Reborn: Book 2 (Chronicles of Ghost Company)

by Shawn Muller

  Naphtha sprayed over the cyclops and the werewolves which had gathered around Bruce before Bruce lit his pilot flame again and stuck the nozzle directly into the hole in the tank which he had just opened up. The resulting explosion was heard by the remaining scouts who were just about to enter the Elven Forests.

  Li, being the closest to Bruce, turned his horse around and galloped back in the direction of the explosion. It took almost an hour for Li to get there, but one look at the area from the top a hill told him all he needed to know.

  The area was burnt out, the naphtha causing the green grass to catch fire and burn. Burnt bodies lay scattered around a small crater with only ash lying in and around it. The half-eaten, burnt horse carcass lay to one side with a pair of half burnt cyclops laying nearby, looking as if they had tried to run from something.

  Li took this in through emotionless eyes before wheeling his horse around and heading back to the forests. Li was naturally the last person to arrive back at our camp, being led by two elven rangers. One look at his face, and it was confirmed, Bruce was dead.

  The news hit us bad. We had not expected anything like this. Li told us of what he had found, and we made our own conclusions as to the end of Bruce. The rest of the day was spent in mourning for our lost comrade and friend.

  The next day at sunrise, I called for a general assembly. The Ghosts were in a state of shock and needed to be brought out of it before it got any worse. Red-eyed, I faced the men and women of Ghost Company, a small hand sewed Australian flag was flown at half-mast at the base camp gates.

  “Ghost Company. It is with great sadness that I confirm that our comrade and friend, Bruce was killed in action last night as he led his men out of enemy territory while under attack by superior forces. True to our tradition, he put his life on the line to save those around him, and in doing so, took some of the bastards with him. He is the first Ghost to have died while in combat, a true legend amongst us now. Now, it is for us to live up to his name and to become legends like him!” The Ghosts roared, shaking drawn weapons into the air as we said goodbye to Bruce and looked forward to the payback.

  “We must make ready for the imminent attack of the cyclops through these forests, where they will look to invade our prince’s lands and claim them for their own. But they will be in for a surprise! For they will have to go through us first! The Ghost Company!” A louder roar sounded, chasing birds into the air as the forests reverberated with our cheers.

  “Let’s get ready to meet them then shall we? Commanders to my tent!” I ordered my sub-commanders as the men made their way to their tents to ready their weapons and armour.

  “Right. As you have all heard, we are under attack by cyclops. Where they are from, we do not know yet. All we know is that they have invaded Westdom and the king’s lands, and have made forays into the Hahnium Jungles. They have sent scouting parties into the Elven Forests for the last few days, and it is now our mission to prevent these scouts from going deeper into the forests. We are to hunt them down and kill every single last one of them. Prince Marcus should be marching up the highway within the month to reinforce Traders Post while King Diamond will be meeting Prince Marcus with his forces there as well. King Panyk will be spreading his armies out along the forest to ensure that the cyclops army does not invade in strength anywhere other than down the highway, where royal engineers have begun to build defensive positions down the length right until the Joliotium Bridge,” I explained to my lieutenants and sergeants. “I want us split into three groups of fifty, each having dedicated heavy infantry and archers. We will need a mage or two if possible with each group, and spears, lots of spears. The cyclops are physically almost as big as the king trolls. They have the advantages of reach over us, but within the trees, we can easily beat them with combined crossbow fire and spears. Any questions?” I asked.

  Between Max and myself, we answered what was asked and soon, the sub commanders were gathering their men and leading them into the forests to begin their hunt.

  ***

  It was a lavish wedding, fit for an emperor. Whole herds of cattle were slaughtered and roasted for the feasts which lasted for days. Prisoners and slaves were paraded through the city of Mountdom, evidence of the strength and might of the cyclops.

  Bells rang continuously for three days since Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III and Princess Wendyaline became betrothed. A national week of celebration was held throughout the entire cyclops empire, which now stretched across the vast oceans separating M’Mexarow and Curixeus.

  “My husband. You have made me the happiest woman in the entire world,” Empress Wendyaline said while lying in Standlerd-Sinb III’s arms on the night of the wedding.

  “I am pleased. I have not felt such happiness myself for many long, lonely years. Now, what is it that I could give you as a suitable gift?” He asked as he gently stroked her hair.

  “Oh Stand, you really don’t have to give me anything. You have given me so much already,” Empress Wendyaline said in an overly happy tone of voice.

  “I insist. It is tradition that I provide you a suitable gift of your choice.”

  “Oh alright if you insist,” she said with a shrug of the shoulders and a pout of the lips.

  “I do insist, now what is it that you want?” Standlerd-Sinb III asked.

  Moving to lay on top of Standlerd-Sinb III, the bed covers falling off to reveal her smooth, white skin. Wendyaline looked into her new husband's eyes and said,

  “To rule all of Curixeus.”

  Feeling her warm body on top of his, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III responded almost immediately, face and ears flushing from the sudden rush of blood which coursed through his body.

  “For you, anything,” he replied breathlessly.

  ***

  “General Etawar, what is the progress of our invasion?” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III asked of his general.

  “Your imminence, all the cities, and villages south of False Bay which belonged to the king have fallen to our forces. As of now, the last town of Fearit will be besieged by the week’s end.”

  “Good. And the cities north of False Bay? I want The Capitol completely cut off from help before we remove the king’s head.”

  “We are making progress your worship. Our fleets are battling daily with the king’s fleets, and we are slowly making headway. Mushroom Town and Highland Keep have fallen. However, we are constantly being raided by the northern orcs who sail down the Darkness River. We have tried to take their forts on the Three Finger Isles. But their forces and shaman are proving troublesome, as are the southern orcs and the centaurs. I suggest we pacify the inner realm first, followed by Prince Marcus southern realm before we turn our forces to these areas. I also suggest we bring the skeletal hordes across. We may need them to deal with an unknown force within the Elven Forest,” General Etawar suggested.

  “Explain yourself,” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III asked gruffly.

  “We have lost every scouting force sent into the forests, no matter the strength or composition.”

  “Very well, send for the horde. We will deal with these, unknown forces, once The Capital has fallen,” the Emperor ordered.

  “Your will my Liege,” General Etawar said bowing low.

  Chapter 5 – The Fall

  The vast armies stood poised to launch the attack across the False Bay. For weeks, the forces of King Dwayne and Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III had battled for supremacy over the waterways surrounding the small island known as The Capitol.

  This sprawling metropolis of palaces, government buildings, schools and places of learning and worship covered the entire island. The residents lived on the outskirts of the city walls, between the rocky shoreline and the high, thick defensive walls which surrounded the affluent suburbs of the king and his court followers and various wealthy and powerful merchants.

  The impending battle for The Capitol caused widespread panic and riots from the trapped citizens who knew they stood no chance against any armed foe. The defenders o
f the king had closed the inner city gates, keeping the lower class citizens outside the gates, and at the mercy of the cyclops armies.

  Massive catapults and ballistae stood ready to fire down at any forces landing on the minimal beaches while wizards and mages stood vigil against an attack of sorcery as had happened to Bucal.

  The invaders had not had it all their way. The seaborne battles were brutal and bloody with no quarter given. The humans had more seafaring experience than the cyclops. However, the cyclops had their size and superior numbers to their advantage, until the orc raiders hit them.

  Pressed from two sides, the cyclops fleet fled to the safe harbours of Traders Hope and Traders Pass to escape the relentless orc ships which sunk both the king’s ships and the cyclops ships without any discrimination. The cyclops were forced to change tactics.

  As of yet, dragons had not been used in any fighting, besides the odd dragon used for sending messages and for scouting. Dragons were assembled in numbers on the plains between Bucal and Tak, where they would be used to attack the heavily defended walls from above.

  A second, larger force of dragons would take off from the surroundings of Traders Pass and ferry the awaiting troops across the short watery passage of the Siren Straights to The Capitol. These would be offloaded both within and without the city walls with the aim of seizing the gates and harbour of The Capitol where reinforcements could be shipped across from Bucal on standard troop transport ships.

  “The troops are all in position your excellence,” General Etawar reported to Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III on the morning of the attack.

  “You may proceed. I shall be with the second wave of cyclops dragon flyers landing in the palace,” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III told his general.

  Striding off to join the second wave of attackers, the cyclops emperor readjusted his great helm. He was dressed in full-scale mail armour. Gold embossed with delicate runes carved over the chest and back. These runes were inscribed by the undead sorcerers from the Undead Isles and would deflect most arrows and spears aimed at him.

  He personal weapon was a two handed long sword which was strapped to his back. Also infused with magic, it was capable of cleaving through the toughest metal without nicking or going blunt. The magic also made it lighter than it was, although an average human would still battle to lift the blade which was about two metres in length.

  His gauntleted hands opened and clenched in anticipation for the looming battle. It would be the emperor’s first battle. The Cyclops Empire had long been formed by his father when he assumed control. Although he had fought the odd uprising against poorly armed peasants, going against properly armed and trained foes would be an ultimate test for his renowned swordsmanship.

  The gnome dragon rider, short in stature and barely rising to the emperor’s calf, stood by the waiting beast. Dressed in thick leather clothes, the gnome grinned crazily as it waved a goading stick at the dragon’s head as the dragon turned its fiercesome gaze at the approaching cyclops emperor.

  The dragon was a huge alpha male, easily twenty metres in length. Its thick hind legs were bunched under its body, ready to launch it into the air to join its circling brethren. A long reptilian tail swished behind it in impatiens, a small stabilising fin on the tip, opening, and closing.

  The body was long and elongated like a rock lizard, and similarly skinned with a thick scaled hide, dark rust red in colour. Its long, snakelike neck and head, whipped back from the gnome and the goading stick, the mouth opening to hiss at the gnome and revealed rows of sharp needle-like teeth and a long, thin tongue.

  It had a set of horns above its tiny pointy ears on the top of its head, and it was to this that a set of reigns were attached. A second set was tied to a nose ring which was pushed through the pointy snout of the dragon. A small leather saddle was harnessed to the base of the dragon’s neck, with the emperor’s leather saddle directly behind it, harnessed to the shoulders.

  The dragon’s thin, membrane wings were tucked in close to its body, folded neatly out of the way of the emperor who had mounted the dragon and was busy strapping himself onto the saddle. The dragon pushed its upper body off the ground with its two forearms.

  Long and muscular, the arms were suited to fight other dragons in mid-air. Strong boned and covered with thick leather, each arm had a massive seven fingered hand at the end, each finger ending in thirty-centimetre long razor sharp talons.

  The gnome deftly scrambled into its saddle and gripped the reigns in its hands before flicking them. The dragon leapt high into the air, the wings unfolding to reveal the thin membrane. Although paper-thin, the membrane was said to be magical and virtually indestructible. Something that Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III tried to remind himself every time he flew on one of the great beasts.

  Roaring a challenge to the dragons flying above it, the great red beast quickly clawed its way higher, the lesser dragons, each with their gnome riders and cyclops warriors, swept out the way to form a shallow shaped V formation behind it.

  The flight from Traders Pass took almost an hour before the distant smoke of The Capitol could be seen. The first wave of attack was well under way by the time the emperor was close enough to see dragons circling above the palace like vultures around a carcass.

  The dragons would circle and then plunge down at the defenders, breathing out fire as hot as the sun onto the enemy below them. Bolts of magic and fire from the defending mages flew up to meet the dive bombing dragons, some scoring multiple hits on a dragon, killing it and the gnome flyer. But most of the dragons dodged the fire before releasing their deadly blast onto the mages. Ballistae were turned upwards to track the dragons, huge arrows flying at them but most falling short of their target

  The emperor’s adrenaline began to course through his body as the site of the battle filled his senses. He led his dragon wing low over the city, barely higher than the protecting walls of the palace, the dragons twisting in the air to avoid ballistae arrows and catapult thrown rocks. A hail of arrows flew at the dragons most scoring a hit on one to the emperor’s left.

  The dragon and its load of gnome and cyclops soldiers careening wildly as it smashed into a double story house. The alpha dragon Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III rode on answered by spraying the entire area directly in front of it with the super hot breath of fire, incinerating both soldiers and civilians alike in an instant.

  Within the blink of an eye, the dragon was over the walls and landed in the palace courtyard, closely followed by the rest of the dragon wing. The cyclops quickly dismounted and formed a protective ring around the emperor as they marched on to the palace entrance.

  The king’s defenders made a valiant effort to try and stop the advancing cyclops, but the Emperor and his bodyguards were too strong and powerful. The defences crumbled and before the end of the day, The Capitol had fallen.

  Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III burst into the opulent throne room, kicking a dead defender way from him as he arrogantly strode in. The fat king and his equally fat queen sat in abject fear on their thrones as the cyclops emperor slowly strode towards them. The cyclops bodyguards swiftly dealt with the few remaining human guards within the throne room, leaving the king and queen the sole living humans with the palace proper. All the nobles, slaves, servants and children of the rulers of Central Realms lay dead as the cyclops cut a bloody swath through the palace, systematically butchering all within.

  “King Dwayne of Curixeus, I have found you guilty of the crimes committed against the Cyclops Empire and so judge your life forfeited,” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III summarily told the quivering king.

  “But I,” King Dwayne began to say before Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III removed both his and his queen’s head with one backhand swing of his sword.

  “All hail the emperor! All hail the emperor!” his bodyguard began chanting.

  Smiling as he turned from the headless corpses, the emperor took in the chant and basked in the glory of his conquest.

  ***

  Empress Wendy
aline walked down the red carpet, lined on both sides by the nobles from both Westdom and the newly conquered Central Realm, with a smattering of dwarven and cyclops nobles amongst them.

  Walking in a slow, measured step with a maid of honour and an honour guard trailing her, Empress Wendyaline slowly approached the raised dais. Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III stood waiting for her as she climbed the three stairs of the dais and turned around to face the assembled nobles and dignitaries, her procession moving off to one side and stood to face her.

  The empress sat down on the edge of the large gold embossed throne, where Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III moved to stand directly in front of her. Kneeling before her, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III brought up the royal crown for all to see.

  Sophisticated gold and silver crown, seemingly woven from strands of the precious metals, it was none the less a light crown to wear. A single, red diamond adorned the centre of it, leaving the entwining metals free from obstructions for all to see.

  “Presenting the Royal crown of Curixeus to Empress Wendyaline, fair ruler of the Curixeus Empire!” Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III declared in an authoritative voice as he placed the crown on the empress bowed head.

  Raising her head, Empress Wendyaline stood and walked to the edge of the dais where she accept a golden sceptre with a large red ruby fixed to the tip of it from Ambassador Efficame. Raising the sceptre high above her head in her right hand, Empress Wendyaline shouted,