by Brian Murray
“Pah to duty, Father. That’s the duty of your warlord, not you.”
“I cannot ask Platos to go. He will stay here and defend the city in my absence. No, it must be me who goes. I will not have men dying for us. I will be there for them. My friends have travelled a long way to be here and even brought the Kharnacks to aid us. I will not hide behind the mound anymore. Tomorrow, I go and fight for what is right and true.”
“You’ve made up your mind,” said Ireen, close to tears.
“Yes,” said Rowet softly.
“So, this is goodbye.”
“I will . . . ”
“You better be coming back,” snapped Ireen sternly. “I will not have it any other way, Father.”
“Just like your mother,” replied Rowet smiling at his daughter.
“You will come back.”
“That’s the plan.”
“Then there will be no more talk of this. Tomorrow we will see you off and wait for your victorious return.”
“I would like that.”
For the rest of the evening, the threesome sat on the bench talking of better times. But an underlying tension brewed that thankfully did not spoil the night.
***
The signal was given. Simultaneously, the beasts attacked the men’s camps.
***
Thade and Dax rested in their tent positioned next to Zane’s. Dax snored rhythmically, whilst the younger former gladiator stared up at the cloth ceiling. He was so close to the woman he loved, but he could not go to her. He desperately wanted her in his arms, but not quite yet. He turned over on his blanket and cursed softly. He kicked his top blanket so it covered his body. Trying to force himself to sleep, Thade counted Dax’s snores. He reached thirty-four when his eyes started to close. Slumber edged close.
***
Rayth lay in Maldino’s tent as his guest. He watched the wall of the tent heave in and out in the gentle breeze. He thought of his daughter and prayed she was safe. A female face grew in his mind—Emyra. He surprised himself. He missed the woman. She was the Mistress and he a faithful general within her organisation. He thought about the woman and something popped into his mind. Did he love her? As he thought over the question, the picture of his wife loomed. Now she was the woman he loved. He smiled. He said a prayer, then started to doze.
***
Urkin finished reading a letter from his wife. She had not received his when she sent it. He laughed at the letter and all of the gossip it contained. She said their daughters were healthy and their studies going well. There was not much news around the town except for the gossip she wrote in great detail. Even though he was tired, Urkin pulled out a fresh parchment and wrote to his wife. He missed her and writing eased his wanting.
***
Admiral Rendel lay on his cot, tossing and turning. No matter how much the old man tried, he could not get comfortable. He missed the rhythmic motion of the sea rocking him to sleep. He had watched the fighting from the camp and was appalled by the number of men who had fallen. He was not an expert on land combat tactics, but he thought there must be a better way to beat the beasts. Beasts! He had heard of the beasts, but this was the closest he had been to them. He shivered, picturing them in his mind. Hideous creatures, he thought. The admiral rolled over again and found the sweet spot. His eyes closed and he nodded off.
***
One moment all was quiet, then . . . Gurgling screams pierced the tranquillity in the four camps.
***
Dax jumped from his blanket when the first scream ripped from a dying clansman. Within a heartbeat, both he and Thade were up, armed, and running from the tent. Next to them came Zane clambering into his sword harness. Once it was on, the young king pulled his two short swords free and followed the other two Rhaurns.
“Beasts in the camp!” bellowed Dax, charging at the nearest Talon Hunter.
***
Urkin surged from his chair, ready for anything. The first scream tore through the man’s soul. This was the closest the general had come to the fighting. He hefted his axe and left his tent. He smiled grimly. He was ready to cause some serious harm.
***
Both Rayth and Maldino looked at each other when a shrill scream pierced their slumber. They leapt to their feet and armed themselves. Leaving their tent, they saw warriors running in every direction. Through the gloom, Maldino saw one of the Shadows slice its axe through a clansman’s neck, decapitating the man.
“Kharnacks, to me!” screamed the chieftain as he rushed forward with Rayth at his side—axe in hand.
***
Admiral Rendel nearly fell from his cot when a cry went up. He pulled his sword from its scabbard, an ornamented blade with jewels in the hilts. He had never used the weapon in anger, but that was about to change. Not bothering to dress, the admiral raced out in his underwear into the night ready to kill.
***
The beasts’ attack was sudden, unexpected, and deadly. The men roused quickly to the sounds of their comrades’ death screams. Men ran into the darkness, seeking the enemy. The gloomy night did little to help them. The beasts’ dark tones helped them merge with the blackness. Many of the men ran with a weapon in one hand and a flaming torch in the other. Initially the slaughter was horrendous. The beasts had the element of surprise, but soon the tables turned.
***
Dax hacked and chopped at any beast that came within his death-dealers’ range. He ducked under a swipe, then buried his axe into a Talon Hunter’s side. Ensuring the creature would not fight again, he turned and hacked down on the fallen Talon Hunter, crushing its skull.
Thade and Zane teamed up against a Shadow. Thade swayed from a wild slash then dived forward, knocking it from its feet. Zane jumped high and landing in a sitting position, forced his short sword through the beast’s chest. Thade rose instantly as Zane yanked his blade free. Zane saw two Talon Hunters run towards the hospital tents. He screamed for help and charged in. Thade and several clansmen raced after the Rhaurien king. The men entered the tent, hacking and slashing at the beasts. Zane looked down at one of the cots and saw a man’s head had been severed. It was Kallop. He roared with anger and ran from the tent, looking for more creatures to kill. Thade and the others had a hard time keeping up with the enraged king.
***
Urkin organised the axe-wielders into a large cleaning unit. The men walked forward slowly in several lines and hacked to death anything not a man or horse. Methodically they crossed the camp, chopping and slicing beasts. The final line of men walked backwards, protecting their comrades’ backs. These axe-wielders were just as busy.
***
The Rhaurien camp to the south was not as organised, but they systematically killed the beasts. Archers raced through the camp in groups of five or six and peppered the beasts with arrows. Then the following axe-wielders hacked the creatures to death. There was no mercy or sympathy shown. All around the Rhaurns, men screamed, men died.
***
Maldino and Rayth led the attack against the beasts. Rayth was more at home on his feet with his axe swinging, chopping—killing his enemies. Around him the Kharnacks gained courage and fought back with heightened ferocity. They grouped together and attacked the creatures in hunting packs. Groups of about ten to twelve men attacked each beast. They used spears to prod and poke the beast to weaken it, then like an angry pack of wolves, they charged at the creature and savagely hacked it apart.
***
Talon Hunters ripped men apart while Shadows used their awesome double-headed axes to scythe through men. Howls and screams filled the air as the beasts rampaged through the camps. The men grouped together and fought back with added venom. They butchered the beasts as quickly as they killed men.
By the time dawn broke, all of the beasts had been killed or fled back to their own camp. Malice had achieved his goal. The men were in turmoil as they looked upon their dead. Thousands of bodies littered the four camps. Dawn broke and the men were not ready to attack, but
crucially, their blood was up. When they did attack, it would be with added rage.
***
Dax rode to the Rhaurns’ camp and looked at the devastation. It was not as bad as the deaths in the clansmen’s camp, but it was bad enough. He rode to Urkin’s tent praying the general was still alive. He entered the tent to see a healer stitching a laceration on Urkin’s left arm.
“Damn cowardly beasts,” hissed the general with rage.
“Expect nothing less from evil,” replied Dax coldly.
“If it’s a war they want, then I will give them hell and my wrath will follow.”
“We will hit them from now on with everything we have. Let’s finish this. Hit them with cavalries today, then tomorrow we will hit them with everything.”
General Urkin rose from his chair shrugging away the healer, who pleaded for him to sit.
“To the death. It will either be them or us.”
“Bring on hell,” added Dax menacingly.
***
Dax rode around to the Kharnacks. The deaths there were also high, but the Kharnacks’ blood boiled with anger. All of the warriors sat around sharpening their weapons, their faces pictures of pure hate. Dax rode to Maldino’s tent and again prayed the two men were still alive. He entered the tent in the middle of Maldino’s ranting. The chieftain stopped his seething when he saw Dax standing in the entrance.
“Where’s Rayth?” asked Dax, peering about anxiously.
“Here,” replied the former axe-wielder, walking into the tent behind his friend.
Dax nodded, relieved to see the man lived.
“Tomorrow, we will give them everything we’ve got. Either they die or we die. Later today we hit the Dread with horsemen.”
“I hear you, Violet Storm. They will pay for this outrage with blood.”
***
During the day, the men organised themselves and completed several raids on the Dread. The light cavalry, the Royal Lancers, and several thousand Kharnacks undertook the raids. The men were ordered not to penetrate deep into the enemy lines, but to hit and run. Urkin reduced the attacks in squads of fifty men and randomly attacked the beasts. For a while, the tactic proved successful until the Dread surrounded a squad of light cavalrymen. The Talon Hunters and Shadows ripped into the men and horses. Nothing was left standing.
***
Towards dusk, when the men retreated from the battlefield for the last time, the southern bridge was extended. From the mound, Platos organised covering fire from the catapults. The solid gates were opened and the Chosen with fifteen thousand clansmen streamed from the city. Five thousand of the warriors were on ponies, the rest on foot. The men looped around to the east to avoid direct confrontation with the Dread. They passed the Kharnacks’ camp, where a herald was sent to bring Maldino to the clansmen’s camp in the northeast. The Chosen rode around his city and joined his clansmen. Zane, Thade, and Dax warmly greeted him. Throughout the camp, the clansmen cheered his arrival. Now the Dar-Phadrin would fight alongside their emperor with renewed vigour.
Later that night the leaders met. Urkin and Admiral Rendel had ridden from their camps and were joined by Maldino and Rayth. The men sat in the large tent, drinking and eating in a comfortably relaxed atmosphere. For a little while, they forgot about the Dark One and the Dread. Here they were a group of friends gathered together, enjoying each other’s company. When the food had been removed, the meeting was formally called.
The Chosen rose to his feet and cleared his throat.
“Friends, I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for coming to the aid of my people. Old friends, Zane, Dax, and Thade, I thank you. I had no doubt you would arrive to help, as I would come to your aid without hesitation.” The Chosen turned towards Maldino and Rayth. “To my new friends. There has been no love lost between the Phadrine and the Kharnacks, but from today with Her blessing, I would like to welcome Maldino of the Silverswords clan as an ally and friend.”
Maldino rose and the two warriors shook hands.
“Thank you for your kind welcome. I, too, hope that this day will mean a new beginning and future for our nations. I come here as a friend to fight at your side.”
“I would also like to welcome Rayth of Teldor. I have heard the stories of you hiding and protecting my daughters when the Darklord took control of your city. That was an unselfish act. I can never thank you enough for what you did. I owe you a debt that, I do not think, I could ever repay. Thank you, my friend,” said Rowet, bowing his head.
Rayth reddened in the face when he rose and shook the emperor’s hand. “I’ve been watching the progress of your attacks from the mound. The horseback attacks have been successful, but the beasts have now been repelling the attacks with ease. It’s time to change our approach.”
Urkin stood up and bowed to the emperor. “Your Highness . . . ”
Rowet interrupted the man. “Please general, no formalities here. Call me Rowet.”
“Rowet, I understand what you say and appreciate your comments. Tomorrow will be different. Tomorrow we attack with all that we have. We will not retreat, we will not stop. But we need to entice their horsemen into the battle and keep them away from the foot soldiers. It’s our intention to wipe out the beasts with one consistent attack.”
“You will use foot soldiers?”
“It’s our intention to attack with every fit and able man. After the beasts’ night attack, the men are ready to avenge our dead. Tomorrow will be an all-out attack,” said Urkin and the others nodded.
“So, I have arrived at the right time,” said Rowet, nodding.
“That depends,” started Dax, “tomorrow is a do or die day. We will either be victorious or we will die.”
Rowet looked at Dax for a long moment, then a grin graced his dark face. “I will drink to that.” The group raised their glasses and toasted to victory.
Rowet rose to leave the tent. He stopped by the flap and called Thade.
The former gladiator took his drink and followed the Phadrine emperor outside. The tall emperor waited for the younger man; he wanted to speak to him in private.
“Come, let’s walk,” said Rowet, turning away from Thade. The two men walked to the edge of the slope that overlooked the white city and the Dread. “So, I understand you want to talk to me.” The Chosen did not look around at Thade.
“Talk to you?” echoed Thade, confused.
Rowet turned, his eyes darkened and hooded. “Ask me!”
Realisation struck the Rhaurn and he smiled meekly. “Oh!”
“And make it better than last time.”
“Emperor Rowet, the Chosen of the Phadrine. I come to you to ask for your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
“Do you know what you are getting yourself involved with?”
“Yes,” replied Thade without hesitation.
“My daughter loves you, of that I have no doubt. Do you love my daughter the same way?”
“Yes, I love your daughter with all my being.”
Rowet looked into Thade’s steely-grey eyes and the Rhaurn held his steady gaze. The older man sighed and nodded. “I agree.”
Thade’s legs went weak. “You mean . . . ?”
“Yes, I mean you have my permission. If anything happens to me, the Senior Priest of the Chosen has been told of my wishes.”
“Thank you, thank you,” said Thade, grabbing the emperor’s hand and pumping it gratefully.
“I am happy for both of you. I mean that. Now, you better do good by my child or you will feel my wrath.”
“You will never have to worry about that, Rowet.”
“Good, now let us go and celebrate.” The two men returned to the tent where Thade announced his news. Everyone toasted to his happiness, but everyone knew one problem remained—the Dark One.
***
The Dark One sat brooding in his tent, his rage evident in his blazing red eyes. Malice, Chaos, and Fury stood before their master. He looked up at the three warriors. They had been with him
from near the start when he had destroyed two nations. His intention was to destroy some more. A mirthless smile creased his face into an evil expression.
“The circle is nearly complete. The mortals are planning an all-out assault on us. This is the time I have been waiting for. It will be at dawn and my children will be victorious. We will hold the Caynians back for as long as possible. They will try and tempt you into joining the fray, but hold. We cannot have my elite joining the fighting too early. When the time comes, and you will all know when it does, the Caynians will turn the tide of the battle.
“Have my children prepare. Tomorrow will see us victorious. Tomorrow will be our day.”
The three warriors bowed and left the Dark One to his own thoughts.
***
When the others left the tent, Dax asked Rowet to join him for a brief walk. The Chosen could do with clearing his head and agreed. The two men walked through the camp and stood overlooking the white city. Neither man looked at the black camp.
“You have done right by Thade,” started Dax, not looking at Rowet.
“I think I have made two young people very happy. Somehow, I think they would have been together regardless of what I said.”
“What made you change your mind?”
Rowet smiled. “Something a woman asked me to do.”
Dax looked at Rowet for a while and then he also smiled. “Cara?” Rowet nodded. “A woman not to tangle with, especially when it comes to Thade.”
“That is true,” replied Rowet, thinking fondly of the woman.
“Thank you,” said Dax sincerely, holding out his hand.
Rowet looked at the hand for a moment then took it, smiling. “This makes us nearly family.”
“Aye, it does.” Now it was Dax’s turn to be lost in thought. He looked again at Rowet, who gazed at his city. “We have known each other for a long while and you know my words to be truthful.” He paused. “I need to talk to you about Tucci.”
The Chosen’s eyes darkened as he turned and looked at Dax.
“Just listen to me Rowet, please. I made a promise,” said Dax. After a while Rowet nodded, but he turned away from the Rhaurn. “You may not know this, but Zane was struck by the Dark One’s sword back at Teldor. His soul was being leeched from his body. The only way for Zane to regain his soul was to travel to the Dark One’s realm and enter his palace. We had one problem; we did not know how to get to the foul place. The Divine One told us there would be a guide.”