by Jeff Gunzel
The red army still had their hands full with those catlike creatures. Wild, violent and extremely strong, they were proving to be quite formidable. But the most violent of them proved to be the single human that led the charge. Vicious and brutal, she had already killed over a dozen with her bare hands. She looked human enough, but no mortal could possibly possess such strength. Still, the red army held superior numbers, and it would only be a matter of time before they managed to fend off the savage attack.
“I...I don’t know how to help them,” Eric said, dropping to his knees. “Their numbers are already too great, and still they keep coming! The red army is regrouping. I don’t know what to—”
Yammon knelt down beside him, grasping him by the shoulders. “You must stay focused! You are the Gate Keeper, and we are all still depending on you.” He came around to Eric’s front and placed his forehead against his. “You can do this. Do you hear me?” The screams of dying men from below began to intensify. “You can do this!” he repeated.
A loud rumble echoed across the sky. They looked up, expecting to see more hellish demons falling down from the vortex. But no, this disturbance was different somehow. Oily black clouds boiled in the sky, yellow flashes dancing between them. The disturbance in the sky somehow seemed separate from the churning vortex, an altogether different source of power.
“The gods be praised,” Yammon whispered, eyes gazing off towards the coast. Through the rolling fog sitting on the waves, the black outlines of ships began to emerge, only a few at first, the lead ship flying the green flag of Taron atop its mast. Then others emerged through the fog, one after another coming into view. Ten, no twenty...they just kept coming!
Eric got to his feet, watching in disbelief as the ships grinded up onto the sand. Even from here he could see that their sails were unique to the passengers aboard. He saw the colors of Candrin’s flag flying next to those of Athsmin. Even the Dronins were here! Varying nations from different corners of Tarmerria had crossed the great sea, and were here, united to fight against a common enemy!
Planks lowered from the ships and fully armed soldiers descended onto the sand. Azek was the first to march down, ramp quivering under his feet. Standing on the sand, he drew his sword and pointed out towards the battle beyond as Taron soldiers rallied to him.
“Today is a day of reckoning,” he bellowed, more soldiers marching down the ramps to hurry and join up with their captain. “These demons think to come here and invade our lands. Well, I say let them come!” He gazed out at the madness, broken lines, men fighting with everything they had. “These soldiers were willing to die for what they believe in. Each one of you should be so lucky this day!” Men began to cheer as they formed up, lines spreading out across the beach and still more ships appearing every minute.
“They think they have come to unleash violence on the world of men?” He turned, clicking his heels and lowering his blade. “I say we show them what violence is!” He began his march, columns of soldiers at his back chanting and crashing their swords against their shields. The rhythm was thunderous and steady, enough to shake the ground and warn the darkness of their approach. The clashing served to tell all in the field of battle that reinforcements had finally arrived.
A team of black masked men streaked up the right flank, mostly ignoring the main army and charging forward on their own terms. Morcel rushed up ahead, his loyal assembly of trained killers right behind him. The Watchdogs were here to strangle the darkness just like the other soldiers, but they would play by their own rules. Chaotic in their approach, results were more important than honorable tactics. Their approach promised the bodies would add up quickly, just the way Morcel liked it.
The sky continued to boil, black clouds rolling in and out of each other as the cryton forces strengthened their links. Hand in hand they stood in circles on the beach, then began their own march behind the main force. Shantis led them, her bow strapped to her back. They felt they had a debt to the humans, and were going to settle it right here.
The Dronin special forces raced up the left flank, Lord Corzon leading their charge. Their numbers were the fewest of anyone here, but numbers meant nothing to the Maidens. As deadly as they came, this small group could (and had) wiped out armies quadruple their numbers. Today would be no different, and they were sure to make their presence known.
The Knights of Athsmin walked their large warhorses down to the beach. Donning silver plate mail, these bladesmasters were ready to live up to their reputations. Seeing this evil with their own eyes, it was only now that they realized what was being asked of them. The prophecies were true. Practically born with weapons in their hands, it was clear their entire lives had led up to this very moment. Mounting up, they charged forward with savage vigor.
Jade’s feet stepped onto the sand. She wore her mother’s armor, pearl-white chainmail and a golden helmet with wings to either side. Its nose guard flowed down the center of her face, giving the illusion of a bird’s beak. A white sword hung at her side, its pommel shaped like a dove’s head. Queen Ilirra had once worn this battle gear to fight for what she believed in, now Jade would do the same.
I swear I will make you proud, mother.
Chapter 17
Yammon nudged the back of Eric’s shoulder. “You see? You shall never stand alone as long as the people still draw breath. Nations have come from all over the world, willing to make a stand and fight by your side. But they need you if they are to be victorious. Your time is now! During your training you held yourself back because you didn’t truly understand what you are, what you’re capable of. There is no room for hesitation now. Do not hold back!”
Eric watched as soldiers retreated back to the shoreline, attempting to reorganize and join forces with their new allies. The stone giants gave chase, moving methodically with heavy steps that sank deep into the sand. Wind Riders swooped down, their mounts tearing at the flesh of fleeing soldiers with each diving pass. More skeletons were rising up from the ground, swiping at the ankles of running soldiers. Like the Wind Riders, black leathery creatures came swooping down, claws tearing and teeth snapping.
Don’t watch their physical bodies, feel their living energy instead. Don’t trust your eyes, they lie. Reaching out with his mind, Eric felt the swirling mix of colors and temperature. Each was so different from each other there was no way to mistake them. “I shall be your eyes,” he muttered, eyes closed with his hands outstretched. “Show them no mercy!”
The Taron army stopped marching, the front ranks sidestepping to allow the retreating men an escape route to the back flank. “Ready,” called Azek, voice steady, his sword drawn as he eyed the charging giants and skeletons. The dark eyes of a hawk stared straight into the stampede of charging nightmares. It was as if his whole life had come down to this, making the thought of his own death seem trivial. Archers drew back their bows, each eyeing a separate target with unblinking focus. “Loose!” he called. With the whooshing sound of bowstrings cutting the air, a torrent of arrows took flight.
May the gods guide me. Eric could feel them all slicing the air, each one obvious and unique as time seemed to slow in his mind. Golden holes opened across the desert like a thousand fireflies lighting up at once, each swallowing an arrow in flight.
Four charging giants stumbled when portals opened all around them, unleashing their arrows in a wave of destruction. Single arrows had little effect, but so many hitting at once caused a far different result.
A shrill crackling filled the air as their chests imploded from the pressure. Green and black liquid splashed across the ground, its acid-like properties hissing against the sand. Cracked and broken, the rock giants crumbled to the ground, heads and shoulders riddled with shafts.
Stunned soldiers gazed out in shock, uncertain of what they had just witnessed. Azek looked up to the Mountain of Dreams, his knowing eyes scanning for the only man that could have done such a thing. This was not a time to be passive in his attack. If the Gate Keeper were truly helping
from afar, it was time to test his limits.
“Remember our speed drills, men?” he called out, his dark eyes gleaming with excitement. “Thirty rounds per minute. Fire at will!” Then men weren’t sure what to make of his unorthodox command, but they had never challenged their commander’s strategy before and weren’t going to start now.
As fast as they could string them, hundreds of arrows fired in random bursts. Wave after wave unleashed, each one zipping into a separate portal before ever hitting the ground. The battlefield came alive with brilliant lights, golden holes opened right before skeletons, unleashing perfectly placed arrows that severed limbs, shredding them to pieces. Rock creatures took waves directly to their faces, their heads exploding in a bloom of gravel and misty acid.
Not a single shot went wasted, each one redirected as the Gate Keeper saw fit. Seeing clearly what was happening, the men unleashed at an even faster pace, no longer even bothering to aim. Arms pumped, sweat flowed as the sky darkened with feathered shafts.
Amoshi was given free will, blasting away as he marched forward with his usual freakish accuracy. Two shots clipping off the arms of a skeleton, six to the throat of another giant, the one-man army dropped any threat that came into view.
Still being circled by those catlike creatures, the red army had begun to advance. The original strategy was to kill the stragglers who managed to survive the initial wave, but the rebels were turning the tide and proving themselves to be a real threat after all. The cats continued to strike at their flank and rear units, making hit-and-run sweeps before running out of harm’s way. Not the most noble of tactics, but very effective nonetheless.
Amoshi eyed the advancing red army off in the distance. He snatched another arrow and drew back, zeroing in on his far-away target. Raising his bow another notch, it began to radiate light, tiny white sparkles drifting down like snowflakes. Honing in further, he raised it another notch as even more sparkles flooded down, his arms beginning to tremble. There wasn’t a man on the planet that would ever attempt such a shot from this distance.
He loosed, arrow streaking across the horizon like a lightning bolt. Mere seconds had passed, but its flight seemed to take an eternity. Ilenaya looked up at the last second; a dark shadow streaking right in front of her face was all she saw. Her eyes refocused as a light trickle of blood ran down the side of her cheek. An extended smoky arm gripped the black and yellow shaft, its tip shallowly poking her forehead.
Slog drew back the shaft then threw it aside. Baring her teeth, Ilenaya touched the shallow wound and looked at the blood on her fingers. How? Who could have possibly made that shot from such a distance? If Slog hadn’t caught it in mid-air... She trembled with anger.
“Full charge!” she boomed, fists in air. The ground began to shake as thousands of men went from a plugging march to a dead run.
* * *
Lost in the dance, Eric somehow managed to maintain his focus. Guiding each arrow, he blasted wave after wave of enemies with perfect precision. The heavy concentration required was dizzying, but he would not let up now. Once again he lifted a number of palins, their energy whips blazing in the sky as he shifted them around like raining death.
A stray energy caught his attention. A Wind Rider had noticed where all the disturbance was coming from, and was charging him head-on. Eric couldn’t shift his body without losing all concentration. If he did he would surely drop most of the palins. Refusing to risk another life, he braced for the inevitable impact rather than lose his focus. Maybe he could still lower them to safety before getting run through. Maybe it wasn’t too late to save some of them! If he hurried...
Eyes still closed, he heard a screech followed by a crash. No impact came, and the familiar screech was music to his ears. Still controlling hundreds of objects at once, he opened his eyes to see Asami with her beak clamped down on the crintona’s neck, claws grasping at the Wind Rider. With a shriek she opened his belly, sending the man tumbling downward. She twisted her beak, cracking the crintona’s neck like a twig, sending her spiraling down towards the desert floor after her rider.
“Thank you old friend,” Eric said before returning his full attention to the task at hand. With most of the demons toppled, he renewed his efforts on the red army who had just clashed against the front line.
* * *
The Maidens charged, spears spinning around their bodies. The lead Maiden dropped down to one knee, slamming her spear to the ground while pointing a finger upward. Wind Riders circled overhead like buzzards searching for easy prey. Her fingers flashed with movement, their intricate silent tongue on full display. Nodding their understanding, the others trotted towards her one at a time.
The first leapt to her shoulders, keeping her balance with knees on her shoulders. The next followed suit, landing on the second’s shoulders and holding herself steady. One by one they climbed, forming a human totem pole of Maidens in an awesome display of strength and balance. The last looked on, gazing up at the sky while gauging distance and speed. She tapped her own spear to the ground once, twice, completing the silent count. Go...
She sprinted towards the human structure, starting her leap from ten feet away. Her foot landed in the first set of cupped hands which launched her straight up. Like a set of stairs, she pushed off another set of cupped hands, sending her upward even faster. The top Maiden reached down and took her by the hand. She pulled with all her might, launching herself back as the human totem pole disassembled. Like cats, the falling girls all landed back on their feet with ease.
The Wind Rider glided along, his crintona lazily flapping its wings as they searched for easy targets. His jaw swung open as the Maiden levitated up before his eyes, her beaded hair clacking around in the high winds. Steel flashed across his throat, sending the gurgling rider churning towards the ground. She clung to the crintona, gripping the reins of her new mount. Now, to figure out how to ride this thing...
* * *
Archers continued to fire randomly, watching their arrows disappear shortly after taking flight. A horn sounded from behind, imploring the middle section to make way for what was coming. The ground began to shake beneath their feet, enticing them to hurry. A stream of warhorses thundered past up the center, their riders riding with upright lances.
The knights of Athsmin rolled on through, their galloping horses shifting into an arrowhead formation. Lances lowered as one, each knight picking up speed while maintaining his place in the tight formation. Already off balance from the waves of arrows that never seemed to miss, the charging red army was unprepared for the head-on assault.
The arrowhead formation slammed into the front line, sending armored bodies tumbling through the air. Lances penetrated shields and shattered against breastplates. Others pierced the flesh of several bodies, weighing them down with hanging dead meat. The horses themselves proved to be capable weapons, heavily armored fronts battering down soldiers who couldn’t evade the charge. Shattered lances were quickly discarded, replaced by unsheathed long swords the knights wielded with expertise.
The knights had blown a hole right though the red army’s forces, sending men fleeing towards the left and right flanks where Morcel and the Maidens were waiting. With the red army in disarray, it was time for the second wave to make their push.
Jade pushed past the archers. Her eyes sparkled, dy-chita blazing with light. Crytons followed close behind, hand in hand forming their energy circles. The sky rolled with blackness, angry flashes of yellow and red dancing back and forth between the clouds. Jade lowered her arm, pointing to a cluster of red-armored men. A jagged red bolt funneled down from the sky, the blast sending them tumbling through the air, all dead before their steaming carcasses landed.
The crytons pushed forward, each circle displaying similar feats of power. Yellow bolts struck wherever the lead cryton pointed, punishing the enemy and ground alike. Remaining rock giants took four or five bolts before shattering into dust, but the result was all the same. Archers continued to fire over their
heads, watching as their arrows disappeared into thin air.
Jade raised her hands up high as flaming wheels appeared just above her head. With a pushing motion they sped away, leaving trailing afterglows of light in the sky. The first wave tore through a black rock giant, bursting out his back and continuing on into the heart of the red army. From there they weaved about, removing heads and arms as they bounced from body to body. Headless bodies burst into flame, charring into statues of black ash before ever hitting the ground.
She raised her hands to release a second fiery wave, but stopped as she noticed something off in the distance. Morita was near the rear flank, holding two knights in the air by their neck. With a slight squeeze, the armor around their necks crumpled, red trickling between her fingers and down her elbows. With a flick of her wrists the bodies flew thirty feet away as if they were weightless. She turned her gaze, eyes suddenly meeting Jade’s. Her long tongue lashed out in a taunt, whipping around wildly as she grinned.
Shantis charged up and stood beside Jade. “Take the crytons down the middle and force the red army to scatter,” said Jade before Shantis could say a word.
“She is dangerous,” Shantis replied, following Jade’s unblinking stare.
“So am I,” Jade hissed. “Take your men and push on. Leave her to me.”
* * *
The red soldier deflected a thrown dagger, sending it ricocheting off his shield. When he spun back with his blade held high, a tumbling axe buried itself into his skull, splitting his face and neck clean down the front. Morcel ripped it free as he streaked past without slowing, black-masked men charging at his back. Once the red army had divided from the knights’ frontal assault, the Watchdogs’ portion of the battlefield had gotten very busy. And that was just fine with them.
