Champion of the Gods Box Set

by Andrew Q. Gordon

  “Why is there any doubt that I would not?” Takala’s eagerness stoked the tiny flame of self-doubt Farrell had about the mission.

  “Farrell?” Miceral’s voice prevented Farrell from answering his brother. “What are you doing?”

  “He and his brother were discussing going off to spy on our enemy.” Nerti’s tone indicated how she felt about his plan.

  Farrell silenced a curse he forgot she could hear and then a second one when the entire company turned to face him. “You had to tell everyone?”

  “If the plan is sound, you should not mind. If it’s not, everyone needs to know about your foolishness.”

  “You’re planning to do this now?” Miceral asked; his tone made clear he disapproved. “In the middle of the night?”

  Flushing from the reprimand, Farrell paused before answering. “Yes, Miceral, it needs to be done now. If they march through the night, they could be here by midday tomorrow. Vedric also believes we don’t know they’re coming. So now is the perfect time to strike.”

  “How do you know he doesn’t think we’re aware he’s coming?” Miceral asked.

  Although he recognized Miceral wanted to protect him, Farrell still chafed at the comment. “If they thought we knew they were coming, they wouldn’t expend the effort to try to hide themselves. It also makes sense they don’t think we know. Vedric took great care to conceal their use of a Door and has hidden his army’s movement. He’s protecting himself as if we’re limited to the usual ways of spying. There’s no way he could know I have the Eye of Honorus and can see through his magic.”

  “Okay, but why can’t this wait until morning? They’ll still be far away.”

  Everyone watched the exchange. Farrell flashed back to his days as a teenager training under Master Heminaltose’s critical eye. “The sooner we slow them down, the more time we’ll have and the more energy they’ll have to waste.”

  “Even if they force march and arrive tomorrow, that’s enough time.” Miceral crossed his arms over his chest. “I don’t think the small benefit is worth the risk to you and Takala.”

  “Actually, his idea has a lot of merit.” Penelope’s sudden input calmed Farrell’s temper. “Right now Vedric probably believes he’s got the advantage and is going to catch us by surprise. If we turn this around and attack him when he’s not expecting it, we may undermine his confidence, as well.”

  “To reiterate King Miceral’s question, at what risk to you and your peregrine brother?” Randgar asked.

  “We’ll be hidden the entire time,” Farrell said. “After we make our attack, we’ll be away before they can figure out what happened.”

  Miceral shook his head. “It doesn’t sound like you expect to cause much damage. The risk hardly seems worth the small gain we can expect.”

  “Even a tiny attack will cause outsize results.” Out of the corner of his eye, Farrell saw Penelope nod. “Apart from the added time, Vedric’s wizards are going to spend considerable effort shielding his army, and for a longer period of time. That plus the self-doubt I hope it will create are well worth the minimal risk Takala and I will face.”

  “To my mind, anything that causes our enemy to use time, energy, and resources on something in this manner is a boon to our cause,” Drendar said. “So long as the risks are as small as you suggest.”

  Instead of looking to Farrell, Miceral turned to Penelope. “Is he being honest in his assessment of the risks?”

  She nodded. “I believe he is. If they’re using a cloaking spell, they won’t be scanning for an attack. When wizards hide a large group, they expect they won’t be noticed. Even something as small as a detection spell can give away their location.”

  “Don’t worry, we’ll only be gone an hour.” Farrell leaned over and kissed his partner. “As I keep forgetting, Nerti is still linked to my mind. She’ll know everything that happens and report back to you.”

  It took another hour of conversation regarding what Farrell should and should not do before Takala leapt into the night sky. Farrell silently joined his adoptive brother, flying just above Takala’s position.

  Looping in a wide circle, Takala maneuvered his large body to pass inches below Farrell’s feet. Farrell lowered his weightless body onto Takala’s broad back and reached out with his mind. The two seamlessly merged as they had days earlier and winged their way north.

  Takala maintained a steady glide as Farrell used a spell to conceal them from any unexpected searches. Once he felt confident they were hidden, he wrapped them in as strong a shield as he could.

  Farrell removed the Eye from his pocket and asked it to show him Vedric’s army. Two images of the ground rushing below them appeared in his mind. It took a second for him to realize the Eye was showing both him and Takala the requested information. Dismissing the request, he asked again but specified the Eye show only him the image.

  As he’d hoped, Vedric had camped for the night. But they must have stopped within minutes of when he’d checked on them earlier in the day. The decision to halt didn’t make sense until he noted the army had grown considerably. With a small nudge, the image in his mind flew over the soldiers and looked north toward the Door in the ruins of Zeron. He spotted at least four large groups of Chamdon moving toward Vedric’s encampment.

  Farrell returned his attention to the mission at hand. Takala worked hard and had them moving with all speed toward their goal. Even with his brother’s full effort, it was going to take longer than he expected to reach Vedric’s force. Farrell used the extra time to examine how Vedric managed to hide such a large group.

  First he asked the Eye to show him who had cast the spell, but nothing happened. Trying again, he asked it to show him how Vedric’s wizards hid the army. This time, the image focused on a large bundle of sticks. He watched Vedric and three other wizards cast a series of spells on the stack and then distribute them to a large group of wizards standing behind them. These men and women scattered across the army.

  Impressive. Farrell heard the word from his brother’s thoughts. Without answering, Farrell directed the Eye to show him the area covered by the spell. As he suspected, everything inside the perimeter of the sticks showed up. He wasn’t sure how well the magic would work if a powerful wizard searched a specific location, but it would easily fool a general, unfocused scan.

  Takala maintained direction, and in due course, they approached Vedric’s camp. Using normal vision, Farrell saw no signs of the vast army marching on Agloth. But once he requested the Eye show him their adversaries, the ground shimmered to reveal their foes.

  Because they had to see the image with the help of the Eye, everything appeared as if covered by fog. The cloudy overlay, however, didn’t prevent them from seeing their targets.

  Farrell directed Takala toward a line of staffs on the eastern edge of the encampment. Each location had a pair of sleepy wizards in close proximity to the wooden pole. Farrell couldn’t imagine a more boring assignment, even if it was vital to the army.

  Takala tucked his wings and dove at the bearer on the southeast corner of the formation. The power dive left no room for error, but Farrell shared the adrenaline rush with his brother. They leveled off ten feet above the tallest tent, and Takala belched wizard’s fire from his mouth.

  Caught completely unaware, the hapless wizards and their staff were incinerated before either could react. Takala streaked down the line, maintaining a constant assault that killed everyone in its path. The second group tried to raise a shield around themselves and what they guarded, but they were overmatched.

  As they approached the next defensive position, the wizards managed to erect a stronger shield. Farrell had his brother stop his attack, and he leveled his staff at the third group. The balls of blue energy Farrell created tore through the protections and killed the lower-level wizards.

  An alarm sounded and echoed throughout the camp. Chamdon woke from their imposed slumber and added to the chaos while their handlers tried to control them. Farrell lobbed att
acks at several clusters of Chamdon even as they altered course. Wizard’s fire flew in several directions from desperate wizards blindly launching counterattacks at anything that moved.

  Takala flapped his wings furiously to gain altitude. After a few seconds, he veered sharply left, carrying them over the frenzy of activity below. The evasive maneuver paid off as three powerful blasts emanated from the middle of the camp. The wide sheets of power scorched the darkness, barely missing the pair. They’d been sent to cover a wide area along the path Takala had been on before he changed course.

  By the time they’d reached the western edge of the army, the attacks had stopped. An instant later, a powerful mind brushed against Farrell’s cloaking spell. Although he was confident his magic would work, Farrell still held his breath when the scan came back for a return sweep. Their enemy found nothing, and the probe moved away.

  As quickly as it began, the attack was over. Vedric’s camp erected a powerful shield around the now visible command area. Although the three staffs could easily be replaced, Farrell doubted they’d resort to a failed spell. Not doing so required they take a more cautious approach and shield key elements of the army. Satisfied, he decided on their next move.

  “Head north.” He “voiced” the thought so Nerti would hear. Takala moved higher and changed directions immediately.

  “Why are you not heading home?” Nerti’s immediate response made him smile.

  “Vedric is bringing reinforcements through the Door in the ruins. I need to shut it down.”

  “The last time you tried to close a Door, you nearly severed your hands. This is an unwise move.”

  Farrell anticipated the response. “I’m going to cover the entrance with a sheet of wizard’s fire that can only be taken down from this side. I’m hoping that after my attack, Vedric won’t want to spare anyone powerful enough to fix the problem. And if he does, they won’t be with him for the invasion. Either way, it’s a small thing on my end that will pay large returns.”

  Nerti didn’t answer immediately. Takala continued to push northward, and Farrell saw the first of the Chamdon units reach the main army. The second group was in sight when he felt Nerti’s mind touch his.

  “Your mate is angry at you, but he agreed stopping our enemy from gaining reinforcements is a good idea. He asked that I remind you both to be careful, do only as much as you need to do to achieve your goal, and come home. I second his sentiments.”

  “You have my word we’ll just do what we need to and then come back.”

  Given the distance to the ancient lands of Zeron, Farrell checked in on Vedric. His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and he wore a suit of well-made armor. He glared around at a group of wizards who avoided his gaze. A wizard a few years older than Vedric, whose aura set him at or very near to grand master status, stood apart from the others. Despite the extra effort it required, Farrell coaxed the Eye to let him hear the conversation.

  “What happened?” Vedric yelled, and several wizards cringed. “How did that wizard detect us? And how is it we can’t find him?”

  Everyone held their tongue. How could they explain what they didn’t know? When no one spoke, Vedric turned to the one standing alone. Even you have no thoughts, Brezlaw?”

  “Your Highness.” He moved away from the tent wall and closer to his leader. “Like you, I’m shocked they pierced your spell. When we tested it, I was not able to detect it despite knowing what I sought and where to look. It was—it is—a masterful spell. Clearly we face a powerful wizard whose skill surpasses mine.”

  Farrell knew instantly the man lied. The spell wasn’t designed to hide anyone from a focused search.

  “So you counsel we abandon the attack?” Vedric’s voice was just short of a yell.

  “It does seem the prudent course.” The man kept his voice calm. “Our greatest weapon was surprise. If they know we’re coming, they’ll have time to activate Agloth’s outer defenses.”

  Vedric shook his head, picked up a pitcher, and poured himself a drink. “We always planned for that possibility. Why do you think you and the extra wizards are here?”

  “Ved . . . Prince Vedric.” The man bowed his head slightly. “Our plans did not account for fighting someone powerful enough to pierce your shield and defending against Agloth’s defenses. At a minimum I suggest we call in more reinforcements and rethink our plan.”

  “I’ll not turn back.” He drained his cup and refilled it. “We can call for reinforcements, but the gate is too far for them to make it here in time.”

  “We should delay our attack until they arrive.”

  “No, that is what they’ll expect.” He waved his hand around the tent. “Whoever did this is probably congratulating themselves on their victory and counting on a delay. We keep to our schedule.”

  “Very well.” Whatever else he thought, the wizard kept it to himself. The silence lingered for a few moments before he continued. “Given they know our position, I suggest we open a new Door and have our reinforcements come directly here.”

  Vedric stared at a wall while everyone waited. Finally, he nodded.

  “That sounds good, cousin. See that it happens.”

  “Of course, but . . .”

  Vedric’s eyes narrowed. “Yes? What now?”

  “Before we rush blindly to Agloth, I also suggest we spend some time to find out how this wizard found us. My concern is that while it might be reasonable to believe a grand master wizard could pierce the spell, they couldn’t have known how it worked. The attack targeted three staffs that helped hide us. That is extremely disturbing to me. It speaks of either a traitor in our midst or divine intervention. Either of which is troubling.”

  “Seritia cannot have aided them directly.” Vedric put his cup down and rubbed his temples. “The Six made that mistake once. You can look for a traitor, though I think it unlikely. I also suggest you ask my father or our grandmother what they think.”

  “As you say, Your Highness.” The man bowed deeply and motioned for the other wizards to leave with him.

  Farrell watched while Vedric paced slowly, poured himself another drink, and stared at the map on a table. He set the cup down and grasped both sides of the board. His tendons flexed as he tightened his grip on the wood. More than a few times Vedric’s expression reminded Farrell of himself—not his twin, but similar.

  Vedric kept his gaze on the map for some time, and Farrell felt a tiny spark of sympathy for him.

  “Who are you?” Vedric said to the empty tent. “How did you find us?”

  Vedric growled softly at first, but it got louder by the second. He removed his right hand from the table and snapped his fingers into a fist. The map crumpled in a ball as his snarl became a loud shout of frustration. He flung the parchment against the wall. “Damn you to Neblor, whoever you are.”

  Vedric left the tent and Farrell ended the vision.

  “Head home, Takala.”

  “Home? What about the Door?”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore, and I won’t risk our being found out for no appreciable gain.”

  “As you say.” The lost glory disappointed Takala and nearly weakened Farrell’s resolve to go home.

  “I’d rather go destroy their Door, but they’re not going to use it for anything important.”

  A powerful wind from the north appeared suddenly and pushed them along.

  “A good omen you made the right choice, brother,” Takala said. “With this at our tails, I’ll have us home soon.”

  Farrell couldn’t get the vision of Vedric out of his thoughts. He realized his real brother, the one who mattered, had just helped him achieve a great victory. “You did well, Takala. Father will be proud.”

  “More importantly, Grohl will be jealous.” Takala’s glee caused Farrell to smile. A small one, but it helped improve his mood.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Miceral was already up and about when Farrell woke the next morning. Takala had reached Agloth after midnight. After cl
osing the Door to Colograd and explaining everything, Farrell barely had the energy to crawl into bed. From the position of the sun, he guessed it was still early morning. The urge to roll over and stay in bed awhile longer was overruled by duty. Only he could reopen the Door, and the dwarves had left most of their supplies behind in their push to get to Agloth before the enemy.

  He quickly washed, got dressed, and gulped down some breakfast waiting on the table. When he called Nerti, she informed him that everyone else was preparing the city defenses.

  “Why didn’t anyone wake me?”

  “You needed the rest.” Her mothering made him smile. “Much will fall on you in the next few days, so rest is an important part of your preparation.”

  “Thank you, but I’m awake now. I’ll go open the Door so Thrinton can get the rest of the supplies through.”

  “I’m outside now.” A knock on the door came a second later. “I was aware when you woke, and I returned anticipating your needs.”

  The fact she knew everything he did, saw, or heard continued to unsettle him. “I’m . . . please don’t be offended, but I’m not sure I like our minds being linked the way they are. I feel like I don’t have any privacy. Not that you abuse it, but you’re still there.”

  “I am not offended, Little One. I would suggest, however, that we keep our minds connected until the battle is over. It will be a useful ability during the fight.”

  “Agreed. We can discuss it once we leave Agloth.” He opened the front door and moved aside so Nerti could enter. Then he stepped out and motioned to the guards. “Could two of you help me with my armor?”

  He considered doing it himself, but if the fighting started early, he wanted everything to be on correctly. Four dwarves snapped to attention, and two followed him back into the building.

  With a practiced ease, the guards had his armor on in short order. He flexed and twisted to check the fit and smiled at the dwarves. “Everything is perfect. Thank you.”