The Secret of Azuron (The Sword Empire Book 1)

by J. R. Kearney

  "Leave me you fool," he pleaded. "Protect Landau!"

  Stryka gave him a stubborn gaze whilst his torch rolled along the prison floor. Before he could reclaim it his torch disappeared, falling through a hole. Stryka peered through to observe a cavern below where it landed, an attempted prison escape. He screamed at Vhalen of the way out, for their battle against the Horerrim beast was failing.

  Brom drew the Minotaur's attention, allowing Halwende and Landau to run to the hole, with Samson in their shadow.

  "He's bleeding, a lot," Stryka told them what they could clearly see, Sam was terrified at his injury. "Come, we need to get him through."

  Stryka took a deep breath before plunging ten-feet into the cavern below, the fall sprained his ankle, alas he recovered his torch to examine the solid cliff face he stood upon, suspended beside a deafening waterfall that plummeted into a dark abyss.

  Lyeanna continued to deter the Minotaur with her arrows, enough to keep its gaze from Hal and Sam, who lifted Jema off the mangled bar, and though he tried to mask his pain it was evident through his scream. Hal jumped through next, and with Stryka's aid they waited beneath the hole bearing outreached arms. Landau stood on the edge, fearful of the height, yet the roar of the Minotaur was far more threatening, and he dropped into the waiting arms of the pair below. Raminus abandoned the barbarian and amazon, removed of concern for Jema he charged for the escape himself, and plummeted down.

  The Minotaur grew slow, every swing became gradual, with sheer exhaustion it thundered its axe to the ground at the amazon, but Lyeanna slid beneath the Minotaur’s legs, and her pure agility was tiring for the beast to sustain. Brom jerked mightily at its chain, and with imbalance the Minotaur collapsed forward upon its own axe, and inflicted a massive wound across its torso. It lay there weary, the heat from its busy breath poisoned the air, and the others took their chance to flee. Vhalen and Sam dragged Jema toward the hole, their hands bloodied as they carefully released him. The impact was safe, yet his pain was too much.

  "You," Stryka pointed to Raminus. "Take my place and be of some use," he said, before tending to Jema.

  Sam and Vhalen soon followed him down while Stryka dragged Jema from the others and searched hastily through his bandolier, finding a needle to stitch up his wound.

  Jema pushed him aside. "There’s no time!" he coughed.

  Lyeanna waved the men below her to move, she did not need their hands on her, for her nimble agility provided a soft landing. Only Brom remained above, and from the depths of the stronghold he could not help but marvel at the Minotaur’s endurance, as the beast peeled its axe from its very torso, and rose to stand above him.

  "Where's Brom? I need him here now!" Stryka yelled, everyone gathered to break his fall.

  The barbarian would not challenge the Minotaur alone, so he charged for the hole, barely squeezing through, and with a great thump he collapsed the fellowship beneath him. The Minotaur ripped the bars from their foundations and poked its snout through the opening, roaring as it battered the edges with its weapon. Debris crumbled from above, and the company took cover, as the beast attempted to carve a greater hole for itself.

  "There's no time Stryka!" Jema repeated through bloodied lips.

  "Come on old man, you've had worse. Stay with me now."

  Jema whimpered in his helpless state, as the strength of the Minotaur endured. He watched helplessly as it attempted to forge its way through, as the others scattered to avoid the havoc that rained upon them. Stryka poured sugar over his wound and withdrew his tools, to which Jema rejected. He grasped Stryka's fist and handed him Azuron's sword.

  "Put aside the mercenary," he pleaded. "Help the boy."

  With that, Jema rolled himself over the cliff's edge. Stryka reached to grab him, instead he watched his body fade into shadow, and vanish.

  Sam screamed and the company were in entrenched in shock. The Minotaur continued to impel its way through, and forced Halwende to hurry Landau and the others across the ravine beneath the waterfall, and though Raminus smirked at the knight’s defeat the rest were stunned and suddenly fearful. Stryka knelt upon the cliff’s edge still, his gaze lost in twilight, behind him Vhalen was solemn in despair also, but soon pulled him from his numbness to continue their escape.

  The fellowship fled the foundations of the stronghold. Up a jagged climb of watered rocks they ascended, to find themselves beneath the mountain road that drowned in the sunlight from a glaring exit. Landau cried, and no kind word gave him relief. The roar of the Minotaur followed beneath them as they climbed with exhaustion to a bridge that linked the stronghold to the open exit. Upon the bridge few glanced back at the stronghold, for all now scurried with squinted eyes outside the mountain door, and free from its darkness. The smell of grass and caress of sunlight hit them like a punch in the face, yet they welcomed it with heavy hearts. They moved into a grove, the darkness of the cave further left them, and the cry of the Minotaur soon faded. Here they took a moment to mourn, and it lingered with sadness and uncertainty. Most had a claim to lament Jema's passing, yet in Landau the regret ensnared him the most. His sadness was met with anguish, and all hope he clung to faded.

  Jema was lost.

  Chapter 21

  FALLOUT OF THE SWORD

  The time was noon by their best guess, relieved of their escape Vhalen still chose to distance them from the mountain. A faded road wandered north, but Vhalen chose another path, beyond the grove to the east where Verran Lake lie, and it glistened with purity, nourished by the waterfall atop its neighboring cliffs. A path etched upward along the wall, they chose this path which led to a meadow of silky grass that spread to the snow-painted mountains of the north. A solitary tower surmounted the cliffs, and commanded a view of the Nelroar Peaks. Vhalen entered here with caution, only a bedroll across the floor and a fire pit remained, among scattered plates and rusted cutlery.

  "We shall rest here tonight and gather our strength," said Vhalen. "For our minds are clouded in sorrow, and it will do no good to repress our discomfort of Jema's passing. I for one would like some time to regard his memory, one that exists outside the peril of that cursed mountain."

  Many collapsed under the weight of sadness, Sam more than most felt in hollow company.

  "It be useless wizard," Brom said. "What hope do we have against such dangers?"

  "We will not discuss it now. Any conversation we utter now will only be fueled by anger. In the morning we will decide our next move, with clearer minds I hope."

  Stryka pulled Landau up before they entered the tower, whose cheeks were soured with dried tears. They had not yet spoken, and Landau was thrown he addressed him now. The mercenary knelt before him and handed him Azuron's sword with both hands.

  "Here young man. This is yours to give to who you see worthy."

  "Jema gave this to you," said Landau.

  "It is not mine to bear Landau. Jema didn't want me to have it before and I will not bear its burden now."

  Stryka walked off and left Landau further disheartened. He entered the tower a lonely boy. None gave him a comforting eye, not even Sam. Only Vhalen ushered him welcome as the others unloaded their gear and took rest.

  "This must be hard to accept lad. I know you would think yourself to blame, but you cannot allow yourself to feel this way."

  "But if it weren't for me he'd still be alive."

  "It was his choice to make lad, a very noble one at that, even if it hurts to understand it so."

  "I feel no less responsible," he mourned. "I can’t expect anyone to make that sacrifice for me, I don’t care what power is inside me."

  "We do not wish it either Landau," said Vhalen. "But none of us are here for company's sake. We all anticipated this dread may fall upon us, and knew of the dismay our quest may hold, whether it was spoken or not."

  For the first time Vhalen's words were tinted with scorn, and Landau was left to his lonesome.

  The men all griped with murmured words, not even Lyeanna could bear th
eir company for the moment. All were left to grieve, in the tower they cleared the debris of cutlery and ignited the pit to make fire, their eyes still strained from the darkness of the mountain as they ate a cooked meal, though heads were hung low, and little was spoke, for all spirit it appeared was lost, and its very mention would only bring argument.

  Evening reflected their sombre mood, for their hearts and minds were weighted with many questions. Lyeanna found solace under a towering tree, teary to acquaint herself with the light of the moon once more, while Stryka rested on the cliffs that overlooked the lake. Even Sam could not bear company, nestled against the exterior walls of the tower to make sense of their plight. In the shadow of his mentor he felt ever invincible, and only now realized his naivety with Jema's passing. Thoughts of Julia swelled in his mind, her smile and his promise looped like a continuous scene, and her absent embrace made him feel all the more alone.

  Landau took solace in the uppermost level of the tower, where a giant window gave a dominant view over the Nelroar peaks that few had seen, yet the majesty of the sunset over its pinnacles brought him no comfort. Atop of the sill a unique silver horn was poised to the door of the mountain, a means to warn the Imperials of any danger, a simple brush of his hand was enough to wipe the hundred years of filth that covered it. He looked over the grove with the lake just visible, the sweeping view drowned his thoughts, until the sun set, and the land turned to dark, and left him now only to hear the mutterings of his companions downstairs.

  Raminus grew frustrated under Vhalen's scrutiny, while Halwende and Brommac binged on yellowleaf to muddle their thoughts.

  "Those skeletons Vhalen, was that the work of the sword?" Halwende only now thought to ask.

  "No I don't think so. I would think the curse of Khasta Stuhl was to blame, after all the undead are not the work of our enemy, and we can hardly blame the sword on our encounter with the Minotaur. He was simply a tortured soul, lost to the darkness for who knows how long. Only now free from the mountain do I give him some pity."

  "Our company be some of the finest," said Brom. "To think of the greater evils that lie ahead, how can we think to stand a chance when a beast like that could not be best."

  "What are we supposed to do now?" Halwende asked.

  "We should leave," said Raminus. "And we would be right to do so. I for one will not share a fate with that doomed boy."

  Brom didn't disagree. "This quest be over the moment we left that mountain wizard. We can count ourselves lucky to be here, if ye can call it luck. The boy be on borrowed time I fear. It feels useless to continue," Brom's words did not sit well with Vhalen.

  "Would you give up on Jema so easily?" he said.

  "Jema has been slain," said Raminus, "the mercenary probably threw him from the cliff himself, they have been at each other this whole way."

  "Jema sacrificed himself to see Landau's safety, and that is how we will remember him."

  "Come on old man. That mercenary has been after that sword ever since he knew of it. He will try to take it, I have no doubt. He sits out there this very minute plotting how to remove it from Landau's side. The success of your quest will fail, and you will be betrayed before its end," Raminus stated.

  "Do not seed your doubt into our minds filth, I have no time for your games. This chance we have now is bare I realize, but it is our only hope," he spoke to the others. "We share Landau's fate regardless of whether we aid him or not. How can you give up on a boy who has the courage to go on?"

  "How do ye know that he does?" Brom asked, though not aggressively.

  Though their minds raced with many worries, the fresh breath of the country breeze was pleasant against the burning fire, removed from the mountain air, and many found a settled sleep. Yet Landau was restless, and guilt poked him like a stick, in their silence a lingering torment shouted in his mind. The youth of Sam and the kindness of Vhalen lie before him, and his fate was their own.

  He removed himself from his bedroll, and outside where the fire's warmth ended did he wander, he felt bothered by the comfort, undeserved in his eyes. He pondered leaving his company, how far would he get if he left their side, would they even follow him at all? Landau began to doubt such things, for he surrounded himself with the whispers of late, and learned their subtle meanings. The overwhelming thoughts brought him to tears, and not the least was Jema's passing, a man with such a legacy now lost to the bowels of a cursed mountain, and all because of him. His heart could not bear it, and his chest felt tight with every aching cry, as quiet as he could make it.

  From behind him a hand touched his shoulder, and Landau shuddered at the feel, turning to find Stryka with his hands surrendered.

  "Sorry lad, didn't mean to startle you," he apologized, and though Landau held his tears the remains of them drenched across his face. "Are you alright? What are you doing out here?"

  Landau sniffled and composed his trembling voice.

  "I'm…" he wanted to say fine, but such a general word was far from its meaning. "I'm afraid," he said. "I just fear I'm gonna let all these people down. Like I let Jema down."

  Stryka frowned, for he was not without similar guilt.

  The chill of the mountain crept through their clothes, and Stryka ushered him back to the tower. Quietly he led him to the third level, away from his companions, though Vhalen's waking eye was firmly placed on the mercenary, and his gaze did not escape Landau. A smaller fire gave a clement warmth up here, and while Landau rested by its side, Stryka took a chair by the window to continue his watch.

  "Why would you think you let Jema down?" he continued their conversation.

  "If it wasn't for me he never would have found himself in that mountain. None of us would have. I wish I never found this sword, I wish none of this had happened."

  Even now he held it in his grasp with both hands, for none chose to relieve him of it, and in its presence Stryka was progressively intrigued.

  "Well, Jema never gave up on a lost cause," said Stryka, "and he seemed pretty keen on yours." Landau could see the affinity in his meaning.

  "I know you tried to save him. I'm guessing you were friends once. I lost my friends not long ago, though it feels longer."

  Stryka spoke though his gaze was ever toward the bleary horizon.

  "I have given few the luxury of friendship, the few I have were taken from me. It's a misery I have chosen to live without. Much like you I was forced into peril, it follows me like a plague, even now it seems. Once it starts it never stops, and each memory burns like a headache."

  "How do you make it stop?" Landau asked, yet Stryka gave him a forlorn stare.

  "You cannot make it stop kid, such is the mind. You can only hope to relive some happy memory, or escape to a dream, yet I am too rigid to do so. For as long as I can remember I have fed off the anger of my hardship, a part of me refuses to believe there is anything good left in this world."

  Landau got up and joined Stryka by the window, his eyes lost to the darkness of the land.

  "I remember when I was back at the farm, helping my friend Clancey set up his barn, seems so long ago, and so ordinary now. I imagined the horses that would be stabled there. I hoped to ride one, or that me and my dad could own one, name it what we wished, and ride it whenever we liked. I had no care in being a fisherman, or a farmer, the thought of spending my time with horses felt adventurous to me. I imagined growing old, taking over the barn from Clancey when he was too old to continue. Jenny would be all grown up, and I could teach her to ride, then we could wander across the northern country aimlessly one day, free from any worry."

  The spoken thought brought a smile to his face, and Stryka took notice.

  "It's a simple thought indeed Landau, but it is pleasant."

  For the first time he beheld the boy in a different light, not one of meddling mischief or selfish concern, but one of innocence and forgotten joy, and in the woe of their journey it confused him that Landau could still hold on to such strength.

  "Whatever p
eril lies ahead kid, if your thoughts are ever darkened, you should always hold on to that dream. I hope for your sake your companions can see you safely through."

  Landau was discouraged, for it suggested Stryka had no interest in their quest.

  "I don't know if Jema said it, but thank you for your help."

  "Jema would never say it," he spoke in jest.

  Stryka's gaze was purposefully intimidating, yet Landau saw a man that Jema once trusted, whose trust was effortful to earn. But his dismissive presence would not reveal such history here.

  "I understand now what Jema sees in you. Tomorrow much will be said, and you must be prepared for the outcome, and though I will have no bearing on its result, I am confident your companions will not abandon you. Try to get some rest."

  Landau's eyes were void of tiredness, but he descended the stairs and returned to his bed, around him his fellows gathered in slumber, perhaps for the final time. He lay the sword beside him, and in its trivial display it filled him with dread, for it was now his bane, and who he wondered would share such a scourge.

  The fellowship awoke jaded, for the fringes of the mountain brought a bitter chill, and the few clouds there were, rippled across the morning sky. The embrace of a meal was abandoned for the company scattered to dwell on their task. Landau slept soundly, and rarely so, for he wished to sleep longer knowing the despair the day would bring. Already he could sense in their faces visions of doubt, and in the absence of Jema no authority was present to rally them into council.

  Against the fading fire it was Vhalen who soon gathered his companions to deliberate on their task, for the night had given them much reflection, and away from the mountain Vhalen was open to all their concerns.

  "We must decide now friends what to make of this journey. This quest is more serious than I feared. There are few roads we can travel and we must choose wisely. The enemy we know is chasing us, and we would be foolish to think they have stopped," said Vhalen.