Realms of Valen - Blasphemous Crusade (War of the Gods Book 2)

by Rickk Berry III

  The demon's club cracked and fell apart into chunks of charred wood and nails deformed by the heat of Rykar's sorcerous lightning. The demon shook his hand, trying to work the burning numbness from it before roaring in anger.

  Rykar growled and slowly stood up, shaking off the jarring effects of the strike. Throgrimm was the first person to his side.

  “Are ya alright, lad?” he asked.

  “I don't think anything is broken,” Rykar muttered.

  “Aside from your damned head! That could have killed you!” Thorgrimm shouted, eyes wild.

  “Better me than those soldiers!” Rykar retorted, rounding on the dwarf.

  Thorgrimm looked Rykar in the eyes for a moment before nodding, agreeing with Rykar. It was seen as a great quality in a leader to be willing to sacrifice.

  “Fine, lad. And you did take out his weapon,” Thorgrimm said, his voice calmer.

  As if hearing the dwarf's words, the demon knelt down, then slammed his hand into the ground, only to pull a massive sword from the dirt, much to everyone's surprise and confusion.

  “Nevermind,” Thorgrimm muttered.

  “What the hell?! Was that buried there the whole fucking time?!” Rykar shouted, gesturing to the sword in the demon's hand. The blade's metal was made of many colors, as if fused together from many different metals.

  “No, it's an ancient magic. He created the blade from minerals and metals in the ground,” Echo said, her voice tinged with awe.

  “I've never heard of that,” Kaidia remarked.

  “Nor would you have any reason to. No one remembers how to work that sort of magic,” Echo replied.

  “Apparently he does!” Rykar said, gesturing to the demon.

  “Well, we're going to have to take him down,” Thorgrimm said, unsheathing his axe.

  “Kaidia, take everyone, keep going. I'll handle the twins' little pet here,” Rykar said, overtaken with an abrupt calm that mingled with a growing excitement. Kaidia simply nodded.

  “Dragon Guard, on me!” she ordered and started walking on. Edgar seconded the command, and Kaidia's knights followed her. Echo and Wylkas walked with them. Malcade rushed up beside Rykar.

  “Are you nuts? You can't take that on alone!” the red haired man growled.

  “Oh ye of little faith, Malcade. You're in command of the Scorpions until I return. Get going,” Rykar commanded, giving his old friend a look. Malcade scowled.

  “I don't like it, but fine,” Malcade said, clapped Rykar on the shoulder. “Win.”

  “I intend to,” Rykar replied.

  “Scorpions, move out!” Malcade shouted and followed after Kaidia and her knights. The Scorpion mercenaries followed Malcade, many giving Rykar nods as they walked past. The demon seemed focused on Rykar and didn't try to stop the departure of the soldiers. Only Thorgrimm remained at Rykar's side, ready to fight.

  “Go with them, dwarf,” Rykar said.

  “Are you mad? Like I'd let you fight this monstrosity on your own!” Thorgrimm argued.

  “He'll step on you, tiny,” Rykar taunted with a grin.

  “Let 'im try! I'll put my axe up through his fuckin' foot!” the dwarf snarled.

  “I've got this. Kaidia is the most important piece in play here. Go. Protect her,” Rykar reasoned.

  Thorgrimm looked uncertain for a moment, looked up at Rykar sideways. “You sure?” he asked.

  “I am. Go. You can buy me an ale when we get back to Silver Lake,” Rykar said with a smirk.

  “Count on it, lad,” Thorgrimm said. He took a moment, reluctant to leave, but finally sheathed his axe and ran off to catch up with the rest of the group, leaving Rykar alone to stare down the demon.

  “Alright, you magnificent bastard. Just you and me. Let's have some fun,” Rykar said as he drew his sword. The demon's only response was an ear-splitting roar before rushing forward.

  Out in the forest, Kaidia turned to look back as she heard the roar, then narrowed her eyes against the blinding flash of lightning that followed. The crackling thunder that rumbled through the air afterward nearly shook several soldiers off their feet.

  Chapter XVIII: Knock Knock

  Kaidia only allowed herself to think about Rykar until the outpost was within her sight, then she forced her thoughts to the business at hand. She and everyone else crouched low and crept to the edge of the trees. A small field was all that separated them from their target. The outpost was more like a large, permanent base. The building itself was built to last, as it had for all these centuries. It was constructed of stone and steel, stood several stories tall, and was nearly entirely bereft of ornamentation. Those in charge of its construction had obviously valued practicality over style. At one time, it had a tower in the front, right hand corner but it had been destroyed in some long forgotten battle that had taken place centuries ago. From what Kaidia could see, there was a courtyard near the back for training and exercising, but the rest of the building was enclosed and who knew how many dungeon levels it might have. A wide and likely rather deep river ran in front of the building, necessitating the drawbridge that hung slightly ajar by ancient chains at the front of the building. It was the only obvious way inside.

  What concerned the god more were the heavily armed and armored soldiers that stood guard on the side of the river closest to her and her own. Each one of them was wearing heavy plate armor and they carried a variety of weapons from bastard swords to battle axes to halberds. Around half of them carried heavy shields as well. They were expecting an attack. They likely assumed there would be a retaliation for the death of the Dragon God coming.

  “They're going to be surprised to see me,” Kai remarked with a chuckle.

  “Oh?” Echo asked.

  “Sure. I'm sure that even if the twins think I could possibly have survived, they would have told their remaining forces that I died in the battle at Silver Lake just to boost morale. Either that or they're arrogant as hell and just assumed I died,” Kaidia explained.

  “I'm not sure I'd call it arrogance. Hell's Bane is the most deadly toxin known to Valen,” Echo reasoned.

  “Either way, I guarantee that those soldiers aren't expecting me,” Kaidia argued gently.

  “Fair enough, but is the element of surprise going to be enough?” Echo asked.

  “Maybe, but I don't see any better options, do you?” Kai asked back.

  “No,” Echo admitted, her bright blue eyes surveying the outpost.

  Kaidia glanced around for Wylkas. Upon catching his eye, she motioned him toward her. The elven commander crept soundlessly to her side with an expectant look.

  “Yes?” he asked.

  “I assume those soldiers are within range of your bow,” Kaidia said, gesturing to the guards outside of the building.

  “Easily, but I'm not sure any arrows will pierce that armor and aiming for weak spots on moving targets is tricky at best,” Wylkas answered.

  “Well then, you can let them know we're here,” Kaidia said with a smile.

  “Oh, that I can, madame. That I can,” Wylkas grinned.

  “Good. Then take all the archers we have, get them into position along the edge of the trees. Fire at will unless the battle makes it too risky. If that happens, join in,” Kaidia instructed.

  Wylkas nodded, then crept off quietly to gather the archers, both Dragon Guard and Scorpion, to tell them of the plan.

  “Think that'll work?” Echo asked.

  “It's all we've got. Plenty of those guards are standing still or sitting. Hell, that one there is sharpening his sword,” Kai said with a gesture. “The first volley arrows should easily find their marks. After that, it's just about distracting them until the rest of us can get close enough to fight. I don't care what you see coming your way in terms of soldiers, if you know arrows are flying at your face, your attention is going to be divided.”

  Echo nodded. Kaidia glanced around to see the archers taking their positions. Some were on the ground; others were up in the trees. Wylkas grabbed Kai's shou
lder for a moment, letting her know he was ready before he nimbly scaled a tree right in front of her, finding a high branch on which to perch. He slung his bow off of his shoulder, nocked his arrow, and drew it back. The arrowhead glowed, infused with sorcerous energy. Wylkas had just learned to channel magical power through his weapons and while he'd gotten a chance to use the ability with his sword during the battle at Silver Lake, he'd yet to have a chance to try it out with an arrow. Now, seemed as good a time as any.

  The still silence that hung in the air seemed to stretch on for ages as everyone held their breath. Then, just as Kaidia heard the arrow release, she heard a branch break. In the next moment, Wylkas landed on his feet in front and off to the right of Kaidia, arrows filled the air, Wylkas' glowing arrow in the lead. The elf's arrow flew wide, clanged off of a shield, and shot high. In a stroke of ridiculously ludicrous luck, the arrow hit one chain of the drawbridge, ricocheted off of it, and hit the other chain, the magical energy stored in the arrowhead discharging on both chains as it struck them. Both chains, weakened by centuries in the elements, broke. The drawbridge dropped. Several unlucky soldiers were sitting right where the heavy bridge crashed down on the opposite bank. They were crushed before they ever knew what had happened. Several other soldiers fell over dead, victims of the more conventional death by arrow.

  “Rykar is going to be sorry he missed that,” Malcade muttered to himself.

  Kaidia looked at Wylkas, incredulous. The elf just shrugged slowly, obviously struggling with the probability of what had just happened as well.

  “I missed?” he said, uncertain if that was sufficient to explain it.

  Kai didn't even have a response for that. She just shook her head, drew her sword, and started out of the trees. Another volley of arrows rained down on the confused soldiers who were still trying to piece together just how a handful of their comrades had been flattened by the drawbridge. As arrows felled a few more, they decided that they didn't much care.

  Kaidia's small force clashed with the guards of the outpost in a violent ringing of steel that was accented with a few shouts of the suddenly wounded. The archers soon joined in, bows thrown aside to be retrieved later and swords unsheathed as they drew near. Wylkas defied the norm of tossing his bow aside. He waded into the fight, firing off arrows at point blank range, slashing and blocking with the blades on his bow, and, in one instance, stabbing someone to death with an arrow. He skillfully avoided his allies, moving in and out of them with a grace that humans couldn't match. Even Kai's movements, which were smooth and fluid, looked clumsy and clunky in comparison. The only one on the field that could match Wylkas was Echo. Thorgrimm's movements, though powerful, seemed even more unwieldy next to the elf and the kyrian.

  The battle was short and brutal; men and women cut down and left to die in the grass and dirt. Even with the elements of surprise and distraction, Kai's group lost a few members, but the guarding force lost everyone.

  “If we win all this, we'll bury these people when we come back this way,” Kaidia said, wiping her blade on the tunic of a fallen warrior whose armor she had rent open just moments before.

  “Noble,” Wylkas remarked as he walked past, heading for the drawbridge.

  “Wylkas, Echo, Malcade, Thorgrimm, Edgar, and myself will push on inside. The rest of you set up guard just inside the doorway and out in front of the drawbridge, just in case. We have no idea what other tricks like that demon these twins have up their sleeves,” Kaidia instructed.

  “Actually, I'd like to stay with my soldiers,” Malcade said.

  “Myself, as well, if that's alright, my Lady,” Edgar added.

  Kaidia looked between the two men, then nodded. She understood the notion, wanting to stay with your troops. They were their commanders' responsibility, after all.

  “Alright. Probably a good idea to have experienced commanders out here, just in case something does happen,” Kaidia said before turning and heading across the drawbridge and into the outpost.

  * * *

  The interior of the building seemed to be as plain and bare as the exterior as far as Kaidia could tell. However, it was almost certain that whatever living quarters the twins had chosen would be lavishly furnished.

  Cautiously working their way through the empty hallways, weapons drawn, the small group passed many rooms that hadn't seen human occupation in generations. Then came a few rooms that were sparsely furnished, but had been lived in recently - lower ranked officers more than likely.

  “Must have run out of officers before they ran out of rooms,” Thorgrimm commented quietly.

  Wylkas gave a grunt of agreement. Kaidia glanced to Echo, a thought occurring to her.

  “Echo?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Why did you put on armor before we left instead of summoning it to you when you needed it?”

  “Because this armor isn't enchanted to do that and I wanted something heavier than my usual armor.”

  “Ah.”

  Everyone fell silent once more. The rooms they passed started to become more richly decorated. Though most of the occupants of these rooms would never return. It was even possible that none would. The eerie silence of the place was broken as the group rounded a corner. There was a loud battle cry, then the metallic thunk of an axe blade smashing into the wall above Thorgrimm's head. The man who swung it was a tall, heavily muscled human in heavy armor who looked somewhat confused. Apparently, he had expected a human, kyrian, or elf... but not a dwarf. The axe blade that was now stuck in the stone of the wall had landed at the perfect height to decapitate a man or woman of average height... but not a dwarf.

  “Haha!” cried Thorgrimm as he thrust the spiked head of his axe into the man's gut. Armor kept it from being a wounding blow but it knocked the wind out of him and caused him to stumble backward, letting go of the haft of his axe in the process. Thorgrimm wasted little time and rammed his shoulder into the man's gut, shoving the bigger warrior back into the wall. The man doubled over as Thorgrimm stepped back, raised his axe, and split the man's head like a ripe melon.

  “Try to lop MY head off? Hmph!”

  “Look out!” Kaidia shouted.

  Thorgrimm looked up just in time for his view to get blocked by Kaidia, who used her sword to deflect a thrown dagger. Thorgrimm's eyebrows rose as he was treated to a rather glorious view of Kai's leather clad backside.

  “Well, this is a pleasant view,” the dwarf remarked.

  “Now isn't the time!” Kaidia growled. Echo laughed and Wylkas smirked.

  Kaidia's body was briefly shrouded in black smoke. When it cleared, her dark armor had covered her body, obscuring Thorgrimm's view. Kaidia took off at a run. The person who had thrown the dagger was still at the end of the hall.

  “Get everyone! I've found 'em! They killed Coros!” the man shouted down the next hallway to someone Kaidia couldn't see. The man drew his sword just in time to collide with Kaidia. The god shoved him backward as their swords scraped together. He used the momentum to jump backward and give himself some space. He swung his sword downward, only to have it blocked by Kai's blade. Her foot slammed into his knee with a sickening crack and his leg buckled, causing him to involuntarily kneel, stunned by the pain. Kai used that stunned moment to bring her blade across sideways, the blade cutting through the side of his face, cleanly slicing the top half of his head off. The body crumpled and Kaidia looked up the way he'd shouted. Coming from far down the hall was a whole group of armored men and women, weapons drawn, eyes fixed on her. Kaidia raised her arm, palm of her hand facing the oncoming warriors.

  “Don't waste your energy,” Echo said as she skidded to a stop beside the god.

  “Hm?” Kai grunted.

  “You still have to fight the twins,” Echo explained.

  “I figured I'd have you at my back for that,” Kaidia said, confused.

  “I'm going to have to help Wylkas and Thorgrimm fight these guys off, there's just too many of them,” Echo gestured, talking fast. “I'll ca
tch up when we're done. We all will.”

  “Alright. Careful,” Kaidia said, taking a precious moment to kiss Echo quickly before sprinting off, passing between Thorgrimm and Wylkas as she did. The dwarf and elf stopped on either side of the kyrian.

  “Commander Wylkas, would you start us off?” Echo requested.

  “Gladly,” Wylkas said. He pulled an arrow from his quiver, nocked it, drew it back, took aim, and let it fly. The arrow whistled through the air and then buried itself in the knee of the man leading the charge. He instantly fell, men and women in heavy armor tripping over him, falling, leading to most of them hitting the floor. Thorgrimm laughed and charged forward, Wylkas and Echo following suit.

  Chapter XIX: The Final Battle

  Kaidia ran along the halls, searching for each new turn that would lead her toward the back of the compound. She'd already run past the center of the place and found out it wasn't a central-based building, but that it was set up front to back. The twins' quarters were likely right next to the training yard in the back.

  She kept an eye out for guards, but saw no one as she hurried down one hall, then another. She paused as she turned a corner and spied heavy double doors at the end of the hall. She slowly crept closer, all senses on alert. Everything was quiet, the hall devoid of life as she stepped up to the doors. With her sword in one hand, her free hand pushed the doors open hard, slamming them against the wall on either side of the doorway.

  The revealed room looked to run from one side of the building to the other. The walls were lined with bookshelves, the floors covered in rich rugs and soft furs, and the walls were a deep red. There was a bed at each end of the room, one for each twin, but the twins were standing opposite of Kaidia, against the back wall of the room, armed and armored, looking as if they were expecting the god to come bursting in on them.

  “Kaidia, welcome,” Sesaria said with a false warmth in her voice.