Belly of the Beast

by Warren Thomas

  “And got yourself snatched up by us,” Corporal Pendar laughed. “Good for you. Army’ll make a man out of you. Now, let’s hear from the elf.”

  Quinn leveled cool eyes on the corporal before speaking. “My name is Quinn. I am the son of mercenaries, trained from childhood to fight. I am a foot soldier, and do not know how many wars or battles I’ve fought in. I have been at it for over three hundred years.”

  “All right,” Corporal Pendar said. He gave Quinn an odd look. “Let’s hear from the Vikon wench.”

  “My wife is not a ‘wench,’ and don’t forget it,” Armin said.

  Everyone tensed, waiting for the corporal to mete his own sadistic brand of justice. But something in the Vikon’s eyes told Tane the corporal had better disregard Armin’s disrespect, this one time. Apparently, Pendar didn’t see it.

  “If she’s not a wench, why can’t she defend herself?” he said.

  Before Armin could respond, the Vikon woman calmed him with a simple touch on the arm. He still looked about to explode, but he stepped back and remained quiet. The witch leveled hostile blue eyes on the corporal.

  “I am more than capable of defending myself, Corporal Pendar, or I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “And if I were you, I’d rethink the wisdom of insulting a witch.” She smiled cruelly, “All kinds of regretful things can happen to men who earn our enmity, which are terribly difficult to prove even using another witch or mage.”

  Sunlight glinted off the silver ring on her left middle finger. Tane noticed other rings, and a few bangles. As a witch, they could very well be powerful talismans. So she could be the most lethally armed person there.

  “Are you threatening me?” he asked, eyes narrowing.

  Feigning shock, she said, “Of course not! Just giving some friendly advice to a respected comrade-in-arms.

  “As for your question, I am Joelle of the Folkke Clan,” she said. She spoke smoothly, though her eyes remained ice cold. “My husband and I have mostly worked as caravan guards. We have fought in two battles, including one with the zombies.”

  “Zombies?” Tane said, voicing everyone else’s unspoken question.

  “That’s what the men and women threatening Kestsax are called,” Armin said. “Joelle says they really aren’t zombies, in the purest sense, but people enslaved by powerful magicks, and she knows about such things. But all you need to know is that they are mindless killers, who eat their victims just like those filthy Swampmen.”

  “AT EASE!” Corporal Pendar barked before Uko and Armin could throw themselves at each other. “The next one to insult another member of this squad will be tied up and horse-whipped!” He suddenly grinned savagely, “That’s my job, to insult and bully. And I love doing it too much to share with anyone, no matter how good you are at it.”

  After Armin and Uko gave brief accounts of their experiences, Corporal Pendar ordered the recruits to line up before him, with Uko and Armin at opposite ends. Tane found himself in the middle, with Quinn to his left and Joelle to his right. The corporal called Armin out first.

  Corporal Pendar quickly tested each one, by having them attack him with the wooden shortsword. Armin and Joelle were both fast and strong, but unable to break past Pendar’s defense. Their style of fighting clearly showed they rarely, if ever, fought afoot. Never once did either one of them even try to use the point. The corporal managed to thump them both on the forehead a number of times. Tane did even worse than the Vikon couple, ending up with at least three more knots on his head and a sore left elbow from the corporal’s wooden sword.

  Quinn surprised them all, especially Corporal Pendar, by defeating him soundly. The elf showed excellent self-control, not taking any of the opportunities he had to thump the corporal on the head. His test ended quicker than the others.

  Uko also got past the corporal’s defenses, but with a booted foot to the knee. For his trouble, Pendar whacked him on the knee and head especially hard every time he broke past the Swampman’s defense. And when it was all over, the corporal seemed quite pleased.

  “Sergeant Gareth knows how to pick them,” he said, grinning fiercely. “He told us he’d fill out our ranks with swordsmen, and by Bandu’s bloody brass balls, he did it! Now, you ain’t soldiers by any measure, except for the elf, but no one expects much from auxiliaries anyway.”

  “Then why bother?” Joelle asked. “For that matter, why aren’t we put to use in units we’re better suited for? Armin and myself are superb horse-fighters and skirmishers. Tane probably can make fine swords, and I’m sure Uko would make an excellent scout. For that matter, Quinn would make either a scout or a heavy infantryman.”

  “Now, that’s a good question. And I got a good answer,” Corporal Pendar said civilly for once. “First, we don’t have the luxury of time to train any of you properly. Second, the Royal Army is almost entirely heavy infantry, so we don’t have need there. Third, what cavalry troops we need were acquired by hiring up mercenary companies. Indeed, this city is brimming with mercenaries right now, all getting paid much better than you or me, too.”

  “Money!” Joelle declared, eyes flashing. “That’s the real issue. The king doesn’t want to pay us what we’re really worth, so presses us into service as auxiliaries instead.”

  “Something like that,” he admitted. “But it really comes down to the time thing. The zombies, as you call them, are moving fast. Two cities fell to them last week. They’ll be here in Kestsax within the month.”

  “Then we have less than a month to live,” Quinn said.

  Tane didn’t like the sound of any of that. No time for training. No time for anything, really.

  “What good are we then, Corporal Pendar?” Uko said. “What exactly are we expected to do?”

  “Our mission is to support the regular line companies. Mostly, we’ll be used as reserves,” he said, shrugging. “If all goes well, we’ll see little action. Otherwise, we’re the sacrificial lambs.”

  “What does that mean?” Tane said.

  Quinn answered, “It’s a mercenary expression. When an army retreats, they frequently leave behind they auxiliary units to cover. So we’ll be ‘sacrificed’ to save the bulk of the regular army if it is forced to retreat.”

  “But if we do survive a losing battle with the zombies, then you will take up duties atop the city walls,” Corporal Pendar said. “Therefore, what little training we have time to give you will be sword drill. And a couple of hours here and there will be devoted to teaching you how best to repulse massed assaults on the walls.”

  He let them digest that for a moment, then ordered them to pair off. Tane and Quinn sparred, while Pendar made Joelle go against Uko. Armin was left to square off with the corporal.

  “We’re going to fight each other this morning, then this afternoon we’ll get with Corporal Disa’s squad and practice fighting in formation,” he said.

  Chapter 10

  Lunch proved as big a disappointment as breakfast for Tane. After pounding away at his fellow squad members all morning, one after the other, he was starving. But again the recruits weren’t allowed time to properly eat, but rushed through and forced to eat while walking. Corporal Pendar acted as if they were lucky to be fed at all when Uko complained.

  “Now, listen up, scum,” Corporal Pendar said when they reached the parade ground again. “I want the Vikon anchoring both ends of our line, and the elf in the middle. Tane will fight between Quinn and Joelle, while Uko will be between the elf and Armin.”

  “Who are we going to fight, corporal?” Uko said.

  “Disa’s squad. Weren’t you listening this morning, puke-face? How many times do I have to tell you something, half-wit?”

  “No need to become hostile, corporal. I merely misunderstood,” Uko said calmly, though visibly shaking with anger.

  “Yeah? Now, just so you don’t misunderstand me again, you, Uko Uzalson, will personally clean all the chamber pots twice a day. No one will help you. And if the pots fail my very meticulous inspection, the
n you’ll carry them everywhere you go that day. Understand all that? Do I need to repeat myself?”

  “I understand, Corporal Pendar,” he said.

  “Now, post to your assigned positions,” Corporal Pendar ordered.

  Corporal Pendar quickly ran down the simple tactics of formation fighting. They wouldn’t be taught anything complicated, just enough to fend off the zombies.

  “All reports say the zombies are lightly armored and armed at best, so even hastily assembled auxiliaries like us should fare well in the coming battles,” Corporal Pendar said.

  Tane was heartened by that information.

  Corporal Disa’s squad came marching toward them. Tane had to admit, they looked much better marching than his squad. Only Quinn never seemed to step on the person’s foot in front of him when marching, or get confused by the corporal’s barked orders.

  “Bitch,” Corporal Pendar muttered when Sergeant Gareth came out of the barracks and complimented her on her squad’s progress. “The whore’s always sucking up to the sergeant.”

  Tane felt himself bristle at the corporal’s words. It was a craven act to insult her so, and not give her the chance to defend herself. From what Tane could see, she wasn’t anymore unprofessional than Pendar. Besides, one of her duties was to ensure her squad learned to march as quickly as possible. Just because Pendar had failed was no reason to vilify Corporal Disa for her success.

  “Ready to get your ass whooped, you ugly old bag of dried up bones?” Corporal Pendar called as they neared. Sergeant Gareth stood to one side and watched. “After we beat the bloody snot out of your kiddies, then my witch is going to turn you all into toads. That’ll be an improvement for you, Disa.”

  Corporal Disa grinned mirthlessly.

  “Care to make a bet, shit-for-brains?” she said. “I say my squad will trounce yours.”

  “Well, I ain’t got any coin to bet,” Corporal Pendar said.

  “Ha! Like I’ve always said, you are a bully and a coward! But Gods forbid I humiliate you again!” she cried, eliciting a nervous chuckle from her squad. Tane noticed Sergeant Gareth grinning with a deadly glint in his eyes. “But, if you can find anything even resembling a pair of balls, then I’ll be willing to wager something other than good coin.”

  “Like what? A service, maybe?” he said, eyes turning inward. “You’re too bloody ugly to tumble, so how about loser spit-shines the winner’s boots for a month?”

  “Throw in all laundry as well, and you got a bet, piss-breath,” she declared.

  “Done!”

  “Shit-fire, am I ever glad I didn’t do my laundry last night!” Corporal Disa laughed. Then turning to regard her squad with death in her eyes, “And if I have to do his tonight, and the rest of this month, who do you think will suffer the most?”

  “Same here,” Corporal Pendar growled. “I hate that bitch with all my soul. I ain’t never lost a bet like this, and I swear to Bandu Invincible that if you pukes lose this for me, I’ll make your pathetic lives living hells from now on.”

  Great, Tane thought. I thought we were brought here to learn how to fight in formation, not to decide some asinine wager between hot-headed corporals.

  Moments later, Tane found himself facing a big blonde Tyrian with a waist-length beard, and a good head taller than even Quinn. Everard Boarsbane looked like a God of War to Tane. Tyrians tended bigger and stronger than other people, too.

  His dark blue eyes were full of contempt as he looked Tane over. Tane looked at Everard’s bulging muscles and multitude of scars, and said a silent prayer to Kamain that he lived through this training exercise.

  With an order from Sergeant Gareth to have at each other, the two sides lunged forward and started swinging wooden shortswords. Tane instantly realized the Tyrian’s personal style of bellowing in rage and swinging his sword in great arcs was disruptive to his comrades. While Tane was hard-pressed to fend the warrior off, Quinn and Joelle were somewhat relieved of pressure when the men facing them had to step aside to avoid being brained by the Tyrian.

  When Tane was forced back a step, the Tyrian followed with a howl of pure joy. Tane noted both Quinn and Joelle reposition themselves to attack the warrior as he passed them. Victory was within 2nd squad’s grasp. Then Uko screamed in agony.

  Tane turned to see a good handbreadth of bloody wood thrusting out of the Swampman’s back. The 1st Squad Lelt who had skewered him was shaking his head in shock at what he’d done. Tane took one step toward Uko, then a wooden shortsword crashed down upon his shoulder.

  Pain flashed the length of Tane’s arm, diving deep in his chest as well. He dropped his own sword to grab his shoulder even as he fell at the bellowing Tyrian’s feet. Tane could hear both corporals and the sergeant shouting for the warrior to stop, but his next stroke was already descending with all the speed and power he was capable of mustering.

  Tane knew in an instant he was about to die, for the wooden blade was streaking straight for his face. Then the crack of wood on wood reverberated through the air.

  Quinn swept Everard’s blade around and up, then kicked out to the lower belly and felled the huge man. Both corporals and the sergeant leapt upon him before the enraged warrior could jump back to his feet and charge the elf. Several members of his squad also jumped in to subdue the Tyrian.

  Joelle knelt beside Tane and placed her hand on his shoulder. Her touch was sure and gentle, and when she began to chant he could feel soothing heat start deep in his shoulder as the pain began to subside.

  “It’s broken, but not too badly,” Joelle said, removing her hand. Tane didn’t agree, for it began to throb with renewed vigor when she removed her hand. “I’ve done all I can to ease the pain. It’ll take more energy than I have to spare at the moment for me to heal it entirely.”

  “What about Uko? Shouldn’t you be helping him?” Tane said, unable to see the Swampmen for all the people surrounding him.

  “He’s dead,” Joelle said with a voice devoid of life.

  Tane turned in horror to look at the group of men surrounding Uko’s still form. Sergeant Gareth and the corporals joined them then.

  “Pity,” Corporal Disa said. She looked at Corporal Pendar with a wicked grin. “I win.”

  “You win?! How do you figure that?!”

  “You have one dead, and another too seriously injured to continue,” she said, her eyes hard as steel. “And I had to hold back my squad from murdering yours! Ha! Loser!”

  “She’s right, Pendar. You lost,” Sergeant Gareth said. “And now I have to go find another recruit to replace that stupid bastard that died. Damn, I hate it when they do that.” He shrugged, and continued, “Oh well, that’s life in the army. You get a mage to heal the smith’s shoulder and I’ll have the Swampman’s body hauled off.”

  Tane was helped to his feet by Armin and Joelle, who helped him toward the make-shift clinic beside the parade ground. He got a last glimpse of Uko as he passed, realizing with a tight throat he’d never gotten to know the little man. People had been cruel to him, for no good reason. Tane wished he had a second chance to make amends for not being friendlier to the fellow himself.

  Chapter 11

  Searing heat from the supernatural forge burned his flesh. His arms felt leaden and burned with inner fire up to his shoulder, and halfway down his back. But Tane continued to hammer away at the glowing bar of steel. Pounding and pounding, not stopping for anything. He had to finish. Had to keep working, no matter what.

  He felt the sweat burning on his neck, his face. He felt it trickling into his burning eyes. Tane kept hammering, frantic in his efforts. Then he paused, feeling the oppressive presence looming over him.

  A quick examination of the blade showed it near complete. The runes still had to be added. They absolutely must be hammered deep into the blade. A thunderous roar of a voice demanded he stop. It only heightened his anxiety, sending Tane back to his torturous labors.

  Someone screamed, then crashing sounds. He heard feet, but kept on hamm
ering at the length of steel. The pain was all but intolerable, the heat worse, but he had to keep hammering if he was to succeed. Failure was worse than death, for all he loved and cherished would be doomed as well.

  Booming echoed from the near distance, then something hard slapped Tane in the side of the head.

  Tane screamed and sat up, smacking his head on the bunk over him. Rubbing the sore spot, he squinted around and found a boot in his bunk. The bay was lit by a single dim lantern, with the other soldiers all propped up on one elbow. They were looking toward that annoying pounding sound. Turning to the corporals’ door, Tane saw Sergeant Gareth drunkenly beating on the door with a fist.

  “Out, out I say!” he roared. “Get out here before I ram my foot up your lice-ridden asses!”

  “I’m being punished for leaving home,” Tane muttered, shoving the boot back to the floor. A quick look failed to discover who had thrown it. Probably the Tyrian. Everard blamed him for the incident on the parade ground. “I should’ve listened to my mother. She knew I’d only find trouble in Kestsax.”

  As the corporals’ door opened and the sergeant stepped back, Tane started to lower his head and go back to sleep when something caught his eyes. There was a woman with Sergeant Gareth, and it quickly became apparent she was the reason they were all being awakened so rudely. Tane’s stomach twisted when he realized the woman’s wrists were bound tightly behind her back.

  “Say hello to your new comrades,” Sergeant Gareth said, thrusting her into the squad bay.

  “Tschüss,” she said acidly, emerald eyes burning in impotent rage.

  “Tschüss!” the big Tyrian in Disa’s squad shouted in return. “I am Everard Boarsbane!”

  “Who cares,” she snarled.

  The newcomer’s accent was more subtle than Everard’s, but distinctively Tyrian nonetheless. A Tyrian warrior by the look of her, too.

  Everyone gasped as the lantern was turned up for all to see. Tane had never seen such stunning beauty before. She was tall, with the shiniest black hair he’d ever seen flowing down to her narrow waist and flaring hips. Her eyes were emerald green, and her lips as scarlet as the leather breeches she wore stuffed into black thigh boots.