Achil & The Rise Of The Mandrake

by David Papa-Adams

  ***

  The Alchemist of the Dragon People with the Elders who were experts in the art of metallurgy and the use of minerals and compounds, with them were the Elementals. They had a unique perspective on how to create the flame that would propelled from the Dragon Chambers; they were all standing round a large table when Achil came entered.

  “The Mandrake will not be going home, they have begun building a ramp to the gates,” said Achil. “We will have to see to this new menace otherwise they will soon be hammering at the door. And at the speed they are going our time to find a solution to this new problem will be short. How long before the new weapon can be used?”

  The Alchemist looked up, “There are a few ingredients missing, it is like putting a puzzle together, whilst not knowing where the pieces go. You will have to find a way to delay the Mandrake. When we have something to report we will tell you.”

  “What about your Elemental powers,” said Achil. “Is there anything you can do to create a disturbance in the camp of the Mandrake?”

  “Unfortunately not, Jin's encounter with the Seer made him realise that he no longer had control of the Elementals, once that had happened he began to put into action some powerful magic's that negated their effects,” said the Alchemist. “He is clearly a powerful Sorcerer and we do not know the full extent of his abilities, and there is only one person that we know of who could probably equal him and that is Nishga, and she is coordinating the defence of Osgaroth. It’s a shame; we could certainly use her exceptional gifts right about now.”

  “In that case why don’t you use the Orb to contact her and Ladon can fly her in,” replied Achil.

  “Things are not so desperate that we need to take her from her current duties,” said the Alchemist.

  “Things seem pretty desperate to me,” muttered Achil, as he left.

  After leaving he made his way to where Andreas and Nicholas were billeted, on arrival he found them sitting outside on the steps talking about their adventures with some of the local children. Nicholas on seeing Achil jumped up.

  “Hey, we were just discussing the great Achil,” said Nicholas. “Why have you never told us some of these tales before?”

  “Yes Achil, why haven’t you told us these tales of you fighting with the Gods,” interrupted Andreas with a grin.

  “Because as you can see, they're nothing more than children’s stories,” said Achil. “That are grown so large and so different from the truth that not only do I not recognise them I don't recognise the Achil in them.”

  The others laughed. Other Finns that had stood by listening admitted that perhaps the stories were more embellished for their children, but they also added that if the trials of Achil were more extraordinary it was so that they matched up to the man. Achil thanked them for their kindness, before asking the captain of the watch if he might remove Andreas and Nicholas for a brief talk away from their barracks. When the three were on their own he explained the dire situation regarding the ramp and the need to delay the building of it. After he finished there was a short pause before Andreas ventured to speak.

  “Achil how do you intend to proceed?” he said curiously, “I hate to state the obvious but they are out there and we are in here. Unless of you course you would like the three of us to invade their camp, in which case I think those stories told about you didn't do you justice. They should have mentioned not only that you are courageous, but that you’re fearless also and crazy of course.”

  “Consider the alternatives if we do nothing,” said Achil. "We let them build the ramp and bring a battering ram to our gates.”

  “Actually that’s not a bad idea,” replied Andreas. “The ramp will work both ways, they can use it, but so can we. What we’ll do, is, once it's built and close to the gates we’ll pour oil down it, set the oil alight and then from behind a wall of flame we’ll bring up the ballista and force them back the way they came. We’ll then bring a hose to the top of the ramparts and pump water over the weakened structure. This should dissolve the sand and wash away the hard core, causing the structure to collapse.”

  "That might just work,” reflected Achil. “We’ll do it your way, but I still feel we need a contingency.”

  “If it fails,” continued Andreas. “The ramp will create a narrow corridor with which only a few can fight in. We should be able to hold them off long enough to destroy them in combat. As the Mandrake cannot bring their full force to bear they'll be easy targets for the archers, and until he replaces his siege engines which no doubt he will do in time, it would be a futile attempt anyway to assault the walls. There are too many men guarding the walls for them to be breached. Your people chose well where to put their city. The Plateau makes for a brilliant defence.”

  Achil more reassured by Andreas, thanked him and told them to get some rest while he went back to standing guard on the walls.

  When he arrived there he slowly walked along the walls and gazed down. It was strange watching the Mandrake work. They were certainly efficient and worse they were highly motivated. This part of the wall was guarded by Cashel archers and Askalon knights who stood by prepared for any attack.

  With dusk fast approaching, he was joined by the King and the Prefect, who had actually brought him something to eat.

  The King placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, “This is just another challenge, and we have faced worse.”

  Achil gave him a quizzical look as he bit into the salted beef.

  “Okay maybe not that much worse,” continued the King. “But before we never had friends and allies that were with us like we have now.”

  The King and the Prefect left him to inspect the warriors along the wall. Achil finished his meal and turned his attention momentarily away from the Mandrake army. The city of Findolin appeared quiet. There are many things he thought people had to contend with when confronted with a siege. There was the creeping anxiety that grew ever stronger as the days passed. The incredible feeling of not being in control of ones destiny, that you were slowly being strangled into submission. There was being deprived of sleep because you were fearful of the enemy banging down your front door. Achil had noticed how most people in Findolin walked around in a daze as though they were in a state of perpetual shock at what was occurring. There had been a moment of elation and relief when he had arrived with the Army, but as soon as realisation had set in, that the Mandrake would not leave, the people had subsided into the same state as before. The inevitability of what was happening was like some creeping disease. Like the plague that seemed to haunt parts of the city.

  He saw over his shoulder the Queen talking to her guards, on seeing him he waved her over and the two stood looking out over the battlements. The stars were out, bright and glistening in the night sky, it was as though they watched seams of gold that glittered in a deep cavern. The air was thick with the unmistakable stench of rotten food and burned flesh, which rose up from both the enemy camp and the city. They were fortunate indeed to have the hot spring baths beneath Findolin and the underground wells that meant there was never a shortage of fresh water. Below them people were once more at work clearing up the city from the latest attempt to breach the walls.

  “When I was a child I used to climb these walls,” said Achil quietly. “I used to look out and see all the lands in front of me and think how mysterious everything was. Now all I see is danger. The enemy has spread its web both near and far, and I can only feel sorrow for all those that are caught up in it.”

  “There are still wonders to be seen and felt,” said the Queen. “Jin’s army will flounder here, of that I am sure. My people are working with yours and together we will find a way to defeat him, the thing is this. Whereas we can afford to wait, he perhaps cannot. He has ravished your lands and laid waist to everything, if his desire was conquest then he would have sought a quick victory, which has not been achieved. This could lead to a weakness; we do not know how the Mandrake Imperium will react to his being drawn into an impasse. What is difficult to k
now is whether this current situation is what he had planned for, if not then let us see how his people react when he returns less the conquering hero and more the dishonoured Emperor.”

  They stood their together staring out over the ramparts. The city was once more quiet as there was a curfew in operation. The ramp below was slowly creeping up towards them; it was a large engineering work. Achil did not feel anxiety anymore about the future of his city, the expectation of what was to come just made him more determined than ever, the fears he had were not for himself but for his people.

  Standing by his side the Queen peered over the ramparts, she was trying to perceive where Jin was in his camp, and what he was contemplating. It had been many years since they had last spoken. Was he so very different from the man she once knew? And if she did speak to him now, and found his powers much stronger, what would that prove, except to show her, how different from being an Askalon he was.

  “There is something you should know Achil,” said the Queen. “Though I believe we will eventually be successful here. Jin has not called upon all that he has, there are far worse and fouler servants than even the Wrath and the Vendigo, and that is why it is difficult to know what he is up to.”

  Achil stared at the Queen as she gazed out at the enemy camp.

  “Whatever happens, as long as our courage holds, we shall meet every new adversity with vigour, right up to, and until the very end,” said Achil.

  “The very end,” The Queen smiled sadly as she repeated the words. "Come Achil I will relieve you here, while you go and rest."

  On hearing the word rest Achil realised how tired he was, and so thanking the Queen he retreated to his bedchamber.