Thunderbolt (Dynasty of Storms Book 2)

by Brandon Cornwell

  Geoff tilted his head. “How do you know that?”

  Quartz continued to examine his ankle. “Bones are made of the same stuff that stones are, when you get down to the technicalities. That is what my master specializes in; magic concerning the earth, stones, crystals, caverns, and the like. When applied creatively, the range of things you can do, with the proper skill, is much wider than one would expect.”

  She looked up at Elias, her eyes as deep purple as an amethyst. “Normally, I would have you drink a concoction to numb the pain.” She glanced over at Geoff. “Do you have any poppyseed tea?”

  Geoff shook his head. “I ran out in Greenreef and haven't been able to find more.”

  Amethyst looked back at Elias, and pursed her lips. “This is going to hurt.”

  Elias furrowed his brow, but before he could say anything, he felt as though the bones of his feet were being torn asunder, ripped apart and reformed under the skin. He watched in agony, gripping the arms of his chair, unable to move as his ankle turned one way, then another, sharply, and everyone in the room could hear an audible crunch as his foot jerked upwards, then sharply back down. He grunted in pain, baring his teeth and moving to grip his leg.

  Quartz maintained a gentle, but firm hold on his foot, and from under her hands, a bright lavender glow appeared, illuminating the room as it grew in intensity. It spread into Elias's foot, and up his leg, almost to where he was gripping it. The swelling on his foot started to recede, and the light faded with it. When Quartz finally released him, his foot was no longer bruised or swollen, and the pain he had felt was replaced by a deep, dull ache instead.

  Quartz leaned back, breathing heavily. “Try to stand, if you will.”

  Cautiously, Elias lowered his foot to the floor, and tested it. The ache protested for a moment, but it was already fading. He stood then, and shifted his weight back and forth between his feet. There were no shooting pains, and his ankle didn't feel like it was going to twist out from underneath him. He looked at Quartz, a feeling of wonder passing over him. “How did you do that? I feel no more pain. It is as if I had never broken it.”

  Still breathing heavily, Quartz rested her head against the back of the chair. Lifting her hands, she waggled her fingers theatrically.

  “Magic.”

  Geoff shook his head, as if trying to clear his vision. He blinked a few times, his eyes wide. “No. Really. How did you do that? I examined him myself. I didn't see any broken bones in his foot, only in his ankle, and they were definitely broken.”

  Quartz shook her head, holding her hand up reassuringly. “Do not doubt your skills, Geoff. You are talented, perhaps more than any surgeon in these parts. But you work with the body and the rules that the body has to follow. I am not bound by those rules. I wasn't being facetious when I said it was magic.”

  She took a deep breath, and sat forward again, visibly worn out from her efforts. “While it is not what my master's discipline is meant for, it is something within our range, so with enough effort, we can heal some wounds. Sprains, broken bones, cuts, all of these can be knit back together if one has the correct discipline and knows how.”

  She gestured towards his foot with one hand. “Bones are just stone, muscles and blood are just more elements, more minerals. We are all made of earth and water, and will return to earth and water when we die. With this understanding, anything short of bringing back the dead is possible.” She sighed. “Though, it can be exhausting. It takes much more energy to do something you're not supposed to do, especially when you're doing it with something you're not supposed to do it with.

  Brandt ducked as his squire removed his breastplate, lifting it over the Northman's head. “When they took Valtheim, I struck one of Carloman's guards in the jaw for insulting my mother. I broke his jaw, but I also broke my hand. Quartz here healed me that night, when she arrived. She counseled me to bide my time and accept their terms, lest we all be put to the sword. She said that there would be a time that we could rise up, and that she would let me know when the time was right.”

  Elias glanced over at Brandt. “She is your counselor?”

  Brandt smiled. “I suppose I learned from my father in that regard, to listen to the words of the elves, even if they look young enough to be your children.”

  Elias considered this. While he was never officially Brynjar's counsel, he did often speak with the late king about matters of court or state. He had just thought the king was using him as a sounding board, but perhaps he was mistaken.

  He looked back at Quartz, who was watching him with those large purple eyes of hers.

  “So,” he said, “you now have my full attention. How can we recover Eira from the Carloman's fortress?”

  She smiled, her weariness growing more and more evident, her eyes heavy-lidded. “I will discuss this with you in the morning. For now, I must rest, and I suggest you do the same. Two armies are marching towards Valtheim right now, and they are much closer than you realize.”

  Chapter Nine

  12th Waning Autumn Moon, Year 4369

  The morning dawned cold, overcast, and with a slight fog. Nearly two weeks had passed since the autumnal equinox, and the days were growing shorter than the nights. The doors of the great hall were closed against the cool morning, and a fire crackled in both hearths, one on either side of the room.

  Elias sat at one of the long tables with Tataramoa, Martin, and Geoff. Jenna and Jonas hadn't joined them yet, and Brandt was busy overseeing the aftermath of the battle. Around them sat warriors and soldiers, sea elves gathering around one table, dwarves around another, soldiers from Valtheim interspersed with both groups. Elias looked around the room and smiled. While he had grown up in Valtheim, as a lone elf, he had stood out, and stood apart from the men of the Northlands. However, now that these men had fought side by side with elves and dwarves, there was a sort of camaraderie among them. Perhaps this was the beginning of a breakthrough in the xenophobia of the Northlands.

  Roasted meats, bread, and vegetable stew lay out on the tables on platters and in large serving cauldrons - not a feast by any means, but soldiers were hungry, and there was much work to be done. The warriors were taking their meals in shifts before returning to their work; there were thousands of bodies to be dealt with, and preparations for fortifying Valtheim against the battle that was coming.

  To a man, the forces of Adalhard and Gerulf had been eradicated. Well over two thousand enemy soldiers had been killed, and those men needed to be buried or burned. Elias had spoken with several dwarven soldiers, and they suggested digging shallow, wide pits, filling them with straw and logs, and piling the dead on them. Once there was a suitable arrangement, the timber could be burned, and the ashes buried. Typically, this task would be left to the surviving, captured enemy soldiers, but every soldier not loyal to Elias or Brandt had been killed, so they were left with the task of cleaning up the battle themselves.

  Elias's forces had taken significant casualties, being the vanguard; nearly four hundred sea elves had been slain, and around five hundred dwarves. Brandt's soldiers had suffered similar losses, between seven and eight hundred men lost. In all, there were over sixteen hundred fallen friends to be given funeral services, but with the threat of battle looming, that would have to wait.

  The door from Brandt's chambers opened, and Quartz stepped out, closing it behind her. She took a seat across from Elias and dipped some stew into a bowl. She ate in silence for a while, while Elias conversed with his companions, small talk over breakfast.

  After a short time, Quartz finished her meal and sat back. Elias leaned back in his chair as well, and watched her until she looked up at him. Her eyes were indeed a deep, amethyst purple color, though they didn't actually glow with their own light. He waited for her to speak, steepling his fingers in front of him, elbows resting on the table.

  She held his eyes for a moment with her own before she spoke. “So. As I said last night, there are more forces on their way to Lonwick. In three days time, o
n the night of the new moon, they will attack.”

  Martin took a bite of roast beef. “How do you know this?”

  Quartz glanced over at him. “I have my sources throughout the Northlands, and beyond. They left Steinhalt and Eisberg two days ago, and they are making excellent time. I expect them to make their camps on the northern and western ridges.”

  Elias frowned. “That would make sense. Do you know the size of their forces?”

  Quartz nodded. “Adalhard is sending six thousand, a third of which is cavalry, and Gerulf is sending half again as many. Together, they number close to fifteen thousand.”

  Tataramoa shook his head, and Elias cursed. “That's three thousand more than we have. If we fortify our position from inside the walls, then we can wait for winter to hit. With any luck, the cold will force them to retreat.”

  Brandt took a seat next to Elias, coming up from behind. “They are Northmen, Elias. They are as acclimated to the cold as our own men are. The winter will not deter them.”

  Elias looked aside at Brandt. “Do you have a plan?”

  Brandt nodded. “If everything went for the best, they should have a considerable number of my men with them. My hope is that they will be fighting under the pretext of reclaiming their home from invaders. When I give the signal, with any luck, they will break ranks and join our men in defense of Valtheim.”

  Martin looked up, his mouth half full. “What's the signal?”

  Brandt glanced over. “When I drop the banners of Valtheim on the walls, my men will know that they are to break ranks and join my forces. Provided they were able to accompany the forces sent to attack us, of course. We won't know until they arrive.”

  Quartz sat back. “That would be ideal. I can, of course, aid in the war effort.”

  Martin took another bite. “If you can work more of your healing magic, that would keep our troops fresh and fighting.”

  Quartz looked askance at Martin, raising an eyebrow, but didn't respond. Elias had a feeling she was keeping something back, but decided not to press her. Not yet, at least. She clearly had her secrets, but Brandt trusted her. He hadn't decided how he felt about her, but he had a feeling that he would soon have an opportunity to make up his mind.

  Brandt paused, glancing between his guests, before continuing. “We'll need to dig some pits between the ridges and the city, and we don't have much time. I certainly hope your dwarves are as handy with a pick and shovel as their reputation suggests. When their cavalry closes with us, we need to neuter them before they hit our archers.”

  Geoff stood, having finished his meal. “I'll pass the word on to their captains. I'm sure they'll be amenable.”

  Tataramoa nodded. “I'll see to the elves. I think we would be best suited as archers. We've lost many, and we are not as suited to this cold as you mainlanders are, with your beards and your metal shirts.” He stood as well. “We will need to restore our supply of arrows. Are your blacksmiths able to assist us? Your land does not have the right stone for us to make our own.”

  “They are already making arms and armor to replace those broken last night,” Brandt said. “We have a store of arrows in the armory, thousands and thousands. Take what you need from there, if they suit you.”

  Tataramoa bowed and took his leave as Jenna and Jonas entered the great hall. They sat next to each other and voraciously tore into the food laid out on the table. Elias finished his own meal, listening to the soldiers and warriors around him. Though they had lost many men, elves, and dwarves, spirits were high. They had taken the city without as much loss as there could have been.

  As Jenna finished her stew, Elias turned to her. “Thank you for your aid last night.”

  She paused, looking up at him. “No thanks are necessary. You've done the same for me.”

  Elias shook his head. “You took over when I couldn't continue. I just wanted to say I appreciated it.”

  She scoffed lightly, looking back at her food. “Just try not to make me do it again. You're a better warrior than I am.”

  Elias chuckled. “I'm not so sure. Where did you learn to handle a sword like that? I'll admit, I've never actually seen you fight before.”

  She scoffed again, louder this time. “That's because you left me at Greatport whenever you went out raiding.”

  Elias winced. “I mean no offense.”

  Jenna shrugged. “Most men don't. But remember this; when battle comes, men aren't the only one who face death. It's best if everyone is prepared.”

  Elias nodded. “Duly noted.”

  Quartz stood. “I have preparations to make that will take some time.” She turned to Brandt, addressing him. “I will be in the chamber you have set aside for my work. If you have need of me, knock on my door. If I can, I will respond. Under no circumstances am I to be disturbed unless it is unavoidable.” She bowed slightly. “By your leave.”

  Brandt nodded once. “As you will.”

  After she left, Jenna set her fork down, a half-eaten slice of meat still speared on the tines. She looked hard at Brandt. “Who is she really, and where did she come from?”

  Brandt spread his hands. “I know about as much about her past as you do. She came to me when I was at my lowest, and stopped me from fighting to the death against my enemies. She keeps her origin to herself.” He raised an eyebrow at Jenna. “This is something you have experience with, I think. Nevertheless, she has proven herself a valuable, if enigmatic, ally.”

  Jenna was quiet for a moment, and frowned. “I still don't trust her yet. I don't know her motives.”

  Jonas looked askance at her. “I've been sharing a cabin or tent with you for three seasons, and I don't even know your motives.”

  She shoved him gently. “Keeping your wrinkly old ass in line. That's a full-time task in and of itself.”

  Laughter surrounded the table, and Elias sat back in his chair, smiling. It was good that they were bonding again as a group. The foreseeable future would be hard, and they would need times like this to keep their spirits high. His thoughts turned to Quartz, and that stab of guilt hit him again. He missed Coral horribly, but there was something about the purple-eyed elf girl that intrigued him. Could he really be so fickle as to turn away from his lost love so quickly? She was nearly the same age as Coral, with similar fine features, and was definitely beautiful, but where Coral was warm, carefree, and uninhibited, Quartz was cool, professional, and distant.

  He shook his head, angry with himself. This is not what he needed to be thinking about right now. Two armies closed in on Valtheim. He needed to oversee the siege preparations, not dwell on his loss.

  ~ ~ ~

  New Frost Moon, Year 4369

  Elias stood atop the western wall of Valtheim, looking over the progress they had made. The noon sun shone through thin clouds, casting a wan light over the landscape. He couldn't see the armies camped on the other side of the ridges, but his scouts confirmed that they had gathered where Quartz had predicted they would. They had arrived early in the morning, and Valtheim had immediately ceased operations outside the walls, closing all gates against the oncoming attackers.

  In three days, they had surrounded half of Valtheim with fortifications; shallow depressions with sharpened wooden stakes, as thick as his arm, pointed towards the ridges. The dirt that they excavated from the pits was piled up on the near side, creating a berm between the city and the dugout. There were wide areas between the pits where cavalry could maneuver, but any attacking horsemen would be forced to funnel through these places, greatly disturbing the power of an outright charge. Infantry could still move between the stakes, but they would be slowed, vulnerable to arrow fire and swordsmen on the ground. Once they crested the artificial hills, they would be razed by archers from the wall.

  It was a good setup, but Elias was still uneasy. Fifteen thousand soldiers against their forces, hardly over twelve thousand, many of which would be in the city itself or on the walls, defending the town and her people. There was no guarantee that the lords ha
d sent any of Brandt's men, or that they had gotten the message in time.

  Brandt stood next to him, overseeing the assembly of ballistas on the towers facing the western and northern slopes. While they were normally used to fire great spears, these siege weapons had been modified to hurl stones upwards of five hundred yards. Brandt only had a handful of these weapons in the armory, but they were quickly assembled on the top of the broad towers, and crewed by soldiers trained with their operation.

  Elias had always been impressed by the engineering that went into building these machines, and the dwarves seemed especially fond of them. Some of the soldiers were wary of them as southern inventions, but Brandt reassured them as to their effectiveness. Twisted ropes created the springs that delivered the tension needed to hurl the projectiles, while an iron bowl with a catch on the back supported the stone projectile. A lever with a hook pulled the bowl back, stretching and twisting the springs, while a pin attached to a hinged beam secured it in place. The lever was detached, and the beam was struck with a hammer to release the pin. After that, the springs took over, and the stone was hurled an appropriate distance.

  The whole contraption was built on a cross-shaped platform made of stout oak beams, and designed to not only pivot up and down but turn in a full circle as well, allowing the operators to aim the weapon wherever they wanted.

  A heavyset dwarf stood next to Elias, one of the engineers he had consulted with during the building of Valtheim's defenses. His name was Seamus, and he had taken over direction of the siege defense construction, spacing out the pits and stakes in such a way as to maximize their potential, and setting up other obstacles in the battlefield. He was scratching on the wall with a piece of charcoal, mumbling to himself. Elias glanced over at what he was working on, curious as to what was occupying the dwarf's mind.

  Seamus looked up at Elias, grinning from behind his thick red beard. “Ah think ah've got an idea what would make yer elven stone-chuckers work a bit better, lad!”