“Are you all right, Faxia?” Ymir asked.
Growling with discomfort, Faxia answered, “This wound is not mortal, but it has ruptured one of my flight bladders. I can’t stay afloat for much longer. We have to land soon.”
“What’s the closest place to land?” Lyra asked desperately.
“The old Magnus Keep,” Faxia replied.
“Then take us there as fast as you can!” Ymir pleaded.
Faxia then stiffly flew towards the only refuge they could find.
______
Regan sat in the throne room as he listened to the chaos that was happening outside. He was not surprised that Ymir’s dragon would come to rescue her. The thought of the dragon dying miserably brought a smile on his face.
One of Regan’s men stormed in and reported, “Your Majesty, Ymir and the other princesses have escaped, but we managed to wound the dragon. They can’t have gone far.”
Barely able to contain his anger, Regan ordered, “Without Ymir and the other princesses as our hostages, the Magnus brothers and their northern allies will come for us! Get them back!”
“Don’t worry, Sire. Based on how badly the dragon was wounded, they can’t have gotten far. I will gather twenty of my best men and hunt them down. Good thing we shared the designs of the scorpion with the Sylvas. With enough luck, they will have exterminated the other Magnus dragons by now.”
“Be sure to destroy the dragon nest. We can’t afford to have another dragon be used against us. Also, without Ymir to access the trophy room, I need a new crown. Get the blacksmiths to make me something grand and intimidating.”
“As you wish, Your Majesty.”
The man-at-arms then left Regan alone in the throne room.
Looking at the throne he was sitting in, Regan caressed the armrests and murmured, “Don’t worry, my love. You will be mine soon enough.”
CHAPTER 20
Caelum shivered as he lay on the piece of hull that kept him floating in the middle of the ocean. It had been one day since the Aemarran fleet was attacked by sea monsters. The sun burned his skin and his throat itched from thirst. All day and night, Caelum waited for the sea monsters to come for him, but they never did.
Every time Caelum closed his eyes, he could see visions of Rhea dying and being torn apart by sea monsters. Each one of the images struck Caelum’s heart with a jolt of fresh despair and sadness. Over time, this sorrow was replaced by an all-consuming hatred.
Glaring at the horizon, Caelum ground his teeth and snarled, “By all the gods, I will kill the ones who created that monster and killed my dragon!”
Still, as bitter and angry as he was, Caelum knew his quest was hopeless without the Aemarran fleet. He wondered if any ships survived the feeding frenzy, but all he saw for the past day was wreckage and drowned bodies.
“Am I the only one who survived that bloodbath?” Caelum asked himself as he stared up at the blue sky.
At that moment, Caelum heard a voice shout, “Ahoy! Is anyone alive?”
Weakly, Caelum forced himself to his feet and looked over his piece of hull to find his flagship, Phoenix, floating towards him. Several yards away were several longships and galleys. It was a surviving remnant of the Aemarran fleet!
Caelum climbed as high as he could, nearly slipping a few times, and waved his hands in the air. He tried to shout, but his throat was too dry. From the deck of the Phoenix, Caelum saw a few sailors spot him and cry out with joy. Among the ship’s passengers was Thanon, who looked relieved to see Caelum. With a sigh of peace, Caelum relaxed as he waited to be rescued.
______
An hour later, Caelum was in the main cabin of the Phoenix, eating a bowl of hot soup and drinking a cup of fresh water. The soup was creamy with a refreshing aftertaste while the water was as blissful as a goddess’s kiss as it soothed his dry throat. A warm blanket was draped over his shoulders. In front of Caelum was Thanon, who was sitting in a chair on the other side of the table. The Prince of Aemarr was visibly distressed as he watched his brother-in-law eat and drink.
After swallowing a mouthful of soup, Caelum asked, “So how bad is our situation? How many did we lose to the sea monster?”
Thanon hesitated before answering, “When we set sail, we had one thousand longships, two hundred galleys, and twenty thousand men. Now, we have eighty longships, twenty galleys, and less than three thousand men. We barely have enough food and water to feed ourselves for a month. To make matters worse, we lost your dragon. We cannot hope to lay siege to Chrysos with those numbers. What should we do? Any ideas?”
Simmering with hatred, Caelum threw his cup across the room, Thanon ducking in time. In a furious tone, Caelum shouted, “I will not let our cause end here! That beast and its High Prince rider killed my Rhea! I swear by all the gods that I will have my blessed vengeance!”
Frustrated, Thanon protested, “I know how you feel, brother, but we simply do not have the means to give you your vengeance! Not anymore!”
Caelum was so angry he almost choked before saying, “I have an idea of how we can get the men and resources we need and salvage this disaster.”
Raising an eyebrow, Thanon asked, “What are you thinking, Caelum? Think carefully.”
“We head to Darrm and broker an alliance with House Staan,” Caelum declared.
Thanon was so shocked by Caelum’s suggestion that he almost fell out of his seat. When he regained his composure, Thanon said, “You must be mad! Darrm is neutral, which means they could choose one side or another whenever they want. If we go there, they might side with the Sylvas and turn us in. What you are suggesting is a potentially suicidal gamble!”
“What choice do we have? We could turn back, but my brothers will never take Chrysos without our intervention! This is a desperate situation we are in and we must take desperate action. Besides, because Darrm is neutral, that means we have a chance to persuade them to join us instead of the Sylvas. All we need to do is treat with King Staan and broker a deal that suits him. If all goes well, we will have the numbers we need to take Chrysos and reinforce my brothers.”
Sighing, Thanon said, “I don’t like it, but I will support it. I will talk to the men and pray that they won’t mutiny.”
“Then let’s make haste and finish what we started.”
______
In Chrysos, Autem walked in on Agatha in the bed chamber of their infant granddaughter, Amber, who was crying in her crib. The Empress Consort was bare-chested and whipped herself on the back while howling a dark curse in ancient Homani. Despite whipping herself, Agatha displayed no signs of either pain or discomfort, which was unsettling for Autem. Throughout the ritual, Autem stood silently. He knew better than to interfere with his grieving wife’s practices. Throughout their marriage, Autem never understood the complexities of Druid magic, but he knew that once a ritual began it had to run its course.
Eventually, Agatha stopped whipping herself and howling, her scars and cuts on her back instantly healing. Agatha covered herself back up and turned to face Autem, tears pouring from her slender cheeks.
“Our beautiful boys! They’re gone! They’re all gone!” Agatha screamed bitterly.
Ignoring his wife’s words, Autem walked towards Amber and held her in his arms as he tried to calm her down. The angelic baby girl quickly stopped crying upon seeing her grandfather. High Princess Amber Sylva was less than a year old and possessed the traditional Sylva features of silver hair and aqua eyes. Even by Sylva standards, Amber’s eyes were so hypnotic that they possessed the power to put anyone under her spell.
“Who is my goddess?” Autem whispered as he looked at his granddaughter.
Amber did not answer. Instead, she merely watched her grandfather intently.
“It’s all right. Go back to sleep and I will have a word with your grandmother,” Autem cooed.
Autem gently put Amber back in her crib and she slowly went back to sleep. With Amber asleep, Autem motioned Agatha out of the bed chamber. They silently closed th
e door behind them and walked several yards down the hall before either of them spoke a word.
“What the bloody hell is the matter with you? You scared our granddaughter half to death!” Autem demanded.
“I was trying to keep her safe! I lost my sons! I have no intention of losing my precious granddaughter, too! We may be at a standstill for the moment, but there is a chance we could lose this war! If that happens, I have to do whatever it takes to keep Amber safe! I will make every pact imaginable with the False God if I have to!” Agatha explained.
“Haven’t you made enough pacts with the god of darkness? We may have lost our sons and three chimeras, but we still have Amber as our heir and one more chimera to fight the rest of the war. From what I hear, the Magnus rebels have taken heavy losses as well. They lost their fleet, two princes, two dragons, and about half of their army. We are not out of this war yet. Not by a long shot!” Autem assured her.
Suddenly, before Agatha could further protest, a newcomer approached them from the other side of the hall. The man was Baron Fregan Styx, one of the foremost military commanders of the Imperial army. Fregan was a heavyset man with a jowly face and graying red hair. Despite being heavyset, Fregan still possessed an imposing physique for a man his age.
Fregan bowed his head and reported, “Your Imperial Majesty, remnants of the Imperial army are returning to the city. We estimate around twenty-five thousand strong have arrived. From the looks of it, we lost around three quarters of our army.”
“What about the barons who chose to be neutral?” Autem asked chillingly.
“They still have their full military strength, but they refuse to choose a side. What should we do, Your Imperial Majesty?”
After thinking for a moment, Autem ordered, “Send a message to all of the neutral barons. I will offer lands, titles, and wealth to all who side with me. Also, begin hiring every mercenary in the south. Reform the remnants that arrived in the city. I want a fully formed army armed and ready to march within a month.”
“As you command, Your Imperial Majesty, but who will lead this reformed army? Do you want me to lead?”
“No. With my sons and their chimeras dead, I will lead this army.”
Hope glimmered in Fregan’s eyes and he proudly said, “As you say, Your Imperial Majesty!”
Fregan then stormed away to carry out his orders, leaving Autem alone with Agatha. When Autem turned to face Agatha, he saw that she was visibly distressed.
“Are you mad? The blood magic has taken too great a toll on your body. You don’t have the strength to lead like you used to,” Agatha cried.
“That is why I have you working on that potion. How is your status coming with that?”
“I have acquired about two thirds of the ingredients, but I am having trouble locating the rest of them.”
“Then we will have to make do with whatever you have. We march in a month and I need to be battle-ready then.”
Shaken, Agatha said, “Husband, you can’t do that! If the potion is not completed properly, the side effects will be catastrophic! It could kill you before you reach a battlefield!”
“That is a risk I have to take if I plan to put down this rebellion as fast as possible! Make haste, my love! We must secure our granddaughter’s future at all costs!”
“For Amber!” Agatha proclaimed proudly.
“For Amber!” Autem agreed.
______
Meanwhile in Raevor, the Magnus armies were completing the siege of Medgarfort. The curtain walls and towers were partially melted from dragon fire while the town inside the walls was set ablaze. Inside the main pavilion in the Magnus camp outside the walls, Kemrin and Daegar were discussing the outcome of their victory with their cousin, Brom Letum. The mood inside the tent was tense.
“Cousin Brom, are you sure it was worth taking Medgarfort? We started with forty-five thousand men after gaining levies from Waes, but we lost around twenty thousand soldiers to take Medgarfort even with our dragons!” Kemrin demanded.
Unfazed by Kemrin’s frustration, Brom explained, “As the most impregnable castle in Raevor, Medgarfort is strategically important. It fortifies Chrysos and controls all trade routes in southern Gradaia. By taking Medgarfort, we not only stripped Chrysos of a significant portion of its defenses, but we also have access to more resources to supply our forces. Rejoice. This was a great victory.”
“What losses did House Faan take?” Daegar asked.
“With two thirds of their army wiped out in recent battles, Medgarfort had a garrison of about four thousand men. When the battle ended, they lost nine-tenths of their soldiers. A lot of members of House Faan died in the crossfire. With each member who died, the crown of Raevor passed down to the next in line. Their reign lasted no more than an hour or two. After seeing so many of her kin die, the last Faan princess has yielded to us. She agrees to marry your cousin Bjorn Torren and supply us with her remaining military strength of eleven thousand men, which will consist of three thousand cavalry, one thousand archers, and seven thousand infantry. Like Sylva Harbor, we will keep a thousand men here to ensure her continued loyalty. However, she warned us that not all of her barons will answer her call since some remain in neutrality and the rest are siding with the Sylvas. Our scouts have confirmed her claims with reports that the Sylvas are building another army to meet us in the field. We don’t know when it will be ready, but we should keep our guard up in the near future,” Brom elaborated further.
“Anything else we should be aware of? Any news about Vaeron and Caelum?” Kemrin asked hopefully.
Brom hesitated for a moment before replying, “Veiporran has fallen. Our scouts report that Vaeron, his dragon, and the entire garrison were wiped out. At this moment, about twenty thousand Imperials are invading Storuuk. As for Caelum, his fleet was annihilated by sea monsters before engaging one of the High Princes and their chimera. From what we can confirm, Caelum and his dragon were also killed in action. So far, all three of the High Princes and their chimeras are gone. However, to make things worse, Regan Baal has staged a coup against your sister and usurped the throne of Umbran. Ymir’s fate and the fates of your wives are unknown. Our control over the northern kingdoms is now severely weakened.”
Kemrin and Daegar nearly collapsed from shock upon hearing Brom’s report. Their siblings were dead, their wives missing, and their kingdom was lost. It was a revelation that threatened to strip the two brothers of whatever resolve they had left.
Observing the reactions of his king and prince, Brom asked, “What do you want us to do? If we don’t act soon, we could lose control of the northern kingdoms permanently. If the men hear what has happened, they could break and flee.”
After fighting to regain his composure, Kemrin turned to Daegar and said, “Take Mendryg and head north. Wipe out the Imperial Army that is invading Storuuk and burn that traitor Regan out of Magnus Keep.”
His face unrecognizable with rage, Daegar replied, “With pleasure, brother.”
Daegar stormed out of the tent with determined steps, leaving Kemrin alone with Brom.
Concerned, Brom asked, “Are you sure it is wise to send one of our dragons away? The reason we have gained so much ground so far was because we had two dragons instead of just one. If we rely only on Razos, our progress will be much slower. The men will get suspicious when they see one of our dragons fly away.”
“We will tell them that Daegar was sent to seize some strongholds in Gaena. We cannot afford to send any of our men away. It would be better to send a dragon, which will end the northern unrest faster,” Kemrin answered.
“I hope you are right, Your Majesty,” Brom murmured.
“We will rest here tonight. At dawn, we march east,” Kemrin instructed.
CHAPTER 21
In the thick wilderness of Storuuk, Prince Valton Faan rested in his pavilion while the rest of his army camped in the middle of a vast meadow. The fabric of his tent billowed in the wind and his candles flickered wildly. Throughout the night, Va
lton contemplated the status of his campaign in Storuuk. After passing through the ruins of Veiporran, Valton expected to meet fierce resistance from the northerners. However, upon entering Storuuk, the towns and villages were unexpectedly deserted, with all of its food and supplies taken and crop fields burned.
Even as the Imperial Army went deeper and deeper into Storuuk’s forests, they found no signs of human life. It was like the kingdom had emptied before them. With no one to resist them, Valton garrisoned each town and village they came across with a few hundred men.
Unfortunately, things started turning against Valton’s favor with each day that passed. When his scouts moved in between the occupied settlements, they found that the Imperial garrisons were slaughtered and had their armor and weapons taken away along with whatever food they had on them. Every one of the soldiers had their heads removed as well. Some of the scouts were ambushed as well by unknown enemies, their eviscerated corpses hanging from tree branches. These were the first signs that Valton and his host were being hunted.
After the deaths of the garrisons and scouts were discovered, many of the barons and knights were found assassinated in their sleep. Their throats were slit and their sheets were stained by their blood. In addition, dozens of sentries were butchered as well. These deaths caused several soldiers to desert and try to leave the forest alive. Valton was now the only commanding noble left in the Imperial Army. Then last night, the missing heads of the garrisons were found outside of the camp on spikes. The end result was a masterful usage of psychological warfare as thousands of Imperials fled for their lives.
Out of the twenty thousand he came with, Valton had roughly seven thousand left. Some of his men-at-arms begged him to turn back before more of them died, but he refused. Valton wanted to finish his mission no matter the cost.
Suddenly, Valton heard someone softly lift the canvas of his tent and slink inside like a thief in the night. Valton feigned sleep and tightly gripped a dagger he hid under his sheets. A series of light footsteps continued to fill the pavilion until Valton felt cold metal touch his throat. In response, Valton pulled back his sheets and snarled as he stabbed his would-be assailant to death.
The War of the Gilded Beasts Page 15
