by Y W Lumaris
“We walk with the soldiers. Two captains in the back, two in the front. They each have bikes. Captain Hawk here is my messenger – his bike goes up and down there.” he pointed to the truck in front of the one they walked next to. It was empty, save for repair kits and parts. “When not giving orders, he walks with us.”
“Wait – we walk? What’s the rover for, then?”
“The battlefield. We need to save as much fuel as possible, Court-Mage Fen.”
At Fen’s look, Ladon realized he’d not thought about resources. And the king truly thinks he’s suited for this? He tried not to show his frustration, turning his gaze as they continued to walk alongside the soldiers. Picking up the pace, Ladon reached the front. Fen hurried after.
“The next battle – I’m not controlling it,” Fen said cautiously, glancing at soldiers as they made their way through the rows. “As soon as we cross those wards, we’ll be in enemy territory. Your men know this, right?”
“They do.”
“And you’re prepared, then?” Fen looked him up and down, eyes on the weapons and armor.
“We’ve been in many skirmishes beyond the wards, court-mage,” Ladon assured. “The only difference this time is you.”
Fen looked ahead at the horizon. “I won’t be in the way, I assure you. Will you be using the rover?”
“Only if necessary. Otherwise, I fight with the men. I suppose you could use it, though.”
“Magic is stronger than those weapons,” Fen pointed out. “I’ll be fine on foot.”
Ladon looked over, noting the harpy’s small chin jutted out and poised high, his walk that of an over-confident prude. Now that’s my bias. He has the right to be confident in magic. But he’s clearly never faced battle.
“How many have you seen dead, if I may ask, Court-Mage Fen?”
“Just call me Fen, General. Court-Mage Fen is a mouthful.” The harpy paused. “I’ve...seen a few.”
“Up close?”
His eyes darted away, never meeting Ladon’s. He seemed distracted as they reached the frontlines. “How many captains do you have, again?”
Ladon scowled at the evasion and answered stiffly. “Five. One per company. Each company is a thousand men. Only one company was present yesterday, but the rest joined in the early hours before you arrived. We sent messengers after to inform them as soon as our little meeting ended.” Fen blinked, considering this.
“Five thousand. Should be enough to kill some gods, eh?” Fen grinned, clearly trying to find a positive note they could relate with.
“They’re people. And all of their lives are in your hands, Court-Mage Fen,” Ladon shot coldly, lowering his voice. “Gods have never been killed, and I assure you if you tell these men our mission is to kill four gods, they’d turn tail and run back to their families.”
Fen’s lips tightened, and he leaned in, voice barely above a whisper. Ladon struggled to hear. “I know, but when I do tell them, by then they will understand and have the same confidence I have.”
Ladon frowned, unimpressed. “You are the commanding officer. If not for my orders, I’d tell them we move back and find a way to fucking change the king’s mind. This mission is suicide.”
“General, I have the king’s blessing. You of all should respect his wisdom,” Fen said urgently. He paused, then added firmly. “I know you believe me.”
“Oh?” Ladon glared now.
“Yes. You would have ordered them to stay and defied the king anyway if you didn’t.” Fen’s eyes held him, and Ladon’s heart stopped. “You believe me, because I have already done something others before me claimed impossible. Gone to the Between. Made them mortal.”
Ladon’s eyes lowered to the medallion, which the harpy grasped and turned away. Damn it, he was right. Ladon upheld his loyalty to the king, but had seriously considered defying these orders. Yet he hesitated.
“How long of a march until we encounter the first group of Accursed, you think?” Fen piped louder, voice brighter.
“Three days, at most.” Ladon looked away, brow furrowed. Was Fen right? He hated him now. He should have ordered his men to stop and turn back. “The Accursed will smell us from miles away once we pass the last ward.”
“Wonderful!”
Chapter Four
Fen’s spirit dropped the further the day went on. They marched. Soldiers grew bored. Some conversed, others remained quiet. Toward the end of the fifth hour, as the sun lowered toward the horizon, they passed the last ward.
Instantly, the world changed.
The brown sky shimmered into a rich pastel. Everyone squinted. The smell remained, but the clouds captured the sunlight in terrific shades, filling their eyes with beauty. Fen wiped his eyes.
Ladon glanced. “Haven’t been outside the wards before?”
“Not in thirty years.” Fen sniffed against the air, managing a grin. “It’s beautiful though. And it doesn’t stink as much.”
“It’s been a couple since I’ve seen it.”
“Five here,” Hawk barked from behind, startling Fen. Fen wrinkled his nose and looked away.
“When we are done,” he insisted, “—there will be no need for wards.”
“Oh?” Hawk’s upper lip pulled back in a sarcastic grin. “How’s that? Ya think five thousand men are gonna kill millions of fiends?”
Fen pursed his lips, looking at Ladon, who looked back coldly.
“Maybe? We will see. Haven is a good way’s north.”
“Why Haven?”
“Captain Hawk,” Ladon interrupted. “Court-Mage Fen will divulge his plan to us as he feels.”
Captain Hawk glared but resigned. “Yeah, yeah...”
They continued marching. Just as Fen began to grow bored again, his ears perked at the sound of someone singing. Then others picked up the tune. A soldier cadence, Fen recalled. He knew of them, but had never bothered to learn the lyrics. He listened as the song carried out in parts between each division.
* * *
“See them run, see them run,
Let them come, let them come
From the east to the west
Run, run, running for us
The Accursed die here
The Accursed die here!
* * *
Standing tall and looking fine,
Get scared, can’t fight
You’re outta time, no one needs ya shit
* * *
See them run, see them run
Let them come, let them come,
From the north to the south
Run, run, running for us
The Ashinari die here!
* * *
Marching on and on, we go
Looking fit and looking fine
Guns loaded and daggers sharp,
The gods have had their wine
Marching on and on, we go.”
* * *
Fen looked over at Ladon. “Dismal song you folk sing.”
“And ya got something better?” Ladon muttered.
Fen thought about it.
Sing one of your favorites, Fen! Ophelia’s voice touched his mind.
“I couldn’t,” he muttered.
“What was that?”
Sure you could. I’m so bored, I’m about to run around and scare people just to make ruckus!
Flushing, Fen cleared his throat. “N-nothing, just—”
You have a beautiful voice, anyway. If a bit off tune.
He glared at his shoulder. “Ophelia, I can’t sing a song,” he hissed through his teeth.
“Sing a song, ya say?” Hawk caught on and laughed, clapping the shorter man’s shoulder in his massive hand. Fen jerked forward, yelping. “Hey everyone! Court-Mage Fen’s gonna sing us a song!”
Fen blushed deeply, staggering as he caught his balance and shrugged off the captain. He fixed his collar and looked about, noting the eyes on him. Fuck.
No way out of it now, Fen. Sink or swim!
Some support you are. He sighed.
; “Anyone familiar with Alia Delhart’s music?” he asked, looking about.
“I’ve heard of her,” Ladon said. “I’m sure half the soldiers have, too.”
“All right, then, so everyone leaves home for war – hoping to return, usually to a loved one, right? So let’s, in that spirit, sing a song!” Fen fumbled. He wanted to hide away from all these men and women staring at him like he was the strangest thing. Perhaps he was – he felt rather strange among them.
Pushing the thoughts aside, he cleared his throat. He began to sing, then stopped, shaking his head. The notes sounded wrong without melody to accompany the song. It simply wouldn’t do. He ran to the truck with cargo in it, jumping inside and crouching to hastily go through his bag. The mage reappeared to the marching soldiers, pushing his hair out of his face before holding proper a dark wooden lute. Several soldiers chuckled and whispered between each other. Hawk tilted his brow. Clearing his throat, Fen walked alongside them and strummed the instrument.
* * *
“My lady of the sunny drop
A single note and nevermore
I cannot fathom or whatnot
A life without you evermore
* * *
My wonder of the moon cast
A lament and evermore
I forever long to hold ya fast,
A dream you are nevermore.
* * *
A dream you are nevermore.”
* * *
Fen fell lost into the music, strumming the instrument along the words. He found himself grinning as soldiers laughed and joined in. It was a popular song in Aklon. Ophelia shared his surprise. This was a good idea – sing the song about ships and love. I love that one! Taking Ophelia’s suggestion, the harpy moved on. Soon he’d forgotten he was a leader of a massive army, planning to kill the gods. Nor the sadness and loneliness he’d endured over the years. In fact, it’d been so long since he’d interacted with so many humans, he’d forgotten how addictive their positive feedback could be.
As he strummed the instrument, his eyes met the general’s, noticing a softer, gentler look than the rigid, cold, and angry one he’d come to expect. Ladon’s features were unmistakably handsome for a man with stubble darkening the jawline. A taut, tight face that looked as if it had weathered several storms, and amber eyes that could make his heart nearly stop. Those eyes reminded him of another person, her visage still haunting his memory.
Then Ladon’s eyes hardened and darted aside. Did he notice his hesitation? Fen began to panic, mind suddenly whirling as he tried desperately to center himself.
What is it, dear? Ophelia’s voice calmed him. Memories of her vanished, along with what confusion he had about the general. He smiled.
“Nothing,” he muttered. “Another song, anyone? Suggestions? I could play, and maybe Captain Hawk could si—”
“ACCURSED!”
The word rang from one of the captains at the front. They drove their bike around, pointing and shouting, alerting all soldiers, while making their way to the general.
On the western horizon, a stream of gray bodies bolted toward the troops. Fen grew cold inside as he gazed over the heads of the soldiers. Dust plumed in the air from seemingly thousands of feet. Their snarls, hisses, and screeches echoed as they blasted across the plains toward them.
“Form ranks, westward!” Ladon bellowed, jumping into action. He paused at the sight of Fen, who floundered to catch his lute and take it to the truck. Fen could feel his glare.
“Court-Mage Fen – this is it, the first real battle of our service under you,” Ladon’s voice sounded when Fen returned, dusting himself. Fen straightened and made a strong face. But as he watched the soldiers get into line and ready their weapons, his stomach knotted. Meeting Ladon’s stiff look again, he winced.
His voice was barely above a whisper, tight with stress. “What do I do?” I can’t let the captains see me weak.
“Start by getting in the rover – Captain Hawk,” he turned to his captain, “grab the rover and keep Fen in the rear of the ranks.” Fen blanched, shaking his head. The back?! Hawk had already left, but Rox and the others were staring at him.
“No, no – I need to be closer to the front. Maybe the middle.” Fen fumbled, thinking quick and wringing his hands. “Don’t look at me like that,” he snapped. “I have magic, I’m a mage – I can give you wards for a while, add additional impact if I must. There are offensive spells— ”
“We’ve never used a mage in battle – they’ve always been reserved for the cities’ wards,” Ladon said.
“You can’t afford to ignore my abilities.” Fen looked at the rover Captain Hawk drove toward them. General Ladon nodded, and Fen returned the gesture, looking over and giving Hawk the plan. The man nodded, driving off with Fen, while Ladon pulled out his rifle and led his men to face the onslaught of Accursed rabidly making their way toward them.
Fen sat in the passenger seat, clutching the handle with a determined look. I can do this. This is where I show these soldiers what I’m capable of. They will see why the king placed me above General Ladon, an exception among others. He took a few calming breaths as his heart raced.
He looked at the throng of enemies ahead and tensed.
“Ya know what you’re doing, Court-Mage Fen?”
Fen nodded, not daring to look at the captain. No. “Keep to the center, where I can have the best view of the soldiers.”
“Alright.”
The troops fanned out. The sound of the soldiers’ footfalls pounded like the beat of a steady drum. The hum of the rover’s engine added as it moved slowly with them. The supply trucks remained behind and guarded. The soldiers hefted their guns as they drew closer.
Watching the scene unfold was akin to a nightmare. Fen’s last encounter with the Accursed had been with much slower fiends. These twisted, tall abominations looked far worse, far faster, and far more deadly than those he remembered. His stomach twisted as he could hear the fear rising in the soldiers’ shouts and yells.
I didn’t prepare them for this!
He gritted his teeth as he heard General Ladon’s voice shout orders preparing the men. Reminders of the man trickled through his own trepidation, telling him to calm down. Ophelia easily picked up on it.
Ladon and his captains have been out here more than once. So have most of their recruits. Believe it or not, Fen, I think we are the only ones unprepared here.
The sound of guns loading snapped and clicked around him. He could smell the gunpowder ready to ignite.
“Fire!”
The front ranks knelt and fired their guns, mowing down the closest wall of Accursed. The creatures screamed louder, jagged teeth glinting against the orange sunlight. He paled as he watched the long-limbed, gray-skinned monsters reach and rip through the first ranks, flinging men twenty feet up and back. They were ten feet tall at the shortest, fifteen the most.
“Fen! The wards, dammit!”
As if just hearing Captain Hawk’s orders, Fen jolted out of his stupor and moved quick. He grabbed the cold bar of the rover’s cage and stood, holding it tightly as he thought of the shield spells. Just throw them wherever, Fen! They’re dying!
He cried out, yelling the spell’s incantation, hands taking on a blue glow with a purple sheen. In a breath, the wisps of magic jolted from him and bounced off an Accursed and then expanded, forming a temporary shield between the soldiers and the Accursed.
It bought them just enough time to fall back and recover.
General Ladon dragged two injured men.
“Take them to the medic!” he ordered the closest captain. The man nodded, but looked grave. Fen understood – everyone did: a direct wound from the Accursed meant certain death.
They’re on my watch though, he panicked.
“Take me to the medic as well. I need to see those soldiers!” he yelled at Captain Hawk.
“Sir, we need ya for the ward—”
Fen looked to the ward, which flickered as his concentration wavered
. The Accursed were piling against it now – a mass of gray-bodied monsters, their claws hooking over the edge. Even though the soldiers had backed a good twenty feet, the creatures still could tower over them. Their numbers were terrifying.
How did I not think this through?
Chapter Five
General Ladon shouted above the din and encouraged his soldiers to re-form their ranks and fire. Fen dropped the ward for a moment to allow the bullets out – catching the monsters by surprise. They toppled into the mass of bullets, blue blood flying about as they crumpled over each other.
Yet they continued to push through.
Perhaps fifty were dead – hundreds more remained. Fen’s heart thumped.
“Keep doing that, Fen! Ward up!” Ladon’s voice carried.
Fen obeyed, watching the flicker of blue magic clash against the bodies. Once the pile reached capacity and the men moved further back, he dropped the shield to allow the sea of bullets to destroy them.
He was beginning to think they had them – until a shout from the other side called their attention. Fen turned to look.
A horde of four-legged Accursed, with more of the towering monsters mounted upon them, charged from behind. The beasts atop seemed wiry-thin, like older versions of the Accursed Fen remembered dealing with. They were shouting some kind of orders, and he could swear they noticed him.
Perhaps that was simply his fear, or memory, of their first encounter. He shook his head, realizing how easily his concentration wavered. Hawk kept saying something, but he could barely catch the tail end of it.
“Ya look pale, sir, sit down. General Ladon’s comin over.” Sure enough, Fen happened to look just as the red-armored man arrived, his armor already stained with blood both blue and red. His cold eyes went straight to Hawk.
“Those are new beasts,” he growled. “We need to come up with a new plan.”
