by BJ Hanlon
It was quiet and empty. There was grass that was bog-like and hidden dangers like oil and traps. But it wouldn’t stop them. Nothing of this earth could stop them.
In the woods over a half a mile away, there were great flashes of light and cries of what he hoped was dematian pain.
Then came a loud roar, something big and he could only guess, a giant’s cry came over the field and then, just on the edge of view, a great copse of trees crashed down.
A great green light shot out and with it, what looked like stalactites, or maybe stalagmites, Edin couldn’t remember which was which.
The light shined on beasts who were then skewered like they were about to be roasted over a pit.
“That was my stalagmite spell,” a voice said next to him.
Edin knew it to be Dorset and didn’t even look at his friend. “They’re testing us,” Edin said slightly confused and dizzy.
“I know.”
“You didn’t happen to also master military strategy in school by chance?”
“No,” Dorset sighed.
Edin felt the presences of others moving behind them and staring out at the field.
A burst of movement came to his left and Edin saw something dark swoop in. A beast and it grabbed someone from the wall barely ten feet away.
Edin could see the primeval’s leathery skin. A moment later, it was over the city and the person that it’d picked up, was dropped.
Edin was too slow to react as the man hit the cobblestone a few feet from where the soldier was handing out the weapons.
A child shrieked and ran behind his mother who’d been splashed with blood and other parts.
“Eyes to the sky!” an officer yelled.
Soldiers began to look up as a few more of the flying beasts began to swoop down from the darkened sky. Edin saw one racing toward him, appearing almost out of nowhere in the blackness. Edin readied an ethereal blade when an arrow caught it in the face.
The beast dropped but kept on a trajectory toward the wall and the frozen men in its path.
Edin held out a hand and summoned an ethereal wall before the men. There was a sickening crunch, much like when Edin rode the Cliff Raptor into the rock, it dropped before the wall landing on the small rampart below.
Then another came toward Edin and his group. He let out a fan of ethereal knives that split the beast and the night’s sky. One half of the beast dropped and was shish kabobbed on a wooden post below.
Beating wings and squawks erupted. Metal weapons jangled and clashed.
Edin felt the energy around him and summoned it like a river and let it flow through him like he were the gutter.
Then Edin let the ethereal lights explode into millions of little stars that lit up the night’s sky. Edin held it there and stared.
It was a mistake, the gasps should’ve told him that, but when he saw the extent of the flying beasts in the sky, he nearly lost control of his bowels.
Hundreds of them in flocks around the city. They were packs of raptors, peering down at the pray below ready to swoop in and snatch up whatever tasty morsel looked best.
Inside the swarms, he saw the wyrms as well. Two of them.
Then the primevals began dropping, one or two at a time. Edin heard shouts go up around the walls and the men beginning to respond. Some of the attackers were taken out by bows and crossbows and scorpions. Some by pikes on the ground and well-placed thrusts of swords.
Magi were on the walls as well. He saw wind buffeting them and icicles and stones and bursts of flame.
A bolt of lightning from a hundred feet away got his attention. And that of many others. It was Duria standing next to Melian. Duria slung the bolts as they were battling for their lives.
For each other’s; for their own; for their son and nephew’s life.
A body crashed near the pyre a few feet from him. The putrid odor coming from the beast was rank sweat mixed with some noxious vapors that made his eyes water.
A few feet from him one dove in and ripped at Edin’s father. Rihkar was quick and dove to the right as the beast snatched his empty sleeve and continued out over the city.
It didn’t get far though as Le Fie sent a flame at its back and torched it to a roast.
Quite a few got through and began pulling soldiers from the walls and dropping them inside the city. Another swooped in and Edin swung Mirage causing confusion in the primeval for a moment. At the last instant, Edin leapt out of the way and slashed the wing severing it. The beast corkscrewed and fell into the street below crashing into a cart of wood and knocking it over.
Dorset sent boulders from the catapults into the air. He held them and flipped them and chased the beasts around the night’s sky like a hound chasing a rabbit.
Le Fie burned a others alive and cut another from neck to what could’ve been considered the groin.
Slowly the squawks of the birds, the screams of rage and fear and death of the men were dying out as the monsters came down fewer and fewer.
Lit by the many burning pyres in the field, on the wall and in the city Edin was able to survey the scene. There were bodies of both men and primevals all about.
It was a graveyard outside and in. Some were trying to move. Some were moaning or croaking almost like frogs. Above, Edin knew there were more.
“They were probing,” Rihkar said moving next to Edin. He held his sword over his left shoulder and it dripped blood on the ground next to him. His left arm had clearly gotten stronger since Edin had last seen him.
“I know,” Edin said as Le Fie approached.
“Well then, what’s next?” Dwiril said.
“I do not—” The answer was cut off by a person screaming.
In the field, a couple hundred yards away was a dark figure. Its body was barely in the firelight. No, that wasn’t right, it was absorbing the light.
Confusion started to tickle his brain.
Edin took a deep breath and began to concentrate the thought. He felt the demon god attempting to reach into his mind. Edin took another deep, full-lunged breath. It tasted like fire and death.
“Vestor,” Edin said, “please help.”
Edin rocked and then he felt a hand on his shoulder steady him.
“He’s losing it again,” Dorset said.
Edin shook, ‘help block…’ he said in his mind and then felt it.
There were pieces that got through, they were soft and felt weak like a small, nervous orphan asking for more stew. ‘You… for… eath… yest…’
“Shut up!” Edin screamed and then looked out into the field. In the center, he could swear the dark eyes were staring directly at him.
The voice that came out was so different than the one he’d heard in his head.
“You dare to cut me off,” Yio Volor said, his voice booming like thunder and cracking like lightning over the city. “This is unacceptable young de Yaultan. It is unacceptable to ignore your god and even worse, to defy him.”
Edin felt a hand reaching into his own and taking his. It was soft and Arianne squeezed and Edin stepped forward but did not respond to the taunt.
“You are defiant and stupid. You are neither brave nor true. No one will say that you are a great hero, no one will remember you.”
There was a lot of metal clanging down below and a large commotion in the turret not far from him.
“Come now ancestor of Vestor. Do not be stupid.”
Eyes fell on him as Arianne squeezed his hand tighter. She put her head onto his shoulder almost like they were watching a show.
In a way, Edin thought, they were. Possibly the last show ever seen by human eyes.
“This whole humanity experiment has come to a conclusion now. My kind will rule the world in a way I see fit.”
A door was flung open behind Edin and armored guards traipsed across the stone wall until they stopped at the parapet. Out of the corner of his eye, Edin saw the crown of the prince as he moved toward the edge of the wall and looked out over it.
&nbs
p; “So that is what a god looks like is it?” said Prince Feracrucio.
No one answered him.
Yio Volor continued, his voice booming across the distance and over the walls. “And now that we are in the fading light of the world, your life and the lives of everyone you know, I shall offer you this. A quick and painless death. All of you who come out from behind your walls shall be treated reverentially and with respect. Something those of you who are not noble have never felt.”
“Then he’ll kill us,” said an elderly man, Creshtilor, who was by Feracrucio. “Sounds like a great offer.”
“Sarcasm annoys me,” Feracrucio said.
“It is the main reason I use it.”
“And if you do not come out willingly, I will come in there with my beasts. We will torch the city and crucify your people. We will throw you from buildings and burn you alive.”
Edin remembered the dream of walking through the city. Was that a dream or something Yio put into his head.
Feracrucio said, “I do not trust him.”
“You don’t trust the god of the Underworld?” Creshtilor said. “My word.”
“Seriously stop.”
“I cannot.”
“Why are you not on the boat?”
“Do you two really want to do this now?” Dwiral said.
They both stopped and Edin saw them glaring at each other.
“Are the prince and earl ignoring me?” Yio Volor growled. “I give you an offer and you simply ignore it?” He paused. “Well enough. You have until tomorrow morning to come before me to give up your life willingly before I take it forcefully.” He paused again. It was almost as if he were trying to be just a normal human. A normal human who wanted to take over the world and destroy every sentient being on it. “Do not try to flee. The water will not save you. Not even with magi.”
Then he turned and faded away into the darkness beyond the firelight.
Edin glanced toward the prince who was looking very uneasy. “Have you sent your kids away?” Edin asked.
Feracrucio nodded. “And it seems I couldn’t convince this old coot to leave either.”
“I wouldn’t listen to you,” Creshtilor said.
“So, what do we do?” Dwiral said moving in between the two men.
“Well I do not want to give up my life without a fight,” Rihkar said. “I’ve been a warrior all my life and that ain’t about to change.”
“I’m not letting any of my people give up their lives willingly,” Feracrucio said, “the traps, are they still set?”
“Some,” Dorset said, “clearly quite a few have been triggered.”
“At least we know they work.” He looked to Creshtilor. “His threat about the ocean? We have two boats being loaded now.”
No one answered.
“What do you think Edin? Is he telling the truth or just trying to keep us confined to the city so he can have his way with us?”
Edin thought of his dream in which the bubble appeared and the ship vanished from the calm ocean. It could’ve been a vision put there by Yio. The only great sea monster he’d ever heard of was the Corrinbomon and that was blinded and not controlled by Yio.
“I think we have to chance it,” said Edin.
“Agreed,” said the prince and looked to the guard nearest him. “Send the ships.”
“Yes sir.”
“Were there not other ships due back by now?” said Creshtilor. “The ones from the first trip to the islands.”
Feracrucio said nothing as he stared out into the darkness.
“This may be a dumb question,” said Rihkar, “But how long until morning?”
“About five hours till what would be daybreak.”
“Okay then,” Rihkar said, “I think we should take the time to visit with our loved ones. Just in case.” Rihkar looked at Edin and offered a troubled smile.
Edin sat in the great hall of an empty noble residence. It was three mansions from Creshtilor’s place but had a good amount of wine left behind in the cellar. Wine that could go to waste if it wasn’t drank soon and they didn’t win.
Arianne laid her head on his lap as Edin sat on one of the two wide purple couches in the ostentatious room. There were great green silk drapes covering windows ten feet tall. Most things were covered in gold, though it didn’t look like real gold. There were shiny candelabras the size of Edin, oil paintings of stoic looking men and women and a pair of gilded swords across the mantle above a giant hearth.
On the other couch across from him was Rihkar, Le Fie, Tor, and two of the latter’s cousins, both were not named Casitas.
Edin sipped the red blend wine. It was good and from a place west of Yaultan. It was as near to home as he could find.
There’d been little talk for the last hour they’d been sitting there. Edin wondered where Grent and Dephina were and if they’d been successful. He wondered how Duke Sinndilo was doing in Dunbilston. Yio would go for them if and when he finished with Calerrat.
Arianne sighed. “I cannot believe you woke me for the end of the world.”
“It is the best time for a party,” said Le Fie. “Knowing you’re going to die, that’s the best way to live.”
“That’s deep,” said Edin.
“We are all going to die,” Rihkar said, “just didn’t think it’d be this soon.”
There was movement from the room to the right and Dorset and Cannopina came out. They were holding each other and moved in tandem to a chair that was wide enough for three people but couldn’t be considered a couch or loveseat.
“Where’s Berka?” Dorset asked as they sat.
“With his family,” Le Fie said. “He might come by.”
Edin wanted to say bye to him, his mother and siblings, but didn’t know how his old friend was feeling about Edin after he had killed his father. Edin hoped he understood. He wouldn’t want his friend, turned enemy turned friend again to then become his enemy just before they die.
Just the thought of that was confusing.
Edin picked up Arianne’s hand and kissed it.
At least his earlier premonition hadn’t come true.
She sighed but didn’t look up at him. He drank from the goblet in his other hand. It was a fine goblet made of gold. Or at least painted gold, he couldn’t really tell, a droplet rolled down his cheek and dripped to Arianne’s hair.
Then suddenly, the great pealing of a bell exploded into the room wrecking the silence. Arianne nearly leapt and the wine sloshed over and landed on her shoulder and chest and Edin. She was on her feet as was everyone else in a second.
Edin took longer. Then they ran to the front window that looked out to the west.
Tall pine trees stood blocking their line of sight. Edin could see the glow of firelight flickering between the softly waving branches. The front door opened, and someone ran out there.
“It’s not coming from the wall.” It was Le Fie. He ran out down the few stairs to the stone path and then out the front gate.
Edin followed next and soon they were on the road heading north and south. The bells though seemed to be coming from the harbor.
Edin jogged that way, following the roads and a gaggle of people who seemed curious but hesitant. There were words floating between the terrified people. “Is it time already?”; “Is this the end of everything?”
He glanced over and saw a pair of men in long robes, merchants by their looks, and they were looking to him as if he were somehow able to provide the answer.
Sounds of screaming began to float up over the homes and trees. They saw the castle wall and a crowd before it. The people were hollering trying to run into the walls for safety while a group of guards held them off. The head guard was yelling, “go back, away with you.”
On the top there were soldiers patrolling but they seemed distracted and looking toward the water.
The ships, Edin thought. He glanced over and saw Arianne. “That way,” he yelled and pointed a bit further down the wall. They ran and he looke
d at her as Rihkar and Le Fie tried to push their way inside.
“Send me up there,” he yelled over the bells and pointing up the wall.
She stopped and looked at him like he was a bit crazy. “You certain you want me to try that again?”
Edin nodded.
“Alright,” she said, hesitation in the back of her voice. “You’ll come back to me, right?”
“Of course,” he said and smiled trying to hide the fear that was rising deep within him.
Arianne’s hand shot out and Edin felt the cushion of air and the rushing wind billowing him. As she raised her hand higher, Edin rose.
At first, the guards were too distracted and then they began to see him. One tried pointing an arrow at him when another yelled. “It’s the mage guy!”
Arianne hovered him over the ten-foot-wide wall and then slowly lowered him. She let go abruptly and Edin fell and nearly stumbled but a soldier caught his arm.
Edin looked over the edge to see Arianne standing with Dorset and Cannopina. He waived and then began to run back down the wall toward the harbor. It was where he was when he’d first seen Rihkar and Le Fie.
He began to see things twinkling in the firelight. There were sparks, flames, and great bursts of water like sea spray. A wicked wind was whipping around the harbor. Men stared but didn’t move. It was almost as if they were held in place by some sort of mysterious force.
He pushed around a great brazier and the two men hovering around it and passed an open door. The wall began to curve and he saw small buildings and then the dark, freezing river beyond it. Edin glanced forward. Then he began to see the churning in the water.
It wasn’t the harbor, but just beyond. And there were two ships on the water maybe half a mile out at sea.
From the distance, there were men, specs really, running up and down the ships with things in their hands. Large poles or spears by the looks of them.
Beyond, there were others as well as debris in the brackish water.
Edin then saw that within that debris, there were figures, small but clearly human, and they were floundering.
Edin lowered his head and ran faster. He found the stairs he’d used to head down to the docks and followed them that way.