Passage to Glory: Part Two of the Redemption Cycle

by J. R. Lawrence

  So far all that Dril’ead had come to recognize, and therefore realize, was that Swildagg found their reason to destroy them and were using it. If they corrupted the hearts of Grundagg and turned them against Vulzdagg, Dril feared that his Branch could not hold its own in such a fight.

  Vulzdagg was already broken, but the blow the combined forces of Grundagg and Swildagg would lay upon them would undoubtedly shatter its foundation.

  All great and powerful Urden’Dagg, Dril prayed, climbing the final distance toward a bend through the spraying water, how you have forsaken us!

  And then staggering round the corner he stumbled into a great cavern, the stream passing down through the clefts in the stone wall behind him as he looked up to stare at the enormity of the chamber he now stood in. There was a scent of familiarity about the cavern, reminding him of his homeland as if he had been lost from it for years, though the scent was distant to his weakened senses.

  He stood still as he listened to the distant dripping of the stalactites onto stalagmites, and drawing it all in with a deep inhale of the dull air. However, even as Dril attempted to enjoy the moment of quiet solace, the sense of urgency returned to force him on to reach his city before Swildagg descended upon it. So Dril’ead pushed himself forward reluctantly, and with eager strides he passed the stalagmites on his way to where he knew was the city of Vulzdagg.

  He stopped, feeling a disturbing sensation fall over his countenance as if a hundred unseen eyes suddenly peered at him from all angles in the darkness, and the lord of Vulzdagg turned about with the dagger raised before him to ward them off. Beyond the strange pale glow of the daggers blade nothing stood before him, and he convinced himself that it was simply an imagination of his anxious mind.

  And then, quite alarmingly sudden, an uproar of cries erupted at the end of the road he was traversing.

  13

  Gorroth’s Plight

  Razarr led his commanders forward through the mushroom grove surrounding their city, and the commanders led their captains until all the soldiers of Vulzdagg marched out of the gates of the city, Gefiny Vulzdagg walking beside Razarr with Dril’ead’s scimitar still in her hand. They were all very quiet as they went, none of the people of the city making a sound as they marched through the perilous grove of mushrooms, and so they had obeyed the order of their chief commander and his officers.

  It was natural for soldier marching into battle to be so silent, their consciousness focused wholly on the task to which they were to risk their lives accomplishing. Each of them, as they marched, used that moment to ask themselves if it were really worth their blood. Even the commanders and their captains wondered so, though Razarr, chief of the commanders, did not bother himself with what he knew he already decided. He would die defending Gefiny from their enemies, and also the lives of the people he cared most about. He loved Gefiny, and would therefore die protecting her.

  It is a simple thing, he told himself, to march toward the gates of my fate for the security of this person. Darts may fly, swords may clash against my mail, but I shall turn neither to the right nor to the left from this chosen road. It is, by all understanding, the right way I must go.

  “Razarr,” Gefiny spoke suddenly, startling the chief commander from his private thinking, and he looked at her for instruction. “Razarr, are you happy in your station of chief commanding officer of my people?”

  He nodded sharply as he looked back to the road they were taking toward the chasm into the lower level of the realms, and said slowly, “I am content with where I am at in your commands, though any promotion or demotion by your highness is gladly accepted. If it be your will, I will be a foot soldier at your side.”

  Gefiny laughed quietly to herself. “There is no need for proof of your loyalty, dear Razarr,” she said with a smile, “it is already known by all those whom you serve. And, I must say, it is not my will to demote you to the rank of a footman.”

  “Do not speak of them as if it were a shame to march in their position, my lady,” Razarr said with a shake of his head. “Which is more honorable, to give a command or to follow a command? It is all well and honorable, no matter where the faithful soldier stands in rank.”

  Gefiny thought silently for a moment, and looking beyond the end of their road she said to Razarr, “I see a great endurance of faith and hope in you, Razarr, and it is because of such faith and hope that I would like to promote you to captain of the basilisks. I cannot rule both matron and captain at once, I’m afraid.”

  “It would be my honor to serve you in such a position, lady Gefiny,” Razarr said to her with a grin. “If I may ask, who will be chief commander in my place?”

  Pondering over the names of her commanders and captains, Gefiny thought long and hard until they came to the edge of the mushroom grove. Turning then to Razarr she said in a decisive tone, “Choose among these of our people for a chief commander, captain of the basilisk.”

  He hesitated in uncertainly, and looking his matron in the eyes for a moment he turned to the formation of commanders, captains, and their soldiers waiting for further instruction from Gefiny and Razarr. They were all solemn and grave, looking into the grove around them or at their lady standing before them, and all wearing their purple cloaks pulled over their heads.

  Gefiny watched Razarr from the corner of her eye as he searched the faces of those standing in rank before them, and wondered what he saw as a sign of leadership. If anyone knows how to lead, it is Razarr of Vulzdagg, she told herself.

  “I would choose Naomi,” he said at last to Gefiny. “Naomi has served faithfully in her position as commander, therefore she earns a promotion such as this; and then Tamara in her place, and Shinnir in hers.”

  “Naomi,” Gefiny said thoughtfully, smiling faintly as she recalled the pragmatic commander. “Much alike unto you, wouldn’t you say?”

  “Undoubtedly,” Razarr replied, “Though I suspect she will serve you better than I have ever. I’ve watched her single handedly direct her captains to initiate their troops through connecting passages with perfect timing. Neither captains met one another in the passages on the whole routine. I can assure you it was quite impressive.”

  Gefiny nodded as she imagined the practice session Razarr explained to her. “What importance does such a routine as that have, to you suppose?” she asked him, curious and also testing his outlook.

  Razarr turned from the faces of their soldiers to look at her, a grin barely visible in his expression. “Well, for one, the captains and their soldiers must learn and understand the importance of perfect function. If two objects were to suddenly collide, they would shatter. And if two forces of patrolling troops were to meet in a single passage, they would mingle and become disorganized. Thus is the importance of strict rotation.”

  “Ah, I see,” Gefiny said to him. She hid her smile of approval well behind an expression of gravity, and motioning toward the group of Followers and their commanding officers she said, “Then bring Naomi of Vulzdagg to the front with us, where she may lead more effectively.”

  He swept back his cloak as he bowed, and stepping up to the first rank of Followers he took one by the arm and led her forward. “Behold Naomi of Vulzdagg, chief commander of the Vulzdagg militia.”

  “I must congratulate you, Naomi,” Gefiny said to her, “You have been promoted to the station of chief commander.”

  Naomi bowed to her, lowering herself onto one knee. “I am humbled and honored to serve in a higher calling for you, my lady,” she said in a quiet voice.

  Gefiny raised Naomi back onto her feet. “Inform a Tamara and Shinnir of their promotions,” she said the Razarr, who went swiftly to fulfill her command. To Naomi, though, she gave her first command, saying, “Half our troops are to remain here, the other half must be hidden in the mushroom grove nearby the gates of our city. You, Naomi, make the final call to their exact positions. Remember that no Swildagg is allowed admittance into the grove.”

  Naomi bowed her head to her. “It shall b
e done, my lady,” and then turning she went off to speak to the commanders.

  Razarr returned to Gefiny’s side, eagerly gripping the hilt of his sword as he watched Naomi speaking softly to Tamara and Dunnor, the commanders. “Am I right to observe the first stages of this battle going into play, my lady?” he asked her quietly.

  “Why do you ask?” Gefiny replied, and then turned to look at him curiously. “You seem strangely eager, Razarr.”

  “Fist day on the job,” he said, smiling at her.

  Gefiny turned round to look back at the distance toward the cliffs of Swildagg, where their enemies would be descending upon them at any moment, and frowned in deeply troubled thought.

  Let us hope that it is not also your last, she thought, though a memory suddenly returned to her from a dreadful time when someone warned her against trusting to such a thing as hope. It is forsaken in this land, he told me.

  *****

  And Gorroth came…

  The demon emerged from the cloud of mist enveloping him, answering the call of the Swildagg mage as she read again from the ancient tomb. His requests were already known, and he already accepted them, so the demon charged down the slopes of the Swildagg frontier on his way to fulfill the cause of justice that he claimed.

  He would not slay every member of the Vulzdagg Branch, only the remaining aristocracy, which was what the unity of the other Branches was for. Together they would crumble the nation of Vulzdagg, Gorroth breaking the thrones of their lords and ladies, and the people of Swildagg and Grundagg slaying all those who opposed them. Of course, a few drops of impure Vulzdagg blood would have to be shed in order to get to the lord and lady. The guards of the citadel appeared to be stubborn that way.

  However, as Gorroth came down the mountainous slopes of Swildagg, he saw already the troops of Vulzdagg waiting for his arrival. Though, as Gorroth noted with a wicked grin, they did not know the demon of just fulfillment descended upon them.

  And Gorroth descended…

  A large number of the host of Vulzdagg turned about as they marched back toward the walls of their city, passing into the midst of the mushroom grove. Gorroth, though, did not pay any attention to them. All he saw was Gefiny standing at the front of the standing group, a single swordsman at her side, and he went straight for them.

  In a cloud of doom he took them…

  Leaping the distance across the chasm into the realm bellow, Gorroth came down just before Gefiny Vulzdagg and her companion. A clawed fist swung up to catch the unsuspecting Follower in the face, and Razarr of Vulzdagg was thrown backwards into the ranks of soldiers behind them. Gefiny, on the other hand, fell back a step as she lifted a weapon that struck a painful memory in the mind of the demon.

  Like a torch alighted in a damp cavern came the blade of Dril’ead Vulzdagg…

  “Protect our lady!” someone in the crowd of startled fighters shouted. “Protect Gefiny Vulzdagg! Protect her!” and several brave soldiers charged forward with spears leveled at the demon.

  Gorroth easily cast the weapon aside, knocking them away with powerful blows before swiping a lean claw at one of their faces. The Follower was struck by his clawed hand, and stumbling back he fell to the stones to never rise again. But his fall awoke a fierce anger in the other soldiers, and they charged the demon with cries of outrage only to be swept aside by his impenetrable quickness.

  Gefiny watched as her soldiers were thrown back as they charged the monster, their weapons breaking on the stones beneath their now bloodied bodies, and was suddenly stunned by the scene of death before her. The yellow eyes of the demon, full of terror and revenge, stole the courage from those who met them, and she forgot all about the circumstances of her people around her.

  Swinging his arm out wide Gorroth cleared a path through the wall of swords and bodies that put themselves between him and Gefiny, and he took a stiff step toward her trembling figure. A sword cut into his side, but he knocked the attacker away and pressed forward. Someone threw their shield at his face, but he growled and punched the fighter to the side. Several darts pierced his body in several places, but the poison was nothing to his impossibly strong endurance.

  He lifted a clawed hand as he came upon Gefiny, and the blow came down just as Razarr leapt forward and cut the hand from its path. Turning his blade The Follower drove the weapon straight through the abdomen of the monster, and now Gorroth roared in painful rage. Razarr, standing directly before the eyes of the monster as he held them for a moment in contempt, did not see the second hand of the monster drive its claws into his stomach.

  With a bleeding hand the demon grabbed Razarr by the throat and lifted him easily from off the ground, and then tossed The Follower back into the ranks of stumbling captains and soldiers. Gefiny stood motionless as he turned back to her, but her expression slowly shifted from stunned terror to pure rage. The matron of Vulzdagg swept up her sword while shouting a command, a flame leaping up her blade to envelope the face of the demon.

  Intercepted by fury and pain the demon met its plight…

  Gorroth stumbled back, clutching at the flames spreading across his burning face, and The Followers made way for it as he fell onto his back in a wreathing pain.

  “Get back to the citadel!” Gefiny cried for all of them to hear. “Fall back to the safety of our walls, this demon will rise again!”

  The soldiers hastily turned and departed the area, running back through the grove toward the rest of their comrades at the city gates, and Gefiny checked the flaming demon before turning to follow them.

  It is said that Razarr was raised by the hands of his comrades and helped back toward the city, though as many of them entered into the citadel he stumbled free from their hold to brace himself against the outside wall of a barrack. He motioned to Naomi as she passed him by, not yet recognizing Razarr because of the massive scar now splitting his face, and ordered her to assemble the remaining commanders and their captains.

  “This city must be fortified,” he said behind pained gasps, holding his side to slow the bleeding in his mortal wound, “There is no use hiding from this demon. It will come, and its coming will shake the foundations of our stronghold to utter ruin . . . we must stand to take it down!” He coughed, and then wiped the specks of blood from his mouth.

  “Captain,” Naomi said earnestly, “shall I call for a healer?”

  “They are needed elsewhere,” Razarr said. “If you think this wound will stop me, after all the years I have toiled against worse afflictions, than you are greatly mistaken!” However, and despite the visage of contempt that he replaced a grimace with, he knew that the wound was fatal.

  Pointing Naomi’s attention toward the stables of the basilisks he said, “Assemble the mounts, and call the riders to their stations! We will show this monster how true monsters fight!”

  “It will be done,” Naomi said. Turning to a captain she ordered him to call the riders to their stations, and he and his soldiers went out to assemble the basilisk riders of Vulzdagg.

  “See that Gefiny is securely guarded,” said Razarr in a low voice to Naomi. “I fear it is her that this demon has come for.”

  Naomi nodded, and running up toward the steps into the citadel she met a captain named Jamix, who was in command of a team in commander Guthnar’s force. “Set a guard about the matron,” she said to him, “and be sure they are all well equipped and prepared to fight. This demon comes for lady Gefiny alone, and we shall not let her fall.”

  “Nay, we shall not,” Jamix replied, and he turned to fulfill the command.

  Naomi returned to Razarr as he came out to stand in the city square before the doors of the citadel, and seeing her coming he thought quickly of what else needed to be done.

  “See that Tamara and her captains are prepared for combat at the gates of the city,” he said to her, and turning he pointed her attention at the citadel opening, “and ready your own troops before these doors. Go forth, and fear no darkness!”

  When she turned to catch Tam
ara on her way toward the citadel, redirecting her path back to the city gates with her captains, Razarr winced as the pain in his face and side became awfully apparent. He looked up, trying to distract himself by watching Naomi’s efficient work in organizing the two regiments of Dunnor and Tamara. He saw her inform Dunnor of Jamix and his troops guarding the matron, and then telling the commander himself to stand guard at the citadel doors. Dunnor, as eager to obey as always, did as his chief commander commanded.

  “They are good people,” Razarr muttered to himself. Leaning on his sword to support his weakening legs he stumbled toward the citadel steps, looking up only once when he heard the roar of a monstrous beast coming to the city.

  “This is it!” he heard Naomi shouting to the hurrying people, “Now is the hour, the fight, and the time we win our place among the ancient glories above!”

  There was a sound like shattering stone, echoing from the direction of the gate, and promptly following was the clash of steel and the cries of pain and death. It was an awful noise, rising up the darkness of the infrared spectrum like a wave of darts into his own face, though Razarr did not turn right or left as he limped up the steps to the citadel doors.

  Behind him he left a trail of dripped blood, and then stumbling suddenly into the arms of Naomi he looked blindly up toward the ceiling high above and out of sight. Naomi held him fast, seeing the life draining from the captain of the basilisks, and knowing that this was the final moment of his life in that world.

  “Captain,” she said to him, and slowly his eyes drifted to her. “Captain, is there any other task you would have me do?”

  “Tell Lady Gefiny Vulzdagg,” he said weakly. “Tell her I suggest Naomi of Vulzdagg as captain of the basilisks in the place of Razarr of Vulzdagg, one who loves her.”

  “It will be done,” she said to him.

  The screams increased higher and higher, their echoes reechoing throughout the enormity of the cavern, and Naomi clutched at the body of Razarr more firmly as the demon of fulfillment came upon them.