by Jay Swanson
ORACLE OF THE DREAD GODS
DARK HORSE
Jay Swanson
A Short Novel
Table of Contents
Title
Map
Story
Acknowledgements
About
Coming Soon
For Grandma Jane
Thanks for believing
Dark Horse is a work of speculative fiction by Jay Swanson. The characters, incidents, and dialogues are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. All elements to the story - including any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead - are entirely fictional.
Find Jay Swanson
www.jayswanson.me
the Northern Range
©2015 Jay Swanson - All Rights Reserved
ISBN # 978-0-9834699-7-1
eBook Edition
Edited by Jenna Stanton
Cover Art Illustration by Marie Bergeron
www.mariebergeron.com
Map by Jay Swanson
Chakra circled with the monster, his sword so heavy now he feared he would drop it. The wounds along his arms throbbed, distracting him from the necessary focus that would keep him alive through this night. And he must stay alive, for if he failed, Melina would die.
The monster itself was the size of a bear, though in the darkness it looked and sounded much more like a wolf. Like everything else he’d encountered in this place, it didn’t fit his knowledge of the beasts of the world. Its eyes glowed yellow in the moonlight, as did the slobber dripping from its jowls. It circled with a hunger not driven by food, and kept its distance not from fear but for caution. No one had made it this far, Chakra knew now. The monster was not going to take him lightly.
The still pool in the center of the clearing glistened, the water maintaining a natural barrier between the predator and the prey.
Chakra adjusted his grip. The notched blade barely reflected the moonlight any longer, its lower half dull beyond sharpening. The only thing that gave him any solace against the black stench of the place was the light blue glow emanating from the topaz in his armband.
The ancient piece of armor seemed to whisper to him, to warn him of tree roots and broken stone. It hadn't been so clear to him before, but its voice had grown more real the longer he had worn it, its presence a constant comfort. The greatest comfort it brought was the simple hope that he could save Melina.
Melina... Her name gave him hope. Her plight gave him focus. I’m coming. I won’t let you die.
The monster roared and lunged over the pool, clearing the twenty feet between them in a single bound. Chakra rolled to his left, stabbing back the way he had come as the monster landed with a snarl. Its claws batted his blade away, forcing him to spin as it snapped at him with long jaws.
He whipped the blade back around. The monster recoiled to avoid the whistling steel. Chakra kicked out. He caught the monster's next strike with his foot to its nose and saved himself the bite, but was thrown by the impact onto his back. He scrambled as he slid, bracing his shoulders with his arms out and using his momentum to kick back up and over. He was on his knees and ready before the monster had left the ground.
It came at him from above, eyes glowing bright. He rolled forward this time, thrusting up with the blade to catch its belly on the descent. He caught enough flesh to draw blood, but its claws flailed to block and knocked his blade to the side. The tail struck him on the side of the head as it came down, sending Chakra spinning back towards the pool.
He got to his feet and staggered into the water. At its deepest it barely rose above his waist. For that he was grateful as the monstrous bear-wolf followed him in. What are you? How do I kill you?
Chakra grit his teeth against the chill of the water and continued to back slowly towards the other side. The bear-wolf entered tentatively, its long tail skimming the surface as its bear chest barely entered the water.
I’ve been in worse situations over the last day, Chakra thought, but this isn’t going well. Melina. Her name came to him, lending him strength. Lending him urgency.
The bear-wolf howled and leaped straight up out of the water. A thousand strings of glistening pearls flew out behind it in the moonlight. Chakra howled his own cry and rose his blade to meet the beast head on.
TWO DAYS EARLIER
“Hit!” Pegg shouted from across the field. Moments later the thwack of an arrow striking a log finally reached them. “How on earth do you do that, Aims?”
Aims laughed as he drew another arrow from the quiver on the ground beside him. “I can just feel it,” he shouted back.
Pegg stood at a point half-way between them and the target where he could count score. “I don't think Chalk can manage a shot like that!” Pegg shouted back as he laughed again in disbelief. “Always knew there was something off about you!”
Aims smiled and looked at Chakra as he notched the arrow on his bow. “You wanna give it a try? Prove him wrong for once, would you?”
“Pegg's never wrong, Aims. You know that,” Chakra said with a knowing smile as he took the bow from Aims. “But I'll admit, I have no idea how you do this.” He sighed unconsciously as he stared across the field.
“What’s that all about?”
“It’s nothing.” Chakra gave his head a small toss. “So how do you do this?”
“You know how the arrow will always curve down towards the ground?” Aims asked as he took a step back to study Chakra's form.
“Yes, Aimelia?” Chakra asked with mock seriousness. He had no idea where this was going.
“Don't call me that.”
“But it's your name,” Chakra said batting innocent eyes.
Aims just glared at him, then ruffled his red curls as he squinted, trying to come up with the right words to describe what he was thinking. “Just imagine gravity will take it, except to the side, and then you've pretty much got it.”
“Good oaks,” Chakra scoffed as he raised the bow. “You make it sound like magic.”
“I wish it was magic,” Aims said. “If I was an Expressionist I could turn Pegg into a frog and leave him for the raccoons.”
“I heard that!” Pegg shouted.
The gap through the trees was thirty yards on. Chakra knew the target was another forty beyond that and off to the left. He had placed it there himself, so at least he wasn't firing blind.
He grunted under the strain of Aims' massive bow, and then released through the trees.
“Are you aiming for the same target?” Pegg yelled from the treeline. “Because I think that arrow's in the next province.”
“I should have aimed at him.” Chakra jabbed a thumb in the direction of the trees as he handed the bow back to Aims.
“You would have wound up a lot closer at least.” Aims already had an arrow in hand. “You've gotta loosen up your stance.”
He stepped forward, bringing the shaft around, nocking it to the string, and pulling back all in the same motion. He released only a moment later as he finished moving forward, the arrow whizzing through the trees and arching back out of sight to the left.
“Hit!” Pegg shouted as the sound of the arrow striking the target came back to them through the forest. “Not your best shot, but you're still about three miles closer to the center of the target than Chalk!”
“Hold a target over your face and see how well I shoot!” Chakra shouted back.
“How could I see how well you shoot with a target over my face?” Pegg asked with a shrug.
“You should probably just get it over with. Do us all a favor.” Aims held the bow out to Chakra.
“I'm thinking about it.”
“Thruss ahoy!” Pegg pointed behind them.
Aims groaned as he unstrung his bow.
“I don't see why you don't like Thruss.” Chakra took the string from Aims as he dug for its pouch.
“How can you? I mean look at him. He’s like a bale of hay that doesn’t realize it can roll rather than hop from edge to edge.”
Thruss was running towards them now, huffing and puffing as he tried to call out to them from across the field.
“I actually chose to shoot at the far end of the field so he wouldn't find us,” Aims said as he slid his bow into the long quiver and slung it on his back.
“You didn't.” Chakra laughed.
“It's like the cow-lard can smell us out.”
“Guys!” Thruss only had about half the field to go and he already looked like he might give up and walk the rest of the way. “Guys!”
“If he manages to run the rest of the way, it'll be important,” Pegg said as he joined them.
“It looks like he's going to make it,” Aims mocked.
“That's enough.” Chakra started walking to meet Thruss in the field.
The tall grasses had long turned a golden brown, interspersed with red and orange leaves that had been blown out and captured in their wavy grasp. The trees stood well back, letting the leaves do their scouting for them. Winter would not be far behind.
“What's going on, Thruss?” Chakra asked as Thruss came to a blundering halt in front of him.
“They've...” He gasped for air in his usual over-dramatic way, half-disappearing in the grass as he gripped his knees. It only made Chakra smile that much more to see him. “They've posted!”
“What?” Aims almost shoved Chakra aside to get closer. “They've posted?”
“Yeah.” Thruss put up a hand as if to buy himself some space. “They posted yesterday night... on the door of the Sanctum.”
“Why didn't you say so last night then?!” Aims was beside himself.
“I don't go to the Sanctum every night, Aims... I saw it just now for the first time.”
“We've gotta go!” Aims was jumping with excitement now. “C'mon you guys! Let's go!”
Pegg grabbed Aims by the shoulders and stared him in the eye. “Last slick there's buyin' tonight!” And in a dash he took off for the village.
“You can't take a head start!” Aims was already chasing hot on his heels, cursing as he went. “I know you need it, but don’t think I can’t catch you!”
“You can’t!”
“C'mon, Thruss.” Chakra hefted his bag over his shoulder and put his hand on Thruss' shoulder to turn him around. “I'll walk with you. Tell me what the post said.”
“Well, uh...” He still hadn't fully caught his breath. “The High King declared war on the Stone Lord, and they want men for the infantry mostly. They're gonna pay a gold piece for every month of service! They say they need some archers, so Aims will be happy to hear that. But they don't want nobody to do apothecary work.”
“Sorry buddy.” Chakra patted him on the back. A whole gold piece every month? It was an unheard of sum. Chakra could save everything he needed to build Melina a house within half a year. Long before that.
“I just never wanted to be in the infantry, you know?” Thruss sighed. “I want to make people better, not hurt them none...”
“I know you don't,” Chakra said. And it was true. Ever since they were kids, and had first started training to fight with the local recruiters, Thruss had practically refused to fight. He was a natural, though few people knew it. With a heavy staff in his hands and the proper provocation he could break bones with a disturbing ease. But that was a well-kept secret, and in training he rarely participated in more than the required sparring matches.
He had taken a lot of beatings for it, and there weren't many other kids who had done less than spit on him, but he hadn't let them get the better of him. It was part of the reason Chakra respected him so much. Thruss had worked hard to learn to heal instead of demonstrating how to harm, and had never refused to bind a single wounded kid who had been deriding him only an hour before.
But derision won’t be the biggest of his troubles on the field, Chakra thought. He shook visions of Thruss having to kill from his mind and smiled.
“You're still good in a scrap though, Thruss, especially with that staff of yours. You'll be fine.”
“You think they'll let me bring my plants, Chakra?”
“I doubt it.” They could see the low, brown-roofed village through the thin veil of trees now. It looked like people were really astir over the posting even from here. Chakra understood. He could barely keep from running to join them and find out more. A whole gold piece.
“But I need my toringa plants. What about my rabbit?” Thruss looked really distressed now. “What if they take Ruffles away from me? They won't, will they?”
“We'll figure out a way to bring Ruffles along, Thruss. Don't worry. None of us wants to leave him behind.” He smiled at the relief that flooded Thruss' face. He has such a gentle heart… how can they make him kill? “C'mon, let's go see which of those two idiots is paying for our drinks.”
The whole of Alda, their village, was in fact astir as everyone flooded the center square to read the postings on the walls of the various businesses, town hall, and Sanctum that stood to surround it. Two recruiters from Telda stood on the steps of the King’s monument in the center of the square. Chakra only recognized Brin, a recruiter that had been coming here since he was a boy. He was discussing something with the other recruiter, but Chakra expected they would be announcing that they were open for business in a moment.
“A gold piece EVERY MONTH!” Aims was shaking Chakra before he even knew that Aims was there. “Every month! If the campaign lasts through the winter, we'll be rich!”
“Even the archers?” Chakra asked. “I thought archers got paid in whippings.”
“Forget the whippings, I'm gonna buy a mountain!” Aims laughed as Pegg shoved him aside.
“One whole gold piece PER MONTH!”
“Yeah,” Chakra said. “We know.”
“PER MONTH!”
“It's not really that much,” Thruss said timidly from behind Chakra. “I mean, is that all your life is worth?”
“It is if I get one every month!” Pegg did a little twirl.
“Some of us don't exactly see a lot of gold pieces, Tubbs.” Aims glowered at Thruss for a second. “Not everyone's father can be an apothecary.”
“Times are hard for us too,” Thruss said quietly.
“Yeah.” Aims rolled his eyes as he turned away. “Real tough.”
The recruiters at the center of the square began to shout for everyone to quiet down and listen. Aims still had a scowl on his face when he turned to say something, and Chakra gave him a little shove in the back for it. Always ready to brood, Chakra thought. This is some of the best news of our lives, and he’s sulking already.
“By decree of the High King! All men of at least sixteen summers, who are strong in body and fit of mind, and who are willing and able to volunteer for military service may do so on this day or the next. Any man deemed fit will be taken to Telda in two days’ time, from whence we shall join the army below the capital.”
“I've never seen the capital,” Thruss said to himself, already in wonder of the city none of them had ever seen.
“All men who join the infantry over these two days are guaranteed one gold piece for every full month of service they complete! Any man who proves his worth in a skilled art, such as archery, smithing, or healing will be paid an additional three silvers for every skill each month, provided he brings his own horse or equipment.”
“Healing?!” Thruss shook Chakra from behind, his innate strength for his size causing Chakra's teeth to clatter.
“Any who would seek to enter the King's service may do so over the next two days at the Ice Dragon. Armor will be provided in Telda as available, but you are expected to carry your own sword.”
And with that he stepped down and into the crowd.
Aims laughed as he shoved Pegg to the side. “Well at least
I'll be able to afford the beer, then. Three silvers! I need to learn how to fix horseshoes so I can make it six!”
“Hey Chakra.” Pegg gave him a tap on the arm. “Lady Love approaches.”
Chakra turned to see Melina making her way towards him through the dispersing crowd. Her jet-black hair was tied back with a red ribbon that worked its way down under the scarf around her slender neck. He couldn't help but blush to see her.
“I fear we must depart, fair brothers, lest we interfere in the cosmic destiny of these, our star-crossed, raven lovers.” Pegg did a little bow as he began to depart.
“Shut up, Pegg.” Chakra still couldn't stop the grin on his face from growing.
“We'll see you at the Dragon tonight, don't forget!” Aims said as Pegg pulled him away.
“He won't, Aims, why would he?” Pegg grinned. “I mean you are paying.”
“Only for one round!” Aims shot Pegg a punch in the arm as they made off laughing.
“Hey Chalk,” Melina said as she stopped just in front of him, her brown and white dress ruffling to a stop as if it hadn't been warned of her impending halt.
“Hey, Lina.”
“Yeah, hey Melina!” Thruss waved his hand from behind Chakra.
She laughed. “Hi Thruss.”
“Hey Thruss,” Chakra turned. “We're gonna go for a walk, ok?”
“Ok.”
They started walking through the square before Chakra realized that Thruss was following. “I mean Melina and I are going for a walk, buddy.”
“Oh!” Thruss blushed as he panicked in his search for an exit. “Right, sorry! I... I'll just go this way then,” he said as he pointed to the left, following his finger as if it were pulling him along. “Bye!”
“Bye Thruss,” Melina giggled as he left.
“He's going to be a handful to watch out for...” Chakra smiled again as they walked out into the forest.
- - -
“You can't possibly be serious,” Melina said. Their arms swung lazily as they walked hand in hand through the forest that ringed the village. “You would have to come up with a much better story than that.”
