by Sharon Gibbs
‘I think he is wary of you, my Lord.’
In silence, Zute stepped into the glow cast by the orb and knelt down on one knee. He stretched out his arm and held his palm face up and as he lowered his head he became still. Athena looked back to Garlon and waited. The beast flared his nostrils in search of a scent. He flicked his tail and shook his head unable to catch any odour from the man he knew he was bound to by creation.
Garlon’s leathery skin had begun to tingle when Zute had first entered the realm. The other pack members, no matter where they had ventured, felt it too and once the cover of night came to cloak them, they had begun their migration to reach their master.
Two days ago, when Garlon had reached the side of the forest which faced the clearing, he had waited in the safety of its dark interior for his master to arrive. Today his connection to the master had strengthened and as the day had drifted towards night he moved closer to the boundary’s edge. With the majority of his pack present they had waited for the last few members to arrive.
Now as Garlon stood and watched his master, the vibrations along his skin no longer tingled, they burned. Not with pain but the need to go forward. The ripples of magic Zute emitted lured him, but the instincts of the wild beast rose. Tentatively he took a step forward. Alert and on edge in case the need to flee arose, he advanced entering the ring of light. He took his time as he filled his senses with his master’s unique aroma. Garlon’s warm breath wafted over Zute’s hand and the tough bristles on his muzzle danced across his skin. As the beast sniffed his master’s palm, Zute whispered words of welcome to him. The beast settled as the Dark Lord touched his thick leathery muzzle.
‘There, do you feel better now?’ Zute said as he ran his hand over the beast’s smooth muscular hide and marvelled at the animal Athena had conjured with his power. The creature was the size of a large hunting dog, its skin was tough yet smooth and hairless apart from the plume at the end of its tail. Upon its back the creature’s wings were folded concertina style and were held tight against its body. Zute reached out to touch the small ridges on the wings. Each bump was a hard leathery scale woven in such a way to provide armour for the animal and he noticed the red barbs on the bottom edge of its wings. As he ran his fingers up to the beast’s shoulder blades he could feel the powerful muscles which powered its flight. With a final pat, Zute whispered in the animal’s ear. ‘I have a job for you, Garlon.’
Zute stood up and held his arms wide. As he thrust back his head he muttered words Athena could barely hear and then he released his life force into the realm. A wave of power boomed from his chest and emanated up towards the sky. As it shot down it skimmed out across the land. The sonic wave would travel until it found what it searched for. ‘Now, Garlon,’ Zute said. ‘Bring me my axe!’
The group across the field huddled by the warmth of the fire as they watched Athena and Zute across the clearing. Catrain startled as the piercing cries of the beasts ripped through the silence and those huddled around seeking comfort from the fire watched as the animals took to the sky. Dark shadows circled above the glade where the group had pitched camp and then darted off to the south.
Chapter Forty-two
Meanwhile in The Dale, safe and warm by Joseph’s fire, Christopher and Peter watched over the old man.
‘What do you think, Christopher? He looks harmless enough.’
Christopher eased out of his chair and crouched on the floor beside Foreman. The linen on the old man’s forehead was warm to his touch and he removed it. Swishing it in the water bucket, he squeezed out the rag and placed it back on his brow.
‘I don’t know. Hopefully when he wakes he will be able to tell us more.’ Christopher relaxed back in the chair and closed his eyes.
Peter leant forward in his chair and eyed the old man. ‘I’ve heard the stories of Winterness, and I don’t see how he could have made it through the forest alone.’
<><><>
Murmurs woke Foreman from his sleep. He opened his eyes and blinked back the hazy film obscuring his vision but as he tried to lift his arm, he found he was restrained. He looked towards the two men nearby. ‘Water…please water.’ His mouth thick with saliva.
Peter rose from his chair to fetch a jug from the sideboard. He filled a drinking vessel from the small table nearby and handed it to Christopher. Christopher knelt down beside Foreman and he lifted the man’s head so he could press the cup to his lips.
‘Peter, let them know he’s awake.’
Foreman sipped at the liquid and the cool nectar moistened his mouth and loosened his tongue. ‘North, I need to go north.’
Christopher eased Foreman’s head back down to the pallet. ‘Not yet. My grandfather wishes to speak with you.’ Christopher reached for the pitcher to refill the mug.
‘Do you want some more?’
Foreman nodded. ‘Can I sit, lad?’
‘Call me Christopher. Yes you can sit, but I’m sorry you must remain in your bonds.’ He reached out with his gift and loosened the old man’s hands, but retained control over him with his power. Foreman rolled onto his side to sit up. As his shirt twisted beneath him, his talisman slipped from its hiding.
Christopher stared at the disk. ‘The amulet you wear, how did you come by it?’
Foreman fingered the metal. ‘It’s from a time long ago,’ he said. ‘Another life you might say.’
‘Are you a Wizard?’
‘Once, yes. But no more. I requested my gift be removed. You see, I was, as some would say, blessed with the sight of the night. They said the gift of dreaming was a rarity. A gift of the highest honour. For me, it only revealed the terrors of the night and along with it came the sickness.’
‘Sickness?’ Christopher gave Foreman the cup.
‘Yes, lad…Christopher, you said?’ Christopher nodded. ‘The stronger the visions in the dreams, the more violent the sickness upon waking. They said it was a gift. I saw it as a curse, and unable to live with it any longer, I requested my essence be removed. It is gone, lad, don’t worry.’
‘But you do have magic within you—’
‘Argh, I hear you’re awake, old friend,’ Henry said as he entered the front room.
‘Henry? Henry, I can’t believe it’s you.’
‘Yes, it’s me. Now why did you need to see us?’ Clarence walked up to stand by Henry’s side.
‘Clarence, Henry, I can’t believe I’ve found you both.’
‘Tell us, Foreman,’ Clarence said as he approached the man he once knew. ‘Why do you carry the Sorceress’ taint?’
Foreman wiped his brow. ‘I’m sorry, my friend. I didn’t see it coming. I remember that day as if it were yesterday,’ he said, his brow furrowed as he remembered. ‘The coins clinked in her palm and all I saw was an easy meal and a drink. She tipped the gold into my hand and then held it. That’s when she took me. That day she collected others to service her needs, and Henry,’ he whispered, ‘she’s now gone north to resurrect him.’
‘Resurrect who?’
‘The dark Lord.’
‘The dark Lord?’
‘Yes, Zute, from the Underlands. She knows where the tree is. You know what that means. He will destroy us all!’
‘How could she know about the tree?’
‘She has a book. I saw it myself. She asked me to translate a passage from it. I panicked when I saw the words on the page, but I lead her to believe I didn’t understand it. But there was another in our house who knew, and she has sent him off to find the tree.’
‘The one sent may never find it.’ Henry’s eyes studied the man.
‘He already has, Henry, and before the Sorceress left, she created these…these, beasts. I don’t know how, but they are the creatures who fly through the night and inhabit the dark of the forest by day.’
Christopher refilled the man’s drinking vessel. ‘So how did you make it through the forest? Did you come alone?’
‘Aye, lad, apart from my mare.’ He sighed as he remembered her fate. ‘
The creatures of the night attacked her as we made our way through the darkness and I was thrown from my saddle. In the dim light cast by the lantern, I bore witness to her fate. I can still hear her screams as those wicked things ripped her apart.’
‘But they left you unharmed?’
‘Yes—yes they did.’
‘Well,’ Henry said, ‘what happened?’
‘We were making our way through the forest when suddenly they swept down out of the darkness and I was knocked from my mount. As I watched my mare’s fate I was unable to move, terrified in case they should see me. Then one of the beasts pounced at my side and all I could do was to close my eyes and hope my end would be quick. It sniffed me and growled, its warm breath laced with the smell of death, and I feared it would tear me limb from limb. I prayed for my ending to be quick. Then it called to the others. I could feel their breath on my face as they took in my scent. They snarled and snapped at each other and began to pull at my clothes. Another in the pack roared and they stopped, and then taking what they could of Sasha, they flew off. When I was sure they had gone I picked up the lantern and hurried along the road. That’s all I really remember.’
Henry scratched his chin through his beard as he thought. ‘So what of the taint? What is its power over you?’
‘It holds me bound to the Sorceress, to do her bidding. But over time I’ve found I’m not compelled in the same way as the others. Unless she gives me a direct order, I can do as I please as long as I stay out of her sight.’
Clarence had sat in a chair nearby and listened to Foreman’s story. ‘Does she have an army with her?’
‘No. A handful of servants, mostly thieves and loners from the nearby inn.’
‘We need to leave, before it’s too late,’ Clarence said.
Elle appeared with a tray of food for Foreman. ‘Leave? But what about the threat the creatures pose?’
‘Argh, there you are, lass. And what do you have there?’ Henry’s stomach growled as he eyed the tray.
‘This isn’t for you, Henry. It’s for Foreman. Yours is in the kitchen. Where are we going?’
‘We need to head north,’ Christopher said as he rose and took the tray from her. He placed it on the pallet near to the old man. Foreman looked at the food, but was unable to reach it.
‘What for?’ Elle raised her hands in protest. ‘The threat is here, where we are.’
‘New information has come to light, Elle,’ Clarence said. ‘We are in more danger from the Sorceress than the beasts she has conjured.’
‘Sorceress?’
‘I’ll explain it all later, dear, but right now, Christopher, I think you need to unbind Foreman’s hands so he can eat.’
Christopher looked at his grandfather but Henry was engrossed in the tray on the pallet. ‘Henry!’
‘Yes, son?’
‘Do you think it’s safe to untie him now?’
‘Pish posh, of course. How do you expect a man to eat with his hands bound?’
Christopher removed the bond of magic which held Foreman contained.
‘Thank you, Christopher,’ Foreman said as he rubbed his wrists.
<><><>
Earlier that afternoon, James and Frank had ventured out to the barn to organize makeshift pens for the soldiers’ horses. As the light faded from the sky, James dished up a hot mash to help rejuvenate the mounts after their strenuous journey. ‘These are the last ones,’ James said to Frank as he passed him two buckets of feed.
‘They’ll settle well tonight with their bellies full,’ Frank said.
Frank and his wife had come to The Dale a few months before to organise timber for the construction of the new Trade Hub and had stayed for the rest of the winter with Christopher’s aunt and uncle.
As afternoon turned to night, the soldiers set up their beds in the sweet fresh hay up on the mezzanine floor and relaxed.
‘There, girl. I’m sure your hoof feels better,’ Goodwin said to the mare as a small pebble fell to the straw in the pen. He moved around to her opposite side to pick out her last two hooves. As he lifted her rear leg, he heard a screech outside. He set her leg down and peered over the rail towards the doors of the barn. ‘What was that, Jack?’
‘I have no idea,’ Jack said as he put down the bridle he was cleaning and made his way to the opening. As he neared the open double doors, the light from the fire outside in the drum cast the area in an orange glow and the beasts hidden by the darkness stalked forward from the shadows. Their eyes, red burning orbs, fixed on him and they bared their razor sharp teeth as they released low guttural growls and they stalked forward into the light of the fire.
‘Arm yourselves, men!’
Goodwin darted between the rails of the pen and grabbed the nearby tools before he sped to Jack’s side. ‘Shit! What the heck are they?’ He handed Jack the shovel.
At their captain’s call, the soldiers in the barn scooped up their weapons and sprang into action. A thud on the roof overhead saw three soldiers hold their position, while the others raced towards the exit of the barn to help their captain and first-man-at-arms.
Jack glanced up as he heard the thud above and then returned his focus to the two creatures outside. With Goodwin, James, Frank and his men by his side, they barred the creature’s entry.
‘I think they’ve come for the horses,’ James said.
Goodwin stood with the prongs of the pitchfork, faced out and ready to strike. ‘Well they can’t have them,’ he said. ‘Notch your arrows, bowmen, and prepare to attack!’
Wizards’ magic flashed through the air as those inside the house heard the ruckus and were spurred into action.
Zane, Archer and two other soldiers pulled arrows from their quivers and made ready to shoot. With the strings of their bows stretched taut, their arrows notched in position ready to let loose, they waited for the command.
‘Now, archers! Now!’ Jack stood ready as a black shape descended from the sky amidst the green flashes of power cast by the wizards. The arrows flew and the beast which was headed their way cloaked itself in its wings. As the arrows struck their target they rebounded and skittered to the ground. The scales covering Garlon’s wings were as hard as iron, sturdier than a dragon’s scales forged in the fires of the Underlands, and he bowled over several of the men who stood in his way.
As Garlon rolled to a halt, he scrambled to his feet and thrashed his wings, roaring his disquiet. He raked his head from side to side as he took in the scene around him. Figures scrambled to their feet while others stood warily and aimed their weapons in case he should approach. As he whipped his head back and forth he let out a cry of warning and then the blue pulse of Zute’s axe flashed. Garlon stared at the wall where he sensed the light had been a moment ago and with a roar he hurtled himself towards the spot at the back of the pen. Crashing into the wooden planks feet first, his weight buckled the wooden slats and with a deafening crack the wall gave way. The beast burst into the exterior shed attached to the barn.
Blue light filled the room and pulsed into the barn each time the head of the axe pulsed, covered with the wooden handles and iron heads of various tools. Garlon clawed at them to reach the weapon he’d come for. As he raked them to the side he locked his teeth around the shaft of the axe and pulled his Lord’s weapon from the pile. He pivoted and then leapt back through the opening into the barn.
James recognised the axe he had stowed in the small shed. It had been one he had collected on the battlefield last year when they had defeated Arnak. The broad-axe had been left on the plain as had many other weapons, but this one had seemed different to James and he had wrapped it and taken it home. Now, as the beast landed back in the barn, James thrust his rake towards the creature.
‘Back! Get back!’
Garlon snorted and flapped his wings. He stamped the ground with his clawed feet as he judged how to make his way through to escape. Calls from his pack outside spurred him on, and as he stepped forward with the broad-axe in his jaws, James intervened t
o block his path.
‘Move out of its way, James!’ Jack stepped forward and grabbed him by the arm to pull him back. ‘If that’s all it wants let it take it and leave.’
‘No, don’t let it leave with the axe!’ Henry raced into the barn. ‘Move out of the way!’ Henry pulled his arms back, ready to attack. Garlon sensed danger and charged forward. His feet dug into the earth as he thrust himself up and burst out of the barn. Clarence and Christopher thrust balls of their power at the beast but they reverberated off its tough hide. Shrieks from the pack echoed in the silence of the night as they took to the skies and fled.
‘We’re too late,’ Henry said. ‘The Dark Lord has already risen.’
Archer saw a man slumped by the rails of one of the pens. ‘We’ve a man down!’ He rushed to the man’s side. ‘Are you hurt?’
‘Argh—my—leg.’ Frank grimaced as Archer stared at the misshapen limb which stuck out at an awkward angle to the right.
‘Frank, you will be fine,’ Henry said. He knelt next to the man and placed his hands over the open site where the bone protruded and said a few words to stop the flow of blood. ‘But we will have to move you inside and take a good look at that leg.’
Frank panted. ‘I don’t think I will be able to move it.’
‘That’s fine, we’ll do it for you. Clarence, I need my bag!’
Clarence pushed in front of one of the soldiers. ‘I’ll be right back,’ he said and disappeared. He sped out of the barn and into the house to return minutes later with the bag Henry requested. He grabbed the small bottle out of the pack and handed it over.
‘Here,’ Henry said, ‘drink this.’ He lifted Frank’s head and poured a small amount of the liquid into his mouth. ‘It will just take a few minutes to absorb. Christopher, I need you to hold Franks shoulders and increase the potency of the elixir while he is moved.’
Christopher dropped down behind Frank’s head and with each hand he gripped Frank’s shoulders. He closed his eyes and concentrated to conjure the magic within.
