The Ageless Giant

by B K Suitter

Beorcus flailed over the crowd, knocking people over as he attempted to stand in the powerful storm. People began to scatter away from the prevailing winds that were gusting hard and blanketing everything in ice and snow.

  Gretta grabbed Aliha and with the help of the newly arrived Gideon and Shanks, they managed to get the disoriented Bearok off the street as more and more pieces of sturdy buildings began to fall dangerously to the ground. Only Beorcus stood unaffected by the Northern squall. He continued to yell out to his brother while drifts of snow piled all around him and the ferocious winds made any visibility impossible.

  “Come back, Brother!!” Beorcus roared. “Come back, you spineless Southern Princess!” and he bellowed incoherently with rage until he was buried under snow and debris.

  18

  Year of the Frost Horn 2318 A.A.

  Thousands upon thousands of spectators filled the huge ceremonial hall as the wedding of the century unfolded before them. Tsing stood there more beautiful than any princess could hope to be on her wedding day. Her soon-to-be husband stood handsome and strong as words were shared by a holy man that stood humbly before them.

  The massive stadium was thick with anticipation as the huge assembly of onlookers watched in awe as they prepared for battle. A vast army of demons was at the temple’s outer wall and it flung itself continuously against the huge barrier to gain the grand temple complex and destroy it alongside her wonderful wedding.

  Tsing spoke her vows, and never before were the words so perfectly spoken. Her dress and silver tiara sparkled with diamonds and her imperial form shined with such luminosity that many of the hundreds of thousands of spectators had to shield their eyes or be blinded.

  Tsing opened her eyes and smiled at the new morning sun as it woke her from her dream. She had had the dream many times since agreeing to get married, and each time it became longer and more real.

  Tsing Tetsunai got out of bed and pulled her slippers on and wrapped a silk robe around hersef. She then walked gracefully to the lavish full-length mirror in her bed chamber and stopped. She was the princess of The Eastern Islands and soon to be married to a handsome prince that belonged to a rich and powerful family that ruled over an extensive kingdom in Eastern Perlosia. She was excited for the change and new life and she knew she would grow to love her future husband.

  Tsing’s reflection in the mirror showed a tall beautiful woman with smooth olive skin that appeared to be porcelain. She was twenty island summers old, thin, well toned with muscle, and quite athletic with straight black hair that fell long past her shoulders. She had long bangs that parted at the middle of her forehead and fell down the side of her heart-shaped face to her delicate jaw line. Tsing’s long dark eyebrows arched over her almond shaped eyes that were green and streaked with silver and considered quite exotic. Her nose was small and her lips thick and red. She was called “The Life Flower” and revered throughout the entire island nation.

  Tsing was strong-willed with a fire-like temper, which she could control – mostly. She was like her father, Emperor Yeoshinai Tetsunai, an honorable man who ruled with both an iron fist and a compassionate hand.

  Tsing left her bedroom and walked the long, decorated hallways of the Imperial Palace with servants and guards in tow. She moved quickly, determined to catch her father while he was still in his morning prayer, moving hastily down short flights of stairs connected to long open hallways and in and out of breath- taking courtyards and gardens.

  Tsing entered a small temple-like structure and quick-stepped down a long flight of stairs that circled in on itself and spiraled past many floors. At the bottom was a landing filled with the bronze statues of ninety-nine monks, each praying in different poses, some bowing down with their faces on the floor while others stood with arms stretched high into the air. Tsing walked past them slowly and with reverence while her servants and guards waited quietly for her return. She moved down the long chamber without making a sound and when she got to the end, she knelt on the padded floor and waited for her father, the emperor, to come out from his morning prayer.

  Tsing thought of what she would say and how she would say it. She would not tell her father of the dreams, but insist it was her decision to make and she would convince her future husband to agree. She had only heard vague rumors about the fabulous temple, and her history studies only described the continent of Asaria as war-torn and in constant turmoil. It would be hard to convince her father to move the wedding all the way to there. Impossible and improbable, she thought, yet she felt in her heart that she was being told to go there, with an entourage of many thousands, all the way to Asaria. Her dreams could not have been more specific – she was to be married in the Temple of Carami.

  *****************

  Torique stood starboard watching the massive fleet roll across the vast ocean on waves that rocked the ships, spilling water across their wooden planks. His mind was on his wife and daughter – as it was always. He longed to finish this last voyage so he could hold Elizabeth again and watch his daughter, Angelica, smile and laugh and tell him how “perfect” things were. It had been too long.

  A large wave broke against The Coral Rose and the cold spray took him in the face and it did not faze him. He was born for this life and he loved the ocean, but he loved his family more and the anguish to get back to them was sickening. He rarely slept, staying awake at night to write in his journal or stand on the deck of his ship and stare up at the night sky to see the stars glimmer and pulse – the constellations coming to life in a universal play.

  Elizabeth… Angelica… They were always there on his mind. Every thought ended with them. Elizabeth…. Angelica…. He had to get back to his wife and daughter as soon as possible. He worried about them constantly, even though he knew they were safe while staying at the estate with the Chancellor of Commerce and his family.

  Torique took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the overpowering smell of the ocean. It helped to give him strength, and he would need it in the coming weeks as The Coral Rose and the rest of the fleet cut through the high ocean waves.

  ********************

  Fedor sat and stared at all the people gathered in the hold of the massive cargo ship. Their spirits were beginning to waver and talk of a better life in the New Land turned to doubt, and soon threads of suspicion were sewn throughout the large underbelly of the ship.

  Fedor sat quiet. He found it hard to believe that his town was overrun and the people either killed or sent to Dragonport to be crammed into the hold of a ship and sent to a new land to live a better life. Not long ago he was taken away in a cage, now he was prisoner on a ship and the people around him were fools.

  They huddled together in small groups. There were families and friends and tiny gatherings of those that had no one, finding that in common and sharing ideas for the future. The people were fed and treated well – provided they stay below deck and remain in an orderly fashion. There was a constant rotation on the wash and waste of the huge gathering of people, so at first the moral was high for those that were given the choice between sailing to a new land to establish a colony for The Crown, or working in the mines.

  Those that were stripped of everything and forced aboard the ships like prisoners were not as positive about their situation. Fedor was one of those people, but he did not dare speak ill of the voyage. Instead, he just sat and watched and listened to the nervous chatter that drifted throughout the hold of the ship. It was not long before the crowded gathering of people began to stir and Fedor did not want to give any fuel to a potential mob if the crowd became desperate. They were locked in the hold of a huge ship for a reason, and until they knew more or found land, it would be best if they all remained calm.

  Fedor sat quiet in the crowded hold of the ship and thought about his son, Michael, and his small daughter, Tristania. He thought about Jase and the dream he had when he thought he actually talked to his son. It had been too long since he put eyes on his children and his heart ached in their absence.
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  Fedor looked at the woman and young girl as they sat across the way on blankets, speaking in hushed tones. The young girl reminded him of his spirited daughter and watching her made him miss Tris even more.

  Since their arrival on the ship, Fedor had looked after them, keeping them safe without intruding on them. The short woman was thin with large hips and curly brown hair that fell to her shoulders. She was dressed in a white dress that was similar in style to the one her small daughter wore. Fedor never introduced himself, but he was close enough that he could hear bits and pieces of hushed conversation. Apparently, they too were taken against their will, and for some reason the young girl kept blaming her father.

  “This is all daddy’s fault,” the young girl had said more than once. “He ruined everything, and now things will never be perfect again.”

  **********************

  “It has been confirmed; the harbor is filled with ships sailing out for deep water,” Tinyaori said.

  Emperor Yeoshinai Tetsunai stood tall and straight in his silk robes as he looked out across the distance to an unseen harbor from the railing of his palace balcony. He was nearing seventy island summers, but both his mind and body were still quite strong. His thin white hair was long past his shoulders and he grew a lengthy, graying beard that he lightly pulled on as he stood thinking. Guards stood present as he was being advised on the dire situation, and he gritted his teeth with held-back anger.

  “Tinyaori, you are the wisest on my council, and you have come to know my daughter well. Was she abducted from these palace walls?”

  Tinyaori stood straight while holding the note found in Princess Tsing’s lavish bedroom. He had long black hair that was kept up in a top-knot, and he had a beardless face. His dark almond shaped eyes stared down at the parchment he held, and he thought carefully on what to say.

  “This note would indicate that she was…,” Tinyaori replied hesitantly.

  “Was she abducted?!” the emperor screamed while turning on the man.

  “No, Emperor,” the advisor said calmly.

  “Then why are the people of this island sailing away to find her?” Emperor Yeoshinai asked after regaining his composure. He already knew the answer as Tinyaori looked down at the letter that was crumpled on the floor, thrown there by the emperor himself after reading the message with disgust. The message was sent from the mainland, advising the emperor that Prince Toyatonishi was sailing to Asaria with his entire armada to rescue Princess Tsing.

  Tinyaori stood humbly without talking.

  “Where is the princess?” the emperor asked.

  “Emperor, we believe she has sailed east,” Tinyaori answered reluctantly. “Possibly to Asaria.”

  “Why would she do this?” Emperor Yeoshinai asked, more to himself, and Tinyaori shrugged slightly and shook his head. When concerning Princess Tsing, it was hard to answer the questions she always left behind.

  “Who does she sail with?” the emperor asked as he turned away to once again stare out above the lower city to where the harbor sprawled unseen.

  “She may have gone with Quorlong,” answered Tinyaori.

  “The self-proclaimed brilliant scientist?” asked Emperor Yeoshinai, turning back to the advisor, his voice edged with growing anger. “I did not know he had a ship.”

  “Vague reports hint towards a hot-air balloon being sighted in the middle of the night, possibly leaving Quorlong’s estate. It is all speculation, of course.”

  Emperor Yeoshinai stood quiet as he pondered the events that had transpired over the past two days. When Tsing’s morning assistant went to wake her, she found the princess gone and the abduction letter on her bed. The young woman went screaming through the palace while guards burst into action, searching the palace grounds extensively to find the princess or clues on her abduction. The city below was scoured as well and word had spread to the docks that Princess Tsing had been taken. The whole island had gone up in an uproar, and the cry was heard across the Sea of Flowers to the mainland where Tsing’s future betrothed stood seething and dishonored. By the next day, Prince Toyatonishi had his armada of ships nearly ready for sail as he intended on burning Asaria to the ground in his search for Princess Tsing and her abductor: the Asarian rogue named Daphaxian.

  “Ready my fleet,” Emperor Yeoshinai commanded angrily and with defeat. He knew he could not sit idle behind palace walls while his unnerving daughter dragged thousands across the ocean to the land of Asaria.

  19

  Year of the Frost Horn 2318 A.A.

  Prince Hadias waited patiently under a warm sun in a large clearing that was surrounded by tall wide trees with leafy branches. His scouts were coming back with information concerning the Arani Army that was waiting at the next frontier town. Hadias knew he could take the town by force, but at what cost? The small frontier towns were not the primary objective, but they were being raided for slaves.

  “I need to know if we are being scouted yet, try it again,” Prince Hadias told his general.

  “Yes, Prince,” Kneeamara spoke softly and closed her eyes. Her mind reached out to the surrounding forest and hunted for prey.

  Three other soldiers walked into the clearing and they went down to one knee.

  “Rise,” Prince Hadias said. “What do you know?”

  “They are scouting the forest and preparing for an attack,” replied Harn Cross, a lead scout in the army. “Once we capture a soldier we will know more.”

  “General Kneeamara will scout for me, pull your men back,” replied the Prince.

  “Yes, Prince Hadias,” said Harn and the three soldiers ran off into the forest.

  Hadias stood quiet and relaxed in the calming surroundings of the Timberlands. The huge ranging forest was alive with the talk of squirrels and the chatter of frightened birds. The smell of the forest and its trees was as intoxicating as any beautiful woman – even the powerful witch at his side.

  Kneeamara stood there with her eyes closed and a soft smile edged its way across her beautiful lips. Hadias wondered if the woman knew of his deep feelings for her, and the thought of her warm touch stirred a kettle of emotions inside him.

  ***********************

  Gildenroe was a trained scout for the Arani army. He had spent most of his life tracking and ranging all throughout the Timberlands. He was well schooled and had a rambunctious appetite for adventure and was well trained with a sword and long bow.

  He froze against a tree wondering if he saw something out across the forested landscape. Gildenroe sank slowly to his knees and then disappeared into the thick brush that carpeted the ground.

  Did he hear something other than the Timberland’s sweet song of nature? He scanned the area ahead of him, looking between each tree. The sun was high overhead and the forest was hot and Gildenroe laid there unmoving. He was tired and the opportunity to sleep had eluded him for many nights.

  When the dark Prince Hadias first started sacking the frontier towns, many carrier birds were sent out. Most were shot down out of the sky by expert Asarian long bowmen, but one had made its way to Starcrest, and from there, the word spread. The Arani Army in Starcrest formed up and traveled east to the northern part of the Timberlands and then turned south and traveled to all the towns that were yet to be attacked by Prince Hadias. They gathered up Timberland folk who were able to fight against the Asarian army. Most of them were the lumberjacks that lived in the towns, and they were all too eager to see Hadias on the battlefield.

  The large Arani army made its way to the frontier town just north of where Gildenroe laid tired and close to falling into slumber. He would never fall asleep while scouting for the army, but he had never been more drained. The last two nights he had slept little due to the exhausting work of fortifying the town, and several short-range scouting patrols kept him up all day. But Prince Hadias was in the area – he could feel it – and he fought back the overpowering urge to fall asleep.

  “What are you doing?” inquired the small girl as she stoo
d close to where the scout laid unmoving. Gildenroe was startled to his knees, grabbing at the girl and hushing her while bringing her low to hide in the tall brush.

  “Be quiet,” Gildenroe whispered, “and stay down.”

  “Why?” the young girl asked innocently.

  “Because the dark Prince Hadias and his evil Asarian army are coming to invade your town, and it is up to me to save it.”

  “How many men do you have?”

  “Three hundred brave knights from the Starcrest Brigade, and two hundred good fighting men from the towns north of here.” Gildenroe wasn’t sure why he felt compelled to answer all the little girl’s questions, and asking her who she was did not seem relevant.

  “How well are you dug in and what fortifications have you made to the town?” Mara asked the scout and he gave her all the information she required.

  “I hope to see you again, Gildenroe,” said Mara sweetly, after she had talked with the man for what seemed like quite some time.

  “What are you talking about? Where are you going?” Gildenroe asked the tiny girl and then blinked open his eyes and found himself laying in the forest brush. He immediately realized he had fallen asleep and that he dreamt about the small girl and he smiled to himself at how real the dream was. Gildenroe was troubled, however, at the fact that he had just fallen asleep and he wondered how long he was out.

  He peered just above the shrubs and tall forest grass, looking around trees and scanning the area with good eyes and expert senses. There was nothing, and he began to creep slowly forward, gliding from tree to tree, moving soundlessly through the forest. Gildenroe could not pull his mind away from the girl in the unusual dream and it made his thoughts troubled and scattered. He came to a stop and hid low behind a tall thick tree. His nerves tingled as he thought about the strange dream and how he had suddenly fallen asleep in the brush.