He pressed on the attack, pushing Suntari off balance at one point. He saw the opening and thrust in but his blade did not connect. Suntari had perfectly faked the weakness and spun away from the deadly strike, putting himself in line for an elbow to Valgannon’s face. He snapped his arm back catching Valgannon right in the nose and slamming his head back. Using the distracting blow he came across with his knife, cutting a deep line in Valgannon's chest as he fell backwards.
Suntari started to push the attack, thinking he had the advantage, but felt a hot pain in his side. Looking down he saw the hilt of a dagger sticking out of his ribs. Confused he looked to Valgannon who was shaking with a gurgling chuckle. He must have anticipated Suntari’s ruse and had accepted the elbow strike in order to thrust his knife into Suntari's side, using the momentum from the strike to fall backwards into a roll to avoid another attack. But Valgannon hadn't been quick enough. Salnar had connected with his blade. He let out his own laugh as he watched blood seep out of the deep wound on Valgannon's chest.
"A clever strike, but it seems you have missed your mark. The blade did not pierce my lung." said Suntari. He dared not pull it free though, for he would lose much blood and this fight was not yet over. "You, on the other hand, look to have a serious wound there," he said, pointing to Valgannon’s chest.
Valgannon smiled wickedly at Suntari. Blood streamed from his nose, turning his teeth red. He stood up straight, regarded the wound on his chest, and shrugged.
Suntari couldn't believe his eyes. With an injury like that, Valgannon shouldn't even have been able to stand up straight, and yet he shrugged as if it gave him not the slightest bit of pain. He also hadn’t noticed the clever assassin deftly retrieve another dagger from one of his fallen Lieutenants during their dance. Valgannon’s next movement was a blur and Suntari could only bring his arm up in defense. His other arm was pulled in tight to his side protecting the dagger protruding from his ribs.
The dirk that Valgannon threw sunk deep into Suntari’s forearm causing him to scream out and reflexively drop his blade, but at least it had not pierced his brain. He realized too late that it was exactly what Valgannon had wanted. While he brought his arm up in defense, temporarily blocking his view, the cunning assassin had skipped forward, delivering a powerful sidekick that sent Suntari skittering backwards out of control and crashing through the window behind him.
†††
Valgannon casually walked to the window and cautiously peered out. He couldn't even see the bottom but he could hear the rushing waters of the river. The Keep sat with its back to a sheer cliff that dropped down to the Kaniboru River. It was at least a three hundred foot drop from the window and Valgannon looked down to see his dagger laying on the floor, the one that he had plunged into Suntari's side. Even if the former leader of the Assassin's guild had survived the long fall, which was unlikely, he would soon die from a loss of blood, or hyperthermia from the cold waters.
Valgannon walked to the middle of the room and collapsed. Suddenly his power was gone, all the pain from his wounds slammed through his body. He screamed out in agony and thought for sure that he would soon go into shock.
"You have done well Valgannon," whispered the soft cooing voice, tickling the back of Valgannon’s consciousness. "You deserve a gift for your services."
Valgannon barely registered what the voice said before lancing pain started to shoot through him, burning through his mind. His back arched so far that it threatened to snap. His screams echoed throughout the keep and deep into the woods. Then, all at once, it was over. The pain was gone. Valgannon lay on his side on the cold stone floor and looked down at his chest and stomach. The wounds were gone, both of them. He brought his hand up to his face, feeling his nose and there was no pain, it felt intact. He pushed himself off the ground and again walked over to the window and looked out. The sound of the rushing waters resonated through the night sky. He turned to the sound of urgent footsteps coming up the stairwell and stooped down, dipping his hands into the pool of warm blood under Torrem's body.
The three assassins that burst into the room came to a sliding stop as their vision came to the spectacle of Valgannon. He was standing in the center of the room, still naked, completely covered in blood. He was unarmed but they knew that did not matter, he was still incredibly dangerous. They looked around the hidden room, a room they obviously hadn't known existed, their eyes pausing on the two bodies and the broken window.
"Lieutenants Marhan, Torrem, and Suntari with them," said Valgannon as he gestured to the two bodies and then the window. "The guild will follow my command now, if anyone thinks he might handle the position better, he is to openly challenge me. The one who survives the battle will lead."
The three assassins looked to each other in question. Each knew that no man within the guild could defeat Valgannon in open combat, much less by stealth. Each of them bowed and stood at attention, awaiting orders from their new leader. Valgannon smiled wickedly. "Fetch me some suitable clothing and each guard that stood patrol this night." He planned on killing them. They had failed in their duties, allowing him to get through undetected. It was something that Suntari might have overlooked, but he would not. Many changes were in order for the guild. A new master was in place.
Valgannon yelled for the last man leaving the room to stop. He looked at the shattered window, "Send some men down to the river to search for Suntari's body. If, by chance, he landed on the rocks I want to see it."
The assassin gave a short nod and hurried off.
Valgannon wondered what Thaluzont would think of the new leader of the Assassin's guild.
The Calm before the Bloodbath
Thaluzont sat atop his war mount, a massive creature called a Boroon that the northern tribes raised for heavy work around a farm. They were larger than a horse and heavily muscled with thick necks and shoulders and a wooly coat. Dense horns stretched down from the sides of their massive heads and then swooped forward below just above the jaw line. When Thaluzont had first seen the massive creatures he sought to use them in war, realizing the possibilities for the beasts. He now rode atop one of five hundred heavily armored and war trained Boroons.
His was completely black except for its white underbelly, but that was only what parts of it that could be seen through the heavy armor plating that had been fixed onto the creature. Large spikes jutted out of the shiny armor around the shoulders and hips of the beast and as if its own horns weren’t already formidable enough by themselves, another long iron horn was fixed to the plate on its forehead. Although all of them were equally armored, no mount was as splendid as Thaluzont’s.
Tavar sat on a war horse next to him; he would head up the cavalry. The two men watched as the army moved into position all along the fields that reached out north of Vorea. Thousands of armored men stretched out for hundreds of yards ahead of them and thousands upon thousands more covered the countryside behind them. It was a massive force of over eighty thousand men at arms and pikemen, five thousand cavalry, three thousand Oharnian Hurandi riders, over four thousand archers and five hundred armored Boroon riders. Not to mention the thousands of support units like blacksmiths, leather workers, cooks and those who would treat the wounded.
There were even over a thousand slave women that were sold to the soldiers, unless the particular soldier had no money, in which case the women were taken by force instead. Dust clouded the sky around the massive force from the constant bustle. Hundreds of carts rolled into position, carrying much needed supplies, and food to the different units.
Thaluzont's army had been moving into the northern expanse of Vorea for three weeks now, making all preparations for war. He smiled inwardly at the thought of what was going on within Vorea. He had put much effort in keeping this invasion a secret until now and could only imagine the mass panic that must be spreading through the large city. Whoever the newly appointed leader was, since Thaluzont had the emperor and family assassinated, they were probably unprepared and incapable of handli
ng such an attack and would be running around in circles trying to decide what to do. They would most likely surrender the city in an effort to save their people from slavery. This would be the more favorable scenario in the long run but a part of Thaluzont desired the sweet brutality of war.
He had orchestrated everything perfectly. Only a couple minor failures had occurred, but nothing that he thought might threaten his assured victory in this battle. Even if his assassins had all failed in their missions, there was a slim chance that any organized resistance could come in time from the southern tribes to save Vorea from her fate. And on the extremely small chance that such a resistance was formed, even then he doubted that his force could be stopped. Thaluzont was confident in the size of his army. The fact that the boy named Lucian still lived irked him, and he looked forward to going to the Guild Keep and skinning Salnar Suntari alive, but it was something he would take care of after this war.
Once Vorea falls, he would use the city as a central point to strike out from in attacks against the rest of the southern tribes. With an army this size and the walls of Vorea defending him, no one would be able to overthrow him. They would either submit to his rule or fall one by one.
With a short nod from Thaluzont, Tavar bowed and spurred his mount into a gallop toward the front lines. He was to check on the final preparations of the siege and wait for the signal. The attack would commence at nightfall. Once his army was inside the walls of the mighty city, mass confusion would break out. Vorean’s and northerners alike would be unsure of who was friend or enemy, causing them to kill each other. He delighted in the thought of the hysteria it would cause and he could afford such a catastrophe, Vorea could not. With a sharp kick, his huge beast rumbled toward the front lines. He would lead this war as all the others, sealing his name in the pages of history, a history that he would write himself.
Deceit and Doubt
Kyrianna found herself kicking the horse, pushing it on harder and harder once the outline of her city loomed into view. As she came closer she noticed the sky, north of Vorea, filled with what looked like smoke and dust. Panic coursed through her as she thought the battle had already started and she drove her steed on harder still. Eliath and the others spurred their own mounts into pursuit, struggling to stay with Kyrianna. Tarriel gave a worried look back at her contingent as the gap between them grew. The large force had started to increase their speed as well, but could not match Kyrianna’s pace and risk catastrophe. The Culdorans could move quickly while in close ranks but to push into an all-out run could be very dangerous.
It took less than an hour to reach the city but it seemed an eternity to Kyrianna who thought her home was under attack. When she reached the southern gates, she pulled her horse to a skidding stop. Two guards rushed out to meet her, their spears leveled toward her.
"What is your business here?" one screamed. But before Kyrianna could answer, both guards seemed to recognize her at the same time. They both dropped down to their knees and buried their faces in the dirt. "Forgive us Princess Kyrianna, we-"
Kyrianna cut them off, but not before Tarriel, Solomon and Eliath heard what the guard had said. They gave each other sidelong glances, but none of them spoke a word.
"Open this gate at once, Sergeant!" Kyrianna screamed, and the two guards quickly stood and signaled the men behind the gate. "What is happening? Are we at war?"
The larger guard nodded. "The enemy is at our walls, but they have not attacked yet. We received your messenger Princess, but our scouts reported the force coming down from the north weeks ago. We have been making preparations for the war ever since, but everyone is becoming afraid. The army is upon us and it is the largest force anyone has ever seen. The war council is unable to give any answers to the people so they are in despair. Some have panicked and have left the city, traveling south to escape."
The guard flinched backwards at the sight of anger that flashed across Kyrianna's face. "What has Tossindoo been doing? Why does he let the people lose hope?"
The guard bowed his head as he spoke. "Tossindoo took his life to maintain his honor after he failed to protect your family. And since his second in command, General Voshu, had died that night as well, a lesser Captain was placed in charge of our forces. Commander Nenghao now leads us."
Kyrianna couldn't believe what she was hearing. Such things to maintain honor had been done before by Vorea's high leaders, but in such a time as this. How could Tossindoo be so foolish? The city needed him now more than ever. "I know this Nenghao, he is a capable man. He needs only to be reassured of his ability." The gate finally opened far enough for them to pass through. "Take me to him and gather the council." She saw the guards looking up at Tarriel and the others with resignation. "These are allies," she looked to them and smiled, "And friends, come to aid us in this battle."
The guards looked at the five foreigners with furrowed brows. "These five are to be our saviors?" said one of the guards sarcastically.
Suddenly a trumpet sounded and a lookout atop the parapet screamed out. "An army approaches from the south!!" The guard’s eyes widened as they pulled their swords, on the verge of panic. They looked up to Kyrianna, realizing that she was not worried.
"Fear not, young soldiers, there are more on the way. Leave the gates open so they may pass. If a single sword is raised toward any of these allies, he who does so will face my wrath. Now, take me to Nenghao and do as I ordered."
The guards bowed and moved out of the way so the Sergeant could lead Kyrianna and the others through. They gave another look to the force that was coming to their aid and then shared a smile and rushed off to do her bidding.
As Kyrianna rode through the city it didn't take long for some of the peasants to notice her and realize who she was. They started bowing and it became a ripple effect. Soon it spread throughout the city and everyone was dropping to their faces. Most of them didn't even know why they were bowing only that everyone else was. But whispers soon traveled through the masses.
Eliath exchanged looks with Tarriel and Solomon as the followed behind, Princess Kyrianna
"The Princess is alive," some exclaimed, causing people to dare and raise their heads in hopes to catch a glimpse of their beloved Princess whom they thought dead.
Kyrianna offered a nod to those that she noticed looking, which caused them to slam their face back down into the dirt until she passed and then they would look to each other with broad smiles. Several guards had seen her approaching and ran off to get the new Commander. Soon, Nenghao rushed up with a small group of his officers and dropped to their knees in front of her horse.
Kyrianna jumped down and bade them to stand. "Report, Commander," she ordered.
She stood eye to eye with Nenghao. She saw him swallow as beads of sweat started to form on his brow. She did not want him to be embarrassed in front of the people or his men but she could see that he was overwhelmed. She had to make him rise up and take on the responsibility that she knew he was capable of fulfilling.
Raising her voice, she held out a hand, as if to stop him from answering, and spoke again. "First I would like to say, that I am proud of how you have handled the city’s defenses. Everything appears to be in order and I think that no more capable a man could have been placed as commander of our forces. Had I been here, I would have appointed you as Commander myself." She smiled inwardly at the transformation that took place in Nenghao at that moment. He stood straighter and puffed his chest out, set his jaw and gave her a stern bow.
"The enemy has been moving into our northern territory for nearly three weeks,” he said. “My scouts report that their numbers reach close to one hundred thousand. It seems as though every northern tribe has united to come against us." He paused and lifted his chin higher. "But we are prepared to fight for our city."
A large number of soldiers had gathered among the people of Vorea now and they all cheered at what the Commander said. It was a deafening roar and Kyrianna felt as though she would be lifted from her feet by it. In the
blink of an eye, the moral of her people had gone from near panic to soaring pride.
"The people are happy to see that you live Princess, as are all of us," said the Commander.
Kyrianna circled around, speaking loudly so that she would be heard by everyone near to her. "I am happy to be home and I will not allow these mongrels from the north take it from me. But this is not just a fight for our soldiers. For our people to survive, we must all stand together. I ask everyone who is able, to take up arms and fight! Fight for your homes, for your sons and daughters. Fight for your neighbors, for our people!!"
The crowd roared. It was like nothing she had ever heard. Women threw hats and scarves into the air, men took off their coats and let them fly. Tarriel looked to Eliath and Solomon who were standing close to her. "Princess?" she said as she raised her eyebrows. Solomon just laughed with Eliath as they both pulled Tarriel in and started cheering with the crowd. The moment was intoxicating and they couldn't help but join in.
Kyrianna offered a gentle touch to soldiers and citizens that pressed in all around her. She gave them all words of assurance, and thanks, and finally raised her hands to quiet the crowd. It took a few moments for the noise to die down so that she could speak again. "The women who do not fight and the children are to be escorted by a small number of soldiers out of the city to the south, Kaheendra will give them shelter, and food. Everyone else, look to the defenses!"
The Commander gave her a worried look. "Are you sure that Kaheendra will give us shelter? Our relationship with them has never been a close one."
"I have just come from there and yes, they will help. We have been wrong in treating our cousins with such indifference. But this time will be a reopening of eyes for us all. Leave the southern gates open. Five hundred warriors from Culdora are near already and the others will be arriving soon." She hoped she was right about the last part.
Revelations of Doom Page 40
