The mass of young bodies exploded into chaotic action. People moved in every direction, squirming through the crowd headed towards the gleaming steel perimeter. Seth held tightly to Sara’s hand so as to not lose her in the confusion and did his best to follow his brother. Ashton too followed Garret and the four of them broke free of the crowd and made their way to what would presumably be the middle of the line. Turning their backs to the wall of soldiers, the four stood directly across from the tent. They watched and waited patiently as the remaining stragglers found themselves places in the large line, and as it finally settled, a small procession consisting of around a dozen soldiers emerged from behind the tent with several large carts trailing on their heels.
The unarmed soldiers moved at a slow, steady pace, following along the line of those who had reached adulthood and had come to heed the call of the kingdom. As they proceeded down the line they were in constant movement, handing out items from the carts, speaking briefly, then continuing on to the next in line. It was several minutes before Seth or any of his companions realized what was going on. The Choosing ceremonies of the past had been just that, ceremonies where young adults were chosen into professions to serve the kingdom for a term of no less than five years. However, now the kingdom faced war and without the luxury of time to pick and choose persons to fill key positions and train them, it appeared to Seth that, against his hopes, all were being outfitted for the army.
Seth watched as the small procession proceeded, growing steadily nearer, and he saw as the items that were handed out were donned by their new owners. Each of the young adults attending The Choosing was being outfitted in leather padded armor, ring mail and various weapons. Seth realized that his worst fears had just become a reality. He stood dazed until the very moment the procession of soldiers reached him and his companions, reluctant and unwilling to accept this fate.
Before Seth could even acknowledge the soldiers before him, one of them was dropping a bundle of leather armor at his feet, and another dropped a ring mail tunic. A third approached with a sword, but seeing him already armed, simply moved on down the line. Sara and Ashton were both given swords, along with the meager armor, and before the soldiers departed, they gave instructions to begin dressing in their gear.
Then it dawned on Seth. Even if they had all just been conscripted into the military, it was not as if they would be marching to war immediately. The king himself had said they would have a few weeks to train. Also, as far as he was aware, Seth had never heard of females being conscripted into the armies of Valdadore, though this may have changed due to necessity. In any case, at least for now, Seth knew two things to be true. First he was still with his brother and Sara, and secondly, if they would be remaining in the city for at least a few weeks, then he and Sara would have ample opportunity to flee, neither of them wanting to be soldiers. He hoped he could talk Garret into fleeing the city as well, but knew it doubtful as apparently all of Garret’s wishes had just come true.
Seth began to dress in the armor sparing only a slight smile to Sara, who herself was lost in thought with a deep look of concern on her face. Garret, though, was already dressed, a grin splitting his face in two, and he was currently helping Ashton strap on his sword. When they had all finally completed the task, they stood silently, watching the procession continue down the line for over an hour, until the last man was armored and armed. Only once during the procession did someone, overcome with fear, try to make a run for it. The poor soul crashed bodily into the line of soldiers surrounding the courtyard and, summarily apprehended, was dragged off beyond sight of all those remaining.
The padded leather tunic and breeches were stifling, even in the early morning, and by the time everyone had been armed, they were all moving and twitching anxiously, trying in vain to find a comfortable position. Though none of the young adults who had gathered for the ceremony knew what to expect next, none dared talk. If anyone else had been overcome with fear, they had, at least for the time being, mastered it lest they end up like the man who had tried to escape earlier. Many long moments passed as those in the tent looked out upon the courtyard, waiting for something, as those in the courtyard stared at those in the tent in return. Seth stood as still as he was able, as he again felt the sweat drip down his back, and reaching up, he swiped the sweat from his brow. He was beginning to feel he could not take standing there any longer when the king once again exited the tent to address all those gathered.
"Forgive me this day," the King began. "It is out of necessity that we make you endure such a harsh welcome into service to the kingdom. I can see the concern and fear upon many of your faces, but know that you have not yet been consigned to join our armies." He paused to gauge the crowd's reaction, and was met by sighs of relief from all sides. "As you realize now, our kingdom is a nation at war, and being such, many of you will indeed be joining the army in one fashion or another. Some of you will fight, while others may simply drive supply wagons. Others might cook for the troops, and yet others may tend to the injured or even the dead. With so little time to place you each into stations worthy of your skills, we shall first have a test to see how many of you are befitting a place with the common troops of my armies, and as such should be able to appraise many of your abilities. The rules of your test are simple. You have been armed and now I command you to fight. Fight until you cannot raise your arms any longer, fight until you are the last standing, fight to show those around you that there are mighty, valiant, courageous warriors among you," the king shouted.
With the king’s final order, white-robed healers stepped into the armored wall of troops surrounding the mass of young men and women who had come to The Choosing. Those soldiers making up the wall took a defensive stance, holding their swords high and their shields at the ready. At first, for just an instant, no one moved as the courtyard took on an eerie silence. All were in shock, just as Seth was, but the silence was soon disrupted as the masses of newly armored, would-be soldiers broke into pandemonium.
Within seconds, most of those with no desire to bear arms shed their weapons, hoping to flee the dire situation they had found themselves in. Many women or weak-of-heart men lay down their arms and rushed to the wall of soldiers seeking an exit. Much to their surprise, they were indeed allowed to pass through, only to be gathered up by more soldiers who patrolled outside the melee. Before Seth or any of his companions had even begun to react, cries of pain mingled with the sounds of clashing steel and curses sprang from all directions.
Seth for a moment was unable to respond. He realized this was a test of sorts, to detect those willing and able to fight with the army, and as much as he desired to throw down his weapons and flee with Sara to be herded like sheep by the soldiers, he could not abandon Garret. It was a predicament to which he saw no escape. In this single test he could lose one or both of them, depending on his actions. Without seeing any real options available, Seth drew his long slender sword with one hand and grasped Sara’s hand in his other, he then turned to face his brother.
"It's a test Garret. Let’s all work together." He watched as Garret, his sword already drawn, stepped to take their lead. Seth fell in with Sara behind his bulkier brother, and Ashton too joined them, taking the rear. Just as they found their places and prepared to defend themselves against any who might attack, they were swallowed into the masses of their fellow would-be warriors.
Seth watched the chaos that ensued as if seeing it all from somewhere outside his own body and, as he watched, the world seemed to slow, revealing everything in stark detail. Seth followed as his brother literally carved a path through the throng of untrained fighters, cleaving man and woman alike, leaving a path of bloody, maimed peers as he moved ahead. Dozens fell by his brother’s great two-handed sword, but it did not take long before, immersed in the crowd, they were forced to defend on all sides. Seth could not stomach hacking at his fellow men and women, so chose mostly to defend and parry as he was able, until either his brother or some other rogue fighter did
the deed for him. Several times he was forced to intervene for either Sara or Ashton, who both held a similar distaste for slaughter. Fortunately for Seth, his brother seemed quite capable of dealing the damaging blows for all of them more often than not.
What seemed like an eternity passed as the numbers of combatants in the courtyard began to dwindle, either fleeing of their own accord, or being dragged to the sidelines by soldiers to be tended by the healers. However, as the number of combatants decreased, the herd being culled, those superior in ability remained, and that was when Seth realized that they were in trouble.
Until this point, the so-called test had basically been sheer butchery, with those less afraid or more skilled reaping pain and destruction upon their foes of lesser ability. Blood coated the cobblestone courtyard, making even the simplest maneuvers difficult, but finally reaching its center, Garret brought them to a halt, right in the middle of the massacre. Somewhere along the way Sara had managed to lose her sword, and being at such a disadvantage she stood at the center of her companions, each of them defending themselves and, in so doing, also defending her.
Seth watched as a large man with a boyish face lunged at him, hoping to strike a quick blow. Seeing what was coming, Seth managed to rend the man's blade aside with his own sword, but such was the man’s momentum that he crashed bodily into Seth who, stumbling back, nearly tripped over Sara behind him. Kicking and heaving his body forward to keep his balance, Seth managed to free himself of the man just as Garret turned. With a smile Seth’s brother thrust his large blade into the man’s shoulder, effectively removing his arm from its socket. With the blow, Garret chuckled and turned to face his next opponent, as Seth, regaining himself turned to help Ashton with yet another attacker.
As time progressed the fight turned into some sort of macabre dance with Seth, Garret, and Ashton slowly turning like a wheel around Sara who now brandished her small crossbow. As Seth and Ashton worked to hold off attackers, forever revolving in a slow circle, each attacker came to face Garret who made up for lack of skill with bold determination and raw aggression. Each of the boys had sustained several minor injuries but, so intoxicated with adrenaline, none noticed their wounds that bled freely, staining their clothing and armor. Seth was somewhat appalled at his brother’s ease of butchery. Not only did it seem to come naturally to him, but Garret appeared to enjoy it, mercilessly laying man and woman to waste before him, chuckling the whole time like a madman.
The fight raged on for what seemed like an eternity to Seth, who was amazed they had lasted this long, when things took a turn for the worse. All three boys faced individual opponents as Sara rushed to redraw her crossbow. Garret struggled with a man with far more skill, while Seth managed to cause his opponent to slip upon the slick cobbles, landing in a bone jarring heap upon the bloodied ground. Finding himself a moment of reprieve, Seth turned just in time to watch as Ashton fell. His blonde friend had managed to hold off his opponent for many minutes as Garret struggled to best his own foe, but having never before wielded a sword, Ashton had been overcome and crumpled to the ground clutching his stomach, blood flowing from between his fingers. Seth, knowing Ashton lost, had no time to worry for his friend. For as Ashton hit the ground, the man who had bested him, lunged back into the fray hoping to make an easy victory of Sara.
Seth barely managed to place himself between Sara and the oncoming blow of their opponent, and, with no time to react, he was forced to take a glancing blow to his arm. Though the ring mail took the brunt of the assault, pain exploded in Seth’s arm, causing him to fumble with his sword nearly dropping his only weapon. Seeing him practically incapacitated, the young attacker lunged in again to finish Seth off. However, he was caught mid lunge square in the chest with a small crossbow dart. Losing his wind instantly, this man too fell to the ground to be quickly hauled off back to the lines of healers. Seth spared Sara a quick glance, showing his appreciation, and that single moment was to be his last mistake.
As Seth spared the woman he loved a thankful smile, unseen to him, another attacker rushed him, just beyond his peripheral vision. Before Seth could turn to assess his next opponent, his side seemed to shatter in searing pain as the air rushed from his lungs and he was bowled over onto the slippery paving stones of the courtyard. As his head smacked into the stone below him, the last image Seth remembered before he blacked out was of his brother cleaving another man's leg off with a single blow, and with the same swing turning to witness the fall of his twin.
CHAPTER 124
Garret
Garret fought as skillfully as he was able. Other than a stray goblin, the only sword practice he had had in his life had been dueling his twin with sticks as children. However, fighting came naturally to Garret, and even now he put to use lessons learned play-fighting against his brother what seemed a lifetime ago. He had felled many of his peers already today, but it seemed to Garret that each he removed from the test was replaced by yet another, who was stronger and more able than the last. The man he faced now he could only assume had had some training with actual weapons. Each slash he swung was met by the man’s blade and turned aside. Every lunge he attempted was met by a parry, and Garret felt he had found his equal in this battle. But he also knew that because of his brother and their friends, he could not fail. Garret swung at the man again and again, only to be thwarted each time. But each time his enemy attacked, Garret mimicked the man’s moves, learning quickly how to dodge such blows. Back and forth he went with his opponent who, though slightly smaller than he, was obviously more accustomed to such strenuous labor. Knowing at this rate they would fight on for all eternity, Garret decided to improvise. Swinging his massive blade as if to slash for the man’s chest, Garret watched as his opponent leaned back just out of range of his blade. Then, as the blade swung harmlessly past, Garret lunged mid-swing driving the blade barely through the man’s ring mail and into the flesh of his chest. The blow had done little real harm, but the man, already leaning back to avoid the blow, was forced back further, throwing him off balance. Trying to negate the effect of Garret’s blow, the man raised his leg to change his center of gravity and regain his balance. Then Garret saw his opportunity, and using every fiber of every muscle in his body, he twisted to stop his previous swing. With all his force he brought his blade back in the direction it had come. Catching the man just above the knee, Garret cleaved his opponent’s leg clear off, but such was the force of his swing, his body continued to spin after the blow, nearly turning him completely around to face what had before been behind him. What Garret witnessed tore at the core of his being.
As Garret spun, he watched as Seth, sword protruding from his ribcage, was thrown from his feet, his head banging off the blood coated cobblestones with a cracking sound, all light fading from his eyes. Garret turned his focus from his brother to the man who had felled his twin. The man was recuperating from the blow and, his sword still wedged in Seth’s ribcage, now stood unarmed. Garret succumbed to rage as his mind seemed to ignite. His vision turning red with a berserker’s fury, he lunged over Sara who knelt to tend to the man she loved, and Garret, raising his sword well above his head, brought it down with the full weight and momentum of his body, nearly cleaving the man in two from shoulder to mid abdomen. Such was his fury at the loss of his brother that he did not see Seth’s seemingly lifeless body dragged to the perimeter to be tended by healers, forcing Sara to stand and defend herself. Garret went on a blind rampage stomping through the carnage that had once been a courtyard, felling mercilessly anyone who dared stand in his way. Such was his fury that all who remained in the ring of the king’s soldiers sought him out, seeing him as the biggest threat. In what felt like forever for those on the sidelines, in Garret’s mind only moments passed as he cleaved and hacked his way through all his remaining foes, all the while a disheartening chuckle escaping his lips, until all had fallen around him but one. Garret, blind from rage, turned his gaze of seething anger on the only opponent remaining on the courtyard, and stridin
g across the blood covered stone, he stalked her.
CHAPTER 125
Seth
Seth had no idea how long he had remained unconscious. As his eyes fluttered open he lay on his undamaged side, the sword having been removed from his ribs and a healer currently working to mend his organs, flesh and bones. He felt the ecstasy of the healing goddess's power flowing through him as the healer continued to work, but willed himself to ignore the pleasure. Pleasure subdued, Seth’s eyes began to focus as he heard several gasps from those around him as the spectacle played out upon the courtyard. His thoughts turning to fear and panic, Seth craned his neck around to see what it was that had those around him so enthralled. At first he could see nothing, but he could hear the clanks of steel, and thuds of body meeting body, and many other indistinguishable sounds, but above all, he could hear his brother's raving mad chuckle. The sound could not be described any other way, but knowing his brother still stood, Seth wriggled beneath the healer’s hands to gain a better view of the courtyard. What Seth witnessed in those following minutes was a memory he would never forget for the rest of his days, no matter how much he wished he could. Garret didn't walk around the courtyard. He didn't run or give chase. Seth could find no word to describe in his mind the way in which his brother moved about the slick cobblestones. Garret seemed a whirlwind of motion, his great blade swinging this way and that in menacing arcs, and when his blade found no purchase his feet kicked out with ferocity, snapping bones. When neither his sword nor his feet gained him the advantage, he used everything available to him, head butting one opponent and biting another, throwing an elbow to one man's face, and crushing another man's chest with the pommel of his sword. Garret had become akin to a force of nature. Those he approached dared not turn their back to flee the rampaging warrior for fear he would strike them down from behind, and as each stood to defend themselves, each fell in a flurry of blows, blood raining down in all directions. Garret unleashed his rage on one opponent after another, and if two sought to gain the advantage of numbers, Garret leveled them without thought to his own safety, bearing his wounds as if they were naught but scratches.
Age of the Gods: The Complete, twelve novel, fantasy series (The Blood and Brotherhood Saga) Page 30
