by M J Webb
Tien was still concealed in the shadows. He saw what was happening and raced over to free the sword, though he knew he would not be fast enough to retrieve it in time to pass it to Jake before the Thargws attacked. The next few seconds passed in a blur for Jake. He acted without thinking, out of instinct, though it was not his own, and he knew not from where it came.
Having had no previous martial arts training or experience whatsoever, faced by two lethal and armed assailants, Jake suddenly seemed to transform into a Kung Fu legend. His arms and legs moved so fast and his body twisted and contorted so much, that he was able to evade the blades of his attackers and launch numerous strikes upon them. Somehow, the Thargw warriors, who held all the advantages, were made to look like little boys, amateurs who had no right being in his presence. Jake was unscathed and his final two kicks landed squarely on the warrior’s jaws. Both fell to ground and did not get up. They had been struck an extraordinary amount of times in such a short period. Tien was stunned by the awesome display he had just witnessed, his mouth fell wide open as he reached the sword.
“Quick, free it and let’s go!” shouted Jake, a little out of breath but no longer concerned about the need for silence.
Tien cast another spell to ease the weapon out of the wood and then he raced over to the stable doors. Jake soon emerged from within with two stallions. They were just about to mount the horses and make good their escape, when they suddenly heard an almighty commotion; cries and roars, the unmistakeable sounds of swords clinking on armour, lots of warriors converging on their position, racing to do battle!
Thargws suddenly began appearing from all directions. Within seconds, they were faced by a crowd of over fifty angry beasts, and more were appearing with every second that passed. Tien was aghast as he realised that it was over. They had lost. Nothing could be done against such a formidable force. He looked at Jake.
The young Keeper was not afraid. He should have been, he knew that. But he wasn’t. His overriding emotion now was one of intense disappointment, an awful, gut-wrenching feeling that he had failed everyone. ‘I’ve let them all down,’ he thought. ‘They needed a hero, and all they got was me!’
“This is it, Tien,” he said, quietly. “I’m really sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t the Keeper you thought I was. I tried my best, but in the end, I was just a boy.”
Tien shook his head at him and smiled kindly. “No Jake, you are far more than you will ever know. Whether in life or death, you will inspire our people to greater things. You will give them hope, and the courage they need to triumph.”
Jake turned his eyes to the angry mob of bloodthirsty Thargws. “Yeah? Is that so? I don’t mean to disagree with ya… But, tell that to them!”
Chapter 12
Night of 2nd September - Kerrallux City - Eratur - Mynae
Jake West had been faced with many terrifying situations since finding the box of stones and learning of his destiny. Death had only been a heartbeat away for the young Keeper at times. Too many times in fact, now that he stopped to think about it. However, despite the turbulent and world shattering events of the recent past, Jake had never been so certain of his own demise as right now!
He was staring at a multitude of ferocious Thargws. All of them were armed to the teeth and clearly intent on taking his life. His only companion was the guide sent by the Heynai to help him. But, unbelievably, the old wizard seemed able to do absolutely nothing to help. The fearsome warriors were inching their way menacingly towards him, shaking with excitement and breathing heavily through their flared nostrils. Astonishingly, given his vast age, knowledge and experience, Tien appeared to be frozen with fear. His paralysing concern was not for himself however, it was for the fate of the Keeper, and for what his death might mean for the future of his people, the future of his entire world. Tien was genuinely petrified for the first time in hundreds of years, gripped all of a sudden by a fear of the unknown, which was the worst fear of all for a wizard used to knowing what was going to happen. He had no answers to the thousands of questions which had popped into mind. He had seen no visions. The future was an open book, with blank pages yet to be written, and words which fell drastically short of what he had expected to find, promising nothing now but disaster and death.
When he gazed into Jake’s eyes for one last time however, the fears which had gripped him so strongly and left him almost unable to move, were suddenly eased a little. The young boy simply winked at him to let him know he had accepted whatever fate had in store. Then, Jake went down on one knee and closed his eyes, placing the tip of his sword on the ground as if he was praying.
The moment he did, everything around him seemed to slow to a virtual standstill. The first of the Thargws were only yards away as Jake then opened his eyes and began his attack. He launched into a frenzy of action, hurling his sword and wounding or killing scores of enemy warriors, as well as moving forward and managing to shield Tien at the same time. It was an astonishing, miraculous display of swordsmanship, an exhibition of remarkable precision, power, speed and skill. The Thargws were amazed, but they were also infuriated.
Thargws are a courageous and bold race. They live for war and they do not fear death. The incensed beasts just kept on coming at him, time and time again. Eventually, they swamped Jake through weight of numbers and he was at the very limit of his ability and endurance. Bodies were strewn all around him, but the fearless warriors simply stepped over them to reach the Keeper and continue the onslaught. To make matters worse, at the head of them now was the Thargw Emperor himself, their greatest swordsman.
The colossal beast was an awesome fighter. Jake was absolutely shattered and his muscles were burning fiercely. He desperately needed to rest. He had had enough and he knew that he couldn’t go on for much longer. The Emperor engaged him and due to Jake’s condition he soon gained the upper hand. Jake was left frantically trying to block the powerful blows from the battlesword that were raining down upon him. He cried out to Tien in desperation.
“Save yourself if you can! I’ve had it!”
The wizard leapt forward, sword in hand. In one final act of courage, he threw himself upon the nearest group of Thargws, even though he knew that his ability with a sword was such that the fight would probably not last long.
And then, out of the darkness of night, came a tremendous roar of anger. It was an ear-shattering noise unlike any other, full of pain and suffering, wrath, and a thirst for revenge!
Everyone in the city stopped what they were doing, including those warriors attacking Jake and Tien. The sound was so frightening, so powerful, that the Thargws all looked anxiously up at the moonlit sky. Thargws were scared of nothing but the unknown, and such a cry of murderous intent had never been heard before.
Suddenly, a ball of fire screamed down upon them. Thargw warriors were killed in droves, disappearing instantly in a sea of flame. Then, another fireball fell from the sky, and another, and another… Kerrallux became a storm of fire. The whole city was under attack!
The Emperor immediately broke off his attack and ordered his warriors to find cover, before forgetting all about Jake and fleeing to save his own skin. Jake was astounded, he was out on his feet and hardly able to hold his sword, astonished and amazed to still be alive. He checked Tien for any sign of wounds, but there were none. Then he stared up at the flame-lit sky. He saw the silhouettes of a host of dragons flying rapidly over the city, swooping down viciously upon its luckless inhabitants, taking them out systematically, setting the entire place ablaze.
Every now and then he saw the flashes of light shoot from the creature’s eyes, as they turned individual targets into black stone. This battle, this war, had just escalated beyond measure. It was now being waged on an unimaginable scale. And this fight at Kerrallux was nothing short of a massacre, murder. It was retribution, pure and simple.
No part of the Thargw city was left unscathed, except for the stable block where Tien and Jake were standing and watching in awe as the attackers destroyed th
e rest of the city. The roaring flames came nearer and nearer, blown by a gentle breeze, but a solitary dragon swooped down and landed in the square, not far from the two weary companions. It searched anxiously around with its eyes, looking for Thargw warriors, but the city defenders had all gone to ground by now, or been killed.
“Do not linger, climb upon me now!” the dragon bellowed.
Jake and Tien did not need a second invitation. They sprinted to the dragon as fast as their tired legs would carry them and climbed onto his lowered neck. Within seconds, they were flying away to safety, leaving behind them a scene of utter carnage, a blazing inferno, all that was left of the mighty fortress city that was the Thargw capitol. Kerrallux had been reduced to nothing in a matter of minutes by the dragon’s swift and deadly attack.
* * *
It was still the dead of a world-shattering night in Eratur. On a vast, blackened desert known as the Wrainx, the army of dragons landed. Once the lead creature had allowed his passengers to dismount, Jake and Tien found themselves surrounded by five of the awesome beasts, with their leader in the centre. The dragon shuffled backwards a little and bowed his head slightly. He said nothing. He appeared to be waiting for those he had rescued to begin the conversation.
“Err… Okay, I’ll go first then,” said Jake, eventually. “I am…”
“Please? We know who you are,” interrupted the dragon, in a strong, bold voice.
“You do? Yes, I suppose you must, seeing as you rescued us just in the nick of time? Gellsorr must have told you about me, about us?” Jake suggested.
“He has. He did,” corrected the dragon, the pain and hurt immediately evident in his bright orange eyes. His despair was such that he looked as though his heart had just been smashed into a million pieces, as if he had lost every single member of his family in one awful day. Both Tien and Jake could feel it deep in their souls.
Another awkward silence was once again ended by Jake, who felt compelled to say something. “I… I’m really sorry, I can’t tell you how sorry we are. We… He was the bravest of us all, the most noble guy I have ever known.”
“He was. And now he is gone,” said the dragon.
Jake couldn’t tell if the comment was meant as an accusation, or if it was merely a statement. However, before he could respond to it, Tien replied with an accusation of his own. “Gellsorr came to you, to ask you for your help. Why did you forsake…?”
The dragon stared angrily at the old wizard. Smoke billowed from his nostrils and his eyes narrowed, halting the question before it was asked. “He came. We did not listen to what he was telling us. And now, he is dead. The first of our kind to die in over three hundred years. His death call was heard by us all. It has brought us to you.”
Jake and Tien looked at each other, surprised. “Death call? Really? You actually heard him, from so far away?” asked Jake.
“We did. Heard him, and felt his energy depart from us. When his life force ceased, every living dragon shared in the moment, in the pain. We are connected to one another in ways you probably will never comprehend. When one of us perishes, we all feel the agony and desolation. For us, it is as if a part of us has left with them, and we know that we will never be whole again.”
“Oh, I see. Then, you must hate us for what we have done? And that being the case, I don’t understand? Why did you save us? I mean, you’d already decided against helping?” said Jake.
“It was you,” answered the dragon. “You are the one who freed Gellsorr and returned him to us. By doing so, you have unlocked memories and feelings which have lay dormant alongside his sleeping body, recollections of alliances forged, promises made, and vows broken. He was the eldest and wisest amongst us. His mind held more within it than any other, things which were long since lost to us. Since he returned, we have wrestled daily with our decision. Since turning him away, we have examined every inch of our conscience, searched our souls. If we had decided to return earlier, he would still be alive.”
The creature’s eyes were now full of guilt and shame. He lowered his head a little, as those around him also lowered theirs. It was silent again for a few seconds, until Jake spoke once more.
“Look, nobody’s perfect. You’re here now. I don’t know much about your history, only what I’ve been told, but the alliances you made with the Estians worked well once. Together, you defeated all those who stood against you. You beat off armies and wizards, everyone and everything who tried to enslave you. And you lived together in peace. It can be that way again, if you want it to? I will help to make it happen. However, I won’t lie to you. It’s far bigger than you could ever know. We’re facing creatures and warriors who…”
“Revalkas? Graxoth?” interrupted the dragon.
“Yeah, and then some!” replied Jake, suddenly sounding more like his old self. “I know they’re your natural enemies and that they hunted you in years gone by. You’ll have to face them again. The battles ahead will be hard fought. If you join us, many of you may die. I think it’s only fair to warn you of that, of what you’re letting yourselves in for?”
A faint smile suddenly appeared on the dragon’s lips. “Gellsorr was right about you.”
“Eh? What?”
“He told us you were honourable, and that you would tell us the truth, no matter how painful it might be. Though, that was maybe a little too honest of you?”
Jake and Tien laughed. “Ha, ha… Yeah, s’pose so. I haven’t quite mastered the art of deception as yet, or being a little more economical with the truth. I’m gonna have to work on that one,” Jake replied.
“Krrmmn… Know that when you do, Keeper, we shall in all likelihood leave,” stated the dragon, in a tone of voice which told everyone that he was being deadly serious. “…I am Resus, the elder, now that Gellsorr has gone. Those you see around you are all that are left of my kind. We have lived in peace for hundreds of years, in self imposed isolation. But, thanks to Gellsorr and you, we know now that we have been living a lie, Jake. We have denied our heritage and abandoned our friends, forgotten who and what we were. In such circumstances, sleep is hard to come by and peace is overrated, when you understand exactly what is missing, and all you have sacrificed to attain it. We will return with you now to the days of old, Keeper. We would very much like to reclaim our place in Estian history, present and future. Lead us as you see fit. Command us and it will be done, without hesitation, for as long as you stay true to yourself, to your beliefs and code of ethics. Gellsorr has opened our eyes and spoken for you. A new age has dawned. We are yours!”
Chapter 13
3rd September - The City of Te’oull - Siatol
Just like the Heynai themselves, the great protective shield was growing weaker and weaker by the hour. For the present, it was holding. But, the boundless hoards of monsters that lay behind it could not be held at bay forever. The time was fast approaching when they would be unleashed to attack the warriors of the Estian Alliance, free to rain down their destruction upon Te’oull and all the unfortunate souls who remained within its walls. It was a terrifying prospect, one daunting enough to make even the boldest of warriors flee. And yet, every single soldier in the Estian army held firm. In fact, their numbers continued to grow steadily and, far from wallowing in the depths of despair, they were in some way gripped by a sense that something wonderful, inevitable, was about to happen. And their morale was bolstered further by Princess Zephany and Lord Caro’s heroic displays of leadership, their speeches, and tales of past glories or deeds.
Away from the wall, Ben and Jean spent what little time they had before the action becoming better acquainted. The youngster from Lichfield told what stories he could of his best friend, whilst Jean listened to the adventures of her grandson and his family and friends with intense interest. It was a highly emotional time for Jean, learning all about the husband and family she thought she had lost forever. For Ben, it was no less poignant. His own family was a dysfunctional one to say the least. In truth, he only had his father and h
e depended more upon Jake and his parents to get by, and provide a stable family environment. Still, given all that was happening and perhaps because of the influence of Jean, he was missing his dad terribly right now, more than he would ever be able to say.
The others, Verastus, Queen Bressial, Brraall, Lord Castrad and all, had each been assigned a command by Princess Zephany on part of the wall or secondary defences. They kept themselves busy preparing their lines and organising the new recruits. Around midday, Sawdon and his vast army from Dassilliak arrived on the battlefield outside Te’oull. They were greeted by a succession of roars and high pitch cries of delight from King Vantrax’ forces. It was an awful din which terrified the defenders of Te’oull, who could hear every sound. However, one brave soul from Rhuaddan suddenly decided to sing. He was joined almost immediately by many others, in a scene Ben thought reminiscent of the film, ‘Zulu’, his favourite dvd which he had often watched with his father when he was young, before the drink and all of his troubles. The Ruddite battle songs lifted everyone’s spirits and bolstered morale. Princess Zephany walked up and down the lines encouraging her compatriots to join in, singing at the top of her voice with her sword drawn, her face and demeanour the very picture of defiance.
