Lannon bowed, delighted at the compliment. He presented the dagger to the farmer, whose eyes lit up when he saw it. "This is worth a lot," said Lannon. He described the qualities of the dagger, so the farmer would know to demand a high price for it. "You should take it to town and sell it. It should more than make up for the loss of the cows."
The farmer's face showed gratitude and relief. "You are brave and generous, Master Knight."
His daughter went to Lannon and kissed him on the cheek. "I will never forget you," she said. "My name is Tessa, and my father is Logan. Come back and visit us when you get the chance."
"Thank you," said Lannon. "I will."
Lannon climbed onto his horse, feeling warm inside over the day's events. He realized he could get addicted to doing good deeds. But his joyful mood darkened a bit as the Knights discussed the situation.
"That Pit Crawler was enormous," said Shennen. "The largest I've ever seen. This does not bode well for Silverland."
"Yes, another exceptionally powerful Goblin," said Taris, "like the ones in Elder Oak. Even beheading it failed to end its life. I suspect the answer to this mystery will be found at Blombalk Fortress."
"It was mere chance that we encountered the farmer," said Trenton, "while the beast was in his barn. I can only wonder how many people are in great peril even as we speak. How many small, defenseless towns like Elder Oak are under attack by these new Goblins? I fear the dead are piling up unbeknownst to us."
"Silverland is not a vast expanse," said Jace. "So I would guess the threat is fairly widespread and growing by the moment."
"All I know," said Daledus, "is that I agree with Shennen. That snake was massive! I wonder what it had been feeding on to grow that big?"
"Hopefully not the good folks of Silverland," said Trenton, with a disgusted look. "We need to hunt down these new Goblins quickly."
"The message has been sent to Dremlock," said Taris. "There is nothing more we can do right now. We must move on to Blombalk."
Chapter 9: Blombalk Fortress
The cold weather and snow continued as they journeyed through Hethos. As they drew close to Blombalk Fortress, the scouts discovered the Blood Legion was already in control of the fortress (which was not unexpected, considering the Legion had been several hours ahead in the race). The wooden keep stood on a rocky cliff on the edge of the Western Bloodlands. Dremlock's warriors were close enough they could see archers in the guard towers. Beyond the fortress stood a line of twisted, snow-covered trees with crimson boughs--the Mother Trees of the Bloodlands.
"So we lost the race," said Trenton, his gaze fixed on Taris. "Now what?"
"I think we should demand to be let in," said Taris.
"But surely they will fight," said Trenton.
"I very much doubt it," said Taris. "We have the White Flamestone on our side--the ultimate siege weapon. They dare not oppose us. And we can't afford to wait while they conduct their own investigation. Bear in mind that a great power source--a weapon--was being used at this fortress. I have no doubt that the Blood Legion is searching for that weapon even as we speak. If they find it, if it still exists here, we may lose our advantage."
"But we know nothing of this power source," said Trenton. "Only a vague dream by our Lord Knight. Is that enough to prompt us to proceed recklessly?"
"Again, they dare not oppose us," said Taris.
"Unless," said Trenton, "they have already regained possession of the mysterious weapon. If they did, things could get very ugly."
"I'm prepared to accept that risk," said Taris.
"We can take this fortress," said Daledus. "It has only wooden walls to protect it. Dremlock should have conquered it ages ago."
"I agree," said Shennen. "Blombalk is not nearly as well defended as Old Hammer Hall."
"They why not just attack?" said Daledus.
"Our goal is to avoid bloodshed," said Taris. "We were sent here by the Divine Essence to retrieve the great power source and investigate the attack on the fortress. Our goal is not combat. Nor is it, I believe, the goal of the Blood Legion. They too are undoubtedly seeking the power source."
"Taris speaks true," said Trenton, glaring at the others. "We are Divine Knights, not warmongers. We do not enter into mass conflict lightly."
"Is that why the Blood Legion still exists?" said Daledus, scowling. "Because Dremlock is reluctant to engage in battle?"
"The Blood Legion is strong," said Taris, with a shrug. "They have their own dark fire and their own tricks. Dremlock has tried to eradicate them many times and failed. When their numbers are low, they tend to go into hiding. However, we still hold out hope that we can put an end to them."
"Why not put an end to them right now?" said Daledus, raising his oversized axe.
"Great idea!" said Jerret, his eyes blazing. He raised his broadsword.
Some of the other Knights overheard Daledus and Jerret, and they raised their weapons and bellowed in agreement.
"Calm yourselves!" Taris commanded. "There will be no more talk of bloodshed this day. We have a specific mission here--ordered by the Divine Essence itself. There will be time for battle later."
Reluctantly, they lowered their weapons.
Taris commanded the army to ride to the fortress, with no weapons drawn. Soon they were gathered before the cliff on which it sat, gazing up at the log walls and towers through the glittering snowflakes. The Blood Legion archers trained their bows on the Divine Knights. The cliff was sheer, and Lannon wondered how they were going to gain access to the fortress. He assumed there was a route that was not visible. The moments drifted past, while the army sat in silence.
At last, Timlin and his Dark Knight, Ulmason Deathhand, emerged from the fortress and stood on the cliff, gazing down at them. The two were flanked by twenty archers and two Goblin Lords. Timlin had an arrow in his bow, which he aimed at Lannon while grinning. "What do you want?" Timlin called down.
Lannon shielded himself with the Eye. Then he took out his Glaetherin throwing star, which he was able to keep concealed in his hand. The archers were more than eighty feet away, but it was the only ranged weapon Lannon possessed. He knew if he had to hurl it that far, he might not be able to draw it back to his hand and could lose it. His command of the Eye--as far as distance went--seemed to vary widely depending on how much energy he had. However, he was well rested after a long, uneventful ride.
"You know what we want," Taris shouted back. "We intend to investigate this fortress. You can let us enter peacefully, or you can seek to block us. But I assure you that none of you will survive a battle. What say you?"
"But what of the duel?" Timlin replied. "It seems you did not honor it. So the Knights of Dremlock are not true to their word."
"The duel was unfair," said Taris, "as you well know. I'm not going to debate this with you, Timlin. Either allow us in peacefully, or face the white fire that will bring you to ruin! Speak quickly!"
Timlin spoke to his Dark Knight for a moment. Then he lowered his bow. "You may enter. No need for bloodshed. But we will be sharing equal space here and not bowing to Dremlock's rules."
"Agreed," said Taris, though some of Dremlock's fighters--including Daledus and Jerret--looked dismayed at the notion of sharing space with their sworn enemies.
"I won't be dining with them!" Daledus grunted.
"Nor will I," said Jerret.
"Dining with them is not required," said Taris. "We will dine in our tents, as usual."
"Yet I hear their rice pudding is excellent," said Jace.
***
Blombalk fortress had been the main Blood Legion headquarters for nearly a century. It consisted almost entirely of grey logs from the great Mother Trees of the nearby Western Bloodlands. The logs had been treated to remove the stench and to protect against fire attacks from the Divine Knights. There were several guard towers set atop twenty-foot-high walls that featured rows of end-sharpened logs to making climbing over them perilous. Within the walls stood several buildings--t
he Council Meeting Hall, the Solider Barracks, the Council Barracks, the Solider Storehouse (where supplies were kept), the Healing Hall, the Guardhouse (where prisoners were held), and the Training Hall and Grounds. The only easy way to the fortress gates was a narrow, winding trail that led up the cliff.
Blombalk had suffered quite a bit of damage in the recent attack. Two of the guard towers were burned into ruin, along with the Training Hall and the Guardhouse. And most of the buildings had sustained damage to varying degrees. It was as if a hurricane had struck the fort, tearing doors off hinges and ripping apart walls. Many Legion warriors had been killed in the attack--including high-ranking Council members--but there were no bodies to be found. It appeared the creatures of the nearby Bloodlands had come to pick clean the fortress.
The Divine Knights erected tents on the fortress grounds, preferring to let Timlin's Soldiers have the barracks. They weren't happy at all about camping in the midst of their foes--especially considering that snarling Goblins roamed freely about the camp. It went against the training and instincts of a Divine Knight to camp amongst foul Goblins and simply ignore them.
A meeting was called in the Council Barracks between the Divine Shield, Timlin, Ulmason Deathhand, and two Legion Council members--Hoytus Shadowblood and Rulain Knightslayer (both Olrogs, and brothers). Also present were two Goblin Lords who stood holding twisted staffs. Everyone was seated at a long table, and ale, water, bread, and sliced cheese was passed around. Jerret and Daledus refused to eat or drink, however, and sat looking sullen. They were in a dining hall that was warmed by a large stone fireplace. Paintings of famous Blood Legion warriors hung from the walls--including one that showed a Divine Knight lying on the bloodstained ground and raising his hand as if to beg for his life, while a grinning Legion Knight held an axe poised for a downward stroke.
Timlin guzzled some ale and then slammed his mug down on the table. He grinned at Lannon. "Care for some ale or pipe leaf?"
Lannon shook his head. He focused the Eye of Divinity on Timlin, and he could glimpse massive power behind the flawless white and blue armor. Vorden's Hand of Tharnin had made Timlin an extension of itself, altering his body with dark sorcery and making his already formidable skills all the more dangerous. Vorden had created a monster out of Timlin.
"Oh, that's right," said Timlin, lighting a pipe. "You're not allowed ale or smoke, Squire. You're just allowed to risk your life for Dremlock."
"I don't care for those things anyway," said Lannon, which was true. He was barely aware of what he was saying. His mind was overcome with despair as he gazed at Timlin, for Lannon now understood just how far gone he was. Timlin was caught in an unbreakable grip of the Deep Shadow, and not a flicker of doubt or conscience remained within him.
"No, you probably don't," said Timlin, sneering. "Does ale remind you of your father? You mentioned once that he is a pathetic drunk."
Lannon didn't reply, but Timlin was correct in that ale reminded him of the unpleasant aspects of his father. The words stung, and Lannon wanted to say something to get back at Timlin; but it was pointless. He swallowed the bitterness (along with some bread and cheese). Getting angry with Timlin served no purpose. Timlin was a prisoner of darkness and deserved only pity.
Timlin blew pipe smoke in Lannon's face. "Don't breathe in, Squire, or you're sure to be in trouble."
Lannon glared at him, his anger and frustration finally boiling over. "That stinking leaf of yours doesn't interest me, Timlin, so enough with your games. Puppet of Tharnin or not, why don't you grow up?"
"Puppet of Tharnin?" said Timlin, his grin vanishing. "Hardly. You're just jealous that I'm in command of my life. You're the only puppet here, Lannon. You're shoved into one battle after the next, but you can't even have a good smoke. And that sort of thing is exactly why I left Dremlock."
"Let's get to the point here," said Trenton. "I'm not a very patient man. What have you discovered so far, Timlin?"
Timlin frowned. "From our investigation? Well, first of all, we've agreed to give you access to the fortress for now, but we haven't agreed to work with you. We're supposed to be enemies, remember?"
"Noted," said Trenton. "But we have a common interest. Whatever force attacked this fortress struck a deep blow to the Blood Legion. Surely you want vengeance. And surely you didn't call this meeting to talk about ale and pipe smoking and waste time mocking Lannon."
"Of course we want vengeance," said Timlin. "But we can achieve that on our own. I know you didn't come here merely to investigate--and certainly not to assist us. You came here to claim the great weapon--the Heart of Kings."
"The Heart of Kings?" said Trenton, glancing at Taris.
"Ah, I see," said Jace, a knowing look on his face. "That is another term for the Black Flamestone. Well, this is interesting!"
"This does not surprise me," said Taris.
"So there is a black one as well," said Trenton, looking amused. "The good one must have its evil counterpart."
"It's not actually black," said Jace. "It's dark blue and red. Of course, the Dark Blue and Red Flamestone just doesn't sound right."
"Both came from the White Guardian's heart," said Taris. "Because the White Guardian was only a child, its heart was still impure."
"Why would a child's heart hold evil?" said Daledus. "Grown men do evil in this world, not children. That makes no sense."
"The White Guardian," said Taris, "cannot be compared to a mortal child. Our god is a unique creature. Regardless, its heart contained traces of selfish evil. When the creature was shattered, the heart was split and that trace of evil became the so-called Black Flamestone. It was lost for centuries--until now. This is why the Divine Essence has given us the White Flamestone, because it knew of the threat and feared it would fall into the hands of our enemies."
"I had assumed it was a Flamestone we were after," said Trenton. "But I didn't have a clue which one. Yet somehow you knew, Taris."
"I only suspected it," said Taris.
"So where is it now?" asked Shennen, his gaze fixed on Timlin. "That is the question we need answered."
Timlin gazed back at Shennen defiantly. "And it's a good question, oh jolly assassin, but I don't have an answer."
"What happened at this fortress?" asked Taris. "Or are you not able to answer that question either?"
"That one, I can answer," said Timlin.
"Wait!" said Hoytus Shadowblood. The Dwarf's eyes flashed with anger. "Why should we tell these wretches anything, Timlin? Let them figure it out for themselves. It's bad enough that we let them in here--onto sacred Legion grounds." His meaty hand was wrapped tightly around the handle of his battle axe.
"Agreed, my brother!" Rulain Knightslayer said, slamming his fist down on the table and spilling some ale. "To cooperate with these Dremlock dogs sickens me. The Blood Legion has sunk to a new low."
"Calm yourselves," Timlin ordered. "I'm in command here, by the will of our great leader himself, unless you've forgotten. We're going to cooperate, and we're going to have the Black Flamestone returned to us. I promise you that."
"But why should we reveal our secrets?" said Hoytus.
"Because if you don't," said Taris, "then Dremlock will never cooperate with you. We can either work together peacefully, or take the more difficult path that will be costly for both of us."
"Those secrets no longer matter, Hoytus," said Ulmason Deathhand. "Let Timlin speak, for he is wise beyond his years and knows well our foes. Dremlock will learn of these things regardless."
"Shall I proceed then?" said Timlin.
The Dwarven brothers didn't reply, their faces bitter.
"The Blood Legion had possession of the Black Flamestone," said Timlin. "A portal to Tharnin was opened below this fortress for a purpose I won't reveal. But things took a turn for the worse and a creature wandered into Blombalk Fortress through the portal--a Tharnin Specter. It was too powerful to stop, and it killed nearly everyone and took possession of the Black Flamestone. Some of our Goblins
were camped outside the fortress, and they survived--but where they went is not known. They were the only survivors that day."
"Your story is believable," said Trenton. "But why would the Specter have an interest in the Black Flamestone?"
"A Specter is a creature that loves precious metals and jewels," said Jace, "anything shiny and rare. It hoards such treasures away in caves and guards them fiercely. It was no doubt attracted to the Black Flamestone for that reason. It may have no idea how to actually wield the power of the gem. But a Specter has plenty of power as it is. They are nearly indestructible."
"Yes," said Taris, "it is an incredibly dangerous creature." His eyes smoldered with rage beneath his hood. "You fools! In your selfish need to topple Dremlock, you opened the gates of doom! You summoned this Specter, thinking you could control it and send it against us like you did the Dragon. But you paid a high price."
Timlin shrugged. "Sometimes good ideas go bad."
"This is what happens," said Trenton, "when a child like Timlin is placed in command of an army."
The Dwarven brothers glanced at each other, but said nothing. It was clear they were not happy with Timlin's leadership.
Timlin stroked his thin beard, his eyes cold. "Child, huh?"
"Timlin is no child," said Ulmason Deathhand. "Timlin has the wisdom of Tharnin in his heart." He removed his horned helm and laid it on the table, exposing his scarred, bearded face with its one remaining eye. He was a nightmare of a barbarian--a hulking, weathered brute who'd survived countless battles and was now enhanced by the power of the Deep Shadow.
"Timlin is a mere lad," said Trenton, "and a traitor!"
Timlin stood up, scowling. "So now it's all about insults, huh? Well, I think I've heard enough of this. If Dremlock won't respect me as the leader of the Blood Legion, then I have nothing more to say."
"Enough," said Taris, with a warning glance at Trenton. "Timlin, I recognize you as the Lord of the Blood Legion, and Trenton will do so as well or he will leave this meeting. There is no doubt that you are in command. Now please sit down, have some more ale, and we'll discuss this very dire situation."
Knights: Book 03 - The Heart of Shadows Page 15
