The Tower of Endless Worlds

by Jonathan Moeller

Sir Liam raised a hand. “Hold.” His armored gauntlet flashed in the sunlight.

  Adrian frowned. “What?”

  “Keep quiet.” Liam looked through the trees. Their horses stood at the top of a wooded hill. The road ahead wound its way over the crest of the hill and curved around its base. “There’s someone coming.” He turned his horse and looked down the slope. He could make out the form of another horseman through the trees. “Keep still.”

  Adrian grimaced, drew his Sacred Blade, and strapped his shield to his arm. “Best be prepared.”

  Liam’s hand closed into a fist.

  The horseman wore the black uniform of Marugon’s soldiers. Several heavy bundles dangled from his saddle.

  “Enemy,” said Liam. “Looks like a courier.” The horseman had a small gun holstered at his belt. “He has one of those hell-spawned weapons. We had best take cover and let him pass.”

  Adrian scowled, rage flashing through his dark eyes. “Am I to let this murderer pass by? What of honor? What of our brothers of the Order of the Sacred Blade lying slaughtered in the meadow?”

  Liam glared at the younger man. “Justice shall be served, but at the proper time and place. This is neither. Let him pass.”

  Adrian dropped his helm’s visor into place. “I will not let this murderer escape!”

  “Sir Adrian!” said Liam. The courier paused, looking around, and Liam continued in a quieter voice. “I give you a command as Master of the Order of the Sacred Blade. Do not…”

  Adrian raised his sword. “For Carlisan!” he roared. “For Carlisan and the Knights!” He spurred his horse. The charger leaped forward, Adrian’s armor and Sacred Blade flashing in the sun. The enemy courier spun, and Liam caught a glimpse of a young, unshaven face. The black-uniformed soldier fumbled at his belt for the gun.

  “No! Sir Adrian!” Liam snarled and drew both his Sacred Blades, the swords forged and imbued with white magic by the White Council of Wizards. The weapons flashed with blue fire, and he spurred his horse and thundered after Adrian.

  The courier drew his gun with a snarl. It was a small one-handed black gun, the sort Marugon’s soldiers called a “Glock 17C”. Adrian yelled, his Sacred Blade whirling over his head. He had almost reached his enemy when the courier fired. Adrian jerked back in the saddle, his visor exploding in a spray of blood and twisted steel. He fell to the muddy road with a clatter of armor, sword clanging beneath him.

  Liam yelled and booted his horse faster.

  The courier grinned and raised his weapon. Liam flung the Sacred Blade in his left hand. The weapon whirled and struck the courier in the shoulder, drawing blood. The soldier yelled and grabbed his wound, the Glock dipping in his hand. Liam seized his right blade in both hands and swung. His stroke severed the courier’s head in a burst of gore. Corpse and head tumbled to the road. The horse neighed in panic and sped away.

  Liam jumped from his saddle and ran to Adrian’s side. The bullet had reduced the young Knight’s face to a bloody ruin. Liam grimaced and pulled Adrian’s cloak over the body.

  Proper burial would have to wait until Marugon’s defeat.

  Liam retrieved his second Sacred Blade and rammed his weapons back into their scabbards. He had hoped to bring five hundred footmen, eight Knights of the Sacred Blade, and one Wizard of the White Council to the castle’s defense.

  Instead, he would only bring one old Knight and his twin Sacred Blades.

  The courier’s satchel lay besides Adrian’s body. Liam frowned and scooped it up. “What did you sell your life for, Adrian?”

  He reached inside and withdrew a hide scroll. He unrolled it and read over the black lines of handwriting, reading the words to himself. “Orders from Lord Marugon, to the captain of the gunmen stationed in the Border Woods of Narramore…”

  The words sent a chill down Liam’s spine. He almost dropped the scroll, but kept reading.

  “You are to march south for Carlisan three days hence. By then I personally will have taken Castle Bastion. Do not worry about the five hundred Carlisene men patrolling the Border Woods. An advance force will have already destroyed them. March with all haste.”

  Marugon’s sigil marked the end of the message.

  Liam scowled and threw the scroll in the mud. The last of the Warlocks expected Castle Bastion to fall. But how? Castle Bastion held the four hundred Wizards of the White Council, led by Alastarius, the mighty Master of their Order. How could Marugon hope to defeat them?

  Liam’s breath hissed through his teeth.

  What if Marugon planned to ambush the Wizards? Liam had seen a Wizard dead in the meadow. His magic had done him little good against the guns. If Marugon surprised the Wizards with gun-wielding soldiers…

  Liam had to warn them.

  He climbed into the saddle and rode off. He had to make haste. It would take him at least three days to reach Castle Bastion. If Liam arrived in time, he could warn Alastarius, and the Wizards could prepare a defense.

  If he did not…

  Liam pushed aside the thought.

  At no point did he consider claiming the slain courier’s Glock for himself. Liam was the Master of the Order of the Sacred Blade, the only Knight in the High Kingdoms to wield two Sacred Blades. He would not corrupt himself by touching one of Marugon’s vile hell-forged guns.

  The Knights would fight with their Sacred Blades alone.

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