Adversaries Together

by Daniel Casey

  Tamas nodded with his back to the others. He poured a glass of raki and downed it instantly, then poured another, “I think, if The Cathedral wants Essia we should let them have it and we should tell the world about Lappala,”

  “That would make us two powerful enemies.”

  Tamas shook his head as he approached Tobin, set his drink down, and sat, “A different Patriarch might be less interested in consuming Essia.”

  “I could imagine us orchestrating a more favorable candidate at the next conclave but that’s not for years.” Neve said.

  “And even that, would require deep planning.” Tobin added sipping his drink and seeming much more focused.

  “I’ve already planted the seeds for a…cleavage.” Tamas said.

  “Assuming we pull them from Patriarch Arius and to us. What does that provide us with?” Sondra asked.

  “A Silvincian patriarch, a Silvincian praetor which makes for all intents and purposes one kingdom.” Neve suggested.

  “That could happen,” Tamas conceded, “But I see something slightly grander.”

  “And that would be?” Tobin swirled his drink staring at Tamas from over the brim of the glass.

  Tamas gave a wry grin, “An Essian patriarch.”

  The Cruor

  The soldiers rounded the small wood where the road ended and strode into the glen two by two their aspis shields caught the early evening sun to shine golden. From Kira stood at the ready with Wynne two windows over from her, he too was watching the unit’s procession.

  “That’s what? Fifteen?” She asked.

  Wynne nodded, “Thereabouts.”

  “That’s not so bad, right?”

  “Those are Silvincian soldiers.” Wynne muttered, “So who knows just how good or bad they’ll be.”

  Below them at the fire pit, Goshen stood with Declan and Fery flanking him. Goshen’s eyes were narrowed as he stared at the men marching toward him.

  “They’ll spread out in a moment. Maybe three wide and five deep, maybe five wide and three deep.”

  “Do you think they’ll come at once?” Fery asked.

  “Yes and no,” Goshen replied as the soldiers began to fan out, they split into two groups.

  “Not quite what you had in mind.” Declan added.

  “I don’t know if they have archers but it doesn’t quite look like it. I think they’ll send one group up at first and wait to see what happens before they send the other.” Goshen’s head wobbled as though he were weighing option.

  “I suppose I’d rather have two to one than four to one.” Declan muttered.

  “We’ll need to draw them in to us,” Goshen was grave, “We can’t go to them or we’ll get caught too far out.”

  “So we wait for them to come up here.” Fery said. “Will they though?”

  “I wouldn’t,” Declan said, “I’d just stand there in all my intimidating glory and wait for us to break.”

  Goshen smirked, “You know more about soldiering than I thought.”

  Declan scoffed as he drew his sword. Fery stood twirling her degens, “Maybe we feint.”

  Goshen nodded, “We go just so far, we freeze, then we retreat—look a bit fearful, it’ll make them come after us.”

  “This is so fucking stupid.” Declan began to walk forward.

  “There seems to be only three, sir.” Lance Carrick spoke calmly as he handed the monocular to Asa who quickly grabbed it and peered up the slope to the Cruor. He saw the sculpture in the cliff face, and then panned down over the pool before he saw the three.

  “A paladin.” He said rather impressed, “And a woman and another man…who both look rather shady.”

  “A paladin?” Carrick replied, “Sir, we certainly can’t take up arms against the Cathedral.”

  “One paladin isn’t the Cathedral, lance.” Asa dismissed the soldier’s concern as he lowered the monocular, “Besides, for this task I am the Cathedral.”

  “Yes, sir.” Carrick acquiesced, “Shall we send the first unit to meet them?”

  Asa thought a moment as he looked at the two units of Spire soldiers he had at his disposal, “Garren,” he called.

  A stout, rough looking sailor came up to him, “Aye, captain.”

  “Come with me, bring the boy.”

  “Sir?” The lance broke in.

  “Lance you will follow with both units when I signal you.” Asa barked then lightened his tone, “First we need to discuss terms.”

  Asa stepped forward ahead of the soldiers and began to walk toward The Cruor. Garren soon followed pulling Colm by the arm. When the paladin saw that it was just Asa, Garren, and the boy he froze in his tracks and the two with him did as well. The two groups stood about thirty feet apart when Asa spoke.

  “Where is he?”

  The paladin didn’t break his gaze, “Who do you mean? And who are you?”

  “You know who I am and you know who I mean.”

  “’Fraid it’s just us here.” Declan chimed in.

  “I very much doubt that,” Asa said, “I am looking for the man who assaulted the Silvincian navy along the Blockade. Chances are he kidnapped a ward of the Spires, an alm with some rather powerful connections.”

  “That sounds like more false than true.” Fery piped up.

  Asa chuckled, “Which part?”

  “I tell you there’s no one here that knows what you’re talking about.” Goshen said.

  “Now that’s false.” Asa waved a finger at Goshen then reached out and grabbed Colm, “You go and tell him that I’ll kill his friend’s son if he doesn’t show himself.”

  “That must be Reg’s boy.” Fery whispered.

  “Who’s that now?” Declan asked.

  “Never mind it,” Goshen growled, “I’m not letting him kill that boy.”

  Asa stood with a look of disinterestedness, then casually pulled a knife from his belt and held it to Colm’s throat. The boy was already pale but seemed to turn into a ghost when the metal touched his skin, “I’d rather like an answer sooner than later gentlemen…and lady.” Asa winked at Fery, who shuddered.

  “We’ve no feud with you. There’s no reason to harm the boy.”

  “Hear that, Colm?” Asa sounded playful, “”I’ve no reason to hurt you. Thank the Light that I don’t need reasons.” Asa glared at Goshen, “You give him to me and I’ll let the boy go. I’ll let the boy go and our little troupe will walk away to leave you here at your ruins in peace.”

  “We can’t let him kill him.” Fery said.

  “He’s gonna do it whether we give up Roth or not, you can see it in his eyes.” Declan said, “This one is spoiling for revenge.”

  “Neither of you are wrong.” Goshen whispered.

  Asa nodded to Garren who then signaled Carrick; the soldiers began to come forward, “As you can see, I’m growing tired of this.”

  Goshen gripped his mace with both hands, bent his knees and seemed to dig in to where he was standing and called out to Asa, “There’s no need for this, but if it’s what you want we’ll oblige.”

  “There ya go,” Declan smiled and moved out a bit wider, his sword raised.

  Both units of soldier were nearly where Asa stood when Garren seized up griping his neck. A thick gurgling came and soon blood was pouring from between his fingers and he slumped to the ground.

  “What the fuck?” Asa kicked Colm in the back sending the boy face first into the ground and drew his rapier. He kept an eye on the paladin but turned to face the forest to his left where Roth emerged, knife in hand. “There you are, you bastard,” Asa’s face brightened with a sinister grin.

  Colm tried to raise himself but froze when he came eye to eye with Garren’s blank stare, the blood still streaming from the man’s neck. Roth called out in the cant and it seemed to draw Colm’s attention back to the world around him.

  “Trying to put a spell on me with your cant, rover?” Asa ask moving closer to Roth.

  “Hardly,” Roth said flatly. Asa had sheathed his dagge
r and reached down grabbing Colm by his hair and yanking him up. Again, Roth called out in the cant to the boy who this time responded in kind.

  “Ah, you’re both Athingani. How cute.” Asa smirked as the Silvincian soldiers drew closer. “I’m certain they’ll grant me a few more coins for eliminating you two.”

  Roth looked at Colm and spoke in the cant calmly; the boy watched him closely and seemed to assent. Roth then glared at Asa, “You need to let him go.”

  “I need to make you hurt.” Asa growled.

  “I gave you a scar and you threw me into the sea. I think we’re even.”

  “You’re forgetting when you thrashed my ship and threw me into that putrid bay.” Asa made a tsk-tsk sound. “So it turns out, I owe you.”

  “This is your last chance to walk away.” Roth said evenly.

  “I’ll see you flailed tonight.” Asa spat back.

  “Now!” Roth yelled and Colm twirled around with a shocking quickness before Asa knew what was going on and landed a hard kick to the side of Asa’s knee. The boy threw all his weight behind it, and it was enough for him to hear several popping sounds as Asa bellowed collapsing to one side. The boy escaped his grip and ran towards Roth, disappearing into the woods. Roth came running forward tossing two blades at Asa. The corsair managed to block one with his hand but took the other in his shoulder right where his arm met his chest. Drawing his own sword, Roth was nearly upon Asa when a Silvincian pole arm darted across his chest. He dug his heels in and slid under the spear but fell on his back. Suddenly, there were soldiers all around him.

  Arrows rained down onto the Spires’ men. The soldier who had struck out at Roth was about to drive the spear down into his chest when a mace crashed into his face sending him reeling back lifeless. Goshen put out his hand and picked Roth up, “So that went well.”

  “Could’ve been worse.” Roth said as he engaged the soldiers that were now all around them.

  Goshen moved slowly but with a strength and precision that was hypnotizing. Soldiers moved on him believing him the main threat, he soon was battling four men. Roth lashed out indiscriminately but was soon in over his head again when Declan appear and the two fought back to back. Arrows seemed to fall indiscriminately and not many seemed to take down any threats but they were enough of a constant to cause the soldiers to be preoccupied. Roth kept his eyes darting around trying to catch a glimpse of the pirate but he couldn’t find him.

  The three men were outnumbered three to one and the soldiers better armed. Goshen called over to Roth and Declan, “We need to withdraw to the pool.”

  “Aye!” Declan parried a blade, turned it aside and then lunged, skewering the Spires soldier. Roth then sliced a wooden pole arm meant for Declan’s side in half as Declan threw the dead body towards the pike man.

  As the three moved closer together, Fery leapt into their midst. She moved with dizzying speed as she twisted and spun around them slashing at the soldiers. She knelt taking the legs out from two men, turned and jumped over another her degen cleaving his face open as she went over him, landing on her feet she parried two blade, careened off a shield, and drove her blade deep into a soldier’s throat. Declan’s face showed how dumbstruck he was, Goshen tapped him on the shoulder bringing him back, “Come on, she’s bought us some time.”

  The three men withdrew up toward the pool. The soldiers were hesitant to follow as they tried to size up Fery and her next move. There was a commotion from the back of the ranks as Jena emerged slicing her way through her way through, the soldiers turned confused and froze. Jena moved passed them and grabbed Fery’s arm, “You too girlie.”

  The two women caught up with the men in no time, but all five were breathing heavy. Goshen stood tall; blood was painted all over his breastplate and greaves. Declan was seeing to a wound he had taken in his thigh.

  “You alright?” Roth asked.

  “Yeah, just give me a moment.” Declan barked back as he tore his sleeves off and began tying them around his wound.

  “Your counts.” Goshen commanded.

  “Fery got at least four, I killed three but they weren’t soldiers.” Jena replied.

  “Two.” Declan said as he gingerly tested putting his weight on his hurt leg, wincing.

  “And you?” Goshen asked Roth.

  “Maybe the leader, maybe one more. You?”

  “One dead but I’m sure I hindered a few more.”

  “So that’s what? Ten between us all?” Fery asked.

  Jena looked down the slope, “There are at least eight men coming up at us, a couple aren’t soldiers but I don’t see the leader.”

  “Wynne!” Roth bellowed. Arrows came faster now and at least one of the soldiers fell, the rest were quick to raise their shields and form some kind of huddled mass.

  “That’ll buy us some time.” Goshen nodded.

  “They’ll run out of arrows sooner than we’d like.” Declan said soberly.

  “The boy?” Roth looked at Jena.

  “He’s safe. Scared shitless, but safe.”

  “Okay,” Roth took a deep breath, “It’s even now. We need to charge them.”

  “Sooner is better than later, mate.” Declan wavered slightly, the wraps around his thigh already soaked with blood.

  “Right then,” Goshen stepped forward, “I’ll break the shields.”

  Before anyone could say anything, Goshen went thundering down the hillside. The cover that Kira and Wynne had provided lighten. As the Silvincians opened their shield huddle slightly to check the status, they caught an eye-full of Goshen. His mace raised above his head, he brought it down with a thunderous amount of force. Several shields buckled as Goshen threw his shoulder to one side and flung his mace upwards along the other. The huddle was split open. Roth struck out at a couple of swords meant for Goshen and pulled the men off. Jena followed on his heels; she cut into the crowd wildly stabbing at the seams of the soldier’s armor. Her fierceness seemed to send a few men back and once they had collected themselves, she was joined by Declan. Fery was entwined in a fairly even fight with two men as the last of the arrows took down both of men.

  The Silvincians collected themselves and formed relatively even line. There were five soldiers remaining; even odds at last. The soldiers stood their ground but were clearly hesitant to engage.

  “Alright then,” Roth said as he come up next to Goshen.

  “One last push?” Goshen said.

  “Just deal with the man in front of you.” Jena said flatly, as she stepped forward. A soldier met her steel but then slammed his shield into her face. A splash of blood flew up from her nose and her eyes seemed to roll back into her head as she collapsed. Before the soldier could make a finishing move, Goshen brought his mace around and crushed the man’s hip. He fell and Goshen shattered his skull with a kick of his sabaton.

  Roth came on Goshen’s heels and met blades with a soldier without a shield. The Silvincian hacked with his sword and all Roth had to do was step to one side as soldier tired himself out. Finally, the soldier lunged and Roth buried his katar in the man’s neck. Declan was getting out played, his thigh wound had slowed him down too much to have any advantage. Fortunately, he was smarter than the soldier he was facing. The soldier tried a shield bash but Declan absorbed the blow and pulled the soldier toward him. As the two fell down, Declan reach over the shield with his sword and severed the man’s spine. Fery had already lost one of her degens when the soldier she was facing was lucky enough to strike her blade at just the right point to break it. Virtually unarmed, Fery held out the broken blade but it did little to dampen the confidence he had now as he bore down on her. He slash and cut her upper arm but as he looked to bring down a finishing blow, a bloody spear burst from his chest. He fell towards Fery, who jumped back and looking up to see Jena standing blood streaming down her face from her nose. The last soldier realized he had no hope and broke away, throwing his shield aside he bolted back the way he had come. He didn’t get far before two arrows found his back. Rot
h turned and saw Kira and Wynne standing side by side having just released.

  Declan rolled the body off himself and saw Goshen standing over him with his hand out. Rising, Declan had to lean on Goshen for balance, “So that’s over, eh?” Goshen laughed and the two hobbled over to the others.

  Roth shook hands with Wynne and patted Kira on the shoulder, “You did well today.”

  “As well as you?” Kira asked

  Wynne went to Fery, “Are you hurt?” He looked at cut she had suffered.

  “Just grazing, stitches maybe is all it’ll need.” She reassured her father who nodded but still looked overly concerned.

  “I’m just fine by the way.” Jena spat out a wad of blood.

  Fery blushed and drew some cloth from her hip pocket, “Sorry.” She held it out to Jena who gladly snatched it up. She pressed it to her face, winced, and swore.

  “Broken nose, most likely.” Wynne said.

  “Will I ever be pretty again, papa?” Jena joked. The Landis’ smiled.

  “What about the leader?” Goshen asked.

  “What about the boy?” Fery added.

  “Boy?” Kira asked.

  “You didn’t see the boy the leader had?” Fery asked. “I’m sure it was Reg’s son.”

  “Colm?” Kira said in disbelief, “How then?”

  “It was Reg’s son.” Roth said assertively. “It was the same corsair who attack you two in the marsh, the same one that kidnapped us, who threw me over board, who delivered you to them, and who I had to throw into Rikonen harbor to find out where you were.”

  “He seemed obsessed with finding you.” Goshen nodded.

  “He must’ve found Reg’s cottage and then used Colm to guide him here.” Roth said.

  “Reg’s likely dead then.” Wynne said. Kira’s eyes welled up.

  “But where is the boy!” Fery demanded.

  Jena pulled the soiled cloth from her nose, spat out more blood, “He’s in the damn wood.” She snapped pointing.