Knights: The Blood of Kings (Knights Series)

by Robert E. Keller

  "It doesn't matter," said Taris. "We shall serve the will of the Divine Essence and hope for the best. If necessary, we will die as Divine Knights battling against this tyranny. I am at peace with that."

  Lannon wasn't. He had no intention of dying at Dremlock. He was thinking of King Verlamer, wondering what madness drove him to lay claim to the entire continent. Was it the work of Tharnin, or simply some misguided sense of entitlement? Lannon wanted to speak to the king, to find out what made him who he was. Lannon didn't know if he would ever get close enough to try to reason with him, but it was Lannon's way to hope for an opportunity for peace.

  Chapter 16: Invasion

  Fadar Stonebow had no idea why he'd been summoned to the Sacred Temple. It was a cool and quiet evening--a fine night for a bit of pipe leaf, a glass of wine, and a book by the fireplace. Yet Fadar's relaxed evening had been rudely interrupted by a messenger insisting the Birlote archer attend a secret meeting. Always alert to the deception of the Deep Shadow, Fadar had donned his lightweight chain armor and grabbed his sword, his bow, and his quiver of arrows. He gulped down his wine and left the West Tower, shivering beneath his fur cloak. He walked by torchlight beneath the thick forest branches.

  Fadar paused in the clearing before the Temple, the towering statue of Kuran Darkender that stood atop the copper roof visible in the starlight. An image flashed through his mind of the statue torn down and shattered--replaced by the Crest of Bellis Kingdom. Is that what this meeting was about? Was Bellis going on the attack again? And where was Prince Vannas?

  He smoothed back his curly silver hair and adjusted his cloak, knowing the High Council (or what remained of it) would be found within. Fadar was a highly ranked Knight, just below the level of Green. He was officially the Lord of the Archers at Dremlock, which meant he oversaw most of the recruiting and training of the Birlotes on loan from Borenthia. However, he was seldom called to High Council meetings, and he took this summoning as a sign that Dremlock was running low on leaders. With Cordus Landsaver injured and Barlow Whitesword dead, it was entirely possible that Fadar could be voted onto the High Council--an honor he would eagerly accept.

  No one greeted him at the Temple door, but he found it unlocked. He paused again and listened for a moment, but he could hear no sounds from within. Feeling suddenly unnerved, he drew his sword and cautiously entered. The assassination attempt on the Lord Knight's life was still fresh in his mind, and he knew anything was possible at Dremlock these days.

  But once inside, he found only Vesselin Hopebringer and Krissana Windsword, who were seated on the benches. Their faces were grim in the torchlight, and Vesselin looked terribly ancient (though he was actually slightly younger than Krissana in spite of her appearing young enough to be his granddaughter).

  "Welcome," said Krissana. "Lock the door, Fadar."

  He did as requested, then took a seat.

  Vesselin rubbed his hands together. "The cold night air is hard on my bones, Fadar. For nearly one-hundred and forty years I have walked this land. I believe that old Jace Lancelord is the only living Norack older than myself."

  Fadar smiled. "Yet you have achieved it without sorcery or the longevity of the Birlotes or Olrogs--which an amazing feat."

  Vesselin sighed. A grim shadow crept over his face. "Yes, but as you can see, surviving nearly a century and a half by good living alone does not make one age gracefully. I feel old, my friend. I think that perhaps I should have retired decades ago to a remote village to spend my days relaxing. I could have been a healer--a hero--to the locals there, a big fish in a small pond. I dream of that, you know."

  "It is a good dream," said Fadar. "It may still come to pass."

  Vesselin frowned. "I'm not so sure anymore. I wonder if I will ever leave Dremlock alive."

  Krissana patted him on the shoulder. "Have faith in the Divine Essence, my friend."

  "What troubles you?" asked Fadar.

  "What troubles me," said Vesselin, "is what troubles all of Gallamerth these days--the Kingdom of Bellis. It is coming here, Fadar. We received the message earlier today. Bellis' vast army has entered Silverland and is moving straight toward Dremlock, with over eight-thousand warriors and several massive siege engines. There is no doubt what they are planning--to conquer all of Silverland, including Dremlock."

  "Yet where is Prince Vannas?" asked Fadar. "Why isn't he here defending us? He wields the ultimate power against our foes."

  "A good question," said Krissana. "It appears we put too much faith in our spies--in our belief that Bellis could never reach us before Prince Vannas could. Yet now we have learned the terrible truth--that our spies have failed and Bellis was able to begin advancing under a veil of secrecy."

  "But that seems impossible!" said Fadar. "How could an army that vast move in secret? The Elder Hawks would have swarmed on us with warnings."

  "It was difficult," said Vesselin, "but they were able to achieve it by cutting off all means of communication in the form of the Elder Hawks. They hunted down and killed all of them. Without the Hawks, Bellis was then easily able to march into Silverland before we could learn of it. Now it is a race between King Verlamer and Prince Vannas, and we believe the prince has already lost. We will be attacked without the White Flamestone to assist us."

  Fadar groaned. "We put too much faith in our spies."

  "The White Flamestone will come to Dremlock," said Krissana, "at some point. We simply need to hold out as long as we can--until it arrives."

  "Will it even be enough?" said Fadar.

  "We don't know," said Vesselin. "We didn't expect a force that large to march against Silverland. We've never faced anything comparable. Most of them are elite Knights. After Bellis' defeat against Taris' battalion, it seems King Verlamer is taking no chances this time."

  "They are spread out all over Gallamerth," said Krissana, "and yet they can still manage eight-thousand Knights. It is shocking. Even with the White Flamestone, we would be hard pressed to survive. We expect the major cities to fall easily--perhaps even without a fight. Some of Verlamer's warriors will have to remain to occupy the cities. But that still leaves thousands of Knights to march right to our wall and lay siege. And we are weak from so much warfare lately."

  Fadar's mind raced, searching for an answer. And to his surprise, he quickly found one. "Undoubtedly, they plan to bombard us from a distance until the wall is barren and bloodied. If we can destroy the siege engines, the warriors will have a difficult time breaching our wall. We might then be able to hold out for a long time, depending on our resources."

  "I believe it can be done," said Krissana, smiling. "Bellis' siege engines are incredibly sturdy--and were probably made even more sturdy after the battle with Taris Warhawk's battalion--but if we use the Sacred Fire, we might be able to bring them down without having to resort to the devastation of the Silverbane. I can say no more about this plan--just be prepared when the time comes, Fadar. Until then, no decision will be made."

  Fadar was stunned by her words, but he simply bowed. Would she really allow her archers to use the Sacred Birlote Fire? Did she have the king's permission to do so? If not, she would be breaking a major Borenthia law.

  "I'm not sure anything can stop Bellis," said Vesselin. He took a sip of tea, his hands trembling. "If they breach the wall, they will quickly overrun the kingdom. And then what will become of our Divine Essence?"

  "They will seek to destroy our god," said Krissana. "And that is why we must fight to the death. No order of surrender must be given, Vesselin. If necessary, Dremlock will become our tomb."

  Vesselin looked away. "I cannot agree--even to save our god. I do not believe in fighting to the death. I despise warfare of any kind. If things are going badly, and our Lord Knight still hasn't awakened, I will give the order of surrender."

  Krissana nodded. "You hold the Green Chalice, Vesselin, and with only two of us Council members left here at Dremlock, you outrank me. You are the acting Lord Knight until Taris returns, and you have my f
ull support. But I strongly urge you to avoid surrendering." Her face was as hard as stone, her green eyes cold. "We must die with honor in defense of our god."

  "I understand your belief," said Vesselin, "and I will not surrender if there is any shred of hope that we can endure. But if it becomes a slaughter, I will do what I must to save this kingdom." His voice quivered as he spoke. "I...I cannot bear to see everyone put to death, especially the young Squires..."

  "Can you appoint more Council members?" asked Fadar.

  Krissana shook her head. "I would love to promote you to Green, Fadar. But right now we lack the authority, with the Tower Masters absent. By the way, Furlus Goblincrusher was on his way back to Dremlock but is long overdue. He may have been captured or killed."

  Fadar sighed. It was another devastating loss to Dremlock.

  "We haven't yet given up on Furlus," said Vesselin. "Or Taris for that matter. For now, we will act as if both Tower Masters are expected to return and follow the Sacred Laws accordingly."

  Fadar nodded. "I understand." It would have made little difference anyway. Vesselin had the final say concerning whether or not they would surrender or fight to the death. Fadar could only hope he chose wisely.

  "Bellis' army should reach us in less than a week," said Krissana. "That will give us plenty of time to prepare for war. We want you, Fadar, to lead the effort to defend Dremlock. You are one of the greatest warriors amongst the Birlotes, and the greatest archer, perhaps, who has ever lived. You are a legend, my friend."

  Fadar bowed, pleased to receive such a great honor. "I will do everything within my power to defend this kingdom."

  Vesselin placed a trembling hand on Fadar's shoulder. "You're a young, handsome warrior, Fadar--lean and strong and full of confidence. You will do much to inspire the other Knights."

  "Thank you," said Fadar, feeling a bit embarrassed by all the praise. "I can only hope they look to me as a leader."

  "Of course they will," said Krissana.

  An awkward moment of silence followed.

  Vesselin folded his arms across his chest, and he looked sad. "I think I have lived too long, my friends. I almost wish I was no longer here."

  "Nonsense," said Krissana. "You will live to see Dremlock turn back the mighty forces of Bellis and its tyrant king."

  "Yet I don't believe that," said Vesselin. "I'm sorry to admit it, but I don't. I have a grim feeling that...this is the end for Dremlock."

  "Fadar, begin your preparations at dawn," said Krissana. "We're placing our full trust in you and the future of this kingdom."

  Fadar rose and bowed. "I will not disappoint you." He glanced at Vesselin, wondering why the ancient Knight was so certain things would turn out badly. With the Sacred Fire on their side and the White Flamestone on the way, it seemed there was hope. Perhaps Vesselin was just tired. Fadar's gaze lingered for a moment, but Vesselin's grim expression never changed.

  ***

  Over the next week, Fadar Stonebow worked very hard to prepare for the invasion. He took inventory on Dremlock's resources and found the kingdom to be quite capable for prolonged combat. In fact, he was surprised and delighted it was so well stocked. Also, he made sure that any Squires who seemed capable enough were promoted to Knights, and he ordered all of the Orange Squires to receive combat training. Under his direction, the siege engines were rolled out near the wall and readied for battle. Meanwhile, the Great Forge was ablaze day and night as the Olrog blacksmiths hammered out weapons and armor--in particular arrows and lances that Fadar knew would be critical to defending the wall.

  Fadar ordered the mountain outside of Dremlock evacuated and provided assistance as needed in the form of horses and wagons. Soon all the shops, inns, taverns, and houses along the trail stood empty, all supplies removed so Bellis wouldn't have access to them. The barren mountainside was a sad sight, the bustling businesses and cheerful crowds gone away through forests and over hills to places unknown, perhaps never to return again.

  Fadar sent forth winged spies in the dead of night, and soon word came back telling of Bellis' army. They learned that Kalamede, Silvergate, and Gravendar were already being occupied by King Verlamer's forces--though for some reason the city of Knights Welcome had been ignored, perhaps because it was smaller than the others and harbored less resources. No blood had yet been shed, as the cities had surrendered peacefully. Regardless, the bulk of Bellis' army was still headed for Dremlock. The spies brought news of several Thallite giants amongst the warriors--as well as a towering, armored figure on horseback that was said to be Bellis' god in living form. The army was about two days from Dremlock, and Taris and Prince Vannas had just left Kalamede. Bellis had triumphed in the race and there was nothing to be done about it. The trap laid for Taris' forces had worked to perfection.

  The Knights and Squires spent much time praying in the Temple as the days passed by, asking the Divine Essence to give them the wisdom to save their kingdom. Some even prayed for peace. Meanwhile, the great banners of war were raised along the wall, as weapons and armor gleamed in the sunlight below.

  Then at last the horns blew throughout Dremlock, indicating that Bellis' army had reached the mountain. The elite Birlote archers on loan from Borenthia lined the top of the wall, along with sorcerers and Blue Knights, awaiting orders from Fadar and Krissana. A sea of Red Knights stood below, heavy lances in hand, while the Brown Knights operated the siege engines. Some of the White Knights also stood here and there as well, ready to administer healing for the ugly battle wounds that were sure to be inflicted on Dremlock's warriors.

  Everyone waited with pounding hearts on a warm, sunny day for war to begin. There was nothing left to say. All that mattered now was survival. They stood in silence and as still as statues, with only silver Birlote hair and proud banners waving in the breeze. Soon the clanking of metal and rumbling of heavy siege machines reached their ears, as the massive army worked its way up the mountain trail. It sounded like an earthquake had struck the mountain. When that army finally came into view, there was no talk of surrender--or of anything else. Bellis' archers immediately began firing from horseback at the warriors atop the wall, and some of them toppled over. Bellis had come only to conquer by bloodshed and teach Dremlock a harsh lesson. King Verlamer had been humiliated by defeat near the shores of the Grey Lake, and now it was payback time.

  ***

  From atop the wall, the Birlote archers were deadly--their arrows finding vulnerable spots in Bellis' Knights. But many of their foes were hidden behind huge tower shields that even these elite archers could not penetrate. Meanwhile, the siege engines continued to hurl fire and rock back and forth, causing massive damage to both armies.

  The Red Knights hurled wave after wave of lances over the wall. They could not see their targets, as all the space on the wall was taken up by archers and they were forced to throw from the ground, but the heavy, burning lances did tremendous damage nonetheless--piercing through tower shields and armor and throwing deadly sparks and flames all about. It was a temporary assault, however, for eventually they would run out of lances. The archers, however, had a supply of arrows that would last far longer--and more could be quickly forged.

  Fadar Stonebow readied another arrow, but he paused, his gaze sweeping over the sea of enemy Knights below. A wall of golden shields was advancing toward Dremlock, amidst towering siege engines rolling along the mountain road. The army was breathtaking in its vastness. Fadar watched as flaming objects landed on the wall nearby, sending several archers to a fiery death. He longed to be far away from here and in deep forest kingdom of Borenthia--away from the madness that was sweeping Gallamerth. But there was no escape from it. If he didn't defend Dremlock here and now, Borenthia would be the next kingdom to fall.

  With a battle cry, Fadar charged his arrow with his will and his sorcery and then released the bowstring. The arrow blazed with green fire that surrounded the shaft but did not burn it. The arrow streaked through the air and struck an enemy Knight's tower shiel
d, exploding in a blast of searing heat that engulfed the rider in a fireball and flung him off his horse. The Knight burned to ash, leaving only charred bones and armor.

  As usual, Bellis was counting on their mighty siege engines to win the war. It was a strategy that had worked many times in the past, as no kingdom could withstand their colossal catapults. Some of those kingdoms had simply surrendered after catching a glimpse of the giant weapons as they approached. Once Dremlock's wall was breached, Bellis' sea of heavily armored Knights would overrun Dremlock with sheer numbers. A bloody battle would ensue within the kingdom, but ultimately, Dremlock would likely fall. But the entire plan was based on overcoming the Great Wall forged from mountain rock that had protected the kingdom since its birth. The siege engines constantly hurled heavy boulders and huge, burning chunks of wood atop that wall, crushing dozens of defenders. Meanwhile, ladders sprang up here and there, as the invaders climbed furiously to breach the wall.

  Fadar Stonebow's eyes were wide as he beheld the damage. "We won't last long. We have to destroy their siege engines."

  Krissana Windsword nodded, her face grim. "It is time to use the Sacred Fire. I will take responsibility for this."

  "Are you certain?" asked Fadar. This was a huge decision. Using the Sacred Fire to defend a kingdom that was not Borenthia was typically not allowed. In fact, only the Birlote king was allowed to order its use. But Krissana commanded such respect amongst the Birlotes that Fadar would not hesitate to obey.

  "Yes," she replied. "Bellis must be turned back--for the sake of Borenthia. Our king will understand. I am certain of it."

  Fadar bowed. "We await your command."

  "I have already given it," she said, sending him a piercing stare. "Do what must be done."