The Banished Lands- The Complete Series

by Benjamin Mester

  “Here goes nothing,” he said.

  The spherical orb of stone was still attached to the mountain at the bottom and Blair stooped down, softening the stone around its base until slowly the orb began to roll forward. Bouncing back and forth a bit down the channel Blair had made for it, the orb quickly settled in, gaining speed at a remarkable pace as it rolled down the mountain face toward the base of the wall. Blair and Sorren watched in sheer amazement, neither having ever imagined they'd witness such a sight.

  “They might even hear this back home,” Blair said as the orb rushed the final leg of its journey.

  Then, with a tremendous blast, the stony orb hit the feeble wall, shattering it like dust to the wind, with pieces of rubble flying far and high in every direction. Blair and Sorren felt the impact with a vague rumble even hundreds of paces away. The orb continued on, barely losing speed, down the large hill and into the lands of Kester. They lost sight of it for many moments until it reappeared at the bottom of the hill, a great distance away. With any luck, it would roll all the way to K'venneh. That would give them quite a shock!

  “Blair, we should leave here now.”

  “Why?” Blair asked. “They won't find us up here. I want to watch what happens.”

  “No, we should leave. We need to rendezvous with Sheabor and the others.”

  “We've done our job. Let's stay here and watch what happens. Why go down to the battlefield? We have a better view from here.”

  Waiting

  Aravas stood high atop a windy cleft on the solitary mountain overshadowing the alliance city. His gaze was fixed to the north, waiting for any signal that Blair had completed his mission. Though Aravas wasn't privy to the full plan Sheabor had concocted, he knew enough to predict what must happen next. Sheabor had come to him and had asked him where was the best place in the wall of Aeleos north of K'venneh to make a breach. Aravas had shown him a place where the wall adjoined a mountain due north of the fortress. Blair would handle the rest.

  Estrien was on guard below, prepared to leave at a moment's notice with as many troops as could be spared. The entire town was on edge, none knowing for sure what would happen next. All they knew was that Estrien meant to lead them into the lands of Kester and to prepare for battle. Did she mean to attack the fortress, K'venneh? That would be suicide.

  Estrien had heard murmurings of discontent from the shadows. A part of her didn't blame them for not wanting to follow through with a plan they didn't understand. Sheabor hadn't been seen in days and the success of the plan hinged on their trust that he had accounted for every variable. If not, there could be bloodshed and perhaps even war.

  Estrien and Aravas didn't let on that Sheabor had kept them mostly in the dark. They carried on as though everything were perfectly normal. But the waiting was the worst part. The people were looking to her for guidance and she knew she had nothing to give them. Estrien spent most of her time alone in the council tent, where Sheabor had often been. It struck her and she finally understood why Sheabor had grown more and more reclusive in recent days.

  So Estrien decided to go for a walk. Morning was growing late and the city was still as they awaited the order to march. Setting off toward the wall and nodding to the various persons she passed by, as she traveled, there seemed to be commotion at the main gate.

  A soldier on horseback was admitted and seemed to be riding in haste toward the medical tents. Estrien changed her direction to meet him and as she neared, she recognized him as one of the soldiers who guarded the supply convoys from Forthura. She also noticed that he had an occupant on the back of his horse who seemed to be unconscious.

  The soldier rode up to the main medical tent and called for aid, dismounting and pulling the passenger he carried into his arms. One of the healers swiftly emerged from the tent.

  “We found a girl unconscious on the road,” the soldier declared to both Estrien and the healer. “The caravan went on to Eulsiphion but I came back, riding all night to get here.”

  “Get her inside immediately,” the healer said.

  It was only then that Estrien recognized her. It was Ariadra! What in the world had happened to her? Estrien's heart beat quickly. Why in the world had Ariadra been unconscious on the road? As the soldier brought her into the tent, laying her down on an unoccupied bed, Estrien saw that Ariadra's skin was pale white and Estrien reached the back of her hand to Ariadra's cheek, which was freezing to the touch.

  “What happened?” Estrien demanded.

  “We don't know,” the soldier replied. “We found her half frozen to death, curled up unconscious against a boulder on the side of the path. We gave her some water and tried to warm her up but she's been in and out of consciousness. We don't know how long she'd been there when we found her but it looked as though she'd been out in the elements for quite some time.”

  Estrien noticed the state of Ariadra's garments, which were torn and muddy. The healer began to pile woolen blankets atop her, and brought in a steaming cloth, placing it down on her forehead. It seemed to revive her and she stirred, though still unconscious, as though she were in the middle of a nightmare, turning her head from side to side with a pained expression on her face. She spoke what seemed like babble, but one word resounded clearly to Estrien. Baron. What in the world had happened?

  “What can you do for her?” she asked the healer.

  “We'll warm her up as best we can and give her as much water as she can take. The rest is up to her.”

  “That's unacceptable. This girl is very important to the alliance.”

  The healer clenched his jaw.

  “Then perhaps she shouldn't have wandered off alone without the proper provisions.”

  Estrien clenched her jaw.

  “Do everything you can for her.”

  The healer smirked, recalling a time not long ago when he'd been given the same command concerning Estrien, who'd wandered into the alliance city in even worse condition than Ariadra.

  “Just let me do my job,” was all he replied.

  Estrien gave a quick bow and departed the tent, hearing the healer commanding one of his assistants to make a special drink mixed with salt, mint and various herbs. Outside, Estrien hesitated, greatly troubled. The unexpected arrival of Ariadra threw yet another mystery into the fold. What in the world had happened to her? Why had she been at death's doorstep when the caravan found her? And where was Baron? Aravas had told her that Baron had set out for Eulsiphion on an urgent errand, seeking new discoveries left for them by King Euthor. Ariadra was supposed to be in Ogrindal, planning her wedding.

  It didn't make sense. Estrien made a point to speak with Ariadra the moment she regained consciousness. It struck her with a sense of fear. What if Ariadra needed to tell them something? Estrien remembered that only weeks ago, she herself had wandered out from the Espion Forest feverish, at death's door, needing to deliver an urgent message to Sheabor. What could have so inspired Ariadra to risk her life to be on the road to the alliance city near death?

  Creeping doubts filled Estrien's mind and she wished Aravas were here for counsel. She hated knowing that the fate of hundreds lie in her command. There was so much she couldn't account for. How could she make decisions that would cost lives without all the information? Finding Ariadra in such a state had to mean something. Estrien was determined to find out what.

  She wandered about the city, lost in thought. She could only hope that Ariadra regained consciousness before Blair completed his mission. If she had a message for them, something urgent, Estrien needed to know it before marching soldiers into battle. She glanced up to the tall mountain overshadowing the city wondering whereupon it Aravas had perched.

  Suddenly, Estrien thought she heard a far off crash of stone. It was very faint but she wondered if it might somehow be related to the signal from Blair. Then, moments later, the call of a ram's horn filled the sky. That was the signal from Aravas. The moment for action had finally arrived and Estrien felt a flash of fear. She didn't know w
hat to do. Why did she have to be in command? As a soldier, she could find the courage to sacrifice her own life. But she couldn't bring herself to sacrifice the lives of others. What if they were walking into a trap?

  Estrien froze, wanting to find Sheabor. This was his plan after all and he would never forgive himself if the people under him perished because of a mistake he himself had made – some error in judgment or detail unaccounted for. But as Estrien lingered on the road, the soldiers of the alliance began to approach her, awaiting their orders. Whatever she would decide, she needed to decide it now. Moments passed by and more gathered, glancing to each other as Estrien failed to lift her eyes to greet them.

  “We march for the fortress, K'venneh,” she said at last.

  Then Estrien and the soldiers made for the armory, outfitting themselves in short order. Though Estrien desperately hoped there wouldn't be a battle, they needed to arrive at the field prepared for anything. They were committing everything they had to this effort. Only a handful of soldiers and non-combatants would stay behind. If anything went wrong today, the alliance was over and the people of this realm would fall to Corcoran one by one, just as before.

  Estrien set off for the main city gate, a large train of soldiers marching behind her. More and more, they emerged and fell in line behind her. But by the end, less than a hundred men at arms followed her, not nearly enough to threaten a fortress like K'venneh. But they had to make a presence at the battlefield for the plan of Sheabor to work.

  Jaithur met them at the front gate atop a fine stallion and held the reigns to another horse in his hands. Estrien recognized the second horse as Sheabor's horse, Agur. As she approached, she was surprised when he handed her the reigns.

  “Under the circumstances,” Jaithur said. “He would want you to take him.”

  Estrien assented and climbed atop the horse. She knew what Jaithur was doing. The soldiers were used to seeing their leader atop the finest horse in the alliance. Thus far, it had been Sheabor. Now Estrien would ride Agur into battle. Some of the other officers also rode on horseback, but the rest of the soldiers marched alongside behind. They would move quickly as a small force. Swiftly the small force emptied the city, bound for the northeast.

  Estrien glanced behind her on numerous occasions, hoping to catch sight of Sheabor. Surely he couldn't be blind to what was happening. He would want to be here. If something went wrong in his plan, many people could die. He wouldn't want that on his conscience.

  But he never appeared and the small band of warriors left the alliance city. After an hour however, a horse and rider galloped up alongside her. She turned with disappointment to find Aravas. She hoped to see Sheabor, but it was just as well. Aravas' presence was vital to the plan. He was the only person in the city who had been granted access to Aeleos.

  They marched at a quick pace for hours, the afternoon sun just beginning to dip in the clear blue sky. Estrien was worried. At their current pace, both man and beast would be weary upon arrival. If a battle really did break out, they'd be unable to flee. But they needed to arrive as quickly as possible.

  Marching northeast, the wall of Aeleos came into view and they traveled alongside it only a stone's throw to their right. Estrien marveled at its features as they went. The wall was mostly rubble, of odd sized boulders stacked together. In various places, massive straps of metal caged the uncooperative rock to hold it in place.

  It made the wall look menacing. It hadn't been built to repel an attack. A wall like that would need a flat walkway for spearmen and archers to run along and rain death down on the foe. This wall was simply built as a warning to intruders to stay their ground. And it had worked. For none who ventured to the lands of Aeleos were ever known to have returned. Whatever the giants were hiding, they were serious about it remaining that way. They'd be none too happy at what Blair had done.

  After another hour, Estrien saw tiny clouds of dust rising from below the horizon near a solitary mountain. It could be the marching of many feet across the plains. The landscape began to rise on a level incline on a broad hillside.

  “That is our destination,” Aravas declared, motioning to the mountain.

  Blair and Sorren were yet nowhere to be seen, and if the forces of Kester were already here, perhaps they had hidden from them. Estrien and the alliance soldiers crested the hillside before them and a striking scene came into view. In the near beyond, an army of Kester had spread itself among the wreckage of a shattered wall. The army was scattered, but it was at least three times the size of the forces from the alliance.

  There were pieces of stone littered everywhere and Estrien was shocked at the amount of damage Blair had caused. The blowout in the wall was at least twenty paces wide, and beside that, the wall had collapsed another fifty paces to either side of the breach. The lands of Aeleos were now exposed to the world.

  Estrien surveyed the scene. So far, only the forces of Kester seemed to be here. No sign as yet of the Bearoc or of Blair and Sorren. Estrien held up her hand, ordering the rest of her forces to stay concealed behind the hillside. But one of the riders of Kester broke toward the main force, clearly having sighted Estrien.

  “What is your command?” Aravas asked Estrien.

  “We'll wait here,” she said.

  But as the rider from Kester reached the bulk of his forces a horn was sounded and in a quick and orderly pace, the soldiers began to fall into ranks.

  “I won't attack them,” she said. “We'll fall back to the city if they attack.”

  “And if they overtake us?”

  Estrien clenched her jaw.

  “We defend ourselves.”

  Estrien unsheathed her sword from its scabbard. She knew they could never outrun the soldiers of Kester, not when they had pushed themselves and their horses hard to get here. Kester mobilized their cavalry to the south of their infantry, seeking flanking positions around the much smaller force of the alliance.

  “Form a line!” Estrien commanded.

  The men at arms came into line, two soldiers thick. Cavalry would ride right through them if it came to that. But they couldn't let themselves be surrounded or flanked. Estrien and those on horseback split off and rode south to counter the horsemen of Kester. They were only a few hundred paces from them. Still no sign of the giants. Estrien and the rest braced for attack.

  The Road Home

  The air had grown quite cold. It had been a two day stretch from Geldon to Emri, and now only Echlin stood between Baron and Suriya. Geldon and Emri had fared better then Ilich in the barbarian invasion, but according to Straiah, Echlin had been hit hardest of all. Straiah and King Froamb had seen it ablaze from the boat they sailed on to reach Suriya.

  Baron was suddenly impressed at the generosity of King Froamb, who had been supplying the alliance city for months now with food, workers and soldiers. With so much to rebuild in his own kingdom, he could have easily declined. But the people of Forthura were overjoyed that the threat of the Horctura had largely ended. Even though many of their own settlements still lay in ruins, a bright future was ahead of them.

  Baron and his horse trotted for a full day along the river until sunset colors began to fill the sky. The reds and pinks were a beautiful contrast to the golden grasses of the plains. He had never been one to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around him. Ariadra had a far fonder eye for nature than he. She loved the forest and all green things. It drew a mist to his eyes, blurring his vision. He clenched his jaw, turning his thoughts on lighter matters.

  At dusk, they approached Echlin. Baron saw the dark silhouettes of buildings but the glow of only a handful of lights, the town mostly deserted, at least until springtime. It was too cold to try and rebuild in winter. Baron drew up the reigns and halted on the hilltop overlooking the town, deciding what to do. There was little chance of finding shelter in an inn. But they could take up residence in one of the abandoned buildings well enough.

  The horse took the opportunity to bend down and chomp a mouthful of
grass. They were so close to Suriya now. Baron loathed the idea of spending a sleepless night in the cold. Now that they had come so far south, it was markedly colder. Baron bent down and patted the horse's side as it chewed its evening fare.

  “Well boy, what do you think?”

  The horse almost seemed to understand the question, answering him with a whinny, which signaled to Baron that he still had energy for the journey. Baron chuckled and stroked the horse's mane.

  “We'd better get to it then.”

  The horse looked at him blankly now, which drew another laugh from Baron, who had half expected the horse to respond with another gesture. But they set off nonetheless, bound due southward. They traveled for hours at a slow pace, sunset fading to darkness as the first of the stars gleamed in the sky. Baron walked alongside the horse for most of the night, keeping himself warm and giving the horse a much needed break.

  Morning broke without incident and with the first rays of day, the landscape turned finally familiar at last. Baron recognized the vestiges of home, with cottages nestled in the hollows of the sweeping hillsides, and farms peppered about the Commonwealth Pasturelands. And though he had passed many farms and cottages on the road between towns, these ones he knew by name, at least some of them. For long ago, their father, Orin, had often brought Baron and his brother to Echlin for supplies, and was diligent to tell them the proprietors of each home they passed.

  The horse seemed to sense Baron's excitement and himself grew invigorated, knowing that a warm stall might soon be in his future. Baron smiled. He hadn't spent much time around horses for they were uncommon in Suriya. Farmers made use of mules for labor, but a well bred horse was something he only recently encountered. He was surprised by their intelligence and manner and he could understand better now why Jaithur's gift of Agur to Sheabor had been such a meaningful gesture.