by Shawn Muller
The mountain directly behind the palace was supposed to be impassable and the defenses there were not as heavy as those on the valley floor. I had seen enough and moved away from my vantage point back to the slope. Tachojay followed me there, where I turned and whispered to a few orders before I slipped over the edge and headed back to the camp without an escort. I arrived back just before the false dawn and asked a sentry to call the dwarves to me while I made my way back to my undercover hide out.
I sat waiting for them to arrive, lost in thought on how to end this. Finally, the dwarves were before me, joining Max and I around a small fire where water was boiling to make the days breakfast of porridge. I quickly explained what we were up against, and possible ways to gain entry into the well-fortified and protected city and palace. After discussing it for most of the morning, a plan was banged out. The only thing left to do was to wait for the right moment to do.
That same night, the dwarves set off to begin their preparation for the upcoming attack, while the scouts continued their vigil on the city. The following day, the first group of humans snuck onto the highway leading to the city from the east where they successfully entered the city. Day by day, small squads of Ghosts entered the city, leaving only the non-human Ghosts waiting patiently for their part of the plan.
The wait was over on the eve of an overcast day. Heavy rain clouds had filled the valley, causing us to grope around in thick mist the whole day. The elven scouts had returned back to our modest camp with word that the entire city was hidden within the mists.
Thuds were heard at sunset, and walking slowly through the mists towards us were the griffins. The final part of the plan would be underway by midnight. Once all was ready, I led the griffins’ skywards into the inky black night sky. Thank goodness the griffins had excellent hearing otherwise we would have become horribly lost within the mists.
We flew out wide from the valley and turned to approach the city from behind the seemingly impenetrable palace walls. By now, the Ghosts and dwarves who had all snuck into the city should be in position to secure the gatehouse and surrounding walls of the palace, thereby cutting off any reinforcements from the city garrison.
We came in deadly silent through the air. The last of the guards on the walls never knew what hit them as we killed them from the air with accurate bow fire. The griffins hovered just above the walls for us to quickly jump off and secure a stretch where the cages could be dropped off which carried the bigger members of the Ghosts.
Within minutes, the cages were emptied, and we made our way to the stairs of the gatehouse were Titanius met us. They had subdued the guards without alerting the rest of the soldiers. I left Fremod in charge of securing the gatehouse with a heavy platoon and led the rest of the men out into the courtyard towards the palace.
We stuck to the shadows along the walls and slipped into the rear entrance where the kitchens were. Sliding silently over the floor as I gingerly stepped through the kitchen, I noticed that no servants were present. A faint fire still burned within the enormous hearths and ovens where the royalty’s foods were prepared.
I paused at the entrance and slowly stole a look down the corridor. Nobody in sight. The corridor leading out the kitchen, presumably towards the dining hall was dark, with the faint light from the kitchen barely lighting the way. Max led the way down the dark corridor. His black tower shield held high and his poison-coated sword seeming to swirl in the darkness.
The first hail of arrows bounced harmlessly off his raised shield before the next flight hit the shields behind him. He rushed the source of these arrows, slamming himself into the group of defenders who guarded the end of the corridor. The fight was brutal. He held the enemy back while my men and I behind the protection of Max stabbed at the poorly armed archers.
As quick as it began was as quick as it ended. I took a careful look out the doorway, looking left and seeing a stairway leading upwards while right led down to another doorway. I pulled back into the corridor and gave a few quick orders. Titanius and his squad would hold this area while the rest of us would head upwards towards the emperor and princess.
Max led the way once more, his heavy tower shield held in front of him as we began to ascend the spiral stairs. The stairs spiraled up clockwise and were poorly lit by esconded torches. The faint scraping of armour was heard above us, alerting us to the presence of possible guards.
As quiet as we could, we snuck around the stairs, Max’s shield held out so that the left edge was almost brushing the stairwell wall, leaving a small gap on the right for his sword to stab through.
It saved his life as long spears jabbed at him from the near black stairwell. The long shafted weapons could not bend around the sharp bend of the stairwell and harmlessly bounced off his shield and into the wall. However, Max could not reach out with his sword to counterattack as multiple spears stabbed almost continuously at him. Snarls of frustration echoed down from above us as the defenders realized that we were in a stalemate. I sheathed my left handed sword and gripped Max tightly by his belt, my right hand drawn back ready to lunge out.
“Hold tight!” I yelled into his ear.
Max nodded and sheathed his sword and gripped his shield with both hands. A quick count of three, and we rushed up the stairs. The combined weight and strength which I added brushed the spears aside, fouling the defenders as they tried desperately to stab us.
The first defender who came within reach I stabbed up into his groin, before withdrawing the blade and stabbing up into the exposed throat of the defender in the middle, two down with three others dropping their spears and reaching for their swords. A quick slash across the front of Max’s shield eviscerated the lone defender who was trying to pull the shield away from Max. Black flashes crossed my vision and before my eyes, the fourth guard fell over backwards, twin daggers protruding from his chest.
“Duck!” was shouted from behind me, and I fell to the ground immediately as Deez leapt over my back, using it as a springboard.
He deftly dealt with the last defender, slicing the sword arm at the elbow with a heavy dagger, causing him to drop his sword before a sharp edge sliced open his throat. Deez stood up and looked around at the top of the stairway which opened up into a small room.
A small, plainly decorated wooden table was the only item within the room, which sat directly under a small window. Faint sounds of fighting drifted up as the heavy platoon of my men defended the palace gates from reinforcements.
A doorway, with a heavy curtain drawn across it, was the only other exit, from which light shone along the edges. I motioned for the men to spread out along the walls while I tried to get a better look at what we might be facing another side the curtain. I gently pulled the edge of it aside with my sword, barely causing a rustle and looked out.
At first, I could not see anything, but as I moved my head around to try and see something, I spotted the first of more heavily armoured guards. They were looking intently at the curtain which I was hiding behind, not moving towards it, but at the ready. Standing opposite me on the other side of the doorway, Max did the same, and confirmed through hand signals that there were more guards on that side of the door as well.
I drew him away from the doorway and down the stairs a bit where we quickly conferred. We would have to do this as quickly as possible to prevent the enemy from holding us at bay by the door. Mia came up with a suggestion, and after looking at her with renewed respect, I agreed.
Once more, Max and I stood either side of the doorway, with the men ready to flood through it as soon as I gave the signal. Mia stood opposite the door, chanting a spell which would begin our final assault. Shields were readied, weapons shifted uneasily in hands, and before I could wipe the sweat out of my eyes, Mia released her spell.
A blinding light burst from her hands. Lucky for us, the Ghosts were ready for that, but I was still caught off guard. The Ghosts had closed their eyes against the spell when Mia had begun her chanting, but I kept mine open as I looked out o
f the edge of the curtain. The curtain vanished before my eyes as the magic devoured the threads, bursting forth into the already well-lit room.
The enemy guards, who stood waiting for us, cried out, first in alarm and then in pain as the energy from the magic half blinded them. Max was the first to react, rushing through the doorway, leading the Ghosts through. The front ranks of the guards were mercilessly cut down before they could recover.
The second rank of guards had been shielded by the front rank and was ready to repel us, except we weren’t ready to be repelled. My men fought with an unknown ferocity as they tore through the defenders. I stumbled through the doorway, my vision slowly fading in and out of bright stars and clear vision.
Mia and Tachojay were standing at my flanks, shooting arrows at point blank range or throwing magic into the enemy as they neared me. My vision finally cleared to see that we were fighting within the main throne room of the palace. It was a huge, high-ceilinged area, with columns along the middle and sides of the room to support the high domed ceiling.
The door we burst from was a servant’s entrance which was situated halfway along the western wall. It was here that my men were cutting a bloody swath through the guards. Enemy archers had barricaded themselves on the opposite side of the room and were firing indiscriminately at us, mostly hitting their own men. Their arrows thudded harmlessly into our shields or bounced off the columns which flanked us.
The main double door which led out the throne room, stood wide open, held by two squads of infantry. It looked as if they were fighting against an unknown force, trying desperately to hold them at bay. Some of my men were slipping in the growing pools of blood and bile, but nobody stayed down out of the fight.
I hacked and slashed my way to the left, towards the raised dais where I could see Princess Wendyaline sitting on an ornate gem-encrusted golden throne. Next to her, sitting on a smaller, less ornate throne, was Count Vimour. He was looking on in horror as my men smashed their way through the last of the defenders before attacking the archers’ barricades.
Behind the thrones, stood the cyclops emperor, a strange wooden look on his face. He was not responding in any way to what was happening around him. Max converged on me, joining me at my side with Mia on my left. Together we advanced towards the dais, where an arrogant looking princess stood up and faced us.
She raised her hands high above her head, her eyes blazing a deep red colour as sorcerous powers began sparking off her fingertips. Count Vimour scrambled off his throne as lightning struck the floors around the princess, igniting the curtains and wooden ornaments which lined the walls behind the dais.
I reacted immediately, drawing my left arm back and hurling my sword at Princess Wendyaline. My aim was off, and the sword flew wild to her left before hitting Count Vimour pommel first on his knee, shattering the bone. He crumpled in a screaming heap, clutching at the ruined leg as blood ran down his hose.
Cries of fear from behind me caused me to turn briefly, which probably saved my life. As I turned to look, a bolt of lightning erupted from Princess Wendyaline’s fingers and narrowly missed my face. I could still feel the utter heat and power behind the magic which scorched my face. I immediately faced the princess again and threw my other sword, this time, the aim was better. The blade hit her right forearm, cutting her deep to the bone.
Princess Wendyaline screamed in agony, clutching her arm as her magic spells abruptly ended. Behind her, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III flinched slightly but still he stood as if a carved statue. Battle cries in the guttural cyclops language echoed off the walls and high ceiling of the throne room, as the unknown force broke through the last defenders. The cyclops immediately attacked the flanks of the remaining defenders, cutting them down ruthlessness, but not attacking my men.
Instead, they surrendered, throwing down their weapons and kneeling before them. I could not take this in quick enough as Princess Wendyaline resumed her attack on us. Max managed to block a flaming ball of magic, the ball flying back towards the dais where it hit Count Vimour setting him ablaze where he died a very fiery death. Mia counter-attacked, flinging lances of energy at the princess, each one piercing the magical defences which Princess Wendyaline had thrown up.
Ten, fifteen, eighteen lances had pierced her before she fell dead to the floor. Slowly, she turned to dust as the magic reduced her to base atoms. Behind her, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III stirred as if waking from a deep sleep. Confusion crossed his face as he looked over the slaughter that was the throne room. He looked at me and immediately threw down his sword belt and knelt where he was. I was baffled by this, expecting a fight, a duel to the death. Instead, the emperor of the mighty cyclops armies who had almost conquered the entire Curixeus knelt before me.
“I guess surrender or die isn’t necessary,” I commented to Max as we looked around us at what was happening.
I walked over to what was left of the pile of ashes of the count. I reached into a small pocket and withdrew a small bundle of linen. I opened it up to expose the preserved skin of Vintant’s arm. I took a big snort and spat on the pile in disgust before kicking it to scatter the rest.
“That’s for fucking with us, and for threatening one of our own,” I said in contempt.
I turned to back to the kneeling emperor who blinked his large, lone eye at me, his face awash from different emotions as they flickered over his face.
“If I had to choose, it would be surrender anyway,” the emperor spoke in a deep voice, with a fair hint of an accent.
“Great. I take it that your army will also lay down their arms and relinquish the lands which were captured?” I asked in return.
The emperor looked from us to his kneeling men who were surrounded by the Ghosts. He looked over at the diminishing pile of dust of the former princess before nodding his head in acknowledgement.
“It seems Commander Bob,” he began with a sense of respect in his voice, “that we underestimated you humans and your allies. One that has costs the cyclops race dearly. But most of all, the sheer audacity of Princess Wendyaline to first seduce me, and then to use magic on me to blind me from her true ambitions, well, no male of any race or species of animal will ever resist that.”
“So, what you are saying is that Wendyaline instigated this entire war?” I asked as I approached the emperor.
I helped him to his feet before he could answer, offering him a seat on a large throne from where to speak.
“Oh no, the true cause of this war was a misunderstanding between the former king’s fleet and my own. But the princess used that to her advantage,” he explained.
“And for that, I, Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III do humbly apologise to the nations of Curixeus, and to the various leaders. I wish to lie down arms and withdraw from these lands. I ask that my armies are granted safe passage back to Mountdom Port whereby we shall depart for our homelands of M’Mexarow. I do wish, however, that an ambassador stays behind, to establish proper ties with the hope of opening new avenues for trade. But first, I have an uprising I need to crush.”
“Well emperor, I will accept your surrender. However, the new king of Curixeus will have to grant the rest. But I am sure we can arrange a meeting fairly quickly,” I said, agreeing to the surrender of the cyclops armies.
Surprisingly, a single tear ran down the cheek of the emperor, before he stood up and shook my hands. He spoke to the cyclops within the throne room, before they, in turn, let loose a cry of joy. Bear hugs and handshakes went around before I dispatched a sqaud to the gates with a few of the cyclops to spread the word. The ringing of bells and gongs pealed over the city as the news spread.
The war was over.
Chapter 9 – Epilogue
Winter had passed by, leading to spring as it always does. Spring led to the crowning of King Marcus, the official crowning that is at The Capitol. All the usual dignitaries were there, including a well-guarded Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III. A few assassination attempts were made on his life, but all were foiled by the same Gho
sts who recently hunted him down.
The ending of hostilities allowed for the shattered towns and cities to rebuild. Lives were lost throughout, and much heartache and pain wailed through the many dark and stormy nights. But as much as there was pain, there were reasons for joy too.
King Goldfinger, the long lost husband to Princess Wendyaline and ruler of the dwarves of the Western Mountains, was found alive deep within the dungeons of Mountdom. He had been kept a prisoner for many long years by Princess Wendyaline. Although frail and weak, he was still sane enough to reclaim his lands and titles. With that, the western dwarves began to emerge from their many hiding places within the mountains and much more travelled from the Great Divide Mountains where they were in exile to reclaim their homes.
Peace amongst the nations quickly settled in as all helped with the survival of those hardest hit by the war. Starvation was kept at bay, and soon the first traces of spring began to show.
The end of winter allowed for the cyclops ships to leave the lands of Curixeus and head back home, where more violence and strife awaited them. Emperor Standlerd-Sinb III beseeched Commander Bob to accompany him to assist in the quelling of the rebellion of the faeries. Bob respectfully declined, citing training needs above all else. It baffled not only the emperor but King Marcus as well.
***
I had led the Ghosts back to our headquarters where we bunked down for the winter. Wounds were seen to and new faces welcomed into our company. A few cyclops had volunteered along with a few more trolls, orcs, and the ever present elves. Even a lone dragon with the crazy gnome followed us and settled in well with the equally crazy dwarven griffin flyers.