Blade Asunder Complete Series Box Set

by Jon Kiln

  Raff’s chamber was basic, but comfortable. They were met by the wolf’s partner, Zenisha, who provided refreshment. The sweet liquid was most welcome as it was warm underground and Ganry gratefully drained his cup in one. Zenisha smiled and poured him another. Just at that moment they were joined by other males, all in human form. Raff introduced them all, one by one. These were his trusted seconds in command of the packs in this territory.

  They sat upon a large rug on the ground, made up of many animal skins. It was soft and luxurious and made sitting on the hard stone floor much more comfortable.

  “Have you come from the Queen to tell me that Palara is invaded?” Raff began the meeting.

  “Palara is not invaded, not just yet anyway, Alpha Raff,” Ganry began to explain. “The witches have followed us here with their army of the undead. I don’t know how they’re tracking us, but they seem to be on our tail every way we turn. It is likely that their army is made up of Palaran folk the witches are slaying along the way. Then they raise them from the dead to do their evil deeds.” Ganry paused a moment to allow the men to fully comprehend what he was saying. Even for shape changers, the knowledge that the dead could walk was difficult to comprehend.

  “General Jeon of Mirnee,” Ganry continued, “is in league with them, but I don’t know the full details yet. I was sent by Emperor Nestor Fontleroy to find his son, before the witches do. Here is Queen Myriam’s ring so you can trust what I say is true. I must find the child before the General does, for I fear he means him harm. Do you know where the albino boy is?”

  “I do, but he remains under our protection,” Raff replied. “We will not give him to you, or anyone else for that matter. None will have access to him.”

  “You cannot keep him safe from the witches,” Ganry argued. “I need to return him to Mirnee. Only when he takes his rightful place on the throne will he be safe and the witches beaten.”

  “Clearly, you are not aware of the legends of witches and wolves,” one of the other men spoke to Ganry. “If a human were bitten by a shape changer, it would have no effect, other than it would be painful or even fatal. If we bite any who have magic in their blood, they will Turn. Witches and shape changers are historically archenemies.”

  “I think you will find that they will throw themselves at you to get this boy. I don’t know what hold he has on them, but they will do everything in their power to take him,” Ganry warned.

  Raff stood, his face a mask of determination.

  “The boy was placed in our care by the Emperor, with instructions that only he could take him. You say you are sent by the Emperor, but you have no proof. The boy stays with my people and that is the end of the matter.”

  “I wish to speak with Ganry, Raff,” a small quiet voice said from the doorway.

  Ganry looked over to see an albino boy with pure white hair, his skin a pale and pallid white, too. Even the boy’s eyes were like the rest of him, his pupils glowed like silvery disks. Ganry knew instantly this was the very special boy he had been seeking.

  “I know my father trusts this man, Raff. He once told me that Ganry is my brother, in all but blood.”

  23

  The boy stepped out of the shadows and went to Ganry, holding out his hand in the traditional greeting. “My name is Cronos Fontleroy, and my father has spoken fondly of you.”

  “And he speaks fondly of you still, young master,” Ganry smiled at him, accepting his handshake. “I am Ganry de Rosenthorn, and I have come to take you home.”

  As he studied the pale-skinned boy, he thought he was of a mature nature for his eight years of age. Being born to an Emperor and next in line to rule probably does that to a child. He had been trained and prepared for leadership from the moment he said his first word.

  “These people have been kind to me. I need to say my goodbyes. Will that be acceptable?” the boy asked Ganry.

  Ganry turned to Raff. “You have to understand that while Cronos is here, both he and your people are in danger.”

  “If Cronos wishes to return to his lands, I will not go against his wishes. He has a wise head for his age,” Raff smiled at Cronos. “However, my mate, Zenisha, would never forgive me if we did not have a proper send off for the boy. She has grown very fond of him. At the very least, she will demand a feast in his honor.”

  Ganry felt his own men could do with a rest before the return journey, so although he wanted to set off as soon as possible, he didn’t object to the delay. Let them say their goodbyes and tomorrow they would leave for Castle Villeroy.

  Ganry said his farewells to Raff and the boy, and was then escorted back to his own camp, along with Blaez, the wolfman who had brought him here. The men had finished setting up and they were relaxing when he returned. Oddly, there was a cluster of men around Riley.

  Ganry approached the group to check that all was well.

  “Artas is missing,” Riley informed him. “We’re just about to do a search of the perimeter. He can’t have gone far.”

  Ganry nodded his agreement. He would help search for Artas. He was growing quite fond of the young man, and Myriam would never forgive him if anything should happen to her friend.

  Blaez offered his help and spoke to the other wolves present, in their own language, a deep guttural sound with a staccato rhythm. They set off together in the search for the missing nobleman.

  There were clusters of small woodlands close by, and they decided to break up so they could cover more ground. Each group had a wolf to accompany them. Ganry, Riley, and a grey haired wolf took the first small woods. They made their way through the dense copse and soon arrived in a glade. The small grassy meadow was alight with a glow of blue, which seemed to be shining from the center. They approached the light cautiously, swords drawn. The grey shaggy wolf with them was alert and cautious, the hackles on its back raised.

  As they grew closer, it wasn’t a witch they saw, but instead they found Artas.

  He was kneeling in the long grass, his head leaning back and a blue light shining from his eyes. Artas was not aware of anything around him. He was speaking to someone, a language Ganry had never heard before, yet there was no one present.

  The wolf changed into human form and a young woman stood before Ganry and Riley.

  “My name is Grecia, I am the shaman for my pack,” she introduced herself. “This human is under a spell, and under the control of the witches. He is passing information to them.”

  Ganry gasped in surprise. Artas was the one betraying them. He never for one moment suspected him.

  Grecia, seeing the shock on Ganry’s face, spoke, “Do not blame him, for he is young and vulnerable. If you must blame anyone then it is yourselves, for surely you must have seen some changes in his behavior. We must help him.”

  Ganry was stunned to silence. Of course he should have realized. He knew Artas well, and he had not been himself these last few weeks, ever since they had returned from Mirnee. Now he understood how their escape had been so easy. Jeon had wanted them to come here and lead him to the boy.

  Grecia set to work while Ganry stood and watched helplessly. She took hold of both of Artas’s hands and stared into his young face. Her eyes turned a ruby red and shone back at the blue light. They stared at each other, locked like that for what seemed an eternity to Ganry. The woman’s red eyes seemingly challenging the blue light, emanating from Artas’s eyes.

  Suddenly the blue light flickered and began to fade, causing Artas to scream. Both bodies elevated upwards, just a few feet from the ground. Grecia did not let go of Artas’s hands. It was obvious he was in pain as the witch and wolf fought their private battle. The blue light flickered one last time and was gone. Grecia brought them both gently back down to the earth. Her eyes returned to grey and she smiled.

  Artas just stared ahead for a few seconds, his face blank and impassive, a few beads of sweat clinging to his forehead. He blinked and then noticed Ganry and Riley, taking in his surroundings with a puzzled frown to his face.

 
“Why are you all staring at me,” he asked, “and why am I here?”

  Ganry smiled, relieved that he would once again be himself.

  “I’m sorry Artas, I never suspected anything.”

  “I’ve had a dark cloud hanging over me for weeks, Ganry. My dreams have been troubled and I wake up in the strangest of places.”

  “You have been possessed, Artas,” the grey eyed woman informed him. “The witches have been controlling your mind. They have used you to lead them to the Emperor’s son. But, fear not, all is well. Wolves do not fear the witches, it is they who fear us.”

  “So it’s me that’s put us in danger?” Artas looked horrified at the thought.

  “No, Artas, it is my fault, not yours. I know nothing of magic, but I should have seen you were not yourself.”

  “We should return to camp,” Riley interrupted them. “I fear the woods are not safe.”

  Ganry agreed. “Can you walk, Artas?” he asked.

  Artas got to his feet with the aid of Grecia, and although he was a little unsteady, he could support himself. Soon they were all heading back to camp.

  “Why do the witches want the boy?” Ganry asked, hoping the wolves had the answer to this puzzlement.

  “It was an albino who banished Thalia, the Witch Queen, many hundreds of years ago. This albino was an ancestor of Emperor Fontleroy. The only difference was that then, it was a she and not a he. Young Cronos has the same bloodline, and they need him for the ceremony to return their queen. You must ensure this does not happen. If the queen returns, then the witches will be too powerful for humans to stop. The battle will be of magic, not swords. We will help you keep him safe, and together we will rid the world of this menace.”

  Ganry realized at that point, this was not a battle between Mirnee and Palara, this was a battle for the very world. If the witches were to win, then darkness would envelop everyone.

  24

  Early the next morning, a pack of wolves arrived at the camp and with them was Cronos. No time was wasted, and before long they were all heading out, making their way back to Palara. Ganry thought the best option was to speak to Queen Myriam and she could decide the fate of this mission.

  Ganry led from the front, with wolves scouting out the area ahead. Cronos rode upon the back of a huge black wolf. Ganry marveled at the contrast between the boy’s white skin and the darkness of his jet black wolf.

  The wolfman, Torno, was Cronos’s personal body guard, and he would fight with his life to save the boy, at all costs. A bond had formed between them when Cronos was a babe, and now they were inseparable.

  Ganry was happy with this arrangement, as it meant he could concentrate on the journey and getting Cronos to safety, knowing he would be protected by the wolves if they were attacked.

  They made good time and soon the village of Lochwyne was on the horizon, named after the lake on which the people had built their homes. It was situated just outside the borders of Slohal Prairie, on the human side of the Kingdom of Palara. This whole area was dotted with many lakes. Ganry had planned to camp around the village, at the end of their first day’s journey. Yet, as they neared, it was clear something was amiss.

  One of the wolves returned from the scouting party and approached Ganry, changing into his human form.

  “The village is empty,” he said. “I see no one, living or dead, but I sense an evil presence.”

  They moved closer to the village, all keeping a wary eye on the lake as they grew nearer. The waves lapped at the shore and became more frequent, when suddenly, just as before, walking corpses began to rise from the water. They headed slowly towards them. The unmistakable stench of death in the air was overpowering.

  The human soldiers drew their swords and dismounted, but before they could take the stance of combat, the wolves were instantly upon the dead. They attacked with a ferocity that shocked Ganry, snarling and snapping as they plowed through the undead. Headless bodies soon littered the beach as the wolves made short work of the slow moving corpses.

  “The witches will need a stronger army than that if they are to succeed,” Grecia explained to Ganry, who hadn’t even had time to dismount to join the battle.

  “Where do you suppose the witches are hiding? They must be close?” he asked the wolf shaman.

  “They will not linger where my kind walk. If we bite them, they will turn to shape changers, so they will have fled. It is the magic within both peoples that makes them vulnerable. We cannot change a human with our bite, only kill them, but a witch would be changed. Once changed, they would be outcasts, accepted by neither wolf pack nor witches’ coven. The chances are they would be killed by one or the other.”

  “Only a few months ago, I shunned magic,” Ganry told her. “But now, it’s a different story. A man of my age sees much on his travels. I’m only too glad that humans are not affected by a wolf bite.”

  “No, your bodies could not take the changing of bones and muscles,” she explained. “We are different, although we look the same when we are in your form. Our bodies grow differently. Our muscles and bones have a different element that allows them to transmogrify easily into our different body structures. Call it magic if you wish, but it is something deeper than that.”

  “Are there are other types of witches?”

  “Indeed, just as there are other shape changers. Most witches care for the earth or create potions for healing. They are good people and only want to use their magic to help others, not harm them. Not so with this clan. They are evil and would see the end of mankind if they rule. Magic and men can live together and have done so for thousands of years. Only when the magic is dark does it pose a threat to your kind, and ours too. We will fight this threat together.”

  Ganry was pleased the wolves were their allies and not their enemies. The short work they had made of the living dead was a testament to their prowess in battle.

  “How is Artas?” Grecia asked.

  “We are grateful that you recognized his mishap,” Ganry smiled at her, noticing her beauty for the first time. Her long silver hair was mesmerizing and had an almost ethereal glow. How this woman could turn into a creature like a wolf, was hard to accept. She was so delicate and feminine.

  “He is not sleeping as much, which is a blessing. Though he’s punishing himself for being caught by the witches. He recalls a day in Mirnee when had no sense of where he had been. We think that is when the witches worked their spells on him. We also now know that the escape from the prison was a set up, so they could follow us to find the Emperor’s child.”

  “Have no fear for Cronos, he is protected well,” she said. “Although I will sleep easier once we have him behind the castle walls. I fear there is worse to come and would like him out of the open space.”

  “I have that same gut feeling,” Ganry agreed.

  The men piled the corpses into a heap and set fire to them. Again, there was a strange blue light to the flames. It quickly engulfed the bodies, reducing them to ashes in mere minutes. Despite the attack, it was decided to stay near the village for the night, and so camp was set. Fires were lit and food was prepared.

  “I don’t know what General Jeon’s part is in this. He was always loyal to the Emperor in my days in Mirnee,” Ganry said to Grecia later that night as they sat around a brightly lit fire.

  “You do not know, Ganry?” she asked him.

  “Know what?” Ganry was puzzled at the shaman’s response.

  “The witches have promised him the return of his son, for the Emperor’s child. Though he cannot know that his son will have no real mind. He will be a shell of a body.”

  “You mean they can raise someone who has been dead these last ten years?” Ganry shuddered.

  “They will bring forth his spirit’s memory and give it form.” Grecia grimaced, knowing it was dark magic that worked on such unnatural forces.

  “Will he be like the undead we have seen?” Ganry was now worried for the General.

  “No, these poor creatu
res have no spirit, they are just animated shells, driven on by a lust for flesh. They will awaken a memory of his spirit, but it will not be him, for he is gone to the afterlife. They will give it form, so it looks and feels human. But, it will not speak, or eat, or drink. It is not really alive and will have no capacity to think or feel.”

  “This is madness, they cannot do this spell, surely it is cruel for the spirit that should be resting.” Ganry wondered how the General could do such a thing to his son.

  “No, it is not cruel to the spirit, as it is only a memory in a shell of a body. But, it is cruel to the father, for this will not be his son. It will be an animated body that will look like him.”

  “I must find Jeon. He must be made aware of this. Then maybe he will end his support of the witches and set his army against them.”

  “You cannot help him, he is so very desperate for his son’s return. He will not listen to you, even though deep down inside he probably knows it to be true.” Grecia put her hand gently upon Ganry’s arm. “He will think that you lie, especially you, for his hatred of you is a heavy burden he carries. The best way to end his pain is to end his life. Let the days ahead decide his fate. Together we must join the battle against the evil that we fight, and help to stem it, before Thalia awakens.”

  Ganry nodded his understanding. “I promise I will do all within my strength to rid the world of this evil.”

  Grecia stood up to join her pack. The shaman and her wolves would sleep out in the open, as wolves. Ganry and his men were in tents. Although he would place his men on guard duty, he knew there was no need. The wolves would miss nothing throughout the night.

  25

  Ganry’s party arrived back at Castle Villeroy, where he felt the Emperor’s son, Cronos, would be safer. Surely, not even the General would dare to attack the royal household. The wolves had agreed with this strategy, and made the trip with them to ensure his safety. Once he was safely behind the secure walls of the castle, they would help end this nonsense with the witches and restore the Emperor back to his rightful place. But they needed to know the boy was safe, as did Ganry.