Hope in the Shadows

by Umut Ersezer

  The recruits often gathered around improvised campfires throughout their district, sharing a mug of tea or coffee. Alcohol was strictly forbidden within the garrison, none could be under its influence in the event of an attack, drunk soldiers would result in catastrophe.

  However, wherever there are rules and prohibitions, there are those to break them and take advantage. Thus the smuggling of contraband like alcohol was rife within the garrisons. Even the recruits would save their silver, in order to buy a portion from the black market stores, spiking their drinks to feel the weight of the world disappear for a couple of hours.

  Cal found a stool to sit on to watch and listen to tonight’s performances with a mug coffee. The new recruits were from all walks of life, some providing comfort to their fellow man around the fire with song or tale.

  It was their only moment in the day to lift themselves out of the grind that was upon them. They were always in good spirits at day’s end, too tired to bicker and fight, instead keen to unwind.

  The women brought into the garrison were also able to roam within their district after their duties were complete. The drama of new romances was entertainment alone, with passions rising as the night wore on.

  Cal wondered how many of these people were married before they came, they couldn’t all have been single, but here they were living a makeshift life, trying to find some kind of joy in the drudgery.

  Cal would not invite the thought; however, Fidum and his boys were never far from his mind. He would survive, escape if he needed to and get back home to them.

  He swore it, he just didn’t know how yet. He missed them so much, a heartache he couldn’t provide words for. He desired to return and hold his family in an embrace, he yearned to kiss his wife once more.

  In moments of respite, he would close his eyes and imagine himself spending a day tending to his farm, fishing with his boys and sharing a bed with his wife. The latter thought, provoking the most dramatic and evident of reactions from himself.

  From the corner of his eye, Cal saw two figures walk by, each was a complete opposite in appearance from each other. Cal tracked their path through the yard where they took a position on a bench across a table from two other equally shady looking characters. Cal had to admit though, most looked troublesome to him, who knows how many here were murderers and rapists.

  Guards and routine kept tight control on any shenanigans that could take place within the garrison, punished harshly when they did eventuate. Cal chuckled to himself, amused by his suspicion. What did he care what any of these people did or were doing?

  He only cared for his family. But where people were enjoying themselves and speaking in loud tones, these four sat intently, talking with hushed voices while leaning in. Their demeanour didn’t quite fit the high energy of the space. Again, Cal pushed down his suspicion, it wasn’t his business, he didn’t care.

  Of one them, half hooded so you couldn’t see his face from the side, handed a small square package of sorts across the table. It was promptly tucked away into a jacket. Contraband perhaps Cal thought, again smiling to himself. A pair of them stood up, nodding across the table. Cal continued to track their movement across the yard, one of them giving a slight nod to a watching guard. For reasons he couldn’t explain, perhaps merely out of curiosity, he stood, as naturally as he could and followed.

  The pair exited the yard walking down the street and entered an alley a short way up. The sun had set, casting day into night, the heat quickly radiating away into the open air. No street lamp had been attended to on this night, which allowed the pair to move inconspicuously through the shadows avoiding patrolling guards. This also suited Cal’s intentions of mischief.

  He peered around the corner, looking into the narrow alley the pair were walking through, he followed, moving silently cover to cover. Finally, a black hooded figure met them. Where did he come from? Cal hadn’t seen him approaching the other way. He could barely see through the gloom, only making out shadowy figures.

  He focussed his ears, not daring to move beyond his hiding spot in a doorway. He prayed to the gods the occupiers didn’t open the door.

  “Do you have it?” the black hooded figure asked.

  “Yes, my lord,” the shorter man replied while handing over the package. “Does it really unlock the door to the gods?”

  “Hold your tongue! That is not your concern, your insolence will be met with the removal of it if you speak of this out loud again,” hissed the hooded figure. The man bowed his head in shame.

  “You have served the Shadow Lord well, he will not forget this Kemp. Re-join the Black Hands in Erystin and avoid the death awaiting those here.”

  “Yes, my lord,” replied Kemp.

  The hooded figure burst into black mist, evaporating into the air around he once stood.

  “Man he creeps me out, y’sure we shoulda don that?” asked the larger man.

  “Shut up, idiot! Don’t question it unless you wanna end up skewered on a spear and served up as dinner! Let’s get outta here, go the other way, meet back in Erystin Stronghold.”

  The pair separated with Kemp heading in Cal’s direction. Cal noticed he was holding his breath, he finally let it out, his heart building in tempo as Kemp approached. He pushed himself hard against the wall covering him from view, it was dark, if Kemp didn’t look back, he would walk right by without seeing him.

  Cal held his breath again…waited agonising seconds as Kemp made his way out of the alley. Cal let out his breath, sweat speckling his forehead. What just happened? he wondered. I have to get back. Should I tell someone? Who? Can I trust Trajan? No, not yet. He took a moment to calm himself, slow his heart rate with controlled breathing.

  Cal left the alley and walked directly to his barracks, avoiding any contact with guards. He would contemplate the meaning of tonight’s events before acting.

  ** Chapter 15 **

  The Invasion – Part 1

  20 years ago

  Calidum closed his eyes as he enjoyed the fresh sea breeze cooling his sun-parched skin. For the first time in weeks of the voyage, winds were in his favour, hurtling him and his platoon towards the coast of Dritura.

  The thick timber and metal reinforced masts stretched tens of metres into the sky, supporting sails of ginormous proportions. The humbling fact was that these were of the smallest in the fleet, such was the scale of King Hastam’s naval fleet. Hundreds of warships bobbed up and down on the ocean waves, all sailing with purpose. Hundreds of them, as far as the eye could see.

  Warships sailed with banners of all different shapes, colours and insignia printed upon them. They represented the High Commanders, charged with their instructions of conquest by the Generals sailing at the rear with the King.

  These ships that sailed carried death with them, thousands of hardened soldiers hungry for glory, looking to make a name and carve out a piece of land for themselves. Calidum was one of them.

  They had been told the eshin of Dritura were planning a massive attack on the human homeland of Ozos, it was concluded that attack was the best defence in this case. Calidum would play his part in defence of his nation, and of his forever love, Fidum.

  He had grown up knowing only poverty, unlucky to not be born to a family of recognition. His betrothed, Fidum begged him not to leave, she didn’t care for riches, glory or land, she only wanted to be with Cal.

  They were young, too young by some standards, but madly in love, fantasising about building a family together. But he couldn’t let his future child and bride grow up as he did, he would not allow it. Those years of hardship, living on the streets, had matured him beyond his years. So he enlisted himself into the army as a young man of sixteen years.

  He had spent two years in training, preparing for the combat that lay ahead of him, but it was more for survival than anything else. He dedicated himself to be the best soldier he could be, a successful invasion wouldn’t be enough, he had to survive it, prosper from it. Damned be to anything else that gets in
his way.

  His love for Fidum, his future family, drove him to lengths that surprised him. He needed only to reflect on his absent parents, the squalor that surrounded him as a child to know what was right for him and his family.

  The first speck of brown arose from the horizon.

  “LAND!” The ship captain called out.

  Horns harshly blared in a wave of furious sound washing through the fleet. It was the call to arms, a call for the soldiers to ready themselves. After so long at sea, the moment felt like it would never arrive, yet here it was, the flow of time had moved Cal from the harbour of the City of Kings to these new untamed lands. His heart raced with anticipation.

  “TO YOUR STATIONS, MEN!” shouted the platoon captain.

  There was a fervour amongst the soldiers now, all rushing to collect their swords and shields, it wouldn’t be long before they would touch land. Men took stations at the ballistae mounted to warships. Some ships were so enormous, that trebuchet were built onto their decks. No expense had been spared, King Hastam had secured peace and trade relations with Clotos back on Ozos. He grew wealthy, the fruits of which would come to fruition in this new expedition.

  The brown land ahead grew larger on the horizon, a beach could now be made out in the distance, a beach which was heavily defended by eshin. They would not simply yield to the overpowering might of the human army, they would fight back.

  Ballistae and trebuchet launched their payloads of boulders and giant arrows onto the beach, scattering the eshin soldiers. They tried launching a volley of arrows back, but they did not have the same range as the war machines the humans had at their disposal.

  They would make short work of this beachfront. The Wind Runner carried mostly foot soldiers including Cal, they would be needed to make a landing once the war machines had punched holes in the eshin defence.

  The rowers below decks were now at their stations, driving the ship harder and faster, aided by a wind that the soldiers believed were sent by Korali himself. Destiny was with them.

  The Wind Runner and other landing ships sped towards the beach, Cal could now see the eshin in detail. They were tall, at least 7 feet, skinny, even gangly looking. Their skin the same pale blue as the sky, mottled with white blotches and contrasted by intensely black eyes, sclera included.

  Their hair was various shades of black and brown, some even grey suggesting advanced age. Their faces were similar to humans, but all looked the same to Cal, one was indistinguishable from the other. Their clothing appeared to be simple garbs of linen and cloth of various colours, hardly appropriate for war Cal thought.

  With a grinding crunch that only sand could make, the Wind Runner beached itself, the bow carving its own path into the land. Men poured overboard rushing the beach and meeting the eshin combatants head-on.

  Cal charged forward, the sand crunching beneath his boots, arrows flying frighteningly close to his head, the sound of whishing air surging past his ears was unmistakable. He held his shield up covering his body, he was unsure if eshin arrows could penetrate his chain mail but decided he would prefer not to find out.

  An eshin stepped into his path, towering over him, how would Cal fight an opponent so vastly outmatched in height? He hadn’t trained for this, he couldn’t have. They circled each other, the chaos surrounding them disappearing into only distant and dull clangs of metal.

  Cal charged once more, the eshin holding his ground. They swung at each other, Cal forced to continually hold his shield above his head trying to repel the overhead smashes of his opponent’s sickle-shaped sword. The eshin snarled as he swung furiously trying to crush Cal, for all his height, his spindly arms couldn’t generate much power.

  Cal had assumed his opponent was a male, but the reality was he had no idea the nature of what or who he was fighting. Little had been taught to him about the other lifelings living on the planet, yet here he was fighting one of them. That part never had made sense to him, but he pushed the thought out of his mind, replaced it with the needs of his future family.

  The eshin’s strikes glanced off Cal’s shield, barely throwing him off balance. Enough of defence, Cal thought. He parried a swing easily, using the correct technique he had learned as part of his training and swung at his opponents fighting arm.

  Cal’s blisteringly sharp sword cut clean through the eshin’s limb, severing his arm off from just below the elbow. The eshin cried out in anguish and dropped to his knees. Even then, he still nearly matched Cal’s height. They locked eyes as the eshin peered at his aggressor. Are those tears? Cal thought as he stared at his wounded opponent. He didn’t know what to do, the fight was easy, but now came time for the finish, the execution. Were they taking prisoners?

  He breathed heavily while staring down upon the eshin. A firm hand gripped his shoulder, he turned to find his captain glaring at him.

  “Now is not the time to doubt your purpose Calidum, fortify your resolve and fulfil your commitment to the King,” Captain Tremlin said.

  Cal turned from him, once more facing the eshin, the sounds around him growing even duller, he could feel his blood pulse through his head, each beat amplified in his ears. With a surge of adrenaline, he drew in a breath, gritted his teeth and thrust his sword into the eshin’s gut. His sword arm was met with a fleshy resistance, extenuating the brutality of his action.

  The eshin’s eyes appeared to roll back, although still no white parts showed. His lifeless body slumped and dropped, blood staining the sand beneath him. Cal still held the sword, although less tightly now, peering at the dark blue blood dripping from the length of his blade. It was his first kill, this moment and the others that followed would stay with him for the rest of his life.

  “You’ve done well Cal, I still remember my first kill. It gets easier,” comforted Captain Tremlin. But Cal was unsure of that.

  “Go on, one isn’t going to be enough Cal, you’ll need to poke a few more of them with the pointy end of that stick of yours if we’re a chance of securing a front here,” said Tremlin.

  Cal nod his head in agreement as Tremlin dropped his faceplate, marching off to slaughter more eshin. Cal closed his eyes, thoughts of Fidum bolstering his constitution. He gripped his sword tightly once more and charged deeper into the land. The eshin were firing volleys of arrows from the greenery lining the edge of the beach, judging from the number of dead soldiers that lay on the ground, the arrows were indeed deadly.

  Massive fireballs launched from trebuchet, soared over Cal’s head, crashing down upon the forests and exploding with a hail searing splinters. Where the eshin were waiting for the charge of men, was now engulfing fire and choking smoke.

  Giant arrows from ballistae cleaved small trees in half, sending them crashing down upon the eshin, some of them now on fire, running for the relief of the water.

  If the fire didn’t kill them before they reached the water, swords would. The eshin, now flushed out of the forests, decided to try charging at the humans, ballistae arrows tearing them apart, hundreds of bow arrows protruding from the bodies of others. It was carnage on a scale Cal could not have imagined. The screams, cries of pain and anguish tore at his ears. A mass of bodies and limbs lay in ahead of him, once yellow sand was now stained with a combination of blue and some red blood.

  Cal was confronted with multiple charging eshin, his fellow soldiers stepping up beside him, holding their shield and swords up, Cal copied their stance, still feeling unsure of himself. They clashed, Cal, closed his mind off to what he was doing, he couldn’t think about it. Just fight, survive, you have to, he thought. So fight he did. As the eshin came, he killed, each one more efficiently than the one before. He could only hear and feel his own heartbeat within his chest, everything else around him fell silent, he was one with his sword, it was an extension of himself.

  He dropped eshin after eshin, his face, his armour, the clothing underneath, his sword, all drenched in blue blood. He could taste it as it rolled into the edges of his mouth, metallic, it almost burned
his tongue. He fought until his muscles ached but didn’t relent, nor did the soldiers around him or the war machines, still firing into the forests flushing the eshin onto the beach.

  Finally, a horn blared out a strange sound Cal had never heard before. The few remaining eshin turned and ran for their lives. The day was won, but Cal knew there would be more death to come.

  The Invasion – Part 2

  Calidum marched inland with his platoon. The blood from the earlier battle now dried and encrusted on his skin and uniform. Cal was grateful he could not see himself, for if he looked anything like his fellow soldiers, he’d be a monster.

  They entered a clearing where an eshin village stood, multiple columns of smoke billowing from within it. The village had been raided. Their architecture was simple and similar to that of human huts, but these had much higher roof lines, no doubt to accommodate their height.

  Cal noticed sickle swords lying about the farming patches, only to realise they weren’t swords at all, but smaller scythes used for harvesting. He groaned at the thought that he was probably fighting against simple farmers, not trained soldiers.

  “What have we done?” Cal expressed in a hushed tone towards his friend.

  “Now isn’t the time, just keep walking Cal,” replied Lewin who marched next to him.

  “This isn’t what I thought it would be.”

  “I know, none of us did, but what can we do, we’re here now, we’re committed,” replied Lewin coldly.

  “Are those children?” Cal asked as the pair walked by a group of small burnt bodies, unrecognisable.

  Lewin glanced but didn’t reply. He was slightly older than Cal by a couple of years. They had grown close during their sea voyage. They were of similar mind and appearance, both motivated to carve out better lives for themselves and their awaiting love back home.