Wilmurin: Land of Darkness

by H. J. Cronin

  Bethegar ran as fast as he could in his bear form, destroying and smashing everything in his way. Arrows flew by but none of them scored a hit. He could not believe that he was free. He ran for hours before settling down by a small group of trees. Now he had a long journey north, a long journey alone and in a hostile environment; he could still taste Darkool’s foul blood in his mouth.

  High Count Darkool was livid; the lions would see this as a small pathetic victory. It was not a victory as far as Darkool was concerned, he wanted now more than ever to destroy the lions as well as that pest Bethegar. He healed his distorted face with his blood magic and grew a new arm. Although he could lose limbs, Darkool could immediately grow them back using blood magic; it was as if an arm of blood extended from his wound, and from the blood came a fresh arm.

  The lions had sent out five hundred men to attack the camp, only a few returned.

  8

  An Arena in the Sea

  Lady Lalo stood in front of one of the many great temples in the enormous underwater city of Falantis. The alvarian emperor, Emperor Alantuas, had granted the elves the freedom of the city under the condition that they did not leave – any attempt to do so would be met with death. The great temple that towered over her had five huge sapphire pillars; great stairs led to the only entrance, a large oval door that led to the impressive gold and blue interior.

  She had not seen such a temple since the days of old, when the elves and the alves worshipped the same gods. When the elves ruled over Wilmurin their great structures towered over the land, structures long lost since the fall of the elven empire. The emperor allowed her to be accompanied by two of her elvish guards, although they were without weapons; she felt safe with her own kin by her side. The emperor ordered half a dozen guards to watch over Lady Lalo, inconspicuously.

  Lady Lalo had no time to dwell here and marvel at impressive structures, the emperor had requested her presence at the arena. The elves used to have an arena, a place where prisoners and criminals would fight in gladiatorial combat to the death. Most gladiators disappeared into history whilst others became heroes. Lady Lalo had only been to a handful of games in the old days; she found the idea barbaric.

  Over the past week since her son and the companions had left, Lady Lalo had stayed much in the centre of the city; high above her head, the giant dome this city was built in constantly reminded her of that she was deep underwater. If she looked ahead, she could imagine she was on land; trees and plants spread out across the city in an eco-system that seemed familiar.

  The elves followed the cobbled path towards the arena. Thousands of alvarians filled the streets of Falantis, all of them headed towards the arena. Hustle and bustle was everywhere – stalls were set up selling merchandise, bookmakers were taking bets from gamblers, and actors played out their predictions of the outcome of the coming fight.

  The three green-skinned elves walking amongst them provided the only distraction to the alve population. Most of the younger generation had never seen an elf before, they had only heard about them in stories, stories of hate and war. Nobody bothered the elves though, they just watched them pass with the odd gasp of surprise.

  Directly in front of them stood the oval sandstone arena; its roof reached an amazing height, and it had a capacity of fifty thousand. They made their way through the crowd to the emperor’s entrance on the far right side. The guards at the entrance allowed them through and soon they were ascending a steep sandstone staircase. As they neared the top, the deafening roar of the crowd became clearer. They reached the top of the staircase and entered the emperor’s box. A sad feeling of nostalgia came over Lady Lalo as she looked out over the packed out arena; the stands formed an oval shape surrounding a sandy ground, which was where the fighters fought. There was no sign of the emperor yet.

  Suddenly trumpets sounded followed by a jubilant roar from the crowd. Lady Lalo took her seat with her two unarmed guards standing behind her, on either side, alvarian guards watching over them. Now Lady Lalo could see what the crowd were cheering for: from opposite ends of the arena alvarian males walked out, on one side a single male clad in full blue armour and on the other, four men in full red armour.

  They cheered for the man in blue. Lady Lalo was told that he was a veteran called Sithe, undefeated in fifteen bouts. The men in red were lesser gladiators, plucked from one of the prisons in the city. The crowd booed and jeered the men in red, knowing that their end would be swift with the skill set of Sithe.

  Another blast came from the trumpets and the crowd fell silent. Then a voice came from the right-hand side, a loud voice that echoed throughout the arena, ‘Citizens of Falantis! Behold the famous Sithe as he takes on four powerful prisoners from our toughest prison. These villains are murderers, they will test our veteran!’ The announcer bellowed out; he paused for a moment for the cheers from the crowd to die down before once again yelling out. ‘Let the bout begin!’

  Thunderous cheers followed from the crowd as the four prisoners charged at Sithe. Two of them wielded swords and the other two, spears, Sithe appeared only to be armed a curved sword. He barely flinched at the approach of the four men. Then he revealed his first trick, much to the joy of the crowd; out of his thigh armour he pulled out a miniature crossbow and shot a bolt into one of the prisoners carrying a spear. The bolt pierced his neck and killed him instantly, and the crowd cheered.

  Sithe threw the crossbow onto the floor and put up his sword, ready to receive the remaining prisoners. He dodged a blow from the first one, parried a second, and then fought a brief melee with the third. The third man attacked with his sword, trying to hold Sithe whilst the other two recovered. He was too slow. The skill of Sithe was unmatched; he parried another attack from the third man before bringing his sword in a swift downward arc and slicing through the man’s stomach. The crowd roared again.

  The first and second men held off for a while, watching Sithe and planning their attack. They separated, planning to attack the lone gladiator from either side. Sithe prepared for this; as the the spearman drew close he deflected the spear aside and then grabbed it firmly and wrenched it from the man’s grasp.

  The now unarmed man retreated; the remaining man with the sword hesitated for a moment too long before Sithe drove the spear tip through his heart. He then pulled the spear free and sought out the unarmed man who was trying to flee; the doomed soul hadn’t realised that there was no escape from the arena. With skill and precision, Sithe launched the spear into the air towards the man. The spear found its mark and sliced through the man’s skull like a hot knife through butter.

  Sithe raised his hands in victory and a deafening applause from the crowd followed. He soaked in the cheers for a while before leaving the arena, the crowd chanting his name. Lady Lalo allowed herself a small smile – she couldn’t help but be impressed with the display; she wondered, however, why the emperor had not shown – why was she here?

  ‘Quite a good fighter isn’t he, my lady?’ came the unmistakable voice of the emperor from behind her. ‘I will be granting him his freedom in exchange for his joining my army.’

  Lady Lalo turned around to see the blue Emperor Alantuas approaching. She kept her expression stern as she replied, ‘As impressive as anyone forced to fight.’

  ‘You do not enjoy combat?’ Emperor Alantuas replied, quite genuinely shocked.

  Lady Lalo shook her head, ‘This type of combat is barbaric – forcing men to fight to the death is horrid.’

  The emperor was surprised, and laughed. ‘But your father held these kinds of games when he ruled supreme. Your resolve surprises me – the elves are even more bloodthirsty than the alvarians,’ he said.

  ‘Well then I differ greatly from normal elves, Emperor,’ Lady Lalo replied sternly.

  ‘It is has come to my notice that you are different from your late, mad father,’ Emperor Alantuas said, not breaking eye contact with the elf.

  Lady Lalo sighed, deep thoughts obviously troubling her. ‘For centuries I w
itnessed the torture of innocent humans. My father used them in the arena for his own pleasure. I was never one to stand up to my father – as you know, he was not one to show pity.'

  'Your father was a good leader, his people loved him,' Emperor Alantuas said, sensing sadness in Lady Lalo's tone.

  'The people he didn't persecute loved him, but life for the humans became very hard indeed. Before the beginning of the Great Uprising, a human would be killed for merely looking at an elf. My mother wasn't sympathetic either – my mentality was and is very different to them. There are only a handful of us left now, and they share the same thoughts as I,' she said with a sigh.

  Emperor Alantuas's expression became more serious, and for a moment he scrutinised Lady Lalo. Eventually he spoke. ‘I am curious. How did you and your small band survive the fall of the elvish empire? I cannot imagine it was easy.'

  Lady Lalo gave another sigh, 'I was there, Emperor Alantuas, I was there when my father's empire fell. I was there on that fateful day when our last grand army was defeated by a lesser race.'

  'Did you gather a small band and flee?' the emperor asked.

  'The humans worshipped a god named Drugar, and this was the cause of the trouble. Their leaders began calling themselves druids. There was dissent amongst the humans. They began questioning orders, asking for independence, so in return my father began persecuting them more viciously than ever. It wasn't long before the ring leader, Darkool Vandalore, killed his master and the master’s family. The Great Uprising began. For years the humans fought a guerrilla war against my people, there were a few set-piece battles but my father's armies were far superior. The fateful day came when the two opposing armies met on the Emperor's Fields, now named Drugar’s Fields. I stood by my father's side with my guards and my son, Larko. The battle had gone my father's way – his army pursued the human army into the woods, which was where they were ambushed by even more enemy troops. My father was getting agitated, aware that at any moment his army could be defeated. I did the hardest thing anybody could do: I killed my father. I stabbed him in the back to end his tyrannical regime, my guards and my son killed his men swiftly, and we fled. Without a leader, the army was quickly defeated.'

  The emperor was shocked by this tale. 'You murdered your own father?' he asked, quite astonished.

  Lady Lalo looked down in shame, 'I had to end the war there and then. I knew I would spend the rest of my days in hiding but it was worth it to end the suffering of another race. Killing my own father is an act I will never forget. I am ashamed – but it had to be done.'

  'But you say another tyrant now rules over Wilmurin – this Count Darkool.'

  Lady Lalo frowned at the statement, but the frown soon gave way to a look of guilt on her face. 'If I had known my horrible act would have been the cause of the eventual rise of Darkool, I would never have killed my father. My father only wanted our race to survive, but Count Darkool wants to end all life.'

  Emperor Alantuas stroked his blue chin, 'How did you manage to hide from the druids for so long?'

  'After the last battle I, Larko, and our small party travelled west to try and find the coast so that we could sail away from Wilmurin. We came across the Eagle along the way. He was a powerful mage, and surprisingly he helped us after I explained what had happened. We dug out a new home in the Enchanted Forest, now called the Whispering Forest, we dug deep and hid ourselves well. My fairies brought me news of the outside world – for five hundred years we waited, we saw the destruction of my people, we saw the druids rule Wilmurin and enter countless wars with each other.' She paused for a moment before carrying on, 'That's humans for you – once their enemy is defeated, they kill each other. I began to see them for what they are: savages. My father was wrong for persecuting them but he was right when he said we needed to rule over them.'

  Emperor Alantuas said, 'So your great plan has finally been revealed, elf. You help them defeat this Count Darkool and then you take the throne.' He clapped his hands together and laughed.

  'We are too few now to accomplish such a thing,' Lady Lalo said sadly. She looked out over the arena that had begun to empty. The emperor watched her; it seemed that, for a moment, she fantasised about the idea of sitting on her father's golden throne. 'Impossible,' was all she said.

  A brief silence followed before the emperor spoke, this time in a hushed tone, 'What if it could happen?' She looked up at him questioningly and so he carried on, 'What if I take the throne, with you by my side? If we help the humans win this war there will not be many of them who make it through it alive. That will be our opportunity to take the throne, there will be no resistance.'

  Lady Lalo looked at the emperor, apparently shocked. 'I thought your purpose was to keep me and my people here in Falantis. What is this sudden change of mind?' She asked warily.

  'Your story has inspired me. I have had enough of being trapped underwater – I want my people to see the land, breathe real air, hear birds singing, much like your father did when he took your people to the land. I will see Wilmurin ruled once again by a civilised race, with the humans below us, where they belong. We will not commit the unspeakable acts that your father subjected them to, instead we will teach and lead them,' the emperor announced, pumping his fist into the air.

  A dreamy glimmer filled the eyes of the elf lady. 'How will we defeat High Count Darkool? It is said that only Johan can do that.'

  'We will use this Johan, we will help him. The alvarian population has been untouched for thousands of years, my army numbers far greater than that of Darkool—'

  Lady Lalo interrupted, 'But his army grows by the day, they use the dead as their foot soldiers, and the dead are far more numerous than ten times your number.'

  'Then it will be a great war,' the emperor said with a smile.

  'Your plan brings me great joy, Emperor,' she said with gleaming eyes.

  'For the first time, the great alvarian nation goes to war – may our gods smile on us,' the emperor announced. Lady Lalo leant in to kiss him but a guard clearing his throat interrupted them.

  The guard stood behind them in his shining bronze armour that covered most of his body; he wore a large bronze helmet with a nose guard and a blue crest that ran from his forehead to the back of his head. Next to him stood the gladiator, Sithe, wearing cream-coloured prisoners’ trousers. His well-trained, well-toned blue body and handsome face made Lady Lalo catch her breath for a moment.

  'Emperor,' the guard said in a disciplined tone. 'The gladiator Sithe as you requested.'

  Sithe say nothing but only looked forward and stood to attention.

  The emperor clapped his hands together with excitement. 'Welcome, Sithe, champion of the arena!' he exclaimed; Sithe responded with a bow, but without a word. 'I have summoned you here because you are, by far, the best fighter I have ever seen. I wish to release you from your bond as a prisoner and enlist you as an officer in my army.'

  Now the gladiator’s stern expression changed to one of surprise. 'But Emperor, I am only a gladiator, I know nothing else but the arena. Surely somebody else is more suited than me,' he said, his voice powerful and full of authority. For a brief moment his eyes met with Lady Lalo’s; it had quickly come to the attention of the alvarians that there were elves in the city.

  The emperor smiled. 'Training will see to that, you are known amongst the men, which will gain you a lot of respect. There is no one better with a sword then you – I would have no one else lead my legions,' the emperor reasoned.

  'This is an honour indeed, Emperor,' Sithe said with a smile.

  'Then it is done,' the emperor concluded. 'Sithe, your first order is to keep the Lady Lalo company whilst I attend to something. I will return soon.' Sithe nodded.

  The emperor left a pair of guards with Sithe and the lady. For a moment there was a silence; Sithe stood gazing out over the empty arena. Lady Lalo decided it was time to find out more about this gladiator. 'So, how did you end up fighting for your life on the sand?' she asked him.

>   'I was convicted of killing my wife's killer fifty years ago and I have been a gladiator since,' he said, still staring out over the arena. 'I eventually forgot about freedom and drove myself to be the best. I was extremely surprised when the emperor freed me, and honoured to join his army.'

  Lady Lalo and Sithe spoke no more. Lady Lalo realised from the ex-gladiator’s blunt tone that he had much on his mind, so she decided not to ask any more questions; silently they waited for the emperor's return.

  The emperor entered his wife's room. 'Alyen, I have good news,' he said to the beautiful blue alvarian who stood by a window. She had long, dark hair and a gentle face. 'I have decided to help Lady Lalo and her companions in their war.'

  Alyen shot him an irritated expression, 'You trust an elf?'

  The emperor approached his wife. 'I trust the words of a broken elf. This is our opportunity to leave the water and build a new home on land, as you have always wanted,' the emperor said, holding his wife's hand.

  'What of the humans?' Alyen asked doubtfully.

  'There will not be enough of them to resist us, we shall rule them. Fairly,' he replied in an excited tone, sounding like a schoolboy with a plan.

  A look of joy and ambition spread onto Alyen’s face. 'If this plan is successful,' she said, 'what will become of the elf and her handful of guards?'

  The emperor's expression became a sinister frown. 'We will kill them all and, if her druid friends intervene, they will also be executed. Then we will have peace, but for now our hopes lie with Johan – and then, war.'

  His wife smiled, 'Let us send for our new ally so that we can cement this new alliance.'

  Moments later a guard arrived with Lady Lalo. The elegant green elf seemed shocked on discovering that the emperor had a wife. The emperors’ wife approached her.