The Beasts of Areon (The Chronicles of Areon Book 2)

by Aaron J. Ethridge

  “Never mind,” the maiden giggled again.

  In less than an hour, the party found itself at their companions' former campsite. Tealor dismounted and stepped quickly around the area.

  “This is odd,” he said at last.

  “What is it, my love?” the beautiful Sarena asked.

  “Well,” the warrior began, scanning the ground as he spoke, “someone else was here. If I had to guess, I'd say it was another elf.”

  “Dear heart,” she replied, “I would hardly find it surprising if they offered the hospitality of their camp to another traveler.”

  “No,” he shook his head. “It's more than that. It looks like one of their horses was carrying two when they left and it's obvious they headed due north, not north-west.”

  “Does that matter, love?”

  “Probably not,” he admitted. “I just wasn't expecting it. I hoped they would still be here when we arrived. Still, we'll catch them shortly.”

  Having said this, the warrior jumped back in the saddle and directed his beast north. The sun had risen to the point where Tealor could follow the trail even with their mounts in a trot. They rode on for nearly half an hour. Suddenly, a noise from the trail ahead attracted their attention. A roar that sounded almost unnatural rent the air and the familiar voice of Kilren yelled something inaudible. All four riders immediately kicked their mounts into a full gallop; flying down the trail ahead of them.

  Ian lifted the vial to the lips of the unconscious elf; pouring its contents down his throat. Erana stepped quickly to the side of her mount, taking up her bow and quiver. The dwarf shook Nathan vigorously as the sound from the forest become more and more audible. The warden opened his eyes with a dazed look on his face.

  “Up,” Ian demanded, lifting him to his feet and helping him into the saddle.

  “Erana,” Kilren snapped, holding out his hand, “get back up here.”

  “I can't fight sitting behind you,” she replied, stringing her bow.

  “Let's try not to fight,” he exclaimed, reaching back for his crossbow.

  It was at that moment that he realized it was still tied to his horse. The young rogue glanced up just in time to see it – right where he had left it – as Ian slapped the back of his mount; sending the beast, along with its rider and his weapon, flying into the woodlands ahead.

  “Figures…” he thought to himself as a giant beast burst from the undergrowth, roaring at the sight of the party.

  The rogue had never actually seen a troll before. He had heard of them, of course. Everyone had heard of them. However, what he heard hadn't prepared him for the sight that stood before him at that very moment.

  The beast was roughly eight feet tall and had to weigh several hundred pounds. Its muscles rippled beneath its leathery green skin and drool was pouring from its fang filled maw. As if its natural appearance hadn't been frightening enough, this particular beast was covered in glowing runes tattooed into its hide and it held a broken two-handed sword in one of its massive hands. In addition, it was so close to Ian that it would be able to reach the bard before the bard could reach his mount.

  “Get into one of those trees!” Kilren yelled at his bride-to-be before drawing his sword and charging the fearsome creature.

  Instantly, the beast threw out one of its long arms; striking Kilren's mount with the back of its fist. It hit the animal with such force that it collapsed; knocking the rogue from the saddle. Kilren had no sooner hit the earth, however, than he was back on his feet. The beast roared once more as it swung the massive blade it held at the dexterous young man.

  The rogue, who was no great swordsman, managed to block the blow. Though, doing so knocked the sword from his hand. The monstrous creature raised its weapon, intending to cut the rogue in half, when the sound of a fife suddenly filled the air. Transparent birds of various colors manifested in front of the terrible beast. For a single moment, it stood motionless; as if uncertain what they were. That was all the time Kilren needed.

  He snatched up his sword, thrusting it into the beast's stomach. At the same moment, an arrow struck the creature in the throat. It bellowed as it back slapped Kilren off his feet and into a tree some distance away. The monster wretched the blade from its gut, casting it to the ground; black blood pouring from the wound. Another arrow quickly followed the first and lodged itself in the beast's skull without any noticeable effects.

  Once more, the troll turned its attention to the, now dazed, rogue. However, as it took a step in the young man's direction, the fearsome Rragor leapt upon it. The noble creature had sped to the aid of his mistress' love as soon as he was in danger. The massive wolf latched onto the troll's sword arm and shook its head in blind fury.

  In response, the terrible creature reached up with its free hand; ripping the wolf open with its dagger-like claws before hurling its bleeding form into the nearby bushes. Erana screamed in fury; loosing another arrow at the monster. The deadly shaft sank into the beast's left eye and seemed, momentarily, to distract it. At least, it took the time to reach up and remove the dart before resuming its pursuit of Kilren.

  Ian began to sing a song the like of which neither of his companions had ever heard. The words were arcane in nature and, whatever their meaning might have been, it was beyond the understanding of the ranger or the rogue. As the tune ended, the dwarf pointed his palm at the monstrous beast. An arrow of green liquid shot from his outstretched hand and struck the creature in the back.

  It bellowed in rage as acid dissolved its flesh. Ian had done what he intended to; he had gotten the creature's attention. Unfortunately, he wasn't sure what to do with it now that he had it. His eyes shot around, searching for his pony. However, the wise creature had fled the field when the troll first arrived. The bard did the only thing he could at the moment. He started running in the opposite direction as fast as his rather short legs would carry him.

  The troll turned to give chase, moving at roughly twice the speed of the fleeing dwarf. Things might have gone very badly for the bard had Tealor and Darian not arrived at that very moment. The pair charged the terrible beast from behind, riding side by side. The mighty warrior's blade sliced deeply into the monster’s back while the blade of the Telian cut into its left shoulder.

  Ignoring the warrior, the troll turned its attention to the young knight. As Darian spun his mount around, intending to charge once again, he found the creature right behind him. It hit him with a force for which he was completely unprepared. The bold Telian crashed to earth and the monster raised it massive, clawed foot to crush his skull. The Eilian filled the young knight with strength, however, as he raised his sword in defense; forcing it completely through the beast's foot. The creature bellowed once more as it jerked away from the blade.

  At that moment, Sarena appeared chanting words of power. Jets of flame shot from the outstretched hands of the sorceress. However, the runes that covered the trolls body pulsated with light – extinguishing the inferno just before it reached the monster's flesh. The mount on which the sorceress rode was terrified by the flying flames and began to buck wildly. Had Sarena been less of a horsewoman she would have found herself instantly thrown from the saddle. As it was, she barely managed to keep her seat.

  Once again, Tealor rode by the beast; slashing it deeply across the side. At almost the same instant, another arrow struck it near the base of its skull. The creature reeled for a moment, its breathing heavy and harsh. It steadied itself as the knight rose to his feet. The troll sprang on the young Telian, lashing out at him with the broken sword held in its iron grip. Ian hurled another jet of acid into the creature's back and, again, the beast roared. This time, however, it was not distracted. It seemed determined to end the life of the young Telian.

  Darian had never faced an opponent like this. Time and time again, the monster's sword flew at the young knight and, time and time again, he blocked its fearsome blows. Pain throbbed through the Telian's arm. He couldn't survive long against this creature; he would have
to kill or be killed. He waited for an opening.

  Gwendolyn surveyed the battle quickly. It was clear that this conflict was beyond her current skill, but it was equally obvious that she had to help in any way that she could. Scanning the field, she noticed Kilren rising to his feet only to collapse again. She leapt from the saddle and rushed to his side. Clearly, he could use her aid.

  Again, Sarena attempted to engulf the creature in her all-consuming fire, having taken the precaution of dismounting first. As the flames neared the monstrous creature, the runes that covered it began to glow once again. Some magical force was obviously protecting the creature. She would overcome it. The sorceress focused all her power and all her will into fueling the fire that flowed from her body. At last, the shield seemed to collapse and the beast felt at least some of the blaze's deadly effects.

  The troll dropped its massive blade at Darian's head, narrowly missing him. It was the opportunity he had been waiting for. The young knight stepped deftly to the side before severing the creature's outstretched hand. However, this also exposed the Telian. The monster grabbed him by the throat with its remaining hand, lifting him from the ground while also holding his sword at bay with its severed limb. As it began to squeeze the life from the bold knight, Tealor once again struck the creature from behind; this time severing its massive head from its gigantic body.

  At that instant, Nathan rode into view with Kilren's crossbow readied in his hands. Both Erana and Gwendolyn were yelling Darian's name, the fair elf having leapt from the tree in which she was perched before flying to her injured love. The Telian quickly came to the aid of his ally to find his bruised, bleeding, and currently prostrate friend laying in the tall grass; a beautiful girl on either side of him.

  “Let me help you,” the Telian said, dropping to his knees.

  “No!” Kilren exclaimed, staring up at the knight through an almost-swollen-shut eye. “Rragor first; save Rragor.”

  “But...” Darian began.

  “Kilren,” Erana said, tears in her eyes.

  “I'm fine,” the rogue interjected, grimacing in pain, “hurry before he dies!”

  The knight didn't stop to think. He leapt to his feet, his eyes searching the area for the wounded animal. Fortunately, the creature's size – coupled with the fact that he was slowly crawling toward his mistress – made the poor beast easy to find. Darian had to admit that the creature was seriously injured, but not so badly as to pose any difficulties for a Telian.

  The knight asked the Eilian to heal the noble animal before reaching out to touch the unfortunate brute. As soon as the knight's hands reached him, his wounds began to close; his injuries vanishing as if they had never existed. The bard didn't wait for the young knight to finish, however, and ran to the aid of the young rogue himself.

  “I'm pretty sure my ribs are broken,” Kilren observed.

  “Which ones?” Ian asked, staring down at his friend.

  “Oh,” he said with a pain filled sigh, “all of them...”

  Ian sang a song of healing that mended the rogue's flesh and renewed his spirit. By the tune's end, it was clear that Ian was not feeling as well as he might.

  “Are you alright,” Kilren asked sitting up.

  “Aye, lad,” Ian nodded. “That I am. I'm just a little weary. That was a bit of a fight.”

  “Sorry I missed it,” Nathan said, having ridden up the party.

  “I'm just glad to see that you're still alive,” the bard observed. “I wasn't sure you would be.”

  “Neither was I,” the warden observed. “Even now, I feel a little...”

  The elf paused, reeling slightly in the saddle; a cold sweat on his brow.

  “Darian,” Ian cried. “We need your help.”

  The Telian instantly responded to the summons and, in moments, had restored the health of the wounded warden using the power of the Eilian.

  “Thank you,” Nathan said, extending his hand to the young knight. “You saved my life. In fact, you all saved my life and I thank each and every one of you.”

  “Happy to be of service, lad,” Ian replied. “Happy to be of service.”

  Having said this, he turned his gaze to the fair Sarena.

  “Now, my dear,” he said. “I could use your help.”

  “Of course,” the sorceress smiled.

  The bard turned, followed by the sorceress and the rest of party, and stepped over to the remains of the troll.

  “I think it would be best if you burned the beast to ashes,” he said, staring down at the monster's broken body.

  “Why bother?” Kilren asked. “It's already dead.”

  “It isn't,” the bard asserted.

  “What?” the rogue laughed before stabbing it with his sword several times. “It's stone dead.”

  “I assure you; it isn't.” Ian said, shaking his head.

  “Okay,” the rogue replied. “If you say so.”

  “Trolls regenerate, Kilren,” Sarena pointed out as she took up a position above the beast. “If we don't completely destroy the creature, it will heal itself given time. Step back, everyone. Gwendolyn, come stand beside me. This will be good practice for you.”

  The two sorceresses stood side by side gazing down at the seemingly dead creature.

  “Do as I do,” Sarena instructed.

  The sorceress stretched her open palms above the beast and fire began to pour from her hands. Gwendolyn concentrated all her efforts on following her instructor's example. The flames obeyed her will and engulfed the monster at her feet in magical fire. In less than a minute, nothing remained of the beast's body but a smoldering pile of ashes.

  “I feel a little queasy,” the maiden said as soon as they were finished.

  “That's normal, dear,” the sorceress assured her. “You've channeled enough power for today. You need to rest.”

  Once the troll had been dealt with, Ian turned his attention to his newly arrived companions.

  “Now that the current crisis is over,” Ian began, “I would like to know – and don't think for an instant that I'm not grateful – why you four are here.”

  “King Illfas sent a message to Andor,” Darian replied. “It seems that the beasts and, of course, the trolls in the kingdom are becoming more and more aggressive...”

  “No kidding!” Kilren interjected.

  “Well, yes,” the knight chuckled. “Andor thought it would be safer for us to all travel together. He's sent me as an envoy to the king until he can come himself.”

  “That is a great honor!” the elvish maid exclaimed. “We'll be happy to come with you.”

  As she said this, her gaze shifted to her betrothed.

  “Of course, it will mean having to delay meeting my father,” she said before thoughtfully biting her lower lip.

  “Oh?” Kilren said, a fleeting tone of excitement in his voice that he quickly smothered with the sound of disappointment. “Well, what must be, must be. What can't be cured must be endured and all that.”

  “I'm sorry,” the fair ranger replied, “But, under the circumstances...”

  “No, no,” he interjected. “I completely understand. We have to put the good of the kingdom first!”

  As the decision was made, the band quickly collected the straying horses, along with Ian's pony. Within the span of a few minutes, they were back on the trail leading to Dalfaen. The capital of Innalas was roughly due north of their position, so the village would be on their way. Ian, Tealor, and Sarena took the lead with Nathan riding a short distance behind. Darian and Gwendolyn rode alongside Kilren and Erana, who were still sharing a horse, at the rear.

  “I've killed a number of trolls in my time,” the warrior said, turning his head to look at the bard. “That wasn't anything like your standard troll.”

  “Not by half,” Ian agreed. “Those runes tattooed all over it are what really concern me.”

  “Me, as well,” the sorceress said with a nod. “If we face another, I'll be more prepared. But those wards are, to say the l
east, difficult to overcome. Only a very knowledgeable wizard could have done such a thing.”

  “I completely agree,” Ian replied. “That brings two questions to mind. First, who in these parts would be powerful enough to create such enchantments? Second, what's the motivation?”

  “As for the reason,” Tealor began, “could it have been some kind of guardian? Could the creature have broken free of its master's control and simply reverted to it natural instincts? Which for a troll, of course, is to simply kill everything you run across and eat it.”

  “Aye, that's possible,” Ian replied scratching himself under his beard, “but, I have my doubts. Mainly because King Illfas sent for Andor. I suspect this is just an example – an extreme example I admit – of the troll problems Innalas is having.”

  “I take your point,” the warrior agreed.

  “Could this be Galrin's doing?” Sarena asked, considering the possibilities. “He certainly has both the power and the knowledge it would require.”

  “Undoubtedly,” the bard agreed, “but, I don't see any motivation. I doubt he or Valrak have any plans against Innalas. At least, not for the moment.”

  “What if their plans aren't against Innalas?” Tealor replied.

  “What do you mean?” Ian asked.

  “I mean,” the warrior replied, glancing back over his shoulder. “What if this has to do with Gwendolyn? What if this is part of a plan to recapture her?”

  “I don't see how it could be,” Ian replied, shaking his head. “They couldn't have known Andor would send her here.”

  “No,” Tealor agreed. “However, I'm sure they knew that King Illfas would ask for Andor's aid under the circumstances. They may be hoping to lure him from the fortress so they can kidnap her in his absence.”

  “Perhaps,” the bard admitted. “If that's the case, she's safer with us than she would be back at the fortress.”

  “I certainly agree,” the warrior nodded. “Though, that doesn't alter the fact that Valrak is still after her and that this may all be his and Galrin's doing.”

  “I still think their involvement is improbable,” Ian replied. “They're not likely to risk attacking Innalas over it.”