The Madness of Gods and Kings

by Christian Warren Freed

Dawn found the wagon trundling north. Bahr still wasn’t sure exactly where they had been transported to or where the ruins of Arlevon Gale were but they had to move. Sitting stagnant wasn’t productive and worse, time was steadily slipping through their fingers. The day Anienam Keiss long prophesied was almost upon them. The end of the world. Or the birth of a new one. Bahr still wasn’t sure what was about to happen.

  No one had seen any other sign suggesting enemy patrols were in the area, thankfully. Boen rode ahead, screening the area and guiding them closer to a small range of hills. The clouds broke and the sky turned bright blue. Sunlight, cold in the winter day, blinded them. Weapons out, the tiny band moved north.

  “Does it hurt?” Skuld asked timidly. He couldn’t imagine the world suddenly turning dark.

  Anienam reached out and pat the back of Skuld’s hand. “Not in a way you’d think. I feel no physical pain but my memories are burned into me. It is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Most interesting if you think about it.”

  Skuld didn’t want to think about it. In fact, the longer the quest drug on the more he wanted to return to his old life and forget the rest of the world. Sneaking aboard the Dragon’s Bane had been the biggest mistake of his young life. “Doesn’t the darkness bother you?”

  “That’s where you are wrong. It’s not dark. Not in this world. I can see swirling patterns of light. Impossible, one might say. I can no longer see shapes. My world is considerably restricted. My other senses are amplified. I can smell better, feel better, hear sounds the rest of you take for granted and ignore. I must admit that it will take me some time to deal with losing my vision. It is most difficult living this way. My heart grows heavy with the thought that I will never be able to gaze upon the familiar sights of Malweir.” Or that I won’t be able to see what I’m doing once the final battle arrives.

  He left the thought there. Worrying over the unchangeable served no purpose. He was blind and must accept it if was going to be able to move forward and contribute his special skillset to the group. They might not realize just how important Anienam was to the overall success or failure of their quest. He tried to downplay his importance, but the point was coming where he wouldn’t be able to hide it. War was a despicable act, among the worst in civilization’s litany of grievances, and the one about to erupt was unlike any seen in ten thousand years.

  Skuld secretly thought the old man was crazy but he’d never muster the strength, or stupidity, to mention it. Losing vision seemed nearly as bad as having a limb cut off or, he shuddered at the thought, losing his tongue. He’d long had nightmares of the sharp blade of a dagger slicing through his tongue. The very thought turned his stomach and filled him with dread. He stared at the wizard with new found admiration. “Just let me know if you need anything. I will help you.”

  Anienam smiled warmly. “Thank you, my boy. It doesn’t sit well with me to accept charity, but I’d be a damned old fool if I turned it down now. That being said, I’ll be sure to get your attention if I need help. I do, however, think you should be driving this wagon. Wouldn’t want to run into a ditch or a large boulder would we?”

  They shared a nervous laugh and continued on.

  Bahr listened to their banter and took hope. He’d worried the old man might turn in on himself and become reclusive. Certainly he was allowed to discover the depths of despair from his ailment. But Bahr knew Anienam wasn’t that sort of man. He’d gone through foul events over the course of his life few others could relate to. The tortured past of the order of Mages his legacy, Anienam made his way through life burdened by being the last of a long line. Bahr began to wonder if there was coincidence between the approaching final battle between the gods and the fact that Anienam was the last of his line. The idea certainly garnered attention.

  He spurred his horse, deciding to catch up to Boen. Riding blindly with the wagon served no purpose and he needed to get his bearings. Nothing in the immediate area bore a hint of familiarity. Loath as he was to admit it, Bahr was lost in his own kingdom. A lesser man might suffer great embarrassment but Bahr never felt truly close with his homeland. The separation between brothers and the crown had much to do with that and, until recently, he harbored no regrets. His life was one of his choosing. Coming home after Harnin One Eye burned it all to the ground was disturbing.

  Bahr found the Gaimosian riding slowly. There were no roads in this part of Delranan, telling Bahr they were well to the west of Chadra. Depending on where in the west they’d arrived, they had a great deal of travel east to find Arlevon Gale. The ruins were marked on every map as one of the few places to avoid at all costs. Dread things were said to haunt them. Rumors of those foolish enough to ignore the warnings only to disappear were spread throughout every village and hamlet in Delranan. Evil thrived where men seldom dared to dwell.

  Hearing another rider approach, Boen reined in and turned. The look on his face was of satisfaction. He was back in his element. A Gaimosian’s strength lay in working alone in hostile situations. He took pride in being able to cut through enemy soldiers without thought or effort. A born warrior, he found working closely with others distasteful at best. Being an integral part of the group changed his perspective, slightly. He’d always enjoyed Bahr’s friendship, at least since their first adventure nearly thirty years ago. The battle with the Cave Trolls in the foothills of the Kergland Spine still brought its share of laughs and retellings.

  His mind drifted as Bahr rode up to him. The Sea Wolf was in worse shape than Boen. It was a sad fact not unnoticed by the others. This quest was draining their lives, hollowing them out into crisped hulks. Boen was ready for it to be finished so that he might move on to warmer climates with less danger.

  “It’s damned cold,” he grumbled. His eyes were just as cold as the freshly fallen snows and hard as the ice coating. “I was getting used to the jungle again.”

  Bahr eyed him queerly. How could anyone get used to the sweltering heat of a jungle, especially when they came from the north? He’d be just as pleased if he never saw Brodein again. “You get used to the cold. Besides, it won’t last much longer. Winter is nearly done. The spring thaws aren’t far off.”

  “Far enough if you ask me,” Boen replied. “Shouldn’t you be back with the wagon? The others will need you more than I do.”

  Bahr struggled not to find insult in the comment. “They talk too much. Have you seen anything?”

  He shook his head. “Nothing but birds. This isn’t a very habitable part of the kingdom. Not enough trees or rivers.”

  “I can’t help that, at least it gives me a vague idea of where we are.” He paused as a small wind devil whirled across the snow. He half expected Boen to ask the obvious. “Chadra is far to the east and the ruins even farther. I don’t know exactly how far, but we’ve got a long way to go before Groge can use the hammer.”

  Boen crossed his wrists over the saddle’s pommel and leaned forward, stretching the tensed muscles of his back. “This could be lovely country if not for all of the snow.”

  “Have you seen any tracks?” Bahr shifted the conversation. They’d come too far to waste time with idle banter. Each knew the other’s strength and weaknesses. Small talk wasn’t for either man.

  Boen shook his head. “Nothing human. There’s plenty of game around but none of the heavy horse or infantry Rekka claims to have seen. Are we sure she was accurate?”

  “I trust her more than some of the others,” Bahr admitted. The jungle woman was standoffish to the point it was almost uncomfortable being around her but she had proven her worth several times over. “If she says she saw tracks I believe her.”

  He wished he didn’t. This far out in the wilds there was no reason for an armed patrol. It didn’t make sense. “Boen, we’re missing some vital element to this mess.”

  “That being?” the big Gaimosian asked without hesitation. He’d gone over their impossible scenario a hundred times and still hadn’t come up with an answer.

  Bahr stifled a yawn. “We
know there’s a rebellion against Harnin going on. Lord Argis abandoned us to aid them. Without the proper infrastructure there’s no reason for the enemy to be patrolling this far west, if we are as west as I think we are. Not even the rebels would be operating this far out.”

  “Unless they’ve been driven from the cities,” Boen countered. “Rebellions seldom end well. Most are crushed by the reigning monarchs. The others manage to overthrow the throne but do so with extreme violence that betrays their own motives. Kingdoms have shattered under such. It’s not hard to imagine the same happening in Delranan.”

  As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Bahr held the same suspicions. The more he became invested in this quest the more he began to care for his kingdom. Frowning, he knew what he had to do, not only for himself but for the good of the people. “Perhaps Argis altered their direction and pulled Harnin out of Chadra. We can’t assume the rebellion has failed or succeeded at this point. There’s not enough information.”

  “We should focus on what we control,” Boen offered. Thinking about the infinite number of futures they were heading towards served little purpose.

  Reluctantly Bahr agreed. They needed to get their bearings and set the proper course. Much as he enjoyed the quiet the countryside offered, he needed to get his group moving in the right direction. Each day they wandered aimlessly with the Blud Hamr threatened to bring more of their enemies closer. A giant target was painted on their backs and he needed to get rid of it before something bad claimed them.

  “Once we reach those hills to the northwest I should be able to get a better notion as to where we are,” he said.

  “In the meantime?”

  “Keep your eyes open. Let me know the moment you see anything, whether it’s tracks or smoke from a chimney,” Bahr paused. “We keep moving until then.”

  Boen unfolded his hands and picked up the reins. He clicked his horse forward as Bahr turned to leave. Snow burst upwards from a score of positions surrounding them. Men and women dressed in all white and armed with long spears, swords, and crossbows surrounded the pair. Bahr reached for his sword as his horse bucked from shock. Boen already had his out, the cold steel glimmering in the sunlight.

  “Put your weapons down and raise your hands. Do as we say and no one needs to die,” the stern voice commanding them echoed across the plain.

  Bahr felt his heart sink. They’d been captured.

  NINE

  Chance Encounter

  They were blindfolded and bound to their saddles. Brusque hands shoved them into compliance. Their captors balked at the sight of Groge, threatening to break and run until one of the rougher ones put his blade to Bahr’s throat and threatened to split him open. Groge complied willingly. The rest were put atop their horses and forced along an unfamiliar path. Bahr guessed they travelled for the rest of the day before halting for the night.

  He was the first to de-horse. Hands tied behind his back, he was led into a stand of thick pines. The center had been cleared out. A handful of stumps dotted the ground with their trees lining the circle to form a protective barrier capable of hiding them from prying eyes. The warmth of a fire kissed his face and his heart sank. Harnin had captured them. The quest was over.

  “Remove his blindfold,” a woman’s voice ordered.

  Bahr stiffened. The last he knew there were no women in Harnin’s army, nor was he keen on finding any. Rumor had it that Harnin was partial to finding satisfaction with other men. Bahr didn’t know, nor did he care. The only thing that mattered was here, now. His blindfold was dragged off his head. Cold fingers scraped across his brow. Bahr blinked rapidly to get used to the light quicker and tried to take in his surroundings.

  The clearing was as close to a field command area as his captors were going to get. A few cots were set up on the far side with packs and other bags stacked nearby. Tree branches arched, forming a natural dome. What little snow managed to drift in melted quickly. He heard sounds of movement outside the clearing, suggesting a large number of men and women.

  “Where am I?” he asked, deciding to sound firm. Each of his captors wore different clothes. They were either mercenaries or specialty commandos Harnin started using after Badron went on campaign.

  The woman raised her hand sharply. “I’ll ask the questions here, Bahr, brother of Badron. What are you doing out here?”

  He suppressed a frown. How could she possibly know who he was? There was no better way to find out. “How do you know my name?”

  She laughed in his face. “You didn’t think the brother of the king could go unnoticed in his own kingdom, no matter how far west we are, did you? You are not the most welcome person in Delranan at the moment.”

  “I haven’t been in Delranan for months,” he protested, genuinely confused. “In fact, I only just returned. You have me mistaken.”

  “I think not. I’ve seen you several times, enough to recognize you no matter how grey your beard grows or the lines on your face deepen. This is not the same kingdom you once knew.” She fell silent, questioning her next move. The relationship between brothers was well documented throughout the kingdom yet Bahr didn’t seem interested in discussing it. Perhaps she was wrong?

  “Tell me, Bahr, if you haven’t been in Delranan, just where have you been? Don’t lie. I have no problem ordering Orlek here to cut your throat,” she told him.

  Not feeling the threat she promised, Bahr did. He glossed over several key areas. Whoever this woman was didn’t need to learn about the Blud Hamr or the quest to stop the dark gods. At least not until he discovered whether she was another of Harnin’s agents or not. When he was done he was exhausted and, near as he could tell, so was she. Mention of Boen set her back some. Clearly she hadn’t been expecting to run across a Gaimosian, or a Dwarf and Giant for that matter. If she learned nothing else from his tale she learned Bahr traveled with dangerous companions.

  “It appears I have been rude to you, Captain, but I needed to ensure you were not in league with that bastard One Eye,” she said with measured tone. “My name is Ingrid and I am the leader of the rebellion. Welcome to our camp. I believe there is much for us to discuss.”

  The rebellion! How it came to be led by a woman was a mystery. The last he knew Lord Argis had returned to assume the leadership position. Had matters gone so drastically wrong in such a short period of time that he was no longer with them? Having been a prisoner in Harnin’s dungeons himself it didn’t take much thought before his mind wandered down foul paths best left forgotten.

  “Thank you, Ingrid, but I can’t sit here in comfort while the rest of my companions are out in the cold freezing,” Bahr said.

  “They will be taken care of, now that we recognize you as friend. Orlek, please see to his companions,” Ingrid ordered.

  Orlek, a swarthy-looking man in Bahr’s opinion, gave him a withering glare and followed his instructions after a moment’s hesitation. “Clearly he’s not as convinced as you are.”

  Her gaze lingered an extra moment longer on her second in command before she turning back to her guest. “We have endured a great deal of turmoil in your absence, Bahr. Delranan is not the kingdom you were born in. Darkness rots the heart. Brother turns on brother without thought. Many thousands have died this winter and, unfortunately, there is no end in sight. I fear for the future.”

  It gets worse and I’m not sure you can handle it. He contemplated telling her about the dark gods’ influence and their urgent need to get to Arlevon Gale but wasn’t convinced himself that she was who she claimed to be. Anyone in her position would almost have to consider turning him over to Harnin in exchange for a reduction in hostilities. He admitted he’d be hard-pressed to ignore such a proposition if he was in the same position.

  “As much as I’d like to help, I need to know more,” he said.

  Ingrid pursed her lips, debating how much to divulge. In the end she realized there was no actual choice. The only way to garner the brother of the king’s aid was to appeal to his patriotism, if a
ny remained. Bahr was notorious for having turned his back on Delranan in pursuit of his own interests.

  “Harnin has roughly seven thousand men at arms. Most are the Wolfsreik reserves but enough of the citizens have sided with him to significantly bolster their forces. Rumors of Badron’s return from the war have centralized his focus to the east where the main body of soldiers is busy constructing a series of redoubts and fortresses. He clearly intends on jamming up the Wolfsreik long enough to make it a war of attrition. I’m hoping he does.”

  Bahr frowned. The last he’d heard the army had abandoned his brother, at least according to Artiss Gran. The truth in that remained to be seen. “I don’t see how that will help your rebellion. From what I gather you are either seriously under strength or spread too thin to be effective. Whatever battles are fought in the east will only delay the inevitable. Whoever wins will eventually turn their eye west, to you.” Not to mention I’ll have to fight through two armies to reach the ruins. Can this get any more difficult?

  “Harnin is desperate to finish us off before the king returns. He can’t and he knows it. We’ve estimated he’s thrown close to two thousand men at us. We’re hitting supply trains and small patrols every chance we can get and, while it’s gone far in disrupting his war-fighting capabilities, he still has enough in store to starve us out before spring.” She shook her head fervently. “I can beat him. I know this, but I need more than what I have.”

  Bahr exhaled a careful breath. “We didn’t come here to fight a war, Ingrid.”

  Anger flashed in her eyes. “It appears some things are incapable of changing. Aside from wasting my time, why have you returned to your birth kingdom?”

  “That…is a tale for your ears only,” he stated flatly.

  * * * * *

  “Why are we wasting our time with these people?” Ironfoot asked Boen. Naturally disgruntled, the Dwarf wasn’t prone to sitting idle when important matters needed to be done. “We should be on our way east to finish this affair with the dark gods.”