armour before arming themselves. Bruce followed Li back to the front door where the sniffing was coming from, with more scratching and sniffing coming from the back door. All the windows were shuttered closed and barred from the inside, leaving the doors as the only exits.

  The door handle rattled as something tried to open the door. Snarls sounded on the other side as Bruce and Li tensed by the front door, similarly, Deez and Tachojay tensed when the backdoor also rattled when something tried to open it.

  Reniek notched an arrow in his bow and stood in the passageway ready to draw it. The front entrance opened up into a small living room which had an open plan kitchen attached to it. The bedrooms were down the small passageway, which had a solid wooden door that could be closed and latched from the inside as well. Bruce motioned to Li and Deez to follow him back towards the rooms, with Tachojay joining Reniek at the doorway with his bow ready.

  “Looks like we may be in a bind fellas, we lay low and hope that they move on. Otherwise, we lock ourselves in the rooms and try and escape through the roof,” Bruce said pointing up to the thatched roof.

  Nodding, Li, and Deez moved into a room each to try and hear for anything that may try and break in through a window. Bruce went back into the main room to do the same. Harsh sounding words drifted through the front door which was followed by a thump against it.

  A harder, more forceful thump followed by another and another and suddenly the wooden door was smashed inwards causing it to fly back into the kitchen. A werewolf leapt into the entrance, only to go down with two arrows sticking out of its chest.

  A second wolf leapt over the dead one and was pierced by two arrows as well before two more flooded in followed by a towering figure. Arrows flew at the cyclops who simply raised a shield. The arrows harmlessly thudded into it without causing damage.

  The back door banged open as another cyclops burst into the kitchen, shield held high. The two werewolves went down quickly as the two elves killed them with withering arrow fire. The cyclops simply advanced, shields held high causing the arrows to deflect each time.

  Li darted out from behind the elves, before diving between the huge cyclops. A sword clanked down after him, missing and biting deep into the stone floor. Li rolled to his feet, his arms a blur as the right-hand cyclops stumbled away from him, holding his throat as blood gushed from between its fingers. The second cyclops turned to meet Li, only to have arrows thud into its back, knocking it down onto its face.

  “Well done boys, now let’s get the hell out of here,” Bruce said running past the elves.

  Grabbing their packs, the squad followed Bruce as they left the farmhouse and headed off towards the distant forests. Howls were heard, followed by a blast of a horn which sounded from the farmhouse. The horses were kept in a barn quite a distance from the farmhouse, and it was here that the small squad ran to when a black mass ran past them.

  Snarling, it reared on its hind legs, arms ready to rend the flesh from the squad. Arrows sprouted from its chest, and it pitched over backwards as the squad ran past it, getting closer to the barn. The horses were skittish, trying to pull at their reigns to escape.

  The men quickly calmed them and saddled the horses before leaping onto their backs and galloping out of the barn toward the forests. Brutish shouts sounded to their left as a patrol of cyclops ran after them, spears at the ready to be thrown. Spears whizzed past the squad as the cyclops unleashed them to bring down the scouts. Not breaking strides, the cyclops sprinted after the horses, seemingly closing the gap between themselves and the fleeing scouts. Looking over his shoulder, Bruce shouted a warning to his squad.

  “Break and evade!”

  The small group split and headed off into different directions as they sort to evade the gaining cyclops. The cyclops simply ignored the spilt group and focused on Bruce, who rode on straight. He looked wildly over his shoulder, noting each time that the cyclops were gaining.

  His horse began to tire, and he started to throw his equipment off the horse, soon only leaving what he was wearing and a large duffle bag which he tried to unpack one handed. He rode around a small hill and pulled hard on the reins of his horse, bringing it to a dead stop.

  Jumping off the horse, he pulled out a small metal tank and nozzle from the duffle bag, which he strapped to his back, slowly adjusting the leather straps around his shoulders. He heard the thumps of the cyclops as they ran around the hill after him. Smiling, Bruce lit the pilot flame as the cyclops slid to a halt, not twenty meters away from him.

  “G’day mate, nice night for a barbie,” he said before pulling the trigger of the flamethrower.

  The liquid fire erupted from the nozzle and quickly engulfed the cyclops, who helplessly ran around shrieking in pain before falling to the groun
d, dead. Bruce had run after his horse before the last cyclops had fallen, and was trying to mount the scared beast when he heard a snarl behind him.

  Something heavy crashed into his back, sending him careening into the horse which bolted off once more, screaming in pain. Lying winded on his stomach, Bruce tried to push himself onto his knees, but something heavy pushed him back down. The hot, rank breath blew into his face, as the slobbering jaws of a werewolf snapped shut inches from his neck.

  Other snarls and yelps were heard as Bruce’s horse was torn to shreds by a larger pack of werewolves, while a pair of boots thudded into his vision. Looking up, Bruce saw the massive cyclops which he had spied on early the previous day.

  The huge cyclops bent down and effortlessly picked Bruce up. One handed on the tank of naphtha which was still strapped to his back. The pilot flame was out, and the nozzle trailed behind him as the cyclops walked over to the burnt out corpses of the cyclops he had torched.

  Holding him over the corpse, the huge cyclops roared something in its brutish language, before shaking Bruce violently over them. Bruce felt like his brain was rattled loose, but he managed somehow not to pass out from the pain. Lifting him up right, the cyclops brought Bruce up to his face. Looking the cyclops dead in his eye, Bruce simply smiled as he reached behind him and yanked out the nozzle pipe from the tank.