by R A Oakes
“Follow me!” White Angel 19 shouted as she, Baelfire and Zorya began flying in a wide circle around the king, his warriors and the tigers. Forming into a single line behind her, the Council of Aeryllns found themselves swirling around the mix of men and tigers picking up speed with each lap. Giant wings, billowing blond hair and white leather quickly blurred into an opaque, milky-white wall forming an incredibly strong containment field.
“Marcheto, now!” White Angel 19 shouted.
The young mystic leapt into the air positioning himself directly over King Tarlen, Prophet, Lord Grenitar and Chaktar. The windstorm created by the White Angels’ wings drowned out Marcheto’s incantation, but, undeterred, he gripped his wizard’s staff with both hands and thrust it down towards Prophet.
Though unable to hear Marcheto, the tiger warrior angel saw that the young mystic’s staff was clearly directed at him. Prophet’s first instinct was to run but managed to get his fears under control and stayed put. After all, Aerylln had said he was the centerpiece of her strategy. So, the tiger braced for whatever was coming next, and it was a good thing he did.
A multicolored beam of purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red light shot out from the full length of Marcheto’s staff slamming into Prophet with a force so intense it took the tiger’s breath away. But as quickly as it had materialized, the multicolored light disappeared. However, after taking a deep breath, Marcheto thrust the wizard’s staff at Prophet again, this time screaming the experimental incantation with all his might.
Once again, Prophet couldn’t hear Marcheto’s words over the now almost gale-force winds the White Angels’ wings were generating, but he saw the young wizard’s staff glowing brighter and brighter. And then another blast of purple, blue, green, yellow, orange and red light erupted from the staff cutting through the tiger angel, creating streams of energy that began surging out of him in all directions. These streams of light energy flowed into all 21 groups of tigers and into King Tarlen, as well as into Lord Grenitar and Chaktar who were standing next to him.
Developing at an enormous rate, the streams quickly gorged on massive amounts of light energy expanding into rivers which kept growing till they were close to overflowing their banks, threatening to create flood-like conditions. The angles struggled to keep the light energy trapped inside the circular containment field, but White Angel 19 knew it was only a matter of time until the liquid light spilled over into the courtyard swamping everyone and everything in it.
“Jewel and Flame, get over here!” White Angel 19 shouted.
Jewel looked at Flame and said, “She’s got to be kidding. I’m not getting anywhere near that. Are you?”
“We have to help,” Flame said.
“No we don’t.”
“Yes we do. Look over at Chen.”
The black leather panther had heard White Angel 19’s request and saw the reluctance of the humanoid women to respond. Carrying a hammer in one hand and a bucket of water in the other, Chen was going to provide some motivation of her own.
Jewel eyed the hammer suspiciously. Being made of rubies, her body was rock hard but not unbreakable. And as far as the bucket of water, that was obviously for Flame.
“Jewel, I suggest you reconsider your position and quickly,” Flame said.
Sighing in frustration, Jewel stepped behind Flame wrapping her ruby-red arms around her friend’s neck. The humanoid bonfire then quickly leapt into the air barely escaping the water Chen was throwing at them. However, in her effort to escape, Flame way overshot the circle of tigers and ended up flying high above the compound where she and Jewel were visible to the gargoyles stationed on the castle’s outer walls. Thousands of winged apes were pointing at the flying fireball, wondering what it could be.
Diving back down into the courtyard, Flame and Jewel were feeling unnerved from having seen the hordes of winged apes lining the outer walls. Being inside the tiger compound and focusing on the vitally important tasks at hand had helped the humanoid women to avoid thinking about the danger that was lurking outside the protective courtyard walls.
Now, zipping along at an enormous rate of speed, Flame and Jewel began circling around the tigers and men, just as the White Angels were doing. But the two humanoid women’s task was to burn off excess light energy and keep it from spilling over the containment-field wall.
Flame enveloped the entire group of men, tigers and angels with a ball of fire while Jewel absorbed heat energy from Flame and began shooting red beams of light from her eyes, wrapping them like rope around the ball of fire and reinforcing it. The containment field held, but the environment inside the ball of fire became super heated which would have baked King Tarlen, Captain Polaris, their 20 men and the 140 tigers to a crisp. However, the rivers of light energy flowing out of Prophet kept them all from being incinerated by absorbing most of the heat.
“Jewel and Flame, that’s enough. Break away. We’re finished,” White Angel 19 commanded. The humanoid women obeyed, flying high into the nighttime sky while drawing the ball of fire and ropes of red light along with them. Following close behind, Prophet took the rivers of energy that had been flowing through him high into the sky as well. After catching up to Jewel and Flame, the tiger warrior angel asked, “How can we dispose of all this energy?”
Flame pointed down at Dominion Castle’s front gates and headed towards them. After gaining considerable speed, she brought herself up hard snapping the fireball like the tip of a whip and launching it at the giant stone arch with its huge wooden doors. Prophet did the same with the rivers of light energy, slamming them down upon the wooden doors with incredible force.
The gargoyle warriors near the front entrance were vaporized by the heat. In fact, as fire and light engulfed the gates, the temperature became so extreme that not only was the wood reduced to ashes, but the rock walls supporting the gates began melting. When almost back at the tiger compound, Jewel, Flame and Prophet turned around and glanced once more at the entrance. It was reduced to rubble.
But something else quickly got their attention. An enormous moan was filling the air followed by someone screaming in pain and agony. Looking around, Jewel, Flame and Prophet couldn’t pinpoint the source of the screams. They seemed to be coming from every part of Dominion Castle.
Landing on the ground next to Marcheto, Flame asked, “What could that possibly be? It sounds like the walls themselves are crying out in pain.”
“The White Angels, my incantation and all the fire and light energy might have awakened the castle.”
“Oh my, and we just decimated the front gates. Is that what’s causing these cries of pain?” Flame asked.
“I’m not sure.”
“Legend has it that parts of Dominion Castle were built with ‘living stones’ but not the mountain-trail fortifications,” King Ulray said. “Lord Pensgraft will be using fire against the fortifications, but that’s all right. However, until we learn more about what these ‘living stones’ actually are, we should avoid burning the castle, itself, in any way.”
“Then, I’m useless?” Flame asked.
“No, you can use fire against gargoyles, but avoid hitting the castle directly.”
Okay, I’ll be careful.”
Returning to their original problem, Marcheto said, “Before the incantation, King Tarlen and his men would’ve died if they’d gotten too far from my wizard’s staff. So, as a test, I’m going to start walking towards the courtyard entrance. King Tarlen and Captain Polaris, if you or your men begin feeling weak, tell me and I’ll stop.”
“But surely, what we just went through must have worked. I’ve never seen such a display of energy and power,” King Tarlen said.
“Yes, and odds are you won’t ever again. I honestly don’t know how the White Angels held everything together.”
“Marcheto, I think Tarlen’s fine,” Genevieve said putting her arms around him.
“That’s good, but as I get farther from him, see how he feels.” The young wizard quickly strod
e 30 paces away, and then turned around and asked, “How are you, King Tarlen?”
“Great, thanks, no problem.”
“Captain Polaris?”
“I’m fine.”
“How about your men?”
Captain Polaris inspected the 20 members of the king’s personal guard and said, “Everyone seems okay.”
“Well, I guess that’s one problem solved,” Marcheto said smiling.
“We’re forever in your debt, Marcheto, but now I want you to walk towards me and walk slowly,” King Tarlen said calmly.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just don’t turn around. And don’t run.”
Marcheto didn’t understand, but he walked over to where everyone had congregated in the middle of the courtyard. Along with Genevieve, King Tarlen and his men, Chen’s 100 warrior women were there as were Tenacity’s 100 village women. King Ulray, Lord Grenitar, Chaktar, Prophet and 140 tigers were also in the center of the courtyard as were the White Angels, Zorya, Baelfire, Jewel and Flame. Everyone was looking somber and serious.
When Marcheto did finally look behind him, he saw hundreds of winged apes pouring into the tiger compound, and hundreds more were trying to squeeze through an overcrowded doorway that was jammed packed with gargoyles.
Chen was the first to respond and unsheathed her sword saying, “Well, we didn’t come here to go on a picnic.” But White Angel 19, taking a different approach, went over to the nearest courtyard wall, pressed herself up against it and said, “Ancient wizard, if you’re here, we need your help.”
Nothing happened.
Undeterred, White Angel 19 gently touched her forehead to the wall, pausing for a moment before placing both of her hands upon it, and then completed her strategic maneuver by brushing her lips against the wall and saying, “Ancient wizard, I implore you. Help us if you can.”
Suddenly, the base of an adjoining tower began to shake so hard a section collapsed creating an escape route leading inside the castle.
Let’s go,” White Angel 19 shouted, and everyone ran for the huge gap in the wall. Once inside, a second section of the tower high above the courtyard disintegrated sealing off the lower hole with tons of rubble.
“We must reach the outside walls,” King Tarlen said once the noise had subsided.
“Yes, and I can get us there unseen and unopposed,” King Ulray replied.
“How?”
“A new secret passageway.”
“That’s great.”
“Swarenth and his gargoyles should never have underestimated the Kardimonts.”
“Oh, Father, let’s make their lives miserable.”
“That’s my boy,” King Ulray smiled.
Chapter 23
Far below Dominion Castle, at the base of the mountain.
Dressed in green Kardimont tunics, over 3,000 mounted warriors charged across the bridge leading to the first mountain-trail fortification. Out in front, and shouting blood-curdling battle cries, were 100 members of King Tarlen’s personal guard. After Swarenth had killed King Ulray, they’d sworn allegiance to his son and vowed to destroy the evil gargoyle warlord. Well, today was their day, and they were so wild with enthusiasm and determination that the gargoyles on the fortification became transfixed at the sight of such frenzied warriors. After racing almost halfway across the bridge, these physically and emotionally volcanic men reined in their horses, dismounted, walked out in front of their animals, stood together in a group, and began screaming with rage at the winged apes stationed along the walls.
Years of repressed anger and hatred poured off of them. Long had they dreamt of this day, and some could hardly believe it was finally here. Thrusting their swords high into the air, they shouted with all their might, “King Tarlen! King Tarlen! King Tarlen!”
These members of the king’s personal guard were the elite of the elite, once being the greatest warriors in the Kardimont kingdom. Each was carrying a large golden shield with the Kardimont crest, a tiger’s face, upon it. Throwing caution to the wind, they rushed the fortification on foot, leaving their horses behind. However, once the king’s warriors were well within range of enemy archers, they stopped. Then, taking the gargoyles completely by surprise, three men stepped out in front of the others, dropped their shields and appeared to be totally defenseless.
Taking careful aim from atop the stone fortification, several winged apes launched arrows at the men, but each seemingly unprotected warrior held two little wooden shields slightly wider than an outstretched palm and barely noticeable, yet quite thick. Moving with incredible speed, they caught the arrows intended for them, long shafts sticking out of the wood like trophies.
Next, all the king’s personal guards began backing away from the fortification, but before reaching a completely safe distance from the gargoyle archers, they began pounding their shields with swords in a coordinated effort, building a hypnotic cadence interspersed with horrendous battle cries. Many gargoyles were nervously rubbing the stone walls, attempting to reassure themselves that the walls were real and that these battle-crazed warriors were only humans, not gods.
After this display of courage and laughing as hard as they could, the king’s personal guards returned to their horses and rode back to Lord Pensgraft and the main body of warriors.
“That should give them something to think about, my lord,” Lt. Nantaric said, who was the senior officer of the king’s men now that Captain Polaris was inside the castle.
“I’m glad you boys are having fun,” Lord Pensgraft said shaking his head over their brazen antics.
“Thank you, my lord. And if you don’t mind, we’d like to work the catapults. Raining fire down upon these miscreants would be a real treat,” Lt. Nantaric said eager to engage the enemy.
“Sure, go ahead. Oh, will you need our help at all? If not, maybe I should just disperse the troops,” Lord Pensgraft said smiling grimly.
Feigning a pained expression, Lt. Nantaric said, “Please excuse our bad manners, my lord. If you’d like, we could take turns working the catapults.”
“No, you go ahead,” Lord Pensgraft said not wanting to dampen the warrior’s spirits.
“It’s all right, my lord,” Captain Jeriana said. “It’s good for morale to start out like this. Getting up that mountain trail will be a bloody campaign, even with King Ulray’s battle plans. In the hours to come, there will be precious little laugher. We should enjoy it while we can.”
Looking around at the other warrior women encircling Lord Pensgraft, Captain Jeriana started smiling but not just because of the men’s infectious good humor. In both skill and courage, she was fully confident that her women could best the men.
“There will be plenty of time for us to prove ourselves,” Captain Jeriana assured her women. “And remember, gargoyle males treat their females like dirt. So when these winged apes find themselves dying at the hands of warrior women, the overall effect on gargoyle morale will be devastating. We’ll be having the last laugh, count on it.”
Another powerful warrior had been impressed by the performance of the king’s personal guards, but he wasn’t on the bridge with them. Instead, he was up on the fortification walls with Swarenth’s gargoyles.
Watching the spectacle and seeing the unnerving effect it had on the winged apes around him, General Zarkahn was pleased. However, looking at the horde of gargoyles hidden from view behind the protective walls, he knew the human warriors were facing a serious obstacle and were in grave danger. This fortification, though smaller than the other five along the mountain trail, still had hundreds of winged apes defending it.
How can I help Lord Pensgraft’s warriors? I’ve got to do something, but what? General Zarkahn asked himself. Ever since Carplorthian, the renowned “Grey Fox,” had brought the wayward general back into the fold, Zarkahn had been waiting for a chance to redeem himself.
“Are we going to take that from them?” General Zarkahn shouted, having quickly decided on a course of action.
M
any gargoyle warriors gave him questioning looks but said nothing. “Let’s show them we’re not afraid by doing something really bold,” the general added, goading them.
“What do you have in mind?” a gargoyle asked.
“Open the fortification gates and leave ourselves wide open to the enemy, then go outside the walls and dare them to challenge us,” General Zarkahn said trying to shame the gargoyles into taking reckless action, which, the general hoped, Lord Pensgraft’s warriors would exploit to their advantage.
“But why should we do that?”
“Where’s your pride? Don’t you care that they’re laughing at us?”
“Yes, I suppose so. Oh, I don’t know, maybe.”
“You’re a coward, a sniveling coward!” General Zarkahn shouted smashing the gargoyle in the head with his huge, iron-hard fist, the winged ape collapsing into a heap.
“Dominion Castle belongs to Swarenth not to Tarlen Kardimont who’s been running and hiding from our warlord for years. Don’t be intimidated by these royal riffraff,” General Zarkahn bellowed, but he was greeted with silence once again.
“I have a dozen warriors here under my direct command,” General Zarkahn shouted. “If the gates are opened, they’ll come with me. Won’t you?”
“Yes, general,” his men shouted back.
Having served with General Zarkahn for years, they knew him well and realized he was just as tired of living with gargoyles as they were, but there was something more. After his clandestine meeting with Carplorthian, the general had returned a changed man, more like his old self in the days when Lord Stallington was in his prime.
“Good, now open the gates,” General Zarkahn commanded, looking at the gargoyles stationed at the entrance. But none of them moved.
“It’s one thing to lack the courage to come outside but don’t stand in the way of warriors who have what it takes,” General Zarkahn said menacingly. When the gargoyles still didn’t budge, the general took his sword two inches out of its scabbard and said, “Open the gates now.”
Shaking their heads at the idea, but not ready to die over it, several winged apes lifted a long wooden beam used to hold the doors closed and removed it. Then, groaning from the effort, five gargoyles on each side pulled the doors inward, though cautiously opening them only halfway.
