Awaken: Book 1 (Chronicles of Ghost Company)

by Shawn Muller

  “But we have tried to find out more about the trolls! We have sent many, many envoys and messengers and scouts, and none have every returned,” Prince Marcus replied.

  “All failed to find us. All perished in the mountains, dead before we could find them. I have suspected that various factions within my own family have plotted to destroy you humans, led by Woth whom I am most pleased has been killed at last,” said King Rodic.

  “So then why haven’t you sent any envoys to us? Why haven’t any of you approached me directly with a peace offering in the first place?” Prince Marcus asked confused.

  “The timing was not right. I will admit that this ancient prophecy has been a convenient way for us to finally meet, but that is not to say that the prophecy will actually come true,” King Rodic admitted to an incredulous Prince.

  “So I have a choice here? What if I refuse this peace offer?” Prince Marcus asked with a slight hint of defiance.

  “You will be making a very grave error. We are currently fighting a war far to the south, other side the Troll Mountains. In a way we are your only hope. A very ruthless and expansionistic empire has been forged by blood and steel, led by dark skinned humans similar to that small human standing there.” The king said pointing to Deez. “But they are much larger, on average taller and stronger than you. They are allied with these ox-men, who are as strong and as fierce as us. What they have to their advantage is sheer weight of numbers. They seem to breed faster than the Plains Trolls. They are within striking distance of our towns and cities on lush, fertile grasslands in those lands. If those farmlands fall, my people will starve, and we will be forced to march north to gather food, from your people. And that will be by force if necessary.”

  “So I have no choice. In order to protect my people I need to agree to the peace treaty,” a dejected Prince Marcus said.

  “There are benefits. For one our raids will end. We never had the desire to actually invade your lands, yet our prophecy has led us for generations. We had to find a savoir for not only us, but for the whole of Curixeus. There is some sort of impending doom that is fast approaching, one that only Bob can prevent it seems. Also, there is the influx of trading opportunities that will come knocking on your door. The dwarves have many mining outposts in my mountains, where they are mining coal amongst other minerals. In return they provide us with metalworking, the elves also trade extensively with us, you name it, and it passes through your lands to and from my lands.”

  “But the question remains, one that I should ask of my current allies – why have you not pushed for me to sign a peace treaty with the trolls?” Prince Marcus asked the dwarf and elf.

  “We respect each other’s cultures. And the prophecy of the off world visitor who is destined to save us all is one that we had to listen too. Too many times has one race ignored a dire warning from another. This time we were determined to follow through, as much as it hurt us all. You humans can be very stubborn and impatient when it suits you. Something we have put down to your shorter life span,” Bruniks explained.

  “What will my role in this war that you are fighting be then?” Prince Marcus asked the table.

  “At the moment not much. All I ask is for a secure border between us and for undisrupted trade routes so that our supplies for the armies will not be impeded. As for any military assistance, we don’t need any help, yet. The dwarves and elves are not supplying troops, only equipment and I would expect something similar from you, although any volunteers or mercenary companies are welcomed. The pay is always good.” This last bit was aimed at me it seemed.

  “Are you saying that Robert here is this great captain of your prophecy and that he is here to save the trolls from this empire you are fighting against?” Prince Marcus asked King Rodic.

  “Never said he was, but never said he wasn’t too. Time will tell why a man from another world is here in the first place,” King Rodic finished.

  Seemingly undecided, Prince Marcus weighed up his options, not that there were many, before asking a final question. The crowds surrounding us began to grow restless as this dragged on, yet the troll army did not budge an inch where they stood. My platoon continually watched the crowds, eyes roaming, looking for any signs of trouble while Max walked around the pavilion without cease.

  “Can I trust the trolls?” Prince Marcus finally asked of both the dwarf and the elf.

  “As much as you can trust your friendship with the elves,” was Bruniks answer.

  “We have continually partitioned for the trolls to bring peace on your behalf. Yet we were told that the time was not yet right. Now that it is I implore both parties to agree to this peace treaty. I have seen first-hand the threat that the trolls are facing from the south. So in short, yes,” was Granitetooth’s answer.

  “Then my mind is settled,” Prince Marcus said before standing up from his chair and walking to the edge of the pavilion.

  “My fellow citizens, my friends!” Prince Marcus began to address the crowds and soldiers who had been waiting patiently for a resolution.

  The crowd drew closer, jostling each other in order to hear what their prince was about to say. A scuffle broke out as the throng pushed against the heavy infantry that maintained the protective cordon.

  “All present here have witnessed a most historic occasion. A first for all Curixeus, dwarves, elves, trolls and humans meeting peacefully to discuss our differences,” the crowd cheered as this news.

  I caught the movement out of my eye. An arm raised from within the crowd and extended passed the security cordon. Held in the fist was a small single-handed crossbow, aimed at the troll king.

  “Crossbow!” I shouted as instinct kicked in.

  I dove to the left, across the king as I heard the thwack of the bolt being released. I tried to knocked King Rodic to the floor while I heard Max and Titanius dive onto the unknown assassin, but simply bounced off the mountain of a troll.

  “Sir, are you alright?” I asked King Rodic as I lay at his feet face down.

  “I, I think so,” he stammered.

  I tried to push myself to my feet, but was held down by the massive hands of the king.

  “Don’t move captain Bob. You have been wounded,” he said.

  The pain kicked in and I let out a long string of curses. Gently King Rodic and Fremod lifted me off the floor and placed me face down on the table we had just moments ago used to broker the peace deal.

  “Bring him here!” A furious Prince Marcus shouted.

  I watched as Max and Carl manhandled somebody dressed in a large cape. Prince Marcus walked up to the man and roughly pushed back the hood.

  “You! You have disgraced us all!” Prince Marcus said.

  “No, it is you who has disgraced us all by making peace with, with these animals!”

  I looked closely at the man, recognising his voice. It was one of the generals the resigned in protest over the peace treaty. I should have known better than to leave them be.

  “These so called animals have come out of their way to stop this violence. Violence you wish to carry on. You shall be harshly punished for this,” Prince Marcus hissed through clenched teeth.

  “King Rodic, on behalf of the citizens of Doorengaan, I wish to humbly apologize for this cowardly attack on your life. Please forgive us and accept this man’s life as a gift of good will.”

  “No harm has been done Prince Marcus. We all have our fanatics. I accept your apology and your gift. He will make a fine specimen for our children to study. Or a body slave for my many concubines. We will see,” King Rodic said graciously.

  “However, I do believe that the brave captain Bob is in need of assistance,” the king pointed to me on the table.

  “Smoothie!” Prince Marcus shouted.

  I lay and watched as the disgraced general was led off towards the awaiting troll army between two of the kings bodyguards. I looked over to where my men were gathered behind the cordon, holding the growing crowd further back. While Smoothie examined the cross
bow bolt that was lodged in my buttocks, my eyes roamed over the castle walls. Two figures could be seen having a heated debate with a lot of gesturing towards us and arm waving. Before I could take any further notice, my ass burnt as Smoothie extracted the bolt from my buttocks. I clenched my eyes in pain and bit down on my gloved hand as Smoothie began to heal me.

  “You could have warned me you know,” I told him.

  “Perhaps,” was all he answered.

  “While you are being seen to captain Bob, let me continue with my announcement,” Prince Marcus told me.

  He stepped once more towards the edge of the pavilion to address the crowd.

  “Despite the attempts by a nefarious few who do not wish to see peace prevail, I, Prince Marcus of the South Realm, your humble leader wishes to announce, that the attempt King Rodic’s life has been thwarted, and a new alliance has been formed, one between humans, dwarves, elves and trolls, and soon between the orcs as well. May peace reign among us all!” Prince Marcus ended his short speech by walking up to King Rodic and embracing him where he stood, followed by Bruniks and Granitetooth.

  The roar from the crowd was deafening, as was the roar coming from both the troll army and the city itself as word spread rapidly that peace was attained.

  “Well said Marcus. Now let’s get down to eating,” King Rodic said as he reached for a side of beef that was left undisturbed by me on the table and began eating while the various factions slowly approached one another and began tentatively mingling, all still wary of one another, unsure of what has actually transpired. But soon, once the ale, mead and wine had started to flow, all past hurts were forgotten, and the healing process had begun.

  Chapter 4 – Springtime

  The winter snowfalls gradually turned to spring rains as the days slowly lengthen and the sunlight began to melt the thick ice that had formed on the lake. Plans were set in place for us to set sail for a small fishing village due east of Doorengaan. We were to start the hunt for the bandits who had settled in the region feeding of the caravans of traders that moved along the highway that ran from Bereken to the wharf at the village. This was yet another test for us as it would be The Ghost Platoon’s first active tour away from the HQ. The whole platoon, less Hioki who was experimenting on some weapons for us, was due to leave within a few days for the mission. The King Trolls had established an ambassador at Prince Marcus’s castle and a small, steady trickle of trade was already flowing to and from the Troll Mountains. Queen Canderson of the orcs was due to arrive sometime mid-spring to sign the treaty as well, adding their considerable fighting force, I was told, to the pretty strong alliance.

  I was given strict instructions to find and mete out justice to the bandits before summer as a series of wargames was planned between some of the allies and we were to be Prince Marcus’s secret weapon. Joyful was all I thought about that idea. We many inquiries for recruits for the new year, but for now it was decided not to take in any new recruits until after the current mission. In the meantime Jeroch was going to relocate our HQ somewhere more suitable on the west coast of the lake. He promised to have the entire obstacle course, buildings and Hioki’s forges up and running by the time we would be done. Hopefully he would build us bigger barracks as well for all these new recruits I wanted to take in. For now, the focus was for the job at hand. Horses would be waiting for us at the village with the necessary supplies, except for Fremod’s. He would receive a special package of supplies from his father when we arrived at the east coast of the lake, besides I didn’t think there were any animals big enough to carry a fully grown King Troll. It was damn difficult as it was to try and make them armour and weapons to fit them too.

  The days dragged by as we waited for our ship to come into harbour to take us on our first mission. The team was starting to get antsy with pent-up excitement when I received a strange visitor in my study. Peering up from a document I was reading, I looked straight into the amber brown eyes of slender elf.

  “Can I help you?” I asked, a bit startled.

  “No sir, but I think I can help you. My name is Tachojay from Bruniks’s personal guard. He suggested that I join up with you for the near future, to ensure equal representation among the allies, so to speak,” he said.

  “Great, that’s all I need - more babysitters,” I said.

  Tachojay looked at me puzzled but didn’t say anything.

  “You know, you come at an awkward time. We are days away from leaving for a mission and I don’t have the time to put you through our course.”

  “Are you referring to that children’s playground outside?” he asked me with disdain.

  “Yes I am,” I replied, peeved.

  “I will run it now for you, if it pleases you?” he replied.

  “Go right ahead. Deez! Get your arse in here!” I shouted out the door.

  “Take this elf here through the course. Make sure he completes it well within our times, or he doesn’t go with us,” I said as I maintained eye contact.

  He gave me a self-assured smile and turned to follow Deez to the course. Deez was the nimblest and quickest through the course out of all of us and he should be able to make the damn elf sweat.

  Well, to say that the elf had left Deez in his dust would have been an understatement. Tachojay virtually flew through the obstacle course, doing flips, rolls and a cartwheel through it like it was the children’s playground he had called it. Deez came huffing and puffing after him like a green recruit on his first day at basic, not like the fittest man in the company.

  “My man,” he started, out of breath. “I have never seen an oke move like that before.”

  “Thank you sir, I will take that as a complement,” Tachojay said dipping his head in Deez direction.

  “Was I quick enough for you, Captain Bob?” he asked with slightly sarcastic tone.

  “Are all elves as arrogant and cocky as you?” I asked.

  “No, only the ones who call themselves rangers.”

  “You’re an elf ranger?” Carl asked, wide-eyed as the platoon crowded around us.

  “Is that a problem?” Tachojay asked.

  “No, no! It’s just that you guys are the things of legends.”

  “All of it true.” Tachojay was smug as he said that.

  “Okay, so you’re fast, and a legend. Fair enough. You may join us for now under evaluation. The Ghost Platoon works as a team. We fight together, we play together, and hopefully we don’t die together.”

  That brought a few chuckles from the men, breaking the rising tension that the arrogant elf had created.

  “I expect you to pull your weight along with the rest of us. Any sign of slacking and I will get Fremod to put his oversized armoured foot through your arse as he kicks it for me. Understood?” I said with my arms crossed as I glared at Tachojay with a look that would curdle milk.

  “I understand you captain. Perhaps we started off on the wrong foot here. I apologise for my seeming arrogance. I have found in the past that it helps sometimes when dealing with human soldiers. However, I can see that you and your men are far different from the average soldier. Please, accept my apology and my oath that I will obey you as I did Bruniks,” the last was said with a deep bow.

  “Apology accepted. Welcome to the Ghost Platoon Tachojay. Max, show Tachojay where he can store his stuff until the ships get here. Then find him some decent armour and weapons.” I left a slightly fuming Tachojay with the jibe at his wooden Elven armour.

  It may be good enough for elven rangers, but it wasn’t good enough for me. Within a few days, the expected ships had arrived, and the platoon, now with an elf among us, headed off with our gear towards the harbour. The sleek warship that waited to take us was docked alongside the prince’s personal dock, where the ship’s captain stood speaking to Jeroch, who waited to see us off.

  “Ah, Bob. I trust that you are prepared for the task at hand?” Jeroch asked.

  “Yes sir,” I replied with a nod.

  “Good. Meet Captain Demorgain.
He will sail you across the lake through the night and by noon you should be at the village.”

  The captain and I shook hands in greeting before I led my men on board. Fremod turned out to be a slight problem. The troll had never been on a ship before, and it took many soothing words from us and snide remarks from Tachojay to get him on board. His size limited him to the deck only, where the obviously weary sailors tried to give him as wide a berth as possible. Soon all of our supplies were stowed below deck and my men were settled. A shrill whistle sounded from a cabin boy and the mooring lines were cast off. Ghost Platoon’s first mission away from the castle was underway. The men were visibly excited at the prospect of leaving the castle. All lined the ship’s sides as the captain guided the vessel out of the harbour and out to the lake. Fremod started groaning, deep sorrowful sounds almost immediately before turning a slight shade of green, scrambling on all fours for the side. Soon, he was heaving and feeding the trailing fish as he experienced the wonderful feeling of seasickness.